Barry Pepper's new movie is this one directed by Tommy Lee Jones.
He plays a U.S. border patrolman named Mike, who shot and killed an illegal immigrant worker, Melquiades Estrada. The mistake is covered up by Estrada's body being burried in the desert, but Estrada's friend and ranch owner, Peter (Jones), wants to do his friend the justice of at least returning the body to Estrada's native Mexico for a proper burial.
Mike is then kidnapped by Peter to carry out this journey.
Currently, this film has been screened at the Cannes Film Festival in France, and it has garnered rave reviews. Although Cronenberg's film has also been highlighted by the Cdn. media as a worthy and likely winner, I wouldn't mind if Tommy Lee Jones wins it; this could throw Barry Pepper into the spotlight again. Pepper is such a skilled actor, and I am so happy that he got the chance to work on such a humanistic film. Maybe this will finally put the "Battlefield Earth" nightmares to an end.
Saturday, May 21, 2005
Friday, May 20, 2005
CSI: Season Finale, Dir. by Quentin Tarantino
The finale was very exciting for the most part. Where I felt disappointed was when the daughter mentioned to Sidle and Brass that she used to work at a nursery, planting things, and neither of the investigators caught on to that clue. I don't know if the daughter deliberately gave it to them, or if she was just trying to be dramatic at that moment. In any case, if Sidle had picked up on that, they would have been able to find the place where Nick was buried.
Of course, if they had done this then there would not have been the sequence with the fire ants. That was just disgusting. It wasn't as agonizing as watching Nick about to give up and kill himself.
This flaw in the story really bugs me becuase Sidle and Brass are supposed to be very intelligent officers. How could they have missed that clue?
Of course, if they had done this then there would not have been the sequence with the fire ants. That was just disgusting. It wasn't as agonizing as watching Nick about to give up and kill himself.
This flaw in the story really bugs me becuase Sidle and Brass are supposed to be very intelligent officers. How could they have missed that clue?
Olive Trees Lyrics
Olive Trees
music by Li Taichang
lyrics by Sanmou
Don't ask me where I came from
From a far away place is my home
Why do I wander, wander far away?
Wander...
For the birds that fly in the sky
For the streams that flow between the mountains
For the vast green meadowlands
Wander far away, wander...
Wait, there's more
For the dreams of the Olive Trees
Olive Trees
Don't ask me where I came from
From a far away place is my home
Why do I wander?
For my dreams of the Olive Trees
music by Li Taichang
lyrics by Sanmou
Don't ask me where I came from
From a far away place is my home
Why do I wander, wander far away?
Wander...
For the birds that fly in the sky
For the streams that flow between the mountains
For the vast green meadowlands
Wander far away, wander...
Wait, there's more
For the dreams of the Olive Trees
Olive Trees
Don't ask me where I came from
From a far away place is my home
Why do I wander?
For my dreams of the Olive Trees
Tuesday, May 17, 2005
Stronach Defects to the Liberal Party
Right now, this is really exciting news. What Belinda Stronach has done she has shown her courage to act on what she believes is right.
Harper and other Conservatives accuse her defection to be motivated by career ambitions. They claim that she has never expressed any doubts to them about the Conservative platform. If that's what they truly believe, then they must not have been listening to what Stronach has been saying to the media and the public over the past three weeks. Namely, she is hesitant to vote down the government's budget to force an election because now is not the time.
Watching Harper giving his statement today in reaction to Stronach's defection, I have even less respect for him. The least he could do is acknowledge other people's concerns, instead of flatly denying them and labelling it with the word "ambition." This shows his narrow-mindedness and his inflexibility. How these qualities make him appealing as a candidate for Prime Minister, someone who is supposed to run a country adn to listen to the diverse voices of millions, is something that I will never understand.
Harper and other Conservatives accuse her defection to be motivated by career ambitions. They claim that she has never expressed any doubts to them about the Conservative platform. If that's what they truly believe, then they must not have been listening to what Stronach has been saying to the media and the public over the past three weeks. Namely, she is hesitant to vote down the government's budget to force an election because now is not the time.
Watching Harper giving his statement today in reaction to Stronach's defection, I have even less respect for him. The least he could do is acknowledge other people's concerns, instead of flatly denying them and labelling it with the word "ambition." This shows his narrow-mindedness and his inflexibility. How these qualities make him appealing as a candidate for Prime Minister, someone who is supposed to run a country adn to listen to the diverse voices of millions, is something that I will never understand.
Monday, May 16, 2005
Prof. Eric Reeves on "The Sunday Edition," CBC Radio One
On the drive to church on Sunday morning, Bro and I were listening to The Sunday Edition broadcast. It featured an interview with English Lit. Prof. Eric Reeves about the genocide that is going on in Darfur, Sudan. At one point, Michael Enright, the host, asked Prof. Reeves if Darfur is the next Rwanda in the making. Prof. Reeves responded in a way that really made my heart ache. He said, and I paraphrase:
Darfur is Rwanda in slow motion. It's as if the Gods of History decided to give us another chance, a chance to redeem ourselves for our neglect of what happened in Rwanda. It's as if they said, "we'll give you as much time as you need, and this time there should be no excuse not taking action."
Our second chance is passing us by, and do we even notice it?
Darfur is Rwanda in slow motion. It's as if the Gods of History decided to give us another chance, a chance to redeem ourselves for our neglect of what happened in Rwanda. It's as if they said, "we'll give you as much time as you need, and this time there should be no excuse not taking action."
Our second chance is passing us by, and do we even notice it?
Friday, May 13, 2005
Nature Metaphors in "Butterflies"
One thing that I always look for, and which always gives me a delightful little thrill, is when I read about how nature is used as a metaphor in a story. In the Time of the Butterflies has plenty of these. The first one I already described in the post below, about the acaquita tree. This one is about planting flowers.
Dede's sisters, Minerva, "Mate" and Patria have come to appeal to her to join their communist cell. They love their sister, and they want her to be a part of what they believe is one of the most important events of their lives, and of their country's history. Dede is hesitant, because she knows her husband is adamantly against it. As her sisters pull out of the driveway on their way home, Dede goes to the newly dug up area of the garden where she is planting new flowers. She puts the soil back into the earth, then she patches up the bed with rocks lined neatly as a border. As she is patching up this flowerbed, she decides on how she will proceed, and she is satisfied that both the flowerbed and her mind has been made up. And then, she realizes that she forgot to put the seeds in the soil.
What do the seeds represent? I'm not sure at this point, but I will guess that it's her desire, or her determination. To me, this whole sequence of imagery represents Dede's eagerness to help resolve the problem and please everyone, but she will fail because the most important ingredient was left out.
I'll continue reading and see what happens.
Dede's sisters, Minerva, "Mate" and Patria have come to appeal to her to join their communist cell. They love their sister, and they want her to be a part of what they believe is one of the most important events of their lives, and of their country's history. Dede is hesitant, because she knows her husband is adamantly against it. As her sisters pull out of the driveway on their way home, Dede goes to the newly dug up area of the garden where she is planting new flowers. She puts the soil back into the earth, then she patches up the bed with rocks lined neatly as a border. As she is patching up this flowerbed, she decides on how she will proceed, and she is satisfied that both the flowerbed and her mind has been made up. And then, she realizes that she forgot to put the seeds in the soil.
What do the seeds represent? I'm not sure at this point, but I will guess that it's her desire, or her determination. To me, this whole sequence of imagery represents Dede's eagerness to help resolve the problem and please everyone, but she will fail because the most important ingredient was left out.
I'll continue reading and see what happens.
Thursday, May 12, 2005
Jury Duty Day Two
I only had to attend for half a day, and I am relieved of any jury duty for the next 3 years! =D
Today, I waited in room 167, which is a lot more spacious and better ventilated. The conditions were perfect for reading.
I started reading a novel that my good friend Grace gave me for my birthday last year. It is titled, In the Time of the Butterflies, by Julia Alvarez. It is the story of four sisters who lived through the dictatorship regime of Tujillo in the Dominican Republic, circa 1945.
I was drawn into the book from the first chapter. Alvarez's main protagonist, Dede, doodles a picture of a tree on the back of an envelope, with half of the tree being drawn on the flap. It is a tree that grows at the entrance to the pathway that leads to the house, where Dede's family have lived for generations, presumably. I can sense that the tree has been a landmark of many important family events. Now, a visitor has arrived to research the life of the Mirabel sisters.
This image spoke to me of incompleteness, brokenness, a gap. When the flap is closed, the picture is complete. The picture is broken when the flap is opened. People's memories of the past might be pleasant until one opens up the little envelope inside one's heart, an envelope that holds the sad and painful memories. Opening and closing the flap is easy to do, but does one want to do it?
Today, I waited in room 167, which is a lot more spacious and better ventilated. The conditions were perfect for reading.
I started reading a novel that my good friend Grace gave me for my birthday last year. It is titled, In the Time of the Butterflies, by Julia Alvarez. It is the story of four sisters who lived through the dictatorship regime of Tujillo in the Dominican Republic, circa 1945.
I was drawn into the book from the first chapter. Alvarez's main protagonist, Dede, doodles a picture of a tree on the back of an envelope, with half of the tree being drawn on the flap. It is a tree that grows at the entrance to the pathway that leads to the house, where Dede's family have lived for generations, presumably. I can sense that the tree has been a landmark of many important family events. Now, a visitor has arrived to research the life of the Mirabel sisters.
This image spoke to me of incompleteness, brokenness, a gap. When the flap is closed, the picture is complete. The picture is broken when the flap is opened. People's memories of the past might be pleasant until one opens up the little envelope inside one's heart, an envelope that holds the sad and painful memories. Opening and closing the flap is easy to do, but does one want to do it?
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
First Day @ Courthouse for Jury Selection
Sleepy. Hot. Stuffy.
Those are the three words I would use to describe today's events at Jury Selection. That courthouse seriously needs to install a ventilation system. We were breathing the same air all day long. Imagine that! *barf*
I can imagine that sitting on a jury's panel during a trial might be exciting and engaging, but sitting in a room waiting to be selected or rejected is BORRRR-ING! It was even more boring than I had imagined.
Hopefully, tomorrow we'll do something.
Those are the three words I would use to describe today's events at Jury Selection. That courthouse seriously needs to install a ventilation system. We were breathing the same air all day long. Imagine that! *barf*
I can imagine that sitting on a jury's panel during a trial might be exciting and engaging, but sitting in a room waiting to be selected or rejected is BORRRR-ING! It was even more boring than I had imagined.
Hopefully, tomorrow we'll do something.
Sunday, May 08, 2005
YAY! for Steve Nash!
YAY! WOOHOOOO!!
Nash is a very intelligent guy, and he's not afraid to display his political views to the public. *two thumbs up!*
Nash is a very intelligent guy, and he's not afraid to display his political views to the public. *two thumbs up!*
Canada will send troops to Darfur?
It was the fruit of nine months of work by Prime Minister Paul Martin and officials from the defence department, the foreign affairs department and the Canadian International Development Agency.
The initiative stressed that Canada's activities in Darfur are based on the so-called "3D approach," which combines diplomatic activity, development and humanitarian aid, and support for improving the security situation through defence and police involvement.
-Graham Fraser, The Toronto Star, May 8, 2005.
When I first heard about this, some media said that Martin agreed to this because he wanted Kilgour's vote, a man who is an independent MP. Could this be true? Or, is it really the result of almost a year's amount of work by the Cdn. gov't to devise a plan to help the people of Darfur?
I think it's a bit of both. About a year ago, Canada had started appealing to other Western gov'ts that they should all join in with the UN and the African Union to resolve the genocide that is happening in Darfur. Nothing came out of that, and Canada's representatives were clearly frustrated. It seems like they've finally found some tangible way of making a contribution.
At the same time, Martin's gov't needs all the support it can get. If this is truly the motive behind it, then I will have to take comfort in knowing that Martin decided to provide some aid to a cause that is truly worthy.
Sunday, April 03, 2005
How Infuriating!
"But Gar Pardy, a retired diplomat responsible for consular issues at the foreign affairs department, said there's only so much Ottawa can do, given that Iran has dug in its heels.
'The Iranians have decided that they're not going to deliver any measure of justice,' he said. 'The options are not great.'
And he cautioned that steps like pulling the ambassador from Tehran — while having value as a public relations gesture — could make life "miserable" for Iranian Canadians and their families back in Iran.
And he said economic sanctions aren't likely to have much of an impact, given that Canada does just $264 million in annual trade with Iran.
'Trade sanctions work if you can get a broad international consensus going,' Pardy said.
Barring any changes within the Iranian regime, the kind of pressure that Canada can impose on Iran 'I don't think would register on any scale.' "
-BRUCE CAMPION-SMITH, The Toronto Star: 66 asylum seekers sent back to Iran, Apr. 2, 2005. 07:53 PM
When I first read about Dr. Shahram Azam's testimony, I was so disgusted I felt physically sick. Then I thought about the courage that Stephan Kazemi is showing to the public, and I felt very sad for him. Then I thought about what the Canadian government has done - or not done, and I felt angry. I was angry becuase I appeared that the Cdn. gov't isn't doing anything.
Then I thought some more, and I realized that the Cdn. government has done something, such as helping to approve of Dr. Azam's stay in Canada, and it probably wants to do more, but its hands are tied. I thought, what can the gov't do?
What Mr. Gar Pardy says in the quoted article above rings very true in my ears now. And that is what the Cdn. government should do. It should recruit the help of other nations like Britain, France, Germany, Italy and others who have journalists who endured this type of ordeal.
I can't believe that the Iranian gov't can do this sort of thing and completely get away with it. This is simply unjust and it infuriates me.
'The Iranians have decided that they're not going to deliver any measure of justice,' he said. 'The options are not great.'
And he cautioned that steps like pulling the ambassador from Tehran — while having value as a public relations gesture — could make life "miserable" for Iranian Canadians and their families back in Iran.
And he said economic sanctions aren't likely to have much of an impact, given that Canada does just $264 million in annual trade with Iran.
'Trade sanctions work if you can get a broad international consensus going,' Pardy said.
Barring any changes within the Iranian regime, the kind of pressure that Canada can impose on Iran 'I don't think would register on any scale.' "
-BRUCE CAMPION-SMITH, The Toronto Star: 66 asylum seekers sent back to Iran, Apr. 2, 2005. 07:53 PM
When I first read about Dr. Shahram Azam's testimony, I was so disgusted I felt physically sick. Then I thought about the courage that Stephan Kazemi is showing to the public, and I felt very sad for him. Then I thought about what the Canadian government has done - or not done, and I felt angry. I was angry becuase I appeared that the Cdn. gov't isn't doing anything.
Then I thought some more, and I realized that the Cdn. government has done something, such as helping to approve of Dr. Azam's stay in Canada, and it probably wants to do more, but its hands are tied. I thought, what can the gov't do?
What Mr. Gar Pardy says in the quoted article above rings very true in my ears now. And that is what the Cdn. government should do. It should recruit the help of other nations like Britain, France, Germany, Italy and others who have journalists who endured this type of ordeal.
I can't believe that the Iranian gov't can do this sort of thing and completely get away with it. This is simply unjust and it infuriates me.
Monday, March 28, 2005
Researching Background to "Satan's Kingdom"
According to a ghost story written by Isabella Taves, which is based on the real life ordeals of her neighbor, there was a house in Satan's Kingdom, near Hartford, Connecticut, that used to be haunted. The house has since been torn down and a condominum was built over it.
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
U.S. Missile Defense vs. Canadian Views of Security
I have two views on this, and they may seem slightly conflicting.
1. The U.S. has to realize that their sense of security is not the same as everyone else's and the U.S. must learn to accept this. Closing the border to Cdn. beef, cancelling Rice's visit, and not returning PM Martin's phone calls is nothing but childish. These are supposed to be adults, and yet their actions show a lack of ability to think and behave reasonably.
2. PM Martin must not let a sensitive issue like Missile Defense flip-flop like that again. He should have brought this issue out and let his cabinet and the opposition debate it thoroughly. After that, he should have settled with a decision and informed the U.S. gov't on it. Why did he let the media publish one opinion after another, all of which are found to be conflicting at this moment?
3. I am not surprised if the U.S. believed that Canada was going to support Missile Defense, becuase I am familiar with the Canadian Philosophy of Compromise. The Liberal politicians have a particularly stellar way of practicing this policy, and by stellar I mean stellarly indecisive. PM Martin has shown that he is one who reacts to what happens, not one who dictates what happens, and as PM, he should be doing the latter.
1. The U.S. has to realize that their sense of security is not the same as everyone else's and the U.S. must learn to accept this. Closing the border to Cdn. beef, cancelling Rice's visit, and not returning PM Martin's phone calls is nothing but childish. These are supposed to be adults, and yet their actions show a lack of ability to think and behave reasonably.
2. PM Martin must not let a sensitive issue like Missile Defense flip-flop like that again. He should have brought this issue out and let his cabinet and the opposition debate it thoroughly. After that, he should have settled with a decision and informed the U.S. gov't on it. Why did he let the media publish one opinion after another, all of which are found to be conflicting at this moment?
3. I am not surprised if the U.S. believed that Canada was going to support Missile Defense, becuase I am familiar with the Canadian Philosophy of Compromise. The Liberal politicians have a particularly stellar way of practicing this policy, and by stellar I mean stellarly indecisive. PM Martin has shown that he is one who reacts to what happens, not one who dictates what happens, and as PM, he should be doing the latter.
Saturday, February 26, 2005
Friday, February 25, 2005
Slang Dictionary
What a cool dictionary! It's funny how a lot of the content are slang for drugs and sex. ROTFL!!!
Monday, February 14, 2005
Dinner with the Laws
Last night, my family had dinner with the Laws. It was a Valentine's Day/New Year's dinner with both families together.
Mr. and Mrs. Law hired a chef to come to their house and cook us an authentic French dinner. Ray, the chef, graduated from a prestigious culinary academy located in Ottawa, which has its headquarters based in Paris.
The starting plate was the most delicious of the evening: roasted fresh fig with ...can't remember what it's called, but it's the liver of a goose, I think. It was very yummy. Next was the cream of asparagus soup, which was so tastey! Following that was the seared scallops and cabbage bundle. We took a "break" with a cup of frozen granny smith apples, mixed with white wine. It was lovely. It would make a nice dessert, I think. After that, we finally had our main course of the evening, which was a veal wrap with red pepper and mushrooms at the centre. It looked really nice. The mushrooms and truffle pieces were so fragrant - I LOVE MUSHROOMS AND TRUFFLES. Lastly was the dessert: an orange flavoured controse with fresh fruits. This was very very yummy. I don't like liquor very much, but the orange juice and fresh fruits complimented it very nicely.
This was the most formal French dinner I've ever had. I loved how Ray came to our table and described every dish that he prepared for us. This was truly an experience that I don't think will be repeated for a long time.
Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Law!
Mr. and Mrs. Law hired a chef to come to their house and cook us an authentic French dinner. Ray, the chef, graduated from a prestigious culinary academy located in Ottawa, which has its headquarters based in Paris.
The starting plate was the most delicious of the evening: roasted fresh fig with ...can't remember what it's called, but it's the liver of a goose, I think. It was very yummy. Next was the cream of asparagus soup, which was so tastey! Following that was the seared scallops and cabbage bundle. We took a "break" with a cup of frozen granny smith apples, mixed with white wine. It was lovely. It would make a nice dessert, I think. After that, we finally had our main course of the evening, which was a veal wrap with red pepper and mushrooms at the centre. It looked really nice. The mushrooms and truffle pieces were so fragrant - I LOVE MUSHROOMS AND TRUFFLES. Lastly was the dessert: an orange flavoured controse with fresh fruits. This was very very yummy. I don't like liquor very much, but the orange juice and fresh fruits complimented it very nicely.
This was the most formal French dinner I've ever had. I loved how Ray came to our table and described every dish that he prepared for us. This was truly an experience that I don't think will be repeated for a long time.
Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Law!
Wedding Helpers' Party
On Saturday night, I attended Zemuppet and ChiquitaWonder's Wedding Helpers' Party. It was held at Chiquita's parents' house, and the guests were all of the closest friends of the couple.
The party began with a dinner of home made roast beef, sushi, and a selection of 3 salads, including Chiquita's famous spinach and tangerine salad. After that, we were sorted into groups to play games. I was in team #6 and our first game was Taboo. I think my team won by a few points only, I'm not sure (we weren't seriously counting points). The next activity station was the DDR, a dancing game on a mat. I was the first to try it with a member of the opposing team, and I, in my ignorance, selected a song that had the speed of 168 beats per minute. That means it's a VERY FAST paced tune to dance to. I lost the first round, but luckily, my teamates Corinna, Jeff and Yilee. They made up for my low score and we ended up winning that round.
The last activity station was table tennis, a sport I like very much. I have always been better at racquet sports, but table tennis took a bit adjusting to last night. We had a player on the opposing team who gave us a very good challenge. It was so much fun!
I left with W. later to go meet up with a friend of hers in Mississuaga. That was the end of the night.
The highlight for me was bumping into Yilee and Corinna, school mates from elementary and junior high school, respectively. We chatted for a long time and it was a very nice stroll down memory lane. I'll have to tell my friends about it later.
The party began with a dinner of home made roast beef, sushi, and a selection of 3 salads, including Chiquita's famous spinach and tangerine salad. After that, we were sorted into groups to play games. I was in team #6 and our first game was Taboo. I think my team won by a few points only, I'm not sure (we weren't seriously counting points). The next activity station was the DDR, a dancing game on a mat. I was the first to try it with a member of the opposing team, and I, in my ignorance, selected a song that had the speed of 168 beats per minute. That means it's a VERY FAST paced tune to dance to. I lost the first round, but luckily, my teamates Corinna, Jeff and Yilee. They made up for my low score and we ended up winning that round.
The last activity station was table tennis, a sport I like very much. I have always been better at racquet sports, but table tennis took a bit adjusting to last night. We had a player on the opposing team who gave us a very good challenge. It was so much fun!
I left with W. later to go meet up with a friend of hers in Mississuaga. That was the end of the night.
The highlight for me was bumping into Yilee and Corinna, school mates from elementary and junior high school, respectively. We chatted for a long time and it was a very nice stroll down memory lane. I'll have to tell my friends about it later.
Sunday, February 06, 2005
Toronto--Florida Child Porn Case
I believe in balances, and unfortunately, where you find the most purest form of love between a parent and a child, you will also find the most cruel and sickening form of violation: child porn.
I can imagine the hate that person A could feel for person B, leading to a murderous act. What I cannot imagine is how someone can take an innocent child and "brutalize" him or her by molesting the child. How sick and twisted does your mind have to be to carry out such a heinous act?
I hope the Toronto Sex Crimes unit will be able to crack this case and put an end to this girl's suffering soon. I hope it doesn't have to go to the point where the police have to release her photos to the public in an effort to locate her and save her.
I can imagine the hate that person A could feel for person B, leading to a murderous act. What I cannot imagine is how someone can take an innocent child and "brutalize" him or her by molesting the child. How sick and twisted does your mind have to be to carry out such a heinous act?
I hope the Toronto Sex Crimes unit will be able to crack this case and put an end to this girl's suffering soon. I hope it doesn't have to go to the point where the police have to release her photos to the public in an effort to locate her and save her.
The Superbowl
Okay, I watched the superbowl with my cousin W. tonight. It was very exciting in the remaining 2 mins.
I don't usually watch football, but once I understood what the objective was and how to achieve it, I began to get into the game. Of course, I rooted for the underdogs: the Philadelphia Eagles. When they completed the last touchdown, that was incredibly neat. It happened so fast, I couldn't even cheer for it in time.
At the end, I was sad that the Eagles lost, but I was very happy for them because they put up a good fight. They played their hearts out until the very end. Their QB (forgot his name) may have made too many mistakes in those last two minutes, but W. tells me that this is his first time playing at the Superbowl. I hope he doens't feel too bad about the loss because his team did fight until the very end.
I remarked to W. how these football players seem to have a lot of respect for one another, since opponent players were constantly giving each other a pat on the back. There seems to be a comaraderie between these football players that's really nice to see.
In Hockey, it's the opposite. Some hockey players really hate one another during a game. You don't see this type of comaraderie in hockey games. After A1 bodychecks B4, you won't see A1 going over to B4 afterwards to give him a tip with the gloves. Then again, the nature of the two games are so different. After tackling an opponent player, the ref would blow the whistle and you have to stop playing in a football game. In hockey, you keep skating away after you've thrown a check. You don't stick around to make sure that the opponent player is all right.
Still, sometimes, the explosive behaviour in hockey is very disheartening to see. Some defend it as saying it's in the heat of the moment. "In the heat of the moment" does not make a violent act any more justified.
I commend the football players for their repeated displays of sportmanship, even during such an intense game like the Superbowl.
I don't usually watch football, but once I understood what the objective was and how to achieve it, I began to get into the game. Of course, I rooted for the underdogs: the Philadelphia Eagles. When they completed the last touchdown, that was incredibly neat. It happened so fast, I couldn't even cheer for it in time.
At the end, I was sad that the Eagles lost, but I was very happy for them because they put up a good fight. They played their hearts out until the very end. Their QB (forgot his name) may have made too many mistakes in those last two minutes, but W. tells me that this is his first time playing at the Superbowl. I hope he doens't feel too bad about the loss because his team did fight until the very end.
I remarked to W. how these football players seem to have a lot of respect for one another, since opponent players were constantly giving each other a pat on the back. There seems to be a comaraderie between these football players that's really nice to see.
In Hockey, it's the opposite. Some hockey players really hate one another during a game. You don't see this type of comaraderie in hockey games. After A1 bodychecks B4, you won't see A1 going over to B4 afterwards to give him a tip with the gloves. Then again, the nature of the two games are so different. After tackling an opponent player, the ref would blow the whistle and you have to stop playing in a football game. In hockey, you keep skating away after you've thrown a check. You don't stick around to make sure that the opponent player is all right.
Still, sometimes, the explosive behaviour in hockey is very disheartening to see. Some defend it as saying it's in the heat of the moment. "In the heat of the moment" does not make a violent act any more justified.
I commend the football players for their repeated displays of sportmanship, even during such an intense game like the Superbowl.
Sunday, January 30, 2005
Winterlicious 2005 @ Roswater Supper Club
The Rosewater Supper Club
19 Toronto StToronto, ON M5C2R1
Phone:
(416) 214-5888
Fax:
(416) 214-2412
Last night, I had dinner with some of my best friends at the Rosewater Supper Club, one of the participating restaurants of the annual Winterlicious event. While riding over there in the car, D. remarked that he didn't dress up for this event, that he only wore jeans. Oops!
When we got inside, an attendant took our coats (at no extra charge). I felt a bit akward taking off my coat right in front of the entrance to the restaurant, especially since there were two more parties that had arrived behind us.
After the matter of the coats was settled, we were led through the lounge and into the main dining hall. Our table was in the corner, with a dramatic black "bay-window" seat. Shortly after we had ordered our drinks, the manager of the restaurnant came and introduced himself. Unfortunately, I have a very bad memory and I forgot his name right after he said it.
As we were waiting for our drinks to arrive, I observed the decor of the dining hall. I don't know for sure period style in which was the building designed, but it does look stunning. The lighting was not too dark, and I could see the mouldings that framed the windows and that decorated the edges of the ceiling. It was bright enough that I could see some of the paintings on the walls, which gave me a very homey, yet elegant feeling. It did not feel like I was eating in a restuarant. Our secluded "bay-window" seat gave me a sense of privacy, even though the surrounding tables were all filled with guests.
Our drinks finally arrived, and after we ordered dinner, we sat there nibbling on the bread. I was very happy to see a slice of dark rye bread (one of my favourites), but when I bit into it, I realized that it was chocolate bread (huh?). Knight, who is a chocoholic, loved it. Princess complained that the bread was too hard. I thought the crust was a bit tough, but whole grain breads of this kind are like that. They were very soft at the centre and I quite liked it.
For appetizers, I had the parsnip soup and Princess had the salad. The soup was quite flavourful, but nothing that made it memorable. I didn't get to taste the salad, but Princess, who loves vegetables, actually couldn't finish hers.
For the entree, I had the lamb shank in bow-tie pasta with mushrooms and cheese. Princess had the steak with mashed yams; D. and Knight had the seared salmon with bok-choy. Presentation-wise, the dishes were not memorable in any way. Taste-wise, Princess' steak was the best. She called it "perfect!" She also announced to us that she loved the texture and flavour of the yams. D. and Knight both felt their fish was negligible. Upon trying a bite, Princess actually complained that the salmon tasted fishy, like it was not very fresh. BOO!! My pasta with lamb shanks was too salty, and the cheese was laid on a bit too heavily. I was not able to taste any of the lamb flavours, and the mushrooms were very disappointing. The only part of the dish I did like was the wilted spinach, and I wish they had given me more of it.
Before dessert was served, Princess and I made a trip to the ladies' room. On the way there, we saw the staircase section of the restaurant, which was made of glass, and on one side was a waterfall over a brick-stone wall. It was quite stunning and it felt heavenly to walk down those steps. Imagine what it would feel like to walk UP those steps to the 2nd floor!
The dessert consisted of a lemon tart for me, and apple creme caramel for D. His was essentially an egg custard, which was so smooth and so soft; it was positively exquisite. The highlight of my lemon tart was the orange tomato (?) that garnished the dessert. The tart itself was nice, but the blueberry sauce was a bit too sour.
At this point, I must emphasize that this is the Winterlicious event menu, not their regular menu that contains all of their best items. Having said that, I would have expected the food to be more impressive. The point of having Winterlicious is for these restaurants to showcase their goods and attract more clients. If the decor and the ambience are the only truly exemplary assets of The Rosewater Supper Club, then I can't say that I have any reason to go back there in the future.
That concluded our dinner. As we approached the coat check area, we saw that the restuarant was really starting to fill up now. The were guests waiting in the lounge, and people were arriving at the front desk. While we waited to retreive our coats, the manager led some guests past us to their table. A couple of ladies had to walk past us to get to the stairs that led to the ladies' room. While we were putting on our coats, the new arrivals were being led past us again to their table. Behind them was a throng of several more guests, waiting by the entrance. This is an aspect of this restaurant that I do feel is a bit inadequate. Perhaps they are not accustomed to receiving this many number of guests in an evening, but the dining room size would contradict that hypothesis. Why is it that they would place the coat check right at the front entrance, and not off to the side? There was so much traffic going back and forth, it was quite an uncomfortable scene to endure.
All in all, the service was very good (excepting the arrival reception). The food was negligible and the highlight was definitely the decor.
If I were to return to this restaurant in the future, it will certainly not be for the food.
I give it 3/3 for ambience; 2/3 for service, and 1/3 for the food.
19 Toronto StToronto, ON M5C2R1
Phone:
(416) 214-5888
Fax:
(416) 214-2412
Last night, I had dinner with some of my best friends at the Rosewater Supper Club, one of the participating restaurants of the annual Winterlicious event. While riding over there in the car, D. remarked that he didn't dress up for this event, that he only wore jeans. Oops!
When we got inside, an attendant took our coats (at no extra charge). I felt a bit akward taking off my coat right in front of the entrance to the restaurant, especially since there were two more parties that had arrived behind us.
After the matter of the coats was settled, we were led through the lounge and into the main dining hall. Our table was in the corner, with a dramatic black "bay-window" seat. Shortly after we had ordered our drinks, the manager of the restaurnant came and introduced himself. Unfortunately, I have a very bad memory and I forgot his name right after he said it.
As we were waiting for our drinks to arrive, I observed the decor of the dining hall. I don't know for sure period style in which was the building designed, but it does look stunning. The lighting was not too dark, and I could see the mouldings that framed the windows and that decorated the edges of the ceiling. It was bright enough that I could see some of the paintings on the walls, which gave me a very homey, yet elegant feeling. It did not feel like I was eating in a restuarant. Our secluded "bay-window" seat gave me a sense of privacy, even though the surrounding tables were all filled with guests.
Our drinks finally arrived, and after we ordered dinner, we sat there nibbling on the bread. I was very happy to see a slice of dark rye bread (one of my favourites), but when I bit into it, I realized that it was chocolate bread (huh?). Knight, who is a chocoholic, loved it. Princess complained that the bread was too hard. I thought the crust was a bit tough, but whole grain breads of this kind are like that. They were very soft at the centre and I quite liked it.
For appetizers, I had the parsnip soup and Princess had the salad. The soup was quite flavourful, but nothing that made it memorable. I didn't get to taste the salad, but Princess, who loves vegetables, actually couldn't finish hers.
For the entree, I had the lamb shank in bow-tie pasta with mushrooms and cheese. Princess had the steak with mashed yams; D. and Knight had the seared salmon with bok-choy. Presentation-wise, the dishes were not memorable in any way. Taste-wise, Princess' steak was the best. She called it "perfect!" She also announced to us that she loved the texture and flavour of the yams. D. and Knight both felt their fish was negligible. Upon trying a bite, Princess actually complained that the salmon tasted fishy, like it was not very fresh. BOO!! My pasta with lamb shanks was too salty, and the cheese was laid on a bit too heavily. I was not able to taste any of the lamb flavours, and the mushrooms were very disappointing. The only part of the dish I did like was the wilted spinach, and I wish they had given me more of it.
Before dessert was served, Princess and I made a trip to the ladies' room. On the way there, we saw the staircase section of the restaurant, which was made of glass, and on one side was a waterfall over a brick-stone wall. It was quite stunning and it felt heavenly to walk down those steps. Imagine what it would feel like to walk UP those steps to the 2nd floor!
The dessert consisted of a lemon tart for me, and apple creme caramel for D. His was essentially an egg custard, which was so smooth and so soft; it was positively exquisite. The highlight of my lemon tart was the orange tomato (?) that garnished the dessert. The tart itself was nice, but the blueberry sauce was a bit too sour.
At this point, I must emphasize that this is the Winterlicious event menu, not their regular menu that contains all of their best items. Having said that, I would have expected the food to be more impressive. The point of having Winterlicious is for these restaurants to showcase their goods and attract more clients. If the decor and the ambience are the only truly exemplary assets of The Rosewater Supper Club, then I can't say that I have any reason to go back there in the future.
That concluded our dinner. As we approached the coat check area, we saw that the restuarant was really starting to fill up now. The were guests waiting in the lounge, and people were arriving at the front desk. While we waited to retreive our coats, the manager led some guests past us to their table. A couple of ladies had to walk past us to get to the stairs that led to the ladies' room. While we were putting on our coats, the new arrivals were being led past us again to their table. Behind them was a throng of several more guests, waiting by the entrance. This is an aspect of this restaurant that I do feel is a bit inadequate. Perhaps they are not accustomed to receiving this many number of guests in an evening, but the dining room size would contradict that hypothesis. Why is it that they would place the coat check right at the front entrance, and not off to the side? There was so much traffic going back and forth, it was quite an uncomfortable scene to endure.
All in all, the service was very good (excepting the arrival reception). The food was negligible and the highlight was definitely the decor.
If I were to return to this restaurant in the future, it will certainly not be for the food.
I give it 3/3 for ambience; 2/3 for service, and 1/3 for the food.
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