DIShGo

On 7/12/2005 at 11:40 AM, monavano said:

Lodge enameled cast iron comes from a family on long proven cookware, for far less than Le Creuset (which hasn't impressed me as being hearty and long lasting)

https://secure.lodgemfg.com/storefront/prod...408&menu=enamel

Staub also makes beautiful ovens. Not cheap though.

http://www.staubusa.com/index.asp

I had a Lodge Dutch oven that lasted for years. The only reason I don't have it anymore is it was so heavy, I decided not to move it across country.

I recently completed a 200-hour yoga teacher training course at Mind the Mat in Clarendon. The class met six days a week for a month, so I had the opportunity to try a number of different restaurants for lunch.

My favorite, by far, is Northside Social. I enjoyed the atmosphere, eating both inside and out, and the food and beverages were consistently delicious. My go-to drink was the chai tea latte with ginger and turmeric. My favorite lunch dishes were the brown rice bowl with avocado and bacon, and the kale caesar salad with a poached egg. The coffee, soups and sandwiches that I tried were all very tasty. I never had a bad lunch at this spot.

My second favorite place is The Liberty Tavern. It is a little fancier and pricier than Northside Social, but I still felt comfortable lunching there in yoga attire. The roasted carrot and beet salad was wonderful, and I enjoyed their classic tomato soup. The grilled salmon with wild mushroom risotto, arugula, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and crispy shiitakes was also quite good. Both times we ate there it was cold inside, so be sure to bring a jacket or a sweater.

I enjoyed a pleasant lunch at Circa, an underwhelming and overpriced meal at Silver Diner, a so-so burger at All About Burger (for me, it was all about the fries, which were much better than the burger), and a few subpar lunches at Cosi, my least favorite spot by far.

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Related Threads:
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On 7/26/2017 at 5:58 AM, DonRocks said:

*** SPOILERS FOLLOW FOR THE REST OF THE POST ***I read where many viewers felt "cheated" that there wasn't a traditional ending for this movie, and that the film merely fades out while Lee and his nephew Patrick (brilliantly played by Lucas Hedges) were sitting on a boat. But that is about the most realistic "ending" there could be - what do people expect, a "bang?"

Anyway, all this rambling to say that the fade-out ending was the only intelligent ending there could have been; a suicide would have been an insult to this beautiful, nuanced film. (The suicide attempt in the police station, early on, however, was perfectly justified and made perfect sense.) When you're dealt a hand *this* bad, your personality changes, you become a better human being in most ways, but you're forced to live each day with a stoicism because you're no longer "living"; you're merely "existing," and the instinct to exist is strong in humans.

***SPOILERS FOLLOW***

A couple of friends with whom I saw the film didn't think it should end with suicide or a "bang." They hoped, instead, that Lee would stop being a janitor, become Patrick's guardian, stay in the nicer home, and fall in love with the kind woman who had shown interest in him. In other words, they were rooting for a happy Hollywood ending that would tie up the story with a neat bow. 

I am glad it didn't end that way. The ending felt real and appropriate to me. Although Lee isn't going to become his nephew's legal guardian, the bond between them is strong and will survive. In this way, the ending felt realistic and hopeful.

On 7/26/2017 at 5:58 AM, DonRocks said:

***SPOILERS FOLLOW FOR THE REST OF THIS POST***

Complex Grief is something that you don't get over; it's something you deal with, and it rarely, often never, goes away - on his dying day, even if it's thirty years into the future, Lee will have thought about what happened every single hour of every single day, and his entire life will have been lived under a dark cloud - that's the way this works.

***SPOILERS FOLLOW***

Yes, I agree, but Lee was dealing with complex grief AND guilt. It was this combination that made his life so unbearable, and convinced him that he could never be an adequate guardian for his nephew, whom he loved with all of his heart.

I will never forget when I saw Mickey Rooney in a restaurant in Hawaii, about 20 years ago. My daughter, around four-years-old at the time, was walking past his table, and he smiled at her and said hello. She scrunched up her nose and skirted away. 

Mulholland Drive has long been on my list of films to watch. I am happy I finally got around to seeing it. It is a work of art. David Lynch is brilliant. This film is a must-see, in my opinion. Difficult to explain, but so easy to enjoy.

I enjoyed this film. Valerie Perrine, who won the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival for her performance as Honey Bruce, gives a moving and nuanced performance as a spunky stripper whose life spirals out of control as she becomes addicted to drugs. 

The movie, like the comedian for which it is named, shines a spotlight on the hypocrisy of American society.  

I had a delightful dinner at The Shack last week. I started with the roasted shishito peppers, followed by the chicken fried sweetbreads with watermelon rind slaw and maple syrup hot sauce. My main course was a perfectly cooked piece of rockfish, served with roasted carrots and cauliflower, topped with a smoked tomato and sweet corn sauce with chanterelle mushrooms. This dish was nicely balanced, lovely looking and delicious. I was too full for dessert, but I managed to find a little room for some decadent elderflower long pepper peaches with buttermilk custard and buttermilk granita. Yum! Staunton is a charming town, and I can't wait to go back to The Shack.

Halfway between Greensboro and Durham, NC, lies the small town of Graham. This is where Don and I decided to stop for cup of coffee to break up our post-eclipse drive back to D.C. The town is small and sleepy, and we didn't have high hopes for finding an outstanding coffee shop here. Boy, were we surprised to stumble upon Press Coffee and Crepes, a delightful spot where I savored one of the best cups of coffee I have ever enjoyed.

Don and I both ordered iced, nitro cold-pressed coffees. They were incredibly smooth and delicious. The shop has a laid-back, hip vibe, with comfortable chairs and an inviting ambiance. The pastries on display looked tasty, but we didn't try any. If you are driving between Greensboro and Durham, this gem is well worth a visit.

After returning from an unforgettable view of the total eclipse at South Cove County Park in Seneca, SC, we returned to our "home" base in Asheville for dinner at Buxton Hall. Compared to our dinner the previous night at Rhubarb, this meal was uneven. Some things, like the smoked and fried chicken, were incredible. Others, like the bland and tasteless hushpuppies, were forgettable. The whole hog pulled pork was delicious, but the baby lima and butter beans were not.

Most of the sides were underwhelming, with the exception of the Brunswick stew and the smokey pimento cheese plate. I highly recommend the chicken, which was the best fried chicken I have ever had. Plump, juicy and smokey on the inside, and perfectly battered, seasoned and fried on the outside.

Last week Don and I took a trip to South Carolina to see the eclipse in the path of totality. The night before this incredible event, we enjoyed a wonderful meal at Rhubarb in Asheville. We dined well all week, but this was my favorite spot.

I started with a summer peach sangria, recommended by the lovely woman sitting next to me at the bar. Normally I am not a sangria fan, but this was so good, I ordered a second.  Instead of ordering one of the main dishes, which looked fantastic, we got a selection of starters and then took some food to go for an eclipse-viewing picnic the next day. Everything was delicious, but the thing that stood out for me was the GL Goat Cheese Burrata with peach-rhubarb aigre-doux, onion jam, pickled blueberries and crispy shallots. I also loved the GG Desiree Potato Frico, with yellow branch cheese, grana padano, salumi vinaigrette, and TM dandelions.

Our servers were great, and they even gave us a little treat from the bakery, which we enjoyed with our morning coffee the next day.

On 3/10/2017 at 8:30 AM, DannyNoonan said:

My wife and I dined at Rose's last night to celebrate her birthday. We had a fantastic meal. Some highlights below:

• The Kung Pao tofu was by far the best thing we ate. I will order this every time I go if it's on the menu. Spicy, salty, a bit sweet and great texture
• The pastrami spiced carrots were a close second. A meatless dish that somehow tastes meaty. Really good 
• The barrel aged Bijou cocktail was fantastic. Smooth around the edges, great way to start the meal

Overall, a wonderful meal and a great first experience for us at this restaurant.

I enjoyed a lovely meal at Rose's for the first time last week, and I agree with you about the pastrami carrots. They were delicious and tasted so much like meat. I actually prefer them to real pastrami! I highly recommend them. The lychee salad was a hit for me as well. 

On 8/18/2017 at 7:30 AM, porcupine said:

I've been so busy with other things that I've neglected any planning for an upcoming trip, so I need some ideas. Here's the scenario: Mr. P will be in SF for two weeks for work, and will probably be hanging out with co-workers most evenings. I'm flying out to join him on Wednesday and staying for the weekend.  So, I need solo dinner options for Wednesday and Thursday, and "date night" options for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. We're staying close to the Ferry Terminal building, but don't mind taking public transport to just about anywhere.

Here's the important thing: l want low-key places. I'm not going to bring any fancy clothes and these days I really don't like formal dining. If my clone was coming to DC I'd tell her to go to Tail Up Goat and Himitsu. I'll consider any cuisine.

Many thanks.

Try The Progress for one of your date nights. It's the sister restaurant of State Bird Provisions. It's good, creative food served in a lively, casual setting. Don and I stumbled upon it one night, and I went back a second time with my kids. Its not inexpensive, but it's served family style and you get plenty to eat. I recommend the Sunny Jim for starters!

This is journalism at its best. I felt like I was there. Kudos to the reporter, Elle Reeve: She stood her ground and got the story. This is must-see news reporting for anyone interested in what is going on right now.

When "Get Out" debuted in theaters last winter, I couldn't wait to see it. It had a 99 percent positive critics' rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and friends whose opinions I value raved about it. I am not a fan of horror films, and I really didn't know what to expect. I certainly didn't anticipate what I saw--a thought provoking and highly entertaining film. This is a great film. It is a thrilling, darkly funny, mysterious movie that had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish.

"Get Out" is the directorial debut of Jordan Peele. My son is a fan of Key and Peele, so I expected this film to be funny in a slap-sticky, "Scary Movie," way. I couldn't have been more wrong. The humor is sophisticated and satirical. This movie feels like escapism, but at the same time, it made me think.

It is the tale of a black man dating a white woman who goes to meet her family in their upscale country home. Nothing is as it appears during this bizarre weekend. "Get Out" reminds me of some of my favorite old films, combined in a way that is fresh and new. I watched it for a second time last night, renting it on Amazon. After the credits roll, an alternate ending is presented. The director explains why this ending--the original one--was abandoned. I enjoyed watching the film for a second time, seeing all of the nuances I missed the first go around, and I liked hearing about why the movie ultimately ends as it does. If you rent this version, be sure to watch after the credits to see this interesting addition.

I had the pleasure of dining with Don at Sushi Ogawa on Wednesday evening, and it was, without a doubt, the best sushi/sashimi meal I have ever enjoyed. I lived 25 years in Northern California, and tried many sushi restaurants there, as well as in Los Angeles and Hawaii. This meal, from start to finish, was perfection.

The traditional nigiri (my favorite type of sushi) was impeccable. Wonderful rice beneath fish that melted in my mouth, enhanced with the perfect swipe of sauce and other toppings. Other notable dishes were the fried shrimp and miso soup with clams. The sashimi was fabulous, and the selection of seafood we were offered was abundant. The tuna sashimi was rich and meaty--the most flavorful tuna I ever recall eating.

We enjoyed speaking with Chef Ogawa as he prepared each course. Several times, feeling quite satiated, I was certain the meal was about to end, but the courses kept coming, each as delicate and delicious as the ones before.

I can't say enough about this meal. It was flawless, and one I will never forget.

I saw this in theatre's when it was released and my impression was, "Meh. I don't understand why there is a big to-do about this film." Thirteen years later, I remember almost nothing about it. It left no lasting impression on me.

Is there a post about Edith Head? If there isn't, there should be. It is a given, if you watch a film from a certain era, this woman designed the costumes for it. And she was good at it.

I love this movie. I laughed out loud, while at the same time, I was moved by its tale of love and devotion.  It is campy fun. It is the ultimate movie about movie-making. "Sunset Blvd." is a must-see for anyone who loves old Hollywood films.

My only knowledge of this film before seeing this was a spoof I saw of it, on the Carol Burnett show. Because of that spoof, I thought "Sunset Boulevard" was a serious, over-the-top, drama. Over the top? Yes! Serious? No! I think this film falls into the category of today's black comedies. 

About 48 minutes into the film, there is a reference to Judas Priest. To a person of my age, that is a rock band and not a filtered-down way to take the Lord's name in vain. Betty is a refreshing young 1950's heroine, and I have to say, Gloria Swanson as Norma Desmond looks pretty darn good for a "washed-up old woman" of 50! William Holden is excellent in the role of Joe Gillis, as is Erich von Stroheim as Norma's faithful servant, Max.  

3 hours ago, DonRocks said:

I found what is arguably the single-funniest typo I've ever seen in this article.

It's in the paragraph that begins, "Still, as busy as France was ...."

You might think it's a comical title instead of a typo, but it's a typo, and that's what makes it all the more hilarious.

Ahhh. I thought it was a comical title!

3 hours ago, DonRocks said:

One other thing which you, DIShGo, have probably picked up on by now:

Most people agree that "Breathless" is a snappy translation for "À Bout de Souffle," but the phrase "à bout de souffle" has a very specific meaning: Transliterated, it means "at end of breath," and is used for very specific situations:

A runner collapsing at the finish line is "à bout de souffle."

A terminally ill patient drawing their last breath is "à bout de souffle."

Someone seeing the best-looking person they've ever seen, and gasping, is *not* "à bout de souffle" (unless, of course, they wanted to take poetic license). As I think about it more, I've really only heard it used at the end of exhausting situations; not for the dying taking their last gasp - that may fall under the "poetic license" category as well, but I'm not sure.

*** SPOILERS FOLLOW ***

If you think about the general theme of the film - running endlessly - and also about Michel's death run, where he finally collapses, the original, French title is much more appropriate, and really, the only one that makes any sense, as the phrase literally connotes a type of "ending," or a complete "depletion."

Yes, the French title is perfect for this film. The English translation falls short.

I am reading "Night" by Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel. There is a preface in the book, explaining the new translation (by his wife) 45 years after the first version was published. Some extremely beautiful passages, written originally in Yiddish, were lost in the earlier translation.

The same can be said for "The Tin Drum," which was also retranslated many years after its release, capturing beautiful, song-like prose that was lost in the earlier version.

4 hours ago, DonRocks said:

I think she hit the jackpot when she met Janet Jackson - I distinctly remember reading an interview with her, about twenty years ago, saying "Janet Jackson and I made each other look pretty damned good." She *must* have been a fine dancer-choreographer, as you don't get to her level by luck alone. She also had *very* strong thighs, and choreographed in a way that required them.
...
I'm not sure why I'm being such a nattering nabob of negativism - I bought her CD when I was in my 20s (I didn't just admit that). The more I'm reading about her, the more I'm realizing her real talent was in choreography.

Absolutely, her talent was in choreography and her work with Janet brought her fame. I think the line dancing she and Janet did with an army of back up dancers behind was innovative in the 1980s. Now every pop singer has a choreographed routine with dancers behind them. 

On 4/30/2017 at 3:12 PM, DonRocks said:

Certain things of intellectual depth take multiple viewings or listenings, and this may be one of them

I think your statement is correct about this film. There is more to "Breathless" than meets the eye. I so glad this film forum exists. It makes me watch movies with a more critical eye. It is refreshing to see what other people think about the films I watch.

6 hours ago, DonRocks said:

*** SPOILER ALERT ***

I was very happy to find that Wikipedia discusses the Closing Dialogue in depth, because it really confused me when I heard it - however, Wikipedia makes a mistake.

As someone who speaks French, and is "fortunate" enough (thanks to the book, "Merde!") to know the adjective (and it *is* an adjective) "dégueuleasse," this is what it means:

"Gueule" is an *extremely* rude way of saying "face" - if someone cuts you off in traffic, you yell out the window, "Ta gueule!"

"Dé" means (originating) from, just like the French word "de." 

The *verb* "Dégueuler" is an extremely rude way of saying "To puke," and the *adjective* "Dégueuleasse" is an equally rude way of saying "Nauseating," or "Makes me want to puke." "Nauseating," however, does not come close to the severity and rudeness of "Dégueuleasse" - there is no equivalent English-language word.

So, when Wikipedia says:

"The 2007 Criterion Collection Region One DVD uses a less literal translation," I would say they're dead wrong - it's *more* literal, because it uses the word "puke." 

Also of note: Even though Patricia (Jean Seberg) breaks the fourth wall, and says, "What is ... dégueuleasse?" I think she's feigning ignorance, because even though she spoke with a heavy accent, her French was fluent. Yes, it's a word a Marseille dockworker would use, but I think she'd still know it with her level of fluency. She did this at least one other time in the film with the slang word "plâquer," and I wondered why - it was to set up for her final line. 

And, Michel's final words were "It's really dégueuleasse," not "You're really dégueuleasse," so it's left completely ambiguous what he's referring to (the process of dying, the world we live in, the whole business of running and running, or, perhaps, Patricia's betrayal) - the policeman simply misheard what he said when he told Patricia, "He said you really make him want to puke" - he didn't.

Also, right before saying that, he made those three playful facial expressions that the two were making in her apartment. I don't know what they mean (I missed that), but I think they were playful and coquettish, and he wouldn't have wasted his time doing them again if he found her so disgusting.

*** SPOILER ALERT ***

Did you notice, early in the film, (24:04) when Patricia leaves him to meet the editor for lunch, he tells her, "you make me want to puke." He of course, doesn't mean it, but his feelings are hurt because she is going to see another man.

Several times she asks him the meaning of words, and more often than not, he doesn't clarify. I think she is being coy and trying to get him to expand on his thoughts rather than not understanding what he is saying in French.

I like the ambiguous ending. It suits the film. My interpretation is he is saying dying sucks, and he isn't saying she disgusts him. I think he loves her to the end, or at least he thinks he does.

The very long scene with Patricia and Michel in her bedroom seems like it is about him trying to seduce her, but there is a lot of foreshadowing in it. Around the 32 minute mark, she tells him she wants him to be like Romeo, because Romeo doesn't want to live without Juliet. He says he doesn't want to live without her, but she does not believe him.

In the same scene, around the 46 minute mark, she reads the last line from a William Faulkner book, a sentence she finds beautiful: "Between grief and nothing, I will take grief." She asks Michel which he would chose. At first he doesn't reply, instead asking to see her toes. So she asks him again. He says. "Grief is stupid. I'd chose nothing. It's not better, but grief's a compromise. I want all or nothing."

Also in this scene, she says she wishes her name were Ingrid, instead of Patricia. Ingrid Bergman, of course, plays Ilsa in "Casablanca." This is another clue that the love affair between Patricia and the Humphrey-Bogart-obsessed Michel is doomed.

I may have to eat my own words about not giving this film a second viewing. There is a lot to "Breathless" that isn't readily apparent on its surface. I am certain I would appreciate it more if I watched it again.

16 hours ago, DonRocks said:

Go to the 1:20 mark, with about 10-minutes left in the film.

The scene where she was walking around the circular living room - dining room - kitchen, where she's saying 'she called the police and she doesn't love him' was certainly novel for the time - the camera is constantly in front of her, tugging her along.

Couple other things ...

The antagonist / protagonist loves Humphrey Bogart, probably the most overrated actor in world history. He falls in love with this American girl ...

When this concerto was playing, and the camera was tugging her around, she was walking counter-clockwise (I don't think this was an accident), and I'll bet there are a hundred things in this film that we haven't spotted yet.

Nor is it coincidence that, at the end, he's running down a one-way street. This is fertile ground for study, and I'm willing to bet the critics of the time were saying what a "great" film this was, without even knowing why it was great (critics tend to do this, and figure out *why* they love something so much after they've had time to see it / eat it / view it / drink it, etc ... - remember David Foster Wallace making this same complaint to Charlie Rose about the reviews of "Infinite Jest?")

I'm quite certain that Godard, perhaps the most serious student of film in all of France, didn't set out to make a tedious first-movie.

An interesting review from 1961.

And a modern review.

Did "Columbus discover America?" Hell no. But Hell yes vis-a-vis someone who flew from CDG -> JFK this afternoon.

I knew you would appreciate the Mozart Clarinet Concerto.

There is an interesting fact about the scene where Patricia is running in circles around the house. They couldn't afford a dolly, so parts of the film were shot by a man with a handheld camera being pushed around in a wheelchair. 

1 hour ago, DonRocks said:

I just re-read your post, and couldn't believe this film would have an 87-percent rating, so I went over to Rotten Tomatoes, and noticed that the only two negative reviews were written by the first two critics (and perhaps the only two critics) I would read on the page: Dave Kehr and Dennis Schwartz - I don't always agree with these two, but these are generally the people I turn to on Rotten Tomatoes.

I frequently find myself reading Kehr's reviews. I often disagree with him, but he usually offers a fresh perspective, rather than jumping on the bandwagon of what everyone else is saying about a film.

3 hours ago, DonRocks said:

But did you notice this moment?

(Google Cahiers du Cinéma, and notice how *different* their picks are than the Motion Picture Academy.)

Ha! I didn't notice what she was handing out when I watched it. He is such a flirt with pretty young things, I was surprised he was so rude to her. I read some glowing reviews of the film after I watched it, and apparently there are several other nods to French New Wave directors in the film, including cameos by both Godard and famed New Wave director Jean-Pierre Melville.