Effed by the Wind

NFT Radar: A La Mode Pies

thebaxter — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:38:19 +0000

2011 was the Year of the Pie, with shops springing up all over Seattle. Our offerings were even featured on a Food Network special about the rise of the pie across the country. The people had spoken. Cake was dead. They wanted crust and fruit filling and mounds of cream. A la Mode gave competitors a big run for their money. While pie men came and went (R.I.P. Piecycle), they expanded, going from just an online retailer (with home delivery) to brick-and-mortar when they opened their café on Phinney. Now you don’t have to give 24-hours notice to enjoy their incredible desserts, which include crumbly French Apple, Mexican Chocolate Mousse, Bourbon Butterscotch and a Chocolate Caramel Pecan Tart that renders your fork useless with its gooeyness. See their website for more mind-blowing regular flavors and check with the café often for their rotating flavors. Sour Cherry was a recent gladiator in their grand pie arena. You can still order whole pies online for a very reasonable $25, but it’s a lot more fun to mix-and-match slices for the complete a la Mode experience. Don’t forget a quart of Bluebird ice cream from their freezer to fulfill your pie destiny.

Source.

Filed under: NotForTourists, Seattle Tagged: cafes

My Seattle

thebaxter — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:25:04 +0000

One of the best things about my job at NFT is that people ask me for advice on where to go. If you’re curious about what I usually recommend, I’ve updated my Custom Map with some of my new favorite places, as well as the timeless classics. (Anyone can create an account and do this, BTW.)

See my list and map here.

Filed under: NotForTourists, Seattle Tagged: bars, cafes, restaurants, shopping

NFT Feature: Road Dog’s Brewery Tour

thebaxter — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 23:58:39 +0000

Where we’re going, we need roads.

Seattle recently came in at number 19 on the Drunkest American Cities scale. Frankly, I’m surprised we didn’t rank higher. Maybe it’s just the crowd I run with, but I seem to know a lot of people who are pretty serious about their booze and consume it rather steadily. I’m not the champion I once was, but I can still put away a few microbrews. Luckily for me (and you!), Seattle is home to twenty-odd breweries and most of them are more than willing to let you freely sample their wares, so long as you visit them as part of the Road Dog’s Brewery Tour…

Read the rest at Not For Tourists.

Filed under: NotForTourists, Seattle Tagged: bars, beer, tours

NFT Radar: Holy Cannoli

thebaxter — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 23:53:20 +0000

You may not have been aware of this, but for many years now, there has been a tube-shaped hole in the Seattle pastry scene. Fortunately, Detroit transplant, Adrienne Bandlow, has just the cylindrical pastries to fill it. Namely: Four varieties of cannoli (traditional Detroit custard, mocha, chocolate and rum raisin) and three different Stromboli (hog, chicken and vegetarian). They’re pretty small, so you’re going to need to buy a couple of each. Fortunately, they’re also crazy cheap (plus, you get price breaks for half and whole dozens). Let’s face it, Seattle is so hurting for cannoli, that they don’t even have to be that good to make me happy. But they are good. They are excellent, in fact. A word of warning for Sicilians: Bandlow does her cannoli Motor City Style. That means custard instead of ricotta and marscapone. But don’t worry. They will still hit your Italian spot. There are also a couple of salads and sammies on the menu if, for some insane reason, you’re not there for the star attraction. All this, plus extremely friendly service will make you a loyal customer after one visit. Bandlow should be canonized for ending the Seattle Cannoli Famine. Holy Cannoli indeed.

2720 3rd Ave
www.holycannoliseattle.com

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Filed under: NotForTourists, Seattle Tagged: cafes

Film Threat: Top 10 Movies of 2011

thebaxter — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 18:14:29 +0000

Film Threat compiled top ten movie lists from its writers. Here are my picks:

10. Crazy, Stupid, Love.
If you haven’t seen this romantic comedy, you may be surprised to see it on this list. Believe me, I’m as surprised as you are that I was actually tickled and moved by this genre-transcendent film. Before this movie, I thought Ryan Gosling was just another pretty boy actor with zero substance. But if you’ve seen “Blue Valentine” or “Half Nelson” (I had yet to), you already know that I was dead wrong. Baby Goose gives an incredibly nuanced performance as the professional-caliber lothario who teaches Steve Carell how to be a cold-hearted snake before falling ass-over-elbow for the beguiling Emma Stone. I gave it just three stars in my review upon its release. But it stuck with me throughout the year and I now think I sold it a little short. Today, I bequeath it an extra star!

9. Fright Night (2011)
I’m generally anti-remake. What’s the point, when there’s a perfectly good movie by the same name that already exists? But I couldn’t deny the fun of “Fright Night”. Colin Farrel is very much in his element here as the douchebag vamp who cons a Las Vegas suburb into being his dinner.

8. Conan O’Brian Can’t Stop
It’s the “Don’t Look Back” of comedian documentaries, revealing Coco as a neurotic, bitter and astonishingly talented man.

7. American Animal
Sometimes, a film about people having an ongoing conversation ends up being as engaging and multi-faceted as a real conversation. I was pondering this one long after it was over.

6. Being Elmo: A Puppeteers Journey
You don’t have to dig Elmo (or have a kid who does) to enjoy the story of Kevin Clash, the man behind the furry red monster who loves everyone. But it probably helps.

5. Bellflower
I don’t know if this film succeeded in putting Evan Glodell on the map. But he sure deserves all the hype surrounding his triple threat performance as writer, director and star of this story about a relationship gone nuclear.

4. The Thief of Bagdad: Re-Imagined By Shadoe Stevens, Featuring the Music of E.L.O.
The title barely scratches the surface of how awesome Shadoe Stevens’ pet project ended up. He spent years searching for the perfect soundtrack to appropriately honor and elevate the magic of his favorite film of the silent era. He finally found it in the music of the Electric Light Orchestra, resulting in an eerily harmonious marriage that takes you on an adventure of the senses. {Cough, cough, cough.}

3. Kill List
“Kill List” sneaks up on you from behind and bludgeons you in the brains (in the best possible way).

2. Drive
This movie is ultraviolent, effortlessly cool and sexy as hell. Ryan motherfucking Gosling. I wanted to see it again immediately after it ended.

1. The Future
Every once in a while, I go into a film knowing it’s about to become one of my all-time favorites. Miranda July’s oddball storytelling is just my bag, plain and simple. From the opening monologue delivered in the shaky, high-pitched voice of a terminally ill cat, I fell in love with “The Future” and immediately planned the rest of our lives together. Like her first, equally perfect feature film, “The Future” is about the lengths people go to feel connected and the weird things that fear drives them to do. It’s hilarious, existential, uncomfortable, heart wrenching and completely devoid of pretension. I hope they figure out how to keep heads alive in jars, a la “Futurama” because Miranda July’s brain is incredible.

Read the rest of the lists at Film Threat.

Filed under: Filmpinions Tagged: filmthreat

2011 in a Nutshell

thebaxter — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 04:16:35 +0000

1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before? Entered a beauty pageant. It was for charity! Also, most of the other contestants were drag queens. I was interview on the radio for the first time this morning. I’ll let you know how that goes. Methinks I was a drag.
2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I wanted to work out more and I definitely accomplished that. I also did get to do more writing, but not as much as I’d hoped. This year, I want to stress out about things less, even if that means finding a way to take some things off my plate. That will be VERY hard, though, because I’m not good at letting go of things. I had a hard time living in the moment in 2011 because I was always thinking/freaking out about the future. I want to figure out a way to enjoy my present more.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Yes. Babies Jack, William and Luke came into the world. More on the way for 2012. Not for me, though.
4. Did anyone close to you die? Not to me, no.
5. What countries did you visit? I did not make it out of the country in 2011. To be rectified in 2012!
6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011? More patience and the ability to manage stress. A cleaner bill of health.
7. What date from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? Skaraoke was epic this year. Possibly the best one yet. 2/21 was the day Lula started walking.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? I have to steal Elyse’s answer and say that keeping a toddler thriving and relatively happy is a huge achievement. Those things are always trying to kill themselves.
9. What was your biggest failure? Time management. Letting things go.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? So much goddamned illness. I was at the doctor constantly. The pharmacist knows my name now.
11. What was the best thing you bought? Organizational tools. It felt SO good every time I got a new drawer or closet in working order. Still so much work left to do, though.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration? My husband is a champion. Such a good dad too.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Big time mama issues.
14. Where did most of your money go? Stuff for Lula, trips and medical bills. I wasn’t very good with kid shopping in 2011. I kept trying to find the perfect book or toy that would make Lula happy forever. But, of course, such a thing doesn’t exist. Unless that thing is the TV. But I can’t let her become a couch potato just yet.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? SXSW, SIFF, friends visiting, visiting friends, Skaraoke, seeing Ween at the Paramount, Party Bus w/ Drag Queens, Adult camping, pie.
16. What song will always remind you of 2011? “Bad Romance” by Lady Gaga. I was late to the Gaga party but really enjoyed the hell out of her in 2011. “Bad Romance” is also pretty fun to sing at karaoke.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Sadder.
ii. thinner or fatter? Thinner. I weigh less now than I have since college. It’s the toddler-wrangling workout.
iii. richer or poorer? Pooer.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Relaxing.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Freaking the fuck out.
20. How will you be spending Christmas? Spent the morning with the in-laws and the evening with friends. Perfect.
21. Where will you be spending New Year’s Eve? Having slumber party with another family. Hard to get a sitter for NYE.
22. Did you fall in love in 2011? I loved hard.
23. What was your favorite TV program? “Louis”, “Justified”, “Archer”, “American Horror Story” (compellingly bad). Apparently, I am FXs bitch, as I also watch “The League”. “Doctor Who”. Was “Mad Men” on in 2011? If so, “Mad Men”. “Ru Paul’s Drag Race”. I was very excited for “Fringe” to come back, but it was a pretty big let-down. Holy shit, I watch a lot of TV.
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? Not that I can think of. Weird. I can’t even think of a celebrity. I am losing my edge.
25. What was the best book you read? Just finished the new Miranda July book, “It Chooses You” and was predictably moved. I still haven’t finished “Everything Matters!”, but was really into it for a while.
26. What was your greatest musical discovery? I never discover anything anymore, but I really dug the Gaga catalog. Also Dead Man’s Bones (way late on that one). Both Liam and Noel Gallagher came out with new music this year and I will probably always buy what they’re selling. I’ve listened to a shit ton of Caspar Babypants recently because they’re tolerable kids music and Lula has been wanting to hear more of it.
27. What did you want and get? Plentiful nights off from parenting.
28. What did you want and not get? Caught up.
29. [Replacement question] What did you get and not want? A chronic fungus.
30. What was your favorite film of this year? Kind of a toss-up between “Drive” and “The Future”.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 33. We went out to karaoke over the weekend and my husband made me dinner on the day.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? For time to stop for, like, a week so I could make some headway on my ever-growing to-do list.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011? Portland hipster. Lots of soft cotton, hand-stitched skirts and appliqued hoodies. Barrettes because I’m growing my bangs out. Colorful boots and knee-high socks. More color in general, but still sticking with dark and earthy tones. Slim fit tops, as well because I wasn’t trying to hide my belly as much.
34. What/Who kept you sane? My husband and friends. The babysitter. Recreational substances.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Ryan Gosling. Again I am late on this. I guess that just cements my status as an out-of-touch old lady. But this year, he became more than just “That guy from the steaming pile known as ‘the Notebook’” because I saw him in a number of impressive roles and he just blew me away. He’s also kind of a weird guy, which is unusual for a guy who looks like that. Also, Nick Kroll a little bit.
36. What political issue stirred you the most? Health care, Occupy.
37. Who did you miss? Friends who used to live here.
38. Who was the best new person you met? I think I didn’t meet my friend’s daughter, Josie, until this year. She is an awesome, smiley kid.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011: The opinions of strangers do not matter.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year: I can never think of anything good for this. Here’s how I feel every time I try to take a load off.

It’s not that I don’t like you/I’m just at a party
And I am sick and tired of my phone r-ringing
Sometimes I feel like I live in Grand Central Station
Tonight I’m not taking no calls/cos I’ll be dancin’

Filed under: Dear Diary, Meme Crazy

Film Threat Review: Young Adult

thebaxter — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 03:16:21 +0000

I’m not what you would call a Diablo Cody fan, so I was fully prepared to rip on “Young Adult.” Had she written another catchphrase quirkfest, I would have had a field day. I have to give Diablo props (do you mind if I call you Diablo?) because “Young Adult” is about as far from “Juno” as one can get and still carry the Cody watermark. It’s an exploration of what happens to the most popular girl in high school once she leaves the monarchy and has to face the real world. It seems that being beautiful and marginally literate can only get you so far.

But isn’t this movie supposed to be a comedy? The laughs are few and far between in this cringingly realistic portrait of a sociopath. It’s almost a revenge fantasy, as an aging prom queen spirals headlong into a nervous breakdown. The performances are solid enough to keep you watching, but it’s not exactly a fun time at the movies.

Read the rest at Film Threat.

Filed under: Filmpinions Tagged: filmthreat

Film Threat Review: We Bought a Zoo

thebaxter — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 03:10:58 +0000

With one line in “Jerry Maguire” (1996), Cameron Crowe officially switched gears from being an edgy rock n’ roll filmmaker to becoming the Crown Prince of Schmaltz. (It’s gotten so bad, that sometimes I’m not even sure his “good movies” deserve all their praise.) Nonetheless, “You complete me” now sounds like Yeates compared to some of the self-help advice uttered by the characters in “We Bought a Zoo.” The weird thing is, I don’t think he’s being disingenuous. I have a feeling that this is actually how Cameron Crowe lives his life, finding signs in everything and espousing about the importance of taking insane risks because life is an adventure. He loves love and he wants everyone else to love it too. Crowe’s emotional maturity is Benjamin Button, aging in reverse. Unfortunately, this means that “We Bought a Zoo” is an excruciating film for anyone not wearing rose-colored glasses…

Read the rest at Film Threat.

Filed under: Filmpinions Tagged: filmthreat

Film Threat Review: The Thing (2011)

thebaxter — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 15:30:36 +0000

When the Powers That Be suggested John Carpenter’s “The Thing (1982)” for the next big remake, there must have been some folks in the room who understood that there is no substitute for the horror masterpiece. Yet, they couldn’t leave well enough alone (have you met Hollywood?). Instead, they decided to disguise their remake as a prequel. I suppose one could argue that “The Thing (1982)” began in the middle of a larger story, after the creature had already decimated one camp. But the Thing has one modus aperandi: impersonate the inhabitants of Antarctic research camps and kill them off one by one. All of this has happened before and all of this will happen again. In essence, “The Thing (2011)” is a big old pile of redundancy, wrapped up in flames and topped with a Ripley-shaped bow…

Read the rest at Film Threat.

Filed under: Filmpinions Tagged: filmthreat

Film Threat Review: Bots High

thebaxter — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 05:08:47 +0000

In the late 90s, robot death matches became a national sport. Geeky dads and engineering students worked furiously in their garages to build machines, designed to do one thing: destroy other robots. When “Robot Wars” went off the air, our metal friends thought their long nightmare was over. But it turns out it was just passed on to the next generation. Joey Dauod’s documentary, “Bots High,” follows three teams of high school students in Florida, as they prepare their creations for the national championship.

For the egghead kids with designs on attending M.I.T., there isn’t much in the way of traditional extracurricular activities to compliment their skill set. Fortunately, several schools around the country have started offering a sort of robotics club, with a robot battle as the end game. It’s a great way for them to experience a practical application for the math and science they’ve learned, as well as get to know other, like-minded teens. Besides, a geek is a lot more daunting when they have a killer machine under their command…

Read the rest at Film Threat.

Filed under: Filmpinions Tagged: filmthreat