 |
 |
 |
|
||||||
 |
|||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "School of Rock" and Food 101 Typically, substitute teachers are no more than glorified babysitters who seldom accomplish any real learning in the classroom. However, in his new movie, School of Rock, Jack Black breaks the mold and turns his teaching stint into a humorous and successful gig. Black, in his off-the-wall, spontaneous style, shines with no other marquee actors and a cast of fresh-faced kids who help make School a very funny movie. Slacker musician, Dewie Finn (Black), creatively finds his way into the classroom by pretending to be his roommate, Ned Sneebly. With no teaching experience and even less ambition (except for a paycheck), Black spends his first day on the job daydreaming about his garage band and watching the clock tick away until the final bell rings. However, this all changes when he realizes that the kids have musical talent, though maybe not any real musical inspirations. Thus, the class project is born: create a rock band good enough to compete at the local “battle of the bands” competition. Pushing traditional reading, writing and arithmetic to the side, Finn takes the kids through lessons such as history of rock and music trivia. Every student has a role in the band, from the groupies, to the lighting team, to the lead guitarists. The project is hush-hush however, because the kids are at one of the best private schools in the state and their square principal (Joan Cusack) would never approve. This inconvenience makes for more fun as the band and Finn find innovative ways to avoid sinking the project. Ultimately, the band does get to compete at the battle, and they put on the performance of their lives; all the while showing their stuffy parents that music can be a worthwhile pursuit. The movie, set against a soundtrack of Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix and AC/DC, is a music lesson for anyone watching. Black’s quirky, goofy sense of humor finds a welcome home in this very funny movie--it isn’t hard to imagine Black performing a real-life School stunt. His performance, though, should not overshadow the cast of characters of the school class. A somewhat realistic group of kids that have talent, but aren’t necessarily rock stars, gives the movie a certain charm. It’s a nice combination that makes School of Rock just a little bit believable, and makes most of us wish we had a substitute like Mr. Sneebly. With school on the mind and nothing in my stomach, I enrolled in Food 101, the Roswell Road home-cooking haven. I was looking to get schooled in the way of innovative American cuisine, and Food 101 did not disappoint. The cozy, fabric-lined booths, warm hardwood floors and dim lighting proved hip, yet welcoming. Food 101 is known for its food “like mama used to make,” but I assure you, my mama could learn something from this Sandy Springs eatery. The restaurant offers classics such as chicken alphabet soup and classic Yankee pot roast, and tasty originals like blackberry barbecue Ashley Farms chicken (entrees ranging from $13 - $26). The food, hearty with rural roots and urban polish, has just as good presentation as it does taste. With Jack Black’s less than desirable physique in mind, I began my meal with a health lesson—the Georgia arugula salad. The pistachio dressing provided a welcome diversion from the standard house salad, and I was ready for my next class—the entree. Like any good southerner, I ordered the buttermilk fried chicken. Unlike greasy school cafeteria fried chicken, Food 101’s home-grown version was much more than tolerable. The entire plate, with southern slaw, mashed potatoes and green beans, burst with flavor and warmed my soul. For dessert, I ordered warm Belgian waffles that came to my table dripping in almond toffee crunch ice cream. I closed the book on ever hoping to make an equally tasty treat. Not to be outdone by the food, the Food 101 service is friendly and efficient, and the room is filled with an inviting chatter. Like its 101 Concepts siblings (Mangia 101 and Meehan’s Ale House in Vinings and Alpharetta), Food 101 is a classic neighborhood joint that makes you feel like you learned something about food, fun and atmosphere. Food 101 is located at 4969 Roswell Road in the Belle Isle Square Shopping Center. Lunch is served Monday through Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Dinner is available Sunday through Wednesday from 5:30 to 10 p.m. and Thursday through Saturday from 5:30 to 11 p.m. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
.jpg)
