qyperino

the life and (drinking) times of phil chambers

Thursday, 22 April 2010

Qype: Zaman Café in Paris



Paris


OK I admit, I've not actually been here. But this is the bar at the centre of the scandal surrounding Les Bleus! Who can give us a review?

Check out my review of Zaman Café - I am filchambers - on Qype

Tuesday, 20 April 2010

Qype: EXKi Porte de Namur in Brussels



Brussels


Great little café just next to Porte de Namur metro which I used to frequent some years previously. It's since got free internet access too, but the quality of the soups, sandwiches and cakes hasn't changed - they're excellent. I'm having an unexpected volcano-related visit to Belgium right now, and if that happens to you, this isn't a bad place to work.

Check out my review of EXKi Porte de Namur - I am filchambers - on Qype

Qype: The Punchbowl in London



London - Eating & Drinking - Pubs & Bars - Pubs


Posh posh posh poshy posh posh. But, none the less, pretty good. Decent Deuchars on tap, and a menu that, while pricey, was fairly impressive. Their copy is hilarious, but I couldn't argue with the bangers and mash. Brighters' crab dish, was very very crabby, and the fish and chips (coley) was huge.

The Essex girls trying it on with the local billionaires added to the ambiance. Class.

Check out my review of The Punchbowl - I am filchambers - on Qype

Monday, 19 April 2010

Qype: Pizzeria Rustica in Richmond



Richmond - Eating & Drinking - Restaurants - Italian & Pizza


This is an excellent, good value, and genuinely nice pizza place in the place you would last expect to find one: on Richmond High Street. It's always busy, and the pizza is always excellent, so you can't really go wrong.

Check out my review of Pizzeria Rustica - I am filchambers - on Qype

Qype: Revolution in Richmond



Richmond - Eating & Drinking - Restaurants - International - Eating & Drinking - Pubs & Bars - Bars


The great thing about Revolution is that all the people who like it go there, and not to The White Cross next door. The bad thing about Revolution is that every time somebody else gets made redundant from Gumtree we always argue about if we should have their leaving do there or in The White Cross. Yes, it's bigger than The White Cross, but not in terms of the ale selection.

Check out my review of Revolution - I am filchambers - on Qype

Qype: One Paradise Road in London



London - Eating & Drinking - Pubs & Bars - Pubs - Eating & Drinking - Restaurants - Wine Bars


Fairly average bar in Richmond, that as I remember, doesn't serve any real ale. There's nothing specifically wrong with it, other than that there are A LOT of better places to drink, many of which have the word "White" in them.

Check out my review of One Paradise Road - I am filchambers - on Qype

Qype: Hollyhock Cafe in Richmond



Richmond - Eating & Drinking - Cafes & Coffee Shops - Cafes


I used to walk past the beautiful Hollyhock cafe everyday on my way to work, on my 10 minute strolling commute! Sadly, I've not lived in Richmond for a while, but if you are visiting, it's well worth stopping here. Tea and cakes were the order of the day, and a perusal of the fantastic second-hand books for sale. I still have my copy of "The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner" picked up for 50p!

Check out my review of Hollyhock Cafe - I am filchambers - on Qype

Qype: gaucho in Richmond



Richmond - Eating & Drinking - Restaurants - Steak Houses


I haven't been here for a while, in fact, not since just after it opened around 3 years ago, but I think the prices have only moved north since then! Still, the place does exude class, and the meat is really to die for, but, you still want to make sure somebody else is paying. In the summer, what could be better than to walk off the accumulated calories than a stroll down Richmond riverside? Few things, indeed.

Check out my review of gaucho - I am filchambers - on Qype

Qype: Tanner's Wine Merchants in Shrewsbury



Shrewsbury - Shopping - Food & Drink - Wine, Beer & Spirits


If you can't travel all the way to Hamburg to Wein and Boule to get drunk for free, and are after the ULTIMATE in massive choice, in a very lovely interior, then you can't go wrong with Tanners. The place is an treasure trove of wine, with vast choice from all over the world, and each of the French regions covered in detail. The staff are knowledgeable and friendly, so you'll definitely come out with some gems. Highly recommended on any trip to Shrewsbury.

Check out my review of Tanner's Wine Merchants - I am filchambers - on Qype

Qype: Wein + Boules Vinum Weinhandel GmbH in Hamburg



Hamburg - Shopping - Food & Drink - Wine, Beer & Spirits


This is my favourite wine shop, nay, shop, in the world. Yes, it's true, I like this even more than M Moen & Son in Clapham. More, even, than some pubs.

What's been said in the other reviews is all true, of course. But what I love about this place is the incredibly relaxed atmosphere, the way they completely appreciate the post-work wind down, and lubricate it with generous glasses of wine every time you go.

Don't expect to purchase anything in under an hour, but why would you want to? Try it all - there's not a bad bottle in here.

Check out my review of Wein + Boules Vinum Weinhandel GmbH - I am filchambers - on Qype

Monday, 12 April 2010

Qype: Vlet Kleine Küche in Hamburg



Hamburg - Eating & Drinking - Restaurants


A very good freshly cooked burger here! As you can see from the photos, they are pretty delicious, and good value too. Another plus is that there are loads of food stalls in the building, so you and your collegues can all have something different.

Check out my review of Vlet Kleine Küche - I am filchambers - on Qype

Qype: Förderverein Eisbrecher Stettin e.V. in Hamburg



Hamburg - Arts & Entertainment


I chanced upon the venerable Stettin, a lovely icebreaker dating from 1933 this weekend. Well, in truth, I'd seen her before on a many a visit to the beach, but had passed by the delights of Oevelgoenne museum. Anyway, if you've got 2€ handy, and you get there before 1800, she is well worth a look! The tour isn't guided, so you are free to clamber around most of the ship, including into the engine room! It houses a beautiful 5-cylinder steam engine, which develops around 2200hp at the cylinders. The pistons and con-rods are of an epic size, hence the rather amusing tooling which is also neatly stacked nearby for maintenance. You can actually fit your head into a few of the spanners.

Up on deck, she looks fairly unremarkable, until you get onto the bridge. Interestingly, it contains rather more modern equipment than downstairs, which betrays the fact she saw active service from 1933 all the way up to 2008, a period in which she also saw action during the capture of Copenhagen.

All in all, well worth the admission, and one of the highlights of my weekend!

Check out my review of Förderverein Eisbrecher Stettin e.V. - I am filchambers - on Qype

Tuesday, 6 April 2010

Qype: Stadtpark in Hamburg



Hamburg - Arts & Entertainment - Parks


I'm a massive fan of the Stadtpark, and now summer is just around the corner, I'm inspired to tell you why. For a decent program, I'd highly recommend renting a canoe and paddling your way through the canal network into the Stadtparksee, where you can promptly jump in (without paying!) and swim to shore. Then unload your picnic, beers and size 6 cricket set, and a happy afternoon will be had by all. It's advisable to use a windball instead of the real thing, lest you kill a baby and put a dampener on everything.

Check out my review of Stadtpark - I am filchambers - on Qype

Qype: Park Fiction in Hamburg



Hamburg - Arts & Entertainment - Parks


A world of fake metal palm trees in front of a spectacular industrial vista, but the air is surprisingly clean. Cool place to lie about in the sun on a nice day, and there's often live music in from of the Pudel club, right next to the park. It's rumoured that Radiohead based their classic "Fake Plastic Trees" on this actual park.

Check out my review of Park Fiction - I am filchambers - on Qype

Qype: Le petit pot saint denis in Paris



Paris - Eating & Drinking - Restaurants - Brasseries - Eating & Drinking - Pubs & Bars - Bars


I haven't got a lot to say about Le Petit Pot, other than the fact that Grimergen will set you back €5.40 a pint, and the service isn't great. Other than that, it is right next to that big gate thing at St. Denis, so the view is nice.

Check out my review of Le petit pot saint denis - I am filchambers - on Qype

Qype: Bulle Cafe in Les Arcs



Les Arcs


The Bulle Cafe may be my favourite ski-cafe of all time. It's certainly up there with Le Cap Horn at Courchevel, and has the added advantage of not needing to get a mortgage to buy a pizza either! In fact, at €6.50 for an absolutely monstrous piece of the most delicious pizza in the world, served to you in a deck chair in glorious sunshine at 2000 metres, can it be beaten? I think not.

After lunch, it's only a short hop down the the bubble and then into the big Aguille Rouge lift where you can do 2km of vertical descent in 18 minutes down some epic runs. Brilliant.

Check out my review of Bulle Cafe - I am filchambers - on Qype

Qype: Brasserie alizée in Paris



Paris - Eating & Drinking - Restaurants - Brasseries


I haven't got a lot to say about Brasserie Alizée, other than the fact that Grimergen will set you back €5.40 a pint, and the service isn't great. Other than that, it is right next to that big gate thing, so the view is nice.

Check out my review of Brasserie alizée - I am filchambers - on Qype

Qype: Transport Bérard in Aime



Aime - Services - Public Services


Autocars Berard are the main bus operator connecting Aime La Plagne with the various resorts further up the mountain, including Plagne 1800, where we stayed. A return ticket from the Gare TGV to 1800 will set you back 9€ per person, and takes around 25 minutes. The reason I'm giving it 2 stars is because when we, er, misplaced our ticket temporarily, we were coerced into buying a new one or risk missing the train, and then struggled to get a refund at the bottom! So don't lose yours.

Check out my review of Transport Bérard - I am filchambers - on Qype

Qype: Schlittenvermietung Club 99 in Bergün/Bravuogn



Berguen/Bravuogn - Services


If you're in Bergün for the sledging, then this is the obvious place to rent your gear! Right in front of the station, so you won't have to carry it far, although the walk at the other end is a bit much when it's minus 20 degrees. A full day will cost about 12CHF, so it's not that bad. As I only went down once as it was going dark, it wasn't such good value, but it was incredibly fun. Very recommended!

Check out my review of Schlittenvermietung Club 99 - I am filchambers - on Qype

Sunday, 4 April 2010

Qype: The Hand at Llanarmon in Llangollen



Llangollen


Very pleasant pub at the end of the road in the Ceiriog Valley. Can be a bit tricky to find, but when you do, you'll be treated to Stonehouse's Station bitter (as served on the Wrexham & Shropshire railway!), along with a well kept Cheshire Cat from Weetwoods.

We were sat just be the open log fire, and had local Ceiriog Valley trout, salmon and gammon between us. My trout was served with sprouting peas, capers and raisins, and was absolutely delicious, and I thought, pretty original. Mains are very reasonable at around 11 quid, so you'll have plenty of change for beer, too.

Check out my review of The Hand at Llanarmon - I am filchambers - on Qype

Thursday, 1 April 2010

Qype: Hasenschaukel in Hamburg


Hamburg - Concerts & Festivals - Alternative & Indie - Concerts & Festivals - Folk - Concerts & Festivals - Punk

Brook Pridemore took his high-energy folk show to the Hasenschaukel last night, and I'm really glad we managed to get down there and catch most of it. He plays the guitar like someone who plays 200 gigs a year, which is what I'd like to do at some point too. ABBA were covered in a non-ironic way (he assured us), and the acapella encore was class too. Great stuff. I bought the albums.



Check out my review of Brook Pridemore (New York/ USA) - I am filchambers - on Qype