Media: Restaurant
Provider: Luma on Park
Rating **** (of *****)
In a Nutshell: Competent Modern American dining with a fabulous menu and a unfortunate number of minor issues


( Perhaps the least useful review to date... )

Media: Restaurant
Provider: The Fireplace
Rating *** (of *****)
In a Nutshell: Wonderful food with service issues.

( and the music was deafening )

Media: Service
Provider: Massachusetts bay Transit Authority
Rating 1/2 (of *****)
In a Nutshell: Fail!

( No, really, Fail. )

Media: Service
Provider: SpeedDatingBoston
Rating *** (of *****)
In a Nutshell: Interesting concept, but not the right target audience

( When Geeks Meet Non-Geeks, no one really wins. )

Media: Bar/Club
Location: Wonderbar
Rating *1/2 (of *****)
In a Nutshell: College bar, without much to offer the discering patron.

( and their top shelf offered some hope. )

Media: REstaurant
Location: Atrium
Rating ****1/2 (of *****)
In a Nutshell: High quality fare, with oddly inconsistent service.

( The name, however, is entirely appropriate )

Media: REstaurant
Location: Gargoyles on the Square
Rating **** (of *****)
In a Nutshell: A well conceived restaurant week menu, where the only flaws were small.

( My first restaurant week outing of the season )

Media: Play/Operetta
Title: username: Faust
Rating: ** 1/2 (of *****)
In a nutshell: A cute student work. There's a good story and good potential here, but it isn't really fully developed, and the narrative thread comes unwound.

( And on into hell )

Media: Movie
Film: The last Unicorn
Rating: ** 1/2 (of *****)
In a nutshell: A well drawn 80s era US style animated film, it never captures the beauty of the novel. (Or, at least I hope it doesn't -- I've never read the novel, but there is little true beauty in this film).

( Technically, this is the second time I've seen this movie... )

Title: The Usual Suspects
Media: Film
Raiting: **** (of 5 stars)
In a nutshell: Beautifully acted Crime Drama. Too bad the twist at the end wasn't a surprise.

( I think this is spoiler free )

Title: Down With Love
Media: Film
rating *** (of 5)
Nutshell: Cute 60's parody film, with disturing feminist implications

( Zellweger and McEwen could have just sung and it would have been as good... )

Media: REstaurant
Location: OM
Rating ***1/2 (of *****)
In a Nutshell: a solid brunch selection. Tasty food and tasty concepts. Some flaws in service and quality of ingredients.

( Last Restaurant Week of the Season )

Media: Comedy Concert (DVD)
Group: Kids in the Hall
Title: Tour of Duty
Rating: *** (of *****)
In a nutshell: One of their reuinion tours. The kids, alas, are past their prime.

Not a long review, so I'm not going to cut it.

This concert doesn't tread new ground. There is maybe one or new premises for skits, but most of them (and there are about a dozen) revisit favorites from the series (Pit of Darkness, Running Faggot, the head-crushing guy, etc. etc. ).

The skits are mostly amusing. Some go on too long, some would have been funnier when the series was younger/concepts fresher. It is like revisiting an old friend, and discovering that in the years, they haven't learned any new jokes, or new stories, or anything else.

They've done better concerts. And the series is worthwhile. The DVD isn't a wase of time, but there is much better Kids material out there.

Media: Food
Restaurant: Grotto (Boston--Beacon Hill)
Rating: **** (of *****)
In a Nutshell: Small, basement eatery right on Beacon Hill. Delicious, robust modern Italian menu, in a tiny space.

( In a land of red )

Media: Book
Title: Mindbridge
Author: Joe Haldeman
Rating: *** (of *****)
In a Nutshell: Set in a 'near' future story, with a radical shift in technology. Humanity must deal with its first encounter with another sentient species.
( The first 3/4 is really good. And then it falls apart. )

Meet Bob and Dave
Bob and Dave are in the South End
Dave and Bob are restaurant own'rs
Dave and Bob are also chefs
Dave and Bob have to start cooking their best menu options
Dave and Bob will face off
Dave and Bob will cook at Sibling Rivalry and make very tasty meals


Media: Food
Restaurant: Sibling Rivalry (Boston--South End)
Rating: **** (of *****)
In a Nutshell: The meal was well prepared and better than I would have expected for Restaurant week. THe ambiance was nice, but there was something slightly off about the experience.
( No more JoCo parody, I promise )

Media: Movie
Film: Triplets of Belville
Rating: ** (of *****)
In a nutshell: A cute movie that is lovingly drawn and written, and, to put it politely, moves at a gentle pace.

( Or to put it less gently... )

Media: Food
Restaurant: The Melting Pot (Burlington)
Rating: ** (of *****)
In a Nutshell: The food was stellar, as usual. Service was abysmal.
( Which is really too bad... )

So, in conclusion: Natick location good. Burlington? At least our server sucked.

Media: Literature/book
Restaurant: Kushiel's Avatar, 3rd in the Kushiel's Legacy trilogy
Rating: *** (of *****)
In a Nutshell: The weakest of the trilogy, by far. And 300 pages is WAY to long for a denouement.

( There and back again, part 3. This time, with less kink. )

Media: Movie
Title: Happy Feet
Rating: *** (of *****)
In a nutshell: Fun Family movie. Very cute, and the surface story is well done. The undertones and heavy handedness is problematic.

WARNING: THIS IS NOT SPOILER FREE. If the story is what you're going for, and you want it unspoiled, don't read on.
( You can love your penguins... )

Media: Food
Restaurant: Melting Pot
Rating: **** 1/2 (of *****)
In a nutshell: Its a Melting Pot. Of course it is good.

( Fondue Experience )