I’m hoping to make this a weekly thing, mostly because I believe there are too many quality films that just don’t get enough love. So for my inaugural post I want to review Tyrannosaur (props to MAD TIM for putting me in the know) which features Olivia Coleman of Peep Show fame as the female lead.

Although the film is a redemptive tale of a man who struggles with his inner demons and violent outbursts, what I enjoyed most was following his discoveries as he learns that the perceptions he had regarding his savior couldn’t be farther from the truth. There are some really disturbing images in the film and I’d have to say the make up artists and lighting crew really help drive home just how crazy the world can be for all of it’s residents. I was able to stream it on Netflix, so if you have the opportunity and are looking for something grounded in the extraordinary aspects of normalcy I’d definitely recommend you give it a go.

-Cheers!

I was in Chicago recently and had a great time. It was my first trip to the windy city and I’m hoping it won’t be my last. Coming from the NYC scene I assumed going in that I’d be hamstrung by the 2am curfew that bars outside of the city are rumored to have.

After beginning the night with a yummy dinner and my signature Stoli and water, the nights drinking was a go. I had my first of several Goose Island Matildas, one of the advantages of being in Goose Islands backyard.

Now many think it’s a bad idea to mix different alcohol types throughout the night, but that’s never been my style. After visiting a super loud place downtown, we went to this nice quiet wine bar call Bin 36. Now I’m not really into your normal reds and whites when it comes to vino, but I’ll have a sparkling wine any day or night. There’s just something about the light crisp notes and the feel of the bubbles on your tongue. We even came back the following night and our server from the previous evening not only remembered us, but even brought out a delicious sparkler for us to taste.

The night eventually ended in a surreal encounter with a couple of Irish blokes on holiday from the states. Aside from the fact they were already quite intoxicated and had been drinking for hours on end when we met them, they were housing double vodka red bulls with a speed I’d never witnessed before. What made the night amazing, was getting to talk about all my favorite British programs like Peep Show, Skins (seasons 1 and 2) and IT Crowd with someone that actually knew what I was going on about.

Aside from the fact we were going strong around 2:30am (that’s when my friend dragged me out of there to ensure we got back to the burbs safely,) I even joined in their double vodka fun by having my first double vodka water. Being as intoxicated as I was, the burn of the well vodka wasn’t terrible, but the next day my throat was reeling from it, though my head was okie dokie when I awoke around 10am. Obviously next time I’ll have to go with a double stoli for that water combo, but great first visit regardless =)

-booze traveler