Most High-Tech Fashion Brands

As British Vogue reported, according to a report by NYU and Luxury Lab's new Digital IQ, the top five most "digitally competent" brands are Kate Spade, Coach, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana and Burberry, who's currently in the lead.

"From live streams to runway shows to an arms race on social media platforms, brands are seeking the halo of innovation that comes from inspired online programming," said Luxury Lab founder Scott Galloway. "However, most fashion brands still approach digital as a series of pet projects rather than presenting a coherent multi-platform strategy. Although 94 per cent of brands in the Index have a presence on Facebook, one in five still lacks e-commerce capability."

“Kate Spade was commended for the label's "blending of smart e-commerce tactics with a strong social and mobile presence". Other labels to be included in the top 10 include Tory Burch for its impressive online store, Ralph Lauren for its New York Times iPad app takeover, Hugo Boss for its newly launched YouTube channel and high mobile scores, Louis Vuitton for its Amble app and Michael Kors for its recently opened Destination Kors website.”

Via Vogue UK

Women take 3 minutes to make up their mind about Mr Right

Get this: It takes a woman just three minutes to make up her mind about whether she likes a man or not, a study has revealed. Via Daily Mail UK, we discovered that the average female spends the time sizing up looks, physique and dress-sense as well as taking in scent, accent and eloquence of a potential suitor. Women also quickly judge how he interacts with her friends and whether he is successful or ambitious.

Speed dating: A man has just three minutes to impress a woman before she makes up her mind about him based on looks and manners.

It also emerged most women believe 180 seconds is long enough to gauge whether or not he is Mr Right, or Mr Wrong. The study also found women rarely change their mind about a man after their initial reaction - and believe they are 'always right' in their assumptions and judgments.

The report which was commissioned among 3,000 adults to mark the release of Instinct, a new book by Ben Kay. Kay said: 'I think a lot of people believe in trusting their instincts when dating. It makes it seem more magical, like it's coming from somewhere deeper. But it's surprising how quickly women make a decision. That's barely enough time to finish a drink together.  It's interesting that so many women trust their instincts and yet still give men the opportunity to change their minds. Some men might think this is leading them on but I would imagine most women just want to give every bloke a fair shot.'

Researchers found women will quickly dismiss a man who they feel is 'too cocky' or 'too needy'. He will also be rejected if he isn't nice to people, doesn't appear to earn enough and if he has nothing in common with the woman!

Via Daily Mail UK.

Celebrities In The Nude, Without Photoshop

Oh, the wonders of Photoshop! Enhance your eyes, airbrush your every blemish and slim your hips JUST with the click of a mouse. Yes, I’m very sure we are all aware of how this magic tool does no justice at all for or body image. I’ve been addicted to glossy magazines since a young age and grew up believing that all those Photoshop-ped images were real – from their flawless skin to their perfect bodies. Years later when I discovered the digital magic, only then did I know that it was all just a cover-up! Sigh… seems like I did waste quite a lot of time – suffering from BDD (body dysmorphic disorder) just because of this Adobe program! Ha ha…

Recently, lots of celebs have been stripping down and happen to be Kim Kardashian, Joy Bryant, and Amanda de Cadenet for Harper’s Bazaar. Wondering what’s special about this shoot? Their totally nude bodies were not retouched one bit! It has been said that according to press release, the ladies did away with the retouching to “accept their insecurities and reveal their most intimate thoughts.”

Famed photographer, Amanda de Cadenet, conducted the simple yet tasteful photo shoot of Kim Kardashian, Joy Bryant and herself. She said, "The reason I wanted to do this story is that I'm challenged with my physicality. I've always been the curviest girl. Since having twins four years ago, I'm now super curvy. It's not the body I used to have. I get frustrated that I can't find clothes to fit from designers I love. Roland Mouret and Marc Jacobs send me the big-girl sizes, but other than that it's slim pickings. I don't try to hide the obvious. I try to own it as best I can. Marc jokes that no matter what's in the collection, even if it's for curvy women, I'm still busting out."

While the ever-so gorgeous Kim K declared that "The message is embrace your curves and who you are”, tanned beauty Joy Bryant asserted: "You'll never be thin enough, blonde enough, black enough".

I love this shoot because it promotes natural beauty all the way. It’s great that they are willing to go natural and bare as this will probably send out a positive message to young girls. Do check out Harper’s Bazaar  for the full interview.

What do you think of these unphotoshopped images?

Credits to: Harper’s Bazaar

1919, Jalan Yap Kwan Seng

From one former tin-mining city to another, an Ipoh institution has come to KL, harboring hopes for a bright future in the shadow of the twin towers.

Similar to 1919's original outlet, which has thrived for years in Ipoh, Chinese, Nyonya & Thai fare dominate the menu at this KL branch. There's no resisting the squid cooked with cencalok (fermented shrimp) & petai.

Chicken coated in salted egg yolk batter. The food here is really savory & not too healthy, but free of MSG, apparently, since we craved no extra water in the hours following our meal.

Curry kuey teow. The noodles are the thin variety, brought in from Ipoh. Might 1919 be perfect for Perakians in KL who miss the food of their hometown? We'd hope so.

Nyonya fried rice, tinged sweetly by a sauce we can't recognize. Prices here are doing just fine; a filling feast should cost about RM50 per person, without liquor.

And wines are also available.

1919 Restaurant,

15A, Jalan Yap Kwan Seng, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-2161-9919

Open daily for lunch & dinner except Sunday (lunch only)

Merchant Pub, Petaling Jaya

Dominate the American Pool table at the longest bar counter in town – Merchant Pub. With talented local and international Live Band performances, make Merchant Pub your favorite place to chill-out and unwind after a long day at work. Grab a beer and take it all out at the dance floor. The Merchant Pub is all yours. 


Live band from the Philippines damn nice. Obviously, you can find businessmen and executives crowd in this pub. Quite a lot of people yet they said it was only 1/10 of the business from the past. Can imagine that how crowded it was in the past. 


This is a good place for chilling out and gathering with friends. Good songs, moderate volume so you may chat with your friends still or for some business discussion can be able in place. 


Yes, I like it here and for every month, they do have the theme/festival celebration. This time round, I made it to their F1 Party complimentary buffet being served also.


Hotel Armada Petaling Jaya 
Lot 6, Lorong Utara C, Section 52 
46200 Petaling Jaya 
Selangor Darul Ehsan Malaysia 
Tel : (603) 7954 6888 
Fax : (603) 7956 8088  

Bistro a Table, Seksyen 17 PJ

Bistro à Table (pronounced “ah t-ah-bl”) in French literally means “to the table!”, a common term used in French households to gather family and friends around the table to feast.

The name was also chosen after its central common table in the restaurant, to welcome complete strangers to eat together within the same vicinity and perhaps to interact with each other in a relaxed environment, akin to a modern day gastro-pub.

 

The Kitchen Philosophy

Helmed by Chef Isadora Chai, the bistro food pays homage to modern French comfort food, while adopting local elements in order to make the food affordable to customers - like to call it “adaptive French” cuisine. In keeping with the disciplined cuisine, everything you eat on the plate is made from this kitchen with dedication. As strive to get the best available ingredients for the season, some menu items will change on a regular basis.

 

Bistro a Table

6, Jalan 17/54,
46400 Petaling Jaya,
Selangor, Malaysia.
Tel : 6014-388 5888 or 603-7931 2831
Reservation is a must.
Closed on Mondays.

Alcoholic Tiramisu

Eight-hour-cooked duck confit, alongside accompaniments that complement the meat so well: puy lentils, beetroot orange salad & candied kumquats.

Scallops with ginger cream & shallot veloute. Masterful, with exquisitely juicy scallops cooked somewhere between sashimi & seared.

Chocolate fondant, version 2.0. This improved recipe is matched (in heaven) with concentrated milk ice cream (the PacoJet sure stays busy!) instead of vanilla creme anglaise.

Coffee Chemistry Signature

Coffee Chemistry opened its second outlet; the "Signature" attached to this Subang branch's name signals that it's a notch above the Sunway Giza original.

The menu here at Subang seems wider, with thoughtful touches that make the recipes memorable. The "Beef Goddess" Pizza, loaded with flavor-packed toppings, features a base that leans closer to pita bread than regular pizza dough.

Fish & chips, blanketed with a cheesy salsa sauce that kids might find fantastic. Honey-glazed black pepper chicken with butter herb rice & mashed potatoes, as satisfying as can be. The meat is impeccably prepared, the rice is aromatic & the potatoes are a creamy pleasure, clearly made from the real thing.

Save space for alcoholic macarons! We can't confirm what booze is infused into these babies - brandy? rum? But rest assured, the flavor of liquor is discernible.

Macarons by Feliciously, with cool names including Crouching Caramel, Hidden Sea Salt (salted caramel), What's Up Matcha (green tea), Rose, Rose, I Love You (rose, lychee pulp), Passionately Yours (passion fruit) & Whazzaup ... Bi!!! (wasabi).

Coffee Chemistry Signature
First Subang Mall
Jalan SS15/4G,
47500 Subang Jaya,
Selangor, Malaysia.
Tel No: +603-5612 2299 / +6012-667 7512
Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday (10am – 11pm)

TeaRoom by Bel Jee

It's a terrific time to harbor a sweet tooth in Bangsar, since several divine dessert specialists have sprouted here.

Belinda Jee has spent years baking for online orders, but she now has her own sunny cafe where walk-in customers can savor top-flight wares such as decadently creamy coffee cupcakes & densely moist carrot cupcakes, bursting with fragrant bits of grated carrots, raisins & walnuts.

Liked the chocolate cupcake with dark choc ganache, but if you choose only one item, make it the chocolate blueberry cheese cupcake. Instead of a cake base, this has a soft, sticky layer of rich chocolate at the bottom, a nectarous swirl of blueberry-filled cream cheese in the middle and thick, luscious frosting on top. Otherworldly, Strawberry cheese cake. Juicy morsels of ultra-fresh strawberries pervaded every bite of this slice, proving that Bel Jee tolerates no short cuts or second-rate ingredients.

Chocolate cake with milk choc icing. TeaRoom Boutique Cafe is smallish, so it might get crowded for lunch. Business hours are 8.30am-6pm on weekdays - inconvenient for those of us who work away from Bangsar, but let's hope it eventually stays open for dinner.

TeaRoom Cafe,
TeaRoom by Bel Jee,
Wisma Volkswagen, Lorong Maarof, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.

 

 

S. Wine Cafe, Publika Solaris Dutamas

Here's The BIG Group's first eatery that's promiscuously porky.

Momofuku-inspired pork buns. Finger-scorching steamed mantao, sandwiching irredeemably sinful sponges of Dongpo pork belly. We'll pause for a moment to give thanks to the Song Dynasty Poet Su Dongpo, whose culinary creation of red-braised pork still supplies so much satisfaction nearly a millennium after his lifetime.

Going belly-up with our orders, all of which utilize a single, singular part of the pig's anatomy: smoky-juicy pork belly satay with kitchen-made peanut-pineapple sauce.

Five-spice Chinese roast pork belly with Japanese cucumber & pineapple chili sauce. If this looks a little too lean for your liking, it might be worth begging S.Wine's staff for a more lardy cut.

What's S.Wine's pork burger like? Sloppy & juicy, thanks to a Mexican-style pulled pork topping; it might not win the award for KL's best pork burger, but it should get nominated. No nitpicking possible about the plump patty & buttered brioche bun.

Geographical boundaries count for nothing at S.Wine. The menu features Italian favorites like this traditional preparation of spaghetti carbonara, replete with a raw-&-risky egg yolk, roughly torn prosciutto & pancetta chunks ...

... alongside mainstays of Malaysia's heritage: Hainanese pork chop flooded in tomato sauce & festooned with peas, corn, carrots & coriander. Would it be sacrilegious to say this is as satisfying as Yut Kee's Worcestershire-sauce version? 

Wine bought at Ben's Independent Grocer can be consumed without a corkage charge here.

S.Wine Cafe Deli @ Ben's Independent Grocer,
Publika, Solaris Dutamas, Kuala Lumpur.
Open through 10pm, starting 11am weekdays & 9am weekends.

Tony Roma's, Pavilion KL

Tony Roma’s is the largest casual theme restaurant chain specializing in ribs in the world. With nearly 200 restaurant locations in 17 states, 33 countries and six continents, Tony Roma’s is one of the most globally recognizable names in the industry. From Miami to Los Angeles, Orlando to Edmonton, and Tokyo to Madrid, Tony Roma’s serves its signature ribs, world famous onion loaf, and other steak, chicken and seafood entrees to thousands of guests every day.

The first “Tony Roma’s” was opened in North Miami, Florida on January 20, 1972. The restaurant featured casual décor, comfortable ambience and the feel of a neighborhood bar. The menu was simple and consisted of great tasting food, reasonable prices, late evening service and nightly live entertainment. Baby Back Ribs emerged as the house specialty with people traveling miles to sample the signature product. Tony Roma’s Place soon became one of Miami’s most popular and successful restaurants and firmly established its niche in the marketplace.

In January 1976, Clint Murchison Jr., a Texas financier and owner of the Dallas Cowboys was in Miami for the Super Bowl. After sampling Tony Roma’s Ribs and Cole Slaw, he was convinced they were the best he had ever tasted. He offered to purchase the majority of the U.S. Franchise rights and establish a jointly owned company…Roma Corporation to fund aggressive growth and expansion.

The second restaurant was opened in Broward County, Florida in 1976 and in December of that year the first West Coast restaurant opened in Beverly Hills. The opening was in true Hollywood tradition with numerous celebrities and sports figures in attendance. Over the next five years new Tony Roma’s were opened in Florida, California, Hawaii, Nevada, New York, Tennessee and Texas. The first international Tony Roma’s, a Franchise, was also opened in Japan on August 9, 1979.

The first domestically franchised Tony Roma’s was opened in July 1982 in San Jose, California. In 1983, Tony Roma transferred his development rights to Roma Corporation and the following year Clint Murchison Jr. sold his interest in Roma to his children. The headquarters was moved to Dallas, Texas and the company continued to grow both in Company and Franchise restaurant development. In 1991, Romacorp, Inc. was created as an overall reorganization of the Roma companies. Since the Murchison days the company has changed hands a few times, most recently in late 2004 and is now operated under the guidance of 3 major private equity firms.

Expansion has been strong in Latin America and the Caribbean as well as continued growth in Asia, Europe, Canada and the United States. Tony Roma’s today has Company and Franchise operations throughout the world. The company’s worldwide sales are in excess of $290 Million and the system is approximately 90% operated by Franchise Partners. Approximately 75% of the restaurants are operated outside of the U.S.

Since its beginning nearly 40 years ago, Tony Roma’s has been focused on serving its signature Baby Back Ribs. The company has won numerous awards across the country for the “Best Ribs” and also has won nationally acclaimed industry recognition as “The Best Ribs in America”.

Tony Roma’s is not just a place for ribs anymore. We have expanded the menu to focus on variety for all guests; not just rib eaters. We have an extensive selection of Steaks and Seafood entrees along with the most unique appetizers and mini desserts in segment today. We have redesigned our buildings and service to meet the ever-changing mindset of guests.

The Company’s mission is “Great Food delivered by Professional, Friendly Team Members resulting in Guest loyalty… Worldwide.”

Lot 1.15, Level 1,
Pavilion,
Kuala Lumpur