8 Simple Rules of Redbox etiquette

Yes, anyone with a credit card can use Redbox. But for those of us in the civilized world, there is an etiquette to follow that I'm quite sure some folk are not aware of. For that reason only, I am posting some rules. Feel free to pass them along.

1. Have some idea of what a movie is. Don't read every single description like you've never heard these "motion picture" things. Yes, they're fascinating.

2. Don't sit on the phone with your 6 year old reading every story line, asking if they think it's a good choice.  Just pick something for them. In fact, kids should never come 10 ft. from a station unless the planet is in danger.

3. If a line forms behind you, just roll the dice. If you're a girl, go for something with Amy Adams or Zooey Deschanel. If a boy, Jason Statham. It's a buck, so don't act like it's the last movie you'll ever see.

4. If there's some one waiting with a movie in hand, ask if they're just there for a return. If so, let them. Then you can precede to read the synopsis of Inglorious Bastards.

5. NEVER ask the person behind you if they want you to return their movie for them. How uncomfortable is that.

6. Reserve online if possible.

7. Don't make out in front of the Redbox when you're a teenager and suddenly discover how "in-sync" you are with your fellow teenager. Gross.

8. Don't complain about the lack of diverse content. It's freakin Redbox and it's brilliant. Get Netflix to supplement like the rest of us.

Blindside movie review : via some old lady at the cracker barrel in arizona

 we are making our way across the country from northern california to san antonio, tx and have come across quite a few neat places and odd characters. we're not quite "home" yet, but i think this lady at the cracker barrel in casa grande, arizona takes the cake for most memorable conversation overheard. it goes a little something like this:

old bag: i don't think my tv set is working because i just watched that movie The Blindside and it was in black and white. that movie's in color, isn't it?

old man: don't know. never heard of it.

old bag: sure you have. it's the one with sandy duncan. you know, the picture about michael orr who plays for the rams.

old man: never heard of him, never seen the picture.

old bag: sure you have. michael orr is that big colored fella. he plays for the rams now. in the movie sandy duncan's character adopts him... i'm sure you've heard of it. i just want to know if it was in color because i watched it in black and white.


YEP. that was the conversation. see if you can guess how MANY things are wrong here.

go fish

yesterday, we headed to napa. went to pine ridge to pick up our wine (did a little tasting) and then went to franciscan. it was a beautiful afternoon on the patio with great friends. they did a wine pairing with sliders and skewers of lamb and eggplant. afterwards, we went to downtown st. helena for margaritas at ana's cantina and FINALLY to dinner at go fish!

the sushi was fantastic. i highly recommend the lobster roll, rainbow roll, and ken's roll -- if you're in to sushi. for main courses, kathy's miso bass took the cake. it was the best thing at the table, and there was a LOT of food. so 6 girls at one end of the table, 6 boys at the other, at the the end of the night our waitress asks if we'd like dessert. girls say no. all of the boys say yes. where did all the boys' plates end up??? that's right... at the girl's table!!! and somehow those pine ridge bottle never made it home...