Get me some food and get it fast

I have to be honest I love eating out and I love getting takeaway. It isn't that I don't enjoy cooking but sometimes you just aren't in the mood to cook up something that you will actually want to eat. With this in mind I've started thinking about which places I like best and what food I'd recommend, as ever comments gratefully received.

Fancy a Chinese? Try the New Champagne, Canton.

New Champagne looks a tad shabby on the outside by the food is anything but. It's only takeaway but they do delivery (most of the time) and it is on the always useful http://www.just-eat.co.uk/. Myself and my housemates have managed to work our way through a good amount of the menu so far, personal favourites are probably Lemon Chicken, any of their friend rice dishes and the pork chow mein. The food is of a very good quality and I've never had a bad meal from them. You will have to wait a while sometimes up to 90 mins but they make this clear when you're ordering. The best tip here is that it's much quicker to go in to order and wait for your food, normally no more than 15 mins. If you want really tasty food and don't fancy cooking it's well worth a visit a definite 9/10 for me.

A proper burger with Byron, Byron, London (various).
The real tragedy is that my nearest Byron is (according to their website) 125.2 miles away. I like a good burger but perhaps that is a bit far to go. However... if you find yourself out in London and want somewhere to get some really good food try Byron. I went to one near my old work near Old Street at lunchtime with some work colleagues. Their man draw in the burgers but they also do really good sides I especially enjoyed the courgette fries. They also apparently do take-away so even if you're in a rush you've no excuse. It's a bit far away for me sadly but the food was really tasty I'd give Byron a 7/10

Seren does Turkish with a bit of Welsh flair, Canton.

I've been to Seren a few times over the years previously mostly with my parents and decided to go there for my work leaving do. I love Greek and Turkish food and Seren does a great selection with food from both countries. Always get a starter at Seren and maybe even just get starters but lots of them turning a meal into a meze meal. I had the mixed grill and it was beautiful, especially the lamb chops, next time I'll be having them on their own! The atmosphere is good and the staff are really friendly, for me the location couldn't be much better. I'd give Seren 8/10

Not just another chain restaurant, Sale Pepe, St Davids 2, Cardiff.

There are so many soulless Italian restaurants around now it's great to visit somewhere that has it's own character and style. I went there with Kristina about a month ago and was really glad we tried something different. The menu has a huge choice of dishes and their speciality seems to be Risottos. Being someone who really enjoys risotto i couldn't resist and they even give you a choice of size, I had a large and it was HUGE. The restaurant was a bit quite so lacked in atmosphere but the waiter was good and the food was lovely. I definitely want to visit again but this time I'll take some of my friends with me. I'd give Sale Pepe a very solid 7/10, I can however see this going up the more I go.


The one thing really missing from this list is a good curry house, I quite like Kardamon in Canton but it's not really anything that special, I'm hoping you can help me with this one...

What's in a word?

During my recent 'downtime' (unemployment) I've found myself returning to one of my favourite activities. I've always enjoyed reading but have often found I just get out of the habit of it especially whilst at Uni where all the academic reading drowned the enjoyment of a good book.

Currently I'm re-reading the Patrick O'Brian Aubrey/Maturin series, all are easy reading which I find quite relaxing but sometimes I find it's good to challenge yourself with a good book.

A couple of years ago I decided to try to read more classic novels, when I was a bit younger I read some Dickens and Austen but ended up returning to reading my more usual books. This time around Having fairly well gorged myself on my favourite type of books (Napolionic military stuff, Patrick O'Brian, Bernard Cornwell and CS Forrester) I sought the advice of some English Lit friends at uni. I've found the experience to be a good one and have managed a good mix of old and new books largely thanks to recommendations from friends. Books are often steeped in history and so are the books that I love to read. Below find some of my recommendations for you...

Robert Harris - Archangel

The first Robert Harris book I heard of was Fatherland but this wasn't the first I got around to buying and neither was Archangel. The first I read was Pompeii which proved a fine introduction to his brand of historical story telling. Archangel takes a slightly different tack, the book is steeped in cold war history and for anyone interested in the cold war is definitely worth a read. It takes themes that could easily have happened and expands on them, it isn't a bold as Fatherland and doesn't expand on things that have already happened in the way that Enigma or Pompeii did but it is that balance that makes it so interesting. Read it yourself and see.

Chinua Achebe - Things Fall Apart

I honestly believe that this book will come to be seen as a classic in the same way that we think of Dickens or Bronte. The book is centred around colonisation in Africa and features an engaging main character and tragic yet almost real story. The book is apparently one of the most widely read pieces of African literature and so it should be, it showcases what we (Europeans mostly) did to Africa and looks into the world that we destroyed with our "civilising" approach. I wish I'd read the book whilst at University as I'm sure it would have helped me with the work I did on the 3rd world especially on colonisation. Definitely a good one if you are in a thought provoking kind of mood.


Samantha Hunt - The Invention of Everything Else

I bought this book by chance and was glad I did. It centres around the life of Nikola Tesla one of the greatest scientists of his age. The story of his life and his interactions with the books other central character a young chambermaid make for engaging reading. I love finding new books by chance and often find myself picking up books at WH Smiths on my way somewhere on the train. This book is probably my favourite that I've picked up on the go and I hope you enjoy it like I have.

A little more music

I love music, not just listening but also playing it. To that end I've always wished I played a slightly more...'useful' instrument that the Tuba, bass guitar seeming a natural fit for me. Sadly I did try...and was pretty useless, I guess I didn't really give it the chance I should have. Anyway I digress, what I've really been thinking about is gigs and more specifically what gigs I've attended.

So here lies Five gigs I loved and would love to see again...

Super Furry Animals at Sesiwn Fawr, Dolgellau
I just happened to go along with a friend for this gig, I'd always liked the band but live they totally blew my mind. They played a chunk of their Welsh language music which although I didn't understand I still enjoyed. The real highlight of the show was the ending, "The Man Don't Give A Fuck" is a furries classic and it played out a brilliant night at Sesiwn for me. The visuals were great and the improv done around the central theme were fantastic. Sadly Sesiwn doesn't happen in the same way as it did back then down to money troubles but I'm really glad I got to see such a great gig in a beautiful location in the heart of Wales.

The Coral at Cardiff Students Union
I liked The Coral before the gig and had arranged for a friend to come down from London for it. It was totally worth it, they played all the songs I knew and loved and finished the set with an epic 25 minute long version of their song 'Goodbye'. You could see the band had given everything they had they looked totally ruined but they rocked the hell out of that song. I like gigs at the SU as the venue is big enough to attract good bands but small enough that you can get close to the stage and actually enjoy the music.


The Divine Comedy at The Gate, Cardiff

Simply put the Divine Comedy are my favourite band of ALL TIME so no pressure here then... The tour was in support of their (well they has become just him, Neil Hannon) latest album Bang goes the knighthood. I wasn't sure what to expect from the gig but was extremely excited to finally be seeing my favourite band. The gate was a great location for a gig of this kind, small and fairly intimate with Hannon easily able to interact with the crowd. He began on Piano and switched as the show went on between that and the Guitar. I'd pick some highlights but the whole thing was a highlight for me, best comedy moment however was him playing a rendition of Father Ted classic "My lovely horse". The set was a perfect blend of new and old, quite simply the best night of music I've ever attended. Proud to say I'm wearing my gig t-shirt from that gig right now as I write this. I am also really hoping to be able to see them again, I'm sure that wherever the gig is I won't be disappointed.



Pendulum (DJ set) at Square Festival, Borth
Okay, well I'd just been licked by the lead singer of a punk band and I was definitely on the drunker side of things but the set was awesome. I'd heard of Pendulum and heard some of their stuff and was interested to hear it live and it was better than I ever could have imagined. This was them when they first hit it big in the UK and heading epic turns like Propane Nightmares and Slam was exactly the ending to a brilliant day at a slightly random but fun local music festival. On the whole the venue added to the gig, a field in a small village in the middle of no where, the beach was within sight less than 100m away. Waking up the next day with a horrific hangover was made good by a day in the sun on the beach remembering the epic gig I'd seen the night before.

The Beach Boys at the CIA, Cardiff (they don't look quite like this anymore...)
I've got to be honest, I love old music and I'm sure most people do. They have certainly aged (I didn't see a zimmer frame but I'm sure they had them ready...) and it wasn't the proper line up at Brian Wilson was unsurprisingly absent. The really amazing thing about this gig was how it went on, they played for over two hours with no respite, there were no support acts but with so many classic songs to play they really crammed them in. It was a bit sad to be stuck in a seat when you wanted to get up and enjoy it but worth the sacrifice. I don't think I'd realised quite how many great songs the band had in their back catalogue until I saw this gig.

Pint? Yes please...

I seem to be into my top 5's so this time I'll make it 6!

I've visited many pubs over the years and am always interested to hear other peoples opinions on which ones are best so I've just summarised my own top 6 (in Cardiff). There is no model for a great pub although if there was I'm sure it would resemble the Ship and Castle in Aberystwyth, definitely a favourite from my University years. These pubs aren't going to be everyone's thing but they are the places I like to drink and there are obviously going to be in places near to where I live.

The Black Lion (Llandaf Village)
This used to be my local when living at home and it serves a great pint of my favourite sessions beer Brain Dark (none of this smooth nonsense either). The Black Lion has one extremely important thing going for it in my mind, it's friendly. The staff are always chatty and the beer is always good. Reasonably cheap too. They also have a darts board if you're feeling adventurous.

The Butchers Arms (Canton)
This is a great little pub, first went there a couple of years ago on the way home from a rugby game in town. It serves Brains Dark (always a win) and it's friendly and quite cosy. It isn't a super luxury pub or a gastropub it's just a proper old fashioned pub, beer, bar snacks and regulars. The pub is apparently under new management but I haven't had a chance to see if anything has changed yet.

Zero Degrees (Westgate Street)
I just love the idea of a pub that makes its own beer and the food isn't bad either. A good selection of interesting beers with the Mango being a firm favourite of most of my friends, personally I'm more partial to the dark beers but then again I just love dark beer (theme anyone?).

The Halfway (Pontcanna)
This is my rugby pub, well it's the place I try to go on the way to rugby. It's not a special pub but the food is of good quality and I enjoy trying the guest lager that changes every couple of weeks. It's a good way to find new beers that you'll like and some that you may not...

Chapter Arts Centre (Canton)
If you want a beer that's a bit different then Chapter is quite simply your best option in Cardiff. It isn't cheap and sometimes the clientèle are a bit up their own arses but go with some mates and limit  yourself to 3-4 beers and you will have a good evening (I realise that this may be a bit much for some ppl but for me it's limiting myself). My personal favourites are the Dunkels (Dark beers) and the Weize (white wheat beers), there's a good selection. The Cider choice is also worth looking at, try Hallets!

Maenllwyd Inn (Machen)
Okay, not strictly 'in' Cardiff but pretty near. Quite simply the best pub I know for a good meal, the food is fantastic. The draw back of the place is that it is not readily accessible, you have to drive and it's in a bit of a random place. As well as the good food there is usually a good selection of beers (get someone else to drive!) and lots of good wine!

Too busy to blog?

I've been dog sitting all weekend at my brothers house and haven't managed to find the time to blog, so in an attempt to keep the ball rolling I've decided to zip out a post before I finish preparing for a job interview in the morning!

As I prepare for my interview in the morning I find it helpful to look back and analyse some of the steps that got me to where I am today. So here it goes...

I've been semi-actively looking for work since January this year although for some periods (referenda and elections!) job hunting has taken a back seat big time. It has set me thinking about the value of my university education. I got a 'Desmond' (2:2) which obviously is not top draw but still a pretty good effort. The thing that's been on my mind is what difference getting a 2:1 or even a 1st would really have made to my life over the last 3 years (that's right 3 years since uni...ouch).  The things that I've sold myself with job wise are my job experiences which include a year as an elected sabbatical officer. This experience was a big part of why I got my most recent job and I guess it snowballs from there onwards. I did sacrifice my degree a bit to really plunge into my work with the University magazine which is the reason I ended up running for a sabbatical post.

Having talked about this with friends I've found that a 2:2 and a 2:1 are often much of a muchness, it's experience that will often get you the job. A 1st is however a different animal, this set me thinking that if (ok it's a bit unlikely) I'd focused solely on work whilst at Uni and gotten a 1st where would I be now? Certainly there would have been no sabbatical year so therefore it's fair to assume no time at the Electoral Commission. I guess I'd be civil service fast stream or some graduate scheme which leads me to my central thought. If you've got a 2:1 or 2:2 you need something else to sell yourself and if you've got a 1st you've got to target the graduate schemes, but is that really the truth? Dave my housemate and best mate has a 2:1 and a Masters yet has been unable to find good long term employment that challenges him, I with a 2:2 and a year of sabbatical time was lucky enough to find a job that was both challenging and interesting. When I look back I guess I just have to be thankful for my sabbatical time, no matter what mark I'd gotten in my degree it's proved a real selling point and I learnt more in that time that I have done in any other year of work.

Mixed thoughts, interested to hear any reaction. 

Today I will mostly be listening to...

I've noticed over the last few years that my taste in music has at times struggled to move forwards. With this in mind I've decided to try to listen more stuff, Kristina (my ever suffering girlfriend) has been a huge help in this. She has definitely helped me get into some of the music on this list and I think it's worth sharing. I also have to mention the influence of Rockband (the game) as I've been listening to a bit of the music from that too.

Explosions in the Sky, this is a band I was introduced to a while back but I have just gotten a copy of their new album "Take Care, Take Care, Take Care" and it's great. The introduction took place courtesy of a CD Kristina made for me, bit like mixtapes but not quite so retro. It was a great way to introduce me to some new music and I listen to it loads.

For the music there are no vocals but it's still very listenable to, I recently saw Mogwai in concert and found their music a bit samey and felt they really missed vocals but for me Explosions in the Sky have managed perfectly well with just instruments. Why not judge for yourself you can listen to the first track from the album on Youtube. If you like it then why not head to Cardiff's best record shop Spillers a grab a copy!

The Foo Fighters, there isn't much to say here really, the new album is fantastic another classic from the Foo's. I keep getting Arlandia stuck in my head but that's okay with me, it's great to see a band still rolling out the hits. I was playing a Foo's classic Everlong on rockband today which just reminded me how long these guys have been making great music. They also have a sideline in some really good video's the most memorable of these being the great learn to fly video, check it out on Youtube.

I haven't bought a copy of the album yet but thanks to Spotify I'm still getting my Foo fix, definitely one for my Christmas list.

I went to see a Friend's band about a year back and they were supporting a guy called Foy Vance, I wasn't expecting much as I knew literally nothing about him. I was instantly impressed and since haven't stopped listening to his music. It's touching, chilled and often very clever. Especially impressive is his version of the Michael Jackson classic Billie Jean, he uses looping to build the song and the result is spectacular. As good as Billy Jean is it isn't my favourite track that is a toss up between Homebird and Indiscriminate Act of Kindness. Homebird is fairly happy go lucky and chill out but Indiscriminate Act of Kindness for me is something really special. It's something about his voice in the song perhaps but it's just simply beautiful. I find the song quite chilling and it definitely puts me in a thoughtful mood. His album is a couple of years old now but it's called Hope and if you can get hold of a copy (try Spillers?) it's totally worth buying, for now check out the youtube links I've added above.

Last and by no means least are what are probably my favourite band/group EVER. The Divine Comedy, they've taken on various different forms during their time but now the name is just singer/pianist/guitarist Neil Hannon. I saw him live for the first time last year and it was simply the best gig I've ever been too, everything I'd hoped for and even more. He even played a great rendition of that Father Ted classic My Lovely Horse. I couldn't pick a favourite album I love all of them, but for now I'll direct you to his latest offering Band Goes the Knighthood, available in any good record shop! Songs worth sign posting (in general this is) include the song that first got me interested National Express and the Broadway esque master piece Here Comes the Flood to my personal favourite (at the moment) Absent Friends. Honestly I could write a whole series of blogs just on the Divine Comedy and maybe I will sometime.

To finish all I can say is... I hope you enjoy, there's some new and some old stuff there, next time perhaps I'll delve deeper into some of the real classics I love to listen to.

Free things in Cardiff

I've lived in Cardiff pretty much my whole life and my recent bout of unemployment has set me thinking, what can I do here for free? You would have thought I'd have loads of ideas and maybe I have. As a start to this shiny new blog here are five things worth doing in Cardiff for free! The thing about this is, as I've thought about it more I've realised that I do know the city pretty well and that maybe I should look past the obvious Museums at some places that make Cardiff the place I've loved to live.

Cycle the Ely Trail

Everyone always thinks "Taff Trail" when someone suggests a cycle ride in Cardiff but why not try something a bit different. The Ely trail is quieter and shows you far more of Cardiff's past. I usually start from my house in Canton and cycle down to the "International Sports Village"

Visit Jacobs antiques

This in some ways is a bit of a hidden gem, most people will have driven past with no idea that it's there. It's a treasure trove of interesting stuff, old, wacky and weird. My personal favourite is the old miltary memorabilia but there is something for everyone.

Check out the view from the barrage

Okay so this one may be a bit more obvious but I love going out there. Try going out in the evening and just check out the amazing view of Cardiff. For me this is a favourite photo spot, you can catch the boats coming and going and just watch the city from a distance. All that hustle and bustle and you are just sat chilling, brilliant!

Go upstairs in the arcades

This may sound a little strange but it's totally true, some of the old arcades have upstairs areas. The thing is, they're amazing as well, a different world. I hadn't really thought about them until my Cousin and girlfriend went up there for a wonder a few weeks ago. They took some photos and it just reminded me of what a pretty place the arcades are. The arcades are a really important part of the city's heritage and if you want to see more I'd suggest visiting The Cardiff Arcades Project, Amy has tons of amazing photos there.

Visit Insole Court (the gardens)

I remember going to insole court gardens with my friends when I was younger. The house may not be quite what it once was but the Friends of Insole Court are working hard to bring the building back into regular usage. It isn't that the gardens are the most beautiful in Cardiff but that doesn't stop the place from being a bit of a hidden gem. One of the best places I've ever played hide and seek!


Those are just a flavour of what Cardiff has to offer and hopefully a flavour of what blogging has to offer for me. Keep an eye open for more from me soon! (please)