We were treated to a fabulous evening's entertainment of mixed media - music, song, traditional dance, shadow puppets and circus.

Since 1994, Sovanna Phum have been reviving some of the treasures of Cambodian culture which were all but lost under the regime of the Khmer Rouge. Artists are now able to earn a living, to provide performances for international audiences and to use their art for educational purposes for the people of Cambodia.

An excellent evening out for only $5.

Performances every Friday and Saturday at 7.30pm.

N°111, St 360 (Corner 105), Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
www.sovannaphum.org

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For a very Californian experience go to the Audium. A 60s style professor creates a soundscape in a room filled with 150 speakers. You troop through a darkened corridor and then sit in a circle in complete darkness. Then the professor plays and mixes strange sounds – supposed to be 3d and sound sculptures but there’s a lot of running water and what sounds like a band of monkeys playing Hammond organs. Bizarre.

1616 Bush Street; performaces are at 8.30 on Fri and Sat only (arrive by 8pm); tel: (415) 771 1616;
www.audium.org

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The world's campest review, packed with silly songs and jokes, climaxing with enormous automated hats, while gorgeous waiters bring champagne to your seats and you laugh yourself silly at a delightful topical show sitting half between 'Spitting Image' and a pantomime. Brilliant and unmissable.

Club Fugazi, 678 Beach Blanket Babylon Boulevard (Green Street - In the heart of North Beach);
tel: (415) 421 4222;
www.beachblanketbabylon.com

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Beach Blanket Babylon is a must, if you can get tickets - it's a legend! Check out the website and see why.

678 Green St; tel: (415) 421 4222;
www.beachblanketbabylon.com

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The Drive (Commercial Drive) is a street in Vancouver that boasts a vibrant community. All the stores and restaurants are unique and interesting. A Subway was proposed along the Drive and a committed campaign was raised to prevent it from succeeding.

Many coffee shops along The Drive have slam / beat poetry sessions if you look for them. Also, one place of particular interest is Magpie Magazine Gallery, wherein one can find magazines of all stripes. Feel free to browse forever -- it's easy to get lost in them. Slightly north along the Drive is Britannia Community Center, where there is an ice rink and a swimming pool as well as a large park.

Another place of interest is the Vancouver East Cultural Center where various dance groups and theatrical performances can be seen.

The Drive is uniquely Vancouver and it reflects a slightly anti-corporate sentiment here - as I said before, it belongs to small businesses and restaurants that are not chains. It is ideal to spend an afternoon (sunny, of course) walking along, starting at Broadway and slowly making your way north along the street, stopping for coffee or ice cream or sushi or Thai or...

Enjoy.

Commercial Drive, from Broadway to Venables;
www.thedrive.ca

Magpie Magazine Gallery: 1319 Commercial Drive

Vancouver East Cultural Center: 1895 Venables Street;
www.vecc.bc.ca

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On the Dublin Literary Pub Crawl, which lasts for over two hours, the emphasis is firmly on 'Literary'. There are just a couple of 20-minute breaks for refreshment along the way. The rest of the time we're treated to entertaining and informative performances by two actors.

The pubs are those that were frequented by the writers we learn about. There's also a stop at Trinity College, where we hear about Oscar Wilde and others. Perhaps we can be inspired by the spirit of these places (and I'm not referring to the whiskey).

It's also a great way to meet fellow travellers, as there are opportunities to chat along the way, and at the end of the crawl.

I'd highly recommend this particular brand of pub-crawl to any visitor (indeed, any Dubliner). Full details are available on the website.

Tel: +353 1 670 5602; www.dublinpubcrawl.com

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A great little jazz club named after a congressional resolution passed in 1987. $10 cover but it's BYO with a $3 corkage charge and plenty of space to hang out. And being on 14th street, if it's not your cup of tea there are plenty of other places to hang out like Bar Pilar, BlackCat and others.

1610 Fourteenth Street NW Wash, DC 20009;
tel: 202 667 3700;
metro: Green line – U Street Cardozo Station; Red Line - Dupont Circle Station;
www.hr57.org

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