Rating: 💋 💋 💋 😘
I went home this weekend for a bit of drama - Reilly, my eighteen-year old sister, had her big performance's in the winter comedy variety show. This was a must not miss event. It was an abbreviated trip, getting in late Friday night and running back to New York Sunday morning, but I am so glad I got to do it.
Before Reilly's show on Saturday night, my parents, Shannon, and I went to dinner at The Farm & The Fisherman. Originally from Philadelphia, this restaurant now has a few New Jersey locations, and we have been going for years. I love the farm to table concept. I mean, it is a true recipe for success. If you choose to eat tomatoes in winter (as I have, cos giving them up is hard for me), of course they will not be as delicious. In the summer, though, they are the best thing in world. If you eat in-season, you always get the best experience.
Our waiter was fabulous! I would put that in caps, but I am trying to not be obnoxious. He said he wanted to know what we liked so we could find the best menu items for us. He offered my Mom a splash of the wine she was considering so she could taste before officially ordering. For me, he asked my favorite liquor (spiced rum - Captain Morgan if you can) so we could find me the right cocktail. He was personable. He was funny. He asked us about Reilly's show and we found out he used to act and misses it. He told us, "She's gonna kill it," before adding, "I used to kill it." At the end of the night he remembered to wish her good luck. Very nice.
That drink our waiter helped me pick out was so delicious! I went in thinking cider maybe, but then I wanted fish and was not so sure about that fusion, so I did not know what to do. I normally do not like rum punch, after a bad bout of super sickly-sweet pineapple rum punch at New Year's a few years ago. It was my first sip of alcohol that night and yeech! I had that same reaction when our waiter offered the rum punch full of ingredients I did not understand. Trying rum punch again was a big ask. They called it "champagne punch" though, and you know I'm a sucker for champagne. I decided to trust in our waiter and go for it, and thank God I did. It was so much more special than a cider. This champagne punch was light, fresh, lemon-y, and zippy. The flavor sparkled. Much to love.
The food was also delicious. I tried some of my Dad's bloody beet salad and it tasted fantastic. The beets were juicy and sweet, the neutral lettuce added a nice crunch, and the light vinaigrette tied the two together. There was a dollop of spicy orange sauce as well. It was pretty mild but lifted up the deep beet flavor. I really enjoyed it.
My Dad and I both ordered the halibut special last minute. Both of us could not decide between the cod or the salmon, and then the waiter mentioned they had halibut special on and it all fell apart. I would also like to shout out the waiter again, because he was not just squeezing every last drop out of us to create the highest bill ever. The halibut special was cheaper than both the salmon and cod, but our waiter recommended it because he truly thought it was the best. Talk about good, honest work. That is how you get clientele that return again and again.
The halibut came with a thin mushroom sauce, not so heavy as to drown out the fish, but also not so terribly brothy that it could not support the filet that stood atop it. The sauce had a nice oaky flavor that blended well with the accompanying crisp turnips, bursting onions, and the golden beets that refreshed the other deeper tones in the dish. The halibut itself was super crispy on the outside, thanks to a last minute finish in the oven - as my Mom, the culinary expert, theorized - and was super hot and juicy on the inside, creating an overall scrumptious burst of flavors. I also enjoyed that the fish had a peppery coating over the skin, literally spicing up the other sweeter flavors. What I am trying to say is, the chef really thought about what he was doing with this dish and ensured a fine execution. I recommend.
I loved seeing Reilly's show, and I was so proud! She really did such a good job. She never broke character, her facial expressions were killer, and her scene ended up being one of the top funny skits in the show. Some of those kids are so terribly good and it is awesome to see.
It was interesting for me too, going back to the boy's high school that was such a big part of my life only five years ago. Fortunately, I was not hit by a depressing wave of nostalgia. As I applied my lipstick in the ladies room, I thought about how it had been such a big set in my life - the bathroom where I fixed my makeup at mixers and Homecoming, gossiped with friends, rehearsed songs with other girls at audition for shows, and had meltdowns when I made eye contact with my crush in the hallway. It was reassuring to me actually, to see what that what was once my whole world is now just a stitch in my story, not something preventing me from moving forward. If anything, that place pushed me to go further with my dreams than I might have had the courage to otherwise. As I watched all the kids crowd the stage for their final bow, I could not help thinking of when I took those bows. In high school, I felt very small, and I held myself back in many ways because I did not feel like I deserved to take up the space. Thank God that over the past five years, piece by piece, I have learned I deserve that space. I am not small anymore. It all started with that variety show in high school. That was the first time I understood that I did belong, even if for only a brief moment during bows. As I scanned the crowd onstage to find Reilly taking her bow, I hoped she felt that way too. I hope she understands how much she deserves to be up on that stage, or anywhere else she wants to be, and that she has the courage to pursue what she loves most. No need to gush here, but I am a pretty big fan of my fabulous sister Reilly, and it is important that she knows she deserves all the best in life.
From there I went home to Brooklyn and camped out to watch the Oscars. My heart expanded in size, I swear. It is such an important night for me, exhilarating and comforting all at the same time. Shannon kept laughing at me, and I kept applauding and cheering, totally sucked into the awards. I could not help myself. I don't launch into talking about film right off the bat with people, because I care so much and have so much to say. I've been in love with movies since I was in preschool and they mean so freaking much to me. They are my favorite thing ever. It's such a difficult industry to break into, and it makes me so happy to see these people finally getting to celebrate their work after whatever journey it took to get them there. Parasite's wins were huge, Renee Zelleweger is the best, and I was a big fan of Once Upon A Time...In Hollywood, so any recognition they got made me happy. Also, I thought the song from Frozen II with all the different countries represented was so cool! Joker was not my first choice for anything, but then Joaquin Phoenix gave a fantastic acceptance speech and it really touched me. While of course there were problematic, gaping holes in the nominations, I do feel that the grand majority of films up for awards were great pieces of work. Not all of my picks won, but a fair amount did, and I was happy for everyone regardless. Hopefully, Parasite's success inspires some more well-rounded nominations for the 2021 awards season. Let's expand our minds here, people, and celebrate a greater range of work.
I grew up watching the Awards every year with my mom, and this year we, along with Shannon, texted each other a running commentary, comparing ballots and planning what we will wear when we go. That's one of my biggest life goals: to take my parents to the Oscars. I cannot wait to get there. For now, that means performing at my acting class (which I love) once a week, applying to modeling gigs and casting calls as much as I can, working on my scripts, and remembering to just keep chugging along. Bravo to Reilly, all those who won and were nominated this Awards season, and to all of the artists with brilliant talent who are still awaiting their moment. You are all fabulous and deserving, and I cannot wait to see what comes next.
XX,
MK
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