Friday, April 17, 2015

Friday Fave: Dragon Bowl in Atlanta

Happy Friday!  My Friday Fave this week is Dragon Bowl restaurant in Atlanta.  This is a casual restaurant near Emory University.   They specialize in bowls.  The daily specials and featured vegetables are all written on blackboards, as pictured below.  You order at the counter.
My friend and I started our meal with Samosa Spring Rolls.  These spicy little rolls include curried potatoes and onions.  The dip is yogurt with tamarind seasoning.
I like the build your own bowl option.  It features your choice of rice or noodles, protein, and two vegetables.  My bowl (below) had vermicelli rice noodles, grilled tofu, grilled carrots, and sweet potatoes.   It was delicious!
I am vegetarian and LOVE that everything is clearly labeled here.  Vegetarian foods have a green leaf on the menu, and even the sauces are labeled.   Their homemade Teriyaki sauce is my favorite.
Now that I am craving Asian food, I'll wish you a great weekend!  As always, would love to hear from you in the comments, below.   

Book Review: Aoleon The Martian Girl: Part Four by Brent LeVasseur

Book Details:

Book Title: Aoléon The Martian Girl: A Science Fiction and Fantasy Saga - Part 4: Illegal Aliens, written and illustrated by Brent LeVasseur
Category: Middle-Grade, 139 pages
Genre: Science-fiction and Fantasy
Publisher: Aoléon Press
Release date: February 1, 2015
Available for review in: PDF
Will send books: Internationally
Tour dates: April
Content Rating: G

Book Description:

Aoleon and Gilbert have become the Luminon’s top priority in stopping the Martian resistance movement, and after being chased by the Royal Paladin Guard, they are forced to flee the Martian Megalopolis. Aoléon, Gilbert and Zoot escape with the help of Bizwat and his newly found friend, Helios, a first generation soldierbot.

After their saucer is destroyed, they crash land somewhere in the deep Martian desert, and they set out to locate Kyrios and the secret base where Aoleon’s parents are being held captive.

After battling the forces of nature, starvation, a Klyklon dust storm, (and not to mention a giant slor that almost swallows them alive), they finally make it to their destination. However, after Kyrios gives Gilbert some basic training to develop his budding psionic power, they learn that their journey is far from over.

Will Aoléon, Glbert, Bizwat, Helios, and Zoot be able to rescue Aoleon’s parents and stop the Martian invasion of Earth in time?

Read part 4 to find out! 

Book Review:

Aoléon The Martian Girl: A Science Fiction and Fantasy Saga - Part 4: Illegal Aliens picks up where Part 3 left off.  Gilbert and Aoleon go to the Space Academy to meet with Bizwat.  They both realize that their parents are in jeopardy.  Aoleon's parents are in prison, and an attack is being planned against Terra (Earth) which would jeopardize Gilbert's family.  They have to move quickly to save their loved ones.  With the help of Bizwat, they make a plan.

The action in this book is quick and exciting.  Descriptions are vivid, and lively dialogue also helps move the story along.  

Cerebrus is a frightening villain and foe in this book.  Action is both described and shown in spectacular illustrations.  I think any young reader would be captivated by the pictures in this book.

Part of the action takes place on Earth.  It is interesting to see Lumion spies looking for milk in places like Nebraska farmland and the New Jersey Turnpike.  It is also interesting to see the White House and military attempt to discover what is happening and try to intervene.  There are more political overtones in this book than in previous parts of Aoleon's story.  

I always find the differences in Martian life and Earth interesting in the Aoleon books.  I was very taken with the description of chiron (animals big enough to ride), as well as the great illustrations of these animals.

As the characters have grown and matured over the series, the descriptions of their daily lives have too.  For instance:  "Aoleon hummed a strange and beautiful song that made Gilbert miss his home even more.  Soon, they fell asleep from exhaustion.  The next thing Gilbert knew, it was morning. Unlike Earth, where there is a predawn glow before sunrise, on Mars in a moonless sky, the transition from night to day is much more pronounced."

Details in the book continue to fascinate, like Kyrios's rock house, with rock tables and chairs and levitating platters of food and beverages.

The book moves briskly to an exciting cliffhanger.  I believe that young readers will move along, too, and be eager to read the next installment in Aoleon's story.

Book Trailer:

Buy the Book:

Buy The Martian Girl Song!

Another World - Single

Featuring Élan Noelle

Download on iTunes




Meet the Author:

Mr. LeVasseur enjoys crafting good stories based on lovable characters designed to translate well to multiple media formats such as books, games, movies, and toys. He lives in New York when he is not commuting between Southern California and Olympus Mons, Mars. His hobbies include writing, 3D animation, musical composition, and intergalactic space travel. He also enjoys various sports such as skiing, running, and exospheric skydiving.

Connect with Brent: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Aoléon: The Martian Girl 
I received this book from iRead Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.