The Walking Dead Season Two Review

SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

As I said in my review of season one – it felt like a prequel.  This season, honestly, felt the same.  Why?

I guess I will just lay out what I liked and didn’t like.

Likes :

- Shane – his character was fleshed out well and the acting was great.  Nothing to hate on this guy but he had to die.

- The acting on the show in general was really good.

- Character development – most of the main characters got the development they needed this season.  This was something that was lacking last season.

- Keeping the audience that reads the book guessing.  Sure I was pissed that Dale was killed but because that happened it threw a wrench into future storylines that could have happened.  More surprise for me = better.

- Rick being a bad ass at the end of the season.  I was worried they were going to let the Shane death slide into next season.  Glad they didn’t.

- Darryl – a creation for the show only.  He is great.  Part asshole, part hick, part hero, part Rick’s henchman, and part nice guy.  I really hope they keep him around.

Dislikes:

- The character development was good but they lost focus on the story I think.  Finding the jail, well not yet, at the end of the season was perfect timing but mostly the progression of story and how the character development, especially of Rick, was changing wasn’t story driven enough for my liking.  Basically you have to believe he, or whoever, has become this person without showing it.

- Tdog.  Seriosuly.  What is the point of this character!!!

- My biggest gripe with the show is that while they are focusing on the Rick, Lori, and Carl story they are neglecting everyone else, with the exception of Shane.  Andrea, Dale, and Greg did not get enough screen time.  Yes I understand it is a 13 episode season.  But the only character development Dale got was in the episode he died in.

- This leads directely from my last comment – not enough big characters died.  Shane yes.  Sophia, maybe but she wasn’t a character as much as a prop.  Dale, again only because of my connection with him in the books did it feel big.  Next season Tdog will die.  Why.  Because they only have him and Herschel’s blonde daughter left to kill before they start killing off actual characters.

The best parts of the books are the unpredictability of who will die.  Seriously no matter how significant a character is they could die any moment.  I have yet to get that feeling with the show.  This season again, felt better than the first, but still felt like a prequel of what is to come.

Brooklyn Brewery Brooklyn Lager

My beer choice while in NYC!

Beer : Brooklyn Lager

Brewery : Brooklyn Brewery

Brewed In : New York, USA.

Style : American Amber Lager

ABV : 5.2%

Price : Just over $3 a bottle

Notes : Available year round.

Story :  The first time I had Brooklyn Lager was actually when I was in New York City for the New York Comic Con two years ago.  Most of the weekend I was drinking bourbon to be honest, since I had a flask (or water bottle filled with booze to be precise) on me at all times, but whenever we went out for food and the restaurant had beer I've never tried I was ordering something new.  The first day there I tried Brooklyn Lager and enjoyed it.  I tried another brew right after that was not as good and I was pretty much only given those two options at most places, unless I wanted the usual mass-market beers.

Appearance : Initially the beer looks more on the golden side but once fully poured it is more of a clear amber shade.  Holding it up to the light brings back the prevailing gold colour.  It has a modest head that does not stick around very long because of the bubbles from the carbonation.

Smell : Very feint, mostly floral with a bit of malt.  Another beer that does not have much nose to it but that is not necessarily a bad thing.

Taste : It is crisp and the taste is mostly malt.  The bitterness of the floral hops doesn’t linger and the sweetness of the malts makes the finish very pleasant.

Mouthfeel : Like most lagers it has a light to medium body.  The carbonation is quite noticeable in the beer when looking at it but you don’t notice it while drinking it.

Drinkability :  I am not a fan of most lagers but this is a beer I quite enjoy, it is very balanced.  It has no overpowering qualities and is a beer I could drink all night long if need be.  This is one brewery I want to try more of their brews.  The Christmas beer they release, Black Chocolate Stout, is superb!

What I did for my birthday

Other than 15 hours of drinking....

My birthday was on the 11th but I had my party this past Saturday.  It was a great evening (well day really) filled with good friends and good fun.  Oh and maybe just a tiny little bit of booze.

Here is another photo essay (photos by Brett Enquist , Adrian Trimble , Alyson Shane or myself):

Breakfast at Stella's with Adrian !

Half Pints at Elements for lunch.

Lunch! And review here!

Dessert.

Huh?

Next stop Yellow Dog.

Before walking Portage and Main.

Popped into Bailey's for an old fashioned.

And admire the empties.

Moved to the place of great beer on tap in this city.

Mmmm King's Head fish and chips (and salad).

Enjoying.

The photographer.

Great friends.

And handsome gentlemen.

Friends sharing a moment.

More good friends.

About to sing some Oasis....

The aftermath of singing Oasis.  Good job Kevin!

The Great Burger Hunt - Elements

Campus food done right!

The fancy new University of Winnipeg science building opened up earlier this year and inside the walls, which are very pretty, opened a new place for students to fill their stomachs – Elements the Restaurant Of course it took me a year to get down to finally eat there, even with me being on campus at least 5 times a week.  But I finally got to sit down for a meal this weekend with my buddy Adrian in Elements.

This is another one of those Great Burger Hunts that was just spur of the moment.  I sat down and looked at the lunch menu, quickly debated if I wanted a second breakfast, as we went to Stella’s in the morning, but decided I should try something other than bacon and eggs.  Unsure of what I was craving: the Grilled Cheese, Taco Plate, or the Mushroom Almond Burger, I decided to make this trip to Elements part of the Great Burger Hunt.

Adrian ordered The Burger – and you can see what he said about it here , while I went the vegetarian route and ordered the Mushroom Almond Burger.  Elements doesn’t serve fries and it was too hot outside for their homemade soup so I had a side of Mediterranean Quinoa Salad instead.

The Mushroom Almond Burger is topped with lettuce, tomato, red onion, and jalapeno mayo.  Now I find most veggie burgers dry and that the toppings really make or break the burger – even with a great patty.  This one didn’t quite do it for me.  I felt like it was missing something, which is a shame because the patty was pretty flavourful.  I got the burger on a whole wheat Kaiser bun when I probably should have got it on the Focaccia bun like Adrian got his.  The fresh toppings were good but I think the burger could have used more of the jalapeno mayo to spice it up and combat the dryness of the burger and bun.

My side salad looked and tasted delicious.  Made with organic quinoa, cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, olives, feta cheese, pickled peppers, fresh lemon, and topped with oregano dressing, this salad was divine.  I’ve never had quinoa in a salad before.  Think I may need to start using it salads.

Unsure if we should leave and skip dessert Adrian and I decided to test out the Elements dessert menu as well.  He ordered the cheesecake, while I waited patiently for crème brulee.  And yes it also tasted as good as it looked.

I will make my way back to Elements one day to try the rest of the menu, and probably the burger that Adrian devoured.

What I got : Mushroom Almond Burger and salad – $9.5 (before tax)

Burger Taste : 3/5

Fries Taste : N/A (but salad was divine!)

Price Value : 4/5

Menu Selection : 5/5

Overall : 4/5

Elements

500 Portage Ave

Winnipeg, MB, R3B 2G3

204-786-9237

Unibroue La Terrible

Let’s hope it doesn’t live up to its name!

Beer : La Terrible

Brewery : Unibroue

Brewed In : Quebec, Canada

Style : Belgian Strong Dark Ale

ABV : 10.5%

Price : $6.50

Notes : Available year-round (I was surprised by this – I thought it was a seasonal)

Story : The MLCC decided to treat us at Christmas time with a couple pallets of La Terrible!  Thank you whoever decided this!

Appearance : La Terrible looks like Coca-Cola.  It is dark brown with a thick head.

Smell : The aroma is all dark fruits.  I love it.

Taste : Was unsure what to expect from this beer but it is a very strong dark fruits (raisin and grapes very noticeable) flavour like the nose; it is fairly sweet with a tinge of caramel.  This is almost like an amped of version of Trois Pistoles.

Mouthfeel : La Terrible is very smooth and medium bodied.  The lack of carbonation was a surprise for a Unibroue beer.

Drinkability : Delicious.  Tasty.  Great.  I want more.  Now.  The name - confusing!

What I did....

On International Cenquist Day!

So yesterday was my "day", or whatever.  It started as a joke and grew into something that was fun.  A bit egotistical, but very fun.  Here is what I did - in photo form!

Morning breakfast - left over pizza

Coffee with Nicole and a bacon/cheddar sandwich before studying

Wasn't long until the beer started flowing - review of this one to come

And Adrian can't seem to spread the beer evenly between the two glasses

Burgers with melted cheese and bacon strips done on the grill

These looked good

And tasted very good

Cigar time

And enjoying the sun

Same with Adrian

Darkness means it is time to hit up Lo Pub

And check out the awesome Michael Bernard Fitzgerald concert

4:00AM = pass out