Saturday 29 December 2012

Gravity by Melissa West: Book Trailer and review

Gravity (The Taking, #1)
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!).

Wednesday 26 December 2012

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


Tuesday 25 December 2012

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.

Sunday 23 December 2012

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.



Thursday 20 December 2012

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

Monday 17 December 2012

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

Thursday 13 December 2012

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.

Tuesday 11 December 2012

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".

Friday 7 December 2012

Whispers in Autumn by Trisha Leigh

Whispers in Autumn (The Last Year, #1) 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.

Tuesday 4 December 2012

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.

Tuesday 27 November 2012

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 .

Monday 26 November 2012

Hibiscus

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


Thursday 22 November 2012

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.


Tuesday 20 November 2012

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.


Monday 19 November 2012

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 !

Monday 12 November 2012

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".

Friday 2 November 2012

The Vampire Diaries: 4x05 promo

Enthralled by YA authors

Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions 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

Thursday 25 October 2012

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

Sunday 21 October 2012

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/.

Tuesday 9 October 2012

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.

Thursday 4 October 2012

Sunday 30 September 2012

Scored by Lauren McLaughlin

Scored 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.

Friday 21 September 2012

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

Wednesday 12 September 2012

Interview with Nina Dobrev

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Insurgent (Divergent, #2)  
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.














Tuesday 4 September 2012

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


Saturday 1 September 2012

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

Tuesday 28 August 2012

Saturday 18 August 2012

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.

Sunday 12 August 2012

Dan Wells author of Partials.

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

Tuesday 7 August 2012

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

Phase (Phase Trilogy, #1) 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.

Saturday 4 August 2012

Thursday 2 August 2012

Once by Anna Carey

Once (Eve, #2) 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.

Tuesday 31 July 2012

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

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


Monday 30 July 2012

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.

Thursday 26 July 2012

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

Be careful with what you Desire or your Summer Wishes may come true.

A novel and a novella mixing dystopia and fairy tales .


The Vampire Diaries: new promo for season 4


                                                    I just can't wait

More dystopian novels

There are many dystopian novels out there, if you liked the genre and started with The Hunger Games you may be wondering what to read next.Here is a very interesting list of books if you don't know what to read

I am reading Once the second book of The Eve Trilogy click to see the official website, since I read Eve some time ago I don't remember the characters very well.
This is the problem with trilogies.Don't you think it is annoying having to wait so long and then being unable to remember? I have so many dystopian novels in my head that I get confused with:

  • What happened to the world? Was it a plague?What kind of plague?
  • Are the characters completely human? Half-vampires, half-robots,hybrids?
  • What's the date? (more or less)
  • Who is missing from the first book?
  • Some names are so weird that I don't remember whether they are boys or girls.
  • Where are they going? What do they want to get?
It takes me at least two or three chapters to remember.

Interview with the vampires

Watch this interview with the cast of The Vampire Diaries, they don't bite.

Beautiful flowers

   These pictures where taken by MB in Galicia (Spain)



Divergent by Veronica Roth

An interesting dystopian story which shows a world divided into five factions and a girl who has to choose.However, her decision is not so easy when she finds out she belongs to none of them.

Which faction are you?


Wednesday 25 July 2012

The real Modern Family

Sofia Vergara's real son Manolo shows his life with Modern Family's popular actress.


Market stalls in Asia

Pick a handbag



Pick a pair of shoes

Food: East or West



Western or Eastern dishes by Foodie.

Let's begin with....

Chinese soup

Mushroom soup

There is a new bad boy in the lying town.

We will see Ryan Rottman (90210) next winter in the second season of The Lying Game read more