I will admit that when I saw the trailer for Drive, I was less than enthusiastic about it. The plot seemed (and was) like the typical run-of-the-mill B-rated heist film that just happened to score Gosling and Mulligan as its stars. It was only after reading it's review on Time Out NY that I considered watching it. It was granted a rare full 5-stars, something I've seen TONY grant to a select few art/indie films. Luckily, it was available last weekend at BAM Rose Cinemas ($8 Matinees before 3pm!).

It was good. No, it was really good. Although I will say that it's not a film for everyone. If you're one of those big-budget-blockbuster-popcorn-popper-mainstream-frequenter film folk, then I doubt you will appreciate the slow yet concentrated feel of Drive. I say concentrated only because it said so much within its short run time of 1 hour and 40 minutes. Gosling barely spoke throughout the movie, and he didn't have to, spending most of the movie semi-smiling with one hand shoved in the pocket of his quilted jacket. One of the things you will notice too is that overall 80's style presentation from the opening credit's font to the music and film quality. Christina Hendricks was also in the film although I felt like they could have given her role to any other unknown and it wouldn't have mattered.

Would I watch it again? Yes. I would even go as far as marking it a "classic," alongside films such as Fight Club and Memento.

Rented this on Netflix and was surprised how beautiful it was.

B.runch, M.ovie and W.ork

Last night, I promised myself I wasn't going to waste another Saturday morning at home watching nonsensical crap on Hulu or surfing the web (a.k.a. refreshing Facebook about 50 times). When I got home from work, I found Mica in the living room reading and I invited her to go to brunch with me this morning followed by watching Alice in Wonderland before I had to go to work. I set my alarm, woke up this morning an HOUR after it rang. Caitlin woke up soon after I did and we invited her along for brunch. Went to Flatbush Farm since I was craving for their sausage gravy and buttermilk biscuits. I ended up ordering the Chorizo Stew and eggs instead, which freaking ROCKED btw.

meet our new roommate Caitlin
here's Mica overly salting her meal
(as she does with just about everything)

We checked out The Brooklyn Larder over on the next block to see what they had in store. I was disappointed to see they didn't have a wide collection of cheeses. I was hoping I didn't have to go all the way to the west village to get my cheese fix. I did, however, find these
I was not aware that Davao produced chocolate or cocoa beans good enough to merit a $10 chocolate bar. I love the packaging and it's pretty good too.

Mica and I headed to the cinema while Caitlin headed to the flea market. It was a good thing Mica and I went early because within minutes the theater filled up and were please to get good seats. The movie was a joy to watch although I guess you can't get anymore elaborate with it plot-wise since it's Alice in Wonderland. I was very much excited to see this since I've mentioned before that it's my favorite book of all time. I suppose since I was a child, I gravitated more to reading stories of fantasy that take me to places no one can go and people you will never meet. Which is also why I think I love Neil Gaiman so much.

Work was surprisingly busy. Last night was busy too so we expected tonight to be slow. It's rare that we get both Friday and Saturday full, it's usually one or the other but we had good luck this weekend.

I got home and was pleased to see Caitlin brought a bottle of wine home from work so Mica and I had a glass before bed. Quoting a line from Waiter Rant, "For waiters, your first drink is medicinal, your second is for relaxation and the third will anesthetize you."

I have another 12 hour day tomorrow so one glass is enough to put me to bed.

...and I spent it alone :)

I woke up and took my time. One thing I hate doing on my off days is rush myself. I took my time getting off of bed, making coffee, breakfast, watching last night's episode of Lost, looking at menus online deciding where to eat for dinner. I decided on Prune after watching an episode of No Reservations where Bourdain is joined by Eric Ripert (of Le Bernadin) and Scott Bryan (of Apiary) where they enjoy a late meal at Gabrielle Hamilton's place. I took my time in the shower, got dressed and headed over to Union Square and ended up where I usually go on my day off, a bookstore. This time I went to Strands and bought a copy of Thomas Keller's cookbook Ad Hoc.
I also bought a copy of Waiter Rant, which is the front of the restaurant's version of Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential. I read an excerpt about verbal tipping and found it both hilarious and relate-able that I had to get it.

I walked around the east village and down to Prune, which was about 14 blocks and two avenues from the bookstore. The place didn't open until 5:30pm so I sat at a cafe and perused through Keller's cookbook as I waited for time to pass. Six o'clock came and I figured it was enough time to let the restaurant open and prepare itself before it welcomed diners. I didn't make reservations since I was once again dining solo. I needn't have worried, I was their first customer. I ordered the roasted marrow bones with parsley salad and the seared duck breast with dandelion greens and raisin-caper dressing. Bourdain has said it again and again, his death row meal would be roasted marrow bones with parsley salad. I shall have to say I agree. Honestly, I could die tomorrow and I would die a happy (wo)man. I will tell you the duck breast was fantastic but the bone marrow was the highlight of my meal. Seriously. It was the BEST.THING.EVER. It was nature's butter. Trying to describe it would be futile. No words can illustrate how simple yet absolutely amazing it was. People started pouring into the restaurant as I devoured my appetizer. A couple sat beside me and as the waitress told them about the bone marrow appetizer being the best selling item on the menu, I sneak a glance and smile at her. She pauses and gestures to me and my marrow stained fingers as if to emphasize her point. I couldn't help myself and told them to get it. "You have to get that, I swear, it is amazing," I tell them. They agreed and order it. Later the man turns to me and says, "Would you like a glass of our French Burgundy with your meal? We ordered a bottle and we won't be able to finish it." I graciously accept and later I surreptitiously tell my server to charge me twice for my dessert and give one to the couple at the next table as soon as they finish their meal. I've been specially lucky with free drinks this week. I forgot to mention that the bartender in Apiary also bought me an extra glass of wine when I was there. I had a glass of riesling prior to the burgundy and was at this point feeling particularly generous and adequately buzzed. I tipped the server more than the usual, ignoring the fact that my meal tonight was one of the, if not THE most expensive solo meal I've ever had. I can say now that it won't be my last.

I was lucky with a cab today. New York City is supposedly notorious for it's difficulty in hailing a cab. I never had that kind of bad luck except when it's raining hard. Tonight, I was at an intersection and didn't even hail a cab. All I did was look at a passing cab and it pulled over a few yards from where I was standing. It took me several seconds to realize that it stopped for me and I ran to it. I needed to make the 7:45pm showing of Shutter Island at a theatre near Union Square. I got there (over tipped the cab driver, it was the alchohol, I tell you) and found that the 7:45 showing was sold out. I quickly checked my phone for the next soonest showtime and found one at a theater right in the middle of new yorker hell and tourist district, Times Square. I normally never go anywhere above 14th st unless I'm taking out of town friends around NYC but it was early and I really didn't want to go home so I went and saw the movie. I don't want to spoil it for people who haven't seen it but it was a really good movie. Martin Scorcese did an awesome job as usual despite the conclusion having a particular resemblance to another movie (you'll know which one I'm referring to when you see it).

I walked out of the theater once again greeted by Times Square's bright lights that it felt like it was 7pm despite it being almost 11pm. I got home and Caitlin walked in soon after bearing a bottle of Jack Daniels. We drink while watching Sabrina (the Audrey Hepburn version) in the living room. My eyes, tired and relatively drunk, gave up halfway through the film and excused myself to my room where I decided to type this post before bed before I let go of today's high.

Louiie, we are going to Prune when you come to NYC next month, and we're ordering the sweetbreads with bacon and caper sauce.

***I'm really buzzed and if there are any grammatical errors or typos in this post, I shall fix them tomorrow morning***

No, not the dude who discovered the new world. I meant the other Chris Columbus, the idiot director who ruined my Percy Jackson and the Olympians experience. The same dude who butchered the first two Harry Potter movies. I just saw the Percy Jackson movie tonight with Omar and Joe (who's here until Saturday for winter break). I didn't want to ruin the boys' movie experience but I wanted to grunt, sigh and lift my hand at exasperation at how stupid the movie was. I loved the book series, despite it having a very close resemblance to the Harry Potter series. The movie was a dumbed down, ridiculously hollywood-ized massacre. I wanted to scream in the theatre, "Catherine Keener, what the fuck were you thinking?!? Uma Thurman, come ON! Kevin McKidd, you have to fire whoever told you to do this movie. You made Poseidon look like a complete dunce!"

Pausing to calm myself down....

Anyway, for those of you who have seen the movie but did not read the book, did you like it? It might be okay for those who are completely unaware how much more fun the book was. This reminds me of the movie version of The Golden Compass, which was another great book with a morbid film interpretation. I don't see them making the sequel to that anytime soon as it should be. I swear, if Alfonso Cuaron did not raise the standards for the Harry Potter films, the rest of the franchise might have gone down the toilet. His take on the series is still, hands down, my favorite of all the movies.

I was off unusually earlier yesterday since Mica volunteered to take my dinner shift in exchange for my covering her shift the day before. I had planned on heading up to midtown and checking out the Tim Burton exhibit at the MOMA. I got there at 5pm only to see the ticket booths were closed since the museum closes at 5:30pm. I didn't know that. Last time I was at MOMA was my birthday in 2008. On my way back down to the subway I saw a huge SALE sprawled across the window display of H&M. I should not have gone in. Two hours later, my hands were heavier and my wallet lighter.

I was hungry as hell after all that shopping and headed down to Union Square to meet Rann for dinner. Since the weather has dipped to the 20s-30s, I've been craving a lot of hearty diner foods so I headed to Chat 'n Chew which served homestyle diner dishes. I had their meatloaf and gravy with mashed potatoes and veggies. It was really good!!! I would have had a slice of their apple pie a la mode if I wasn't stuffed already. We met up with Oli after and headed to their apartment in Chelsea. It's the first time I saw their new place since they moved in last December. It's a really cute studio apartment that's perfect for the married couple but a little pricey for someone like myself to live by myself. Mica and I have this determination that we would be able to move out into our own two bedroom apartment by 2011. Hopefully all works out as we hope.

I sat in their apartment and had awesome conversation that eventually lead to Oli busting out post it notes as she wrote down all the requirements of my "ideal guy." She then re-wrote everything into a pretty postcard which she gave me. She says I need to have something physically out there if I want this guy to come into my life. Gee, I hope that works.

I introduced the Golamco couple to websites with access to free pirated online movies and Oli was so excited that we watched It's Complicated last night. She even sent Rann out to the grocery store to buy snacks. Mica followed after her shift and we all sat down drinking beer and mooching on chips and chicken fingers.

Got home around two and I passed out soon after since I had an early shift this morning. Work was boring, nothing much to tell there. Picked up alcohol on the way home and Mica and I drank and snacked on grapes as we greeted the start of her birthday.

I got laundry tomorrow before work. I'm also hoping to have enough time to make pancakes with flambeed apricots. If I don't get lazy, then I may show you a photo. We shall see tomorrow.

I saw UP today and I LOVED IT!!! There was a part of the movie that I was laughing so hard that I had to take off my 3D glasses to wipe the tears streaming down my face. I want to watch it again!!! I cancelled my Dirt Devil order on Amazon earlier and skipped back down to Target where I bought it on sale for $10 less. Dust begone!

There's something about coming out of a theater that resets me. Every time I come out of the darkness and walk out I feel like I'm seeing things again for the first time. I was walking down to the subway station and I caught myself looking around and marveling at my surroundings. Like the feeling I got when I first got to NY. I looked back and its the same feeling I used to get every time I walked out of a cinema, regardless if it were somewhere in California, Las Vegas or Manila. I might be too engrossed in whatever film I see that I tend to feel disoriented when it's time to come back to the real world. Realizing this, I immediately remember this post written over 3 years ago which serves as an example.

I stayed in yesterday and I didn't really want to do the same thing today no matter how much I wanted to save. I went out and watched Monsters vs. Aliens 3D. It wasn't as hilarious as people said it was going to be but I enjoyed it anyway. There was still light out when I got out of the theatre and I didn't really want to call it a day so I headed to Manhattan to shop! Went to H&M on 34th street and spent two hours going through stuff I don't really need but want. I had a $10 gift card from Christmas so I figured I'd use it. Of course I spent waaay more than that and got a pair of navy slacks, white blouse, grey denim skirt and a wool cardigan. Mica texted she was having dinner with her friend Nathan at the tapas place on Chelsea (Cafe Riazor) so I paid for my goods and cabbed my way to 16th st. We had sangrias again but this time drank only enough to look drunk but not actually be drunk. Took a nice, long, hot shower when I got home, steamed my new clothes which I am wearing tomorrow (naturally). I will finish watching Sabrina until I fall asleep. I have a long day tomorrow but I am actually looking forward to it because a friend from Manila is in New York (Joyce) and she will drop by the restaurant tomorrow. I haven't seen her since I worked in Podium (yeah, THAT long) and it will be nice to see her here. I'll be hosting tomorrow so I have free time to entertain guests while my boys do most of the hard labor. Hee!

Saw Kung Fu Panda last night and it was hilarious! Plus added laughs when we all realized the panda looked like Dex.

Dinner at Cafe Med + movie + Bona Westgate + Jeek's

It's 4:20pm and I'm only about to shower to head back out to ATC for the 3rd consecutive day this week. This time with my mom and sister since Kim wants to check out the other shoes on sale. She loved the pumps I bought and wants one for herself. Gaya-gaya!