Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 257

October 14, 2018: Suji Sunday! With special guest star Lulu!

You know what day it is?  Yeah!  It’s Suji Sunday!

All smiles.

Free tummy rubs!

A sneak peek shot from her photo shoot for Rover Boutique.

Suji models the outfit she got from auntie Andria.

Lulu tries on her matching outfit – but doesn’t quite succeed.

Lulu hits the showers!

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October 13, 2018: My Favorite New Show!

We are in the era of peak t.v.  To some, this means a plethora of programming to help fill their days and evenings.  For me, it’s an avalanche of shows that leave me paralyzed by the overwhelming range of choices.  And so, rather than choose and make a commitment, I just start another book.

While in the writers’ room these past five weeks, I was amazed by how much my fellow writers watched.  They raved about shows I’ve heard great things about. They raved about shows I’d never even heard of.  And they raved about shows that sounded like utter trash.  In the end, I was left intrigued by some of their recommendations…and appalled by a few of their viewing choices.

So, even though I’m going to have my hands full writing these next few months, I thought  it might be interesting to consider watching something.  Note, I wrote “consider watching  something” and not “watch something” because, when all is said and done, my plate is full and an entire season of t.v. watching is daunting.

All the same, I value your opinions.  Of the following shows, which should I consider watching and – most importantly! – why?  Convince me!

Take Our Poll

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October 12, 2018: And that’s a writers’ room wrap! PLUS the season finale verdicts!

Yep.  That’s a wrap.  Now, we all go our separate ways to pursue other assignments.  For Courtney and I, it’s writing the pilot and episode 2.  For Nicole, it’s Hollywood-bound to pitch her original new series.  For Alejandro, Andrew and Natalia, it’s off to parts unknown to help stage a military coup with their fellow soldiers of fortune.  Still, we made the most of our last day, one marked by much hilarity, desserts, and booze punctuated by occasional show discussion.

So, what was the verdict on the outline for our big season finale?

I’m going to miss this crew!

 

 

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October 11, 2018: Highlight of Week Five!

We’re completing our fifth and final week of the writers’ room and have accomplished much in such a short time.  We’ve broken the show’s full ten episode first season, written the outlines and, this week, are well  on track to completing notes sessions on all ten.  We’ve unkilled characters, dismantled mass transportation systems, and even succeeded in figuring Episode 9’s double distraction and complications.  And yet, despite this accomplishments, and with one day still to go, I can already tell you what the highlight of this week has been.  Behold!

 The California Double from Burger’s Priest: cheeseburgers with a ring of sautéed onions, sandwiched between buttered buns, topped with secret sauce, lettuce, and tomato.

Honorable mentions to –

The pistachio cake from Nugateau – and the side jar of pistachio halva from Halvana.

This tablecloth-size laffa bread from Me Va Me.

The eclairs – also from Nugateau.

Alejandro’s awesome artwork.

Tomorrow, we wrap the room – and we move on to script work!  Goodbye laughs and camaraderie!  Hello solitary afternoons and yogurt bowls!

 

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October 10, 2018: Week’s Best Comic Book Covers!

These were my favorite comic book covers of the week…

Catwoman #4 (cover art by Laura Allred, Joelle Jones)

Domino #7 (cover art by Gang Hyuk Lim)

Elric: The White Wolf #2 (cover art by Gary Jamroz Palma)

Immortal Hulk #7 (cover art by Alex Ross)

My Heroes Have Always Been Junkies (cover art by Sean Phillips)

Heart of Darkness (cover art by Catherine Anyango)

Apollo (cover art by Mike Collins)

Supergirl #23 (cover art by Rachel Dodson, Terry Dodson, Stanley “Artgerm” Lau)

Beauty #24 (cover art by Nick Filardi, Jeremy Haun, Thomas Nachlik)

So, which were your favorites?

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October 9, 2018: Top 10 Writers’ Room Preambles!

In no particular order…

“I hear what you’re saying but…”

“This is a crazy idea but I’m going to pitch it out anyway…”

“I’m going to throw something out there and if you don’t like it you can just tell me to shut up…”

“I’m going to make one more pitch for this and then I’ll let it go…”

“Okay, this is my last pitch and then I’ll shut up…”

“I was just about to say that!”

“I really love that idea but…”

“To offer the contrary opinion on this one…”

“Sure, that works, and we can totally go with that.  OR…”

“Where did we end up falling on [that idea we abandoned two days ago]?”

And one for good luck!

“But that was an old episode of…”

 

 

 

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October 8, 2018: What I’ve Been Missing!

Back on the home front!  What’ve I missed?

Nervous Suji at the vet to get checked for a UTI.

Slumber party!

Suji breaks out her Autumn wardrobe.

Guard dogs!

Relaxing with mom.

Back at the vet for boosters and a check-up.  Lulu has lost some weight so (Lucky her!) we’ll be bumping up her meal portions. Something to keep an eye on for now.  She’s also developing cataracts but, at her age, surgery isn’t really an option.  As for Suji, aside from the UTI, the vet says her sight, hearing, and walking has improved.  The vet marveled: “She’s like a puppy!”

Tomorrow, we resume our routine!

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October 7, 2018: Au Pied de Cochon Sugar Shack!

Every year, one of my favorite restaurants in Montreal, Au Pied de Cochon, hosts a popular Sugar Shack version of their down-home Quebecois comfort menu.  Tickets are a tough score but, this year, my sister was able to secure a half dozen.  And so, as an early birthday gift for your truly, she elected to treat me – and our assorted cast of eaters: Daisy, mom, my high school buddy Lawrence, and Lawrence’s wife Mel.

Ready?

Foie gras and goat cheese apples.  And…something sweet.  The room was so loud and our servers spoke so quickly (and in French to boot!) that I missed most of what they said.  Suffice it to say, this was one of my two favorite plates of the evening.

The tomato tart.  Sure looked pretty.

Smoked mackerel.  This one was a hit.  Spoiler alert: the two fish dishes trumped any of the meat dishes served on the night.

My sister was a fan of their version of the thin crust pizza.

The blood pudding agnolotti and the…was it lobster fettuccine?  Meh.

The sturgeon.  Another surprisingly strong fish preparation.

I’m not a fan of Shepherd’s Pie, so this dish didn’t do it for me.  My sister IS a fan, and it didn’t do anything for her either.

Beneath this layer of caramelized apple slices is a pool of pork.

The stuffed zucchini squash.  ‘Nuff said.

And then, it was on to dessert…

The apple pie.

Some fruit cobbler.  You know how I feel about fruit-based desserts.

Maple syrup-topped maple ice cream.  Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner!

Overall, I thought the meal started and finished strong.  In between were some hits but a lot of misses.  Sis was disappointed with the meal, but I nevertheless enjoyed the experience and the company.

Andria and Daisy.

Lawrence and sis.

Thanksgiving lunch today (as is the Italian way) and tomorrow, I’m homeward bound!   I miss my gals!

P.S. A Happy Birthday Weekend to one of this blog’s most vocal regulars!  Happy Birthday, Drea!

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October 6, 2018: Guess Where?

Peppers before.

Peppers after.

A progression of peppers…

Hot!

Hotter!

Hottest!

Crab mousse.

Sweet canneloni.

Lamb and sausage.

Pistachio Friendship Cake.  Best version ever!

Sis bearing gifts!

Matching outfits and collars for the girls.

Maple candies for Akemi and ghost pepper chili powder for me.

P.S. Mom says hi.

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October 5, 2018: 4 down; 1 to go!

Seriously?  Has it already been four weeks?  I mean, it feels like yesterday I walked into a roomful of strangers, my rain-soaked suit sticking to me like some clammy second layer, armed with naught but a general series overview, a showrunning agreement, and the very best of intentions.  Also, a half an avocado.  Over those first four weeks, we’ve broken our ten episode first season, stopping only to discuss lunch options, politics, and fantasy football.  And that includes a full week of world-building as well.

As I head into the long weekend (This being Canadian Thanksgiving.  For those Americans not in the know, we celebrate Thanksgiving roughly one month earlier, Christmas one month later, and Mardi Gras not at all unless you count Toronto’s Carribana which is similar but with significantly fewer King cakes and flambeaux), I have the final three outlines to complete.  I need to deliver by Sunday so that the writers have time to review them Monday before resuming discussions on Tuesday.  The plan is to spend the final four days focusing on tracking the various character and story arcs, ironing out all those narrative wrinkles, and addressing those pesky TBD’s.  And, once that’s done, dare I say it?  Smoooooo –

No.

Then, I have to switch gears to the pilot script I am co-writing with series creator R.T.  Once THAT’S done, it’ll be smoooo –

Are you crazy?  We still have nine scripts to write, a series to prep, and sundry tiny little issues to address like notes, scheduling, and casting.

Amid the mayhem, Akemi and I are eyeing a little nine day Tokyo trip to visit family and eat sea urchin buns for breakfast.  While our frenchie will, no doubt, be thrilled to be rid of us and in a new environment, this will be longest we’ll be separated from our senior pug, Suji.  Nine days!  Will she even remember us when we come back?

Pictured above: Lulu (Looking forward to some away time); Suji (Don’t leave me!).

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