A little obsessed with shoes perhaps?

I don't know why women love shoes but I know I am one of them! Long before I could afford better shoes for my discerning feet, I've always been fascinated with heels. I think my first pair of "heels" was a pair of platform shoes (those that are 4 inches in height and looked like an iron) but it was a rave when I was a teenager. It's like an insight to preparing yourself for heels!

 My first pair of expensive heels and then more...

When I first started working, earning a miserable salary doesn't help when you've got so many bills to pay. I can't even think of buying a pair of expensive heels. All I could afford was probably in a range of RM50 a pair. Then, in 2009 that's when I bought my first pair of branded heels. It was a pair of Nine West grey 3&1/2 inch-heel-sandal which I got for a steal at under RM200. After that, it was no looking back.

But I've also been wasting money buying ridiculous shoes like the 4-inch-heeled black pumps from Aldo which had a wooden heel that can probably kill a snatch thief if I were to throw this at him. It's nice to oggle at but it's killing my feet. Actually there are reasons why I splurged so much on pretty shoes.

1. It's a serious MOOD-BOOSTER. You feel good when your feet looks good! Did you know that when the neurotransmitter dopamine is released while trying these pretty shoes, it provides a feel-good high, similar to taking a drug! "The dopamine increases until you swipe your credit card." Tadaa... and for me, I just ignore the guilt that crept in after that. 

2. HEIGHT = POWER "Like most animals, we're wired to associate height with power," says Helen Fisher, PhD, professor of anthropology at Rutgers University. "High heels can literally raise your status because you're taller when you wear them." Hmm... I think it's a half-truth because people are intimidated by people who are taller but that doesn't mean I have better status.  

3. SEXY Why does women look more sexy in stilettos? Don't you feel that feet are always associated with sex and it's more erotic if someone turns up in really sexy stilettoes? Well, when a woman wears high-heels, it lifts her butts and arches her back. That contributes to a sexy poise.

Actually, I do envy people who are not-so-tall (politically correct) because they can wear 4-inch-heels and they don't look like giants. But when I wear a pair of 3-inch-heels, I am very tall and to make matters worse, my girlfriends would not want to stand beside me! And therefore, I have always been buying so many shoes but I rarely wear them. I was clearing my shoe cabinet today and I found that I have some shoes to give away and about 10 pairs to throw due to peeling and spoilt heels.

 

All these shoes are size 38(EU) or 7(US). Some of them I've worn a few times and some only once and the problem I had with these shoes is that it's a tad too small for my feet. One lesson learnt while buying shoes at cold temperatures - your feet tend to be a little smaller. I plan to give these all away and it ached my heart to part with them. And so if anyone who is interested to have them, you can always let me know and we'll see if we can find the right time to meet so that you can have these. 

See, I'm such a sucker for shoes! And I'm such a spendrift too for buying these shoes and not be able to fully utilise them. I think at this moment, I have 30 pairs? Probably one pair for each day of the month? Hehe... I am still longing for the day I own a pair of Louboutins!

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 BE THE 1^ST TO EXPERIENCE THE SAMSUNG GALAXY S III, BROUGHT TO LIFE BY CELCOM

 

• Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich gives you superb power and performance
•  An 8-megapixel camera that lets you capture life’s moments
•  See it all in the wide 4.8” HD Super AMOLED display
•  Store all your pictures, music and videos with up to 64GB via microSD

From as low as RM1,398 (RRP: 2199) with Celcom Exec! The Samsung Galaxy SIII can be yours and it won't burn a hole in your pocket. The features of this phone is just too awesome to give it a miss.

Sign up at your nearest Celcom Branch or Blue Cube now. Meanwhile, get more information about Celcom packages at www.celcom.com.my/smartphones

 

Samsung Galaxy SIII preeze...

My dad called me on Friday and asked me what I would be buying for his birthday to make him happy. I wanted to reply "a son-in-law!!!" but that would probably give him a heart attack.
Instead, I asked him,"LBB, will you buy me a Samsung Galaxy SIII?"
Dad answered,"Huh? You don't want an iPad3?"
"No. I want a Samsung SIII."
"So, you'll give me your Samsung Galaxy SI back when I buy you the SIII?"
And I said, "Of course!!!"

I am really impressed with the Samsung Galaxy SIII. That is the reason why I didn't upgrade the SI to SII because I was waiting for the SIII.

5 Ultra Cool Features (that will make iPhone users green with envy)

• Phone tracks user's eye movements to keep screen from dimming or turning off while in use. It sees users when they are reading something on the device and keeps the screen on even if the time out is set for 15 seconds or 30 seconds. Brilliant!

• If you are typing a message and then you feel that you should be calling the person, you can pick up the phone and hold it near your ears. The phone will dial the number to which you're sending the text. Smart eh?

• Pop Up Play that allows users to watch a video in small window while they are working inside some other app. Now we can multi-task and use multi-apps. Cool!

• When you click a photograph with SGS III, it asks you to identify the persons in the photograph. One you have done that, it can look into your contacts and connect the dots. The smartphone gets to share, if you permit, the photos with people who feature in them. Convenient!

• Smart Alert keeps a track of the missed calls or messages. Once you pick up the phone, it vibrates a bit to tell you that there are missed calls and you ought to check them. Useful!

 Now the dilemma is, where should I get the phone and how much would it cost me? Sources tell me that Celcom just had a launch for this phone at Midvalley South Court last week. Many turn up in blue to catch the best deals at this launch.

 

 I want to get this phone at RM888 too!

For those who has missed the awesome deals available from 31st May 2012 to 3rd June 2012 at South Court Mid Valley, you can still get this phone at these prices.

Samsung Galaxy S III RRP : RM 2199	Celcom Exec 50 + Mobile Internet Basic	Celcom Exec 50 + Mobile Internet Advance	Celcom Exec 250
Monthly Commitment	RM88	RM108	RM250
Data FUP	1GB	3GB	5GB
12 months	RM1818	RM1788	RM1608
18 months	RM1758	RM1718	RM1438

 *terms & conditions apply

I'm telling my dad about this and hopefully when he's home, he'll get me one too! Hehe...

BE THE 1^ST TO EXPERIENCE THE SAMSUNG GALAXY S III, BROUGHT TO LIFE BY CELCOM!

More whiskies @ Auld Alliance Singapore

Would I ever get bored visiting Auld Alliance? I don't think I'll ever feel that way. For every visit, I would be able to taste a pour from a few bottles and so far, I've not even drank 10% of what they have in that bar!

As usual, I would let Emmanuel know what type of whisky I would love to try and then he would recommend the bottles. Sometimes I'm in a mood for Japanese whisky, and then some grain whisky or just Islay malts. 

At Auld Alliance, you can even have a soccer ice ball to go with your whisky if you're not used to drinking it neat. Occasionally I would have an ice ball with the whisky to see how has the characteristics changed with some water.

Name: Port Ellen
Distillery: Port Ellen (Islay) 
Bottler: Silver Seal
Type: Single Malt Scotch
Age Statement: 28YO
Alc/Vol: 55.5%

As far as many people are concerned, Port Ellen is one of the great lost distilleries of Scotland. This Port Ellen 1983 has 50 bottles as a joint bottling of the Silver Seal label with their Dutch distributor Whiskybase and the rest with a regular Silver Seal label. In addition, a couple of bottles are bottled for The Auld Alliance bar in Singapore.

This bottle here has a very good nose, it's sophisticated and the peat is subtle. There's leather, vanilla and citrus all intertwined into the bouquet. On the palate, you can taste the liquorice, peat and soot. Not too iodine-nish. The finish is creamy, smooth with long peat. A very good bottle indeed.

This is where you can get the ratings for all the independent bottlings of Port Ellen - click here.

Name: Highland Park
Distillery: Highland Park (Highlands) 
Type: Single Malt Scotch
Age Statement: 14YO
Alc/Vol: 59.8%

This bottle here is given to Emmanuel by a friend. This is a special bottle because it's hand-selected and bottled in Scotland for Dr.Jekyll's Pub in Oslo. In other words, you can't exactly buy this bottle off the shelfs. I'm so lucky that he offered me a glass. Highland Parks have always been one of my favourites. It has a very dark amber hue, with nose of nuts and chocolate. The taste itself is also nutty, sweet and has a little peat.

Name: Talisker 18YO
Distillery: Talisker (Isle of Skye) 
Type: Single Malt Scotch
Age Statement: 18YO
Alc/Vol: 45.8%


The Talisker 18YO has also garnered critical acclaim from numerous awards like the World Whiskies Awards, where it won best whisky in the world in 2007. This bottle here has a rich nose of fruits and dried orange peel. I think it has a stunning balance of peat, spice and sweetness. One of the apparent characteristics of Talisker is its subtle "chilli catch" finish in the aftertaste.

Name: Oban Distillers Edition 1995
Distillery:  Oban (Highlands)
Type: Single Malt Scotch
Age Statement: Distilled in 1995, bottled in 2010
Alc/Vol: 43.0%

Since I have not seen this label for Oban before, I did some research and found that they set aside 300 barrels each year for the Distiller’s Edition, and now 300 barrels a year for the new 18 year-old. The Distiller’s Edition is a yearly release of the usual 14-year Oban which is further matured for 6-18 months in a Montilla Fino sherry butt, which is always a first-fill cask (only held sherry before).

This one here has an amber hue. On the nose, you can get the sort of bitterish, orange zest and hints of smoke. It's a little pungent by the way. Then on the palate, you get a silky texture with some hints of chocolate, spiciness and briny flavours. It's an oaky whisky and the finish has subtle notes of coffee. Worth a try!

 

After so much whisky, I'm glad I still looked sober here.

Auld Alliance
Chijmes, 30 Victoria Street,
#01-08, 187996
Singapore
Tel: +65 6337 2201
Facebook

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SAMSUNG Galaxy SIII has arrived!

This is the ultimate "smart" phone that knows what you need even before you do! With the latest version of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, a whopping 4.8-inch Super AMOLED HD screen, 8 megapixel camera and a whole suite of Apple-beating features, don't you think you wanna get this phone too?

Well, I would and I'm actually anticipating the launch of Samsung Galaxy SIII here in Malaysia. Celcom is now unleashing this phone at 3 locations from 31st May to 3rd June 2012. Come dressed in BLUE, spin the wheel and stand a chance to walk away with the phone at RM888 and other freebies. Lots of deals are happening at South Court Mid Valley Meh=gamall KL, North Court, AEON Station 18 Ipoh or Centre Court and Sutera Mall JB.

Samsung Galaxy S III RRP : RM 2199	Celcom Exec 50 + Mobile Internet Basic	Celcom Exec 50 + Mobile Internet Advance	Celcom Exec 250
Monthly Commitment	RM88	RM108	RM250
Data FUP	1GB	3GB	5GB
12 months	RM1818	RM1788	RM1608
18 months	RM1758	RM1718	RM1438

 *terms & conditions apply
 

Pre-register online here to be the first to own a Samsung Galaxy SIII to get it on 31st May 2012 at the launch venue of your choice from as low as RM1,438 with the best network!

BE THE 1^ST TO EXPERIENCE THE SAMSUNG GALAXY S III, BROUGHT TO LIFE BY CELCOM!

I broke my phone!

Over the weekend, an unfortunate incident happened. I shattered the screen of my Samsung Galaxy S1 at the cemetery during the time when I was about to get into the car. I think things happened for a reason because on the way to Nirvana, the car in front of me went over a pebble and the pebble (as big as 20cents) hit my windscreen and there was a loud knock. However, it didn't damage my windscreen which I felt really blessed and lucky.

But manatau, I ended up shattering the screen of my phone when I accidentally dropped it with the protective cover open. And when back luck strikes, it never stopped. The phone dropped face down on the tarmac road and thus the beautiful shatter you see in the picture. I think my grandparents are angry at me for not getting them the NEW Hellpad. Sigh... Why?!! Why?!! Why?!! Or is my grandfather angry at me for forgetting to bring his Guinness Stout?!! We didn't bring any real ones, but we did burn a few for him.



I tweeted about my misfortune and most of the answers I get were "Congratulations. It's time to buy a new phone!" KNS... I knew this incident is going to make the biggest dent to my bank account and true enough. I asked how much to fix it and it's RM550 to replace the screen all because it's an Amoled screen! Double KNS.

But you know what?!! I'll be out scouting for a new phone this week. I'm going to share the good news for all gadget freaks and technology savy people like me! There's a fair in town and it's so awesome because it's a "I Love Tablet" Fair 2012 brought to you by Celcom.

Venue: Concourse, Low Yat Plaza, KL

Date : 26 March - 1 April 2012

Time : 10.00am – 10.00pm

Don't miss out on this great deal. Get ready for the unbeatable offers on the latest Tablets & Phones, special rebates and lucky draw. There's just so much to see and with all these great deals, you won't be able to resist them. These are some of the great offers:

Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9

More Samsung Galaxy Tabs on offer!

If you're not interested on tablets, there's a wide range of smartphones on offer too. Check these great offers out as well!

iPhone 4S, Blackberry and also Sony Xperia S!

Celcom will also be introducing their HD Voice service for the 1^st time at the fair!

• Just sign up to purchase the Sony Xperia S from as low as RM1,218
• And you’ll be able to get a 2nd HD Voice-enabled smartphone (choose from the Nokia N9, Sony Xperia PLAY, or Blackberry Torch 9810), at 50% OFF the RRP!
• With 2 HD Voice smartphones, you’ll experience the best voice quality you’ve ever had, on the best network ever!

This is not it. There's more to the I Love Tablet Fair 2012. At any time of the day (randomly), Celcom will announce a super-special-surprise deals on some of the most wanted handphones and tablets. All you need to do is, be there at anytime of the day from Mon to Sun and pay attention to the announcements! We won't be telling you what the deals are and you'll have to be there not to miss out.

Maybe I'll go and check out this LG Prada!

1. On Saturday 31/3/12, Celcom will have HOURLY LUCKY DRAW at Tablet Fair
2. Every hour (from 12:30pm – 9:30pm), 1 winner will be drawn to enjoy SAMSUNG GALAXY TAB 7 PLUS @ ONLY RM397 + FREE 1 MONTH Celcom Broadband Advance worth RM98
   
3. To qualify, customers just need to sign up for any Celcom plans on the day at Tablet Fair!
4. T&C apply (*Purchase of device without plan subscription not qualified)