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Pan Fried Artichoke and the Fake Wedding

      Friday I was finally was able to go to Gumba with one of my best friends. It's been on my list for so long that it's grown up from a food cart into a restaurant. It's an Italian place on NE Alberta. There is neighborhood parking. It is a decent size. Like most Portland restaurants it has an industrial undertone. The walls have red wallpaper with blue flowers and birds. There are velvet seat cushions and coaches. Modern Edison string lights hang from the ceiling. It's cozy. Despite the size the noise isn't too bad. We shared a pan fried artichoke appetizer. It was not what I thought it would be. For some reason in my head I thought it would look like a blooming onion. It was flat. The artichoke was on top of salsa verde with ricotta on the side. It was good. Perfect size appetizer. I ordered the lasagne with meatballs. It had spinach and zucchini in it. The portion size seems big but it's wasn't too bad. Especially when it was mostly veggies. It was good. My friend ordered the ricotta gnocchi with confit chicken. She let me have a bite. It was really good. It has a spicy vodka sauce which wasn't too spicy, at least from my one bite. The service was great. I would go back for sure. Also before dinner we went to Hopscotch and then the Peninsula Park rose garden. For dessert we had delicious salted honey pie at Lauretta Jean's. 

Friday: Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle (2025)

       This is part of an anime TV show that I watch. Instead of a final season they decided to do three movies. The Demon Slayer Corps have finally made it into the infinity castle. They are on their way to taking down Muzan, the leader of the higher rank demons. Tanjiro and the others fight epic battles against the higher rank demons. I thought this movie was good. It is long. It doesn't really work as a movie. It would have been better as another season. That way you can break it up the long moments. I think I'll wait till the other two come out on streaming. The next movie comes out in 2027, and the third in 2029. That's a long time to wait.

Saturday: Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale (2025)

        Big changes are happening at Downton. Several of the staff are retiring. Mary is wrapped up in a scandal. The family is having financial problems. They have to navigate these difficult situations and come out on the other side alright. This movie was good. A little cheesy at times. Still a good ending to the show and other movies. 

Sunday: Kneecap (2024)

         The movie is based on true events. It takes place in 2019 Belfast. Legislation is trying to get rid of the Irish language. A disgruntled teacher, JJ, forms a hip hop group with two young men. They rap in Irish. It starts a movement to preserve the language in an unexpected way. I thought this movie was alright. It's an interesting story. Just didn't like some of what sometimes goes along with music careers.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Saturday: A Big Bold Beautiful Journey (2025)

         David and Sarah meet at a friend's wedding. Although attraction is there they don't act on it. While driving home David's GPS asks if he wants to go on a journey. He says yes and ends up at a fast food restaurant where Sarah just happens to be. They end up going on a road trip together. The GPS leading them to doors. The doors take them to moments in their past. Through this they get to know each other and start to fall for each other. This movie was ok. The writing is bad. Leading to the performances being a little wooden. The trailer made it seem different. Lighter somehow. They need to bring back good romantic comedies. 

Sunday: Double Feature- Arsene Lupin (1932) and The Wedding Banquet (2025)

          Arsene Lupin is about a police detective, Guerchard, trying to take down the notorious thief, Arsene Lupin. Guerchard thinks he has him when they discover a man fleeing the scene of a robbery. The man claims to be the Duke of Charmerace. His identity is confirmed when the owner of the house comes home and knows the Duke. Later Arsene is believed to be at the Duke's party and then at the original house owner's country house. Each time Guerchard thinks he has Arsene and each time Arsene gets away. I thought this movie was alright. Brothers Lionel and John Barrymore play Guerchard and the Duke.

         The Wedding Banquet is a remake. Angela and Lee are a lesbian couple trying to have a baby through IVF. Their friends, Chris and Min (a gay couple), live on their property. Lee fails to get pregnant again. Min finds out he will be cut off and forced to return home to Korea when his visa is up. In an attempt to stay he comes up with a plan. He will pay for another IVF treatment if Angela marries him so he can get a green card. She reluctantly agrees. Min's grandmother comes to visit forcing them to have an actual ceremony. It only gets more complicated. This movie was good.

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