Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 261

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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October 4, 2018: Scenes from a Writer’s Room – Week 4!

It’s hard to believe that, in a little over a week, I won’t be able to shout out these people anymore.  I’m already tearing up.

 

 

 

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October 3, 2018: Week’s Best Comic Book Covers!

These are my favorite comic book covers of the week!

Death of the Inhumans #4 (cover art by Kaare Kyle Andrews)

Spawn #290 (cover art by Francesco Mattina, Todd McFarlane, Philip Tan)

The Superior Octopus #1 (cover art by Chris Achilleos)

Taarna #3 (cover art by Chris Achilleos)

The Dead Hand, vol. 1 (cover art by Jordie Bellaire, Stephen Mooney)

The Dreaming #2 (cover art by June Chung, Jae Lee)

The Wicked + The Divine, vol. 7 (cover art by Jamie McKelvie, Matthew Wilson)

Unknown 9: Archives Preview (cover art by June Chung, Jae Lee)

Weapon X #24 (cover art by Rahzzah)

What If?  X-Men #1 (cover art by Rahzzah)

So which were your favorites?

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October 2, 2018: Trailers for stuff I’m looking forward to!

I remember when I used to have time to go see movies, watch t.v. shows, AND read books?  And although those days may seem long and gone, I expect they will return sooner than later.  And, when that day comes, these are a few of things I look forward to checking out…

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October 1, 2018: The Akemi Street Tour!

Akemi has never met a piece of graffiti art she hasn’t liked.  Inevitably, whenever she spots some, she bounds over and expects me – and my phone camera – to catch up.

Here is the latest installment in an ongoing series…

 

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September 30, 2018: Suji Sunday!

She plays hard to get…

Snoozing with sis…

Tomorrow, the dogs will play while dad’s away.  Back in the writers’ room!

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September 29, 2018: Back on the horse!

I was feeling better this morning but didn’t want to risk a relapse, so I eaaaaased back into my eating routine…

Dinner at Piano Piano.

Desserts at The Dessert Kitchen.

Accompanied by our culinary wing-couple, Nicole and Joseph, visiting from Vancouver.

Well, it’s almost 9:30 p.m.  We just got in.  And I can look forward to a nice relaxing evening of writing an outline.  Unless, of course, I won the lottery!

Hang on.

No, never mind.  Writing an outline it is.

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