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Beat the worst of London's underworld at their game. Rescue your sister. Clear your name - and not necessarily in that sequence. A tall order for anyone - but especially for someone being hunted by every military and police agency in the United Kingdom as a suspected Al-Qaeda terrorist....
By: Paul Pregnolato |
Posted: 30 July 2010 |
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Category: Books >
Reviews
Do you fancy yourself the next Shakespeare, Byron, Shelley, or Palahniuk? Now you can determine which famous author your writing resembles by merely entering a sample of your text into an analyser so dust off that manuscript you've been wanting to submit and discover if you, too, could make The New York Times Best Seller list.
By: Jase Luttrell |
Posted: 29 July 2010 |
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What do you get when you mash up Jane Austen's Regency-era characters and sensibilities with Fight Club? Well the first rule of fight club is that one never mentions fight club. (But the answer is blood on your lace and scrapes on your knees, of course.)
By: Mandy J Watson |
Posted: 28 July 2010 |
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Most reviews of this book include the word "inspirational". While this is certainly true, there is far more to William Kamkwamba's story than inspiration, so you won't find that word in this review. Instead, you will find others that are equally glowing.
By: Jase Luttrell |
Posted: 27 July 2010 |
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Category: Books >
Reviews
As The Crow Flies is a short novel that explores the individual loves of nameless characters living in urban landscapes and other unidentified locations who are unconnected to each other, yet linked through the themes of love or suffering in a world in which love finds it hard to thrive.
By: Anne Taylor |
Posted: 26 July 2010 |
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Category: Books >
Reviews
Use your favourite finger to mow down waves and waves of inter-stellar bad guys and bosses out for your blood, then head for the space bar for a brewski. (Ok, not really, but this game could do with more variety and/or a mini drinking game to provide complexity to the challenge.)
By: Mandy J Watson |
Posted: 13 July 2010 |
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Part of the fun of a live sports event is watching it with friends and participating in the form of fan reactions - but what if you're home alone or stuck at the office? World Cupinion, a university research project being run during the World Cup, presents a whole new interactive experience.
By: Mandy J Watson |
Posted: 1 July 2010 |
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The sound of a thousand angry bees, the bleats of a dying lamb - the vuvuzela, South Africa's traditional weapon (circa the 20th century) of mass aural destruction, is the embodiment of many things, Zen not being one of them. If you don't have one, or if you're currently out of breath from blowing your own horn a little too hard and a little too long, the Vuvuzela Button will be a vital addition to your virtual toolbox.
By: Mandy J Watson |
Posted: 11 June 2010 |
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Nokia's N97 mini cellular phone, which runs Symbian S60 5th Edition, was released late last year. Is it an improvement over not-so-well-received Nokia N97? Have a look at our testing notes and decide for yourself.
By: Mandy J Watson |
Posted: 7 June 2010 |
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On its jacket Ravens is described as a "terrifying, gripping, unique" work of "psychological suspense". Instead, I found an appealing but B-grade narrative with lacklustre characters and a predictable plot.
By: Lenina Rassool |
Posted: 1 June 2010 |
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Category: Books >
Reviews
Girls At War And Other Stories is a collection of short stories written over a period of 20 years that not only celebrates the diversity of African culture but questions and explores the conflict between traditional African beliefs and modernism introduced by British colonialism.
By: Anne Taylor |
Posted: 28 May 2010 |
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Category: Books >
Reviews
I had no idea what I was in for when I picked up this novel. Would it be frustrating? Captivating? Engrossing? Catastrophic? I can definitively say that it was all of these qualities, many more, and certainly far fewer. If you're confused, I am too. But then that's the nature of reading stream-of-consciousness writings, especially from one of Zimbabwe's most unconventional authors.
By: Jase Luttrell |
Posted: 24 May 2010 |
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Category: Books >
Reviews
If you don't want to worry with complex plots and prefer your action taking place on Earth, go and see The Hurt Locker, a contemporary war film delivering good action with little need to engage the higher brain functions.
By: Robert Lemmer |
Posted: 13 May 2010 |
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It's an impressive undertaking: coordinate 24 writers to write 24 stories, each inspired by a different hour of the day and a different city of the world, and use these tales to "reflect on the nature of home", with no restriction on genre, fact, or fiction. The result? Whatever you choose to make of it.
By: Mandy J Watson |
Posted: 12 May 2010 |
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Category: Books >
Reviews
The entry-level Apacer Handy Steno AH321 USB 2.0 Flash Drive features a no-loss cap design and storage capacities from 1 GB to 16 GB, as well as some impressive performance capabilities.
By: Mandy J Watson |
Posted: 4 May 2010 |
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Mix sounds and rhythms deeply rooted in African culture with Western influences and the result is the laid-back aural journey of Mpemba Effect's Ambient Afrique. Let the groove generated by this South African producing duo lull you into an altered state of consciousness.
By: Mandy J Watson |
Posted: 26 April 2010 |
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Category: Music >
Reviews
For those who can't bear the excruciatingly long flight, customs issues, plane delays, lost baggage, and inappropriate frisking by airport security officials, sometimes it's best to leave the passport at home, and follow your nose to the source of Moroccan delicacies that are best described as tantalising, succulent, dreamy, and experiential.
By: Jase Luttrell |
Posted: 21 April 2010 |
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Combine a lonely, hungry cat on a mission of the heart with sushi-consumption challenges, strange obstacles, a little bit of physics, and some outlandish music and you'll have an epic 45-minute(ish) tale with which to amaze no one in particular, unless you do really well, in which case you can be all, like, "Hey, I did well!"... which may, still, not exactly amaze anyone in particular.
By: Mandy J Watson |
Posted: 18 March 2010 |
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Ella Minnow Pea was first published in 2001 and it amazes me to think that I have lived nearly a decade without this book. I promise you'll find a nerdy love for words, language, and the processes of language construction in Mark Dunn's beautiful little novel. You'll enjoy every letter (especially the missing ones).
By: Jase Luttrell |
Posted: 16 March 2010 |
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Category: Books >
Reviews
The Memory Keeper's Daughter focuses on some rather annoying characters and has some pretty poor editing. However it is a compelling narrative of lies, deception, and intense emotion you won't forget but you'll have to read the review to decide if you want Kim Edwards' novel - and its problems - permanently lodged in your memory.
By: Jase Luttrell |
Posted: 9 March 2010 |
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Category: Books >
Reviews
Nokia's N900 is a classy touchscreen phone that emphasises productivity as well as play. It runs the Maemo 5 Linux-based operating system and using it feels almost as though you have a mini desktop computer in your pocket. Almost. Our testing notes reveal the pros and cons.
By: Mandy J Watson |
Posted: 4 March 2010 |
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The design of USB flash-memory storage devices has come a long way from the grey, thumb-sized units with a company logo that were (and still are) handed out at corporate events. They've now evolved into playful fashion accessories, such as this one, that will appeal to anyone with even the vaguest aesthetic leanings.
By: Mandy J Watson |
Posted: 1 March 2010 |
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"My Old Man" from Stephen Kellogg And The Sixers is a profound song of loss, nostalgia, and disappointment, with a surprising and near-contradictory playfulness that will make you want to have one last word with your old man. We are not responsible for any therapy sessions that may be required, though we will take credit for introducing you to this awesome track.
By: Jase Luttrell |
Posted: 25 February 2010 |
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Category: Music >
Music To Note
Just over four years ago brainwavez.org was launched, complete with its first (tech) article, with the intention of it being primarily a tech-review site, with a little bit of culture thrown in. Instead it became a tech-culture site and we never got around to reviewing hardware and software. Today, that all changes. Behold! A tech review: Apacer's Handy Steno AH160 flash-memory storage device.
By: Mandy J Watson |
Posted: 11 February 2010 |
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Spiders seem to invoke terror in all but the least faint-hearted so if you're one of those wishy-washy types you may wish to play with a hamster instead (although there's a spider there too). Meanwhile, should you possess the necessary fortitude and an interest in variables, you will probably enjoy Play With Spider.
By: Mandy J Watson |
Posted: 5 February 2010 |
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Neighbours: The Story Of A Murder is a novel of tragedy and triumph concerning the history and destabilisation of Mozambique, which teaches us that other cultures and countries can offer a lesson in humanity, perseverance, and the perils of greed, while reaffirming the idea that we can become neighbours through compassion and storytelling.
By: Jase Luttrell |
Posted: 27 January 2010 |
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Category: Books >
Reviews
"The Metabots": "In a dragon-filled Atlantis, a young schlub with mild OCD stumbles across an otherworldly portal which spurs him into conflict with a government conspiracy, with the help of a sarcastic female techno-geek and her wacky pet, culminating in a fistfight atop a tower."
By: Mandy J Watson |
Posted: 22 January 2010 |
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Butterfly Boucher may have a quirky name and her music may be equally quirky but the free download of "We Don't Have A Clue" is a fun and uplifting song that will make you smile and appreciate the day as time flutters by.
By: Jase Luttrell |
Posted: 18 January 2010 |
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Category: Music >
Music To Note
This animated music short is too good to save for Halloween (although, in our minds, every day is Halloween at brainwavez.org) so I thought I'd post about it to start 2010 with some fun - may it be a reminder that the horrors of 2009 are now in the past and may it be a sign that 2010 will be filled with zombies and kittens! (Preferably at a safe distance if the two are one and the same.)
By: Mandy J Watson |
Posted: 6 January 2010 |
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Category: Screen > Shorts > Reviews
In a relatively short time Simon's Cat has become a much-loved online animated series of shorts but this is not the first time that an Internet meme has tried to cross the divide. Is it possible for a digital sensation to be reinvented successfully in a different medium. Does Simon's Cat translate in book form?
By: Mandy J Watson |
Posted: 15 December 2009 |
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Category: Books >
Reviews
Voted Britain's Favourite Cartoonist of the 20th Century, Giles' career at the Daily Express and Sunday Express spanned almost fifty years. Giles: The Collection 2010 brings together some of his best loved cartoons in the ideal Yuletide stocking filler... and what Christmas would be complete without Grandma?
By: Paul Pregnolato |
Posted: 9 December 2009 |
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Category: Books >
Reviews
Satisfy your inner zombie's craving for B-R-A-I-N-S, find the ghoul of your dreams, and take your revenge on society at large in an ode to gleefully over-the-top carnage and bad taste. Our anti hero feasts on brains, has a real problem with authority, and turns everyone he meets into a zombie - and if that isn't bad enough, he (shock! horror!) even smokes....
By: Paul Pregnolato |
Posted: 13 November 2009 |
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Category: Games > Mac > Reviews
Black Hills is a well-written, intriguing modern love story with an underlying plot of suspense. It cleverly weaves itself tighter and tighter until your focus has shifted to looking for a killer instead of rooting for the relationship.
By: Lenina Rassool |
Posted: 9 November 2009 |
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Category: Books >
Reviews
The variety of monsters, called yokai, in Japan is astounding - and many of them are very bizarre. Should you find yourself face to face (or, erm, worse) with one, this fully illustrated, very handy guide will be indispensable: use it to learn how to spot yokai and how to survive the attack. Plus, it's filled with fascinating cultural observations that will astound and delight. You'll never leave home without it! (You may also never want to go to Japan after reading it....)
By: Mandy J Watson |
Posted: 30 October 2009 |
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Category: Books >
Reviews
It seems only fitting that brainwavez.org focuses on zombies, as they have an unnatural (or natural) penchant for braaaiins. With that, we present to you the guts, gore, mayhem, and poetic beauty of Zombie Haiku: Good Poetry For Your... Brains.
By: Jase Luttrell |
Posted: 21 October 2009 |
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Category: Books >
Reviews
Intelligent, well-crafted and multi-layered, Hamilton Wende's latest work manages to straddle both the spy-thriller and psychological genres with a healthy dollop of history, drama, and romance thrown in for good measure.
By: Paul Pregnolato |
Posted: 16 October 2009 |
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Category: Books >
Reviews
District 9, aliens and all, is an intrinsically South African tale but with themes distilled for international audiences. In this, the second of brainwavez.org's
District 9 reviews, we present a South African perspective of what has become a global phenomenon. We encourage you to compare it to our
previous review, written from an American perspective, and then let us know your thoughts in the comments.
By: Mandy J Watson |
Posted: 10 September 2009 |
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Category: Screen > Film > Reviews
It's very difficult not to have an opinion about District 9 so we thought we'd write two, independently, from different sides of the globe. In this review we feature the perspective from a member of the audience for which the movie was created, America, although other nationalities are certainly welcome to read it and are encouraged to comment (though they are also kindly asked to accept that the inadequacies of the film are an attempt to appeal to American audiences).
By: Jase Luttrell |
Posted: 10 September 2009 |
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Category: Screen > Film > Reviews
brainwavez.org is taking a step away from reality to explore the alternate, alien-filled world of Neill Blomkamp's Alive In Joburg, the short film shot in 2005 that forms the basis for this year's blockbuster film District 9. Hopefully, if you can see past the poncho-wearing, grotesque aliens and the abundant anachronisms of the short, you will enjoy the splendid squalor of stranded aliens. Or something.
By: Jase Luttrell |
Posted: 1 September 2009 |
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Category: Screen > Shorts > Reviews
You'd be forgiven if you find you trip over the words every time you try to pronounce the name of the band Uh Huh Her (the band members have the same problem) but don't let the tongue twisting distract you from the subtle musical layers and mesmerising electropop bass of "Explode".
By: Mandy J Watson |
Posted: 29 July 2009 |
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Category: Music >
Music To Note
Johnny Golightly Comes Home is an interwoven tale of the stories of two men: an artist buried within multiple identities and a writer tasked with the impossible assignment of getting to the core of these identities in order to write the artist's biography. The result is a riveting, engaging account of frustration and eccentricity that is rich with metaphor and symbolism.
By: Mandy J Watson |
Posted: 10 June 2009 |
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Category: Books >
Reviews
Just how kak is South Africa? Well, ask any citizen about his or her particular issues and you're likely to hear that it's all pretty kak. To combat the problem South African authors Tim Richman and Grant Schreiber keep publishing new books that tackle kakness. Why? Because South Africans don't know how to fix anything but at least they can buy a book, have a laugh, and keep a local publishing company afloat during the recession. Or something. It's all so kak, who can keep track?
By: Mandy J Watson |
Posted: 8 June 2009 |
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Category: Books >
Reviews
Author Sarah Lotz's riveting debut novel is a sensational tale of two British teenagers on the run in Paris that features quirky characters, dark humour, and the seedy side of one of Europe's most glamorous cities.
By: Mandy J Watson |
Posted: 4 June 2009 |
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Category: Books >
Reviews
These days we're all being encouraged to "go green" but sometimes it's a bit overwhelming knowing where to start or whether there is any point to your efforts. In Going Green - 365 Ways To Change Our World South African author Simon Gear presents bite-sized pieces of advice to help us transition to a more harmonious lifestyle.
By: Mandy J Watson |
Posted: 2 June 2009 |
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Category: Books >
Reviews
Whisper House, Duncan Sheik's enigmatic sixth studio album and a collaboration with Holly Brook is probably best described as a 10-track experimental narrative journey with a supernatural edge that touches on various themes, including World War II and grief.
By: Jase Luttrell |
Posted: 8 April 2009 |
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Category: Music > Reviews
Overdosing is never fun, except in this game, and in playing this game so much that you take three weeks to write the review (though some might argue that that's not fun). Anyway, if you like fast-paced madness that's oddly zen and usually over in 30 seconds, Death Dice Overdose is your game.
By: Mandy J Watson |
Posted: 6 March 2009 |
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Category: Games > Casual Games > Reviews
Lara Croft's off again, raiding tombs and damaging precious archeological heritages in the quest for the truth about her mother's whereabouts. Throw in some Norse mythology and beautifully diverse environments and you have the makings of, well, another Tomb Raider game.
By: Mandy J Watson |
Posted: 11 February 2009 |
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Category: Games > Wii > Reviews
We're kicking off this year (a bit late, but anyway...) with some light-hearted gaming. If you sucked at sports in high school there's no reason why you can't be a dweeby champion as an adult. Well, actually, there's a good reason but don't let it stop you... we present: Snot Put.
By: Mandy J Watson |
Posted: 2 February 2009 |
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Category: Games > Casual Games > Reviews
Close your eyes (after reading this). Now imagine: it's sometime in the future. The near future. The US elections are over. The Republicans are in power. But oh, no! John McCain has died of complications related to being very old. There's a new president in the White House. It's a woman. Who is it? Could it be... Sarah Palin? What would it be like to visit the Oval Office with Sarah Palin in charge? Well, wonder no more as you experience Palin As President.
By: Jase Luttrell |
Posted: 24 October 2008 |
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Two Creek Coffee House is the perfect place for an idle summer morning or late afternoon drink in a comfortable garden, or perfect for a warm drink on a chilly winter night. Unfortunately, it's also a perfect place to be confused about cup size (coffee cup, not bra cup) and overpowering coffee.
By: Jase Luttrell |
Posted: 3 October 2008 |
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One would expect a lot from a coffee shop that has great views, a wide selection of desserts, and a reputation for roasting beans on the premises. However, great expectations should be left to Dickens when it comes to the experience at Salt Lake Roasting Company.
By: Jase Luttrell |
Posted: 16 September 2008 |
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Recently another anthology of Wondermark, the world's only web comic, was published. This hardcover collection features about 120 strips, the eight-page short story Treachery!, and bonus material that is not available anywhere else.
By: Gideon Joubert |
Posted: 8 September 2008 |
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Category: Books >
Reviews
Experience the mesmerising, luminescent, floaty happiness of decades gone by with a few mouse clicks. Okay, it's not really the same thing at all but it's something to do for five minutes, and who doesn't need something to do for five minutes? Plus, there's lava! (...Sort of.)
By: Mandy J Watson |
Posted: 8 August 2008 |
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Between illness, hectic work schedules, and public holidays Cappuccino Quest Friday just wasn't going to happen last week, so here's a special Cappuccino Quest Monday entry filled with enough organic blah to make the most stoic old-school farmer feel just a little guilt.
By: Mandy J Watson |
Posted: 7 July 2008 |
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Here's what happened after we left
Caffè deLuca. I still remember the Hollow On The Square service quite clearly. Whenever I pass the entrance to the square (the hotel is actually on a square) I get a bit of a
feeling, best described as vague discomfort. I'm not fond of bad service.
By: Mandy J Watson |
Posted: 27 June 2008 |
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Every time we haul something out of the (unpublished) archives and have little flashbacks to the experience, which was usually not that exciting, we wonder if anything has changed, and if the coffee's improved since we visited (if it wasn't that good the first time around, which is often the case).
By: Mandy J Watson |
Posted: 20 June 2008 |
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Cappuccino Quest Fridays, Week 2! We're sure people have been taking bets to see if we'd make it this far.... Anyway, this is definitely one from the archives. Apologies to Gideon, who handed it in timeously. We will return to the establishment at some point, too, just to prove that nothing is likely to have changed, bar the price.
By: Gideon Joubert |
Posted: 13 June 2008 |
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Announcing Cappuccino Quest Fridays! We've been testing, but we haven't been posting, which somewhat defeats the purpose. So, in an attempt to get the Cappuccino Quest backlog up on the site, we're making Fridays Cappuccino Quest days. We'll be posting something - whether it's a recent review or one from the (unpublished) archives - every Friday until there's no more backlog and our consciences feel some sort of relief. Wish us luck....
By: Mandy J Watson |
Posted: 6 June 2008 |
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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
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
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 |
Add Or Read (review) |
Add Or Read (Cappuccino Quest)
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
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
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
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: Centre For The Easily Amused
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. [
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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.... [
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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. [
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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). [
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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). [
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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. [
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Posted: 5 September 2006 |
Posted by: Jase Luttrell |
Category: Eclectica
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. [
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Posted: 28 August 2006 |
Posted by: Mandy J Watson |
Category: Cappuccino Quest
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. [
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Posted: 2 August 2006 |
Posted by: Mandy J Watson |
Category: Cappuccino Quest
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! [
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Posted: 25 July 2006 |
Posted by: Mandy J Watson |
Category: Centre For The Easily Amused
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 > 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
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