I Always Get Robbed When It's All-You-Can-Eat

Ok, so everyone is recovering from yesterday's Regional and some of us are recovering from a long week at KDE, so no one was really up and going too early today.

Eventually everyone was awake (except Jerome who had apparently gone back to sleep) and consensus was reached "Let's go get some lunch." The only common ground we could find was "ramen sounds OK" - but Ajisen was way too far, SSG was too far, Mitsuwa was kind of far, Ryo wasn't open yet, and I'm not a huge fan of the other place in Rolling Hills that starts with an "s" (forgot the name).  

Remembering there was a place we hadn't tried; Frank, Jason and I headed to a different shopping complex. They didn't have shio or tonkotsu, though - just shoyu and miso.  Tonkotsu is everyone's #1 favorite (I like shio too) so it wasn't terribly appealing.

However, there was a yakinuku place a few doors down so we took a look at their menu, and decided to give it a try. (Hey, it passed the "do they have free refills on drinks?" test...)

I start flipping through the menu and figure I'm going to eat about $15 worth of food. However, there are some all-you-can-eat options as well - which made much more financial sense for my dining companions, because they can freaking eat a lot. Anyways, the restaurant won't let you order an "all you can eat" option unless EVERYONE at the table orders it, so I either had to go ahead and get an all you can eat that was SO not going to be worth it, because I don't eat very much, or oblige Frank and Jason to order a la carte and a) spend a lot more money, or b) not get enough to eat.

So I agreed to do the all-you-can-eat, because I'm a hero like that. And admittedly I got a lot more food options than I would have if I'd ordered individual items, but still.

The food was really really good - salad with a nice dressing, and I got sweet potato in foil (butter, salt, and pepper, mmm) and then the meats were short ribs (excellent), chicken breast, a finer cut of beef, and pork belly. All pretty good, and I think I ate 1-2 pieces of each kind and then I was full.

Then I sat and watched Frank and Jason demolish about five refills of meat, more rice, and more soda.  They certainly got their money's worth, I'll say that much...but the bill for me was pretty steep considering I didn't really eat all that much. Jason gave me $10 though because it was kind of an unfair setup, so that helped a bit.

Good restaurant, though, I'll recommend it - Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ on Crenshaw Blvd, in Torrance.

Watchmen And Its Impact On The Home

Well, most members of the household were looking forward to this movie. Preparations began weeks in advance. 

jason: hmm, qq. IMAX Watchmen at the only nearby venue is sold out for the 12:01 showing. there's a 3:09 AM showing, but dammit, that's way too late.

me: do we have to see it opening day? why can't we go the next day

jason: yeah, we could

jason: Tickets are available then

jason: Granted, I couldn't wear the 30 inch plush squid on my head.

jason: Let me see what Kevin thinks.

me: i mean we didn't see dark knight - what?

jason: in protest of the removal of the giant squid from the movie,  I plan to wear one on my head (the book involved a giant squid causing harm to new york city)

jason: if anyone asks, I'm cosplaying as new york city.

me: you haven't got a squid

jason: I "haven't got a squid"? That's a daring assumption you're making there, sir. *mock offense*

me: i am not a sir

me: and i don't believe you have a squid.

I was incorrect. He did have a squid, and he tied it to his head and emerged from his room. 

Anyways, Jason and Frank decided to go to the midnight non-IMAX showing of the movie (squid tied firmly in place) and I chose to go the next night to see it in IMAX. When I got up the next morning, Jason had emailed me to tell me "I don't think the movie is appropriate for you" with a few explanations of the graphic nature of the violence and general tone of the movie. Frank seconded the opinion, and honestly that was good enough for me. I will see R rated movies, but I am a bit sensitive to some things. Ah well.

Anyways, the movie's been discussed on and off in the zeo chatroom, and it reminded me I still have to post an embarrassing picture of Jason with a squid  tied to his head.

elroy: so gloom

elroy: watchmen, right

elroy: wtf, right?

jason: wtf good, or wtf bad?

elroy: wtf ending

elroy: also don't spoil it for bolt.

me: bolt, the blue guy walks around naked

elroy: or manny

me: manny, the blue guy walks around naked

jason: I didn't mind the ending.

elroy: what about...wtf random unnecessary changes

jason: they changed the ending cause they couldn't fit thirty minutes of pointless back-story to set up the ending into the movie

jason: so I didn't mind.

elroy: i mean like...

me: tell em about the squid, jason

jason: I knew there was no squid

jason: So I decided there had to be some sort of squid at my midnight showing.

elroy: oh gosh

jason: So I bought a big plush squid and wore it on my head.

elroy: pretty good

elroy: should have just started throwing raw squid at the screen

manny: haha

jason: I...in retrospect, I'm given to understand it's erect state atop my pate may have looked like a large red...yeah. 

kyatt: hahaha

jason: :(

me: i'll post pictures on my blog

jason: "Blog Entry: Jason with ****-on-head"

manny: haha

jason: Jason: "nooooooooooo! ;_;"

me: and that's exactl-E! what it looked like

jason: hahahahaha

elroy: haha

me: i should do that blog now