MALONES Grille Rest. – 4402 Scotts Valley Dr., Scotts Valley, CA – (831) 438-2244, http://Malonesgrille.com
Q-tips say: Full Bar, decent ambiance, and good service. Great drinks from the full bar. Mrs. Q had: The FRED: sliced prime rib, caramelized onions, tillamook cheddar & jack blend, au jus. The Mr. had: Prime Sirloin: sauteed mushroom, shallot cream pa sauce, robuchon potatoes. Mrs. Q liked “FRED” but the Mr. did not like the prime sirloin because the meat was too tough.
Cowboy Bar & Grill – 5447 Hwy 9, Felton, CA
Q-tips say: The Q’s shared the Yahoo Plate$18 –pound of St Louis cut spareribs, smoked for 6 hours, finished on the char broiler with your choice of sauce: Kansas Red, ginger bbq, sweet jalapeno, or Carolina mustard wash. Asked for the sauces to be on the side and also came with corn bread and honey butter & we ordered a side of slaw. Was just ok – but the drinks were good, as was the service. Mrs. Q is willing to try this place again but the Mr. is not so sure.
OK – tried them again because it is so close and convenient and they have a full bar and Mrs. Q really wanted to it to be so good so decided to try the hamburgers. This time we got take out. Well, another disappointment. Asked for them to be cooked Medium and they were well done. YUCK! Think it is ADIOS to Cowboy Bar & Grill.
OK – The Q’s were with out a car (our daughter had a follow up Dr. apt. and our son-in-law was at work), so Mrs. Q suggested to the Mr. that we take a walk, on a very dreary rainy day, to Cowboy. Well, the Mr. had a cup of Chile and some of Mrs. Q’s chicken wings and she had the rest. We enjoyed our lunch. Perhaps, there is hope yet for Cowboy Bar & Grill.
Riva Fish House – 31 Municipal Wharf, Santa Cruz, CA, (831) 429-1223, (831) 429-1223, (831) 429-1223, http://rivafishhouse.com – Great views from the Wharf.
Q-tips say: AWESOME seafood. We shared a whole dungeness crab with butter – the special of the week. Began with a cocktail from the full bar and enjoyed steamed clams with garlic, wine, butter, and lemon.
Along with a cocktail and some bread & butter made for a really delicious dinner.
Mrs. Q says: Can’t wait to go back and try something else on the menu.
CAFE MARE – 740 Front St, Ste 100, Santa Cruz, CA (831) 458-1212, cafemare.com
Q-tips say: Nice ambiance, super service & great food. Mrs. Q had the Carpaccio di Manzo – Thinly sliced raw filet mignon topped with fresh lemon juice, E.V.O.O, hand shaved parmigiano & capers. The Mr. had Vitello Classico – Veal scaloppini with a choice of marsala with mushrooms, piccata sauce. The rest of the Family had various pasta dishes. Mrs. Q says: the drinks were superb.
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Veal Piccata
Carpaccio.
ONLY THE BRAVE – All men are created equal… then, a few become firefighters. Only the Brave, based on the true story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, is the heroic story of one unit of local firefighters that through hope, determination, sacrifice, and the drive to protect families, communities, and our country become one of the most elite firefighting teams in the country. As most of us run from danger, they run toward it–they watch over our lives, our homes, everything we hold dear, as they forge a unique brotherhood that comes into focus with one fateful fire.
Q-tips say: Loved this movie. Only the Brave tells the true story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots who risked their lives to stop wildfires across the country. A group of people who you grow fond of during the course of a film band together in the most dangerous of circumstances for a common cause. All of them do a great job of creating a chemistry and realness between each other. In order to feel anything when these men are entering the flames, there has to be real friendships and relationships built between the actors as these real life heroes. Perhaps more than anything else, the movie completely nailed the bond between the team of hotshots. Going along with the bonds they have with each other, the film focuses heavily on a few of the men’s personal lives.
LAST FLAG FLYING – In 2003, 30 years after they served together in the Vietnam War, former Navy Corps medic Richard “Doc” Shepherd (Steve Carell) re-unites with Former Marines Sal (Bryan Cranston) and Richard Mueller (Laurence Fishburne) on a different type of mission: to bury Doc’s son, a young Marine killed in the Iraq War. Doc decides to forgo a burial at Arlington Cemetery and, with the help of his old buddies, takes the casket on a bittersweet trip up the East Coast to his home in suburban New Hampshire. Along the way, Doc, Sal and Mueller reminisce and come to terms with shared memories of the war that continues to shape their lives. The movie follows the trio as they wrestle with the pangs of war both past and present.
Q-tips say: Liked this movie. See it. Last flag flying has moments of lightness and levity, it’s a somber and moving tale about the trials that life throws in our path and how we move on with a little help from our friends. These three terrific characters you won’t mind spending a couple of hours with. Mrs. Q says: I cannot really appreciate fully what the men/women and their families go thru who give their lives to protect our country since she never served in the armed forces. Thank you for those who did serve.
Call me by your name – a sensual and transcendent tale of first love, based on the acclaimed novel by André Aciman. It’s the summer of 1983 in the north of Italy, and Elio Perlman (Timothée Chalamet), a precocious 17- year-old American-Italian, spends his days in his family’s 17th century villa transcribing and playing classical music, reading, and flirting with his friend Marzia (Esther Garrel). Elio enjoys a close relationship with his father (Michael Stuhlbarg), an eminent professor specializing in Greco-Roman culture, and his mother Annella (Amira Casar), a translator, who favor him with the fruits of high culture in a setting that overflows with natural delights. While Elio’s sophistication and intellectual gifts suggest he is already a fully-fledged adult, there is much that yet remains innocent and unformed about him, particularly about matters of the heart. One day, Oliver (Armie Hammer), a charming American scholar working on his doctorate, arrives as the annual summer intern tasked with helping Elio’s father. Amid the sun-drenched splendor of the setting, Elio and Oliver discover the heady beauty of awakening desire over the course of a summer that will alter their lives forever.
Q-tips say: We did enjoy this movie. It is slow moving at times and sometimes there are sub-titles. Those who have been to Italy & those who have not, will enjoy the landscapes in this movie. Mrs. Q says: Yes, a movie about a young man finding his sexuality. Have you ever thought someone would have sex with a peach? Yes, it does happen. Overall the movie is slow moving at times & a tad long but still worth seeing.
Speaks Clam Bar (LWR)- 8764 E State Road 70, Bradenton, FL., (941) 232- 7646, speaksclambar.com In the same shopping strip where the newer Salvation Army is located.
Update: Mrs. Q said, “thought to give it another try.” Well, we will not go back again. The Happy Hour is ok but they up charge for everything. Ordered the “Caesar Salad” which we split. Also shared an order of raw oysters – ok but not the best we have had. Both entrees had clams. The broth was ok but the clams were very gritty. When cooking clams at home, one thing that can pose a challenge is getting the sand out of the shells. Crunching into gritty clams is enough to ruin anyone’s meal. All considered NOT going back there again. To many other decent/quality restaurants to go to.
Q-tips say: We decided to try it for an appetizer and “happy hour” drink and small plates. We had ordered from the $5.00 drink menu and each had a small plate of raw oysters of 2 oysters per order along with their complimentary warm bread & butter.
Decided that might be worth another trip to try other items on the menu. Began with drinks & STEAMED MIDDLE NECK CLAMS – Steamed and served with Broth & Butter which were ok. Then the Mr. had catch of the day – some whitefish with sauce – said was just ok because the fish still had some bones hidden in it. I had the Fried Shrimp which were heavily breaded but the fries and cole slaw were ok. But the most curious thing: there was water dripping onto the floor of the restaurant and a waitress went around the floor with table napkins to wipe up the water under the tables. The manager was notified about the bones in the fish and the water on the floor and said, well, sometimes that happens that bones are still in the fish but did not seem too worried about either issue.
Really wanted this restaurant to be good – but alas, just mediocre. Not sure that we will go back.
THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI is a darkly comic drama from Academy Award winner Martin McDonagh (IN BRUGES). After months have passed without a culprit in her daughter’s murder case, Mildred Hayes (Academy Award winner Frances McDormand) makes a bold move, painting three signs leading into her town with a controversial message directed at William Willoughby (Academy Award nominee Woody Harrelson), the town’s revered chief of police. When his second-in-command Officer Dixon (Sam Rockwell), an immature mother’s boy with a penchant for violence, gets involved, the battle between Mildred and Ebbing’s law enforcement is only exacerbated.
Q-tips say: Mr. Q liked it. Mrs. Q says: intriguing movie about a strong woman but some of the things she does I question many of her ways. The language from just about every character is rough througout the movie. Who are these people that have to continually speak that way. One of Mrs. Q’s favorite character is Peter Dinklage, & also, Frances McDormand, Woddy Harrelson, Clarke Peters. A good movie in many ways but the constant language and questionable rough ways they go about solving their problem, makes me wonder what people loved this movie so much.
The Recipe Box Eatery – 5207 33rd St E, Bradenton, FL, (941) 739-3525, recipeboxbradenton.com
Q-tips say: Average restaurant that some older people seem to love. Food is average, they only serve beer & wine. They have entertainment some evenings. Mrs. Q says: I would not go out of my way to come here but had to try it once. So many other restaurants in Sarasota which are much better.
