Wednesday, 5 June 2013

Fashion - Famous Designer

FASHION FASHION FASHION FASHION FASHION

Fashion is always being associated with woman. But, do you know that most of the famous fashion designers are among the man??? Well, I also got surprise when this come to my knowledge. So for my post today, I will list down 3 top fashion designer in Malaysia. Don’t be surprised!!!

But before that,lets take a look at who top the list for  top 10 most searched designer in 2012 by online fashion blog, Popsugar Fashion. I only list down the top winner which is a man, Michael Kors. If you are interested, you can always refer to the blog here

Michael Kors was born Karl Anderson, Jr. He began designing clothes and selling them out of his parents’ basement which he renamed the Iron Butterfly. Even though he faced difficulty in maintaining it, he work hard for his dream and able to come up with his own line in year 2004.

Among the celebrities who have worn his designs are Jennifer Lopez, Rachel McAdams, Elissa, Heidi Klum, and Catherine Zeta-Jones. For you information, Michelle Obama, a wife to President of United State of America wore his black sleeveless dress in her first term official portrait as First Lady. If you are interested to know about the products designed by him, please feel free to visit his website. Among  among his lines ;

Ok, now lets take a look at the top 3 famous Malaysian fashion designer listed by Top10of Malaysia blog.


1) Jimmy Choo




Jimmy Choo has become a worldwide known brand that is associated with class, style and high fashion. Born into a family of shoemakers, Jimmy Choo made his first shoe when he was only 11 years old. 
His fashion industry beginnings can be traced back to his workshop in North London


He came to the verge of international notability when his creations were featured in a record eight pages in a 1988 issue of Vogue. Patronage from Diana, Princess of Wales, from 1990 further boosted his image. If you are interested tosee his collection , you can do so at his official website <-- click here. Meanwhile, below image are among his collection.


2) ZangToi



ZangToi’s strive to make a woman feel bold, beautiful, sexy, dramatic and glamorous in his designs. This New York-based designer have styled many glamorous celebrities such as Sharon Stone, Ivana Trump, Kirstie Alley, Meg Ryan, and many others. His moderately priced bridge line, his creations continue to pamper today’s woman with uncompromising style, glamour and romance. Below are among of his collections. Of course you can always visit his website <--click here.





3) Bernard Chandran



Bernard Chandran graduated from the Paris American Academy where he became the first non-European to win the coveted Silk, Cut Young Designers Award and the Open European Contest for Look of the Year 2000 in 1991. Two years later, he returned to Malaysia and launched his own line of clothing. In 2005, his first Autumn/Winter 2006 Ready-To-Wear collection was showcased at the London Fashion Weekend and since then, Bernard Chandran pieces have caught the eye of celebrities including the likes of Lady Gaga and Estelle, who wore his designs when she won her first Grammy at the Grammy Awards in 2009.





I am so proud that our Malaysian designers are able to bring their collection internationally. However, I also get shock because most of them are man. So, who say man is not good in fashion????



Tuesday, 4 June 2013

Artist - Favorite Band - WINGS



Well, among my favorite band in Malaysia is of course WINGS. Let me tell you a little bit of the history of WINGS. It is all started around 1985 in Sri Ampang Secondary School in Kuala Lumpur where four young men decided to formed a school band. They are motivated and very interested in music, especially Rock. Hence, they decided to choose Rock'n'Roll as their genre. The original members of the group were Awie, Jojet, Jo and Syam. In early 1987, the Wings got an offer to record an album under the label ASP and WINGS name used as the name of this group.

WINGS fist album
The name WINGS originally triggered by Awie as people always rebuked him for his arm muscular or more accurately as 'sesayap' or 'wings'. During their debut, rock music began to gain a place in Malaysia, hence WINGS really receive warm acceptance. With the help of good music and vibrant vocals,  assisted by well-known composers such as M. Nasir and Kevin JS, the first album was well received. 



WINGS also faced some difficulty as their songs are not allowed to broadcast on radio and TV by Radoi Telesion Malaysia or RTM. RTM did not approve publication of Wings songs on the ground that their lyrics, music and background Wings alleged excesses and do not meet the conditions for release. 




However due to the perseverance and support from friends and fans who stood behind them, Wings managed to go through all the trials and tribulations. WINGS's popularity continues to grow where their concerts are always a crowded with fans entertained with their performances.

WINGS during the "Anugerah Juara Lagu" one of Malaysian prestigous singing competition


WINGS in 2013. They have made a performance at Istana Budaya


Among the most interesting story of WINGS is definitely the changing of  WINGS's lead vocalist. Awie, the main vocalist, all of a sudden leave the group in times of the  popularity. Only after 2 years later they found the replacement, Mel - a talented singer who has long been involved in singing. However, Mel also leave the group not long after that and soon the spot was replaced by Mus, former lead vocalist of May.

All the vocalist of WINGS. From left, Awie, Mus and Mel
Although the WINGS have been through many obstacles and challenges, especially when they lead vocalist make a decision to pull out and move solo, WINGS are still able to maintain their reputation in the rock music scene. They take the initiative to publish the album "Wings & Superfriends 1 & 2" which incorporates some popular rock artists of the country. This proved that in order to create a band, they should not rely on the credibility of the singer alone, but must take the initiative to ensure WINGS to survive and remains one of the most influential rock bands in Malaysia.


I will continue my support to this group as this is among my favorite band of all time. With the combination of great songs, I hope all of you will support and love them as much as I do !!!


Below moving image are among WINGS's album that have been produced

Monday, 3 June 2013

Healthy Life Malaysia




Among Health Campaign by Ministry of Health, Malaysia

All Malaysian must admit that all the food in Malaysia is absolutely delicious. However, we should remember to consume a balanced diet for good health, particularly when our age is increasing. 


Here are among 4 important steps  you can take to keep our health ;


Balance is key


Food will have an impact on all aspects of the body, energy levels, brain function, sleep habits and health. Therefore, balanced diet will give you energy according to what your body is needed. Do not completely give up your favorite delights because you will find it hard to maintain. What you can do is when you are ordering roti canai for breakfast, pair it with water instead of ordering a drink filled with sugar and empty calories.



Less Sugar  is the way to go


Majority of the calories consumed in Malaysia are purely through the sugary and often milky drinks. In order to stay healthy, we must cut our sugar intake in everyday consumption. For instance, if  you’re not a fan of plain old ice water, ask for your drinks to come with less sugar (kurang manis).


Make smart choices

Not all our foods are high in calories, so sometimes pick a lighter meal when you’re out. Among the things you can do is to ask for bihun instead of kuay teow and if  you’re a fan of fruit rojak, ask for the sauce to be packed separately and this way you can dip your fruits in the sauce. Making smarter choices on a daily basis will help you reach your health goals. I have come across the recommended nutrient intake (RNI) is the daily intake corresponding to RDA which meets the nutrient requirements of almost all (97.5%) apparently healthy individuals published by the Ministry of Health Malaysia. There are a total of 18 useful chapter. Attach is the link for you to get further information http://www.moh.gov.my/v/cadangan_pengambilan_zat




Exercise






We have to somehow admit that in order to lead a healthy life, exercise is necessary. According to expert, regular exercise can help protect you from heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure, noninsulin-dependent diabetes, obesity, back pain, osteoporosis, and can improve your mood and help you to better manage stress. Above is the video posted on Youtube in conjunction with 1Murid1Sukan introduced by the Ministry of Education Malaysia.  Personally I think it is a good effort introduced as they are trying to instill the healthy lifestyle from young age. I have tried to do the exercise and at the end of it, I am sweating. Please take some time to try it too. I hope that you will experienced fun like what i did !!!



That's all for now.Remember, Stay Healthy Malaysian!

Music - Guitar



Before I tell you more about guitar, let us take a look at the history of it first. Before the development of the electric guitar and the use of synthetic materials, it was defined as being an instrument having "a long, fretted neck, flat wooden soundboard, ribs, and a flat back, most often with incurved sides".  The term is used to refer to a number of instruments that were developed and used across Europe, beginning in the 12th century and, later, in the Americas. Modern chordophones are the descendants of long lines of instruments that go back several thousand years to those of ancient Central Asia and India. For this reason, modern western chordophones, like the guitar, the violin, the lute and others, are distantly related to the modern instruments of Central Asia and India, including the tanbur, the setar and the sitar. (source : Wikipedia).



Above are the two types of guitar which are Acoustic and Electric. Acoustic guitars are several notable subcategories within the acoustic guitar group: classical and flamenco guitars; steel-string guitars, which include the flat-topped, or "folk," guitar; twelve-string guitars; and the arched-top guitar. On the other hand, Electric guitars can have solid, semi-hollow, or hollow bodies, and produce little sound without amplification. Now that you know the type of it, let us get to know among the greatest professional guitar player in the world.


Jimi Hendrix, also known as Johnny Allen Hendrix. His favorite instrument is based American guitarist and singer-songwriter. Hendrix is one of the most influential guitarist of his time.

A songwriter and guitarist band Metallica, Kirk Hammett Lee or Kirk Hammett favorite instrument is the ESP KH-2 and KH3 model. Awesome speed and agression Kirk Hammett has made him famous.

Saul Hudson or Slash is known as a Master American Hard Rock Band, Guns and Roses. He is also a guitarist and songwriter Born American who became famous in the 1980s and 1990s.

Carlos Augusto Alves Santana or Carlos Santana is known for his own band, Santana, rock their world in the late 1960s and the 1970s. Mainly influenced Carlos Santana Latin Rock and Jazz Fusion, has won 3 Latin Grammy Awards and 10 Grammy Awards.


Now, that you a little bit about guitar and those who are famous with it, I bet you also want to learn how to use them right?? I usually play with whenever I feel stressed out or when I have a free time. I really enjoying playing with my guitar.You should too !! You can always visit other blog that teach you on how to play the guitar. 




STAY CALM AND GUITAR ON !!!








Ulam - Thousand Benefits Hidden

"ULAM AND THE THOUSAND BENEFITS HIDDEN





Ulam or salad herbs can be found here in Malaysia. We, as a Malaysian can be considered lucky as Malaysia is a country that is rich in its flora and fauna. 20,000 tropical plant species can be found, of which 14,500 are flowering plants while 2,000 are herbs or medicinal plants. Of these, young tender leaves, flowers, fruits, rhizomes, yams or whole plants of about 100 species are eaten fresh as ulam or salad herbs. These are gathered from natural habitats while a few species are planted. Ulams are among the most nutritious vegetables. This is because they are all free from environmental pollution, pesticides and chemical fertilizers.



Among the example of ulam according to its types and its benefits are;




Pegaga - improve the health of the skin, generating intelligence thinking among children and help blood circulation in the body.





Kaduk - contains many nutrients such as calcium, phosphorus and iron the highest of 446.50 compared with other side dish.





 Jering -  Contains  3.5% protein, 1.7% carbohydrate and calcium




 Terung Pipit - High in iron, protein, carbohydrate, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin BI and contain a lot of phosphorus.


Petai - rich in energy resources, namely calcium, iron, vitamin C, protein and carbohydrate

The general benefit of consuming ulam is it can help to increase the fiber intake in our body where this actually can help to lower down the cholesterol and less constipation. salads also can reduce the number of calorie in your body. Furthermore, it provide our bodies with high levels of antioxidants which can lower the possibilities to get illness such as cancer. Other benefits of eating ulam is it can help to clean the blood of toxic materials and strengthen bones. 


Mostly, Malays are familiar with ulam for generations as they believe that ulams keep them healthy and youthful. This is proven as there are scientific evidence that people who eat fresh and wholesome fruits and vegetables (ulam) regularly are healthier and have a lower risk of cancer, cardiovascular and other chronic diseases. 


Running Man - Dont Walk, Run !!