As I mentioned way too many times, my favorite thing to do at Walt Disney World is eat. I love their beautifully-themed, over-priced, high-end restaurants which have delicious food.
But I also like the snacky things... like the churros, popcorn, and fries. It's all good because you're in Walt Disney World. But you know the one snack thing that I love more than any other? Dole Whip. My favorite is the original Pineapple Dole Whip you can get in Adventureland. But there's also Orange Bird's Sunshine Tree Terrace, which has Orange and other flavors (like Strawberry). Disney Springs and some of the Disney hotels also have various varieties of Dole Whip... all of them very tasty.
I had mentioned to my friends who actually work at the resort how I was sad I couldn't have a Dole Whip Float whenever I want... and how jealous I was that they could have it whenever they want.
They're response? "Oh but you can!"
And they gifted me a big bag of Dole Whip mix (that they got on Amazon)...
The stuff is dairy-free and vegan, fat-free, cholesterol-free, gluten-free, peanut-free, and totally delicious. All you have to do is mix it with water! The bag makes 89 servings(!) and is meant to be run through a soft-serve machine. I don't have one of those, but I do have a Ninja CREAMi machine. You just mix 2 cups of water with 2/3 cup of mix, freeze it in the CREAMi canister overnight, then run it through on the "Frozen Yogurt" setting. Simple.
And it tastes exactly like what you get at Walt Disney World. Probably because it is what you get at Disney World. You can pipe it through a big star-tip if you want it to look more like Dole Whip, but it'll take practice to make it swirl correctly...
Don't worry, my swirl with get better as I work on it!
There's also a "copycat" recipe floating around which you can make in your blender (if you don't have a soft serve or CREAMi machine) that we tried...
It's tasty... but not as sweet as the real stuff (which might be a plus for some people). It tastes much more like actual pineapple than Dole Whip does. It also lacks the various stabilizers and gums which makes the original so darn creamy. We struggled to get my Ninja Blender to mix the stuff properly, so we ended up mixing in more pineapple juice. I think if I would have used more ice cream with it, then it might have tasted more authentic. For what it is, it's a terrific treat. But it ain't Dole Whip.
So...
If you love Dole Whip like I do, buying the actual mix will get you there. If you don't have a soft serve or CREAMi machine, you might try freezing the mixture in ice cube trays and pulverizing the cubes in a blender or food processor with a little pineapple juice to try and get it to work that way.
Then close your eyes, take a bite, and you're at a Disney park!
The thing about living in a small city is that changes are not something that go unnoticed. Businesses opening or closing. People being born or dying. Buildings being built or torn down. You either hear about it or see it firsthand.
Yesterday on my way home from work I passed a small home on a corner that I've seen hundreds of times. Thousands of times? Except it wasn't there. All I saw was a pile of debris...
At first I thought "Huh. Maybe I imagined that a house was there!" But a quick check on Google Maps Street View revealed that there had indeed been a house there...
But here's the thing... if you look a little closer, there's actually a few changes going on here that I never knew happened. The massive tree behind the former house is gone in the new photo. The tree next to that is also gone. And the building to the left has been extended as you can see from the change in color on the roof.
So maybe changes can happen in a small city that go unnoticed.
I did see this change, but I have no idea why it happened. Perhaps the house was condemned. Maybe the house was too small and the owner wanted to replace it with something bigger. Or maybe the property sold, but the land was more valuable than the small home on it and they bought it to demolish it and build a McMansion. I don't recall ever seeing a "For Sale" sign, but that doesn't mean anything. I could find out all the juicy details with one phone call (I know exactly who would know), but I guess I'm not as curious as I used to be when I was younger. Change happens. You can't stop progress. Yadda yadda yadda.
One thing's for sure, I'm certain I'll notice what happens next.
Probably.
I'm not as observant as I was when I was younger too.
Few films catch me totally off-guard.
Most recently, it was The Fall Guy which was SO smart and SO funny. Ryan Gosling continues to knock it out of the park, and this was just another feather in his cap. If you love movies and haven't seen it yet, you owe it to yourself to take a look...
But when it comes to one of the biggest surprises for me in my cinematic viewing history, 2013's The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is high on the list. I'd never been a big Ben Stiller fan, the critics didn't think much of it, and the trailer looked okay but never sold it as must-see material...
But here's the thing... it starts out a little bit disjointed, strange, and overstuffed with attempts at whimsy... but builds into one of the singular most beautiful films I have ever seen. I've rewatched it more times than I can count. It speaks to me in a way that few other films have. It's the very definition of essential cinema to me.
The videos below have spoilers, so if you haven't done yourself the supreme favor of watching The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, then get on that before continuing.
A couple days ago a video on YouTube hit my feed which shows some love for the movie that's much deserved...
From there I found other videos which rightly assess the film...
Turns out a lot of people have a lot of big feelings about this exceptional movie.
I also found this interview with Stiller discussing his movie...
Every time I watch the movie again, I am dying to know if Ben Stiller is aware of how much The Secret Life of Walter Mitty means to those who love it so much.
I sure hope he does.
I'm too tired to write but not too tired to blog... because an all new Bullet Sunday starts... now...
• Smith! When people think of the late, great Dame Maggie Smith, I'm betting it's either her roles in Downton Abbey and Harry Potter that come to mind. But I didn't like anything to do with Harry Potter and wasn't a fan of Downton Abbey. For me, it's the many, many smaller roles I love her for. She had a small role in The First Wives Club that was wonderfully savage. Her smallest look and every motion was flawless...
Her talent was endless... Sister Act, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, California Suite, the original (and superior) Death on the Nile. The list goes on and on. This interview is worth your valuable time to watch...
An absolute gem. You will be sorely missed.
• Dame Sir Dame? I would be badly remiss if I didn't post this amazing skit of Sir Ian McKellen as Dame Maggie Smith on SNL from years ago...
Will never not be hilarious.
• Ashton! When it comes to character actors, John Ashton is one for the books. He popped up in unexpected places all the time. But it was the role of John Taggart in the Beverly Hills Cop films that cemented him in pop culture history...
Another loss for Hollywood. Rest in Peace, sir.
• NEWS: Walmart self-checkout mistake destroys Olympic athlete's career. Not only are stores like Walmart asking you to work for them by scanning your own groceries... they seek to imprison you if you scan them wrong or their machines fails to read the scan. Because, you know, WE'RE ALL FUCKING EXPERTS WHEN IT COMES TO BEING A GROCERY CHECKER... BEING FORCED TO DO A JOB WE WERE NEVER TRAINED FOR! — I hope she sues them for a billion dollars and wins. This kind of shit drives me insane.
• Mickey's Balls! Franklin Farms makes some really good vegan products, and a really good one is their "Black Bean & Plantain Balls." When I saw them in the grocery store this last week, I was surprised to see that they are now being promoted by Mickey Mouse...
Which just goes to show that Disney will slap their intellectual property on anything. Because money, I guess. I do question the benefit that Franklin Farms is going to get by this branding partnership. Do they think that kids are going to see Mickey in the refrigerator case and scream "MOM! DAD! I WANT MICKEY'S BALLS!" or something? I don't get it. But whatever. Mickey's balls are pretty tasty when served over rice...
Of course, I'm a sucker for Cuban-style meals, so my opinion is far from biased.
• Asano! Oh man. There's so many exceptional international actors that I love, and it always makes my heart grind that most Americans will never know their work. I'm so happy that Tadanobu Asano is getting recognized for his craft and that Americans could see him at work in Shōgun! Which he talks about in this terrific interview...
Congratulations on the Hollywood Reporter Japan’s Trailblazer Award, sir! I've been a fan for quite a while!
• Hold Me Now, Now! Oh boy! The Thompson Twins are releasing a 40th Anniversary Edition of Into the Gap, remixed in Dolby Atmos Spatial Audio. They released a teaser track for Hold Me Now that's really nice (though a few odd choices were made in the mix that surprised me). Super Deluxe Edition is releasing a Blu-Ray Audio with 30 bonus tracks to commemorate the occasion, and I don't think I've ever pressed an "ORDER" button so fast...
One of my favorite albums ever. Can't believe it's FORTY YEARS OLD! I don't want to think about how old that makes me.
And now I think I should probably turn in early. Really hope I'm not too tired to sleep.
Jenny is skittish. She is always on high alert... even when it comes to me.
And who can blame her? I'm a giant by comparison! So when she's sitting somewhere, I will walk as slow as I can or take a route where I'm not so close that I spook her. I'd rather let her come to me when she wants attention than scare her. Then she can pretend to be disinterested, but I know better...
Meanwhile in Jake news...
I have never trimmed my cats' claws. Both of them maintain their own claws, they're not growing back into their toe pads, and they don't scratch where they're not supposed to. Jake is very serious about keeping his claws groomed, but makes clicky noises when he walks on the hardwood floors.
Except this week when he's gone totally silent somehow. Very disturbing to have him be able to sneak up on me when I can usually hear him coming!
One minute he's not there. Then the next thing I know he's popped up wanting to be petted...
Though there are certainly worse surprises to be had.
Last night I was constantly checking the news for word on what Hurricane Helene is up to. I have more than a few friends in her path, and seeing it escalate to a Category 4 storm was more than a little worrisome. Heavy rains, flash flooding, surges, strong winds, and evacuation orders are bad enough. But hearing how a rural sheriff's office is telling people to “Please write your name, birthday, and important information on your arm or leg in a PERMANENT MARKER so that you can be identified and family notified” is mortifying.
I put my laptop away and went to bed after the hurricane made landfall because the stress of it all was hitting hard. And I'm not even there. I can't imagine what it's like for people in the path of the storm. All I could do was hope that people were taking the evacuation orders seriously and staying safe.
And then I woke up this morning and grabbed my phone first thing to see what is happening...
"Hurricane Helene was a dangerous Category 4 storm when it made landfall over Florida's Big Bend area late Thursday night but weakened rapidly as it raced inland early Friday and was downgraded to a tropical storm in mere hours, the National Hurricane Center said. Still, Helene was bringing a "life-threatening" storm surge, strong winds and heavy rain, the center said."
So... good news is that the hurricane is now a tropical storm.
Bad news is that this tropical storm is still going to be dangerous, and 4 million people are without power as I type this.
This is more than likely our lives from here on out. Drastic increases in ocean temperatures causing more and more dangerous weather. I remember when the USA was getting maybe one hurricane making landfall each year. Then it was two. In the Year of Our Lord 2024, we've had four. And hurricane season isn't even over yet.
Climate change is undeniable at this point. There's no denying it because you can see it with your own eyes. People can debate the cause (I, for one, have read the science and believe that we have met the enemy and he is us) but sticking our heads in the sand pretending it doesn't exist is futile. Our climate is changing, and we have to do something to live with that. Spend the money to better our infrastructure for evacuations and build shelters for when that's not possible. Provide more funding to the National Weather Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration so we can learn more about the dangerous weather that is regularly forming off our Southern Coast and hopefully be able to better predict where storms will arrive so we can save lives.
In other words, we need to do is the opposite of what Project 2025 is mandating. That would be the blueprint for radically restructuring the government with policies to be enacted immediately upon a Trump victory in the presidential election. Among those policies are plans to utterly gut NOAA and NWS by having them no longer be independent to report their findings and do their research, but instead be under the direct control of the executive branch. Which is to say that the president can tell these vital, life-saving agencies what they can do and what they can say. If they'll even get to operate in the first place. Project 2025 wants the National Weather Service to charge for their forecasts or abandon weather forecasting entirely. But since they are reported to already be working with commercial organizations, who knows what that even means. Are they saying that if you want to know if your house is in the path of a hurricane, you have to pay $5 to find out? Isn't this kind of shit why we pay taxes?
Trump himself has disavowed Project 2025 because it's unpopular with just about everybody, but even a cursory look at the facts shows that he's been living it and advocating for it. And most of the people working on it are from his administration or are associated with him in some way. Which is to say that educating yourself on Project 2025 and voting accordingly would be a smart move, because the damage this plan would do is unfathomable.
As are most things to do with politics in this country.
I'm a sucker for a really good action flick.
I've always been a fan of them, because there's nothing quite so entertaining as turning off your mind and enjoying some mindless violence. All those Schwarzenegger flicks were certified gold to me. And yet... there's something to be said when your violence comes with something extra. Humor has long been a favorite. That started with Jackie Chan movies. Intricate and interesting fight scenes are always a plus. That also started with Jackie Chan. From there I discovered Michelle Yeoh, Jet Li, Chow Yun-Fat, and a slew of other amazing Asian action stars. I thought less of the American action films of my youth, which were most times so very, very bad. And not in a so-bad-they're-good way. But there were bright spots along the way. I really like Jason Statham's films (his latest, The Beekeeper, is excellent). And of course there's James Bond. The character has some ups and downs, but he's got some amazing action beats.
But then it all went to the next level with the John Wick franchise.
What Keanu Reeves and Chad Stahelski did with those films is sublime.
Smart, stylish, and beautifully shot, they had a rich mythology which made the films so much more than just great action flicks. Plus they were a lot of fun. Which is why it all came to an end(?) with John Wick 4.
Except now it's not ended because we're getting a spin-off in the best way possible... with the John Wick characters plus Ana de Armas?!? Sign me up!
I'm especially happy to see Lance Reddick's Charon one more time in Ballerina. I think this may be his last work before he died?
The trailer looks great. And I really hope that it is successful enough that they decide to give us John Wick 5.
When I heard they were remaking Matlock, I groaned inwardly.
Why? Just... why?
Is it really that impossible to come up with a unique idea? And... whoa... they're gender-swapping it, so I guess that's their way of making it a "unique idea." Groundbreaking.
I was going to take a hard pass on the show if not for two things...
And so I tuned in.
And really liked it!
Mostly because this is not at all a reboot. It's very much its own thing. And though they do allude to it in the trailer, you are not prepared for exactly how it's different. A great twist that I absolutely won't be spoiling here...
I will be very interested in seeing if they can keep the momentum of the first episode going. Because if they can? This could end up being a sleeper hit that catches a lot of people by surprise.
A couple weeks ago I was looking for something on this blog and ran across an entry I wrote in 2010(!). Apparently I didn't have a lot to talk about fourteen years ago, because I wrote about some of my current favorite foods, including... Pink Lady Apples, Frosted Flakes, Craisins, Pretzel Thins, and CHEESE TOASTWICHES from Schwan's! These cheese sandwiches were cooked in your toaster and were darn tasty. I'm not kidding when I say that I'd average one package a day. Running late and need something quick for breakfast? Toastwiches. Need an easy lunch? Toastwiches. Too tired to cook dinner? Toastwiches. Midnight snack? Toastwiches.
My brain immediately went "Oh yeah! I wonder whatever happened to Schwan's?"
There was a time I loved that the Schwan's would pull up to my work once a week and offer quality frozen vegetarian options without my having to go to the store. But then they started raising their prices to an alarming degree and adding bullshit extra charges. Like a FUEL CHARGE?!? Dude, delivery is your entire deal, why the fuck are you adding a FUEL CHARGE instead of building into the cost of your products? Oh, I know, you want to try and camouflage the real cost of your stuff. Well, no thanks.
But I did end up looking up Schwan's because I was curious how much a box of Toastwiches was going for.
Turns out that Schwan's was re-branded Yelloh! in 2022. And they no longer sell Cheese Toastwiches, something I posted to Facebook after I found out...
And today it was announced that Yelloh! is shutting down operations.
When I think of how Schwan's went to the massive expense to re-brand the business and all those delivery trucks only two years ago, I can't help but wonder if the cash required ended up hastening their demise.
It's a real shame that these legacy companies that were once something I once loved are slowly disappearing. But, when I think to how my love for them isn't current and rooted in the past, I get it.
I'd pour out a Cheese Toastwich in Schwan's honor... but, well...
Marvel Studios used to make a good film FIRST and have the bigger story arc of the MCU be a nice-add-on. That's why their movies have always been stellar. But lately they seem to be chasing another big Avengers Infinity War/End Game arc first, putting characters and story second, and it's ruining everything. Make the movie you're making now the best it can be. Then drop a few things that aren't distracting, but pushing what you're building up to. It's formula, but it works.
Today the teaser trailer was released for their second big movie of 2025 (after Captain America: New World Order), and it looks very promising...
And the movie poster is glorious...
Now, readers of Marvel comic books have a lot to take in here. The concept of the MCU version of Thunderbolts is very different from what we've seen in the source material. But... there's things in the trailer which are familiar too. The biggest of which is the debut of Sentry, likely the most powerful character in the entire Marvel Universe. How they decided to put such a character in Thunderbolts I have no idea. But it's very cool. They could have saved it for an Avengers film (heaven only knows the guy is powerful enough to take on the entire team!), but they must have had a good idea for Thunderbolts and decided to put the movie first and go that route.
Bravo.
I really, really hope that Marvel Studios is back to their former ideals and not coasting with movies that have no purpose for the characters, but exist solely to push a bigger narrative (Like Ant Man: Quantumania which, ironically, is now completely irrelevant since Kang has exited the MCU and may never be mentioned again despite the cliffhanger post-credits ending).
One can hope.
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