Re(d)ro Nights, The Invite, The Peach Cobbler Factory, and Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do?)

Now I am finally caught up on events since the start of July. This is delayed a few days as things were busier than expected but it’s all good. The wackiest moment of last month involved the mailman, of all things. I happened to be outside as he dropped off the mail one afternoon. He blasted a song from the mail truck (which by itself is unheard of); it was an 80’s tune I did not recognize or remember; it took Google and typing in the lyrics I heard to discover it was Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do?), from Wham! That was a surprise; I never thought that George Michael ever RAPPED in a song-I was mistaken.

The one movie I’ve seen on the big screen as of late not previously mentioned was The Invite. That’s the film directed by Olivia Wilde; except for the opening scene, the entire film is set in one apartment complex and is Wilde & Seth Rogen as a couple inviting Edward Norton and Penelope Cruz for dinner. I don’t want to give too much away; one of the couples is unhappily married so there’s drama over that along with other adult topics. It’s a film for mature audiences and is probably best for middle-aged people like myself or older. It’s a great movie, always fascinating and each person in the quartet delivered… even Rogen, who OF COURSE smoked weed at one point.

One night, I ate at a lousy Korean chicken joint-I’ll be nice & not even mention their name-but nearby was The Peach Cobbler Factory, a Southern chain previously unknown to me. They offered very tasty treats, including banana pudding and cookies. I’ll definitely return.

Finally, I’ll mention a fun limited time experience. At Universal Studios CityWalk, for a few days a week from May through July, they put an 80’s/90’s overlay over one of their nightclubs (The Red Coconut Club) & called those evenings Re(d)ro Nights. Curious, I went one night. The atmosphere was cool; while it was a little wacky that a live DJ was spinning tunes from the 70’s through about 2013-considering the overlay-but it was still a fun time & the tunes were still good. They even had some arcade machines upstairs; some time was spent playing games like Galaga.

I’ll return sometime late this month, promise. Nothing’s on the agenda… yet.

Semiquincentennial 4th of July, Scary Movie, & Meeting Rachael Leigh Cook for a Second Time

As typical for years now, nothing much special was done on the 4^th of July, even if it was America's 250^th anniversary. Someone was dropped off at the airport in the wee hours of the morning but otherwise, the entertainment was watching the fireworks-both on TV and in the neighborhood. Those random neighbors actually shot off some impressive fireworks.

The clear highlight of the month is quite the story... for the first time since before the pandemic, I went to one of those comic con conventions. Little has changed-the vendors & the cosplayers alike. Most of those dressed as anime characters-I still have no idea what show it is. Heck, I might not have heard of that anime, period.

The reason why I attended: way back in 2018 (!) I went to a con to see late 90's/early 2000's starlet Rachael Leigh Cook. Then and now, she mainly does those Hallmark movies. That first time, there was a professional photo opportunity. What I didn't mention when recounting this story at the time: while waiting in line, I basically had a panic attack. I won't delve into details but that first meeting was rather awkward & embarrassing.

Well, I was glad to finally have another opportunity to meet her, and this time not act like a buffoon. Thankfully, that was the case. I was also glad to explain to her why I was such a fool the first time. Ms. Cook remembering me perhaps isn't a surprise-no one out there is quite like me! However, she remembered that first encounter! I was hoping that wouldn't be the case; heck, she even referred to it as “a debacle!” No, I wasn't offended; besides, “debacle” is a great word. It's a relief that this second meeting wasn't a debacle and after 8 years, that wrong was righted. I won't mention all the details of the conversation but yes I was happy to pay to have new photos taken with her. Then & now, she lived up to her reputation as being a very nice celebrity.

I'll conclude this by mentioning that later in this long wild day after the convention, the new Scary Movie was viewed theatrically. Yes, this was a few weeks after release. The negative reviews gave me concern yet I had seen the first two films way back in 2000 and 2001 on the big screen in Illinois. The first one, I unexpectedly knew a pair of people from high school who were also at the screening so I sat with them & we all laughed at the especially vulgar moments, because we were dumb teenagers at the time.

As for the new 2026 Scary Movie, yes it was uneven yet there were still a decent amount of laughs, a few nice subtle background gags, and a clever ending. Thus, I thought this new Scary Movie was fine, which is also what I thought of the first two Scary Movies. I never bothered with 3 through 5 due to the lack of involvement from the Wayans Brothers.

I'll return sometime in the upcoming week.

Crooked Can Brewing Company, Mug Root Beer Floats Vanilla Howler, & Soarin’ Across America

I’ve been putting this off for far too long. In the next week or so I’ll post THREE of these in total, catching up on my July activities. The best and most memorable story will be the second entry, to be posted tomorrow.

In the nearby town of Minneola, the new Crooked Can Brewing Company building opened; it originated in Winter Garden. They are a microbrewery around for years but the building is massive. I went by myself the third day they were open. There were food trucks outside, right by a massive yard which has a splash pad-among other things-making it clear they’d be happy to have families visit. On my own, I purchased food from a food truck. A few days later, I returned there, this time with someone else. A few eateries set up like a food hall are available… well, not all of them are open yet. I’ll be kind and not go into details as the food itself was fine. However, it was supposed to be quick service and wasn’t; the food took like a half hour to be done! Yes, a manager type did warn of “long waits” even before we got in line, but still… Otherwise, I can’t complain about the place.

I’ve had more than one new soda as of late. Mug Root Beer Floats Vanilla Howler is not quite as good as A&W’s Root Beer Float yet I still like it.

This past Monday I returned to EPCOT, chiefly to go on their new version of the Soarin’ ride, which simulates you floating through the air as you visit various sights on a giant screen. It was originally devoted to California scenery then spanned the world. Due to what this year’s anniversary is, the theme was changed again to visiting locations across the United States. This included the Statue of Liberty, the Grand Canyon, Alaska, and Mount Rushmore. It’s still a fun attraction where the sights are augmented by scents that are pumped in. I can still recommend this attraction, in other words.

To reiterate, I’ll return sometime on Monday.