La Dendeima
Luke Watson Luke Watson

La Dendeima

Outstanding! Smooth! Delicious! Complex fruity tastes that sent my taste buds into a pleasant fruit-spice journey with every sip. Rating ★★★★★

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Hawkers IPA
Craft Beer Luke Watson Craft Beer Luke Watson

Hawkers IPA

The Hawkers’ IPA India Pale Ale Craft Beer is great beer - bold, citrusy and delicious. Features an aroma of hops and sweet toffee/caramel. The Hawkers IPA is a well-structured IPA with sweet flavours up front, then comes the nice fruit and malt taste. Very nice!

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Peter Yealands
wine, pinot noir Luke Watson wine, pinot noir Luke Watson

Peter Yealands

Peter Yealand Pinot Noir 2018 ~ The nose was a little unusual, but the the taste and texture was very good and considering the price-point AUD20 - it hits the mark. This Peter Yealands Pinot Noir has a good colour with cherry nose. The palate is balanced with ripe red fruit and soft tannins. Lovely red and I enjoyed the experience on a winters week night in Brisbane. Rating ★★★★

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Black Clay
wine, shiraz Luke Watson wine, shiraz Luke Watson

Black Clay

This smooth and bold Shiraz from St Hallett called Black Clay is a wonderful wine for those with a conservative shopping budget. Black Clay Shiraz offers aromas for oak, plum and spice and as a great with meal and not rushed so one can enjoy the strong flavours. Rating ★★★★

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St Hallett Faith
wine, shiraz Luke Watson wine, shiraz Luke Watson

St Hallett Faith

Shiraz Barossa Australia St Hallett FAITH is a great wine that is easy to drink, fruity, with subtle complexity. A nice shiraz that offers excellent value for money from the Barossa in Australia. Faith offers a fruity and chocolatey aromas with a medium-full bodied palate and smooth tannins and a lingering finish. St Hallett is a proven winner. Rating ★★★★

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David Byrne
Music Luke Watson Music Luke Watson

David Byrne

Song Of The Day

This Must Be The Place (2011) David Byrne Talking Heads. Live. ★★★★★

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Post Malone
Music Luke Watson Music Luke Watson

Post Malone

Album of the Week Post Malone - Hollywood's Bleeding ★★★★★ Hollywood Bleeding is a great album with so many great songs that sit so well together. Excellent dynamics, hooks, beats and the melodies are fantastic. Post Malone vocals are uncannily amazing - he can sing, howl, croon and dance from falsetto to quavering to stadium declarations effortlessly. Post Malone is now - the sounds, production and content of each tune takes the best parts on what is on offer now from different genres. Best Tracks: A Thousand Bad Times, Circles, Staring at the Sun, Sunflower, Goodbyes and Allergic. Hollywood's Bleeding by Post Malone Release date: September 6 Record label: Island Records Rating: ★★★★★

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East Bar
Craft Beer, Travel Luke Watson Craft Beer, Travel Luke Watson

East Bar

Chiang Mai’s Craft Beer and Live Music East Bar เลขที่ Huaykaew Rd. Chiang Mai - On the busiest intersection in Chiang Mai, surround by the modern… is the rustic East Bar - a small wooden shack, surrounded by vacant land and decorated by red plastic stools, hand-made wooden tables and soft red lights. | Whale วาฬ Nomad Brewing Co. Collaboration with The Brewing Project Pale Ale | ABV 5.2% | 52 IBU | Rating ★★★★ || Drink Dank Gan Chit Beer IPA | 1 6% ABV | Rating ★★★★

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Phoebe Bridgers
Music Luke Watson Music Luke Watson

Phoebe Bridgers

Song Of The Day Phoebe Bridgers - Kyoto ★★★★★ Punisher - 11-track album due to be released on June 19, 2020.

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Flying Fist IPA
Craft Beer Luke Watson Craft Beer Luke Watson

Flying Fist IPA

IPA Flying Fist Craft Beer by Jing A Brewing Co.

Found a great little delicatessen on Kangding Road in Shanghai that served a range of craft beers and wines. It was at the end of a hot, long day - so I went for the beer! The Flying Fist American IPA captured my attention with its great name and label and I’m glad it did - it was great! Flying Fist IPA offered a crisp, dry-hopped burst of fruit fresh. This Jing-A beer is a very balanced IPA, very drinkable with a nice balance of sweetness and hop bitterness. A stand out Chinese IPA! I think I’ll have another one! Rating ★★★★

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Saigon Fine Art
Vietnam, Travel Luke Watson Vietnam, Travel Luke Watson

Saigon Fine Art

I have visited the Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum a number of time and, for a a South East Asian Art Gallery, it is a very good experience and I recommend it. The best way to approach this museum is to walk there from your hotel, or guesthouse so that the museum has context… you are not visiting a Louvre, the MET, nor the Uffizi Gallery… you are in Vietnam and with this mindset you can appreciate what this art gallery offers. With an appreciation for Vietnam’s history, culture and people the museum come alive and reveals itself as a wonderful porthole into Vietnamese creativity, culture and their amazing ability to overcome adversity, remain true to themselves and have an strong connection to the art movements in recent history. This museum is rustic and to make it work you need to be proactive, observant and open-minded. Nothing will be handed on a platter here… you wont get any AC, nor colour well design guide nor map and no hand-held spoken guide… you need to be active. If you love art, love learning and discovering, love culture and are open-minded… you trip to the Hồ Chí Minh City Museum of Fine Arts will be very rewarding. My rating: ★★★★

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Elbow
Music Luke Watson Music Luke Watson

Elbow

Lippy Kids - Live at Blueprint Studio. Elbow - The Take Off and Landing of Everything. March 2014. ★★★★★

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Wilco
Music Luke Watson Music Luke Watson

Wilco

Album of the Week Ode to Joy by Wilco ★★★★ Gentle, rich, steady and very Wilco! Wilco strip everything down to the bare essentials on Ode to Joy and have produced a wonderful low-key collection of quality and largely skeletal tunes. Ode to Joy is a beautiful album that takes a few listens to get into it, but it is 100% worth it. Ode to Joy – Wilco’s 11th studio album - 11 songs written and produced by Jeff Tweedy and recorded by Wilco at The Loft (Chicago, IL) in January 2019. Stand out tracks: Everyone Hides, Love Is Everywhere (Beware) and Hold Me Anyway.

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The Drums
Music Luke Watson Music Luke Watson

The Drums

The Drums’ Brutalism provides a powerful, catchy, unique and dynamics bunch of tunes and well worth a listen. The Drums - Brutalism Release Date: April 5, 2019 Record Label: ANTI Best Tracks: Body Chemistry, 626 Bedford Avenue, Rating: ★★★★

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Lost Coast Hazy IPA
Craft Beer Luke Watson Craft Beer Luke Watson

Lost Coast Hazy IPA

Lost Coast Hazy IPA | IPA - New England | 6.4% ABV | 38 IBU | Lost Coast Brewery and Cafe California, United States | Rating ★★★★

Found this tasty IPA at Beer Lady in Shanghai and enjoyed! The Hazy IPA is fruit, with a touch of bitterness. The Lost Coast offered a nice hazy IPA smooth, silky and refreshing and I’ll order another one!

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Vendemmia
wine Luke Watson wine Luke Watson

Vendemmia

Vendemmia Excellent Red Wine from Italy - This outstanding Italian Vendemmia red wine was shared with me in 2019 from my friend David over a excellent dinner in Shanghai and my tasting notes read “Excellent Italian wine. Excellent. Fruity. Bold with good body.” Rating: ★★★★★

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Saigon Live Music
Music, Travel, Vietnam Luke Watson Music, Travel, Vietnam Luke Watson

Saigon Live Music

I love Acoustic Bar in Ho Chi Minh City and every time I visit the city, I always pay a visit and I’m never disappointed! Great venue, great music, great vibe and great service - what more could you ask for in a night out? Yoko Cafe is a great music/cafe/restaurant/pub in District 3 in Ho Chi Minh City. Yoko features music from both local and foreign musicians and the set lists consist of local, foreign, covers and original music, and the musicians are excellent!

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