For our one-year anniversary, my boyfriend Justin and I decided to go all-out when it came to dinner. I had spied the Cobalt Grille in the Hilltop North Shopping Center off Laskin Road, so that’s where we decided to go. What first attracted me was the facade. The doors at the entrance were an ornate stained-glass design, and passers-by could look in the windows to see the inside of the restaurant, which features some unique blue halogen lamps hanging from the ceiling. The hip, modern atmosphere seemed perfect for the occasion. It was beyond cool. We were late for our reservation but they held our table, so they get points for that. The atmosphere inside was nicer than I imagined. There were luxurious, velvet drapes and soft yellow lighting. Upon entering the main dining area we were entreated to notice the eclectic decor. It had a hip mix-and-match appeal, with the dominant color being (obviously) a rich shade of cobalt blue. Even the restrooms were cool. I enjoyed being surrounded by dark wood, soft lighting, and an immaculately clean environment. We were seated quickly by the hostess, who took our drink orders. (We both ordered Sprite.) Then we sat back to enjoy the atmosphere. The art on the walls was a hodgepodge of abstract, realism, and expressionism, which didn’t quite work for me. But that was the only qualm I had with the decor.

I ordered lobster bisque to start, and Justin ordered portobello mushrooms covered in a cheese sauce sprinkled with crabmeat and chives. The lobster bisque was a little powerful (not quite like mom used to make), but Justin commented that his mushroom dish was one of the best he had ever tried. For an entree I ordered filet mignons with french fries and fresh green beans. The filet was delicious, and the chef did an excellent job of cooking it to a perfect medium-well. It was trimmed of virtually all the fat around the edges, and still retained a full flavor. It was tender and filling. The only surprise was the presentation — my french fries were stacked like Lincoln Logs, with a green garnish placed in the middle. I couldn’t believe it. I thought pretentious food like that only existed in the movies, but I suppose it was a nice touch. Plus, it made for interesting conversation. Justin ordered grilled chicken topped with crabmeat and provolone cheese sauce and chives. He liked his dish, as well as the side of mashed potatoes that was included. The chicken was moist, and the crabmeat and cheese sauce was a combination he had not previously encountered, but he found it to be a pleasant surprise. The prices at Cobalt Grille usually range between $25 and $50 per person. It’s a little pricey, but you get what you pay for. The ambience was terrific, the food was delicious, and I must say, the bathrooms were quite impressive. The appropriate dress would be business casual, so leave your torn jeans and sweats at home. The Cobalt Grille would be a great place to celebrate a special occasion. For reservations, call (757) 333-3334. They also have a website accessible at www.CobaltGrille.com.

The hot new release “The Wash” hit the box office November 14, 2001. The word “hot” may be an overstatement. Since opening up November 14, different theaters around the Hampton Roads area have had an average turn out of fifteen people per show time. Call it a hit if you want to! “The Wash” stars Dr. Dre as Sean, Snoop Doggy Dogg as Dee Loc, George Wallace II as Mr. Washington, D.J. Pooh as Slim, Pauly Shore as the man in trunk during the car wash and many other names with minor parts. The movie is rated “R” but should be rated “X.” An ID is required before purchasing your ticket at the counter. It is directed by D.J. Pooh, produced by Philip G. Atwell, D.J. Pooh, and Snoop Doggy Dogg, and co-produced by Jeremiah Samuels. The plot of the movie is that rent is due for two roommates, Sean and Dee Loc and Sean is having trouble coming up with his half. He has to do something quick. Dee Loc is Sean’s best friend and roommate. Dee Loc suggests to Sean that he get a job busting some soapsuds at a local car wash down the road. But, when Sean gets to the car wash he decides to take the job opening a step further. He walks into the car wash’s office and asks to speak with the manager, Mr. Washington, the gun-toting, dominoes-playing owner of The Wash. After Sean does some smooth talking, Mr. Washington decides to let Sean become assistant manager of “The Wash” and Dee Loc’s supervisor, but is unaware that they are roommates, which will become a problem later in the movie.

Tensions begin to flare up between Sean and Dee Loc. Dee Loc suspects Sean of trying to slow his roll, with his side job of hustling weed in the car wash parking lot while working and trying to interfere with him getting his groove on in the bathroom with his women. Sean is called into Mr. Washington’s office one morning and is shown a video. The video contains evidence that his roommate, Dee Loc is stealing from the company. Sean is then caught in the middle. Should he fire his roommate for stealing or let him off easy because they are friends? Mr. Washington tells Sean that it is up to him. Sean confronts Dee Loc about what he saw on the video and it is here where tensions flare up even more. Though things are not going well between Sean and Dee Loc at this point because Sean has still not paid Dee Loc for the rent, there are bigger problems at The Wash than people smoking weed and having sex during working hours. One is the menacing phone call from a disgruntled employee who was fired and the other is trying to figure out how to get the money to pay off the kidnappers who have snatched Mr. Washington while he was opening up shop one morning. If Sean, Dee Loc, and the rest of the gang do not soon settle their differences and get the money to get Mr. Washington back, the good times at The Wash will soon come to an end. Overall, the movie is one thumb up with a half of star. The movie would be better if there was not so much nasty language and the one extreme sex scene in it. It was a hilarious movie, but not falling out of your seat. One of the funny scenes in the movie is where Officer Hoppy, Frank Chavez I, shows up and notices that something is not right. He walks in and the scene goes on for about two minutes and finally Officer Hoppy says to Sean that he is going to call for back up in case the kidnappers come back. “Sean, I’m going to call for backup, do you know that number for 911?”

Here’s an interesting comparison and contrast: Mariah Carey vs. Mary J. Blige. Where Carey’s music has rarely strayed from the pleasantries of “Butterflies” and “Rainbows,” Blige’s music has been a soul-stirring document of struggle since she debuted with songs such as “Real Love” in 1991. This fall, the cracks have finally shown in Carey’s sunny facade; meanwhile, after years of pain, Blige is sounding healthier than ever on her new album, “No More Drama.”

“No More Drama” is less volatile and less emotional than Blige’s earlier work; it continues her journey away from the problems of the heart, which began on 1999’s “Mary.” What hasn’t changed is her inner strength. This is a sick-and-tired kind of album, full of proclamations, commandments and warnings to herself and anyone who would dare tread on her feelings. Blige was one of the first singers to unearth the gospel and jazz underlying in hip-hop (up-and-comers like Alicia Keys owe her a debt); with “Drama” she takes that one step further, straying away from the percussive sound that was once her trademark. On such cuts as “Keep It Movin,” she further explores the soul and jazz riffs in her vocal ability, and is barely recognizable as a hip-hop siren. This is music that grows in depth and feeling with each listen. “No More Drama” has three great songs: the Dr. Dre production “Family Affair,” which paces the album, moves with a steady beat, very controlled, and undeniably funky. “Steal Away,” a tightly-constructed ghetto fantasy, mixes an old-soul beat with Neptunes’ new millennium sound. The album’s outstanding song, the title track, rises from a soap-opera piano beat, Blige climbs to gospel heights in her determination never to make mistakes of the past. “No more pain/No more games/Maybe I like the stress/Cause I was young and restless/But that was long ago.” Throughout the album, there is a sense that Blige is still in transition, that happiness is closer but still out of her grasp. Mary’s wonderful attitude towards life still remains. The church-woman passion, the moans and declarations that once announced her pain, are now moving towards contentment. “Drama” presents Blige more in touch with her roots, more grounded and ready for her next set of challenges, musical and otherwise, an analog soul thriving in a digital age. In a 1999 interview with Rolling Stone, Mary J. Blige said that, “All I want to do is make my pain and struggles open to the public. I want them to feel some of the same passion I feel in every song I put out. No matter how deep it gets, I will always remain true to myself and my beliefs.”

2001 was quite a year for Dave Matthews Band (DMB). The band started with the release of an album, “Everyday,” that was a radical departure from everything they’d ever done, and was rejected by many die-hard fans. These fans were later rewarded when an entire scrapped and unreleased album, known as the “Lillywhite Sessions,” was leaked onto the internet for download. The band then once again hit the road for their annual summer tour, selling out amphitheaters and football stadiums along the way. Overall it was the most controversial year in the band’s history. New fans were gained by the simplified and sleek pop sound of “Everyday,” and old fans were lost for that very same reason. So after a year like this, DMB has released another official live album. Many fans were hoping for a concert from the 2000 or 2001 tour that would include some “Everyday” and “Lillywhite Sessions” songs, but instead, the band decided to release a concert from December 19, 1998 in Chicago. This is the bands fourth live album, after 1997’s “Live at Red Rocks,” and 1999’s “Live at Luther College” and “Listener Supported.” DMB is band known for their live show. It is how they started and it is where their true talent is shown. Live in Chicago showcases this talent. But the band is not alone on this CD, they are helped out by several musicians, including longtime-collaborator Tim Reynolds on guitar, as well as jazz legend Maceo Parker on the saxophone. I found many highlights on this album. The CD opens with an amazing performance of “The Last Stop,” from the album “Before These Crowded Streets.” This song exemplifies both the tightness of the band musically, as well as Dave’s vocal skills. The song “#41”, a fan favorite, features member of bluegrass group “Bela Fleck and the Flecktones” and arguably the world’s best bass player, Victor Wooten. His beautiful solo sets this version of “#41” apart from most others I have heard. “Lie In Our Graves” is beautifully performed, and features a nice solo from Boyd Tinsley on the violin. Boyd brings great energy to the show, and during this song you can almost see him dancing like a madman around the stage. “Stay” ends disk one, and is performed for once by Dave without the backup singers, The Lovely Ladies.

Disk two starts off with an amazing cover of the Daniel Lanois song “The Maker.” Three guests play on this, Tim Reynolds, Victor Wooten, and Mitch Rutman on electric guitar. Although this concert is relatively free of DMB’s crowd pleasers and teeny-bopper favorites, the band gives in with a nice performance of “Crash Into Me.” The set is closed with “So Much To Say” and “Too Much” linked together by the previously unreleased jam known as “Anyone Seen the Bridge?” The encore starts with Dave, Tim, and drummer Carter Beauford on a seasonally appropriate performance of “The Christmas Song.” The closer for the show is once again Bob Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower,” which has been the closer for every full band DMB concert released so far. This version is fairly unique though, and features a nice intro by bassist Stefan Lessard, and a well played solo by Tim Reynolds. This CD is a masterpiece. It once again shows DMB at their absolute best, playing live. My only complaints would be that a more recent show would have been nice to hear, and also the fact that ten of the songs have already appeared on a live album. As far as the previous full band live releases go, I would put “Live in Chicago” far ahead of “Listener Supported,” but behind “Live at Red Rocks.” Be warned: this concert is not for the casual DMB fan, who I would advise to start off with “Live at Red Rocks.” But for a serious Dave Matthews Band fan, “Live in Chicago” is an absolute must-buy.