Lost My Guidebook! - Unique places to travel, eat, drink, stay & go!

London | Mr Kong

Katja — Sun, 29 Jan 2006 21:55:39 +0000

Mr Kong is the kind of Chinese restaurant that has a menu…and then a totally different secret menu! Of course, we went for the crispy Sichuan duck with a helping of jellyfish on the side but asked for morning glory and seaweed neither of which were listed on the menu, which proved to be definitely available. In fact we got a cheery grin when we asked for the off-menu items.

Service is friendly but of the kind that includes indelicately throwing plates on table. If you are a little claustrophobic, ask to sit on the ground floor rather than the basement as the ceiling height isn’t meant for tall people.

Yes, they did play elevator muzak throughout dinner but it is great food and that’s what really counts when it comes to Chinese.

Tokyo | Ito-Ya

Katja — Tue, 10 Jan 2006 15:46:38 +0000

Itoya, in Ginza, is a wonderful stationery store which you can find quite easily by looking out for a huge red paperclip hanging from the front of the building! There are 2 sections; the main one which sells things like cards, pens, paper, notebooks and other pretty standard stationery items. But! Go right to the back of the store, out the back door, take a left and you will find the second part of the store which has traditional origami and washi paper as well as picture framing.

In most of the stores in Ginza, if you ask tell the assistant it is a gift, you will receive a stunningly wrapped parcel at no charge. If you want to replicate that look yourself, Itoya is the place to get supplies.

Ginza 2-chome (across from Meidi-ya supermarket)
Tel: 03-3561-8311

Sydney | Central Station Records

Katja — Fri, 30 Dec 2005 16:19:18 +0000

Central Station Records has an excellent and exstensive vinyl collection for all dance music genres which includes local Australian artists and well as hundreds of imports. In addition to retail sales, Central Station Records is also one of the most successful independent record labels in Australia and also has 6 sub-labels which all specialise in different genres. They own the label that releases compilations for the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.

*** /test/unclechopchop_1.jpg NOT FOUND ***

The original store on Oxford Street in Sydney is the place to go to buy tickets to all the parties in town, DJ equipment (including decks, styli, headphones and other accessories), Carharrt clothes and other dance related bits and pieces.

There are now stores in most of the Australian capital cities and given its committment to Aussie artists, it’s a firm favourite with the locals.

www.centralstationrecords.com

Technorati

Katja — Thu, 29 Dec 2005 18:20:07 +0000

Technorati Profile

Claiming my blog with Technorati!

Tokyo | Loft

Katja — Thu, 29 Dec 2005 17:07:15 +0000

Loft is kinda like Tokyu Hands but a bit less DIY and a bit more slick and stylish…sort of. It’s an interiors, stationery, bathroom, toy and other general weird japanese stuff store.

Some favourite items include ‘Craft Therapy’ - knitting to take your mind off your mental health problems? The ‘Hit Zakka’ section of their web site will show you the top ten items by popularity. At least I think thats what it is. Have a scout about for yourself and enjoy the guesswork!

At the time of writing, the most popular item was a cutesy set of ‘facewashers’…again, guesswork on their actual purpose. Weird, that out of all the wonderful stuff on offer, a facewasher tops the list. There’s obviously something lost in translation here!

www.loft.co.jp (Japanese only)

London | Velvet Illusion

Katja — Mon, 26 Dec 2005 17:04:45 +0000

Velvet Illusion is a wonderful clothes store with great 1960’s style gear including such cool mini-skirt’s and mini-dresses that you’ll wish you had the legs to pull them off every day. Located in Camden Stables Market, with a brightly coloured little fiat bambino out the front, you would swear this is where Austin Powers comes to shop.

The prices are definitely twenty-first century though but the quality is high and seriously, purple trousers have never looked so stylish!

www.velvetillusion.co.uk

Galway | Roisin Dubh

Katja — Mon, 26 Dec 2005 16:26:45 +0000

We were extremely lucky to be in Galway during the annual arts festival in July, when the town hosts a veritable feast of music and performances. You can’t walk down Quay street without tripping over a street busker! The Roisin Dubh pub is a fantastic venue for traditional and not so traditional music with a raucous atmosphere and top notch Guinness.

We went to see a great concertina player who was accompanied by a violinist and a man with some kind of special guitar like instrument, the name of which I didn’t catch! Everyone was really into the music and our feet were seriously twitching to get up and dance but it was a too packed where we were sitting!

If you’re on the west coast, pop down for a pint and immerse yourself in some pure irish entertainment.

www.roisindubh.net

~ Buy books about Irish Pubs ator from

Remo General Store

Katja — Fri, 23 Dec 2005 19:20:09 +0000

Primarily known for it’s t-shirts, Aussie online store, Remo, has a brilliant selection of really unique products. It’s most famous icon, the ‘Eternity’ logo, was inspired by a gent called Arthur Stace, an alcoholic homeless man, who, after converting to Christianity, went around the streets of Sydney chalking ‘Eternity’ on the pavement in flowing copperplate writing.

There is also an eclectic selection of ’special things'’ where you can find fun items like fake moustaches (one for every occasion!) and also one of my favourites, the Crazy Cat Lady, a scary looking action figure in a dressing gown and pajamas with lots and lots of cats.

The t-shirts are fantastic. Some have great Australian themes that will tug at the heart strings of any aussie away from home. Others are just plain clever! The site has a really good gift selection tool called the ‘Rem’O'matic’ into which you put some criteria and it runs off to fetch you suggestions. You can then drill down or go to related products. e.g. If you are looking at something that is ‘blue’, you will be able to click to find more ‘blue’ things…strange.

But for the best fun, get the inflatable red kangaroo space hopper. Hours of entertainment! You won’t be sorry!

www.remo.com.au

London | Amato

Katja — Fri, 23 Dec 2005 12:29:51 +0000

Cakes! Biscuits! Chocolate! Cake!!! Amato is an absolutley brilliant patisseire cafe in Soho with cakes to die for. My personal favourite is white choclate mousse cake but I could be tempted to eat pretty much all of them! They have seasonal, wedding and other celebratory cakes. Apart from the patissierie, they also have a wonderful cafe food menu with especially good pastas and sandwiches. It’s very french in atmosphere. Close tables with very speedy and direct service.

When I went in there to buy mince pies for Christmas (which were awesome) the lovely owner gives me recipes for things to serve with them…which completely went over my head unfortunately which you would know if you have read my write up about going to cooking school.

One of the chefs is a genius with marzipan and it’s tough to bring yourself to eat his artwork. Tough…but not impossible!

www.amato.co.uk

London | Monmouth Coffee

Katja — Fri, 23 Dec 2005 12:06:40 +0000

Without doubt, one of the best coffee shops in London! With three locations, one in Covent Garden, and two at Borough Market, Monmouth sells wonderful beans from all over the world…Africa, Central and South America and Asia-Pacific . They are passionate about their product and sell only the highest quality including blends that are especially tailored to espresso.

You can buy ground coffee or whole beans but even better, you can buy drink in and takeaway coffees that are SO GOOD! They are the perfect size for a pick-me-up after shopping in Covent Garden or finishing up buying wild boar meat at Borough Market. They have a eat-in food menu but it can be tough to get a table as the shops are quite small. They will ask you to share tables as well if they are especially busy.

I don’t think I could function in the morning without Monmouth!