In a 45 second Facebook clip posted on Wednesday (May 17), news and media site Mic shared some interesting facts about the durian. Since then, the video has been seen more than 790,000 times and shared by more than 1,400 people.
Apparently, the potent fruit is “rich in iron, copper, potassium and vitamins C and B”. Durian lovers will also be happy to know, that their favourite fruit is considered a “healthy fat”, much like the humble avocado.
Photo: Video Screengrab
The video also reminded us of the time Jimmy Kimmel tried the “bleu cheese of fruit” and felt like throwing up.
Don’t worry Jimmy, not everyone can handle the pungent aroma. Just ask Andrew Zimmern, who famously spat the durian out on his travel programme “Bizarre Foods”.
Photo:Video Screengrab
So yes, we know the smell can be off-putting, but is it too much to liken it to feet?
These commenters certainly think so.
But others think the smell is worse.
And some likened it to more odorous body parts.
What do you think? Know anybody whose feet smell like durian?
You might have seen them on handphone cases, children’s school bags, keychains or even as plush toys. Now, it’s time to meet them in person.
Hello Kitty, Gudetama and other well-loved characters from Japanese company Sanrio are making their way to Singapore’s shores, joining a growing list of their fellow counterparts who have already set up shop here.
If you’re a Sanrio fan, or just love anything cute, here are 3 places where you can get up close and personal with your favourite characters without flying all the way to Japan!
1. Hang out with Hello Kitty and friends at Changi Airport
Hello Kitty and her friends, including lazy egg Gudetama, the Little Twin Stars and My Melody, will be touching down at Changi Airport next Friday (May 26).
The adorable mascots will be kicking off the opening of a month-long “Nordic Adventures with Sanrio Characters” showcase with a song and dance ceremony at Changi Airport Terminal 3’s departure hall.
Besides meet-and-greet sessions with the Sanrio characters every weekend from May 26 to June 26, visitors can also buy exclusive Sanrio merchandise and take photos with 3-D displays of the characters in Nordic garb.
Best of all? Take part in the Sanrio character ranking poll and stand a chance to win four tickets to popular Japanese indoor theme park Sanrio Puroland!
When: 7pm, Friday, 26 May 2017
Where: Changi Airport Terminal 3 Departure Hall
2. Check out the Cinnamoroll Cafe
Artist’s impression of the Cinnamoroll Cafe.Photo: Little Miss Bento
For his fifteenth birthday, the white fluffy puppy Cinnamoroll has floated his way into Singapore to celebrate with a pop-up cafe at Kumoya, the first halal-certified Japanese cafe here.
The most iconic part of this puppy, aside from his long ears and blue eyes, is without a doubt his tail, which is shaped like a cinnamon roll.
He will be featured on all dishes on the special limited-time menu, which was curated and styled in collaboration with blogger Little Miss Bento. One particularly endearing cup of hot chocolate is even topped off with Cinnamoroll’s curly tail!
But as Cinnamoroll will only be here until August 13, we urge all fans of this sweet puppy to hurry down to Kumoya before he whisks off for his next adventure!
Where: Kumoya @ 8 Jalan Klapa, Singapore 199320
Opening Hours: Tuesday – Thursday, Sunday: 12pm – 9.30pm Friday and Saturday: 12pm – 10.30pm (last order 30 minutes before closing)
3. Pop by the Pompompurin Cafe
Photo: Pompompurin Cafe Singapore/Facebook
The puppy with a sweet tooth, Pompompurin, or simply Purin, is a Golden Retriever who dons a brown beret atop his head. He loves drinking milk and eating cream caramel, and his best friends are a hamster named Muffin, a mouse named Scone and a bird called Custard.
As a lover of all things sweet, it hence comes as no surprise that Purin has set up home in Orchard Central, where he has dwelled since April 2016.
The laziest of all eggs, the embodiment of our tired-est selves. Gudetama, the notoriously low-energy egg character that everyone empathises with, has taken flight with Taiwanese airline EVA Air.
Continuing its ties with Sanrio, EVA Air has welcomed Gudetama “The Lazy Egg” into the EVA Air family. Try the Gudetama themed flight yourself on your next Cebu-Taipei Trip.
SINGAPORE – Everyone has a past and actor Tay Ping Hui is not afraid to talk about it.
When he was 12, he measured 32 inches around the waist and weighed about 60kg.
He was slightly overweight then and had self-esteem issues too.
While the 46-year-old celebrity did not elaborate on that, one thing was for sure – he was determined to shed the excess weight and adopt a healthier lifestyle.
“When I was in primary school, I was actually a fat kid. I consumed too much junk food that was easily available to us,” Tay shared.
So when he was in Sec 1, the actor began to monitor his food intake and exercise a lot, the actor told AsiaOne at an event at Raffles’ Girls Primary School on Friday (May 19).
Tay was present at the school for a canteen takover by Jamie’s Italian in support of Food Revolution, a campaign aimed at combating child obesity and celebrating the importance of eating well.
As early as 6.30am, staff from Jamie’s Italian began food preparations to feed 1,800 students from the school.
Photo: AsiaOne, Alvin Kosasi
Students were each treated to a pasta dish with a ‘secret seven’ sauce and some fruit.
A banner of Food Revolution 2017 in the school canteen.Photo: AsiaOne, Alvin Kosasi
“We’re eating a lot of processed food (and) foods that are very high in sugar and fats. So I think it would be good for Food Revolution to introduce to students that good-tasting food can also be natural and good for us,” Tay said.
It is no secret that young kids do not like to eat vegetables and it often requires a tremendous amount of effort to make them eat their veggies.
Revealing that the ‘secret seven’ sauce is made up of seven types of vegetables, Tay shared that by incorporating vegetables into something palatable like the pasta, children would be able to eat vegetables with fiber and all the nutrients in them, without being fully aware of it.
The ‘secret seven’ sauce pasta.Photo: AsiaOne, Alvin KosasiThe pasta is served with fruit slices and oven-baked chicken breast.Photo: AsiaOne, Alvin Kosasi
How is it done? The actor, who is also an avid cook, shows just how the pasta is prepared on his twitter account.
When you boldly declare your tagline as “Expect the unexpected”, then you better deliver.
Alas, Asia’s Next Top Model Cycle 5 hasn’t lived up to its promise.
Everything – and I do mean everything – about this season feels “expected”.
What would be unexpected for me is something like throwing male contestants into the mix.
Or making the model-wannabes live outdoors Survivor-style, rather than their cushy accommodation.
Thus far, the challenges have been meh, while returning judges are what you’d expect from them.
Host and head judge Cindy Bishop is her usual charming self, who goes from maternal to fierce.
Creative director Yu Tsai still barks his orders, and his signature greeting (“Models, models, models”) has become more annoying than endearing.
The most buzz-worthy addition to the cast, Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach only appeared in the first episode, to deliver a generic pep talk to the girls.
Meanwhile, model mentor Cara Grogan is pretty but oh-so-boring.
No hair-pulling?
And what about the contestants themselves?
Predictably, some cry buckets at the makeover challenge.
Indonesia’s Clara Tan (who bears a striking resemblance to sultry actress Shu Qi) delivers the most waterworks.
She also came up with this valuable bon mot: “The judges are telling me I’m lost but I don’t think I’m lost. I’m Clara.”
Obviously, I am rooting for Malaysia’s Shikin to win.
She’s the most sensible of the lot.
But is she unexpected?
Far from it.
Asia’s Next Top Model Cycle 5 airs every Wednesday at 9pm on Star World (Astro Ch 711/HD Ch 722).
Married couple Mike Mills and Shannon Mills are currently visiting Indonesia after having travelled to 41 countries by motorcycle since 2014.
They arrived in Belawan, North Sumatra, in early April. The couple then continued to Banda Aceh and Weh Island before travelling south, driving along the shores of Sumatra toward Bandar Lampung and crossing the Sunda Strait to Tanjung Priok harbour.
Mike drives a 2009 Suzuki DR650 while Shannon drives a 1996 Suzuki DR650.
They began the journey from their home in Seattle, Washington, United States, in September 2014, travelling to various regions in the United States, Europe and Southeast Asia.
Among the countries they have visited include Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Peru, France, Spain, Austria, Romania, Turkey, India and Thailand.
In total, they have travelled approximately 81,859 kilometers. The couple have a mission to promote humanity and friendliness.
They want to prove that unlike what may be reported in the news, all people from all countries are equally kind, despite different cultural approaches.
The Mills couple also wanted to conquer their own fears to prove that ordinary people can travel the world using their own money, Antara reported.
“We can walk out of our door, drive the motorcycles and become Christopher Colombus, National Geographic and Sir Ernest Shackleton. Life is limited and precious. We couldn’t accept the fact that we didn’t make full use of our dreams when the chance appeared to us by itself,” said Shannon.
When asked the reason why they decided to use their current vehicles, Mike said that it was because the type of motorcycle was durable.
“They are strong, reliable and easy to take care of. If I can restart this journey, I will choose to use the same motorcycle,” he said.
Following their visit to Jakarta, the couple plan to visit Sumbawa, West Nusa Tenggara, to attend the first Horizons Unlimited Indonesia Travelers Meeting from May 18-22, an event held by Jeffrey Polnaja, the first Indonesian man who travelled the world by motorcycle over the course of seven years.
Mike and Shannon are scheduled to attend the show as guest speakers, as well as screen a film about their journey in Latin America.
After the meeting, they plan to return to Jakarta and continue their journey to Bali before travelling by sea to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (mas/asw)
‘Miss H’, former assistant to local celebrity Edmund Chen has sued the star for defamation.
Chen had accused his ‘goddaughter’, Miss H, of cheating him and his wife out of almost S$10,000, capitalising on his reputation and sabotaging client relations.
Miss H, on the other hand, has denied all allegations, saying that she had never used Chen’s money or reputation for her own benefits after working relationship between the two ended, reports Lianhe Wanbao via Lianhe Zaobao.
She also denied having ever been Cheng and his wife’s ‘goddaughter’.
Miss H told reporters on Wednesday (May 17) morning that she had taken to court to sue Edmund Chen for defamation.
She said: “I have already appointed my legal counsel and will sue Edmund Chen for the various points of defamation which he had brought up.”
Miss H also said that in the interest of the clients and herself, she had to take legal action to uncover the truth, and protect her own reputation.
Chen had said during an interview on April 11, 2017, that he had gotten to know Miss H at the end of 2016, and that she had harboured ill agendas, intentionally getting close to his family before asking them for money to finance her air ticket and accommodation on a trip to Hong Kong.
On April 12, Miss H responded to the accusation, saying that she did not have an agenda and that she had never take on jobs using Chen’s reputation.
She also emphasised that she wasn’t the star’s ‘goddaughter’.
Miss H said during the time of interview: “Edmund Chen casted aspersions on my conduct online before I had the chance to defend myself in front of the press.”
The first of two Netflix movies that have jurors at the Cannes festival at loggerheads gets its premiere on Friday.
“Okja”, a US$50 million (S$70 million) creature feature about a young country girl who tries to save a beast created by an unscrupulous multinational company, had been touted as a possible winner of the festival’s top prize, the Palme d’Or.
But a bitter row between the streaming giant and French cinema owners may have already put it, and the other film purchased by Netflix, “The Meyerowitz Stories” with Adam Sandler and Ben Stiller, out of contention.
Netflix sparked uproar in France by refusing to put the movies on general release there, where subscription services must wait three years to stream films after they show in cinemas.
Spanish director and jury president Pedro Almodovar dropped a bombshell Wednesday by suggesting they should not win anything.
He said he could not imagine “the Palme d’Or nor any other prize being given to a film, and then not being able to see that film on a large screen”.
But his fellow jury member Hollywood star Will Smith took a strongly opposing view, singing Netflix’s praises to reporters.
‘Slam my hand on table’
Moments before Almodovar made his declaration, Smith told French TV that he was not afraid of a fight and was “looking for the opportunity to slam my hand on the table and disagree with Pedro. I’m looking forward to a good jury scandal”.
Netflix boss Reed Hastings took to Facebook last week to praise “Okja” as an “amazing film” and accused the French “establishment of closing ranks against us”.
The battle – which has divided film-makers – has prompted French directors and producers to appeal to their government to change streaming rules.
Actress Robin Wright, star of Netflix’s flagship TV series “House of Cards”, said Thursday that films were best seen in cinemas.
“We are getting criticised right now because we have never had this medium before. The movie theatre will forever be the first choice for films. I think it is actually really poor for people to watch films on their phones. It is not fair to filmmakers.” “Okja” director Bong Joon-Ho, who has been compared to “Steven Spielberg in his prime” by Quentin Tarantino, won fans worldwide for his 2006 monster blockbuster “The Host”.
The South Korean’s first Hollywood film, “Snowpiercer”, starring Tilda Swinton – who also appears in “Okja” – won him further kudos in 2012.
Bong told AFP that the new film “is essentially a love story between the animal and the little girl”.
“But it also looks at how our lives are inevitably shaped under the capitalist system, whether you are a human or an animal,” he added.
The importer of the controversial Korea King frying pan yesterday offered a public apology for discontent related to product advertising.
Wizard Solution Co Ltd, or Korea King (Thailand), said in an open letter that its advertisements were produced with information based on South Korean certifications and standards.
The company also said it would respect the Consumer Protection Board (CPB) decision to ban advertising for the pan. It added that it had suspended its ads on all television channels and was in the process of revising them “for the sake of suitability”.
“We humbly ask for your forgiveness for the lack of clarity on different aspects over the past week,” said the statement, which was addressed to “brothers and sisters, media people and all Korea King family members”.
The statement was Wizard Solution’s first official reaction to the controversy that has been widely reported in the media over the past week.
On Wednesday, the CPB said Korea King’s commercials overstated the quality of the pan relative to its price. The board found the advertised price of Bt15,000 (S$605) to Bt18,000 to be a “fake original price” since the pan was never sold at those prices after sharp discounts were introduced.
Wizard Solution also offered consumers a promotion of “buy one, get one free” at the price of Bt3,300. The wholesale price of imported Korea King pans ranged from Bt286 in 2015 to Bt358 as of January, according to a Customs Department document.
The company’s statement did not mention the gap between the wholesale and retail prices.
The company said it was confident in the South Korean-made product’s manufacturing standards and that it had provided the necessary documents from the pan producer, as requested by the CPB.
A Kasetsart University chemistry professor has found that the Korea King pan was not coated in marble as advertised.
Wizard Solution’s letter also apologised to the product’s presenter, TV celebrity Vuthithorn “Woody” Milintachinda, for the negative affects on his reputation.
Meanwhile, the Foundation for Consumers has offered to file a class action lawsuit in the name of affected Korea King buyers, secretary-general Saree Aongsomwang said on Facebook. She asked customers who would like to take legal action to contact the agency as soon as possible.
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