Atomic Fangirl

Anna Akana – whom I adore from her “I Have Six Cats” vid – stars in this sweet and quirky fish-out-of-water story of a trust fund gal who has to go to work for her dad or get cut off permanently. Based on the real life of writer/director Emily Ting, China was the bittersweet feel good story I really needed right now.

As the story unfolds, we see a number of members in her oft-grafted family tree, but these characters get meaningful subplots that flesh out their backstories. And while the film starts out as a riff on spindthrifts, it gets serious about family dynamics and corporate life, giving this story depth.

Come for the “poor little rich girl” comedy, stay for the honest, open-hearted look at China and its people.

Available for rent/purchase on Vudu, Fandango Now, Prime, and AppleTV.

Originally posted over at The Green Man Review!

Olives. Mmm, olives. There isn’t an olive I don’t love. From tangy Moroccan lemon-cured to tiny French dry-cured, I love them, pits and all. Nowadays I can’t get to my favorite Greek grocery for a fun mix of flavor, but Aldi stepped up their olive game by coming out with olives stuffed with blue cheese. Once again, I’m in love. 

These green drops of heaven came out at the same time Aldi debuted their jalapeno and garlic stuffed olives…but if you’re ever lucky enough to stumble upon these flavors, notice something? Yeah. The blue cheese ones are typically gone, or low in supply. That’s because folks like me who are in the know have already snagged ‘em. #sorrynotsorry Not that I dislike the other two flavors, but I do have a type. And that type is cheesy. 

The photo is a bit misleading, however. Any time I’ve picked up a jar, there’s a cloudy tinge to the liquid, thanks to the cheese getting a bit too friendly with the brine, causing a slight breakdown. Don’t worry, there’s still plenty of cheese in each olive. But there’s also cheese in the liquid. Like a dirty martini? Try adding some of this cloudy magic to your vodka or gin. You are most welcome. 

As for the olives themselves, they’re surprisingly less salty than I’d expected. Brine and cheese would typically make for a pucker-inducing tang, but these are mellow. There’s a smooth umami taste to these bites, which makes it hard to stop at just one or two. These olives are made in Greece, and obviously the folks packing them know what they’re doing. The blend of salt, cheese, and olive are perfect. 

As I’ve mentioned, these help make a fantastic martini; don’t forget to save that precious liquid, even after the olives have gone.  But these yummy treats also go great with cheese sandwiches, or a charcuterie board if you’re still at the “I’m making lockdown fancy!” phase of quarantine. (Me? I’ve stopped wearing pants. But do you.) Bon appétit!