Month: June 2010

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Recovery- Eminem

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Eminem’s last album, Relapse, was a disappointment.  It had a few good songs but I wondered if maybe success (and excess) had dulled his talent.  Recovery is the album that Relapse wanted to be- an affirmation that Eminem still has the tale

nt and desire to connect with his audience.  Recovery finds Eminem free of his drug problems and dealing with demons that drove earlier work.

Disclosure- Eminem grew up in same part of Warren, Michigan as I did.  No, I never met him- we ran in different circles, but I always paid attention to his work and appreciated that he stayed in the Metro-Detroit area after finding fame.  I remember seeing a billboard for the film 8 Mile while on a business trip in Los Angeles and feeling a little bit of civic pride.

So I always pulled for him.  i hope that Recovery marks a new drama-free phase of Eminem’s career.

Hopefully, he’ll stay clean, stay sane, and continue to make great music.

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Toy Story 3

When I heard that a new Toy Story was in the works, I was a little concerned.  It had been long time since the first two movies had come out.  Could Pixar recapture the magic?  The answer is a resounding YES.  The third installment of the Toy Story saga has all the story and heart of the first two movies.  Andy is on the way to college and future of the toys is at stake.

I highly recommend this movie with one slight reservation.  Near the end of the movie the toys find themselves in danger of being recycled and the scenes might be a little scary for toddlers.  But don’t worry, a happy ending soon follows.

Pixar once again has crafted a technological marvel that will pull the heartstrings of the most jaded viewers.  Young filmmakers would be wise to to study the films of Pixar.  While relying

on advanced computer technology to create the film- every second of film time is made up of 24 frames and each frame took 7-10 hours of computer rendering time and that doesn’t include the thousands of hours needed to create the character models, the story never is neglected.

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Mac’s Acadian Seafood Shack- Saline, MI

Mac’s is a great seafood restaurant in Saline, Michigan.  When we go out for seafood in the Ann Arbor area it’s usually a choice between Mac’s and Real Seafood.  For years, Real Seafood was my favorite restaurant but Mac’s has surpassed it.

The food and service is consistently better and atmosphere is less hectic and comfortable.  Mac’s dessert menu is also far superior that of Real Seafood.  Of particular note are evenings when Mac’s has live music and serves dinner outside on its rear patio.

My favorite dish is the sauteed lake perch and definitely try the cole slaw.

When Mac’s opened in 1996 the word around town is that it was just a copy of Real Seafood.  More than a copy, it is now superior.

I highly recommend it.

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Apple iPhone 4

Apple has announced the iPhone 4 and I can’t wait.  

I have an iPhone V1 and although I’ve been hoping to escape from AT&T to Verizon, I can’t wait any longer.  I haven’t even seen one in person but it doesn’t matter- Apple is on a roll and I want a new phone.  We have a number of Apple products in my household– shuffles, nanos, touches, a Mac Book Pro and most recently a 3G iPad.  Everyone from my wife to my five-year old are huge Apple fans and it’s time for Dad to get a new toy!

Normally, I’m a careful tech buyer but the Apple products I have are great.  

I trust Apple to deliver a great product.

I can only think of a few brands that I have had such complete faith.

The first was Sony and the second was Lucasarts.  

Growing up Sony Walkmans were my introduction to the Sony,  I moved up to televisions, CD players, and eventually DVD players.  But Sony lost their way.  They embarked on a number products built on proprietary standards that failed to live up the hype.  The minidisc was the final nail in the coffin of my Sony devotion. The Sony brand lost it’s magic.  Now Sony is just another nameplate in a sea of brands. 

Lucasarts also lost me along the way.  I remember their original games on the my Atari 8-bit (Rescue on Fractalus, Ballblazer) which pushed that hardware to its limit.  Later I loved playing Rebel Assault, X-Wing, and Tie Fighter.  I pre-ordered their games sight unseen.  And then came X-Wing Alliance which sucked all the fun out of the X-Wing and Tie Fighters franchises and Star Wars Galaxies which was just a mess.  I’ve only purchased a few games since, most recently The Force Unleashed which disappointed me with quick time events at crucial moments during the game.  Mashing buttons isn’t exactly what I had on mind for an all powerfull jedi.

Hopefully, the new iPhone will continue Apple’s run of great products. 

Stay tuned…

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Red Hots Reborn- Ray’s Red Hots

One of my favorite Ann Arbor eateries has been reborn.  For years Red Hot Lovers served up the best hot  dogs and chili cheese fries in Ann Arbor but I was horrified to discover that is had closed.

Recently I discovered that is has re-opened, renamed Ray’s Red Hots, and is better than ever!  The place has been revamped, the customer service is greatly improved and the menu is virutally the same.

I highly recommend you check this place out.  Summer is a great time for a coney dog and order of chili cheese fries.

My favorite order- get a mighty dog, grilled, with coney toppings 🙂

Ray’s Red Hots

629 East University
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
(734) 998-3647

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Real Seafood Company- Ann Arbor, MI

One of the most enjoyable things to do in Ann Arbor during the summer is to dine outside on Main Street.

Tonight we ate at one of my favorite restaurants, The Real Seafood Company.  I’ve been eating at Real Seafood for nearly 20 years and it rarely disappoints.  Unfortunately, this visit was disappointing.  We sat for while before our waiter made it to our table and when we did finally order, the food took a long time to arrive.  Our appetizer was MIA.  Also disappointing was the cole slaw, one my long time favorites.  According to our waiter, the recipe had recently been changed and many patrons had complained.

On the positive side the entrees were great (grilled swordfish and whitefish marsala).

Despite our service problems, I still recommend Real Seafood.  I just hope they go back to their old cole slaw recipe!