TROY Greek Cuisine
720 Main Street
Martinez, CA 94553
925.293.4077
www.troygreek.com
Did someone say Greek?
Gracie and Rockin’ Robin set out to discover the deliciousness of Greece in downtown Martinez. The space is casual and fun, the service is friendly and efficient. The food is fresh, prepared with care and the portions are generous. This family owned spot is welcoming and comfortable.
Upon entering TROY, it takes a minute to realize that everyone looks happy—the patrons and the servers are enjoying themselves. What’s there to be so darn happy about you might ask? Could it be that good food and cheer makes people smile?
Well, the garlic fries are mind blowing, the Athenian Chicken Salad with walnuts and feta is just right, the Gyros Platter with beef and lamb hits the spot.
A great place to start is the Meza Platter, which offers a bit of everything—falafel, dolmas, hummus, feta, olives and pita. The Avgolemono Soup with lemon and orzo is a local favorite and perfect on a cool night. Gracie loves the Tzatziki dip (yogurt, cucumber and garlic) which goes well with everything—on top of the Pastitsio, or in a wrap or on top of a kebab—cool and tangy, it augments all the delicious flavors. The baklava rivals the best anywhere—don’t miss it!
Full bar, beer and wine selection. Indoor seating and lovely outside patio with shade and heaters. Dogs welcome. Metered street parking.
Opa!!! Enjoy.
Begin Again
Musical/Comedy/Drama
2013
104 minutes
Rated R language, smoking, drinking
Streaming on Netflix and Amazon Prime
What a lovely surprise to find a meaningful movie with beautiful music and a young Keira Knightley and Mark Ruffalo.
Knightly plays Gretta, a singer/songwriter with a broken heart who meets Dan (Ruffalo), an unemployed, yet gifted music producer, estranged from his family and drinking heavily. Together they form a friendship and collaborate to record live music throughout public spaces in the city of New York. Gretta sings and plays the guitar while Dan organizes, harmonizes and directs. Their enthusiasm is contagious as they recruit lovely musicians and young singers from the community to participate.
James Corden, of late night TV, plays Gretta’s best friend. Adam Levine of Maroon 5, is Gretta’s ex-boyfriend—a cad with an ego, using her gifts to benefit him. Catherine Keener brings her usual extraordinary talent to her role as Ruffalo’s wife. CeeLo Green appears in character as the rapper/hip hop musician that he is, renamed Troublegum. So fun. Ruffalo, with his goofy grin and awkward clumsiness, is a pleasure. Knightley is natural and genuine and performs exceptionally—who knew she could sing? The soundtrack includes the song, “Lost Stars” nominated for several awards, including Academy Award for Best Original Song.
The film explores familial relations and questions the integrity of current day artists before ultimately bringing us a story of compassion, forgiveness and beginning again.
Written and directed by John Carney, with Judd Apatow producing, this is a light-hearted, feel good movie with charm and the pleasure of gifted actors who bring the story and music to life. The plot is unpredictable with a surprise ending. Be sure to watch through the credits!
Movie quote: “You can tell a lot about a person by what’s on their playlist.”
Movie Magic gives Begin Again 3 ½ out of 5 Moons.
