The Alterna-Date...

There is something absolutely beautiful about having a non-date with someone and yet feeling quite good about spending time with them.

Its just like having a girly night out with your lovely gal-pals, except, its with your best guy-pal who appreciates the effort you have made to look good and enjoy ur evening out.

I ran out of time during the afternoon to put on makeup, so i reduced it to accentuating my eyes with some liner...doing that smokey look, and slicked on some gloss so that the lips would look juicy. But that was it, i didnt do the foundation thing...i figured if i was going to get freaked out during the movie, i didnt want foundation on my hands (from covering my eyes) and then transferring it on to my clothes. (Neat freak).

We did the round of shopping and thankfully i wasnt tempted to buy anything. He almost made the mistake of buying a pair of trousers that were too tight, fortunately, i convinced him to try them before he would buy them. So, instead, he bought a Ben Sherman jacket...although, he really needed trousers. *LoL*

After shopping, we went to the restaurant and i have to tell you, this place has ambience without the hefty price tag. Admittedly, there is a lot of talking done at each table, and there is some music in the background, so be prepared to have a good rowdy dinner.

At Ubud, we had Martabak Telor, $7, Indonesian style crepe with beef, shallots and egg (crispy fried) for entree to share. The crepe is actually more like the pastry for spring rolls, but gosh, it was yummy! We then had for mains to share: Sate Ayam - (6 pcs), $11.90, Chicken satay with peanut sauce. Eat this while its hot, when it gets cold...its not so great. We also ordered Beef Rendang, $14.90, Indonesian traditional beef curry...the beef was soo melt in your mouth...if you order only one dish, order this! Its not too spicy, some may find it mild, but the meat...thats what counts when we talk beef rendang. We also ordered Gado Gado, $11, Steamed mix vegetables with peanut sauce...sounds boring, but its really really good.

We figured this would all go best with steamed rice, versus a fried rice. And we ordered a side of roti canai. Now, im use to roti canai to be about 3-5mm thick, but this roti canai was as thick as 2 sheets of A4 paper put together. I'm also use to the roti being doughy, but this one was flakey...it was still yummo all the same.

I stopped eating half way because i was getting so stuffed, but i kept picking at the gado gado. So my alterna-date had to finish off the food. I really wanted to have their black sticky rice for dessert...but i really couldnt fit anything after eating all of that for dinner. And uno what? The bill only came to $52. I felt like i had a feast, and it was all delicious...it was all worth it!

After we rolled out of Ubud, with 2 substantially satisfied bellies, we headed back to the CBD. Trying to find parking at 7:30pm was really bad. So, we parked at a parking station.

We then headed out to Scary Canary on Kent St. It was early in the evening, but there was going to be a party on from 10pm onwards (i think). We dropped in for a drink before catching Hard Candy @ 21:15. It was empty, except for a group of girls who i think were kicking off a BIG girls night out. After we finished our drinks and were about to leave, i went to the ladies and i swear i only disappeared for like 3-5 minutes max and yet, during that time, the bar filled up with like another 20 people...which is more than the 3 that were originally there.

So, we headed off to the cinemas...and as i was wearing stilettos, i held on to my alterna-date's arm...it brought a sense of comfort to me. Something i have been missing for a while now. A strong arm to hold on to. But i knew where i stood and he knew that it wasnt a come on...I'm telling you, i am utterly relishing this type of relationship/agreement we have.

When you purchase your movie tickets online, you can "jump the queue" to collect them, but man, it makes you feel like scum when there isnt a person working "that" queue, and you have to be served by someone else tending another queue and they tell their next customer in line that "they have to serve u first". It makes you feel like you are pushing in.

We picked up our tickets...and by that time, my stomach had settled and i was ready for my green tea ice cream. So, i got a tub from the Sushi Train. We headed into the cinema and thought that it was going to be only the 2 of us. I started thinking "how cool, the whole cinema to ourselves"...but that was short lived, cos a couple walked in after the thought was made. Then another couple and then a group of 6 or 7 asian guys. Then a group of 5 or 6 middle eastern looking guys.

It surprised me how many guys turned up for Hard Candy. Considering the knowledge they would have, that something bad is going to happen to the "privates" of the male lead. And i kid you not. Its a funny movie being a girl (& slightly sadistic) and watching what gets done to this guy...the torment, the lead up and then the ultimate - well you can guess what type of revenge is exacted on a paedophile and his privates.

I dont want to reveal too much about this movie, and yet if i dont reveal some things its really hard to describe. I didnt really enjoy it overall. My alterna-date gave it 3.5 stars out of 5, I would give it 3 stars out of 5.

It was slow in some places...which made you just wish that you had another tub of green tea ice cream to keep you entertained. And thats just wrong for a thriller. If my mind gets sidelined because the pace is too slow, by ice cream...it cant be all that a great movie!

The one thing i do like, and i think if it was the objective of the director to do so, then he had done it brilliantly. And this is where the my stars amounted from. In a very twisted way, and i will use the "Red Riding Hood" analogy...(since it sorta uses that particular story line, Hayley wears a red hooded jacket...she is Red, and is prey to the Big Bad Woof - Jeff the paedophile). You feel really bad for the Big Bad Woof, because you are left to believe that the Woof is actually innocent. And i did. I spent most of the time wondering if Red was a loon and picking on an innocent guy who was just lonely - there are many people out there that are severely lonely who use the internet to meet people, uno.

And Red, in this movie is crazy. I mean crazy! Psycho. Looney. Scary. I really didnt feel for her...although i should. I was made to feel for the paedophile, sorry for the woof...uno the whole innocent until proven guilty thing? It really played on the fact that she could be really wrong...like maybe there was an error in her iron clad judgement.

I dont commend or approve or in anyway believe that rape or paedophilia is ok, even if a person is sick. I feel strongly about severe punishment to any man who commits it. I'd elaborate, but that would give you ideas as to how Red hurts the Woof...and i dont want to give it away - although, you could probably guess. What i commend in this movie, is the way the director skillfully swayed my feelings to empathise for the majority of the movie, for the wrong person.

The group of asian guys joked to one another: "Hey you'll be Jeff in 5 more years!" Another at the end of the movie said: "Man, I'm staying away from girls!" Hmm...i dont think that is likely. Actually, one of the asian guys walked out of the movie when Hayley was "slicing" away on human flesh. I think it had to do with where she was slicing, that had made him uncomfortable...*winkwink*...if you know what i mean?

Which to me, was the funniest part. Hearing all the guys in the cinema *gasp* and the silence that fell when the knife made contact with flesh. Have you ever prepared meat and had to cut it into smaller bits and then you sometimes come across bits of tendon...that sound your knife makes...it was all over the speakers...imagine what she was slicing. *LoL*

Sorry to any guy who is reading this, but as i am female, i cant feel for you. To me, its just funny. But i do apologise, i should be more considerate.

Okay, other than the disappointment from the movie, the alterna-date was a smash hit. After the night out, we went home. I got to rest. And then bum all day Sunday. It was a really good weekend. So good, my alterna-date is planning the night out for Varekai. (He bought a ticket off me, and were going together, like the last time for Quidam). He wants to go to a pizza place in Balmain...apparently its a place that has gotten rave reviews.

It will be good timing, at the end of the month. August is looking to be a great month. Lots of stress, but well worth the effort.

Apologies for the late entry if you were waiting for my Hard Candy review, i was at my PM training course on Monday and Tuesday, and then catch up occurred yesterday.