Reviews by tom (191)

Reichstag building

4/5 (minimum 1) on 17 Apr 2008
As a previous reviewer said, this is a sight worth seeing. I didn't like the crowded queueing system for the security checks, but otherwise well worth the effort.

U2 Bar, Haeundae, Busan, Korea

3/5 (minimum 1) on 07 Apr 2008
Basement bar a block or so back from Haeundae beach in Busan. Looks terrible from the outside but this place is actually not bad. Subtle lighting, good music, pool table, drunk foreigners, drunk Koreans, dodgy Russian sailors and fairly minging Gents toilets - this place has it all. Perfect if you're a long way from home and missing the ambience of a British pub or club on a Saturday night.

Get Your Data Out! - Danny Ayers' DataPortability and Me Video

4/5 (minimum 1) on 31 Mar 2008
In this video, distinguished musician and Semantic Web luminary Danny Ayers spreads the Data Portability message through the medium of ROCK! It's an instant classic, with De La Soul samples and something of the feel of Jacket Hangs-era Blue Aeroplanes. Do what the man says; get your data out!

Be Kind Rewind

3/5 (minimum 1) on 28 Mar 2008
A decent slab of unchallenging entertainment. Good for lots of laughs; if there's a deep message (other than the cheesey but true community vs the-powers-that-be thread) then I missed it, but it was fun nonetheless.

The real gems for me came from the creativity that had gone into filming scenes or elements from blockbuster films on a zero budget. The Ghostbusters scenes in particular are great, especially their Slimer mock-up.

For the chain-link fence camouflage suit alone this film deserves an award. It won't won't change your life, but it will keep you amused for an hour or so.

Scores on the Doors

4/5 (minimum 1) on 25 Mar 2008
Scores on the Doors is a web site where you can find details of hygiene assessments of places serving food. If you've ever wondered how clean the kitchen is at your favourite restaurant or takeaway, then check out the site; you may be surprised what you find out, and feel differently about your favourite little place next time you visit. This is Freedom of Information in action. Not all local authorities participate yet, but more are coming on stream all the time. My only criticism of the site (hence the 4 stars) is that it's not very easy to get at the data, which would be great to use in other applications.

No Country for Old Men (Film)

4/5 (minimum 1) on 12 Mar 2008
No Country for Old Men is a pretty dark film, peppered with some brilliant comedy. The opening premise is that welder Llewelyn Moss chances upon a large amount of cash in the desert. The rest of the film has the feel of a French film in which not much happens, despite lots actually happening. It's this tempo, the dynamics of tension and humour, and the underlying message of our own irrelevance in the passage of time that make this film really work watching.

Ibis Hotel, Central Station, Amsterdam

3/5 (minimum 1) on 11 Mar 2008
Conveniently located next to Centraal Station (and opposite the amazing multi-storey bike park), but otherwise a fairly run of the mill Ibis. It's having a major re-furb, which is good because the rooms are a bit dated and tired looking, with a kind of Eastern Bloc feel. I guess the refurb won't increase the average room size though, which is a shame as they're a bit pokey.

The staff at reception are friendly, although one of the cleaning staff kept knocking on my door to see if she could clean my room, despite it being 1 hour before checkout and despite the Do Not Disturb sign on my door! When she knocked again at 11:40am and I reminded her that checkout wasn't until midday she had the gall to tell me that it was getting close to 12. This was really annoying, but at least the reception staff were apologetic. The free breakfast (free while the refurb is finished) could be a little more inspiring.

New Street Station, Birmingham

2/5 (minimum 1) on 10 Mar 2008
Dark, dingy, congested and cold. Terrible layout, far too many grumpy barrier staff, regular delays, constant last-minute platform changes, poor passenger information, uninformative displays. What more do I need to say? A sad indictment of Britain's commitment to public transport. Badly in need of the planned overhaul. The only saving graces are Marks and Spencers Simply Food on the concourse, plenty of cash machines, and a few tacky but useful shops in the Pallasades upstairs.

Band of Horses, Live at the Thekla Social, Bristol, 25 February 2008

4/5 (minimum 1) on 07 Mar 2008
If you imagine a ratio of bass punch (from the drum kit alone, in the chest, you know the sort) to musical tempo, then Band of Horses reached new heights with their opener, Monsters, the penultimate track on Everything all the Time, and a somewhat hidden gem in my eyes.

The rest of the set rocked too, although the middle section did lack a bit of shape and with so many band members on stage the sound did end up a little bit crowded in a venue as small as the Thekla.

All the highlights from both albums were there, and what a lot of them there are, especially given that the albums themselves are fairly short. The track written by keyboard player Ryan Monroe was a cool interlude. Weed Party rocked, and was the only point when I thought that someone might actually start crowd surfing. First album classics Funeral and Our Swords were essential components of the set, but the surprise highlight for me came at the end with General Specific, when the band really seemed to hit their stride.

All in all no big surprises in this show, but good to see the band in person.

Oh Calcutta Indian Kitchen, Cotham, Bristol

5/5 (minimum 1) on 07 Mar 2008
I went back to Oh Calcutta recently for the first time in ages. Service was top-notch and the food was as good as always. Was a little bit empty for a Wednesday night, but hey, can't have everything.

Semantic Camp, London, February 2008

4/5 (minimum 1) on 20 Feb 2008
From the SemanticCamp homepage: "SemanticCamp London is a free, two-day unconference on the Semantic Web and related technologies that takes place in London on February 16th and 17th 2008 at the Department of Computing, Imperial College, South Kensington, London. It follows the principles of BarCamp, including the rules of BarCamp."

Tom Morris, Daniel Lewis, Ashok Argent-Katwala and David McBride among others all put a lot of effort in to making this a really fun event, as did the sponsors who coughed up cash for the tasty grub on offer. I saw some really great talks over the weekend, not least of which Yves Raimond and friends' linked music data demos, Ian Davis's talk on Open Content Licensing, and the awesome stuff going on at the BBC with publishing their data in RDF.

As always, however great the talks are the chance to chat over a beer, catch up with old faces and meet some new ones was even better.

Memories of India Restaurant, Kensington, London

5/5 (minimum 1) on 17 Feb 2008
The meal I had at Memories of India on Gloucester Road was one of the best curries I've had in ages. It's hard to put my finger on exactly what it was that was so good, but my Chicken Jhalfrezi just tasted great: very fresh and flavoursome without being too heavy. The service was very friendly, and we even got a box of After Eights when we left.

Sarn Park Services, M4, Bridgend, Wales

2/5 (minimum 1) on 03 Jan 2008
Admittedly it was early evening on New Year's Day when I stopped at Sarn Park services but the place was like a ghost town. Worst of all were the signposting and road markings, which were terrible even by motorway services standards. People have probably been rescued from this place after days driving round and round looking for the exit, having to live on food from Burger King in the meantime. If only Welcome Break would invest as much money in Exit signs as they do in No Entry signs the world would be a better place.

Apple Quicktime Player

3/5 (minimum 1) on 19 Dec 2007
The player itself is generally ok from a performance point of view, but everytime an update comes out and it's another 25Mb download it reminds me what bloatware this is. Then on installation it litters your desktop, and anywhere else it can find, with Quicktime logos, starts scrapping with RealPlayer, Winamp, WMP etc etc for your file associations, and then sulks like a teenager when you say you'd actually rather not use Quicktime for everything under the sun. Come on Apple, get a bit of a grip.

iswc2007

5/5 (minimum 1) on 28 Nov 2007
I was really impressed with this year's International Semantic Web Conference in Busan, Korea. It was the third ISWC I've been to, and without doubt the best yet. The networking side has always been good, but this year I felt that the main tracks also pulled their weight. I really enjoyed the research papers, the keynotes, the venue and the strong sense that the Semantic Web was maturing and starting on an exciting new phase.

Korea, Lonely Planet Country Guide, by Rob Whyte

2/5 (minimum 1) on 22 Nov 2007
Using this guide book confirmed by growing suspicion that the Lonely Planet series has really gone off the boil. I hesitate slightly to rate it bad, because it didn't actively do anything seriously wrong, it was just badly lacking in places. In just a brief trip to Korea staying in just 3 places I noticed some really annoying ommissions and contradictions.

For example, the section on the Myeongdong district of Seoul lists very few eating opportunities, giving you the impression that there are no restaurants in this part of town. This is clearly not the case; if you simply walk around enough you'll find plenty of individual streets crowded with perfectly decent restaurants. The guide doesn't need to list all these, it would just be useful if it flagged up that this was the case. I don't need to be spoon fed; I'd much rather be pointed in the right general direction and take it from there, but the Lonely Planet guide doesn't give you that bigger picture. The one listed restaurant I did visit looked dead and uninspiring compared with other places round the corner, so I walked away and found somewhere else.

Similarly, the section on Gyeongju says that there are two trains a day to Seoul (only two?!). What it doesn't bother to mention is that after a shortish train ride to another town along the way you can pick up the KTX high speed train direct to Seoul, giving you the option of a good ten trains a day. Staff at the station will sell you a through ticket. It would have taken just one more sentence to mention this, but the authors didn't seem to think it was worth it (or didn't bother to do their homework). This gives me the impression of a guide that hasn't really been thoroughly field tested.

In the Health section, one paragraph states that no special vaccinations are required or recommended for Korea, but then one page later it states that all travellers to Korea should be vaccinated against Hepatitis A. So, is this a special vaccination? Is it required or not? This kind of ambiguity is really sloppy.

At a general level I find the layout of the books has now got pretty confusing. In any one section key information about a topic such as transport links may be scattered around different subsections, often leaving me wondering "where did I read that?".

There could also be improvements to the indexes in LP guides in general. One of the first things I want to know when I arrive in any country is whether or not it's safe to drink the tap water. This information is generally embedded in the Health section, but why not put an entry in the index pointing directly to this?

The last few Lonely Planet guides I've bought have all irritated me with these kind of oversights, and the Korea guide is no exception. I'll be thinking hard about buying anymore in the future.

Heathrow Airport, London

2/5 (minimum 1) on 22 Nov 2007
It may claim to be the world's busiest international airport, but it's certainly not one of the most pleasant. The airside areas generally aren't too bad, but apart from at Terminal 4 the Departures and Arrivals areas can be pretty grim. Worst of all in my opinion are the underground walkways linking the terminals to each other and to shared facilities such as the Central Bus Station. This seems to have had some form of refurbishment in recent years, but the new structure has all the ambience and comfort of a cow shed. It's hard to justify the new terminal buildings (let alone a new runway) given air travel's contribution to climate change, but if they go ahead let's at least hope they improve the travelling experience.

Bexco, Conference Center, Busan, Korea

4/5 (minimum 1) on 19 Nov 2007
I was very impressed with Bexco, venue for the 6th International Semantic Web Conference, and 2nd Asian Semantic Web Conference (ISWC+ASWC 2007). It's a beautiful building (yes, a conference centre can be beautiful, especially when you experience the ergonomics of the place); light, airy, spacious.

The organisation was great. My only gripes are the usual things about wifi/internet access and the lack of power sockets even in new conference venues. The wifi access points were so flakey at times and the downstream connection so slow when 550 people were all using them that I was tempted to give Bexco just 3 stars, but this is easily fixed I imagine; all the right ingredients are in place for an excellent conference venue.

Joomong - place to eat in Busan

5/5 (minimum 1) on 19 Nov 2007
I couldn't agree more with the previous reviewer; this is a really cool little place in a side street near the Riviera Hotel (the other side of the 'main' street in Haeundae from the Riviera).

If I lived in Haeundae I'd go here all the time. There's a great atmosphere inside (small, cosy, down to earth, plenty of buzz whilst remaining low-key) and great food. We had bulgogy, which was excellent, preceded by fried eggs eaten with chopsticks. Highly recommended.

Jacek Kopecky's Web Site

3/5 (minimum 1) on 13 Nov 2007
It's quite a basic site to look at, but there's some quality content on the blog.

The Prince of Wales, Bishopston, Bristol

4/5 (minimum 1) on 12 Nov 2007
In a city of great pubs, the Gloucester Road area is surprisingly lacking. The one saving grace is the Prince of Wales. It's an institution, although not near the top of my list in Bristol. In other cities I might love this place, but there are just too many other good places around

It gets extra points by default due to the shortage of other proper pubs in the immediate area, but to its credit it does serve a good range of Butcombe aleas. The food isn't bad either, though fairly pricey. Can get pretty packed at weekends (always with a fairly mixed crowd), but does have a large smoking area out the back.

Ibis Hotel, Myeong-dong, Seoul, Korea

4/5 (minimum 1) on 12 Nov 2007
I'm not normally a big fan of chain shops, hotels, restaurants etc, but Ibis hotels always manage to be an exception. OK, so they've rarely (i.e. never) got any character, but they do some things very well.

The rooms generally just work; the beds are always really comfy (firm, hard to find in hotels) and this Ibis in Myeong-dong (the shopping district of Seoul) is no exception. There's a great view from the reception and restaurant, and breakfast isn't bad.

It's not the cheapest hotel you'll find in Korea by any stretch of the imagination, but it's well placed for shopping and the station, so if you want something reliable then this is a good option. There are also friendly English-speaking staff on reception and free broadband in the rooms.

Riviera Hotel, Haeundae, Busan, Korea

3/5 (minimum 1) on 11 Nov 2007
Pretty average is the best description for this hotel. The concrete jungle feel of the forecourt and entry through the bargain-laden department store don't help the image. It's not so bad inside, and the reception staff are really friendly.

The rooms are clean and comfy enough, if a little bit tired. The mini-bar is good for when you get the munchies and the fridge makes a good place to store some snacks (bought for a fraction of the price at the convenience store down the road!).

In an ideal world there'd be more hangers (isn't that always the case?), an iron, some decent lighting, more power sockets and some drawers. Perfectly bearable for a week, but not exactly home from home.

Ops Bakery, Haeundae, Busan, Korea

5/5 (minimum 1) on 11 Nov 2007
Situated just round the corner from the Riviera Hotel, this European-style bakery is a bit of a saviour if you can't manage Korean food for breakfast, lunch *and* dinner. They sell a range of very tasty Italian breads, pastries (French, Danish), and savoury snacks like baguette pizzas, and it wouldn't be at all out of place in a fashionable area of a major European city.

Don't be fooled by the things that have lables only in Korean and look like oval jam doughnuts (you wish!), even if they're in amongst other sweet things; the one I tried was actually filled with a mild curry filling that may or may not have been vegetarian (think British-style curry pasty, in a doughnut rather than pastry). It was not at all what I expected but actually very tasty.

The system seems to be (at least it worked for me) to help yourself by taking a tray and set of tongs from by the door, putting the things you want on your tray and taking them to the till for wrapping. Receipts are possible if you need them; pointing at the part of the till where they are printed and smiling seems to do the job.

It's not particularly cheap, but decent enough value for money and compares favourably to paying for a hotel breakfast. There's a tea shop inside as well off to one side. I didn't try it but it looks decent enough.

www.travelodge.co.uk

2/5 (minimum 1) on 29 Oct 2007
This is the main national Web site for Travelodge, the hotel group. It's rubbish. The navigation is totally unpredictable and often fails. Hitting the Back button often takes you several pages back, and I kept experiencing errors saying "Your search has timed out. Please search for offer rooms again". Very tedious so I gave up in the end.

Eddie Izzard's Death Star Canteen, Lego-style

5/5 (minimum 1) on 22 Oct 2007
This video alone makes YouTube worthwhile. See Eddie Izzard's Death Star Canteen routine set to an animation with Lego figures. "You're Jeff Vader?!" Brilliant.

Property Snake

4/5 (minimum 1) on 22 Oct 2007
Property Snake is a web site that lists property for sale in the UK that has been reduced from the original asking price. It's a pretty useful site if you're looking for a bargain, as it shows you the price at which it was originally listed, current price, percentage drop and length of time on the market. I'd say this was a pretty good way of spotting properties where a bit of haggling might work out quite well. Naturally you can search by location and view full listings of some of the properties.

train station in milton keynes

3/5 (minimum 1) on 10 Oct 2007
The main concourse at Milton Keynes Central has improved a lot in the last couple of years (at least now there are some cash machines!), but overall the place is looking seriously dated. From the outside it gives the impression it hasn't changed since the 80s; the booking office is the same, except substitute 70s for 80s! The place is run my Silverlink trains; tut tut Silverlink, not impressed.

The main link corridor to the platforms is shabby and soulless, but at least the barrier staff are fairly friendly. The platforms themselves are probably the worst feature; windy, narrow, tiling that would look more at home behind the iron curtain, leaking roofs, run down toilets. Puccino's on Platform 5 brings a little light relief at least, in the form of decent coffee. I'm hopeful that the new platform being built will have a positive knock-on consequence on the rest of the station. At least it should increase the number of peak time trains for ean easier escape.

Transportation in Milton Keynes

1/5 (minimum 1) on 05 Oct 2007
I'd say the previous reviewer was overly generous giving transportation in Milton Keynes 3 stars. I'd say it deserves 1, or 2 at the most. It's expensive, low frequency in many places, unreliable, and patchy outside of core hours. In a city that has a grid system this is pretty hard to forgive; organising a logical, fast, and cheap system should be easy. The best solution if you don't want or can't afford a car is to get a push bike.

Berrill Cafe, Open University, Milton Keynes

1/5 (minimum 1) on 04 Oct 2007
Yeah, I have to agree with the previous reviewer. One or two of the staff, the sculpture by the stairs and the wifi access are the only saving graces. Otherwise the Berrill Cafe scores low on every point. Sure, it's nice and light and airy, but in the winter this translates into huge drafts whenever the doors are opened (bring a jacket). In general it has all the atmosphere of an airport lounge.

The opening hours are always being chipped away at (now closes at 4pm I think, used to be 5pm), and the food is always a disappointment. Even things that sound like they should be good are often bland, there are no dressings available with the salads, and the real killer is the price. It's not somewhere I could afford to eat every day, and even if I could afford to I'd quickly get disillusioned with the food.

The Open University deserves so much more!

Maestral Resort and Casino, Budva, Montenegro

3/5 (minimum 1) on 03 Oct 2007
I stayed at the Maestral for a conference in summer 2006. The rooms are not cheap, especially for Montenegro (which I expected to be a bit of a bargain), but I think they're aiming for a fairly upmarket clientele and the place had just been refurbished when I visited.

I had a very pleasant stay. My room was comfortable, with a sea view and terrace. The food was better than I expected, and the private hotel beach was decent. On the down side I did feel like some of the staff could do with smiling a bit more, and the casino upstairs felt pretty tacky.

I wouldn't rush back, but also wouldn't object to a stay if someone else was paying.

The Miners Arms, St Werburghs, Bristol

5/5 (minimum 1) on 03 Oct 2007
I think the Miners might be the best local pub ever. Great staff behind the bar, chilled regulars, excellent real ales on tap, an open fire when it gets cold, nutty pub dogs, awesome selection of Jonathan Crisp crisps, and formerly the stinkiest pub toilets in Bristol. Despite the little toilet refurb recently (I quite miss the experience of weeing against the wall) and the new smoking area the Miners still has it all. Home from home.

Las Iguanas, Milton Keynes

3/5 (minimum 1) on 02 Oct 2007
A new branch of the Latin American chain restaurant in the new thehub:mk development in Central Milton Keynes. Like most things in MK it has some overly grand pretensions, but the food is not bad (though fairly pricey). Service at the bar took ages due to everyone ordering cocktails, but the staff were friendly and the table service was pretty efficient. It doesn't set the world on fire, but it's a welcome addition to the MK eating opportunities.

Airkix, Central Milton Keynes, Milton Keynes

4/5 (minimum 1) on 01 Oct 2007
Indoor sky-diving sounds like a really prospect, but is actually very very cool. Sure enough Milton Keynes can be relied upon to provide yet another outdoor sport indoors!

Airkix is basically a big vertical wind tunnel, and you "fly" in the middle of this tunnel. The build up can be a bit nerve-wracking, primarily because you don't know what to expect from the experience. However, once you've done it once, you realise that it's exhilarating and pretty full-on, but not actually scary.

The entire process is quite long relative to the actualy time you spend in the tunnel. On arrival you are given all the kit to put on and then shown a video which is as much marketing as training. The cheapest package includes 2 x 1 minute "flights" in the tunnel, which sounds like nothing, but is actually plenty for a first go, as holding yourself steady in 150mph winds is surprisingly physically demanding.

I really enjoyed the experience, and would certainly do it again (it's cheaper second time around). My one criticism is that the "training" felt more of a token gesture than a real effort to get us trained up. I would have appreciated some time to practice the "flying position" in the training room before getting into the tunnel, but this didn't seem to be an option. I was also surprised by the lack of any warm-up stretches.

Aside from actually being in the tunnel myself, the highlight was the little display that the instructor did at the end of the session. The combination of Spiderman-like leaping around the inside of the tunnel and the corkscrew to the top followed by vertical dive was absolutely amazing, and well worth seeing by itself.

Sleeper

4/5 (minimum 1) on 22 Sep 2007
I'm not a huge Woody Allen fan, but Sleeper is fairly entertaining and good for a few laughs. The premise is that Allen's character (Miles Monroe) is frozen and reawakened 200 years later by a subversive organisation who want him to infiltrate a secret governement project.

If you like a bit of Chaplin-esque slapstick then you'll probably enjoy it, and there is some witty dialogue that plays on the 200-year time difference.

Maybe it was a common prediction at the time, but the civil liberty infringements the futuristic population are subjected to are remarkably similar to those the British government seems to want to impose right now.

Robbers and Cowards - Cold War Kids

5/5 (minimum 1) on 19 Sep 2007
One of the best debut albums I've heard in months, if not years; interesting rhymthms, intelligent lyrics and powerful vocals. Even after several months of heavy listening it's still standing up, and some of the less obvious tracks (e.g. Robbers) are becoming real growers.

Hotel Clemenceau, Nice, France

3/5 (minimum 1) on 16 Sep 2007
The Lonely Planet guide describes this hotel as having "chintzy" rooms, which is true, but doesn't quite give the full picture. I stayed here on two separate occasions in summer 2007, and the first room really didn't fit with the LP description. Faded, tatty chintz would have been more appropriate. The second room was far better; less tatty and less desperately in need of a paint job.

Having said all that, the hotel is pretty well located about 5-10 mins walk from the main train station, and just slightly further from the beach. The staff are generally pretty friendly, and the rooms have air conditioning and very effective double-glazing, which is a pretty useful combination on summer evenings.

Hotel Clemenceau is a good example of getting what you pay for. It's certainly not luxurious, but getting a room in a central location in Nice for less than 50 euros is not to be sniffed at if you're on a budget.

River Dart Round Robin Day Trip, Devon

4/5 (minimum 1) on 30 Aug 2007
If you're looking for a relaxed day out in South Devon, then the River Link Round Robin is worth considering. It's a day-long round trip by boat down the stunning River Dart from Totnes to Dartmouth, with a few hours to mooch around Dartmouth, then a quick ferry to Kingswear and steam train along the coast to Paignton (great views), then an open top bus ride back to Totnes.

The pace is just right, the whole thing works smoothly, and you get some fantastic views along the way. It's not particularly cheap, but then it is a whole day's worth of entertainment.

Starter for 10

3/5 (minimum 1) on 28 Aug 2007
This is a film that centres around student Brian (James McAvoy) and his fascination with trivia and University Challenge. All that is really just a vehicle for a rom-com with a likeable geek in the lead role.

It's quite sweet in places, and certainly passes the time fairly well, but it's a bit short on laughs. Ice cream man Des is the funniest character, but he's of almost zero significance.

My feeling is that it relies a bit too much on student stereotypes for laughs (although the stoned scene is quite funny), and is totally riddled with student cliches. Maybe it really was all like that in the 80s, I don't know, but it feels over the top.

Worth a watch if you're after something a bit lighthearted, but don't expect anything as funny or feel-good as other Brit comedies that try to tug your working class heart-strings, such as The Fully Monty or Brassed Off.

The Steam Packet Inn, Totnes, Devon

1/5 (minimum 1) on 28 Aug 2007
The Steam Packet is a lovely looking pub right next to the River Dart at St Peter's Quay in Totnes. They serve a few local ales (but through an overly tight sparkler I reckon), but it was the dining experience that really left an impression on me!

A large group of us were eating in the restaurant, having booked in advance, and it was one of the most shambolic (and disturbing) dining experiences I've ever had.

We were told when handed menus that half of the specials were unavailable ("right, let me tell you what we haven't got"), despite having booked our table in advance. Probably 20 minutes after ordering, one of our group was told that her choice of dish (from the standard menu) was no longer available, and asked to choose something else instead.

The general manner of our main waitress reminded me more of something from a school canteen than a restaurant charging up to £15 for a main course. Side plates were cleared with a clank and all the finesse of a bull in a china shop, empty or unused glasses weren't taken away, and plates were left on the table for a considerable time after we had eaten.

The quality of service just didn't add up with the prices being charged. One of our group asked for some other form of potatoes than new potatoes, only to be told that new potatoes were a speciality(!). When he asked if they did fried potatoes of some form he was told "oh no, we don't do fried potatoes" (although there were chips on the menu). He was then offered sauteed potatoes. Being from abroad he asked what these were, and was told that they were fried potatoes! His dish eventually arrived with boiled new potatoes, was sent back to the kitchen to reappear shortly afterwards with boiled potatoes sliced and briefly fried.

Several of our group ordered the duck special (£14) but weren't informed by staff that this dish didn't come with vegetables. When it arrived without veg (making it simply duck on mash with "jus", a bit minimal for £14) we asked whether it was supposed to include veg or not, only to be told by another waitress (who looked like a rabbit in the headlights) that she'd ask for us. She didn't return but instead some undercooked veg arrived grudgingly at our table some time later.

By the time all main courses arrived (thank god we didn't order starters) we had waited over 40 minutes. In the meantime I'd asked twice for extra bread, only to be told after a 20 minute wait that they'd run out, and that we could either have white sliced bread(!) or wait another ten minutes for more to be baked in the oven.

Everything to this point had been frustrating, but not disastrous. What really sent it over the edge was when the member of our group whose first choice of plaice had been unavailable found a LIVE WORM in her dinner. A good couple of inches long, when she spotted it it was crawling at quite a rate from the salad on which her salmon was placed towards the edge of her plate.

This really was the defining moment of a thoroughly stressful and unrelaxing meal. After we'd recovered from the shock and spoken to the management we (against our better judgement) decided to stay for dessert and try to salvage something from the situation.

The same waitress arrived with insufficient dessert menus (you'd think they'd have worked out how many of us there were by this point) and left us to make up our minds. When she came back to take our orders we were told that there was no "fudge cake". I asked which item on the menu was the fudge cake (there wasn't one), and she jabbed her finger aggressively at the "chocolate mousse cake" as if I was an idiot. Why did she have to wait until we'd all decided what we wanted (mostly the chocolate mousse cake!) before telling us it had run out?

In the end we all ordered ice cream, which arrived one dish at a time, and didn't always contain the flavours the waitress (a different one this time) told us it did. One person's ice cream didn't even arrive at all and had to be reordered. Some dishes had strawberries, redcurrants and blueberries as a garnish, whilst others had none. This was the final nail in the coffin and we were really glad to leave.

Whilst we were pleased to have each others company we couldn't really enjoy it as we were constantly firefighting the mess created by the staff. It's a shame because the food itself was actually quite tasty, but seriously let down by excessive prices, and terrible organisation front of house and in the kitchen, not to mention the worm. Yes, a REAL LIVE WORM. Needless to say I won't be eating at the Steam Packet again.

The Yorkshire Grey, Fitzrovia, London

4/5 (minimum 1) on 23 Aug 2007
To look at this is an awesome pub. Olde worlde charm without seeming tacky, great tiling, open fire, hanging baskets outside, etc etc. Being a Samuel Smith's pub takes the edge off it a bit for me, as there's something about being in a brewery pub that only sells their own beers that I find just odd. Having said all that, the beer is cheap and not too bad; where else in London can you buy a round without the slightest wince?

Upstairs there's a extra room that has the air of an old tearoom and serves down to earth pub food (fish and chips, ham egg and chips, burgers, etc) for about £5-£6 a main meal.

It's not going to make my list of favourite pubs, but is definitely somewhere I'd go back to if I was in the area.

Opodo

2/5 (minimum 1) on 17 Aug 2007
Opodo has always done me pretty well for booking flights; the interface and market coverage are both good enough to get the job done. However, having just booked a flight on the site and been charged over £12 to pay by credit card (on top of the £5 booking fee) I'm seriously unimpressed. I don't see any way that this figure can be justified, and hope that the Office of Fair Trading act soon to stop this kind of practice. I thought EasyJet and Ryanair were taking the piss charging £2 per passenger per segment, but Opodo have really excelled themselves. Next time I'll make the effort to book directly with the airline, or (shock horror) use a travel agent.

Riverford Farm Field Kitchen, Devon, England

5/5 (minimum 1) on 30 Jul 2007
Great food (organic, local), really well cooked, and served in a lovely light and airy building. A really good choice for a group meal (you may end up sharing a table with others, so maybe not somewhere for a romantic meal for two), and very reasonably priced given the quality of the ingredients.

The highlight for me in the sunday lunch was the beetroot gratin, which I think I could eat every day and not get tired of. My only grumble was being last up for dessert, meaning the chocolate brownie and pavlova were all gone. On the upside the sticky toffee pudding was amazing.

Highly recommended.

Brothers Fish Bar, Eaglestone, Milton Keynes

4/5 (minimum 1) on 26 Jul 2007
A great, award-winning (if I remember correctly) chippie in the otherwise fairly depressing Eaglestone local centre. Tasty chips, good fish, and fairly reasonable prices I think. Friendly staff. My only gripe is that they close a bit early; around 9pm I think, last time I checked.

La Hind, Central Milton Keynes, Milton Keynes

4/5 (minimum 1) on 25 Jul 2007
This indian restaurant next to the station in Central Milton Keynes is pretty unassuming to look at; in fact it looks a little bit grotty from the outside, but don't let you put that off. It's a friendly and relatively laid back place that does great food at decent prices.

Among the many curry houses around MK La Hind is one of my favourites, mainly because of the combination of quality, price, and relaxed atmosphere. The chutney trays (well, the things on the trays, not the trays themselves) are conventional but very tasty, and the main courses are great. Well worth a visit, and a good alternative to the posher Jaipur up the road.

Virgin Trains' handling of July 2007 floods in southern England

2/5 (minimum 1) on 25 Jul 2007
In mid-July 2007 southern England received some very heavy rainfall in a short space of time, leading several rivers to burst their banks flooding a number of rail lines and the M5 motorway. I was unlucky enough to be trying to travel along one of the affected rail routes on Friday 20th July, and it wasn't a pleasant experience.

The initial delay to trains due to water on the lines was inevitable, and I wouldn't blame Virgin Trains for that. However, what came next was a shambles and the seeming lack of preparation for this scenario shocked me.

At Birmingham New Street hundreds of passengers were stuck and unable to make onward journeys due to the flooding of rail lines. Normally replacement buses would have been dispatched, however I was told these were not running as the M5 motorway was also closed, and there were no alternative arrangements in place.

After 30mins of waiting to see how it panned out, I was told that in fact buses were on their way, so joined the hundreds of people (who had obviously been given different information) already waiting in the queue. After an hour and a half (in which time just two buses had departed) the queue was disbanded (quite aggressively) by Virgin staff and transport police.

The remaining passengers were herded into a "lounge" whilst staff tried to arrange overnight accommodation in a local school hall. By this point it was around 10pm, and the floods showed no sign of abating. I was shocked that these arrangements were only just being made. The scenario of both road and rail routes being flooded doesn't seem so unlikely, but there seemed to be no plan.

Eventually one bus turned up heading towards by destination and I jumped on, assuming that the motorway had reopened. Unfortunately this wasn't the case and within 1 hour of leaving Birmingham we were sat in traffic, where we stayed for the following 7 hours, overnight, with no food or water and no information about when the situation might be resolved.

Sure enough these are (hopefully) exceptional circumstances, but what really grated was the total lack on information throughout the process (or even worse, the conflicting information given by different Virgin staff), the rudeness of some of the staff, and the fact that our bus was allowed to depart when the motorway had not reopened. We were not even warned of this and given the chance to buy supplies. Shocking.

I'm normally a staunch defender of Virgin Trains, who have made major improvements since taking over their franchises. However, after my 19 hour ordeal I'm a little less impressed.

The Plough Inn, Simpson, Milton Keynes

4/5 (minimum 1) on 24 Jul 2007
I went back to The Plough recently and ate in the restaurant for the first time. It's quite nicely done out in the back, and the food was reasonable. My biggest issue was the service. One waitress was excellent - friendly and efficient. The other was terrible - sketchy, slow, and seemingly at constant risk of forgetting things. It was hard to get her attention, and drink orders often took a while to arrive. We were in a big group, but it did seem a bit extreme.

On the upside the food was good enough. I'm not sure the pear, walnut and stilton salad for starters really worked, but the steak for main course was excellent (with great homemade chips). The creme brulee was a total let down, being more of a creme caramel texture with a creme brulee top.

All in all a pleasant meal and a very nice evening, but a few things that would have been improved. As I've said before, decent pubs in Milton Keynes are hard to come by, so the Plough scores slightly above the odds.

Fabchannel.com

5/5 (minimum 1) on 20 Jul 2007
Fabchannel.com is one of those sites that makes you wonder how we ever lived without the Web. It's a video archive of hundreds of live concerts recorded at the Paradiso and Melkweg venues in Amsterdam. The shows are incredibly professionally filmed (this isn't someone in the crowd with a camcorder) so you have a great sense of being there (as much as you can watching a web replay) whilst also being able to hear the sound very clearly.

Most of the gigs in the archive are from smaller, up and coming bands, which makes it a great way of discovering new music. Current shows scoring well in the Fabchannel charts come from artists and bands like Bloc Party, Cold War Kids, Damien Rice, Andrew Bird and The Arcade Fire. And it's all free. Brilliant.

Slow, Live at the Lansdown, Clifton, Bristol, 15 July 2007

5/5 (minimum 1) on 16 Jul 2007
This gig was a salvage effort following the washing out of the second day of the 2007 Ashton Court Festival. Shame about the situation, but what a great way to make up for it, and raise some money for the festival in the process.

On a rainy and muggy July evening the music of Slow and the oppulent surroundings of upstairs at the Lansdown in Clifton Village made a perfect combination. Given the intimate setting the band went largely acoustic and the set started with a stripped down version of Glory. It was good to see and hear Oz back on guitar, and the unpluggedness of the set really allowed his sound to come through.

New tracks like Oil showed a slight shift in sound, in a good way, but it was the classic Seeds that topped the night off for me, as always. Probably the best Slow gig yet. Nice one.

The village

4/5 (minimum 1) on 03 Jul 2007
Coming from M. Night Shyamalan, the director of The Sixth Sense, I expected a twist, but didn't spot what it would be, and was quite impressed. The film manages to build a decent degree of tension, although it doesn't ever become really scary. An enjoyable watch, but probably not alone on a dark night or if you're feeling a bit jumpy.

Proschay Korova - Nayekhovichi

5/5 (minimum 1) on 23 Jun 2007
I came across Nayekhovichi totally by chance, playing in Krakow's main square in summer 2006. They were like the ultimate buskers; stunning a growing crowd with their unique take on traditional klezmer music, while the lead singer sang through a loud hailer. I bought the CD there and then, and spent the rest of the trip wondering if it had been the best or worst 10 euros ever spent. As it turns out my judgement was sound; these guys totally rock, whether it's playing their own music, or their own take on Paint It Black. Buy the CD if you can, or better still see them live.

Art Hotel Binders, Innsbruck, Austria

3/5 (minimum 1) on 11 Jun 2007
I think the name "Art Hotel" is stretching it a bit. "Furnished by IKEA" might be a bit more accurate. It's not a bad place, but I felt there was much more that needed to be done before I'd fall in love with the place, and a few things really niggled.

My room was small for the price: it was cosy and had a nice view, but it was still damn small. It had the feel of an upmarket student residence and could have done with a fresh paint job, which seemed ironic given I was supposed to be in an "Art Hotel".

I booked through Expedia, which seems to be absolutely the wrong thing to do, as the rates quoted are far in excess of what is quoted in the hotel's brochure in the room. Try booking through the hotel's own website (almost impossible to find on the Web) and you might get a better deal. Paying almost £70pn for a small room without breakfast starts to grate after a while. The woman who checked me in was really friendly, but the rest of the staff were pretty sullen. In particular the big guy who seems to run or own the operation was totally patronising.

You can buy breakfast separately if it's not included in your room, and at 7euros it's not a bad deal, but is pretty minimal in variety, and the floor in the dining room could have done with a good sweep.

The thing that got me the most was the location: the hotel's web site is pretty vague about this, but Expedia quotes 1km to the Congress (Convention Centre), and 2km to the Old Town. They've obviously got totally the wrong data here, as it's almost 1.5 miles to the Congress, through the old town. Sure, it's not far in a taxi, but at 8 euros a time the cost adds up quickly. Very annoying.

If you've got nowhere else to stay then you could do worse than Binders. It's generally clean and quiet, but in my experience it's unlikely to rock your world.

Hafenbahnhof Imbiss, Lindau, Bavaria, Germany

4/5 (minimum 1) on 04 Jun 2007
This is the little place just inside the station building, on the town side not the platform side; it's not the kebab stall by the platforms. It's a great little place to grab some food if you have to kill time in in Lindau waiting for a train connection. There's seating inside and out, and a range of hearty Bavarian snacks on the menu. I had a fantastic sausage salad: weisswurst that seemed to have been put through a french fry chipper, peppers, onions, and gherkins, in a french dressing with bread, all for 4.60 euros. Bargain. Friendly staff, and you can just get a view to the lake.

West Coast Select Original Pacific Salmon Jerky

2/5 (minimum 1) on 04 Jun 2007
I had to try this, and glad I did, if only to know that I never want to eat it again in my life. It's probably not the best salmon jerky to try first time, but I won't be trying others to find out. It's a little bit sweet and sickly, but leaves a pretty horrible aftertaste. Maybe the peppered varities would be better, or maybe you just need to like this sort of stuff.

Banff Airporter Airport Transfers

5/5 (minimum 1) on 31 May 2007
Following on from my previous review... Using the Banff Airporter on my way back to Calgary Airport I was picked up in a smaller minibus shared with just two others. So this time there were far fewer stop-offs en route, making it feel more like a taxi service, which in turn makes it seem better value for money. Once again the driver (different to the previous one) was friendly and helpful. Recommended.

The Holiday

2/5 (minimum 1) on 29 May 2007
Imagine Bridget Jones, with two couples and a transatlantic house-swapping plot, but without the funny bits, and that has The Holiday pretty much summed up.

The Jude Law/Cameron Diaz pairing does have some life at least, whilst the Kate Winslet/Jack Black part of the story is totally hollow and unconvincing. It's a film riddled with tedious stereotypes (all Brits have plummy accents and live in quaint cottages) that just about passes the time, but only just.

The Elk and Oarsman, Banff, Alberta

3/5 (minimum 1) on 29 May 2007
Middle of the road pub catering to a young crowd who like beer and televised sports. I wouldn't rush back. Friendly staff, and ok food, but nothing to write home about.

The Saracen's Head Inn, Symonds Yat East, Herefordshire

4/5 (minimum 1) on 28 May 2007
This pub in Symonds Yat East pretty much has it all: amazing location just yards from the River Wye, with plenty of outside seating from where you can admire the gorgeous view; good food, though it isn't cheap; a great selection of real ales; and rooms if you need to crash out after a night in the bar.

In the summer or over bank holiday weekends it's pretty packed, which is understandable given all the things it has to offer. At these times (and even others) it's worth booking ahead or getting there early. There's a posh dining room inside which takes predence if it's booked up, so don't just turn up, and don't expect to get scampi and chips. We ate some fantastic pork belly and an acceptable rib eye steak. The food was good but didn't rock my world for the money. My guess is the prices would be a couple of pounds lower per dish in a different location.

The beers on offer are good, with some standards such as Marston's Pedigree, and the much more preferable HPA and Butty Bach from Wye Valley Brewery.

Despite all the great raw ingredients, I don't quite feel able to give this place 5 stars. I'll certainly be back, and will enjoy doing so, but it doesn't quite deliver 100%.

Indian Fast Food Restaurant and Takeaway, Cotham, Bristol

5/5 (minimum 1) on 27 May 2007
This place near the Arches on Cheltenham Road (next door to the Cat and Wheel) always looked dodgy to me, but after hearing good things I gave it a go, and it's actually really good. It's a totally no frills kinda place. You can bring your own drinks as there isn't a license, and the interior is basic, but the food is really really good. I had the best Chicken Tikka Jalfrezi in years; the chicken was really tender and the sauce was tasty and just spicy enough.

The prices on the board in the window are not totally in sync with those inside (maybe the board in the window shows takeaway prices?) but this place represents really great value for money. Two of us ate really well for about £14. Include a tip and the beers we'd brought, and we had a good meal out for about £10 a head. Bargain. The combination of price and quality makes this place worth 5 stars. Highly recommended.

(There doesn't seem to be a web site, but at May 2007 the phone number is 0117 924 8062, or for reservations only before opening time it's 0117 952 0787. Closed Tuesdays.)

Banana Wharf, Southampton

2/5 (minimum 1) on 23 May 2007
Every city by water has at least one of these - a cavernous bar/restaurant that has upmarkets pretentions but is actually quite chavvy. Soulless interior, overpriced (and rubbish) beer, uninspiring clientele. This is a place for people who think San Miguel is exotic.

Ceno, Southampton

3/5 (minimum 1) on 23 May 2007
I haven't eaten here, so can't comment on the food, but as a place to sit outside in the sun and have a drink it's not bad. The inside has a bit too much pale wood and a few too many chrome taps serving poor quality (but expensive) beer, but go on a sunny day and sit on the patio and it's alright.

The Crossing Resort, Saskatchewan River Crossing, Banff National Park, Canada

4/5 (minimum 1) on 21 May 2007
This is the kind of place that has an end of the world feeling to it, but in a good way. It's basically a "resort" (optimistic, but I can forgive them that) made up of some nice little chalets (motel-style, some with extra private terraces at the front), a shop (with plenty of souvenirs), dining room, spa, pub, and petrol station. The chalets are well setup, cosy, and comfy. You can get a cheaper room if you opt for a non-mountain view room, but there are mountains everywhere around so you don't lose out by going for the cheaper option. There aren't loads of places to stay in the area (in fact there's nothing in the area apart from The Crossing and some truly amazing scenery) but you could do a lot worse than spend the night here.

Forest View Hotel, Symonds Yat East, Herefordshire

3/5 (minimum 1) on 21 May 2007
It's nothing amazing to look at from the outside, but the Forest View Hotel in Symonds Yat East is a decent, welcoming, family-run hotel, in a homely, chintzy sort of way. The rooms are decently equipped, spacious, with comfy beds and good views, but the location is really the best feature, being right above the water and probably a minute's walk if that from the pub in the village. Breakfast was a little bit too deep fried for my liking but that's my only grumble. A perfectly decent place to stay if you're in Symonds Yat.

Balkan Restaurant, Banff, Alberta, Canada

4/5 (minimum 1) on 21 May 2007
This slightly misleadingly-named restaurant on Banff Avenue actually seems to just serve Greek cuisine, but it does a pretty good job of that. The decor and ambience are nothing to write home about, but the food is simple and tasty. I had the Arni Psito (Roast Lamb) which was fantastic - very tasty and just falling off the bone. The staff were friendly and efficient and easily handled 25 of us eating at one table. I don't feel like I've found my spiritual home in this place, but it's certainly worth considering if you want a decent homely meal in Banff.

Railway Journey: Trento to Bassano del Grappa, Italy

5/5 (minimum 1) on 18 May 2007
If you're heading for Venice from Trento (or vice versa), then taking the route via Bassano del Grappa is really worth the extra time. The section Bassano to Venice is nothing special, but between Trento and Bassano (where you'll likely need to change) you'll be treated to spectacular mountain scenery, deep gorges, lakes, and luscious green meadows (in summer at least). Sitting and staring out the window is the only thing to do.

The regional trains on this route are modern and comfy with big windows, and best of all the journey (which takes a couple of hours) will only cost you a few Euros. Total bargain, and well worth making time for.

Alexander Keith's India Pale Ale

1/5 (minimum 1) on 18 May 2007
The beer is apparently very popular in Canada, but I don't see why. It really doesn't deserve the label IPA, tasting more like a low-grade lager such as Foster's or Carling. Worth a go if you like that sort of stuff, but if you're looking for a quality ale then give this a wide berth.

Underground Internet Cafe, Banff, Alberta

3/5 (minimum 1) on 16 May 2007
Down in a basement on Banff Avenue, the Underground Internet Cafe is a convenient place to catch up on some email. The connection speed seems very good, and the large office chairs are very comfy. The chairs and the low lighting makes having a quick doze as appealling as wading through your inbox. However, at $6CAN per hour this isn't really a place to hang around. Given that so many cafes provide internet access for free, six dollars seems like a lot. Quite annoyingly they didn't offer me a discount even though I had my own machine with me, and there doesn't seem to be a bulk rate if you plan to stay for some time. Also strangely for an internet cafe they don't seem to have a web site - at least it isn't easily found on Google. In summary this place does a pretty specific job very well, but not much else besides; could be improved.

Y Mountain Lodge, Banff, Canada

4/5 (minimum 1) on 16 May 2007
My room at the Banff Y felt pretty institutional. Yes, this is a hostel and so some degree of institutional feel is inevitable, but a coat of paint and a steam clean to get rid of the pervasive smoke smell would really help. Other than that the room wasn't bad; spacious and comfy with decent facilities.

Based on my room alone I wouldn't rush back to the Banff Y, but I do get the impression other rooms are better, and the really killer feature of the hostel is the Sundance Bistro, which I've reviewed separately. The friendly staff behind the reception desk and the awesomeness of the cafe make this somewhere really worth staying, and the location is perfect just the other side of the Bow River from downtown Banff.

Saltlik Steakhouse, Banff, Alberta

5/5 (minimum 1) on 09 May 2007
This place in Banff town has a bar on the ground floor and a more upmarket restaurant upstairs. The downstairs bar feels a bit average, but the restaurant is very nice. The service is attentive, if trying a little bit too hard; the waiter's spiels got a little bit excessive and didn't feel totally genuine or convincing.

All that aside, the food is excellent. The spanish tapas (is there any other type?) was excellent, and the petit filet steak for main course was without doubt the best steak I'd ever had. This was accompanied by some excellent sides dishes (especially the potatoes, although the asparagus was a little underdone).

There are three in-house beers brewed specially for the place. I tried all three and wasn't hugely impressed (although the IPA was reasonable), but this didn't detract from the meal at all.

Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, Banff, Alberta

4/5 (minimum 1) on 09 May 2007
This place is immense, and is in a location to die for, surrounded by the heavily wooded mountains of the Rockies with amazing views. The building itself is almost as impressive, if a little bit over the top.

I'm not sure that the reality lives up to the first impressions. The common areas inside the building are very grand, but the rooms don't feel particularly exceptional. Sure there are lots of deep, fluffy pillows and bath robes, but there's nothing else that sets the rooms apart from many lesser hotels.

My experience in general didn't get off to a good start when my credit card was authorised for the entire amount of my bill, plus 100 dollars a night for incidentals, without any warning from staff that the authorisation would be so large. Pretty excessive, and resulted in alarms going off at the credit card company.

The "royal service" you get over the phone is fun, very efficient, and does set the place apart, but aside from that the hotel as a package (views excepted) doesn't rock my world as I had expected.

The bars and restaurants in the hotel are as expensive as you'd expect, but fortunately there's a food shop and liquor store on site.

Sundance Bistro, Banff Y Mountain Lodge, Banff, Alberta

5/5 (minimum 1) on 07 May 2007
This is the cafe/bistro at the Banff Y Mountain Lodge (the YWCA, open to all) and deserves a special mention. It's a great little place set within the hostel at the Banff town end of Spray Avenue. The atmosphere is relaxed, with nice low lighting, making it the perfect place to get your morning caffeine hit and then sit quietly while you come down.

It's open all day 7am-10pm but I've only been there for breakfast, which is really tasty and very reasonable. The most basic option is 5.50 dollars for eggs and sausages and toast. I had the Huevos Rancheros (fried eggs with tortilla, refried beans, and grilled cheese) which was huge, and kept me going all day. Staff are friendly too.

Banff Airporter Airport Transfers

4/5 (minimum 1) on 07 May 2007
The Banff Airporter does airport transfers from Calgary Airport to Canmore and Banff in the Canadian Rockies. In my (limited) experience it's a pretty slick operation. You can book and pay online in advance, there's a desk in arrivals at Calgary with a room where they'll store your bags if you have to wait for the next bus. It felt like a very professional operation.

My two criticisms are 1) the cost - 50 dollars each way seems a lot, especially when you're travelling in a bus with 20 others, and 2) the time it takes to drop people off - if you're in a bus with many others then you may be last to be dropped off, depending on your destination hotel, which can add up to 20 minutes to the two hour journey. Having said all that, this is a door to door pickup service, so some going round the houses is inevitable I guess.

Our driver was really helpful and friendly, and knew exactly what he was doing, so for service they get top marks. If you're in a group then there may be cheaper and quicker options, but if you're travelling alone then this is a good option.

Banff Springs Ski and Mountain Sports, Banff, Alberta

5/5 (minimum 1) on 07 May 2007
This is the sports equipment and ski rental shop at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel in Banff (underneath the Conference Centre). I went in to buy some swimming shorts, and realised I'd hit on a great source of local information on all sorts of outdoor activities. It looks just like an outdoor clothing shop, but is clearly a lot more.

I got talking about good cycle rides and the really friendly staff (especially the owner Bec) was very forthcoming with recommendations for bike rides in the area, as well as information about the hotel spa and the local hot springs.

As well as the ski and snowboard rental, the shop does bike (and bear spray!) rental, and sells all the maps you'll need for walking and cycling in the Banff area. They also run a hiking register for those going out alone or in small groups, which is a nice touch. Highly recommended.

Hotel America, Trento

5/5 (minimum 1) on 07 May 2007
Hotel America is a really nice family-run hotel in the centre of Trento. It's nicely done inside and well equipped, without feeling at all pretentious. I was given a lovely room (all are en-suite) right at the top of the hotel with its own roof terrace giving views over the old town. The room was clean, cosy, and comfortable, and the reception staff were very friendly. Italian and some German is spoken by the reception staff (not sure about other languages).

Breakfast is yoghurt, cereal, fruit salad, bread, ham, cheese, etc, and worth taking time over. My only grumble would be the really mediocre coffee from the coffee machine, but I imagine you can get something better from the bar in the dining room.

The only other minor grumble is that the wireless costs 2 euros for 30 minutes. Really I want it to be free, but I guess I can't have everything, and the room rates are pretty reasonable. This is a really nice place, and I'd certainly go back.

The Coach and Horses, Clifton, Bristol

3/5 (minimum 1) on 30 Apr 2007
An old-style boozer hidden away in a little square right at the top of Whiteladies Road. The view from the terrace at the front isn't anything to write home about, but it is a great suntrap and perfect for whiling away a weekend afternoon.

Traditional pub food such as scampi and chips, and burger and chips is available. For those with exotic taste there's lasagne (yes, with chips). It's reasonably priced (roughly a fiver for each dish) but nothing particularly special. As well as all the usual mass-produced beers when I visited there was also London Pride, Spitfire, and one other fairly mainstream cask ale on tap.

The Last Kiss

3/5 (minimum 1) on 30 Apr 2007
A group of late twenty-something males suffer pre-thirty relationship crises, centred around male lead Michael (Zach Braff). As the relationships unravel the film unfolds into a more interesting story than one expects from the early sense of impending doom. The premise of pre-mid-life crises is an interesting one, but in general the film lacks real impact.

V for Vendetta

4/5 (minimum 1) on 25 Apr 2007
It's sometime in the near future, and Britain (or is it just England?) has become a fascist state. In the spirit of Guy Fawkes, the mysterious "V" plans to blow up the Houses of Parliament and shake things up enough to remind the oppressed masses what they've lost.

Office worker Natalie Portman gets involved with V (in a sequence of events that's wonderfully executed - in just a few minutes her life changes and there's no way back) and the story unfolds from there.

The basic premise of the film is excellent, and very scary, especially because in the most surveilled country on Earth, with a government intent on attacking civil liberties, it seems worringly plausible. By invoking the legend of Guy Fawkes the terrorist aspects of the film are given a rosy, nostalgic air. Sadly the reality of a situation where anyone contemplates this sort of thing must be anything but warm and cosy.

Whatever the rights and wrongs of terrorism, this is a story about oppression, people's coping strategies, and the lengths to which they'll go to overcome it. It's also a film about vengeance, very cleverly executed.

Intellectually this film is a must-see. As a story it didn't engage me 100%, but I would happily watch it again. Knowing that it's based on a graphic novel helps you understand where it's coming from, narratively and cinematically.

Cat, the animal

5/5 (minimum 1) on 24 Apr 2007
I'm a big fan of cats. People with gardens (but without cats themselves) seem to hate them quite often, saying that they come and make a mess of their gardens, but on that basis cats win over dogs every time (and it always seems to be dog-lovers who do the complaining!). A very low proportion of dogs are really cute; this proportion is much higher in cats, especially when they're asleep. The only downside is when they get a bit old and dribbly, but you kind of have to forgive that after so many years of being soft and strokable.

The Day After Tomorrow

2/5 (minimum 1) on 23 Apr 2007
A serious message wrapped in a cheesey film. It passes the time, and does have a moment or two of tension, but the script-writing is pretty awful and there are a few fairly annoying details that don't help you take the whole thing seriously.

My first annoying niggle was in the library when they seem intent on burning books, rather than all the wooden chairs, tables, and shelves around them. Obviously this just provides an opportunity for a little aside into "can we really do this?" moral dilemna territory.

I guess I've got used to national stereotypes in Hollywood films, but the portrayal of the British scientists (football fan and token black man led my lovable old duffer professor, toasting "England" at the end, with Scotch) is just so laughable.

Perhaps most objectionable is the scene showing the US president being the urged to leave the White House, as "they're the last ones left". I can't believe for a minute that any US president (or other head of state) would stay behind to be the last one out. Instead they'd be the first to scarper to somewhere safe and warm. Pah. At least the Royal Family come a cropper in their choppers, so maybe there is some justice after all.

Scrubs

5/5 (minimum