Who me? A date?

So today Alex and I went on a "date." I'm not sure why we decided to call it that. Perhaps we were trying to harken back to our youth with such a euphemism. Plus, the term does conjure up images of third base, and I don't mean baseball. Nudge, nudge, chortle, chortle. Okay, moving on. We, meaning I, decided to try Serranos Salsa Company.

Serranos came to town a few months ago. Being a new joint in Lafayette at which to graze, it was inundated immediately. Nobody loves a new eatery like the good citizens of Lafayette. There's a reason why Louisiana is the most obese state in the nation, people, and it's undoubtedly due, in large part (get it...large?), to the gluttonous city of Lafayette. Anyway, I knew the place was a chain restaurant, but for some reason I still had high expectations. I have no idea why I torture myself with this optimism. We ordered the Brazilian Mixed Grill. Basically, it's a big platter of scorched meat with two frozen ears of corn that have been grilled and slathered with what they claim is garlic and lime butter. Nothing about Serranos was horrible, but nothing was amazing either. Here's my one word review: Meh. There are much better places to dine on Latin food in Lafayette. And I knew this and yet, somehow, we ended up at a chain anyway. I hate myself.
Next up, a movie. Maybe my dining decision was based on sheer laziness, as Serranos is located directly in front of The Grand movie theater.

Disregard the promising name. It should be called, "The Grand According to 21st Century American Consumers." The theater I went to as a kid was grand. Back then we took the fifteen minute drive from Prudhomme City to Eunice to watch Pippy Longstockings in air-conditioned comfort at the Liberty Theater. In my eight-year-old brain, any place that had a balcony, hot popcorn, and red velvet curtains was spot-on grand. Now, as an adult, my opinion has been confirmed since it is on the National Register of Historic Places. Down the street was and is the Queen Cinema. It did not have the same panache as the Liberty but on the plus side, Music Machine was right next door, so you could gaze adoringly at the cover of Prince's album AND pick up those fake RayBans that would make you look just like Madonna in Desperately Seeking Susan. Awesome. Anyway, at The Grand, we took in the new flick The Kingdom starring Jamie Foxx. Being as the government and society have me all worked up into a frenzy about a terrorist attack occurring any minute, I thought it would be fun to work this fear into the entertainment area of my life as well. In the morning, I had read a review in a highly respected periodical (*cough* People *cough*) in which the reviewer contended that the film had elicited a "jingoistic" response from the audience at that screening. A huh-what? Yeah, I had to look up the word, too. At any rate, it was a very well-done movie. When it ended, I had to check my watch. It's been a long time since I've seen a movie where I was left thinking, "It's over already?" Part of the reason I enjoyed it was that, despite the serious subject matter, it managed to be funny. Jason Bateman, especially, has some great one-liners. And, surprisingly, I didn't feel all jingoistic after viewing it. Sorry, People.