I'm almost a bit reluctant to share my recent discovery of Fanny's weekend brunch. It's such a quiet spot with no waiting, amazing food, and perhaps most impressive of all, it costs about half of what the other Williamsburg lazy day eating options charge. Five Leaves is still a go-to spot if we're out the door before 10am (note: the chicken sandwich with anchovies is the best thing on the menu), but if you show up any later than 11, a big wait is pretty much guaranteed.

And while I'm wild about Brooklyn Label's Red Flannel Hash and Colorado Chili, the reason that restaurant has never made this list is that the entrees run $12 and $14 each (respectively) and more often than not they can take up to an hour (once,?no lie, nearly two) to make it to your table.

Therefore, Fanny has?stepped in as a little yummy savior. The space is bright and cozy and the menu has some unexpected surprises. For example, who else can offer grilled toast with spinach, poached eggs, and tarragon shrimp? It was delicious by the way, as in I actually exclaimed, in the middle of breakfast, “this is delicious!” delicious. And all you Francophiles out there can find Croque Monsieurs and Madames and mussels with fries.

The staff is a little lackadaisical, but our meals came quick and they made us feel comfortable hanging sticking around even after we'd finished our meals. And again, I just have to belabor this point, Fanny is a major deal. Laura and I both had the shrimp dish and two cappuccinos a piece and still only owed twenty bucks.

It doesn't seem like?Fanny has made the same sort of food impact as fellow neighborhood spots, which is why we got a table so quickly, but it's also cause for concern because I'd hate to see such a little gem go out of business for lack of word-of-mouth. They also serve an equally nicely priced lunch and dinner.

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Posted on March 23, 2009

I'm not going to lie to you Mick, if your reading this, Lindsey is and will always be the one for me. I certainly wouldn't have made the same choices Stevie did back in Hawaii, but you have such a big poppa (he's six foot six!) elven charisma and a beard that's only gotten more and more amazing with age, so I open up my Fleetwood Mac hunks category to you.

Seeing him go on an extended drum solo like no 62 year old I know was exhilarating.

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Posted on March 23, 2009

Despite weighing in at about ten pounds, Chronicle of the 20th Century has made the move with me to seven different apartments through three states. I adored this book as a teen and would often play a game where I'd make a list of movies based on random articles, then speculatively cast friends and celebrities I admired. I'm sure that in my youthful imagination Michelle Pfeiffer won accolades for her portrayal of Amelia Erhardt and, since she has dark hair, my friend Dana got the role of Frieda Kahlo.

Now this enjoyable encyclopedia lives on our reference shelf, full of exactly the kind of information that wins trivia games. It's fun just to leaf through and freshen up on all those pesky facts that will keep you from looking silly in more erudite conversations; I think this book taught me more about the 20th century's sequence of events than any of my high school history teachers.

The edition I have was published in the mid 90s, so obviously there are some major events missing in the run up to Y2K, but if you're okay editing Monica Lewinksy out of history, then this book makes a perfect for someone in their teens. DK, a company known for its enjoyable encyclopedic books, also published a tome called Millennium Year By Year: A Chronicle of World History from AD 1000 to the Present Day, which I plan to purchase soon.

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Posted on March 23, 2009

We have gorged on half chickens and rice and beans at the local Pio Pio Riko for years but never did I guess that on Fridays, the place turns into our own Peruvian Sammy's Romanian Steakhouse with entertainment and fun times. I found out recently when a friend decided to throw a going away party here for my dear friend Laura, who is moving to California (whether it breaks all our hearts or not).

The hostess who helped plan to party promised lots of surprises. Their weekend lounge singer, a charismatic and mysterious woman behind a piano sang California Dreaming and California Girls in dedication to our friend's new West Coast adventure. But I was most taken with her sultry, slow Oops I Did It Again that followed The Wall by Pink Floyd.

The real, very special treat, however was a spirited performance by Ballet Folklorio Mexicano Yavidaxiu, a group of beautiful dancers keeping the traditional dances of their countries alive. The costumes, particularly a sequined floor length skirt and the magnificent floral hairpieces were stunning. They helped make a special night even more so.

Seriously, if you live locally and are looking for a place to host a large party at no huge cost, I can't recommend Pio Pio Riko high enough. They were gracious and the staff had as much fun as we all did.

We were told a ladies night is happening soon that also promises some major surprises…

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Posted on March 23, 2009

directed by Mike Leigh (2008)

Admiration isn’t a strong enough word to describe how I feel about Mike Leigh and his magical films of the mundane. Life is Sweet, Grown Ups, Naked, Topsy Turvy, and the Short and Curlies all make my list of all-time favorite movies; and while I freely admit that I tend to shy away from his more depressing projects (I had to stop All or Nothing about 20 minutes in and have yet to see Vera Drake), his grace, empathy and subtle comedic touch is truly unrivaled. So I was understandably thrilled when I first heard about his latest film, Happy-Go-Lucky, the story of an unusually optimistic young woman who meets a racist driving instructor.

Leigh essentially redefines the chick flick by totally rethinking all the boring Hollywood clich?s. Instead of a Sandy Bullock clone of a Sandy Bullock character who’s one dimensionally “quirky”, quietly lonely beneath her semi-eccentric (let’s just call it brassy) shell, saddled with a wise-cracking best friend and whose life can only become actualized by a man, Sally Hawkins plays Poppy as a lovable goofball who is happy just living her life – teaching kids, taking classes, partying with her best friends – and she doesn’t need a boyfriend to complete her. Poppy’s contentment is especially baffling and hard to deal with for the people she encounters who are not satisfied with their own lives; one character can’t believe that true happiness can be attained without a husband and a mortgage, another is actually offended by her ready acceptance of the world as a chaotic, messy place.

Hawkins has won numerous awards and considerable accolades for her brilliant performance, which is far more complex than it may initially sound – sure, Poppy is tirelessly optimistic, but she’s not in any way push-able around or na?ve. Equally impressive is Eddie Marsen‘s amazing turn as Scott, the driving instructor whose small, paranoid, misogynistic and racist world Poppy (unintentionally) rocks to its core.

While it’s fair to warn that, compared to the hysteric dramatics of most contemporary rom coms, not a whole lot happens in this film (Poppy hurts her back and visits a chiropractor, she browses a book store, she grabs a beer with a friend, etc?, it’s a testament to everyone involved that by the time this engaging, quiet movie is through, it has become thoroughly moving and you end up empathizing with the most vile of people. By its conclusion, the film has actually forced the audience to see the world through Poppy’s compassionate eyes, if only for a moment, which makes for a really quite stunning movie going experience.

What can I say, I just loved this movie, absolutely loved it! Enraha!

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Posted on March 23, 2009