4-27-2025 MY FAVES: food, drugs, and video games

 books of the week

i completed my reading of medium raw. my takeaway? the all american hamburger died some time ago. what would anthony bourdain think about the millennial burger joint meme circulating?  i want to try a tasting menu one day in this lifetime, as well as to visit a michelin rated restaurant. 

my new read is unmask alice by rick emerson. i read the book go ask alice when i was in 4th grade, and it left a mark on my impressionable preteen brain. this book, however, uncovers the truth and backstory on how this controversial book/diary was actually a total scam, and how it boosted the drug panic and satanic panic (as the "anonymous author" also wrote a similar diary about a teenage satanist). i am so excited to dive into this investigative piece. 15 years later, let's uncover the truth about alice. 

music of the week 

while tinkering with radiooooo at work, i was able to find my old account from when i had first discovered this app, and it still had some saved songs i discovered. now, due to the unfortunate premium plans, i couldn't simplify the process of listening to these hidden gems, but rather had to search for them on spotify or youtube. with some patience and frequent phone lags, i managed to re-discover some songs from across the globe, and across the century:

where or when - jane birkin (fra, 1975)

day dreaming - aretha franklin (usa, 1972)

california dreamin' - scala & kolacny brothers (bel, 2010)

jugoslavija - kim band (yug, 1981)

brodovi - via talas (yug, 1983)

ručak za dvoje - bisera veletanlić (yug, 1975)

noć bez zvijezda - senka veletanlić (yug, 1972)

movies of the week

i'm back on track with a cook's tour with anthony bourdain, and i'm marking down restaurants across the world, and taking notes on what a great american bar needs, and where in the usa is the best barbecue: kansas city, texas or north carolina? a cook's tour is great for festival season preparations. i'm so ready to explore the greasy gems at local fairs. 

per boyfriend's request, we went and watched the minecraft movie. i have never played this game in my life. this was a cheap jumanjification alongside the rest of the million franchise movies about video games (sonic, super mario, the new jumanji reboot, and space jam reboot to be a few), and it was cheap, too fast, and filled with plot holes - i90 highway could be envious. 

i will say - it is pleasant to see jack black continuing to be the pre-teen comedic hero he was once for our generation. and jason momoa's character was so bizarre he was actually kind of funny. his bangs were incredible, the tassle jacket was bizarre, and for a minute i almost thought the movie would be placed in the 80s. 

overall the script was an excellent 7th grader's creative writing project. of course, i am far from the demographic this film was targeted to. i would've appreciated more dedication to a concise, simple plot sans plot holes, keep weird details out, and maybe pace the film's action a bit. 

the best part? i still have absolutely no idea what the hell minecraft the game is. this will be my homework.