Terry Black's Barbecue - Deep Ellum (Dallas, TX)

Since Terry Black's Barbecue opened, I've waited to go with my friends and/or coworkers but they kept having something come up. So I decided I'm going with or without them.

Today, it was without them.

First, free parking is directly next to the building and limited to 10-15 spaces. I got there and circled around once to get lucky with someone leaving. I get in the door and it looks like there are only 15-20 ppl in front of me. Little did I know that around the corner there was a zigzag line to the sides and desserts and then the butcher/payment counter. This had about 15 more people in front of me. All that being said, I was in the door in line at about 12:09 PM and with my food paid at 12:26 PM. Almost 20 mins through isn't bad!

So to the eats:

• Brisket - was moist with a good bark and pretty darn tasty.
• Pork Ribs - were moist and tasty. At first I got a sort of sausage taste from my first bite but it could have been from the butcher block as I think someone ordered sausage before me and they cut the meats on the same block. A few more bites and I could taste a different kind of sweet flavoring.
• Turkey - usually don't order turkey but I thought I'd give it a try. It was tender and juicy with a slight smoke flavor. It was good.
• Mac-n-Cheese - was cheesy and creamy. The mac was the shells variety. It was good but it wasn't much different than other places.
• Green beans - were tasty with a good crispness to them. I found mixing them with the mac-n-cheese made them both that much better.
• Banana pudding - was pretty darn good! It had the cookie on top and crust at the bottom. The single serving was very filling. I ate it so fast that I have to go back to fully remember how good it tasted.

I would say this place is close to Pecan Lodge in overall taste and quality of the meats. The shorter wait time was a definite plus. I would definitely put this above Lockhart Smokehouse BBQ in Bishop Arts.

I will go back for more!

Angel Has Fallen (2019)

Angel Has Fallen (2019). Rented this from Redbox for free with my 'bonus' points.

I've always liked this movie 'series'. They usually have a decent-eough storyline but always have a lot of action. This one did not disappoint. There were some technicalities here and there that I tend to point out but overall it was enjoyable.

FINAL VERDICT: It's worth a watch on the cheap. Don't have too high of expectations but also don't hate on it. Just enjoy.

98 Bar-b-que (Miramar Beach, FL)

I always try to find a barbecue place near where I am staying. Gotta at least try barbecue from anywhere and everywhere. I Googled "bbq restaurants near me" while in Miramar Beach Florida. 98 Bar-b-que was one of the highest rated and was about twenty minutes down the road.

This place is a sit-down and order restaurant. Unlike some restaurants that have counter order and then you sit. I was able to just place my order and pay at the 'hostess' counter.

I got the Combo Platter which is a choice of two-meats and two sides. I knew I wanted to try the brisket but for the second option I asked the waitress/hostess what meat she preferred (Haha...that sounds funny). She said she preferred the pulled pork so that's what I got along with creamed cord nuggets and fried okra.

I rushed the food back to our place and shared the bounty with three other adults.

We all agreed that the pulled pork was the best and then the creamed corn nuggets. The brisket was a little drier than I prefer. There was not a moist option. The Texas toast was not the typical version but I guess the thickness of the slices could be construed as Texas toast.

FINAL VERDICT: They have a lot of other options to try so if I'm ever back in the area, I'll probably visit again when I have more time to sit, relax and enjoy the offerings.

The Surf Hut (Destin-Miramar Beach, Florida)

Tried Surf Hut (Destin/Miramar Beach location) based upon a recommendation from a family member. Obviously we were vacationing during the off season and the weather was like forty degrees the evening we went, so the restaurant wasn't very full except for quite a few old people aka snowbirds. So without further adieu, I'll just get right into the review.

1. Fried Calamari - This was some of the best we've had. It wasn't too gummy or chewy like some places. It was tender and nicely flavored.
2. Fried Crab Claws - I'm not a fan of crab at a restaurant as it's typically overpriced for what you get but my brother-in-law wanted to try. They were pricey as expected but my brother-in-law said they tasted pretty good.
3. Grilled Flounder - We all thought the flounder was really good. We thought it was very tender and liked it better than the mahi mahi.
4. Grilled Mahi Mahi - We all thought the mahi mahi was good. It wasn't as tender as the flounder and a tad dry.
5. BBQ Pork Ribs and Shrimp Kabob - Ribs and shrimp were fairly tasty. The ribs were a little too slathered in barbecue sauce but were tender. The sauce was a tad too peppery for me but others liked it. The shrimp was just like any other shrimp I've had. The buttery sauce was too light and flavorless to know it was there. If the server hadn't mentioned the different kinds when I ordered, I wouldn't even know there was a 'buttery' sauce on them.
6. Shrimp and Grits - The grits almost looked like mashed potatoes but were good. The shrimp was liked by all and the cheese sauce was good too.
7. Key Lime Pie - This pie was the only real disappointment of the meal. It seemed to me like more of a pumpkin pie consistency and the crust wasn't as 'crusty' as preferred. The flavor wasn't really that bad but I feel like this pie could have been found in the clearance bin and purchased from the Winn Dixie down the road.

1) 2)

3) 4)

5) 6)

7)

FINAL VERDICT: The appetizers we ordered were good. I wouldn't order the Ribs and Shrimp Kabob again but the other entrees were well liked. That being said, if you are in the area, I would suggest trying this place.

Dallas Grilled Cheese Co (Mockingbird Station - Dallas)

Went to an office lunch at the Dallas Grilled Cheese Co in Mockingbird Station.

I ordered the Cattleman’s Grilled Cheese ($12.99). Described on the menu as "Juicy smoked brisket, Muenster, Smoked Gouda & Yellow Cheddar on Rustic Bread, served with a side of house-made BBQ sauce" and a side order of Sweet Papas ($2.99). Add in my Diet Coke ($2.25), tax, tip and the grand total of my lunch-for-one was about $24.00.

HOLY FREAKIN' MOLY!

Yeah, I fell for it. I ordered the most expensive sandwich on the menu thinking it'd give me the most for my money. I was mostly wrong.

The meal was fairly good but was it $24 good? I think not. Others may not have any problem paying such an amount but I'm more frugal.

FINAL VERDICT: If you've not tried this place before, maybe it's worth a try. If you have tried and you go back once, twice or more often, then your wallet is thicker than mine. The food isn't bad. Some might like it but I have to pass on it because of the sheer cost benefit isn't there for me.

Stuber (2019)

Stuber (2019). I feel like I saw this movie coming to theaters like three months ago. I don't really recall the actual timing but I thought it would be funny to watch once it got to DVD. Well, it got to DVD and I watched it today.

After watching the movie, I didn't think they showed all the "good" parts in the previews. The entire movie was pretty consistent and funny throughout...but of course for the few parts that weren't supposed to be funny. I think the dynamic between Dave Bautista and Kumail Nanjiani was good and felt seamless and legit.

It also had Mira Sorvino who I feel like I haven't seen in a 'mainstream' movie in some time. She still looks pretty good and still very recognizable.

FINAL VERDICT: This movie was a very fun watch for me. I like Kumail from his role in Silicon Valley. I also have always liked Dave Bautista as he seems to just enjoy being in movies. I rented this from Redbox with a promo code but would pay full price or even $5 at a movie theater to watch. It was just good entertainment for me.

Climax (2018)

Climax (2018). Randomly browsing the Amazon Prime Video library and came across this film under the "Popular Movies" section. The synopsis was brief but made it sound like it could be interesting.

Unfortunately, the synopsis was more interesting than the film itself. The acting was poor. The story line portrayed was weak. I don't even know the purpose of this film other than to waste money on seeing people act weird and scream a lot.

FINAL VERDICT: I very rarely mark a film on my personal 'rating' scale as HATE. But I can truly say this deserved worse than DID NOT LIKE. If you missed my verdict, it's a hard pass...just keep on browsing and don't look back.

Dead Trigger (2017)

Dead Trigger (2017). This movie showed up as a 'recommendation' on my Amazon Prime Video so I thought I'd give it a try.

I'll probably do it again with other available streaming movies, but I made a mistake. This one was bad.

I guess Dolph Lundgren is really desperate for money or really doesn't care about the movies he's in as long as he gets a decent paycheck. I also don't see how people who are funding and 'making' these types of movies think that they are worth anything.

It's a strange, strange phenomenon to me.

Possible spoilers ahead...

The story line of this movie reminds me just a bit of The Last Starfighter. Whereas a video game is created to recruit people for a 'war' without them knowing it's a recruitment tool.

Two things that bothered me about this movie: (1) REALLY, REALLY bad acting, fight scenes, shooting scenes and just some scenes in general and (2) How long or how many rounds does it take to realize that after shooting zombies or anyone/thing for that matter anywhere but the head and they still keep moving that it may be time to FUCKING shoot them in the head!? I mean pick up on some of the subtleties a.k.a. obviousness of combat when on thing isn't working, try another. DUH!

Anyway...again, what did I expect. Well a little more.

FINAL VERDICT: Pass, pass, pass, pass, pass. You'd find more entertainment in watching paint dry.

Dominos Pizza - Skillman Ave (Dallas, TX)

Ordered pickup from here a few times. Mostly for my youngest. When I get something, I usually get one of the breads and occasionally wings. Today I got the 14ct Hot Wings and Stuffed Cheesy Bread with Spinach & Feta.

The bread was good but it was difficult to find the spinach and feta. Once or twice I did bite into a chunk of feta. But thinking back I don't ever recall any spinach.

Looking at the wings, they had a decent level of kick and tasted as wings should. The problem is they were small, very small wings. I feel like they killed little chicks instead of full-grown ones. These wings were no more than two inches in length and barely had any meat on them. Plus they give two shallow-cup dipping sauces (ranch).

For $11.99, I expect a little more than these sissy-fied wings and skimpy dipping sauces. There are other places close by to get better pizza, wings and bread....for me at least.

Guava Island (2019)

Guava Island (2019). Watched this on Amazon Prime Video today. I kept overlooking it because, while I've always liked Donald Glover from his Community days, I just wasn't in the right mood to watch it...I guess. But I decided to watch it today.

This 'movie' is a fairly quick watch. I think it's barely an hour run time. It also stars Rihanna. Donald and Rihanna have a good chemistry together.

The movie has a comedic side and a serious side. It has a good message..."Stand up to the man!"

FINAL VERDICT: It's a good, quick watch. I would recommend.

Vox Lux (2018)

Vox Lux (2018). Was scanning through Hulu and came across this film. I had seen something about this movie before and knew Natalie Portman was in it. However, other than what I read in the Hulu synopsis, that's about the extent of my knowledge of the movie.

I think it was broken up into three acts. It started out kind of slow and somewhat depressing. It got a little better, kind of, and then it ended okay. One thing I couldn't get passed was the accent of Natalie's character. It seemed overdone to me but I don't know. It just didn't sit well with me.

FINAL VERDICT: You can pass on this movie. It was a tough watch for me. It kind of dragged the entire time but I endured. I cannot recommend anyone doing the same.

Raising Cane's #76 - Greenville Ave (Dallas, TX)

Looking for something easy and close for the family dinner tonight. We settled on Raising Cane's since it's basically around the corner.

Went through the drive thru. Ordered three 3-finger combos at a total cost of $22.51. When I got home and took the food containers out of the bag and opened them, I can use 2 hands to count the amount of fries I was given. Not just on one meal but all three the fries were lacking.

Not that it would be an excuse for such a lackluster amount of fries but the restaurant wasn't even busy so I'm not sure why the meals looked to have been rushed during preparation. For just about $7 per meal, I would expect to have some fries left over not wanting for more.

This may be my last visit here as there are just as good and better chicken places around me but dang it, Cane's is really the most convenient. I won't wait so long next time and let my hunger build. Pics are of two of the three meals.

 

Corbin Nash (2018)

Corbin Nash (2018) is one of those movies referenced in articles titled "Movies you must see right now on Amazon Prime, Netflix, Hulu or wherever".

It's been on my queue for sometime. I see it, think about watching it but instead I find something else to watch or do. However, today at work, I took the time to watch it.

I didn't expect it to be Oscar-worthy acting. I kind of thought it would be like some low-budge-but-decent-story-and-action movie. It wasn't that but it also wasn't too terrible.

I think Malcolm McDowell will do any kind of movie. Which I guess is okay as long as one makes money, keeps getting gigs and doesn't care too much about getting some 'award'.

Rutger Hauer made a brief appearance for which he probably got a nice payment.

Corey Feldman plays a significant role but in typical Feldman fashion of late, he overplays it. It's like he's trying to prove he's a 'good' actor even though he's only given parts in some of the lowest of low budget movies. His role in this movie is like a cross between a drag queen and Captain Spaulding.

There were a few other 'notable' actors who I've seen in other movies but no one that I think of while I'm typing this.

Slight spoiler alert: There are vampires and they see themselves in mirrors. I'm not sure who was supposed to do their background research for this movie but vampires don't have reflections! DUH!

FINAL VERDICT: It's a very 'okay' movie. It's a bit slow but it's not the worst I've seen. This is free with Prime but I wouldn't pay for it otherwise. It's kind of an 87.5% pass but if you're curious, then the 12.5% could be worth the watch.

31 (a.k.a. Thirty One)

31 (2016). This is another one of Rob Zombie's takes at making/directing a 'horror' movie.

From the visionary mind of Rob Zombie... This is how the synopsis on Amazon Prime video starts.

I have to say that to make crap like this it doesn't take much vision and I wouldn't call the mind that creates it as visionary.

I wasn't much impressed with House of 1000 Corpses or The Devil's Rejects. Brutal killings and gratuitous blood does not a good movie make. There has to be some substance and story. Even low-budget films have some form of decent acting.

FINAL VERDICT: I gave it time and a chance and it just couldn't give me a reason to even like it for just the 'horror' of it. I really think that anyone who would find this movie or the two I mentioned worth anything at all have to have something wrong with them. This is a hard, HARD pass for me!

Update on my Kicker HP402B CUSH Full-Size Headphones, Black

I posted a few years ago about my Kicker HP402B CUSH Full-Size Headphones, Black. I believe my overall opinion was that these were pretty darn good for the cost that I paid. I still feel the same. I used them quite a bit over the years and after roughly five year, they finally fell apart. Actually and literally.

First, the peeling of the head band started. Then the peeling of the ear muffs. And finally one side fully snapped apart. Funtionally as far as sound, they still worked but obviously they could no longer be worn. You can see all this in the images below.

   

So, I finally had to just pitch them in the garbage. It was a sad and quiet day but I had to move on. :-)

Dave Chappelle: Sticks & Stones (2019)

Dave Chappelle: Sticks & Stones (2019). Watched this to see if Dave could cleanse my funny senses after watching Bill Burr.

I read an article written about this show on how the author and I guess some others didn't like his "shock" comedy regarding a few topics like Michael Jackson's child molestation accusers or the #MeToo movement.

C'mon people. It's comedy. And if it's something Dave truly believes, well this is America and it's his fucking right and privilege to have his own fucking opinions. Just like others have the right to fucking feel differently.

As Dave says, "You people watching on Netflix, remember you clicked on my face!" Meaning they made the choice to watch. And for the audience at the venue, they made the choice to purchase a ticket to watch someone who they should be familiar with regarding his comedic style.

FINAL VERDICT: I recommend it. It's probably not as funny as some of his other shows but it's still worth a watch. He makes some valid points for his comedic opinions which I'm sure at least 40% or maybe more of people in attendance or watching on Netflix have similar points. Anyway, take his show as comedic opinions, laugh or don't laugh, and then move on.

Bill Burr: Paper Tiger (2019)

Bill Burr: Paper Tiger (2019). Was trying to find a good stand-up comedy to watch and Netflix had this as a recommendation. I think I remember previewing one or two of Bill Burr's previous shows but I don't think I found it too entertaining as I don't remember the name or anything from the show. However, I thought I'd give him a(nother) chance with this new special.

After starting and painfully completing this special, I must say that I just don't think Bill Burr is very funny. I pushed through this one thinking it would get better as I didn't have much else to do at the time of viewing. It had its moments even if they were very few and far between. It was just kind of painful to maintain my focus and interest.

I know people that think he is funny. I just haven't found him as such. Anyway...

FINAL VERDICT: For me it's a pass. If you already like him, then you'll probably like this one. Again there were moments of funny but I think they could have been combined into a twenty-minute (generously measured) highlight reel.

Enter the Fire (2018)

Enter the Fire (2018). I was browsing through Amazon Prime Video and this movie showed as recommended for you.

I took a look at the plot summary, saw that Lou Ferrigno was in it and thought surely it couldn't suck suck, right?

I was wrong!

The acting wasn't so bad but the fight scenes were just disastrous. It was almost like some of them were the rehearsals and the director was like, "Shit, we are getting close to budget so let's use those clips to save on time and film."

The cut from scene to scene was amateurish. It's like cut was said but they kept the part in where the actors relaxed and were out of character before fading to black and the next scene.

FINAL VERDICT: This is a hard pass! Think of every other fight film you've seen and you'd still have seen better films than this one.

Zalman ZM-NCI500 Notebook Cooler

I purchased the Zalman ZM-NCI500 Notebook Cooler from Frys.com. Two of them actually. It was on sale with their email coupons: Regular price is $19.99 each. Promo code price is $4.99 each. For that price I thought I could try this product!

I've used the Zalman Notebok Cooler for about a month now. In my non-scientific testing, basically daily use, it seems to do what it says it'll do: it blows air and is fairly quiet.

I mainly purchased this because I have two laptops: a two-year old Dell XPS 13 and a ten-year old ASUS G50VT-X5. The ASUS internal cooling fan is piss poor and I previously replaced it but do not want to spend another $30 or so to replace again even if I could find a replacement as the first one was hell to find. The Dell XPS fan is still pretty good but for some reason recently, the fan occasionally runs high. I'm not sure if it's programs running in the background or what. I've blown it out with compressed air, checked running programs and it still runs high for a few minutes...on occasion.

The ASUS is basically where I back up my files to so it's not really for everyday, typical use. I used to have it set on a Vornado table fan but where it sits now I do not have room for the fan. So now it sits on the Zalman Notebook Cooler. I can't say that I have really noticed any extra cooling but I do know it must work as the ASUS typically overheats and shuts down automatically without any fan/cooler underneath it.

The Del XPS is my daily use laptop. I take it to work and it sets on my desk and I'm usually remotely logged into it through my work computer or it's on almost all evening when I get home. While at work, I sit it on the Zalman Notebook Cooler. Occasionally, I do hear the XPS fan rev up but typically when I just turn it on. I believe it's because the virus scan runs as soon as the computer is booted and logged into. After that, there is the once-in-a-while revving which I do not know what causes it. So with the XPS I really haven't noticed much of a difference other than the fan doesn't rev as much as it used to but that could be either something 'fixed' with the XPS or the cooler is actually doing a good job.

Again, I figured for $4.99 this was worth trying out. So far, I can't complain but I also can't say, "Run out and buy this!" I do know that I probably wouldn't pay $19.99 for it when I can get a Vornado for like $30 and it has three speeds and would definitely cool any machine!

Rocketman (2019)

Rented and watched Rocketman (2019) yesterday.

I don't recall ALL the hype but I did hear that it was a pretty good movie and even Sir Elton himself approved.

I've always liked a lot of Elton's music. I didn't really know his background because most of the time I don't care about such things of musical artists. I just like and listen to their music. However, the way this movie was written and directed, it made me interested in Elton's 'life' history.

The seemingly raw, natural talent he had to put music to lyrics was pretty cool to learn about. And you could tell that the songs had some personal and emotional basis to them...like was Bernie writing them about Elton only or did he himself experience much of the same turmoil. I don't know. I just know this has to be the reason so many people can connect, feel connected, to the songs.

I could go on and on I guess but I'll digress.

FINAL VERDICT: I would definitely recommend this movie especially for those who grew up when music was music and not the SHIT (most of it) it is today!

Wordscapes App Game

I kept seeing this game pop up in my Facebook feed. I thought my youngest had mentioned something about playing it so I thought I'd try it.

Everything was pretty easy to do after downloading. I mean it's a game! I played the first few rounds and then...

SCREAM!!

What the fuck!? It was an ad for another game about trying to survive some killer clown or some shit. The sound was loud as hell and you can't mute it until after it starts with the loud scream. What?! In fact, you have to watch the ad for about 5-10 secs (I didn't measure exactly) and then it gives you a 'X' to close the ad. Two or so rounds later completed, another ad runs for a game with almost the same consequences — can't immediately close and no way to start it off 'muted' by default.

Annoying as hell!

I tried to endure and just deal with it but eventually I just got sick of the constant ads, the same 2-3, after every 2-5 rounds completed. They are annoying as fuck!

Also, it wasn't a very challenging game. The screen shot shows level 113 and it wasn't at all difficult to get that far. Actually it was difficult because had to suffer through about fifty of the same 2-3 ad as mentioned.

Did I mention the annoying game ads?

So, in my opinion, I would pass on this game. Unless you pay for the ad-free version. For me, the puzzles weren't challenging enough for me to even consider paying.

SushiFork of Dallas

This is my second time eating at SushiFork of Dallas. My previous visit wasn't so memorable positively but I thought I'd give it another try.

What you see is: Hot Mess, New York and Create-Your-Own-Sushi-Roll with Shrimp (from L to R). The Hot Mess is normally $9.50 but was half off this day because of the daily special (I think). The New York was $5.00 and the CYOSR was $8.00. Add two fountain drinks and tax. I think my bill was around $23.00. Not too bad really.

The Hot Mess was pretty good. Tasty enough with just the right amount of flavors. The New York was good but wasn't anything phenomenal in the sense that I'd have to brag about it to others so they would try it. I mean it's a sushi roll. My lunch guest ate the CYOSR so I can't comment on it except for the fact they said they liked it.

FINAL VERDICT: If you're in the area and want sushi, this could be a decent place to try. The parking isn't the easiest and I haven't been overly wowed with the food albeit most of it is [just] good [enough]. I have noticed that the service, as far as time of order-to-table, is kind of slow even when there are just two to four people in the restaurant. The times I've been, there is one guy 'rolling' and he seems to be methodical in the process. However, this last visit the rice rolls fell apart a bit which should not happen as the point of the roll is to compact the rice and ingredients. Anyway, again, it's not horrible but there are some slightly better options within a short driving distance from this place if you're a 'sushi snob' like myself. :-)

Stiky Ribz Bbq - Lower Greenville (Dallas, TX)

I previously wrote about Louie King BBQ here. Turns out my instincts were right and they didn't last long. Not Long at all.

Louie King BBQ shut down. About a month or two later, it opened up as Stiky Ribz BBQ. Their one and only other location in Forney had some pretty decent reviews so I figured I'd try this location.

I went around mid-afternoon with my youngest to give it a taste.

We ordered a 1/2 lb of brisket (moist/fatty), 1/2 rack of ribs and 2 sides (potato salad and baked beans).

The brisket tasted a little like pot roast than barbecue brisket to me. The ribs fell off the bone but all in one piece like removing the stick from a corn dog. All meats were tender but a little flavorless to me. The sweet barbecue sauce tasted like KC Masterpiece, Sweet Baby Ray's or Kraft--not bad just nothing special.

Baked beans had meat chunks in them and tasted good but just like Bush's. Potato salad was whipped but a little bland.

Currently there are other places close by that serve better-tasting meats but this place could temporarily satiate a barbecue craving. They basically just opened and I read an article that they felt they'd have some adjustments to make with a new smoker and such so I'll probably give it another try after some time passes.

Bumbershoot Barbecue (Argyle, TX)

I was helping someone move some shit in Roanoke (zip 76262). I figured while I was out there I'd see what barbecue restaurants they had to offer in the area. One that came up was Bumbershoot Barbecue. Bumbershoot's isn't actually in Roanoke but is 8.3 miles 'down the road' in Argyle.

It seemed like a worthy-enough choice as out of 138 reviews there were 3 two-stars and 2 one-stars. Or conversely, out of 138 reviews there are 121 4+ stars. Again, seemed like a decent option to try.

So first of all, this place is almost damn near in the country in my opinion. It's definitely more rural than urban although there is a 'big enough' city or two within a short driving distance. It's situated among a few other restaurants/businesses off a two-lane road/highway.

This place is a trailer, like a large airstream-type trailer. But that's not where they do the smoking, I think, as I did see a smokehouse behind the trailer. There is only outdoor seating at maybe half a dozen hexagon-shaped tables with patio umbrellas in each. There is a mostly white wooden fence around half the property that it seems can be used to finger/brush paint. There is a paint station near the seating area where we saw some kids loading up to do just that.

Based on the menu, there looked to be a fairly decent selection of meats. After pondering what to get aside from my norm of sliced brisket and ribs, we were ready to order.

I veered from my normal ordering habit of "just the meats" and ordered the three-meat meal which came with two sides. I really didn't order it for the sides but more for the fact that I didn't want to order a pound of meat(s), it sucks and then I'm stuck with 3/4 lb of meat(s).

Initially I wanted pulled pork but they were out. I then asked for turkey and initially they said they were out but then told me they had some left. My friend ordered sliced brisket, ribs and brisket sausage.

Yes, there were quite a few choices but I didn't want to go too wild and waste money on things I didn't like. I think partly it was because I was thrown off when they have this long list of meats and then they say, "Oh we're out." Not a huge deal normally, but they were not even close to being busy when we visited around 4 p.m on a Saturday.

So finally, what you see here is the three-meat meal of turkey, sliced brisket, and St Louis ribs with sides of slaw and tots. They also included some buttered(?) pickles as well as carrots with jalapenos for some reason but they are not on the menu.

My friend got the tots and potato salad and his too came with the same "secret-not-on-the-menu" pickles and carrots.

Enough jib jab. Let's get to the review:

• Slaw was the worst I've had. I'm more of a traditional slaw person. You know the kind with mayo not mayo and white, purple and orange cabbage. But I will give all foods a chance. This version of slaw is completely more like a salad with cucumber slices to boot. It had no innovation, no flavor, no taste. A complete waste of money.
• Tots are very basic and mostly flavorless. They could have been Ore-Ida tater tots but even those have more seasoning. They were just sad, crispyless and bland.
• Sliced Brisket was tender. However, just like the sides, it was flavorless. There was no smoke flavor and no charred outer rim.
• St Louis Ribs were tender as well. But fairly flavorless just like the brisket.
• Turkey was tender and juicy but, I hate to say it, mostly flavorless as well.

So to be fair, I did eat all the meats and most of the tots but with more barbecue sauce than I normally use. The sauce added a little more taste to it all, except for the slaw and carrots. There was no saving that nasty shit.

Also one thing to note, they place their barbecue sauces (regular and spicy) on a table out in the open between the trailer and the smokehouse. It sat in the sun the entire time we were there which was about two hours. I picked up a bottle of the regular sauce and it was like someone heated it in a microwave. Not overly hot but it was pretty damn warm. I'm not sure that's a good thing for a long period of time. The ice dispenser also sits in the sun a lot depending on the time of day. I think they need to invest in some pop-up canopies.

Overall, this place wasn't as good as I thought it would be based purely on my assumption. Would I go back? Probably not since I live in North Dallas and there are already very good tasting well-established barbecue joints there. I also heard that 407 BBQ is fairly decent and down the street from Bumbershoot so I'll have to give it a try next time I'm in the middle of B.F.E.!

The Double Wide at Torchy's Tacos - SMU Blvd (Dallas, TX)

What you see here is the Doublewide which is the taco of the month at Torchy's Tacos.

As described on their website, the Doublewide is "A dynamic, delectable combination of hand-battered chicken fried steak, bacon, Green Chile Queso, cotija cheese, and pico de gallo served on a flour tortilla."

I was starving like a madman but I tried to take my time eating this to savor it and try to experience the different flavor offerings from the ingredients. That lasted for about two bites!

Starting from one end of the taco with my first bit, I was able to get the chicken fried steak flavor. Although I haven't had a chicken fried steak in some time, the taste was pretty good and reminded me exactly what it should taste like.

The second bite, I was able to get a combination of the steak, some bacon, queso and cotija cheese. For a brief moment, I could taste the separate flavors, especially the cotija cheese as I think it has a strong flavor...thankfully.

I was able to get all of the ingredients in the third bite and it tasted mainly like crunchy queso with some pico flavor struggling to be noticed. It was all still good but the separation of flavors was harder to dissect.

Overall, it was a good taco to try. I am nowhere near disliking it but I didn't think to myself that I had to order it again on my next visit — like the Roscoe! Other people may be different. I certainly am not opposed to ordering it again if I feel the need. Or if someone said, "Hey, I have a Doublewide from Torchy's. Do you want it?" I'd be like hell yeah! There's just another taco that's available all year that satiates my need for anything chicken fried - the Trailer Park...trashy and sometimes hillbilly!

Velvet Taco visit #5 - Greenville Ave (Dallas, TX)

I think my wife has an addiction.

Since introducing us to the #3 Spicy tikka chicken, we have been back two more times. Once was for her birthday (visit #4) and today for Mother's Day.

I didn't get anything different on visit #4 but visit #5 I decided to try the #9 Korean pork. So I'll focus on that taco.

First of all, it's juicy. Maybe some would call greasy. Anyway, the juices from the meat were draining out of the tortilla, onto the wrapping paper and then to the table. Juicy!

Sad thing was that the juice provided hardly any, if any, flavor for the taco. Being called 'Korean' I expected the thing to be somewhat bursting with flavor. However, I don't recall any 'bursting' flavor. I was underwhelmed but maybe my expectations were too high.

All I can say is that I can mark this off my list to try at Velvet Taco. I'll eventually try all the items but I will surely stick with the ones I know I like: #3, #7, #11 and #18.

Velvet Taco visit #3 - Greenville Ave (Dallas, TX)

As the title states, I've been to Velvet Taco three times. I didn't write anything about my second visit because I basically had the same tacos as I did the first time...although I might have had the #1 Buffalo chicken taco but I didn't take a photo or anything to share. So the family and I went to Velvet Taco today for dinner. Mainly because someone told us about how good the spicy tikka chicken taco was and we do love our Indian tikka dishes.

This is the #3 Spicy tikka chicken taco. The menu describes it as "crisp tenders, spicy tikka sauce, buttered cilantro basmati rice, raita crema, Thai basil, flour tortilla." It's pretty good. I'm a bit of a wussy and it's just a tad spicy for my tastes although that will not keep me from eating it again and again. The wife like it a whole lot and says it's her new favorite. I enjoyed the entire taco...the rice, the chicken, the sauce...it was all pretty darn good.

This is the #18 Chicken and waffle. The menu describes it as "crisp tenders, peppered bacon, peppercorn gravy, green apple slaw, maple syrup, red chile aioli, chives, waffle tortilla." I liked the chicken and maple syrup on the waffle taco. I wanted a little more sweetness (maybe more syrup) to fried tenders ratio but it was still flavorful. Not quite the Roscoe from Torchy's but a good substitution until it comes back!

I will definitely return to try more options along with the sure things of the #3 and #18.

Bumblebee (2018)

Bumblebee (2018). In the words of what my wife would say, "It was a cute, little movie." Even though she didn't watch it with me, I'd have to agree with her.

This wasn't as adult-oriented as the other Transformer movies. There wasn't quite the extent of the constant explosions and robot violence. It reminded me a bit of the movie A-X-L which I recently watched but haven't typed a review for, yet. The story is kind of like this: a sad, bullied kid, has no friends but wants to fit in, smart and talented in either auto mechanics or computer technology, finds a space item, shit hits the fan, world saved...briefly.

That's about the gist.

FINAL VERDICT: Worth a cheap rental or sharing the rental of/with a friend. It's good entertainment with not too much over-the-top action and CGI.

Hunters Lodge (2016)

Hunters Lodge (2016). Once again I was picking movies randomly through my Amazon Prime Video and came across this gem. I use the term loosely as it was a shard of coal in the rough. Some of the comments were saying that this movie was made for like 20,000£. It looked and felt like it. I think this movie was made in some University film class.

Oh, and yes, I watched it all. I mean I wasn't ONLY watching the movie. I watched it at work and so I was multitasking. Damn good thing I was because I don't know if I would have fully 'watched' it.

The acting wasn't horribly painful but is was painful or horrible. It's a contrived plot, setting and set up. This genre has been done many times over but much, much better.

FINAL VERDICT: Most definitely pass on this title. It truly isn't worth the bandwith.

The Mule (2018)

The Mule (2018). Rented this movie from Redbox and watched it tonight. My first thought when it started was, "Fuck! Clint Eastwood is looking old." I IMDBed him and found that he was born in 1939. He'll be 89 years old in May this year. Yep, he IS old!!

Anyway, he played his character — an old, 90-yr-old to be exact, man — well enough. I mean he IS an 89-yr-old man! Was it 'award'-worthy? I'm not sure if he or the movie was up for any but I would say no, not really. It wasn't a character that any actor/actress would have to go above and beyond to portray. It was just a matter-of-fact no-nonsense role.

I guess the overall tone of the movie was somber but it did have some occasional happy and/or 'comedic' parts. Don't expect a whole lot of action and adventure but more of a decently told story.

FINAL VERDICT: It's worth a watch for a low rental fee or if it is being streamed on something for which you're already paying. Again, you may have difficulty staying focused if you're used to action, adventure and excitement but it is interesting enough to watch.

Lila & Eve (2015)

Lila & Eve (2015). I finally got around to watching this movie. I've had it in my queue for some time and just kept ignoring it or moving on to other "better" movies.

Movie leads are Viola Davis and Jennifer Lopez.

It wasn't too bad of a movie. It wasn't what I thought it was either. It had a bit of a twist. I mostly figured it out before 'the reveal' but it was still a decent plot distortion.

FINAL VERDICT: If you happen to come across this while browsing your streaming service, it might be worth a view. It was a bit slow, maybe predictable but it didn't make me feel like I wasted my time.

Smokey Porkinson at Digg's Taco - Hillcrest Ave (Dallas, TX)

I've had Digg's Taco's many times. I usually stick with my favorite taco, the Banh Jovi. It was a taco of the month but is now a staple. I've had all the tacos but the Healthy Veggie and Habanero Shrimp. I've also had the Hamburguesa as well as chips, salsa, queso, black beans and cilantro rice. Overall, I'd stick with the entrees versus the sides. The chips, beans and rice are fairly flavorless. The queso is better than Chipotle but maybe worse than Velveeta. Salsa is okay but the Hot Diggity Sauce is better.

So today I tried the taco of the month, the Smokey Porkinson. It's described as "slow smoked Cousin's BBQ Pork with Remix Coleslaw and Pickled Red Onion on a flour tortilla topped with Spicy Moreno BBQ sauce."

I first tried the pork without anything else. It was pretty good, tender and flavorful. I then took a full bite of the taco and all the innards. I like the crunch the slaw and onions added. I didn't like the overwhelming spicy bbq sauce. It overpowered the flavors of other ingredient in the taco. It didn't taste horrible but the good flavor I tasted from just trying the pork was lost. There just wasn't enough balance of flavors between the smokey pork and the spicy bbq sauce.

Will I try the Smokey Porkinson again? Probably not, just because of the spicy bbq sauce. I already have my favorite (Banh Jovi) which has the balance between good flavor and kick.

Again, the Smokey Porkinson wasn't bad. It's just not for me. Overall, I will continue to eat at Digg's as long as the other tacos stay tasty.

Malevolence 2: Bereavement (2011)

Malevolence 2: Bereavement (2011). Was browsing Amazon Prime Movies and this popped up in like a newly added category or maybe just showed in browsing because of some other movie I watched previously or added to my queue or something. You get the point I think.

Anyway, my initial thought was this didn't look like it was going to be that great from the movie cover and synopsis. It did catch my eye that Alexandra Daddario was the actress on the movie cover and looking at the rest of the cast I saw Michael Biehn was in it as well.

I figured it couldn't totally suck.

I was totally wrong!!

The acting was kind of bad. The plot kind of bad. The ending kind of bad. Overall, it was kind of bad.

FINAL VERDICT: Don't even bother. Not even an Alexandra nude boob could make this better (wasn't one, by the way). There are other movies with similar story lines and plots that are done way better.