4/29/2012

Jus Burgers (Northbridge, Perth WA) - CLOSED

Shop 11/189 William St
Northbridge Western Australia 6003
(08) 9227 0668
http://www.jusburgers.com.au
Hours:
    Mon, Sun 11:30 - 21:00
    Tue-Sat 11:30 - 22:00

Jus Burgers (Northbridge) on Urbanspoon Jus Burgers Northbridge is the perfect place for any burger lover who wants a burger that tastes of burger but it is also gourmet-ish.

The variety of patties and burgers is great: different types of beef, chicken and vegetarian burgers, plus the lamb, kangaroo and fish patties. They also have gluten free buns available, which is great if you or your company are celiacs.

It is not only the burgers, but also the serving sizes, the taste of their fries, sauces and pickles, and the variety of sides. It is the mindfulness in plating the burgers, the cuteness of the baby-sized meals, and the terrific service they provide - they should be very proud of having such a great bunch of cool, friendly and efficient people working there.

I love the atmosphere of the place, with its mix of rusticity and artistic details.The first down of Jus Burgers is its tiny size, with not much space beyond the outside seating area and the bottom-end four tables. Not many tables, not many people at the time, therefore, difficult to dine in at peak hours. You have to be there before 12pm if you aren't alone and want a good table at lunch time. Brunch will be a a better option. Otherwise the place is fully-packed, not just the good tables.

The second down is the chicken burger. Who came with the "brilliant" idea that we would like a chicken burger with a dry chicken fillet instead of the usual soft chewable chicken mince patty? Arrrgh!Guaranteed - you are going to leave Jus Burgers with your waist bordering another size, and with a big smile of satisfaction - counting in your head how many hours are acceptable to return there without being labelled  a burger junky. Although.... if you pay for a take-away and pig your meal out hidden from the world elsewhere, nobody will notice. 

UPDATE 22/8/2012
 I was there about 3-4 weeks ago with friends, and the burgers were a shadow of what they used to be in presentation and taste. 

I ordered one of the vegan burgers, and it was not especially tasty. Mediocre. The onion rings were, in taste,  as good as the ones you could find at Mackos or Hungry Jacks or any other shop. The fries were OK. I did not taste my friends' food, but they definitely are not the super-fresh gorgeous looking burgers that made me addicted to the place when it opened.

The service is still excellent, very fast and friendly, though.

It must be the decrease in the quality of the food what explains why the place is not as crowded as used to be.

I hate when businesses do this to themselves - downgrading themselves in a spiral that goes from up do down to failure by taking customers for granted.

4/28/2012

Best Western Kinabaly Daya Hotel (Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia)

BEST WESTERN Kinabalu Daya Hotel
Lot 3 & 4, Block 9 Jalan Pantai, 
Kota Kinabalu 88000, Malaysia
Telephone: (6088) 240 000
Fax Number: (6088) 263 909
Email Address:  info@kkdayahotel.com
The best thing about this hotel is that is centrally located, a few minutes from the seafront, and at walking distance to several shopping malls, banks, etc.

Free buffet breakfast is included in the price; I thought was excellent, with a mix of Asian and Western foods. The staff at the restaurant were OK.

I paid for a deluxe suite, with separate bedroom, kitchenette and living room, in a non-smoker floor. However, on arrival I was given another room in a smoking floor. I noticed that there was not kitchenette and went down to tell reception, and they tried to convince me that my fridge and coffee/tea facility was a kitchenette. At seeing me not happy, they immediately offered me another room, and asked me if I liked better - but I was asking for what I have paid for, not for a fancier room, and they were not making me any favour.  Still, the kitchenette in the new room was pathetic, with a sink with a bad tap, a microwave, kettle, mini-fridge and a few items of crockery and cutlery - No cooking tools, no washing tools.

The room was big and with large windows so during the day was very luminous. The room was also very quiet during the day and at night. However the room was poorly lightened, with no side tables or table lamps to help during the night (that would be so easy to fix!), the wall and ceiling had evident cracks, and part of the furniture was also chipped. The wardrobe had an ironing set, but no sleepers or bathrobe. The set of the amenities in the bathroom was the worse I found in Malaysia, despite me visiting much cheaper hotels. That would not be important if the price matched what you get, but Best Western is offering a cheap hotel service and rooms and asking you a 4-star hotel price in Malaysia.

The people at the tour desk and reception were OK. Some of the them very nice, but generally speaking a bit sour.

A hotel for backpackers and budget travellers if they had backpackers prices.

    Stayed January 2012

Clueless by Amy Heckerling (1995)

Clueless is a romantic teen comedy and a sweet satire of the lives of the Beverly Hills teens. It is a comedy that does not take itself seriously, that does not pretend to be anything or send any message to the youth of the world, or be over the top, but it does get its parody of the rich and famous through without being insulting or pretentious. It is loosely based on Jane Austen's Emma.

Clueless has a terrific script, great dialogues, and memorable characters despite the stereotypes. Most importantly, there are many funny, cheeky, sweet and naughty moments, so if you don't laugh or enjoy it, you are the problem.

All the cast members are lovable and adorable in their respective roles. Paul Rudd is very charming as the sweet hard worker Josh. Alicia Silverstone has the role of a lifetime playing Cher Horowitz, and is extremely funny, as well as the almost unrecognisable Brittany Murphy as Tai; she still was herself and not a Hollywood minced product. Stacey Dash and Donald Faison are also terrific in their roles of the couple Dionne & Murray. Also very good is Elisa Donovan as Amber.

Despite being filmed in 1995 the movie is still fresh, funny and very enjoyable, and only the fashion is a bit aged, but just a bit.

A classic teen movie that is still fresh and funny. If you watch it for what it is, you'll have a blast.

4/26/2012

Sucker Punch by Zack Snyder (2011)

Sucker Punch is the story of a group of problematic teen girls (Baby Doll, Sweet Pea, Rocket, Blondie and Amber) trying to escape a mental institution for girls where they are abused and exploited by its director Blue Jones.

The start of the movie is very promising. It tells the story of how Baby Doll, the leading character, gets to the mental institution. It has a good narrative and terrific music, and, in fact, looks very much like a well-made video-clip.

This being a Fantasy film, you expect the unexpected and you are already open to unbelievable things to happen; however, to swallow the lot, the story needs to have an internal logic that makes it organic, and you rarely find that here beyond the opening sequence and the thin line connecting the different day-dreams. The day-dreaming scenes are very entertaining, because, well, they are supposed to be day-dreams in which anything is possible. However, once again, the whole seems like an extended video-clip pastiche that moves to a different one.

The movie has a great concept and succeeds at creating an unique an bizarre Universe that mixes themes and aesthetics in vogue in modern pop culture (a mix of early medieval, Gothic, traditional Japanese, the 1920s and 1950s aesthetics). The special effects are great, and the action scenes are terrifically filmed, and always powered by a terrific music. However, the script is so thin, the characters so superficially drawn, the nonsense so obvious, and the pretentiousness of some scenes (the end for example) so patronising that you cannot ignore them.

The acting was good on the part of the always convincing Oscar Isaac as Blue Jones, John Glenn as the Wise Man, Jena Malone as Rocket, and Amy Cormish as her sister Sweet Pea. The rest of the cast is OK: Emily Browing as melancholic Baby Doll, Vanessa Hudgengs as Blondie, Jamy Chung as Amber, and Carla Gugino as Dr. Vera Gorski. The rest of the cast seems to be more a group of extras passing by, despite the cameo of Jon Hamn.

I loved the soundtrack, but there is barely a rest from it. Although the lyrics of the songs are directly related to the story, the intensity of the music is overwhelming and numbing. This is a movie and you expect the music to be at the service of the story, not the opposite!

The fleshy flesh wasn't necessary in the story, to be honest, and it is a bit of a perverted old man's fantasy. Sorry Snyder! I found unnecessary the characters being dressed in sluttish dresses the whole time. They could have carried on the story with the girls wearing jeans and t-shirts outside their dancing areas. Insulting are those moments in which the focus of the camera goes on some of the girls' bottoms!

At the end of the movie I felt that the great imagination, potential and actors have been wasted by a poor direction and that Snyder is your man if you want to get a super-duper video-clip not a movie.

The DVD has a bonus of 4 animated short films directed by Ben Hibon (Feudal Warriors, The Trenches, Dragon and Distant Planet), which complement the day-dreaming scenes. They are good visually, full of potential, but too hurriedly done, and with paper-thin plots provided by the same director, not by the animator. You can have wonderful animation, but if you have a poor story, the rest is a waste of time, money and talent. If you cannot do something well, don't do it at all.

An action packed film full of fantasy, big fights, silly stories, and girls in sluttish dresses. A movie mostly for teenagers.

Hotel Pullman Kuchin (Kuchin, Malaysia)

Address: 1A Jalan Mathies, Sarawak
93100 Kuching, Malaysia
Tel. (+60)82/222888
Fax. (+60)82/222999
Email: H6332@accor.com
Website: http://www.pullmankuching.com/

GOOD THINGS
+ Centrally located to visit all the sights. Close to the riverside, nice restaurants and the heart of the city.

+ Great room. Huge in size, very welcoming and well layered out. Very comfortable and homey. The bathroom was divine.

+ The hotel is above a recently-opened shopping mall (Star Hill), where different affordable Asian restaurants and coffee shops can be found.

+ Good set of toilet amenities.

+ Checking out at 12pm is also great

+ Free newspaper every morning

+ One hour free Internet in the room. It is fast, and enough for checking emails and uploading a few files. No speed or giga upload limit.

+ The Malaysian staff were especially friendly and welcoming, especially Sanusi. The cleaners and housekeepers were delightful as well as the girls at the coffee shop and the special events desk

BAD THINGS

+ Crowded insufficient plugs in the room!

+ No free Internet in the rooms. So the last century. Three star hotels are doing so already!. Moreover, they have stupid Internet policies, and blocking sites like Multiply that is less dangerous than Facebook. Reason given: it is a sharing place. Senseless! As a result I had to stop posting in my blog and sharing my photos. Thanks Accor...

+ Lobby looks and feels like an airport corridor: too big, you might need a skate to move around the lobby, too shiny, too pretentious, too impersonal and unwelcoming. They should refurbish it and divide the space differently, so it feels more welcoming to the customer.

+ A bit chaotic reception desk with some misinformed and unwelcoming staff.

+ Unwelcoming guy at the Tour office. Some people should practice smiling every day and say thank you to customers, too! It seemed that he was annoyed because I was trying to book some tours. Ridiculous!

+ The coffee at the lobby cafeteria is not good and overpriced.

+ Mostly a business hotel.
Room Tip: If you are visiting during New Year or Chinese New Year, ask for a room that does not face the pool...
See more room tips

    Stayed January 2012

Perth International and Domestic Airport (Perth WA)

2 George Wiencke Dr
Perth Airport Western Australia 6105
(08) 9478 8888
http://www.perthairport.com.au

Call me sentimental, but I find Perth Airport charming. Not only that, I think represents well what Perth is: a big place with the soul of a little town, a city that is welcoming, relaxed and human-sized.

The Airport certainly needs to improve, but there are many good things about Perth Airport. Things that people won't appreciate until we get one of those standard humongous airports that feel built for giants, and whose floors are so shiny that you have to wear your sunnies not to get blinded by their glare.

I find especially pleasant that I don't need fifteen minutes of fast walking to move between departure gates -something important if your flight changes gate at the last moment- or to move around in general.

Most of the staff are pleasant, helpful and approachable, not the nosey type you find at other places. Even at Customs, where things can be annoying and slow, most of the staff will great you with a smiley good-day, and treat you with humanity and friendliness while they tripe out your whole suitcase and reveal your oh-not-so-sexy underwear to the world.

Cues at the checking-in counters move always fast. The transport to/from the airport, re taxis, shuttle and public transport is good, although car users have it a bit tricky.

The three things I hate the most are: 1/ The number of chairs in the waiting areas is limited and not very comfortable for long waits.  2/ The coffee and food area is populated by mediocre fast-food chains shops. 3/ The Duty Free area (Duty Free?) has been out of fashion and too expensive since ever.

The airport needs to improve and to grow to attend to the increasing number of flights and of international and domestic visitors. However, I hope that, when that happens, it doesn't lose the cosiness and charm that it has at present, and that feeling I get just after landing, that the Perth Airport is, indeed, an extension of my own place.

(Tourism Australia, I am all yours!)

4/25/2012

Caffissimo at the Gallery (Perth WA)

Art Gallery of Western Australia
James St Mall
Perth Cultural Centre
Perth Western Australia 6000
(08) 9228 3100
http://www.caffissimo.com.au/
 
The coffee is bland, although I have noticed differences between the dine-in and take-away coffee.  Some days is OK. Not sure why!

The staff are nice and respectful, fast at the cashing machine and take-away, but very s-l-o-w if you decide to dine in.

The place is spacious, comfortable and contemporary in style, and well located, so it is perfect to catch up with friends, family and for work meetings in the heart of the city, in a nice quiet spot. Not too noisy, not to quiet.

The food is  not good, especially for a cafe attached to an Art Gallery. I was there this week and I ordered the "pasta of the day". I got a bowl of overcooked tasteless ugly-looking pasta. If you cook some pasta at home with jar pesto and Parmesan, it will definitely taste better than the 18-dollar pasta I got. However, if you like that sort of mushy thing go to any food hall, where it will cost you half the price, or head towards Aroma Cafe at the State Library, where the pasta is definitely better. If you want a fast service and something decent at Caffissimo order pre-cooked stuff (pies, tarts and quiches with their salad); you can get the same sort of pre-cooked thing for a trifle of the price at the Trackside Bakery, 200 metres away. I tried their sandwiches years ago, but I cannot recall anything, and, to be bluntly yours, I don't know if I will have the strength to return and try them, because, every time I visit Caffissimo, I leave with the after-taste of having wasted my money and time.

The place is always full and the only sensible reason I find for that is the location.Humans are a strange species sometimes - they gather like seagulls around places that are not always  worth the bites they get. Take me back to Pluto, please!

Piccolo Hotel (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

Piccolo Hotel
101 Jalan Bukit Bintang, 
Kuala Lumpur 55100, Malaysia
Tel : 603 - 2146 5000 
Fax : 603 - 2146 5001
Email: reservation@piccolohotel.com.my
http://www.thepiccolohotel.com/
http://www.piccolohotel.com.my/Home.html?page=index

Piccolo Hotel is pretty and trendy hotel located in the heart of the posh shopping area of KL that defines itself as eco-friendly. I found it very comfortable for the days I stayed. They have free fast Internet, a cozy spacious room, great design and lighting, original open concept bathroom, good plasma TV and entertainment program, and free newspaper every morning.

The toilet amenities are good quality but very limited. No hair conditioner (if you are a lady with long hair you need it), no toothbrush, no cotton buds, no rubbish bin in the toilet!, no robe. These details are unimportant, still expected in a hotel that pretends to be trendy, especially when average hotels in KL have the above mentioned things.

The level of noise in my room was dreadful! There is a nearby open disco that goes bombastic from 10pm until 3am or so. Moreover, the walls between rooms are paper-thin and you can hear the shower/sewage of the next-door room! The corridors can be be noisy, and if they are, you will hear everything as the rooms are not sound proofed. The music at the shopping mall public areas starts at about 7am.

The concierge and tour people were really friendly and helpful, but the people at the reception desk were helpful but unwelcoming and not warm at all. They are at the bottom list of the many hotels I have visited in Malaysia so far. Smile!!! Make people welcome! Is that so difficult?

I truly recommend the Morino Kaze Fish Spa experience, for the fish spa which I found to be an amazing experience!

The heritage food trail is at one minute from the hotel; a fantastic food hall to savour different Asian delicacies. However, you can find any western, Asian or Middle Eastern food restaurant at 5 minutes from the hotel, as well as bars and shopping malls. There are two restaurants at the lobby, but they are always empty...

A great hotel for young and modern-minded people looking for a great location to move around the best shopping area in KL.

Room Tip: If you are a slight sleeper ask for a room facing the lateral alleys.  

    Visited January 2012

4/24/2012

Passchendales Accessories (Perth WA) - CLOSED

Shop H14, Carillon City Arcade
Perth Western Australia 6000
(08) 9322 3173
http://www.passchendales.com.au/

Hours:
    Mon-Thu, Sat 10:00 - 17:00
    Fri 10:00 - 19:00
    Sun 12:00 - 17:00

Passchendales is an eclectic shop that sells a mix of races, bridal and special occasion accessories.

I have always liked the display of hats they have at the entrance and shop-window, and the openness of the shop, that initially invites you to enter. However, the place is very small and crowded with things, so you also get visually overwhelmed and feel like not entering. Then you enter and the space is so narrow that you feel like controlling your body not to put anything out their place. This might be the reason why the shop is rarely crowded or with many clients in general, but it is  certainly worth a visit.

The hat section is really great, beautiful, classy, innovative, varied, and the star of the shop. Some of the pieces are really WOW. They have fascinators, head pins, head bands and proper hats. They have a made-to-order millinery service available just for your royal head to go crazy, something you don't expect from a tiny shop like this.

The amount and variety of evening bags is also considerable from the very simple to the Oscar-like and within a huge range of prices. On the contrary, most wallets on display were too chunky and not very elegant. There is a nice selection of pashmina scarves at 39 dollars - a great price as you pay the same for plain cotton scarves at David Jones and Myer at present. The jewellery is like any other you find in similar shops, even in the Carillon Complex.

The new shop-assistant was a bit unwelcoming and model-ish. I asked for her help and she gave it to me, but did so as she was making me a favour. and I was a member of the plebs disturbing the empress. However, she genuinely smiled after I showed my appreciation for the wrapping of my purchase. She might have been having a bad day, or two..., but I expect a shop-attendant to be welcoming and friendly, otherwise I go elsewhere or shop online. The other shop-assistant (the owner?) was very welcoming, smiley and invited you to enter if you were browsing at the door. I want her back.

Their wrapping and little details you get are beautiful.

Mind your heads, girls, they don't give refunds or exchange items if you change your mind, unless the genre is faulty. You will even get a decorative note saying that in a wordy elegant manner. Ouch!

The shop is worth a visit for the hats and the pashminas. You can find many of the other things they sell elsewhere.  If I was  the owner I would clean a bit the shop and leave the hats, clutches and pashminas, and get rid of everything else so the shop becomes more spacious and inviting.

Visit their website as they have great competitions and offers:
http://www.passchendales.com.au/customer-service/competitions/

4/23/2012

Absolute Tribal Restaurant (Kuching, Malaysia)

No. 24, Upper Ground Floor, Hills Shopping Mall,
No. 8 Jalan Bukit Mata, 93000, Kuching, Malaysia

GOOD THINGS
+ The atmosphere is contemporary, pleasant colours and different spaces to chose from.
+ The staff are extremely friendly.
+ They have buffet lunch some days of the week and if you order take away for lunch they will serve your very fast.
+ Nice natural juices prepared on the spot.
+ They have decent food, both Thai and Malay. For my evening dinner I ordered a Midin Kerabu which was delicious, and, as a main, a Fried Prawn with Assam Sauce that was very tasty. However, the prawns being in their shell, the plate turned to be mostly shells and not much to eat, despite the 36 MYR I paid for it. The waitress recommended this way, but I thought, at the end, that this only benefits the restaurant, which uses less prawns for the same dish. Otherwise, please be more generous!

BAD THINGS
+ The service is SLOW in the evenings. The drinks came 10 minutes after ordering, the entrée and main course were severed at the same time at about 30 minutes after ordering. People who came after me got their food before I did. I find that unacceptable for such a pricey restaurant.
+ Totally overpriced.
+ Poor selection of sweets.
+ Small serves

    Visited January 2012

Like New (Perth WA) = CLOSED

This is a tiny vintage shop in Walcott St showcasing a few racks of vintage clothing and a rack with a  few accessories.

The amount and variety of items is poor, although some items will certainly catch your eye. I found that many of the items were too-granny style to be trendy, despite the vintage era we are living in, although there were a few nice items on display too. I thought the most glamorous thing in the shop was the spacious well illuminated and tastefully set changing room.

There are so many good vintage shops in the city, that, in comparison, this looks like a garage sale sort of shop. Still, it has its charm, a lovely friendly lady behind the counter, and you might find something you fancy.

They don't have a website.

4/22/2012

Premier Inn Dubai International Airport (Dubai, UAE)

Premier Inn Dubai International Airport:
52B Street | PO Box 35118, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Opposite Terminal 3
Al Garhoud
T: +971 (0) 4 260 4000
F: +971 (0) 4 260 4004

A very convenient hotel for short stays between flights or in your last day at Dubai if you have an early flight.

The staff is very friendly and efficient, always ready to give you a hand with a smile.

There is a free shuttle to the airport, which is specially good for going to the airport from the hotel. There is also a free shuttle to the Festival City Shopping Mall if you have spare time for shopping. The room is basic but very comfortable and spacious.

There are two restaurants, and also a Costa Cafe corner, which is open 24 hours, just in case that you don't have the time to have breakfast if your flight is very early in the morning.

Toiletries are poor.

The van running from/to the airport is just one, so it might not be that convenient for people on arrival, as you should have to wait a bit in the taxi/vans area, where you can't sit. Taxis are very cheap from the airport to the hotel, though.

Although Emirates Metro Station is very close, I was told by the staff that it was not possible to walk there, and that I had to take their shuttle to terminal 3 to take the metro from there. However, somebody at the hotel told me that it was just a 10 minute walk from the hotel.The metro is the most convenient place to move around, so waiting for the shuttle can be time consuming if you really want to have a look around and can walk to the Emirates station.

I was extremely pleased with my stay at this hotel and with the staff.

    Stayed December 2010

ZiQoo Hotel Apartment (Dubai, UAE)

ZiQoo Hotel Apartment:
Building number 11 | Zen 3, Discovery Garden, Dubai 487021, United Arab Emirate

Located in the outskirts of Dubai, in a quiet green area, Ziqoo is at 12 minutes walking distance from the Ibn Battutah Shopping Mall and 17 minutes from the Ibn Batuttah Metro Station.

My room (a studio deluxe room) was very spacious, with quality classy furniture, great hard bed, beautiful colours and atmosphere, with a fully equipped kitchen (huge fridge, washing machine/dryer, rice cooker, toaster, microwave, electric stove, and basic kitchen and cooking utensils), a huge LCD TV with a good selection of international and local channels, and even a charming balcony with a table and chair. The common areas, as well as the room, are extremely clean and tidy, and the corridors have a classy decoration and the floors shine like a mirror. I found the area very quiet at night despite the existence of a small mosque nearby.

The staff (reception desk, maintenance and cleaners) are very polite, sweet and hardworking people. My especial thanks to Lorraine Rodriguez, who was extremely helpful during my arrival and stay at the hotel.

There is a big supermarket (Geant) at the Tunisia section of the Mall, so you can buy anything you want there. For an emergency you have an Indian convenience store next door and a few restaurants and other services in the neighbourhood.

Despite what the hotel’s website an different booking sites mention, there is no tour desk at the hotel, and the person at the reception desk takes care of booking tours with just one company, and gives you some maps, general info, and the Big Bus brochures; if you need extra info or booking with other companies they tell you politely to do the booking and call yourself.

The distance to the city centre might be a problem if you want to be close to the main Dubai sights, if you have mobility problems, or you carry a lot of luggage from the metro, as you have to walk 17 minutes to-from the metro station (you also need to know the fire exits to go through the mall if you need to catch a train before 10am, as the main exits to the MS are closed before that time). Just to give you an idea, going to the Dubai Mall takes about 30 minutes from the IBMS, whereas Deira City and the old Dubai area are at about 45-50 minutes from the IBMS, plus the walking distance to-from the station.

The Internet is LAN and good speed but a bit expensive for Western standards unless you pay for a 24 hour voucher; log out from your session or you will lose the remaining credit. You might need to refresh your cookies often to allow the hotel´s system program to operate.

There were just two power points in my room, and both of them had a switchboard connected, so the points are overcrowded if you need to use 2-3 gadgets/devices. There was just one power point in the bathroom, and that only for shavers. If you are a woman, you have to do your hair in the room; the lighting of the bathroom is poor and I would suggest a small lightened mirror for women.

No dish-washing liquid sachet provided in the kitchen, and that is the first time in an apartment hotel that happens to me. I had to buy a whole bottle for my 9 day visit.

The ceiling lights went off during my first day there, because of the fuses, and the handyman who fixed the problem (a very sweet and efficient guy) requested me not to use many lights at the same time, but I was using minimal lights and the aircon was off.

The number of wardrobes is humongous.

You’ll need to book your breakfast in advance because, if you decide to have it on arrival, it will be impossible.

You’ll be charged for an early checking even if the hotel is not full, or at least that was my case.

The service was poor despite the courtesy and hard work of the staff.

MY RECOMMENDATION
If you want a quiet location, a place located near the Metro and a shopping mall, good quality rooms and quietness for a business trip, this is your place. I would go for a one-bedroom apartment if I had to visit again, but the studios are great if you are on a budget and still want plenty of room and a fully equipped kitchen. The hotel is outside Dubai, therefore, if you go on holidays, make sure that you book your tours and pick-ups in advance. That will save you a big headache as the local companies I tried do not work according to Western standards. The metro is great and reliable and will take you anywhere for a small fee; the walk to-from the hotel is very nice and quiet and you will enjoy that if you like walking. I would certainly recommend the hotel for business/work related stays, or for independent travellers who have at least 5 days at Dubai.

    Stayed November 2010

Aroma Cafe (State Library, Perth WA)

State Library of Western Australia
25 Francis St
Perth Cultural Centre
Perth Western Australia 6000
(08) 9427 3102
http://www.aromacafe.com.au/
Hours:
    Mon-Thu 7:30 - 19:00
    Fri-Sun 7:30 - 17:00

The coffee is not bad, but a bit bland, weak if you prefer, and you'll need a long macchiato for the coffee to taste like the flat-white you want.

Their food is OK. They have a varied selection of hot pastry food (pies, sausage rolls), sandwiches, pannini, muffins, quiches, and daily hot dishes (mostly pasta based, although they also have schnitzels) and fresh salads. They all are tasty (and better than many take-aways around), and the staff is very accommodating regarding any variation you want. Still the pasta can be soggy and overcooked if you go late lunch times. The latest addition to the sweet section are little colourful macaroons, which are surprisingly good.The place is very functional, with clean lines, photos of the the old library hanging from the wall, and lovely orange chairs outside, which really cheer the place up. Their outdoor seating area is very pleasant, as it has a sort of mini-pool in front of it, and is very summery and enjoyable when the weather is good; however, the seagulls also like it, and they can become an annoyance if they see you eating or there are left overs on other tables. The café can be noisy, and it is crowded most times of the day, but I still find it pleasant to catch up with colleagues, and it is family and children friendly. 

Most of the visitors of the café are staff from the State Library, TAFE and ATO, the occasional backpacker and TAFE student, mums/dads/grandparents with kids, and some others droppers by needed of a quick stop to refuel. 

The service is t-e-r-r-i-f-i-c regarding friendliness and efficiency, especially having into account the huge amount of visitors they have, all day long, for both take-away and indoors. All the staff are terrific, and you will rarely find a grumpy, rude or nosey waiter/waitress there. They treat you with courtesy and respect, and work their socks off every single day. They serve you f-a-s-t!My main complaint is the coffee beans they use, and that I would like changed to produce a coffee that has more taste and creaminess. The place is very nice per se, and I think they could improve it and make it more funky, by reorganising the seating area indoors with more individual or 2-people tables, and change a bit the decoration, so it is less plain, less library-ish and more inner city style - make the place trendier and  more intimate! There must be a way to deter those annoying seagulls outside. 

They have a loyalty card system.

Urbanistar @ New Edition Bookshop (Perth WA)

212 William St
Northbridge Western Australia 6003
04 0200 7003
http://www.facebook.com/urbanistar.cafe
Hours:
    Mon-Sat 10:00 - 20:00
    Sun 10:00 - 19:00

They have moved from their former charming location at the back of William St, in Arcade 189, to this new charming location inside the New Edition Book Shop. They have also organised a nice outdoor seating area on the footpath, really charming, which attracts passers by, book lovers beyond their usual bunch of loyal customers.

Their coffee is bland and tasteless and uses Toby Estate's beans. The aroma is certainly good, so I don't know why the taste is missing! It is always in the list of most popular cafés in the CBD, but I think that can be explain for the fact that they offer a wonderful service, and the barista and his assistants are very welcoming and nice to any customer. To e honest, there are much better coffee in at least three different places around Urbanistar, which are favoured by coffee lovers, who want their coffee to taste of coffee, to start with, and to have certain level of creaminess and consistency..
I haven't tried their food.

It is a pity that the guys are so lovely, but the coffee doesn't invite to spend your money in their place. 


They offer 3$ coffee to dining-n customers, which is a terrific price for a coffee in the CBD.
 

Venn (Perth WA)

16 Queen St
Perth Western Australia 6000
(08) 9321 8366
http://www.venn.net
Hours:
    Mon-Tue 7:00 - 18:00
    Wed-Fri 7:00 - 0:00
    Sat 9:00 - 0:00
    Sun 11:00 - 20:00

The Venn is a little gem semi-hidden from the busy CBD, still in its very heart, that integrates art, food, drink, and shopping in one cool place.

The gallery is elegant, spacious and well curated regarding lighting and display. However, they need a bit of more sophistication, because sticking the wonderful photos on display on the wall by using drawing pins is not very cool, or very artsy, or very impressive. The girl at the desk was welcoming, very cool and really really nice and helpful. The sort of person you want to find in an alternative art gallery. I was really impressed.

The shop is very cool in design - a sort of white theatre that perfectly showcases the colourful items on sale. It is very retro and 1960s, and, in that regard, not very innovative. Still, you'll find very cool thingies you don't need but you madly want to have, like wonderful wrapping papers, colourful synthetic decorative artefacts, wooden toys, odd calendars, and fun jewellery pieces. I hate the Pantone mugs, which are now in every second shop that pretends to be cool; they are the  antithesis of creativity and of art, and b-o-r-i-n-g. The shop attendant was lovely, and so very artsy and colourful herself!

The coffee shop is very trendy and modern, still warm and welcoming, and very intimate. A perfect place to have a coffee on your own or with a friend to whisper her all your secrets, or with your dream man separated from your nose by barely a few centimetres. All cool! I was there at an odd time of the day and the food on display wasn't very appealing or much in general, but I will return for breakfast to taste their coffee and food and report back another day.

The roof-top terrace is very cool and cosy, although it was closed when I visited. However,  the music was on, and too intrusive for the visitor of the gallery who wants to focus on the works on display and not on music that is not specifically thought for the exhibition. If you want the gallery to have music, great!, then find the music that matches in spirit or concept the works on display. Otherwise, the spell that the viewer gets into while looking at Art is broken. Think about this, guys, when the bar is not open. This item of advice is for free, so take it as a gift, not as criticism. OK? If you want more items of my super-duper advice, you might have to pay for it.

The dudes around were certainly very appealing =).

Kara Jewellery (Plaza Arcade, Perth WA) - CLOSED

Shop 10 Plaza Arcade
650 Hay St
Perth Western Australia 6000
(08) 9221 2699
Hours:
    Mon-Thu, Sat-Sun 9:00 - 17:00
    Fri 9:00 - 19:30

Kara is an unpretentious boutique-like jewellery shop in the Plaza Arcade with beautiful classy pieces and an eye-catching shop window.

Kara is an official stockist for some of my favourite silver brands: Thomas Sabo and Georgini, but also caters for Rochet Bijoux (for men). If you fancy their pieces and style, or you just want something truly beautiful and classy for an special occasion or for every day, Kara is your place.They also have a small corner with pearls, but I did not find them as appealing as the other pieces in the shop.

The shop-attendant is actually the owner of the shop, a very nice kind lady, who will treat you with old-fashioned courtesy, which is so rare nowadays. If you request it with elegance, and show real interest, she will make a little discount or show you pieces within your budget. Most of the items are in locked shop-windows, so you have to ask the lady to take them out for you to try. Don't panic, she is human and won't eat you!

The shop is pricey in general, but many of the charms and tiny pendants are affordable, and will get lots of attention from both your girlfriends, you expect that, and from straight men, the latter being a surprise to me.

The volume of items of display is small, still is more than enough for you choose from. I miss always a standing mirror, and not the hand-mirror they have.

They don't have a website.  

UPDATE 
The shop has closed down permanently. 

4/21/2012

The Invention of Lying by Ricky Gervais (2009)

The Invention of Lying is a modern parable of the sins of human nature and the vices of modern Society, written, directed and lead by English comedian Ricky Gervais.

The movie departs from a similar point as "Lier Lier" did, but explores subjects in a deeper and complex way, moving from a personal extravagant experience to the social one. The movie is actually a parody of our modern world in which lies are sold as the truth from the Church, the Government and the Media, and in which double-faced behaviour is condoned as politeness. TIOL is quite irreverent in every aspect, without being offensive regarding religion; the story of the "man on the sky" really makes a point that everybody will understand (although religious fanatics will certainly think otherwise).

The script is brilliant, very witty and funny, but I don't think will satisfy viewers looking for an easy laugh or a empty comedy. If you go beyond the comedy, you'll notice that the movie is, in fact, very poignant and philosophical. It poses so many interesting questions and dilemmas in a very unpretentious way: Are eugenics the future of society to produce better children? 1/ Does genetic imperfection equal human imperfection? Animals indeed mate the best genetically available mate to give their offspring the best chance of survival, so why humans don't need to follow the rules of Nature? 2/ Is there an uncrossing line in lying that shouldn't be crossed ever? If lying makes happy some people, why telling them the truth? Does Society needs of white lies to be more developed and civilized, or is it the contrary? 3/ Is Religion a white lie that makes us happier and therefore necessary? Does the possibility of God not existing makes God a lie?

The all-star cast members offer very good and funny performances: Ricky Gervais as the fat looser script-writer Mark Bellison; Jennifer Garner as the sweet talented but genetically minded Anna McDoogles; Johah Hill as the depressive suicidal young Frank; Louis C.K. as Mark's best unemployed friend Greg; Jeffrey Tambor as Mark's boss Anthony; Fionnula Flanagan as Mark's mother Martha; Rob Lowe as Mark's nemesis Brad, and Tina Fey as Mark's bitchy secretary Shelley. Gervais rises to the occasion and offers a very balanced performance of an unhappy person, and it is surprisingly believable the whole movie, especially in the most dramatic scenes involving his screen mother. Gervais and Gardner have a great chemistry on camera, despite all odds, and the story is completely believable also because of Gardner's warmth, cheeky and fresh performance.

The movie deflates a bit at the end, and there are a few inconsistencies in the story, that is, things that do not make sense and were unnecessary. For example, if God did not exist in this imaginary world, why there are church buildings in town? There are many examples of the same sort; although unimportant, they rest inner coherence to the film.

A thought-provoking witty original fable not apt for those looking for an easy laugh. Blind faithful of any creed, please abstain.

Never Let Me Go by Mark Romanek (2010)

Never let me Go is the adaptation of the eponymous book by Kazuo Ishiguro. It is an odd science-fiction piece that happens in our past but portrays events that could be positively real in our near future. It follows the lives of a group of three friends from their school days in the English Boarding School of Hailsham to their mid-twenties. It is a wonderful sad love story, and a reflection on the nature of love and the meaning of life.

The movie poses very many dilemmas and interesting philosophical questions: 1/ Is it valid and ethical to create human beings with the specific purpose of saving other people? If so, wouldn't be fair to value the donor's lives by having sub-donors to save them? 2/ Who decides which lives are first class and second class, and on which grounds? 3/ Does the fact that somebody created me in a tube or cloned me, give him/her the right to decide my destiny and my future or the status of my soul? 4/ Is it life more valuable and fulfilling if you have the feeling that you are going to life for a long time, even if you don't, or if you know that your time on earth is short and live it to the fullest? 5/ If we all have to die, sooner or later, why do we need to extend our lives artificially? 6/ Will that make you happier and fulfil you beyond the obvious of saving your life? 6/Can a sick person be mentally and spiritually fulfilled and happy and and a healthy one not? There are so many questions posed in this movie, in such a understated way, that thought-provoking has a meaning here.

Carey Mulligan is truly terrific as Kathy as well as Izzy Meikle-Small as Young Kathy, and the are the very soul of the movie. Kiera Knightly always plays her characters in autopilot, and it is difficult to separate a character from another as she does not seem to believe any of them. Despite being a superstar she turns out to be the weakest link among a cast of actors who really believe their roles. Garfield is good as the sweet insecure Tommy, and his child-like physique really suits his character; his performance is especially good at the end. The rest of the supporting actors are good in their performances.

The whole mood of the movie is timeless, and although the time span goes from the 1970s to the 1990s, I would say it is more the 1950s and early 1960s than anything else. The cinematography (by Adam Kimmel) is wonderful, with a beautiful use of lighting, countryside bucolic summer images and beach painterly images (like the one of the old ship docked on the sand, which poetically echoes the sad docked lives of these young trio), which contrast with the aseptic cold images of indoor hospitals and desolated landscapes. The soundtrack by Rachel Portan is exquisitely lyric and gives its mood to the movie.

Not having read the book, my main critique to the movie is the selection of Keira as Ruth, and the lack of personal background about the separate lives of the trio in their early youth, which will have helped to better understand Ruth's change of mind at the end.

This is one of those movies that you get or you don't get, mostly because the premise is very real, disturbing, awkward and lyric at the same time. To see Never Let me Go, you really have let yourself go and decide that you are going to believe that this alternative reality is possible. Moreover this is not a happy story or a romance "a la Hollywood" and it certainly won't satisfy viewers looking for mainstream silly romantic films. The movie is beautifully filmed, moving and so thought-provoking, so it is difficult to understand the low ratings it has received and its poor distribution.

The movie will make you think. And cry. Not for everybody.

The Painted Veil by John Curran (2006)

The Painted Veil is an American-Chinese co-production based on the eponymous novel by A. W. Somerset Maugham. It is also a remake of the same-titled film filmed in 1934 starring Greta Garbo, and The Seventh Sin filmed in 1957 with Eleanor Parker. The movie tells the troubled relationship of a couple of newly-weds: Kitty Fane, a shallow middle-class girl who marry for practical reasons and without love, and her husband Walter Carwin, a fine epidemiologist going to China to fight an outbreak of cholera, who falls in love with Kitty at first sight. 

The movie goes beyond the usual romance story or period movie, and has a good insight into the historical events occurring in China in the 1920s, but also into the differences between infatuation and true love, which is the focus of the film. This is a story about human connection in a broad level: Connection between different cultures (in this case the British and the Chinese, and how Colonialism affected them) and connection at an intimate level, both with your inner self (seeing a facet of your own personality that you did not know existed), and with another person (husband and wife). 

The movie was completely filmed on location and has a an authenticity to it that is difficult to find nowadays, when most movies are set in a country and filmed in a completely different one. The historical setting, the costumes, and the music create a wonderful atmosphere, very similar to the one old movies used to have. The music by Alexandre Desplat and the cinematography by Stuart Dryburgh are simply magnificent. 

Regarding the acting, I initially thought that the leading couple of Naomi Watts (Kitty)-Edward Norton (Walter) weren't suited as the leading couple, but, after watching the movie, I think t they are, although Norton outshines Watts by far despite this being a role out of his comfort zone. The story would have lost authenticity if the leading actor was a super-handsome glamorous actor, which is not what men were at the time; Norton convincingly portrays the logical man of the time, right in his manners, rational, a foolish romantic, a man of honour, and not very expressive emotionally. Naomi Watts is OK in her performance, but somewhat I couldn't believe she was a woman of the 1920s in her looks, body language or performance; in fact she doesn't have any chemistry on camera with her real life husband Liev Schreiber (who plays diplomat Charlie Townsend). Toby James is very good as the sensitive and common sensed Waddington, as well as Diana Rigg as the very human Mother superior, and Anthony Wong Chau-Sang as Colonel Yu. Schreiber is just correct in his portray of Charlie, whose character is just a mere catalyst in the story. The rest of the cast is good in their respective roles. 

A beautiful and enjoyable old-fashioned love story.

UHA Jewellery (Perth WA)

Shop H15 Carillion City
Hay St Level
Perth Western Australia 6000
(08) 9481 6668

Opening Hours:
Monday-Thursday: 9:00am - 5:30pm
Friday: 9:00am - 9:00pm
Saturday: 9:00am - 5:30pm
Sunday: 11:00am - 5:00pm

Bling is certainly the adjective that best define UHA - a small shop in the Carillon Arcade selling fashion jewellery, character mugs, calculators, land-line telephones, and mobile accessories. You have certainly passed-by their shop-window and stopped to look at those wonderful blingy 1960s-style crystal telephones in different shapes. The items on display are from Korea, Japan and, well, can you guess?, China. 

The phones are the best part of the shop, and those cute Hello-Kitty Mugs. The jewellery on display is very pretty, but nothing really wow. The prices are too high for the sort of items they are selling, and you will find similar pieces in Lovisa, Diva, Colette, and other chain shops at cheaper prices. To buy a piece of something there you have to ask yourself: Do I fancy this so much as to pay the price? In my case, the answer was yes, and I bought a pair or artsy creative earrings for 35 dollars, discounted. The real retail price of those should be AU$15-20 maximum. I really love them, but I can buy a simple silver piece for that price at some shops in the same arcade. I think other shoppers will opt for looking at the items on display and going elsewhere. 

My experience with the shop-attendant was very good, and the cute girl attending UHA -so very cute and fashionista herself- was lovely, helpful and very nice. She gave me a personalised shopping experience, so she was attending to me, not to the shop or to her computer or the cashier.

4/20/2012

The Heart's Wisdom The Heart's Wisdom (Double CD) by Bodhipaksa

This is a double CD with four mediation exercises destined to develop your empathy with other human beings (yourself, family members or friends, people we know superficially, and humankind in general). 

The CDs are accompanied by an leaflet explaining the different exercises. 

 Bodhipaksa's voice is simply wonderful. His pacing, his tone and the lack of music help the listener to enter a soft estate of meditation necessary to practice the different exercises of empathy (love and kindness, compassion, joy and Equanimity) and open your heart to the world out there. Moreover, it is extremely relaxing. 

Those people who like music in the background might not like it, but I find that true meditation is only possible with silence and a good "guru".

"Yoga Nidra Meditation CD: Extreme Relaxation of Conscious Deep Sleep" by Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati (2003)

Easy to follow meditation-relaxation CD without the religious mambo-jumbo. The introduction is very short an and tells you in 8 minutes what yoga nidra is all about, and the other four parts are the exercises of relaxation; you can do them all together, or just two by two. The narrator's voice is very soothing, without music of any sort. I think the lack of music is a virtue as you focus on the exercise not on the music, and facilitates awareness. It certainly achieves what it preaches: deep relaxation similar to the one you get when entering sleep. To be honest my body started to react, physically, as when entering sleep, with my muscles kicking on their own and relaxing almost from the beginning. Most recommended to manage stress or simply to relax or to sleep (which is a contradiction!). The only down of the CD is the poor quality of the sound, especially clear in the 10 silent minutes includes almost at the end.

4/17/2012

IGA Supermarket (Beaufort St, Perth WA)

629 Beaufort St
Mt Lawley Western Australia 6050
(08) 9328 8761
http://www.iga.net.au/igafresh/index.cfm?page_id=2339
Hours:
Mon-Sun 7:00 - 21:00
 
This was one of the first supermarkets I visited when I moved to Perth, when still was a SupaValue, and I am somewhat attached to it.

I love the location, its wide open entrance, and the many hours it is open, and that it is open even on Sunday.

The place has an halo de decay in the good sense, a sort of vintage air that attracts lots of people, from the stay-at-home mum, to the old European cranky retiree, to the coolest dude around, which is kinda cool. It is not too big or too small, the right size to move around quickly and find a good selection of staples in ten minutes.

The prices and shopping polices have changed since this SupaValue mutated into an IGA, and, despite their brochures and whatever you've been told and believe, wake up!, their prices aren't that cheap if you compare them to the prices for the same products in the nearby Coles and Woolies. Still, you will find that bread and milk have kept steady prices and are much cheaper than in most places around, and their veggies section is decently priced, too. Their specials are very good, so keep tuned and shop for them. Beware, if you go outside the basic staples and there is no offer, you could be paying much more for items that are cheaper elsewhere.

Their meat section is truly disgusting, and they use that artificial lighting that makes meat look fresh and healthy, but once you take it to your place has that pearly patina that tells you that this meat has been there since the Prehistory and could make you sick. I would say that only the organic packed chicken is worth buying there.

The veggies section is decent, but, having the Asian veggies shop around the corner, I always prefer the latter.

The frozen area, drinks, cleaning, beauty, bathroom, and health aisles are just OK, they have a bunch of basic staples, but not much variety. This wouldn't matter if, if, if, IF the sweets and chocolate section wasn't, in comparison, humongous. It doesn't make any sense to me, but, hey, it might to you!

Their hot prepared food is small but good, and good-priced. I sometimes munch on it, especially their potato bake and roasted pork/beef, full of calories, fat and yumminess!

Most of the cashiers are nice, but some of them have been consistently unwelcoming and rude in the past. Reason? Pure stupidity, because I used to go after my gym sessions wearing baggy sweaty gym clothing and a big leather tote. Each time I visited, I was asked to open my bag, just in case I was shoplifting, while people normally dressed wouldn't be asked at all. If you have a policy implement it with everybody, or should I dress like Posh Beckham to visit an average supermarket? It also piss me off that sometimes they don't apologise for charging you more for a reduced product that hasn't indeed been reduced. Being nice doesn't cost a thing.

Having said this, the people working in the aisles pricing and shelving are always nice and very helpful. And the same can be said of the people attending the hot-food section.

I like this IGA, but they need to improve their meat section, and reduce the space of sweets and chocolates in favour of more necessary things that you expect to find in a suburban supermarket. I would work on their friendly skills, too.

Smileeeeeee, I am reviewing you, with my posh handbag closed!

Pig Me by Several Authors (2009)

Pig Me is a Danish traditionally animated short film directed by a group of young animators (Marie-Louise H. Jensen, Israel Hernandez, Mette Rank Tange, Rebecca Sørensen, Ditte Gade), that tells the adventures of a piglet that escapes from an abattoir. You'll fall in love with the piglet from the beginning, and will find shocked at the end.

This is one of the most thought-provoking short films I have seen lately, and compulsory viewing if you are interested in ethical dilemmas. It poses many interesting questions to the viewer in a fun way, and it makes its point so strongly that is difficult to argue it. Some of the questions that came to my mind after viewing the film are: Why do we eat meat if we have other sources of protein in the vegetable world? If the answer is yes, which one do we choose, especially having almost every animal at our disposal? Does cuteness and ugliness play a role in the food we eat or the food you eat? Would you rather eat a cute edible exotic animal or an ugly non-exotic one? Is our relationship with our pets a denial of our own animal instincts? Why don't we eat our pets? If we rear an animal as pet and you were starving, would you eat it? Why people get crossed about Koreans eating an edible of dogs and not us eating lambs or sucking piglets?

The film is very funny and well made, and will delight and repulse you, both at once.

Available for viewing at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybop2CgBSfc

Stranger than Fiction by Marc Foster (2006)

A lonely tax officer, Harold Crick, starts hearing a female voice that tells in a literary way what he is thinking and going to do. Trying to give himself a rational explanation, he visits a psychiatrist and then a professor in Literature What is happening to him and who is writing, literally, his life?

Stranger than fiction is a modern fable about predestination and free will, about life as our personal creation, and a reflection on the process of artistic creation. It is a retake a la reverse on Pirandello's "Six characters in search of an author", but using just one character. The film is directed by Swiss golden boy Marc Foster and written by the screenwriter and film director Zach Helm.

The movie has a terrific script and dialogues, characters very well drawn, and great acting. Will Ferrell will surprise you as Harold; we are used to his crazy over-the-top performances, but here he offers a very controlled and sensitive performance and completely transforms himself into Harold. The always believable Maggie Gyllenhaal is perfect as the lawyer turned into anarchist baker Ana Pascal. Emma Thompson is great as the neurotic insecure and perfectionist writer Karen Eiffel. Dustin Hoffman is also terrific as Professor of Literature Jules Hilber, who intrigued by Harold turns into a Literary detective and Harold's counsellor. Queen Latifah is correct as Eiffel's PA Penny Escher; I found her character a bit unnecessary, but she does plays well what she is asked for.

The movie is not only entertaining, but it is embedded with multiple ethical dilemmas and philosophical questions, that turn the mystery and the romance into something else. Some of the questions that came to my mind were: If your life was written like in a novel, and therefore you knew that you were predestined, would you still try to fight this? And if you did, would that make your life better and more meaningful? If it was in your hand, what would you prefer, dying young but having a memorable death or dying old but nobody knowing that you ever existed? Would knowing that your death is poetic, give more meaning to it? Would you rather know when you are going die or how?

The look of the movie, is very clean, minimalist and stylish. The superimposing graphics and vectorial images help to make clear to the viewer what is happening in Harold's head and the sort of analytical and mathematical mind and approach to reality he has. They are terrific, very stylish, explicative and not invasive at all, just at the service of the story.

Don't be fooled, this is not the sort of gag comedy you watch to have a big laugh. Is a witty comedy, not a LOL one.

A terrific film, entertaining and thought-provoking.

4/16/2012

Avatar by James Cameron (2009)

A spellbinding animated adventure film with a simplistic script and predictable characters.

The creativity and imagination of the film is undeniable, and the fantastic world of Pandora is creative, beautiful and artistically created and coloured regarding Nature and Creatures, myths and mood.

I must say that I found the animation, especially at first a little awkward, a sort of advanced video-game with improved facial and body movements. However, once you get into the story, and as the animated part gains prominence in the film, you stop seeing animation, and you see real characters and a real fantastic world. That is a credit to the director and creative team.

I also loved the idea of a harmonious natural world where everything is interconnected, where the energy is shared. A little primal and indigenous Eden that is going to be violated and abused by human beings who believe to be superior despite their greediness and lack of respect to the environment. It is a metaphor of the inconsistencies of the modern world that ignores the environment and other humans beings to spread a system that is self-destructive. The whole philosophy and spirituality of the natives is very zen, really wonderful, and very well explained and developed.

My biggest criticism of the film is the incongruity, so American, of defending the right to a peaceful and harmonious world through war. The fighting and war scenes are great, but, obviously, very violent, so that all the film's Peace message is betrayed very soon. The movie becomes a thriller, with good and bad characters, military leaders, defenders and attackers. My second criticism is that the story line and characters are predictable, which tones down the whole movie and makes it less interesting for the viewer who wants a little bit of depth and is not easily contented with just wonderful visuals.

I really enjoyed the film, because it is, mostly, an action movie, with fantastic enthralling action and war scenes, and super-duper visuals. However, it has a mix of meditation, romance, adventure, sci-fi, and zen premises that will captivate men and women, children and adults.

A true blockbuster, and a landmark for movies to come regarding visuals and special effects.

Paprika by Satoshi Kon (2006)

Amazing visuals. Crazy story. Daring plot. Great music. Paprika is unique!

The Good
The movie reminds me of Miyazaki magic worlds and stories, and of his precious 2-D animation.

The recreation of the world of dreams is really amazing, so realistically oniric in narrative and visuals. I especially liked the repeating scene of the cop in the corridor, which is true onirism brought to life. However, all the scenes even the craziest ones, are incredible as they bring to life the feelings, sensations and awkwardness of the oniric world. That's so difficult to do!

The colours of the movie are eye candy, especially the ones in the dreams. In fact, there is a contrast between the glee and bright colours of the dream world, and the grey and subdued tones of the real world. However, when reality and dream start to merge we get a mix of both. I find this extremely interesting, because most movies would colour reality and dreams inversely, and that is very mainstream.

The plot is crazy, sometimes confusing, not enough grounded, but, hey, this is a movie about dreams, and you have to put yourself in your dreaming mood, and, like in a dream, you don't need the whole story to make sense, as dreams rarely do that. Said this, I found the story related to Detective Konakawa really intriguing and very well narrated, and his character very interesting. Also believable the character of the overweight childish scientist Dr. Tokita.

The So-so
The main female character, Dr Atsuko, is a very intriguing character, but, sometimes, the viewer doesn't fully understand why she is so cold in real life, and why, her alter ego is so warm and cheery. Moreover, we don't know why Paprika is the key to solve all the dream problems. Why is she not manipulated before the other scientists are being as involved as she is in the project?

I found shocking that semi-nude erotic scenes were easily shown, and then, you see the giant humans at the end as they do not even have a hint of genitalia! How awkward! My dreams show humans with all their bits!

The Bad
The most important down, to me, is the dubbing of the characters, both in English and in Japanese - Very dull in the first, just dull in the second. The actors seem to be reciting a text they were reading to themselves in a boring rainy afternoon...acting is a very different thing. That affects the tone and energy of the movie. If you have an action/thriller scene and the actors speak as if they were talking to their old grandma, there is a problem. Also, the lack o inflection in the talking of some characters makes those characters plain, especially in the case of Dr Atsuko. I also got annoyed at the voice of Paprika being so silly and childish, especially in Japanese.

The second down is that the scientific details of the "DC mini" are explained in a very complicated way, while a simpler approach would have made those bits less boring. They are realistic, as scientists speak like that, but this is not a documentary but an animation movie in which you don't need real mumbo-jumbo to make sense.

The Interesting
The references to some well known Hollywood and Japanese movies, both in posters and the "sweding" or recreation of some scenes in the dreams. However, the most intriguing reference to me is the mention of the short animation film of the 1940s "Dream Kids". I don't know if Paprika (the original novel on which the script is based) has a connection of any sort with that movie or not.

Truly trippy and enjoyable. Unforgettable oniric scenes.



Jean Pierre Sancho Café (William St, Perth WA)

270 William St
Northbridge Western Australia 6003
(08) 9226 2434
http://www.jpsancho.com.au/
Hours:
    Mon-Fri 7:00 - 17:00


The coffee is good, but I found it not as good as the one in the other café. Perhaps because take-away coffees are always more diluted or milky. I don't know..

The service has always been terrific regarding speed and friendliness of the staff. Perfect for take-away.

I've never tried their food or sweets.

Their terrace seating area is very comfortable and nice. However, the seating area indoors is very small and narrow, but also very intimate. Not my cup of tea, but very charming if you want a quiet charming place.

Jean Pierre Sancho Café (Hay St, Perth WA)

878 Hay St
Perth Western Australia 6000
(08) 9226 2434
http://www.jpsancho.com.au

 Hours:
     Mon-Fri 7:00 - 18:00
     Sat 8:00 - 17:00
     Sun 9:00 - 17:00


I had heard so many things about this cafe that my expectations were very high regarding everything. I mean, this is an awarded cafe that has been mentioned in the media and is in everybody's mouth.

The coffee was very good, although the cup a bit small.

The service was terrific, regarding friendliness, speed, and attention to the client.

The cake I tried, supposedly the lightest of the cakes on display (as I requested), was too sugary, too rich and thick for my spoon go through it without the need of a knife or my fingers. The taste was OK.

I found the place average regarding atmosphere and layout, and it hit me hard that the place was full of ladies wearing their Sunday "froofroos" on a Saturday, seating and acting as if they were at a posh French bistro. Sorry to wake you up ladies, but this is an average every-day sort of French cafe, not the one that French ladies would dress to go to.

I cannot understand the hype about the place, really, really, really.