Top Chefs

I won't even try to guess how often during my teenage years my Mom suggested teaching me to cook, but sadly I just didn't make time for it. This fact, coupled with the all-too-convenient Dining Commons on my undergrad campus, (affectionately known as the "DC" or "deece"), resulted in a 22 year-old college graduate with barely enough kitchen know-how to effectively boil water.

My roommates and I made dinner for each other occasionally the first couple of years I was in Chicago, but only recently have I really branched out and tried my hand at some pretty serious recipes. Thanks to N. & Co.'s spacious kitchen (and hospitality), N. and I have produced several successful dishes, including but not limited to: "Healthy Green Soup" (I Like Food, Food Tastes Good), "Emeril's Cajun Jambalaya" (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/cajun-jambalaya-recipe2/index.html), and "Sweet Potato Black Bean Burritos" (http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/addictive-sweet-potato-burritos/Detail.aspx).

Our most recent endeavor was Curried Lamb Shanks, and it was AWESOME (if I do say so myself). Admittedly, we used prepackaged mixes, but, baby steps, right? We started by putting Thai Jasmine rice and butter into the rice cooker:



Mixed a few spoonfuls of TJ's Greek Yogurt with Patak's Biryani Curry Paste, and just kept adding and mixing until we liked the color and flavor:






Using a BBQ brush, we spread a thick layer of our curry yogurt over the meat, a pound of unseasoned lamb shanks from Trader Joe's, (after spraying the pyrex dish with cooking spray):



At this point the oven had been pre-heating at 425 for about 15 minutes, and we put the meat in and set a timer for 13 minutes. Then we moved on to the vegetables:



N. pointed out that the cucumber likely wouldn't cook well, so we snacked on it while quickly sauteing the broccoli before adding the Tasty Bite Good Korma Simmer Sauce:



For once the timing worked out perfectly, and the broccoli had time to finish simmering while the rice fluffed and the meat rested, after a few additional minutes in the oven (I like my meat a little more well done). Here's the finished product:



Unfortunately the simmer sauce was a little bit past its prime, so the broccoli did not have a strong flavor, but the lamb was very tender, juicy, and flavorful. Success!

Please feel free to comment with a great recipe you've tried lately, or maybe just some suggestions for the next time I'm craving Indian.

I'm with the band

"It's okay, I'm with the band." Haven't you always wanted to say that?? Sure I've watched my brother's friend play in a church multi-purpose room, but that's not quite the same...anyway, a couple of weeks ago my friend Christi got to do just that. She asked if I'd like to join her to see her co-worker's band at The Empty Bottle, and I jumped on that since I've only been to EB once and wanted to go back, and because their $5 cover can't be beat (and the Bite Cafe next door is a great, and vegetarian-friendly, place).

We came in just after the first opener, The Gentleman's Guild, ended, so I can't say anything about their performance except that Christi's friend said they were good when he came over to hi. So take that for what you will. Since there was no music playing at the time, I took stock of the room, and noticed that most of the kids seemed to be friends, with each other and with the bands, (they too, like Christi, were "with the band") which made for a nice, "one big happy family" sort of atmosphere.

Next to take the stage was The Names That Spell, self described as, "poly-rhythmic, afro-punk, psych-rock, space-hop, free-jazz, emo-sludge, country-blues." Their lengthy list of styles has a list of instruments to match-- their performance included a ukulele, a sitar, and an mbira (I don't know either) along with the standard drums, guitars, voices, etc.. Their songs bordered on chaotic and at times their lyrics were impossible to decipher, but I thoroughly enjoyed their performance and there's no doubt that they are extremely talented.

Finally the band we came to see, Athens, appeared and though we'd waited for hours by the time they came on, they did not disappoint. The members were very comfortable on-stage and laughed and joked with each other and the audience, which I always appreciate--I like to think the bands I see are having as much fun as I am. Unexpectedly, two girls who weren't in the band, came on-stage to introduce them, and then announced themselves as the "Athens dancers." I didn't have long to wonder what that meant before they scurried into the audience and began performing a series of choreographed moves to go along with the songs. After the initial surprise wore off, these dance-ambassadors helped create a very fun dynamic between the audience and the band, and several people joined in the dancing, either copying the girls or inventing their own moves. The music was of a genre I don't know what to call, but in which the lead singer sounds more like he's talking than singing (i.e. Cake, Everyone Was In the French Revolution...Now!). It's not always my favorite style, but for Athens it worked. They were a really fun band to watch, and their songs managed to be simultaneously catchy and original.

Someday I hope to cheer for my friend as they seek their fame, but if I can keep seeing bands like Athens, I won't mind at all being the friend of the friend of the guy in the band.

Mumble-what?

So N. (bf) and I are leaving the movie theatre on Monday and while discussing the film ("Greenberg," starring Ben Stiller), he mentioned the term "mumblecore." Not understanding, I went to the source of all knowledge, Wikipedia. There I learned the following:

Mumblecore is an American independent film movement that arose in the early 2000s. It is primarily characterized by ultra-low budget production (often employing digital video cameras), focus on personal relationships between twenty-somethings, improvised scripts, and non-professional actors. Filmmakers in this genre include Lynn Shelton, Andrew Bujalski, Mark Duplass, Jay Duplass, Aaron Katz, Joe Swanberg, and Barry Jenkins. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mumblecore)

I had forgotten this connection--Mark Duplass is an actor/director, along with his brother Jay, who works with N's cousin, Jay Deuby, a film editor. A few months ago we were lucky enough to see their most recent film "Cyrus" (John C. Riley, Marisa Tomei, Jonah Hill), and Mark also had a supporting role in Greenberg.

As I watched Greenberg, I was struck by the similarities in the two films, and yet came away sure that I had enjoyed Cyrus significantly more. Of course I am aware I could be biased because N's cousin was involved, plus we went to the Ann Arbor Sundance premiere, which was really fun, so the whole experience could have influenced how I felt...but I don't think that's the whole story. Here are some thoughts:

1. How I felt going in
Greenberg: I was impressed by the trailer, I had seen and liked Greta Gerwig in Baghead, and have always liked Ben Stiller.

Cyrus: Historically unimpressed and annoyed with both John C. Riley and Jonah Hill, like Marisa Tomei but not expecting much, Catherine Keener....ok I'll see anything with Catherine Keener.

2. How I felt during the film
Greenberg: I kept wanting to like Roger (Stiller), and just couldn't. He was trying to be the flawed broken human who earns our sympathy and who we end up rooting for in the end. Instead I fluctuated between pity and irritation. I liked Florence (Gerwig) and kind of wished the movie was about her instead.

Cyrus: John (Riley) was immediately characterized as vulnerable and likeable. It took me longer to warm up to Cyrus (Hill), but I think as an audience we were supposed to be weirded out by this kid, as much as John is. I was disappointed that Molly (Tomei) was such weak character, shown as gullible, emotional, and almost stupid at times--but she was definitely contrasted against the stronger Jamie (Keener) in a way that served the narrative.

3. The take-away (Spoiler Alert)
Greenberg: I think the message of this movie was summed up in Florence's last line, "This is you." Roger has to accept himself and his life and move forward, instead of hanging onto the past. Unfortunately, the audience was force-fed this message, and the more the director tried to make me feel for Roger, the more I just didn't care.

Cyrus: The trailer made this seem like most of Riley/Hill's other work i.e. ready-made comedy that's easy to enjoy and has very little underneath. But this movie has so much more depth and heart than that, and I came away from it with a real desire for the happy ending that the directors allude to.

To sum up, I didn't hate Greenberg, it just didn't meet my expectations. It was either too crass to be sweet, or too sappy to be sad, (I haven't decided) but either way something didn't quite click for me. While I think it's worth seeing and I definitely laughed out loud, it just wasn't great. On the other hand, I truly loved the story of Cyrus, and I thought it was told simply and wonderfully. There were a few quiet moments that verged on boring, and a scene or two that felt too long, but the rest more than made up for these lapses.

My Favorite

In an attempt to get myself out of my 9-5 rut, I joined a website called ecopywriters.com. I haven't decided yet if it's legit, but their application asked for 250 words on your favorite activity. Since this blog will probably feature primarily reviews of shows I've seen (note: this is your fair warning), I thought it might be a good place to start:

It always seems to be a Thursday. Sometimes it's a Friday or Monday, or the rare Sunday here and there. But if it's Thursday, you're more than bound to find me there. Half-dried beer sticking to the soles of my shoes, squinting against the bright stage lights, purse thumping gently on my hip as I sway back and forth to the beat. Another day, another show, another hour of my favorite thing. A concert.

Where doesn't matter, though I have my favorites--The Vic, Schubas, Subterranean. I prefer the intimacy and the local feeling of the smaller venues, but I won't snub my nose at a bigger place if it means I get that to have that moment. I crave the lightness, the ineffable sense of pureness, when the band and you are one. Just for a moment.

It's not real, I know. Those players can't see the happy glow of my face as I jump, clap, smile, and sing along. I like to think they know, though, that it's happening, that I'm out there, that the words resonate in my soul while the notes reverberate in my pulse, that part of the reason they do it at all is for that connection, with me, with everyone.

Moments like that don't always happen. My own tiredness, loud patrons, or a disappointing performance can get in the way. It's okay though, because it can be about other things, I can feel glad I supported a band trying to make it, or glad I spent time with a friend, or simply glad I went out after work instead of lounging around my apartment eating cookies.

But I'll continue to hope, and to expect, Thursday and every day, for the next time it will come, when I'll skip home humming the last refrain, sure that the world exists for music and nothing else at all.

Introduction

Hello internet!

This is my first post on my first blog, unless you count Xanga, which I suppose I should. In any case, I chose the title "Middling," because this blog is going to center around my experiences here, in the MidWest, and also chronicles my life in general, as one who feels like a middle child of Life-- sort of treading water (admittedly I probably thought of this because middling sounds like paddling, but still), waiting for the day when I discover my calling. Until that day, I'll be here.

Mel