Tag: Reviews

La Chinita – Chinese Food in Mexico

On By Author Edmond GagnonIn Food & DiningLeave a comment

It’s been a while since Cathryn and I posted about a particular restaurant, especially one in Mexico. It’s not that there aren’t any good ones in the country, especially in a beach town like Melaque, because there are. But we get tired of the same old menus with the same offerings, just shuffled around. I’m sorry, but like the locals, I can’t eat tortillas at every meal.

We first met Li Xie a few years back at a house on one of the canals in Barra de Navidad, where she hosted a Chinese buffet in her own home. Everything was homemade – I watched her making the wonton soup right in her kitchen.

The following year, we were thrilled to see that Li opened her own restaurant on Hwy 200, across from the Pemex Gas Station. La Chinita bills itself as a Chinese Food restaurant with Mexican seafood. There is seating inside and out, and the menu offers favorites like wonton soup, spring rolls, and assorted rice or noodle dishes with meats or seafood.

We get to La Chinita at least once a season while we’re in Melaque and actually had Li cater to a group at our apartment complex on one occasion. On our latest visit, Li did up some of our favorites – spring rolls, wonton soup, beef & broccoli, and a mixed fried rice. They also serve adult beverages but we were taking a day off from the booze.

The spring rolls were fresh and crisp with good pork and veggie filler. The soup was actually a bowl, not a cup, and I detected an unusual but nice spice in the wontons. The beef was tender and the broccoli and carrots super fresh. We found generous portions of meat and shrimp in our fried rice. Everything was hot and came quite quickly. The food was simply delicious.

Cathryn and I both give La Chinta an 8 out of 10, our only complaint would be where the restaurant is situated, close to the highway, where we ate less than a meter from our parked car.

The Dark Hours – Michael Connelly

On By Author Edmond GagnonIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

The Dark Hours (Renée Ballard, #4; Harry Bosch, #23; Harry Bosch Universe, #36) by Michael Connelly (Goodreads Author)

Edmond Gagnon‘s review – Feb 09, 2024 

I gave this book four stars but I feel it was only worth 3.5.
There is nothing wrong with the story and perhaps I was less impressed because the protagonist was mostly Renee Ballard, not my favorite Connelly character.
Technically, it’s a Renee Ballard and Harry Bosch novel but the latter only makes a limited appearance later in the story as the female detective’s backup.
In The Dark Hours, Ballard juggles two cases, murder and rape, but struggles with everyone else in the “new L.A.P.D.” to get the job done. Of course, she can always count on retired Detective Harry Bosch for help.
The story picks up pace as Ballard bounces between the two cases, and then races to the finish line to wrap up all the bad guys in messy finale.

The Forgotten – David Baldacci

On By Author Edmond GagnonIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

The Forgotten (John Puller, #2)
by 

David Baldacci (Goodreads Author)

Edmond Gagnon‘s review Jan 25, 2024 

I like Baldacci’s style and his character John Puller, in my opinion his version of Lee Child’s Jack Reacher. Both men have military experience and the same moral compass when it comes to helping people and doing what’s right.
The Forgotten has become an all-to-familiar tale of human trafficking at it’s worst. In this case it’s the rich getter richer by stealing the poor from their homes, threatening their families, and selling them off as slaves.
That’s the story in a nutshell but there’s lots of intrigue and action, John Puller style.
The Forgotten is a good read.

The Gods of Guilt – Michael Connelly

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The Gods of Guilt (The Lincoln Lawyer, #5; Harry Bosch Universe, #25)
by Michael Connelly (Goodreads Author)

Edmond Gagnon‘s review – Jan 16, 2024 

Michael Connelly has become my favorite author, mostly for his Harry Bosch series but I do like the Lincoln Lawyer series as well. Especially when there are little crossovers between the two protagonists who are half brothers.
Like some of the best lawyers I know personally, Michael Haller is not perfect and has his own life issues to handle while he does his best to represent his clients, guilty or not.
Although mostly predictable, The Gods of Guilt is jam-packed with courtroom action and a few little surprises that Haller pulls out of his magic hat.
This story didn’t knock my socks off but was a very good read.

The Concrete Blonde – Harry Bosch

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The Concrete Blonde (Harry Bosch, #3; Harry Bosch Universe, #3) by Michael Connelly (Goodreads Author)

Edmond Gagnon‘s review Nov 24, 2023  

I’ve missed Harry Bosch.
Although this is an older title, I haven’t stumbled across one of Michael Connelly’s cop stories in a while. I’ve been able to get my Bosch fix through streaming both that series and the Lincoln Lawyer.

This book has Harry all twisted inside-out, having him involved in a big civil suit launched against him for taking out a serial killer. Then, while the trial is going on, a note appears that shows there might be a copycat killer or that Harry killed the wrong man.

Add in Bosch’s lates romance that he is trying to cling to…and various suspects he tracks down only to find he’s got the wrong guy, and The Concrete Blonde is a fast-paced read with lots of twists and turns that keeps you guessing to the end.

Napoleon – the Movie

On By Author Edmond GagnonIn EntertainmentLeave a comment

Ridley Scott knows how to make an epic movie for the big screen. Beautiful cinematography, explosive sound from cannon fire, and the horrific cacophony of battle cries and screams. Mix in an evolving love story and you have a detailed accounting of the rise in power of Napoleon Bonaparte.

It’s one of those movies that should be seen on the big screen, and perhaps from the comfort of a Lazy Boy recliner because if its two hour and forty minute length. I thought some of the intimate scenes between Napoleon and Josephine could have been trimmed a bit but they give viewers an in-depth look at the military commander’s personal life.

No doubt Joaquin Phoenix will get an Oscar nomination for his role in portraying the little French General with the big ego. I found some of his character traits were similar to those he portrayed as Commodus in Gladiator. Unknown to me, actress Vanessa Kirby did a nice job of portraying Josephine, Napoleon’s lifetime love.

Scott did an amazing job of combining real action in battle scenes with CGI special effects to the point where it is difficult to separate the two. I can’t imagine the skill and co-ordination it takes to pull off such huge undertakings.

For a war movie, Cathryn said it wasn’t too gory and she managed to keep her eyes open through the whole film. I thought the action was great but found the show a bit slow between battle scenes. She gave the flick a 9 and I and 8 out of 10.

Life On Our Planet (Netflix)

On By Author Edmond GagnonIn EntertainmentLeave a comment

If you’re a natural history or geography buff or at all interested in the evolution of our own planet, you have to check out, Life On Our Planet, currently on Netflix. The series is similar to the Planet Earth series by the BBC and David Attenborough, with amazing graphics, CGI, and real footage.

Morgan Freeman narrates this series, which focuses on any and all life on our planet, including the mass extinctions that killed off animals like the Dinosaurs. Although accurately describing life here millions of years ago must be a lot of educated guesswork, the CGI used to recreate the different species that came before us it mind blowing.

If you’re looking for something different and new to watch, you have to check this out.

Killers of the Flower Moon

On By Author Edmond GagnonIn EntertainmentLeave a comment

Slow and long. Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon will no doubt be nominated and win some Academy Awards, but as in most Oscar winners it’s difficult to watch. Not because of all the killing in the name of personal and corporate greed, but because the film’s 3.5 hour length drags on longer than a Sergio Leone spaghetti western.

We all know the plot – white man wants red man land and the oil that lies beneath it, and will stop at nothing to obtain it. Perhaps this Oklahoma tale hasn’t been heard by the masses but it is an all too-familiar story that continues today with our own governments fighting wars over natural resources.

The star-studded cast – with a few you really have to look for – helps move the movie along at a steady snails pace. Although the acting was top-notch, I think the film editor could have been a little more sadistic with the scissors. I got the message in the first ten minutes of the movie.

I don’t believe this movie is a must-see on the big screen but well worth the watch from your own living room, where you can nod off and not worry about someone stealing your popcorn. Cathryn had no interest in seeing this flick so I went solo. I give it a 7 out of 10.

Echoes in Eternity – Street Cop Stories

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Echoes in Eternity: Street Cop Stories
by James Disser

Edmond Gagnon‘s review Oct 15, 2023  

I didn’t find this book all that interesting, perhaps because I also worked the streets for over 31 years and lived the same stories.
Having said that, Disser offers a real look into the types of calls and crimes that police officers face on a daily basis.
As an author, I think this former cop fell into the same trap I did with my first book, telling his tales as if writing a police report,without much emotion. Not that the individual stories weren’t inciteful for most people, they just lacked enough feeling to drag readers into the events he related.
For anyone who wants a real-life account of what happens during a variety of police investigations, this book is a good example.

Gran Turismo – The Movie

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It seems that movie makers have finally gotten back to putting good films back into movie theatres and Gran Turismo is exactly that. But is it a movie about a video game or car racing? Turns out it’s a movie about both. Cathryn and I were skeptical when we heard about this one, both being clueless about simulated racing video games. Our fears were short-lived.

In a nutshell, Gran Turismo is something played by ‘gamers’. But in this case, Nissan runs a contest to see who the best ‘sim-racer’ is, in the hopes of putting him or her behind the wheel of one of their real life race cars. The challenge seems impossible to all but the promoter, played by Orlando Bloom, the only big name actor in the movie.

Based on a true story, Nissan selects contest winners from around the world and sends them to race car training camp. From that point on this flick is a Cinderella story. There are some suspected pitfalls and other pleasant surprises that easily keep the audience interested.

If you’re a gamer or racing enthusiast, this movie is for you. The special effects in both worlds is high octane action, where you can almost feel the excitement and g-forces the young drivers experience. It’s hard to believe this story really happened and you should see it for yourself. Cathryn and I both loved it and each give it a 10 out of 10.