So all you 'GLEEks' out there must've caught last night's episode already; the much-awaited Britney Spears episode. In all honesty, I had mixed feelings about the idea of having an episode dedicated to Brit-brit, especially after the much-loved Madonna episode from season one. After the success of the Madge epi, I was thinking that the producers of the show could follow suit with a number of artists: Janet, Whitney, or even Elton. But then I thought the idea would become gimmicky.
But the American public wanted more, and we got Britney Spears.
While I will probably be the first to hum along to one of her songs on the radio (Yes, I do have several of her songs on my Shuffle - haha...), I don't think I have the same love for her as others do. She had cool dances, yes. Fashion sense - eh - she was fine, but not ever too impressive. Singing talent -- I always (and still do) choose Christina A. over Brit-brit. But like most pop stars, she had catchy tunes & fun videos. That said, I had no expectations of the Brit epi on GLEE.
Without giving anything away, I'll say that the episode's only saving grace (aside from Brittany S. Pierce's spot-on delivery of her infamous one-liners) were the dance/song numbers. Heather Morris is one talented beeyatch. I first spotted her a few years back when she (along with another girl) danced with Beyonce at one of the AMAs. The number was to "Single Ladies," and she was the first white girl that I saw cast to dance with Beyonce --and, yes, there were only three of them on that damn stage. White girl danced the shit out of that, and I remember sitting in my apartment, watching, and immediately picking up my cell to text a friend about it. While Beyonce was the obvious star of that performance, I couldn't keep my eyes off Heather Morris because she 1) kept up with Bey, 2) danced the f*ck out of that song, and 3) did I mention that she was white???
Heather Morris' dance numbers on the Brit epi were amazing, and I might even go as far to say that she dances even better than Brit herself. But she's worked hard to get where she is today. She was shy of making the Top 20 of So You Think You Can Dance (Season 2), and soon moved to L.A. where she quickly became part of the city's super huge dance scene. More gigs came her way, including the gig she did with Beyonce, and she soon ended up in the studio to choreograph "Single Ladies" for the Kurt-focused episode in season 1. She was asked to be the "third" cheerleader, and the rest - as they say - is history.
It's safe to say that in the GLEE world, Heather M. has arrived. And Brittany S. Pierce is yummerooooo enough to stay.
Britney/Brittany Episode Rating: B- (The uber talented writers of GLEE could've pulled-out a better story line, for sure.)
Heather Morris' Dance Numbers Rating: A+++
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(Photo credit: FOX)
Any good ol' American loves a good ol' diner. And these days diners come in all kinds of shapes and sizes: greasy spoons, cafeterias, Jewish delis, gourmet delis, even trendy diners. The bottom line is that a diner is a place where you can order a side of fries with your morning waffle... most of the time.
On a recent, and out-of-the-blue, excursion up north to our neighbor city of Philadelphia, PA, I - along with two friends - had the pleasure of "brunching" at Sam's Morning Glory Diner located in the Bella Vista neighborhood of South Philly. A friend of mine did her due-diligence, and researched the place after seeing it on TV a while back. When we got there, we placed ourselves on a list that lasted about 40 minutes or so. Needless to say, the wait was well-worth it.
The diner is truly a busy one, and you're better off taking what seating you can get once something becomes available. Luckily (or un-luckily, depending on how you look at it), we were offered three seats at the counter... but right smack across from the main griddle and the oven where delicious-looking frittatas quietly baked. At first, the heat was unnerving, and I felt like I was going to die from sweating. And I felt like a complete idiot for ordering a hot cup of coffee, which they serve in a tin cup. *OUCH!* But I got past all that as I saw how quickly, and thoughtfully, the cooks behind the counter got to working no each and every order that came through. (Yes, even the frittata woman with all the tats and piercings and ear gauges.)
In fear of over-stuffing (which my friends and I just NEVER do... *ahem*), I opted for a simple order of Glory Cakes. And glorious they were. The cakes I ordered were laden with blackberries and nectarines, which combined to offer a fresh and sweet twist to my first meal of that day. My friend, Aydee, chose the Monkey French Toast --a heaping serving of "Frenched" challah bread smothered with bananas and cream. To add to the frenzy was a side order of mac 'n cheese (always a winner), turkey sausage, eggs, and "home-style" potatoes.
Monkey French Toast
Glory Cakes w/blackberries & nectarines
The rumor is that if you're NOT nice (ie, complaining about food, being demanding and/or rude, etc.), you'd not get served, or get kicked out. So we were being nice the whole time we were there, and we were treated very well. (Thank GOD!)
The small, unassuming diner is surely a "must do" when traversing through Philly.
2010 has been a great year of traveling, for me especially. I'm lucky to be at a job that gives me the opportunity to visit great places both in and out of the country. I've also been lucky enough to run off on little adventures outside of work, including my recent July 4th weekend trip to San Juan, Puerrrto Rrrico!
I'd never been before, and I secretly expected the natives to be as rambunctious as Miss Puerto Rico is at the Miss Universe pageant. (I was imagining people saying "Puerrrto Rrrico" at the top of their lungs as they shimmy and raise their hands to the sky; a testament to their pride and love for their island. Hmmm... not so much.) Unfortunately, for me, there was no shimmying, no arms raised in the air, and no rambunctious exclamations of "Bienvenidos a Puerto Rico!" What I forgot to realize: PR is still a U.S. territory. So more or less, I was still in the United States... just in the Caribbean. Le duh. No passport necessary, and they drive on the same side of the street. :)
My first impression? Honestly, I felt like I was in Manila. Weather-wise, it was hot and humid like Manila (and like DC, to be fair). The scenery was distinctly Manila-esque: tall buildings, short buildings, affluent buildings next to shanties, palm trees swaying in the wind, and dirty streets. It was wondrous! And the best thing about it -- you didn't have to speak a completely different language! In essence, it was like being in a different country, but not really. Easy-peasy.
Like any island experience, I enjoyed lounging by the beach or pool, swimming, catching rays, drinking and drinking, and - of course - eating like there was no tomorrow. And that is exactly what my friends (Gina, Carrie, Siena) and I did.
I must say that eating in PR was great, especially when we ate native fare. Here are some of our favorites:
Pina Coladas
Yuca Frita
Ceviche
Mofongo Salmorejo
Churrasco con Chimichurri Criollo
The food was, needless to say, tasty, savory, and memorable. And for the very few days that we were in San Juan, it really "did the job." Hopefully the next time we find ourselves in PR we'll be able to do more of the truly local eats - such as driving up to the hills to partake in a roasted pig feast, or to indulge in morcilla - or "blood sausage." In due time, indeed...
(The food featured in this post is from Restaurante Escambrón, very close to the Caribe Hilton - between Old San Juan and Condado Lagoon.)
It's been well over a year since I moved back to the East Coast. I can't say that I've had an easy time transitioning back, although I had imagined it to be a piece of cake. I have spent a great majority of my life in the DC area, but it's really funny how being away for almost five years has really left an impression on me. So much so that it's taken me about a year to figure things out again: finding my way through the city (which I once knew like the back of my hand), craving a social life (after a year of not giving a damn, really), and learning to appreciate the little things once more (being near my family - especially my niece and nephew, friends, reuniting with old faces, and meeting new ones).
In the last year, I've been trying to figure out the meaning of my last blog, Floatin' An Air Biscuit; or more so what it still meant to me. I was still posting about the things I love (food, restaurants, experiences, things), but I didn't feel like my heart was in it anymore. I needed something new; something different for me to go on. And so I've decided to re-face my blog a little. I still plan to dish about the same things I love (food, restaurants, experiences, things), but hopefully with a new energy reflective of where I now am, where I'm hopefully headed, and where I'd like to be ... someday.
So as I float away from the old, I hope that you'll continue on this journey with me as I encounter all things yummerooooo!
Without giving anything away, I'll say that the episode's only saving grace (aside from Brittany S. Pierce's spot-on delivery of her infamous one-liners) were the dance/song numbers. Heather Morris is one talented beeyatch. I first spotted her a few years back when she (along with another girl) danced with Beyonce at one of the AMAs. The number was to "Single Ladies," and she was the first white girl that I saw cast to dance with Beyonce --and, yes, there were only three of them on that damn stage. White girl danced the shit out of that, and I remember sitting in my apartment, watching, and immediately picking up my cell to text a friend about it. While Beyonce was the obvious star of that performance, I couldn't keep my eyes off Heather Morris because she 1) kept up with Bey, 2) danced the f*ck out of that song, and 3) did I mention that she was white???
