The Princess and the Bodyguard (2022) [/] A pleasant made for video romantic movie. New Yorker Lexi (Emily Alatalo) has been a normal adult life for 15 years but when her royal parents come calling she has two weeks to decide whether or not accept being next in line to rule. Meanwhile she's assigned a local bodyguard, Noah (Ryan Bruce), whose charming down to earth normalcy contrasts with the high society dates her mother starts foisting on her... I like the bit where Noah can lip read and it's used to advance the plot a bit though less than I had imagined.

Backcountry (2014) [-] Canadian film. City girl Jen (Missy Peregrym) and her boyfriend Alex (Jeff Roop) go on a multi-day hike to a lake that Alex has been to before several times but not since high school. They meet a suspicious Irish tour guide (Eric Balfour) and then get lost on the way... It's an hour of buildup before the action starts but then it's over and Jen trying to get back to safety in a no-dialogue sequence. The movie poster is quite exciting with Jen hanging partway down a cliff with a bear at the top and I was expecting more of a woman vs bear story but this film was not it.

Rolling Thunder in a Gentle Land: The Vietnam War Revisited (2006) [/] A collection of essays about the Vietnam War. Articles on the history before US involvement, various articles about the US and South Vietnam side, and some articles from the North Vietnam and Vietcong perspective. Since this are essays the quality varies and all lack polish but there are different viewpoints here that you don't often get. Certainly not to be used as a first or even first two or three reads on the war. Osprey now has a 2013 edition though not sure what it changes.

Avenida Restaurant, San Mateo [/] We had delivery for a Wednesday dinner. Avenida Fried Chicken ($24) comes with french fries. Chicken & Pork Adobo ($25). Chicken Inasal ($24) is grilled half chicken. Adobo Rice ($18) is fried rice with lots of adobo sauce and pork bits. Garlic Rice ($4). It was all ok but nothing particularly delicious. A bit too expensive I think so probably won't order from there any time soon.

Trader Joe's Organic Cheese & Tomato Pizza, Family Size [/] A perfectly ok $6 cheese pizza and quite good for the price. Tactical mistake on my part since it's too big for a toaster oven so you have to cook it in a bigger oven. Possibly you can cut it in half and cook each half separately in which case the value goes up. In any case, it's a lunch for two people (or four if there are other things to eat like a salad).