Hitchhiker Snaps

Here's a guy with creativity pumping through his blood, he went on to complete on of his dreams and share ever so fun with the rest.


The Hitchhiker set to got hitchhiking across the USA, taking snapshots of the people he met, to finally put them all in a super fun/creative Time Lapse Video!\


ENJOY!! 


and check out his website on http://www.adventuresauce.com/





Now what's your dream?!


@Alexi13

New Heights!

Being an adrenaline junkie, I immediately dropped my jaw at the fascinatingly crazy dude in the below pictures!! Russian photography student Marat DUPRI, got his camera 18 months ago, and went on to take insaaaaannne views!!  the pics speak for themselves!

@Alexi13

Gold Dust

Google made a tremendous Google Doodle the other day to celebrate one of the greatest, if not the greatest i believe, performer in the music industry.





Freddie was a bomb on stage, he was a great person, he was a champion!


May he rest in peace for the greatest music he brought and the influence he left in so many artists.


And finally, my favorite song of all times - Bohemian Rhapsody





@Alexi13

Desk Death

How many hours do you spend sitting at work, at home, in the car, in the diner....


well apparently it is killing you slowly!!


yes with the fast pace that life is taking, we are having 24+ hour days, we just don't have the time to exercise, to run, to be good to our back and legs!


i hope this infograph would help us realise the importance of a good stretching in the office, a good walk around the house, an hour in the gym a day...



Via: Medical Billing And Coding


And here is a video for 5 simple office stretches to keep us alive longer ;)





@Alexi13

DIY Fixes!!

Check out this graph for various fixes you might not have known about!! 

Here's the link for it

http://graphjam.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/funny-graphs-that-seems-useful.jpg

@Alexi13

Italian Beauty

Last weekend i had the chance to test drive an Italian Devil, the 2010 Aprilia RSV4-R superbike.

The bike is a monster! 


Let's start with the edgy in your face i wana race all day design of the bike! the super narrow rear seat giving it a rocket forward feel, the triple headlight design fitting so well without cluttering the front, the sleek low race like window screen (doesn't provide much wind cover though). The bike's ivory white is it's only color in the UAE market, setting it aside from the Racing rocket big sister RSV4 Factory's gorgeous red and black colour theme!

Design and ergonomics wise, the bike is tiny, barely shorter than the Yamaha R6! this is mainly because of the genius compact V4 engine design, allowing for less space than Japanese inline engines. The seat is quite thin and hard, providing some comfort for short stints, but a numb ass is in waiting for long rides; the seat sits pretty high actually compared to other bikes at 33.3 inches from the ground. Being a tall rider, the footpeg position is quite challenging cuz of the compact design of the bike, but you get used to it. The handlebars are quite well positioned for a racing feel and you tend to dip more to the front compared to other bikes, similar to the Ducati 1198S i tried a while back (Review here).


The bike's compact design and light weight (almost as light as the Yamaha R1) gives it a light feel on the road with a very surprising ease in the side-to-side action. The low center of gravity and perfect balance gives you a boost of confidence in riding the bike hard!

The instrument cluster is very straight forward with a compact round tachometer and the classic Aprilia orange backlight LCD with a full range of rider info, even has a bike stand engaged light! unfortunately it does not have a fuel gauge which is a downer for such a thirsty bike, but has the low fuel light. i really like the orange fork touch and the side key position for better HDD display. im not a fan though of the cylinder shaped brake fuel canister, i prefer the squarish ones!

As far as the ride goes, MAMAMIA! 
The bike is a revving rocket! 
First off, the low rpm range of the bike is quite satisfactory, very smooth and not as nervous as you would expect, this is mainly due to the great engine design, with the pistons being perfectly calibrated at any rpm range.
The main grunt of the bike however comes at around 7,500rpm, with a huge umph! contrary to the full power you get at blast off from the jap bikes! that at least kept me from controlling wheelies every time i launch the bike at a green light :p 
You do notice however a tiny flat line when you reach the 10,000rpm mark, but it quickly kicks back into action! the bike is sensational on the road and mainly due to it having the same engine as the RSV4 Factory model, a 998cc with 180hp between your legs, the ride by wire technology, having the engine electronically control the fuel injection system to provide the right amount of fuel depending on gear selected, exhaust configuration, speed, braking power and etc... 
another great feature on the bike is the racing slipper clutch it has, making the shifting between all  gears as nimble as popping and un-popping a pen! it gives you a feel of having an electronically managed rev prediction system! 
I find it quite hard though to find the Neutral gear, it proved to require a super feather like touch :( 
The nicest feature i must say on the bike is the mode selection is has: Track, Sport and Road.
With the Track mode giving full power to all 6 gears, the Sport mode limits the full power to the first three gears, making it perfect for city riding and finally the Road mode actually reduces the power to 140hp instead of the full stable of 180hp, proving essential for any rainy conditions or "safe" riding :p
The braking power is a marvel as well, with the standard Brembo brakes on both front and rear wheel, though it does not provide you with much accurate feel, making it hard to reach the sought after limit of wheel lock; but gives you more confidence in late breaking into corners knowing you can rely on racing grade brakes! 
The ride on the bike was very smooth compared to the Ducati 1198S which had more of a stiffer suspension package, ideal for a race track; the Aprilia's suspension system provide by Showa front suspension and Sachs on the rear, both fully adjustable. the ride proves super comfy and well composed from corner exit, with a heavier hand on the gas on exit ;) 


This a superbike straight from the race track, a super competitor to the extreme BMW 1000RR and the Ducati 1198S and Desmosedici even!


Pros:
Great power
Track ready bike
Easy to control
Harmonious exhaust
Edgy look


Cons:
Mirrors are tiny and prove useless with shaking a high speeds
Uncomfortable seat
Gas guzzler
Cramped position


Finally, if you are looking for one of those bikes that come every now and then to shake every bike's cage and make you drool over, the RSV4 R is the bike to have for its lower price that the competition, the perfect composure and handling, on and off the track, and the chance to own a beautiful masterpiece of engineering! 


@Alexi13


My buttermint of the day

Building Blocks

Hey all!! 


SuddenlyTwo is back in action after a hiatus! 


This weekend i was reunited with a childhood love of mine, one of the best things to ever be present in a child's toy collection:

I un-boxed some new Lego toys with little young friend... the memory rush just hit me!


remember the excitment when you find those little colorful pieces, the crumbling of the plastic bags holding them while you open them so passionately, the sparkle in your eyes, the huge smile on your face... 


You then quickly unfold the building manual to start the Lego creation


And the fun started, i began showing the kid the ropes on how to follow the instructions, the colors, counting the number of holes, memorizing the underside of each block for better spotting during the build.. 


Halfway trough the build i got excited myself, i started giving him one part of the construction and secretly buidling another part behind his prying eyes, just to satisfy this hunger for Lego!!! 


The toy is such a marvel, gets your brain cranking, figuring out what goes where, how similar the toy will look to the drawings and the image on the box, and my best part of it all, if you can figure out the rest of the build when you are halfway through, without looking at the manual!


What i recall doing is building all the toys, displaying them for a while before dismantling them and throwing the blocks in a huge box where all the ex-toys lay... just to start pulling out the box and build from my own imagination!! 


I believe this is a toy ever child should be exposed to, whould be encouraged to build more and more to work out that creative side of the brain!! 


Here are pics of some interesting Lego "sculptures", and links below as well for more galleries!

http://www.henrylim.org/LEGOSculptures.html


http://legoisfun.blogspot.com/


If you have any Lego sculptures, tpys or pics of them in your archives, do share!! 


Happy building!! 


@Alexi13

The Narcicyst Beats

Today im sharing one of the great discoveries i stumbled upon this year.


It was during the TedxDubai event that i first got introduced to The Narcicsyt, he had a great presentation as you can read in my previous post here.


He's on Twitter and you better follow his musical genius! twitter.com/@TheNarcicyst
and his website www.Iraqisthebomb.com


And here is the video of him at TedxDubai, one hell of a show/presentation, an eye opener!







Here is his latest artwork!


The video is insaaaaane!!
The start is superb with "The maker can see you, puts you on the edge of your seat with the dude dreaming, feelin guilt, makin you wonder what he did?! is he waiting for punishment?
AND THEN, voilaaaa the beats start making your ears go drunk! the lyrics are siiiiiick!!!
The effects in the video are kick ass!!  loved the coins vomit with the final spit at the end,, the flock of crows with the train,,


(the views i express are solely mine and do not reflect the artists behind the video)


WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!





And here is another great track by this way talented artist!!





A final nice skit he did on Busta's Arab Money!





I'll leave you all with his freakin great words about Hip-Hop:


"Highly Intellectual People Hovering Over Politicians, that hyphen between the Hip and the Hop is the land that we walk on"


@Alexi13


That's my musical buttermint of the day.

Fallen Angels by Lynx

Stumbled upon this great TVC by Lynx deodorants!!


i am a big fan of their ads, with their twists on the attractiveness of the deodorant! They really get creative!


This latest one proves them thinking out of the box,, tapping into the other females to be attracted to their deodorants! lovin the soundrack as well, complementing the divine nature of the victims hahaha





What do you guys think!? 




@Alexi13


Follow me on Twitter.com/Alexi13

V-Muscle !!

A while ago i rented out a bike while my car was in service, the mighty '10 Harley Davidson V-Rod Muscle !!  here's my take on it !


First off, some boring specs for some:


Displacement: 1,250cc (V2 - four stroke)
Gearbox: 5 speed
Exhaust system: Dual side Satin Chrome
Cooling: Water Cooled
Weight: 292 Kg


Being a superbike rider (own a '06 Honda CBR600RR), my first concern was the weight of the bike when i first saw it. Gettin on it was daunting enough, with the wider handlebars than a sport bike, the seating position, more upright and feet upfront! Kicking off the bike stand, i realized how its low ground clearance makes it easier to handle the weighty bike, it does feel light, surprisingly! 

I really liked the instrument cluster on the bike, it does portray its sporty muscle side, clear rpm, tachometer and fuel gauges, pure and simple!

The bike has a keyless ignition system, kinda tricky, need to always keep in mind to lock it once you get off, but a nice touch to avoid the hassle of using the key, as long as u keep the bike in sight that is ;) 


Starting off the engine is a pure joy every time with the harley rumble along the exhaust tips, nothing will beat that! thank god they patented it :p Once you set off on the bike, you immediately notice the maneuverability of such a beast, it handles like a mix of a sport bike and a cruiser... Goin over the overpass bends in Dubai proved to be easy for the bike and much fun testing how far it would bend on the curves.. but the true power of this bike is the long stretches on SZR. With its water cooled engine, this is one of the most powerful bikes Harley has, the torque once you twist your right hand is phenomenal, like riding a saber tooth !!! The wide rear tyre does excel at providing a comfy very stable ride in any situation, the suspension system is phenomenal you don't feel the bumps at all!!! The seat, ohhh the comfyyy leathery sofa seat, my butt thanks it still!! 


Another nice touch on the bike is the signal lights integration on it, their placement keeps a clean design to the bike, without any hangin bits on the sides, very smartly done!! 

All in all, it is a great bike to own, if you seek a mix of a cruiser bike with immense power and sporty handling!! 


@Alexi13


Follow me on Twitter.com/Alexi13


That's my buttermint for the day!! 

Bonjour!

As some might have noticed, we are huge food aficionados!!! we just live to eat!!


I was thinkin of how much i love havin ful breakfasts, definitely is my favorite meal of the day!!! The array of hats breaky can wear, from the sweet pancakes, to the salty croissants... and voila, the croissant, itself being such a versatile breaky food with all its varieties!!


I stumbled upon the below video, just check it out... makes me wana savor it even slower whenever i eat one now, the process behind it is just amaziiiing...


Just thought i'd prepare your morning drool for breaky! 





My fav is definitely the Pain au Chocolat, no the almond one, no no waiiiit, the zaatar (Thyme) one,,, hmmmmm or is it cheese? aaaaaaggggghhhh it's so hard to decide, and that's the beauty of it,, cuz u get to order more than one for breaky hahahah 


Bon Appetit!!! 


@Alexi13

Pepsi-Beer!?

Have you noticed the new stay-tab opening mechanism on the Diet Pepsi can... my first thought was how similar the popping sound is to opening a Heineken beer can!!! 


What do you think? do i like this tab or the previous one?

@Alexi13


Follow me on Twitter.com/Alexi13

Guilty Pleasure

I am sure almost everyone has tried it,, and few are who dislike it!!!!


but i met the #1 fan so far, short of stickin her fingers in, every spoonful keeps on gettin bigger for @LaSahely ... i prefer using my hands :p hahaha


and voila @LaSahely every night before goin to bed!

@Alexi13

Liaison Dangereuse

I stumbled on a, let's say controversial, yet very smart ad for women underwear...


Liaison Dangereuse brand came up with the ad to target Muslim women... here it is, and my thoughts below...





I really liked the ad's conception.


I can immediately see the critics on the extreme use of the Burqa, but i am sad that the western world has been brainwashed by media to relate the Burqa only with Islam, yet to get to people you need to shock them indeed...


The ad is quite witty, keepin the audience captivated by the nude woman and her curves, and also by focusin on the Muslim theme with the close-ups on the woman's oriental features and make up, as well as most importantly the enchanting oriental music throughout...


I do believe however that the introduction of the Burqa is quite sudden at the end of the ad, time constraints i guess, but they could've worked on a smoother transition to it,, maybe the abaya first or make up tuning by the woman...


all in all, daring and well done!


@Alexi13


That's my buttermint of the day!


Follow me on Twitter.com/Alexi13

Hounds from Hell (Ducati Bikes Review)

Ducati recently opened in the UAE, at MotorCity, location of the Dubai Autodrome for you track days junkies!! 

It certainly tickled my interest and that day finally came, Test Drivin' Ducatis!!! 

Ducati 1198S with Termignoni Exhausts

Ducati Streetfighter 1100

headed out to their shop, with the cheerful Martin (mind you, slavic, the size of a building and buffed as hell), the smile always on his face and guardian of the hounds.

Process is quite simple, you hand in your valid motorbike license, sign a waiver of responsibility, you are to pay up to AED2k for any damages to the bike, careful for the speed traps and you are set!

The first bike up for me was the sensational, sexy, terrifyingly powerful Ducati 1198S with Termignoni Exhausts.

Where am I to start :$ ...

The S edition comes with some juicy extras:

- Traction control with 8 levels adjustments (kinda won't need it if you are hardcore)

- Carbon Fibre front Mudguard

- Rear Ohlins Suspension

- Seven spoke Aluminum forged Marchesini wheels

- This one was even fitted with the loud musical Termignoni dual exhausts

- everything reducing the wet weight (ready to ride) to a mere 185 Kg!!! 

- finally 170bhp on the right handle !!! 

Gettin on the bike, it feels much lighter than my Honda CBR600RR (195 Kg) to get off the stand... first gear in and off we are..

First impression is the tight driving position, the tank is small and you must grip it tightly with your thighs if you dnt wana keep sliding inwards..  what can you expect from a track ready bike! 

The acceleration is out of this word, 4th gear and you already hit the last end of the tachometer, you wonder why they added two more gears to the whole thing! The nice thing about Dubai's outercity parts, the huge corners you find on the overpasses, well they are great to bend down the Ducati, and bow does she sways!!! almost having the knee down, had to be extra careful since did not have a suit on!! 

One great thing must be said about the exhaust, the amount of backfire you get on ever gear change is like a symphony in itself, apart from the striking chorus the bike screams out! 

The slipper clutch in the Ducati is a valuable asset to have, with the track days available now on Yas MArina Circuit and Dubai Autodrome, what better way to feel like you are racing for real!!! 

The water-cooled based engine is the main driving force behind this machine, propelling it to triple digit speeds in a blink of an eye, with still plenty of torque and power at any rpm level, marvelous! 

Finally, the bike is Satanic!!! yet very forgiving, for advanced drivers that is... Considering the stretches in Dubai and the places you can ride free on track with your bike, it is a sound investment,, however, it is kind of a hassle in traffic as it is not as nimble as you would want it to be,, and you'll be super scared on gettin it bumped, so avoid it if you are fan of the JBR and Jumeirah /Beach road cruising ;)

The next bike i took out was the Ducati Streetfighter:

This bike is something else!!! the first streetfighter type i ride and boy what a difference...

- 214Kg wet weight, but you can barely feel it with the power it holds in (1099cc)

- 155hp

- cool stopwatch function in the dashboard

The riding position is a challenge i must say, you are more upright, much more,, the handle bar is wider.. no windscreen and higher ground clearance...

Being conceived for the street more, i thought i'd put it through its paces throughout dubai... I must say thought that the drive from MotorCity to Dubai SZR was tiring !!! The wind resistance you face on this kind of bikes is pretty challenging to handle, you feel all your body tense up and your neck is battling and battling...

Once you get to slower traffic (0-120km/h) you can feel the difference in wind resistance, very bearable. And here is where this riding position gets in handy!!! you tower a bit more over car windows than the 1198 and other superbikes, the handling becomes much easier in tight spots between cars on traffic light stops, more comfort with the wider seat on the speeds bumps, easier to park it on the sidewalk with the higher clearance it offers... ALLL that with immense power between your legs, considering it is air-cooled, to be able to pull out 155 horsies from it it quite astonishing! 

The Streetfighter might be one of the best suited bikes for the dubai scenery for the newbies and comfy seeking riders. You get the power and speed from a superbike, with better city-mannered handling and accessibility.

My eyes are set on the 1198 actually, need to fix up my bike first, sell it and start financing a Ducati maybe? tempting, and hey you only live once right?!

P.S: For more info please contact Martin at Ducati Dubai on 050-658 09 56

and you can follow them on www.twitter.com/DucatiUAE

or check out their comprehensive website www.ducati.ae

@Alexi13

Follow me on Twitter.com/Alexi13

Latest Kicks: Nike 6.0

Voila, the newest addition, they were at $45!! just cldnt pass it on!!! 

What you think!? 

@Alexi13

Ghetto Fab Kicks

Voila my latest addition to my sneaker collection!!

my sis dug it up at an outlet store in Dubai Outlet Mall, it a Nike Dunk High Athletics East Premium!!


The shoe comes with a spatter of glowy specs, and if you stare long enough, its like a starry sky at night, walkin on air are we?!




@Alexi13


Follow me on Twitter.com/Alexi13

Benihana Kuwait #FAIL

The latest rage on the blogosphere and twitter land!


so you go to a new place, to enjoy a meal, have a good time, a regular night one, right? well, you might not enjoy your meal, the experience at the restaurant, the waiter is nasty, anything might ruin or get on your nerves... its fine, you just decide not to visit again, but hey let's vent out on my blog about it you would say...

Mark from www.248am.com a popular blog on the Kuwaiti scene, has posted (you can follow him on twitter.com/mark248am) his review on his experience at the recently opened Benihana in Kuwait (full review here http://tiny.cc/q86o4) . . . and behold, Benihana replies, not with a "ohhh thank you for the feedback Mark", "we will take your thoughts into consideration", but no, they show up full knives swinging!!

FILING A LAWSUIT against Mark for defamation and what not... i mean SERIOUSLY ?!!? 


well, i've read the review, and its not that bad at all, complimenting the nice waiters, the fact that the place holds up despite being open for coupla days only... well the GM, with apparently silly english skills, has filed a lawsuit against Mark, instead of investing the effort and words and money into dealing with the constructive criticism the place was faced with.


All this coming when i posted yesterday a review about a restaurant in Dubai (http://tiny.cc/2n7cj), i have my fingers crossed now.


Unfortunately for Benihana, with an established reputation, this comes as a big blow, and i doubt the place will stay in business in Kuwait. I wonder even the ripple effect of this whole shebang across the outlets in the region. 


These days with the power of social media and all the blogging activity increasing by the minute here, with especially a vocal culture, brands should play ball and even offer their hand to be embraced by social media.. it is always and will always remain a two-way and more communication process,, people listen, people watch, people share, people do good. Brands are thus to calculate every step they make, how they talk, how they act, how they present themselves,, a slip is no longer a tiny press clipping to hang on a wall of shame in a GM's office, NO, it becomes the mockery of everyone ! 


Everything is interconnected, the internet and social media just sky rocketed that fact! 


What do you think Benihana is to do to redeem itself? was it right in following this action against Mark? would all this refrain you from stating your opinion or push to shout it louder!? 


Check out other posts on the matter here:


http://tiny.cc/1ahjo on Fake Plastic Souks by @AlexanderMcNabb


http://tiny.cc/mnxlf on Five One Eight by @ansam518


http://tiny.cc/2pklu on His and Hers Q8 by @His_Hers_q8 (co-blog like ours)


http://tiny.cc/04epz on Life In Dubai by SeaBee


http://tiny.cc/qglu2


http://tiny.cc/afy89 on Irrelevant Combinations by @mzaher


MAKE SURE TO HASSLE THEM on their FB page as most are 


http://www.facebook.com/BenihanaKuwait?v=wall


and finally hahahaha 

@Alexi13


Follow me on Twitter.com/Alexi13

Farsi Food (Anar Restaurant Review)

Anar Resturant @ Madinat Jumeirah - DXB

The setting is right on the creek goin through MJ, with duckies passin by, and the busy abras carryin the tourists around the creek! The place has indoor seating as well, which will give you more of a persian feel.


The lovely touch of a fresh orchid flower on your table surely to bring a smile to your face, and a distraction while you wait for ur food :p 

The menu is rich in its selections, and i liked the fact that they had the persian names for the items, extra bit of general knowledge and fun to try and pronounce them!! 

 

We start off with a plate of greenery n walnuts n feta cheese pieces with a nice presentation, along some baked (i think) persian bread or smthn, which is very tasty!!!

I took the Kashk o Bademjan for starters, it was yummmeeeyyyy for anyone into eggplants!! with the yoghurt and mint sauce adding a lovely sting to the eggplant's full flavor, and the onions on top releasing a sugary after taste.

For the main course, i attacked a Fesenjan Ba Morgh,,, The chicken bits come scuba diving in this rich flavored sauce of ground walnuts and pomegranate sauce... laying down those yummy chicken pieces on the very well cooked rice, the meat just slides off from the bones, one of the quickest de-boning i had!! As for the taste, one hell of a sweet and sour mix, to die for!! 

Finally you must keep room for desert and what better thing than to try a persian dessert. Enter the Bastani Akbar Mashti, or basically vanilla ice cream and saffron persian style ice cream... hellloooo the feeling of wanting the desert to never end!! highly recommended!!! 

Now, price wise, hmmm, kinda on the moderate to high side of things... 
Starter + 2 main courses + 2 desserts = AED 510 or USD 140.


@Alexi13


Follow me on Twitter.com/Alexi13