by Christina Waters | Nov 18, 2010 | Home |
Some people taste-test tortilla chips, we sample sparkling wines.
My self-imposed assignment was to find out just whether a really cheap sparkling wine could be a decent tipple, as opposed to something you’d pour for out-of-towners at your second wedding, or at a fraternity house New Year’s Eve party. And to help us through this grueling pre-holiday exercise, our mega-hostess friend Angie provided a few designer nibbles (cheese, dates, quince paste, artisanal salami) to go with a recent trio of low-priced sparkling wine. We added a plate of smoked salmon rosti from Gayle’s, (more…)
by Christina Waters | Nov 17, 2010 | Home |
Will Ferrell is the voice of big-headed Megamind, the pale blue skinny super-villain who still dreams of conquering Metro City. But things aren’t quite that easy, because Metro Man — Brad Pitt’s voice in a sleek, muscle-bound package — is the darling of the populace, and also the main squeeze of TV newscaster Roxanne Ritchie (Tiny Fey). If this sounds a bit like the Superman formula, it is. In fact, one of the film’s clever intertextual references is to Jor-L (Superman’s “real” father, as played on-screen by the lisping Marlon Brando).
This animated blockbuster from DreamWorks is clever, adroit and at times disarmingly witty for a big, fat, hyper-visual 3-D feature.
Animation at its most supple, (more…)
by Christina Waters | Nov 17, 2010 | Home |
From winemaker Ken Wornick comes this very confident red wine – Exponent – created of an intriguing blend of syrah, cabernet sauvignon, sangiovese and merlot. At $19 a bottle (@ VinoCruz) and 13.8% alcohol, it has the stuff to take on holiday ham, roast beef, raviolis and pozole (though not, I suspect, all at one sitting).
Big and beefy, even savory along the mid-section, this 2008 vintage is one of the most interesting wines to come down the local Santa Cruz Mountains pike in a long time.
Give it a shot – or give it to someone on your holiday list.
by Christina Waters | Nov 17, 2010 | Home |
I’ve already been getting emails about this new place — Laili — across from Annieglass on Cooper Street in downtown Santa Cruz. Billing its menu as “silk road flavors” – I’m feasting my eyes on a menu loaded with foothill India, Pakistani and Afghan flavors.
Beef kofta, aushak dumplings with Persian chives, pumpkin boranee, lamb kebabs, pomegranate eggplant, chicken with pomegranate sauce and roasted potatoes.
Immediately after Thanksgiving, I’m there.
by Christina Waters | Nov 9, 2010 | Home |
By now you all know that Charlie Parker is leaving The Cellar Door’s exhibition kitchen to work at Daniel Patterson’s new Oakland eatery Plum. A big loss for all of us who had been pampered by Parker’s nuanced dishes at the Bonny Doon Vineyard cafe. . . . Rocco’s on Water Street is now featuring an offer few can refuse – beer and burger for $9.95. All day. Check it out. . . . Peter Kumec of Mission Hill Creamery says that he’s in discussions to move onto Pacific Avenue, which I believe would be a much better location for his outstanding artisanal, organic ice creams. Stay tuned. . . . And even though Chris LeVeque‘s new salchiceria next to Kelly’s isn’t quite finished, the tilework is in, gorgeous, and so are the front counters. . . .
