The Imaginary Invalid

Although forced to watch this play for my rhetoric class, I found the whole experience rather enjoyable to say the least. The play caught my attention from the start, and kept it the entire time. From start to finish the humor kept me interested. I had never been to a play before in my entire life, I was not looking forward to the event, and was expecting the least fun I could ever have out of it. To my surprise, it was very fun to watch. The actors, both the student actors and the professional actors fit their characters flawlessly and knew exactly how to play each of their parts to the fullest, getting the humorous effects that were written down to a tee. My favorite part, at the end, came out of nowhere, the last thing i expected from a school play, was when the two actors who were in love were just completely going at it while right in front of the father. Absolutely hilarious. This play gave me the best first impression I could ever get. The story in my eyes, was perfectly told, but thats just my opinion. I was laughing throughout the play, and would see it again in my spare time.

Buffalo Exchange

Buffalo Exchange is a second-hand clothing store which caters to both buyers and sellers of clothing. One could easily spend an entire day swimming through the stores numerous racks of fine garments, shoes and accessories. Located on The Drag in Austin, Buffalo Exchange is a staple for many eclectic and "indie" fashion enthusiasts . On the seller side Buffalo Exchange offers a unique way to turn old clothes into cash, while also making room in their closets. The eclectic feel goes far beyond the clothes, as one can find a numerous array of different visitors to the store. From conservative and preppy to grungy 90's chic, all types of people as well as styles can be found at this store. It's not unlikely that you will run into long lines be it from the many buyers or the many people eager to sell. Another interesting attribute is the music bulletin located prominently at the front of the store. This billboard displays the various shows that are upcoming in town in which it's located. This gives visitors something to look at while not browsing the sea of pre-worn goods. Of all of the thrift stores, Buffalo Exchange offers the widest variety and definite best experience while also being one of the most well known. So if ever in process of cleaning out your closet, one should give Buffalo Exchange a try.

The Snack Bar

The Snack Bar is a restaurant located on South Congress where one can grab a bite to eat, whether in the mood for a snack or a full-fledged meal. The Snack Bar caters to many different tastes as well as appetites. If you aren't necessarily in the mood for a large entree, you can opt to get a small snack like a banana split, or some doughnuts. If you're not in the mood for anything sweet in particular, you can go for a bagel and cream cheese, or a plate of cheese fries. They also offer a wide range of all-day brunch menu items. If you're more of a breakfast/lunch person, as am I, this is definitely the menu for you! The Brunch menu consists of many items such as my personal favorite Belgian waffles coated in apple-raisin chutney and powdered sugar served with a side of thick cut bacon. They also offer a variety of salads, and burgers, typical of a classic American diner. The food is just the tip of the iceburg, as one can feast on the decor and ambiance of the restaurant alone. Even the bathrooms are interesting with a "water-closet" European inspired bathroom setup where the men and women's are connected by a shared sink. It is indicative of the comfortable and laid-back feel of the restaurant. They also have a large projector screen in the lounge area where patrons can sit back and watch a classic 60's era film whilst waiting to be seated. In all, The Snack Bar exemplifies the qualities of a well-rounded restaurant, with different menu choices to please seemingly all tastes. I challenge anyone to walk into The Snack Bar and leave unsatisfied.

Garden State

Along with Despicable Me, the movie Garden State is a definite permanent my Top Ten Movies list. Garden State is written and directed by Zach Braff. The main characters in the movie are played by Zach Braff as Andrew Largeman -- an overly medicated, depressed, emotionless aspiring actor -- and Natalie Portman as Sam -- an eccentric young woman who knowingly and compulsively lies without understanding what makes her do it.

The plot revolves around Andrew Largeman and his return to his hometown in New Jersey for his mother's funeral. When he was a young boy, Largeman accidentally pushed his mother over a dishwasher door leaving her paralyzed from the waist down. Since that incident, he has been heavily medicated with antidepressants leaving him completely void of feeling any significant emotions or shedding a single tear. Upon returning home, Largeman meets Sam, a talkative and eccentric local who is always lying. Sam's light heartedness and sense of humor often contrasts with Andrew's numb state of being.

This movie is a favorite of mine for two main reasons. The first being the awesome soundtrack which Zach Braff composed him self. This soundtrack features songs by Thievery Corporation, The Shins (on my Top Ten List for bands), Simon & Garfunkel (also on that list), Zero 7, and many others. The carefully chosen songs compliment the film in every way possible. The second reason is for the cinematography of the whole film. Something about the way this movie was filmed makes every single scene, no matter how simply, look beautiful. This combined with the music in the film carry the story line throughout the whole movie, without ever overcrowding the script.

Despicable Me

Despicable Me is an animated, cartoon movie that combines adventure with humor to create a movie that is enjoyable for people of all ages. After my first viewing of this movie, I immediately knew it was going to be one of my long time favorites. I saw this movie probably far too many times this summer with people my age and some of the kids I babysat. It is directed by Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud. Renaud has also worked on Ice Age, Robots, Horton Hears a Who!, and many others (some of which are also on my Top Ten Movies list). So, I may be somewhat of a kiddie, animated movie buff; but so what, I still think this movie is great for any person, no matter what age. It is written by Ken Daurio and Cinco Paul. The cast for the film is composed of many gifted and well known actors. The main characters are voiced by Steve Carell (Gru), Jason Segel (Vector - Gru's arch rival), Russell Brand (Dr. Nefario - Gru's slightly senile scientific assistant and good friend), Julie Andrews (Gru's mother), and Will Arnett (Mr. Perkins - Vector's father and the president of the Bank of Evil).

The main story line is built around three orphan sisters and their adoption by Gru. Gru is yesterday's number one supervillian. The oldest of the three is name Margo. She is ultra protective of her sisters and ,for the majority of the film, very untrusting of Gru. The middle aged sister is named Edith. Edith is somewhat of a tomboy and trouble maker. Rather than being wary and untrusting of Gru and his invetions, she is in awe of them. The youngest, and personally my favorite, is named Agnes. She is obsessed with unicorns and is probably the most adorable little girl you will ever see on tv. Unlike both of her sisters, she loves Gru with all of her heart right from the start. Initially, Gru adopted the girls solely so he could steal a shrink ray from his rival, Vector, but as time goes on, Gru's hardened outer layers soften, and he comes to love the girls in return.

My favorite aspect of this movie is how it takes the viewer through a full cycle of emotions. At the beginning of the film, one feels sadness and a little bit of pity for the three orphans who are stuck in Miss Hattie's Home for Girls. Miss Hattie, the head honcho of the orphanage, basically uses the girls for child labor. Once Vector is introduced as a customer buying cookies from the girls, the mood picks up and quite a bit of humor comes about. The humor continues to build and is carried by Gru's population of little, yellow minions that speak their own language. Throughout the whole film, one sees a bond of love and care forming between the three girls and Gru giving most viewers a warm and fuzzy feeling. That warm and fuzzy internal feeling peaks in one of the final scenes where on sees Gru reading the girls a bedtime story that he wrote (this is so special because when the girls were first adopted, he refused to read them a bedtime story) and finally kisses them, and all of his little minions, goodnight.

For anyone that hasn't scene this movie, I HIGHLY suggest you do so this weekend. :)

Bartletts

The other day I got the privilege of being invited out to eat at Bartlett’s (formerly known as Houston’s) with my girlfriend and her family. Bartlett’s is located conveniently in north Austin on the corner of burnet and West Anderson lane.

If you have some extra money and love to eat at nice restaurants, Bartlett’s is the right place for you. As you walk in the place you have to notice the dim lighting, which I prefer while, I eat. Everyone working there was in there mid 30’s; you can tell right away they know the menu front and back. Our waiter that night was explaining the entrée’s with specific details and never took a chance to look at the menu. Bartlett’s offered entrée’s such as hamburgers, soups, salads, pork ribs, steaks, fish, and even crab cakes. Good pork ribs are hard to come by in my opinion so when I heard good things about Bartlett’s I decided to take a risk order them. The waiters and waitresses were always looking for a person to help. Our waiter at one point gave me a new glass of lemonade when mine was only half full. I thought that was a bit over the top but I did not complain. My ribs were amazing; the meat literally fell off the bone when I touched it (one would have to expect quality for 27 dollar ribs). After our waiter saw that I was done with my meal he brought over hot towels to help clean myself up. I do not see this much in restaurants and am surprised not all of them do this. The hot towel tops off any good meal and even makes up for the bad one.

Besides the high prices (hamburgers are the cheapest entrée at 13 dollars), Bartlett’s is the perfect spot to have dinner at. The food is prepared with care and the service is exceptional.

Juan in a Million

If you like the Torchy's Tacos that are sold in The Coffee Haus on campus, then you should have a meal at Juan in a Million. Its a Tex Mex restaurant that sells the best breakfast tacos I've ever had.Juan in a Million is a Tex-Mex restaurant that i discovered soon after moving to Austin. They are famous for their breakfast tacos, the "Don Juan". I wrote my profile paper on the place but I guess it wasn't enough. I went for the first time while doing the observing for the paper and loved the place. The Travel Channel's Man Vs. Food had an episode their and the host failed to beat the Don Juan record holder at 8 of their massive tacos. Their business hours are 7am-3pm. They may have the greatest tacos, but their hours may be the worst. If you can make it their in that time range any day of the year, then you should stop by for the best breakfast taco you will ever have.