Posted by dulwichmum on Thu 29 December 2011
Name of product: HouseTrip.com – The smart choice for short stays!
Price: Average cost of a 2 bedroom flat is just £103 per night!
The blurb: I was delighted to be invited by HouseTrip.com to visit a European city – ‘living like a local’ with the most amazing itinerary ever! HouseTrip is the revolutionary short-term rental website, where you can find, book or list your holiday apartment easily and securely. It serves as an intermediary between hosts on the one hand and travelers on the other. Launched in January 2010, HouseTrip.com has had resounding success with about 20,000 persons using it to find short term rentals last year. 90% of traveler reviews so far have indicated having a positive experience
HouseTrip.com provides benefits for both travelers/guests and hosts. For guests, cost is probably the largest incentive. One can get an entire apartment for the same amount (or less) than they would spend on a modest hotel room
Staying in a rental provides a more authentic experience than staying in a hotel room. The guest gets to see and be a part of the day to day life of the locals. The third advantage is HouseTrip.com ensures the security of the guest’s money each step of the transaction – no need to fear falling prey to con men (clutches chest!)
I must admit that I was not too excited to hear that the city was Paris – which I have always found to be incredibly disappointing (dabs tear from eye)
First impressions: I have to admit that a quick getaway to the heart of Paris, after a chaotic week in the City is easy beyond belief when travelling by Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord. I had not anticipated how relaxing it would actually be to arrive in a stylish, characterful, cosy, well equipped apartment in Montparnasse, as opposed to a sterile, generic hotel room – our apartment was totally French, perfectly appointed and cosy beyond belief! We were just a couple of doors from the most amazing patisserie for croissants and breakfast! There was a hairdressers just a couple of doors in the other direction and in the morning, when we woke, I discovered that we were next to the most amazing food stalls that made Borough Market look like Lidl!
Ease of Use: We departed London St. Pancras via Eurostar for Paris Gare du Nord Station, hopped in a cab at Gare du Nord, and arrived in 10 minutes at our apartment. Our apartment was 30 seconds from the Metro! Everything was so very accessible
First thing on Saturday morning (when I say first thing, I mean after croissants from next door and Nespresso from the super machine in the apartment- clearly!), we met our group of esteemed journalists and bloggers at Edgar Quinet Metro (moments away from our apartment), and departed on a three-hour walking tour of the Saturday markets of the Left Bank. Apparently, the markets of Paris are best for the early-birds! We visited the luxury food shops of the famous Rue Cler along with some more ‘local’ shopping experiences. Our guide was a working high-end chef who described the basics about how Parisians shop, what they look for in their food and what shops are ‘secret finds’ in the area. We bought food to be used in the afternoon cooking class on the day. It was a morning of sheer joy!
Following our shopping trip, back at our apartment, in the super equipped kitchen, under the tutelage of our super amazing chef, Francois, we prepared lunch together!
Later that same evening, we enjoyed a wonderful French meal at L’Assiette (http://www.restaurant-lassiette.com/ ) – a local bistro renowned for its involvement in the haute cuisine trends of the 1980s. It’s now a firm local favourite with a typically Gallic flair. The restaurant is located at: 181 rue du Chateau. What an amazing time we had. I shall let the photographs speak for themselves!
Sunday and Monday was spent drinking coffee and browsing the super shops and galleries! What a complete treat!
Pros: I must admit that this shopping trip has led me to completely re-evaluate my family’s relationship with food. Despite the convenience, I have resolved to completely avoid the purchase of food via the web. We need to touch, select and smell. I want to eat more seasonal and local food
Our apartment had everything from a great quality hair dryer to a coffee machine and great coffee. What I enjoyed so much was the entire immersion in Parisian life. It was totally amazing
Cons: Our chef, despite claiming all manner of super fabulous culinary distinctions, refused to allow me to have cream with my tarte tatin (inhales deeply). The customer is always right sweetie!
Value for money: Clearly the accommodation is incredibly reasonable and this leaves you free to spend your cash on a guide or super city experience!
Stockists: HouseTrip.com
Key facts are as follows:
a) Over 55,000 properties with 1,000 added every week
b) 2,000 properties available in Paris
c) They are actively looking for even more properties – so if you have a spare holiday flat or leave your own home for period of time then list with them free of charge
d) Ideal for families looking for more space, people who want to cook in their homes and people who want to live like a local
e) Average price is £105/night
f) Fully-staffed customer care team able to speak 14 languages
g) Security – your money is safe with HouseTrip.com as they don’t pay hosts until 2 days into your trip – any problems and the host doesn’t get paid
h) Ease and convenience – it’s possible to book and confirm your flat in as little as six clicks
For the tour and cookery lession with Francois, the tour provider was Mans Touch. Each tour is bespoke so there isn’t a set cost, but the booking details can be found on that website.
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Posted by dulwichmum on Tue 8 November 2011
Name of product: Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure Starter Pack for the Wii
Price: Approximately £46.97
The blurb: “For generations, the Skylanders have used their magical powers and weapons to protect Skylands. But now, an evil tyrant has frozen them into toys and banished them to Earth. Only you can put them on the Portal of Power and bring them back to life in their world to save Skylands forever”
“Bring your toys to life!
Bring your toys to life in the new modern adventure game, Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure, where players gather and use real-world fundamental interaction figures that are teleported directly into the game by placing them on a magical ‘Portal of Power.’
New adventure from the writers of Toy Story
Academy Award-nominated Toy Story feature film writers, Joel Cohen and Alec Sokolow, penned this dynamic story-driven adventure, where players take on the role of a powerful Portal Master, who may control over 30 dissimilar characters, including the beloved fire-breathing dragon Spyro. Players will embark on a fantastical journeying into an awful mysterious world, where they will explore mythical lands, battle outlandish creatures, gather gold and treasures, and solve interesting puzzles on a quest to save their world from an evil Portal Master known as Kaos.
Over 30 distinctive collectible fundamental interaction figures
There are over 30 dissimilar fundamental interaction figures to gather and fetch to life. Each one has it is own distinguishable in-game personality, powers, and abilities. Additionally, each is classified by one of 8 element types (Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Life, Undead, Magic, and Tech), which also will affect what your reputation may earn or unlock allround the game. With over 30 distinguishable characters to fetch to life, kids may play the game again and again, each time having a dissimilar experience.
Toys with brains
Each fundamental interaction figure may do not forget shared experiences and leveled-up abilities. This allows players to personally custommake and power-up their characters, as well as take their fundamental interaction figures on-the-go to fetch them to life on a friend’s ‘Portal of Power’ for co-op play and player-versus-player arena battles.
Play with your friends
Players may join forces by placing two fundamental interaction figures on the ‘Portal of Power’ at the same time. As they play together, players may drop in and out all around the level with as a good deal of dissimilar characters as they would like. Different systems will come into play as players use their favored characters to tag-team versus sure obstacles, hazards and oppositions allround the game.
Battle your friends
Battle your friends in a classic player vs. player battle mode, which provides a selection of dissimilar game modes and arena maps where players may face off to become the extreme Portal Master. Use your army of fundamental interaction figures and their leveled-up abilities to defeat your friends in this head-to-head competition!” – half term was about to commence, the poppets were already refusing Kumon and violin practice, they would be swinging from my plantation shutters if I did not find some way for them to be occupied in my capacious, pristine home… OHMYGOD! Why did I fire the aupair?
First impressions: The starter pack we received was greeted with glee and excitement. I myself had not heard of the game before, but clearly the darling children had… They had seen it on TV apparently (TV!!! That is why I fired the damn aupair!). Removing the items from the box even I could not wait to see what the fuss was about
The super box we received contained stickers, trading cards, a t-shirt, a USB stick, magazines. A nice package of goodies which were immediately snapped up. Munchkins adore stickers and magazines – so always a hit – HURRAH (pop the gin back on the shelf)!
My daughter (8) and her friend who played the game is 12 and the older child really got the most out of it. My 8 year old daughter however, was initially cautious about moving the characters around the screen, but she will get better in time – clearly! Now where did I pop her viola?
Ease of Use: The game was simple to install and once commenced, the girls were quickly engrossed with progressing through the levels by saving people who were trapped in various places on the lands – I see careers as international human rights lawyers in store (smirk!). The lands appear to hover in the air and although it took time to acquire the skills necessary to manoeuvre the characters around, they soon got the hang of it
Very easy to change the characters over as one simply pops them on the portal of power and watch them change over on the screen – aren’t I down with the kids! Even technophobic moi can work this one out! The character changeover had a “Star Trek” quality to it!
Pros: The graphics were amazing and fun element of putting the characters on the portal of power to change them on the game was exciting. Learning to use to use a specific character according to their ability and strength with that ability was also fascinating
Progressing through the levels, the game keeps one informed with regard to progress and accessories collected (i.e. hats etc). This seemed to spur the impetuous to do better in the next level. I have always found the collection of accessories compulsive!
One child observed whilst the other played and we were all drawn in by the character changing and also offering assistance to free the people of the land. In the end, the player was instructing us to place the characters she needed according to their ability onto the portal, we were all engrossed, providing encouragement and taking part!
Cons: The characters seem to tire and therefore become unplayable. They required rest to recoup, and as a result, at that point, the game could not be progressed to complete the level (as all three characters were tired!). Possibly we needed to read up on this more, but there genuinely did not appear to be a way to gain their power back apart from rest
There were parts where the story unfoled, with information about why the characters were there and a little about the next level. Although interesting and intriguing for the children initially, some parts the story appeared a little slow and drawn out and I noticed their concentration begin to drift
Value for money: A genuinely engaging and fun game which was enjoyed immensely and the poppets begged to play it almost every day! I will purchase some more characters as it will assist the darlings to climb the levels and perhaps help avoid the issue of all of the characters getting tired at the same time
Stockists: Toysrus, Best Buy and Amazon
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