Squid Eats: Frankie's

Frankie's is a new restaurant in Burlington, moving into a building long-occupied by Penny Cluse, one of the most popular brunch spots in town for a quarter-century.  My wife and I visited for the first time a couple weeks ago.  The atmosphere is on the brighter side with white walls and lighter wood for the tables and floors.  Service is very professional.

Frequent visitors to The Squid have likely caught on that my wife and I are big fans of the bivalves.  There were several options on the menu at Frankie's.  We went with roasted oysters and a clam dish for our starters, then split a wiener schnitzel for our entree.  I'd say I liked the oysters best.

Everything was fine.  I wouldn't say anything was spectacular but it was a nice meal.  I would go again and maybe try a more adventurous entree next time.

On the Coffee Table: Marilyn Hagerty

Title: Grand Forks: A History of American Dining in 128 Reviews

Author: Marilyn Hagerty

via Amazon

Marilyn Hagerty has been writing for the Grand Forks Herald in North Dakota since the 1950s.  She's had a regular column by the '70s often, but not exclusively, about local restaurants.  She became a national media darling when her review of a newly opened Olive Garden went viral.  The review is notable for the fact that she provided an unironic reflection on a well-known chain restaurant.  

Grand Forks is a greatest hits compilation of her food columns between 1987 and 2012.  Through it all, you see the evolution of the American restaurant industry: dramatic changes in prices, of course, but also the expanding international food palette of the Heartland.  The meat and potatoes of the late '80s evolves to include established Thai, Japanese, Mexican and Cajun enterprises by the 21st century.  

I found an elegance in Hagerty's writing.  "High tea has come to North Dakota, and it's doing very well, thank you," opens one review.  You may think you write sentences like that all the time but fair reader, you probably don't.  Try reading it out loud.  It combines percussive consonants with a lilting melody.  I hear the voice of my own Nebraska relatives speaking those words and quickly grasp the subtle rebuke for my presumptions about provincial quaintness.  Hagerty is midwestern nice, clearly preferring to say something nice about every subject.  But as her son James R. Hagerty, a Wall Street Journal reporter, suggested, "If she writes more about the décor than the food, you might want to eat somewhere else."

Most importantly, after reading I feel I know a lot more about the community of Grand Forks, North Dakota.  For those of you from the world beyond the USA, North Dakota is rather infamously the least-visited state out of our 50.  It's not that it's perceived as ugly or unpleasant so much as boring and out of the way.  The prairie states in general are patronizingly referred to by many on the coasts as America's "flyover."  North Dakota, in particular, isn't en route between major population centers no matter which direction you're driving.

In truth, I now realize Grand Forks, North Dakota isn't so different from Burlington, Vermont.  And they were probably a lot more similar in 1987 than they are now.  Grand Forks is actually more populous: 59,166 to Burlington's 44,743 according to the 2020 census.  Both cities are college towns with popular college hockey teams.  Politically, of course, they're at opposite American extremes.  Vermont could hardly be a bluer state, North Dakota could hardly be redder.  Burlington is closer to larger population centers: under two hours to Montreal, just over three to Boston and just over five to New York City.  GF is under three hours to Winnipeg and just under five to the Twin Cities.  I'd certainly put money on Burlington being prettier.  But there's no denying Vermont is just as provincial as North Dakota.

As such, I've felt Hagerty's influence on my own reviews.  I expect most of you reading this are no more likely to visit my little corner of the world than I am to visit hers.  That doesn't mean I can't use my reflections to share what I love about my own community.  

I enjoyed the book.  It's not exactly a flowing, cover-to-cover read but it's certainly pleasant and charming all the way through.

Star Trek: The Adversary

Episode: "The Adversary"

Series: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Season 3, Episode 26

Original Air Date: June 25, 1995

via Memory Alpha

Our story opens with Benjamin Sisko receiving an overdue promotion to Captain.  At the ceremony, Federation Ambassador Krajensky tells Sisko of a Tzenkethi coup and delivers orders for the new Captain to take the Defiant to patrol their border.  During the mission, our heroes discover a saboteur and to complicate matters further, he's a Changeling.

"The Adversary" introduces a new storyline to Star Trek, one with long-term resonance: Changeling infiltration of the Alpha Quadrant.  Given their shapeshifting capabilities, anyone could, in reality, be a Changeling - fits right in with general, 21st century paranoia.  It provides a strong cliffhanger to close Season 3 as well. 

The writers drew inspiration from The Thing from Another World, a 1951 film adaptation of "Who Goes There?", a novella by John W. Campbell Jr.

Thoughts on Season Three

General Impressions

With The Next Generation coming to an end, Deep Space Nine became the flagship series for the franchise.  The goal for Season 3 was to build a sense of family among the principal characters.  Jake comes into his own, providing important development for Benjamin as well as himself.  The bromance between Miles and Julian becomes a vital element for both characters.  We learn of Odo's love for Kira and get broader context for both Dax and Quark.  

I'd say, mission accomplished.

Favorite Episode: "Second Skin"

Kira is kidnapped and surgically altered.  Her Cardassian captors tell her she has been living as an embedded spy for years, her cover so deep that she wasn't even aware of it.  The story idea alone is amazing.  But it's Nana Visitor's performance that truly sells it.  Her growing self-doubt is thoroughly convincing.  It's a shame this story wasn't pursued in future episodes.

Least Favorite Episode: "Visionary"

Season 3 hit a low ebb for a three-episode run beginning in February 1995.  My guess is that with Voyager's launch in January, a significant amount of creative energy was going towards the new series at Deep Space Nine's expense.  "Visionary" was the second of the three.  It's a time travel story, nearly always problematic for me.  

Worth noting, even weaker DS9 episodes frequently have redeeming elements.  In this case, we get the introduction of darts as a story motif and a satisfying bar brawl.  

Favorite Recurring Character: Garak

Naturally.  But that's not to say there isn't an ever-growing number of strong contenders.  One of DS9's great strengths is the depth of its bench.  Rom is the strongest runner-up in Season 3.  He starts standing up to Quark for the first time and the long-term benefits are considerable for all of us.

Favorite Blast from the Past: Gowron

via Movie Morgue Wiki

Speaking of great recurring characters, Gowron makes his first DS9 appearance on "The House of Quark" after four on NextGen.  Even better, he gets a comedic moment, rolling those amazing Gowron eyes as he listens to Quark's explanation of Klingon financial scheming.  The Klingon Chancellor will become a more important character on DS9 than he was on TNG.  

Favorite Guest Actor, One-Shot: Mary Kay Adams

via Memory Alpha

Also in "The House of Quark," Adams plays Grilka, briefly Quark's wife.  Watching her, my wife said, "I like Klingon women."  Adams had particularly gracious things to say about her Star Trek experience, included in my post on the episode.

via Headhunter's Holosuite Wiki

Onward

An old friend is coming back.

Squid Eats: Copper at Dorset

Copper at Dorset is a take-out and catering only restaurant in South Burlington, Vermont.  Pertinent to our story, they also have a food truck.  In fact, they were the featured food truck at the Vermont International Film Festival, where we spent much of the past two weekends.

My sandwich in the box there is the Waterside: herb roasted chicken, bacon, avocado, cheddar and ranch on ciabbata.  It was quite nice - a bit goopy but nice.  Maybe a little more seasoning from somewhere - basil, perhaps? 

I'd try them again.  On site, they have both frozen and hot meals to take home.  Chicken and biscuits sound nice.

Star Trek: Facets

Episode: "Facets"

Series: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Season 3, Episode 25

Original Air Date: June 12, 1995

via Memory Alpha

Jadzia performs the zhian'tara ritual in which she meets each of the Dax symbiont's previous hosts.  She asks each of seven friends - Benjamin, Kira, Odo, Bashir, O'Brien, Quark and Leeta (in her second of 16 appearances) - to embody one of the previous hosts in turn.  Meanwhile, Nog takes the Starfleet entrance exam.  

The Dax story is highly rewarding.  The idea of exploring "previous lives" is a popular fantasy in our own world, of course - white culture's egocentric oversimplification of an ancient Hindu belief.  Moving right on past that, Jadzia's relationship with the previous hosts runs deeper.  They're not exactly dead.  In a sense, they live on through the symbiont and, at least for the moment, through her.  As she meets each one, she learns more about what they all added to the complete being that is her current self.  Perhaps the more meaningful equivalent is meeting one's own ancestors, a fantasy I'll admit to entertaining myself.

However she gained her complexities, Jadzia has been one of DS9's most dynamic characters from the beginning.  I find her confrontation with Curzon (via Odo) regarding his original rejection of her as an initiate especially interesting from a broader, behind-the-scenes Star Trek perspective.  Curzon admits to falling in love with her - and being in love with her still.  He rejected her from the program because he was in love with her.

Well, isn't that interesting?  A man in power blocks the career progress of a woman.  His own infatuation with her prevents him from seeing her as someone with independent value.  Curzon repeatedly refers to Jadzia as a "little girl" even though he has only ever known her as an adult woman. (He apologizes for that - sort of)  His feelings of vulnerability lead him to see her as a threat through no fault of hers.  The frequently terrible treatment of female actors on The Next Generation is well documented.  One can't help but wonder if writer René Echevarria is unconsciously revealing all-too-typical male attitudes, within Trek's production staff, within the industry, within broader society.

"Facets" provides meaningful development for three recurring characters: Rom, Nog and Leeta.  Leeta (Chase Masterson) only became one of Jadzia's "best friends" because Rosalind Chao (Keiko) was unavailable.  Leeta will become more important moving forward, a fine example herself of a female character growing into more than just a pretty face.

Food Notes

At the bar, Curzon (Odo) orders Tranya, the same drink offered by Balok in the original series classic, "The Corbomite Maneuver."  The original prop was actually grapefruit juice.  There are numerous online recipes, including this one.  

Root beer is mentioned for the first time on DS9, the beginning of a running gag.  For Quark, the drink is emblematic of his general disappointment in human taste.

Acting Notes

via Memory Alpha

Jefrey Alan Chandler played the role of the Trill Guardian who guides Jadzia in the zhian-tara.  It was Chandler's second of two Trek appearances within just a few months, having also been in Voyager's "Emanations."  Chandler was born in New York City, September 9, 1944.  He graduated from Carnegie Mellon University.

Chandler made guest appearances on several television series, including Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law and ER.  Films included La Bamba, In the Mood and Iron Will.  He died of liver failure in 2001.

Squid Eats: Trattoria Delia

Trattoria Delia is an upscale Italian place in Burlington, Vermont.  My wife and I went on a recent Saturday night after two movies at the Vermont International Film Festival.  We were seated in a little nook not far from the front door which provided a view of the entire restaurant, great for people watching.  We were grateful to have a reservation as we saw many turned away at the door.

I had Brasato di Manzo (braised short-rib) while my wife had the Pesce del Giorno (fish of the day: halibut, in this case).  We split an order of tiramisu for dessert.  I naïvely asked for a sharp knife for my beef.  It was plenty soft enough to tear apart with just a fork.  We both cleaned our plates.

Service was friendly and professional, maybe a touch slow.  We got impatient for dessert.  Decor is dark wood with low ceilings, though still providing a surprisingly open space.  Our guess at most of the clientele was University of Vermont (UVM) parents in town, taking their kids and their kids' friends out for a nice dinner.  There was a lot of that this weekend.  Because of the spectacular fall colors, Vermont is a popular destination in October and if you can spend some time with your kids, too, why not make the trip?

Star Trek: Shakaar

Episode: "Shakaar"

Series: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Season 3, Episode 24

Original Air Date: May 22, 1995

via Memory Alpha

Kai Winn, Bajor's spiritual leader, has now also been appointed First Minister.  She pays Major Kira a visit and asks a favor.  Kira hates Winn, blaming her for the death of Kira's lover Vedek Bareil among numerous other offenses.  What's more, helping Winn involves confronting an old friend of comrade of Kira's: Shakaar Edon, her former leader in the Resistance.  Shakaar stole soil reclamators and Winn wants them back.  Reluctantly, Kira agrees to help for the sake of the greater good.

"Shakaar" is our best Bajoran political story in a while.  As ever, Kira's conflicted loyalties drive the narrative, though this time, at least, Commander Sisko supports her adventure all the way through.  

Acting Notes

via Charmed Wiki

Diane Salinger (no relation to the famous author that I could find) played the role of Lupaza, another former member of Shakaar's and Kira's Resistance cell.  Salinger was born January 25, 1951 in Wilmington, Delaware.  She will return as Lupaza in Season 5.

Salinger is best known as Apollonia, one of the fortunetellers in Carnivàle.  She also had recurring roles on The Young and the Restless, Salem and Ronstadt.  Films include Pee-wee's Big Adventure, Batman Returns and Pee-wee's Big Holiday.