Movie Review: Julie & Julia

Julie & Julia is the story of two women, living in two different eras, living parallel lives in search of something to fulfill their soul. One of the women is acclaimed French Chef, Julia Child, played by Meryl Streep. The other is writer/blogger, Julie Powell, played by Amy Adams. The movie is based on Julie Powell's blog "The Julie/Julia Project" which chronicles Julie Powell's, post 9/11 civil servant or as she states, “government drone,” personal challenge of cooking 564 recipes from the cookbook "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" by Julia Child, Simone Beck, and Louisette Berthole in 365 days (or one year). But the more interesting part of the movie is that we get to experience how Julia Child, transformed from a civil servant/housewife living in Paris to be one of the most loved and respected French Chefs in the world.

I found myself inspired by this movie, not because of the story line, but because it also reflected my own life and the search of fulfillment. Like these two women, my family life is wonderful, my life in general is great, but there's just a bit of “je ne sais quois" missing. In addition, there were so many other parallels in the movie to my own personal story that I wanted to yell, "Yes...If Julie and Julia can...so can I!" Here are the parallels" Blogger (I'm a blogger...of three blogs), Food (I love food), Paris (my most favorite city in the world), Houghton Mifflin (I use to work for HMCo as one of their event managers), Julia Child (She lived at Casa Dorinda, a retirement center, in Santa Barbara and I've been to her old suite), cooking (I love to cook...especially out of a recipe book), and the thought of being discovered (who doesn't want to be known for what they do well). So, you see, the movie spoke to me in more ways than one.

But I digress, back to the movie...Meryl Streep stole the show and I would be surprised if this did not earn her another Oscar nomination...or the statuette itself. She was Julia Child and I was amazed at how well she embodied that character. All I could see was Julia Child cooking a meal for me on her show The French Chef.

The voice, the characteristics, the joy on her face was truly Julia Child. Amy Adams did a wonderful job as Julie Powell as well, but all I wanted to see was more of Meryl's Julia! Stanley Tucci (Paul Child) and Chris Messina (Eric Powell) played the loving and supporting husbands to Julie and Julia wonderfully. What I especially loved about this movie was the contrast of overly optimistic Julia Child to the snarky Julie Powell.

Julie & Julia has to be the best feel good movie of the year. I would even be as bold to say that it is now one of my favorite movies of all time. I highly recommend this movie and encourage all of you to experience the magic of Julie & Julia. Even the guys will enjoy it. Foodies...this is your movie.

So, for its wonderful story line and the joy of seeing Meryl Streep as Julia Child, I give this movie my No Pee Rating!

MPAA: Rating PG-13 for brief strong language and some sensuality.

Run time: 123 minutes

Bon Appetite et Regarder heureux de Film! (all said in Julia Child's voice)

-Percy
The P-List
For rating legends/scales please visit here.

Movie photo from Julie & Julia

Video Game Review: Wii Sports Resort

I've been anticipating the release of this new Wii Sports Resort and I have to tell you, I have not been addicted to my Wii more, since we first got it. I actually enjoy this update to the regular Wii Sports...it is so much better than the original. Wii Sports Resort comes with 12 new games and a new accessory for your remote, Wii MotionPlus sleeve, that makes your Wii remote more intuitive than ever.

The 12 games included are:

• Swordplay
• Wake boarding
• Frisbee (Frisbee Dog and Frisbee Golfing)
  
• Archery
• Basketball
• Table Tennis (Ping Pong)
• Golf
• Bowling
• Power Cruising (Jet Skiing)
• Canoeing
• Cycling
• Air Sports (Skydiving, Island Flyover, Dogfight)

Both the golfing and bowling games have been updated and more fun to play than the original. In golf, you now have a choice of 3, 9, or 18 hole game play. Plus, you can either choose the Resort Course or Classic Wii Golf Course for the 3 and 9 hole games. For the 18 hole game you play both courses. In bowling, the new Wii MotionPlus really challenges you more than the original and it's very sensitive to the way you throw your ball. You really have to adjust your game play on this new bowling. Additionally you also have two new games with bowling...100 Pin Bowling and Spin Control, a bowling barricade challenge. I thoroughly enjoy the upgrade to both the games.

I have played most of the games and I have to tell you that I have my early favorites. Here's the two I can't get enough of.

Table Tennis - This is much better than the Wii Play version. It's almost like Wii Sports Tennis but much more fun and more challenging. I can't believe the type of ball spins I can get with just the flick of my wrist. It's a great game and I am afraid that I might throw out my shoulder or wrists from playing it so hard. It's a really fun game, but my 4-year old seems to think it's much harder than Wii Sports Tennis. He still enjoys it but finds himself having to reach for the balls faster. You definitely move more in this game. The tennis choice also has a return challenge which is a better version of the Wii Play Table Tennis Challenge (kinda like the Wii Sports Soccer but with ping pong balls).

Frisbee - Both Frisbee Dog and Frisbee Golf is frustrating, challenging, and fun. Learning how to control and throw the Frisbee is the best part of the game. With the Wii MotionPlus, your releases and speeds are so accurate that you have to adjust how you play each time you throw your Frisbee. The Wii MotionPlus makes it really interactive and it challenges you to think of your moves prior to throwing the darn thing.

In Frisbee Dog, you throw your Frisbee on the beach as your dog tries to catch it...but you have to keep it within the designated target areas otherwise your dog lets it drop to the sand...which is a big no-no (scores a big X). But get it right on target and your dog jumps for your Frisbee scoring you 100 points. Loads of fun. Frisbee Golf plays on either the Resort or Classic Wii Golf Courses...instead of swinging your irons though you are tossing one of 3 different Frisbees!

At any rate, I have enjoyed most of the games on Wii Sports Resort and I think you will too. Like most Wii games, the more you play the more surprises and games you will unlock. There's something for everyone and something your family will enjoy playing together.

With that, I give Wii Sports Resort the ultimate 5-P rating for the sheer enjoyment and for reminding us why we fell in love with Wii in the first place.

Wii Sports Resort - Release date: July 26, 2009
Retails: $49.99 and includes one Wii MotionPlus remote sleeve
Additional Wii MotionPlus remote sleeve: $19.99

-Percy
The P-List
For rating legends/scales please visit here.

Pictures from Nintendo and Nintendo Wii Sports Resort

Amusement Park/Zoo Reviews: San Diego, California

I had the pleasure of spending five days in beautiful San Diego for a family vacation this past weekend. My family and I met up with my mom and dad and my brother and his family for a kid friendly weekend of enjoying the amusement parks located in the San Diego area. There were 10 of us in total, though when we were at Legoland, my cousin and her family joined us adding another 6 to our already large group. At any rate, here are my ratings and reviews for the Amusement Parks/Zoo's in the San Diego area.

I will be reviewing it in the order of our visit.

San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park: Located in Escondido, CA this zoo is a spacious and rambling park that is a hiker's and walkers paradise. However, it was not stroller friendly, especially in the heat (lots of hills). I found it way to big with not much to see or do. The Journey into Africa tour/tram ride seemed promising but it was a big disappointment. Nothing close to Disney's Animal Kingdom's Kilimanjaro Safari. San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park's version had way too many gazelles and nothing more. Okay there was an occasional Rhino and Giraffe but other than that, it was pretty boring, even my four year old said so. The shows were okay, the magic show was a good thing to see while fighting off the heat.

Highlights: The Gorillas, Dino Mountain, and Conservation Carousel.

At $35 per person...save the money and just go to San Diego Zoo.

I rate San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park my 2-P rating. I say pass it up and head on to some place else.

San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park
Visited on Friday, July 24, 2009
Located in Escondido, CA
Entrance Fee: $35/Ages 12+ and $26/Kids 3-11

____________________________________________________________________

Legoland: I've been to Legoland before and it's a place that I did not think that I would go to ever again. However, on this visit, with my 4-year old son, I found out that it was actually quite fun. Legoland is great if your kids are 36" or more, don't even consider going if they are not, because you are able to experience the rides with them. Legoland is especially great if your kids are into Lego's. At any rate, I had such a great time and wouldn't mind returning. The only gripe that I have is that I did not have time to check out the new Sea Life Aquarium because of logistics and timing on our part (I'll visit it next time) and the ridiculously long wait for the Sky Cruiser (waited over an hour for a 2 minute ride). But all in all, it was fun.

Highlights: Bob the Builder 4-D, Splash Battle, The Dragon, Fun Town Fire Academy, Volvo Driving School, Miniland USA, Lego Technic Test Track.

I rate Legoland my 4-P rating.

Legoland
Visited on Saturday, July 25, 2009
Located in Carlsbad, CA
Entrance Fee: 1 Day Hopper: $75/adults and $65/child 3-12 or seniors 60+
($10 less if you just go to Legoland without visiting the Sea Life Aquarium)
Tip: Look for coupons at AAA or local grocery stores or at local fast food restaurants.

____________________________________________________________________

SeaWorld: I have never been to SeaWorld and I have to tell you I had so much fun and I loved the shows. It reminded me of my childhood and going to Marine World in the San Francisco Bay Area, when Marine World was not a major amusement park with all the thrill rides. All the shows are must see, but definitely see the Sea Lions Tonight last. You will see why.

The kids loved Sesame Street Bay of Play. Great little place for parents to relax while the kids play in a giant jungle gym, or in the water area, or even riding the three mini rides that they had. It was enjoyed by all ages! The only gripe that I had was it seemed that the shows all ran at the same time, so it was hard to get to all of them. We missed the Pet's Rule Show by a minute and they would not let us into the theater, which was kinda sad. At any rate, it was still enjoyable.

Highlights: Cirque de Mer, Journey to Atlantis (42"+ only), Shamu Rocks, Sesame Street's Lights, Camera, Imagination 4-D Show, Dolphin Discovery, Sea Lions Tonight, Wild Artic Interaction.

I rate SeaWorld my 4-P rating.

SeaWorld
Visited on Sunday, July 26, 2009
Located in San Diego, CA
Entrance Fee: $65/Ages 10+ and $55/ages 3-9
Tip: McDonald's had a $15 dollar off coupon that I found before our visit, so check local fast food restaurants for coupons. In addition, SeaWorld has an AAA discount.

-Percy
The P-List
For rating legends/scales please visit here.

Picture/logos from above mentioned parks

Restaurant Review: Barona Casino's Ranch House Buffet (Lakeside, CA)

Barona Casino's Ranch House Buffet has to be one of the best, if not the best, buffet I have ever been to. Amazing food, choices, and service! So what that it's located in the middle of nowhere and at inside a casino, this was definitely not your Las Vegas casino buffet.

At first glance, you think you are gonna get the same old casino buffet, but this was not your "typical" buffet. Everything was so fresh and so tasty that you forgot you were eating casino food. They even had a dim sum station that made fresh steamed and cooked dim sum while you waited!

Here's the stations that they had:

• Chinese Station
• Mongolian BBQ Station
• Mexican Station
• Seafood Station
• Rotisserie Station
• American BBQ Station
• Soup & Salad Station
• Dim Sum Station
• Omelet & Crepe Station
• and a FABULOUS Dessert and Flambé Station!

My recommendations: anything from the dim sum station, the crab in the seafood section, the prime rib in the BBQ station, actually anything you taste there will probably be good. We had a wide array of food at our table of 10 and people raved about the quality of it all (even the kids). We were all in food comatose...it was that good.

All I can say is that if you are in the San Diego area, take a small round trip to Barona Casino's Ranch House Buffet. It will be worth your drive. The price of the buffet is $20.99 but with your Barona Player's Club, you get 10% off your meal.

For the wonderful food, service and choices I give Barona Casino's Ranch House Buffet my highest 5-P rating.

Barona Casino's Ranch House Buffet
Visited on Monday, July 27, 2009
Located at:
1932 Wildcat Canyon Road
Lakeside, CA 92040
1-888-7-BARONA (1-888-722-7662) ~ 1-619-443-2300

-Percy
The P-List
For rating legends/scales please visit here.

Photo from Barona Casino's Ranch House Buffet

Restaurant Review: Chin's Maui Bistro (San Marcos, CA)

It started off as a hopeful choice for dinner for our vacationing family. The atmosphere was nice enough and the menu looked good, so when five adults, a teenager, and three kids under 5 went to sit down to eat at Maui Bistro by Chin's, we thought that it would be a great end to our first full day in San Diego.

The waitress was kind enough to sit us outside in a large table so that we can take in the breeze; it was a pretty hot day so the cooling temperature was a welcomed change from the weather we had to walk in at San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park. At any rate, we looked over the menu, had nice conversation and then the waitress brought us our water glasses. Not bad...so far so good.

At this point, I asked her if they happened to have a children's menu and she kindly said no. Then my sister-in-law asked her if they had any child friendly water glasses rather than real glass for the kids and again she said no. I just take it that Maui Bistro by Chin's is not child or family friendly, strange for being in the Old California Restaurant Row in San Marcos, CA...where a lot of tourists stop to grab a bite to eat, but hey no big deal we will adapt.

So, when ordering time came at Maui Bistro by Chin's it went fairly smoothly. We placed our drink orders of 2 virgin Pina Coladas, 1 virgin Mango Margarita, and a couple of Pepsi drinks. We were also ready to order food, so we went around the table to place our order. Four of us had ordered a dish off their Dinner Combo Special, which included soup, rice, entree, and dessert. Not a bad price. Two of the other adults ordered an entree menu item, which included soup or salad. For the kids we ordered one bowl of the Saiman noodle sans the bean sprouts and asked that they split it in two bowls. Finally, we ordered two appetizer dishes to be shared by the family. Not bad again...it seemed like the waitress got everything just fine. We were so hungry and the food looked so good on the menu.

Well the drinks menu came and at first glance, it looked just right. My brother had ordered a virgin Margarita and he asked the waitress who brought it out if it had alcohol and she said no it was virgin. Well you can smell the alcohol and it definitely was not virgin. So, our original waitress came back out and he asked her and she said, "No you did not order a virgin drink." Okay - the other waitress just told him it was a virgin drink...but whatever! My dad said he would drink it since he was not driving and he did not want to make a really big deal about it. So okay alcohol under the bridge. Next, the appetizers came out and it looked yummy...only thing missing was plates and utensils. We thought the waitress was going to get them, but we waited for 5 minutes and she never came back out, so I went to seek her out. I told her we needed plates and utensils and she quickly said, "Oh okay." Did she not realize that we had no utensils at the table? It goes downhill from here.

When she brought out the utensils, my sister-in-law told her that she had forgotten to take her soup or salad order for her entree and the waitress told her that soup and salad does not come with her meal. Luckily, I had the menu and I had to point out to her that indeed it did according to her menu. She said, "No" and that she would give her a salad as a courtesy...WHAT???? It's on your freakin' menu! Again, we brushed it off.

We did not see the waitress for another 10 minutes when she started to bring our entrees out with the rice bowl. I turned to her and said...doesn't the meal come with soup? She looked at me as if I had two heads and said, "Yes, I will bring them out now." Well usually you bring soup and salad out before the entree don't you? The kids order also came out (two separate bowls as requested), but the sprouts that we asked not be in the soup was in the soup. Then she brought out the forgotten soups no soup spoons...so again one of us had to ask for it. Okay whatever...it could be her first day on the job or whatever. If that was the case, maybe she should have been shadowing a more experienced waitress or something.I was pretty irritated by her at this point. But again, we brushed it off. I just kept thinking...Girl, there goes your tip.

Finally, we enjoyed our meal and yes it was cooked pretty well and we all seemed to enjoy it. Then she came back and started taking plates away, when people were still trying to finish eating. Hello...I'm not done with that! We told her to come back when we were done.

She finally came back to clear the table and take our dessert order. She started with my mom and made her away around the table all the way to me. Then she looked at my mom and dad (the first two to order) and asked now what would you like? HELLO count the number of items you have on your pad missy...do you have short-term memory or something, if so this may not be the best career choice for you. My mom had to tell her, "You already took my order but I'll give it to you again." We just laughed it off.

The meal in itself was good, no complaints and if it wasn't for the service, I may have returned. The service and this particular waitress (the one that does not look like the others) were so bad that I am surprised they have not had more complaints. Luckily, we were not the only ones complaining this night. Apparently, they did not cook one table's meal thoroughly, and another couple was complaining about their bill and service. Hmmmm. So much for recommending Maui Bistro by Chin's for people heading down to San Diego.

For the poor service, I give Maui Bistro by Chin's my 2-P rating, the food (our experience not the other diners that night) was good...too bad the service was so lousy.

Maui Bistro by Chin's
Visited on Friday, July 24, 2009
Dinner Time Service

-Percy
The P-List
For rating legends/scales please visit here.

Photo from Old California Restaurant Row

VH1 Announces Divas Live '09 Lineup

After a four-year hiatus, Divas Live will once again hit the small screen. Today, VH1 has announced that Divas Live will air live on Thursday, September 17, 2009 at 9/8c with "divas" Kelly Clarkson, Leona Lewis, Adele, and Miley Cyrus performing at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM). Divas Live supports the VH1 Save The Music Foundation.

When Divas Live first came in to the scene in 1998, it was one of the most anticipated musical shows/concerts on cable. I even bought the CD to remind me of the spectacular spectacle. Now with the announcement of this new crop of "Divas" and I use the word very mildly, I'm left with one word...hmmmm. I don't think many will actually even bother watching it...maybe the tweens. Sure, Kelly Clarkson has hits and yeah I love her, but she ain't no DIVA. As for the others, what would even qualify them for being a "Diva?" Adele has had one hit with Chasing Pavements, Leona Lewis made a hit with Bleeding Love, and Miley Cyrus...isn't she better known as Hannah Montana? Really VH1...is this the best that you could come up with?

Let's reminisce VH1 with the past Divas shows that you have had and let's compare the caliber of the upcoming show.

Divas Live '98: Mariah Carey, Shania Twain, Aretha Franklin, Gloria Estefan, Celine Dion, and Carole King.

Divas Live '99: Chaka Khan, Tina Turner, Cher, Whitney Houston, Elton John, Mary J. Blige, Faith Hill, Brandy, and LeAnn Rimes.

Divas 2000: A tribute to Diana Ross featuring RuPaul, Faith Hill, Donna Summer, Mariah Carey, and Destiny's Child. Plus, Miss Ross was performing in full Diva mode.

Divas 2001: The One and Only Aretha Franklin with performances by Mary J. Blige, Jill Scott, Celia Cruz, Nelly Furtado, Backstreet Boys, Kid Rock, Marc Anthony and Stevie Wonder. Let's not forget the Queen of Soul herself...Aretha Franklin.

Divas 2002 Las Vegas: Celine Dion, Cher, Cyndi Lauper, Dixie Chicks, Shakira, Mary J. Blige, Whitney Houston, Anastacia, and Stevie Nicks. Also, Ellen DeGeneres and Wayne Newton played MC's for the evening.

Divas 2003 Divas Duets: Beyonce, Jewel, Celine Dion, Chaka Khan, Mary J. Blige, Ashanti, Lisa Marie Presley, Pat Benatar, Whitney Houston, and Shania Twain. Additionally, Stevie Wonder, Bobby Brown, and the Isley Brothers performed. Hosted by Queen Latifah.

Divas 2004: Patty LaBelle, Sheila E., Debbie Harry with Blondie, Cyndi Lauper, Jessica Simpson, Eve, Joss Stone, Ashanti, Pussy Cat Dolls, Gladys Knight, and Tom Jones.

So, after looking at this long list of TRUE Divas, how can you call the 2009 show a Diva Show? They should have been secondary on the list and not the headliners. I mean really...here's a list of Diva's you could have gotten for a truly spectacular show:

Madonna, Alicia Keys, Janet Jackson, Kylie Minogue, The Indigo Girls, Chrissie Hynde, Vanessa Williams, Gloria Gaynor, Roberta Flack, Annie Lennox, Siouxie Sioux, Rihanna, Jennifer Lopez, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Queen Latifah, Salt N Pepa, P!nk, Grace Jones, Amy Winehouse, George Michael, Boy George, Whitney Houston (her new album comes out 9/1/09), Natalie Cole, Lady Gaga, and even Celtic Woman would have been more interesting. Just curious to why you chose these four diva-lites?

At any rate, I hope it's better than what I am expecting. VH1 does state that, "additional performers and presenters will be announced in coming weeks," so they still might have some surprises in store. Let's hope!

For those interested in watching Divas Live 2009
Tune to VH1 (Check your local cable listing for actual channel)
Thursday, September 17, 2009
9pm/8pm central

From VH1, "Exclusive VH1 Save The Music VIP tickets and Gold Circle ticket packages will offer premium seating to the live VH1 Divas concert plus pre and post party access and an exclusive gift bag. Event sponsorship opportunities are also available to the two distinctively different VH1 Divas Parties on the same night. For more information on tickets or to sponsor an event, please contact: Nia.Mack@vh1savethemusic.com or at 212-846-7324."

-Percy
The P-List
For rating legends/scales please visit here.

Photos: Kelly from MTV, Adele from Beezeebeebee on Flickr, Leona from The List, Miley from ETOnline

Movie Review: Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

I always look forward to the Harry Potter movies. It's one of those franchises that you actually look forward to seeing (well at least I do). I've been waiting to see Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince since last year. It was originally scheduled for a Holiday '08 release, but producers and the director held it back until the Summer '09 movie season...so the anticipation has built up.

The sixth book/sixth movie in the series, Harry and his gang find themselves unraveling the latest secret plots. The storyline was pretty interesting and covered such topics as finding out who the Half Blood Prince is, learning more about Tom Riddle/Lord Voltemort's dark past, Draco Malfoy's new alliance, and of course what's going on with Dumbledore. I found it more interesting that the movie covered such topics as teen dynamics, teen angst, sexual tension, coming of age, etc.

Like the Order of the Phoenix, this movie is still very dark as Harry tries to discover more about himself and the man who killed his parents. But there were some not so serious points in the movie that showed a totally different side of Harry Potter and the other wizards. Here's a list of what I mean:
1) Teen Drinking and Partying (I thought they were still in high school, not college - I swear I saw a version of beer pong after the Quidditch match). Maybe a WABB (Wizards against Booze Brooming) or MAWD (Muggles against Wizard Drunkenness) group should be started.
2) Harry getting high for the first time (okay that luck potion must have been laced with marijuana or something because Harry was high...I was just waiting for him to get the munchies).
3) Kissing, infatuations, love potions, and sexual innuendos (Lot's of that in this movie. Too bad they had no gay characters that fell in love. Best sexual innuendo line: Ron to Harry, "So did you and my sister do it?" totally referring to something else, but the look on Harry's face was priceless).

Oh to be young...

Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) looked great in the movie, though it was hard at times to see him as Harry after seeing his hairy...in Equus. Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) was awesome and looked gorgeous. Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) was the perfect nerd, totally lovable. Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) looked like a Gucci wearing, slim, and extremely tall vampire...is he really tall or does it just look like that on film? Ginny Weasley (Bonnie Wright) sure blossomed to be a beautiful young lady. My favorite character though had to be Luna Lovegood (Evanna Lynch) for her quirky style and sense of humor. She reminds me a lot of Bubble from the Absolutely Fabulous TV Series.

Favorite things seen in the movie:
1) George and Fred Weasley's Magic Store - sorta like an FAO Schwartz for wizards.
2) Luna Lovegood's outfits.
3) The decor at Professor Horace Slughorn's holiday party. I loved the use of Chinese lanterns in a Gothic building and the overlaying of sheer fabrics in the party room.
4) Jenny Weasley's new pet, the pink wuzzle thing on the train...cute
5) Love potion bottles...gonna use the idea for a wedding.
6) The Weasley's multi-tiered house.

At any rate, this movie was longer than it should have been and frankly, they could have tightened it up a little bit more. The storyline was good, the acting was good, the cast was excellent, the CGI graphics were great, and the sound was wonderful. Overall, it was just a good movie, not the best Harry Potter Movie out there but definitely worth catching on the big screen.

I give this movie a 1-Pee Movie rating.

MPAA Rating: PG 13 for scary images, some violence, language and mild sensuality.

Run Time: 153 minutes

-Percy
The P-List
For rating legends/scales please visit here.

Photo from Wikipedia

Restaurant Review: Om - Fusion of Thailand (Oak View, CA)

I have not eaten at OM - Fusion of Thailand since it changed hands and names. The photo is of the actual building, not too fancy, though they have added paintings of elephants on it to liven it up. Don't let the building discourage your visit, it's definitely not a foreshadowing of what you are about to eat.

I guess the old saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover," is true. At any rate, I was craving Thai food tonight. So, on the way home I thought I would give OM - Fusion of Thailand a try. Well let me tell you, it won't be the last time I go there.

The restaurant is very understated with the kitchen in open view of the seating area. The place was clean and it had an almost full crowd of people, I actually ran into some friends there. The added touch was a guitarist playing in the corner while the diners ate. At first I thought it was just a Muzak track playing, but it was a live guitarist. I was greeted with a smile and the waiter waited patiently as I looked through the menu.

This is what I ordered: Shrimp Pad Thai, Combo Fried Rice for Anthony, Panang Chicken, Brown Rice (very excited about this since they are the only place in town that serves it), and a dish off their special of the day menu...Fried Squid with Mandarin Oranges in Orange Sauce. The food was all good and very fresh tasting but the Fried Squid...ORGASMIC! Yes go and ORDER IT NOW! Maybe I should just order more of their specials next time rather than the regular menu items.

As I waited for my order while watching Anthony play with the elephant door chimes and listening to the guitarist, the waitress simply came up to me and handed me a large glass of Thai Ice Tea just for the heck of it. She said, "Please enjoy this while you wait." What...I've never had that happen while waiting for takeout. For that kind of service alone I would go back.

I am giving Om - Fusion of Thailand my 4P rating for the excellent customer service, the quality of food, and the AWESOME fried squid. If you are live in the Santa Barbara/Ventura Area, Om is definitely worth the drive. Also, don't miss their patron graffiti wall near the front door...fun reading and some good order suggestions.





Om - Fusion of Thailand
710 Ventura Boulevard (HWY 33)
Oak View, CA 93022
(805) 649-9001
Closed on Sundays
Local delivery available (rare service in the Ojai Valley)

ยินดีรับประทาน (happy eating)

-Percy
The P-List
For rating legends/scales please visit here.

Photo from Manitoba Museum of Finds Arts Flickr Site

Online Shopping Review: Gilt Groupe

Gilt Groupe is a "by invitation only" online shopping mecca that gives you access to top designers such as Alexander McQueen, John Varvatos, Diesel, Oliver Peeples, and other designers at deep discounted prices. Sales occur daily and each day is a new exciting designer.

Here's a sample of the exciting sales that are happening on Gilt Groupe. These two items are just a hint of the wonderful things you can find on Gilt today.

For Women, Alexander McQueen





















For Men, John Varvatos





















Check out those prices too.

Sure, some things are still expensive but when you are purchasing a $3000 Alexander McQueen Jacket for $500 that's a bargain! There are absolutely great deals to be found. And if you are looking for more than just men's and women's fashion, they also have the children's sale every weekend and every now and then they will have designer household items too, like Jonathan Adler. So check out Gilt Group by accepting my invitation to join by clicking here.

If you love labels and top designer brands than this is the only site you need to do your shopping on. Every sales starts at 9am PST. Remember to purchase your items early, because the must have sell out pretty quickly. Gilt does not give you a preview of the items that will be included in each of the designer sales; they only give you the designer name, so you never know what will show up. If there is something you are looking for from a specific designer being highlighted on Gilt, you'd better log in at exactly 9am PST...because your item just may be up on the block. But don't fret, if you can't go to Gilt on the day your favorite designer goes on sale, any items that still have "quantity" will be available on the site for at least 2-3 days after the initial sale.

I give Gilt my 5P rating for its quality, customer service, shipping, return policy, designer choices, and sheer fun of shopping. I have made several purchases on the site and can vouch for the quality of the items.

Experience Gilt today. You may feel guilty after it but it's worth it.





-Percy
The P-List
For rating legends/scales please visit here.

Photos from Gilt

Movie Review: Brüno

I went in with no expectations on what to expect from the movie Brüno. I've heard the hype, the controversy, and everything Brüno for the last couple of months. But this movie did not prepare me for the utter genius of Sacha Baron Cohen. Sure I've seen Borat and even enjoyed Sacha as King Julien in the Madagascar movies, but seriously nothing prepared me for Brüno.

Brüno, the über gay Austrian fashionista, takes us on his journey for fame, fortune, and love in America after he was "blacklisted" by the international fashion industry after interrupting and nearly destroying the Agatha Ruiz de la Prada fashion show during Milan Fashion Week. As Brüno states, "The fashion industry is so shallow" and heads to Los Angeles with his assistant's assistant, Lutz (played by Gustaf Hammarsten), to search for fame and push the gay stereotype to its ultimate limit.

His antics are not pre-scripted, very sexually charged, and at moments pretty raunchy. At times I found myself covering my eyes from shock while laughing uncontrollably from what he was doing on screen. My most favorite part was when he went to a psychic to contact Rob Pilatus from Milli Vanilli to talk about what he thought would be his route to fame. Upon contacting him, Brüno asked the psychic if he could kiss the spirit of Pilatus or Vanilli which turned into a full blown, one man, sexual oral reenactment that had me out of my seat dying of laughter. There are other scenes in this movie that will definitely have you shaking your head in disbelief...but hey at least he was brave enough to put it out there.

Some parts of the movie will make people uneasy and it's thoroughly offensive, but if you go with an open mind and the mentally of fun, than you will enjoy this movie. Put your political correctness aside because this movie is definitely not PC. If you are sexually uptight or don't know anything beyond the missionary position, than this movie will shock you. This is NOT a movie for the under 17 crowd in my opinion, though the people sitting next to me thought it was appropriate to bring their 5-year old daughter, who kept asking what they were doing on the screen...what in the hell were they thinking!

This movie pokes fun at red necks, swingers, ex-gays, the BDSM community, fashionistas, celebrities, and terrorists. It also exposes the amount of homophobia still out there by putting the most EXTREME gay stereotypical person forward, even if it's played by a straight man. I can't believe that Sacha made it out alive in some cases, especially when he went to Middle Earth (Middle East) to convince a terrorist to take him hostage so that he can become an international celebrity. A+ for Sacha for getting the likes of Paula Abdul, Ron Paul, Harrison Ford, Bono, Sting, Elton John and others in this movie. Additionally, I hope anal bleaching does not become the next Botox.

If you want to watch a movie with some explicit sexual humor than I say run don't walk to see Brüno. If you are too prudish to indulge I say watch it anyway. Brüno is the new Borat, because Borat was so 2006!

I give this movie a No Pee Rating!


MPAA: Rating R for pervasive strong and crude sexual content, graphic nudity and language.

Run time: 83 minutes

-Percy
The P-List
For rating legends/scales please visit here.

Movie Image from Brüno

The P-List - Your Go To Review for All Things Pop Culture

The P-List is the latest Pop Culture Review on the blogosphere. It will definitely be your "go to" place for the latest reviews on movies, music, television, and all things Pop Culture.

The P-List will give honest reviews about our experience with things in the world. We will rate everything between 1 to 5 P's. (1-P being a waste of time and 5-P's being a must experience). At the end of each blog the following rating logo will appear depending on my rating of the topic.





The movie reviews will be rated quite uniquely from other movie critic reviews. I have an unconventional scale for rating the movies, which has not failed me yet. I have been using it for a long time to tell my friends what is a must see and what to totally pass up. Movies will be rated on the number of times I go "pee" during the movie. Yes I said "pee" but this has definitely been a great gauge on what I think is a great movie and one that is well...just for the toilet. Movies will be rated as follows:

No Pee - A Must See
This means that I really loved the movie and could not miss one bit of it, regardless of how badly I needed to go pee. I'd rather pee in my pants than miss a piece of this flick.





1 Pee Movie - Good Movie
This generally means that I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, but had to get up and use the restroom anyway, I am sure that I did not miss much while I went tinkle.





2 Pee Movie - Uh...it was okay
This means the movie was okay, but had to go to the restroom twice. I probably could have waited to watch this on DVD at home or maybe even when it went to a premium cable channel. I could take it or leave it.

The Toilet - It was shit.
This means I would have had a more enjoyable time sitting on the john rather than watching this piece of shit.






At any rate, I hope The P-List will be your go to source for reviews on all things "Pop Culture!" I look forward to you becoming a fan!

-Percy
The P-List