Advantages: A beautiful story that is sure to make you cry.
Disadvantages: You'll need to buy a box of tissues before you watch!

...The Lake House (2006) Drama/Fantasy/Romance Sandra Bullock Keanu Reeves The Lake House is a film about connection. About two people whose love spans time. Not in the normal way though - these two people are separated by two years. When they first discover each other, one is in 2006 and the other is in 2004. A curious premise for a film to work with, but somehow the director pulls it off very successfully. It is definitely a chick flick, but it will have you guessing about how it will end. At the beginning of the film, you feel certain as you watch that everything is going to be fine, that of course there will be a happy ending. As the film goes on, and you are pulled deeper into the story, you begin to wonder how could this possibly work? How can it possibly end well? I think that is the mark of great scriptwriting... Read review

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Advantages: Romantic, great soundtrack, refreshingly different to other love story movies.
Disadvantages: Makes you think and it can be confusing at times.

...A few nights ago myself and my fiancee decided that we had had enough of the rubbish TV that was on and thought we'd hot foot it down to the local Blockbuster. Unfortunately for us, there is very little out at the moment in the way of films either. Having worked as a cinema team leader for the past couple of years I know my film stuff! At this point I was getting a little anxious that I'd have to sit through another night of watching my other half play on his PS2 whilst counting down the minutes before I went to bed! As it happened, I didn't have to. I spotted The Lake House, a film that I had watched in the summer and thought was good. At the time I remember thinking that I'd need to watch it again to be able to follow it properly because there were some twists and turns that I struggled to keep up with. Funnily enough, the film... Read review

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Advantages: You can watch it over and over again its that good...
Disadvantages: None what so ever!

..."How do you hold on to someone you've never met?" I absolutely love this film, its one of those romantic films you can watch over and over again, i never get tired of it. I will be honest at first it was a little hard to understand and get into it a bit like sixth sense but once you have you seen it twice you get the whole understanding of it and you will love it. It was released in June 2006 and the main characters in the film is Sandra Bollock (Speed, Murder by numbers, Practical Magic) who plays the doctor Kate Forster and Keanu Reeves (The Matrix, Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey) plays Alex Wyler. Shes in 2006 and his in 2004, will they ever meet?? Kate Forster is a Doctor in 2006, living in Chicago. She moved to a new apartment in Chicago (She used to live in the lake house which is made all of glass). After watching a man die... Read review

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Advantages: Un put downable
Disadvantages: Bit far fetched compared to his other books

...Another corker from James Patterson. I don't feel that this is as good as his other novels, but even so worth reading. The Lake House starts with 4 year old twins, Peter and Wendy, of Chinese descent, then came Max and his brother Matthew, and then Icarus and Ozymandias. These children are not "normal" as you'll find out. Frannie O Neill's life is bowled over when these 6 children blow in on the wind, quite literally.The children have been rescued from a school which created them, and Frannie has fallen in love with all of them. The young children want to belong to Frannie, and regard her as their parent, along with FBI agent Kit Brennan, who is Frannie's other half. The problem is that only Max, the oldest of the children knows that another terrifying biological experiment is about to take place. Where is it happening... Read review

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Advantages: Great mountains, great scenery...
Disadvantages: Rains quite a bit

...in that vicinity, which isn't that much of a problem as there are quite a lot of walks to do round there - and great walks too. If you're not the camping type, then there is the perfect place for you, providing you're willing to pay the money. It's a Landmark Trust building situated in the village of Grasmere (central Lakeland) just a tiny bit up a fellside. If you haven't heard of the Landmark Trust, they're a Trust which restores old and worn-down buildings into a place where one can stay. If you want to get away from civilisation for a time, but you don't want to camp, then the Landmark Trust accomodation is the place for you, for they have no TVs, radios, computers, nothing like that - and its great to get away from those appliances once in a while. Anyway this house is for up-to-7 people. It commands great views over Grasmere Lake and some... Read review

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Advantages: Scenery, activities
Disadvantages: rain

...too. This is not to say walking is the only thing to do. Since the foot-and-mouth outbreak, rental bikes have been extremely popular as only roads are open - I would recommend these all the time, as they are a good form of exercise, and you can see a lot more for your time, and they too are quite cheap. For the less active, there is plenty of things to see around the Lakes. The National Trust has many good things to see, such as Mire House, near Keswick, which has big grounds to wander around, an assault course, and an excellent cafe. There are plenty of museums around, especially in Keswick - home of the Pencil Factory, which is actually much better than it sounds. For the less writingly-minded, there are various attractions like A.A.Milne's House, and Wordsworth's House, and plenty of decent shops to look at. The Lake District is home... Read review

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Advantages: Stunning scenery, glorious climate......... an almost perfect holiday
Disadvantages: Rather touristy in places

...I've long harboured a desire to visit Italy, and my dream finally came true this summer when we (my husband, 14 year old son and I) decided to spend our summer holiday in Limone on Lake Garda. Lake Garda, Italy's largest lake, is in northern Italy, not far from the city of Verona. It is divided between three Italian regions - Lombardy, Trentino and the Veneto. Due to its stunning natural beauty and warm climate, the area is a major tourist destination, with many towns and villages scattered around its shore. Limone, or Limone sul Garda, situated on Lake Garda's north-western shore, is centred around a village of narrow, winding streets, alleys and traditional stonewalled cottages. Although the name "Limone" is often presumed to be taken from the lemon groves which surround it, apparently the name is in fact derived from an old... Read review

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Advantages: A Good Story, Very Easy To Read
Disadvantages: Too Many Characters, Drawn Out In Places

.... In the Glass Lake Mauve Binchy has created not just a handful of characters but a whole fictional Village, a town with just one road. We meet and get to know the inhabitants of every house, and then we go on to meet their extended families. The story flits sometimes rather uncomfortably between these different residents at times. It is at these moments that I find my patience fading and eagerly wish for the story to revert back to Kit and the rest of the McMahon's. I do not have any first hand knowledge of how life in a rural Irish Village during the 1950's must have been, but I feel that this is a fairly good portrayal and I presume that the Author is feeding off many of her own childhood experiences. Like all good stories there are many twists and the biggest twist of all is left until the final few pages of the book, leaving you thinking... Read review

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Advantages: Lovely views. Not over crowded yet.Bargain breaks available due to foot and mouth
Disadvantages: Still some foot paths closed

...********************* Don’t make the same mistake as we did. Windermere is itself about 5 miles away from Lake Windermere and the nearest place is Bowness. We found a car parking space there and attempted to walk down. We soon found out the error and headed for the Queens Public House….which was mistake number 2. Any place that serves Clauiflower which is still frozen and you can still see ice all over is best avoided .It must have came directly from the fridge without touching the pan. This is by far the busiest of any place in the Lakes, therefore parking can be a problem. Bowness operates a park and ride service by a road train. Car parking again is £2.50 for 4 hours, but doesn’t include the return bus fare of £1 return for each adult and 60p return for children. You will be highly entertained for the 5-minute journey by the conductor... Read review

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Advantages: Tennis, fitness center, pools, live entertainment, and the list on.
Disadvantages: Having to drive everywhere from the east village.

...This year has been really difficult for me. I work with the elderly and so many have passed away. I have been working long nights in client's homes, and so wanted a vacation. We purchased points from R.C.I., and were told we could use a free V.I.P. week each year, or if we booked 45 days or less in advance, we could get a week's timeshare for a third of our yearly points. I had been phoning R.C.I. for a month prior to our vacation, and then several times a day, the week before our dates. Finally, on the Wednesday prior to us leaving, I was able to pick up a week in Florida. I didn't care where, as I already live here, and didn't want to go north. It is too darn cold. I was given 8 days, 7 nights, in Orange Lake Resort & County Club, in Kissimmee, in a villa, with 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, that sleeps 8. So on Sunday 27th... Read review

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