pointedview

My 2009 in film

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 08:10:51 GMT

Movies I liked in 2009:

Coraline

Watchmen
I really hope that the Academy doesn't overlook Jackie Earle Haley's outstanding performance as Rorschach.

Star Trek
I have a few quibbles with it, but it was a much-needed revitalization of the franchise. A very entertaining passing of the torch.

Julie & Julia
What food lover didn't see this film? I know people are all Meryl, Meryl, Meryl, and she's wonderful as always, but Stanley Tucci was excellent as Paul. I also liked Jane Lynch as Julia's sister before I saw her in Glee as Sue.

Inglourious Basterds
I think many critics assume that they're going to hand Christoph Waltz the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor at this year's Academy Awards, and I certainly wouldn't be surprised. This is some of Tarantino's best work, and I cannot think of a film that I enjoyed more in 2009. I left the theater with a big smile on my face.

Avatar
You'll rarely hear me say this, but the plot is just about irrelevant. This is one that you simply must see on the big screen. You have my permission to watch it with the sound off (though the script actually isn't dreadful), but definitely see the spectacular visuals before it leaves the theaters.

Sherlock Holmes
Saw Sherlock Holmes tonight and enjoyed it, particularly the atmosphere and score. It's the tiniest bit slow in spots, but it's clearly the first of several films, so I'll forgive a little exposition. I wouldn't say it's the best film of the year or anything, but I was entertained. Robert Downey, Jr. can do the Charming Rogue in his sleep, so no acting challenge for him here. The script was a bit meh, your basic two-dimensional dark rites fare, but Jude Law and RDJ had good chemistry, and I was pleasantly surprised by Law disappearing into the role of Watson.

Movies that were okay or about what I expected in 2009:

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
The young leads have really improved as actors, especially Daniel Radcliffe, who may well actually have a career after this. I quite enjoyed the Tom Riddle flashbacks, too. I just ... I guess I find the movies a little anticlimactic at this point, given how disappointed I was with Deathly Hallows.

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
I went somewhat reluctantly, expecting to hate it, but so much of it is done with self-aware good humor, I just couldn't. It didn't take itself seriously, and for that, it was a bit better than I thought it would be. Just about every actor in it knows that he or she has been in better films, so most of them just decide to have fun with it for the paycheck.

District 9
Good film for its budget. I'd heard enough about it before seeing it that it was exactly what I expected: a moving story with better-than-average performances in a well-directed script. It wasn't what I was in the mood to see at the time, because I just wasn't really in the right frame of mind for a message film about man's mistreatment of other sentient beings, but I didn't have strong objections (it's just a movie, for crying out loud), and I was outvoted, which is okay. It isn't all about me. :)

Movies that disappointed me in one way or another in 2009:

Angels & Demons
I expected that the movie would be at least as entertaining as The Da Vinci Code, which is to say, about average for its genre. This was a bit below average, in my opinion: Tom Hanks seemed to really be phoning it in. Props to Ewan McGregor, though, for at least trying to demonstrate some enthusiasm and energy. He chewed the scenery a little bit, but at least he actually showed up and attempted to give the audience a good time.

Up
I know some people will flip out about this one, so I'll go on and give my reason: it wasn't a bad movie; technically, I liked it. Unfortunately, it had one of the most misleading trailers I've ever seen. After a week from hell, I thought, "This will be a nice, light film that will make me laugh." Instead, I found myself bawling in the first fifteen minutes. Not what the trailer had led me to expect at all.

Public Enemies
This had such potential. :( Again, it's not that it was bad, but with that cast and that topic, I thought it'd be a sure-fire Oscar candidate (the Academy loves period pictures). Billy Crudup was excellent, but otherwise, it wasn't all that.

Favorite movie of 2009: Inglourious Basterds

Nom

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 17:24:47 GMT

I feel it is perfectly acceptable to consume homemade Chex party mix for breakfast during the holidays given the fact that it is mostly cereal. :)

Awww, Glee

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 06:22:06 GMT

Okay, I'm going to goo on Glee for just a minute. Just pass on by if you haven't seen the "Sectionals" episode.

The Kiss was extremely well-acted, I thought. Will (Matthew Morrison), looks so vulnerable and a little frightened, as he should be -- this is the first woman he's kissed since he's been married, and he's not technically divorced yet. He teeters, and then he commits. Emma (Jayma Mays) is so happy, but you can see the thoughts going through her head as she realizes the impact of getting what she's wished for for so very many months -- the fact that they're two co-workers involved in a relationship; that Will is still legally married, if separated, and just the whole overwhelming reality of it. They both convey the wonder of the moment. It's a touching scene, and the actors nicely convey the range of emotions these two characters are experiencing.

However, as I wrote on Twitter:
Dear Jayma Mays: The lemur from whom you pilfered the enormous Eyes of Cuteness would like them back, please. :)

I don't think I've seen eyes that expressive since Elijah Wood.

The youngsters are fun, but the adults really do a great job.

Nanner bread

Sat, 05 Dec 2009 01:38:40 GMT

Baking is not my forte, so I don't do it often. However, I had eggs in the fridge and a Trader Joe's mix in the cupboard, so it seemed an opportune time.

A crummy cell phone picture of freshly-baked banana bread

Like I said, it's a mix, but I did at least kick it up with some toasted pecans. We'll see how it tastes.

Dollhouse art

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:48:09 GMT

By paint_the_dawn:

A gorgeous fan-made comic panel for Adelle from Dollhouse

Mass Effect

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 04:57:09 GMT

I just picked up Mass Effect from Direct2Drive. They've got it listed at just under $5 for the next 13 hours as their featured Cyber Monday deal. Even if I don't have time to play it right this second due to holiday preparations, I couldn't pass that up.

No, no, no nook

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 15:10:09 GMT

I got up early this morning to see a demo unit of the nook in person, as it was supposed to arrive in stores today. I'll confess that I was clutching a slim hope of being able to buy one of the few units allocated for brick-and-mortar distribution for my husband for Christmas. He went with me so we could at least take it for a test drive.

We were greeted with this sign:

:(

I would like to go back in time and warn the nitwit executive at B&N who thought that it would be a swell idea to create the illusion of high demand by producing a low volume of units for initial distribution. Did you learn nothing from the launch of the Kindle? I find it difficult to believe that your marketing research didn't deliver a number that was closer to the mark. Thank you so much, Barnes & Noble, for ruining my planned present for my husband this holiday season. :p

They're even smug about it: their web site currently says:

"The hottest holiday gift is out of stock. Order nook today to be first in line for the new year."

Grr. What exasperates me most about this is that not buying one doesn't punish them, because they'll just sell it to someone else. It'd be cutting off my nose to spite my face. I really despise megacorps sometimes.

I know that we're very fortunate to be in a position to even think about buying presents this year. Every day, I'm thankful for that, and hope that the economy will turn around as rapidly as possible to employ everyone who has been affected by the recession. However, it's hard to stimulate the economy with commerce if the item you want to purchase isn't actually available for sale. :/

More:

Barnes & Noble Delays Nook by One Week Source: PC World

Nook retail shipment delayed to meet Internet orders Source: CrunchGear

Nook e-book reader cooks in a week Source: TGDaily

Barnes and Noble’s Nook Not Ready as Planned Source: American Consumer News

Barnes & Noble Holds Back Nook From Store Source: Wall Street Journal

Barnes and Noble's E-reader Delays: Bad News for Stores, Good News for Publishing? Source: Fast Company

Twitter: #nook

Reports indicate that the lack of availability has already helped Kindle sales. Way to drop the ball, B&N.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:48:45 GMT

Happy Thanksgiving to all who are observing it tomorrow. Whether or not you are, if you're reading this, I am grateful to have you as a friend.

Kudos to BioWare

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 17:06:34 GMT

I'm very proud of one of my favorite gaming studios today. BioWare, the Edmonton-based creator of Baldur's Gate, Mass Effect, and other best-of-class RPG titles, has recently released Dragon Age: Origins. The game is rated M for Mature, in case anyone is wondering, but as far as I know, it is the first mainstream release to include an option for roleplaying a gay male character to the point of, well, hot elven action.

I'd like to think that my yammering at them to create romance options for female characters equal in number and quality to those of the male characters had something to do with it. :) When I was at WomenGamers in the early part of this decade, I exchanged plenty of e-mails with several staff members. I always really liked and appreciated their willingness to hear me, and to have that dialogue. We had some good discussions.

You've come a long way, baby, as the saying goes. Gay gamers have traditionally been excluded from such storylines, but it is only fair that those paying customers should have options as well, should they choose to pursue them.

Kudos to BioWare and EA for going forward with this.

EDIT: Thanks to jasondemotte, who alerted me to the presence of such in Jade Empire, another BioWare game, as well.

Dollhouse + Firefly

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 05:32:31 GMT

"Remains" from Dollhouse used to voice what Mal and River have lost. Contains spoilers for Serenity.

Heard this for the first time tonight

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 08:51:34 GMT

Few sounds in this world can make my heart ache more than an Irish ballad ...

Lyrics

Nobody does a weepie quite like the Irish. Hearing this lament makes me feel like, "I've got to get on a plane and get home to Ireland right now! :) (Never mind the fact that I've never been!)

... and, to represent the other side of my family, few sounds in this world can stir and rouse like the hard blast of bagpipes sounding a rallying call on the air as the drums beat out an unrelenting tattoo:

There's both desperate energy and determination in that one. It reminds me a bit of one of the songs for Hibernia.

And finally ...

Good stuff. It may be time to rewatch Braveheart, Michael Collins, and Rob Roy, AKA the "We Hate the English" trilogy as they are sometimes referred to in our house. :)

Nook kiosks are up

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:04:13 GMT

The Barnes & Noble nook e-reader won't be in stores until November 30th, but we ducked in our nearest location tonight, and found that they're pushing it hard and heavy: no fewer than three separate displays were devoted to it.

They don't have a live machine yet, but they did have dummy models available. It's sleek. I look forward to seeing the real thing.

Ink

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 03:35:39 GMT

D. and I plan to watch this sometime very soon. Based on the trailer, it looks a bit like someone put Neil Gaiman, Guillermo del Toro and Clive Barker in a blender.

Ink

Still looking for the hybrid laptop of my dreams

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 06:47:05 GMT

I was somewhat hopeful about this new HP TouchSmart TX2-1370 being an answer to my laptop problem, but it's seriously underpowered. It's also rather boxy and heavier than I expected.

The quest continues. Dear laptop manufacturers: make this, but with sleeker lines, reasonable battery life, a keyboard that isn't unpleasant to use, and a processor and video card that's suitable for gaming. It would be preferable for it not to overheat to the point of locking the device up or catching on fire (I'm looking at you, Dell and Gateway). If you can get that together, I'll be first in line to buy it.

Thank You for Smoking

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 05:11:28 GMT

I just got around to watching Thank You for Smoking. I liked it a lot: everything from the slick titles to the scene where Hollywood teaches Big Tobacco a thing or two ... all very precise and sharp. Terrific cast that's full of cameos (Rob Lowe's appearance is especially entertaining). As for the lead, Aaron Eckhart is sleazy, yet not entirely unsympathetic. I've only seen him in this and The Dark Knight, but based on those two performances, I'd like to see more.

Stunned

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:26:47 GMT

I am stunned. I have no idea how this could have possibly happened: I don't visit any WoW fan sites any more, and I have pop-up blockers and antivirus and all sorts of stuff ...

... but I found out today that my World of Warcraft account was hacked about six days ago.

I am having a bad day today.

Autumn photos

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 03:23:00 GMT

I love fall. I love the mountains of North Carolina. With those two qualifications met, I was bound to love these pictures:

autumn in asheville. » the five mile grace – a matthew miller photography joint

Google Wave

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 03:55:30 GMT

I haven't yet tried it (if you have, I'd love to hear your thoughts on it). However, I started reading The Complete Guide to Google Wave tonight, and loved the Firefly references.

I'd like to hang around in the alternate universe where Firefly wasn't cancelled just long enough to watch the entire show.

Po-po-poetry. That'll work.

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 04:06:09 GMT

From time to time, the English major in me comes to the forefront. Tonight is one of those times, and I find myself musing about having a small party where everyone brings a poem and reads it aloud, either during appetizers or after dinner. The question is whether I have enough friends who actually enjoy poetry to even entertain such a notion. :)

I came across this one tonight, and liked it.

The Golden Journey to Samarkand
At the Gate of the Sun, Bagdad, in olden time.

The Merchants (together):
Away, for we are ready to a man!
Our camels sniff the evening and are glad.
Lead on, O Master of the Caravan:
Lead on the Merchant-Princes of Bagdad.

The Chief Draper:
Have we not Indian carpets dark as wine,
Turbans and sashes, gowns and bows and veils,
And broideries of intricate design,
And printed hangings in enormous bales?

The Chief Grocer:
We have rose-candy, we have spikenard,
Mastic and terebinth and oil and spice,
And such sweet jams meticulously jarred
As God's own Prophet eats in Paradise.

The Principal Jews:
And we have manuscripts in peacock styles
By Ali of Damascus: we have swords
Engraved with storks and apes and crocodiles,
And heavy beaten necklaces, for Lords.

The Master of the Caravan:
But you are nothing but a lot of Jews.

The Principal Jews:
Sir, even dogs have daylight, and we pay.

The Master of the Caravan:
But who are ye in rags and rotten shoes,
You dirty-bearded, blocking up the way?

The Pilgrims:
We are the Pilgrims, master: we shall go
Always a little further: it may be
Beyond that last blue mountain barred with snow,
Across that angry or that glimmering sea,

White on a throne or guarded in a cave
There lives a prophet who can understand
Why men are born: but surely we are brave,
Who make the Golden Journey to Samarkand.

The Chief Merchant:
We gnaw the nail of hurry. Master, away!

One of the Women:
O turn your eyes to where your children stand.
Is not Bagdad the beautiful? O stay!

The Merchants (in chorus):
We take the Golden Road to Samarkand.

An Old Man:
Have you not girls and garlands in your homes,
Eunuchs and Syrian boys at your command?
Seek not excess: God hateth him who roams!

The Merchants (in chorus):
We make the Golden Journey to Samarkand.

A Pilgrim with a Beautiful Voice:
Sweet to ride forth at evening from the wells
When shadows pass gigantic on the sand,
And softly though the silence beat the bells
Along the Golden Road to Samarkand.

A Merchant:
We travel not for trafficking alone:
By hotter winds our fiery hearts are fanned:
For lust of knowing what should not be known
We make the Golden Journey to Samarkand.

The Master of the Caravan:
Open the gate, O watchman of the night!

The Watchman:
Ho, travellers, I open. For what land
Leave you the dim-moon city of delight?

The Merchants (with a shout):
We make the Golden Journey to Samarkand.

(The Caravan passes through the gate)

The Watchman:
What would ye, ladies? It was ever thus.
(consoling the women) Men are unwise and curiously planned.

A Woman:
They have their dreams, and do not think of us.

Voices of the Caravan (in the distance, singing):
We make the Golden Journey to Samarkand.

JAMES ELROY FLECKER

Potential dining bargain

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 03:12:08 GMT

Over the past two years, I've seen several of these pay-less-than-the-full-value-of-the-certificate deals for restaurants. I never tried any of them because they were generally for establishments that were a considerable drive from our house, and, ah, tended to be the tier of restaurants that might be fine for neighborhood dining, but didn't merit a special trip.

Well, I just found Half Off Depot for Atlanta, GA. This is the first site of its type that might be worth the investment: Jolie Kobe, Fritti, Meskerem, Bhojanic (!), and Cafe Intermezzo are just some of the restaurants available.

If I'm planning an outing with friends in advance (do I have any other sort of outing? :) ), it might be worthwhile to decide on the restaurant and buy one of these certificates.

Food for thought, as it were. Have any of you used this sort of discount? If so, what did you think?

Dollhouse - S2, Episode 4: "Belonging"

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 02:53:48 GMT

I'll keep it simple: "Belonging" is the best episode of Dollhouse that has aired so far (I'd still put "Epitaph One" at the very top, but it hasn't been broadcast in the US).

I was right in my early reading of Topher during Season 1 (see comments as well). Right about his amorality, and right about the writers moving a mercenary character toward redemption as part of his arc.

Adelle DeWitt: The cold reality is that everyone here was chosen because their morals had been compromised in some way. Everyone except you, Topher. You were chosen because you had no morals. You had always thought of people as playthings. This is not a judgment. You always take good care of your toys. But you're going to have to let this one go.

I really want to know more about ~~Harvey Keitel~~ Boyd.

And they addressed the post-traumatic memory erasure issue. That actually exists today.

Here's a link to the episode on Hulu, but don't watch it unless you've seen Season 1, especially "Needs."

Geek trivia side note: the episode was directed by Jonathan Frakes, aka Will Riker from ST:TNG.

Dollhouse interview

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:21:03 GMT

A cute interview with Enver Gjokaj and Dichen Lachman of Dollhouse. Contains spoilers.

White Bean Soup

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 02:22:32 GMT

White Bean Soup
I had it in my head that a hearty soup would be just the thing to make during my favorite season. Right now, I'm really hoping that I haven't just spent about eight hours making Spicy Nothing. I'm trying this recipe. (Sorry for the crummy cell phone picture: I was too tired after standing in the kitchen all day to go upstairs and get the good camera.)

We'll see how it tastes after a night in the fridge. At least I didn't get carried away with the immersion blender this time. :)

EDIT: It shaped up: the second day has been the best so far. I think if I had it to do over again, I'd roast a head of garlic, and then mash the mellowed aromatic goodness into the soup.

EDIT AGAIN: I roasted the garlic and added it to the remaining soup before freezing it. It was the perfect addition.

Musical fun with Joss!

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:13:03 GMT

Joss Whedon to direct an episode of Glee

I love it when things that I like cross over. :)

Taste of Atlanta 2009

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 23:59:56 GMT

David and I thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Taste of Atlanta on Saturday, October 10th, 2009.

We reached Technology Square just after noon. Armed with 30 tickets, we began our tour of the tents.

The section near the entrance featured restaurants that emphasize sustainable food choices in their menus, such as the Ritz-Carlton Buckhead and Restaurant Eugene. It also included displays showcasing local organic produce and livestock (some of the healthiest-looking chickens I've ever seen were strutting around in a spacious cage). The entire group was arranged in a semicircle around the Farm to Festival stage, where several chefs performed cooking demonstrations (more about that later).

Parsnip Soup with Crispy Duck
from 4th and Swift

I've heard many good things about 4th and Swift, but I was just a touch underwhelmed by this soup. It was very mild and soothing to eat, and really, that was the problem: at a festival, you generally want a robust bite that can compete with other strong flavors. If the soup had been part of a multi-course meal at the restaurant (and if it had been topped with a bit more duck), I probably would have liked it better. As it was, I couldn't help thinking that it was lucky for the soup that it was the first thing to hit my palate, else it would have been overpowered by the offerings from other vendors. I still want to try the restaurant, though.

Whole Pig Sliders with
Georgia BBQ and Pickles
from Restaurant Eugene
and Holeman & Finch

Restaurant Eugene and Holeman & Finch are two of my favorite Atlanta restaurants. Chef Linton Hopkins is, in my opinion, one of the most talented chefs in the city right now, and Atlanta is lucky to have him. Yeah, I'm pretty much a fangirl, but I was far from the only one (again, more on that later). I got my picture taken with the man himself! I was so proud! Yeah, I'm a food geek. I just wish I'd known at the time that he knows my friend, Ashley. I would have done more name-dropping. :)

Incidentally, David's slider was a fantastic pairing of smoky pork barbecue topped with a crunchy slaw of carrots and slightly-pickled vegetables, all tucked into one of H&F Bakery's fresh buns. I very much wanted one of my own, but I was trying to pace myself.

Cardamom Panna Cotta topped
with Strawberry Preserves
and a sprig of mint from TAP

This was the best thing we ate all day. I was surprised, given that TAP has received a rather mixed reception in Atlanta's food sphere, but the panna cotta was perfect. Not the sort of thing I would've imagined holding up well in the less-than-optimal conditions of a festival environment, but it was outstanding. David doesn't care for cardamom much, but he really liked this. The warm spice note harmonized with the not-overly-sweet strawberries; the creamy panna cotta contrasted nicely with the vivid fruit, and a garnish of mint sort of cut through it all. Unfortunately, I don't see this item listed on TAP's menu at the time of this writing. Perhaps their web site needs updating. Regardless, this dish certainly made me give the gastropub a second look.

Duck Confit Salad from Top FLR

I suspect that I should have tried something else from Top FLR. Even with a relatively hardy green like frisée, it can be challenging to get a salad just right in non-standard conditions. Were I the chef, I might have selected a different item from the restaurant's menu to introduce attendees to my cuisine. It wasn't bad: the duck was as meaty and flavorful as one would expect, but it really needed more tangy dressing and craisins to balance its richness.

Although I'd technically count this as the least appealing bite of the day, that makes it sound worse than it was. As I say, the salad was decent. If anything, that should provide some idea of how high most of the restaurants set the bar for competition.

The signature dish from
Gladys Knight and Ron Winans
Chicken & Waffles

I have been trying to get to Chicken & Waffles for years. Every time I suggest it, David and I are the only ones who want to go. This was good chicken, and one of the most generous portions of the festival: there were three meaty drumettes tucked into that paper cone, along with half a waffle! It was absolutely greaseless, seriously, but it wasn't dry. I'd like to try it with the maple syrup and/or hot sauce they offered as accompaniments (I would have needed more than two hands to manage that in transit).

Fried chicken ended up being the only recurring dish of the day ... again, more on that later. :)

Macaroni and Cheese
from Chicken & Waffles

Omnomnom, comfort food, omnomnom. This was straight-up baked macaroni and cheese (also from Chicken & Waffles, bless them). It was completely true and unadulterated. No tarting it up with panko breadcrumbs or smoked gouda. It wasn't quite as amazing as Miss Doi-Doi's, but few things in this world are. Special to leighbc, because she'll actually know who I'm talking about: Doris Coggins makes some of the best traditional macaroni and cheese I've ever had in my life. I want her recipe. No calories in it at all, of course. *coughs*

I was starting to worry about running out of tickets, so we queued up for more. Some nice guy passing by was about to leave, and he gave us his full sheet! Sir, thank you for your generosity. We paid it forward by giving our remaining tickets to a young couple from Georgia Tech when we were departing. (We saw lots of Tech students. I mean, yes, obviously, given that it was held in Technology Square, but I'd say that they received a discount on admission judging by the volumes present.)

Black Truffle Lobster
Mac and Cheese Ball
from Dolce Enoteca

I will now contradict my previous implication that there's something wrong with tarting up macaroni and cheese, because, well, there isn't. Not when it's prepared like this fabulous morsel from Dolce, anyway. This is in a close race with the ceviche from the Ritz-Carlton for my favorite savory bite of the day. Like TAP, Dolce Enoteca hasn't received the warmest reviews, but this was terrific. The staff members working the booth were also very pleasant: I signed up for their mailing list to be notified about their wine dinners. They're located in Atlantic Station, so that's fairly accessible.

I did share the fried mac and cheese ball, but David let me scarf most of it, so he got a cookie from Nirvana (I think?) in the interim. They're in Roswell and I keep meaning to get over there.

Kulfi from Market

Speaking of friendly staff, I think Market wins for nicest booth workers. While I didn't see Ian Winslade (formerly of Bluepointe) himself, the fellow serving kulfi lollipops, short ribs, and Vietnamese chicken curry was as affable as one could wish. The kulfi was an intensely malty, sweet little mouthful, with a nice texture contrast provided by a sprinkling of pistachios. Tasty, but nothing that would cause me to beat a path to Jean-Georges Vongerichten's pricy establishment.

Chicken Tikka Masala,
Mango Lassi
and Potato/Pea Samosa
from Bhojanic

It is just not fair that Decatur gets the lion's share of outstanding restaurants in the metro Atlanta area, mainly because it's one of the hardest parts of the city for us to access due to traffic. Every bite from Bhojanic was excellent. It was by far the best ethnic food we had at the festival, and may be some of the best Indian in the city if its many fans are to be believed. Maybe we can go with my sister and brother-in-law, since they live near Decatur.

Given the spiciness of the Tikka Masala, David needed something to drink, so he sampled Johnny Rocket's milkshake and then bought a bottle of water.

Coca-Cola Cupcake
from West Egg Café

West Egg Café's cupcakes have received a lot of buzz. This is their signature cupcake, and it was very good, though it tasted more like brown sugar than Coca-Cola. Truth be told, I'm not a big cake fan. I prefer pies and other desserts. However, as cupcakes go, this had a tender crumb and surprisingly good frosting.

We were near the main stage at this point, but the person I really wanted to see was back over at the aforementioned Farm to Festival area. Taste of Atlanta covered eight blocks (so they said, and it was at least close to that), so we started making our way back toward the main entrance so we could grab a seat. I'm glad we did, because the space filled up with at least five rows of people, almost all of them local food groupies. All of them were there to see Chef Linton Hopkins demonstrate how to make fried chicken. (Told you I'd get back to that, too.)

Chef Hopkins doing
what he does best.

I chatted with the guy next to me: "Have you been to Eugene?" I asked. "Yes," he said, obviously filled with wistful joy at the memory, "We went about two weeks ago. It's not in the budget to go as often as I'd like." I gave him a knowing smile of commiseration.

While we were waiting, we overhead a conversation involving what may well have been the most ignorant person at the festival. I am sorry, but I really have no idea what she was doing there. Chef Hopkins is on the stage, waiting for the recording crew to get set up, and this woman passes by. She has no idea who he is. I can understand that. He is perhaps the most critically-acclaimed chef in the Atlanta restaurant scene today, competed on Iron Chef America against Morimoto, is a two-time James Beard award nominee, helped found the Peachtree Road Farmer's Market, and does all kinds of other stuff, but I can understand someone just coming to eat not recognizing him. That's not why I'm making fun of this woman. He's standing to the side of the stage, and she asks him, "So, are you a chef or something?" Oh. Mah. Gawd. No, lady, he's standing on a stage with a frying pan, in monogrammed chef's whites, at the biggest food festival in Atlanta, just because he happened to be passing through! I hate to be unkind, but you'd have to have the deductive skills of a turnip to make a comment like that! Flunked observational skills, did we? Sheesh. Chef Hopkins is ever the modest gentleman, however, and responded kindly, "Yes, I'm about to do a demonstration of how to make fried chicken."

He is, of course, awesome. He is an advocate of locally-sourced organics, and just ... he's awesome. I said that already. He's quiet and plain-spoken, and yet, you can tell that this is what he is meant to be doing. This is his passion. He spoke simply but eloquently about what he feels it means to be a regional chef, and then, he got to the fried chicken.

He brines the chicken
for 24 hours before cooking it.

Because, you know, you should certainly always season your frying oil with hand-rendered lard, bacon, ham, and butter. (!) He says it doesn't make it too porky; it just adds flavor. I believe him, and so did the rows of other people salivating while it was frying. He encountered some technical difficulties with the portable burner not getting hot enough, and said that this is why he prefers gas. "I trust fire," he said. It didn't matter so much, though, for the recipe, because he uses very little breading. It's all about the crispy skin.

Whimper. I want to go to Eugene for Sunday supper now. He does his fried chicken every Sunday, and it's probably the least expensive dining experience you can have there.

Strawberry and Coffee Gelato
from Sogno Gelato

The only negative aspect of the fried chicken demo was that the sun unexpectedly came out. It got hot, so we cooled off with some gelato afterwards. It wasn't the greatest gelato ever, but it was cold, and that was the important part.

We really wanted to try Ri Ra's fish and chips, but there was a huge line, so we moved on. Ditto Jim & Nick's Bar-B-Q -- heck, that may have been the longest line at the festival.

Southern Rub BBQ Beef Ribs
with Butternut Squash
and Bacon Hash
from the Ritz-Carlton

I'm sorry this picture is blurry: my elbow got lightly knocked by a lady asking David where he'd gotten the ribs. These were yummy, and generously-portioned. Nice staff at this booth as well: I talked with a young woman there, expressing my sympathy over the loss of the Dining Room, and she said that she thought it would be back! I have no idea if she was in a position to actually know or whether she was merely speculating, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Ginger Lime Coconut
Seafood Ceviche
from the Ritz-Carlton

I absolutely loved this dish. It was my last bite of the day (I was full), and I still could have eaten several. I didn't intentionally save one of the best for last, but it worked out that way and I'm not complaining.

As mentioned before, we gave away our remaining tickets, and snapped this picture as we headed out:

Crowds around 3:10 pm

One thing I really appreciated about Taste of Atlanta was that it was well-organized. It was thoughtful of the planners to allow an ample amount of clearance between each tent: this really helped with traffic flow, and was a real improvement over other food festivals I've attended. Also, the overall quality of the offerings was consistently good: definitely up a notch from Taste of Sandy Springs, where you had maybe two or three really memorable bites.

Additionally, I liked the fact that they kept the focus on food, for the most part. The only non-food tents appeared to belong to event sponsors like Amica Insurance, and that's fine. The non-food constituency did include one item of interest to us: Cavalia, the brainchild of one of Cirque du Soleil's founders, was setting up its tent at Atlantic Station, and they had representatives at ToA handing out flyers. No discounts on tickets, unfortunately, but I'm certainly curious. It opens October 27th.

David's only minor gripe about ToA was that Asian fusion seemed to be overrepresented, but that's somewhat true of the Atlanta food scene as a whole, so it makes sense that the sample would reflect that. The Asian emphasis didn't bother me. My only suggestion would be to remedy the lack of tables and chairs next year. There were a few benches, but it would have been nice to have a few tables here and there for some of the messier fare.

Summary:

Best sweet bite: TAP

Best savory bites: The Ritz-Carlton, Dolce, and Eugene

Best ethnic bite: Bhojanic, Bhojanic, and did I mention Bhojanic?

Best values: Chicken & Waffles; Ritz-Carlton

Best freebies: There were very few compared to Taste of Sandy Springs. A packet of McCormick's Cinnamon Chipotle Grill Rub seasoning was about it, other than fliers.

Places I wanted to try, but missed for one reason or another:

Waterhaven

Vickery's (I've been to Vickery's, but not in a long while)

Trader Vic's

Sweet Auburn Bistro (They were supposedly there, but I never saw their booth)

The Sun Dial (their venison chili smelled wonderful)

Ri Ra

Parish

P'cheen

Highland Bakery

Gordon Biersch

Desta

C&S Seafood

There were a few noteworthy absences. Where was Anne Quatrano? Where was the critically-acclaimed Cakes & Ale? Given the current state of the Atlanta pizza wars, I expected Varasano's, Fritti, and Antico Pizza Napoletana to be there. Speaking of Fritti, where was Riccardo Ullio's group? Despite the fact that a few of Atlanta's culinary luminaries were otherwise occupied, there was so much good food at the festival that it wasn't a big deal.

I definitely plan to return next year. proftlb and mumpish, think you can get that nephew's birthday moved? ;)