Now that we're over this year's Valentine's euphoria (you know, the five of you that were actually experiencing it) and sugar highs from Easter chocolate, it's back to the business of cynicism. Although most of us at brainwavez.org are skilled practitioners of the art, we're not the only masters. Recently Two Dogs published Is It Just Me Or Is Everything Kak? The Whinger's Guide To South Africa From AA To JZ. We spoke to co-author Tim Richman about aspects of the South African experience that unite us all in a way that even Nelson Mandela couldn't.
By: Mandy J Watson |
Posted: 11 April 2008 |
Category: Books > Features
Murder! Treachery! Deceit! Lies! Thrills! Although that's technically all in a day's work for some of South Africa's parliamentary ministers and their associates, in this case we're talking about Chicago - The Musical, which has returned to Cape Town and is at Artscape until 13 April. You still have two weeks, so if you missed it in 2005 you have no excuse now.
By: Mandy J Watson |
Posted: 28 March 2008 |
Category: Culture > Theatre
If the weather's good but you've run out of things to do in Cape Town (though hard to imagine, one presumes that could be possible) why not jump out a plane? Experience our attempt at defying gravity, strapped to the crotch of a complete stranger, at 9000 feet.
By: Mandy J Watson |
Posted: 31 January 2008 |
Category: Travel > South Africa > Western Cape > Activities
The brainwavez.org shop's not even in an alpha stage yet (it's more like a conceptual zygote) but we have a special offer that's running for the next month. It's primarily for our South Africn readers but if you are elsewhere and willing to pay the shipping costs you can partake in all the fun too. We wouldn't want you to miss out!
Posted: 24 January 2008 |
By: Mandy J Watson |
Category: Shop
You thought the site was dead. But it isn't. This is proof, almost from beyond the grave, except not, because no one died, including the site, like I said. Just
~clickety~ and read!
Posted: 23 January 2008 |
By: Mandy J Watson |
Category: News
The second track for Music To Note comes from a great independent singer/songwriter from American Fork, Utah. I first heard Debra Fotheringham four years ago, and recently met up with her after a Salt Lake City performance where I acquired her first full-length album. Debra is now embarking on an exhaustive tour through Utah, Seattle, New York, Germany, and various other European cities.
Posted: 2 July 2007 |
Category: Music >
Music To Note
It's winter in South Africa, so half of us are suffering from seasonal affective disorder and feeling gloomy. So am I, but I like this song more just because I'm having a really bad year and it somehow feels my pain. If you're lucky enough to be somewhere where there is summer, this song is for your next relationship breakup or general moment of depression. Stick it in your iTunes playlist. You'll need it one day when you least expect it!
Posted: 11 June 2007 |
Category: Music >
Music To Note
Site News > New Section: Music To Note
Today we're introducing a new section on the site, Music To Note, which has been in the planning stages for months. [I know! You're thinking: "What the hell happened about the Cappuccino Quest backlog?" We're getting there. Blame me. It's all my fault.] In each post in Music To Note we will showcase a favourite track from an album that we haven't yet reviewed, an album we won't be reviewing, or a random track that we've found online - while researching music and investigating interesting artists - that just captured our imaginations. There is so much great music out there that doesn't receive airplay or is struggling to be noticed, and this is our way of bringing it to your attention. Each Music To Note entry will include a link to file that you can download or stream, so you'll also be able to listen to the track and decide if you like it. Feel free to leave comments to tell us what you think of our selections.
Posted: 11 June 2007 |
By: Mandy J Watson |
Category: News
Sometimes you need to archive a web page for offline viewing or permanent archiving, and the PDF function in Safari on the Mac just doesn't get it right. Enter Red Snapper: a perfect little browser plug-in for preserving almost everything on the Web. Well, if you have a Mac. Don't complain. [
Read all about it ]
Posted: 24 April 2007 | Category: Tech > Software > Reviews
Site News > Sometimes Life Gets In The Way
We'd like to introduce
Paul Pregnolato, who has joined the team. He's already written a review of a Mac utility for us while the rest of us have been off having life or career crises (or, in Jase's case, also on vacation in Hawaii) so that you don't think we've all died or something. We will be resuming our slightly more reliable sporadic schedule shortly. We promise.
Posted: 24 April 2007 |
By: Mandy J Watson |
Category: News
Cappuccino Quest & Dining > Chai-Yo, Cape Town, South Africa
Chai-Yo, a Thai restaurant in Cape Town, South Africa, is the perfect restaurant to visit with a group of friends on a laid-back Friday evening in order to wind down after a hectic work week.
Read the review or have a look at the
Cappuccino Quest entry.
Posted: 28 February 2007 |
Category: Dining |
Cappuccino Quest
By: Mandy J Watson |
(review) |
(Cappuccino Quest)
To acknowledge Valentine's Day we thought we'd skip all the boring mushy stuff and head straight for the sex, and what better way than with a manual designed to answer all your pressing questions? We recently sat down with Kerry Rogers, author of
Women's Bodies: A User's Manual, and asked pressing questions about her new-found career as a sex-manual writer. (Please note that this article is not suitable for minors.) [
Read all about it ]
Posted: 14 February 2007 | Category: Books > Features
After receiving a promotional copy of Matt Wertz's latest release
Everything In Between, we at brainwavez.org are having an exceptionally difficult time picking our jaws up from off the floor. The album is a delight to listen to, and we're happy to have it join our CD library. [
Read all about it ]
Posted: 9 February 2007 | Category: Music > Reviews
brainwavez.org recently attended a Sundance Film Festival screening and Q&A session for
For The Bible Tells Me So, a thought-provoking American documentary that examines how the religious right uses biblical references to justify its condemnation of the homosexual "lifestyle" and how religious gays and lesbians struggle to reconcile their faith with their sexual identity. [
Read all about it ]
Posted: 7 February 2007 | Category: Screen > Film > Reviews
Here's a bit of an oddity: great coffee made at a friend's house by a machine that was never in view. How do you review such a thing? With great difficulty, although we've tried. In fact, we couldn't even manage to get a picture, so you will have to imagine how absolutely coffee-like this cappuccino looked. Don't forget not to imagine the foam, because there wasn't any due to a malfunction. [
Read all about it ]
Posted: 25 January 2007 |
Category: Cappuccino Quest
Happy new year from brainwavez.org! We're going to start off the year by publishing the Cappuccino Quest backlog (among other things), starting with this review of the takeaway option from Kauai. At the same time we will be tweaking settings and interface elements on the site so you will see some changes happening. Do not be alarmed! Anyway, back to the Cappuccino Quest. We don't really recommend that you try this option, judging by our experience, but you'll have to read on to find out why. [
Read all about it ]
Posted: 15 January 2007 |
Category: Cappuccino Quest
Site News > Happy Holidays From brainwavez.org And What's In Store For 2007
As 2006 draws to a close we look back at some of the 2006 highlights for brainwavez.org as well as mention some of the plans we have in store for 2007. If that sounds like too much reading for the end of the year, the short version is: "Happy holidays! Thanks for visiting and for supporting the site!". [
Read the longer version ]
Posted: 22 December 2006 |
By: Mandy J Watson |
Category: News
Cappuccino Quest & Dining > Mugg & Bean (Cavendish Square Branch), Cape Town, South Africa
What happens when we have dinner and two different cappuccinos at the Mugg & Bean in Cavendish Square? We end up with a whole lot of Mugg & Bean articles for the site! Therefore, a selection: how about the
dining review, or the
Cappuccino Quest entry, or the
red cappuccino Cappuccino Quest entry?
Posted: 21 December 2006 |
By: Mandy J Watson |
Category: Cappuccino Quest | Dining
Eclectica > Terry's Chocolate Orange White Chocolate Confection
After two years of searching four continents for an elusive product that had disappeared into the ether, we finally found delicious, affordable white chocolate, fashioned in an aggressively fun-to-eat way. This is a review of Terry's White Chocolate Orange, otherwise known as "edible romance". [
Read all about it ]
Posted: 20 December 2006 |
By: Jase Luttrell |
Category: Eclectica
Music > lostprophets Live At In The Venue, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, 10 November 2006
For once, MySpace actually served a purpose. Jase noticed a bulletin the Welsh metal band lostprophets posted, saying that the first four people to email the band would receive two free tickets to its Salt Lake City show at In The Venue. He immediately shot off an e-mail and prayed to the concert gods for a quick response. Without being forced to make a sacrifice, he was notified he won the tickets. Here's what happened at the show. [
Read all about it ]
Posted: 19 December 2006 |
By: Jase Luttrell |
Category: Music > Features
Art Decko 2: A South African Exhibition Of Skateboard Decks
Take some blank skateboard decks, invite a few South African artists to create artworks out of them, repeat for the second year and you have the exhibition Art Decko 2, which has been touring the major centres in South Africa and is now in Durban until next Friday. [
Read all about it ]
Posted: 12 December 2006 |
By: Mandy J Watson |
Category: Culture > Features
Music > Ladysmith Black Mambazo Live At The Depot, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, 7 November 2006
Many months ago, Mandy informed Jase about the South African group Ladysmith Black Mambazo. While looking at the concert schedule for Salt Lake City, he found that the group was headed there to perform, so he bought tickets and went to the show, keeping the review as a surprise for Mandy. What follows is the review of that concert from the perspective of someone living in the States. Jase exhausted his entire repertoire of adjectives for this review. [
Read all about it ]
Posted: 11 December 2006 |
By: Jase Luttrell |
Category: Music > Features
Cappuccino Quest > Seattle Coffee co., Cape Town, South Africa
Seattle Coffee co. is actually in Cape Town, so don't be confused. We ended up there one evening to kill time and are still searching for the coffee that goes with the cappuccino. If you're ever looking for some overpriced foam, though, this is the place to visit. [
Read all about it ]
Posted: 4 December 2006 |
By: Mandy J Watson |
Category: Cappuccino Quest
Music > Mat Kearney: Nothing Left To Lose
For once, radio's predictable programming has served a purpose: every day at 7:08am Jase's alarm clock radio goes off, signalling the dawn of a painful new workday. For about a month the lead single from Mat Kearney's CD,
Nothing Left To Lose, lessened the pain. Here are his thoughts on the entire album. [
Read all about it ]
Posted: 1 December 2006 |
By: Jase Luttrell |
Category: Music > Reviews
Cappuccino Quest > John Dory's Fish & Grill, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
We were on our way to catching up with the Cappuccino Quest backlog, everything was finally in order (literally) and then we were presented with this slightly delayed entry from a "fish and steak" restaurant in Port Elizabeth. Now, as this may be the only reason, ever, for you to visit Port Elizabeth, we happily present Gideon's cappuccino experience. Should you ever find yourself stranded there...well, erm, good luck. At least you'll know where to go to get a decent cappuccino. [
Read all about it ]
Posted: 20 November 2006 |
By: Gideon Joubert |
Category: Cappuccino Quest
Cappuccino Quest > @ the Waterfront, Cape Town, South Africa
The bizarre, communist sounding "red cappuccino" has quietly been appearing on menus all over the city in the last month. This was our first encounter with the drink, so we had no idea of what to expect. The experience turned out to be quite pleasant...this time...but be warned, there's an art to the red cappuccino that many in Cape Town have yet to master. We will be adding more information about it in the coming months but, for now, have a look at how @ the Waterfront fared. [
Read all about it ]
Posted: 17 November 2006 |
By: Mandy J Watson |
Category: Cappuccino Quest
Music > Fiona Apple Live At The Huntsman Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, 25 October 2006
Jase had front-row seats to the experience of Fiona Apple performing live in Salt Lake City, Utah, of all places. He's still shaken by the ordeal (the Fiona Apple ordeal, not the ongoing Salt Lake City ordeal)...but in a good way. We promise. [
Read all about it ]
Posted: 14 November 2006 |
By: Jase Luttrell |
Category: Music > Features
Cappuccino Quest > Wild Bean Cafe (Forest Drive, Pinelands), Cape Town, South Africa
The Wild Bean Cafe is proof that you can find decent coffee in strange places, and don't have to pay a fortune for it. It's a pity about the swizzle, stirring things, but I forgive them. [
Read all about it ]
Posted: 3 November 2006 |
By: Mandy J Watson |
Category: Cappuccino Quest
CFEA > M&M's "50 Dark Movies Hidden In A Painting"
Halloween is over for another year, but if you're still in the mood for ghosts and ghouls you may want to test your knowledge of frightening movies by playing M&M's "50 Dark Movies Hidden In A Painting". It's not particularly scary (unless you're freaked out by timers) but it'll have you working that grey matter to try to figure out the literal translation of the visual clues. (It's harder than it sounds.) [
Read all about it ]
Posted: 2 November 2006 |
By: Jase Luttrell |
Category: CFEA
Cappuccino Quest > Bardelli's, Cape Town, South Africa
We're slowly getting through the backlog. These things are a lot easier to test than they are to write. Anyway, If you're looking for one hell of a cappuccino experience, Bardelli's may be the place for you. Mandy barely made it out alive, and has murderous thoughts about the barista, but that's probably normal. [
Read all about it ]
Posted: 30 October 2006 |
By: Mandy J Watson |
Category: Cappuccino Quest
Dining > Caffeine (Riebeek Street Branch, Cape Town)
This is what happens when people from opposite sides of the globe have a disagreement concerning what constitutes bad service - cultures clash, emails fly around, a certain individual experiences great angst, and it takes ages for a review to be posted. Here, finally, is Mandy's review of Caffeine in Riebeek Street, Cape Town. [
Read all about it ]
Posted: 27 October 2006 |
By: Mandy J Watson |
Category: Culture > Dining > Reviews
Film > Imagine Me & You
In the romantic comedy
Imagine Me & You there's a lesbian twist to the love triangle that forms the core of the plot. That's actually all you need to know because after reading that you will already have decided whether or not you want to see the movie but if you'd like to have some reasons why you should on hand, this review will help. [
Read all about it ]
Posted: 20 October 2006 |
By: Mandy J Watson |
Category: Screen > Film > Reviews
Cappuccino Quest > Salt Lake Coffee Break, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
After four years of steady patronage to Salt Lake's infamous Coffee Break, Jase finally tried a cappuccino and wrote a review. It was his first cappuccino at Coffee Break, and it will most likely be his last. Find out why. [
Read all about it ]
Posted: 18 October 2006 |
By: Jase Luttrell |
Category: Cappuccino Quest
Music > lostprophets: Liberation Transmission
In September of 2006 Jase Luttrell went to see the Welsh metal band lostprophets in concert. This isn't a review of the concert, because he spent too much time in the mosh pit. Later, he cleaned off the blood and sweat, and went home to write a review of the band's latest album,
Liberation Transmission. [
Read all about it ]
Posted: 17 October 2006 |
By: Jase Luttrell |
Category: Music > Reviews
Eclectica > The Fruit Company's Chocolate Appeal Gift Box
Gift baskets are not only for Hollywood celebrities: anyone can order one from The Fruit Company in Oregon, in the US, except, perhaps, if you are in South Africa, but that's more an issue regarding the postal services, which we won't go into right now.... [
Read all about it ]
Posted: 6 October 2006 |
By: Jase Luttrell |
Category: Eclectica
Cappuccino Quest > A Cappuccino Tour Of New Zealand, August 2006
It's been a month in the (sporadic) making, and quite an effort of back and forth editorial and graphics work and decision making (hence the lack of posting of other items on the site recently), but we are now proud to present brainwavez.org's first Cappuccino Quest Tour: A Cappuccino Tour Of New Zealand. While on vacation in New Zealand in August 2006, Jase stopped at a few cafés and restaurants to sample the local cappuccinos and provide us with this report, complete with travelogue notes to set the scene. [
Read all about it ]
Posted: 29 September 2006 |
By: Jase Luttrell |
Category: Cappuccino Quest
Cappuccino Quest > Starbucks (Phinney Ridge Branch, Seattle, WA)
Today, a succinct, cautionary tale as to why you, perhaps, might prefer a cappuccino somewhere else (and by that we mean
anywhere). [
Read all about it ]
Posted: 13 September 2006 |
Posted by: Jase Luttrell |
Category: Cappuccino Quest
Cappuccino Quest > Caffeine (Riebeek Street Branch, Cape Town)
I heart cappuccinos. No, really, I do. This one told me so, so it must be true.
(Apologies for the poetry, it was completely accidental. I
promise.)
Anyway, today's entry is another one for the great city of Cape Town. I ordered it while out on the town for a light lunch, a review of which will be posted shortly (days shortly, not minutes shortly). [
Read all about it ]
Posted: 8 September 2006 |
Posted by: Mandy J Watson |
Category: Cappuccino Quest
Eclectica > Old Spice High Endurance Hair & Body Wash
Old Spice's all-in-one hair and body wash product is perfect for travellers with a limited luggage capacity. [
Read all about it ]
Posted: 5 September 2006 |
Posted by: Jase Luttrell |
Category: Eclectica
Site Note: 4 September 2006
This belated note is just to inform everyone that
Jase spent much of August in New Zealand on vacation, and experienced many things that he will be writing about for brainwavez.org, but I forgot to post the fact that he was away here (although I posted it on his profile page), so he's annoyed, and I'm very, very sorry! I'm sorry!
Posted: 4 September 2006 |
Posted by: Mandy J Watson
Eclectica > Kelty Coyote 4750 Extended-Trip Pack
brainwavez.org Note: Today we are launching a new section on this site, "Eclectica". For weeks we argued about the name and wasted so much time that we haven't finished putting together the section, so fancy things will be coming soon. The Kelty Coyote 4750 Extended-Trip Pack is on sale at the moment, though, so it forced our hand and the section is thus born today! [
Read all about it ]
Posted: 31 August 2006 |
Posted by: Jase Luttrell |
Category: Eclectica
Cappuccino Quest > Gula-Gula Victory Cappuccino Sweet (circa: within the last 10 years)
This is another one of those things I
found, okay? It happens. Anyway, it enables us to add a new kind of product to the Cappuccino Quest Product Database, the cappuccino sweet! Although the Cappuccino Quest was supposed to be about finding decent cappuccinos in restaurants and coffee shops, the inclusion of this sweet is a good thing. I don't know why, but it is. I have another (fresher) sweet on hand for a later post, so perhaps by then I'll have a reason. [
Read all about it ]
Posted: 28 August 2006 |
Posted by: Mandy J Watson |
Category: Cappuccino Quest
Exhibition > Bodies...The Exhibition: An Exhibition At The Earls Court Exhibition Centre In London, England
One might consider paying GBP17.50 to have a close-up look at preserved cadavers slightly macabre (and expensive), especially while on vacation, but I did it anyway. You can, too, until the end of the month. [
Read all about it ]
Posted: 25 August 2006 |
Posted by: Mandy J Watson |
Category: Culture > Features
Exhibition > Star Wars L'Expo: An Exhibition at the Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie in Paris, France
If you're in Paris at the moment you owe it to yourself to visit the
Star Wars exhibition being held at the Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie in the 19e. Whether you're a fan of science, science fiction, or movie making, there is sure to be something in this exhibition for you. [
Read all about it ]
Posted: 22 August 2006 |
Posted by: Mandy J Watson |
Category: Culture > Features
Music > Bjørn Lynne: Beneath Another Sky
Bjørn Lynne is an independent composer who hails from the demo scene from the late 80s and early 90s. In more recent times he has completed a number of well-known game soundtracks (most recently Worms Open Warfare) and his music has appeared in various television productions. In-between working on these musical projects he composes instrumental albums, which are always a treat for his large Internet fan base.
Beneath Another Sky is his latest release. [
Read all about it ]
Posted: 10 August 2006 |
Posted by: Mandy J Watson |
Category: Music > Reviews
Film > Mission: Impossible III
This is what happens when you go and see a movie right before you go on vacation - you write extensive notes, but you forget to write the review. Oops. The DVD is probably going to be released soon, so if you are thinking of buying it, you might want to read this first. If it doesn't change your mind, please purchase the DVD through one of our many affiliate links. It'll make the pain I experienced watching this movie go away. Thanks. [
Read all about it ]
Posted: 3 August 2006 |
Posted by: Mandy J Watson |
Category: Screen > Film > Reviews
Cappuccino Quest > Nescafé Cappuccino
Once upon a time I bought Nestlé's Nescafé Cappuccino. It was fantastic - cappuccino in a sachet! No longer did I have to trek to a coffee shop to indulge in a wonderful cappuccino. Then a terrible thing happened and the recipe was changed. I no longer buy this product. You may be wondering why. Today's Cappuccino Quest research has all the answers. [
Read all about it ]
Posted: 2 August 2006 |
Posted by: Mandy J Watson |
Category: Cappuccino Quest
Site Note: 26 July 2006
The Cappuccino Quest has been relocated from the culture section to its own home in the (new) Quest section. Redirects have been set up on the old pages to move you straight to the new pages, so it shouldn't be too much of an inconvenience, but we apologise, anyway, if it is.
[
Visit the Cappuccino Quest ]
Posted: 26 July 2006 |
Posted by: Mandy J Watson
CFEA > Bunnyhero Labs Adopt A Pet
Today we launch a new section on the site: the Centre For The Easily Amused (or CFEA for short). The Centre is a depository for interactive and distracting eclectica from around (primarily) the Web. We're kicking it off with a little site that allows you to design your own virtual pet, place it on your web page, and never visit it again! It's Bunnyhero Labs Adopt A Pet! [
Read all about it ]
Posted: 25 July 2006 |
Posted by: Mandy J Watson |
Category: CFEA
Cappuccino Quest > Caldo Caldo Cappuccino
Science meets coffee in the most disturbing way we can imagine (so far). Not only that, but it was presented as a bribe, which we think is both horrendous and scandalous. Although it does not strictly conform to the Cappuccino Quest Official Rules, Mandy reviewed it anyway. Sort of. As best as one can, basically, without actually drinking it. [
Read all about it ]
Posted: 12 July 2006 |
Posted by: Mandy J Watson |
Category: Cappuccino Quest
Music > Missy Higgins Live At The Independent Armchair Theatre, Cape Town, South Africa, 7 July 2006
Posted: 12 July 2006
Missy Higgins in Cape Town! Oh my! Here are most of the important adjectives from the article: enigmatic, quirky, odd, endearing, charming, powerful, and infectious. However, you should probably read what
Mandy J Watson had to say for the context. [
Read the article ]
Category: Music > Features
Music > Kyler England: Live Wire
Posted: 10 July 2006
About three years ago, CD Baby had a $5 CD sale. Since
Jase Luttrell had just received his tax return, he had some extra money to spend. This is how he stumbled across Kyler England. Now considered a "longtime fan", he has decided to throw some words together to describe Kyler's latest CD
Live Wire. [
Read the review ]
Category: Music Review
Music > Maren Ord: Pretty Things
Posted: 6 July 2006
Jase Luttrell went to a Maren Ord concert held earlier this year in Utah and, because he's such a fan, he knew some obscure facts and won himself a copy of her third album, which hasn't even been released yet. Super! [
Read the review ]
Category: Music Review
Site Note: 30 June 2006
Posted: 30 June 2006
Mandy J Watson has arrived back in SA, and will be continuing to update the blog. Meanwhile, brainwavez.org will be resuming its previous arbitrary schedule, which will hopefully become a more regular schedule in the near future.
Site Note: 13/06/2006
Posted: 13 June 2006
Mandy J Watson, who keeps the FTP access to this site a closely guarded secret, is currently on vacation in Europe, with sporadic Internet access. The good news is that she's amassing lots of reviews, articles, and travelogue information for this site, but the bad news is that she'll only be posting it after she returns to Cape Town at the end of the month. In the meantime, you can
read her sporadic blog postings, which she is using as her online notepad and which will form the basis for a number of articles to be posted here on brainwavez.org later on. Please be aware, though, that she isn't posting the blog entries in order (although they are being dated correctly, so they are being archived in the blog in the correct order), so you will have to check back for missing days.
The Best Of The Older Stuff
Posted: Mainly in 2006
