Currently away in Borneo. Will be back next week.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
DAUL KIM - RIP
I woke up to a shocking and heartbreaking news today.....Daul Kim an international top model, whom my family and I have known passed away in her Paris apartment today.
Our thoughts and prayers are with her and her family.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Recycling songs by Norwegian Peter Bull
Three days ago, I came across Peter Bull, a Swedish DJ and producer of mashups (blending different songs into one mix). I was blown away by his incredible artistic ability. The second I heard "How six songs collide", I was hooked! The guy is a genius! All of the new mashups can be streamed and downloaded from the top of Peter's blog for free. However, it takes hard work and money to host his songs. A little gratuity would be a nice gesture.
Peter Bull's blog http://bit.ly/bf63B
Sunday, November 15, 2009
La Fromagerie - One of my favorite hideaways in England
Monsieur Jean Baptiste and me
Jacket -Twenty8Twelve by S. Miller/Scarf- Alexander McQueen/Woolen cap- Chrome Hearts
Last week after pampering myself to a 'mini' shopping spree at Matches, a multi label boutique on Marylebone High street, I was ecstatic to stumble upon a quaint delicatessen-cum-cafe La Fromagerie, tugged away at the corner of Moxon Street! More happy hours ensued!
As I entered, I was greeted by a display of fresh fruits and vegetables, herbs and freshly baked bread, olive oils and dried condiments, chutneys, homemade jams, a spread of cakes,biscuits and other products. Next to the cashier there is an enclosed maturing room that is temperature controlled filled with every imaginable cheese!
I was ushered to a seat facing a window by a lovely lady named Kaya, whose name brought back fond memories of my childhood when Mom would make home made jam called Kaya!
There is no set menu. The cheese and wine selections are changed daily.
I decided to indulge myself with the tasting cafe menu as suggested by Kaya which included a selection of five perfectly ripened cheeses from the cheese room served with fresh fig, bread and a glass of wine specifically selected to compliment the cheeses. I am far from a wine connoisseur besides Mc1 and wine don't quite agree. I opted for freshly squeezed orange juice instead. I have to say I have never eaten so much cheese in my life but I was more than happy to overdose on my calcium intake for the day with such fromage delicieux! I also discovered that fresh fig is a perfect match for cheese!
The next day I returned to buy Camembert cheese and was served by an in-house affineur, Monsieur Jean Baptiste who not only knew his cheeses but was also very helpful and quite a charmeur!
Saturday, November 14, 2009
APEC summit in Singapore
Photo from internet
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Orangutans - Endangered species
Orangutan is a Malay word that means People(orang) Forest (utan). Therefore they are known as the "man of the forest". They are the only apes with red fur found exclusively in Sumatra and Borneo. These solitary creatures spend 90% of their time in the tropical rain forest canopy 20 to 100 feet off the ground to protect themselves from predators. They sleep on large sleeping nests that they build from leafy branches each night. For 'umbrellas' to shelter them from the tropical rains big leaves are used.
Orangutans spend at least 60% of their daylight hours eating and searching for food. Their diet consist mainly of fruits, leaves as well as bark, young shoots, nuts and berries, honey, eggs, reptiles and insects. Wild figs and durian seeds are their favorite.
The life span of an orangutan in the wild is about 35 to 40 years. In captivity they can live to 50 years or more. As well as sharing 96.4% of human DNA, these gentle and intelligent creatures are also prone to diseases that affect humans including tuberculosis, pneumonia and polio.
Indonesia has lost over 70% of its rainforest through illegal logging and clearing of land for palm oil production which results in the loss of habitat. Palm oil is a highly valuable commodity used in making many diverse products such as margarine, engine lubricants and as a base in cosmetics. Illegal pet trading also impose a threat to this endangered species. In order for a baby orangutan to be captured, the mother must be killed first. Sadly, in the end many of these pets are dumped when they get too big and old to care for. People also hunt them for bushmeat. Their body parts are used for traditional medicine.
Fourteen years ago, a remarkable Danish woman named Lone Droscher-Nielsen began volunteering in Tanjung Puting caring for small infant orangutans. Eventually she and her Dayak husband Odom opened the Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Project in 1999 with the help of BOS Indonesia and Willie Smit. Nyaru Menteng is located near the city of Palangka Raya the capital of central Kalimantan.
For more information watch:
The life span of an orangutan in the wild is about 35 to 40 years. In captivity they can live to 50 years or more. As well as sharing 96.4% of human DNA, these gentle and intelligent creatures are also prone to diseases that affect humans including tuberculosis, pneumonia and polio.
Indonesia has lost over 70% of its rainforest through illegal logging and clearing of land for palm oil production which results in the loss of habitat. Palm oil is a highly valuable commodity used in making many diverse products such as margarine, engine lubricants and as a base in cosmetics. Illegal pet trading also impose a threat to this endangered species. In order for a baby orangutan to be captured, the mother must be killed first. Sadly, in the end many of these pets are dumped when they get too big and old to care for. People also hunt them for bushmeat. Their body parts are used for traditional medicine.
Lone Dorscher Nielsen widely known as "mother of the orangutans"
Fourteen years ago, a remarkable Danish woman named Lone Droscher-Nielsen began volunteering in Tanjung Puting caring for small infant orangutans. Eventually she and her Dayak husband Odom opened the Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Project in 1999 with the help of BOS Indonesia and Willie Smit. Nyaru Menteng is located near the city of Palangka Raya the capital of central Kalimantan.
Young orangutans are dependent on their mothers for about 8 years. At the rehabilitation sanctuaries, such as Nyaru Menteng or Samboja Lestari in central Kalimantan, the orphaned orangutan (each of them carrying the physical and mental scares of human cruelty) require years of extensive care and training before it can be returned back to its wild rainforest home. Still, no human can replace or teach what a young orangutan learns from its mother. The efforts of these organizations are something to be admired.
Dr. Willie Smit
Balikpapan Orangutan Survival (BOS) a non profit environemental foundation founded by Dr. Willie Smit in 1991, is the largest rescue project in the world whose aim is to rescue and rehabilitate wild orangutans displaced by the relentless devastation of their rainforest home for palm oil production. At present, there are more than 600 orangutans in their care.
Watch a very enlightening talk by Willie Smits of the Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) Foundation about the reforestation project in Samboja Lestari. It was an area in Borneo devoid of fertility and viability but is now a sustainable living environment for people, orangutans, and other wildlife.
Reach out for the orangutan
If the current deforestation trends continue, we will see the orangutans becoming extinct within 10 years. Here are a few ways to help the orangutans. Please go to these links:
If the current deforestation trends continue, we will see the orangutans becoming extinct within 10 years. Here are a few ways to help the orangutans. Please go to these links:
Volunteer at BOS and stay at Samboja Lodge
Organize a funraising event
Bringing awareness to students at school
For more information watch:
Orangutan Dairy series on Animal Planet
A Danish film - The world's most remarkable Dane
Sila membantu menyelamatkan spesies terancam
Please help save endangered species
TERIMA KASIH
THANKYOU
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Jimmy Choo for H & M
The collections are available worldwide on November 14th, 2009.
Take a look at the links below:
Friday, November 6, 2009
Urban Cycling for Urban Greenies
The eco friendly GoCycle is the world's lightest, folding electric bike weighing 16.2kg. It is designed by the former Formula 1 engineer Richard Thorpe. The frame is made from a super light-weight alloy which is collapsible into the size of a suitcase for easy storage. This can be done under a minute. It also has a completely enclosed bike chain which means that even people wearing work attire can ride without fear of black grease stains.
The Gocycle is available in the U.K now. It costs £1,198 but may be eligible through employers’ cycle to work schemes, which could give someone 50 per cent off of the price through tax breaks. I like the sound of that! For more information, see www.gocycle.com
My conclusion is that though Gocycle is a bike for the lazy, I would be one who would be happy to cycle without having to work up a sweat!
World Carfree day falls every year on September 22. However, we can continue to practice carfree days as many days per month as we can by riding mass transit, walking or biking. ♧
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Never too late to become a Fashionista!
Legendary Rolling Stones guitarist and acclaimed artist, Ronnie Wood, at a mere 62 years of age, has teamed up with Liberty's creative director Tamara Salman. They have launched an electrifying clothing and accessory line.
Among the three paintings used for the designs, ‘I FEEL LIKE PAINTING’, my favorite, was inspired by “the day I decided to turn my life around”. But be warned, the clothes and accessories come with a hefty price though the quality is high end.
The collection is also available on line at Ronnie Wood for Liberty of London
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
THE PRINCE'S RAIN FOREST PROJECT
"If we lose the battle against tropical deforestation, we lose the battle against climate change. Please join me in trying to save the rainforests - for the sake of our children and grandchildren"
The Prince of Wales
COUNTDOWN TO COPENHAGEN: 5 Weeks
But ONLY ONE WEEK IS LEFT to collect the sign-ups for inclusion in the rainforest book that will be sent to world leaders, so please encourage your friends and family to sign up TODAY!
Sign up here at: The Prince's Rain forest
A green revolution
Why am I supporting this project:
This cause is very dear to my heart. Being a concerned environmentalist, I feel it is extremely urgent we manage and protect our forests. It isn't too late to make a positive change now.
The rain forest acts as a life support system generating much of earth's oxygen. Furthermore, carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is stored in their leaves, roots, stems and branches. Any imbalance in this eco system causes imbalance in the world and affects us adversely.
Here in the tropics, home to many species of plants, animals and microorganisms, habitat destruction through hunting and deforestation has profoundly affected the orang-utan. Their population has declined by 92% in the past century although there are concerted efforts for conservation.
Like a web, we are interlinked; mankind, animals and our biological treasure, the rainforest, are the essence of our ecology. MC1
"If only I can try to see a through the eyes of a child ......I can then see the world for all the bounty that nature has given me and choose the path that preserves it"
MC1
Monday, November 2, 2009
Hermes Collier De Chien Cuff Bracelet
This edgy bracelet is one of the hottest item in the jewelry department of Hermes. The perfect accessory to update any look!
Silver bracelet can also be purchased at Hermes on line
Just for fun!
On line I can make my own iconic collier de chien; literally translated it means dog collar.
I can download the pdf, print, cut along the lines and glue together here at:
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