90210: Regroup

Tonight's episode of 90210 was heavy. First Annie can't pay her sorority dues and then she discovers Liam sleeping with someone else. Liam finds out Alaska Jane is pregnant, Navid is being blackmailed by his uncle, Dixon feels betrayed, Silver's getting shut out and Ivy is depressed. Uplifting, no?

This episode felt more like a bunch of set ups for further plot development to come. Naomi and her new sorority sisters taking down Holly, Liam and Alaska Jane trying to live together through her pregnancy, Navid alienating everyone he loves in order to cover up his uncle's illegal car operation, Annie possibly becoming an escort and Raj's illness getting worse. Oh boy, here we go.

Anyone else disappointed that after the Justin Bieber reference the Biebs himself didn't make an appearance?

Also, are we really supposed to believe that Alaska Jane is only twenty years old? She looks at least twenty five if not older.

The previews for next week's episode look intense! Already bracing myself for how Holly will use Max's love letter against Naomi.

*Image courtesy of the CW.

Gossip Girl: Say Yes

Welcome back, Upper East Siders! How delicious was tonight's season premiere? Let's begin with the love of my life, Chuck Bass. He rides up on a motorcycle, takes off his helmet, reveals his sexy hair and then walks onto a yacht. Swoon! Chuck's new "yes" attitude is beyond sexy.

Speaking of sexy, Nate manages to bed a cougar. Too bad she seems to be chasing him for another reason. Any guesses as to why she's really interested in him?

Serena annoyed me less in this episode than she normally does. Her affection for Chuck and Nate made her surprisingly endearing.

Onto Blair and Louis. I won't be happy until Chuck and Blair are reunited and not even the Prince of Monaco can change my mind. Do you think Blair is pregnant as the seamstress suggested? Is the baby Chuck's? Is Dorota pregnant or is she just covering for Blair?

I must admit I love the idea of Dan's book getting published. Clearly he is panicked, but I think it would be an unexpected twist if Dan came forward and then became a member of the literary upper echelon, finally shedding his Brooklyn, second class citizenship.

The best line of the night was when Rufus said to Dan, "Lily has decorated and redecorated the house so many times it looks exactly the same again. I keep telling Andy Cohen he needs to shoot her in a new show - the Real Housewives of House Arrest." Nice one, Rufus! Also, Andy Cohen, you've now been used as a pop culture reference on Gossip Girl, you can die happy.

What was your favorite moment in tonight's premiere?

*All images courtesy of the CW.

Dining Out: Picco

Tonight I had dinner with two of my best girls at Picco in the South End to celebrate my upcoming 27th birthday. I had been to Picco once before many years ago, but had been itching to return.

Picco is located on Tremont Street, just beyond Hamersley's, The Beehive and Sibling Rivalry. As you approach, the first thing you noticed is their popular outdoor patio.

We headed inside to put our name on the list and waited at the bar (and in the air conditioning!).

While we waited for a table we watched the bartender make at least twenty ice cream shakes and smoothies. He's part bartender, part ice cream scooper! He blended these frozen treats with incredible speed.

The inside of the restaurant has warm earth tones, red chairs and my favorite: blackboards with brightly colored chalk.

After less than ten minutes our name was called and we were escorted to an outdoor table. By this time the sun had set completely and it was quite dark on the patio. There were no overhead lights, twinkle lights or even candles on the table to illuminate the menus, so I was squinting to survey the choices.

I started with a pumpkin flavored beer called the Punkin Ale. No, that's not a spelling mistake, that's the name of the beer. Not as good as the Shipyard Pumpkinhead, bust still a nice, autumn beer.

To start, we each ordered a salad. The arugula for me, the warm spinach salad and the simple green salad. They were exactly the right portion for a starter and each of us found the greens fresh and the garnishes delicious.

For dinner we decided to split two small pizzas. We ordered the roasted apple and gorgonzola pizza (which is supposed to come with bacon, but we asked for it without) and the margherita pizza, but we added caramelized onions. The pizzas came served on top of silver coffee cans! I loved that industrial touch.

Our pizzas were absolutely fantastic. They were fresh out of the oven with melted, ooey gooey cheese and bubbling crust. Both flavor combinations were perfection.

For our final round, we took advantage of Picco's ice cream menu. Between us we tried the peanutbutter chip, the butterscotch swirl and the coconut chip. Each of us licked our bowl completely clean. When the girls told the waiter we were celebrating my birthday, he delivered my bowl with a candle in it. No singing, thank goodness.

The food at Picco is sublime. The simple menu of salads, pasta, pizza and ice cream ensures that every dish they make is a phenomenal house specialty. The outdoor patio is excellent for people watching and it feels like a more relaxed atmosphere than many of its Tremont Street neighbors.

We couldn't help but notice that the crowd at Picco was mostly young families. Husbands in suits, wives in their gym clothes and a baby stroller saddled up next to their table. Ah, something to aspire to.

We also noticed that Picco does tremendous business from their ice cream as take out. People walked right in to the restaurant, up to the bar and ordered ice cream to go.

Picco is a clear neighborhood favorite and it's easy to see why. I've only been gone an hour and I'm already craving that pizza again.

Thank you Picco for kicking off my birthday week with a decadent feast!

Rental Review: The Lincoln Lawyer

When I added The Lincoln Lawyer to my Netflix queue I didn't know anything about it other than that the movie starred Matthew McConaughey. When I popped the DVD in today I wasn't sure what to expect.

I loved the movie right off the bat because one of my favorite songs "Ain't No Love In The Heart Of The City" played during the opening credits. The rendition I'm addicted to is a duet by Jay-Z and Mary J. Blige for MTV Unplugged. This version was by Bobby Blue Bland. The whole soundtrack had a funk, neo-soul vibe that I was totally digging. The soundtrack includes "Music" by Erick Sermon and Marvin Gaye, "107 Degress" by Citizen Cope and "California Soul" by Marlena Shaw and Ya Boy. You can check out the full soundtrack on iTunes.

The plot of the film centers around Matthew McConaughey's character Mick, who is the Linoln lawyer. That's his nickname because he has a driver who takes him around town in a black, Lincoln town car with a license plate that reads "NTGUILTY". Mick is charming, charismatic and damn good at his job. He's also a recovering alcholic, still sleeps with his ex-wife and takes on some unsavory clients.

Mick's life takes a dramatic turn for the worse when he finds himself representing an evil criminal, Louis, played by Ryan Phillippe. Phillippe plays the bratty rich kid part perfectly.

The list of hot leading men continues! The D.A. is played by Josh Lucas (best known for his role as Reese Witherspoon's high school sweatheart in Sweet Home Alabama), Mick's private investigator is played by William H. Macy and the chief of police is played by Bryan Cranston of Breaking Bad. Marisa Tomei represents the ladies as Mick's ex-wife. Talk about an all star cast!

The Lincoln Lawyer felt more like a two hour episode of Law & Order than it did an original movie. Instead of a complete story with a beginning, middle and end, it felt like a short peak into the lives of these characters you'd expect to visit again a week from now. I enjoyed it, but it left me wanting more.

Skip the movie and download the soundtrack instead. I've had my head bobbing all day.

Read: The Hunger Games

In my lifetime I have seen only a few book series take the world by storm: Harry Potter, Twilight, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and now The Hunger Games. The same friend who convinced me to read the Twilight books (and was kind enough to lend me all four) just gave me all three Hunger Games books. I always feel a little loser-ish reading these sci-fi themed novels, but The Hunger Games had me hooked in the first twenty pages and I began to carry it around with pride.

Book one, "The Hunger Games", tells the story of Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, two teenagers forced to become partners in a life or death game. Let me give you some background. In these books the area formerly called the United States is now called Panem. It is ruled by a group called the Capitol and they preside over twelve districts. Seventy four years ago the districts tried to rise up against the Capitol and were defeated. Each year, as a reminder (and a punishment), the Capitol hosts what they called the Hunger Games, where two children from each of the twelve districts are selected (one boy and one girl) to compete in the games until there is only one person left standing. And by standing, I mean alive.

Katniss and Peeta are the two "tributes" chosen from district twelve and the book follows them from their selection, to their prep (they have mentors and stylists) and of course, their performance in the actual games.

I don't want to give anything away plot wise because the book is so spectacular. The author, Suzanne Collins, has created this detailed history of a country: the origin of Panem, the characteristics and topography of each of the twelve districts and the specific rules, regulations and rewards of the Hunger Games. I wish I had an imagination that powerful!

Additionally, the way Collins ends each chapter has you hurriedly flipping the page to begin the next one, knowing something tremendous is about to happen. I almost missed my T stop several times because I was so engrossed in the book!

I also appreciate the complexity of the character of Katniss. Her father died in a coal mining explosion and she was forced to provide for her family. She is tough, guarded and obstinate, until she begins to feel the warmth and nervousness of romance. Katniss is a "round character" as my high school English teacher would say and her flaws are what makes you root for her.

I am already eighty pages into the second book "Catching Fire" and can't wait to complete the entire series! A film version of "The Hunger Games" is currently in production starring Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss and Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark. The release date is scheduled for March 23, 2012. Here's a sneak preview of Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss:

Have you read the books?

Sugar Fix: Cakeology

One of the best parts of working downtown is being close to new and exciting restaurants, bars and shops. A few weeks ago a friend and fellow blogger (check out her blog, Free Food Boston) alerted me to the arrival of Cakeology in Downtown Crossing.

Cakeology is the creation of Victoria Donnelly, the winner of Food Network's Cupcake Wars. Though I haven't seen the episode, receiving that title was enough street cred for me to want to get there ASAP.

Cakeology was delivery only until they opened this new, first location. They opened there doors at 45 Province Street (behind the Omni Parker House Hotel) about three weeks ago. I wanted to go opening week, but my schedule didn't allow. Today I met my former roommate for an afternoon date and to get our sugar on!

I spotted Cakeology as soon as I turned the corner on to Province. I noticed their mascot, Bruce the panda, on the glass facing the street.

I absolutely loved the purple, white and black sign running up the side of the door!

When I set foot inside I gasped. This decor is beyond fabulous!

The furniture is an eclectic, unlikely mix, but it really works.

I am obsessed with these hot pink floor boards!

The counter is all black and white and the cupcakes and their cake stands add a punch of color.

On the far, left side of the counter is a gate separating the bakery area from the seating area. This gate reminds me of the gate to Jim Dear and Darling's house in Lady and the Tramp, my all time favorite movie.

On the counter, each of the cake stands are brightly colored and funky. They look like the ultimate flea market finds.

There were all kinds of intriguing flavors. Peanutbutter and jelly:

Sangria (left) and German chocolate (right):

Red velvet:

It took us quite a while to decide what to sample, but eventually we settled on four items: the peanutbutter and jelly cupcake, the German chocolate cupcake, the carrot cake cupcake and the s'more. Since we ordered our treats "for here" we got them on pretty colored saucers. Each table has two sprinkles shakers, one rainbow and one chocolate. It's like cupcake salt and pepper!

Before digging in we also grabbed forks and knives which were wooden and disposable. These were so fun! I want to have these at my next BBQ! Every touch at Cakeology is thoughtful.

First we tried the peanutbutter and jelly cupcake. It was amazing! It tastes like everything you love about PB & J without the taste of bread. I love that the jelly goes down into the middle of the cupcake. This was truly incredible!

Next up was the German chocolate which had a hint of coconut that was divine.

The carrot cake was yummy but had a spice that was a bit overpowering. My roomie loved this one, but I wouldn't order it again.

The last treat was a s'more, which at Cakeology is a giant marshmallow dipped in chocolate and then rolled in graham cracker crumbs. Um. Hell to the yes. My roomie said, "Awww, it tastes like summer camp!"

When we stood up to get more napkins we noticed a wedding cake on display. How fun is this design?

As we walked out I noticed Cakeology's desk in the front window. It's a yellow desk with a purple chair, decorated with glass jars of candy and a silver, rotary phone. I want this whole design in my next place!

I had been dying to try Cakeology and it did not disappoint! The cupcakes are super delicious, the flavors are inventive, the design of the store is beautiful and every element of the food and the physical space has a cool, funky style.

Just as we were about to head out we got the chance to meet the owner, Victoria. She was high energy and refreshingly humble. She happily gave us menus and assured us, "If there is something you want, and it involves cake, we'll make it happen." Well then!

Thanks again to Victoria and the ladies of Cakeology for a wonderful visit! I can't wait to come back.