Fifty Shades of Disappointment (Guest Blog)

(Note: I invited two of my friends to guest blog on either of my blogs and they accepted. Here is a review by Diosa of Sense and Sensibility. I have known Diosa for several years now and she was my matron of honor at my wedding. She is a fellow book lover, fond of reading romance and suspense/mystery novels. For those who haven't read the book and plan to, spoiler alert ahead.)

 

     It is in the best seller list for weeks.  It was featured in Good Morning America.  The author was interviewed in The View.  What does this mean?  I don’t know.  But I thought I give it a try with all the hype and exposure it’s been getting from the press.  With all the reviews and interviews, I thought what’s all the fuss about this book? I will check it out and see if I will like it.

     This book is written by E.L. James.  It’s a story of two people, thrown together by fate and their journey to finding themselves as they fall in love.  Christian Gray is our hero, young mysterious and rich.  A combination I would have fallen for.  He met Anastasia Steele by fate, like it always goes, as a replacement for her friend to interview him for a paper assignment.  As their first meeting progressed and described, I could not help myself wondering why there was no sparks there.  Well, there wasn’t  for me.  I could not feel that “kilig” or shivers inside me.  Perhaps it was just the beginning of the story, and I should give it more chance. 

     As the story goes, it also shows how their connection was getting stronger and stronger… supposedly.  With Anastasia calling Christian while drunk and hung up on him at the end. And he tracked her cell phone and found her throwing up in the parking lot and so gallantly holds up her hair.  I think it was so pathetic of him to do.  Don’t get me wrong here but I love a man who shows their softer side to a woman when he is allegedly is a strong and mysterious guy.  I dig that.  But the manner that it was presented was too lame. Okay I did not get what the author is trying to present here.  Forgive me.

     Eventually, he showers her gifts like a laptop computer, which is not yet available in public but since he is a very powerful and rich man, he bought it for her so that he can communicate with her anywhere and anytime.  He buys her an Audi car, just because he thinks that her old junk of a car could be dangerous, and so he says.  Let me point out here that Anastasia being described as strong willed and independent woman who happens to be also naïve and “innocent”, have accepted all that gifts.  Talk about a conflicting woman. I know that we all love that pretense that we are lavished by expensive gifts and flowers from a suitor.  But I thought it was unfortunate that it was portrayed as it had. 

     And the least of my favorite part was how a modern woman naïve as she is was offered a sexual contract as degrading as this is.  Christian offers Anastasia a contract to be his sexual slave for a period of time, and that she will be his becking call girl.  Follow stupid rules such as, no showing of defiance (i.e., rolling of eyes) and is therefore punished.  He was a man with mysterious dark past.  He admittedly said that he is not capable of love.  Now, I know some of you might say that he could be changed, even fantasized that he would conquer the world for her.  But that is not how I see this whole thing.  Christian has a bad habit when it comes to sex.  He likes to torture women.  Make them do things that an ordinary person would not like to do.  So you see, if you are as naïve and innocent, oh ok virgin, as what Anastasia was described, I am betting that you would not do as you are told to do during sex like it is in the book.  I wouldn’t. I don’t know about other people who are crazy enough to be “adventurous” in their sex life.  But an innocent and a virgin… not happening.

     I have to admit, this book is really not an ordinary love story.  It was dubbed as mommy “porn”.  However, I think that most of us ordinary married or even single ones would be appalled with the things they described here.  I guess I am just one of those old fashioned people.  But what happen to the romance?  What happen to the wooing? What happen to the courtships?  It was all defined here in a much different way.  You see, this was a portrayal of an old and new romance.  Anastasia as being the old, naïve, virgin woman and Christian as being the new, experienced, sexually driven man, while their connection is a tumultuous, chaotic and wild relationship, it was a turbulent one.  And I think I prefer the old romance.  But how we love strong mysterious rich men, who kept their feelings secret and would be later revealed at the end of the book.  And by reading romance books helped us fantasized about them.  We read books to escape the reality of our own turbulent relationships.  Or to catch a glimpse of the world other than ours.  Because we are all looking for romance.

     For one thing, the romance aspect of a love story that this book is really about, is not clearly portrayed and way off my expectations. The impression it gave me is that, this is not a romance whether old or new, but it is a statement.  A statement that means these type of books, I guess is the answer to women's desire to step up and be in control and open about what they wanted to read.  I believe that this will allow us not to hide behind some cliche about romance and love story but be more daring without blushing as to what we are holding in our hands reading on the bus or train. I think this is our answer to literally on men's porno magazine without the... slutiness.

     I have to admit that I’ve read more… stimulating “porno” books than that of Fifty.  I’ve read books that lacks the more elaborate part and yet I felt… the intimacy.  Even a simple kiss can be interesting from a very good story teller.  Touching of hands and even the look could be more intimate than what I read from this book. Hay, its only frustrating to look for something that isn’t there.  So what else can I say… its really a Fifty Shades of disappointment! 

     And by the way, I did not read the last book because I got really bored with the 2^nd that I only got to the first 3 chapters of it.

     

     In this modern world we should expect to read more books about empowered, successful and dominant women not such trash as this Fifty Shades Series.  I know a more interesting book to read than that of Fifty, “porno” or not.

Yabu

     On a recent trip to the Philippines I had a chance to have dinner at a restaurant that was new to me. Located on the second floor atrium of SM Megamall in Ortigas, tucked in among a row of restaurants offering varied cuisines is Yabu The House of Katsu. It is a casual Japanese dining establishment that offers various katsu dishes instead of just the usual sushi and sashimi that has become synonymous with Japanese cuisine.

     From the glass front one immediately gets a view of the dining area which is split in the middle before coming together towards the back where the bar is located. The decor and furnishings are very simple, the only overtly Japanese related decorations being panels of manga along the dividing wall and bottles of Japanese liquor behind the bar.

manga panel on dividing wall

     The menu is pretty straight forward, consisting mostly of either pork, chicken or seafood (fish or shrimp) katsudon. Katsudon is a traditional Japanese meal consisting of breaded, fried pork cutlet, egg and condiments over a bowl of rice. There are variations in the preparation and toppings used. At Yabu, they offer a number of variations as mentioned earlier. You can order different courses separately or have a set meal. The menu also offers some sushi and sashimi choices, as well as beverages (both alcoholic and non alcoholic) and dessert.  Our group that time chose set meals, mostly the chicken variety. For my part, I chose the seafood and ebi special katsudon set. The seafood part in this case consisted of creamy dory. Of course, in keeping with the katsudon style of the meal, both the fish and shrimp were breaded and deep fried. The rest of the set consists of a cabbage salad, miso soup, pickled vegetables and assorted fruits. This restaurant offers unlimited rice and cabbage salad. Prior to the food's arrival, our waiters gave us these small bowls of toasted sesame seeds that we had to pound with cute little pestles then mix with a sweet sauce from a jar at our table. I don't know what exactly was in that sauce but it was a perfect accompaniment to the proteins in our entrees.

seafood and ebi katsudon set

      Once the food arrived, it was like getting these bento boxes because each of us got a little tray containing our set meals. I have to say, just the sight and smell alone made me hungry! For the cabbage salad, each table has a choice between a vinaigrette or creamy style of dressing. The creamy dressing said sesame on the bottle, and not having had that kind of dressing before I decided to go for it. And I loved it! Such a simple sounding and looking salad, it really was just shredded cabbage, but with the dressing it was actually delicious. It made me glad to see that unlike most restaurant offerings in the same category as free bread, Yabu is offering something that's healthy. Once I managed to stop eating the salad, I sipped the miso soup. It was tasty but nothing really out of the ordinary, tasting like the usual miso soups offered at other Japanese restaurants. Moving on to the entree, I made sure to mix the egg and other condiments into the rice before digging in.  I went for the fish first, dipping a piece into the sesame sauce we'd mixed earlier before taking a bite. And what a yummy first bite it was! The fish melts in your mouth, is not too greasy and is absolutely tasty. The rice was mixed with other seasonings as well so it was very tasty too without clashing or overpowering the other parts of the dish. There was also a little extra boost of seafood flavor from the addition of shredded bonito in the toppings. I think it was a good thing that we had to use chopsticks to eat. If I had a spoon that time I would've probably eaten faster and finished everything in my huge bowl. As it was, I did manage to eat more than half of the rice. It goes without saying that I finished everything else on my tray. Since we were all really full from our entrees, we sadly did not get to try any of their desserts. Maybe on our next visit.

seafood and ebi katsudon...yum!

      The next time you find yourself in Megamall and hunger strikes, try out Yabu. It's got delicious Japanese food at a reasonable price that will surely satisfy your tummy. Two thumbs up and thanks to my friend Leah who recommended this restaurant. I'll definitely return to try other items on the menu when I'm back in the Philippines.

© Margj Castillo, In Review, 2010 - Present.

Jersey Boys

     Four guys singing harmony under a streetlamp in Belleville, New Jersey started a musical sensation that spawned hits such as "Can't Take My Eyes Of You", "Earth Angel", "My Eyes Adored You" and "Oh What A Night". Their songs have remained hits that have been remade in the many years since they were released and are still enjoyed up to the present. They have made their way into movies and tv shows. The group also gained international success with their songs being translated into French, Spanish, German, even Chinese. This group is the Four Seasons and "Jersey Boys" tells their story.

      The original Four Seasons was composed of Tommy DeVito, Nick Macioci (later changed to Massi), Bob Gaudio and Frankie Castellucio (later changed to Valli). But prior to that, it was just the trio of Tommy, Nick and Frankie, young men with hopes of making it big at a time when the only way out of Jersey was to get drafted or join the mob. In their case, they got into the music industry. The trio found its fourth member when the then unknown Joe Pesci introduced Bob Gaudio to Tommy. Bob, a songwriting prodigy who had become a one hit wonder at the age of 17, saw another chance at musical greatness after hearing Frankie sing and thinking to himself that he needed to write for that incredible voice. He and his bandmates then went on to create hit songs that, ironically, seemed to chronicle the struggles and successes of the group. Years later, Tommy and Nick have passed away and Bob doesn't sing with the group anymore, but the partnership he and Frankie sealed with a handshake all those years ago remain strong. They have reinvented the group into Frankie Vallie and the Four Seasons, and the music goes on to delight audiences both old and young from all over the globe.

The original Four Seasons

 

     The show gave audiences a rocking good time, seeming more like a concert than a musical. I often found myself tapping my toes and humming along to the songs for much of the show. I'm sure some of the older crowd in the audience felt nostalgic as well. The whole experience was like being in a time machine, you really felt like you were there with the Four Seasons as they went through their struggles and triumphs. The writers brilliantly interspersed songs with snappy dialogue and narration that had the audience laughing, at times crying. They were able to tell the group's story without sparing even the not so pleasant details like the jail time spent by Tommy and Nick, Tommy's gambling problem, Frankie's divorce, as well as the fighting within the group that eventually tore them apart. Success sure was bittersweet for the boys from Jersey. I'd say it was definitely a plus for them to have Bob Gaudio writing the music. As an original member of the Four Seasons, he could definitely give authenticity to the story as well as the music. Kudos also goes to the cast members, especially the talented actors who played the Four Seasons. They had the sound and moves of the original group down pat that it was like watching the real Tommy DeVito, Nick Massi, Bob Gaudio and Frankie Valli.

      As I sang and hummed their songs on the way home, I can definitely say that "Jersey Boys" hit all the right notes on Broadway.

© Margj Castillo, In Review, 2010 - Present.

Morton's The Steakhouse

     On our last wedding anniversary hubby and I made reservations at Morton's The Steakhouse for our post theater dinner. This restaurant is well known for their steaks and has numerous locations all over the US, as well as Canada and in parts of Asia. In New York, they have three locations - White Plains, Great Neck and Manhattan. The one we went to of course, was the one in Manhattan. Located off Fifth Avenue on East 45th Street, it's convenient to the Theater District.

     The restaurant's trademark red awning over a pair of heavy dark wooden doors leads to a small vestibule and another pair of doors leading to the restaurant itself. The very first thing that hit me was how dimly lit the interior is. The place was quite busy when we got there but the ambience was pleasant and not loud. The host podium is flanked by the bar on the left and what appeared to be a merchandise counter on the right. We got there about half an hour before our 6:30 reservation but were immediately seated when we declined the option of sitting at the bar. I caught a glimpse of the main dining area as we were lead to our table, and saw that it was divided into two sections.  The larger half had booths on the sides with individual tables in the middle. The smaller half where we were seated had individual tables along one side and a row of smaller tables running along the opposite side. These tables tend to be a little tight, with a tendency for guests to accidentally intrude on their neighbor's space as well as offering little privacy for your dinner conversation. The walls were decorated with black and white pictures of people and places in the past, like the one right next to us of former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and former NYC mayor Fiorello La Guardia.

     Their menu offers quite a selection of meat, seafood and combination entrees, along with appetizers, drinks and desserts. Not feeling like having appetizers, we just shared a bowl of their Baked Five Onion Soup which is by far the best onion soup I've had. I loved the savory blend of herbs in the broth, unlike the usual onion and saltiness of other onion soups I've had. They also give out what seemed to me like an onion focaccia bread which might've tasted better if it was still warm. For our entrees I ordered the Braised Beef Short Rib & Jumbo Sea Scallop "Surf and Turf" while hubby decided to try the Center-Cut Prime Ribeye, done medium well. For sides we ordered Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes and Sauteed Spinach & Button Mushrooms. After asking for a recommendation from our waiter I also ordered a glass of pinot grigio to go with my entree.  The short rib came with its bone already taken off the meat and set to the side, resting on a bed of mashed potatoes. Next to it were the scallops which were done perfectly. I was very happy with my choice as both items were really delicious. The same goes for the rib eye that hubby had, done to order, juicy and flavorful. I loved the sauteed spinach and button mushrooms, which were cooked just right and made a perfect counterpoint to my savory entree. I now regret not having had my unfinished portion put in a doggie bag. Oh well. Our entree portions were just right, but to my dismay somehow we just didn't have any room left for dessert. I guess we'll just have to go back another day to try the souffle I was eying.

    Despite the rather dark interior and tight squeeze at our table I enjoyed our dinner at Morton's. This was, in addition to the good food, in large part to the staff whose service get a two thumbs up. Our waiter in particular was friendly and attentive without being intrusive, making sure that everything was going well at our table and seeing to our needs promptly. Our food and drinks arrived in a short amount of time, served in a pleasantly courteous manner. Being on the pricier side, we may not be able to dine at Morton's as often as we'd like, but our first time there was definitely the perfect end to our anniversary.

© Margj Castillo, In Review, 2010 - Present.

Shake Shack

     One sunny, yet rather chilly and windy day in late April my husband and I went to the city to watch a musical. Since we were going to catch a matinee on a weekend, we got there a few hours before the show and decided to have lunch somewhere in the city. He had been talking about taking to me a place that he thought has really good shakes. Little did I know that he was talking about the Shake Shack.

     The Shake Shack is a relatively recent addition to the NYC food scene, having opened its doors in 2004 in Madison Square Park. In addition to its original location which is still drawing crowds, there are six more locations throughout New York City. They have also expanded to other locations along the East Coast as well as the Middle East. Although the shakes here are good, the Shake Shack is actually famous for its burgers. Aside from the usual hamburger and cheeseburger, they offer three specialty burgers as well as several hotdog options with names like Mutt and Shack-cago Dog. Plus, I've heard that every Fourth of July they offer an outstanding corndog, or so Claire Robinson of the Food Network says. Sides are limited to either plain fries or cheese fries. I wonder why no onion rings? Their cold menu include the usual ice cream cups and cones, shakes, and the more unusual frozen custards and concretes, which are dense frozen custards blended at high speed with add ons. For drinks they offer sodas, juices, iced teas, beer and wine. And I was amused to see that they even have items on the menu that are especially for dogs. That's right, not only dog owners get to order and eat at the Shack, but their four legged companions as well. Well maybe not to eat in, but they can order a doggie bag for sure. Doggie bag, get it?

     The shack we ate at was the one on 8th Avenue and 44th Street in the Theater District.  It's a rather small space considering the volume of people who enter and want to eat on the premises. Just like in the Madison Square Park location, the lines at this one went all the way out the door and possibly around the corner on really busy hours. All glass walls facing the streets let people see right into the restaurant and diners to see out. It's a very simple, no frills affair inside, with an order counter along one wall that is in front of the kitchen. Immediately facing the doors is a wall with a huge menu that also displays some Shack merchandise as well as the condiments counter below. The rest of the space is devoted to booths, tables and chairs. I was happy to find out that they have a bathroom as well, unisex and quite clean. Since we got there during the lunch hour it was really full capacity, I'd say even beyond full capacity as some people stood to the sides holding trays of food while others guarded tables to quickly grab a spot as soon as it was vacated. So this is definitely not a place to go to if you're the type who hates crowds or jockeying for a seat, or the type who likes eating at a leisurely pace in peace and quiet. But it sure made for some interesting observations in social dynamics. The majority of customers at that time were tourists, with a group of guys (seemingly European) who were making a bit of a spectacle of themselves. I could only laugh to myself and shake my head.

chocolate milkshake, shake stack and fries

     To make ordering a little faster, menus are handed out to those in line in addition to the huge menu on the wall and small ones in front of the order counters. I decided on the Shake Stack, a combination of the 'Shroom and cheese burgers since I do like mushrooms and this one sounded yummy. Jojo had the Double Cheeseburger. We also ordered cheese fries and a chocolate shake to share. After placing our orders we were handed what looked like a cellphone to let us know when our food was ready. That's when we faced the seemingly impossible task of finding a place to sit down and eat. This was one instance where it certainly pays to be aggressive. Not having done this in a while, I was a little slow in snagging us a spot while hubby waited for our food. Thankfully after less than five minutes (though it felt longer than that) we were able to grab some counter space right against one of the glass walls. The patty in my burger was well done instead of the medium well as I'd ordered, but it was juicy, indeed yummy and just the right size. Same goes for the accompanying portobella mushroom stuffed with melted Muenster and Cheddar cheeses. That was the cheesiest burger I'd ever eaten and is now definitely on my favorite burgers list. The fries were good, done just right with real cheese on it and not the cheese spread that's more common at most fast food joints. The shake was thick and creamy, and gave both of us brain freeze after a few sips (hehehe). Jojo liked his double cheeseburger too, which he seemed to inhale as I savored mine. Guess he was starving by then.

     Though I would have liked more room to sit and be able to eat at a more relaxed pace, I still give the Shake Shack thumbs up for their food. I definitely want to go back for more. Next time though, I think I'll have everything to go.

© Margj Castillo, In Review, 2010 - Present.

Bobby's Burger Palace

    On a recent stroll through the mall I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Bobby Flay's culinary empire had reached Long Island in the form of his burger joint named what else, but Bobby's Burger Palace (BBP for short).  Located in the space formerly occupied by another eatery, it's tucked away in a side corner on the first level of Roosevelt Field Mall.

     Upon entering, patrons are herded right away by "ropes" to a path of sorts towards the cashier that passes directly in front a giant replica of their menu. To the right of the row of registers is a small display of some of Bobby's cookbooks as well as sauces and ketchups on sale, just in case anyone wants to take home a bottle or two. The main dining area's lay out and decor give the place the vibe of an after office hours bar for young professionals rather than a fast food burger joint. It's well lighted, airy, with a relaxed atmosphere that's not hectic or crowded, although the latter could be due to it being slow at the time. The kitchen is partly visible from the tables where one can see and smell the orders being cooked.  I liked their version of counter seating that was done with a long, curvy kind of counter top unlike the usual boring straight counters lined with stools.

     The menu is a pretty straightforward selection of several kinds of burgers, some other sandwiches, salads, the usual sides, and beverages. Their beverage selection has an alcohol menu that includes wine and beer, as well as spiked milkshakes. I was quite tempted to try one of those but held back since I was the designated driver that day. Their food items are definitely on the pricier side compared to fast food burger places, which I guess they are aiming to be a more upscale version of.

     We had a bit of a wait at the cashier before someone came to take our orders, as no one was manning the register. Good thing one of the staff saw us and asked us if we were being helped. Not a deal breaker but definitely not good customer service in my book. The rest of our experience with the service was much better though.  The servers we had  were fast, friendly, didn't hover and quick to please. Once we had placed our orders we were given a number which we took to our table.  Our food and drinks came in just a few minutes, which I liked. I did notice though that neither the burgers nor the fries were piping hot when we got them. For this first visit I had the Dallas burger, described on the menu as a spice crusted burger with coleslaw, monterey jack cheese, bbq sauce and pickles. My husband had the Palace Classic Burger which is their take on the classic cheeseburger. It has american cheese (he loves american cheese), lettuce, tomato and red onion. We shared an order of their french fries that came with the BBP Fry Sauce and each had a dark chocolate milk shake, his with whipped cream on top. I liked their portions, not too large and not too small but just right. The burger was done properly and wasn't dry, the bun soft and just the right complement to the fillings. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to taste all the flavors properly since I had a cold.  But my husband and I both agreed that they were burgers done right. The shakes were nice and thick, not too sweet.  However, I was a bit (un)pleasantly surprised by the fries, which I felt were rather over done and tasted like ordinary home made fries. I was expecting something of higher quality considering they're supposed to be a step above fast food fries. The sauce was good though. Too bad we didn't notice the beer battered onion rings right away or we would've had those instead.

     Overall I was satisfied with my first experience at a Bobby Flay eatery and would definitely go back and try the other things on their menu. For a decent burger in a bit more upscale atmosphere, Bobby's Burger Place gets my vote.

© Margj Castillo, In Review, 2010 - Present.

One Summer

     I've recently rediscovered our local library, thanks to all the papers I had to write for my English class last semester. I was particularly delighted to find out that part of the fiction section features newly released books. Most of the popular titles are included, and I was ecstatic to find a couple of my favorite authors among them. Thus I was able to read "One Summer", a heartwarming must read from David Baldacci.

     David Baldacci first came to my attention as a spy thriller author, dealing with black ops and intrigues mostly in the world of espionage and counter intelligence. Think James Bond, Jason Bourne and the like. Being a great fan already of his books in this genre, I was surprised to see this book that was definitely different. Out of curiosity, I decided to give it a try.

     The novel revolves around the Armstrong family as they try to pick up the pieces after the devastating loss of Lizzie Armstrong, mother of three and wife to Jack Armstrong. Jack, who is diagnosed with a terminal illness, is thought to be the one to die first. But in a twist of fate, Lizzie dies in a car accident. The children are split up to live with various relatives, while Jack is put in hospice care to wait for his final hours. Miraculously though, he recovers with no trace of the illness that supposedly leaves no survivors until now. This starts the family's journey of finding peace and togetherness again after getting past all the anger and grieving they go through at first.

     I managed to finish the book in one afternoon, and I have to admit I had a box of tissues next to me the whole time. I confess to being one of those people who cry at sad and sappy tv shows, movies and books. This book definitely belongs in this category, along the lines of book adaptations I would expect to see on the Hallmark Movie channel. It was a good novel to read on a lazy afternoon, a nice break from my usual murder mysteries and spy thrillers. In comparison to Baldacci's other books though, I have to say that I prefer his thrillers to this one. It was a good effort, the writing was solid and hooked you right in. I just found it a little hard to believe some parts of the story, some of the actions of some of the characters. They help heighten the drama that takes place for sure, but a closer look makes the reader feel puzzled at how it makes sense. An example is Jack's mother in law Bonnie, who I guess is the main villain.  Her actions for most of the story show her to be angry and spiteful towards Jack. Then at the end she says that she really does love her son in law and harbors no ill feelings. I'm like, what? I guess grief can really make people act in an illogical manner. Another thing I noticed was Baldacci's use of a particular story devise that reminded me of another novel which, coincidentally, also had a character's death as the jumping off point of the plot. The "dying man's letters to his beloved wife" concept is given a different spin in "One Summer", but I didn't really think they added much storywise.  Their value perhaps lie more in their dramatic effect.

     Overall I do recommend including "One Summer" in your reading list. A nice family drama to while away a hot summer day. Don't forget the tissues.

© Margj Castillo, In Review, 2010 - Present.