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WOULD IT BE a shameless admission of dorkiness to say that the reason I wanted to come to work today is because I knew I would be blogging? I mean, wow. Who knew I had it in me? Needless to say: I’m happy to be back online, and I can’t wait to get posting. Let’s start with a hit list:

•Fall TV has started (yes, I watched the premiere of Gossip Girl. And yes, I’m officially hooked.) and I can’t even describe the overwhelming happiness I feel inside. Does that put me officially in the “need a life” category? If you can relate, here’s a printable calendar of the complete fall season courtesy of The TV Addict.

•Time magazine’s film critic didn’t really like the Coen brothers’ latest flick Burn After Reading. I hope that doesn’t mean it’s not good because I really, really want it to be good.

•There’s nothing like the wayward daughter of a Republican politician to bring out the very close-minded, yokelism that the other guys profess to to hate about Republicans. There’s something deliciously ironic about these kinds of situations. I live for stuff like this! It’s table turning at its most poignant.

•James Gandolfini got married Saturday here in Honolulu.

•Horse Whisperer author Nicholas Evans and his family were poisoned by wild mushrooms. Trippy.

•In other poisonous-food news (I know, right? Weird!), a Swedish magazine has recalled a recipe that led to the poisoning of four people. The culprit: Nutmeg. It’s harmful in high doses.

•Amazon launched the beta version of its new music website, soundunwound.com today.

•Kevin Spacey gets butt-wild at party in Croatia. We knew he had it in him!

•Natalie Portman made her directorial debut with the short film Eve, which screened at the Venice film fest.

•Check out this cake that was made for some kid’s fourth birthday. The only thing missing is the baked-in stripper. Maybe next year, Lil Derek.

A reader e-mailed me this week’s “Where in Honolulu?” photo (thanks, TT!). Here it is:
(Scroll down for last week’s answer.)

 

 

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And the answer to last week’s question: The statue in the photo is located on the grounds of the Cathedral Church of St. Andrew. The statue is, naturally, St. Andrew himself. (Disclosure: When I took this photo, I just assumed the statue depicted Jesus. But when some of you guessed that it might be other people, it dawned on me that I didn’t actually know whose likeness it is, so I’ve just spent about 30 minutes trying to confirm the identity of the statue, and it is indeed the apostle Andrew. Thanks to the staff at the church for the confirmation!) Here’s a wide shot:

 

I GOT AN E-MAIL this morning from G-Spot announcing the return of the popular Wednesday-night party known as “Acid Wash.” Only now it’s called Totally 80s and it’s going to be at the Loft instead of Next Door, which has been closed for a couple of months now and will remain closed … until it reopens.

Get the details here.

I WAS SO STOKED to see Tropic Thunder, but it just wasn’t everything I had hoped it would be. But in hindsight, I don’t know why I had such high expectations. I don’t love Ben Stiller’s work, but I don’t hate it, either and there’s no denying — even to people like me who can take him or leave him — that the guy can turn out some pretty stuff. Still, I really, really wanted to see this movie and in the end, I laughed a little, but I wanted more.

The story of a cast of arrogant and untalented movie stars being engaged in a real-life battle while filming a movie about the Vietnam War has the potential to be ridiculously funny, and only a truly funny person (in this case, Stiller, who co-wrote the screenplay) could come up with it. But, for me, it just wasn’t as clever a satire as it was meant to be.

 

You should see it if…
1. You like Ben Stiller comedies. It that regard, it doesn’t disappoint, and I think it might be one of his more clever endeavors (though Zoolander was pretty sharp).
2. Over-the-top physical humor makes you laugh, and even if it doesn’t always make you laugh, you wouldn’t consider sitting through a bumbling-grown-man sequence a waste of time.
3. You get — and like — meta movie making.
4. You want to see Tom Cruise being funny, for once.

Don’t see it if…
1. You’re what they call a “proper lady.”
2. You don’t think racial humor is very funny.
3. Your favorite Ben Stiller movie is The Heartbreak Kid.
4. You’ve told someone “drugs are no laughing matter” and meant it.

The scene stealer…
Danny McBride (this time as on-set explosives expert) does it again. Though his role in Pineapple Express was much fuller, he’s just as brilliant in this movie. Looks like this is his year.

Would I see it again?
Yes, but I wouldn’t pay to see it again. If it’s the featured flick at a house party I happen to attend, I’ll watch it and I’ll laugh.

Is there anything better out there right now?
Yes. Pineapple Express.

TO-DO LIST:
1. Check out “Aperitivo! ” at Nobu. CHECK
2. Attend the inaugural event of Fruit Fly at thirtyninehotel.
3. Buy local at the Made in Hawaii Festival. CHECK
4. Watch Tropic Thunder. CHECK

I think I better start limiting myself to three activities per weekend. Something on my list always goes undone. Sigh.

::APERITIVO!::
This is Nobu’s version of happy hour, and as such, it’s a success. The deal: Order a tasting trio of three dishes (chef’s choice) plus your choice of cocktail for $18. Compared to two-buck Bud Lights at your local watering hole, that’s no deal, but considering that one drink at Nobu costs $14, it’s a steal. It’s all relative, right?

A friend and I went Friday evening to check out “Aperetivo!,” a concept that the folks at Nobu central say is modeled after the southern European tradition of having a drink and a few bites of good food to whet the appetite before a meal. The only Nobu restaurants that offer the pre-meal deal are the ones in Milan and Honolulu. On Friday, the tasting dishes were a kobe beef gyoza, clam ceviche and teriyaki beef tenderloin skewers. We both ordered fruity —and perfectly mixed — martinis to accompany our trio of tasting dishes. The food was incredible. Everything was fresh and beautifully prepared (not that I expected anything less). The drinks were great. And for $18, it really was a great deal.

::FRUIT FLY::
I didn’t make it to “Fruit Fly.” A last-minute plan to have drinks with friends took precedence, and a request for Lava Flows from the visiting mainland friend decided our destination: Hukilau. We drank (or more accurately: they drank) fruity pink cocktails, listened to Hawaiian music and wala’au-ed until we were too tired to do anything else. What better way to spend a night in paradise?

::MADE IN HAWAII FESTIVAL::
I went. I shopped. I cringed at the amount of really bad art, crafts and clothes. Who knew people still made clothes with puffy paint designs? Wow.

::TROPIC THUNDER::
I saw it. Did I love it? I’m sorry to say I didn’t. Read more here.