Blue Jasmin & The Bloor Street Diner: Whine + Dine

What better to spend a rainy weekend afternoon than enjoying a leisurely lunch and seeing Woody Allen's latest film, Blue Jasmine, in which Cate Blanchett plays a pompous New Yorker on the brink of a breakdown after falling from high society. The exquisitely dressed "chasm of need" at the centre of Allen’s misanthropic comedy, Jasmine has become unmoored from the relationships and belief systems that have kept her tethered to reality, as she narrates her anxious inner monologue to whomever will listen. Jasmin washes down her Xanaxes with vodka martinis, or in a pinch, and Jasmine gets into a lot of pinches, a straight shot of vodka — good thing we ate first, because any later in the day, we would have needed a martini too!

Cate Blanchett and Alec Baldwin, who play Jasmine and Hal French, in Blue Jasmine

As it turns out though, we headed to The Bloor Street Diner for a light lunch, and took advantage of the restaurants great movie deal, where diners can purchase 2 cinema tickets for $15 rather than the regular $28 charged upstairs at Cineplex, conveniently located upstairs where Blue Jasmine was playing. A special treat for passing a phenomenal 1,000,000 hits on Scrumpdillyicious the night before, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to celebrate the auspicious event with a meal out and afternoon at the movies.

The interior of The Bloor Street Diner, 

located off the main concourse of Toronto's Manulife Centre

A cold Stella Artois is always a refreshing way to start a weekend lunch

The Bloor Street Diner's menu features lots of Bistro favourites

The special omelette of the day with Chicken, Pesto & Feta

The ever popular Fish & Chips with homemade tartar sauce and piping hot frites

Cineplex Odeon Varsity and VIP Cinemas with 8 screens and 4 VIP screening rooms

What would a movie be without a bag of popcorn?

Blue Jasmin Vodka Martini

Serves 4

    

6 oz Stolichnaya vodka

3 oz dry vermouth

1 lemon

Shake vodka and vermouth together with several ice cubes in a cocktail shaker, and strain into a chilled martini glasses. Garnish each martini with a curl of lemon rind and serve.