Tag: dining in Cary

Carolina Comments: Reading & Eating

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RECENT READING: ADVENTURE AND SUSPENSE

ADRIFT IN THE PACIFIC

The Baileys (theguardian.com)

Maurice and Maralyn:  An Extraordinary True Story of Shipwreck, Survival and Love by Sophie Elmhirst

Maurice Bailey was a quiet Englishman, a print setter, awkward, insecure, and uncomfortable around other people.  He lived alone, wanted to escape his dowdy village, and never expected to marry.  Nine years younger, Maralyn was confident and assertive.  Maurice substituted with a friend to attend a car rally with Maralyn, and to his surprise, she enjoyed his company.  They married and then started saving and planning to build a boat to take them far away from England, as far away as New Zealand.

Maurice and Maralyn, a small gem, is the story of their fateful voyage.  They loved their little boat, but a collision with a whale caused it to sink.  That left them adrift in the Pacific with just a raft and a dinghy and each other.  Maurice without Maralyn’s bolstering attitude would never have survived; Maralyn was purposeful, always with a goal, but she needed him also. Awaiting rescue and watching the few passing ships not see them, they managed to forage and eat and survive.  It was a lengthy endurance test for their marriage and their lives. Recommended for readers looking for harrowing and poignant adventure!

HOT THRILLER

Seeing Red by Sandra Brown

Author Brown (wikipedia.com)

Sandra Brown is an author I had not previously read until a friend loaned me one of her books.  She’s written numerous romantic thrillers, and Seeing Red is good escapism with a bit of steamy sex tossed in. 

Texas TV broadcaster Kerra Bailey is thrilled to have finally finagled an interview with retired Major Trapper.  A local hero for his role in successfully saving people from a horrendous warehouse blast, the major has avoided the press for many years.  When he is shot in his own home after the interview and Kerra must flee for her life, she becomes entangled with the major’s estranged son John.  

John Trapper is now a private detective. He left his job working for the Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms bureau under duress after he asked too many seemingly crazy questions about that earlier blast.  Together Kerra and John become targets, while he remains obsessed with solving the old mystery of who set the blast.  Traps and lies and secrets abound as it’s unclear who can be trusted.  The plot details are not always convincing, but I still found this mostly fast paced novel a good read!

DINING OUT: JAPANESE FUSION

Zest Sushi & Small Plates

Zest interior looking out

As a treat to ourselves, we headed downtown for lunch at Zest, a relatively new restaurant on Chatham Street.  It’s on a corner in an expansive space with lots of glass and a very open feeling.  The menu is huge, and everyone should be able to find something to order, whether a lover of sushi or just curious to explore new tastes.  There are sushi rolls galore, both classic and specialty ones, along with seafood in various forms (bowls, towers, chilled), lots of oyster preparations, entrees from shaking beef to green coconut curry, and lunchtime bento boxes.

The service was friendly and very welcoming.  The Chief Penguin ordered fried calamari (we love fried calamari, and every restaurant seems to add its own twist), and theirs had a bit of heat from the Japanese spice blend, togarshi.  He followed that with Screaming “o”, a sushi roll with spicy tuna, seared tuna, and tempura shrimp.  I sampled the shrimp tempura Bento box. 

Bento box at Zest

 The box was lovely and delicious; everything was very fresh, and I got to try tidbits of spring roll, California roll, and pork dumplings along with the shrimp and a ginger salad. 

With the many menu choices, you could eat here for weeks before sampling everything!  There are also daily specials such as Two for Tuesday (specialty rolls) and Sake Sundays.  We will be back.

TEASER

Watch for more next week on a new exhibit at the North Carolina Museum of Art.

Detail, Sometimes the King is a Woman, Amy Sherald

Note: Unattributed photos including header photo, Blazing March Sunrise, ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.)

Carolina Comments: Viewing & Eating

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NOTEWORTH MOVIES

Continuing to focus on likely Oscar nominees, the Chief Penguin and I watched two recent films on Netflix last week.  Both included music, but one was intense and unconventional; the other was reflective and the winding down of a career and a life.  The films are Emilia Perez and Maria.

GENDER TRANSITION AND MORE

Emilia Perez (Netflix, in Spanish with English subtitles)

Emilia (usatoday.com)

Emilia Perez is a wild, operatic, intensely emotional movie with music, dancing, and some humor.  It’s based on an opera libretto that was adapted from a novel.  

Manitas del Monte, a drug lord with a long history of violence lures Rita Moro Castro, a young lawyer looking for greater recognition and more professional challenges, to oversee his disappearance and transition to a new life as a female.  His wife Jessie must believe he is dead and go into hiding with their two children.  His new life as Emilia is a rollercoaster ride full of surprises and twists.   The soundtrack is great, several dances add levity, and yet there is also mystery and darkness.  

The cast is superb with Karla Sofia Gascon, a trans woman, as both Manitas and Emilia, and Zoe Saldana as the glamorous and selfless Rita.  The film is truly unconventional, but I highly recommend it—if you are seeking something different.

A DIVA REFLECTS BACK

Maria (Netflix)

Angelina Jolie as Maria (nytimes.com)

Greek and American soprano Maria Callas was one of the most noted and talented opera singers of the 20thcentury.  Maria, the film, takes place in Paris during the fall of 1977 with flashbacks to some of Callas’ performances during her stunning career.  Now suffering from a diminished voice, she valiantly rehearses with the faint hope of performing once again.  

While Callas, as convincingly evoked by Angelina Jolie, is the focus, this diva’s life is made comfortable by the care of Bruna and Ferruccio, her stalwart household help.  Her relationship with Aristotle Onassis is also touched upon.

The plot line is simple and measured and interspersed with marvelous singing.  Angelina Jolie does some of the singing, but when Callas is in her prime the recordings are primarily of Callas.  It is not a perfect film but should be enjoyed by opera buffs and Callas fans.

SPIES ON TV

The CP and I are also always on the lookout for good drama and crime series on television.  We recently watched the somewhat different British thriller series called Black Doves.

FRIENDS, LOVERS, & AGENTS

Black Doves (Netflix)

Sam, Helen, & Reed (netflix.com)

When undercover spy, Helen Webb’s secret lover Jason is assassinated, her original trainer, Sam, is sent to London to keep her safe.  Helen nominally leads an ordinary life as a politician’s wife and mother of two children.  Yet, she is part of a covert group called the Black Doves and regularly reports to Reed, her handler.  As Sam and Reed and now Helen become involved in the mystery of who killed the Chinese ambassador to Britain, there is violence—shootings, killings, and kidnappings.  

It is often hard to follow the plot and the motivations of the secondary characters.  What is noteworthy and most enjoyable is the richness of some of the relationships.  Helen and Sam have a genuine longstanding friendship, and there is the bittersweet once-upon-a-time love between triggerman Sam and the upstanding Michael.  

I kept thinking we should abandon this series, but we kept coming back to it.  The cast is wonderful with Keira Knightley as Helen, Ben Whishaw as Sam, Sarah Lancashire as Reed, and familiar faces from Bridgerton and The Crown.   Overall, I recommend it, knowing it will not appeal to everyone.

CARY DINING

Shinmai (N. W. Maynard Road near Lowe’s)

Interior, Shinmai
Salmon bento box

This attractive Japanese restaurant is small, but its menu is extensive.  I dined here for lunch this past week with the Adventurous Eaters.  Our group of 17 took up almost the entire restaurant.  While ramen is a Shimmai specialty, there are plenty of other noodle dishes featuring soba and udon noodles as well as dishes with fish or crab.  Some of us sampled gyoza (little spicy beef dumplings), vegetable tempura, lemongrass ribeye, okonomiyaki (a squid pancake not often seen on menus), a chicken and cabbage bowl, and the teriyaki bento box with salmon.  

The food was very tasty.  On a return visit, I’d like to try more items from the First Flavors part of the menu.   

Note: Shinmai photos and header photo of seesaw park ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.)

Carolina Comments: Novel, Play & Dinner

JWF Leave a comment

In this post, I share my thoughts on Elizabeth Strout’s latest Maine novel, report on seeing a powerful and timely play, and share a tidbit about dinner at a very local eatery.

MAINE LIVES

Author Strout (spectator.co.uk)

Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout

Sharing individual’s stories and lives through the seasons, Elizabeth Strout’s latest novel, Tell Me Everything, returns to Crosby, Maine, and a cast of familiar characters.  Olive Kittredge is now 90 and still crochety and direct, while novelist Lucy Barton is her friend and recipient of Olive’s tales.   Lucy lives with her ex-husband, William, but meets Bob Burgess regularly for long walks and talks.  

Attorney Bob still does some legal work and is married to his second wife, Margaret, pastor at the local church.  When Matt Beach’s mother, a former teacher and the butt of her students’ cutting humor, is murdered, Matt is the primary suspect. Bob Burgess takes the case and slowly unravels that family’s history and relationships.

While Olive, Lucy, and Bob are the central figures, their spouses, families, and friends are integral to the various stories being shared.  It’s a peek into smalltown life and a depiction of regret, grief, and love that almost everyone experiences to some degree.  

“Oh” seems to be Strout’s favorite word as it’s regularly voiced, “Oh, Bob, “oh, Lucy,” anytime someone is subdued, hurting, or unsure.  Despite its overuse, I still found things to like about this novel.  It isn’t my favorite Strout book but engaging enough to keep me reading.  (~JWFarrington)

THOUGHT-PROVOKING DRAMA

What the Constitution Means to Me (Playmakers Repertory Company, Chapel Hill)

Julie Gibson as Heidi (playmakersrep.org)

Heidi Schreck’s play, What the Constitution Means to Me, is a powerful piece of drama.  One might think, given its very relevant content, that it was just created.  In fact, it was first presented on Broadway in 2019 and was nominated for two Tony Awards.  It had runs across the country and was named Best Play of the Year by the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and other publications.

Two characters dominate the first two-thirds of the play set in 1998, Heidi recreating her 15-year-old self and the Legionnaire who is MC of a contest about the U.S. Constitution.  What starts out as some factual questions on the specific sections of the document quickly devolves into Heidi’s reflections on the rights that are or are not granted to women, Blacks, and others.  She shifts into the present and digresses on the lives of her mother and her grandmother and their experiences of abusive men.  She then shares some of her own life choices.  

Later, both characters transition to the present, and there is a live debate between actress Julie Gibson and high school senior Amari Bullett.  The audience is encouraged to react to what’s being said, and one person is chosen to be the deciding judge. 

We found the opening 15 minutes setting up the contest to be drawn out and verging on tedious.  However, once Heidi got immersed in her family and how individuals’ rights are limited, we were fully engaged.  Playmakers is based at UNC, and performances run through November 3rd.  Well worth seeing!!

DINING OUT

Istanbul Restaurant & Cafe, Cary

Chicken shish kebab

Istanbul is literally right outside our door, and we had been meaning to try it.  We went for an early dinner and were very pleased.  I ordered the chicken shish kebab which came with bulghur and a mixed salad.  The Chief Penguin had the adana kebab (chopped lamb and beef with spices) which also was accompanied by bulghur and salad.  The portions were generous and tasty.  

We were tempted by the fried calamari but will try that appetizer on another visit.  While Istanbul does not have a liquor license, they were happy to provide glasses for wine.  Open for lunch and dinner and takeout seven days of the week.  Recommended! 

Note: All unattributed photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.)