Brave & Other Things

While I was at school Tuesday night, my wife, Allison, sent me a text message asking if we should give Lilah one of her Christmas presents early, there were a grand total of 4 movies she would be getting on Christmas Day and I suppose Allison was thinking that might come off as extravagant.  By the time I could reply, I had another message saying Lilah, with no other clue than the presence of a large box that wasn't remotely movie shaped as it contained a large order from an online company rhyming with "schmamazon" (I say this not to protect the company, but to confuse the other people in my family getting things from this company to the point they don't want to decipher my ridiculousness) had pointed at the box and said "Are you going to get "Brave" out of there or am I going to have to get it from the library?"  It is important here to know the jig was up because I wasn't home.  I don't say that because I am all that is man (and I'm quite the feminist, anyhow), but I say this because my wife, by some great cosmic conspiracy, is a horrible liar.  I mean awful.  When she tells a lie, she becomes a caricature of all those little things Tim Roth was looking for in "Lie to Me" when he suspected another human being of lying.  Suffice it to say say, Lilah watched "Brave" that night.

Before the film in the theaters, (and now on the special features of the DVD) there is a Pixar short titled "La Luna."  I didn't get to see it when we saw the film in theaters (which was Lilah's 2nd time seeing it) because we had arrived late due to her Uncle Max's hair, I believe.  This, I am told, made little Lilah aghast Tuesday night.  She went to bed after making my wife solemnly swear she would have me watch the short the moment I got home.  Granted, I had very much wanted to see it, anyway, but it is nice to know my little girl is looking out for me when it comes to matters of great film (If I'm going to continue to write films as I have been, then it'll probably do me a lot of good to have someone like Lilah on my side.)  And "La Luna" is everything it was cracked up to be - beautiful, kind, and a great story with no words.  I, honestly, got a little misty eyed.  If you haven't seen it, find some way to.  Actually, the film it is with is completely worth it, too, it certainly made me laugh my butt off.  I don't think, however, I could do "La Luna" justice with mere words - I would, instead, need the whole of the moon.

I was sad to read the headline Tuesday that Pete's Place closed.  The family (not to make us sound like the mafia in an old Scorcese film, but alas) went there often for breakfast (and I personally could have eaten their apple crêpes every day) and we had just made the discovery their daytime food was really good, too.  On top of that, it is really hard to find a restaurant where the staff will be kind to your 3 year old who is wandering around looking like a little gypsy and making friends with positively everyone while looking for the fountain or the fireplace because she has grown bored of waiting for her food after 3 minutes (and you are banging your head on the table, saying "why on earth did we forget the play-doh?)  Pete's Place was that kind to us.  We never had a bad experience, were always treated nicely (most importantly, Lilah was), almost always had the same server, always had good food, and loved the way they infused their coffee with cinnamon.  It was some of the only non-Chazzano coffee I would drink, in fact (I am well aware of my coffee snobbery, but thank you for your concern.)  Pete's Place felt like every diner in America should feel and we will miss it as one misses a passed on friend or, in my case, the crêpes my friend's grandma used to make us when we were kids which we would ride our bikes across Negaunee (that's up there near Marquette for those of you who have spent your lives below the Mackinac Bridge) early in the mornings for.

So, I know I said I'd be doing these on Tuesday and Thursday and I'll return to that format starting tomorrow, but figured I was already back-logged by a week in my brain.  Tomorrow should be a good one since Lilah is going to get to go to school in her pajamas.  I have the feeling her mind shall be blown.