Tag Archives: TV

Food and More

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Mexican foodI don’t care what you say — I think this is a balanced meal. Look, Mexican foodyou’ve got your dairy (cheese dip) and your grains (tortilla chips). Hot peppers are full of nutritional stuff, and didn’t I read somewhere that beer is pretty much almost nearly just as good for you as red wine? And of course, you can never have too much salsa. This is an example of the weekly date night my husband and I cling to no matter what else is going on. But not just any Mexican restaurant will do. We head to a specific one that we’ve gone to for years. In fact, the waiters don’t even ask us what we want anymore — they’ve practically got it on the table as soon as we sit down.  My husband pours the beers and squeezes the limes and always makes sure I get the coldest mug as we munch chips and dip. Sometimes we order actual food. Sometimes not. But we always have a good time.

Random thought  — Welcome back, Tiger Woods. Hope your knee is better.

Blog recommendation — For a different take on Lent, visit today’s post at A Day That Is Dessert , http://www.leciawphinney.com/. Lecia passes on a wonderful Lent idea from her pastor. Don’t miss it.

Reality TV

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probstIt’s that time of the TV year when everything else is background and 7-8 p.m. on phil-keoghanThursdays and Sundays becomes sacred. That’s when I lust over watch Jeff Probst preside over the disintegration of carefully molded alliances and then ponder the detached imponderability of Amazing Race host Phil Keoghan. Survivor is my absolutely favorite TV show of all time. I love the backstabbing and lies and conniving and skulduggery — and that’s just the first episode. Amazing Race, for me, is less about the personalities and more about the intriguing idea of racing around the world with only a backpack when it takes me two pieces of luggage just to go to the nearest Big City for a weekend. I watch to learn. And this season on Survivor, we’ve got two Alabama contestants and one from Nashville, Tennessee, so I always root for the hometown folks. I also predict Sandy will be among the first to go and Benjamin will be trouble. In Amazing Race, I’ve got Mark and Michael pegged for an early exit, which is sad because those are my brothers’ names. But if reality TV teaches us anything, it’s that you can’t let sentiment — or honesty or friendship or kindness or any of those other peskily inconvenient values — get in the way. Don’t you love it?

Britcoms

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0101_are20you20being20servedOkay — this is an admission of what a geeky nerd I truly am. In lieu of being with family and/or friends on a Saturday night, one of my favorite things to do is hunker down at home, turn on public television and enjoy Britcoms, those reruns of old BBC half-hour comedies. I love them! I’m a huge fan and they never get old. My favorite is “Are You Being Served?” (pictured) with Mr. Lucas and Mr. Grainger and the original young Mr. Grace — I could do without Mr. Spooner or young Mr. Grace’s brother. I also adore “Keeping Up Appearances” with astounding female comic Patricia Routledge playing off an endearing cast of frustrated neighbors and family plus “Vicar of Dibley” with the amazing timing of actresses Dawn French and Emma Chambers and some of the wittiest dialogue on TV. I also love the upper-class stylings of Penelope Keith in “To the Manor Born” and “The Good Life,” and then there’s Judi Dench slumming and having a blast in “As Time Goes By.” And whenever John Cleese’s “Fawlty Towers” comes on, it’s a gold-star Saturday night. Two stars if “The Office” and “Yes, (Prime) Minister” are on and three for “Absolutely Fabulous.” And if I’m ever lucky enough to find “Doctor Who,” well, I think I would run out of stars.

Survivor

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Ah, it’s fall, and that means one thing: “Survivor” is back! I love this show! Thursday night was the opening of its 17th season, filmed in Africa’s Gabon, which is billed as “Earth’s last Eden.” The first episodes are always fun as we viewers try to identify the good, the bad and the clueless. And it’s our chance to get to know what the contestants normally look like while they still have clean hair and somewhat intact clothes. And then, of course, there’s my man, Jeff Probst — now, after his recent Emmy win, officially proclaimed best reality-show host ever (OK, I added in the “ever” part. But still.) I’ve always thought Jeff is the perfect candidate for vice president. I mean, he’s kind but tough, smart but accessible, believes in hard work and trying your best and, most importantly, takes no nonsense from anybody. Isn’t this exactly what we need??? I think so. Plus, he’s so cute and looks great in both a tux and a baseball cap. I’m telling you, if we’d all just listen to Jeff, we’d be in much better shape. I’m just saying. So here are my predictions for this season: Ace and Bob will get the boot after the merge, Jacquie and Kelly will remain under the radar and Charlie will see his carefully constructed alliance disintegrate before his eyes — or rather, he won’t see it because he’ll be completely blindsided. Jeff has said that this season degenerates into the most intense “good versus evil” competition he’s ever seen. Now, that will be interesting! Cannot wait.