Up late talking games & writing? You're...

TV: Although I realize that most people I speak to say that David Tennant is their favorite Dr. Who from the new series, I have to say that I'm having a little trouble warming up to him. The wife says I just have difficulty acclimating to new things, but I'm not sure that's entirely it.

Granted, we've only seen two episodes of the second season so far, but I find Tennant’s performance to be a little understated compared to the work done by Christopher Eccleston. He’s also shorter and It doesn't help that (to my ear, anyway) his accent seems thicker and his voice quieter. It's harder for my American ears to catch the nuances of what he's saying.

(... In addition, the first two episodes of season two have been pretty dumb as well, so that's probably not helping.)

I realize there's no going back and if I'm going to continue watching the show I had better start getting used to it, but I just can't help it. I miss the old Doctor!!


Games: Thanks to the current lull in big releases (thank goodness!!) I had enough time to start and finish BioShock 2 without putting my review schedule in jeopardy.

If you missed it, here's my review of the original BioShock. As heretical as it may seem to some, I wasn't completely in love with the game. Don't get me wrong -- it was certainly an enjoyable experience that I don't regret, but it didn't impact me or make the same impression that it apparently did for the majority of people who played it. As a result, I didn't have very high expectations for the sequel, and I didn't feel very disappointed when credits rolled.


I think I'm going to actually pen a Second Opinion on it so I won't spill all my thoughts here, but I think in a nutshell it would have been the world’s best DLC if it had been half as long and had increased the role of some of the peripheral characters. Being a Big Daddy was a great idea, but it didn't feel very different from being the main character of the first game. In fact, the game suffers from a feeling of sameness overall, with the few creatively bright spots going mostly unexploited.

It certainly wasn't bad, I just think the developers' sights were set a bit low.


Food: If you're in the Seattle area or you sometimes come down to Ballard, you absolutely must try D’ambrosio’s Gelato.Located at 5339 Ballard Ave NW (the street where the Ballard Sunday Market takes place every week) it serves the best gelato I've ever had.


If you’re a stranger to gelato, it's basically like a softer, creamier form of ice cream that comes in a variety of flavors – there’s the usual Chocolate and Vanilla (each with their own special twist) but also more exotic things like Woman’s Kiss, Variegated Nutella, and Caramel & Fig. The Coconut is delicious, and the Dark Coffee is rich and strong, just the way I like it.

The owner is an extremely nice fellow who is very willing to offer free samples, and never fails to give us a small scoop for the baby, free of charge. The rest of the staff is just as friendly, and the shop is very clean and inviting. The wife and I have often remarked to each other that we're glad the shop is located as far away from our house as it is -- if it was any closer, we'd be there everyday… and weigh 400 pounds.

So. Damn. Good.