Norwegian Film at its Finest!

They're packed and ready for the greatest adventure of their lives. All they have to do is get out of the house. I simply have to put a plug in for this movie because its not everyday you find a gem in a Blockbuster.

I don't have any insightful truths to push on you from this movie, but only a guarantee you will feel good after watching this movie. The characters are still vivid in my mind as I reminisce on this film.

Here is the plot:
When his mother, who has sheltered him his entire 40 years, dies, Elling, a sensitive, would-be poet, is sent to live in a state institution. There he meets Kjell Bjarne, a gentle giant and female-obsessed virgin in his 40s. After two years, the men are released and provided with a state-funded apartment and stipend with the hope they will be able to live on their own. Initially, the simple act of going around the corner for groceries is a challenge. Through a friendship born of desperate dependence, the skittish Elling and the boisterous, would-be lover of women, Kjell Bjarne, discover they can not only survive on the outside, they can thrive. But as their courage grows, the two find oddball ways to cope with society, striking up the most peculiar friendships in the most unlikely places.

I will leave you with a snippet of the script:

[Elling is about to order two train tickets to Oslo]
Train ticket salesman: Yes?
Elling: Yes!
Train ticket salesman: You're going to?
Elling: Yes, we! Kjell Bjarne and I are going to Oslo of course.
Train ticket salesman: One way?
Elling: There are more ways?

---

[Ticket ordering continued]
Train ticket salesman: That'll be 130 kroner per ticket.
Elling: 130 kroner? The last time mother and I took the train to Larvik the ticket cost 25.
Train ticket salesman: That must have been about 30 years ago.
Elling: Yes

Thought for the Day: Seize the day!

I Eat, Therefore I Am

One of the best deals in the city are the ethnic grocery stores. Some ingredients may seem intimidating, but not knowing what it is, is half the fun! Yesterday I was shopping up at Argyle in Chicago (essentially Vietnam-town).

I came home with a large loot all under $20 that will feed me for a few weeks. Ingredients like mushrooms, herbs, fruits, spices are typically 3 to 5 times cheaper at ethnic stores than the large markets like Jewel.

Lately, I have been trying to mimic some of the dishes I had in Japan. A very simple and tasty cuisine in Japan is Yakitori. In Japan, yakitori is essentially bar/pub food, but in the USA I have only seen it at upscale Japanese restaurants. To do it yourself you can use a broiler or grill pan if you don't have an outdoor grill. My favorites are asparagus, okra, or tomato wrapped in pork (bacon). Eringi and Shitake mushrooms (pictured above) are also delicious. Simply skewer the food and grill for 2-5 min a side. Be sure to salt the mushrooms after grilling and lightly dose with lemon. (Note: I tried lime today, but it just doesn't work as well)

Another Thai delight is Tom Yum soup. I do several varieties on this soup by adding some Thai and some Vietnamese ingredients (a la pho). I thought to add Thai Chili today, thinking they would be similar to Serrano chilies since they look very similar. I was wrong! My mouth and fingers are still burning from these peppers! After looking on the Internet, I found out the chili I used are some of the hottest in the world. The soup pictured here is very simple and starts with a pho broth (from cube), chili oil, fresh rice stick noodle, shitake mushroom, lime, and cilantro. You can add lemongrass, shrimps, duck, chicken, Thai chili and the list goes on...

In Chicago, Argyle, Chinatown, and Devon (India-town) all host excellent stores and are conveniently located off public transportation. Let me know if you have other great deals in the Chicago area!

Thought for the day: No amount of experimentation can ever prove me right; a single experiment can prove me wrong.

Killer Salon Deals in Chicago

So I am currently looking for a salon to get color treatment. Today while searching for coupons, I stumbled across this amazing site: CHICAGO BEAUTY

It has tons of Chicago's best salons listed and if you click on one, it gives you several coupons!

If anyone has a recommendation for a place to get coloring that is in this list and has a coupon let me know!

Thought for the day: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Wedding Planning 2007

My blogs might switch gears as I plan a wedding for April 2007. Above is a snippet of the invitations in the works. Right now I only have time to post a little detail of the swirling ideas...more to come I hope.....