...Ah, December. The last month of the year. The month we all know and love for its glorious snowstorms, hot cocoa and holidays. I took a nice break during the Thanksgiving holiday (and obviously onward) to indulge in my cravings, like movies, books, food, and so on. But I have to come back, because 8 days is more than enough to find wonderful treats to share with the world.
First and foremost, I have to turn you all on to Westville Restaurant in NYC. lately, my mom has been taking me out with her to her kind of places, and she told me the food was to die for. Westville's got headquarters all over New York, but this particular store, a small adorable shop-like haven, is on 210 West 10th Street. Be warned; the place is usually packed around nighttime, so you better get there a little early if you want any seats.
Yesterday, I ordered three of their sides: Pesto Mashed Potatoes, grilled salmon, and asian style baby bok choy. Oh, my GAWD it was delicious. If you like baby bok choy, then you're going to love this! And their salmon is cooked so perfectly! It's crusty on the outside and soft in the inside (without being too mushy).
Not to mention the amazing service. There are two servers, male and female, who are instantly at your service when you ask for it. The food comes instantly, and you're never ignored for a long period of time. Moreover, whenever you have to go to the bathroom, which is at the back of the kitchen, all the chefs will stop what they are doing and part for you. One will stand in front of the bathroom door until you come out, and they part for you again. The manners and kindness of these people are astounding, and if you're like me, you'll end up chatting with the waiters all through dinner.
As for movies? I just came back from watching "The Descendants" with George Clooney, and trust me, whatever praise it has received from critics and fans is well-deserved. Its plot alone should make you want to see it; based off a book, it's about a middle-aged man with two girls (one of whom is a drug addict) whose wife is in a coma from an accident. When he finds out s he cannot be saved, he also finds out she was having an affair and was planning to divorce him.
The acting was really well done, especially by George Clooney, who has always been perfect in white-collar suave agent roles, but pulls off the exhaustion and helplessness of a normal hardworking father whose life is falling apart spectacularly. And yes, the girl from the American Teenager movie was solid as well.
I left the theater thinking about what I would do in their situation, and how I would handle it, and if I could forgive my own spouse if they were cheating on me and I never had the chance to confront them. This movie makes you think, and that is its biggest accomplishment.
Finally, have any of you watched "Politically Incorrect" or "Realtime With Bill Maher?" Bill Maher is one of my favorite people to see on TV at night. His panel, his sarcastic comments, his "New Rules" segments at the end of every show--I love him. And while you and I may not agree completely with everything he says, and while he may cross the line for some people, he makes a lot of good points that deserve hearing.
Basically, the New Rules segment of his show? He's extended that into a book. It's not the first he's written, but it's the first I've actually bought, and for me it was SO worth the money. In between the alphabetically placed rules, he's got a couple final monologues from past shows that we know and love, while the actual rules alone includes many new additions we have never seen before. If you like Bill's sarcastic, dry humor, then a couple New Rules a day is just what you need.
To get an idea of what you can look forward to from The NEW New Rules, you'll have to acquaint yourself with some of his live New Rules segments. Like this one, in which he talked about the Tea Party. With a Tea Party Hat on. :)
**BE AWARE: BILL MAHER CURSES. IN THE BOOK AND ON TV. AND IN THIS SEGMENT.**
FInally, I want to leave you all with a small tribute to a boy I saw on an episode Law And Order: SVU (the season four episode was called, "Angels"). You can find it on youtube. He played a Guatemalan child who was abused by his caretaker, an acclaimed businessman, and then tried to escape with his fellow captive and friend, Jose. When Jose doesn't make it, the other child, named Ernesto, breaks down and tells Benson and Stabler every sordid detail of his experience with his abuser. Let me be the first to say I never cry and at movies, shows, , or books. The worst that happens is a lump in my throat or my face heating up (which can happen when I'm emotional). NEVER has a tear slid down my cheek for a fictional character. And yet, watching Ernesto cry his way through hi story, I couldn't help but get wet-cheek syndrome. I watched the clips with him over and over again, astounded by his ability.
The boy's name was Pablo Santos, as I found when I frantically searched for any other works where I could find him. He's been in a few movies and a couple of TV shows, including a one-season long WB show called Greetings From Tuscan. He was even in a movie with DL Hughley called "Shackles," playing an illiterate inmate.
And he died in 2006, at 19 years old, from a plane crash.
I don't know why it matters to me so much, a boy that i never knew, and will never know, but I think it's worth mentioning that child actors show a lot of potential to be something greater. Pablo Santos's potential from that episode alone was tangible to me, six years after his death, and I wonder what could have become of him had he been alive today.
An actor's goal is to touch the hearts of the people who watch, long after they've left the theater. It is a testament to the impact an actor leaves that I can sit and be moved to tears by the performance of a 14 year old boy, even after he is long gone from us.
R.I.P. Pablo Santos (1987-2006)
Tune In Soon, More Treats From Art Batter On Their Way!
-CDM
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