Baxter Bark Twice

Do as I say, never as I do

Posts Tagged ‘best in show’

Homeland Girl with a Sherlock; Extremely Loud & Shameless House of Lies

Posted by AllieB on December 12, 2011

There are LOT of things to look forward to in the coming weeks in the tv/cinema arena. In case you aren’t subscribed to five weekly tabloids (People, Us Weekly, Life & Style, InTouch, Entertainment Weekly – Friday is a veritable partay at BBT’s house (at least it is when my neighbors don’t steal my shiz)), here are some especially noteworthy things coming up. Listed not only chronologically, but in the order as shown in my oh-so-cleverly spliced title:

The season finale of Homeland – Sunday, December 18: Ok, if you’re not watching this program you’re doing yourself – and maybe even our country – a grave disservice. Each week’s episode has trumped the last, and last night’s was no exception. NYMag does a pretty great weekly re-cap of each episode, which I highly recommend reading. Claire Danes is, hands-down, the ugliest crier on the planet, but instead of ruining everything like she did in Romeo + Juliet with Leo di Caprio back in 1996, her disfigured emotion adds a certain level of necessary mania to her character. Finally, a niche market for that contorted face.

Girl with a Dragon Tattoo – Wednesday, December 21: Oh.My.God. I AM SO EXCITED. Even if there is a slight change to the story line, as there allegedly is about 3/4 of the way through, I am confident I will love this film. I heart Daniel Craig.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows – Sunday, December 25, 2011: Robert Downey, Jr. is awesome as Sherlock. I’ve seen the one that came out in 2k9 several times, and I still enjoy it. While RDJr totally steals the show, his rapport with Holmes (Jude Law) is very natural and plausible – they have great banter. Also, the way they film the action/fight scenes is really cool in this slo-mo kind of way…”really cool” “great” “awesome” – I’ve missed my calling as a movie critic, haven’t I?

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close – Sunday, December 25, 2011: This is going to be a real tear-jerker. With the cast (Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock), director (Stephen Daldry – The Reader) and subject matter (9/11), it’s getting all kinds of Oscar-buzz. I’ll see it because I love to cry audibly at movies in theaters whilst sitting next to strangers, embarrassing my friends who have to depart the theater with me. Hello, The Help, Marley & Me, Titanic.

Shameless – Sunday, January 8, 2012: This is yet another gem on Showtime. Season 2 is coming in hot with it being summer time in Chicago- ie, no school and even more time for these Gallagher kids (and father) to run amok. The story lines are, at times, somewhat off-putting (that whole deal with Karen going crazy and seducing Frank made me very uncomf), but I am a huge fan.

House of Lies – Sunday, January 8, 2012: A brand new series to premier after Shameless on Showtime. Have you subscribed to Showtime yet? If you aren’t picking up the phone/initiating an online chat with your Comcast representative by the time you finish reading this post, you’re a fool. It stars Don Cheadle and Kristen Bell (in a surprisingly racy looking role…!) who work at some top-tier consulting firm. Suffice it to say, R-rated shenanigans ensue. It looks like quality stuff.

So… there you have it. De nada. That actually took me kind of awhile to write – like 30 minutes, at least.

And now, for this week’s Funny Christmas Foto Gallery:

Agreed.

FYI.

I took it too far, didn’t I?

Tis the season for December Bender. Have a merry Munday!

Posted in Imparting Wisdom | Tagged: , , , , | 5 Comments »

Best in Show: Philly Cheesesteak

Posted by AllieB on February 1, 2011

Philly Cheesesteaks are my favorite sandwich. There are so many factors that go into creating the perfect Philly: the bread-to-filling ratio; the cheese is not a topping but more of the glue of the filling; perfect amount of mayo and seasoning…I could keep going, but my bowl of Special K this a.m. is not cutting it and I can almost taste the wonderful goodness….

Without further ado…the establishment serving the best cheesesteak in Atlanta, IMO – the real crème de la crème – is:

Mr C’s on Howell Mill.

Go to there, order one, and see if I’m not right. However, if you’ve had one elsewhere that you know for a fact is superior to Mr. C’s  based on your own personal experience, contact me immediately. Email, cell, flare gun – whatever, I need to know. Mr C’s is great in general – they have tots and fried okra and cheap beer. One other place I would like to commend for consistently top-notch fare is Philly Connection; I would also, however, like to denounce them for the lack of locations ITP.

I looked up the highest rated sammies in ATL on Yelp, and I was alarmed to read about a place called Gut Busters. I wonder if their motto is, “Gut Busters: where indigestion is inevitable” – they probably give out Pepto Bismol tablets along with their plastic cutlery. Just sayin…they could’ve chosen a different name.

Update: per the input of a BBT subscriber, I totally dropped the ball by not including the Mad Italian. And he’s right, the Mad-I, as my mom always called it, is awesome for PC’s, but I haven’t been in almost two decades and wasn’t sure it was the same deal as I remembered…to make sure I am sharing the most accurate information possible, I will go in the near future and get back to you. Holy wow, that website looks phenom…

Speaking of Philly -> Philadelphia -> Pennsylvania…tomorrow is Groundhog Day. Experts are skeptical that Punxsutawney Phil will not see his shadow thus forecasting an early spring, particularly because PA is one of several states expected to be blasted (Gut Blasted?) by what could be the worst winter storm in the history of all the winter storms – there’s even talk of canceling Groundhog Day altogether. Really, Mother Nature? I think it’s time to take things down a notch…

It is decidedly not always sunny in Philadelphia.

Posted in Food & Drink, Really? | Tagged: , , , , | 8 Comments »

The Allie Awards

Posted by AllieB on September 21, 2010

I was reading archived articles in the Atlanta Business Chronicle online recently, and I stumbled upon a brief write-up about an event that took place in April: The Allie Awards. My interest was immediately piqued – I was already thrilled to see my name on an award that warranted mention in the ABC, but then it got even better: the award was for Best Buffet.

The Allie Awards honor the best catering companies in Atlanta, as well as other aspects of event planning – venue, tents, etc. What a perfect match for me, AllieB, line-leader at the buffet and lover of all things wrapped in bacon.

I wonder if they are looking for a spokesperson? A face of The Allies, if you will…I would be happy to attend various events in the name of research.

Or perhaps I’ll just come up with my own, more relevant categories and have The AllieB Awards. Let’s see…

  • Best Hot Sandwich: Publix’s Philly Cheesesteak
  • Best Quesadilla: Paul’s on the Patio (you’d be surprised)
  • Best Stuffed Pasta (on a budget): Trader Joe’s Portobello Mushroom Ravioli
  • Best Stuffed Pasta (not so much on a budget): Sotto Sotto’s Ravioli Nudi
  • Best Nachos: Tavern 99

clearly I am qualified to designate awards pertaining to food

Posted in Arbitrary, Food & Drink | Tagged: , , , , | 4 Comments »

Best in Show: Margs

Posted by AllieB on August 31, 2010

Despite an auspicious beginning to my relationship with margs (El Amigo – which is somehow still open, btw – topped theirs off with a murky liquid that bore a striking resemblance to dishwater), we have grown to have a very companionable existence.

Which means to say: I love a good margarita.

So – where are the best in the city? Well. According to a May 2010 city-wide poll by Citysearch, the favorites are as follows:

  1. Taqueria del Sol
  2. Agave
  3. No Mas Cantina
  4. Zocalo
  5. Caramba Cafe

The AJC food critics say:

  1. Pure Taqueria
  2. Lupe Taqueria ( now closed, so nevermind)
  3. Agave
  4. Noon
  5. Holy Taco

I don’t have strong feelings about either of these lists, but I will say this about Taqueria: they do an excellent marg, but I had a very unpleasant experience back in ’06 wherein the bartender refused to give me my own personal pitcher, saying he had to have two ID’s per order. I offered to show him my ID twice, but he said that wasn’t the same.

I realize this all sounds a tad aggressive, but desperate times, desperate measures…either way, they failed me in my time of need. Were it not for this grudge I refuse to let go of, they’d likely be numero uno. Too bad, Taqueria, tooooo bad:

  1. Treehouse – I’m not kidding – order one the next time you go
  2. Nava – a prickly  pear + that patio = an exceptional post-work activity
  3. La Fonda – they’re always very fresh with just the right amount of tartness
  4. Nuevo Lardeo Cantina – they make the wait endurable, if not enjoyable
  5. Pancho’s – this Buford Highway gem has great ones, and they serve the really thin, light tortilla chips that are reminiscent of Rio Bravo’s (R.I.P. Rio Bravo – you are missed)
  6. HOBNOB – this primely placed spot on Piedmont and Monroe does an awesome Skinny Girl marg – I didn’t want to delve into that whole craze with this entry, but I thought it deserved mention

how good does that look.

Posted in Food & Drink | Tagged: , , , , | 3 Comments »

Best in Show: Grits

Posted by AllieB on July 23, 2010

I love grits – I guess you could say I’m a bona fide GRIT (nerd chills)……anyway, I find them to be an excellent side dish morning, noon, or night, so I always order them when dining out.

I would like to first acknowledge the clear winner of this category – The Last Resort Grille in Athens, GA, aka Mecca. Their Salmon and Grits entree will forever hold a firm place in my Top 5 Favorite Meals, and Resort itself places similarly in my Top 5 Favorite Restaurants.

However, if you’re ITP,  Basil’s Restaurant and Bar is by far your best bet. Their jalapeño cheese grits are incredible. Like, they’re amazing. You have to go, and you must get them. I was there recently for dinner, and I almost passed out when our waiter announced the nightly special:  Bacon-Wrapped Scallops  served with a side of the grits. I love bacon-wrapped anything, first of all, so I was totally sold. The dish was amazing and I think/talk about it often.

I’ve also heard great things about their brunch, and their patio is one of the best in B-head. Oh, and they have a delicious Vinho Verde that is light and delicious and sells for $26/bottle.

On left: exterior of Last Resort in Athens and a snapshot of their culinary masterpiece. On right: Basil's on Grandview Ave in Buckhead

Posted in Food & Drink | Tagged: , , , , | 1 Comment »