Oh. My. God. This is one of the most genius things I have seen in a long time. Just in time for my move to a new apartment too; I can’t wait to use this. Sent to me by my good friend Jeremy, picture courtesy of whatthechrist.

I recently watched Paris, Je t’aime through Netflix because my girlfriend is a Natalie Portman fanatic and insists she watches every film she has ever been in. While I expected a sappy chick flick, I was pleasantly surprised to find it a rather pleasant collection of classy short films, all directed by very reputable directors with an all-star cast, including aforementioned Portman, Steve Buscemi, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Elijah Wood, and more.

All of these short movies take place in Paris, yet determinedly leave the viewer with an open ending. Most follow highly eclectic characters through the plots’ rising action, starting without any set-up and ending without resolution. You would think this would drive you nuts with curiosity, but the beauty of this film is that you will have a good time imagining what “might have happened.” A couple segments expand on the classic American tourist vs. crazy French people conflict; I would not advise watching it with an already-judgmental Francophobic friend. Then again, the French people aren’t nearly as weird as Elijah Wood in this film.

The indie feel, relative obscurity and heartwarming plots on the universal theme of love make this movie a fantastic choice for post-dinner-date invitations.

It’s hard to believe that I haven’t blogged in 2 weeks. I started working again after a long hiatus, and I have hardly had the time to collect my thoughts. For the same reason, not much has happened in my life and now that I told myself to blog, I am almost at a loss for a subject – except food, since I at least feed myself while working.

I learned about “Haluski” from flipping through the Food Network late at night, in an episode of Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-ins and Dives (a terrible show to watch late at night, by the way). The recipe from the featured restaurant was something relatively fancy, but it is supposed to be a simple food from Eastern Europe, with all the staples of the region like cabbage and pasta.

The version I made shortly after, proved to be too simple and delicious not to tell someone about. It is literally a young man’s best friend, requiring no cooking skills but passing for a unique and decent meal. Here’s the recipe:

• Pasta – originally egg noodles, but elbow macaroni or ziti works well enough.
• Bacon – also, originally pancetta, but who cares?
• Onions
• Cabbage
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Boil the pasta al dente (10-12 minutes).
2. Chop bacon into small pieces, and julienne onions and cabbage.
3. Heat oil in a pan and stir-fry bacon and vegetables over medium-high heat.
4. Stir in the pasta, applying salt and pepper to taste.

Done! I hear a fancy Haluski also consists of green peas, capers, carrots and assorted herbs, but if you’re looking for something quick to fill your stomach with (and doesn’t make you feel like you just ate solely for filling up your stomach), then this is your golden ticket. It truly is the dish of the proleteriat. And with that (and a glass of Glenmorangie, which I’ll have to write about sometime), good night.