Date Night

I took myself on a fun date tonight!
Despite the fact that I claim to really like movies, I actually rarely go to the movie theatre, or rent movies, or even watch movies for that matter. But I do like movies. Really! The thing is, I tend to see a preview for something and go, "Oh, that looks really interesting," but then I forget that I wanted to see it or if I do remember it's usually like, "Eh, who else is going to want to see that with me?" (because my tastes can be a bit unusual) and I just never make the time to actually go. I have such a multi-tasking personality that it's hard for me to justify going to a theatre where you just have to sit still and watch something for 2 1/2 hours. That's a long time to do just one thing. [As a side note, I don't feel these same qualms about spending 2 to 3 hours watching a live show. Possibly it's because in some ways I can justify this as "doing something productive", and possibly it's because no matter how often I go to the theatre, it never stops feeling like a special event that involves dressing up and really making a night of it.] Anyway, pretty much the only time I see movies is when I'm in my hometown because my mother likes movies, too, and she likes the same sort of movies I do (and unlike me, she both likes movies and actually goes to them regularly!)
In short, it has been a very, very long time since I went to a movie on a Friday night. And I don't think I've been to a movie on a Friday night by myself ever. By myself, yes, but not on a Friday night. But I realized the other day that Across the Universe finally came out. You may recall that I've been wanting to see this movie since I first saw a preview for it back in May, and I was determined this time that I wasn't going to miss it. I suspect it won't stay in theaters long (Americans on the whole aren't very into movie musicals, even those based on the Beatles songbook) so I was like, "Oh, better go see it before it leaves town! Maybe I'll make it my fun activity for the weekend!" So that's exactly what I did. I thought about calling the other Ph.D. girls to see if any of them wanted to go with me, but ultimately I decided that I really just wanted to go by myself because, well, sometimes I just don't feel like fighting against my antisocial side. It takes some effort for me to socialize, even with people I really like, and I just wanted today to be relaxing altogether. So I drove down to...hmmmm, what shall I call this place? City A Minor. Ahahaha, I amuse myself, at least. So I drove down to City A Minor and made it into my seat exactly at the moment the movie began.
I really liked the movie. Visually, it was a treat. And lets face it, the visuals were the main reason I wanted to see this particular movie because nobody in the world does visual effects quite like Julie Taymor. The singing was also very good. I'm sure there are some Beatles purists out there that are pissed off that the music was changed up a bit, but I thought all of the musical numbers were arranged well and strongly sung. My only complaint is that the movie had the wrong amount of plot. I think it could be argued that there wasn't enough of a plot. The movie was sort of jumpy and episodic, especially at first, so it was hard to really care about the characters because you just don't find out that much about them. I'm going to argue the opposite, though: I think there was too MUCH plot. The best thing about the movie was how trippy and strange and beautiful it was during many of the musical numbers, and since the singing was so strong and the acting was for the most part just mediocre, I wish the movie had just gone from one music number to the next and left the majority (possibly all) of the dialogue out of it. I think the story still would have made sense since most of the songs were used in pretty literal ways, and anything else could just be excused by saying, "It's the 60s, it's supposed to be trippy." Of course, I realize that that would have half the audience leaving the theater in a huff because they just accidentally saw a rock opera. Still, I for one would have liked it even better if it had pushed the envelope a bit more. In summary, though, I definitely think this is a movie worth seeing. I will definitely watch it again, which is pretty much the highest praise I ever give.
The only downside to going to the movies on a Friday night was that I'd forgotten that the vast majority of people who go to movies on Friday nights are fifteen years old. Ah, yes, how could I forget the days of being dropped off at the theater by somebody's mom so that you could watch a movie before being picked up by somebody else's mom and chauffered to someone's house for a sleep over. This was pretty much every other weekend of my life from 1995 to 1998, and as much as I would like to pretend that I knew how to behave in a theater and didn't giggle with my girlfriends at inappropriate moments and whisper stupid comments through half the movie, I'm sure my old journal entries would prove otherwise. Sigh. It's amazing how quickly teenagers (and, to a slightly lesser extent, college undergrads) become annoying once you're not one anymore. I try really hard to be understanding since it's not like that part of my past is really all that far in the past yet. And luckily the various giggling groups of girls finally settle down and shut up ten minutes into the movie. Still, I think I'll try to hit a Sunday matinee the next time I decide to take myself on a movie date.
The movie theater happened to be in this really nifty part of City A Minor, one of those revitalized downtown areas anchored by a Borders and a Whole Foods and full of other stores and restaurants. I'm glad I discovered it and can add it to my list of fun places to go. I wandered around a bit after the movie got out and in my wandering I ended up in Ulta, where I bought two bottles of nail polish and some ginger-scented body butter which I really didn't need but hey, I was on a date with myself and I've made it through four whole weeks of school without even the slightest hint of a meltdown so I deserve a treat. All in all, I think I made a very good date. And even though I can't exactly let myself go crazy with spending or wasting time, I think I should definitely take myself out more often because it makes me happy.

Speaking of things that make me happy, my parents are coming to town on Momday! My dad has a convention in City A, so I'm going to get to hang out with them Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Unfortunately, those are my busiest days of the week, but I'm trying to get most of my homework done this weekend so I can hang out with them next week without feeling guilty about it.
We already have fun things planned. On Monday night, my parents and my cousin Rae and I are going to this restaurant in City A that has been around since 1856 and was apparently a favorite place of many historical figures. It sounds like it's going to be a pretty place, and I've been drooling over the online menu samples.
Then Tuesday should be very interesting. I'm going out with my parents and the other conveneers from my home state and we're having dinner at another nice restaurant and then taking a private tour of an Important Building where Very Important, History-Making Things Happen All the Time. You can take public tours of this building, but I think a private tour will be extra cool (or, you know, extra nerdy-cool. Whatever). I'm hoping it's a true private tour and we get to go places that are normally off-limits. Either way I'm excited, though, because I have seen this place but never been inside of it.
I'm just as excited about the food, though. I had to e-mail my menu choices to Dad today, and here's what I picked:
For the salad course: Field lettuces with Pipe Dream Farm goat cheese emulsion, spiced pecans, and dried fruits.
For the appetizer: Crab cakes: sauteed jumbo lump crab with sweet onion slaw and Creole aioli
And for my entree: Lamb: roasted strip loin with marguez sausage, artichoke ragout, oven-dried tomatoes and black olive jus.
Doesn't that sound delicious? You have no idea how excited I get about eating at restaurants that I can't afford on my own, especially restaurants that involve menus that make me go, "Hmmm, I have no idea what that word means, but it says "goat cheese" so I'm there!!" I am a restauranteur's dream, because I utterly and completely buy into restaurants that hype themselves as being posh and award-winning. This is why I need a sugar daddy. Or at least someone like me who sometimes likes to pretend I come from a world where hundred dollar dinners are the weekend norm. After all, I don't think I could be with someone who wouldn't at least TRY the artichoke ragout. Then again, I'll also eat a hot dog from the truck parked outside the bar so let's just be honest here: if it involves food in any way, shape, or form, I'm excited about it.

Anyway, I need to get some work done so I can enjoy the upcoming food fest.