Colorado Dines

From: Janet Evanovich we read “Watch out, world. Here comes Stephanie Plum, a bounty hunter with attitude. In Stephanie’s opinion, toxic waste, rabid drivers, armed schizophrenics, and August heat, humidity, and hydrocarbons are all part of the great adventure of living in Jersey. She’s a product of the “burg,” a blue-collar pocket of Trenton where houses are attached and narrow, cars are American, windows are clean, and (God forbid you should be late) dinner is served at six. Now Stephanie’s all grown up and out on her own, living five miles from Mom and Dad’s, doing her best to sever the world’s longest umbilical cord. Her mother is a meddler, and her grandmother is a few cans short of a case. Out of work and out of money, with her Miata repossessed and her refrigerator empty, Stephanie blackmails her bail bondsman cousin, Vinnie, into giving her a try as an apprehension agent. Stephanie knows zilch about the job requirements, but she figures her new pal, fearless bounty hunter Ranger, can teach her what it takes to catch a crook. Her first assignment: nail Joe Morelli, a former vice cop on the run from a charge of murder one. Morelli is also the irresistible macho pig who took Stephanie’s virginity at age sixteen and then wrote the details on the bathroom wall of Mario’s Sub Shop. There’s still powerful chemistry between these two, so the chase should be interesting. It could also be extremely dangerous, especially when Stephanie encounters a heavyweight title contender who likes to play rough. Benito Ramirez is known for his brutality to women. At the very least, his obsession with Stephanie complicates her manhunt and brings terror and uncertainty into her life. At worst, it could lead to murder. Witty, fresh, and full of surprises. That was the description from the book. I just saw the move and thought it followed the book pretty well. I did not like the character of Ranger but everyone else was believable as the book characters. The critics hated it. For example I read this “The film is based on the mystery by South River native Janet Evanovich, who recently told the Star-Ledger she approved of the adaptation. So that’s nice for her, I guess.But if this movie is truly faithful to her popular series – well, then I have no idea how it ever became popular. Because the movie itself is dully unbelievable and generally pretty dreadful.”… well NO,  it’s not, actually. Actually it was witty and funny if you judge from the audience laughter.  People who have never read the books still enjoy the movie. The folks sitting behind us had never read the books and laughed heartily. As near as I can tell, the critics hate the lead actress and talk a lot about her past in the various interviews. I don’t know about her past but she did a good job in this movie. If anything, I thought it was too conservative. The books are even further “out there” and yes, it is not like real life, thank goodness.  It IS about an unlikely candidate for  a bounty hunter. It IS funny and witty. It IS also not going to be everyone’s cup of tea. But, that said. I really liked it and would recommend it for a fun time. Just don’t go in expecting a drama. It’s got its moments, but its just for fun.

For Diner before you go see it, I found a little hole in the wall Cantonese (Chinese) restaurant that is awesome. Tam’s Cantonese restaurant is a tiny place that mostly does take out. 6375 Simms St, Arvada, CO 80004-4301 This place has absolutely no ambiance. The building is as “plain Jane” as the food is awesome.  This family run joint has been here 30+ years.  The building is sort of old 50′s hamburger joint and no, its not impressive, and the smell of the cooking is a little strong.  However, the food and service are where they shine. The service folk are very friendly and willing to make whatever changes your request. The pineapple curry is awesome. It was a total surprice ; an extreamly  tasty dish, and very fresh! The giant Egg Rolls are absolutely delicious. These are what has made the place famous.  I intend to make a meal on just these my next visit. Crispy, battered, deep fried HUGE Egg Rolls, and the stuffing is superior. They are well spiced, tasty and again, they use very fresh ingredients.  Also, the egg foo young is amazing. There is a sign warning that the food takes time to prepare because everything is fresh. This is not a fast food place. We waited at least 20 min for the food but we have been here many times and know that it is well worth the wait. Tam’s  is worth trying. Just don’t be in a hurry.