St. Matthew's Rob Recommends feed

The Prestige, Peter Pan in Scarlet, and a 3D Nightmare

Rob Merola — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 05:00:00 GMT

The Prestige is a movie about many things: obsession, friendship, loss, secrecy, love. Through the story of two magicians who start out as friendly rivals but who become increasingly vicious competitors, we are given the opportunity not only to be richly entertained, but to consider certain basic human themes.

The fact that these two magicians are played by Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale only makes it that much more compelling. These are two men of exceptionally compelling screen presence, albeit in very different ways. "Chemistry" on screen generally refers to a romantic relationship between a man and woman. The relationship here is between two men, and it is certainly not romance that binds them to each other. But chemistry is there none-the-less, and it is powerfully present.

Throw in Michael Caine as an aging mentor, and David Bowie as an eccentric scientist, and you've got a movie that provides interest at a number of different points. It is haunting, and left me thinking about it (disconcerted, I must admit) well after we left the theatre.

*** *** ***

Peter Pan in Scarlet is the first authorized sequel to Peter Pan. I had a hard time finding it-not because it wasn't in, but because it was tucked back in the kid's section at Borders and no one knew where it was.

Geraldine McCaughrean's writing is strong but playful, which is what gives the story a child like feel. She is very clever and creative in her use of images, words, and concepts. And though there are elements of The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings here, she still continues and expands the original story of Peter Pan in a fresh and unique way.

But while Peter Pan had dark undertones to it, in this book those undertones become overtones. It is a pretty bleak story without much cheerfulness in it. The character of Peter Pan himself probably suffers the most in this version; there is very little to commend him. I, at least, found this disappointing.

This dark tone has caused some to question whether this really is a kid's book. I think it probably still is, but not a very happy one.

*** *** ***

The Nightmare Before Christmas in digital 3D looks like it is going to continue in theatres for at least another week. This is a tremendous movie in so many ways; creativity, music, characters, story, message, you name it. A big part of its appeal is the way everything in it works so well together. Digital 3D becomes one more thing worked in there to achieve even greater dramatic effect.

This is the kind of movie it is well worth going to a theatre to see; for the big screen, the big sound, audience participation (if you are lucky enough to have a responsive crowd), and now for the 3D effects as well.

Besides, the 3D glasses are cool all on their own. It gave me a bit of headache, but I wore them all the way home.

Last Updated on 11/24/2010 9:14:44 PM

The Road, Friends, and Woodstock

Rob Merola — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 05:00:00 GMT

Having read Cormac Mccarthy's The Road on the way to Atlanta, I heartily recommend it. It's the post apocalyptic story of a father and son traveling across America after a nuclear attack described as a "long shear of light and then a series of low concussions". Mccormac makes fantastic use of words and images, combining them in unexpected ways that pulled me into this wasted world right along with the main characters.

The story is sparse, much like the landscape. But what is there is important, demanding one's attention. Most of it centers on the father's love for his son, which is beautiful but also a source of moral deterioration. There is a particularly haunting part when the son, desperately wanting to believe they are the good guys, is confused because the father acts differently from the good guys in the stories he tells. This is especially true in relation to strangers.

From the start, when the father coughs a fine spray of blood from his lungs into the snow, we know this is going to be a sad story. We doubt it will end well.

And yet it does. I won't give away the ending here, but I can tell you that as I recall it now, a full week after reading it, I still find a mix of strong emotions well up in my soul.

*** *** ***

On his Jesus Creed blog (http://jesuscreed.org/), Scot McKnight writes a post on Fridays he calls "Fridays are for Friends". Recently he has been reflecting on Joseph Epstein's book, Friendship, an Expos�. It caught my interest, and so I picked up a copy from the library.

I've been thoroughly enjoying reading it. I like Epstein's writing style quite a bit; thoughtful, humorous in a subtle and understated way, and graciously self deprecating (he doesn't pretend to have friendship all figured out, either intellectually or in the practice of his own life).

I've also found his ideas have given me occasion to think through my own experience of friendship, and to be thankful for its blessings in the past while thinking about its place in my life now and the role I'd like it to play in the future. I should probably add that I don't by any means agree with all Epstein's approaches or conclusions, but I find them interesting just the same.

Friendship is a tricky thing; an essential piece of life that can be amazingly hard to get right. Friendships are so rarely equal, with one party often wanting or needing more from a friendship than the other; with one friend seemingly always to be taking the initiative while life just goes on for the other. It is difficult when friends don't make time for us, and when we feel like we are not as important in their lives as maybe we once were or as we'd like to be.

I remember when I worked in hospital that one of the best parts of the job was the friends I made. The most enjoyable parts of the day were our breaks where we'd step outside the building and talk together. My office was located just before the door to the outside, so the other managers would stop by my office to get me on their way out.

But I also remember one man, who was probably my best friend of all of them, and with whom I would spend time outside of work, would not stop to get me because he was in a hurry to get outside and have a smoke. This always was strangely painful to me, like tobacco mattered more than I did.

I don't profess to have all the answers, and I have become more keenly aware lately that this is an area of my life that could stand improvement. So this book comes at a good time, and I find myself particularly thankful for it.

*** *** ***

Last Saturday I finished up at church at about 4:30PM, which gave me just enough time to run by Great Harvest Bread Company before going home. My wife called to be sure they were still open, which they were. The downside was that there were only a few loaves of "Woodstock" bread left.

I usually get honey whole wheat, which is delicious. WOODSTOCK, which is described as containing 100% whole wheat, water, honey, walnuts, pecans, sunflower seeds, flax, yeast, salt, didn't sound very good to me-I generally don't like all those little crunchy things thrown in. But I figured my wife would like it so I bought a loaf.

And you know what? It's pretty darn good bread too. Excellent flavor and all the little crunchy things give it a great texture too. As tasty as it is, it still feels like I'm eating healthy, which is another big plus. Great stuff!

Last Updated on 11/24/2010 9:14:44 PM

Capote

Rob Merola — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 05:00:00 GMT

Capote was not one of my picks on our Blockbuster queue. It was a movie Christine chose, and frankly I wasn't the slightest bit interested in it. But then, as Christine sometimes does (quite effectively, I might add) she challenged me to expand my horizons, suggesting that if I gave it a chance I would probably like it.

So I watched it. I don't think I can say that I liked it; I don't think it is the kind of movie that is meant to be liked. I can say it was one of the singularly most powerful movies I have ever seen. It is, in a word, devastating.

It begins with the acting. You've probably heard about Philip Seymour Hoffman's phenomenal acting as Truman Capote; if anything, what you have heard is understated. This is acting so good that it is as if it transcends acting. But it's not just Hoffman who is great. It's also Clifton Collins Jr. as Perry Smith, the man who shot four members of Kansas farm family "in cold blood." And it's Catherine Keener as Harper Lee, author of To Kill a Mockingbird and perhaps Capote's one true friend.

Then it's the story. There really is no action here. It is all character and relationships, people and dialogue. A large part of this movie is simply looking at faces. But it's not pretty boy (or girl) faces; it's faces that show (or hide) vast wells of emotion, anguished conflicts, deep desires to be known and to be loved.

And finally it's the moral lesson which is impossible to miss and hits like Mike Tyson at his very best. It hits so hard it almost incapacitates for a moment. On one level, it is perhaps the best example imaginable of what Jesus taught; What does it profit a person to gain the world and loose their soul?

But on another level, it goes deeper. Among the last lines of the movie (maybe it was the last lines) are these:

Truman Capote: I couldn't have done anything to save them.
Nelle Harper Lee: Maybe not, Truman. But the truth is, you didn't want to.

Truman tells himself he has done everything he possible can to have saved the murderers from death. It is what I think we often tell ourselves in relation to the world around is. When we see where help is needed, as it so often is, we tell ourselves we've done everything we possibly can.

Nelle, however, hits the nail directly on the head. Capote hadn't done everything, because he was doing his own thing instead. The big question is, and I will ask this only for myself: How am I any different?

Last Updated on 11/24/2010 9:14:44 PM

The Terrorist, Man Eating Bat Rays, Pet Videos, Great Ice Cream, and More!

Rob Merola — Thu, 14 Sep 2006 05:00:00 GMT

Here is a quick run down of some of the books I've read this summer:

The Terrorist, by John Updike. Reading this book reminded me of the difference between pop fiction and great literature. Yes, the sentences are often long and complex, so that I had to actually think about what I was reading. But it was more than worth the work. Updike knows how to use the English language for maximum effect, and he puts it to good use here. The characters are superbly drawn, all offering insight into the cultures they represent. The vacuity in all these cultures and differences between them ensure that they will both clash and connect. It's a great portrait of the world in which we have come to live, profound in its understanding and the simple hope it offers.

Natural Selection, by Dave Freedman. The story of mutant rays with big teeth and bigger appetites that come up from the depths and learn to fly so they can start eating people. Oh yeah baby! I loved this one.

Peter and the Shadow Thieves, by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson. You know, Dave Barry is not only funny, but he tells one heck of a story. This is the sequel to Barry and Pearson's prequel to Peter Pan (got that?!), and there are narrative, uh, hooks aplenty (I know, I know, I can hear you hissing at that one), lots of twists and turns that never let our interest wane, great villains and great heroes, loads of suspense, and yes, good humor. Nothing crude or vulgar or offensive, just a great tale well told.

Righteous, by Lauren Sandler. I wrote about this on my blog, which you can find at http://daddyroblog.blogs.com/daddyroblog/2006/09/righteous.html (while you are there you can find a link to the trailer for the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie which is hilarious.) When I wrote the above entry, I had only read the first three chapters. As Sandler goes on, she does get far more direct and outspoken in her opinions. Still, she has an amazing capacity to empathize with those with whom she (fervently!) disagrees, and that in itself makes this a pretty amazing book.

OK, that's enough books for one week. On to ice cream! In the interests of this column, last week I tried H�agen-Dazs relatively new flavor, Mayan Chocolate Ice Cream. As you'd expect, though it is not overly sweet it is very rich and chocolaty. There is also an unexpected hint of cinnamon, a nice contrast which brought out the chocolate flavor even more. Very good!

I also meant to try their new Sticky Toffee Pudding (I think the word "Pudding" is what really got my attention), but I got confused (a way of life for me) and ended up with their English Toffee Ice Cream instead. Initially I didn't care for this much, and neither did my older daughter Christine. The texture is superb-very creamy, and the flavor is very buttery. I did manage to put down the whole pint (though it took several days, which does tell you something). Funny thing how the flavor grew on me as I ate more of it...

Finally, I promised you a website. How about two? On line video sites are all the rage lately; I read something about how the traffic at these sites is blowing away the more traditional bloggish sites like My Space. One I particularly enjoy is http://petvideo.com/, where the videos are, appropriately enough, about pets. If you like animals, this is a great site.

And if you are into research, which I often am, here is a site that searches over 18,000 (yes you read that right!) libraries: http://www.worldcat.org. That's over 1.8 billion entries for items in its database! It's a site that helps you find books, music, videos, articles, and more that you can check out, download, or view. Very cool!

Last Updated on 11/24/2010 9:14:43 PM

I'm Back - Summer Movies

Rob Merola — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 05:00:00 GMT

As I get back in the swing of things, I figured it was time to continue Rob Recommends once again.

Let's start with movies. I didn't see many movies over the summer, and I don't think I saw any at the theatre. But I did see one at a drive in! The drive in was in Pennsylvania, a bit far for Virginians to drive perhaps, but if you live in or near Conellsville, PA, by all means check it out. My family and I had a great time enjoying the drive in experience together.

The movie we saw was Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. And though as you would expect from a Will Ferrell movie it has some crude and potentially offensive elements, it also has some very funny sequences and overall a good message. The fact is, I enjoyed it.

We did see some movies at home, but not very many. The stand outs were:

Failure to Launch. This is a comedy about a couple of parents who would like their full grown son to move out of their home so they can get on with their life. The son, who has it pretty darn good at home, has no intention of going. Terry Bradshaw, a former quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers from way back when, made this movie in his role as the dad. Especially with the sequence about the naked room. Hilarious. It was worth watching the movie just for that.

She's the Man. This is a loose Shakespeare redo, based on "Twelfth Night, or What You Will". It's about a girl who is told that boys are better athletes than girls, so she disguises herself as a guy in order to play on a guy's soccer and make a point. Amanda Bynes is adorable and very funny, as is the movie itself. We watched it as a family and had a great time laughing together.

RV. The latest Robin Williams movie, we weren't expecting much. This is about a high powered executive who has neglected his family in pursuit of the good life. To keep his job he cancels a family vacation to Hawaii and plans a road trip in an RV to Colorado where he has to go to a meeting. He keeps this a secret from his family, telling them it's all about time together. You can probably figure out where it goes from there.

Early on, one of the gag scenes deals with flushing the RV's clogged waste system. I decided that was a good time to go upstairs for a snack. When I came back down, Mary (my youngest daughter) said, "My how Robin Williams has fallen." I had to agree.

But the movie got better from there, aided immeasurably by Jeff Daniel's character. We found ourselves laughing despite ourselves. And again, there was a good message. So, by the end of the movie, Mary and I both agree this was a pretty good movie. Not great by any stretch, but far better (and funnier) than we expected.

Next week I'll move on to books, and maybe even a few websites I think are worth recommending as well.

Last Updated on 11/24/2010 9:14:43 PM

The Husband, 16 Blocks, and Off the Map

Rob Merola — Thu, 29 Jun 2006 05:00:00 GMT

Due to the meager response to my last column, I thought perhaps no one was reading Rob Recommends any more and so decided to quit writing it. Since then, after taking a closer look at our website statistics, we have decided there may be some readers out there after all. So-for better or for worse-I'm back!

And I have some stuff to recommend. For today, I'll keep it to two movies and a book.

First movie: Off the Map. I rented this movie principally because it has Sam Elliot in it, and I'm a Sam Elliot fan.

It's basically the story of people who are a bit off, a little different, who struggle with their past and their own inner demons, and yet somehow come to find their place-their own little community where they not only belong, but actually "fit".

When that kind of story is told well, as it is here, it gives me hope. Because frankly, I've always felt that at least in some ways, that is something of my story too.

*** *** ***

Second Movie: 16 Blocks. I rented this movie principally because it has Bruce Willis in it, and when it comes right down to it, I almost always thoroughly enjoy Bruce Willis movies. This one is no exception.

I'd put this movie in the category of "lost people who unexpectedly find themselves". It's another type of movie to which I'm drawn, because once again I see something of myself in them.

It is the end of this movie that really made it for me. Can people really change? It's a question most people ask somewhere along the line, though the way they ask it is "Can I really change?" And for most of us, the question is well worth asking, even if the answer isn't always as clear as we'd like.

That's why, for me at least, I appreciate anything that gives me hope. It's a lot of why I'm a Christian. And though they may seem like strange bedfellows, and probably are, it's a lot of why I liked this movie as well.

*** *** ***

Finally, the book: Dean Koontz's The Husband. If Dean Koontz has lost the grittiness that gave him his edge, that built such terror into his books, perhaps he has made up for it in getting sweeter as time goes on. Though as expected there are disturbing elements in this story, this is basically a sweet story. Gruesomely graphic elements are pretty much gone, but there is.inspiring affirmation?...in its place.

Like several of his most recent books, the main character is presented with a dilemma with grave consequences that must be solved in a brief period of time. In this book, the dilemma is that of a husband with a modest income who must come up with a huge some of money in 24 hours to save the life of his wife. Will he be able to do it? If so, how? Who or what will he need to become to succeed?

It's the last question that is most interesting, and which creates most of the suspense. Come to think of it, maybe that is where most of the suspense comes from in life as well. and why even if Dean Koontz's books aren't quite what they used to be, they are still worth reading.

Last Updated on 11/24/2010 9:14:42 PM

Recipes

Rob Merola — Thu, 25 May 2006 05:00:00 GMT

In response to last week's RR, I received the following delicious sounding recipes from Mindy Anderson in California (we've featured some of her husband Dean's recommendations here before).

Next week I'll be in FL fishing, so RR will take that week off. That means that if you didn't yet respond to last week's column, you still have two weeks to come up with something interesting to recommend. It doesn't have to be elaborate or long; just something you enjoy you'd like to pass on to others.

So come on-help me out here! I'm really interested in what you have to say, and benefiting from getting the inside scoop that only you have to offer!

As promised, here are Mindy's recipes: "one for spreading on stuff, one for dipping stuff into, and a bread recipe in honor (in spite of?) of MI3, the last movie I saw. (The bread is adapted from a recipe in the May, 1990, issue of Sunset Magazine. The sauce and confit are adapted from.who remembers?)"

Garlic Confit

4 heads of garlic, cloves removed and peeled but left whole
2 tablespoons shallots or leeks or green onions, minced
2 tablespoons sage, chopped
1 cup olive oil

Place first three ingredients into pot. Cover completely with olive oil. Bring to a light simmer over medium heat; then reduce heat to very low and poach for 35 to 45 minutes to create a confit of garlic. When done, garlic should have the texture of a boiled potato. Refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight. Once confit is completely cooled, puree until it becomes a smooth paste.

Orange and mint sauce

2 T butter
2 chopped shallots or leeks or green onions
1 t brown sugar
� c orange juice
1 T beef or chicken bouillon
2 c water

Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions; saut� until golden, about three minutes. Add brown sugar; stir until sauce is deep amber color, about two minutes. Stir in bouillon and water. Boil until reduced to � cup, about 12 minutes. Add chopped mint and boil until slightly thickened, about five minutes.

Bomb Bread (Bomba)

1 pkg active dry yeast
2 cups warm water
about � cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
about 6 cups all-purpose flour

In a large bowl, soften yeast in warm water about five minutes. Add � cup olive oil and the salt. Add 3 � cups flour; beat until dough is stretchy and elastic. Stir in 2 � cups more flour.

Scrape dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about ten minutes, adding flour as required to prevent sticking. Let rise in a bowl in a warm place (covered with plastic wrap) until doubled, about one hour (or let rise in refrigerator overnight).

Punch dough down. On a well-floured surface, divide dough into five equal pieces. Working with one portion of dough at a time, lightly knead to make a smooth ball (keep remaining dough covered with plastic wrap). With a floured rolling pin, roll each ball evenly into a flat round � inch thick and 11 inches wide; occasionally lift round and dust with flour to prevent sticking.

Carefully transfer round to a greased 12x15 inch baking sheet (take care to keep the round evenly thick and avoid puncturing).

Bake, one at a time, on the bottom rack of a 550F oven until golden all over and puffed, 4-6 minutes. (While one bread bakes, roll out another portion of dough.)

Transfer hot breads to serving board, brush with remaining olive oil. Serve hot or warm. To avoid flattening, use a sharp or serrated knife to cut into wedges. Makes five loaves, enough for 8 servings.

P.S. The sauce and confit look definitely unappetizing, if you ask me, but they taste good!

Last Updated on 11/24/2010 9:14:42 PM

Stumped

Rob Merola — Wed, 17 May 2006 05:00:00 GMT

I'm in something of a pickle this week. Work has been extremely busy lately, which hasn't left me any time to see movies or read books or eat out. So that doesn't leave me much to write about, does it?

So how about this: let's try a Reader Recommends. In other words, if you've seen a good movie, read a good book, eaten at a good restaurant, visited a very cool website, heard some great music, or used some particularly useful product, send me an email and tell me about it. My email address is: DaddyRob88@AOL.com.

You don't have to be local to participate (for instance, if you live in California and want to recommend a good CA restaurant, perhaps we'll be in the area and will be most grateful for the tip!)

I'll put your responses together and we'll publish them here (as to exactly how we do that, I'll have to consult with our website managers).

Not only do I look forward to reading what you have to say, but I'm also grateful for any much appreciated help in this that you might be willing to offer. You'd be giving a very tired priest a break. Thanks!

Last Updated on 11/24/2010 9:14:42 PM

Polly Glotto, Gone, and The Gospel

Rob Merola — Thu, 11 May 2006 05:00:00 GMT

The internet is an amazing thing. How about an animated talking translator? Here is a link to check it out: http://www.pollyglotto.com/index8.php.

By clicking on that link, you'll meet Polly on the left side of the screen. Just beneath her you'll find two text boxes, one for entering a word or phrase to translate (there is a wide variety of language pairs available for translating both to and from English) and one for seeing the translated phrase.

Because my daughter loves all things Japanese, I typed in "My name is Christine Merola" in the upper box and clicked submit. Polly spoke the sentence in perfect Japanese. Then we typed in, "I love Godzilla" and listened how to say that. You never know when that phrase might come in handy.

It's a lot of fun to play around with.

*** *** ***

I just finished Jonathan Kellerman's latest, Gone. It took me over two weeks to get through it, which should tell you something. Usually with a book like this I can't put it down, and very often will read through it one or two nights.

It's not that it's bad, it's just that nothing much happens. Not good for a thriller. Also, it's pretty easy to figure out who the bad guy is.

It doesn't get too grisly until the end, but then it gets pretty grisly. I could've done without that.

I know that's not much a recommendation, but maybe it will save you some time on a mediocre book so you can read a better one.

*** *** ***

Finally, I saw the movie The Gospel. Basically, it's a modern day retelling of the parable of the Prodigal Son. Some parts of the movie work better than others, but the interaction between father and son are very poignant. The movie features a lot of Gospel music as well.

Last Updated on 11/24/2010 9:14:42 PM

Sugary tomatoes, United 93, and Joe's Dog House

Rob Merola — Wed, 03 May 2006 05:00:00 GMT

Are you a tomato lover? Have I got a tomato for you! It is called Sugary, and it is described as the sweetest tomato yet. It's a cherry tomato that produces big, steady yields on huge plants that grow all season. It's also a 2005 All American Selection winner, which means it was tested extensively by independent judges under a wide variety of conditions nationally in order to be chosen as one of the best.

Last year I looked for Sugary tomatoes every where and never found them. This year I broke down and ordered seeds. But low and behold-I did a quick stop at Home Depot to pick up some gardening supplies and what did I find but potted Sugary tomato plants! I bought several.

In this area, plants can go in a hurry. So if you are interested in giving Sugary a try, I suggest you head over to the Home Depot in Cascades (they probably have them at other Home Depots as well, but I can't say for sure) and pick some up.

As far as growing tomatoes in our area of northern Virginia, the rule of thumb is that Mother's day or after is when we should put our tomato plants in the ground. Tomatoes grow best between 65 and 80 degrees, and warm soil is critical to giving them a good start.

I have to admit I put some in the ground already, and the recent nights with temperatures ranging from the low 30s to the 40s have really put a damper on them. The tomatoes I've kept in pots and brought in at night are doing much better.

*** *** ***

On Saturday evening, I received an email from Big Al saying, ". I saw United 93 last night. It was like being there. It's amazing that the film is so intense considering the outcome is known from the start. Everyone should see this. Take Kleenex, people were openly sobbing at times"

With an accolade like that, I decided to go see it. So on Sunday afternoon, Linda and I headed off to the theatre together.

I share Big's opinion that United 93 was like being there, and that it is an amazing film that is exceptionally well made. But precisely for those reasons, I'd have to disagree that "everyone should see this". For some, it will still be too raw. People were sobbing at our showing also, with a couple of them shrieking hysterically. It is more like going through an experience than seeing a movie.

It is a brutal and heartbreaking film, all the more so since, as Big noted, we know what is going to happen from the start. From the very beginning, there is an ominous feeling from which we never get any relief.

Still, it is a story of ordinary people making an extraordinary decision and finding the courage to act upon it. They pay the ultimate price for their bravery, sacrificing their lives for the lives of others. So, as painful as it is to watch, it does do a good job of honoring both the memory and the lost lives of 9-11. Though Linda and I could only sit unmoving in stunned silence when it was over, it none-the-less provided a deep sense of inspiration that will not soon or easily be forgotten.

*** *** ***

If you are hot dog lover, you should definitely give Joe's Dog House in downtown Herndon a try. They offer a wide variety of all beef hot dogs served Coney Island style.

Most of their dogs range from $2 to $3, and include such things as the Bird Dog (a turkey dog for only $1.80), the Boxer (served with Coney Island Chili for $2.40), the Bull Dog (hot dog with chili, onions, and Jalapenos for $2.90), and so on. Of course, you can create your own dog choosing from such toppings as Jalapenos, grilled onions, cheese sauce, Kraut, chili, or slaw on your dogs for a slight additional fee.

You can also order bratwurst, kielbasa, chicken, a burger, and even a veggi burger (the Labradoodle) if you don't feel like a hot dog. There are the usual sides, and cookies, brownies and (best of all) Eddy's Grand Ice Cream for desert.

All in all, it's a good ol' American meal at a great price.

Last Updated on 11/24/2010 9:14:41 PM