Broadway 49 Cafe - Chicken Planks

Broadway 49 Cafe Chicken Planks

Inside the New York City Crowne Plaza Hotel sits the Broadway 49 lounge. It is not a complete service restaurant, just bar food type food. However, I found myself sitting there and ordered some chicken planks and french fries. In a few minutes my order was paced on my table.

The chicken tenders were surprisingly good. They were hot, lightly breaded, juicy, and seasoned just right. I hate when the batter is thick and the chicken is wafer thin. The proportion for these tender was good. The fries were hot, well cooked, and tasted good. A pickle, tomato, lettuce, and some dipping sauce was added. A diet Coke completed the order. What you see is exactly what I was expecting to see. And that's usually a good thing.

The service was adequate, the waitress friendly, and the food was good. The cost was $15 dollars which in New York City is acceptable.

The Grassy Knoll Diner scores 3 out of 5 shots and recommends Broadway 49 Cafe for dinner.

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Laura Vandervoort - Sci-Fi Sexy Siren

Laura Vandervoort They Will Not Control Us

Ever notice that in every science fiction space movie, the women, be they good or evil aliens, are super sexy. Case in point is Laura Vandervoort, who plays Lisa, one of the evil space aliens on the Sci-Fi television program V airing on the ABC Network right after Lost.

Laura has been in several other Sc-Fi genre films including playing the starring role in Smallville as Supergirl. She is also currently in the remake of Riverworld, the place you go to when you die. But that's not all. Ms. Vandervoort also played Tina in Mutant X and Sheena on the Goosebumps series. We'll add the Dresden Files to round out her Sci-Fi career. Very impressive for a young talented actress.

For more information on Laura Vandervoort please click the Official Laura Vandervoort website.

Sci-Fi Sexy Sirens brought to you by the Grassy Knoll Institute marketing team to boost readership and placement on search engines.

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Lost Update: Wondrous Boat Ride

Lost Update - Season Six - 04/20/2010

Round the world and home again
That's the sailor's way
Faster faster, faster faster

There's no earthly way of knowing
Which direction we are going
There's no knowing where we're rowing
Or which way the river's flowing

Is it raining, is it snowing
Is a hurricane a-blowing

Not a speck of light is showing
So the danger must be growing
Are the fires of Hell a-glowing
Is the grisly reaper mowing

Yes, the danger must be growing
For the rowers keep on rowing
And they're certainly not showing
Any signs that they are slowing

The song above is titled, Wondrous Boat Ride and can be heard in the episode preview for tonight's program. The song is from the movie, Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory. And this is significant folks. One particular line in the song, (There's no earthly way of knowing Which direction we are going) touches on exactly what is happening to the island castaways and sums up my Lost theory.

Just what is the Grassy Knoll Institutes Lost theory….I’ve been waiting six years to tell you…..
Although it appears the survivors of Oceanic flight 815 are on a tropical island, they are being deceived. There is no island. The survivors are in a virtual reality laboratory. All the castaways are interconnected to one another sharing each others thoughts, memories, and feelings. While in this virtual reality laboratory, a battery of physical and mental experiments are performed on them. And who is running these experiments? As Juliet stated, the Aliens of course.

So it finally comes down to this. Willy Wonka! I was waiting for the Oompa Loompa's to throw down a song about why its bad to leave the island. Alas, no Oompa's break dancing but tonight's episode still had a Wonka feel to it.

Case in point, the lyrics focus on the boat ride the guests took with Wonka. Wonka started chanting strange lines, (Read the lyrics at the top of the post again) and a key line was "There's no earthly way of knowing which direction we are going." As in, is Sawyer and the renegade gang going in the right direction? Should they have left the Smoky group? Should they have allowed Claire on board? Should Sawyer have let Jack jump off the boat? All good questions, all with answers to follow.

But enough with Willy and his chocolate factory for now. We need to focus on Jack, Sawyer, and Sayid. Some very significant things happened to them tonight. Jack was broken, Sawyer was a leader, and Sayid reverted back to the good side.

Waaaaayyyyy back in season one, Jack was the hero, the leader, the man with the plan, the man everyone listened to. A man that wanted nothing more than to get the Hell off the island. Tonight, Jack was a broken man, a man taking orders from Hurley, and from Sawyer. Jack became a follower. And his point of view was a complete 180. He believed he was supposed to stay on the island. Notice how he didn't argue with Sawyer on the boat, and just jumped off the boat into the water?

Some of you are asking So what? Let me explain. As my theory states, the castaways are being experimented on. Jack was the Alpha male in the beginning. After being exposed to a variety of stimuli, Jack became docile, let me say, domesticated. That was Jack's test. What would it take to break him? He is now pliable, open to suggestion. Ready to accept his fate. Whatever it may be.

Next is Sawyer. If you remember, he was a loner, out for himself. Tonight, he was the man with the plan and instead of staking out on his own, he brought the group along to safety. He tells Jack on the boat, you're either with us, or against us. Us being the key word. He was part of the group. Sawyer also did a complete 180 in personality. He was given the means to achieve and do the right thing, and he took it.

Sayid is last. Sayid was the good guy with the Iraqi past. He was always helping, fixing, protecting. Tonight, he is soul less. He made a pact with the devil, sold his soul, for a promise to be with Nadia, the love of his life. A promise that will never be fulfilled. Remember, dead is dead. And Nadia is dead. However, Sayid pulled a 360 tonight. First he was good, then bad, than good again as he lied to Smoky and I'm betting he did not kill Desmond.

All three men have been manipulated to the extreme. All three have felt love, hatred, heartache, and lost the love of their life. All three men traveled the psychological spectrum in approximately 115 days of living on the island. These three men, as all the other castaways, are being tested, manipulated, molded into different people. For what purpose is yet an unknown. To save the world? Perhaps! Or perhaps a more sinister ending. Like the one I have foreseen. (I sound like the Emperor on Star Ward now) I have foreseen it. It is your destiny.)

One last point and then we'll get to the tidbits. The castaways are once again reunited. Jack states that we're all different now. Sort of like a reset to a video game. Changing the skill level, the players, the parameters. Perhaps this is the final level of the game and its time to use what you have learned to win. And sometimes, the only way to win the game, is not to play.

Tidbits From Tonight's Show:

* Smoky admits he took the form of Christian Shepard. Can you believe him? Yea, I sort of do.
* In the side flash, Sun recognized Locke as both were being wheeled in to emergency.
* Claire tells Jack that he already decided to go with Smoky the moment he allowed him to talk. Like it or not, you're with him now.
* Sounds like Satan doesn't it? There's your shout out to all the religion theory folks.
* After the bomb goes off, Smoky says, well, here we go. He is ready for battle as Zoe demands Desmond be released.
* Desmond is at it again in the side flash. This time helping Claire and Ilana. And perhaps Jack as well. Could be the new Jacob huh?
* I thought Claire was going to shoot Kate at the boat. I really did. However, she will get hers later. They all will. Oops!
* In the side flash, Jin tells Sun its OK, we're all going to be fine now.
* Jin and Sun reunited. Touching moment. But it won't last long.
* Zoe captures the Sawyer gang, tells him the deal is off, and they are prisoners.
* Jack swims to the island. Meets Smoky. Nice day for a swim. Bomb explodes. Jack is knocked down. Smoky carries him to safety. Tells Jack, don't worry, you're with me now.
* Jack ready to operate on Locke in the side flash. So Desmond wasn't crazy after all. Jack will heal Locke.

May 23rd is just over a month away for the series finale. What a hell of a boat ride its been. And after six years of episodes and speculation, Willy Wonka stays true to his words when he sings,
There's no earthly way of knowing
Which direction we are going
There's no knowing where we're rowing
Or which way the river's flowing

Until next week. Get Lost.

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Grassy Knoll Institute Spring Break

Vanna White is Safe!

Spring Break is over and it's back to work for the rocket scientists at the Grassy Knoll Institute.

Can you spot the Grassy Knoll Institute logo?

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Chicago Style Pizza - No, Not Really

Chicago Style Pizza - Not Really

Back in late February this year, I attended the national Halloween trade show in Chicago, Illinois. Once inside the convention center, you are pretty much at their mercy when it comes to breakfast and lunch. To leave the building for lunch would take too much time so we conventioneers dine under the roof.

This year, the convention offered very few choices for sustenance. Choosing the lesser of several evils, I ordered a piece of pizza and a diet Coke. Now I know some of you are thinking, hey, you are in Chicago, home of the famous Chicago style pizza. It has to taste fabulous right? It's Chicago!

Well, as you can see, this piece of pizza had absolutely no style. The only positive was that the pizza was warm. Not hot, but warm. heat lamps were doing their job that day. The crust was flat, a little doughy, and bland. The cheese was present, and that's all I have to say about the cheese. The sauce, well, there was red and orange fluid on the pizza which I guess could substitute for pizza sauce. The taste, well, it was filling and curbed my hunger allowing me to photo more sexy Halloween models in skimpy costumes. The cost, $5 dollars. Per slice. To put that in perspective, an 8 slice pizza would cost $40 dollars.

The Grassy Knoll Diner scores 1.5 out of 5 shots and under regular circumstances would never recommend this pizza. However, with very few food options inside the convention center, we recommend Chicago's Rosemont Convention pizza for lunch.

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Lost Update: Love Is In The Air

Lost Update - Season Six - 04/13/2010

Love is in the air
Everywhere I look around
Love is in the air
Every sight and every sound

And I don't know if I'm just dreaming
Don't know if I feel sane
But it's something that I must believe in
And it's there when you call out my name

(Chorus)

And I don't know if you're an illusion
Don't know if I see it true
But you're something that I must believe in
And you're there when I reach out for you

I told you Libby would be back! And Michael! And I told you all years ago that Desmond was able to control both universes. All this and more has come to fruition according to my Lost theory.

Just what is the Grassy Knoll Institutes Lost theory….I’ve been telling you for six years so what's a few more times between friends...
Although it appears the survivors of Oceanic flight 815 are on a tropical island, they are being deceived. There is no island. The survivors are in a virtual reality laboratory. All the castaways are interconnected to one another sharing each others thoughts, memories, and feelings. While in this virtual reality laboratory, a battery of physical and mental experiments are performed on them. And who is running these experiments? As Juliet stated, the Aliens of course.

Tonight the theme music, Love Is In The Air, performed by John Paul Young, an oldie but goodie, is the heart of the matter for the gentle giant, Hugo Reyes. He meets up with Libby in the alternate reality. I TOLD YOU YEARS AGO THAT LIBBY WOULD MAKE ANOTHER APPEARANCE ON LOST! The lyrics suggest that Hugo may be dreaming, and perhaps insane, buts it's something he must believe in, go all in, go for broke, and that's what he does with Libby. It's a great love story and all, but there was much more going on tonight than meets the eye.

Lets begin with Desmond making the rounds in the alternate reality meeting up with the Lost castaways. Much like a certain someone who did the exact same thing and then got stabbed and kicked into a fire by a vicious smoke monster. Yes, we're talking about Jacob. Notice how Desmond in the last several episodes interacted with all the castaways just as Jacob did. Perhaps Desmond is Jacob in the alternate reality. Or perhaps Desmond is the new Jacob. Or is Jacob.

That alone would be enough to complete this episode but there is more. Much more. What we have been witnessing in season six is the confluence of realities of the castaways. And Desmond is their guide. (A sort of Hitch Hikers Guide To The Universe type - Not always knowing what he's doing, but getting the job done nonetheless)

Season six has been structured to reveal small intervals of life on the mainland for the castaways and revealing small intervals of life on the island. As the season progresses, each character's realities are merging, becoming one. With the aid of Desmond. Both realities are moving down stream to converge and pool at the end of the journey.

Case in point. Libby remembers both realities, tries to convince Hugo but at first he believes she is crazy. It's not until they kiss that all the memories of the island come flooding back for Hugo. Both realities are melding into one. And Desmond was there to see and assist. Libby's doctor told Hugo that she has issues with reality which she conveys to Hugo explaining about the island, plane crash, and experiences there. Hugo jokes that she and he were in some bizarro alternate universe.

There is still more. The voices in the jungle that Hurley and the castaways hear. Not only are they the dead people coming to visit but the past, present, and future of the island realities converging.

Years ago, I stated that the castaways were all interconnected, in a VR experiment, their thoughts being controlled by input stimuli and various psychological scenario's to study human emotion. I also stated that Desmond somehow learned how to control the VR, and influenced the outcome to his favor. He does the impossible, finding the needle in the haystack, Penny, his love. He also warns the castaways of certain events. He also saves Charlie countless times from death. He realizes the time loop he is stuck in.

My theory has arrived in full force.

Tidbits From Tonight's Episode:
* Doctor Chang is back, the MC for Hurley.
* Libby is back and crazy as ever.
* Michael is back, and is dead as ever.
* Ilana went boom. Goodbye Ilana.
* Young Jacob is back. And Desmond saw him as well.
* Desmond meets up with Hurley in the alternate reality.
* Desmond states the island has it in for everyone.
* Desmond meets Ben in the alternate reality.
* Desmond meets and runs over John Locke injuring him severely.
* Michael appears to Hurley, tells him not to blow up the plane or everyone will die and it will be his fault.
* Hugo blows the black rock to smithereens.
* Hugo lies. Tells the group he is getting instructions from Jacob.
* Richard calls his bluff, proves he's lying. Jack doesn't care, he says he trusts Hugo.
* Richard, Miles, and Ben go to blow up the plane.
* The voices, people who are stuck on the island who can't move on. There Fox, there is your shout out.
* Smoky and Desmond at the well. Smoky asks Desmond why isn't he afraid?
* Smoky tosses Desmond into the well.
* Desmond interacts with Ben Linus.
* Desmond runs over Locke.
* Did I hear Charlie and the chocolate factory music in the background for next week's preview?

Only a few more episodes of Lost to go. I cannot wait for the finale.

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Lost Update Twilight Zone - The Parallel

Lost In The Twilight Zone Update: 04/12/2010

With ABC Lost approaching its climatic series finale on May 23rd, the Grassy Knoll Institute has one or two more Twilight Zone Updates to discuss the correlation between Rod Serling’s science fiction television program, The Twilight Zone, (1959-1964) and the current ABC network hit, Lost.

Some Background Before We Proceed:
The Twilight Zone was a classic science fiction television series created by Rod Serling that aired from 1959 to 1964. Each episode intertwined the supernatural with topical moral events in today’s society ending with a twist convoluting the outcome. I argue that the same can be said about ABC Lost. The castaways are more than just stranded on an island. There are mysterious forces at work of powers unknown. And just like the Twilight Zone, a twist is inserted in the story convoluting the outcome.

The Twilight Zone had a standard format. Each episode began with a prologue, usually with the host, Rod Serling doing the voice over introducing the characters and setting. At the end of the show, Serling would offer up a final narration of what the viewer just witnessed.

Tonight’s offering is: Season 4 Episode 113 The Parrallel
Original Airdate: 03/14/1963

I think once you see the similarities of both programs, you will quickly realize that Lost is a modern-day Twilight Zone.

Monologue:
In the vernacular of space, this is T minus one hour. Sixty minutes before a human being named Major Robert Gaines is lifted off from the Mother Earth and rocketed into the sky, farther and longer than any man ahead of him. Call this one of the first faltering steps of man to sever the umbilical cord of gravity and stretch out a fingertip toward an unknown. Shortly, we'll join this astronaut named Gaines and embark on an adventure, because the environs overhead — the stars, the sky, the infinite space — are all part of a vast question mark known as the Twilight Zone.

Synopsis:
Astronaut Robert Gaines, Major, is on a routine space orbiting mission when his capsule malfunctions and he blacks out. However, he awakes on Earth with apparently no major problems and is released from the hospital and permitted to go home.

But things seem very odd to Major Gaines as inconsistencies pop up. He notices that his own daughter doesn't know who he is and everyone calls him Colonel when he knows he's a Major. And he argues with his friends and family that John F. Kennedy is the president of the United States even though no one else has ever heard of the man.

Major Gaines believes that he has slipped into a parallel universe where almost everything is the same but a few major changes in history. He returns to his capsule in hopes of traveling back into space and landing in his own universe but he blacks out again.

Major Gaines wakes up to find himself in his capsule back in space. He finds his landing points and pilots the ship to a safe landing. He thinks that this was just a great big nightmare until Mission Control receives another transmission from space... From Colonel Robert Gaines.

Epilogue:
Major Robert Gaines, a latter-day voyager just returned from an adventure. Submitted to you without any recommendations as to belief or disbelief. You can accept or reject; you pay your money and you take your choice. But credulous or incredulous, don't bother to ask anyone for proof that it could happen. The obligation is a reverse challenge: prove that it couldn't. This happens to be the Twilight Zone.

Lost Tie In:
Desmond is a modern-day Major Robert Gaines.
Desmond embarks on a solo trip around the world in his ship. He blacks out and wakes up on the Lost island. As Desmond continues on his journey, he realizes that something is not exactly right. There are inconsistencies that cannot be explained away. He begins to have flashbacks and flash forwards where people do not know who he is.

As season six approaches its end, Desmond realizes what is happening and tries with great effort to return to his reality. He understands that he is living in both universe's at the same time and that he can control the outcome. Perhaps Desmond controls the blackouts forcing another chapter to further him along to find his home, his world, his universe, his Penny. Notice when Desmond blacks out and wakes up, he is in an alternate reality.

And just as Major Gaines in the Twilight Zone received a message from his alternate in space, Desmond has also send messages to the past and future Desmond. The question however, is where does Desmond ultimately belong?

Submitted for your approval. Please use the comments section below to voice your opinions.

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Gia’s Pizzeria – Fried Haddock Dinner

Friday night Patty and I on a whim decided to try the new restaurant in town, Gia's Pizzeria, located at 708 Boardman Canfield Road, Youngstown, OH 44512. Its where the old Pizza Hut used to be. There were a good amount of cars in the lot but it wasn't crowded. We walked in and were greeted and seated quite quickly.

Gia's Pizzeria Fried Cheese

 Before we sat down our waitress asked us what we wanted to drink. I asked if she had Coke Zero which she said yes and would be right back with them. So far so good.

In a minute or two, our waitress returned with our Cokes and asked what we wanted for dinner. I started with a fried cheese appetizer in marinara sauce. Like the Cokes delivery, the fried cheese was brought out right away.

As you can see, the fried cheese looked good, but upon tasting, it was bland. The sauce tasted store bought and the breading and the cheese had almost no taste. Perhaps the main course would be better.

Gia's Fried Haddock Special

I ordered the beer batter haddock dinner with macaroni and cheese. Again, the fish looked good but it tasted horrendous. The only way I can describe this plate is, Shit On A Shingle! It was the worst piece of fish I ever had. The previous winner of "Worst Fish" was Galaxy Seafood but Gia's is the new king. Patty couldn't believe the fish tasted so bad and took a piece for herself and tasted it. Patty confirmed the Shit On A Shingle comparison. Within a minute, she told me she was going to throw up.

I called for the check and we left promptly. (Never to return again!) Luckily, Patty didn't spew chunks but for the entire next day she got sick just thinking about the haddock.

The service was good and this critique should not reflect badly on the waitress.

The cost of this nightmare was $9.99 for the Friday special plus $4.99 for the fried cheese plus $2 dollars for the Coke Zero. $17 dollars without tip. If the food were edible, this meal would be a good deal. However...

The Grassy Knoll Diner scores 0 out of 5 shots and DOES NOT recommend Gia's Pizzeria for dinner.

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