Best of 2011

Best of 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and now 2011!

Best of the year 2011. This year, instead of adding a new category, I’ve removed one (DVD of the Year) as we no longer watch DVDs and replaced it with TV Show of the Year.

Album of the Year – w h o k i l l – tUnE-yArDs

Merrill Garbus’ second album is excellent. I’d never heard her first album, but this one clearly had enough airplay and buzz for me to pick it up — most likely from Adam and Joe’s Radio 6 show, which has sadly finished. Her live performances are apparently just her looping tracks solo, which sounds like a lot of fun. Hopefully she makes it to Australia in 2012.

Cinema Trip of the Year – Source Code

I really liked the premise of this movie — the idea that you can exist inside someone’s mind for the final seconds of their life. Any film that makes you question what’s going on from the outset (The Matrix being a classic example) is usually a good one. The Adjustment Bureau and The King’s Speech were close seconds this year.

TV Show of the Year – Boardwalk Empire

Set during US Prohibition, Boardwalk Empire follows Nucky Thompson (played by Steve Buscemi), a man with feet firmly planted on both sides of the law. He’s the treasurer of Atlantic City as well as a key mover in illegal alcohol. The stories are compelling and the show is excellent, currently in its second season. Other shows we loved this year include New Girl, Louie, Portlandia, and The Thick of It.

Book of the Year – The Lean Startup

I wish I’d read this book before spending so much time building software. Eric Ries’ admission that he could have spent six months sipping umbrella drinks on a beach and the company would have been in exactly the same place was a real wake-up call.

Game of the Year – F-SIM Space Shuttle

I didn’t buy any traditional games this year to avoid wasting time, so most of my gaming was on the iPhone. F-SIM is less a game and more a simulation, where you must land the Space Shuttle as it re-enters Earth’s atmosphere. You need to hit the glide slope, land on the center line, and touch down at exactly the right speed and weight. It’s challenging, extremely well made, and developed by a single indie developer.

Website of the Year – Reddit

Reddit often feels like a college freshman site, but it occasionally surfaces genuinely interesting content. AMAs (Ask Me Anything) from notable people can be fascinating, as well as “TILs” (Today I Learned) — including the fact that magenta is a colour your brain completely makes up.

Technology Purchase of the Year – iPhone 4s

I upgraded from the iPhone 4 to the iPhone 4s within a couple of months, but as one of the most useful tools I own, it’s the best technology purchase I’ve ever made. Siri, while still in its early days, shows enormous promise. I can imagine a future where I’m in the car asking, “Siri, is this the best way to get to Timthanuel’s house?” and it instantly reroutes me to beat the traffic.

Restaurant of the Year – Budda Bar

This was a tough one. Budda Bar in Dubai was fantastic, although we were both extremely tired when we visited. The green curry maki sushi roll was unlike anything I’d tasted before, which is always a good sign. Other great meals this year included Celsius in Adelaide and Margan — the restaurant where we held our wedding ceremony.

Trip of the Year – Maldives

We were very lucky this year with travel — trips to the UK, Thailand, Adelaide, Dubai, and the Maldives. Dubai and the Maldives formed our honeymoon. The Maldives is a special place: not really on the way to anywhere, with an ideal mix of weather, water, and service. We stayed at Baros and Soneva Gilli, both of which were exceptional. More on that in the honeymoon blog post coming soon.

That wraps up the Best of 2011. Have a happy new year!