The Fleeting Best of Living Walls - Thanks to Joe

They were smiling as if this was the time of their lives, which indeed it was.

Joe Dreher told me that he and his son were helping 3ttman with his Living Walls mural in Summerhill, said I should drop by.

So on August 8, I dropped by.

And that started my favorite art experience: For 8 days I watched the murals go up.

Left: Joe Dreher. Right: 3ttman, "His name derives from the French trois t�tes man, or three headed man � a recurring figure in his work."


My first look at 3ttman's wall (right) and 2501's wall (left).


3ttman was on the lift sketching with a long pole.


Living Walls volunteers looked after the artists. Here are three: Joe, Vanessa, and Karley. These are the smiles I'm talking about.


The butterfly catcher wall by Matt Haffner and Laura Bell dwarfed them.


One little paintbrush by Matt Haffner.


One little paintbrush by Laura Bell.


Freddy Sam took great pains on his Springbok.


He painted more that 50 of them all by himself. When I spoke with him on this day, I felt the crushing workload he'd set out for himself. Toward the end of the week I think he relaxed a little.


Trek Matthews' pallet-on-a-lift.


Trek seemed a spec on his giant wall.


Artist 2501 brought a loved one and needed all the cool he could get on his south-facing wall.


Left: 2501, right: 3ttman.


The blue wasn't just the buff for Know Hope. It's his signature color and the majority of the composition.


Know Hope was one artist with one little paint brush.


The Marcy Starz blue was lighter.


I never caught Marcy painting. Her mural advanced in chunks.

Elian got some help.


Tip for summer muralists: Get a north facing wall, chose a design that allows delegation.


Sam Parker had help at times.


Sam worked alone at times. Tip: A lift puts you at the exact height. A scaffold gives you ladder-legs and requires ungentlemanly bending.


Nanook started later and was in a groove that gave him time to chat.


Nanook seemed gnat-sized working beside Freddy Sam who by this time was on his third panel of springbok. 


Joshua Ray Stephens' wall on Daniel Street meant ladder-legs...


...and interesting juxtapositions.


Pastel and his assistant were there every single time I drove by. He painted the whole building.


An overwhelming amount of solo work.


You can see Turner Field behind Gyun Hur's whole-house mural.


Gyun.


Jaz did two murals, just knocked them out. This is the small one.


Then Jaz did horses.


Horses appeared wherever he sprayed.


INTI did the biggest wall.


He seemed to enjoy the work and my attention.


Agostino dealt with a prickley deodar cedar at Triumph Lofts.


When the lift ran out of gas, they ran on battery backup.


Roti incorporated a prior mural by Jaz on The Sound Table wall.


Roti, one man with a can.


At the end Living Walls volunteers broke things down and cleaned things up.

I know they were happy, I know they were exhausted.

I know they felt an aching regret: the best part was over. In the process they bonded with the artists they might never see again. That's the way I feel and I just watched a little.

So the murals will remind me of all the people who put them up. And I'll remember my favorite art experience (so far).

Thanks Joe for the great tip. I hope to do it again next year.

They're finished now. Go see. They are in perfect condition.

Terry's 7 tips for enjoying the walls: 1. Go see them at least 3 times. 2. You don't have to know anything. 3. You don't have to think. 4. You don't have to like them. 5. You can change your mind and change it again. 6. If there are walls you particularly like (or hate), look up the artist. 7. Imagine the wall YOU would like to see. and...


8. Look at them from different vantage points if you can (2501 photographing his wall).

10 Things I Wish I'd Known Before Travelling the Silk Road-Guest Post

I have a very special treat for your guys today. Delia's blog, World in Words is a new find for me and I could not be more smitten by her creatively articulated travel stories. She left her job as a politics correspondent in the UK to travel the Silk Road from Turkey to China. I mean seriously, how awesome is that?! After you read her post below on things she wished she knew before leaving for her travels, you seriously need to head over to her page because she has some of the most unique travel experiences I've ever read! Here are some of my favorites to get you started: Walking in the Pamirs, How to Survive a Sleeper Train and Darvaza Gas Craters. Oh and Horse Riding in Kyrgyzstan; because those photos are beautiful!

--------------------

I've not confessed this to many people... but at the bottom of my rucksack, underneath my medical kit, trainers and other essential items, is a Lada car window handle. And no, since setting off to travel the Silk Road across Central Asia more than three months ago, I've not needed it once. Not once. Truth be told, with it being a road less travelled, I just wasn't sure what to expect. Yes, I hoped for amazing blue tiled mosques in Uzbekistan, a bizarre dictatorship in Turkmenistan and horses on green hills in Kyrgyzstan but that's sort of where my expectations ended. Despite doing quite a bit of research online (and having a guidebook) I failed to really comprehend what I would need to take with me and just what lay in store.

The street of mausoleums, Shah-I-Zinda in Samarkand, Uzbekistan

So, without further ado I would like to dispel a few myths to help others who may be interested in travelling Central Asia:

1) You do not need to take your own car window handle (we read online that this was a MUST pack item due to old knackered cars having no window handles). Most cars have electric windows, and while many of them will not work - your Lada window wrench will sadly be no use whatsoever (it won't even open cans of tuna. Fact.) You will be better served taking a portable fan - perhaps one of those fancy pants battery operated ones that sprays water.

Matty (boyfriend and partner in travel crime) brandishing the single most useless item to travel with.

2) The taxi drivers in this corner of the world play TERRIBLE music at high volume for hours on end. The only solution to this is to bring along an aux cable so you can plug in your iPod or music of choice and take control of the party. Oh, and there's not a lot of public transport in Tajikistan, Kyrgzstan and even parts of Uzbekistan so this really is a serious concern. Otherwise you could be listening to Uzbek dance trash for hours on end like this:

Our 'shared taxi' in Uzbekistan, heading to the Tajikistan border

Or this:

Another day, another journey: My travel buddies Donagh (left) and Matty (middle) on a 12 hour journey to the Pamirs in Tajikistan

3) The toilet paper here (which doesn't actually look like loo roll, more like a bandage - the very reason I went a day without using it at all when we first got here) is incredibly scratchy. It's been christened (by us) as the Chuck Norris paper - because it doesn't take sh*t off anyone... To be honest you're unlikely to bring away enough toilet paper for your entire trip so this is just a warning - get yourself mentally prepared.

4) But while we're on the subject - the bog roll is the least of your worries. The Central Asian 'toilets' are perhaps some of the worst in the world. Of course when I say toilets I mean holes - many of which have a metal wire across them to reinforce the hole, with the unfortunate consequence of catching everything that falls their way... If you get my drift. You will find holes side by side and the locals will think nothing of sidling up besides you - or watching you and asking you where you are from while you are busy squatting. Other holes will just leave you in fear of losing a leg down them, I mean look at this: 

 

5) Wi-fi: There is wi-fi in Central Asia! And it is quite widely available we had it everywhere from the capitals to the more rural towns like Karakol in Kyrgzstan - although it is almost always painfully slow. If you need a reliable wi-fi connection on the Silk Road the best thing you can do is buy local 3G SIM cards (for about $2) and then buy a 3G package (about $10 for 1GB) which is much faster than wi-fi. We caught on to this in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan and our 3G package still had loads of Internet left when we left the countries about two weeks later, despite going on the Internet a lot and uploading picture-heavy blog posts like this :)

Left to right: Me, Matty and Donagh in a remote homestay in the Pamirs, Tajikistan. I admit we had signal of no kind here.

6) What to pack: Central Asia is not as conservative as you may think. Personally, I thought I would need to be covered from ankle to wrist in many countries but it's just not the case. A long skirt and t-shirt is ideal but knee-length skirts and vest tops are also fine in many places - for more details on what to pack and a brief dress code for each country click here. 

Me sporting the most conservative outfit I took on the trip... at Kah Kaag fort in Tajikistan as the sun said its goodbyes for the day

7) Need your hair done on the Slik Road? Fret not. I braved getting my highlights done in Dushanbe, Tajikistan and admittedly I went uber-Barbie-blonde but it gave my roots the lift they needed. If you're wondering what sort of refreshments might be on offer at the salon, forget tea and coffee but think more corn on the cob. Nice touch indeed. Plus it only cost about $30. Bargain.

   

8) The food. Oh, the food. Believe everything that it is said about Central Asian food - and expect worse. It just ain't that great and is certainly not the reason for visiting this stunning corner of the world. Expect kebabs (great), lots of fatty meat, bland sauces and more fatty meat (not so great). Until you hit Kyrgyzstan and China that is, when the food suddenly takes a turn for the better. If you're vegetarian expect a diet of rice, cucumbers, tomatoes and bread. 

Matty tucks into another kebab....

9) The booze. Praise the booze. Expect to be offered vodka at 10am in the morning - this is ok. In fact just get used to drinking vodka at all hours and forget any hopes of having it with a mixer. Vodka in Central Asia is drunk neat, but make sure you have something to hand to follow it with - tomatoes work brilliantly but sprite is still my number one chaser. There is also plenty of beer in these countries - just keep an eye on the alcohol percentage as many are a tad on low side (about 3%). But the best tip I can give you is - when you get to Uzbekistan make sure this is your beer of choice, delicious:

 

10) Getting visas on the Silk Road may lead you straight to the vodka bottle. This is ok and normal. The single biggest headache on this journey will be picking up visas. The key is meticulous research - one of the best sites we found was Carivanistan - which is constantly updated with travellers most recent experiences. The situation changes every few weeks - we were denied visas to Afghanistan because the 'rules changed' in Tashkent and we had troubles getting our Turkmenistan visas in Armenia because they're not talking to Azerbaijan which was our exit port. To see where and how we picked ours up along the road click here. But fret not, you're never more than a few metres away from a shot of vodka.

   

But perhaps the best advice I can give you if you are planning to travel Central Asia is that you are in for a trip of a lifetime. From the incredible high altitude world of the Pamir Mountain range in Tajikistan to the evocative cities of Bukhara, Khiva and Samarkand in Uzbekistan that conjur up images of ancient Silk Road traders; you will be enthralled almost every step of the way. It's a journey like no other. Just don't take a car window handle.

Staring into a burning gas crater in the Turkmenistan desert

Where sleeping dogs lie... A high altitude cafe at 4,300 metres on the Pamir Highway

New online tool shows you what individual health insurance costs next year in WA

We've built a new online tool to help you find out what health care plans will cost next year. Simply click on the map -- premiums vary by where you live -- and it will tell you which insurance carriers are offering coverage in your area. You can click on each company to see its rates, which vary based on your age.

A couple of caveats: These rates are mainly for the individual market, meaning people who have to buy insurance for themselves, and don't get it through an employer, Medicare, etc.

Also, the rates do factor in the subsidies that will be available to some people. Those subsidies will reduce the cost of coverage substantially for many people. You can estimate how much you'll pay, with subsidies taken into account, by using this online calculator from the Washington HealthPlanFinder.

Lastly, the list of health plans is likely to grow over the next couple of months. We are still reviewing plans, for example, for multiple insurance carriers that have filed to sell coverage outside the state exchange. And some plans that were rejected for the Exchange have filed appeals. So stay tuned.

Letters/65

Dear Laundry, this is one of the times I miss the comforts of the good ol' US of A. Dryers are not common in Korea, and while I'm thankful to actually have one, it's a steam dryer. Which means that it takes roughly 4-5 hours for a load of laundry to completely dry. So we opt for half drying it and then hanging it up to dry. But this is when our little cat, Zeke, thinks that it's play time...or rather nap time, and climbs up on top of the drying rack to walk around on our clothes and take a nap. Dear Decisions, can't you make yourselves? I'm already just about the most indecisive person, and that's just with decisions about what to have for lunch. Dear Jeremy, it's pretty darn cute when you start unknowingly humming 'you are my sunshine'. I don't want kids yet but you're going to make a pretty cute dad one day. Far far off into the future (don't get any ideas mother-in-law). Dear Teaching, I have been told that once you've decided you're done teaching, you.are.done teaching. We have five months left in our contract and I'm hoping it will be my last. But I don't want to say too much too soon because I know all too well that God has one heck of a sense of humor. Dear South Africa, it's official! We bought our tickets to spend a whole month exploring the country this January!

--------------------

And now onto one of my lovely sponsors this month. Be sure to check her out and say hi!

About Bonnie: I am a military kid who was born and grew up on military bases overseas in Europe.  I met the love of my life at University in the Theatre Department.  We got married, had two kids and became a military family.  After six years of living in California and Hawaii we decided to live the Expat life.  In 2011 we moved our family abraod to England where I work as a photographer, and hair & make up artist.  I love traveling and blog about my experiences as and Expat and Third Culture Kid. 

What she can't travel without: A Camera be it on my phone or my Nikon DSLR. 

Bloglovin' // Twitter // Facebook

An open letter from Mike Kreidler about insurance plans filed for Washington's exchange

An open letter from Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler

In January, the biggest changes under health care reform � or �Obamacare� � will take effect. Many health plans, which now have to comply with federal standards, will be significantly better. And hundreds of thousands of low- and middle-income Washingtonians will qualify for subsidies to help pay for coverage.

This fall, Washington�s new Health Benefit Exchange will open for business, giving consumers an easy way to compare health plans, sign up, and see if they qualify for the subsidies.

Many kinds of insurance policies, before they can be sold, must be reviewed and approved by my office. This is a very important consumer protection, designed to ensure that prices are fair and that insurers can deliver on their promises.

I�m pleased to report that based on state and federal law, we were able to approve 31 health insurance plans, from four carriers, for the Exchange. People shopping on the Exchange will have broad choice and significantly better coverage, starting Jan. 1, 2014.

Unfortunately, we had to reject applications from five other insurance carriers. These were not decisions I made lightly. I am a strong supporter of competition and consumer choice, and a longtime supporter of health care reform.

As the state�s insurance regulator, however, I have a duty to protect consumers and to hold all insurers to the same standards. There were substantial problems in the plans we rejected.

Health insurers must have adequate networks of doctors and other health care providers. And there were major problems with the networks of most of the rejected plans. One didn�t offer any pediatric hospital.

Another had no approved retail pharmacy. Certain plans didn�t have adequate access to transplant surgeons, or to HIV/AIDS specialists.

One network would have required people to drive more than 45 miles to see a cardiologist, and more than 120 miles to see a gastroenterologist. That would be like living in Tacoma but having to see a doctor in Bellingham.

These were not minor technicalities. They were major problems.

Some people have pointed out that three of the carriers whose plans were rejected are currently serving people on Medicaid. They worry that people whose incomes rise, making them ineligible for Medicaid, will have difficulty moving to a regular commercial plan, or would lose important continuity of care offered by the community clinics. Many of these community clinics offer important services, such as language assistance or transportation.

Rest assured: The plans I approved for the Exchange include a substantial number of community clinics throughout the state. In many cases, Medicaid patients who want to remain with the same clinic will be able to.

The Affordable Care Act requires all carriers participating in the Exchange to contract with an adequate number of �Essential Community Providers,� or ECPs. These are defined as health care providers that serve high-risk, special needs and underserved individuals. Many Sea Mar clinics, for example, have contracts with the commercial carriers who were approved for the Exchange.

My staff and I worked very hard to try to get all carriers and all plans across the finish line in time. We had dozens of meetings, and 14 webinars to try to walk them through the process. I called one CEO after another, laying out the key issues and timelines. On the final night, July 31, we had staff waiting at their desks until midnight, in order to give the companies every possible minute to succeed.

But some carriers � particularly those new to the commercial insurance market -- simply couldn�t meet the standards this time.

We knew this first big year of health reform implementation would be a bumpy ride, and it has been. But I remain optimistic about the future. We will continue to work with all carriers to help them get ready for the next year, when I fully expect more insurers to succeed.

In the meantime, consumers have a broad number of choices. The insurance is meaningful, the networks robust, the subsidies significant. Again, the process has been bumpy. But it�s a very promising start.

Mike Kreidler

Insurance Commissioner

August Sponsor Giveaway!

Remember back in May how I said that anytime I traveled out of the country, I would bring back a gift for one lucky reader? It's been awhile huh? Well the day has finally come for another giveaway, and this time, not only have I brought back a little something something for you to win from our trip to Cambodia, but my lovely sponsors have also joined in the on the fun.

True Colours: 2 months of "London" ad space 

Chasing Happy: 2 months of "Cheerful Package" ad space

One and Twenty: $10 Target gift card 

Found Love, Now What: 2 Months of Chester Cathedral ad space

Manhattan Emily: Customizable Copper Bangle Bracelet

After We Tied the Knott: Ad Space

A Compass Rose: 1 Month of Featured ad space

Lost in Travels: Cambodian Wallet 

I found this wallet in a market in Phnom Penh and couldn't resist (I may or may not have picked one up for myself...and for souvenirs). It has a unique elephant design and is made from recycled concrete bags in Cambodia. How cool is that? Enter below for your chance to win this, along with gift cards, ad space and jewelry from my lovely sponsors!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rules

1. Open internationally. 

2. Winner’s entry validity will be verified by me and if an entry proves to be invalid, you will be disqualified.

3. Giveaway ends on the  28^th of August at 12:00 AM EST. Winner will be contacted by email no later than the 30^th of August. Winner has 48 hours to respond, if the winner does not respond, a new winner will be picked.

4. Please note that Lost in Travels Blog is not responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prizes. I have represented each sponsor with the expectation they will fulfill their prize and in a timely manner. I will contact the sponsor regarding your prize(s).  I will make every effort to assist you in obtaining your prize. If there is an issue with a sponsor, please notify the blog you won a prize from within 30 days for assistance, after that we may be unable to assist you. 

DOL Teams Up With Vermont on the Latest ERISA Preemption Attack

The practice of individual states enacting laws that arguably infringe on ERISA preemption is not new.  In fact, some states have become increasingly creative in poking and prodding at the limits of this federal law, which has raised obvious concerns among those involved in the self-insurance marketplace.  (See previous blog posts commenting on the Michigan health care claims tax.)

A new twist worth reporting on is the fact that the Department of Labor has apparently decided to take a more hands-on (political) role in shaping the evolving legal landscape, positioning the agency as a powerful accomplice in the effort to make self-insurance a more challenging risk management strategy.

 This intent was demonstrated last month by the DOL�s decision to file an Amicus brief in the case of Liberty Mutual Insurance Company v. Susan L. Dorgan, in her Capacity as the Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Regulation.  The case is currently pending in the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit

 At issue is whether Vermont�s Health Care Database� statute is preempted by ERISA.  Among other things, the statute requires health insurers, providers, facilities and government agencies to �file reports, data, schedules, statistics, or other information determined by the commissioner.�  The term �health insurer� is defined broadly to include any administrator of a self-insured group health plans, including third party administrators and pharmacy benefit managers.

The purpose of these requirements is to enable the state to build a comprehensive database it believes is necessary in order to effectively carry out health care administration functions.   Liberty Mutual, a self-insured employer, refused to provide the requested data.  The company subsequently sued the state, arguing that the collection and reporting of the requested data created administrative burdens for the plans, therefore triggering ERISA preemption.

Siding with the state, a federal trial court judge granted summary judgment, finding that the Vermont law did not affect ERISA plan administration and further concluding that it was appropriate for the state to regulate in this area.

Admittedly, ERISA preemption law can be complicated and highly technical in many cases.  In this regard, to be charitable, we suppose that a good faith argument could be made the requirements set forth  in this stature do not, in fact, affect plan administration so criticism of the state should be put in proper context � a disagreement on legal and policy grounds.

The DOL�s participation is another matter.  By putting its large thumb on the scale, an ambitious political agenda is exposed for those who care to notice.

As the agency primarily responsible for administrating and enforcing ERISA, DOL has historically defended the law�s broad federal preemption provisions.   But with its provocative interpretation that Vermont is essentially regulating the business of insurance (the key exception to ERISA preemption), DOL has clearly signaled it has changed course, presumably to support the Administration�s implicit objective of squeezing the private health care marketplace when possible and where few people are watching.

We commented recently that Tom Perez�s nomination as secretary of DOL portended a more political agency.  Given that he was subsequently confirmed after this Amicus brief was filed, his fingerprints aren�t on this one but it can be reasonably concluded that under his watch the DOL will continue to back Vermont if the case is ultimately heard by the U.S. Supreme Court. 

And so it goes.  A huge federal bureaucracy quietly imposes the Administration�s political will in ways too nuanced to attract attention.  But that�s where the real action is.

Daily Blog #59: Understanding the artifacts ShellBags

Hello Reader,
           Another day, another blog. They say if you've done something for two weeks it becomes a habit. Well it's been two months and I will tell you that I know each evening that I should be writing tomorrows blog, but life (and good tv shows/movies) often gets in the way. So I just got back from lunch and its time to push through the remaining usage artifacts so we can talk about the combined analysis of them. I think after I'm done with all of these posts I will feel some feeling of relief but also another separate list of which artifacts I need to go into more technical detail on in the future. Blog posts sometimes just write other blog posts, but mainly your comments are what help drive the direction of my writing. Also please note that if you have not added me to your Google+ circles and made your comment limited, I can't see it.

Let's talk about Shell Bags! Shell bags is one of my favorite Windows artifacts as it reveals so much as to what the custodian was interested in data wise. For a technical primer on shell bags, go here:
http://computer-forensics.sans.org/blog/2011/07/05/shellbags
and
http://windowsir.blogspot.com/2012/08/shellbag-analysis.html

As has been stated shellbags record a users preference for each folder viewed within the gui explorer. That is important as the only ways to get around a shellbag in viewing folders that I know of is to:

• Load a command prompt
• Utilize a third party file system navigation tool
• Browse for files inside of an application that does not use the win32 browser call

Otherwise, if a folder is accessed and viewed within the GUI a shellbag entry is going to be made to record their preferences. As a by product of storing those preferences (item list type, window size, sorting) it also stores the MAC times of the directory, the full path, the last time of update to the registry key and in Windows 7 the MFT record number. 

For the most in depth treatise on the shell item format and how its changed between Windows versions read this: https://googledrive.com/host/0B3fBvzttpiiSajVqblZQT3FYZzg/Windows%20Shell%20Item%20format.pdf

This is important. Why you ask? While full paths are great for static drive letters, without volume serial numbers (as we find in LNK files) we have no way to uniquely match them to removable devices without doing some deep timeline analysis showing what was attached at what times. With the addition of the MFT record number (consisting of the entry number and sequence number) which will allows us to identify uniquely the directories and files being recorded in the shellbags to the directory/file located on external media.

Now I just assumed something of you reader, I assumed you understand the power of shellbags in getting more information about what was contained on removable devices. The shellbag entries are stored on a per user basis and are not limited in scope to just the local disks. Whatever removable or network based storage the user views through the GUI explorer gets recorded. As far as I know, and please leave a comment and correct me if i'm wrong, the shellbags are the only artifact that will reveal the existence of directories accessed without the need of a file being accessed within them. LNK files do get created pointing to directories at times, but not the breadth and depth that the shellbag entries show you. 

So, shellbags are awesome. You should be checking them. 

This is my favorite tool to check them with:

https://www.tzworks.net/prototype_page.php?proto_id=14

Don't exclude them in your analysis just because its not a built in feature of your tool.

Tomorrow we move onward towards more artifacts and greater understanding!

Mario Badescu Seaweed Cleansing Lotion Review

Press Sample (Affiliate Link)

Mario Badescu Seaweed Cleansing Lotion "is a non-drying, alcohol-free toner that cleans and disinfects dry and sensitive skin. Mild witch hazel formula removes pore-clogging debris, and anti-inflammatory seaweed and aloe extract soothe sensitive areas."



How to use: "Twice daily after cleansing, pat skin dry and apply lotion-dampened cotton by wiping in an

Free Download Adobe Air 3.8.0.1290 Beta Update Terbaru

Free Download Adobe Air 3.8.0.1290 Beta Gratis Terbaru 2013 - Adobe ® AIR waktu dijalankan memungkinkan Anda untuk memiliki aplikasi web favorit Anda di sepanjang waktu. Sejak aplikasi dibangun untuk Adobe AIR berjalan pada komputer desktop Anda tanpa web browser, mereka menyediakan semua kemudahan dari aplikasi desktop.

Perusahaan seperti eBay dan AOL menggunakan Adobe AIR untuk menciptakan aplikasi baru yang menarik yang memungkinkan Anda untuk menggunakan layanan mereka pada desktop Anda.

Singkatnya, Adobe AIR berarti aplikasi yang lebih mudah, lebih kuat, dan lebih menyenangkan untuk digunakan.

Aman di web: Adobe AIR membantu memastikan instalasi aman dengan meminta tanda tangan digital pada setiap aplikasi AIR yang mengidentifikasi aplikasi dan penciptanya sebelum anda menginstal.

Kini saya menghadirkan Adobe AIR Versi terbaru yaitu Adobe Air 3.8.0.1290 Beta, pada versi ini terdapat update pada beberapa stabilitas dan peningkatan keamanan

Rincian File:

Title: Adobe Air 3.8.0.1290 Beta
Filename: AdobeAIRInstaller.exe
File size: 17.24MB
Requirements: Windows 2000 / XP / Vista / Windows7 / XP64 / Vista64 / Windows7 64 / Windows8 / Windows8 64
Languages: en-US
License: Freeware

Download :

• Adobe Air 3.8.0.1290 Beta - Click Here to Download - 17.24 MB

Semoga bermanfaat. Thanks...

Spice Brasserie | 槟城美食与螃蟹大宴

16th August 2013.
Passing by Parkroyal Kitchener Road one day, my eyes were fixed on their huge banner introducing their Penang Buffet. Hence, I find it very lucky indeed that just a few days later, I received an invitation from Spice Brasserie of Parkroyal Kitchener Road to try their new menu featuring Penang classics such as the Assam Laksa and Penang-style Char Kway Teow as well as a decadent crab feast with at least 10 kinds of crabs on offer.

Spice Brasserie has always been overlooked in favour of the more popular Plaza Brasserie of Parkroyal on Beach Road or the Lime Restaurant located in the architecturally prominent Parkroyal on Pickering. It is a pity because Spice Brasserie is actually a rather nice restaurant with plenty of space for kids and the elderly and the ambience is great for a casual get together or family gathering. Furthermore with a refreshed menu by the new chef, Frederick Kho, things are looking good.

The new chef is a native Malaysian from Kuala Lumpur who has a rich culinary experience, working in several notable hotels such as Penang’s Golden Sands Resort by Shangri-la and Singapore’s Shangri-la Hotel. He is also a fan of both Penang and Kuala Lumpur cuisine hence the Penang Buffet at Spice Brasserie.

To keep this post short, I will just point out some of the memorable dishes from the buffet. First and foremost, there were the Penang Classics such as Penang Oh Chien (Oyster Omelette), Penang-style Prawn Mee, Assam Laksa and the ubiquitous Penang-style Char Kway Teow. My favourites were the amazing oh chien which has generous chunks of oyster embedded in its creamy egg and pan-fried to perfection with a delicate, smoky crust and served chilli sauce.

The Assam Laksa was another winner. I wasn’t impressed by the Assam Laksa I had in Penang (partly because we had it at the touristy Gurney Drive (Chef Kho advised against visiting it if you want to true Penang food experience). This Assam Laksa wasn’t overwhelmingly spicy like the ones I had before and it has a nice fruity and sweet touch to it from the pineapples. I was also informed that mackerel was used for this Assam Laksa, hence staying true to the Assam Laksa back in Penang. Furthermore, Chef Kho also serve this CNN No.7 most delicious dish with its full range of condiments which include finely sliced cucumber, onions, red chillies, pineapples, lettuce, common mint, daun kesum (laksa mint), pick bunga kantan (torch ginger). This was one of my favourite dishes for the day.

Then you have the crabs, the main feature of their Friday Crazy Crab Dinner where you get to enjoy at least 10 kinds of crabs prepared and different way and tasted different (instead of just being named differently). Sauces aside, I must point out that their crabs are rather fresh. The flesh was still springy and succulent as opposed to the chalky powdery texture I had in a previous crab buffet.

The Singapore Chilli Crab was served with mantous to mop up the gravy, which is very thoughtful of them. My only gripe is that the gravy was almost honey-like sweet. I prefer it to be more spicy but Chef Kho explains that there are diners who complained that it was too spicy and pointed out that if you enjoy something more spicy, you should go for the Nonya Chilli Crab instead.

My favourite item among the crabs is the Braised Crab with Glass Noodles. The noodles have great texture and come thoroughly soaked with the flavours from the crab. The crabs accompanying the glass noodles were pretty good too if you prefer something without gravy and just want to enjoy the sweetness from the crab meat itself.

I didn’t try all of the crabs. I tried the Sarawak Black Pepper Crab which was more spicy than the usual Black Pepper crabs and the Herbal Crab which was one of the other lighter crab dishes but with a herbal infusion with red dates, dangui etc.

Another signature of Spice Brasserie is their Teochew Porridge Buffet which is bound to please my parents. During our visit, they had sweet potato porridge served with a whole range of condiments and sides such as braised chicken and pork belly with mui choy to enjoy with your teochew muay.

Finally, we ended our buffet with some quality ice cream by Kapiti from New Zealand. This is the second restaurant I found Kapiti Ice Cream, 10-at-Claymore has it too! Similar to 10-at-Claymore, Spice Brasserie changes the flavours from time to time. I was told that their ice cream is unavailable on the usual supermarkets (indeed, I don’t see them at Jasons Marketplace or Fairprice Finest). The Kapiti Ice Cream is just one of the many sweets offered on their desserts counter which offers from assort French pastries to traditional desserts like kuehs, cheng teng and Ice Kachang!

All in all, I must really thank Parkroyal on Kitchener Road for the invitation. I have found another place where our family could have a decent buffet meal with plenty of room at wallet-friendly prices. For UOB Cardholders, you get a sweeter deal with their 1-for-1 offer on Mon-Thurs or 1 dines free with every 2 adults on Fri-Sun till 31st October 2013.

And here is a short Chinese write up by our guest, Calvin Ng! :
檳城的風味美食，加上富有本土氣息的家常菜，還有讓所有人垂涎欲滴的螃蟹自助餐 － 座落在吉真路（Kitchener Road) 賓樂雅酒店 (Park Royal Hotel) 的香料法式餐廳 (Spice Brasserie) 新推出的自助餐，應該能滿足一家大小的味蕾吧！

擁有豐富經驗的主廚Frederick Kho師傅獨挑大梁，推出許多經典的檳城美食 － 就包括了酸辣的Assam叻唦，檳城鮮蝦福建面，檳城炒粿條及蠔仔煎。更讓人為之瘋狂的是每週五所推出的螃蟹自助餐 － 有十道不同烹調法的螃蟹任你挑選！有大家愛吃的辣椒螃蟹，娘惹咖喱螃蟹，鹹蛋螃蟹以及米粉螃蟹。選擇多樣化，讓人不知道該從哪裡下手。

餐館的空間寬闊，位子很多，能容納近300位客人。還有特設的貴賓房 － 適合辦生日派對，公司聚會或是大壽等等。一踏進餐館，服務生親切友善，笑臉迎人，非常體貼。用餐的客人以家庭居多。一家負老攜幼來享受本土風味的美食，讓我不禁也想帶自己的爸媽來用餐呢！

值得一提的是自助餐裡有的潮州糜 (Teochew Porridge) 以及隨旁的配菜 － 滷豬腸，滷鳳爪，滷豬腳，也忘不了我愛吃的梅菜扣肉。雖然味道一般，但一定能抓住愛吃潮州糜老一輩的心。

也沒忘記我愛吃的榴蓮美食，榴蓮糯米飯 － 榴蓮肉任你拿！

豐富的配菜 － 也有我愛吃的阿喳（Achar）！

愛吃娘惹糕點的你，怎麼能忘了九層糕，Pulut Inti以及其他的經典糕點呢？
自己動手做Ice Kacang！新西蘭的Kapiti雪糕甜度適中。Blueberry Muffin口味是我的最愛！

當晚，主廚Frederick Kho也特地和美食博客們聊天。親切友善的他曾在檳城工作一年，也和我們分享檳城的美食所在！果然都是饕客！

總的來說，吉真賓樂雅酒店 － 香料法式餐廳的自助餐的確是個一家人外出用餐的好去處。因為食物選擇多，又有老少都愛吃的本地及檳城美食，加上餐庭環境理想，沒有距離感，是個用餐的好去處。


Do check out these reviews by Food Nomads and Hubsch Jess Baby who were at the session as well.

Spice Brasserie
吉真賓樂雅酒店
PARKROYAL on Kitchener Road
181 Kitchener Road
Singapore 208533

Penang Affair
Mondays to Thursday
Lunch | $34 (Adult) $15 (Child)
Dinner | $38 (Adult) $15 (Child)

Crazy Crab Night
Fridays Dinner | $58 (Adult) $25 (Child)

Sensational Seafood
Saturdays Dinner | $58 (Adult) $25 (Child)

International Buffet
Fridays to Sundays Lunch | $34 (Adult) $15 (Child)
Sundays Dinner | $38 (Adult) $15 (Child)

Thank You Cleo from Parkroyal on Kitchener Road for the invitation!