Exploring Food and Movies

     Sunday I had lunch at a place called Ki'ikibaa. It was voted Portland's best restaurant of 2023. It's on NE 82nd. There is a small parking lot behind it. The neighborhood it is in is a little sketchy but not too bad. The food is Yucatan Mexican food. It is small. The decor is very colorful. The top half of the walls are red and bottom is yellow. There are lots of tradition Mexican decorations. Shiny metallic streamers are hanging from the ceiling. Possibly left over from Christmas. Loud music is playing. The service is good. It's the kind of place where you order and then find a table. It was busy when I was there so I was lucky to find a table. I got escabeche which is basically a turkey soup. The turkey is shredded and very tender. There is also a hardboiled egg cooked in sausage. It comes with tortillas. It was good. Simple and comforting. I wanted to try something I've never had before. It wasn't the most exciting but still good. I would go back. Later ...

Tuesday: Father Goose (1964)      Walter is a drunk who lives on a boat in the South Sea. After getting caught stealing he is persuaded to volunteer to help with the war effort during WWII. He is assigned an island to keep look out from. Walter has to report any planes or ships that he sees. While there he is called to rescue a man from another island with the same job. When he gets there he discovers it's not a man but a teacher and seven students. He brings them back to his island and has to protect them. I thought this movie was good. Wednesday: Dominick and Eugene (1988)       Dominick and Eugene are twin brothers. Dominick had a major brain injury when he was a kid. So now he has cognitive issues that effect his intelligence. He works as a garbage man and is putting Eugene through medical school. Eugene worries how his brother will cope if he has to go far away for med school. Their relationship starts to strain, especially when Eugene gets a girlfrien...

 Tuesday: Radio Days (1987)      This movie tells two stories. One is about a young boy from a big family growing up in the 30s and 40s in New York. His family is obsessed with the radio. Each member has a certain show they like. When there wasn't much hope they found comfort in the radio. The second story is about a young actress who becomes a famous radio star. The business changes her. I thought this movie was alright. Wednesday: Sunday Bloody Sunday (1971)      Alex is a young woman who hates her office job in London. She is seeing a young man named Bob. He is an artist. They get a long really well. What's unique about their relationship is that Bob is also seeing a doctor named Daniel. There is an understanding. Bob dates both of them and they don't talk about the other. This works for a time. Then Bob gets a job in New York. He isn't sure how long he will be gone. This brings new light to the complicated relationship they all have. It seems too h...

 Tuesday: Presenting Lily Mars (1943)       Lily dreams of being an actress. She is friendly with a woman whose son, John, is a Broadway producer. Lily asks the woman to introduce them. John is uninterested in meeting another amateur actress. Lily begs him to let her audition, but he won't give her the time of day. So she follows him to New York. There she sneaks into the theater where his current play is. She wears him down and gets a part. Soon John can't help but be won over by her. He falls for her. I thought this movie was alright. Wednesday: Good Sam (1948)       Sam is a very generous man. He can never say no to helping someone out. He goes to great lengths. Often he is too generous. There is not enough money left over for him and his family. His wife, Lu, is tired of him putting everyone else first. His generosity often causes more problems than it helps. All she wants is to buy a house that they can have for their own. But they never have enou...

 Wednesday: Maestro (2023)      This is based on a true story. Leonard Bernstein was a composer who's career was on the rise. He was a gay man who did little to hide it. At a party he mets an actress named Felicia. They got along really well from the beginning. They dated and eventually got married. Felicia pretended to be ok with Leonard's affairs. They were married for a long time. He became very famous and sought after. His fame and affairs brought strain on their marriage. I thought this movie was ok.  Thursday: Wonka (2023)      This is a prequel to the 1971 movie. Wonka is a young man. He wants to sell his chocolate along side the best chocolate makers. He arrives in the city where they all have their shops. He is wanting to open his open shop. Wonka believes it will be easy. But the other chocolate makers don't make it easy for him. Also he gets trapped working for a laundress. He will only be free once he has enough money to buy his way ou...