Mr. Frank's New Business Venture

Mr. Frank: Welcome to Frankie's Snack Shack.

Lilly Faye: You're running a drive-thru restaurant out of your bedroom window now, Frank?

Mr. Frank: It's a walk-up, not a drive-thru. It's just for the summer. What'll you have, Doll?

Lilly Faye: I guess it is rather convenient, since you're located right next door. I'll have a vanilla soft serve in a cone, please.

Mr. Frank: I'm a gourmet chef, I don't do plain vanilla cones. I've got Watermelon Pistachio, Jalapeno Lime, or Carrot Cardamon in a dish.

Lilly Faye: Oh. Well, I guess I'll take Watermelon Pistachio, then.

Mr. Frank: That'll be twelve dollars.

Lilly Faye: Twelve dollars! That's highway robbery! I'm your fiancee, shouldn't I get a break?

Mr. Frank: Sorry, Doll. If we're gonna get married, I've gotta earn some extra cash.

Lilly Faye: Grrrr....

Canine Bride: The Magazine Interview

Canine Bride Magazine is pleased to welcome newly engaged couple, Lilly Faye and Mr. Frank, to our monthly interview column, She Says, He Says.

Canine Bride: Lilly Faye, congratulations on your engagement to Mr. Frank! Tell us how you two met.

Lilly Faye: Thank you! Frank and I crossed paths a few times while I was engaged to my beloved Jakey Wakey, the greatest Briard who ever lived. Sadly, Jakey passed away before we could be married. I was just getting used to being single again when Frank moved in next door. He made a big play for me right away. He's so sweet and protective, I couldn't help falling for him! I knew he was serious in November, when he asked me to be his girl.

Canine Bride: Frank, is that how you remember it?

Mr. Frank: I was dating Crystal the Basset Hound back in the old neighborhood. When I moved, I left Crystal behind. I could tell Doll Face was interested in me from day one. She kept coming over whenever I was outside, striking a pose, obviously hoping I would notice her. She's a little spitfire. I gotta admit it, I was flattered.

Canine Bride: We're thrilled that you two are officially announcing your engagement in our magazine. When's the wedding?

Lilly Faye: As soon as possible! I have Dizzie, my blog intern, working on a guest list right now.

Mr. Frank: I favor a long engagement. What's the rush? Heh, heh.

Canine Bride: Have you given any thought to the type of wedding you want? How many attendants, that sort of thing?

Lilly Faye: I've waited all my life to get married. I have my heart set on a big, formal affair with all the trimmings! I expect Frank to ask Dizzie to be his best man. I'd like my friend Cali to be my bridesmaid, and Alfie Cat has volunteered to be the ring bearer. I just hope Alfie doesn't run off with the rings.

Mr. Frank: I was thinking of something small and quiet. My sister, Ceecee, is the only one I want standing up for me. She's my best friend and confidant. We do everything together.

Canine Bride: I hope that doesn't include the honeymoon! 

Tell us a little bit about yourselves.

Lilly Faye: I'm a model and life coach, but I'm best known for my blog, A Poodle Looks at Life.

Mr. Frank: I'm a musician, chef, and entrepreneur. You may have seen me with my tuba, busking in front of Trader Joe's. I also accept private gigs. My goal is to open my own upscale restaurant where I can be both the head chef and the headlining musical act. For the time being, I operate a chili cart downtown in the winter, and I've opened a couple of pop-up restaurants.

Canine Bride: Our thanks to both of you. We hope you will let us know when you set the date!

Mr. Frank: I'd just like to add that I can be reached at Mr. Frank on Woofer and Dogspace, for all your catering and musical needs.

Lilly Faye: Not now, Frank.

Editor's Note: The bride-to-be is wearing Carolina lace from Barcelona, Spain, and a triple-strand pearl necklace that belonged to Mr. Frank's great grandmother, Francis.

An Official Engagement

Lilly Faye: Hey, Frank! Remember me telling you I've been invited to model a wedding gown?

Mr. Frank: Uh, huh.

Lilly Faye: The editor of the bridal magazine called me today. She'd like to put me on the cover of their next issue, and include you in an interview inside the magazine, but only if we're officially engaged. What should I tell her?

Mr. Frank: Gulp!

Lilly Faye: It would be great publicity.

Mr. Frank: Hmmm. Maybe it would help me get more catering jobs and music gigs.

Lilly Faye: I meant it would be great publicity for the blog.

Mr. Frank: Oh, right, the blog.

Lilly Faye: You were the one coming on strong from the beginning, Frank. You gave me your grandmother's pearl necklace for Christmas, and you asked me to be your girl. Why are you getting cold feet now?

Mr. Frank: You're right, Doll. My heart belongs to you. We might as well make it official and go public with our engagement news.

Lilly Faye: Frankie, you've made me the happiest girl in the world! I'm engaged to be married! I'm going to savor every moment of it.

Mr. Frank: I'm glad to hear you say that, Doll. Then you won't object to a long engagement.

Lilly Faye: Grrr....

Lilly Faye's Movie Review: Still Alice, starring Julianne Moore, Kristen Stewart, and Alec Baldwin

Dear Readers,

In Still Alice, Julianne Moore plays a professor of linguistics diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's Disease at age 50. Still Alice does a good job of showing the progression and the devastating effects of the disease from both the patient's and the family's point of view. Of course, no movie can fully portray the prolonged heartbreak the disease causes in real life.

The movie is based on the novel, Still Alice, written by Lisa Genova, who has a Ph.D in Neuroscience.

Julianne Moore has won many awards for her performance in this movie, including a BAFTA, a Golden Globe, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and an Academy Award.

Dizzie: She did an excellent job, but the role was well within her capabilities. I don't think it was a big stretch for her, Boss.

Lilly Faye: That's what happens with an actor as good as Julianne Moore, Diz. She makes it look effortless. I thought she gave a moving and sensitive performance.

The real surprise was Kristen Stewart, who plays Alice's youngest daughter. This was her best performance, by far. Maybe she learned a thing or two from working with Julianne Moore.

Frank, please tell everyone what you made for dinner.

Mr. Frank: Pan-fried sockeye salmon sauced with brown butter, capers, and slivered almonds. I served it with new potatoes, and a wedge salad consisting of iceberg lettuce, avocado, and dried cranberries, topped with blue cheese dressing.

Dizzie: I'm sorry, Frank. I don't get the excitement over wedge salad. It's just a big chunk of iceberg lettuce.

Mr. Frank: It's a mid-century classic that's back in style. Huff.

Alfie Cat: I loved the salmon, and the whipped cream on the fresh berry parfait.

Dizzie: I missed my chips. Why can't we have chips every night?

Lilly Faye: I loved every bite of the entire meal, Frank.

Mr. Frank: Thanks, Doll.

Lilly Faye: You can watch the trailer for the movie by clicking here:  Still Alice.

Time to rate the movie, boys!

Dizzie: I give it One and a Half Paws Up!

Mr. Frank: Two Paws Up! I liked that many of the scenes revolved around food.

Alfie Cat: Two Paws Up! I stuck around for it, so it must be good.

Lilly Faye: Two Paws Up! The acting was excellent all around.

Dear Readers,

Still Alice is very well done, and definitely worth seeing if you're a teenager or an adult. I don't think younger children would get much out of it.

While it isn't an uplifting film due to its subject matter, Still Alice isn't nearly as grim as I expected it to be, either.

Love,

Lilly Faye

Second Thoughts

Mr. Frank: I don't think Doll Face is outside today, but let's stick close to the house, just in case.

Ceecee: I thought you wanted to be together.

Mr. Frank: I do! But when I saw her reading that Bride magazine the other day, my entire future flashed before my eyes. I suddenly realized if we were married, she'd be telling me when I could practice my tuba, and making me watch all those chick flicks she likes, and I'd never be able to save enough money to open my own restaurant.

Ceecee: Maybe you're misreading the situation, Frank. You're basing a lot on one magazine.

Mr. Frank: It was a bridal magazine! What else could it mean?

Ceecee: You need to discuss this with her, not me.

Lilly Faye: Hi, Frank! I've been looking all over for you!

Mr. Frank: Aaaahhhh! You scared me, Doll. You shouldn't sneak up on a fellow like that!

Lilly Faye: Why did you run off so fast the other day?

Mr. Frank: Umm...well....

Ceecee: Tell her the truth, Frank.

Mr. Frank: When I saw you reading that Bride magazine, I got cold feet.

Lilly Faye: I've been invited to model a wedding gown. I was checking out the latest styles before I give them my answer.

Mr. Frank: Is that all it was? What a relief! Heh, heh...heh, heh, heh....

Lilly Faye: A relief? Does this mean you don't want to get married?

Mr. Frank: Gulp!