Coming Monday: Q & A with Executive-Producer, Matt Tolamach

Posted on April 24, 2020 by

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Attention film lovers, Monday, April 27 at 10:30 p.m. EST (7:30 p.m. PT) you can live stream with executive-producer, Matt Tolamach! He is best known for The Amazing Spider-Man, Venom and Jumanji.

Film lovers and film students alike, you\’ll want to check out the mind-blowing 80-second cut down of last week\’s class with THE THIRD FLOOR, the best-kept open secret in Hollywood. This Monday\’s class with Matt Tolamach is absolutely FREE and everyone is welcome!

ASU Film Spark presents
ARE SUPERHERO MOVIES CINEMA?
Q&As with Blockbuster Filmmakers!
Monday, April 27 @ 7:30pm PT
Learn from the Hollywood pros that helped bring you Avengers Endgame, The Amazing Spider-Man, Venom, Doctor Strange, Joker and more!
RSVP for ALL EVENTS at FilmSparkEvents.com
 Click HERE to visit ASU Film Spark on YouTube and watch their final livestream of the semester!
Watch past classes!
April 6: Scott Derrickson, director, “Doctor Strange”
April 13: Larry Sher, cinematographer, “Joker” & “The Hangover”
April 20: Chris Edwards, CEO THE THIRD FLOOR; Pre-Viz for “Avengers: Endgame”, “The Mandalorian”, “Star Wars Episode IX: Rise of Skywalker”
Guests subject to availability.
Live streams are part of the ASU course FMP-494: Welcome to Hollywood, but enrollment is not required to watch the Q&A!

Five Things

Posted on April 24, 2020 by

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Today is day 42 of quarantine for me and the end of week six. The governor of Michigan is expected to extend the stay-at-home order until mid-May, but some stuff may open up May 1st. This week has been an absolute roller coaster for me. On Wednesday I lost my job and had to file for unemployment yesterday. This is the first time in my life that I have had to do that as well as the first time I have been released from a position. It\’s a hard time, but I am going forward with a positive attitude because I know I have skills and will get something when the time is right. Aside from the loss of my job, Jack and I have been getting out to do a little adventuring early in the morning before people are out, I made the DoubleTree Signature Cookies (they\’re amazing), finally made the no-knead bread that everyone else has been making and celebrated taco Tuesday with homemade fish tacos – that\’s right I actually cooked fish. If you\’re in need of a mask, and like me want something cute I highly recommend Zaley Designs. She also makes super cute dog collars and leashes! The masks are absolutely amazing, I could NOT blow out a candle while wearing it and wore it grocery shopping on Monday. I hope you\’re having an amazing week and enjoy your weekend! Follow along on Instagram to see what I am up to all weekend long.

DoubleTree Signature Cookies

Posted on April 21, 2020 by

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Have you stayed at a DoubleTree by Hilton hotel before? Checking-in at a DoubleTree has become associated with the sweet smells of home since, upon check-in, every guest is offered a free, warm chocolate chip cookie.

If you have never had the pleasure of staying at a DoubleTree before, let me paint the picture of the famous DoubleTree chocolate chip cookies for you. The DoubleTree chocolate chip cookies are two-ounces each, feature about 20 chocolate chips per cookie and are served warm from the oven. The fact that these cookies are served warm, provides a pretty compelling case to enjoy the cookie before you even hit the elevator to head to your room. The DoubleTree has reported that more than 30 million chocolate chip cookies are consumed every year.
One of my favorite things to do is travel, and obviously, with everything that is going on right now, stay-at-home orders are in place to try and keep everyone safe. I am really missing getting out there and adventuring, visiting new places and just getting out there and exploring. Everyone is hunkered down in their homes, putting their baking skills to the test, and then BAM DoubleTree by Hilton for the first time ever shares the official bake-at-home recipe for the brand’s delicious chocolate chip cookies to bring a little bit of travel comfort and happiness to all our kitchens.

 “We know this is an anxious time for everyone,” said Shawn McAteer, senior vice president, and global head, DoubleTree by Hilton. “A warm chocolate chip cookie can’t solve everything, but it can bring a moment of comfort and happiness.”
Let me tell you, McAteer was correct! I was so excited to have the recipe for the DoubleTree Signature Cookie in hand, I knew that I had to make it. This past weekend I headed into my kitchen to whip up a batch of these famous cookies, and let me tell you they did not disappoint. I even went and dropped off some warm cookies to a couple of people including my parents. 
DoubleTree Signature Cookie 
(as shared by the DoubleTree by Hilton)
Makes 26 cookies
Ingredients
½ pound butter softened (2 sticks)
¾ cup + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 ¼ teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 ¼ cups flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Pinch cinnamon
2 2/3 cups Nestle Tollhouse semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 3/4 cups chopped walnuts 
Directions
1. Cream butter, sugar and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes. 
2. Add eggs, vanilla, and lemon juice, blending with mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, then medium speed for about 2 minutes, or until light and fluffy, scraping down bowl. 
3. With the mixer on low speed, add flour, oats, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, blending for about 45 seconds. Don’t overmix. 
4. Remove bowl from mixer and stir in chocolate chips and walnuts.
5. Portion dough with a scoop (about 3 tablespoons) onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper about 2 inches apart. 
6. Preheat oven to 300°F. Bake for 20 to 23 minutes, or until edges are golden brown and center is still soft. 
7. Remove from oven and cool on baking sheet for about 1 hour. *I skipped this part and moved them straight to a cooling rack
Cook’s note:
You can freeze the unbaked cookies, and there’s no need to thaw. Preheat oven to 300°F and place frozen cookies on parchment paper-lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake until edges are golden brown and center is still soft.
My note: 
These cookies are ONLY soft when they are warm. I have a friend who worked at The DoubleTree and she confirmed that the cookies are kept warm, and as soon as they are not warm they become hockey pucks. You can put a cookie in the microwave for 15 seconds to warm it up and make it soft again. I personally recommend freezing the dough into individual servings and cooking them as needed. Plus who wouldn’t want hot chocolate chip cookies each night?

Restaurant Review: Green Lantern Pizza

Posted on April 20, 2020 by

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If you don’t already support local businesses there is no better time than now to do so. With dining in being out of the question right now, many places are offering carryout or curbside only, while some have had to close for the time being to save money. My aunt was recently talking about pizza, and I said “oh my gosh, that sounds so good right now,” and she ended up surprising me with her local favorite Green Lantern Pizza.

Green Lantern Pizza has been slinging delicious pies leaving their footprint on Michigan since 1955. Green Lantern Pizza was founded when Thomas and Irene Vettranio bought an old farmhouse with its green lantern. The green lantern was a holdover from a dark time – the Prohibition era. Legend says that a green lantern in front of an establishment meant that you were able to purchase alcohol there. Today, Green Lantern Pizza offers a casual and fun atmosphere, with its original restaurant being located in Madison Heights, Michigan.

Green Lantern Pizza offers a variety of specialty pizzas or you can build your own. You will also find sandwiches, submarines, salads and sides on the menu. My aunt ordered herself the Tommy’s Super Special which comes with cheese, pepperoni, ham, mushroom and green pepper on it. She got me a build your own with cheese, green pepper, mushroom and onions on it. This was my first Green Lantern Pizza experience and let me tell you, it was absolutely delicious. Green Lantern Pizza has quickly become a new favorite for me and I cannot wait to continue to support them. Next time I want to try the BLT Pizza which comes with cheese, bacon, crisp lettuce, fresh tomato, and mayonnaise on it.

What is your favorite local pizza joint?

Five Things

Posted on April 17, 2020 by

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Yay for surviving week 5 in quarantine. Last week proved to be really hard for me, I even did online shopping for the first time – however, essentials were few and far in between. I ran out of toilet paper (worst nightmare ever) and had to ask my parents for a roll while I searched high and low for some. It seems as though everyone is still hoarding toilet paper and those of us who need it cannot actually get any.

Thankfully my mum is out of the hospital. She has a long recovery at home, but at least she is at home now. She supplied the snacks and roll of toilet paper. 

I picked up some macarons from Le Detroit Macaron before they temporarily closed. 

I made Easter dinner and made food deliveries to my parents and aunt. Dinner included Dearborn Brand Dearborn famous spiral ham (oh my gosh, so good), twice-baked potatoes, lemon and almond green beans, coleslaw and pineapple upside-down cupcakes for dessert. 

My aunt and I were discussing how we missed eating pizza and she decided to make a surprise run to Green Lantern to get us each a pizza. This was the FIRST carryout food item I have eaten in the 5 weeks I have been quarantined. 
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