Flicks and Food

Yes, that’s right. I had seafood again. Forgive me, the only time I really go out to eat is on the weekends, and it’s Lent. Until tomorrow, that is, so I’ll back on the red meat (and white meat, too) on Fridays in a hurry.

Liberty Bell Roast Beef (Melrose, MA)

C+

Last night was not a good night for Liberty Bell. In general, I’m a fan, but last night was just not good, with the exception of my clam chowder. I got a small chowder and a scallop roll, which I was really excited about to order, because that’s my usual. The chowder was good, but the scallop roll (which came with fries) was probably the worst I’ve had in a while.

Usually, Liberty Bell is of great quality and a reasonable price, and the staff is friendly and helpful. I rarely have an issue with the food there, and we order from there with a degree of frequency. On other occasions, I would have rated them a B+ or an A-.

It must have been a bad night last night. Like I said, the chowder was good- super-creamy with tons of potatoes, clams, and just the right amount of onions. I had just enough oyster crackers to keep me satisfied- perfect. Everything went wrong with the scallop roll, though. The fries were cold, the roll was cold, and the scallops were lukewarm at best. I bit into one and thought it was a fried ball of sand. It was painful! The only redeeming quality about it was that I wasn’t hungry anymore after I ate the scallops and the roll, which was extraordinarily disappointing, as the roll is my favorite part. Dan ate my cold fries, and wasn’t happy with his tuna sub, either. It was overstuffed and just wasn’t right.

I should have just ordered a large chowder. I think I will next time.

300

B+

Apparently, only sexy people lived in Sparta. They were all supermodel bodybuilders with perfect teeth. Boy, did I have the wrong impression when we learned about them in 6th grade!

I was entertained by this movie, but I won’t go so far as to say that I really enjoyed it. Well, I have to admit that the perfectly-sculpted physiques of the Spartan warriors weren’t so bad. The leather undies were a fantastic fashion statement. I liked the costumes so much that I plan to buy a few sheets and leather belts and make myself a sexy toga for next Halloween.

The Persians were definitely not as sexy as the Spartans. Poor things- then maybe they wouldn’t worship the effeminate Xerxes, who had more bling than Lil Jon. I liked his eye makeup, though- those cat eyes were sexy.

Even the battle scenes were sexy. How can you not love the beautiful slaying the ugly with swords and spears in slow motion for extended periods of time? I have to applaud the Persians on their choice of surprise weapons: a REALLY ugly dude, a rhinoceros (what??), an elephant, and more ugly dudes (but they had cool masks, so that was good).

The unsexy part? Besides the select super-unsexy people (you know who I mean if you’ve seen the film- everyone’s either drop-dead gorgeous or horribly ugly), all the chatter about honor, duty, and glory. Yes, I know it’s all well and good, but it would have been more effective in moderation, rather than every other word that came out of a Spartan’s mouth. It became annoying after a while.

The visual effects were stunning enough to distract from the mediocre storyline. I enjoyed the scene with the Oracle, which I have heard was shot underwater to achieve the end effect- the blending of her toga with the smoke had an ethereal, mystical feel to it.

A few words to sum up 300: sexy (duh), bloody, sexy, annnnd… bloody.

Billy’s Roast Beef and Seafood (Melrose, MA)

A

Oh, how I wish Wakefield could claim Billy’s as our own; alas, it belongs to our neighbor Melrose. Growing up in the Greenwood area of Wakefield, you know that Billy’s is the best roast beef and fried seafood in the area, and beats Kelly’s hands-down.

The prices have gone up over the years, like anything else, but they’re still reasonable, especially when considering the quality of the food. On a Friday during Lent, after weeks of pizza, Billy’s is a glorious change of pace. The fried seafood is crispy and hot, the rolls are buttered and grilled golden brown (many argue that the roll itself is the best part of a clam-strip or scallop roll, and I must say, I agree), and the fries and onion rings are flavorful and a perfect accompaniment. Don’t like the bounty of the sea? No problem– Billy’s has plenty of other options, particularly their roast beef sandwiches. The meat is warm and tender and the roll is soft. I like them with ketchup, but I’ve seen people pair the Perfect Roast Beef Sandwich (yes, the capital letters are completely necessary) with barbecue sauce, mustard, mayo, or just plain ‘ol salt and pepper.

Trust me, if you’re in the Melrose-Wakefield area, make a beeline for Billy’s Roast Beef and Seafood, although you may be better off calling ahead, since it’s always hopping.

There are a few tables off to the side of the restaurant for eating there, but most people order for takeout, which is what I would recommend. Dan (my boyfriend, you’ll be hearing a lot about him) and I went on Friday night, and our dinner was graced with the presence of six middle school-aged girls, who were, shall we say, talkative. I prefer a more relaxed environment, so again I recommend taking Billy’s home and watching a good movie while you eat.

Speaking of movie… that brings me to my next point. I love when transisitions work out that well- I swear I didn’t plan it.

Shooter (with Mark Wahlberg and Danny Glover)

$$$$ 1/2

Go see it now. If you even remotely like action or conspiracy theory, this film will be worth your time. Don’t like action? Go anyway. Mark Wahlberg is generally excellent and quite believable in his role of Bob Lee Swagger, retired Marine Corps sniper.

I wasn’t as impressed with Danny Glover, but he made a decent bad guy. I was a little confused by his mouthpiece or whatever it was- it made him sound like he was wearing a retainer, which he might have been. I’m not sure if it was for character development or if it was for personal reasons; nonetheless, it was a bit irritating as it slurred his speech.

The plot moves quickly and carries you along its twisting turns. I love a good bit of conspiracy theory, so I found Shooter fascinating and thought-provoking. Can we really trust the government? I’d say “yes,” on most occasions, that there are enough people in politics who are truly trying to do good in our country, but there are always those who you know you can’t really trust. And I wouldn’t be surprised at how much information is out there but is so classified the American people have no idea anything’s going on.

But that’s a bit of personal rambling and has little to do with the movie, so let’s get back on track, shall we? I heard that Mark Wahlberg went to Army Sniper School as preparation for his role, which did him a whole lot of good. From what I understand about Sniper School, it’s no carnival, nor is it remotely easy. Nor should it be! The training that Wahlberg either witnessed or participated in made him all the more believable in the role, even if some of the situations he finds himself in require a fair amount of suspension of disbelief.

Without a doubt, though, the coolest thing is watching Wahlberg (or his professional sniper stunt stand-in or, most likely, the computer) hit his targets. There’s a whole lot of blood spraying out of backs of heads, so be prepared if that makes you squeamish at all. And a whole lot of Zapruder-type repeated replays of an assassination.

All in all, I would say: GO! If not, definitely rent/buy the DVD as soon as it hits stores. This is a flick I plan to purchase ASAP.

Hi everyone,

I know I’m really far behind with that update I promised, but it’s been a long week. I just read an article, though, http://webworkerdaily.com/2007/04/04/five-steps-to-productive-mood/ that gave me a few ideas to get motivated to work. I have to print them out and hang them on my wall to start using them!

Keep on the lookout for a review of Billy’s Roast Beef and Seafood (Melrose, MA), Cafe Escadrille (Burlington, MA), and the movie Shooter (with Mark Wahlberg and Danny Glover). I’m working on them now, so I’m hoping they’ll be done sometime tomorrow.