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

                                                                          Description

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