CULVER'S RESTAURANT - TUCSON, AZ

This is a chain burger and frozen custard restaurant that started in Wisconsin where it is hugely popular. I read that when this Tucson eastside location opened not that long ago (the other one in tucson is on nw thornydale), culver's had the biggest opening day ever. and i don't know why.

first of all, there is inadequate room for the long wait line so many of the tables and booths up front are treated to buttocks in their faces and envious glances while eating their food . and the menu on the wall is so colorful and so full of choices and options not only for the food but also the custard that it was highly confusing for me and Bill. It was too much information presented in a jumbled fashion.

The prices are incredibly cheap. we paid about $8.00 for 2 single burgers and a large order of curly fries. But the burger didn't even come close to either Fuddrucker's or In n' Out. It was tasteless and really really thin (which is why most of their burgers are double patty offerings). Plus there was only a small amt. of ketchup, tiny squirt of mustard and only 1 small onion ring on the burger. The bun was soft and good but not any better than every other place that sells hamburgers; including even Denny's.

and the fries were a big disappointment; limp and not crispy.

Now i will try some of  their custard. They have great flavors; the featured flavor on the day we went was Andes' mint. And the cost of a pint is fairly reasonable if you buy more than one; the first one is $3.79 but all subsequent pints are only $2.

CRACKS

What a wonderful movie with a great story and suspense and tension through-out plus good acting. I vaguely recognized some of the actresses but none of the names seemed familiar.

It starts out as your usual english girls' boarding school between WW1 and WW2 with the cliques and crushes on teachers. But from this expected beginning there are twists and turns in relationships and the story and characters are developed that are a surprise.

A group of girls with a very dominant leader look up to and admire their physical education teacher. The leader of this group has a constant need to be the special one of this teacher and to be approved of and publicly admired by her.  But when a girl from Spain is enrolled in the school and the teacher starts wanting to be admired and approved of by this student; the dynamics of this triangle become complex and interesting and unpredictable. All the girls have key roles in this movie which stayed mesmerizing till the very end which was a perfect end.

The photography was superb with ethereal scenes of the countryside and the girls diving in the lake during P.E. and the school itself with its foreboding yet enchanting rooms and nooks and crannies.

Both of us gave this movie a 10. Its a video rental.

GANDHI INDIAN RESTAURANT - TUCSON, AZ

I really like this restaurant. It is never crowded and the service - though always with a quirky addition - is good and efficient. During this last visit, we asked the waiter for separate checks (we were out with Jean and Tim) and he said "well, i have to get another slip then." and he paused!  was he waiting for bill to say "oh, don't bother then; that's a long way to walk to the front of the restaurant which is all of 40 feet."? Bill told him that we would just wait till he got the other slip. wierd.

The food was very good and portions are big. immediately upon being seated, there is a big basket of thin cracker like bread with 3 dipping sauces brought to the table.  Bill and I shared 2 entrees. One was  mixed vegetables in curry sauce which was excellent and the other one was a biryani dish which is a rice dish; we ordered chicken and we have left overs for lunch. There was lots of tender chunks of chicken and the flavor and texture of the dish was excellent.

With the entrees comes a spicy yoghurt sauce, fruit, flaky moist rice and a lentil concoction. The prices are reasonable also. The only criticism i have (surprise - surprise that i have ONLY one.) is that the food is served in partitioned metal plates. Its like being in prison or back at school. This, however, is not enough to stop a return visit to this restaurant.

MOLINA'S MIDWAY RESTAURANT - TUCSON, AZ

This visit was our 3rd and the last. I finally figured out why i loved this place the first time and then with each successive visit, i was more dis-enchanted. and it was because we first went here during my friend debbie's visit in mid-May. It was such a glorious week and we were all in an uproaringly great mood that more concentration was spent on our joy rather than the quality of the food.

The prices are high for the portion size. Bill for reasons unknown but probably similar to why he loves that chicken n' waffles place and i don't, really likes the food here. Though even he had to admit that there was no meat at all on his enchilada and not much chicken in his taco.

The salsa is way way too hot and is served in a greasy and dirty ketchup squeeze bottle; yuck. The chips are cold and stale. I had a veggie burrito for $10; no rice or salad and the burrito was on the small side. It was mostly loaded with whole beans and a little bit of onion and green chilis and maybe 2 skinny slices of avocado and oozing pools of american cheese. Yuck again.

And to add to the dissatisfaction of my meal, we sat next to a family with the most whiniest and screeching and annoying and manipulative boy who was totally controlling his mom with his changing whims. Even the dad had had enough and walked out while they were still eating saying he would wait in the parking lot. We saw her carry him out after they were through and he was like 4 years old. Bill noticed the little tyke had his hand on his mother's boob.