Friday Flick

I rarely venture outside of the downtown bubble, but Friday night I met my friend K at Brier Creek for some dinner and a movie because it was in the middle of our respective locations.  If I’m being honest it was also one of the only theaters showing Glee 3D which was our main agenda for the evening.  Even though the massive overgrowth of suburbia of this area makes me a little ill, I had forgotten just how many great shops and restaurants are located here and how convenient it is to have everything in one place.

We ate at Brixx, a chain pizza restaurant, which has always been one of my faves, but since this is the closest one to me I only get here about once a year.  It was great as usual and being able to walk 50 feet over to the theater afterward was great too.    

For all you Gleeks out there, Glee 3D is a must see movie.  For those of you who couldn’t care less about Glee, this is probably one to skip unless you happen to love cheesy stories of high school underdogs played out to a background of Journey songs sung by redbull fueled actors.  However, I loved every minute of seeing my favorite glee kids sing the best of their songs, in 3D no less.  The rest of the people in the theater were clearly into it as well, singing along to some parts and clapping at the end of each song.  I could *almost* pretend we were at the actual show, for way cheaper than the price of a concert ticket.  And in case you were wondering, yes I would have gone to the concert if they were touring close to Raleigh.

Note to all you freebie lovers.  If you go to yahoo movies on facebook you can register for a free bag of popcorn at Regal cinemas.  I did this right before heading to the movie and getting a $6 bag of popcorn was super easy.  Plus, I love how free food seems to taste even better :)

Frugal and Fabulous....movie edition

Love seeing classic movies, but wish you could see them on the big screen?  One of my favorite places to catch old movies in the theater is The Colony Theater  in Raleigh.  Check them out to see classics such as Rushmore, The Princess Bride, and the entire James Bond Originals.  Plus admission is only $5.50 AND they serve beer and wine for cheaper then your local bar!  Just try not to make too much fun of the old school black vests and bow-ties the concession workers are wearing…I used to work for this same company and probably still have mine hanging in the back of my closet somewhere. 

Additionally during the summer you can catch second run movies on a outside screen at The Lumina in Chapel Hill and the NC Art Museum. Bring a blanket, chair, and your own picnic for a cheap date night.  Most shows are less than $5!

Week in Review

As summer is winding down to a close, I can't help but feel like it went by way too fast! The students are back in town and my commute to work is now twice as long because of their need to cross the road in front of traffic with complete disregard to the traffic signals! At least the weather has become a manageable high of 80s and I've eaten lunch outside every day.

What I’m reading: “There’s No Place Like Here,” by Cecelia Ahern. I'm halfway through this book, written by the same author of the much loved "P.S. I Love You." It is a great quirky book about a women who is obsessed with where things go when they become missing. She stumbles upon a place where all the missing people and things go and the adventures start from there.

What I’m watching: Last week I was able to see 3 movies in the theater, which if you know me, made it a very good week. I had been wanting to see Cowboys and Aliens for awhile , but I have to admit I was disappointed! Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford were great as expected, but the story line was severely lacking. It nothing to do with the fact that we were mixing Cowboys with Aliens as I am a big fan of both, but more so that we were then thrown in Indians, ghosts, and other extraterrestrial spirits. Plus Olivia Wilde was wasted as the mysterious girl without much story line to work with.

I then was able to talk my best friend B into watching Crazy, Stupid, Love with Emma Stone, Ryan Gosling, and Steve Carrel. This was a solid chick flick with enough comedy, and interesting plot line to hold my interest the whole time. Seeing Ryan without his shirt on in numerous scenes was worth the ticket price alone, but the story was surprising sweet and touching with some cool twists. I would definitely recommend seeing this one with your girlfriends!

I wrapped the weekend up with Rise of the Planet of the Apes which ended up being my favorite out of the three. I love action movies that really take their time to build up so when the main action hits you are at the edge of your seat. Plus, given that this is a prequel you already have an idea of the disastrous results that are going to eventually happen. Think Titanic. The CGI effects were amazing to watch in and of themselves, but the whole story was gripping, and surprisingly relateble.

Where I’m eating: Café Caturra in Cameron Village has quickly become my new favorite place to grab a quick bite, or share a leisurely bottle of wine. This is a great place to take out of town guests and is perfect for a girl’s night. I went here on Monday and was pleasantly surprised once again with the food, service, and overall atmosphere. They have a wine bar you can sample from and the bartenders are extremely knowledgeable about their wines. There are also a variety of spreads and dips to sample at the bar as well. I ended up getting the curry chicken wrap with a raspberry walnut salad on the side and it was great as usual. A tip to locals, the Tuesday night ½ price bottles of wine special is the best time to visit. Don’t worry, if you can’t finish the bottle, they let you take it home!