Small Talk: The Quiver

[BkWurm1]

6 minutes ago, Mellowyellow said:

In my defence I swear I knew it was a "J" in my head!!!! I just typed it out the way I pronounced it!

I hear you!  :D  I just couldn't resist.  

There has to be someone on the board that knows California.  Only thing I can offer is head canon that Central City is probably right there nearby.  

Edited April 3, 2017 by BkWurm1

[scarynikki12]

I was in San Jose two weeks ago but I spent my time traveling to Santa Cruz, San Francisco and Berkeley.  I ate in San Jose itself one time and it was really good.  I don't remember the name but there's a Thai place near campus that had great pad thai.  Just check Yelp or ask some locals and you'll be fine.

[Mellowyellow]

Thanks!

I've told hubby he must go and try pho from somewhere! Anywhere I don't care because I want to know what pho in the US is like. He's like "Why am I trying to eat pho at a restaurant in America when we only have it homemade in Aus?"

[thegirlsleuth]

1 hour ago, Mellowyellow said:

Thanks!

I've told hubby he must go and try pho from somewhere! Anywhere I don't care because I want to know what pho in the US is like. He's like "Why am I trying to eat pho at a restaurant in America when we only have it homemade in Aus?"

I live near San Jose!  Are you looking for upscale or more casual?

[lemotomato]

1 hour ago, Mellowyellow said:

I've told hubby he must go and try pho from somewhere! Anywhere I don't care because I want to know what pho in the US is like. He's like "Why am I trying to eat pho at a restaurant in America when we only have it homemade in Aus?"

San Jose does have a lot of pho/Vietnamese food. Is your husband staying in the SJ Convention center? Pho Cong Ly is about a mile away that has good pho (cash only). Also, if he's into fancy coffee beans or pour-over coffee there's Philz nearby (They also have good pastries). Taurinus Brazilian Steak House if he likes lots of meat, La Victoria for Mexican food (which he should try in general because Californian Mexican food is IMO unique), and San Pedro Square Market is a high end food court that's a nice place to try a little bit of everything.

Edited April 4, 2017 by lemotomato

[thegirlsleuth]

Here's a quick and dirty list, @Mellowyellow, but let me know if you are looking for something different.

I'm sure the people in SoCal would laugh, but we have really good Mexican Food.  La Victoria deserves its reputation, and Adelita's, which is a little off the beaten track, is also excellent.  My favorite is Dia de Pesca, which is a taco truck that has gone fancy.  All the seafood is really fresh, and I love their fish tacos and ceviche.  They have a neat little mosaic tiled outdoor eating area, too. This is always where I take out-of-towners to make them jealous.

Falafel drive in is exactly what it sounds like.  In addition to the excellent falafel, they make good shakes.

San Pedro Square is right near the convention center, and has a whole range of artisanal shops.  He could have his pick of places, no matter what his taste.

Santa Clara, right next to San Jose, has the largest Vietnamese population in the world outside of Vietnam.  He could pick any place on El Camino Real and do well.  I like Four Seasons Pho.

For more upscale, I like The Table, which has nice small plates, and is really creative.  

For super upscale, I've been to Manresa twice, and it was amazing. It has a prix fixe menu, but always dazzles.

Downtown Campbell has a bunch a restaurants, and is a nice place to walk around.  Best Farmer's Market in the area on Sunday.

[Mellowyellow]

Thanks so much @lemotomato and @thegirlsleuth for all the recommendations! 

He is staying near the SJ Convention centre. Thanks for the coffee recommendation! He loves his coffee and was moaning that there will be no good coffee.

haha he's really excited about the taco truck! We only have one good Mexican restaurant in Sydney that we know of! And we're not even sure if it's proper Mexican! We make fish tacos at home using Alton Brown's recipe! He's excited to try some proper food! 

[bijoux]

I've noticed positive chatter about 13 Reasons Why on Twitter, so I watched the trailer. When does the story take place? I'm asking because of the casettes. That seems out of time in 2017, especially with teenagers.

[manbearpig]

3 hours ago, bijoux said:

I've noticed positive chatter about 13 Reasons Why on Twitter, so I watched the trailer. When does the story take place? I'm asking because of the casettes. That seems out of time in 2017, especially with teenagers.

The book came out about a decade ago, but the show is set in 2017. 

[looptab]

New Girl's finale was great. It left me both wanting more and satisfied should this be THE ending. 

[BkWurm1]

3 hours ago, looptab said:

New Girl's finale was great. It left me both wanting more and satisfied should this be THE ending. 

Read an article in Vulture that suggested that maybe it wouldn't be the series finale since despite it's lowered ratings, it's still a more solid performer than several of their other comedies but yeah, after the episode, I went looking to see if this was it or not, lol.  I think by mid May we'll know who Fox is renewing.  

Edited April 5, 2017 by BkWurm1

[looptab]

20 minutes ago, BkWurm1 said:

Read an article in Vulture that suggested that maybe it wouldn't be the series finale since despite it's lowered ratings, it's still a more solid performer than several of their other comedies but yeah, after the episode, I went looking to see if this was it or not, lol.  I think by mid May we'll know who Fox is renewing.  

I hope so. I'm so fond of these characters it's ridiculous. :) Not ready to part ways just yet, haha.

[Jediknight]

21 hours ago, BkWurm1 said:

I think by mid May we'll know who Fox is renewing.  

Pitch better be one of those renewals.

[kismet]

It's Xfinity watchathon week... so I finally got to catch up on the first part of Nashville. And I'm LOVING it!!! It's amazing what a difference showrunners can make. I mean granted some characters still annoy me, but at least all of it is believable and realistic for a TV drama. It was so enjoyable to watch the characters I did love actually get to interact and have quality storylines again. I was brought to tears and true emotions for most of the episodes. It was like coming home.

IN addition, it gave me everything s4 Arrow had promised and failed on. I got a dramatic but honest portrayal of healing from a spinal cord injury that lasted through 9 episodes and was acknowledged by multiple areas of the show. A major character death, that was telegraphed/spoiled from the beginning and was actually heartbreaking - best of all I truly believed that the character was and will be actually missed & beloved. So when they tell me the heart of the show died, I don't need paragraphs of crappy written script to believe it; I feel the pain myself because I've had a relationship with the character and it wasn't a forced one that was desperately manipulated for plot purposes. And legit couples with complicated reunions & breaks. Heck the last episode even gave me baby drama, that I predicted from s4 finale - but even that seems like it will be handled well.

Nashville by all means is not a perfect show, it certainly can hit some big soap operatic high/low notes - but when run & written by a group who actually care about the characters it makes such a difference. The characters finally got to shine again and that was a welcome change. TV sometimes focuses so much on plot twists, game changers and gimmicks these days that it is nice to see character driven shows making a resurgence again. Also it looks like I might need to get Hulu, because waiting for the show to hit DVDs is just not an option after these 11 episodes.

[Mellowyellow]

Anyone seen the new Anne of a Green Gables trailer?

I just saw it and I'm not sure how I feel about it. It's my beloved childhood book but this series seems really odd from the trailer. Like a bit soap opera-ish.

[BkWurm1]

Just watched the Netflix trailer.  

I get what you are saying. Something is off. It's like they are trying to make it darker, harder.  Like where the other kids at the school call her trash because she's an orphan, but Anne was always popular in school, even from the first day.  If they wanted to do a more brooding series, they should have done the Emily of New Moon books.  Anne was dramatic and frequently caught up by her fantasies, but brooding wasn't part of her personality.

Might still be a good series, but unless the trailer is misleading, I'm not seeing the spirit of the books translated.

[lemotomato]

I saw the trailer and I hated it. It looks like they're trying to make it a serious adult drama. The original production was lighthearted and charming just like the books, which is why everyone loves it. It would've already been hard for me to give the new one a fair chance because I adored the original cast and series, but the edginess of the trailer makes me not want to see it at all.

Speaking of, it seems like this whole week I've been seeing trailers/news of remakes I do not want. Mary Poppins? Nah. Dirty Dancing? Nope! The Mummy? Nooooooo! Leave my favorites alone, damnit!

Edited April 7, 2017 by lemotomato

[Mellowyellow]

You've nailed it @BkWurm1. Josie Pye is the only person I can think of who hated her.  Anne was renowned for being loved by everyone everywhere she went. I read the Chronicles of Avonlea and Further Chronicles of Avonlea a few weeks ago and there was always a throwaway line about how charming she was. 

I'm going to give it a go but I'm not hopeful which is a shame because they could have done all the books with the kids later on!

Megan Follows will always be Anne in my mind. 

[SleepDeprived]

I just wanna give a shoutout to @Mellowyellow and @MaisyDaisy for all the information and reassurances they gave when my sisters and family got stranded because of Cyclone Debbie, which really did a number on Australia. You guys were super helpful and I really appreciate your help. My family has gotten back home now and they said that the people at Airlie Beach were really great and extremely helpful despite the problems everyone was dealing with due to the storm.

I hope everyone that got hit at Queensland bounces back from this and they can start rebuilding all that was destroyed by the cyclone.

[Mellowyellow]

Oh I'm so glad they got back home safe and sound. 

I still feel really bad that their holiday was ruined! They travelled so far for it too!

It's been reported that they are expecting to rebuild by August. We're due there at the end of the year. Apparently tourists are being let back in tomorrow! 

[MaisyDaisy]

No worries @SleepDeprived, I was glad to help.

It's weird because the cyclone hit hard above us (here on the Sunshine Coast), we got a doozy of a storm that was a bit scary, lots of trees down, a tiny amount of localised flooding, but below us got severally flooded. 

Its gorgeous here at the moment, it's hard to picture the devastation above and below us, because aside from a few trees that still need to be cleaned up, and some bare supermarket shelves, everything is normal here. 

[Mellowyellow]

I was on the Hamilton Island Facebook page and it was funny (and lovely) to see how chilled some people are.

Plenty of people are happy to fly in to use up their booking and quite a few said that as long as there were beers they'd be fine. 

I'm feeling irrationally upset and worried about the marine life at Daydream Island. We went on a fish feeding tour there last year. It is apparently in  shambles now and they have laid off a lot of staff. I can't stop thinking about what will happen to all the fish in the artificial reef. They have a gorgeous stingray named Pancake who was such a friendly attention hog. 

[BkWurm1]

Riverdale has some of the prettiest sequences.  The shots of everyone in red and the falling snow in the woods was just gorgeous.  

[jay741982]

On 4/1/2017 at 0:45 AM, feverfew said:

Okay, I could be talking about how Riverdale is subverting genres and it's imaginative cinematography, but in reality, I'm fangirling all over the place for one simple reason:

I'm fanboying over this pairing. Notice the Berlanti trademark Light shining over them. They're the only couple so far that I buy. Love the show 

[BkWurm1]

Jug and Betty are such a sweet couple.  And Archie keeps being an idiot.  Already I'm having trouble imagining either Betty or Veronica every having romantic feelings for him again, lol.  

[jay741982]

10 hours ago, BkWurm1 said:

Jug and Betty are such a sweet couple.  And Archie keeps being an idiot.  Already I'm having trouble imagining either Betty or Veronica every having romantic feelings for him again, lol.  

I know! Betty and Veronica are just so awesome and beautiful and should NEVER be fighting over Archie or anyone.  Betty and Jughead are OTP for me and Ronnie deserves an awesome man OR Woman for her(I think she'd be hot with Cheryl).

[LeighAn]

Half way through 13 reasons why and it reminds me of like a bipolar emo version of Veronica Mars. I mean the storyline is engaging and the acting solid but I feel like I've already déjà this vu before. 

But that being said man I wish Clay grew some balls and he and Hannah had a happy ending cause she deserved better then everyone.

[statsgirl]

We've talked before about how few minority roles there are on mainstream TV shows.  Turns out that even when a role is written for a minority character, it doesn't necessarily happen

Quote

CBS has cast two white actors — Poppy Montgomery and David Giuntoli — as the leads of its sci-fi pilot “Mission Control” even though both roles were originally written for people of color in Andy Weir’s spec pilot script, TheWrap has learned.

Montgomery (“Without a Trace,” “Unforgettable”) is taking the role of Julie Towne, who is described in an earlier draft of the script obtained by TheWrap as the daughter of a Caucasian father and Latina mother who is fully bilingual in both English and Spanish. The character also spoke frequently in Spanish in the script.

Giuntoli, a veteran of NBC’s supernatural drama “Grimm,” has been cast as Malik Stevenson, a NASA commander who is explicitly described as African American in Weir’s script.

According to an individual familiar with the project, producers initially did reach out to and offer the roles to non-white actors, but they passed. The production ultimately moved on as the script evolved, leading to the casting of Montgomery and Giuntoli. Montgomery’s character will no longer speak Spanish in the final version of the pilot.

[BkWurm1]

I like both actors well enough so I won't hold it against them, but CBS is so lazy.  It's no surprise they default back to what they always do.  

[statsgirl]

If you liked Agent Carter for the time period, you may like the movie Their Finest.  It's a movie about writing movies, specifically the Keep the Home-fires Burning movies that the British made during WWII, and the young woman who becomes a writer on the films made by the British government.  Jeremy Irons and Richard E. Grant have smallish roles and Bill Nighy is a hoot as a washed-up romantic hero who still insists on being the star.  I saw it at a film festival but it's in general distribution now and I really recommend it. 

ETA:  I just realized that it's the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge today.  I wonder if that's why the film was released now.

Edited April 9, 2017 by statsgirl

[LeighAn]

wrong thread

Edited April 9, 2017 by LeighAn

[bijoux]

Did anyoneone watch the first episode of Prison Break? I'm not sure I'm fully on board. Tonally, it fits the first two seasons better than what (little) I've seen of season 3 and 4, but that introduction was hella clunky, fucking T-Bag, kind of too much Linc, especially considering

Spoiler

that Sara and Sucre seem to be benched, although my money is completely on Jacob being evil and the injury being part of some play, which will bring Sara back into the action. How awful for her to have been sharing her life with this dude if it turns out that I'm right.

 The set up is also sort of too elaborate for Michael's predicament, and Paul Adelstein is in the credits. It feels more like Kellerman could be behind it.

What I'm most conflicted about is Linc's current situation. On the one hand, I feel it does feel true to his character, on the other, it's frustrating as hell. Also, I wouldn't have minded some exposition on when and how things turned south. Did Sofia dump him and LJ moved to live his life elsewhere, and then Sara also took Mikey away so he fell into bad habits again? I also don't get why they, Linc in particular moved back to the States apart from making it easier for T-Bag to find him. And the biggest mystery of all - where is Michael's grave supposed to be located now?! Because that's sure as hell not where it was in the finale. This one frankly pissed me off. I need some explanation on Sara having the casket moved when she and Mikey relocated or something.

Too bad Mahone doesn't seem to play a part here. I'd feel much more comfortable about Michael's fate if the sleuthing was left to him and/or Sara than Lincoln at the moment.

I am still curious enough to see what happens next week, and I liked the credits and the way Scheuring had a "cameo". There are things that could and should have been smoother.

[kismet]

Watched Patriots Day today and it was wicked intense. I really enjoyed it even if I was a ball of anxiety and emotions the entire film. I thought it was shot very nicely, the tension was realistic and the acting was good.  Heck even some of the accents were not too bad. Totally recommend it for people who like crime solving suspense movies.

I also think it highlighted some of the more enduring things to come out of tragedy and that is love & strength from humanity  #BostonStrong. As someone who experienced that day on the marathon route although about 2 miles from the bomb sites and had to drive to work during the lockdown, as well as talked to medical professional who worked the finish line, spectators at the sight and people who were friends with people injured - I will attest that they captured the feelings of what it was like from what I remembered and people told me.

Also it it was interesting to see Melissa Benoist in a completely different role from her usual perky self. The lady has range, I hope she is able to show it more often.

Edited April 10, 2017 by kismet

[BkWurm1]

Too bad they picked the same name as the Harrison Ford, spy thriller movie .

[lemotomato]

Close. The Harrison Ford movie was Patriot Games.

[kismet]

4 hours ago, BkWurm1 said:

Too bad they picked the same name as the Harrison Ford, spy thriller movie. 

It was named that because It took place on Patriots Day which Is a State Holiday In Massachusetts when the Boston Marathon traditionally always takes place for over 100+ years. It's a big tradition & holiday In MA. It honors the batlles of Lexington &  Concord, the start of the American Revolutionary War. In addition there Is always a home Red Sox morning game. So Boston IS packed.

After the bombing, April 15/Patriots Day  became a day of giving back and charity work Is encouraged. Another bonus Is It can extend our federal & state due date for taxes. Should April 15 fall on that monday, we have until Tues to file.

Https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patriots% 27_Day

[BkWurm1]

12 hours ago, lemotomato said:

Close. The Harrison Ford movie was Patriot Games.

Oops! :)

[bijoux]

If I had known that the Ghostbusters remake was that good, I would have watched it a lot sooner. It was so much fun and the characters are really good. It's what female run action flicks should be, and it's a very strong argument in favor of remakes.

[Mellowyellow]

@BkWurm1 did you watch Madam Secretary yet this week? 

Spoiler

Barry and Oliver need to invite Dr Henry McCord to deal with Savitar and Prometheus. Dr Arm Candy Professor Super Human Super Spy will defeat Prometheus and outrun Savitar while on CRUTCHES!!!!!

[statsgirl]

9 hours ago, bijoux said:

If I had known that the Ghostbusters remake was that good, I would have watched it a lot sooner. It was so much fun and the characters are really good. It's what female run action flicks should be, and it's a very strong argument in favor of remakes.

It was run down a lot on social media as soon as the casting was announced because no movie that starred a female cast could possibly be any good so it had a big stigma going in as well as the weight of everyone saying that if it failed, that was the end of remakes with a female cast.  I loved the movie even more than the original.

Edited April 11, 2017 by statsgirl

[Sakura12]

I enjoyed the Ghostbusters remake as well. Of course I was never that attached to the original. That probably made it easier to enjoy.

[kismet]

Glad IZombie is back. I find the banter fun. I also really enjoy the different personalities each week with the brains. I also like that Major is now in on the fun. Honestly, I'm glad that is all the zombie lore the show explores, because I really dislike zombies.

Looking forward to Blaine's & Blaine's father return next week. I love David Anders, so glad he's on a project that I can enjoy.

Also the new IT guy looks interesting. He reminds me of a young & modern version of Severus Snape.

[Kymmi]

How many kittens/cats does Katie Cassidy have?  They're adorable, but she does seem to ... acquire a lot?  Go through them?  Not sure the right phrase here.  

[Mellowyellow]

Are cats high maintenance?

My son wants a cat (British Shorthair specifically) for his next pet but I'm not sold on the idea. Dogs (especially goldies) are very predictable and easy to train. 

[Primal Slayer]

9 minutes ago, Kymmi said:

How many kittens/cats does Katie Cassidy have?  They're adorable, but she does seem to ... acquire a lot?  Go through them?  Not sure the right phrase here.  

I think she has 3-4 now? 2 months ago she had 2. So yes she has aquired a lot if the new 2 are not like foster cats or whatever.

[Kymmi]

1 minute ago, Primal Slayer said:

I think she has 3-4 now? 2 months ago she had 2. So yes she has aquired a lot if the new 2 are not like foster cats or whatever.

They look like either the same breed, or related.  All very unique faces/expressions.  Again, adorable - but they keep popping up.  LOL  

[Primal Slayer]

She has 3. Carlos/Carla/Cooper. Plus her boyfriends dog. 

[statsgirl]

19 minutes ago, Mellowyellow said:

Are cats high maintenance?

My son wants a cat (British Shorthair specifically) for his next pet but I'm not sold on the idea. Dogs (especially goldies) are very predictable and easy to train. 

You don't train cats.  I remember one of my profs had a cartoon on the door with the title Failed Experiments: Pavlov's cats.

Cats are really low maintenance compared to a dog.  Basically all you have to do is feed them, clean out the litter box, and make sure they stay healthy.  You can even leave them alone at home for up to a day.  A dog is like halfway to a child.

But if you're going to a cat, how about a rescue one?  You can explain to your son that the poor kitty needs a home.  (We have three, two are rescues and the third is a stray.  They'll lovely)

Before you get a cat though, make sure your dog is okay with them. Some dogs have a really strong prey drive and go after and kill small animals.

[Mellowyellow]

@statsgirl do they wreck things or scratch you if they aren't trainable?

Or do they just sit around and get cuddles so they don't need all that training and stimulation?

I think a grey rescue would suit him perfectly. He just loves greyish cats because ever since he was a baby he's been obsessed with Greywacke Jones from one of his books. 

No more pets until the two goldies we have go to rainbow bridge (and hopefully that won't be for a long time bless their furry souls). It's already mayhem here. 

Cats make me nervous! Son and I have had some very friendly cats befriend us but when the furballs were little, this white cat used to sit and hiss at us when we passed it's house on our walk. The dogs used to wail and then we'd sprint past the house with it hissing and glaring at us.  So scary!

[statsgirl]

Cats are very independent. It takes a while to get used to that after having grown up with dogs.  They do need stimulation and playing with but you can use a reflection of a light or bounce a ball off a wall for them to chase as opposed to having to go out in the park.

Some cats want cuddles, some don't. The first one we got, Vala (named after Vala Maldoran on STG1 because that's what happens when you let a kid name your cat), doesn't like cuddling but she always wants to be in the same room as we are. The last one who is the stray  (Kit, named after the heroine in Cue For Treason because she likes to climb trees) is the cuddliest thing in the winter and only comes indoors to eat in the summer.  They're both sleeping at my feet now.

If you give them a scratching post, they may let your furniture survive.

My vet has three dogs and three cats. At least that's how many there were at last count.  (He must have a very tolerant wife.)