• Exotic
• Wild-shine
• Tropical
• Aquadreams
• Bamboo Zen
• Step Into Freedom
• Ubuntu Sunrise
• balanzan (formerly known as Ubuntu-fr)
• Infinity (I used the old version)

I loved them all, though my favorite by far was Bamboo Zen, which works really well with the Google Chrome theme Zen Spring. A screenshot of my desktop is below:

Screenshot

Here are some themes that I haven’t tried yet:

• Showtime
• Orange
• Ellanna
• Air Lines

As of today, there are 13 themes on their website. Back when I first found them (not exactly sure when) they only had nine. So, they don’t crank out themes every day, but they do keep their current themes up-to-date and when a new theme does come out, you can be sure that it was very well thought out.

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1. Bring useful functionalities of Mac OS X to Linux with “Gnome Do”
2. Mini-project: PeeweeGen
3. Badschemer offers easy theme-design for gEdit

That was when I came across a post in Lifehacker which talked about Docky and Gnome Do going separate ways. Now, this doesn’t mean that the Docky interface is completely gone from Gnome Do, it just means that it’s getting less attention in Gnome Do than it is in Docky. I was ecstatic to hear that this split had happened. It was exactly what I had been hoping for. No AWN for me!

Docky is pretty early on in its development, however, it was already apparent that there were many improvements. This means a lot, since I hadn’t felt that there was much to fix in the first place, till I saw how smoothly Docky performed in comparison to Ghome Do’s Docky interface.

There are many more customizations that can be applied to the dock. There aren’t a lot, but more than Gnome Do. You can change the dock background, the dock placement (a definite plus), and even the number of docks. Granted, it takes a bit of poking and prodding to figure out how to change things, but they do work.

Screenshot

Remember that the whole reason why I looked into getting a standalone dock was so I could use the dock solely for window management, and then Gnome Do as my Quicksilver for Linux. Well, I accomplished that, since Gnome Do and Docky work perfectly well together, no interferences.

So, you don’t need to get rid of Gnome Do if you’re content with the limited options of your dock. It’s a wonderful app and will serve you well. However, if you’re picky like me, then try Docky. Be patient and you wont be disappointed.

You can download Docky by adding ppa to your software repositories, then searching for docky in Synaptic Package Manager.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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1. Bring useful functionalities of Mac OS X to Linux with “Gnome Do”
2. Bisigi Project designs quality Ubuntu themes

Not too long ago, while searching for a “Quicksilver-for-linux”, I can across Gnome Do which integrates the Quicksilver functionality with an optional Dock interface.

Screenshot

How does it work? Install it, click “Windows button” + Space Bar and a search window will appear. Type in an application (ex. Thunderbird) and when it shows up, click enter. Suddenly the application is open! If you’re familiar with how Quicksilver works, this isn’t surprising. But, that didn’t stop me from admiring a few key functionalities of Gnome Do.

1. Clean interface
2. Optional “Mac-like” Dock
3. Recently searched applications remain in Dock after being selected
4. Auto-hide feature (and an “intellihide” feature, which I don’t quite understand.)
5. Optional Plugin to enable searching for folder names
6. A neat weather widget
7. A non-buggy Dock-able Trash-bin (This was one of the issues I had with AWN)
8. If it doesn’t find an Application or Folder, it will assume you want a definition. Which is sort of nifty and convenient.

Gnome Do can be found in the Synaptic Package Manager, or at this link: Download

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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Courtesy of Google Maps

Bob’s Diner is everything a diner should be, and more. It has great service, breakfast is served the entire time it’s open, and not only that, it’s open 24 hours a day, seven days a week! (breakfast for 24 hours means a lot to me). It always disappoints me when I come across diners that either aren’t open Mondays or don’t even serve breakfast past noon.

On the other hand, I’ve gone to Bob’s at 3 am to find college students stuffing the faces with pancakes as ruffians battle it out in the parking lot. If things get out of hand, the waitress lays down the law, and continues to provide optimal service to her customers. By the way, the waitresses are awesome, for lack of a better word. I remember on one occasion, the waitress took everyone’s orders, without writing a single word down, and never make a single mistake.

Just a side note, Bob’s diner isn’t “shiny” by any means. It’s an average truck-stop diner, but one of the best (they have crayons!). My usual is three eggs (over-medium), deep-fries (substituting homefries for no extra cost), and rye toast (I love to dip toast in the eggs). For less than 10 bucks, I can get almost anything on the first page of the Breakfast menu, including the gut-busting Lumberjack–just throw pancakes and meat along with my usual. Of course, if you’re not a big breakfast person, there are other things on the menu (sandwiches, meatloaf, etc.), but who cares .

I can’t think of much else to say about Bob’s. It’s one of those places you need to just go to. If you’re ever in Watervliet, just stop in, take a seat, and take in the charm and nostalgia as you color your menu with crayons and sip your bottomless cup of coffee–heavenly.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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Courtesy of Google Maps

After a stunning performance by the Broadway cast of the Phantom of the Opera, I had the pleasure of dining at the quaint Angus McIndoe restaurant across the street. Upon first deciding to eat there, I had my doubts, but the restaurant surpassed my expectation and served a small yet appetizing post-theatre meal.

Part of the reason we decided to dine there was the convenient location, the other part was the “Under $10 / After 10pm” sign. Picking a restaurant based solely on those two criteria seemed like I was asking for disappointment, however, I was wrong.

Don’t be fooled by the somewhat sketchy hallway entering the restaurant. The interior decor is actually quite classy. Granted, they could have picked a more romantic soundtrack, however, I suppose their song choices did cater to a young New York audience.

The wait staff greeted us immediately, bringing drinks as well as a bread basket with some oil for dipping. (Maybe I’m a bit bias, but any restaurant which serves bread and oil gets brownie points from me–double the points if they add vinegar.) I eventually ordered Vietnamese-style chicken skewers at $9, while my date had the Fish n’ Chips Slider Deluxe at $8.

The chicken skewers at first seemed pretty lackluster (three skewers and a lemon–no sides), however, after the first bite, I discovered just how flavorful the dish really was. As an avid steak lover, I tend to veer towards beef dishes rather than chicken (always wanting that burst of juicy flavor that a good steak seems to give). I wasn’t expecting a chicken which would do the same! If you want to add some tang as well, take the lemon and squeeze some lemon juice over the chicken and take a bite. It’s heavenly.

As for the Fish n’ Chips, the Fries were crispy and tasty and the fish came in the form of a delicious fish sandwich. I didn’t eat much of it, but my date (a sandwich/burger connoisseur) seemed content.

Now, the food was delicious, but the restaurant did have a couple downsides (which I ultimately forgave). The receipts are handwritten and it’s best to check quickly that you are being charged the right amount for your meal–it’s late after all, and the wait staff is tired. If you’re there for the “Under $10″ special, it’s relatively simple to calculate, so it doesn’t hurt to double check. The waitress, though prompt with our order, charged us $9 for the Fish n’ Chips rather than $8. This doesn’t seem like much at first, but factor in NYC tax and you’ll see what I mean. She was very nice about it though, quickly realizing her mistake.

So, if you’re ever in New York to see a show, Phantom of the Opera in particular, make sure to stop by for a post-theatre dinner at Angus McIndoe restaurant. It doesn’t seem like much at first, but it’s sure to please the average penny-pinching-playgoer.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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1. A palatable night out at Taste of Thai

While wandering through Ithaca for the Ithaca Festival, I came across Taste of Thai and felt it was a necessary stop, considering I had never had “real Thai food” before and Taste of Thai was supposedly “the best.” I stopped, decided that the prices were generally within my price range, and went in.

Perhaps it’s because I dined on the night of the Ithaca Festival, but the Taste of Thai was bustling with business. You walk into a dimly lit foyer where the hostess greets you and shows you to your seat. Despite the crowd, I was seated promptly with my date in a relatively “quiet” corner by the window.

Courtesy of Google Maps

I ordered yellow fried rice with chicken. It’s basically like pork fried rice, but so spicy that my taste buds weren’t sure what to think once I tried the sweet and sour sauce. My date had a Thai iced tea, which is a very good, very sweet, investment to make at this restaurant as you’ll be needing something to balance off whatever level of spicy food that you order at the Taste of Thai.

So, the food was good, the night went well, and service was… well, slow. The people at the table next to us were seated after us, ordered more food, and managed to finish, pay their check, and leave before we even managed to finish our food. The next couple was seated and received their drinks before we even got our bill. I enjoyed the food, however, I can’t help but feel we were ignored and hope that that is not always the case when dining at Taste of Thai.

Well, apparently it’s not always the case… as long as you sit at that other table next to where we were sitting.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

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You never have to worry about long lines and rowdy guests. You walk into a relatively empty room with a kitchen off to the side. The dining area is upstairs, where you can easily snatch a table by the window featuring a beautiful view of the river and antique vines climbing up the walls of the neighboring building. Serene music is playing and the overall ambiance is wonderfully relaxing.

If you’re expecting a “get in, get out” dining experience, then the River Street Café is not for you. You begin your meal with a complementary dish (I had a delicious plate of chilled pasta), followed by a large salad with vinaigrette. Both dishes ended up being incredibly filling and I hadn’t even gotten to the meal.

Courtesy of Google Maps

Finally, I asked the waiter to pack up the leftovers and begin reading off the dessert menu. The moment I heard the words “coffee lovers…” I immediately knew what I wanted. Yes, I was full, but I didn’t care. It was a small cylindrical tower of chocolately coffee goodness. Most of it had a mild chocolate flavor, but there was a single layer which can only be described as coffee overload. Additionally, there was chocolate sauce spread around the plate where you could dip the dessert, making it even more enticing.

Be prepared to leave the restaurant satisfied, full, and about 30 dollars or so poorer. This isn’t too bad considering that one of the alternatives to dining at there was going to Tosca’s that seemed to have a minimum meal price of 40 dollars. I wouldn’t go to the River Street Café every day, but it’s worth at least one visit and I can’t wait for next year’s.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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Courtesy of Brown's Brewing Co.

Last night I had the pleasure of being treated to a steak dinner at Brown’s Brewing Co. in Troy, NY.

The evening started out a little rough. After being seated, the waitress had to fetch items such as extra silverware and menus (not to mention the dessert/wine/soft beverage menu, which was brought to us after we had ordered our drinks). She also failed to recall what types of hot tea Brown’s carried, so I finally ordered the Brown’s brewed Root Beer, which was very good so I won’t complain.

While deciding what to order, I was mildly confused by the ambiguity of the dinner menu with regards to what sides come with an entrée.

All entrees served with a pub salad, Chef’s choice potatoes or pasta and brewer’s spent grain rolls baked exclusively for Brown’s Taproom

First of all, when the waitress asked what sides I wanted, she started by asking if I wanted soup, which obviously was not listed as one of the included sides. Then when I asked about the rolls, she said that rolls normally come with the meal if you order the salad (another rule I wasn’t aware of from reading the menu description). Also, apparently asking if I could have potatoes and pasta is a slightly more complicated question than I thought.

My main concern though was with “potatoes.” What I ended up ordering from Brown’s was the Delmonico steak (not listed in the online pdf version of the menu). Normally when I order steak from a restaurant, it will come with a side of either a baked potato or mashed potatoes. Since the menu said, “potatoes” plural, I assumed it was the latter, not knowing that I would be receiving multiple small red potatoes.

My final order was the Delmonico steak (rare) with soup, potatoes, penne pasta and hard rolls. The soup was some sort of a chicken with pasta concoction. It tasted fine, but really wasn’t my type of soup.

The penne pasta was sub-par. They were tough and lacked flavor.

I haven’t eaten the potatoes yet (took them home), so I can’t really say anything about them.

The steak was cooked to my liking. It was very tender and had lots of flavor, though my date felt that the seasoning was a little bit too salty. The steak also came with a creamy horseradish which was mild, but this was appreciated.

To finish this up I would like to mention something that’s probably a little less talked-about in restaurant reviews. Instead of supplying me with a single napkin, Brown’s gave me three. This was particularly useful since I find keeping a napkin on my lap, and having to lift it up to wipe my mouth and hands, rather awkward and inefficient. You’re essentially taking the napkin, which is meant to catch the food you drop on your lap, and you’re lifting it up, so any food that did fall onto it is now falling right where you didn’t want it to go in the first place. At Brown’s I was able to keep one napkin under my silverware, one napkin on my lap and then used the third to wipe my mouth and hands. It just makes sense to me, having three napkins, though apparently I’m the only one who thinks so.

Overall the night went well, despite the numerous miscommunications which occurred between myself, the menu, and the staff. And, considering the perfection of the Delmonico steak–and the fact that my date didn’t use all three of his napkins–I will forgive Brown’s for stealing one of my napkins before I finished.

I almost forgot, the meal was a little bit on the pricey side. The Delmonico steak was about $21 and the total bill for the two of us ended up being roughly $55 (only about $20 cheaper than the River Street Café, located a few doors down from Brown’s.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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1. Romantic evenings at the River Street Café
2. A surprisingly savory supper at Angus McIndoe restaurant
3. A palatable night out at Taste of Thai