The Quiet Americano

I Know, I Know

I've used this already, and recently.  You might castigate your modest artisan as being idle or senile, or bo

     There is a reason for recycling that earlier headline, because where does it come from?  Why, none other than the novel by Graham Greene, "The Quiet American".  Which was perhaps a caustic sideswipe at the average South Canadian, who tends to be - er - less than quiet?

     This is relevant because - hang on, is Ben Folds still alive?  Let me just check - Phew!  yes he is, it was just his toe being stubbed, not treading on an anti-tank mine.  Where were we?  Ah yes, 25,000 feet over the South Atlantic on final approach to Port Stanley in XM597 - Weapons Officer, fuse your - oh no, that was the Falklands Unpleasantness, wasn't it?

Someone - someone is about to have a very bad day.

     <pauses for roasted like a chicken coffee.  Americano, of course.>
     Oh yes.  TQA was set in French colonial Vietnam, and there was no blog on Wednesday because the family went to an evening meal at Mi & Pho.  Art?

     A Vietnamese café-type restaurant in Northenden.  Good lord aloft, was it packed, mid-week, too!  Here's the starters I and Wonder Wifey had - Summer Rolls ("Cha Nem") in my instance, a salady concoction for her.

     Then she had a whacking big bowl of Roasted Like A Chicken Fried Rice, which took determined efforts by three people to even begin to look tackled.  They don't stint on portions here.  For myself, I had the Bun Sai Gon - Salt and Pepper Squid with rice noodles and dipping sauce.  Art?

     Quiet Tom (do you see what - O you do) had the Bun Ha Noi.  Art?

     I asked the waiter, who affirmed that the Bun Hue was indeed named after the ancient capital of Vietnam, and that Bun Sai Gon is named after the more recent capital city, which we both acknowledged was no longer called Saigon*.
     After which it was a quick trip back to drop Darling Daughter and Quiet Tom off at their flat, for it was Tom who proposed the visit, and a journey home to arrive at 10 post meridian, far too late to even think of pushing BOOJUM!

Tranquil Saigon

     Well, I think it's about time to propel (at considerable speed!)  the motley off the cliff-edge in a parasuit, but blindfolded**.

BOOJUM! Reviews Films
In our own inimitable style.  Mostly because other film critics would run a mile rather than review our way, which, if you don't know by now, is wildly partial, literal and hopelessly citric.  Hey, it works for us***.
"Paddington 2": My Lord Aloft, do you realise the first one made £200 million across the world?  (yes I know this completely contradicts our review criteria - once again, whose blog is it?).  The world, it seems, cannot get enough of refugee Peruvian bears.  Conrad remembers hearing tales of Paddington when much smaller (both of us) and seems to remember that, although extremely polite - obviously imbibing our English manners - he was also a mobile disaster area.  Also, he taunts me with what I cannot have:  marmalade sandwiches.

Taunton.  No! - sorry - Paddington.

"Only The Brave":  Note the avoidance of any tasteless puns about heat, fire, flames, etc.  This film concerns firefighters, a whole bunch of whom got killed.  Wow.  Downer.  One almost expects it to be in black and white and subtitled in Czech.  And - what about those of us who are utter cowards, such as your humble scribe?  Although, being honest, it sound like rather too much of a bad thing, as not only is there the risk in this occupation of being roasted like a chicken burnt, there are also doubtless millions of creepy-crawlies busy escaping the raging wildfires, which is equally as frightening.

Not suitable as a domestic pet

"Justice League":  From the posters, this seems to be 5 superhero films rolled into one.  I guess the budget will approach the quarter-billion mark, and it will last for two and a half hours, and Batman will be dark and cynical, Superman heroic and noble, and Aquaman wet.
     Here an aside.  From what Conrad knows of the superior animated series, the JLA deliver massive firepower more than justice.  They variously bash, slash, fry, roast like a chicken burn, blast, fast and chafe at textile seams in wool garments, which seems more like - punishment that justice.  Or it could just be me.

Damn Your Eyes, Skeptic's Dictionary!
Conrad stumbled across this again, since I'm sure I've had it down as a Favourite before.  It is a vast collection of those FACT things, waging a relentless metaphorical war against those known as SWIVEL-EYED CONSPIRANOID LOONWAFFLES.

     Don't look at me - I have a sternly unswerving gaze, thank you very much.

*  Ho Chi Minh City, if you must know.  Gosh aren't I well-informed.
**  Don't worry, it bounces well.
***  We the Editorial staff - Conrad, Steve, Oscar, Art and Mister Hand.