Cirque Dreams: Holidaze

Posted on December 27, 2010 by Jen

Last year, we went to Cirque Dreams: Jungle Fantasy at the Fox Theatre and absolutely loved it. We were blown away with the set design, the acrobatics, the creativity of the show. When we heard that Cirque Dreams was coming again with a holiday special, there was no hesitation, we were going and were going to be impressed.

We were sorely disappointed. I felt like we needed to smoke a bowl in order to enjoy the spectacle that was Holidaze. The acrobatics were not as impressive, the original holiday songs did not need to be sung and the set designs and characters were downright terrifying. There was no storyline, no cohesion between one thing and another. Even worse, they felt the need to belt out “modern” Christmas carols. I would not recommend this show, don’t waste your money.

The only saving grace was that we went to the Fountain on Locust afterwards for a light dinner. The interior is eclectic and casual with it’s art deco murals and pops of color, a mixture of bar and old school ice cream parlor. The menu has an array of dishes and we all ordered different items. I had the Royal Grille (an adult grilled cheese sandwich with apple slices). It was delicious. Everyone enjoyed what they each ordered.

I was intrigued by the dessert menu, of course, and so I saved some room for some of that. What did I order?

The world’s smallest ice cream cone!!! My sister and Kim each ordered the world’s smallest ice cream sundae. Aren’t they just adorable?

I would definitely recommend the Fountain, we heard about it from friends and now we are passing the recommendation on to you. It’s a fun and different place for you to check out the next time you are down around that area.

Supper Club Field Trip to Sidney Street Cafe

Posted on December 23, 2010 by Bob

Jen and I are rational people. We understood that if we hosted a Supper Club on the Wednesday before Christmas, there was no way that the house would be clean by that Saturday. Consequently, we decided to take a field trip to Benton Park and the Sidney Street Cafe. We had been hearing good things about this place for a while and were eager to try a new restaurant.

We were seated in the very back of the restaurant, a dark and intimate room. Our table had a small light and a single candle to illuminate the menu, written on an iPad-sized chalkboard. Our waitress walked us through the appetizers first and we decided to get a variety of offerings to share. The consensus favorite was the veal dumpling, but the shrimp and the crab cake were both really good. The lobster turnover was pretty decent as well. Monika got a ham and an egg that looked great, but was on the other side of the table.

In addition to the appetizers, the bread course was a basket of these incredible little beignets. Hot and soft and sweet and buttery, but each in perfect proportion. So, so good.

The main courses came with either salad or soup. Most went for the salad, but I opted for the soup and it was awesome. The girls liked their salads as well. When the entrees came out, we were ready, and we were not disappointed. I ordered the filet béarnaise (that’s filet, lobster and béarnaise sauce — decadent!) which was served with roasted seasonal veggies and mashed potatoes. Jen had the pecan encrusted rabbit with roasted root vegetables, basil sausage, and rabbit jus. Katie had the pork chops, Kim had the filet, Kate had the rib eye and Monika had the whiskey strip. Before we got down to business, we portioned up our meals so everyone could try each dish. Each dish was awesome in its own unique way, but I must say I preferred my filet. I mean, lobster and steak — come on!

To finish, we got three deserts and spread them around. First up was the pot au creme. Basically mousse-like, the chocolate was smooth and creamy and topped with peppermint cotton candy. The dark chocolate turtle brownie was super rich and hella tasty. The last dessert was some sort of pastry with lemon ice cream and a blood-orange sauce; it was a nice balance to the richness of the chocolate.

A definite recommendation to this place: 12 thumbs up!

The Flavors of the Big Island

Posted on November 13, 2010 by Bob

The biggest reason that Jen and I so enjoy visiting new places is the opportunity to enjoy the local cuisine, and this trip was no exception. We made it our goal to eat, when eating out, only at places that we can’t in St. Louis. So make an impromptu bib from a napkin, and come along with us on our culinary journey across the island of Hawaii.

Our first stop was on the night we arrived. We had been traveling all day and were basically famished. Sam had two performances of Rocky Horror that night, but we had called ahead to find a local fast-food option that would give us some sustenance before we zoned out for the evening. Sam recommended Blazin’ Steaks, a local franchise. We got some of the $6 Teriyaki Steak combos and wolfed them down before going back to Sam’s condo to crash for the evening. Simple, good food for cheap turned out to be the theme for the week.

The next day, we went to Sumo Deli for breakfast. Don’t be confused by the word “deli” in the name, this place is more like a diner, except without the counter and stools. This place serves up classic hangover-cure food with a Hawaiian twist. We ordered musubi (rice, grilled meat (our favorite was spam) and sauce wrapped in seaweed), spare ribs, tempura, and a loco plate (eggs, hambuger patty, rice with gravy over the top) to split between the three of us and the total was, like, $12. So awesome.

Monday morning, Jen and I made a repeat visit to Sumo Deli to get some grub before we got underway for our trip to the Hilo side. More of the same from yesterday and just as good as we remembered. We also stocked up with some snacks and juices for our road trip. Most notably, we got a bag of Maui Style Salt and Vinegar chips. I’m salivating just thinking about these again.

That night, Jen and I hit Ocean Sushi in downtown Hilo. It had been recommended by The Big Island Revealed (the only guidebook to the island of Hawaii that you will ever need) and we would be crazy to come all the way and not eat some sushi. The book prepared us to be underwhelmed by how the place looked and it definitely looked sketchy (especially with the neighborhood it was in), but it was packed and we were looking for adventure. Put simply: this place is awesome. The miso soup we ordered to start it off was probably the best miso I’ve ever had. The broth was flavorful and it set the tone for a great meal. We each got a couple rolls to share, as well as the obligatory unagi, and I got a sashimi plate that was really good — Jen’s not a big sashimi fan. It was all very good, the flavors were clean and distinct, and the fish tasted very fresh. Highly recommended.

The next morning, we had breakfast at the inn, overlooking the waterfall. Farm fresh eggs, waffles, Kona coffee, fresh squeezed juice, Punalu’u Bread for toast (sooooooo goooood!), and fresh fruit. Just about the perfect way to start off a morning.

Lunch that day was at the Black Rock Cafe in Pahoa. Pretty mediocre American food, but it was the only thing really convenient since we were in the middle of nowhere, making our way back to Kailua-Kona. Probably would have been better served to grab some McDonald’s on the road, but not the end of the world either.

Lunch one day in Kailua-Kona was at Splasher’s, a bar and grill down by the pier that targets the cruise ship crowd. Its outdoor seating overlooked the ocean and lent a laid-back vibe to the place. The burgers there were hella tasty, and I’m a big fan of the waffle fries.

Another lunch was at You Make The Roll, a sushi stand near Sam’s condo where you can make your own roll. The sushi there was really good and we tried a “sushi taco”, which is basically an oversized sushi roll in an egg wrapper. Good, but a lot of rice — it ended up being a lot of food.

Another memorable meal was at Bite Me Fish Market, famous for its fish tacos. Really delicious. They served whatever they caught that morning so you never know what type of fish is on the menu. Also, we had shave ice from a local stand. It’s pretty much a ginormous sno-cone with your choice of toppings or ice cream in the center. Jen got the red beans in the center of it, which was a nice touch.

We did manage to cook a few meals as well, most notably steaks grilled out by the pool in Sam’s complex, and pulled pork pizzas. It was a very delicious week all around.

Weekend Road Trip to Memphis

Posted on September 27, 2010 by Jen

Bob and I had been talking about making a trip down to Memphis for the past couple of years and never acted upon it until a couple of weeks ago. Along with two other couples, we headed down south for a weekend of drinking, eating, drinking and eating (oh and a couple of sightseeing things as well).

When we arrived Friday afternoon, we checked into the Hampton Inn on Beale Street. Okay, my opinion, a great hotel to stay at for its location. I mean, you walk outside, turn right and there’s Beale Street. You’re also close to the Fedex Forum and Autozone Park. How perfect is that? I will definitely be staying there again the next time I’m down there.

Once we settled in, we headed out to Silky O’Sullivan’s for some dinner and drinks, especially the drinks:

That is the Diver, a bucket of ice and alcoholic goodness. Of course, it would have been suicide for one person to drink all of that so they shared…two buckets. I’m glad that what we learned in kindergarten stuck with us for 25 years (okay, I know, Sarah, not for you. Stop making me feel so old).

After leaving Silky’s, we explored Beale Street.

Beale Street is surprisingly short and yes, it’s full of bars. And beers. They made it so convenient for you to get one:

Once we sufficiently wandered up and down the street, we ended up at Coyote Ugly.

Did not live up to the expectations. What do you mean the movie isn’t indicative of real life? Sure, the ladies danced on the bar and had body shots available, but that was about it. But I can now say I’ve been to Coyote Ugly and no, I did not dance on the bar.

Saturday we took a tour of the “Birthplace of Rock-n-Roll” aka Sun Studio.

This was where Elvis, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and more made some of their biggest hits of the career. We went through the history of the place and toured the recording studio.

Yep, Elvis spit on that microphone.

That day we also found a fabulous barbecue place: Corky’s.

We all feasted on ribs that just fell off the bone. Memphis is known for it’s dry rub barbecue and so that had to be ordered. We were fortunate to have our rack of ribs split dry/wet for a taste comparison. I do have to say, I think the dry rub won me over.

Graceland wasn’t on the agenda, but we did see it:

Okay, so we passed by it on the way to some shopping and got a quick glimpse at it. It may have to be something that needs to be checked out the next time we’re in town.

Later on in the evening, after taking a nap (Amanda and I took naps while the guys lounged in the hottub and pool), we checked out A. Schwab’s on Beale Street.

Established in 1876, it’s a dry goods store that has the most random things in it. Apparently it had enough things to entertain us for a while:

After taking a trip back in time, we stopped by the Blues City Cafe where they have the BEST tamales that Bob has ever tasted. It’s not much to look at but this is all you need to know:

More drinking! We ended the evening at the Flying Saucer. I have to say, it’s probably my favorite place because there was such great people watching! We sat along the open window and watched the parade of cars drive by and women in such incredible outfits. “What Not to Wear” should do an episode in Memphis, right on the street. We even saw riot cops!

Sunday was Duck Day! We got to see the famous Peabody Ducks hustle down the red carpet and into their fountain. It was pretty adorable and hilarious, it’s a must see when you’re down here.

We also popped over to Mud Island and saw the Mississippi River scaled down.

It’s a detailed model of the river flow all the way down to the Gulf.

A perfect day to top off a fun weekend and a great group of friends. Thanks for letting the Sherrons tag along! You guys are such great traveling buddies, I hope there are more trips like this in the future!

And what’s a trip without more photos?

A Celebration of All Things 314

Posted on September 20, 2010 by Bob

The first (hopefully annual) LouFest took place a few weeks back in Forest Park. Two stages, free water, great local food, and bands from near and far came together to make for an awesome weekend. The whole event was so St. Louis (unrelated, yet awesome link) that the only way to describe the bands I liked is through tortured local similes.

Day One

Local boys So Many Dynamos are like The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen. Tight, dense and intricate, the Dynamos’ music moves forward with irresistible propulsion, much like the narrative that tells the story of the Lambert family. It is rare to have a non-opinion of either the band or the novel. One either loves or hates them.

New Jersey’s Titus Andronicus are The Royale. I had heard about them for a while and I was pretty sure that I would enjoy them, and when I finally got around to checking them out I was not disappointed. In fact, since then, I’ve probably listened to their most recent album The Monitor. I evangelize Titus Andronicus to everyone much in the same way that I evangelize The Royale’s fish tacos. Also: lots of beards.

Lucero is like the 2004 World Series. Awesome on paper, initially intriguing, but ultimately a let down and over far too soon due to the singer’s (alcohol related?) illness.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/crackerandcheese/4944289898/in/set-72157624845835146/

The Airborne Toxic Event are Pi. The undisputed champion of Day One, if you didn’t like what they had to offer, you have bad taste. Like the incomparable Bucktown deep dish pizza, The Airborn Toxic Event combines many sonic elements into one appealing product. Highly recommended.

Built To Spill reminds me of the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge. Been around forever, a little bit worse for the wear, but still chugging along. Their set showed signs of rust, but “Carry The Zero” is as strong a single as was played all day.

Broken Social Scene was just like Six Flags. Huge, intense and trying really, really hard to entertain, these earnest Canadians closed the first day with a large, long set. I wouldn’t consider myself a fan, but I definitely understand the appeal there. There were definitely highlights, most notably “7/4″ and their latest single “Forced to Love,” but by the end of their set I was ready to go.

Day Two

Carolina Chocolate Drops are similar to the Fabulous Fox Theatre. Like an especially well-preserved relic from a bygone era, this North Carolina string trio play old-time fiddle and banjo music rooted in the Piedmont region. Their intricate finger-picking skills are rarely seen in this day and age, but their cover of Blu Cantrell’s “Hit ‘Em Up Style” gave it all a modern twist.

Cory Chisel was the personification of the Way Out Club. Smoky and ragged with a white v-neck t-shirt, Cory Chisel gave a raw and soulful set of Americana folk-rock. Maybe a little out of his element on a sunny Sunday afternoon, you could smell the PBR seeping out of his pores from where we were sitting. Still, a good performance.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/crackerandcheese/4943730589/in/set-72157624845835146/

Jeff Tweedy is the St. Louis Cardinals. People came from all around to see the Wilco frontman play solo. He was indubitably the main attraction, and his star power almost certainly helped get the festival off the ground. His set (unlike the 2010 Cardinals) did not disappoint. Tweedy reworked classic Wilco songs for solo guitar and commanded the attention of the audience like few other solo artists could. Mayor Slay declared Sunday “Jeff Tweedy Day,” and the day was most certainly his.

She & Him closed out the festival with a set deserving of a comparison to Crown Candy Kitchen. Zooey Deschanel’s voice is as sweet as the famous malts at the north side landmark and M. Ward’s raspy baritone is as rugged as the neighborhood. Together, they made great music and put a fitting bow on a great concert.

Now, we spent most of our time lounging on blankets and sitting in lawn chairs, so I didn’t get many shots of the band. If that’s what you are looking for, local concert photographer Todd Owyoung was there and he has great shots from both days. The rest of our photos are here.