NORMS gives Inception two Steaks up!

Inception is one of those movies that after seeing it and leaving the theatres, you’re left thinking about everything that just happened.

Inception was written and directed by Christopher Nolan, a man who is no stranger when it comes to mind-testing movies and stories, is said to have been writing the script for Inception since he was working on Memento. Inception is the type of summer blockbuster you don’t see often. It’s the kind of movie that not only wow’s your senses visually and acoustically, but also pushes your conceptions of reality and the dream. It’s the type of movie you cannot really explain to anyone, nor can you spoil the ending, because it’s all about the process. The process of getting to the climax of the film is where the fun, excitement, and mystery of the film reveals itself.

Visually, there is nothing close to the cinematography and visual effects that you will witness in Inception. Specifically in IMAX, where Christopher Nolan has has a history of using the IMAX screen to it’s fullest capacity in The Dark Knight.

NORM recommends you go see this movie – in IMAX, if possible – as this could be Christopher Nolan’s best work yet. And then afterwards, go to NORMS and discuss what you just saw!

Check out the LA Times review below for more infomation about the movie!
LA Times Reviews Inception

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Meet Café Bill.

Café Bill has been going to NORMS most of his life. One memory Cafe Bill remembers vividly is spending the day of 1994 Northridge Earthquake with us at NORMS. When Cafe Bill could not get any news at all about the Earthquake, he walked down to NORMS. NORMS was still serving customers and Cafe Bill felt comforted he found a place in a time of tragedy that he could sit and “talk”. While Cafe Bill has a special place in his heart for NORMS, NORMS is honored that Cafe Bill is part of the NORMS family. Hey, Cafe Bill, NORMS is ALWAYS here for you.

Cafe Bill also loves NORMS delicious food and personal service. (his words, not NORMS!)

He likes his food cooked a particular way and NORMS delivers! Just another one of our Customer Feedback spotlights.

Café Bill’s favorite NORMS item is the Mushroom Smothered Beef Steak – Mushrooms and Grilled onions served smothered with rich gravy and topped over a 1/2 pound USDA Choice Chuck ground beef… But hold the onions and gravy. Anyway you like it, Cafe Bill!

Watch the video below and head to NORMS. We’ll deliver your favorite item just the way YOU like it!

PS…Cafe Bill’s favorite is not a main menu item BUT NORMS has a HUGE selection sure to make you smile and your stomach say Thank You!

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NORMS wants to hear from our family and friends because we want to make NORMS an even better place to dine (if that is possible )!!!!!!!

The following is the schedule:
On Monday July 19 from 10AM to 12PM we will be at NORMS Orange.
On Monday July 19 from 1 to 3 we will be at NORMS Downey.
On Wednesday July 21 from 10AM to 12PM we will be at NORMS Huntington Park.

For your time we will give you a $20.00 off coupon.

We will be RANDOMLY selecting 15 people. So, if you are available on those days and want to talk, click the link below and it will pull up your e-mail so you can let us know you want to participate. Also, please let us know what time you are available on those days.

Thank you in advance and we hope to see you.

normsrestaurants@gmail.com

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Spain-Germany Preview
Spain versus Germany: It’s a rematch of the 2008 European finals. Here’s our take on the match.

What’s on the line:

Three-time champion Germany will be going up against a Spanish side with a long history of World Cup underachievement in the tournament’s second semifinal in Durban on Wednesday. Spain entered the competition as co-favorite but has looked short of its best. Germany, meanwhile, has been dynamic from the very beginning, playing arguably the best soccer of the tournament in hammering both England and Argentina. Given the quality on display, it’s a match fit for a final.

Style and tactics:

No one plays the possession game better than Spain, which, despite the overtly defensive tactics of its opponents, has been content to stay patient, stick to its game plan and eventually wear other teams down. The key to La Furia Roja’s attack is the midfield trio of Xabi Alonso, Xavi and Andres Iniesta. Alonso sits deeper than the other two, and his long passes provide a nice counterweight to those of Xavi and Iniesta, who rely more on quick combinations. These players have set the table for David Villa, who has scored a tournament-leading five goals.

There are times when Spain can become predictable and try too often to thread clever passes through the middle rather than use the space on the flanks. This has seen them struggle against organized sides like Portugal and Paraguay, and it’ll need to introduce a bit more variety to break Germany down.

Almost lost in the shuffle is the performance of Spain’s defense, one that has conceded just two goals in the tournament. Center backs Gerard Pique and Carles Puyol have been largely solid, although the latter may miss the semifinal because of injury, leaving the experienced Carlos Marchena to take his place.

Germany has brushed aside the loss of injured captain Michael Ballack to deliver some scintillating displays. Die Mannschaft has been absolutely lethal in attack in all manner of ways, dictating the pace one moment, soaking up pressure and nailing teams on the counterattack the next.

Unfortunately for Germany, the suspension of Thomas Mueller because of an accumulation of yellow cards will rob the team of one of its best attacking weapons, and it will be up to the likes of Toni Kroos or Piotr Trochowski to fill the void.

Germany’s defense has been solid throughout the tournament. Center backs Per Mertesacker and Arne Friedrich complement each other well, with Friedrich’s speed providing a nice counterweight to Mertesacker’s aerial dominance. Holding midfielder Sami Khedira, along with outside backs Philipp Lahm and Jerome Boateng, have helped to cover up for any mistakes.

Players to watch:

Xavi, Spain

Highlighting just one of Spain’s midfielders is like choosing the best diamond, but Xavi has shown his class once again. His clever touches, like his cheeky backheel that released Villa for the only goal against Portugal, reveal a player capable of the unexpected as well as crisp, safe passes that maintain possession.

David Villa, Spain

Spain has plenty of players to thank for its spot in the semifinals, but foremost among those is Villa. The pacy attacker leads the tournament’s goal-scoring list, and those strikes have gotten Spain out of some dicey situations. Villa has lined up primarily on the left wing but has also been stationed inside when Fernando Torres hasn’t been on the field. In either case, Villa’s trickery on the ball as well as his uncanny positional sense has seen him pop up for five of Spain’s six goals.

Fernando Torres, Spain

Torres has not looked himself since coming back from knee surgery in April, and that’s been especially evident in his World Cup performances. His touch has been subpar and he’s rarely looked dangerous. But lest anyone forget, it was Torres who scored the winner in the Euro 2008 final against Germany. While coach Vicente del Bosque may bench Torres, let’s also not forget that if he converts on Wednesday, all of his previous struggles will be instantly forgotten.

Philipp Lahm, Germany

Lahm has faced plenty of talented players before, but Wednesday will provide the ultimate test, as he’ll be tasked with stopping the prolific Villa. Lahm’s quickness should make him well suited to that task, and the best defense could be an aggressive attack, as Lahm’s runs forward could help negate Villa’s impact.

Mesut Ozil, Germany

Ozil is just one of several young, dynamic players at Germany’s disposal. The Werder Bremen attacker is often given a free role underneath striker Miroslav Klose, and has caused havoc throughout the tournament with his darting runs and ability to set up others. Given Mueller’s suspension, Ozil will need to raise his game even further.

Sami Khedira, Germany

Spain is capable of mesmerizing opponents with its slick passing game, so it will be up to Khedira to disrupt the flow of La Furia Roja’s attack with his tough tackling and mobility. While Bastian Schweinsteiger assumes most of the attacking duties out of the center of midfield, Khedira has been known to get forward as well, and he’ll have to pick his spots effectively in order to keep Spain’s midfield honest.

What we can expect:

As always, Spain will be intent on establishing its possession game. Based on Germany’s success on the counterattack against Argentina, this won’t trouble the Mannschaft at all, and Spain’s more deep lying midfielders, Sergio Busquets and Xabi Alonso, will need to be mindful of Germany’s ability to strike quickly.

Given Germany’s strength down the middle, Spain will have to make use of the flanks. This requires not only getting outside backs Joan Capdevila and Sergio Ramos into the attack, but also getting those players to deliver quality crosses when they get the chance, something that was a problem in the quarterfinal win over Paraguay.

Germany will need someone besides Ozil to provide some dynamic play in attack and provide service to Klose, who with four goals in the tournament has shown he still has what it takes to be effective at the highest level. Look for Schweinsteiger to assume even more of an attacking role than in games past.

Intangibles:

Given that Spain beat Germany to claim the Euro 2008 crown, it would appear that La Furia Roja has the mental edge. Yet it is Germany who has been playing the better soccer of late, so the advantage from past encounters is not as great as it might seem at first.

The loss of Muller is significant, but so is the potential absence of Puyol. The bottom line is that there isn’t much that separates these two teams.

Who will win:

Germany has shown a greater tactical flexibility throughout the tournament, and given the team’s higher level of form at the moment, I think they’ll win 2-1.

Jeff Carlisle covers MLS and the U.S. national team for ESPNsoccernet. He is also the author of “Soccer’s Most Wanted II: The Top 10 Book of More Glorious Goals, Superb Saves and Fantastic Free-Kicks.” He can be reached at eljefe1@yahoo.com.

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The idea of his fourth three-peat must have been too much for Phil Jackson to pass up.

The Los Angeles Lakers coach told the team Thursday that he will return for his 11th season on the bench in L.A. and an even 20th to cap his NBA coaching career.

“Count me in,” Jackson said in a statement. “After a couple weeks of deliberation, it is time to get back to the challenge of putting together a team that can defend its title in the 2010-11 season. It’ll be the last stand for me, and I hope a grand one.”

Jackson, who turns 65 in September, is a member of the Hall of Fame who has led the Lakers and Chicago Bulls to 11 championships, the most of any coach. The Lakers have won the last two after winning three in a row from 2000 to ‘02. The Michael Jordan-led Bulls won titles in 1991-93 and 1996-98 with Jackson at the helm.

“We’re extremely pleased that Phil has decided to return,” Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said. “With this most recent championship, we’ve now won five titles in the 10 years he’s been our head coach and have been to the Finals in seven of those 10 years, which is amazing. He’s not only the best coach for this team, but quite simply the best coach in the history of the NBA.”

Multiple reports have stated Jackson will take a pay cut this season, but Jackson admitted, “It’s still a ridiculous salary, whatever it is,” when asked about the projected figure during the Western Conference finals in May.

Various members of the Lakers organization shared in Jackson’s joy.

“I’m happy, I’m glad,” said Craig Hodges, Lakers special assistant coach. “It’s a chance to make some history.”

Free agent Shannon Brown, in the midst of contract negotiations with the Lakers himself, said, “I’m excited and happy for him!!!” in a text message to ESPNLosAngeles.com.

Ron Artest posted a message to his Twitter feed that said, “Thank You Phil Love you man!!!!! Let’s get it LA.”

While Jackson is calling 2010-11 his “last stand,” he’s been known to bend the definition of the word “last” in the past. In 1997-98, he bonded the Bulls with the theme of looking at the season as the “Last Dance.” In October of 2004, Jackson released a book called “The Last Season,” in which he documented a turbulent ‘03-04 campaign with the Lakers that ended with a Finals loss to the Pistons, leading to a dismantling of the team and the second retirement of Jackson’s coaching career.

Dave McMenamin covers the Lakers for ESPNLosAngeles.com. Follow him on Twitter. Information from ESPNLosAngeles.com’s Ramona Shelburne contributed to this report.

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Good BBQ in LA? NO GREAT BBQ in LA! Brought to you by NORMS Restaurants – Where Else? On July 1st NORMS will roll out the New BBQ Special Menu. NORMS, BBQ and Summer – makes NORM smile. Watch the NORMS BBQ Menu YouTube Video below and your mouth will water.

Check out the NORMS BBQ menu to figure out what you will be ordering on July 1 by clicking the BBQ icon on the top right side of the NORMS Blog and the link will take you to the NORMS BBQ Menu! Happy eating!

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NORMS continues to send thoughts to our friends and family in the Gulf Coast as Hurricane Alex strengthens. Hoping that Alex will steer clear of the oil spill area.

2010 Tropical Storm Alex-Hurricane Alex:The first tropical storm of the 2010 Atlantic Hurricane Season will be named “Alex”. Its path could determine the fate of the Gulf Oil Spill. If the storm tracks into the central Gulf it could push the spill landward but if it moves farther east it could pull the spill into the Atlantic.

Tropical Storm Alex has emerged into the very warm waters of the Bay of Campeche overnight after making landfall in Belize and the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. Alex continues to strengthen and organize and is expected to reach hurricane strength later tonight or Tuesday. Alex has the potential to reach major hurricane strength later Tuesday or Wednesday if low shear conditions exist with the very warm Southwest Gulf of Mexico temperatures. A Hurricane Watch is now in effect for the Coast of Texas south of Baffin Bay to the mouth of the Rio Grande and the Coast of Mexico from the mouth of the Rio Grande to La Cruz. Remember, a Hurricane Watch is now issued 48 hours before the anticipated first occurrence of tropical storm force conditions.

Alex is expected to regain strength in the coming days as it moves over warmer waters in the Gulf and possibly become a hurricane headed toward Mexico’s coast, well away from the area where BP PLC is trying to stop a massive oil leak, the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said.

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NORMS thoughts go out to our friends in the Gulf who are about to get hit by Hurricane Alex.

(CNN) — Tropical Storm Alex — temporarily weakened to a tropical depression — was on track to become hurricane strength once it makes its way back to the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico late Sunday, but forecasters expect the system to steer clear of oil-affected areas.
“We think the storm is going to stay on a more southern track. That would be good news because it would avoid the area near the oil spill,” said Todd Kimberlain of the National Hurricane Center.

However, forecasters have not ruled out an easterly shift in Alex’s path.
“We all know the weather is unpredictable, and we could have a sudden last-minute change,” said Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, the federal government’s response manager.

The governors of Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Alabama declared Sunday a day of prayer in their respective states as efforts to cap the massive gusher continue.

Researchers have estimated that between 35,000 barrels — about 1.5 million gallons — and 60,000 barrels — about 2.5 million gallons — of oil are gushing into the ocean every day.

If Alex forces a work stoppage at the ruptured BP well, officials fear that as much as 2.5 million gallons of oil could flow into the Gulf for two weeks.

That is because it would take 14 days to put everything back in place — meaning the containment cap would be off for that period, allowing oil to flow freely, Allen said.

BP plans to place a third rig called the Helix Producer at the well site next week, which will increase the amount of oil being captured to 53,000 barrels a day, Allen said. That, too, could be disrupted if Alex affects the area.

Alex is the first named storm of what is expected to be a fierce Atlantic hurricane season. It formed in the Caribbean on Saturday.

Sunday morning, Alex was poised to enter the Gulf after crossing the Yucatan peninsula. Its center was about 85 miles (135 km) south of Campeche, Mexico and about 80 miles (125 km) east of Cuidad del Carmen, Mexico.

Tropical storm warnings for the coast of Belize and the east coast of the Yucatan have been discontinued, the hurricane center said. Earlier Sunday, Alex soaked Belize after making landfall in the Central American nation several hours earlier with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph.
Alex’s winds had dropped to near 35 mph (55 km/hr) as of 11 a.m. ET Sunday, the hurricane center said. But the storm was moving west-northwest at near 12 mph (19 km/hr) and “the center of Alex will move across the Yucatan peninsula and enter the southern Gulf of Mexico later today,” the hurricane center said.

Alex was expected to regain tropical storm intensity Sunday night or early Monday, forecasters said. It is forecast to become a Category 1 hurricane before making landfall Thursday morning near La Pesca, Mexico.

Oil company BP said the storm has not forced any evacuations at the oil spill site. But, to the south, BP and Shell were evacuating all nonessential personnel from oil platforms as a precaution.

Gulf Coast residents feared that high winds and storm surges could spread the slick and push more oil ashore into bays, estuaries and pristine beaches, exacerbating the oil disaster triggered by BP’s ruptured well.

“The greatest nightmare with this storm approaching is that it takes this oil on the surface of the Gulf and blows it over the barrier islands into the bays and the estuaries,” Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Florida said. “And that is where you really get the enormous destruction, because it’s just very difficult to clean up those pristine bays.”

If the storm heads to the east of the oil spill, it would send the oil farther out to sea. If the storm heads more directly toward the central Gulf and Louisiana, it might push the oil toward Florida.

“We’ve never been in this situation before,” CNN meteorologist Karen Maginnis said. “We’ve never seen an oil spill that encompassed the Gulf like this, end up so close to shore.”

CNN’s Patty Lane, Chuck Johnston, Brandon Miller, T.J. Holmes and Moni Basu contributed to this report

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NORM Fans who will you root for to win the World Cup now that the USA is coming home? Here are the teams that are left. Tell us what you think!

2010 FIFA World Cup™
Round of 16:
Germany vs. England - Jun 27 7:00am (PT) on ESPN
Argentina vs. Mexico - Jun 27 11:30am (PT) on ABC
Netherlands vs. Slovakia - Jun 28 7:00am (PT) on ESPN
Brazil vs. Chile - Jun 28 11:30am (PT) on ESPN
Paraguay vs. Japan - Jun 29 7:00am (PT) on ESPN
Spain vs. Portugal - Jun 29 11:30am (PT) on ESPN
Quarter-finals:
TBD vs. TBD - Jul 2 7:00am (PT) on ESPN
Uruguay vs. Ghana - Jul 2 11:30am (PT) on ESPN

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Of course one of NORMS family members sent in the best photo of NORM with a tear in his eye! Thanks Bob Vreeland! Lovin’ my photo! Hey, everyone has a sensitive side!

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