Monday 1 December 2014

Are You the Type of White Wine Lover?

When a wine goes through fermentation, the grape's natural sugars are converted to alcohol by yeast. When a winemaker stops the fermentation process short, some of the wine's sugar remains unconverted into alcohol and makes up the wine's residual sugar (RS) content. It's this residual sugar that offers up the sweet factor in a wine.

In our El Novio Perfecto 2013 which is a semi sweet white wine conceived and crafted by two gentlemen at the peak of their profession: David Sampedro Gil, the man who took the Spanish wine scene by storm a few years ago, and Bruno Murciano, former Head Sommelier at the London Ritz Hotel and co-founder of DeVinos TASTESPAÑA UK. Separately vinified, the purpose of the winemakers was to produce a dry wine. This is why the alcoholic fermentation of the Viura grapes was cold crashed to stop the process when the juice had achieved the desired level of natural sugar.


Types of Grapes to know?
Viura (Macabeo)-is a white wine grape used on either side of the Pyrenees, in the north and east of Spain and the southernmost reaches of France. A relatively versatile grape, it is used in still, sparkling, dry and sweet wines. There are few universal truths about how Macabeo tastes; the wines can be fresh, floral and aromatic when harvested sufficiently early and aged in stainless steel, but weighty, honeyed and nutty when aged in oak and harvested slightly later.

Spain is unquestionably Macabeo's homeland. It is used in almost every wine district of Catalonia, particularly in sparkling Cava wines, and is the principal ingredient in white wines from Rioja, where the locals call it Viura. Southwards along the Mediterranean coast, Macabeo can be found in various areas, most notably Valencia, Yecla and Jumilla.

Looking for some specific sweet white wines and dessert wines to try? Then check out and grab a bottle of our semi sweet white wine El Novio Perfecto made from 50% Moscatel and 50% Viura grapes. Just the right taste and balance to you! Grab one today. 


Moscatel-The Moscatel (or Muscat) variety we describe here is Muscat of Alexandria, which is the one that is mostly planted in Spain, in the Eastern coastal Levante (in the Valencia and Alicante D.O.) and in the Southern part, in the D.O.s of Jerez-Sherry & Sanlúcar de Barrameda and Málaga in Andalucía. Even though Moscatel of Alexandria is thought to be original from Italy or Greece, it is an old variety which has been planted in Spain for centuries and that forms part of some of its more traditional wines, specially sweet wines.

Why we like Moscatel?
We like it because is highly aromatic, with floral notes (sometimes you can smell rose petals on Moscatel wines), orange skin aromas that are very enticing. This translates in perfumed wines that capture the consumer from the nose. In the mouth, Moscatel wines are normally made off-dry to sweet, displaying honey and fruit preserve notes and orange/tangerine reminiscences.

You’d love Moscatel if you like…
…sweet wines which are highly aromatic, with floral and fruit preserve notes in the nose and palate with orange/tangerine reminiscences.
highly aromatic off-dry wines with some sweetness, light to medium body that can be enjoyed on their own or as dessert wine.


Please like the Malaysia fanpage of El Novio Perfecto Vino for your upcoming celebration or festival.....Click here: https://www.facebook.com/elnovioperfectomalaysia

Thursday 24 April 2008

Going China...

The clock in my laptops is now 12.38am and am still awake while my bf knocked out on the bed like a dead frog...He has yet to pack his stuff and is expecting me to pack it for him (as usual).

He told me just throw in whatever is necessary like his shaver, toothbrush, "undies" and jacket...Cos the rest he's going to buy it there. Woo Hoo...We are finally going to China and I know he needed the break cos' he had a long and pressure week in work.

He had non-stop interview, meeting and datelines to finish before leaving to China for 6 days! Our Airasia flight is at 6am. So, we need to leave from Bangsar at 4am! So, I guess I'm gonna try to stay awake till then cos if I knocked out like him, I'll be dead tired after that. So, I rather conserve my sleep till the plane. Hopefully I can get some shut eyes in their straight rigid seat.

Where the hell am I going? Well, my actual destination is Guangzhou but due to the price difference between K.L-Guangzhou (RM 700++) and K.L-Macau (RM 520-inclusive airport tax), we decided to take the latter one. Once arrive, we will either take the bus/ train (depending on the situation) to Shenzhen.

Luckily, my supplier will be picking us from Shenzhen and as usual treat us to a BIG fat lunch...HAhahaha...We are going to stay in Shenzhen for 2 days and then head to Guangzhou for their biggest , "Premium & Gift Fair". And our last day will be back to Macau in which I hope to sight-see and visit their new Casino. Woo...Hooo...Oh and not forgetting eating their famous Portuguese Tarts & Pork Burger!

Anyway, will be bringing my laptop along...hopefully i can do my posting with pictures while I'm there. If not I will be back to my posting after the 1st May.

Ciao guys....

Wednesday 23 April 2008

The Forbidden Kingdom



Yesterday, my bf managed to get us tickets to watch my long awaited movie, "The Forbidden Kingdom".

When I first heard the rumors of a possible movie collaboration between Jet Li and Jackie Chan, I was crossing my fingers, hoping it will be a reality this time.

I was always a die-hard fan of Jet Li since he made his movie debut , "Once Upon a Time in China".


I was so inspired by his Kung-fu stunts thatI even went scouting around to learn Kungfu (I was 15 that time when I started). After his breakthrough success with "Once a Upon a Time in China", I'd never missed any of his movie since then.

I was even crazy enough to watch all his movie twice in the cinema and bought his home videos (No VCD/DVDs then) and would watch it like 2-3 times a month. I even had posters pasted all over my room and a notebook with a collection of articles & pictures from newspaper! That was like 10 years back, but hey I'm still a big big fan of Jet li now (of course not as crazy as last time)...As for Jackie Chan, I was not a big fan but I do admired his stunts skill. You could say both are from different school of martial arts.

Jet li was trained in Shaolin Kungfu and Jackie Chan was trained in acrobatic stunts. So, they both complement each other like a "yin" and "yang", as Jet li quoted in one of his interview.

Anyway, cutting the story short....the stunts and martial arts showcased in the movie was really good. I have to give credit to the special effects used in the movie. It reminded me of the movie, "Storm Riders". Anyway, they even made the American teenager, played by "Michael Angarano" (Never seen him before...guess he must be new) looked good doing Kung-fu, all thanks to "Yuen Wo Ping"(The same choreographer for Matrix).

I love the Jet Li and Jackie Chan's fighting scene together cos both were equally cool with their own signature moves. Jackie was playing the role of a drunken master and Jet Li the monk. There was even some kung-fu move of "Praying mantis" and "Tiger".

The producer managed to inflict humor into their fighting scene too. But you could really see both have aged but they are still fighting like a 20 year old!

So, hats down to both of them who I think still is good at what they are doing and the best representation of real martial artist!

Though, there were hypes about Tony Jaa,(actor in the movie "Ombak") being the next replacement to Jackie and Jet li, I still think he has a long road to go before reaching that kind of stardom and ticket sales.

The verdict: Worth every penny and it's a must watch for die-hard fans. It's an overall feel good movie, with cool graphic, kung-fu stunts and humor. It is also now the No.1 box office movie in America, raking around 21.4 million beating the highly anticipated movie, "Forgetting Sarah Marshall". Oh, and there is a small surprise at the end too.Happy watching people.

Saturday 19 April 2008

My Long Awaited Billy's Workout Kit

Woo hoo...Today my long awaited package that I ordered from Amazon finally arrived @ my house. And, what package am I talking about?

Well, it's none other than my favorite home workout teacher, Billy Blanks. Billy who, you may ask...He was the one who created the "Taebo" workout in which he integrates classic technique from martial arts,boxing and dance moves.

I was introduced to "Taebo" from a college friend of mind who was a fitness freak. From there, I was hooked and kind of jumped start my pathway to exercise and healthy eating! 4 years ago, you could easily purchase his CDs @ any "Speedy" video stores. Unfortunately, now you won't be able to find any of his CDs, thus you have to order it online.

There's also another problem when you order his CD, they only do shipment to U.S and Canada. Luckily, I have a friend staying in West Virginia, U.S which I directed it over there. Then,I have it courier to Malaysia.

This "Billy Blanks Bootcamp" Cd contain 3 DVDS ("Basic Training Bootcamp", "Ultimate Bootcamp" & "Ab Bootcamp") with his "Billy Band" (This is a 2-pc bands for toning during the workout). How much did it cost me??

The cost of CD :RM 87.00
Courier fee from U.S to Malaysia:RM 70.00
Total Cost :RM 157.00 (Is it worth it? Well, with the courier charges it was not...)

Well, if it's not because of the bands, I would have waited for my friend to come back to Malaysia next year. I'd tried searching for the similar bands here in our fitness store, but most of them sell the single long band.

The difference between his bands and the normal band sold here, is that you can hook it over your shoes and start your kick-boxing exercise. Whereas the single band is purely for toning and not for jumping around.


How did I find it? Since it cost me so much to get it, it better be good.....And the verdict: One of the most challenging workout from Billy's range. Nevermind my sweat that kept dripping, I was huffing and puffing trying to keep up!

Imagine using resistance band to box, kick and tone....I can guarantee you that by the end of the workout, your energy is down to ground ZERO. I would highly recommend to anyone who truly wants to see a change in their body shape cos it is one of the best toning and cardio exercise combo!

...

Thursday 17 April 2008

The Myth About Cheating....

Recently, my good friend confided in me about her problem with the bf. She was crying to me on the phone telling me about her big argument with her bf.


The issue was jealousy….possesive, maybe? After hours of whining over the phone, I finally got the whole picture. It was just a simple Latin dance lesson that she wanted to learn. This good friend of mine has always fancy Latin dance (E.g. Cha Cha, Rumba, Salsa….and such).


She loves watching this U.S reality program called, Dancing with the Stars” and practically fantasized herself performing those spinning stunts! Well, when she told her bf about her interest to learn Salsa , he practically jumped at her and said,” I can’t imagine other men touching or holding my gf!”


I was like, “Eeeer...Ok, What era are we in again? Isn’t this Cave’s Men School of Thought?” Well, I can’t really blame her bf cos he had a bad experience with his ex-gf. Apparently, while the two was dating, she was sleeping with the ex! So, can you imagine how hurt he was and maybe that’s the reason he find it hard to trust a women again.


Having said that, I still feel that each individual is different and he should have more trust in her. Or better still, he should just learn salsa with her? Anyway, I found an article about the myth of cheating by Tracey Cox....It is extremely beneficial for those who want to know whether men cheat more often than women or whether you should confess if you’ve had an affair. And better yet, is cheating all about SEX?


Myth #1: People cheat because they're unhappy at home.

If you're female, this is usually the case. Women in long-term marriages who are having affairs report low satisfaction with their marriage. For men, on the other hand, that's not necessarily the case. Many men who love their partners and have great sex at home NEVER turn down an opportunity for a bit on the side if they think they can get away with it.


In one study, 56% of cheating men surveyed said their marriages were very happy. Only 34% of unfaithful women agreed.


Myth #2: Men cheat much more than women do.


This used to be the case, but now the infidelity scales are balancing out. Why? Women cheat for the same reasons as men: It's someone new. It's naughty (and therefore nice). But there are other reasons women cite: The affair was a "reward" for being an unappreciated wife and mother or for putting up with a partner who wasn't affectionate, didn't listen or ignored them.


It was an "ego boost." (Gone are the days when we'd treat ourselves to a new lipstick or haircut to cheer ourselves up.) We're still not as blase about affairs as men—women are more likely to feel guilty—but given that studies show we're much better at lying, we're also more likely to get away with it.


It's also a myth that it's men who try to turn friendships into affairs. Most unfaithful men see affairs as high opportunity and low involvement. On the contrary, it tends to be women who push platonic relationships from friendship to love and fantasy to reality, according to psychologists.


Women get more emotionally involved and are keen to test out friendships to determine if they'd make for better relationships than their current situations. So she's often seeking a potential soul mate; he's just having fun.


Myth #3: Affairs are mostly about sex.


Some affairs are about sex and most certainly include sex because sex with someone else is forbidden, making it very appealing. But sex is not always the reason people cheat. Affairs are a way for people to get something they're not getting from the relationship they're in. It's that simple. What's not so simple is defining what it is that's missing.


In fact, oftentimes the cheating partner isn't aware of it. Some people are searching for something they lost as a child, others for lost youth. Some people cheat on "perfect" partners because they're sick of perfection. It's not always about sex.


Myth #4: If he cheats on you, he doesn't love you.

It may feel that way, but it's not necessarily the case. It does, however, mean he doesn't respect you enough to honor the commitment you've made to one another and that he has a different value system than yours. Some people are more than capable of separating sex from love and physically sleeping with someone else doesn't affect their love for you.


Generally, men tend to have sex-based affairs, not emotional or "love-based" affairs. But, the decision you need to make is whether his definition of love is enough for you


Myth #5: Sex with an ex isn't cheating because you've been there, done that.


Sleeping with an ex is the sexual slip-up people most commonly expect to get away with. It doesn't feel like you're being unfaithful—it's not as if it's with someone new who might expect the sex to turn into a relationship—right? Wrong. Sadly, this is exactly why sex with an ex can have disastrous consequences.


You might be having a shag for old times sake, but your ex may be doing it as a desperate bid to rekindle the relationship. So you have to break it off (again) and explain to your current partner why you're suddenly getting e-mails or calls from him after all this time. The chances of getting found out are actually higher than if you'd had sex with a stranger because strangers won't feel the need to write a long, incriminating closure e-mail.


Myth #6: You can affair-proof your relationship.


You can lower the chances of an affair in your relationship, but there are never any guarantees. The next best thing? Choose the right partner. Choosing the right person is more important than keeping them happy once you've got them because things like morals, values systems and family backgrounds are much stronger influences on whether someone will cheat (or not).


Myth #7: If he has a history of cheating, he'll probably cheat on you too.

This one is almost always true. If your partner's cheated on almost everyone they've been out with—and nothing has happened to make them rethink their behavior—they'll almost certainly do the same to you.

Myth #8: You should always confess if you've had an affair.

If the affair is known or strongly suspected, you're better off telling. You've got more chance of rescuing your relationship after a voluntary confession than after an unwanted discovery. But if it's unlikely to be discovered, there are also valid reasons for keeping your mouth shut. For example, some experts will advise you not to tell if your partner's not the strongest person emotionally.


News of an affair isn't exactly going to give them a leg up on that steep, bumpy road to high self-esteem! Telling is going to wipe out any trust they'd mustered up, and it could take years to rebuild (if, indeed, that's possible).


Instead, work out why you had the affair in the first place. What were you getting from it that you aren't getting from the relationship you're in? Is it possible to create that with the person you're already with?

The worst possible reason to confess an affair is to make yourself feel better. True, it will lift the guilt off your shoulders. But it will plonk a whole heap of pain on your partner's. You made the mistake, now deal with the consequences.

(This is true, my sis’s ex told my sis about his 2 affairs during their 4 year r/ship. My sis could not take it and broke off the engagement. Though she loved him dearly, she just could not shrugged off the idea of him cheated on her. He thought he was being honest and open about it before marriage but boy did he make a BIG mistake! What do you think guys? Should you come out clean with your partner if you cheated? )


Myth #9: Cheating doesn't count if no one finds out about it.

Does cheating really matter if there's absolutely no chance you'd ever get found out, you will never see the person again, you had safe sex, it meant nothing and you told no one? It completely depends on your personality.


If you genuinely see nothing wrong with what you did, it probably doesn't. There's just one problem with this theory: Very few people truly believe there's nothing wrong with cheating. Even dodgy people are aware they're doing something "wrong" and this is where it all unravels, as your perception of your partner changes.


You're one up on him because you got away with something. This makes him appear either naive and too trusting, or vulnerable and hopelessly helpless. Good relationships are based on mutual admiration and respect, not pitying your partner or secretly thinking they're ignorant.


Myth #10: If there's no sex involved, it's not an affair.


Emotional infidelity”—deep, passionate connections between people who often aren't even aware they've crossed the line from platonic friendship to romantic love—is the biggest threat a marriage can face. More than 80% of unfaithful people have affairs with someone who'd started out as "just a friend," very often a workmate.


In fact, one study showed that 50% of unfaithful women and 62% of unfaithful men were involved with someone at work. Intense but invisible, erotic but unconsumed, emotional infidelity is dangerous, addictive and way too easy to get away with. If you're often pretending you're single when you're not; if you send secret texts or emails; if you share intimate details of your life with people you fancy and lie to your partner about seeing them, you're an emotional cheater.


Myth #11: Fantasizing about someone else means you're about to be unfaithful.

While many sex therapists will actually encourage couples in long-term relationships to fantasize about other people to cope with temptation—logic being, it's okay to be unfaithful in your head, just not your bed—others say it's risky. They say affairs start in the mind and fantasy sex can make you want the real thing even more.


The whole point of fantasies, after all, is to conjure up brilliantly perfect sex. While the real life unfaithful encounter is likely to be far less exciting and imperfect, strong images can increase the craving to stray.

(Woo hoo….now I have a license to fantasize about Brad Pitt or even Johnny Depp…Hmmm…)


Myth #12: Affairs can "save" relationships.

This is a myth perpetuated by cheating people as justification for what they've done. And it's false. Can you imagine a couple ever saying “Boy, that affair was the best thing to ever happen to us?” That's because you won't.


Affairs usually involve breaking a vow, lying on a regular basis and betraying trust. Even those who survive find the relationship tinged with resentment, sadness and guilt.

(I for one totally agree with this statement that is just plain justification by people who cheated on their partners. How can affair turns out the best thing that ever happen in a relationship? It’s a selfish act of having the best of both worlds! After an affair it is extremely hard for the person to sincerely trust his/her cheating partner again. Sure, you wish to hold on to the phrase of “Forgive and Forget…” but come on, how many of you truly forgave your cheating partner? The wounds that were cut open can never truly heal cos there is still so much scars to be seen…..


...

Thursday 10 April 2008

The Unknown Calories in Alcohol.....


Now is 9.57am, Friday, April 11 2008 and I'm having a bad headache. Too much party perhaps?


Too much drinking, Nah.... It's true I came back this morning at 2AM from my boyfriend uncle's 25th anniversary. Yup and it was a Thursday night and boy can you imagine the tiredness you will get the next day? I wish I could call it a day but work have to go on....How sad.


Luckily, my work is mobile and flexible so I can still afford a little time-off/"Ular"(as my bf would put it). The party was held at this beautiful restaurant called, "ISHq" is located at Crowne Plaza, K.L. It has a very cozy ambience and a touch of Indian/Middle East decor to it.


I was in awed when I stepped into the restaurant looking at the lighting, the flooring and the mini fountain at the middle of the dining tables. The fountain even has some floating Orchids and
Chrysanthemum, which added a sense of calmness to it. And my bf's cousin, Nance who works there got us a booking of 45 ppl, buffet style. The food served was Northern Indian style.


Every inch of the food was delicious and yummy. I usually go for 1 serving even for buffet style but this was too tempting to resist for 2nd and 3rd round. I had like 3 of their Naan bread cos it was so soft as compare to our normal
"Mamak stalls" (Our Malaysian road side food stalls operated by Indian Muslim). What Punjabi party will do without serving of alcohol right? There was practically free flow of Beers, Vodka and Whisky. Practically, people there are drinking more than they are eating...so what a waste I would say.

And what a coincidence today while checking my mail, I’ve got and email talking all about booze! Well just to shed some lights to those beer drinkers and just watch out how many calories you are actually consuming in….

BEERS
Regular Beer: 153 calories (It takes you 45 minutes to walk it off)
Light Beers: 103 calories (It takes you 30 minutes to walk it off)
Dark Ale: 185 calories (It takes you 51 minutes to walk it off)

COCKTAILS

Bloody Mary:125 calories (10 oz.). It takes 34 minutes to walk it off.
Cosmopolitan : 213 calories (4 oz.). It takes 59 minutes to walk it off.
Pina Colada :303 calories (8 oz.). It takes 83 minutes to walk it off.
Apple Martini :235 calories (4 oz.). It takes 65 minutes to walk it off.
Gin & Tonic:143 calories (6 oz.). It takes 39 minutes to walk it off.
Rum & Coke:156 calories (6.5 oz.). It takes 43 minutes to walk it off.
Red Bull & Vodka:177 calories (9.3 oz.). It takes 49 minutes to walk it.
Long Island Iced Tea:276 calories (8.3 oz.). It takes 76 minutes to walk it off.
Margarita: 800 calories!! (If you're craving a margarita, stick to the smallest size and order it on the rocks. Save a few hundred calories by staying away from any cocktail that could be a dessert (anything with chocolate, cream, multiple liquors or fruit juice). Stick vodka soda.)


TIPS

An easy way to cut down on your drink calories is to use Low-calorie or Zero-calorie mixers. Using Diet Coke instead of Classic in your Rum and Coke will save you 61 calories. Don't forget to ask for diet tonic or soda water.


Regular tonic
has as many calories as a can of Coca-Cola. What about trying your drink with soda water and a splash of your favorite juice to save 50 or 60 calories?


WINES

Red wine:129 calories (5 oz.). It takes 35 minutes to walk it off.
White wine, dry:120 calories (5 oz.). It takes 33 minutes to walk it off.
White wine, sweet:141 calories (5 oz.). It takes 36 minutes to walk it off.
Rose wine:102 calories (5 oz.). It takes 28 minutes to walk it off.
Sparkling wine: 68 calories (4.1 oz.). It takes 21 minutes to walk it off.

You guys probably heard the stories buzzing around the health benefits of wine, but, just like dark chocolate, a small amount can go a long way. Just stick to one 5-ounce glass(And I mean 1 glass) of your favorite wine, or have a white wine spritzer cut the calories in half.


Sweet wines and dessert wines
have about 50 calories more than dry wines per serving. So, too many glasses of those red wines are also equivalent of you drinking beers.


For those interested to book a place for their event or just normal dine-in you, the address is below:

ISHq Restaurants
Main Lobby,
Crowne Plaza Kuala Lumpur
Jalan Sultan Ismail
50250 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia

Telephone: +603 2144 3440
Fax: +603 2144 3442


...

Monday 7 April 2008

The Real Truth About Chocolates-REVEALED!!


I loves chocolates...but due to the high calories found in them I practically stopped myself from eating more than 1 mini piece of chocolate.

How sad!!I used to gobbled down tons of it...and i mean tons. Back in high school, I could really finished the whole 500grams of chocolate bar by myself...Serious! I remember when after my recovery from "chickenpox" , the first thing that I grab from the refrigerator was my favorite "Ferrero Rochere","Hersheys" and "Kit Kat".


However, when they started the buzz about chocolates being good for your health, I went back to eating it again. And yesterday I got an email from this diet expert, "Madelyn Fernstorm" revealing the the real truth about chocolates.

THE TRUTH-REVEALED........

1. Chocolate comes from a plant – it’s the seeds (within the pods) of the cocoa tree. It’s naturally very bitter; if you munched on a cocoa bean, you would find a very harsh and bitter taste, nothing like chocolate as we know it. It contain 0% sugar.

2. Cocoa solids contain a special antioxidant is found in cocoa solids, called “Flavanols”, which are where the health-promoting heart healthy claims of chocolate come from. This is dose related, meaning the more you eat, the more flavanols you consume. As a comparison, it takes nearly four ounces (that’s 3-4 regular size dark chocolate bars), consumed every day to promote a reduction in blood pressure!

That’s 500 calories and 42 grams of fat!
So what is "Flavanol"? It is believe that it could lower down blood pressure and and increase blood flow to brain in which it raises the potential of treatment to "Dementia". So, at the end of the day, ask yourself this, "Are your health benefits worth the calories?" However, Flavanol is also found in other type of food including red wine, and black and green tea.

3. Cocoa are used to make different types of chocolates ranging from Milk chocolate (Lots of sugar, added milk, less cocoa solids), Dark chocolate (Limited sugar and lots of cocoa solids) to White chocolate (Not classified as chocolate at all cos' it has no cocoa solids only milk and sugar)

4.
Is it health food? It’s not health food. But it does contain Flavanol. Problem when this cocoa is cook up and processed, alot of the flavanols are removed because they imparts bitter taste.


Recently Mars, a candy company (Hagen Schroeter of Mars Inc.) has released their new line of products called, "Cocoa Via" which is high in Flavanols and low in calories (1 bar=80-100calories).

Too bad is it not sold here in Malaysia cos I will be the first to grab it! However, if you must eat chocolates, I strongly suggest you choose those Dark chocolates as research has shown that it contain more Flavanols and lower in sugar and calories!

And bottom line is just enjoy a modest amount of chocolate serving and please don't treat it as a health benefit! Cos, remember high consumption of chocolates also=to increase of waistline!

...