April 2009

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Cookies and Cream Truffles

April 29, 2009 in Food by somethingboutrenes | No comments

photoThis photo doesn’t do any justice to the truffles.

Discovered a recipe (from Cosmopolitan) that will surely impress your loved ones with very little effort! Introducing the Cookies and Cream Truffles that are presentable, chocolitiously yummy and almost effortless! Follow the recipe below and you will be baffled by your chocolate making ability.

8 Oreo cookies
4 ounces of cream cheese
1 cup of semisweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon of icing sugar

Line a baking tray/plate with baking sheet / aluminum foil. Then put the cookies in a zip-lock plastic bag and crush it. Add the cream cheese and mix them thoroughly. Use a teaspoon to scoop the cookie mixture into small balls (I used my fingers!). Place the cookie balls on the baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and freeze until firm (about 1 hour).

After 1 hour, microwave chocolate chips for 1 minute and then stir it. Microwave the chocolate chips for another 1 minute. Dip the cookie balls into the chocolate using toothpick/fork (I used chopsticks!) and place it back on to the baking sheet. Put icing sugar in a sieve and lightly dust the truffles. Cover with plastic wrap, and freeze until firm for about 1 hour. Serve cold.

Voila! You just become a domestic goddess!

Note: Store them in an airtight container in the freezer and they’ll last 2 weeks.

Why ah?

April 28, 2009 in Miscellaneous, Rants and Opinions by somethingboutrenes | 7 comments

Have you ever wondered why some female bloggers are more popular compared to the rest? If your answer is a big YES, I have the answer right here!

the-females-in-the-blogging-world3

Content Disclaimer: The above throughout analysis is neither meant to be exhaustive nor an objective opinion of the general public. Comments and criticisms are warmly welcomed. 

My Perfect Traveling Companion

April 27, 2009 in Marketing Insight by somethingboutrenes | 4 comments

travel-case1[Credit: http://capable.deviantart.com/art/Just-in-Case-50370669]

Last weekend, I was at Mustafa to hunt for “The Perfect Traveling Companion” on a splendid journey with me to Seoul.

The Perfect Criteria
 Budget: $150
Appearance: Decent Colour
Material: Hard casing
Size: Medium
Wheel: Four wheel 360 rotation

The trustworthy looking Mustafa uncle recommended a companion which matched my criteria perfectly.

Budget: $147 $88
Appearance: Dark Grey
Material: Hard casing
Size: Medium
Wheel: Four wheel 360 rotation

Wow, it seemed almost God send. Except… for the fact that the brand – “President” – is unheard of.

Being a true blue marketer and a brand whore, I was a little apprehensive of the recommended brand “President”. Mustafa uncle assured me that “President” is an established brand and it is actually Japanese. Ah. Japanese. It must be decent.

See. The marketing theory explained that when consumers have little/no knowledge of the brand, they look at extrinsic cues such as price or country of origins to evaluate its quality. Hmm. But according to my marketing sixth sense, “President” sounded too much like an Indonesian brand (just like “President” cup noodle). With a tight budget and a trusting heart, I ignored my superior-innate-marketing ability and picked “President” as my traveling companion.

A few days later, I googled and found out that “President” is a freaking indo brand! That Mustafa uncle is a liar. Hmph.

“President Luggage roots date back to 1970 when, as Continental Plastic, started in the luggage and travelware industry, manufacturing a small range of hard-shell luggage under the brand name “President” in Indonesia.
President Luggage began exporting in 1987 to a few neighbouring Asian countries. Ever since, exports have constituted a significant part of President Luggage business. “

From: http://president-luggage.com/about.php

April 27, 2009 in School by somethingboutrenes | No comments

Tomorrow will mark the end of my academic life. 

At least for the time being. 

“???”

April 27, 2009 in Marketing Insight by somethingboutrenes | 2 comments

cityvibe

Why do they name a building with a decent architectural design “Cityvibe”, worst still “???” which is loosely translated as “Gold all over the floor”?

This is almost as disturbing and vulgar as naming say Obama’s Portuguese water dog “Bush”.

Skinny French think they're fat?

April 24, 2009 in Rants and Opinions by somethingboutrenes | No comments

OMG. If they are fat, I am obese.  With news like this and others like the one about Model Stephanie Naumoska, who is 1.8 m tall and weights 49 kg, getting into the finals of Ms Australia Universe contest, what do we expect next? That all people with a BMI above 15 should be sent to the obese training camp?!?! 

French think they’re fat

The Straits Times, April 23, 2009

PARIS – FRANCE has by far the highest proportion of clinically underweight women in Europe, but only half of them think they are too thin, according to a new study.

In other European countries the opposite is true: the number of women in Britain, Spain and Portugal, for example, who see themselves as seriously skinny easily outstrips the number who actually are.

‘This shows that what people consider an ideal weight in France is lower than in other countries,’ said the study’s author Thibaut de Saint Pol, a researcher at France’s National Institute of Demographic studies, which published the study Wednesday.

‘If a French person who feels fat were to go to the United States,’ – which has much higher rate of obesity – ‘he probably wouldn’t feel fat anymore,’ he told AFP in an interview. [LOL]

The study also reveals a big gap, both objective and subjective, between sexes.

In western Europe, the mean weight of men in every country except France and The Netherlands tips the scales into the ‘overweight’ category, according to World Health Organisation (WHO) standards.

By contrast, in only three nations do women join the menfolk in crossing that line: Britain, Greece and Portugal. And only among the Dutch does one find more overweight women than men.

France is the one country in which both sexes are solidly in the ‘normal’ weight bracket, and the only one in which more than five per cent of women are offically ‘underweight’. — AFP

April 24, 2009 in Miscellaneous by somethingboutrenes | 2 comments

somethingboutrenes-hit-rate

If only my bank account balance is growing at a similar rate as my hit rate in SbR. Humph.

Myirandom.wordpress.com

April 22, 2009 in Family by somethingboutrenes | No comments

myirandom3

My sister got herself a new blog. HAH. 

Marketing Concepts applied to the World’s Oldest Profession.

April 22, 2009 in Marketing Insight, Rants and Opinions by somethingboutrenes | No comments

This article demonstrated the importance of the role of a marketer. The marketing concepts we learn in school is applicable to ALL industry and that includes the world’s oldest profession.

 

world-germany-reuters[Credits: http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/World/Story/STIStory_366452.html]

German sex industry hit

The Straits Times, 21 April 2009

BERLIN – IT DID not take long for the world financial crisis to affect the world’s oldest profession in Germany.

In one of the few countries where prostitution is legal, and unusually transparent, the industry has responded with an economic stimulus package of its own: modern marketing tools, rebates and gimmicks to boost falling demand.

Some brothels have cut prices or added free promotions while others have introduced all-inclusive flat-rate fees. Free shuttle buses, discounts for seniors and taxi drivers, as well as ‘day passes’ [O_o] are among marketing strategies designed to keep business going.

‘Times are tough for us too,’ said Karin Ahrens, who manages the ‘Yes, Sir’ brothel in Hanover. She told Reuters revenue had dropped by 30 percent at her establishment [lol] while turnover had fallen by as much as 50 per cent at other clubs.

‘We’re definitely feeling the crisis. Clients are being tight with their money. They’re afraid. You can’t charge for the extras any more and there is pressure to cut prices. Everyone wants a deal. Special promotions are essential these days. [-_-]‘

Germany has about 400,000 professional prostitutes. Official figures do not distinguish between the sexes and the number of male prostitutes is not known, but they account for a small fraction of the total and are treated the same under the law.

In 2002, new legislation allowed prostitutes to advertise and to enter into formal labour contracts. It opened the way for them to obtain health insurance, previously refused if they listed their true profession.

Annual revenues are about 14 billion euros (S$27.1 billion), according to an estimate by the Verdi services union. Taxes on prostitution are an important source of income for some cities.

Prostitution is also legal and regulated in the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Hungary, Greece, Turkey and in some parts of Australia, and the U.S. state of Nevada.

In other countries, such as Luxembourg, Latvia, Denmark, Belgium and Finland, it is legal but brothels and pimping are not.– REUTERS

The Seoul Lusting Series

April 22, 2009 in Travel by somethingboutrenes | 2 comments

In Seoul they too have their very own Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drive as in the Hollywood in Apgujeong-dong and opposite Apgujeong-dong’s Galleria Department Store you’ll have Cheongdam-dong, Seoul’s very own West Hollywood. In this area, you can check out the chicest designer boutiques, elegant cafes, art galleries and luxury restaurants. Does all these sounds expensive to you? Definitely, and that’s because this is the place for Seoul’s super rich and their crème de la crème. So if celebrity spotting is one of your missions in your trip to Seoul this will be the place to be. Otherwise, you may also spend an evening here (if wallet permitting) to experience the contemporary culture of Korea with style.

opera-gallary-in-seoul

To get there: Short trip with taxi from Apgujeong subway station (Line No.3), or Cheongdam station (Line No. 7)

 

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