My friend and I usually come here because the pizza is cheap and tasty, and they have $3 pitcher nights on Tuesday & Thursday. The service is surprisingly poor. They often forget you're there if you're in the back room, so your water will generally run dry and never be refilled. The pizza doesn't usually take too long to come out, but for the past 4 or 5 times I've come here, they got our order wrong. That's not an exaggeration. Usually we just keep the wrong order because we're so hungry, and all their toppings are good anyways. I came to Milano's last week and was surprised that they were correct on the pizza. However, they brought out the wrong beer. I usually never have problems with service at restaurants, but it is pretty annoying when you have to wait for a while only to be served the wrong pizza.
If you happen to be a service snob, Milano's is definitely not the place for you. However, if you're willing to sacrifice service for decent pizza, you probably won't have a problem with this place. In fact, it might even be a fun place to take a date. That way, you can both have a giggle at the imminent mishap(s), thus lightening up the mood and giving you an opportunity to exhibit your proficiency in quick-witted, charming jests.

My brother and I came here one time on a really hot day, and emerged refreshed. They have a new green-tea flavor, which is good with a granola topping. Taste it before you buy; it's not the typical sweet yogurt you may be used to. I like it, though.

My friends brought me here after a long, stressful week of work, and nothing could have been more relaxing. Not only does this theater feature comfortable couches to lounge out on, but they also serve pizza and beer, among other things. After a week in the rat race, there's nothing like sitting down comfortably in a movie theater with a delicious beer. The interior is not exactly the Ritz, but it's a unique experience, and I highly recommend it.

I've been coming here ever since my little Sgt. Pepper was 3 months old, and Joel & Suzie have never let me down! They use only top of the line products such as Le Pooch shampoo, and always treat my dog with the utmost respect and care(which is admirable because I know the little furball can be a handful sometimes.) Very nice, professional dog groomers.

I've been here numerous times, and haven't been disappointed. The seats are comfortable, the ushers are helpful enough, and the acoustics are beautiful. Some great concerts have been performed here. Aside from the resident conductor, I've seen musicians such as Philip Glass and Sarah Chang. Very nice place to go every once in a while.

I decided to come here after being disappointed with the overrated "Naan N Curry" just down the street, and have been coming here ever since. It is a sit-down place with self-service, meaning you order your food and then go to the back to get your own plates, forks, and drinks. But having no service is MUCH better than getting the rude, half-assed service at Naan N Curry. It's a small price to pay for the friendly employees, the short wait, and most of all the very tasty food. Combined with the cheap prices, Tasty Curry is a must for anyone in search of great Indian food.

No matter how old you are, their special exhibits as well as their more permanent ones are lots of fun. Highly interactive. If you're not careful, you could spend hours there.

San Francisco Zoo is a fun place to take the kids to watch, point and laugh at majestic animals in captivity. The monkeys are always funny, and you can see a number of different animals not available in other parts of the city.
However, I don't recommend taunting the tigers. As friendly and cuddly as they may seem, tigers won't hesitate to jump over a fence and eat you. After you're eaten by a tiger, zoo personnel are required by law to kill the tiger, so it's kind of a lose-lose situation.

These theatres are rather small, but they get the job done. They have projectors set up in rooms with seats, and they project movies onto a screen, with sound! If you're in Sebastopol and feel like a movie, this is the place for you. For a more intense cinematic experience, you can check out some of the larger theatres in Santa Rosa or Rohnert Park.

I usually come here for their wonderful blueberry wheat pancakes. Don't let the word "wheat" scare you, though. These masterfully cooked beauties are chock full of tastiness, loaded with sunflower seeds and other delights. Aside from breakfast, they also offer lunch and dinner, as well as coffee and a number of pastries and other take-out items.
One can often spot world-famous musician Tom Waits bumbling about East-West Cafe, haggard and disoriented as usual. A true treat! I don't recommend approaching him however. Steer clear, unless you have a penchant for annoying Tom Waits.

The reason I didn't give it five stars is because I have reservations about deeming anything 100% perfect. But the Community Center is the ultimate Sebastopol hub for interesting classes such as music and dance, as well as events and many other things. The staff is very friendly and knowledgable, and can answer just about any reasonable question. They also publish a newsletter that hilights news and events around the community. It is located in a nice spot, next to the Laguna trails, so that after your business with the Community Center is finished, you can enjoy a nice stroll through nature.

A lot of big acts come through here, it is a favorite among locals, and it's a well-kept venue. Good place to hang out with friends and have some drinks.

I've been going here for a long time, partly because it was my first boba experience, partly because of the very friendly service, but mostly due to the great-tasting sweetie drinks made with real fruit juice. If you like the flavor, and can stomach lots of condensed milk, I suggest taro. For the slightly more faint of heart, try any of the fruit smoothies, such as passion fruit or strawberry. Sweety Cafe is definitely better than any of the other boba places on Irving, although it may not be as good as some of the spots on Clement Street.

McDonalds does an awesome job of making tons o' cash, and I admire them for that. But when I walk into the place to get my greasy burgers, I'm reminded of how disgusting and unfulfilling they really are. Even their "big" burgers are sub-standard in size. They're sloppy, and trying to hold one in your hands feels like milking a cow. The fries are limp, and the McNuggets taste like McShit. The staff isn't much to look at, either.

They specialize in freshly made pasta such as tortellini and ravioli, as well as marinades and salads. I liked that the shell pasta was actually shaped like real seashells, down to the tiny little spikes. So you can take it home, make a nice little meal and impress your guests. You can actually watch the latest pasta being cranked out, and even try a sample or two. The staff is rather friendly as well. Prices are not outrageous, but not that cheap, either. However, if you're too lazy to roll out your own pasta and marinade, it's worth the money to have a much better meal than the crap selection at your local Safeway can provide.

You have to have some respect for an actor who consistently stars in blockbuster hits. But monetary success and popularity is not an indication of talent. Sure, he does a satisfactory job of acting, but he's so damn goofy that he gets really irritating, really quick. I will say that I thought he did a fair job in "The Green Mile," but in almost every film since the overrated "Forrest Gump," his characters have all seemed to channel Gump. Even in "Charlie Wilson's War," Hanks had more than a few Gump moments. I can only hypothesize that he gets so many of these roles because people find his Southern accent charming. Yet after enduring about two or three feature-length Hanks showcases, the accent becomes so tiresome that it causes one's mind to gradually deteriorate into a thick, mushy substance.
So I'll just have to endure the scoffs and jeers I'll undoubtedly get from people whenever I politely decline going out to see Hanks' latest film. One thing is certain - if I have to sit through another Hank-fest, I'm afraid I'll either become completely brain-dead or just extremely violent.

Max von Sydow is one of my favorite actors of all time. He is extremely engaging and charismatic, even when he's playing the antagonist. While I am most stricken by his roles in the early Bergman films such as "The Seventh Seal" and "The Virgin Spring," I have enjoyed all of his roles up to his latest films. He continues to prove that he is an undeniably capable actor with extraordinary screen presence in whatever part he plays, large or small. His style has become increasingly refined over the years, and I have no doubt that he will continue to bring life to any screen character who has the honor of being played by this great actor.

Michael Caine is one of those well-established actors who does justice to just about every role he plays. I think a true actor or actress is one who makes you forget he is acting, and Caine is a brilliant example. His deliverance is so fluid and effortless that you truly believe that he is his character. I especially like his work in comedies such as "Hannah and Her Sisters." He is good at being immediately likeable, despite the fact that his character is engaging in shameless acts such as adultery and dishonesty. A class act.

+1 star for winning a presidential election. Good job.
+1 star for not screwing up as much as his son

What can I say about Scriabin? Just by listening closely to a few of his pieces, it quickly becomes apparent that they have meticulously crafted by a genius. The patterns he lays out are extraordinarily complex, while at the same time remaining beautifully consonant. How he is able to compose intricate music that sounds so effortless is something I would love to be able to understand. I recommend his piano works, such as "Etude in E, Op.8 No.5" to name one.

+4 stars for being one of the lesser known masters whose music is extraordinary.
-1 star for being dead as a doornail.

I am consistently impressed by Rimsky-Korsakov's "Capriccio Espagnol, op. 34," especially "Variazioni: Andante Con Moto." And I'm deeply touched by his "Sadko - Hindu Song." Both pieces are so simple, elegant, and beautiful, and not in the least bit contrived. It's no surprise that Rimsky-Korsakov has inspired some of the other greats of the time, such as Igor Stravinsky. Nikolai is no longer performing, but you can still hear his music performed by others.

I especially like the songs of his in some of Woody Allen's films, including "I've Heard That Song Before," and some of his work sung by Doris Day

A musical travesty.

Sure, like many of the hip-hop greats, the messages conveyed through his lyrics are misogynistic and materialistic. But the lyrics are just so damn clever, you just can't help but sing "Fuckin' You Tonight" at the top of your lungs, with your girlfriend providing the backup vocals.
Now that I've accepted that hip-hop artists steal all their beats and samples from older hits, I've begun rating them on WHAT they choose to steal, and what they do with it, rather than complaining about any plagiarism issues.
Not only has Notorious BIG stolen from some of the coolest artists of the 60's, 70's and 80's(Isley Brothers, Mtume, Diana Ross), but in some cases he's produced tracks that end up sounding cooler than the originals(you have to admit that B.I.G.'s "Hypnotize" sounds way better than Herb Alpert's original fruity song, "Rise").
Sure, his music never says anything profound, but that's not why people listen to hip-hop these days(or even back in the 90's). They listen to hip-hop because it has a good beat, strong rhythmic vocals, and cool samples. If only Puff Daddy's wimpy voice weren't peppered liberally throughout EVERY DAMN SONG.
Despite that, Notorious B.I.G. is just fun to listen to.

I try not to idolize people, but as a musician, David Bowie is like an ambassador from another universe. His music is extraordinary, from his standard pop-ballads to his more deep and esoteric songs. I understand he used to come up with a lot of his lyrics on the spot in the recording studio, but they seem so poetic and meaningful that they could have been composed very carefully and deliberately.
David Bowie is just an incredible musician. I am in awe.

I'm rating them as if I were still a kid. I remember them being really fun to listen to. I haven't heard them lately, but I have no doubt that they still put on a great show that young ones would enjoy.

Over-the-top vocal technique can sometimes sound impressive at first, but being subjected to excessive amounts of it can lead one to become violent. I like the vintage sound of the recordings, and if I were rating the recording engineer, I would be generous with the stars. But I'm not. I'm reviewing Amy Winehouse. And I do believe I just ripped her a new one.

If there's one thing I actually agree with millions of other people on, it's that the Beatles are one of the most talented, musically groundbreaking, and influential rock bands in history. It is impossible to truly do them justice with words, but I will say that they are one of the few bands to whom I would give six stars, if that were possible. They have crafted some of the most intriguing, haunting, touching music that still seems fresh today. I often say of great bands that their music seems not to be created from the minds of the musicians themselves, but that the musicians seem to be channeling something higher, something that has always existed and was just waiting to be discovered and communicated. The Beatles are one such group.
Lyrically, the Beatles are often sophisticated and universal, touching on core aspects of humanity that relates to all of us.
Another mark of a truly great band is the ability to grow and mature with their music, and as long as the the Beatles were together, they never stopped breaking new boundaries, from the simplistic crowd-pleaser "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" to the poetic and musical genius of "Eleanor Rigby."
The Beatles may have done more for Rock music(as well as countless other genres) than any other band in history, and they will continue to be influential for years and years to come.

I've enjoyed Beck's music since he first became well-known in the 90's, and he continues to create interesting music in a style of his own. In the early days he was not afraid to experiment, and his unique ideas yielded ear-opening results. These days he seems to be struggling to keep up his momentum, but he is still a talented musician who is good at his craft.

Like many once-great musicians, Tom Petty falls into the "should have quit while they were ahead" category. He had some enjoyable hits in his early years, and while his music has never been really profound, he once was a talented musician who knew how to write a song. Over time, his pool of inspiration has run dry, and aside from his irritating Dylan-esque singing voice, his songs have become indistinguishable from the rest of the musically unremarkable and unimaginative junk that is available today.