Offerings.

In Bali, in every house, shop and temple locals make offerings to their Gods 
three times a day. These small baskets are called "canag sari" and they are a symbol of gratitude. 

BB

Christmas Lights in Europe

Gingerbread Demonstration

Gravity by Melissa West: Book Trailer and review

I didn't have very high hopes about this book but I thought I needed a break from vampires and paranormal and reading about aliens + dystopia was a welcome change.

The book kept getting more and more interesting and although the idea of "The taking"  was really frightening and the use of violence didn't appeal to me I think the author was trying to make a point. I will definitely read the second book of this trilogy (oh not another trilogy again!).

Jim Thompson House & Museum in Bangkok,Thailand

I love visiting house museums wherever I go,there is something special about seeing the place where people used to live.In Bangkok one of the most popular places for tourists, but not so crowded that you can't  enjoy it, is the house and museum of Jim Thompson.

In order to get there, take the skytrain to National Stadium and follow the signs, it's in a side street but it's really easy to find and you can always ask local people.There are guided tours in several languages every day from 9:00 to 17:00 and although taking photographs inside the house is not allowed I took some nice pictures of the gardens and the house from the outside.

By Tuk Tuk

666 Park Avenue last episodes

According to ABC the final four episodes of 666 Park Avenue will air next summer. I have just finished reading the novel by Gabriella Pierce and I must say that although I found the book entertaining I liked the TV show much more, it's a pity it's been cancelled, but audiences rule the world of TV series.

Merry Christmas all over the world

Around the globe people are wishing each other Merry Christmas.

Afrikaans: Geseënde Kersfees
Afrikander: Een Plesierige Kerfees
African/ Eritrean/ Tigrinja: Rehus-Beal-Ledeats
Albanian:Gezur Krislinjden
Arabic: Milad Majid
Argentine: Feliz Navidad
Armenian: Shenoraavor Nor Dari yev Pari Gaghand
Azeri: Tezze Iliniz Yahsi Olsun
Bahasa Malaysia: Selamat Hari Natal
Basque: Zorionak eta Urte Berri On!
Bengali: Shuvo Naba Barsha
Bohemian: Vesele Vanoce
Bosnian: (BOSANSKI) Cestit Bozic i Sretna Nova godina
Brazilian: Feliz Natal
Breton: Nedeleg laouen na bloavezh mat
Bulgarian: Tchestita Koleda; Tchestito Rojdestvo Hristovo
Catalan: Bon Nadal i un Bon Any Nou!
Chile: Feliz Navidad
Chinese: (Cantonese) Gun Tso Sun Tan'Gung Haw Sun
Chinese: (Mandarin) Sheng Dan Kuai Le
Choctaw: Yukpa, Nitak Hollo Chito
Columbia: Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo
Cornish: Nadelik looan na looan blethen noweth
Corsian: Pace e salute
Crazanian: Rot Yikji Dol La Roo
Cree: Mitho Makosi Kesikansi
Croatian: Sretan Bozic
Czech: Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce a stastny Novy Rok
Danish: Glædelig Jul
Duri: Christmas-e- Shoma Mobarak
Dutch: Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar! or Zalig Kerstfeast
English: Merry Christmas
Eskimo: (inupik) Jutdlime pivdluarit ukiortame pivdluaritlo!
Esperanto: Gajan Kristnaskon
Estonian: Rõõmsaid Jõulupühi
Ethiopian: (Amharic) Melkin Yelidet Beaal
Faeroese: Gledhilig jol og eydnurikt nyggjar!
Farsi: Cristmas-e-shoma mobarak bashad
Finnish: Hyvaa joulua
Flemish: Zalig Kerstfeest en Gelukkig nieuw jaar
French: Joyeux Noel
Frisian: Noflike Krystdagen en in protte Lok en Seine yn it Nije Jier!
Galician: Bo Nada
Gaelic: Nollaig chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath ùr!
German: Fröhliche Weihnachten
Greek: Kala Christouyenna!
Haiti: (Creole) Jwaye Nowel or to Jesus Edo Bri'cho o Rish D'Shato Brichto
Hausa: Barka da Kirsimatikuma Barka da Sabuwar Shekara!
Hawaiian: Mele Kalikimaka
Hebrew: Mo'adim Lesimkha. Chena tova
Hindi: Shub Naya Baras (good New Year not Merry Christmas)
Hungarian: Boldog Karácsonyt
Icelandic: Gledileg Jol
Indonesian: Selamat Hari Natal
Iraqi: Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah
Irish: Nollaig Shona Dhuit, or Nodlaig mhaith chugnat
Iroquois: Ojenyunyat Sungwiyadeson honungradon nagwutut. Ojenyunyat osrasay.
Italian: Buone Feste Natalizie
Japanese: Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto
Jiberish: Mithag Crithagsigathmithags
Korean: Sung Tan Chuk Ha
Kurdish: Serî sallî nwê pîroz
Lao: souksan van Christmas
Latin: Natale hilare et Annum Faustum!
Latvian: Prieci'gus Ziemsve'tkus un Laimi'gu Jauno Gadu!
Lausitzian:Wjesole hody a strowe nowe leto
Lettish: Priecigus Ziemassvetkus
Lithuanian: Linksmu Kaledu
Low Saxon: Heughliche Winachten un 'n moi Nijaar
Luxembourgish: Schèine Chreschtdaag an e gudde Rutsch
Macedonian: Sreken Bozhik
Maltese: IL-Milied It-tajjeb
Manx: Nollick ghennal as blein vie noa
Maori: Meri Kirihimete
Marathi: Shub Naya Varsh (good New Year not Merry Christmas)
Navajo: Merry Keshmish
Norwegian: God Jul, or Gledelig Jul
Occitan: Pulit nadal e bona annado
Papiamento: Bon Pasco
Papua New Guinea: Bikpela hamamas blong dispela Krismas na Nupela yia i go long yu
Pennsylvania German: En frehlicher Grischtdaag un en hallich Nei Yaahr!
Peru: Feliz Navidad y un Venturoso Año Nuevo
Philippines: Maligayang Pasko!
Polish: Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia or Boze Narodzenie
Portuguese:Feliz Natal
Pushto: Christmas Aao Ne-way Kaal Mo Mobarak Sha
Rapa-Nui (Easter Island): Mata-Ki-Te-Rangi. Te-Pito-O-Te-Henua
Rhetian: Bellas festas da nadal e bun onn
Romanche: (sursilvan dialect): Legreivlas fiastas da Nadal e bien niev onn!
Rumanian: Sarbatori vesele or Craciun fericit
Russian: Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva is Novim Godom
Sami: Buorrit Juovllat
Samoan: La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou
Sardinian: Bonu nadale e prosperu annu nou
Scots Gaelic: Nollaig Chridheil dhuibh
Serbian: Hristos se rodi.
Singhalese: Subha nath thalak Vewa. Subha Aluth Awrudhak Vewa
Slovak: Vesele Vianoce. A stastlivy Novy Rok
Slovene: Vesele Bozicne Praznike Srecno Novo Leto or Vesel Bozic in srecno Novo leto
Spanish: Feliz Navidad
Swedish: God Jul and (Och) Ett Gott Nytt År
Tagalog: Maligayamg Pasko. Masaganang Bagong Taon
Tamil: (Tamizh) Nathar Puthu Varuda Valthukkal (good New Year not Merry Christmas)
Trukeese: (Micronesian) Neekiriisimas annim oo iyer seefe feyiyeech!
Thai: Sawadee Pee Mai or souksan wan Christmas
Turkish: Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun
Ukrainian: Z Rizdvom Khrystovym or S rozhdestvom Kristovym
Urdu: Naya Saal Mubarak Ho (good New Year not Merry Christmas)
Vietnamese: Chuc Mung Giang Sinh
Welsh: Nadolig Llawen
Yoruba: E ku odun, e ku iye'dun! 

Thanks to Santa's Net for this information.

The Vampire Diaries:Damon and Elena

Art Basel 2012

The most important international art show for modern and contemporary works.

Japanese Restaurant

This photo was taken in Kuala Lumpur at the Berjaya Times Square Shopping Centre. Believe or not all the food is made of plastic and it still looks delicious if you love Japanese food.

by Foodie

The Vampire Diaries: 4x10 extended promo

Christmas Decoration: Platt Hill Nursery

Kaleido Trays by Clara von Zweigbergk

This is not a "learn your shapes " activity for toddlers but a unique design that will certainly  find entertaining  once all the food is gone.Clara von Zweigbergk is a Danish designer that works for HAY

Christmas Decoration : M&S

Fringe: Family Secrets

Fringe : Exacting Revenge

Lacoste Polo of the Future

Don't you miss Summer?

I was just surfing the net and a found  this Summer shoes website and I have just realized that even though Winter is not really here yet I already miss Summer.

Dean & DeLuca Christmas Catalog

If you don't feel like cooking here is the best recipe for Christmas meals: Dean and DeLuca Catalog

Tom Fruin: Watertower

If you a visiting New York for Christmas you should not miss the monumental water tower sculpture by Brooklyng artist.Tom Fruin , or just see it right know thanks to the live cam.

The artist explains part of his work.

Fringe: Irreversible Damage

The Vampire Diaries: 4x09

Fringe: Black Blotter promo

Japanese Pavilion at Venice Architecture Biennale

The young architect Kumiko Inui together with Akihisa Irata,Sou Fujimoto and Toyu Ito was responsible for this year's Japanese pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale.The pavilion was awarded the "Leone D'oro".

Beauty and the Beast:1x08 promo

Beautiful Christmas Advert

The Host Official Trailer

Will the film be better than the book?

Prague Christmas Market

The Vampire Diaries: 4x09 promo

Fringe: 5x09 promo

Whispers in Autumn by Trisha Leigh

Althea doesn't seem to fit anywhere. She has no friends whatsoever, her classmates look right through her and her parents barely acknowledge her presence.She feels awkward and lonely, completely different from the people around her : a wallflower with some weird perks.


Then she meets Lucas, a boy just like her and the two of them find out that to everything there is a season 

This would be  a typical teenage story if it didn't involve an alien invasion, mind control, fantasy and a dystopian society which makes the book different and  interesting.



I like Althea and her mixed feelings, she doesn't know how to handle the situation but  eventually she manages to cope with everything. Lucas , however, is much more confident and apparently finds it easier to deal with what they find out.But they belong together, they need each other after being alone and feeling lonely  for many years.


I think this is the kind of book that could make a great movie.There is mystery, action and romance and the plot is entertaining.

Disney Christmas Decoration

Gossip Girl: 6x09 promo

Colourful garden vases

Beautiful colour changing vases for  your garden that glow from within.

Reached : Book Trailer

Ally Condie's " Reached " playlist

 1. "Save the World"

 2. "Glittering Clouds (Locusts)" by Imogen Heap. 

 3. "Red" by Natalie Walker.

 4. "Birds of Prey" by Christina Aguilera. 

 5. "All the Rowboats" by Regina Spektor. 

 6. "Half-Light II" by Arcade Fire.

 7. "Death to My Hometown" by Bruce Springsteen. 

 8. "9 Crimes" by Damien Rice. 

 9. "The Water is Wide" by Steven Sharp Nelson.

 10. "Be Still" by The Killers. 

 11. "You Picked Me" by A Fine Frenzy. 

 12. "Land of Hope and Dreams" by Bruce Springsteen. 

 13. "Stay Young, Go Dancing" by Death Cab for Cutie.

The Vampire Diaries : 4x08 promo

The more I like Damon the less I like Stefan.

Turner Prize 2012 : Elizabeth Price

Video artist Elizabeth Price has won the Turner Prize with a film about a terrible fire in Manchester in 1979.

Christmas Flower Ornament

People's Choice Awards : The CW nominees

The best of the best  People's Choice Awards.

Gingerbread Cookie Blues

LG IPS Monitor: Terrific and terrifying.

It's not April Fools' Day , it's just a prank to show how good the new LG IPS monitor is.

Vietnam: Hanoi

Hanoi is a wonderful city. On my first day there and after overcoming my fear of crossing the street I visited several temples and museums which I thoroughly enjoyed despite the heat and the crowds.

By BP

Hallmark Christmas Card

A great idea for a Christmas card .

Hibiscus

Hibiscuses are one of my favourite flowers, so when I saw this pendrive I just had to have it.

Pretty Little Liars : Season promo

The Vampire Diaries: filming in Georgia

The Orange Beach Umbrella

Even though it is cold and raining outside I close my eyes and I am lying down on a deck chair in the Thai island of Koh Samui feeling the soft breeze in my face and looking at this wonderful turquoise sea under an orange beach umbrella.

This colourful umbrella takes me back to those idle summer days by the coast.The bright orange reminds me of the robes of the monks in the Buddhist temples and makes me feel at peace.

That umbrella is what the writer Roland Barthes in his book Camera Lucida, called the "punctum" of a photograph, an element that rises from the scene and strikes a chord in the viewer.

Beta by Rachel Cohn

Bull Race in Bali

The island of Bali not only boasts incredible beaches, amazing temples,beautiful rice terraces and exotic food but it also has an incredible variety of colourful celebrations. From July to October "Mekepung" or bull races are held in Bali. On my way to one of the many temples I was able to photograph a local race in which two bulls are harnessed to a chariot guided by a jockey.These races appeal mainly to Balinese families and are an off-the-beaten track attraction for tourists as well.  
By B.B.

Shailene Woodley may be divergent

Shailene Woodley the teen mother from The Secret Life of the American teenager is very likely to be Tris Prior on the Divergent movie according to the author of the dystopian trilogy Veronica Roth.

Some people believe that the heroine in Divergent is just another Mary Sue,well, I think that if we decided not to read this book or any other novel for this reason we would miss many great stories some of which have become classics in world literature.

Neil Burger who directer The Illusionist will be in charge of the film.But ,who will play Four?

Black Friday: 5 tips for customers and shop assistants.

Black Friday is a crazy sales day just before the Christmas period in the U.S.A. Sometimes spending your money can be a tiring experience and working on that day is not a piece of cake either.Here are some tips that may help .

For  shoppers:

1- Plan in advance: make a list of what you need and what you really can afford.

2-Try to get some discounted gift cards and  go online to find out about good deals and extra discounts.  It is also a good idea to download some price comparison apps for your smartphone to use in the store.

3-While you are in the store keep calm, check the price tag and make sure that the store next door is not offering a better deal.

4-High-end electronics will probably be cheaper in January , toys will have lower prices as Christmas approaches and on Cyber Monday you may get better discounts on clothes.

5-It's almost impossible not to eat too much on Thanksgiving so try to have a healthy breakfast before shopping . Wear comfortable clothes and shoes, and don't forget that the shop assistants are working hard for you that day.

Happy bargain hunting!

For  shop assistants:

1-Try to enjoy Thanksgiving even if you have to get up really early on Friday.

2- It will be like running a marathon without moving from your store, so you will need supplies: water or energy drinks and food.

3-If possible wear comfortable shoes and try to put a smile in your face (easier said than done after working for very long hours ).

4-Even if they act like a crazy group of aliens from another planet invading your store ,shoppers are human, you may even know some of them.

5-Breath deeply and think that it will be over.

Good luck !

Bad news for 666 Park Avenue

Rumour has it that the most evil building in New York is closing  for good after only 13 episodes.I guess it's really a bad number even for the bad ones.

Beauty and the Beast: Trapped promo

The Vampire Diaries: My Brother's Keeper promo

Fringe:5x08 "The Human Kind"

Gossip Girl: Where the Vile Things Preview

Shymers by Jen Nauman: Book Trailer

Firefly 10th Anniversary: Browncoats Unite

For the tenth anniversary of this great but unfortunately cancelled TV show Fox broadcast a special worth watching if you were a fan of the series who didn't miss Serenity either.

Fringe: Five-Twenty-Ten promo

Revolution:1x09 promo

Gossip Girl: Season Finale Spoiler

According to TV line Kristen Bell will appear on the season finale of Gossip Girl. We'll have to wait and see whether she turns out  to be "you-know-who".

The Vampire Diaries: Klaus or Tyler

Arrow: Harder Clip

The Vampire Diaries: House call clip

Fringe: 167 Cedar Street

Fringe: tape seven recovered

The Vampire Diaries: Shame Spiral Webclip

The Vampire Diaries : new season 4 promo

Chuseok 추석 : Korean Thanksgiving

The Vampire Diaries: 4x05 promo

Enthralled by YA authors

A collection of short paranormal stories by several YA authors: Melissa Marr (Wicked Lovely), Kelley Armstrong (Darkest Powers), Rachel Caine (Morganville Vampires),Claudia Gray (Fateful), Ally Condie (Matched), Kami Garcia (Beautiful Creatures) , Carrie Ryan (The Forest of Hands and Teeth), Jackson Pearce (As You Wish) ,Rachel Vincent (Shifters) , Sarah Rees Brennan (Demon's Lexicon),Jeri Smith-Ready (Wicked Game) ,Kimberly Derting (The Body Finder), Jessica Verday (The Hollow) , Mary E.Pearson (The Adoration of Jenna Fox),Jennifer Lynn Barnes (Raised by Wolves)  and Margaret Stohl (Beautiful Creatures).

Fringe: "An Origin Story" 5x05 promo

Halong Bay Cruise

Halong Bay in Vietnam is one of the most beautiful places in the world.

by BP

Arrow: Stephen Amell

Arrow: Damages preview

Fringe: Gone

Taylor Lautner with Jay Leno

Series:Premieres,Renewals and Cancellations

  

Some of our favourite TV shows are coming back, we will get more of some others but there is already one that is gone .

2013 Premieres

Monday, January 7 : Switched at Birth and  Bunheads 

 Tuesday, January 8 : Pretty Little Liars and  The Lying Game

Monday, January 21  :The Following with Kevin Bacon

Friday, February 1: Touch with Kiefer Sutherland

 Saved

Elementary , Vegas , Revolution , Homeland , Arrow

Cancelled

 
Made in Jersey

 Gossip Girl Finale

December 17th


 

Revenge: 2x06 promo

Gossip Girl: Pumkin Carving with Yin Chang

The Vampire Diaries: 4x04 webclip 2

Fringe: Q & A

Nina Dobrev: Yoga with Conan O'Brien

Fringe: 5x05 promo

Comic-Con: Beauty and the Beast interview

Halloween : How to Carve a Pumkin

The Vampire Diaries: 1x04 promo "The Five"

Beauty and the Beast: 1x04 extended promo

666 Park Avenue: 1x05 promo

Pretty Little Liars: 3x14 promo

The Vampire Diaries :Kisses,kisses,kisses

Arrow: An innocent man

Rafflesia: The Largest Flower in the World.

While on a tour in Borneo , my guide was tipped off by another guide about a Rafflesia in some people's garden. So there I went  in the middle of the day to the home of some local residents to see what was growing in their backyard.They were really nice and apparently used to foreigners visiting them.

 These flowers can't be cultivated ,it takes at least six months for them to bloom and they decompose two or three days after blooming ,so they are  a really rare sight and when one grows somewhere everybody rushes to see it. I was lucky to be able to see both the bud and the flower.

TA.

Would you like to see what comes out ?

by TA

The Other Side of the Island by Allegra Goodman

I am adding this book to my to-read list.

The Vampire Diaries: Damon and Elena sharing blood

Caution: Do not watch it if the sight of blood makes you dizzy.

The Awakening of Casa Batló built by Gaudi in Barcelona

The modernist architect Antoni Gaudí built this spectacular house in the early 20th century in Barcelona. To celebrate 10 years of cultural visits an audio-visual show was staged yesterday revealing the symbolism of the wonderful facade.Locals and visitors enjoyed a delightful night. http://www.casabatllo.es/en/.

World Architecture Festival 2012 Winners

Gardens by the Bay Singapore

The Vampire Diaries : The Ranger webclip

Pretty Little Liars: Lindsey Shaw Interview

Pretty Little Liars: Brendan Robinson Interview

Pretty Little Liars: Janel Parrish Interview

Pretty Little Liars: Sasha Pietersen Interview

Pretty Little Liars: Tyler Blackburn Interview

Pretty Little Liars: Tammin Sursok Interview

Teen Wolf: Jeff Davies on Colton Haynes leaving the show

Veronica Roth : Insurgent

Arrow: Lone Gunman Preview

Fringe : promo The bullet that saved the world.

Pretty Dirty Secrets: The A train

The Vampire Diaries : Memorial 2nd promo

Ian Somerharlder Interview

April Bloomfield : A Successful Girl and Her Pig by Foodie

One of the stars of this year's New York Wine & Food Festival hosted a dinner with an interesting menu. She is also the author of the book A Girl and Her Pig and owner of  three popular restaurants.

Teen Wolf's Crystal Reed at SDCC

I can't wait to watch the third season.

Fringe: Trust the tapes

I always feel like eating licorice when I see Walter.

The Vampire Diaries : 4x02 Memorial webclip

Will Elena be able to kill Bamby?

Pretty Dirty Secrets: CAll security

Fringe 5x04 promo

Top twenty series kisses

The Vampire Diaries: 4x02 promo

Beauty and the Beast: 1x02 promo

Pretty Little Liars : Aria meets Adam

The Blue Pumpkin in Siem Reap by Foodie

                                            Original restaurant and good food in Siem Reap

Fringe: Noble Intentions

Fringe: Humanity's only hope

The Vampire Diaries : Ian Somerhalder interview

Arrow : Katie Casssidy answers

Arrow :1x02 promo

Banned Book Week

Banned Book Week is an annual campaign to raise awareness about the right to read whatever you please whenever you want.Believe it or not, there are many books considered classics nowadays that were once banned for several reasons.

Shatter Me: book trailer

Tahereh Mafi author of Shatter Me at Comic-con

Fringe 5x3 promo:The Recordist

Pretty Dirty Secrets:AssociAtion

Teen Wolf: Tyler Hoechlin at Comic-con

Cupcake Love Thailand by Foodie

           The most amazing cupcake shop with delicious and beautiful cupcakes.

Costa Rica Photos : Poás Volcano

Costa Rica : Poás volcano by Pura Vida.

Fringe : saga trailer

The Vampire Diaries: Paul Wesley

Pretty Little Liars: Tyler Blackburn interview

Pretty Little Liars : Keegan Allen interview

Scored by Lauren McLaughlin

The five elements of your score:
                                  
Peer Group 
Impulse Control 
Congruity 
Diligence 
Rapport

Imagine, every single thing you do and say is scored and your  future depends on your score.

This is the kind of society where Imani lives.The friends you should  hang out with are the ones who have the same score as you, so you may have to say goodbye to some people along the way. Cady has been Imani's friend for a long time and they even had a pact , but when Cady's score falls ,Imani knows she should forget about her.

However, since Imani's score has also gone down, she has to do more to get a scholarship, to find a good job in the future , to be who she was meant to be .So she does what she has to do and for some good, bad and worse reasons Imani starts seeing Diego, an unscored boy, which is worse than a lowbie. And she gradually begins to see things in a different way.

Incidentally I happened to see the film The Tall Man with Jessica Biel around the time I was reading the book and the combination of both made me think about some of the positive things of being scored.

But, as you will find out  there are negative things as well.

Very good food for thought.

Fringe 5x02 promo : In Absentia

Fringe : The Search for Olivia

Teen Wolf :Tyler Posey interview

Last Resort: Baisy Betts and Autumn Reeser

I haven't had time to watch the first episode yet, but I will give this show a try.

Fringe : Lance Reddick interview

Balinese desserts by Foodie.

The Vampire Diaries: Candice Accola Interview

Fringe: Season 5 Trailer

Fringe : Wanted Walter Bishop

Pretty Dirty Secrets: TrAde Off

Fringe : Astrid wanted

Beauty and the Beast: episode one preview

Beautiful Creatures : the movie

The film based on the book by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl looks promising. Will it be as good as the book?We'll have to wait until  February 2013.

Beauty and the Beast:Jay Ryan interview

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

A novel by the author of the Uglies series.

Balthazar by Claudia Gray

Pretty Dirty Secrets : I'm A Free MAn

Arrow: Take it

The Vampire Diaries : Growing-Pains clip 2

The Vampire Diaries: Clair Holt interview

Embrace by Jessica Shirvington

Rumour has it that the CW is developing a new TV show based on the novel Embrace .This is a supernatural drama about a woman who is half angel and half human and is caught in the war between the two races.

Fish Amok Traditional Cambodian Dish

by Foodie

Recipe by www.senteursdangkor.com

What's left of me by Kat Zhang

The Vampire Diaries: 4x1 promo

Fringe: Residency Protocol

The Vampire Diaries: Zach Roerig interview

Beauty and The Beast : Human preview

The Vampire Diaries: Kat Graham interview

Fringe: Travel Protocol

Pretty Dirty Secrets (Pretty Little Liars webisode): A voicemAil

Interview with Nina Dobrev

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

 
Insurgent :  lots of action + some romance + a little bit of thinking (or a lot ).

The book starts with Tris  in the Amity headquarters. She has to deal with her past , the death of her parents and her romance with Tobias (Four).

I like the fact that she cuts her hair at the beginning of the book, I think it is a way to symbolise her will to overcome the loss of her mother.She knows she has to move on and changes her appearance to try to forget when she used to comb her hair.However no matter how much  she tries and how much she changes she is still her parents' daughter.

Let's ramble a bit about the factions:

I deeply dislike the Amity people.How can they be neutral? It is not possible to be friends with everybody if you know the difference between right and wrong and if you care about it.


Abnegation people are a little boring , to say the least.They seem to lack personality.They remind me of the members of  a cult.Although during the attack they were very brave and willing to sacrifice themselves for the survival of their society and later on  some of them prove to be even braver.So perhaps they are not so boring, just focused on what needs to be done.

Dauntless people,however, are fun, crazy,but fun.They act, don't think much and act again.They are livelier than members of other factions but the cruelest faction as well.

Candor people are honest ,just like children, they tell you exactly what they think and want you to do the same .Peter used to be Candor, which is funny because he is just the opposite,but not so funny if you take into account that Candor people are known to be merciless.

Erudite people started the war.They wanted to control information, and they had no qualms about making dauntless soldiers kill for them.Tris finds out that a member of her family was born into the Erudite.

Factionless people seem to lack the necessary qualities to be member or a faction, both the good and the bad ones,but in my opinion mainly the good ones.Four's mother turns out to be one of them, a fine example of motherhood, to say the least.

Divergent people belong to at least two factions, Tris to three.People with flexible minds.

Done with the rambling.

In the book Tris grows into a young adult,not easily though.We learn more about the factions and about their society. If you liked Divergent , you will probably like Insurgent as well. 

I think both novels deal with what it means to be human , our flaws and our virtues in a very innovative way. They also make us wonder what faction we would chose depending on  our best and worst traits. 

It was hard for me to finish the book. There was so much fighting , hatred, secrets,betrayal... I was getting tired, just like after watching the news or reading the newspapers when everything seems to be bad and getting worse. That's why I couldn't agree more with the way the book ends and I am really happy I finished it. I just hope to find some good news in the third book, some hope.

Pretty Little Liars: Halloween Episode promo

Arrow : "Justice" promo

Chicken Satay in Bali by Foodie

Breathe by Sarah Crossan

The Vampire Diaries : Vampire Soul

S.J. Kincaid author of Insignia

Insignia : do you want to be recruited?

Arrow: Katie Cassidy

The Vampire Diaries season 4

666 Park Avenue: Terry O'Quinn and Vanessa Williams

666 Park Avenue : Rachel Taylor and Dave Annable

The Vampire Diaries new season 4 promo

Uruguay : Colonia de Sacramento

Colonia de Sacramento is  a town in the south of Uruguay facing Buenos Aires (Argentina) .The historic quarter of the village is a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

 by Chivito

If you miss the beach you still have Hawaii.

Hawaii five-O coming back soon.

Interview with Beauty and the Beast.

The Lying Game will return on....

Forget your New Year's Resolutions and start lying on January 1st ,that's when
The Lying Game will be back.
read more

Malaysia: Bloom of the Hibiscus

One of the most beautiful fountains in the world at the entrance of the Pavilion Shopping Centre in Kuala Lumpur .Constructed in Liuli crystal, it  represents the hibiscus, the national flower of Malaysia, a symbol of opulence, passion and progression.The three bowls represent the multiracial society of the country.

Everyday and every night tourists and locals gather around the fountain to enjoy its beauty.

TA

Samsung Galaxy Hello Kitty

Weird Japanese toys.

Cute Hello Kitty Geisha

Pretty Little Liars becomes Pretty Dirty Secrets on the Internet

If you are a fan of the TV show , you won't miss it much since they are showing webisodes until Halloween.

The Vampire Diaries Season 3 Deleted Scenes

Caroline and a Red Velvet cupcake. The sheriff really mad at her ex. Stefan loses his temper and more...

Heaven by Alexandra Adornetto

The last book of the trilogy.

Costa Rica Photos: Fauna Part 2

Fauna: part 2 by Pura Vida

The Hunger Games trivia video.

What is Gale's nickname for Katniss?

What do Katniss and Peeta refuse to eat?

What pet did Katniss give Prim?

Who is Lady?

Find out the answers and whether some of  the cast members know them or not.

The final season of Fringe.

Season premiere promo.

Costa Rica Photos : Fauna Part 1

Fauna: part 1 by Pura Vida.

Scored by Lauren McLaughlin

Is it dystopia or is it already happening?

Chinatown Singapore

MRT by M.

Dan Wells author of Partials.

Dan Wells at San Diego Comic-Con talks about Isolation and Fragments.

Four , Six and now Nine : Lorien Legacies

The Rise of Nine is the last book by James Frey and Jobie Hughes under the pseudonym Pittacus Lore.

Phase by E.C. Newman

An average school girl , a long-time crush ,a new friend and wolves. Sophie Todd's life is about to change  forever during her senior year.


I liked Sophie  from the very beginning, she is honest with herself and brave ,she sticks up for someone she barely knows and at the same time she is just a regular girl, sometimes awkward and clumsy.

Julie is the new girl in town, a foster teenage  living with the Vardens,gorgeous and with a troubled past.
Ezra Varden , Sophie's crush,doesn't pay much attention to Sophie, just acknowledges her presence which is more than enough for her ,at least at first.

Sophie and Julie become friends and they hang out together at the Varden's and that's where she finds out the true nature of the pack, I mean , family.

The book is really easy to read .It has to do more with High School , bullies , friendship and first love than with  supernatural beings. I think it is a great first book for young people who have never considered this genre before.

Whispers in Autumn by Trisha Leigh

This book seems really promising, I'll add it to my list.

Once by Anna Carey

This is the second book of the Eve trilogy .At the beginning of the book we find Eve living in Califia, a women only community. She had to leave Caleb wounded to save herself. Arden , her former school mate, soon joins her but not for long,since they are both cheated into believing that Caleb is near and they fall into a trap. Arden in sent back to school and Eve is taken to the City of Sand where she learns that .....

 You will have to read the book to know what she learns but it is something she did not see coming at all. From that moment on, I think the book becomes a mixture of dystopia, soap opera and fairy tale.

They live in a dystopian world, the information given to the citizens is controlled and manipulated,they are afraid of the outside world and The city of Sand is an idyllic but fake place.

Some parts of the plot remind me of a soap opera: there is the married man cheating on his wife,secret children,unrequited love and rendezvous at midnight .

Then , the fairy tale part: the king (even self-proclaimed ones are still kings),  the princess and  the palace.

There is no fairy tale ending, though, the book ends with a cliffhanger .

The idea of people , even after the collapse of the world, accepting a monarchy in America seems a bit far-fetched  and  some of the decisions the main characters made were rather foolish . However I found the book entertaining , and  Eve grew on me gradually .I will probably read the third book.

An entertaining read for a hot summer day.

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

The official trailer for the second book of the trilogy. I have to add it to my list.

Battle Royale or The Hunger Games for TV

The CW is said to be developing a TV version of the Japanese cult film Battle Royal. If you are a fan of the film you may be horrified by the idea of watching  it turned into a TV show. However  some people are eager to watch it, read about it on The LA Times.

The film and even the trailer are quite violent ,definitely not for everyone.

Glaciers in Argentina by Pibe

Argentinian Patagonia

The Declaration Trilogy

 There is life after The Hunger Games

Singapore: breathtaking views

View from the swimming-pool of the Marina Bay Sands hotel

   Thanks to Mikel L., who has actually been there , for this wonderful photograph.

Not so beastly.

Now that Smallville is gone for good Kristin Kreuk is back with a not so beastly partner.

You won't want to dodge this arrow.

Looks good enough to give it a try.

Mexico : fauna and sea

Amazing sea

These pictures where taken in the Mayan Riviera by MB

Local fauna