I’m taking the weekend off to read, study my Japanese, watch some dvd’s, and spend quality time with the dogs. It’s amazing how much they appreciate a leisurely walk or something as simple as having company while sunning themselves out in the backyard. Those of you who haven’t been following the dogs on twitter – what’s up with that? You’ll find a link at the bottom right sidebar. Here’s what you’ve been missing:
Well, I finalized my Tokyo restaurant list and sent it to the hotel concierge. Hopefully, she’ll be able to get me reservations so that my lunches and dinner will looks something like this:
Lunches: Chez Matsuo (for the stewed baby boar with white bean puree), Chikuyotei (eel restaurant), Dai San Harumi (sushi), Faro (for the Lombardo-imported risotto with black truffles), Fukamachi (tempura restaurant), Ginza La Tour (for the four hour long roasted foie gras infused with sauterne), Gordon Ramsay (for the oven-roasted pigeon wrapped in prosciutto with foie gras, confit of legs, mushroom ragout, prune puree and almond foam), Hirosaku (for the Charcoal grilled Japanese black cattle with salt, Miravile (for the baked Japanese ox tail, pig’s feet, and foie gras pie served with truffled red wine sauce), Piatto Suzuki (for the Agu pork), Quintessence (for the Goat’s milk Bavarian cream with salt and olive oil, three hour roast pork, and meringue ice cream), Sawada (for the 3 hour sushi extravaganza), Sushi Saito (f0r the two week icebox-aged tuna), and Kyubei (the inventors of the gunkan-maki).
Dinners: Aroma Fresca (for some awesome Italian), Aronia de Takazawa (for the chef’s unique culinary masterpieces), Dazzle (for the stunning decor), Kadowai (for the foie gras soba), Les Creations de Narisawa (for the Creative modern French cuisine), Ishikawa (3 star Michelin), La Bombance (for the grilled treasures), La Rochelle Shibuya (stomping grounds of iron chef French Hiroyuki Sakai), Monnalisa Marunouchi (for the roast lamb covered with an herb and salt pie dough served with basil-flavored cream), Ristornate Aso (for the Miyazaki and Sedai beef grilled on charcoal and served with black pepper-flavored mascarpone and the sauteed foie gras topped with zabaione and black truffle sauce), Ryugin (for the inventive cuisine), Tapas Molecular Bar (where every dish is a mini science experiment), Yonemura (for the kaisei ryori), and Yamada Chikara (chef worked at both Ebulli and The Fat Duck).
Pray for Mojo.
Mailbag:
DasNdanger writes: “I liked Weapon X best (the X-Men books are okay, but I might drop a couple soon because I prefer lone characters to teams).”
Answer: Loved the final throw down where they pause, move away from the school bus, and continue. Also loved the “how does it end?” question, suggesting Logan’s opponent already knows how this particular battle will end.
DC writes: “Any ideas on how to get these animals to like me?”
Answer: Treats are always a safe bet.
Luis writes: “Joe if it’s not to much trouble can you get a pic of Brie with the “Dreaded Hood”??”
Answer: It’s off and she’s back to her old rascally self.
JYS writes: “what?! You were at Fuel yesterday?!”
Answer: No, Carl and I were there Friday. I wanted to drop by last night to say hello to the protester but, unfortunately, couldn’t make it.
Arctic Goddess writes: “I love the Non-prop Rock. Does it become a prop if an actor picks it up and hurls it at someone?”
Answer: That it does.
Kabra writes: “Ok so Joe I am confused – who is getting married???”
Answer: I haven’t a clue. A friend of Lawren’s.
Eric.Stewart: “Re:this entry on your blog :
“Eric.Stewart writes: “I’ll be frank with you, I am still trying to understand why it was so important for this Stargate to include a female gay character and why does she has to be a visible minority (Asian).”
Answer: See above for the first part of your question. As for why she’s a visible minority – when we were casting the role, we weren’t looking to cast the role of “the lesbian character”. We were looking to cast the role of Camile Wray. Ming was hired because she’s an incredible actress and her audition blew us away.”
I don’t like this answer. I think it is too convenient. Were the 20 episodes scripts written before the auditions? No, scripts are written after the actors are cast in their roles. I’m voicing a legitimate concern and from what I saw on the last teaser, I have reasons to voice a concern.
Now I could take time to point out these things to you, but you obviously don’t seem interested, so I won’t even bother wasting the time to point them out to you. I will suggest you take the long run and revisit the sites.
Remember, while it can take several reasons to do something, it often takes I good one not to do it. I unlike you will never write, to someone who takes the time to voice a concern to me, something like “see above”. Above where??? I need to research my answers now???!!!”
Answer: If you’d like a direct response to your concern, how about stating one? I’ve re-read your initial post twice now and still haven’t a clue as to the point you are trying to make. You suggest something – that we’re doing a disservice to minorities by making a minority character a lesbian – but don’t actually come out and say it. And, frankly, I don’t blame you because, if that is the case, you don‘t exactly come across too well. But, for the record, in response to your frustration in not wishing to research your answers – and since you can’t be bothered to read sections of an entry that don’t apply directly to you or be bothered to scroll up a few lines to the answer directly above your question, allow me to cut and paste. You asked “why was it so important to have a lesbian character?” In the preceding answer, I replied: “I think that, in general, more can be done to reflect society’s diverse make-up.” And, again, I‘m not sure if it was your intention to suggest that they‘re as elusive as say, the Yeti, but I can assure you that Asian lesbians do exist.
MrsHamill writes: “What the gentleman in question has said to several of the actors is that there is ‘little to no’ hope that the movie will actually be made. Why? I don’t know, though I can speculate (and that’s *all* it is, speculation).”
Answer: Uh, so let me get this straight. This “gentleman” said “little to no hope” of the movie moving forward which, quite frankly, could be little more than a personal opinion or gut instinct. And this turned into: “…today I got confirmation that they’ve decided to screw us over once again. Brad Wright and his cronies have decided that there “…is not enough fan interest” in an SGA movie – so they’re NOT MAKING ONE!”.? A bit of a misrepresentation of the facts, no?
I had no idea Lulu did yoga. Does she give lessons? I think the best way to learn downward facing dog would be from a dog.
I have had a boring weekend – until I found my series 4 Atlantis DVDs lurking on a bookshelf.
I hid under the duvet with the two felines and watched episode after episode.
It was pure entertainment and total escapism. Thanks to all of the cast and the behind the scenes workers for making such a highly entertaining programme.
I am still sad that the series ended but I live in hope that the film will be made.
Susan
‘Ello Joe,
Greetings and salutations, etc., etc.
I’ve got a few questions lined up, in no particular order, that I was hoping you could answer (if not too much trouble on your end, of course).
1.) Other than for-work (Stargate scripts) do you read any other screenplays, teleplays or stageplays?
2.) How is a writing staff chosen on a TV series (and/or Stargate)? (Sorry to be nit-picky (is that how you spell that?) but if the staff from SGU, for example, was just carried over from SGA, and them from SG-1, how did the original staff get together?)
3.) What do you think makes or breaks a script? Story? Dialogue? Something else?
4.) Do you have a favorite screenwriter? If so, who? (While I’m at it… do you have a favorite script you’ve read?)
5.) What’s your favorite part of the script-writing process? Outlining? Character-development? First draft writing? Revisions? Just moping about, procrastinating?
And finally…
6.) Would you ever consider writing a non-Stargate feature-film (theatrically released or not)?
I lied earlier — one more…
7.) What do you consider the best thing you’ve ever written? (If it’s non-Stargate related, could you perhaps give a brief description of it???)
Thanks so much Joe. These questions had all just been rattling around in the back of my mind, as things so often do, so I figured, “What the Hell. Just ask ‘em!” And I did.
Thanks for the time — best wishes!
–Capt. Kirk on the River Kwai
P.S. — A quick glance at your IMDB page, and I noticed you wrote for “The Busy World of Richard Scary”. That was my favorite show when I was younger!!! Just thought you might like to know!
P.P.S. — If any of the questions have been asked/answered before, sorry. But I didn’t see them when I took a look through some past posts… 🙂
P.S. — Joe, those are some of the most adorable dog pictures I have ever seen!
Oh! And so glad Brie is all better! Yay Brie!
Also, I really, really want to go to Tokyo now. Foodie heaven, is it? Sounds like you’ve got quite the menu planned. Hope you enjoy every last morsel.
Say, Joe. Have a favorite hors d’oeuvre recipe?
I’m having a little get together this weekend, and having a bit of a mind blank when it comes to figuring out what to prepare. So I’m going around asking for suggestions. 🙂
By the way, amen on spending time with the dogs. A long walk with them is very therapeutic.
Gen,
Get some dates. Pit them then. Stuff them with an almond each, then wrap with bacon. Pop in the ove and broil until bacon is crispy.
That sounds lovely. And simple (simple is good). Thank you, I’ll give that a try!
It’s my sister’s failsafe party hors d’oeuvre. Let me know how your guests enjoy.
Oh yummy, the list is, is, very, uh, delicious sounding. Glad you didn’t include breakfast, you need time for your palate to recoup. Glad to hear Brie is coneless and better. Plan on walking to digest it all.(the food in Japan) Really I hope you have a wonderful trip.
Glad to hear Brie is all better, but who/what gave her the stitches in the first place?
Even though I’m still on the fence about the whole lesbian character thing (I prefer to keep politics out of my TV) I love your response to that person whose name I can’t remember…
Gen & Joe,
Use hickory smoked almonds… much better.
I’ve also heard of using blue, Parmesan or other sharp cheese instead of almonds.
Sis
You can learn a great deal about a person through the eyes of their dogs. It’s a happy crew you have there. Their twitters are always a fun diversion. Thank you for sharing!
fat duck and el bulli, good choice. Fat duck: i’m a huge blumenthal fan, have you seen his “feast” series? = unbelievable. El buli, did you know that he has something like 50 chefs (plus a long waiting list) staging at any one time?
@Deni, are you back yet? E-mail me and tell me EVERYTHING!!!!! Hi Joe. …….. sheryl
On a more forward looking note (relative to some other questions, etc.) are there any references to Atlantis in the three-parter to begin Universe?
Also, I feel your answer will be something to the effect of “stay tuned”, but alas, I must ask anyhow: why, per the comic con released trailers, is Eli not taking the stargate to a planet 21 light years away, and instead is taken by ship? I suspect it has something to do with Atlantis, but I await your answer…
The weekend of terror is over!!! If anyone’s interested, I ended up coercing my little siblings into doing a zombie short film! I’ll link to it when I’m done editing.
Anyways, my parents came home from their anniversary jaunt and the kids start school tomorrow so I once again have some time to myself…until I start back to university myself in a week!
@Joe: From the restaurant list, it seems like you will be in Japan forever!
Our beagle has the cone on now… she seems to think that her fur is food. Can dogs have pica? She’s always eaten anything that will fit in her mouth!
Hi Joe. It has been a bad week and not much better weekend, but here’s hoping my scheme to solve some problems at work don’t back-fire too badly.
But I digress. And whine. I’ll stop now.
Your restaurant list looks divine! It will be interesting to compare the before and after list of your dining plans and what you actually end up eating at each of the restaurants you visit. Daily specials can be very tempting.
I never heard of gunkan-maki. From my google search it appears to be sushi rice wrapped with nori and topped with something soft like ikura or uni. Is that it?
Just curious. When in Tokyo, do you usually skip breakfast, go with a Western breakfast or immerse yourself in the local culture and go with the Japanese breakfast?
And your sisters stuff date recipes sound great – especially the hickory smoked almond variation. I’ll have to try them.
dang. That should be “your sister’s stuffed date recipe sounds great.” Can’t think. Can’t type. I’m goin’ to bed now.
Hey Joe,
Have you stayed at that particular hotel in Japan before? What did they say when you gave them your list? I think it is all spectacular. Wow, how nice you don’t have to make the reservations.
Glad the pups are feeling better and having time with you this weekend. I love seeing them on twitter. Love your show-n-tell here.
Best always,
Cheryl
Joe —
Your restaurant wish list for Japan leaves me gasping and drooling with envy. And to go to Iron Chef Sakai’s!! He’s my favorite Iron Chef.
Joe – I must try your date recipe! I usually just stuff them with walnuts and roll them in sugar. Sweet and easy! But I am very much intrigued by the almond/bacon twist. I will try it!
RE: Weapon X – Totally agree about the bus moment. It took me a second to register what had happened – thenthere were several satifying moments in this book for me. First, Wolverine at the champagne bowl. I guess Aaron laid out the story, but I owe my enjoyment of that moment to Garney. Also liked when the goon (not sure what else to call him) tossed the money aside, nice touch. The entire fight was great – the head on the tracks even made me cringe! Ouch! But what I really liked is – unlike many of Logan’s fights over the last couple of years – this one made him look like a badass, not some hotheaded clown. I am worried a bit about Maverick, though… that was unexpected. 😛
How observant are you, Joe?? What did you make of the graffiti on the wall on ‘John the bar…’??? Think that’s for John Barber, the editor? The red circle looks similar to Quesada’s sig…but can’t say for sure if it is. I love trying to figure this stuff out. 🙂
Huge day today – after services went shopping for gifts for two young African men who were working here this summer – one from Ghana, one from Nigeria, (the latter by way of Malaysia where he attends school). I wanted something locally made that would be easy to pack, so stopped at a historic 18th century village and picked up two hand-bound, hard cover journals – both made by a 15-year old boy. Had a going away party for them this evening – lots of fun! TONS of food! My friends do know how to cook, and I know how to eat! Fried chicken, greens, mac & cheese, ziti with Italian sausage, peppers and onions, fresh Jersey corn, zucchini pudding, scallops (broiled and fried), spare ribs, Spanish rice, potato salad, pasta salad, deviled eggs… and much more! I am STUFFED!
Hubby couldn’t make it because he was running a fever. 🙁 He better not have swine flu…
das
Dang – I never finished my sentence about Weapon X. Stupid ADD! Grrrr! It was supposed to be: “It took me a second to register what had happened – then I noticed the bus. It’s not something you normally see in a Wolverine fight – a break in the action – and I really liked it. Things like that say something a lot the character[s] without weighing the story down with explanations. There were several…[yadda, yadda, yadda]”
das
@ Sparrowhawk – Heya – sorry you’re having a rough time. Drop me a note – either at GW or MM, or e-mail. {{hugs}}
das
Joe, re: eric.stewart’s comment in the mailbag. I’ve realized that most people who take offense at stuff like this are not actually offended about the comment themselves. They are just offended that somebody else might be offended. Judging by his name, I assume that eric.stewart is neither female, a lesbian, or asian so why does he feel he can talk for any of those groups?
Stewart should ask himself, if this is such a horrible, insensitive casting decision, why is the actor not upset about being offered this horribly offensive role? Does she really sob silently in between takes or is she excited to bring everything she can to the character?
Lighten up eric. Relax.
Joe, I’ve not posted here before, but as a longtime fan of the Stargate franchise, a longtime reader of your blog, and a lesbian who is also part-Asian (Chinese on my father’s side), I felt compelled to emerge from lurk mode. I also think if Eric.Stewart has a point behind his arguments, he just come out and state it. Though if it *is* what you allude to above, he’s probably better off letting it go.
I myself am ecstatic about the Camille Wray character, who’s heritage and sexual “orientation” not only reflects the real world, but is someone I can relate to in so many ways. That the role falls to the talented and beautiful Ming-Na to flesh out only adds to my glee. It’s not as if our media is awash with women of Asian descent who just happen to be lesbian. That such an individual will appear in a show I am highly anticipating… Thank you for that, Joe, and the rest of the SGU crew!
So, I’m trying to make a multi-course meal for my family on Tuesday. Right now I’m looking at four. We’ll see how this goes over, since my family isn’t used to it – we’re fairly American – just not fast food wise.
ANYWAY, I’m trying to figure out the meat for the main course and the dessert. Any suggestions for someone who’s just barely branching out to this kind of cooking?
at first i wasn’t sure about this new seris but as i see the previews my opion is changing. Hope the new seris goes well for everyone and on the subject of the movie people need to be patiecnet, the economy sucks right now.
Joe not everyone would want to keep 4-5 dog’s but you Joe you are a good man not only do you have that many dog’s but you are so Attentative to them you take extremely good care of them. As they say a picture speak’s a thousand word’s they aleay’s seem Happy and content. My favorite (and everone has one) is Brie she has a beautifull coat sort of like a brown chestnut color. From what I see she like’s to harass LULU big time. Your Blessed Joe.
Given your list, I expect you’ll be spending the hours between meals working out to burn off calories. It’s quite an impressive list, never mind the entrees you want to try at each location. I may be getting more excited to read your reviews than I am about SGU, and I am finally feeling a sense of anticipation for the new show.
Just to do a little bragging, I ate at Fuel again this evening. Started with a sample of tomato basil soup, which I admit I actually enjoy more than the cold corn soup. Not that the latter is bad, but the tomato soup had a nice tang to it. Tried the foie gras, which was incredible. I admit I passed on the cherries that complimented it, but the flavor was suprisingly delightful. Liver it might be, but liver it did not taste like. I fear you’ve triggered a new addiction in me. Fortunately, my home town has few places in the entire region that offer this dish. I do have a suggestion however. You might suggest to the management that they offer pins and/or t-shirts that say “I had Foie Gras at Fuel”. Perhaps the pins could be given gratis to those persons who have the dish on days when protesters show up. Just a thought.
Also had the crispy duck for two, and I will readily admit that I had not expected this to be as delicious as it turned out to be. Every positive comment ever made on this blog does not do justice to the duck. I experimented with “gumming” my first piece, which practically melted away, bursting with flavor. My dining companion and I were not able to finish the meal, but the leftovers are not expected to survive the night. An outstanding signature dish. The ultimate compliment I could pay it: I would pass on a filet mignon to have the duck again.
As far as the “gay asian” non-issue. George Takei. Case closed. Let’s see how the writers handle presenting the character before bemoaning the fact that a lesbian is on the show. Just as in the real world people’s religions, political leanings, and sexual orientations just come out in normal daily interactions, I expect the same will occur in the show. Consider the whole thing a compliment to the actress that the producers consider her good enough to tackle such a role and give us a believable character.
Great pictures of the critters, and glad to hear Brie is back to her normal self. Thanks for the great pics and everything else you provide here.
Joe not everyone would want to keep 4-5 dog’s but you Joe you are a good man not only do you have that many dog’s but you are so Attentative to them you take extremely good care of them. You have to to be a Person of good Patience to be able to care for that many dog’s.As the saying goe’s a picture speak’s a thousand word’s they alway’s seem Happy and content. My favorite (and everyone has one) is Brie she has a beautifull coat sort of like a brown chestnut color. From what I see she like’s to harass LULU big time. Your a good man Joe.
A Japanese breakfast? Hah. Not with all the great pastries out there. Breakfast never was my favorite meal in Japan; I could have rice and cold fish and miso soup anytime. My neighbor was always trying to feed me natto for breakfast. I hate natto with a passion. Western style breakfasts in Japan are not so great, just don’t come across the same way. Sunday brunch at the New Sanno was the exception. Not precisely gourmet, but most excellent. It was a rare treat for when we’d spent the weekend in Tokyo; although we did like to indulge in room service. With silver-plate and cloth napkins. Don’t look in my silver chest, please, I inherited the flatware Mom swiped during her visits. Stuffed French Toast with maple syrup was my addiction. Even for a hotel run by the military, it came in at four stars. I don’t know if it is still up to snuff or not.
There’s always Denny’s. The bikers we rode with liked to meet at Denny’s on the coast. I have the coolest teapot and teacup set I swiped from there. Don’t look at me like that, stealing dishes and flatware was a family trait. I’ve quit now, thank you.
Remind me to ramble on about Japanese bikers and the riding club we belong to called the Rising Sons. Great guys. Thought I was insane, because I was a wife who liked her husband’s hobbies. They all brought their mistresses on runs, not their wives. You weren’t supposed to notice. Ah, Harley culture in Japan. Gotta love it. We did, until the taxi ran the red light in Yokohama and totaled hubby’s bike with him on it.
I like my dates stuffed with Chevre. And bacon is always a good choice. i have this recipe which involves bacon, EZ Cheez, and chocolate-creme Oreo cookies. Don’t ask, and I won’t tell.
I remember so many times when just hanging out with a beloved pet was the best thing in the world. It’s so incredible to be on the receiving end of an animal’s unconditional love, and a privilege to give back in kind.
If all goes as planned, it sounds like you’ll be in nirvana while in Japan. But since it’s a rare vacation that goes completely as planned, I wish you lots of luck. And mojo. (LOL, I’m not much of an Austin Powers fan, but the word “mojo” always makes me think of the character.)
@Trish – “If you like bloody, gory things and Johnny Depp, this may be the musical for you.”
I don’t suppose you get to choose one or the other . . .? Thanks for the tip, though. If I’m feeling adventurous sometime, I’ll give Sweeney Todd a try. It doesn’t quite sound like it exceeds my gruesomeness tolerance level. (Allie would probably think I’m a wuss.)
sorry. When I wrote the comment, I was still thinking it was saturday, even though it was like 30 past midnight ^^’ . So by yesterday, I meant Friday. There were some people outside Fuel talking to the protesters. I’m pretty sure they were pro-foie.
Joe…seriously. I can’t believe you keep engaging in the “will it or won’t it” discussion. There will always be those who are convinced that the studio is “out to get the fans” by faking us out, leading us astray, yada yada. Just like there will always be those who insist we never went to the moon.
When the movie(s) (because I seriously want SG1-3 (Project Terzo) to be made too) get made, they’ll be first in line to complain that “their” movie wasn’t made first.
I’m sure you have more important things to do. If not, might I suggest:
– asking Carl to pose for another captioning contest (I want to win a non-prop rock too!)
– narrowing your Japanese restaurant choices
– decorating Brie’s ‘cone of shame’
– buying a Kindle to lighten your suitcase load for the trip
In any case, hang in there. Sometimes I feel as if you’re shouting into the wind. Personally, I’m content to watch SGU when it airs and keep my positive ‘shippy mojo level high for SG1-3.
It’ll happen (the movie and the confirmation for which the S/J shippers live).
I believe.
‘Course I also believe we walked on the moon.
Pol
PS, the cast is off, can you tell?? Wahoo! Sneaking the splint off to get more writing in.
Bonjour Joseph!
ça va ? Moi oui!
Waou…un vrai planning gustative!!…je sais c’est honteux mais personnellement je n’ai jamais manger asiatique de ma vie ! Mais je suppose que ça doit être bon.
En tout cas si un jour vous ne voulez plus être producteur je vous vois bien vous reconvertire en gouteur de plat pour des grands guides pour les restaurants (comme Michelin^^)
“Passez du bon temp avec mes chien” …olalal ça sens l’homme seul ça =(….ma mére dit la même chose, sauf qu’elle à moi et mon pére…mais bon il nous fait bien comprendre qu’elle aime 10 fois plus sont chien O_O. Je ne comprend pas comment on peut plus aimez ces animaux que les gens de sa famille?
Passez une trés bonne journée!
Bisou aplus!
Dear Mr Mallozzi, I have been reading your blogs for a while now an can not overly say I am impressed with were this new direction that this Stargate show is heading, I find the whole recent issue with the Wray controversy very distasteful, though I do not wish to get into some long drawn out debate on the matter it does sadden me that Stargate has taken this type of route.
But my main reason for writing is a simple question, I have watched Stargate Atlantis with my family for many years now an have never had a issue with allowing my children to watch the show in part due to there being NO sex scenes at all, obviously my youngest has only recently been allowed to watch the show as was previously to young but has also enjoyed Atlantis greatly so far.
But with some of the reports of story lines including the one stated above, have me very concerned as a parent, as to whether or not to watch this type of show with or without my family, to be honest at present I as a adult do not feel draw to watch this. My children range from the ages of 11 to 14 in your opinion is this new show suitable viewing for children of these ages? Will be it family entertainment?
Because so far from what I have read here an certain interviews given by some of the actor’s an others, with the inclusion of suicides as a interesting plot line/ inclusion of sex related stories an or sex scenes, gender specific not being a issue here, just sex or nudity in its general form an the emphasis on the negative of “flawed nature” of humans emotionally, which could provide for some very nasty type of stories and a hypnotical rape situation this show seems to be moving away from the ideal that a family can sit down an together the watch.
Your clarification would be appreciated.
For anyone that missed out on the Moon Survival Challenge, here it is. It’s generated quite a lot of debate on my Twitterverse.
Basically you’ve crash landed on the Moon 200 miles from the Base Station. You need to prioritise the salvageable materials listed in order from Most important to Least important by dragging them up and down. Then click finished to compare with NASA’s results and you get given a score.
I totally flunked the challenge. Got 24%. There goes my shot as an astronaut. I’m sure you can do better, everyone else has so far….highest is 58% so far.
I have sent it off to @astro_mike and the Mythbusters guys. Hoping to get one of them to do it and confirm the explanations.
Cheers, Chev
Hi Joe,
My best friend is a lesbian and she is just ecstatic there will be a lesbian charactor on the show. She is not a reader of your blog and when I told her she was thrilled.
I guess we all want to feel like we’re represented.
Oh and the dog pictures are so cute!!!!
Have a great day.
me revoila! je voudrais savoir si vous avez deja regarder Sliders? Moi je recommence à regarder et j avais oublier toute ces similitudes avec stargate (vortex,symbiote,personnage ressemblant fortement à des wraiths et je n’ai pas finit de tout regarder!)
@maggiemayday and Joe: Ooh, how could I have forgotten the pastries! Great for breakfast, snack or a light lunch in Japan. We’ve got a very good Japanese pastry shop out in the Chicago ‘burbs – Pastry House Hippo . But nothing will top the fabulous kare pan (chicken curry bread) we get whenever we pass through the Odawara train station.
Bacon, EZ Cheez and chocolate-creme Oreos? Too early in the day to even think about it.
@das: Thanks. This too shall pass. Just have to get through the next couple of weeks.
Hi Mr M!
Wow, you sure answered lots of mail..nice!
Have been avidly scouring my shiny new Season 5 SGA box-set. Thanks for the great commentaries! Also, you know what I love (even more than caption competitions) is being right!! I really enjoyed Paul Mullie’s commentary with Mark Savela (nice jacket by the way) for Enemy at the Gate.
In it, Paul mentions that that scene where Woolsey asks Teyla and Ronon if they want to get off before landing on Earth. I mentioned on your blog directly after it aired that this was a fab touch and very much in keeping with the spirit of Ronon and Teyla as guests, albeit key team members. Nice touch, and I suspected then that this was a “Paul Mullie” touch….nice to see I was right (I think).
Loved the commentary on BrainStorm with Marty G (I started to believe half way through he was remaking HOME ALONE…those that have seen the commentary will know what I mean = hilarious) Also, Marty, if you are reading this, have you ever worn those cufflinks??
Loved the behind the scenes on BrainStorm featuring you Mr M!! (inadvertently) taking photos, which appeared on this blog!!
Also, keep meaning to ask (if it’s not too nosey) as a complete aside, why did Fondy shut down her twitter account?
Best to all!!
Shirt’n’Tie
Say, do you actually walk 5 dogs at once or do you do it in shifts? Always wondered.
What DVDs did you watch? I’ve still got my Quickflix ones to watch – Curse of the Zodiac & Hot Fuzz.
I’m about to start Joe Haldeman’s Camouflage.
Cheers, Chev
Thanks for the recipe Mr. M. If it’s wrapped in bacon, it can’t be bad.
I’m sorry you are having to deal with such pessimistic views on the SGA movie. I’m not sure I understand the fanatic quality of some of the responses, though. I’ve been dealing with several family members’ death and it puts a lot in perspective for me.
I don’t think you would be dishonest with us and I believe the movie will happen. The economy is better (Obama says so) 😉 . MGM needs to keep up with the news!
As for SGU, the show hasn’t aired yet. I’ll save comments for when I have seen it.
Ming-Na Wen is the best! I’ve been rewatching ER and she was fantastic on that show! I can’t wait to see her in another series. SGU casting gets a kudos from me for getting Ming!
Sparrow_hawk: Best of luck. We had a sucky year. Can’t go anywhere but Up!
Hope everyone has a great day!
Tam
Wait, wait. Soba with foie gras, or soba made with foie gras? Either way, that’s a work of pure genius right there.
I love how people are assuming that MGM = big bucks corporation with infinitely deep pockets. It seems that even when the economy dips a little bit, entertainment companies cancel productions or don’t greenlight stuff, or worse, let people go. My husband, except for a 5-week period in July, has been out of a job since December, when Viacom released over a thousand employees. He has friends in the business (animators, directors, even producers) who have been looking for work for well over a year. Partially it’s the nature of the entertainment business, but we’ve never been through this kind of drought before.
So yeah, not is it very possible that MGM doesn’t want to commit to any new productions unless they know they can meet whatever ROI they feel is acceptable, but I would’ve been surprised had MGM NOT done so.
Little known fact: Brad Wright is a member of the Illuminati, and that is why SGA was cancelled and the movie isn’t coming out.
For what reason the Illuminati hate SGA, I don’t know, they must have been SG-1 fans….
Foie gras soba? How did I miss that when I was reading through the list?! I’ll be interested to know how they present that one. Cold soba or hot? Either way would make me happy! Can’t imagine how you would make the noodles with foie gras in them, so I’m guessing it will have to be topped with the foie gras. I hope you take lots of pictures so we can vicariously enjoy your trip.
@Tammy Dixon and das: Thanks for the moral support!
Hi Joe
This is posted on Michael’s website…thought you might like to see…
[i]With thanks to the amazing enthusiasm and generosity of our bidders – and after meeting all costs (eg. eBay fees etc) – we are very happy to report that a check for over US$23,000 has been sent to the MS Society of Canada. Together with the monies earned through the MSOL Charity Bazaar, this brings the total raised for the MS Society of Canada since April 2005 to $104,787.57.
To Amanda Tapping, Ben Browder, Claudia Black, Beau Bridges, Colin Cunningham, JR Bourne, among others, who signed and/or donated items for our auction, and to all of you who participate and support our fundraising endeavors at auction time and during the year, our very sincere and grateful thanks.[/i]
Over $4000 of that was just on the selling of the Burn Notice scripts which went to a deserving fan.
Kriss 🙂
Joe – the dog pics are great. They look so happy. Yes, I admit it. I have not been following the Twitter posts. I’ll try.
Your Tokyo restaurant list looks fantastic. I’ve never been there but this makes me really want to go. I will be really curious to hear your opinion on the molecular gastronomy stuff. I’ve seen the segment on No Reservations when A. Bourdain visited Ferran Adria at elBulli. Hard to know what to think of this stuff unless you actually get to eat it. Looking forward to hearing what your experience is like with this and with the rest of your culinary odyssey.
Wait wait wait.
You’re going to Dazzle for lunch just for the decor? Why not just pop in and have a look? Then, when the waiter or Maitre’D or whatever asks you what you’re doing there, just say you’re lost. Considering how you’ll be speaking broken Japanese, I’m sure he/she would believe it.
See, this is what goes through the minds of us poor people. 😉
The doggies are SO CUTE!! Speaking Twitter, my account got suspended because I never tweeted. It’s terrible! Especially now that I want to tweet!
@ chevron7: 28% for this Major Physics student. What I didn’t get was how the water and food and milk would be useful at all when the astronaut is wearing a space suit!! How the hell is he/she supposed to eat anything if he/she can’t touch his/her face?!
Pfft, illogical!
*sigh*
Speaking of misrepresentation of the facts, you didn’t post my entire response to your response, Mr. Mallozzi. You did read it, yes? In your latest response, you wrote: “Uh, so let me get this straight. This “gentleman” said “little to no hope” of the movie moving forward which, quite frankly, could be little more than a personal opinion or gut instinct.”
I suppose that’s true, though I thought (as did the actors) that he was in a position to know.
Then you continued with: “”And this turned into: “…today I got confirmation that they’ve decided to screw us over once again. Brad Wright and his cronies have decided that there “…is not enough fan interest” in an SGA movie – so they’re NOT MAKING ONE!”.? A bit of a misrepresentation of the facts, no?”
As I stated in the rest of my response, that rumor came from someone who alleged to have a contact within Mr. Wright’s production company. I cannot verify it and neither can anyone else except her. What the rest of us have heard has come from the actors, as *I said in the rest of my comment.*
Look. It’s obvious you don’t want to continue this and frankly, neither do I. I had hoped to just get an honest assessment, an honest answer about the movie, for once. I don’t believe it will be made and you want to continue with the *polite fiction* (some might call it other things, but I will keep this civil), as is your right. Let’s just call it a draw and leave it at that.
@chevon7
Ahem. Took the Moon survual challenge while semi awake last night. Got a mediocre 70%. Was too sleepy.
Bon je vais au lit!
Juste pour vous dire JE VOUS ADORE!! Mais bon vous le savez déja je pense, depuis le temp que je vous le dit et croyez moi je ne vais pas m’arréter! FAN DE JOSEPH UN JOUR, FAN POUR TOUJOUR!!
Bonne nuit, à demain!
After seeing your “rez” list, I have to ask… Do the Pesky “Picket” People know that you’ll be contributing mucho Yen to the *Tour de Foie Gras*??
And when you post the pics of your devouring adventures, be sure to send copies to them. Better yet, send them to the Fuel Guys and have them posted in the front window!!
@ MrsHamill: You know, just because you don’t believe what Joe says doesn’t make him dishonest; it just makes you incapable of trusting him for whatever reason.
Frankly, I don’t know why you’d trust this “gentleman” over Joe; feel free to elaborate on his identity if you wish. Also, it’d help if you tell us what the actors have said and how it’s clear at all that they’re getting info from this “gentleman” and not from their own heads.
LOL, sparrow-hawk, I was talking about the French pastries. As good as anything I’ve had in France at last on my modest budget. But yeah, Japanese pastries are excellent also. An don’t forget the pan shops. Even Dunkin’ Donuts is better in Japan.
We used to hang out in the 24 hour Dunkin’ Donuts after a night of drinking while waiting for the trains to start running in the morning.
Chev – I only got 48% on the Moon Test. Ah well. Now I’ll know where I went wrong for when it really happens… or if I ever get sucked into the Giants series of books by James P Hogan.
@PG15 wrote:
Supposedly future lunar spacesuits will have ports for you to connect with fluid food concentrates bags. This is a relatively unpublicized technology in use since the late 50’s. Mostly use by pilots in the U2 & SR71 spyplanes during extreme duration (over 6 hours) missions. There are nipples inside the helmet for someone to get water & food. U2 missions usually last about 8 to 14 hours inside a sealed pressure suit.
*sigh* it is getting harder and harder to avoid the cranky people on the blog. I try to just scan past the entries and not read anything in them, but it’s tough to do. And I find it hard to understand the hysteria and negativity over rumors about a show that has yet to air its first episode.
@maggiemayday: Oh, French pastries! Why didn’t you say so! Those are good in Japan, too. My local place, Pastry House Hippo does fabulous croissants and danishes though they put some odd stuff in them sometimes like corn and mayo or bacon and spinach (those are really good!); and their strawberry whipped cream cake and chocolate cake filled with chocolate mousse is to die for! Never tried the Dunkin’ Donuts in Japan, but you spent a heck of a lot more time there than I have in my few brief excursions. Maybe next time I go I can stay longer and try more fun places to eat.
And I’d love to hear you ramble about the Japanese Harley crowd. I’ll bet you have some great stories so ramble on!
@Tammy Dixon: I hope your year gets better!
Hi Joe, so I leave and find out Brie had to get stitched up? Hope she’s on the mend!
@Sheryl: Back, pooped out, pet sitter left a huge mess for me to clean up. Paul McGillion was a hoot – took him a bottle of 21 yr old Scotch and he did shots with our table at breakfast. Yuck, I hate Scotch, but hey, it was Paul! Amanda was lovely and sweet and articulate (and very funny), Michael is incredibly gorgeous in person and a geniune nice guy, loved having lunch with him. Connor was very entertaining, dinner with him was lots of fun as well. Rachel, OMG, so different in person! She’s TINY! She was so sweet, sang a lullaby for our table at breakfast at our request. Of the three that are left, there was one guy I didn’t particularly care for, but I forget his name 😉 Diva. The lines were horrible, some of the fans were horrible, the hotel was pretty horrible (reminded me of “The Shining” with its old, long hallways – fully expected the twins to show themselves at the end of one of them at any moment, especially walking down one of them alone at night), but all in all, a pretty good time 🙂
@das: Got you some Wraithy stuff at the convention, will send it as soon as I can get outta this house! Can’t see anything Wraithy w/o thinking of you now!
I think I missed the episode where Brie went from guest star to special guest to name above the title bona fide leading lady. I thought she belonged to someone else.
Some of the Japanese menu items make my head swim. Pigeon. Baby boar. Yowza. Considering the state of the world many of us may have to resort to pigeon nibbling. How is it? Looks like it would be tough and stringy.
Enjoy Japan and post lots of desert pics. The Upside Down Plum cake at Fuel looked good. I bet I could make that. Hm…!
I am a long time reader of this blog and I have to apologize for some of the people who comment. I don’t usually comment because I don’t feel I have anything new to offer to the conversations but recent posts have bloody annoyed me. You give us a glimpse into a world none of us could ever imagine and people give YOU a hard time. What a way to show your appreciation, people!
This issue about the Atlantis movie is ridiculous. The economy sucks world wide, everything is suffering. I have read numerous articles from numerous news sources worldwide that have stated how productions are scaling back including backburnering previous scripts that were given a go. It is paused not stopped. It is also not up to Mr. Mallozzi when his movie will get done; it is up to SYFY and MGM. These productions cost money and no one has any to spare. I don’t know who this guy is telling Mrs.Hammill her information but he obviously knows WAY more than you, the Executive Producer. You ought to find out who he is and hire him. He sounds like he could be invaluable to a production that depends on secrecy, to an extent.
Why are people getting upset over a show that has yet to air? So, there is an Asian Lesbian on the show? SO WHAT?!?!?! Everyone is getting upset over speculation. I have been watching Stargate since the movie and I have never been disappointed by any of the decisions made on ANY of the Stargates. This is of course MY opinion. I just wish people would take spoilers for what they are, speculation. Patience, people. Before you go bashing the production staff, at least watch a couple of episodes before you condemn the show.
The person condemning SGU because it is not child friendly. Let me explain this simply: not every show is child friendly. Deal with it. Parents need time away from their kids maybe SGU is yours. If you have to watch everything with your kids and you cannot bring yourself to watch, well, we’ll miss you.
Sorry to sound insensitive at times but these issues seem silly to me. Thank you for sharing the dogs, your love of food and best yet, all the behind the scenes things you give us. Thank you for giving me a forum to vent my utter frustration.
Dear Joe,
Since you already had one post from a parent about how it will impact their family viewing habits, I thought it was as good as time as any to throw in my two cents…
While I think the world of the work you have done and totally enjoy reading your blog, it does not appear that my kids will be able to move on to Universe. They are older, 14 & 15, but they are not interested in seeing the type of storylines that it appears are coming. I could be wrong, I hope I am wrong, but we have not seen much to feed that hope.
It is your show and we wish you well. As you pick up new fans from the new direction the franchise takes, a few old friends would like to say thanks for the ride but this is where we need to get off the train.
Why bother posting this on your blog? One – we truly are thankful for the many (many too many) hours of enjoyment Stargate has given our family and friends and two – we are sorry that it is moving in a direction that we cannot follow. I guess we would like you to know we were on the train…
Perhaps it is too much to hope for but I think that we (those unable to follow the new path fans) may just be looking for an acknowledgment that the show is what is changing – not our interest in Stargate.
Thanks again. Keep up the good work. Wish we could be there…
I will be thrilled if the SGA movie is made. I will disappointed if it isn’t, but I’m not gonna cry about it. IF the network, or whoever, for whatever reason decides to do it, fabu!!!!!. It wouldn’t be the first time someone didn’t do what they said they would do. I’ll move on. That doesn’t mean I will stop being a fan. I still have many seasons on DVD to enjoy. AND – Joe has nothing to gain by lying. I trust you Joe, no matter what I will still read your blog. It offers more than just SG-1/ SGA/ SGU info, I have been introduced to new books and authors, weird food purchases, pug pics, a virtual trip to Tokyo, blog friends, caption contests, Fuel /restaurant/food reviews…
Bottom line, if I don’t know any of the details, how can I make any judgments and as far as what I read online, I consider my source and take it with a grain of salt.
“Live long and prosper.”
Joe:
As my nickname (which was given to me by RL friends) implies, I’m into the media. I even work in a media business. My major in college was “Radio-TV-Film”. You might say that I have made understanding the media business my life’s vocation and avocation.
Despite over 35 year at it, I still don’t know everything and I’ll readily admit it.
However, I’ve found when dealing with fans that “a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing.” Random examples: Knowing what the DVD sales of a property was is not the same as understanding all the factors that go into approving a production budget. Yet, people seem to think a decision should be made within weeks of the sales figures.
Knowing what the ratings of a TV show is not the same as knowing what its profitability is to its network and producers. Yet, you will see people say “Hey, it got a x.x rating, it should have been renewed. Those networks execs are idiots.”
Anyone who has worked in an office environment knows that rumors start about one’s own company that are just plain false even though they are spread by workers “in the office.” We know this when it comes to our own personal dealings. Yet, we forget it when it’s gossip in the media.
Sometimes we have to sit back and realize that if we are outsiders to a business, what we think we know about it is a small fraction of what needs to be known to understand it. Let alone come to conclusions about it.
I guess I don’t have a question, but I so sympathize with what you and your colleagues have been going through.
Love your foodie discussions. I’m a bit of a foodie myself.