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| Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN AND ECLIPSE DI LUNA Ah, to be young again, and to feel all the excitement, tumult, passion, doubt, fear and immortality of youth. Actually, all of that is better the second time around seen through the forgiving haze of memory. But watching the two young men of “Y Tu Mama Tambien” (Spanish for “And Your Mother Also”) spend the summer vacation between their junior and senior years in high school on the ultimate road trip through Mexico with a sexy, older woman (older to them - She’s in her 20s) is bittersweet, touching fun. Writer/Director Alfonso Cuaron has constructed an engaging travelogue of his Mexican homeland with actors who bring a refreshing naturalness to their roles. Tenoch (Diego Luna) and Julio (Gael Garcia Bernal) are two very horny 17-year-olds bored out of their minds in Mexico City after their girlfriends leave to tour Italy for the summer. Both are looking to escape - Tenoch from his rich, repressed family and Julio from a too-small apartment shared with his overworked, single mother. When they meet Luisa (Maribel Verdu), an alluring Spanish woman unhappily married to Tenoch’s cousin, they regale her with stories of a Mexican beach paradise they plan to visit. Luisa, for complicated reasons of her own, finds herself drawn to their invitation to join them. Thus begins the road trip of self-exploration. This is where the movie really begins to charm, as we witness the heartbreaking sexual confusion of two adolescents and the pent-up passion of a woman trapped in an overwhelmingly complex life. By the end of their trip, these three have exposed themselves to each other and to us both physically and emotionally. Their entanglements, so raw and real, make for a beautiful, sexy story you won’t soon forget. “Y Tu Mama Tambien” was recently nominated for a Best Original Screenplay Oscar and is available for rent at your neighborhood Blockbuster. Having worked up an appetite reading all those subtitles, I head over to Eclipse di Luna for a little Spanish culinary fix. This is a terrific eatery for a spirited lunch with friends or a festive night on the town. Located at the end of the Miami Circle antique and design district off Piedmont Road in Buckhead, the restaurant and tapas bar celebrates its Spanish influence with live jazz and Latin music every Wednesday through Sunday night. I love the shabby chic décor and eclectic artwork. The small plates are perfect for sharing, and Eclipse di Luna’s menu is varied enough to appeal to every taste bud. We start out with the sopa de pollo castilla – a spicy Castillian chicken and vegetable soup that is a hearty complement to the cold winter day ($3.50). When we turn our attention to the tapas section of the menu, it is hard to decide between all the mouthwatering choices. There is a grilled portabella with peppers and goat cheese, olives marinated in herbs, smoked mackerel, seared Ahi tuna, steamed mussels … the list goes on. We select the calamari frito - lightly fried calamari with tomato salsa; empanada de alcachofas y queso -- artichoke and cheese in pastry; costilla espanola – Spanish-style ribs in an aged balsamic vinaigrette; and gambas al atillo – sautéed shrimp and garlic. All are delicious and, at $2.25 to $4.95, reasonably priced for a plate that feeds two. I recommend choosing five or six to share -- You can always order more. There’s also a traditional Spanish paella on the menu with fresh seafood, chicken and chorizo cooked with saffron rice. At $18, it serves at least two and is a must have. Another must-have is the chocolate cake -- a moist, gooey concoction of chocolate and caramel sauces, chunks of chocolate, pecans, strawberries and powdered sugar. Welcome to chocolate nirvana! Eclipse di Luna’s wine list boasts labels from Spain, Argentina, South Africa, France, Italy and California, all by the glass as well as the bottle. There’s sangria, beer and a full bar as well. After an evening under this restaurant’s Spanish charms, you will want to come back for more of these irresistible tapas with your friends -- y tu mama tambien! Lunch is served Tuesday through Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Dinner hours are Tuesday through Thursday from 5:30 to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday from 6 to 10pm. 764 Miami Circle, (404) 846-0449, www.eclipsediluna.com. |
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