Lost is back in all its Darwinian glory, and I have never been more captivated! The first two episodes have been marvelously crafted, with equal parts suspense, mystery and a little bit of the old "What the *#!*?" that we Lost-o-philes crave in our own masochistic ways.
I am sad, though, that because of the writer's strike we may only see 8 of the 16 episodes, but hopefully next season they will do 24 to make up. It's definitely on a path to the end, and I would hate to see the original plan compromised by fewer episodes. I am very intrigued by the "freighters" and the "Oceanic Six." We know Jack, Kate and Hurley survive, but who are the other three? And do Ben, Juliette and Desmond count or are they survivors (or not) of another kind since they were already on the island?
I would not be surprised if English/Philosophy professors had students write papers on this show. It's full of literary references, and has endless possibilities for theses.
Turning to the big screen, or I guess the intended big screen, I have now finished the trifecta of 2007 pregnancy comedies: Knocked Up, Juno (which I recently gushed about) and most recently via netflix, Waitress.
Keri Russell sheds the Felicity image in this dramedy about a down-and-out wife/waitress stuck in a loveless marriage with a belligerent husband (played by the always-good Jeremy Sisto). When faced with pregnancy, Russell's character is anything but glowing. She curses the baby constantly, in many of her interior monologues where she concocts new pie recipes (her one true passion).
Much comedy and small-town antics ensue and the ending is as sweet as any pie our beloved Waitress would have us eat. However, to add some bitter to that sweet, the filmmaker, Adrienne Shelley, was murdered in her office in New York. Her death preceded the announced that what would be her final film had been accepted to Sundance.
Eat
Last weekend we met our friend Carey for lunch at Teapot Vegetarian House on 15th Avenue, Capitol Hill. Carey has become vegan so it was a natural choice. All the food on the menu is made with meat substitutes, though the dishes are what you'd find in a typical Chinese or Thai restaurant.
My favorite is the almond fried tofu.
Delicously fried and golden with that rich almond sauce...I always eat too much of it! I washed it down with a Thai iced tea. Dan ordered the Bounty of the Sea, which I can never get into for some reason.
It's not that I don't like seafood, but something about it is just too slimy for me or something.
Anyway, it's a good option for dining with vegans, vegetarians or if you're just in the mood for some good food minus the animals. There is something pretty amazing about almond fried chicken, though, I have to admit....
Drink
While at the Wallingford QFC a few weeks ago, I came across this wine. It comes from Chile and has an interesting backstory.
From foodrereference.com: Chilean winemakers were ignorant of its existence until 1994 when French ampelographer Jean Michel Bourisignot discovered it amongst Cabernet blocks. The grape was brought over from France in 1850 along with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot cuttings, and got mixed up with its more famous brethren.
Today Chile is the foremost and largest producer of Carmenere from phylloxera –free stock. Chile’s warm climate, long growing season, and fertile soils are ideal for this unique grape. In the 150 years plus of its replanting, Carmenere adapted its new home and yields wines that are particularly rewarding.
Since then I've purchased it for two different occasions and it's really growing on me. It's very smooth, but with a slight spicy kick - a hint of cinnamon or nutmeg maybe if you want to get all Sideways about it. Great for these cold winter months, indeed!
Read
I recently finished two more books about Hawai'i (surprise!).
The first was a small guidebook about the very small island of Lana'i, called, appropriately The Pocket Guide to Lana'i.
Lana'i has changed dramatically, perhaps more so than any other island, in the past 100 years. At one time the island was responsible for growing 90% of the world's supply of Pineapple. In fact, it was known as the "Pineapple Island" and owned largely by the Dole corporation.
Later, though, the pineapple industry headed to Asia where it could make a bigger profit and another company, doing business as the Lana'i Company bought the island. It is now roughly 90% privately owned and has been transformed into the "Enticing Island" -- which alludes to its private, remote and luxurious aspects. There are two world-class resorts with equally renowned golf courses, but aside from that development has been slow. The island's population stands at around 3,000 residents, and it is difficult to book a room in any of the three hotels (a third, Hotel Lana'i is more of a quaint lodge, with only ten rooms).
I also read Family Traditions in Hawai'i, which I picked up at the Hawai'i General Store on my last visit to Wallingford.
It is written by a UW graduate, and goes into detail about the various cultural practices amongst the diverse population on the islands: Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Vietnamese, Tongan, Samoan, Korean, Loation, and of course Hawaiian.
It was a nice glimpse into how different families celebrate holidays, weddings, funerals, and birthdays. With Chinese (or Lunar) New Year beginning yesterday, it was especially relevant to learn about the customs involved with that special time of year. One is lisse, the giving of money in red envelopes. The firecrackers are to scare away the evil spirits and often meals on New Year's day are vegetarian, with the idea being that no animal should be killed on the holiday.
Remember
They say there are only five bowling alleys left in Seattle, but one of them is right down the street from our house! A few weeks ago, along with our friend Ruth, we ventured down 22nd Avenue to Imperial Lanes.
It seems to be owned by a corporation of some sort, which might explain the freakishly good customer service. Talk about attentive! We were served pizza and beers lane side, and never had to bowl empty-handed. The beers kept coming all night long, and we ended up bowling a third game unexpectedly because at around 9:30 all the lights go down, the music goes way up and the lanes light up like a christmas tree. It's pretty neat. I'll be back for their happy hour. They have "bowls of mai tai" on the menu. Enough said.
Worry
No need to worry about our lovely feline. The Vet saw him and said he was as healthy as can be, albeit a tad overweight and perhaps some early signs of gingivitis. He got booster shots and was such a good boy through the whole thing. In the waiting area, he barely made a peep, even in a room full of sick dogs and cats.
He seems to really enjoy our new bedding, too. It's a Valentine's Day gift for Dan and me, but Caesar thinks otherwise.
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