Mark here...this episode is called "Water" and the title refers to the fact that, thanks to a saboteur, the Galactica fleet is short of water. The saboteur in question is Cylon sleeper agent Sharon (Boomer), who we see being apparently unaware of what she is doing but missing time. During her missing time, she's apparently setting bombs. In realizing this, she confides in secret lover, Chief Tyrol, who proceeds to cover it up and make excuses for her.
Meanwhile Adama and Roslin continue to be the heart of the show. In this episode they are both dressing up for a planned meeting yet privately despising doing so. Adama Jr. (Lee) informs Roslin that it is just to make her feel more presidential, resulting in a bit more understanding. We do get a glimpse more into Roslin's character though. Although Adama recognizes the necessity of civilian government, the rest of the military shows skepticism towards her. She dismisses this and shows herself as hard-nosed as any military personnel.
Laurel here...not much to add except I'm looking forward to seeing how they resolve the fact that different cylon models are out in the world playing the same character in two places at once. For example Sharon in this episode is on the ship and has a relationship with chief tyrol, but on caprice she is rescuing Helo and maybe falling in love with him? I'm looking forward to seeing how this all works out!
Thursday, April 26, 2012
33
Mark here...Laurel and I are having a meal of Steak au Poivre, Peas with Lettuce and Baked potatoes with truffle oil, sour cream and chives. We are also watching the first episode of Season One of Battlestar Galactica, post-miniseries, "33"....
The premise of the episode is that every 33 minutes the Galactica fleet is forced to have a FTL jump (Faster Than Light) because the Cylons keep showing up to find them. The pace of the episode is nice, building towards the end when one ship is revealed to be a problem and potentially harboring Cylon agents. There's a nice back and forth between Adama and Roslin, who are clearly the anchors of the show at this point and are forced to destroy the rogue ship and its 1300 people on board. Separately, we see that Helo, the soldier left behind on Caprica in the miniseries, has survived. He is rescued from Cylons by a duplicate of Sharon (Boomer), who we the audience know to be another Cylon...
Laurel here...This was a super good episode, fast paced and full of tension. My only criticism - the episode is called "33" because the cylons keep showing up every 33 minutes like clockwork, and the whole fleet just keeps jumping every 33 minutes to get away from them (a task for which everyone has to basically be awake all the time except for 10 minute catnaps). This plan is clearly unsustainable yet they never really show anybody working on a longterm solution. There should have been a nerd in a lab someplace or at a computer at least doing some math trying to figure something out. At one point Adama refers to "a plan that hasn't been implemented yet" but I feel like that's pretty vague. Anyhoo, tough choice to blow up a civilian ship but it seems to have been the right move, we'll see moving forward.
Starbuck also is slightly less annoying this episode, but she is still doing that thing of portraying a tough woman by acting like a man, which in my mind has no place in any show, especially a show about the future. President Roslin on the other hand acts like a lady and like a tough cookie, which I totally appreciate.
The premise of the episode is that every 33 minutes the Galactica fleet is forced to have a FTL jump (Faster Than Light) because the Cylons keep showing up to find them. The pace of the episode is nice, building towards the end when one ship is revealed to be a problem and potentially harboring Cylon agents. There's a nice back and forth between Adama and Roslin, who are clearly the anchors of the show at this point and are forced to destroy the rogue ship and its 1300 people on board. Separately, we see that Helo, the soldier left behind on Caprica in the miniseries, has survived. He is rescued from Cylons by a duplicate of Sharon (Boomer), who we the audience know to be another Cylon...
Laurel here...This was a super good episode, fast paced and full of tension. My only criticism - the episode is called "33" because the cylons keep showing up every 33 minutes like clockwork, and the whole fleet just keeps jumping every 33 minutes to get away from them (a task for which everyone has to basically be awake all the time except for 10 minute catnaps). This plan is clearly unsustainable yet they never really show anybody working on a longterm solution. There should have been a nerd in a lab someplace or at a computer at least doing some math trying to figure something out. At one point Adama refers to "a plan that hasn't been implemented yet" but I feel like that's pretty vague. Anyhoo, tough choice to blow up a civilian ship but it seems to have been the right move, we'll see moving forward.
Starbuck also is slightly less annoying this episode, but she is still doing that thing of portraying a tough woman by acting like a man, which in my mind has no place in any show, especially a show about the future. President Roslin on the other hand acts like a lady and like a tough cookie, which I totally appreciate.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Battlestar Galactica!
Mark here...we are switching gears again for a new series and taping our nerd glasses together for some Battlestar Galactica. We decided to get out of high school and switch to a totally different kind of series. With that in mind, we're settling in for a brunch of herbed baked eggs, maple syrup bacon, latkes, toast, and fresh strawberries. Also, we have some special guest star bloggers with us, our friends Jeff and Emily! They've been kind enough to host us. On to the series...
Starting off we are watching the Mini-Series, which serves as a pilot for the whole series. The beginning shows us a star system of humans inhabiting 12 colonies, conveniently named after the signs of the zodiac. The humans of these colonies had created robots called Cylons who eventually rebeled against there masters. Fast forward 40 years and the Cylons are launching a surprise attack against humanity, aided by the fact that they are now able to look like humans. We first see the Battlestar Galactica as it is about to be retired and turned into a museum. But it is quickly put back into service and ends up being the last Battlestar to survive the Cylon attack, due to the fact that its systems are all designed to not be hooked up to a network, and therefore not affected by the Cylon cyber attack. The Battlestar is commanded by Adama, played by Edward James Olmos. Conveniently, his estranged son is back in the picture for the museum unveiling and becomes a member of the crew after the attack.
Separately, we are also introduced to Laura Roslin, secretary of education and 43rd in line to the presidency. After the attack she becomes president and provides a nice counter point to Adama's military-focused personality. In the end, she is who convinces Adama to abandon the fight and focus on preserving the species.
Emily here...
I'm so happy to be a guest blogger, especially on BSG! We quickly learn that the Battlestar Gallactica is about to become a museum, and that the Cylons were no longer a threat. Lots of crew members are kissing Captian Adama's ass ("Oh, it was such an honor to work with you, Adama...") and he's dreaming of vacation. While the crew of the Battlestar is getting ready for retirement, on Caprica there is a hot Cylon going around breaking hearts and breaking necks. Oh, and she destroys all humankind, while she's at it. We are led to believe she is a serious scientist, but she wears crazy see-through clothes that are inappropriate for serious science, or any workplace, actually.
Fast forward: Caprica is destroyed, Gallactica is not going to be a museum, Adama becomes head military dude. Adama's son, Lee, comes to the ship bringing lots of daddy issues. Lee's hair always looks perfect, even after taking his helmet off. Roslin's a hot cougar who takes charge. I see some serious sparks between the senior Adama and her!
We meet some Cylons. They look like humans! There are 12 of them, just like there are 12 Colonies, and very similar to the 12 apostles, maybe? 12 is a magic number.
At the end there's a huge reveal (that I will keep) and the humans are on a mission to find Earth. Will they find it? Probably not, since Captain Adama reveals to Roslin that he made that shit up, there ain't no Earth that he knows of.
Jeff Kwong here! So I made this killer toast for bunch. I don't go the usual sliced-bead-in-a-toaster route. No sir. I make a habit of never getting sliced bread first of all. You gotta go whole loaf. Sliced bread mean one of two things, stale bread or preservatives, and neither of those things are worthy of serving in the Kwong house. I start with a slice of hand cut bread, slightly thicker than the width of a standard sandwich slice. Next I toss that on a hot, buttered griddle pan. After it develops a golden brown surface, I flip that bread over and dry toast the opposite side just long enough to give it the slightest crispy surface. The toast comes of the heat and I give it a sprinkling of sea salt and coarse cracked pepper. EVERYONE was raving about how good it was and personally I found it kinda distracting while I was trying to watch BSG. Oh well, I've seen it before. It's as good as the first time around, but this time I'm full of spoilers. *SPOILER ALERT* None of the main characters die in the miniseries.
Laurel here...The toast was amazing! I already have a bone to pick with this series...Starbuck. This character is supposed to be a tough girl but she is SO over the top it's super annoying. She walks with a swagger, has a mean glare on her face, and to top it off she smokes a cigar at the end of the episode. It's totally unecessary. The fact that you are a super good fighter pilot makes you pretty tough already, so all that other stuff just makes you seem like a bad, insecure actress. And like Emily said you are probably not allowed to be smoking on a spaceship.
Mark here...if it was the apocalypse, I would smoke on a spaceship, rules be damned!
Starting off we are watching the Mini-Series, which serves as a pilot for the whole series. The beginning shows us a star system of humans inhabiting 12 colonies, conveniently named after the signs of the zodiac. The humans of these colonies had created robots called Cylons who eventually rebeled against there masters. Fast forward 40 years and the Cylons are launching a surprise attack against humanity, aided by the fact that they are now able to look like humans. We first see the Battlestar Galactica as it is about to be retired and turned into a museum. But it is quickly put back into service and ends up being the last Battlestar to survive the Cylon attack, due to the fact that its systems are all designed to not be hooked up to a network, and therefore not affected by the Cylon cyber attack. The Battlestar is commanded by Adama, played by Edward James Olmos. Conveniently, his estranged son is back in the picture for the museum unveiling and becomes a member of the crew after the attack.
Separately, we are also introduced to Laura Roslin, secretary of education and 43rd in line to the presidency. After the attack she becomes president and provides a nice counter point to Adama's military-focused personality. In the end, she is who convinces Adama to abandon the fight and focus on preserving the species.
Emily here...
I'm so happy to be a guest blogger, especially on BSG! We quickly learn that the Battlestar Gallactica is about to become a museum, and that the Cylons were no longer a threat. Lots of crew members are kissing Captian Adama's ass ("Oh, it was such an honor to work with you, Adama...") and he's dreaming of vacation. While the crew of the Battlestar is getting ready for retirement, on Caprica there is a hot Cylon going around breaking hearts and breaking necks. Oh, and she destroys all humankind, while she's at it. We are led to believe she is a serious scientist, but she wears crazy see-through clothes that are inappropriate for serious science, or any workplace, actually.
Fast forward: Caprica is destroyed, Gallactica is not going to be a museum, Adama becomes head military dude. Adama's son, Lee, comes to the ship bringing lots of daddy issues. Lee's hair always looks perfect, even after taking his helmet off. Roslin's a hot cougar who takes charge. I see some serious sparks between the senior Adama and her!
We meet some Cylons. They look like humans! There are 12 of them, just like there are 12 Colonies, and very similar to the 12 apostles, maybe? 12 is a magic number.
At the end there's a huge reveal (that I will keep) and the humans are on a mission to find Earth. Will they find it? Probably not, since Captain Adama reveals to Roslin that he made that shit up, there ain't no Earth that he knows of.
Jeff Kwong here! So I made this killer toast for bunch. I don't go the usual sliced-bead-in-a-toaster route. No sir. I make a habit of never getting sliced bread first of all. You gotta go whole loaf. Sliced bread mean one of two things, stale bread or preservatives, and neither of those things are worthy of serving in the Kwong house. I start with a slice of hand cut bread, slightly thicker than the width of a standard sandwich slice. Next I toss that on a hot, buttered griddle pan. After it develops a golden brown surface, I flip that bread over and dry toast the opposite side just long enough to give it the slightest crispy surface. The toast comes of the heat and I give it a sprinkling of sea salt and coarse cracked pepper. EVERYONE was raving about how good it was and personally I found it kinda distracting while I was trying to watch BSG. Oh well, I've seen it before. It's as good as the first time around, but this time I'm full of spoilers. *SPOILER ALERT* None of the main characters die in the miniseries.
Laurel here...The toast was amazing! I already have a bone to pick with this series...Starbuck. This character is supposed to be a tough girl but she is SO over the top it's super annoying. She walks with a swagger, has a mean glare on her face, and to top it off she smokes a cigar at the end of the episode. It's totally unecessary. The fact that you are a super good fighter pilot makes you pretty tough already, so all that other stuff just makes you seem like a bad, insecure actress. And like Emily said you are probably not allowed to be smoking on a spaceship.
Mark here...if it was the apocalypse, I would smoke on a spaceship, rules be damned!
French Fries
This recipe is from Anthony Bourdain and it's a bit of work, but well worth it!
Ingredients:
Potatoes
Peanut Oil
Salt
First peel and cut the potatoes to french fry size and then place in ice water from 30 minutes to overnight. I did it for about an hour.
Then there is the first fry stage, where you cook the potatoes in batches in 280 degree peanut oil about 5 minutes each. Let them rest for about 15 minutes after that and then fry in 375 degree oil. You will need plenty of paper towels to sit them in to soak up excess oil. When done, add fries to a big bowl and toss with salt.
Ingredients:
Potatoes
Peanut Oil
Salt
First peel and cut the potatoes to french fry size and then place in ice water from 30 minutes to overnight. I did it for about an hour.
Then there is the first fry stage, where you cook the potatoes in batches in 280 degree peanut oil about 5 minutes each. Let them rest for about 15 minutes after that and then fry in 375 degree oil. You will need plenty of paper towels to sit them in to soak up excess oil. When done, add fries to a big bowl and toss with salt.
Tuscan Roast Chicken
This is from Episode 15 of Beverly Hills 90210. It is a recipe of Ellie Krieger's and the original called for tomatoes. I forgot tomatoes and added carrots, but I think it would have been better with the tomatoes!
Ingredients:
2 Bone-in skinless breasts (I just took skin off the breasts I had, unfortunately I think this meant more fat than if I had bought it that way)
Zucchini
carrots (again, should be tomatoes)
Olive oil
garlic
salt
lemon juice
rosemary (dried and fresh)
chopped fennel (it's important to chop it small, or it won't cook enough and will be tough)
Set oven to 375
Line the bottom of a roasting pan with the chopped vegetables and toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper. In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon olive oil, chopped garlic, salt, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and a teaspoon of lemon zest. Rub this mixture into the breasts and then place them on top of the vegetables. Add pepper and roast 30 minutes, then stir vegetables and add rosemary. Roast for about another half hour.
Ingredients:
2 Bone-in skinless breasts (I just took skin off the breasts I had, unfortunately I think this meant more fat than if I had bought it that way)
Zucchini
carrots (again, should be tomatoes)
Olive oil
garlic
salt
lemon juice
rosemary (dried and fresh)
chopped fennel (it's important to chop it small, or it won't cook enough and will be tough)
Set oven to 375
Line the bottom of a roasting pan with the chopped vegetables and toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper. In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon olive oil, chopped garlic, salt, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and a teaspoon of lemon zest. Rub this mixture into the breasts and then place them on top of the vegetables. Add pepper and roast 30 minutes, then stir vegetables and add rosemary. Roast for about another half hour.
Steak with Bearnaise
This is from the East Side Story episode of Beverly Hills 90210... It is a variation on Ina Garten's recipe.
Ingredients:
Steak (We had 2 ribeyes)
Dried Tarragon
Fresh Tarragon
2 sticks of butter
Lemon
3 egg yolks
champagne vinegar
Salt
Pepper
For the bearnaise, set up a double burner and egg, 1/4 cup of vinegar, egg yolks, salt and some dried tarragon. Whisk and slowly add pats of butter to the mixture. If it gets to hot, just remove from the double burner until it cools, but continue whisking and the return to the burner. If it starts to curdle place in ice water. When all butter is mixed in, add 2 tablespoons lemon juice and chopped fresh tarragon.
For the steaks, it's best to ask butcher how to cook, as we did. In this case we salted then browned each side in butter in a frying pan and then placed them in a 375 degree oven for a few minutes to get medium rare steaks. Different size steaks will vary though.
Ingredients:
Steak (We had 2 ribeyes)
Dried Tarragon
Fresh Tarragon
2 sticks of butter
Lemon
3 egg yolks
champagne vinegar
Salt
Pepper
For the bearnaise, set up a double burner and egg, 1/4 cup of vinegar, egg yolks, salt and some dried tarragon. Whisk and slowly add pats of butter to the mixture. If it gets to hot, just remove from the double burner until it cools, but continue whisking and the return to the burner. If it starts to curdle place in ice water. When all butter is mixed in, add 2 tablespoons lemon juice and chopped fresh tarragon.
For the steaks, it's best to ask butcher how to cook, as we did. In this case we salted then browned each side in butter in a frying pan and then placed them in a 375 degree oven for a few minutes to get medium rare steaks. Different size steaks will vary though.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Home Again
Laurel here...Here we are! At the season 1 finale! It was a slog at times but we made it!
So this episode hinges on whether or not the Walshes are all going to have to move back to Minneapolis. Jim gets a big job offer for double his salary and decides he can't pass it up..The episode basically focuses on all the gang saying goodbye to each other. Steve is a total dick to Brandon because he can't deal with the possibility of Brandon leaving, Dylan and Brenda decide to try a long distance relationship but then Brenda changes her mind and breaks up with him, and Kelly offers for Brenda to stay at her place for the summer. All sort of believable, except for Andrea's reaction. She offers to have sex with Brandon, as a "goodbye present" (your present is me!) AND BRANDON ACCEPTS!!!! Are you fucking kidding me? I am so flummoxed/grossed out I don't even know what to say. What nerdy high school girl offers herself up as a present? Not to mention a judgey higher than thou nerd? What? It just makes no sense.
Mark here...I will say that my one note from the Andrea-Brandon hook-up possibility: "UGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!" (no exaggeration). I realize that all season we are supposed to be rooting for Andrea in some sort of 80s movie nerd-makes-good sort of way, but it doesn't work. We hate Andrea, she's unrelatable. Maybe another actress could have made the character likable, but here you just don't believe Brandon would go for her. I guess that's why nothing ever happens.
One moment I thought was funny is Dylan's reaction to finding out Brenda is moving, "There's so much we haven't done". Given last episode, both Laurel and I had this reaction..."Blow Jobs," "Anal Sex," "69"...etc...
I will say I'm glad we've reached the end of this season...the series doesn't seem to have found it's footing in teen soapiness yet and while the teen stuff we've seen is fun, the "lessons" are unbearable and really a blast from the past...really modern teen shows would never push this moral crap, because it would kill their ratings. Here, I think they will recover because there wasn't anything like this on TV and their photogenic leads...
Laurel here...in the end the Walshes decide to stay in California after all because Jim is so touched by the goodbye party the gang throws for them at the peach pit. The cliffhanger of the season finale...Brenda tells Dylan she is late!!! You know, late.
Style award this episode goes to Brandon/Andrea! For Andrea's outfit in Brandon's dream about their hookup. Let's just say I never really visualized the phrase "$10 hooker" until today.
Cocktail moments this episode: When Steve is fighting with a little tiny jock guy and losing. Brandon tries to comfort him by saying, "that guy was built like a wide load truck". Um, he was smaller than both Brandon and Dylan so I'm not sure which guy he was talking about. Side note... Steve wears an eyepatch for the rest of the episode after getting his ass kicked.
Also whenever Brandon and Andrea have to pretend they have chemistry. At one point they kiss and it looks like Andrea is trying to eat poor Brandon's whole head. You need a drink because it's so awkward.
Spring Dance
Mark here... we've reached the penultimate episode of season one and Laurel has made a caprese salad with heirloom tomatoes, roasted chick peas and a spinach, egg and parmesan soup. Very tasty!
and of course, any moment with Donna and her dress!
On to the episode...we're at least not dealing with another "Very Special Episode" here, although the writing is a little melodramatic. This episode is called, "Spring Dance" and the gang is preparing for the spring dance. Andrea of course wants Brandon to ask her, but Brandon doesn't want to go...until Kelly asks him. Steve is jealous and there's an annoying plot line of Steve being a jerk and wanting to reunite with Kelly. This whole storyline is just boring and we just don't care enough about Steve and he behaves like too much of a jerk to care. Steve ends up going to the dance with Donna, who's plot line basically involves wearing an impractical dress and trying to sit down.
The better part of the episode involves Brenda losing her V-card to Dylan. Dylan has reserved a room in the hotel and they disappear during the dance to do the deed. It's at least a bit of realism, as we saw Brandon do it back in episode 2. Also, Kelly's reaction and congratulating Brenda is nice. The plus of this episode is that the focus is back on teen drama. Of course, then we have ugly duckling Andrea. First, she sits home in sweats watching some budget version of "Carrie" eating ice cream...but just in time she makes it to the dance in what looks like her mom's pillow case. And of course Beverly Hills is just a hop, skip and a jump from her home in Van Nuys...
Laurel here...I agree with Mark that it's really nice to get back to an episode that focuses on high school stuff and the relationships between the characters instead of yet another episode about racism, tumors, underprivileged kids, stray dogs, etc.
The funniest part of this episode for me is Andrea being indignant about going to the dance, to the point where she stays home and watches a prom horror movie in her sweats while everyone else is having fun when we all know what she really wants is to be part of the gang and hang out with the cool kids. What prompts her to go to the dance in the long run is that she has a daydream after she watches the movie that she is the Carrie character, disgruntled to the point that she tries to kill Kelly with a chainsaw (amazing image by the way, see style award). I think that we are supposed to identify with her and root for her as the underdog but she is just so annoying and unlikeable that it doesn't work. She's the worst.
Style award this episode goes to...Andrea! For her daydream horror chainsaw getup.
Cocktail moments: Brenda and Kelly wearing the same dress to the dance...so embarrassing!
David Silver winning the dance contest with his crazy wanna be hip hop moves. Or move, rather. just one.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Gorgonzola Bruschetta
This is from Barefoot Contessa, it's her gorgonzola bruschetta. This was my first time making it and I made a few mistakes which I will note. I had to change the proportions since it was only Laurel and I eating it.
Ingredients:
Baguette
Yellow Pepper
Red Pepper
Capers
Creamy Gorgonzola
Basil
Salt
Pepper
Sugar
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Cut the baguette on a diagonal into thin slices. Lay a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet and put the slice on top. Brush each slice with the olive oil. Put in 375 degree oven until toasted.
Meanwhile, chop the peppers thinly (mine were not thin enough and this will be important)/ Saute in olive oil for about 15-20 min. Add a teaspoon or so of sugar and give it a few more minutes, then add capers (a tablespoon), salt and pepper, and julienned basil. Take this mixture and top it on each toasted baguette slice. Then dab a bit of gorgonzola on top of each (this was where I messed up...gorgonzola's a bit messy and I added too much, it's really just a dab for flavor that's needed). Put back in the oven until the cheese melts and then serve.
Ingredients:
Baguette
Yellow Pepper
Red Pepper
Capers
Creamy Gorgonzola
Basil
Salt
Pepper
Sugar
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Cut the baguette on a diagonal into thin slices. Lay a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet and put the slice on top. Brush each slice with the olive oil. Put in 375 degree oven until toasted.
Meanwhile, chop the peppers thinly (mine were not thin enough and this will be important)/ Saute in olive oil for about 15-20 min. Add a teaspoon or so of sugar and give it a few more minutes, then add capers (a tablespoon), salt and pepper, and julienned basil. Take this mixture and top it on each toasted baguette slice. Then dab a bit of gorgonzola on top of each (this was where I messed up...gorgonzola's a bit messy and I added too much, it's really just a dab for flavor that's needed). Put back in the oven until the cheese melts and then serve.
Vegetable Risotto
As we're nearing the end of our 90210 Season One run, I'm going to try and catch up on some of my recipes. This one is from when we did the episode "One on One", it is a version Barefoot Contessa's Spring Green Risotto.
Ingredients:
Olive oil
butter
1 cup of chopped leeks
1 cup chopped fennel
1 1/4 cup Arborio rice
2/3 cup white wine
5 cups of stock (I had game stock from the onion soup)
blanched, chopped asparagus
10 oz. frozen peas
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/3 cup mascarpone
1/2 cup grated parmesan
chopped chives
salt
pepper
Saute the leeks and fennel in the olive oil and butter until soft, then add the rice and saute another minute or 2. Add the white wine and when it is absorbed, begin adding the stock a ladle at a time. Wait until it is absorbed before adding the next ladle. Then add the asparagus, peas, lemon zest, and salt and pepper to taste. If it needs it, add more stock (mine did). Whisk the mascarpone and lemon juice togther and add to the risotto, then add parmesan and chives.
Ingredients:
Olive oil
butter
1 cup of chopped leeks
1 cup chopped fennel
1 1/4 cup Arborio rice
2/3 cup white wine
5 cups of stock (I had game stock from the onion soup)
blanched, chopped asparagus
10 oz. frozen peas
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/3 cup mascarpone
1/2 cup grated parmesan
chopped chives
salt
pepper
Saute the leeks and fennel in the olive oil and butter until soft, then add the rice and saute another minute or 2. Add the white wine and when it is absorbed, begin adding the stock a ladle at a time. Wait until it is absorbed before adding the next ladle. Then add the asparagus, peas, lemon zest, and salt and pepper to taste. If it needs it, add more stock (mine did). Whisk the mascarpone and lemon juice togther and add to the risotto, then add parmesan and chives.
Friday, April 6, 2012
Spring Training
Laurel here...blerg.
Well this episode was super boring. Brandon and Steve coach a competitive little league baseball team from West Beverly Hills who turn out to be good at baseball but bad at sportsmanship. Do you smell a lesson coming?
Turns out Nat from the Peach pit also coaches a little league team (the Pitts), but they are good at sportsmanship and bad at baseball. Brandon and Dylan spend a few afternoons teaching them some fundamentals, Andrea brings in a ringer (she somehow knows a girl baseball prodigy from the Valley?), they set up a few practice games with the rich kid's team and everyone learns a thing or two.
I wish that the baseball part was the most boring thing about this episode but wait, there's more! A stray dog follows Brenda home while she is jogging and she spends the episode trying to convince her family to let her keep him, but in the end the dog finds his owner, one of the kids on the little league team. Snoozefest!
Mark here... I agree totally, I have to say, some of this season has really been the show finding it's footing and many of the "classic" story lines have yet to happen. So we find ourselves slogging through these filler episodes of "Very Special" teaching moments and "wacky" subplots.... Good grief! No wonder the show was on the rocks about renewal in the beginning. Don't get me wrong, some of the early episodes are awesome when they focus on high school, but the other episodes are painful.
Style award this episode goes to...Steve! for his crazy baseball half shirt style. Runner up is Dylan for his crazy baseball outfit, super high waisted pants that really show off his girlish figure. We think he is actually the skinniest person on the show, except maybe for Donna.
Cocktail moments:
Anytime Brenda is with the dog...those moments need lubrication!
Whenever Jim yells at somebody...his back is out this episode and boy is he grumpy!
April Is The Cruelest Month
Mark here...well another snorefest with this episode, called "April Is The Cruelest Month". Things start out interesting enough with Brandon attempt to interview the school tennis star while "Would I Lie To You?" by The Eurythmics plays. Turns out said tennis star is played by Matthew Perry. Things sort of go downhill from there. Matthew Perry is yet another poor little rich boy who wants Brandon to read his screenplay. Turns out his screenplay is about a son killing his famous dad, which Brandon interprets as a cry for help (Brenda, on the other hand, can't be bothered past page 2 when Brandon shows it to her). So who does Brandon go to for advice...Andrea?! Ug, please. Anyway, the whole episode has this weird cheesy noir/horror attempt going on with some of the lighting, etc. Unfortunately it doesn't really help things. Brandon at one point suspects his friend of being about to murder his father and proceeds to get fingerprints all over the friends gun and break in to his house.
Meanwhile, we get to see Ms. Teasley for the first time I remember. Previously the actress played a school shrink I think, but here she's back as principal. There's a subplot about Donna not doing well on the SATs. Turns out Donna has a learning disability. Ms Teasley helpfully tells her that she's not stupid. From now on the school will just have to read out every question to her and give her as much time as possible to answer. Presumably they will talk as slow as possible too.
Laurel here...poor Brandon! He always has to solve everyone else's problems. He almost always bares the burden of these "very special" episodes, save for the one where Brenda finds a lump. Even then he's the one who keeps it together, while Brenda turns into a bitchy mess. (see pervious episode, "it's just a test"). Also he makes all these great friends during each of these "lessons", none of whom we ever see again. In this episode he becomes bff's with Matthew Perry's character, but you know he's headed to the 90210 guest star graveyard, just like Brandon's black friend, his latina girlfriend, his actress friend, the homeless kid who hangs out at the peach pit, etc.
Style award this episode goes to...Dylan again! This time for his weird purple priest outfit. I get it about the semi-clerical style what with papa don't preach and all that, but was super long shirts on guys ever a thing? It's hard to tell from the photo but really it's dress length.
Cocktail moments: When Brenda finds Donna at "Fred Segal" the inside of which actually looks like the fashion 21 at the Eagle Rock Mall...
When Kelly says that in college she's going to major in "Pre-Wed"...
It's Only a Test
Mark here... Laurel and I are settling in with some very tasty vegetarian chili that Laurel made, and a bit of wine. The wine is very necessary for this episode...called, "It's Only A Test". Of course there are 2 tests here. First the gang is preparing for the SATs and second Brenda finds a lump on her breast. Jeesum Crow...this one goes above and beyond "Very Special Episode" as we're treated to questions about Brenda's period and discharge from her nipples.... Eeegg, pour me some more wine please. Anyway, the episode is mostly Brenda! Brenda! Brenda! and all things surrounding Brenda feel super preachy. I had hoped Cindy Walsh might shine through, but unfortunately she had a sister who died of cancer so she's freaking out as much as Brenda, who finally has a reason to be a raging bitch and doesn't hold back. There is a funny moment where Kelly and Donna are attempting to console Brenda and Kelly says "I hope nothing ever happens to my breasts" to which Donna replies "me too!" Ahem.
There's also a subplot about Andrea and Steve and SAT mayhem, but I'll leave most of that for the cocktail moments...
Laurel here...Brandon really shines in the episode, he is the perfect brother, really holding it together for Brenda and Cindy, even though he is freaking out. Although the person he confides in...Andrea. Does he want it to be on the front page of the West Beverly Blaze?
Also noteworthy is the way Brenda discovers her lump...Brenda, Kelly, and Donna are all at Kelly's place studying for the SATs, but of course Kelly is just reading a magazine. She finds pull out instructions in her copy of YM or whatever and the girls all decide to do a breast exam together. Excuse me? What high school girls would ever decide to do a breast exam together?
And as for Steve and Andrea, I just think I threw up a little bit in my mouth. Like Mark said please see cocktail moments for more detail.
Style award this episode...Cindy! For her take-your-daughter-to-get-her-lump-checked business suit. Way to go Cindy!
Cocktail moments:
Andrea freaks out! Brandon uses the word "masticate" (btw referring to Andrea chewing all the pencils at the school paper office...eew) which leads to Andrea having a complete bitchy freak out about how fancy SAT prep courses give rich kids an unfair advantage. waaahhh! Hand me my wine!
Then Andrea barreling down the school stairs in a crazy freak out to get SAT tips from...Steve?! He's one of the rich kids taking the offending fancy private courses...in any case Andrea's craziness requires a drink...
...leading to Andrea and Steve studying at Steve's and...KISSING?!?! Thats another drink for sure!
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Stand (Up) and Deliver
Mark here...so this episode starts with Brenda, Kelly and Donna attending a comedy club...dear god no...but yes, and of course Brenda is enthralled by the wacky personalities displayed on stage and makes friends with the performers. One of whom goes by the name of Sky. It sounds so ridiculous its hard to believe, but the writing at the time is quite SERIOUS.
In the meantime, with Brenda busy being a performer, Brandon is cornered by Andrea, who needs someone to run for class president because her "friend" dropped out. As we know Andrea has no friends, clearly the friend is Andrea. Unfortunately for our least favorite person, Kelly also has some free time now with Brenda busy, and sets her sights on Brandon. He believes it's ok to let both girls run his campaign. Of course Kelly quickly blows Andrea's boring "issues"campaign out of the water. In the end, though Brandon learns yet another lesson and endorses his running mate.
Brenda, on the other hand, sort of learns a lesson, and sort of shows the wild streak she will always have. She gives up stand up after a performance, but not wanting the attention...
Laurel here...The comedy club that Brenda is obsessed with is SO ANNOYING! Warehouse with wierd thrift store sofas and everyone drinks coffee..but I guess Brenda is so annoying too, so it's a perfect fit. Did we mention that everybody performing at this place is super young? Young people aren't funny! And don't know how to run a business!
Brenda ends up house sitting for Sky, for 3 days, during which all of Sky's stuff gets reposessed. It's a tough life out there on your own Brenda! Stay with Jim and Cindy for as long as they will let you!
Style award this episode definitely goes to brenda when she decides to go for a 90s Bohemian look. The worst/best.
Cocktail moment:
Brenda's final stand up
Kelly offering a date to David Silver for a favor for Brandon's campaign
Also, Kelly coming on to Brandon, which gets broken up...but dare I say, foreshadowing?
In the meantime, with Brenda busy being a performer, Brandon is cornered by Andrea, who needs someone to run for class president because her "friend" dropped out. As we know Andrea has no friends, clearly the friend is Andrea. Unfortunately for our least favorite person, Kelly also has some free time now with Brenda busy, and sets her sights on Brandon. He believes it's ok to let both girls run his campaign. Of course Kelly quickly blows Andrea's boring "issues"campaign out of the water. In the end, though Brandon learns yet another lesson and endorses his running mate.
Brenda, on the other hand, sort of learns a lesson, and sort of shows the wild streak she will always have. She gives up stand up after a performance, but not wanting the attention...
Laurel here...The comedy club that Brenda is obsessed with is SO ANNOYING! Warehouse with wierd thrift store sofas and everyone drinks coffee..but I guess Brenda is so annoying too, so it's a perfect fit. Did we mention that everybody performing at this place is super young? Young people aren't funny! And don't know how to run a business!
Brenda ends up house sitting for Sky, for 3 days, during which all of Sky's stuff gets reposessed. It's a tough life out there on your own Brenda! Stay with Jim and Cindy for as long as they will let you!
Style award this episode definitely goes to brenda when she decides to go for a 90s Bohemian look. The worst/best.
Cocktail moment:
Brenda's final stand up
Kelly offering a date to David Silver for a favor for Brandon's campaign
Also, Kelly coming on to Brandon, which gets broken up...but dare I say, foreshadowing?
Fame Is Where You Find It
Mark here... this was a great episode, back to form. I mean, don't get me wrong, it was cheesy as hell, but totally entertaining. Brandon just happens to be rollerblading in the park where a sitcom is shooting. Long story short, he gets a bit part and the show's lead takes an interest in him. Of course, this means he'll need a replacement at the Peach Pit...enter Brenda, who is none too thrilled at the thought of work. After some bribery she agrees and the result is a disaster. She can't remember orders and she drops food on people...what will she do?
Meanwhile Brandon is inducted into the showbiz world. His first day on set, he accidentally arrives in the star's trailer (He hasn't met her yet). He assumes she is the make up artist and hilarity ensues. One can imagine the hilarity that would ensue if some bit player mistook Shannen Doherty for a lowly make up artist! In any case, this is where the star takes an interest in Brandon and they date a few times. Of course fame is fleeting and in the end Brandon is cut from the show after a zillion takes, when the previous male star returns.
Back at the Peach Pitt though, Brenda has found the perfect solution to her problems...enter Laverne. Or should I say Lavoyne. Brenda has styled herself as a 50-something diner waitress from Long Island and suddenly she's the best waitress ever. She also has time for synchronized doo-wop numbers with Donna and Kelly behind the counter. The customers flood in and are so entertained no one notices that they haven't been served...
Laurel here...I both love and hate this episode...or maybe I just love to hate it. I hate Laverne so much!!! Her accent is terrible! And since when would Kelly and Donna ever be caught dead singing backup on a 50s song they've never heard to a diner waitress, even if it is Brenda!?! Meanwhile like Mark said, no one is getting their food!!!!
We all knew that showbiz wasn't gonna work out for Brandon. He learns yet another lesson when the show's teen male hearthrob returns and he gets fired. wah wah.
Style award this episode goes to...Brandon!! Or the stylist for "Keep it Together" the fake show he is on, for his roller blade dude getup. So extreme!! Honorable mention goes to Lydia Leeds for her crazy aerobics outfit. Way to go guys!
On that note I would say the cocktail moments are really the fashion moments...anytime anyone is wearing jeans......apparently during the 90s, no one was worried about camel toe, male or female.
Meanwhile Brandon is inducted into the showbiz world. His first day on set, he accidentally arrives in the star's trailer (He hasn't met her yet). He assumes she is the make up artist and hilarity ensues. One can imagine the hilarity that would ensue if some bit player mistook Shannen Doherty for a lowly make up artist! In any case, this is where the star takes an interest in Brandon and they date a few times. Of course fame is fleeting and in the end Brandon is cut from the show after a zillion takes, when the previous male star returns.
Back at the Peach Pitt though, Brenda has found the perfect solution to her problems...enter Laverne. Or should I say Lavoyne. Brenda has styled herself as a 50-something diner waitress from Long Island and suddenly she's the best waitress ever. She also has time for synchronized doo-wop numbers with Donna and Kelly behind the counter. The customers flood in and are so entertained no one notices that they haven't been served...
Laurel here...I both love and hate this episode...or maybe I just love to hate it. I hate Laverne so much!!! Her accent is terrible! And since when would Kelly and Donna ever be caught dead singing backup on a 50s song they've never heard to a diner waitress, even if it is Brenda!?! Meanwhile like Mark said, no one is getting their food!!!!
We all knew that showbiz wasn't gonna work out for Brandon. He learns yet another lesson when the show's teen male hearthrob returns and he gets fired. wah wah.
Style award this episode goes to...Brandon!! Or the stylist for "Keep it Together" the fake show he is on, for his roller blade dude getup. So extreme!! Honorable mention goes to Lydia Leeds for her crazy aerobics outfit. Way to go guys!
On that note I would say the cocktail moments are really the fashion moments...anytime anyone is wearing jeans......apparently during the 90s, no one was worried about camel toe, male or female.
Palm Springs Weekend
Laurel here...So Mark and me are settling in for another night of dinner, wine, and 90210. Tonight Mark made a bruscetta appetizer from Barefoot Contessa with peppers and gorgonzola, and roasted chicken with veggies from Ellie Krieger. I made a spinach and lentil salad. We have been making a lot of really rich food lately so we decided to lighten it up a little tonight (with the exception of the gorgonzola!).
So this episode was a mish mash of lots of different side plots. The first is about the kids getting away to Palm Springs for a weekend of debauchery, but instead they end up hanging out with David Silver's grandparents (!) at their house...they were supposed to be away on a cruise but it turns out they came home early. As it turns out they are super awesome and the gang has a great time playing charades and doing other wholesome things with them.
Another plot point was that Brenda and Dylan plan to do the deed for the first time but due to a series of mishaps Brenda doesn't show up at his hotel until the next day (after sleeping in a broom closet) only to find another girl in his room...I'll let Mark tell you about the rage that ensues.
Yet another is that poor Brandon has to work all weekend so he cant go to PS. Initially he is bummed about it, but true to form, Brandon learns yet another "very special" lesson when he discovers that a kid who has been hanging out at the diner is homeless - and Brandon is reminded of just how lucky he is for all of his blessings.
And poor David Silver almost gets to first base. Almost. Until the girl starts crying about how she misses her boyfriend. wah wah.
Mark here...Laurel did a good job of summing up the episode. It was, as she said a bit of a mish mash...although I would point out, one that was blissfully short on Andrea Zuckerman moments. The only one that stands out is when the homeless kid at the Peach Pit, who it should be noted is about 8, points out that Andrea is there "because she doesn't have any friends either." She doesn't take that well. On that note, it's only at the end of the episode that David remembers his best friend Scott, who is not invited. Scott gets screwed so David can hang with the cool kids, who don't start out really wanting to hang out with him either.
Brenda really finds herself in a pickle this episode, what with getting lost in Palm Springs. And true to to form, she handles it with grace and poise. By that I mean she's a raging bitch. So much so it's hilarious at times. She finds Dylan with a random girl, and despite the fact nothing happened, Brenda flies off the handle and tosses said girl's belongings out the hotel door. Then she wants Dylan to just do it with her and get it over with, or as she puts it, "Just quit talking and take your clothes off Dylan!"
Calmer heads prevail in the end, and no doing is done and the couple is back together.
Style award this episode goes to....David's grandparents! For their super awesome crazy robes. Way to go older generation! You've still got it!
Cocktail moments:
Anytime Brandon is with the little kid, because it's so annoying a drink is needed, twice if Andrea's in the mix
Steve hitting on Kelly to get back together again...give it up man...
Brenda throwing a tantrum...try not to get too drunk...
So this episode was a mish mash of lots of different side plots. The first is about the kids getting away to Palm Springs for a weekend of debauchery, but instead they end up hanging out with David Silver's grandparents (!) at their house...they were supposed to be away on a cruise but it turns out they came home early. As it turns out they are super awesome and the gang has a great time playing charades and doing other wholesome things with them.
Another plot point was that Brenda and Dylan plan to do the deed for the first time but due to a series of mishaps Brenda doesn't show up at his hotel until the next day (after sleeping in a broom closet) only to find another girl in his room...I'll let Mark tell you about the rage that ensues.
Yet another is that poor Brandon has to work all weekend so he cant go to PS. Initially he is bummed about it, but true to form, Brandon learns yet another "very special" lesson when he discovers that a kid who has been hanging out at the diner is homeless - and Brandon is reminded of just how lucky he is for all of his blessings.
And poor David Silver almost gets to first base. Almost. Until the girl starts crying about how she misses her boyfriend. wah wah.
Mark here...Laurel did a good job of summing up the episode. It was, as she said a bit of a mish mash...although I would point out, one that was blissfully short on Andrea Zuckerman moments. The only one that stands out is when the homeless kid at the Peach Pit, who it should be noted is about 8, points out that Andrea is there "because she doesn't have any friends either." She doesn't take that well. On that note, it's only at the end of the episode that David remembers his best friend Scott, who is not invited. Scott gets screwed so David can hang with the cool kids, who don't start out really wanting to hang out with him either.
Brenda really finds herself in a pickle this episode, what with getting lost in Palm Springs. And true to to form, she handles it with grace and poise. By that I mean she's a raging bitch. So much so it's hilarious at times. She finds Dylan with a random girl, and despite the fact nothing happened, Brenda flies off the handle and tosses said girl's belongings out the hotel door. Then she wants Dylan to just do it with her and get it over with, or as she puts it, "Just quit talking and take your clothes off Dylan!"
Calmer heads prevail in the end, and no doing is done and the couple is back together.
Style award this episode goes to....David's grandparents! For their super awesome crazy robes. Way to go older generation! You've still got it!
Cocktail moments:
Anytime Brandon is with the little kid, because it's so annoying a drink is needed, twice if Andrea's in the mix
Steve hitting on Kelly to get back together again...give it up man...
Brenda throwing a tantrum...try not to get too drunk...
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