August 2009
30 posts
2 tags
Book Review – ‘The Dice Man’ by Luke Rhinehart –...
Is the personality an evolutionary liability, like the shell of a tortoise? Does our hard emotional shell prevent us from growing? These are the questions of Luke Rhinehart, ‘The Dice Man’. This is Rhinehart’s autobiography, a psychotherapist detailing his experiences as he foregoes his personality, and, through the fall of the die, lets chance dictate all aspects of his life. It’s a very...
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Music Review – Dubious Ranger ‘Uneasy Truce at the...
Listening to San Francisco four-piece Dubious Ranger is a bit like watching an animation and trying to pick the voice actors. You can hear the various musical influences throughout, but it’s difficult to pin down exactly what they are. They describe themselves as a “union between high-art, classical-virtuoso pretension and take-your-pants-off rock and/or roll” and I think that’s the best way...
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Service Review – Coles Self-Checkout – 2.5 Stars
I like automation. The skill of swiping barcodes over a scanner feels accessible to most people, and the ability to avoid lines and check-out quickly is a main goal of shopping. Unfortunately, the Coles automated system still needs a bit of work. Not all items scan easily – in my shopping trip, I was advised three times to “contact a staff member for assistance”. And while it does get...
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Restaurant Review – Bushwa & Hooey (Melbourne VIC)...
It’s only been open a couple of weeks, but already it looks like Bushwa & Hooey is getting a bit of a following. And it’s understandable – with good quality coffee, and a nice (albeit concise) hot food menu and selection of fresh salads (though the Caesar could have done with about half as many croutons). Luckily, they’re planning on redoing the outside this weekend, and the old façade of...
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Movie Review – Adventureland (2009) – 3.5 Stars
For all the highschool, college, and 30-somthings movies, it’s good to see a film about an age bracket that doesn’t get that much air-time. The performances here are fantastic, especially Jessie Eisenberg as James, the post-grad student unsure how to fit his literary life into the humdrum of a boring job. Greg Mottola’s writing and directing here is fantastic, and he’s managed to perfectly...
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Software Review – Firefox – 4.5 Stars
Over the past 14 years I’ve used quite a few web browsers (from Netscape to Internet Explorer, to Opera, and even settled for a while on the little known Avant), but it wasn’t until I started using Firefox 3 in June last year that I didn’t want to change. The best thing about Firefox is that with its myriad extensions, the ability to tailor it exactly to your requirements is phenomenal. Add...
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Movie Trailer Review – The Tournament (2009) – 4...
Every so often you hear about a movie that sounds like it’s going to be a lot of fun. That’s exactly what I thought when I head about ‘The Tournament’. The premise is simple: a 24 hour battle to the death between thirty of the world’s best assassins, all competing for ten million dollars and the chance to be known as the greatest hit-man. Throw in Robert Carlyle as the innocent bystander...
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Restaurant Review – Atomica Caffe (Fitzroy VIC) –...
If there’s anywhere that embodies the spirit of Fitzroy, it’s Atomica Caffe on Brunswick St. Saying that it serves the best coffee in Fitzroy would seem to be an insult to the fact that it also serves some of the best breakfasts and lunches. Add to that, the ultra-cool staff serving the retro-funky clientele, the trendy décor, and the urban art on the walls, and you’ll see why this is not...
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Movie Review – He’s Just Not That Into You (2009)...
I don’t know what was worst about seeing this movie: the writing, the characters, the dialogue, or the fact that I could have been watching the footy instead. Having not read the book, I’m not sure whether to blame most of the failings on Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo, the authors of the book, of Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein who adapted it into a movie. Either way, there’s very little to...
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Restaurant Review – Estivo (Kew VIC) – 4.5 Stars
Estivo is one of the best restaurants in Kew, and an example of how to succeed at suburban fine dining. The place looks and feels classy, and the staff manage to tread the line of treating you like royalty without making you feel embarrassed. The food, itself, is also exquisite. I had venison carpaccio (with just enough sauce and garnish to enhance the texture and flavour of the meat without...
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Game Review – Sight Training (Nintendo DS) – 2.5...
Whilst not quite as good as Brain Training in terms of keeping you interested in tracking your progress every day, Sight Training does have the upside of being more challenging. The game’s split into two forms of testing, one more symbol-based and theoretical, and the other based on sports and more practical. (FYI, the sports training is much more interesting than the symbol version.) One...
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Restaurant Review – Ici (Fitzroy VIC) – 2.5 Stars
Sitting on a residential corner behind Brunswick Street, this isn’t the kind of place you’ll just stumble upon. But if you do, it might be worth dropping in for breakfast. There’s no menu in front of you – your options, instead, are on blackboards around the top of the walls. And, while breakfast is their main meal, the options are somewhat limited (that is, unless you’re up for the...
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Website Review – Oxt Weekend – 3 Stars
What exactly is “next weekend”? Is it the “next” weekend that we’ll get to, or is it the “next” one after that? If Ivan Cash and Jeremy Knight have their way, this conundrum could soon be a thing of the past. They’ve created the phrase “oxt weekend” to refer to “not this weekend but the weekend after.” It’s a lofty goal, aiming to add a word to the English language, but I admire their...
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Restaurant Review – The Mess Hall (Melbourne VIC)...
It’s not much to look at, but The Mess Hall is a fantastic place for a meal. The atmosphere is buzzing, and the ultra-trendy staff go out of their way to make sure you’re comfortable – if you’re lucky you might get a table upstairs. There’s a good value Italian wine list that perfectly suits the succinct, but delicious menu. I loved my rack of lamb, cooked perfectly rare with roast...
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Theatre Review – Chicago (Her Majesty’s Theatre...
The brass band’s on stage, the lingerie-clad women and tight-panted men start dancing, and then Caroline O’Connor and Sharon Millerchip sing. This is true musical theatre. The characters fit perfectly with Millerchip’s ‘Roxie’ seeming to take lessons from O’Connor’s ‘Velma’ in both show business sleaze and jazz vocals. The choreography and staging are simple but perfect for the show, and the...
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Restaurant Review – Della Nonna (Hawthorn VIC) –...
Sitting unassumingly on Glenferrie road; tucked amongst chicken take-aways and service stations, you’d never expect that behind those dark wooden blinds is such fantastic food. There’s an amazing variety of pizzas, pastas, and risottos on offer, as well as a succinct but tasty selection of mains. We had the blue swimmer crab agnolotti, with its abundance of crab meat and sweet, creamy tomato...
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Product Review – Nice & Natural Natural Nut Bars...
I know they’re not really good for me, but I think if I’m going to snack on something sweet and tasty at work, it’s probably better that I have one of these, rather than chocolate or a packet of chips. It’s good to be able to read an ingredients list that you can understand. And in this case, it’s: peanuts, chocolate, sultanas, honey, rice crisps, and sesame seeds. That’s it – nothing...
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Restaurant Review – Wagamama (Melbourne VIC) – 2.5...
I ate at Wagamama with a half-price voucher, and I probably wouldn’t do it any other way. There’s nothing wrong with the food (thought I have strong suspicions that it’s not as healthy as they promote it to be), but $20 is a lot to spend on a bowl of lunchtime noodles. I don’t know whether other people are finding the same issue and it’s effecting Wagamama’s profitability, but I do know that...
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Product Review – Beefmaster 4 Burner Premium BBQ...
Let alone taste, I’ve never cooked as steak that LOOKED as good as the one I cooked last night. The hotplate fired up and seared both sides to a delicate golden brown, then a couple of minutes on each side on the grill gave it beautiful dark tan grill lines, while keeping it perfectly bleu inside. Also, the even heating on the hotplate, and some time with the hood closed served to crispify...
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Restaurant Review – Script (Southbank VIC) – 1.5...
There are lots of things to consider when reviewing a restaurant: food, service, ambiance, and venue are just a few. Unfortunately, while ‘Script’ does well on a lot of points it fails at the most important hurdle. The venue is nice (decorated with sharp lines and dark wood tables), the service is pleasant (though surprisingly unfamiliar with the menu), and the atmosphere bustles (but for how...
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Theatre Review – Rockabye (MTC) - 2 Stars
Sets, costume, and most of the acting all seemed to be making the most of a script that was lacklustre at best. The play was never able to find itself. Dealing with a very complex issue, it managed to alternate between treating the material thoughtfully and Monty Python-esque irreverence. On the whole, the cast does well, let down slightly by Kate Atkinson’s fluctuating accent, and Pacharo...
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Restaurant Review – Afghan Village (Camberwell...
Having not tried Afghani food before, I didn’t really know what to expect. What I didn’t expect was how delicate, yet substantial, the food at Afghan Village would be. There were leek pastries, and spiced lamb dumplings, as well as kebabs of marinaded chicken and lamb over salad. But the biggest surprise was the extremely tender lamb in the dopiza korma with wonderfully sweet onions and...
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TV Review – The IT Crowd (Season 3) – 2.5 Stars
Throughout the first two seasons of ‘The IT Crowd’ most of the humour was technology related and derived from the juxtaposition of how little the employees of Reynholm Industries knew about computers, relative to Roy and Moss in the IT Department. This season, it seems they’re falling for their own joke, as the main comedy source for the show has shifted from technology to the relationships...
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Product Review – Beefmaster 4 Burner Premium BBQ...
I fancy myself reasonable handy with a screwdriver. I’m not any kind of specialist, but I hang my own pictures and change my own tyres. That’s why I was somewhat surprised at how tricky the assembly of my new BBQ was. Issue one – it came with two different instruction manuals, only one of which was the correct one. Secondly, it wasn’t that the assembly was particularly difficult, but rather...
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Product Review – Country Cup Croutons Creamy Roast...
As you might know, after one particularly bad experience, I’m not a huge fan of cup-a-soups. The Country Cup Croutons range, however, seems like one of the best of a bad bunch. They’re not trying to be too much – although the idea that the soggy blocks could really be called ‘croutons’ is another matter. The taste is reasonable, though you wouldn’t want it for lunch every day. The other...
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Movie Review – BASEketball (1998) – 3.5 Stars
Brilliantly mindless and wonderfully crude, ‘BASEketball’ tells the story of two childhood friends inventing a new sport and then resisting the temptations that come with the associated fame. Directed by David Zucker (creator of ‘The Naked Gun’), based on a game that he used to play with friends, you can tell that it’s also been heavily influenced (apparently as soon as they were cast, they...
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Restaurant Review – Baraki Upo Mezethes (Melbourne...
Note, that while I’m reviewing Baraki as a restaurant, and it’s often listed on the web as a restaurant – it’s really a bar. So while they take dinner bookings, be aware that you’ll be sitting at a table, knife and fork in hand, surrounded by people mingling and drinking rum and coke. It’s not a problem if you’re cool with that, as they serve really great food. The affordable wine list...
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Concert Review – The Hilltop Hoods (Palace Theatre...
This was the second time that I’ve seen the Hilltop Hoods live, and I’m glad to say that this time, I didn’t leave with a head wound! Promoting their new album, ‘State of the Art’, the Hoods perfectly balanced showing off tracks from this new album, with perennial audience favourites. All of these were then further enhanced by the large-screen cartoon slideshow, matching the songs. The sound...
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Restaurant Review – James Squire Brewhouse...
Some days, after work, all you want is a pint of good beer and some hearty pub food. If you’re in the Melbourne CBD, it’s hard to go past James Squire Brewhouse for just that. The beer range is fantastic, featuring the full tap range from one of Australia’s best breweries. They also have a classic pub menu to satisfy any hungry businessperson. There’s the chicken parma (like the suits,...
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Movie Review – The Hurt Locker (2008) – 2.5 Stars
I think I need to have a chat with Kathryn Bigelow to establish what message she was trying to send with this film. It seemed to be intended as homage to the heroic bomb disposal teams in Bagdad, highlighting the constant pressure that they work under. Instead, it came across as the epitome if why the USA should never have invaded Iraq. These guys work disarming bombs intended to kill them. ...
July 2009
32 posts
2 tags
Bar Review – The Alchemist (Fitzroy VIC) – 1 Star
With beautiful plush suede couches and armchairs, soft lighting, and more curtains that you could draw, The Alchemist was a bar that I’d been intending to try out for a while. But before anyone else starts thinking the same, I’d recommend not. Drinks are expensive, so you’d expect something quite fancy at $18 for an Amaretto and Cherry Whisky Sour – not Johnnie Red, lemon, Galliano Amaretto,...