Weekend wrap-up

This weekend was a great kick-off to the summer. I ended up doing alot of "summer time" things: softball, BBQ's, drinks with friends, and big dumb summer movies.

Brunch at Bar One:
Bar One is a great little bistro on Queen Street by Ossington, with a delicious brunch menu. Trev's pancakes were massive, Steph went with the steak and eggs, and I demolished an order of the sausage and potato hash with baked eggs. Nice patio in the back, with soundtrack provided by Jenny Lewis & The Watson Twins' album "Rabbit Fur Coat".

We also discussed the pros and cons of a t-shirt I could wear when I take my friend's little one out for a walk or to the zoo, but don't want women to assume I'm the dad or married:

"Are you my baby's mama?"

The list was mostly cons.

Spins a web, any size:
Watched an early Saturday matinee of Spider-Man 3. It was a big fun blockbuster, whose story suffered from trying to cram in too many concepts and plots. This movie represented the end of director Sam Raimi and the cast's contractual obligation, and any other sequels would involve re-negotiation, a new director, and/or new cast. I think that they had enough ideas for 2 films, but wanted to show off everything just in case they didn't come back for a fourth.

The action and effects were terrific, and Tobey Maguire induced alot of uncomfortable squirming (in a good way) as he portrayed the uber-dorky "Dark Peter". Kirstin Dunst's singing sure made it believable that her character would be fired from a Broadway musical. And the story relied on too many"conveniences" in order to move the plot along (Eddie and Peter happen to be in the same church, Eddie finding Sandman pretty easily, MJ needing a cab). The Peter-MJ-Harry interacting slipped into sappiness and sentimentality. They could have benefited from the Seinfled-ian maxim: No hugging, no learning.

That being said, the movie deftly tied everything together under the theme of "forgiveness", with the action scenes and villains being standouts in the movie, over-shadowing the schmaltz. Topher Grace was a fantastic as the gleefully, maniacally slimy Eddie Brock. Kudos for the Sandman character too, with a storyline, great effects, and superb acting from Thomas Haden Church that could have easily sustained another movie. I'd put the movie way ahead of X-Men: The Last Stand, but behind the first two Spider-Man movies, which isn't a bad thing: it was a good movie, better than most other efforts, and overall the three Spider-Man movies together don't show the wear and disappointment of other trilogies like X-Men and The Matrix. Worth it to catch it on the big screen.

Also, I really hope parents resist when the kids want to dress as the villainous Venom this Halloween: "Hey Mom! Can I dress in a black unitard and wander into the streets at night?"

Trinity-Bellwoods park:
A great big park in the city that captures everything fun and unexpected of living downtown: people of every background and orientation, doing everything from softball and picnics, to tai chi and one fellow practicing tightrope walking on a line rigged up between two trees. Just a brilliant day.

Not to mention an unexpected visit from an old friend, and great BBQ with chicken marinated Middle-Eastern style in yogurt, wild rice salad with slivered almonds, and homemade trifle. All of that was accompanied by bottles of Guinness Draught, a product which surprised me with how comparable it is to the actual draft stout: the bottles have the same nitrous widgets they put in the cans of Guinness. Nothing can replace a properly poured pint, but the bottles will carry me through.

All in all, pretty good kick-off to May. Tonight I'm seeing The Killers in concert at the Air Canada Centre. My brother won the "Edge 102 Big Night Out with The Killers" contest, so we get to see the show from a private box. Perfect, because while I like The Killers, there are a number of bands I'd pay to see ahead of them, and I'm not big on arena shows. Next week I'm going to catch The Arcade Fire at Massey Hall, which is more my speed.