Who's The Boss? Reviews

Darren Romeo, the "Voice of Magic"

I am a fan of old school anything.  Old skool birthday parties, old skool fountain sodas, old skool lunch boxes.  I wasn't so sure about old school magic.   

I headed up to The Post Street Theatre to see the upcoming magician Darren Romeo - a new Siegfried & Roy production - with my dad and son.  Tip: If you are going to the show with children under 5, be sure to call ahead to get permission to bring them.  The theatre does not allow babies on laps or small children. The traffic was a beast - but I'll save my review of Silicon Valley freeways for another day.

When the show started and Darren Romeo started to sing, I thought that sitting in traffic for two hours was going to be the highlight of the evening.  I thought this was going to be some bad lounge act with magic tricks.  Yet Darius was captivated from the start.  He was thrilled with the old school magic tricks - the floating table, getting sawed in half, pulting a straw up your nose and have it come out of your mouth (yes, Darren Romeo really did that).  As the show grew on, Darren and the show grew on me. 

I even got called onto the stage to assist in one of his telepathy tricks.  I never got if I was on the wrong end of a bad joke or if it there was something magical in the trick.  Needless to say, he picked right.  Darius was thrilled that his mother got to be on the stage.  I was a little mortified.  But Darren's frequent interactions with the audience - he came out to talk between nearly every act - made the show have an intimate, informal feel that was perfect for families.

Bottom line: A great show for families.  But I would pick something else for a date night.

FritoLay Pinch of Salt Chips

There are four things that are must-haves for any summer time BBQ:  hamburgers and hotdogs, corn on the cob, fresh watermelon.... and FritoLay Classic Potato Chips.  I know, they aren't the healthiest snack around.  But oh my those chips are perfect.  Crunchy.  Salty.  Yum. 

But the salt is too much for me.  After a handful of Classic Chips, I'm already reaching for a big glass of water. 

So I was quick to try out FritoLay's new line of Pinch of Salt chips.  Pinch of Salt contains 30 to 50 percent less sodium than their originals.  FritoLay isn't lying when they say it is just a pinch of salt.  The four varieties all are Low Sodium choice chips.   They have less sodium than preztels, microwave popcorn, and those little fish shaped cheese crackers my son is addicted to.

The recipe and flavors taste identical.  In fact, I actually prefered the Pinch of Salt Classic Chips and Crispy Rounds to their originals.  The amount of salt was just enough to satisfy that salty craving but not enough to make me feel like I was retaining water with every chip.  With the ingredients all natural - no artificial preservatives or flavors in these bags - it makes it an easy choice for summer time BBQs.

Movie Review: Journey to the Center of the Earth

Trevor Anderson (Brendan Fraser) is a Geology Professor and scientist who has undertaken the research started by his brother Max who just happened to go missing long ago.  Max’s son Sean is preparing to visit his Uncle Trevor while his mom packs up for a big move to Canada. When he is dropped off, Trevor is given a box of Max’s belongings. Inside is a copy of the Jules Verne novel, Journey to the Center of the Earth. It turns out Max was obsessed with the idea that the center of our planet could exist as it does in the fictional story.   When Trevor realizes that some of Max’s notes in the book are identical to climate conditions today, Trevor and Sean set out to Iceland with to find out for himself what lurks beneath the surface.

Along the way, they hire a super-hot Icelandic mountain guide named Hannah to help them navigate the caves. Haphazardly, they locate this underground world filled with strange creatures and vast landscapes. Once the trio is deep below they find out that Max had lived in the underground world and use his journal when they have trouble escaping.  The movie has a touching and brief scene when Hannah discovers Max’s remains and Trevor and Sean have to come to grips with the death.

The movie has some great action sequences.  Our family favorites were the mine shaft ride – felt  just like being on a roller coaster – and the batting practice with the scariest looking fish you’ll ever see.   The movie is rated PG for intense action sequences and they are not lying.  There was more than one moment where my very adventurous four year-old was on my lap quicker than you could say T-Rex.   But he kept his eyes glued to the screen even if he was shaking in his boots.

Bottom line:  Don’t take kids that get scared easily.  Avoid the 3D version unless you have tweens/teens that can handle the intensity.