This past wednesday I celebrated my 26th birthday. I still feel the same, which is about 20, and Vanessa jokingly said I act 13. She did treat me to a wonderful dinner at The Texas Roadhouse, and she also sent a great gift basket full of snacks to my work. Yes, she is indeed the greatest.

This weekend, Vanessa and I along with my parents went to San Antonio to meet my brother and his girlfriend. My brother and I share the same birthday. 22 years apart. Let that sink in a bit. I also have another brother who is 21 years older than me. Well, my brother is usually a early sleeper, so Vanessa and I met up with the friend that re-introduced us the year after we graduated. A friend that I’ve had since first grade. A fellow by the name of Dannis. That’s not a typo, that’s his name. It’s spelled with an A. He’s been living in San Antonio since 2006, and he knows his way around the town. Friday night and last night he took us to the Alamo Drafthouse there. I’d heard of it, but I’d never been to it.

It’s movie nerd heaven. Awesome paintings, a comic shop, a bar. Friday night we saw Edge Of Darkness. Great Mel Gibson movie that we saw while we enjoyed pizza and sodas along with a nice pint. What they do is they have you write on a piece of paper what you want off the menu, and a waiter or waitress brings it to you later on. They also keep the tab going if you want anything else. What is also cool is that there is not row after row of seats. There’s a row, and then right in front of the row is a table for you to set your food and drinks on. Also gives you good leg room.

Another great thing is that they show vintage commercials and themed movie trailers for whoever is starring in the film. That is such a great thing to do, and out does the slideshows they show before a move starts, and also those Behind The Scenes type things.

Saturday night we saw the sold out last showing of Shutter Island. We didn’t have much else to do that evening, so we spent about an hour before the movie started at the bar drinking Margaritas and chatting up a storm. Then we got in line to be seated and when we got seats, they started showing a vintage commercial for the ratings system with Charlton Heston explaining them! Then a commercial for Martin Scorsese’s first movie Boxcar Bertha and The Departed, as well as an interesting movie I’d like to see one day called The Secret Of Magic Island. It’s supposed to be an entire cast of animals trained to do things like people.

I know that Synapse does 42nd Street Forever vintage trailer compilations (I own the first volume) and I know they recently did one for the Alamo Drafthouse. I’m certainly going to be ordering it now, that I found that some of the vintage trailers, concession commercials, and the Charlton Heston ratings explanation promo are on there.

This was an awesome birthday celebration weekend, and I was glad to spend it with the people that I care about.

Rene’s song of the day: “It’s Only Love” by Burt Bacharach.

Thanks for reading my blog and see you next time!