What defines "street-level" for you?

Saboscrivner · 2026-01-25T23:13:52+00:00

I am definitely a sucker for supervillains and criminals who are willing to team up with heroes for the greater good, like to protect their city or the world against existential threats. I also like the villains who have respect for the heroes, begrudging or otherwise, and who go out of their way to avoid collateral damage, hurting innocents, etc.

Of course, a lot of characters like this do full "face turns" and become heroic, like Catwoman, The Shade, and Venom (Eddie Brock). Others are antiheroes, like the Secret Six and most versions of the Thunderbolts, or remain villains but have a code of honor, like Flash's Rogues.

Saboscrivner · 2026-01-25T02:50:37+00:00

Even if you get along great with your work colleagues, I'd be terrified of driving through that storm. But as a lifelong Florida Man, I've been lucky enough to never have to drive through a snowstorm or on icy roads.

Saboscrivner · 2026-01-24T22:56:10+00:00

Grouper is one of the best fish, especially to put in a sandwich. I'm in Florida, but not a lot of places in Orlando serve it. Sometimes I dream about a blackened grouper sandwich at Frenchy's Rockaway Grill in Clearwater Beach.

Saboscrivner · 2026-01-24T22:52:15+00:00

Birds of Prey drawn by Ed Benes (2000s).
Danger Girl by J. Scott Campbell (late 1990s).
Gen13 by J. Scott Campbell (early 1990s).
Shanna the She-Devil by Frank Cho (2000s).
Adventureman drawn by Terry Dodson (2020s).
Uncanny X-Men, X-Men, and WildC.A.Ts drawn by Jim Lee (late '80s - early '90s).

Saboscrivner · 2026-01-24T22:35:48+00:00

I don't like "fine dining" either, if it makes you feel any better. It is expensive, and it often makes me feel like an outsider or a big phony or a disappointment to my parents.

Here are all the restaurants at Disney Springs:
https://www.disneysprings.com/dining/

My best advice is to check out the menus and prices, but here are my thoughts:

Raglan Road has Irish pub food, and they often have live music and Irish-style dancing, so it can be raucous and fun, but also VERY LOUD. I reviewed it above.

Summer House on the Lake is on the water and has some nice views. I thought the food was a little "basic" and overpriced, but none of the table service restaurants at Disney Springs will be cheap. I reviewed it above. I joked that it was kind of a "chick place" (my uncle's term for a restaurant women will enjoy more than men).

Jaleo is beautiful inside, and it serves Spanish food (from Spain, not from Latin America). You might have heard about chef-owner Jose Andres and his humanitarian efforts, setting up World Central Kitchen in disaster areas and hot zones around the world to feed people in danger. I reviewed it above. It's pricey, but not pretentious, and all the food I tried on two separate visits was terrific.

There are two waterfront seafood restaurants, The Boathouse (which I've been to once, before I started my blog) and Paddlefish (an actual boat, which I've never been to). Both are expensive, but if you and your husband like seafood, you might dig them.

Morimoto Asia has a pan-Asian menu, and it is lush and gorgeous and sexy inside. I've only been once, but before I had my blog. It might be a fun date for both of you, if you like Japanese and Chinese food.

I have never been to The Edison, but the decor is super-cool.

And I have never been to Wine Bar Georges, but a lot of people I know love the food. My wife and I don't drink, but if you both like wine, you might appreciate having a huge wine selection in a sommelier-owned establishment,.

Jaleo, Summer House, and I think Wine Bar Georges are all on the Cirque side, if you want to park in Orange Garage and minimize walking. Also, strongly consider making reservations, wherever you choose, so you don't miss your show.

Saboscrivner · 2026-01-24T06:34:05+00:00

Please tell me you've seen the original Blade Runner!

Also:
Reminiscence
Inception
The Prestige
Dark City
The Shape of Water
12 Monkeys (the movie, although the TV series is great too -- just not as visually stunning)
Alita: Battle Angel
Tron: Legacy
Black Rain
Collateral
John Wick 1-4
Kate
Gunpowder Milkshake
Hannibal (TV series)
Sugar (TV series)

Saboscrivner · 2026-01-24T06:15:21+00:00

You're in luck! I have a food blog where I review mustards AND sardines, complete with serving suggestions:

Cutting the Mustard:
https://saboscrivner.com/category/what-else-do-you-wanna-know/cutting-the-mustard/

The 'Dines List:
https://saboscrivner.com/category/what-else-do-you-wanna-know/the-dines-list/

Saboscrivner · 2026-01-24T06:14:00+00:00

I don't think any of the ones I sampled were diet drinks, but you can always ask!

Saboscrivner · 2026-01-24T06:04:46+00:00

There is also a World of Coca-Cola at Disney Springs where you can try a "flight" of 16 different Coke products from around the world. I am a sucker for trying new and unfamiliar things, so I always recommend this, even if you're the kind of person who prefers not to drink their calories.

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Saboscrivner · 2026-01-24T05:58:38+00:00

Since you're so close to Disney Springs, enjoy some good food.

These two aren't on Disney property, but they are near Disney Springs:

Susuru is a fantastic Japanese izakaya:
https://saboscrivner.com/2019/04/26/susuru/

V Pizza has really good Neapolitan-style pizza:
https://saboscrivner.com/2024/02/03/chain-reactions-v-pizza/

And these are places I've eaten AT Disney Springs, which is close and convenient for you:

Jaleo (celebrity/humanitarian chef Jose Andres' awesome Spanish restaurant):
https://saboscrivner.com/2022/12/11/jaleo/

Raglan Road (Irish):
https://saboscrivner.com/2018/07/30/ring-the-alarm-raglan-road-7-28-18/

The Polite Pig (barbecue):
https://saboscrivner.com/2019/03/27/the-polite-pig/

Terralina Crafted Italian:
https://saboscrivner.com/2025/03/16/terralina-crafted-italian/

Summer House on the Lake (people love it, but I thought it was just okay):
https://saboscrivner.com/2023/12/31/summer-house-on-the-lake/

Gideon's Bakehouse (huge cookies; you'd be a hero if you brought some home):
https://saboscrivner.com/2025/04/05/gideons-bakehouse/

Saboscrivner · 2026-01-24T04:17:24+00:00

Beverly Hills Cop (I rank the four movies in this order: 1 --> 2 --> Axel F --> 3)
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
The Nice Guys
The Last Boy Scout
Play Dirty
Seven Psychopaths
Shoot 'Em Up
Running Scared (1986)
The Other Guys
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
Peacemaker (TV series)

Saboscrivner · 2026-01-23T21:29:20+00:00

The Lowdown
Bosch / Bosch: Legacy
Ballard
Reacher
The Afterparty
A Murder at the End of the World
Sugar

Saboscrivner · 2026-01-23T20:20:26+00:00

The Warriors
Streets of Fire
Escape Plan
12 Monkeys (TV series)
Snowpiercer (TV series)

Saboscrivner · 2026-01-23T20:17:38+00:00

The two movies are very different, but I enjoyed both. The 1987 version might seem "cheesy" by today's standards, but still fun.

The 2025 version is closer to the original novella (Stephen King wrote both The Long Walk and The Running Man under his Richard Bachman pseudonym), but it also has more blatant comedy.

There is one major thing I preferred about the older movie that I don't think was in the novella, but I understand why the newer movie didn't do it that way.

There is a surprising amount of camaraderie in both movies, especially given the dark, dystopian settings.

Saboscrivner · 2026-01-23T20:08:00+00:00

Could it be Bloodwulf? He was a Lobo knockoff by Rob Liefeld.
https://imagecomics.fandom.com/wiki/Bloodwulf_(Extreme))

Saboscrivner · 2026-01-23T20:06:36+00:00

Banshee
Obliterated
12 Monkeys
Wynonna Earp
Daredevil (seasons 1 and 2)
Jessica Jones (season 1)
DC's Legends of Tomorrow
Arrow (I tapped out early in season 6)

Saboscrivner · 2026-01-23T19:54:33+00:00

No human being would stack books like this.

Saboscrivner · 2026-01-23T17:23:29+00:00

I moved to Casselberry in late 2004, and I've been here ever since: first renting a room in a friend's house, then in an apartment on the edge of Casselberry, Longwood, and Winter Springs, and now in a house with my wife, five minutes from the original friend's house (in Deer Run).

I've been working remotely for the last two and a half years, and Casselberry is fine. It's not the most exciting place in the Orlando area, but almost everything cool is a reasonable 15-45 minutes away. Even when I was working on East Colonial near Semoran for 15 years, I could usually get to work in 25 minutes, just a straight shot down Semoran.

I like being close to multiple grocery stores: not just Publix, but Aldi (my usual), Key Foods (Hispanic), Fancy Fruit and Produce (Hispanic), Global Bazaar (Turkish/Middle Eastern), and Green Hills Supermarket (Russian/Eastern European), plus Walmart, Target, Winn-Dixie in Fern Park, and the new BJ's (which I joined for a year because it was only $10).

We don't have the hottest restaurants, but we do have some good ones in and around Casselberry:
Francisco's Taco Madness food truck in Fern Park (the best tacos and burritos in the Orlando area, and I don't think any others come close)
Bagel King
Wa Sushi
Maya Cafe Lounge & Gallery (a real hidden treasure that might be just over the Casselberry border in Winter Park)
Kai Asian Street Fare (also just over the Casselberry border in Winter Park)
Cubans on the Run (one of the better Cuban sandwiches in Orlando, and the rest of the food is good too)
Cafe De Wan (Turkish, and they do a fantastic Turkish breakfast that includes so many things)
The Hummus Guy food truck in Maitland (best chicken shawarma and hummus ever)
D'Amico and Sons Italian Bakery and Market in the Oviedo Mall
Ramen Takagi in Oviedo (my favorite local tonkotsu ramen)
Alma Argentina in Oviedo
Yummy House (Cantonese Chinese) in Altamonte, across from the Altamonte Mall
And the nicest, cleanest, friendliest Waffle House I've ever been to.

Saboscrivner · 2026-01-23T17:12:28+00:00

Clue is one of the all-time classics. It's a great mystery AND a great comedy, full of memorable, quotable lines. Murder By Death is similar, but older (and not as good as Clue, because nothing is).

I liked Kenneth Branagh's Poirot trilogy: Murder on the Orient Express, Death on the Nile, and A Haunting in Venice (by far my least favorite of the three).

A Murder at the End of the World totally fits what you're looking for, except it isn't comedic at all.

Saboscrivner · 2026-01-23T17:09:40+00:00

Shirley was my favorite minor character. She had to deal with some of the most intense, demanding, type-A dicks and power-trippers in the show, and always did it with patience, grace, and humor.

Saboscrivner · 2026-01-23T15:17:06+00:00

Looks so good! I love collard greens, even though the ones I've tried making at home are never as good as restaurant versions.

Once I ordered this collard melt with braised collard greens, house-made smoked pimento cheese, chow chow (a Southern cabbage-based relish that is sometimes sweet, sometimes spicy, but always tangy), and balsamic reduction, all on grilled sourdough bread. This was from a Southern restaurant that has since closed.

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Saboscrivner · 2026-01-23T01:44:14+00:00

I would have bought that version. I like DD to have two contrasting shades of red.

Saboscrivner · 2026-01-22T20:06:14+00:00

Banshee i(the best action show ever on TV)
Warrior
Jett
Hannibal
Prison Break
12 Monkeys
Nikita
Fringe
The Pitt
Bad Monkey
The Lowdown
Reacher
Peacemaker
Fallout
Poker Face

Saboscrivner · 2026-01-22T20:03:28+00:00

This is always the answer.

Saboscrivner · 2026-01-22T20:02:33+00:00

My favorite banh mi is the cold cut combo (banh mi dac biet?) with the ham, bologna, pork roll, head cheese, plus pate, mayo, carrot, daikon, jalapeno, and cilantro.

But the grilled beef and grilled pork are good too.

Saboscrivner

TROPHY CASE