Tuesday 31 December 2013

Wishing Ribbons at the Kek Lok Si Temple in Penang, Malaysia


The colourful  Wishing Ribbons trees at the Kek Lok Si temple are full of hopes for the future. 
 May all your wishes  and dreams of peace, love and health come true.

Friday 27 December 2013

Modern Manners by Liv Tyler and Dorothea Johnson:Review

Modern Manners: Tools to Take You to the Top I found out  about this book in a magazine with a photograph of Liv Tyler and her grandmother, Dorothea Johnson, and I though that it had probably been a wonderful experience for both of them to write a book together. Two women from different worlds were bound to have interesting ideas on manners nowadays.Therefore  I decided to read it.

The book starts with a lovely foreword by Liv Tyler which may me think how lucky she was to have such a remarkable grandmother ( and made me crave for Carrot Cake ) and another foreword by Dorothea Johnson so I kept reading.

There are chapters on several topics:Meetings and Greetings, On the Job, Electronic Communication (every cell phone and computer we buy should come with a booklet on good  manners),Out and About ,Dining Skills (really useful ) and The Savvy Host.It also includes some useful Dos and Don'ts ,tips from Liv and Dorothea at the end of the chapters  and entertaining anecdotes.

I thought it was  very funny when  Liv Tyler calls a Yes Sandwich  a  Kiss, kick ,kiss ( when a manager starts with a compliment , sandwiches in a negative comment and finishes with another compliment) .

Some of the pieces of advice given are just common sense but this is unfortunately the least common of our senses .I found the book delightful ,it is indeed really pleasant to read , just like if your own  modern grandmother was  giving you some notions on how to behave correctly in the kindest and loveliest possible manner.


Tuesday 24 December 2013


Petronas Towers: Water and Light Show

One of my favourite things to do in KL is to sit by the water fountain in KLCC at night and watch the light show by the impressive towers.

by TA


Monday 23 December 2013

Concealed in the Darkness : Book Trailer

This is the kind of books I used to read but I don't anymore, I am done with horror stories and Concealed in the Darkeness seems to be a quite frightening one.

Sunday 22 December 2013

Six Christmas Survival Tips




Christmas Holidays are a delightful and at the same time a really stressful period for many people. Here are some tips that may help you survive:

1- Set some time aside to DO NOTHING , just sit down or better lay down and close your eyes.

2- Christmas is only PERFECT ON  TV .

3- Christmas is just like Vegas: what happens at a Christmas meal STAYS at a Christmas meal.

4- Buying presents for other people may be exhausting , buy something FOR YOURSELF as well.

5- Christmas is definitely not the right time to go on any kind of diet, ENJOY X-MAS FOOD.

6- Include relaxing music in your playlist so , if needed, you can AVOID LISTENING TO X-MAS CAROLS .

Thursday 19 December 2013

Un cadáver entre plato y plato de Tom Hillenbrand: Crítica

Un cadáver entre plato y plato La novela se anuncia como un thriller culinario y así es sin duda. En mi opinión más interesante desde el punto de vista culinario que detectivesco.

Las desventuras de un chef Luxemburgués acusado , injustamente por supuesto, del asesinato de un crítico gastronómico nos desvelan los entresijos de la cocina de la zona y además nos revelan como funcionan las guias culinarias . Entre carreras y sustos el protagonista cocina las recetas de la zona con mucho esmero. Una comida un tanto pesada pero descrita tan suculentamente que parece apetecible y sin duda lo será para muchos.

El argumento del libro puede parecer simple o prececible en cierto modo pero sin embargo me pareció bastante entretenido y convincente. Desde luego el autor Tom Hillenbrand  nos dá una amplia información sobre la calidad (más bien escasa) de los alimentos precocinados que comemos hoy en día, en concreto sobre las pizzas. Esta me pareció sin duda la parte más aterradora del libro y no he vuelto a mirar una pizza congelada de la misma manera.

En el libro también se habla de un descubrimiento culinario similar al glutamato monosódico. La idea del autor me parece original y de ser cierta revolucionaría la alimentación completamente, por desgracia a peor. Tampoco he vuelto a mirar la comida china de la misma manera desde que terminé el libro.

Al final de la novela aparece un glosario de los términos gastrónomicos utilizados entre los cuales están las palabras usadas para describir los diferentes puestos en una gran cocina. Muy util para legos en la materia.

Me quedo con ganas de probar el po' boy de Louisiana ,  y la Quetscheflued de Luxemburgo.

M.

Wednesday 18 December 2013

Herbal Garden in Asia : Cat's Whiskers

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Monday 16 December 2013

Shimino Japanese Crepes in Kuala Lumpur

In Tokyo Street ,the coolest floor of the Pavilion KL you can tase this original recipe .



The dessert crepes look really delicious !

By Foodie

Seven Things Adults Miss about Christmas




Christmas is one of the happiest times of the year for children. As we grow older nothing is or tastes the same and we miss the way things were before .

1- Christmas started in October ,when all those advertisements appeared on TV and you began thinking about what to ask Santa for. Who, by the way, was incredibly rich and generous.

2-Once the Christmas Tree was set up in the living room you could start looking for all the sweets you knew were stored somewhere at home.

3- Food and numbers were not associated , you had no idea how many calories Christmas food had and what's more important you didn't care about it.Everything was delicious and the older the cook the better the food.

4-Everybody smiled at you in a special way. Only adults seemed to hold some grudges against each other and dealt with them usually after having eaten and drank when you were already running around with the rest of the children in the family.If you didn't like one of those children you just pushed him or her a couple of times , were done with it and back to playing.

5-You slept  like an angel on Christmas Eve, knowing that when you woke up  you would find wonderful presents , because the world was meant for children to be happy.

6- Santa wasn't very good at telling who had been naughty or nice, or perhaps he was really forgiving . You got presents even if you had been naughty.

7- Christmas was magic and there was always going to be another one in 12 months' time.


Friday 6 December 2013

Invictus

    Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.


By  William Ernest Henley

Thursday 5 December 2013

The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert : Review

The Signature of All Things Such a beautiful  cover (never judge a book by the cover) and such a promising beginning with the skilful way Elizabeth Gilbert writes and her vast knowledge of the time made it a delight at first.

However, as Alma's story starts to unfold I found myself wondering why...


 The book is incredibly well written and if the plot had been slightly different it would have been a beautiful book.It is then a good book, but unfortunately it is not for me.


My cover

Saturday 30 November 2013

Monday 25 November 2013

The Good Wife : Whack-A-Mole Review

There seems to be a big contrast between the situation in LG ( I don't like the new name) and in Florrick-Agos. At the beginning of the chapter we can see the gloomy Florrick-Agos office meeting where they apparently get on well enough and the luxurious LG table where they have plenty of food and quarrel much more. It's obvious that none of them can have it all.

I don't really know what to think of the new guy yet.Kalinda says he's not dangerous and she knows what dangerous is ,but he tells too many jokes and wants women to like him , which may not be so bad somewhere else but it is not so right in a law firm. I just don't want him to be the new clown in town.

Jackie, on the other hand , has shown her real power. I felt sorry for her, and sorry for Alicia, you know: Like father like son.

By the way , in case there is someone who doesn't remember what Whack-A-Mole is check this.

The Good Wife : The Decision Tree Promo

Both Alicia's and Peter's mums could be great friends if they really tried although this may never happen actually. Those two ladies have very different personalities that could amuse , entertain and even help each other in many ways if they weren't so stubborn.

Saturday 23 November 2013

Premeditated by Josin L.McQuein Review



PremeditatedMy favourite quote on revenge is this one by Douglas Horton:  While seeking revenge, dig two graves-one for yourself. This book is supposed to be about revenge and it is somehow.

When Dinah learns that her cousin Claire has tried to commit suicide and is lying in a hospital bed in a coma, swears to take revenge on the boy who made Claire suffer and is willing to go to any lengths to do it. She is determined to ruin his life ,however, things don't turn out to be the way she expected.

Life is not a bowl of cherries for the character of this book ,whether they come from money or not.Some of them have parental issues ,lack of self-esteem and mental problems  to deal with . So they are not the usual perfect youngsters who appear in some YA novels.Revenge is therefore  just a part of the plot.


Did I think that the book was going to be much darker?  Yes, I did.
Does it really matter to me? No , it doesn't.
Is the book shallow? No , it isn't.

Dinah has a really strong personality which makes her likable and her sworn enemy at school Chandy is in my opinion her alter ego.Chandi is what Dinah would have been like had she not had her father's love and her will power.

The way the book ends is not difficult to predict if you pay attention to the clues,however, this doesn't make it less interesting.In her blog Josin L.McQuein writes about an alternative ending for the book, read it if you are curious.




Thursday 21 November 2013

Marble Mountains in Da Nang Vietnam

Not far from Da Nang city there is a cluster of five limestone hills named after the five elements:Kim (metal), Thuy (water), Moc (wood), Hoa (fire) and Tho (earth).

If you feel like waking up the stairway take into account that is   not easy to get all the way up in the scorching heat ,the steep steps make the climb tiring but it is well worth visiting the beautiful blue pagoda at the top and the caves.Make sure to wear comfortable shoes and water. If this is too much for  you  there is a new lift that will take you to the top.

By P.B.


Tuesday 19 November 2013

The Good Wife 5x08 Review: Two Yoko Ono Problems

Yoko Ono was said to have been a bad influence for the Beatles , David Lee compares Will's new young friend with this infamous woman,who by the way , may have been  completely innocent .

But she's not the only Yoko Ono in the show since Eli Gold has her own young friend as well. However I think that what Will is doing out of lust and spite Eli is doing because he is madly in love, head-over-heels in love , deeply infatuated with Natalie.

The offices ,OMG if they make them look like a hip start-up and Florrick-Agos thrives there , they can do anything. I just can't wait a week to see what they do, a miracle I guess.

The case they had in this chapter was in my opinion treated in a too funny way given how serious immigration , deportation and death threats are.Perhaps it was they way the scriptwriters had to show how absurd laws regarding these matters can sometimes be.

The Good Wife : 5x09 promo

 Jason O'Mara is the new guy in the office. We will see if this former family man in Terranova is able to deal with these sharks which may sometimes be worse than the zombies in  Resident Evil.

On the other hand Peter's mom is NOT  a horrible woman , she is without a shadow of a doubt an outstanding defender of her son, no matter what he does. Peter is very lucky to have her, perhaps not the people around him, but he certainly is .


Monday 18 November 2013

El Cielo Ha Vuelto de Clara Sánchez : Crítica

El cielo ha vuelto


Es un libro entretenido, sobre todo al principio.Engancha con facilidad y tiene su punto de humor y sus frases sobre verdades existenciales.

Combina situaciones un tanto absurdas y personajes poco creibles con descripciones de la vida cotidiana y tópicos sobre las relaciones humanas.

La protagonista supera en cierto modo su modo de ver la realidad a través de un cristal de color rosa y se enfrenta a sus temores con grandes dosis de paranoia y de fuerza de voluntad.

No es una novela de esas que recordarás toda la vida pero te puede hacer pasar un buen rato en una tarde lluviosa.

M.

Wednesday 13 November 2013

Starters: Book Trailer

The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater Review

The Dream Thieves (The Raven Cycle, #2)
The boys are back "Adam Parrish,gaunt and fair;Noah Czerny , smudgy and slouching;and Ronan Lynch,ferocious and dark" together with "pretty unkillable" Gansey and Blue a.k.a Jane.

Henrietta, Virginia with its farmhouses , cattle and Anglionby Academy is again the scenery of the lives four special boys and a unique girl.

Gansey  wants proof of the imposible and is still searching for the tomb of the Welsh king Glendower "And the conversation was about Glendower.Because when you were with Gansey ,the conversation was almost always about Glendower".

Whoever woke the king was granted a favour and Blue needed it . She really needed it to save Gansey from the death she had forseen.

Blue's feelings both for Gansey and Adam are still unclear, even to her.However, Adam's is well aware of the way he feels."Blue Sargent  was pretty in a way that was physically painful to him. He was attracted to her like a heart attack." But what he wants above all is "to feel awake when my eyes are open".

They are not alone,though, the Gray Man has come to Henrietta to make things harder for them.He is looking for a relic to take objects out of dreams. The dreamer is Ronan ,just like his father was before him, and his house is fool of impossible gadgets from  dreams but  not only things and not only Ronan.

There is a wonderfully sad kiss , if that is possible, full of longing and loneliness.One of the saddest kisses I have ever read about.

Maggie Stiefvater has written the second part of The Raven Boys in the same elegant and rich prose that made me a fan of the author .The characters are very well developed and there are many layers in this wonderful novel that will keep you thinking about it long after you finish the book.

Monday 11 November 2013

The Good Wife: ICE,ICE Baby Promo

Christmas Ad: John Lewis

The Good Wife : The Next Week Review: Alicia The Warrior

Alicia may be in warrior princess mode but this war is going to be long and there are going to be many casualties.She did have guts, though, to walk into Lockhart-Gardner again and sit there as a witness ( with no right to a bottle of water) instead of as a partner.

I don't think Alicia changed as Diane pointed out, I think her priorities changed. She got sick and tired of working for other people who stole her thunder and above all she got fed up with the way her relationship with Will was going, that is nowhere. Not that her brother ( who is definitely a terrible matchmaker) is 100% per cent right when he says that she was afraid of leaving her marriage for Will, but there is some truth in his words , more than Alicia wants to admit.

On the other hand the fight for the clients and the money is getting really dirty and we are going to find out who's naughty and who's nice .David Lee has no qualms about  resorting to anything to win but Diane may not be so willing to play so dirty, at least for now. 

What is amazing is the way Zach and Grace are neglected.Alicia is completely unaware of what is happening right under her nose. Those two have been left to their own devices while their mum is worried about her career.I do hope things start getting better before Alicia finds herself with  a new front at home.

Evertrue by Brody Ashton: Book Trailer

Saturday 9 November 2013

Un Caffé Sospeso : A Pending Coffee

A few years ago in Naples ,Italy, someone came up with this wonderful idea of paying in advance for a cup of coffee for  a person who needed it but  couldn't afford it.

So you go into a coffee shop and when you order you pay for yours and  also maybe for another extra cup.A person in need may walk into that coffee shop later and ask whether there are any pending coffees and may drink one thanks to your generosity.

This idea is being adopted gradually in other countries such as Argentina,Australia, Russia ,Spain and Canada.

Asus Transformer Book Trio : Cool Advertisement

It's a laptop , it's a tablet, it's a desktop PC. It's the new Asus Transformer Book Trio 3 in 1. It houses a fourth generation intelcore processor, Android 4.2 , windows 8 and much more. If it is as cool as the advertisement , it rocks!

By MO.

Monday 4 November 2013

Maggie Stiefvater on The Dream Thieves

I am  a hundred per cent sure that I will love this book , I just can't wait to read it.

The Good Wife: The Next Day Review

Rise and shine Lockhart- Gardner and  Florrick- Agos a new day has just arrived!.

Good morning Diane, it has finally dawned on you that without the support of the Governor there is no way you are starting a new career. I am surprised you didn't see that coming. Did you really think that Peter was going to back you after firing his wife? . The best choice you have made so far (apart from those dresses you always wear and your elegant demeanour) is marrying that man. I really like him, he seems to be quite honest.

Good morning Will, you are twenty years old again and have got  yourself a new girlfriend and a tattoo as well as a wicked way of practising law . Is this really what you want? Wouldn't you rather have Alicia back and not only back at the firm? ,because no matter how hard you play from now on there are some things that cannot be obtained at a court of law.

Good morning Alicia. You've got a new firm  at home and a teenage daughter also at home (didn't you notice how fast she was growing?) a partner who finds it slightly difficult to keep his mouth shut and a woman vomiting in your bathroom pregnant with who-knows-whose baby and the power to stop the governor from helping you.

With days like this one some people had better stay in bed and wait until The Next Week.



Friday 1 November 2013

Six Months Later by Natalie Richards Review

Six Months Later  Chloe has lost six months of her life and what has she got in exchange?

*The hottest boyfriend.*The coolest friends.*The best grades.

Sounds like a good deal but it's not. It's actually CRAPTASTIC because none of it seems right.Chloe's amnesia gets in the way of her happiness.

Well, Blake,the boyfriend, is still hot but there is something weird about him and there is also Adam who is always around and has deep blue eyes and dark hair. Her new cool friends are popular but Chloe misses her old friend Maggie.

The grades are good though, maybe TOO GOOD to be true.But her parents are soooo happy that is hard not to feel the same way because at least her mum wasn't so proud before:

"She doesn't yell either.Just drones on and on about the endless depths of her disappointment and my failure to live up to my potential".

Natalie Richards unravels Choe's past in such a way that it makes  you want to go on reading .There are twists , kisses ,murders and friendship in this stand alone novel.

This book is definitely a page-turner and fans of YA mystery books will love it.

Wednesday 30 October 2013

The Good Wife: The Next Day Promo

The Next Day after the .....Hit the Fan  is going to be a tough one for everybody.

The show needed this "new everything"  before turning into a bore. However it won't be easy to keep the level so high after the last chapter.

I love it when Diane says "I am through being polite" , I am eager  to see the real Diane .

Easy Halloween Pumkin for Kids

What is Prankvertising?

In this economy it's getting harder and harder to sell so now that Halloween is around the corner some business companies are resorting to PRANKVERTISING , that is to pull a prank to attract online customers. I don't know if it is working for them and the sales of their products have increased but these ads are really fun to watch.

Tuesday 29 October 2013

The Good Wife Recap : Alicia is kicked out before leaving

Hitting the Fan  the last episode of The Good Wife was really the best of the season. We knew that Alicia and Cary were leaving , but when Diane found out in the last episode and told Will things got out of control. I must say I deeply disliked the way Will acted, I think that if Alicia and him hadn't been involved in a relationship he wouldn't have acted that way and I also think that if Alicia had been a man that violent outburst would have ended in a fist fight, I found it a bit chauvinist to say the least.

Then there is the scene when Alicia was crying in the elevator and I felt sorry for her although she had it coming in a way because it was true that after her husband's affair Lockhart Gardner had given her the possibility of starting again ,not that she didn't deserve one.

And Kalinda, OMG, I didn't see that coming . The way she fooled Cary was incredible. She probably doesn't consider Alicia a close friend although there was a time when they shared everything even if one of them didn't know.

Diane was impeccable when she convinced Cary and Alicia to drop the restraining order so that they could talk to Chum Hum. Little did she knew that her plan was going to backfire in an unexpected way thanks to Peter's help. I guess Peter is now The Good Husband ,but I am afraid it may not last long.

It was an unforgettable episode from the beginning to the end.If you are not hooked on the show yet ,you still have time  to witness the best lawyer show on air at the moment.



The Blacklist : James Spader

The Blacklist is one of the most interesting new releases of this season. James Spader is perfect in the role of  criminal who helps  the FBI and is not as bad as he seems.

Beauty and the Beast :Reunion Preview

Veronica Roth : Allegiant Tour

Saturday 26 October 2013

Herbal Garden in Asia: Barleria Lupulina

                                                                         Description

Wednesday 23 October 2013

Lux Series: Obsidian,Onyx,Opal and Origin Review




This is the first time I do this: read four books of the same series one after the other.It took me the whole month of September and part of October. I really enjoyed the books and the way the characters developed as the story moved forward. Jennifer L.Armentrout has done a fine job mixing sci-fi and romance.



Why Obsidian? :It's the stone that kills the Arum

Obsidian (Lux, #1)Obsidian is the first book of the series .It has what you are usually looking for in this kind of books. A gorgeous boy and an average looking girl. At first they hate each other although they feel obviously attracted and he behaves in the most annoying way but we know he is going to change for the better. In this case the annoying-but-irresistible  Daemon Black turns out to be from a distant galaxy and as lame as it may sound the author makes it quite believable.Kate , however comes from Florida, has no friends and a blog .  Daemon's family, Dawson(who is missing) and Dee and their friends the triplets Ash , Andrew and Adam are equally impressive and alien.Kate and Daemon don't hit it off immediately but when they do ,they do for good  (Kate becomes Kitten and Daemon is still Jerk)and are united in such a way that their lives depend on each other and not just metaphorically.

However , as always, love comes with a price they are both willing to pay .The Arum, aliens who are just the opposite of the Luxen, chase them .

I must say that I really liked this first book and couldn't wait to read the second one.


Why Onyx?: it's the stone that weakens the Luxen.


Onyx (Lux, #2)

The side effects of this love-hate (a little) relationship between Daemon and Kate are beginning to show and this poses a greater danger to them, since the  DOD wants them as guinea pigs.

Some new characters appear (Blake, the new boy in town and Will , Kate's mum boyfriend)  with good and not so good intentions and Kate makes quite a few errors of judgement.And someone who was thought to be missing comes back .
My favourite part of the whole book is when Kate finally admits her feelings and thinks:

"...He was still a total smartass. And yeah, that smug grin still irked me. 

But I loved him.

And the jerk loved me too." 

Romance  is important in this book but there is much more to it.There is a complex alien plot and the characters have to deal with very difficult situations which make them grow and change.Lives are lost and life-changing decisions are made.

The story had definitely trapped me so I had to read the third book.


Why Opal: it's the stone that strengthens the Luxen.

Opal (Lux, #3)The relationship between Kate and Daemon is stronger and Daemon proves that he can be really romantic and vulnerable at the same time .

Kate , on the other hand, shows  determination and  strength , she is becoming somebody quite different from the clumsy girl in the previous books.

Now that Dawson , Daemon's brother is back from hell (the DOD headquarters) they have a new goal in mind : rescuing Beth, Dawson's girlfriend.

Luc , a boy too young to have his own night club and who has some qualities that make him special , helps them and Blake shows his true nature.

The Luxen and the hybrids join forces against the DOD but unfortunately someone's betrayal (I saw that coming ) comes in their way and one couple is back together but another one is separated.

I immediately started reading the fourth book.


Why Origin: it's the name of a new race.

Origin (Lux, #4)  In the hands of the DOD Kate faces fear , pain ,solitude and anger, as a result Kate does what would have been unthinkable for her just a few months before.But Daemon is not going to leave her alone for long even if he has to go against his own people and family.

The true goal of the government is finally revealed ,but the Luxen also turn out to have secrets of their own.

This novel is action packed and perhaps that's why I liked it a little bit less than the rest of the series and it ends with more deaths and more betrayals than any of the previous ones, but it is still worth reading.


On August 5th 2014 we will know where Daemon's true loyalties lie.What is thicker blood (or light in this case) or love?

I will definitely read it.


The story of Dawson and Beth. Two star-crossed lovers whose romance endangers their lives.

After reading the four books of the Lux series in a row I couldn't make myself read this one,but I am just putting it off for a while.

I would like to thank the author Jennifer L. Armentrout for making  September and part of October enjoyable for me and for giving me the chance of getting away from daily worries and making me dream about aliens and love, which for a sci-fi fan is great!.