Star Trek

As much as I would love to call this a review, it is not one.  Neither my husband nor I are steadfast trekkies, so I do not feel educated enough to pass judgment on a legacy.  These observations are merely comments from a film enthusiast.

We saw the movie last saturday at the IMAX theatre in Homestead.  This is a movie that was made for a screen that size.  It looked beautiful. I do not understand all of the history of the show.  I remember only quotable lines and character names. But the cast in this film was amazing.  I was a fan of J.J. Abrams shows Alias and Lost, I had a lot of faith in his capabilities.  And I was not let down. The effects were amazing.  The actors did a great job, even though the story was not perfect.  They did a good job making me love all the characters that I didn't grow up with. I fell in love with Spock and his relationship with Kirk. 

The comedy throughout the movie was spot on.  Simon Pegg is a wonderful actor and Scotty really makes this film.  Both my husband and I really hope that their will be sequels in this Star Trek universe.  A lot of the negative reviews seem to stem from a misunderstanding.  The idea of time travel is not new to this series, and yet, it seems to be the biggest problem for critics. As not to spoil for those who have yet to see the movie, let me just say that it is a great movie.  It does not have to be tied up with bow at the end. And as a fan who wants sequels with these actors in this series, I will be one of the last to complain when something is not quite as clear as it could be.  

Everyone will enjoy this film. From the tear-jerker opening to it's climax.  Have faith in the actors and director to show you a good time and you will have one.

Wai Wai Chinese Cuisine

Wai Wai is a locally owned chinese eatery on Liberty Ave. in Bloomfield.  They offer dine in and take-out services; their delivery requires a $10 minimum. I have had the opportunity to have delivery and eat-in.  The atmosphere was welcoming and warm.  Our waitress was informative and patient.  She even said they are expecting new granite tables and new chairs, though the decor is wonderful. My husband and I have drastically different tastes.  He enjoys spicy and my stomach cannot quite handle it.  They have a wide area of tastes for both of us.  I highly recommend the pan fried wontons with garlic sauce.  It is a wonderful appetizer. My husband had the black pepper chicken and said that it had the right amount of spice. I had the honey chicken. On previous occasions I have tried the dumplings and General Tso's chicken. Both were excellent.

I have had good experiences in the store and through delivery. Their inexpensive lunch and dinner boxes are also delicious. It is a wonderful place for a dinner out with friends for quiet conversation.  It has a calm atmosphere for a date or business meeting. It's not really a drinking or bar hangout.  Considering traditional chinese take-outs, it is a gem of a place that Bloomfield should be excited to have.

8.5/10-Service

9.7/10-Food

9.0/10-Atmosphere

9.2/10-Value for Money

Total 9.3/10

Claddagh Irish Pub

The Claddagh Irish Pub in the Southside Works is a chain restaurant worth your time. Located at 407 Cinema Drive, this pub atmosphere is great for a couple's date or a drink with friends.  My husband and I have been to eat several times for lunch and dinner. Their lunch menu provides substantial portions and good prices. Dinners are large and nicely prepared. Food comes out quickly, but also lets you enjoy the surroundings.  Having spent significant time in the United Kingdom, I can say that the decorations and big TVs showing sporting events are pretty accurate.  I'm not transported, but it is nice and cosy without being too tacky. On our last trip we went with my mother in-law for lunch.  She and my husband had the soup and sandwich lunch special.  They both commented that the clam chowder was excellent and each also enjoyed their sandwich.  I had a fish and chips lunch and it was amazing.  The seasoned chips were perfectly done.  We also ordered an appetizer of onion rings that were liked by all.  The batter was crispy without being too heavy or greasy.  

Overall I would say that we have had enjoyable experiences there.  The drinks are little expensive, but no more than the rest of the city.  My husband is a fan of Guinness and they have it on tap; they also have Strongbow (for those of you who have never been to the UK, it's amazing hard cider). The service is not always perfect, but it has been busy most days.  We have never made reservations, but they do take them if you have a large group or it's a big game night. I recommend highly as a great place to bring friends to have a drink or a enjoy a rugby match. I did not even know it was a chain until I was looking up the address for this review.

8/10-Service

9.5/10-Food

9/10-Atmosphere

9/10-Value for Money

Total 9.2/10

Cappy's Cafe

Cappy's Cafe at 5431 Walnut St. in Shadyside is a cafe with a bar atmosphere. A group of us went for Sunday lunch which may have affected our experience.  Main courses are approximately $7-9 and they have a moderately sized bar. The dining area is small with space for barely twenty people.  My husband ordered off the specials menu, which was terribly disappointing. A hot sausage sandwich that was merely a bratwurst on a hoagie bun. The bun was so oversized it looked like they had extras from a previous special and wanted to get rid of them. I had a chicken sandwich with buffalo sauce and potato chips. In contrast, my bun was too small so it got soggy. The chips were just chips, which was a let down.  Our friend got 'the Godfather', which he said was very good. Our chili cheese fries were covered in real chili instead of saucy goo and were quite acceptable. Overall a 50/50 experience.

The service was not great. Food came out in spurts and drinks were refilled at her whim.  Although the menu states it clearly, we were upset that we could not get separate checks. It would be good as a quick lunch stop for soup and a sandwich, but as far as a nice meal out, I would avoid it.  Sandwiches, wraps and hoagies are not inventive as far as bar food goes, but if you're drunk enough, it might be an adequate experience.

6/10- Service

5/10- Food

4/10- Atmosphere

5/10- Value for Money

Total- 5/10

Blog Makeover

I realize that I have been using this blog as a diary and a general talk about me site. I'm not sure that this format is really good for me or at all entertaining for any of you. So I'm changing it. I'll keep my emotional breakdowns to my written journal and hopefully present something a little more worth reading. I've been in Pittsburgh now for three months and I'm finally beginning to appreciate everything this city has to offer. Growing up in a rural neighborhood with only corn and wheat as company made this transition difficult. But the food, stores and people are a wonder. The options for a person, even on a tight budget like myself, are endless if you want a good book or a bite to eat. And I hope to now use this blog to help to introduce you to these varied opportunities. If you are a resident of Pittsburgh with your own ideas and hot spots, please share. And I hope you enjoy and learning from my adventures as well.

Hit or Miss?

Well, Dave was supposed to have the morning off and while we were eating breakfast he got called into work. So I drove him in and then got down to work. Grad school is all reading. And while I love reading, the books are really boring.  That's not a good thing. The books all have great intentions, but they all say the same thing. And I can't be the only one who thinks so. While I want to learn my profession, learning something new is essential to it just being a general course. It's weird to think that I am more passionate than my professors. I have one prof that I have not seen since September. First she was gone at a conference and for the last few weeks the T.A. has taught the class, badly.  She simply puts him in charge with no checks on his methods or his performance. Another professor has actually yelled at students during lectures. Rather than discussions about books or special topics, we hear about his glory days.  Then there are the stories of how difficult it will be to find a job.  His positive attitude is mind numbing. When I was young you couldn't keep me out of school.  I loved my lower school experience and my undergrad college was amazing.  Yet, I find it hard to force myself to go to my graduate classes.  All I can do when I do go is wait for time to pass and I can leave.  It's hard to enter a class like that and just count the minutes until I can leave.  Now I know what those kids in high school who hated school when through.  I'm simply looking toward graduation and hoping that despite my professors constant statements that employment is impossible, that I will be able to find a job and keep it.

Is it weird to feel lonely in a city this size?

It's weird to feel so lonely. My husband is working a lot, which he  has to do for us. I would never blame him for that and hate being sad about him being gone, because it makes him feel bad. But it's hard to get passed it. He's working this week until ten and then he has to walk home.  It is just a lot harder than I thought it would be. It's weird to feel out of place in my own home and to feel so alone here. And I am so scared that I can't force myself to be my own person. I need to be strong for me and it's so much harder than I thought it would be. I love my husband more than anything, but I feel like I'm losing myself. The friends that I thought I had are too busy to spend time with me or even ask how I am doing. 

I thought that graduate school would help me step out as a person. Working toward a degree and a job was to help me find myself and become more self-confident. However, that seems to be blowing up in my face. My graduate school program seems like a joke. There is no class discussion and no attempt to care for students. My advisor not only does not know my name, I'm not sure he knows my gender from the class roster. I don't feel motivated to even do class readings. I loved my undergraduate college experience and I don't want to feel so bitter about these classes. I'm now working 40 hours a week just to keep myself busy, and even now all I want is ice cream and a sappy movie. It's weird how when I'm sad, I want to watch a sad movie. I guess I just want to cry about something other than my life. Even when I reach out to family and friends I find everyone is too busy to even listen. And yet, when someone needs something I get called. I like being helpful and appreciated, but I guess I'm starting to feel used. I get called, but no one is listening to what I'm actually saying. I worry about people, but they don't care what I think. And then they don't care to ask me how I'm doing.

I feel like I'm a teenager dealing with depression. I don't want to be that teen anymore. When I was on my study abroad I cooked and walked and took care of myself. While I was in Scotland I felt strong. I did exercise and I tried to eat right. Now I feel like I've gone backwards. I want to find something that makes me happy for me. I want to be better so I can be there for my husband. How can I be a good wife if I feel like this? And what happens if this program doesn't get better, what do I do with this degree? If the program is this poor, what is the job I hope to get going to be like? Or worse, what if I can't find a job?

I'm just tired of not having any direction. I need real goals and real benefits for those goals. Making stupid promises to myself about buying a car or even giving myself a new book or DVD won't work. I can't even work to toward being ready for a baby, because just fixing me won't do that. More money and a large apartment have to come first. So where do I start? How big a change do I need to or can I make? What does that mean for my family? And who will help me if my family and friends won't?