Saturday Night Dinner and a Movie in San Diego
Woody Allen - what makes him funny? I find him annoying. And yet last night I sat in a dark movie theater, ten dollars lighter, and the gentleman behind me started laughing the minute Woody Allen appeared. He wasn't funny. There was no reason to be laughing at this stage of the movie Scoop. Maybe since I am not an avid Woody fan, there were allusions to jokes from previous movies? I don't know, but found myself being angry at this guy behind me. It was like he wanted us to laugh with him because it was a Woody Allen film - not because it was funny. The movie Scoop wasn't that bad. Woody annoyed me, but overall the movie was harmless. It is one that I wouldn't recommend to friends, but one that I wouldn't denounce either. Hugh Jackman is gorgeous, if somewhat unmotivated. The entire plot is unbelievable and the actors do a decent job if you get over the fact that they have no motivation.
Leaving the movie Scoop with my two friends, who were raving about it we decided to head out to Hillcrest for dinner. Unbeknownst to us it was Gay Pride weekend. The first inkling that we had left conservative Republican San Diego was the near naked man walking along the sidewalk. We had taken a back road route to get into Hillcrest; so I thought that maybe this was a singular incident. Hillcrest is known as a gay neighborhood, but is not known for being outrageously so. It is also known as having some amazing restaurants so onward we drove. Once in the heart of town it became clear that "near-naked man" was not going to be a unique sight. Also every restaurant and store was showing their rainbow colors with flags and balloons. Michele was talking intently with her mom. Heather and I were trying to decide whether we were up for this intense people watching experience. I decided against dinner in Hillcrest in the desire to not be on the nightly news with three women. Cowardly - perhaps.
Michele was still on the phone. Lisa is planning her wedding so there is much to discuss, and since I was driving, I decided to head to a neighborhood that I was more demographically comfortable with, La Jolla. I gave Heather the choice of Mexican or Moroccan. Heather decided to be adventurous; so off to Marrakesh we headed.
We followed the belly dancer into the plush darkened interior of the restaurant. The restaurant was relatively empty. Heather and I chose the bolstered sofa. Michele sat on a chair exposed to the possible antics of the belly dancer. Saturday night is a fixed prix dinner with 5-6 courses. This was Heather and Michele's first time eating Moroccan. The hand washing and towel napkins set the mood for a different dining experience. I ordered vegetarian, while Michele and Heather ordered lamb and chicken for the main course. The tomato soup was refreshing and the bread amazing. Then came my favorite item the salad made of cucumber, carrots and eggplant. It was delicious. Next came a savory dish. Mine was rice fried into a cake covered with cinnamon and sugar. Michele and Heather had a fried cake filled with chicken and decorated with a cinnamon camel also covered in sugar. The main meal consisted of couscous and vegetables for me and couscous and meat for everybody else. By this time the belly dancer had appeared and the restaurant started to fill with patrons. The table next to us was filled with two couples. I would guess that the men were Egyptian or at least middle-Eastern. They danced with the belly dancer. I was now stuffed and having drunk over eight glasses of water with lemon was in need of a restroom. Sadly - the restaurant was having plumbing problems; so had to cross the street to Sammy's to use the facilities. Upon returning there was a yummy mint tea and baklava.
It was a fun women's weekend. I would have had better stories had I stayed in Hillcrest, but think I had more fun in La Jolla.
Leaving the movie Scoop with my two friends, who were raving about it we decided to head out to Hillcrest for dinner. Unbeknownst to us it was Gay Pride weekend. The first inkling that we had left conservative Republican San Diego was the near naked man walking along the sidewalk. We had taken a back road route to get into Hillcrest; so I thought that maybe this was a singular incident. Hillcrest is known as a gay neighborhood, but is not known for being outrageously so. It is also known as having some amazing restaurants so onward we drove. Once in the heart of town it became clear that "near-naked man" was not going to be a unique sight. Also every restaurant and store was showing their rainbow colors with flags and balloons. Michele was talking intently with her mom. Heather and I were trying to decide whether we were up for this intense people watching experience. I decided against dinner in Hillcrest in the desire to not be on the nightly news with three women. Cowardly - perhaps.
Michele was still on the phone. Lisa is planning her wedding so there is much to discuss, and since I was driving, I decided to head to a neighborhood that I was more demographically comfortable with, La Jolla. I gave Heather the choice of Mexican or Moroccan. Heather decided to be adventurous; so off to Marrakesh we headed.
We followed the belly dancer into the plush darkened interior of the restaurant. The restaurant was relatively empty. Heather and I chose the bolstered sofa. Michele sat on a chair exposed to the possible antics of the belly dancer. Saturday night is a fixed prix dinner with 5-6 courses. This was Heather and Michele's first time eating Moroccan. The hand washing and towel napkins set the mood for a different dining experience. I ordered vegetarian, while Michele and Heather ordered lamb and chicken for the main course. The tomato soup was refreshing and the bread amazing. Then came my favorite item the salad made of cucumber, carrots and eggplant. It was delicious. Next came a savory dish. Mine was rice fried into a cake covered with cinnamon and sugar. Michele and Heather had a fried cake filled with chicken and decorated with a cinnamon camel also covered in sugar. The main meal consisted of couscous and vegetables for me and couscous and meat for everybody else. By this time the belly dancer had appeared and the restaurant started to fill with patrons. The table next to us was filled with two couples. I would guess that the men were Egyptian or at least middle-Eastern. They danced with the belly dancer. I was now stuffed and having drunk over eight glasses of water with lemon was in need of a restroom. Sadly - the restaurant was having plumbing problems; so had to cross the street to Sammy's to use the facilities. Upon returning there was a yummy mint tea and baklava.
It was a fun women's weekend. I would have had better stories had I stayed in Hillcrest, but think I had more fun in La Jolla.
posted by sylence at 5:23 PM
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