Epinions Recent Reviews for pspark

Very happy with my second Sony camera

Thu, 4 Dec 2008 03:52:34 GMT

rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author pspark - OpeningIf you go back to when I was a newly minted reviewer, you'll find the review of my first digital camera: a 4-megapixel Sony DSC P9. It served me very well for the past 5 years, surviving numerous abuses and trips overseas. ...

Another good bargain in Bangkok

Wed, 3 Dec 2008 23:25:19 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author pspark - OpeningI stayed at the Centara Grand at CentralWorld for a quick weekend in October 2008. At the time, the hotel had just opened and was offering very good rates. Like the Pullman King Power Hotel which I have previously reviewed...

Luang Prabang: A Rustic and Historic Place to Visit

Tue, 5 Feb 2008 07:01:48 GMT

rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author pspark - Opening I visited Luang Prabang in January 2008. I had never been to Laos and was eager to see my 10th SE Asian country. I did a lot of research online and used the Lonely Planet guidebook but I basically went in without any first-hand advice...

Pullman King Power Hotel, Bangkok: A 5-star contender at 3-star prices

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 22:05:15 GMT

rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author pspark - Opening I stayed at the newly opened Pullman King Power Hotel while transiting to Luang Prabang in January of 2008. The hotel even smelled new and there was some occasional construction noise, but it was up and running. That being said, they...

Maison Souvannaphoum, Luang Prabang, Laos: Colonial Flair in Luang Prabang

Sat, 26 Jan 2008 20:19:36 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author pspark - Opening I stayed at Maison Souvannaphoum during the first half of a five-day trip to Luang Prabang in January 2008. Part of the reason behind my choice of the hotel was to try and sample what was billed as one of the top properties in the city,...

3 Nagas Hotel, Luang Prabang, Laos: Rustic charm in Luang Prabang

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 06:07:55 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author pspark - Opening I stayed in the 3 Nagas Hotel during the second half of my visit to Luang Prabang, Laos. This was due to the fact that I was unable to stay for the entire length of my visit at Maison Souvannaphoum. I’m glad I had the opportunity to...

Hotel Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok, Thailand: An expensive airport option at Suvarnabhumi

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 00:20:26 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author pspark - Opening When traveling through the new Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, many travelers from the USA will arrive close to midnight. If you are connecting to another destination, you will most likely need and want to get a shower, change of...

Very happy with my first LCD HDTV

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 00:42:49 GMT

rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author pspark - Opening After a year of dragging my feet and being cheap about upgrading my old television, I decided to “git er done.” Most sets had reached my price-point of $2000 which I had been dutifully saving for a year. I had decided to go with...

Confessions of an iPhone addict

Sun, 18 Nov 2007 01:06:58 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author pspark - Opening I got my Apple iPhone around August of 2007 as my contract with T-Mobile was expired and my current PEBL was slowly dying. I had played around with my friends’ iPhones and after doing some research on rate plans, I took the plunge...

Underwater World on Sentosa...worth the trek

Tue, 16 Oct 2007 21:04:07 GMT

rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author pspark - Opening I have been to Sentosa numerous times and I always go to Underwater World. On my most recent trip, I had an experience that I had to share with others. This review will not center much on any of the other attractions on Sentosa or on...

Bencoolen Basics

Tue, 16 Oct 2007 19:26:14 GMT

rating: 3/5 by: Epinions Author pspark - Opening Usually when I get to Singapore, I arrive at midnight and don’t get into the city until close to 1am. To save money, I stay in a budget hotel for several hours, have breakfast, and then move to a more expensive hotel in the morning...

Top-Shelf Singapore

Sat, 13 Oct 2007 22:26:55 GMT

rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author pspark - ”Ho-tel, Mo-tel, Whatcha gonna do today? (Say what?)”-Sugarhill Gang, “Rapper’s Delight” Opening Sigh. Singapore. Again. Visions of tropical ennui, seersucker suits, and lazy evenings sipping the local fire-water, while...

Embarcadero Resort Hotel & Marina, Newport, Oregon: Beach basics in Newport, Oregon

Mon, 27 Aug 2007 21:04:08 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author pspark - Opening I stayed at the Embarcadero Hotel in Newport, OR for one night over the weekend during peak-season in summer 2007. The Embarcadero has been a mainstay of Newport, OR for the last 25 years and has the unique position of sitting at the...

Sonicare Essence 5300 / e5300: Sonicare is still tops for teeth

Mon, 27 Aug 2007 19:54:04 GMT

rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author pspark - I’ve owned a Sonicare from the earliest days of its appearance and have always been happy with the performance of the unit. My old Sonicare (now referred to as the A-series) was looking a bit dated and I decided that after several years, that it was...

A simple diversion in Newport, OR

Tue, 21 Aug 2007 15:41:53 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author pspark - Opening I should preface this review by mentioning that I am a big fan of aquariums and I try to visit them in every place that I visit. That being said, I have tried to temper my thoughts as I am a bit snooty when it comes to these attractions...

Flexible and dependable mobo

Fri, 15 Jun 2007 23:22:46 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author pspark - Opening I usually don’t write hardware reviews, but I thought I would share a few thoughts about the ASRock 775Dual-VSTA motherboard that I recently upgraded to. I have been running the board for five months now and have been very happy...

A good waypoint, but an average destination

Tue, 5 Jun 2007 23:56:17 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author pspark - ”Vietnam, Vietnam...suh-suh-suh-suh-Saig
on...Saigon...”
- Paul Hardcastle, "19" Opening I’m not sure what initially drew me to Vietnam. Perhaps it was Anthony Bourdain’s lauding of the people, scenery, and cuisine; or...

A solid choice in Ho Chi Minh City

Tue, 5 Jun 2007 23:13:26 GMT

rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author pspark - Opening I stayed at the Sheraton Saigon Towers in May 2007 on a four-day visit of Ho Chi Minh City. I did some extensive research of hotels in District 1, which is the main tourist area, and found that they had a good location, a 4-night for...

Getting it right in London

Fri, 13 Apr 2007 20:35:00 GMT

rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author pspark - Opening I stayed at the Renaissance Chancery Court Hotel over the four-day Easter weekend in the UK--Good Friday and Easter Monday are national holidays. I did not know this before I visited and it turned out that this was a very good litmus...

Get your blend on

Sun, 17 Dec 2006 21:52:46 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author pspark - Opening A chef is only as good as his tools and last night at that critical stage of soup-blending, my Fred Meyer hand blender gave up the ghost. It was never very good for cooking, anyway. Luckily, I live within three blocks of two chef shops...

Who's got your back (up)?

Sat, 16 Dec 2006 19:41:18 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author pspark - Opening If you read my review on Winternals, entitled "How to Raise the Dead" you'll realize exactly why I felt the need to buy an external backup drive, despite having two S-ATA drives in my machine (at 160gb and 250gb, respectively). In a...

How to raise the dead

Thu, 14 Dec 2006 22:51:44 GMT

rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author pspark - ”I need a hero, I’m holding out for a hero…” - Bonnie Tyler, “I Need A Hero” Introduction Winternals is a unique, powerful, and expensive tool that is probably out of reach of the average computer user. Securing a copy and a...

Everything Counts in Small Amounts...

Tue, 7 Nov 2006 23:31:20 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author pspark - "Out on the tar plains the glides are moving, all looking for a new place to drive..." - Duran Duran, "The Chauffeur" Opening I've been driving the BMW E36 (which is the Z3 and M Roadster variant) for the past seven years, owning three...

The Cumberland Hotel, London: Tragically, painfully hip, but nothing more...

Sun, 8 Oct 2006 22:55:39 GMT

rating: 2/5 by: Epinions Author pspark - Opening I have been waiting to do a review of the Cumberland Hotel in London ever since staying there twice in November of 2005. I’d like to thank the Category Leads for adding this—the epinions community clued me into this fact which I...

Hong Kong Disneyland: Hong Kong Disneyland

Fri, 6 Oct 2006 17:23:03 GMT

rating: 2/5 by: Epinions Author pspark - Opening I should preface this write-up with a couple of comments. First, I visited in February of 2006 when Autopia, UFO Zone, and Stitch Encounter were not open. Secondly, I don't have children and this obviously biases my opinion of Hong Kong...