Pokémon X and Y release tonight!

Pokémon X and Pokémon Y are set to release worldwide in less than 24 hours, and with their release comes a slew of firsts for the series; it's the series' first entry on the 3DS, our first introduction to a slew of new monsters, the first time the main series eschews 2D sprites for 3D models, our first chance to customize our avatars, and the first time the games will be available in both digital and physical versions. And while it's true that X and Y are going to contain a lot of firsts, at their core, they're largely the same thing we've come to expect from Pokémon. So after nearly 20 years, is it time for a change?

In X and Y, as with all the other Pokémon games since 1996's Red and Blue, you're a novice trainer setting out to become the best, catch 'em all, and stop the bad guys. To some, for a game's core mechanics to change so little in almost 20 years might seem like a detriment, but for Pokémon, that foundation is so strong that even with the seemingly minor upgrades added with each entry, the franchise still thrives and has a larger fan base than ever before. Much like stomping on a Goomba in Super Mario or hearing that iconic "secret found" chime in Zelda, there's something so satisfying about watching that Pokéball tick, tick, tick and finally stop, signifying you've caught a new monster.

While the single player game remains a huge draw to the series, the advent of online multiplayer trades and battles has really cemented Pokémon as my favorite video game franchise. Don't get me wrong, the simple story and collection aspect is still great fun, but so much of the depth and strategy that draws me to the series now only becomes evident when you're facing another real human player. Certain monsters and moves that might have appeared rather weak at first glance suddenly have new life breathed into them when you devise and devious strategy with them to trip up your opponent. It's difficult to explain unless you're familiar with Pokémon, but at high level play, I'd say the games are comparable to even Chess in terms of the amount of strategy and mind games going on. Getting to the credits is really only the very beginning!

I plan on writing a spoilerific review once I've had some time with the game, but suffice it so say, I don't think I've been as excited for a new Pokémon since 2000's Gold and Silver, and I've played 'em all. I still remember huddling over my worn out copy of Electronic Gaming Monthly with the feature on the new games in the middle of 7th grade English. I would read and re-read every line, and analyze every screenshot and piece of art, wondering what each of these critters could do, and which would end up becoming my new friends. And because of the international release of X and Y, I get to experience that sense of wonder and discovery for the first time in a long time. I already plan on hitting up my local 24-hour retailer and getting my copy at midnight. Who can wait for morning when there are fuzzy creatures to enslave?

Sweetness Bake Shop: Bringing something a little different to Hialeah

My hometown of Hialeah, Florida isn’t exactly known as a gourmand's mecca. If variety is the spice of life, Hialeah would be some kind of bland, goopy porridge. Don’t get me wrong, we’ve got some phenomenal Latin and Cuban restaurants (though nothing beats my Cuban mama’s home cooking, naturally;) but apart from a handful of pizza places, chains like Olive Garden, your typical fast food joints, and some (below) average Chinese dives, Hialeah doesn’t stray too far from its Hispanic roots, until now. Sweetness Bake Shop opened its Hialeah location on July 25th, 2013 in the heart of the city, and with its opening has arrived a shining beacon of delectable diversity in an otherwise homogenous restaurant scene.
As its name implies, Sweetness is most famous for its desserts. In Hialeah (I'm not sure what's hot at their first location near Sunset, FL) the Latin inspired flan cupcakes and donuts are the hot ticket items. For those not in the know, flan is a gelatin-like custard desert and Sweetness’ cupcakes and donuts are filled with the stuff. I love ‘em because they’re moist and fluffy, while their standard cupcakes are a little dry for my taste. Sweetness’ other claim to fame items are the decadent maple-bacon donuts, cupcakes, and even milkshakes, all made with real pieces of bacon. While I’ve never worked up the courage to try those particular salty-sweet concoctions, the flan cupcake more than exceeds the hype. It’s no wonder that they routinely sell out on the rare occasion they’re in stock.

Yes, they’re rare. Something that sets Sweetness apart is its rotating menu. You’llalways find a few cupcake staples like chocolate, vanilla, red velvet, and the guava flavored “guayabera,” but you’ll never know when the more ambitious flavors like Flan, Irish Car Bomb, and Mangolicious will reappear.

My favorite menu item is the aptly named G.O.A.T. cookie. The acronym stands for “Greatest Of All Time,” and as soon as you take a bite into these chocolate stuffed chocolate-chip cookies (that’s no typo; they’re chocolate-chip cookies with a chocolate ganache inside), you’ll agree that their name is no mere boast. They even incorporate them into a milkshake that I have yet to try for fear of falling into a diabetic coma I wont want to wake up from. You know in movies how they sometimes have a scene of someone coming to a revelation and they're suddenly bathed in a beam of light, complete with a chorus of angels chanting? That's what each G.O.A.T. feels like. Serious bid'ness. 

If cupcakes, donuts, and cookies are too vanilla (heh) for you, Sweetness' second display case is full of slightly more off beat dessert options. Chocolate mousse, home made marshmallows, passion fruit créme brulé (complete with pyro-torch burnt sugar), flan, cake balls, guava cheesecake, banana pudding...the list goes on and on...round out the sugary selection. But I would be remiss if I didn't take a second to talk about their macarons. Or is it macaroons? Anyway, these tiny frosting coated cookies are on the pricy side ($1.50 each for barely bite-sized) but they come in so many flavors, each better than the last, that you might quickly find yourself penniless, but still walking out with a smile on your face. 

Sweetness also has an ample variety of coffees and lattés that puts Starbucks to shame. I like to dip my G.O.A.T. in their dark mocha latté when I start to feel chocolate withdrawal. If espresso or a cortadito is more your style, Sweetness is happy to comply. Their frappés are essentially milk shakes with a caffeine kick. Let that sink in. Yeah, my mouth is watering too. Even those of us on a health kick can enjoy their extensive assortment of teas. 

Healthy you say? Oh yeah, Sweetness has that covered. Now, I don't want to get your hopes up prematurely. If you're looking for a healthy dessert, I think you might leave disappointed; Sweetness isn't in the business of skimping on the sugar or butter. However, the beauty of Sweetness isn't limited to desserts. Yes! They have a small but varied savory menu! Healthy salads and sandwiches (my favorite is the chicken caprese) are available daily. So now you don't have to feel so bad about having your third home-made Oreo. I mean, you did have a salad first, right?!

The savory menu is completed with the daily specials and soups made to order on Tuesday-Friday. Depending on what day you come in, you  might have the chance to try  sliders and fries, or a Mexican quesadilla with tortilla chips, some home-made mac n' cheese, or a comforting grilled cheese and tomato bisque. Much like their rotating cupcake menu, they keep their daily specials different week to week. So it'll always be a quesadilla on Tuesday, but the ingredients will never be the same two weeks in a row. My favorite savory item so far has been their bacon n' blue burger with real crumbly blue cheese, but nothing I've tried has let me down yet. 

Same goes for the staff. I've become something of a regular, and while they never sacrifice service to another customer, the staff has become quite friendly with  me, though that might just be their inherent cheery personalities. Never afraid to strike up a conversation about anything and everything (D, you still need to try Zelda 6!) I've found myself sticking around to chat long after my last cupcake is eaten, or sip of coffee is gone. They know their stuff too. It's hard not to want to "test drive" all of the items in the store, so the staff are always handy for a recommendation whether it's your first or fiftieth time there. I would have never tried their home-made Twinkies or "Twinkles" were it not for them, and that would make me a very sad Nanigans indeed. 

While Sweetness Hialeah might not boast the larger selection and Sunday Brunch menu (soon!) of its Sunset sister store, it's still an impressive addition to the nearly barren selection of alternative restaurant options in the city. Some might scoff that a fairly standard, if not delicious, bakery could be counted as an "alternative" restaurant. To those, I say this: one of my best friends and fellow Hialeah natives literally couldn't believe this bakery was in Hialeah of all places. I have actual photo evidence of the near existential break down my buddy had. I'm not sure if that says more about Hialeah or Sweetness, but either way, get your butt down there ASAP.  

'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia' Season 9 begins tomorrow night!

Season 9 of FX's It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia premieres tomorrow night, and it caught me completely by surprise--kind of like finding a wadded up $20 in my pants pocket. Did I deserve it, or expect it? No, but it sure as hell made my day! The show has been a favorite of mine since a friend turned me on to it way back in season 4, but for whatever reason, it fell completely off my radar until just today. I had heard that the series was moving from FX to the newly relabeled FXX network. Thankfully, a quick search through my cable box's menu dispelled any fear that my Comcast package didn't carry the channel. The show will also air on Wednesdays rather than its traditional Thursday spot.

I'm excited for season 9 partly because the last couple of seasons have gotten darker (baby funerals) and even more ludicrous (creator and star Rob McElhenney purposely gained 50 lbs to make his character funnier), and also because of the premise of one particular episode, written by Game of Thrones scribes David Benioff and D.B. Weiss. A take on the beloved novel Flowers for Algernon, the aptly titled "Flowers for Charlie" finds lovable, illiterate janitor Charlie Kelly, played by Charlie Day, "taking a pill to be more smarter." I could care less about the episode's pedigree, (never watched or read GoT), but I actually almost died after reading this description. Reading the quote made me laugh so hard, I nearly choked. If the premise almost murdered me, I might need a respirator to make it through the episode. "Flowers" is also set to have a cameo by Day's Pacific Rim costar Burn Gorman. Maybe Gorman will play another scientist, maybe the one who experiments on good ol' Charlie?

Day is the clear break out star of the show, having hosted Saturday Night Live last season and appearing in Hollywood blockbusters like Horrible Bosses and the aforementioned Pacific Rim. I think the reason people have latched onto the Charlie character is that in a group like The Gang that is comprised of the most narcissistic, manipulative, greedy, and downright despicable characters to ever appear on television, Charlie is a (mostly) innocent participant in their schemes. How can you not instantly love someone who is so naïve that he confuses a "spa day" for a mispronunciation of a "spaghetti day?"

Looking at the tentative episode list, I'm tickled by two other titles. "The Gang Tries Desperately to Win an Award" seems like an obvious commentary on the fact that despite being the most consistently funny show on television for eight years, Sunny has never even been nominated for an Emmy. In a world where Sunny is ignored, and drivel like The Big Bang Theory is lauded, will The Gang ever find justice? Probably not, but that's also in keeping with the show's spirit, I guess.

"Mac Day" and its description also warranted a good chuckle. What's going to happen when The Gang has to do anything and everything Mac (played by creator Rob McElhenney) has to say? I'm not sure, but maybe Mac's idol Chase Utley will show up to set Mac straight.

Tomorrow night suddenly seems so far away now that I know I've got a new season of Sunny to look forward to. How will you pass the time until 10 PM tomorrow? Wash your Greenman costume? Play Chardee McDennis? I think I might go do some coloring, myself.