Reviewing Extra Virgin Olive Oil Brands

Have been trying out different extra virgin' olive oil brands.

Extra-virgin olive oil refers to oil from cold-pressed olives, not processed and often more expensive than regular olive oil.

So far I have tried 5 brands, namely, Filippo Berio (Italian), Colavita (Italian), Red Island (Australian), O' Forest (Malaysian brand but using Olive oil from Spain) and California Olive Ranch (American).

In the end, after the taste test (yes, we consume it raw) the clear winner is the Australian brand, Red Island. Really mild, smooth and delicious. 

It is also the most recently pressed 2020 as compared to the others which were cold-pressed in 2019. I am not sure whether it tasted better because it was the freshest. The others have a slightly more peppery after-taste. Supposedly the more peppery, the higher the antioxidants.

Let me know your favourite brand and why.

Swatch Irony Chrono - Freezing Rain

Here is my latest eBay find - a vintage Swatch watch from their Spring/summer 2000 collection, which means that this watch is more than 13 years old. Wonder what I was doing then?

Anyway, this is from the Swatch Irony Chrono series and the model is called Freezing Rain (YCS4006AG). It was priced at £120.42 when it came out. I found out that it is quite hard to find now  but I bought it dirt cheap and I am too ashamed to mention the price here.

Did I say "dirt cheap" - I am not sure where the seller found it but it was covered with muck and it took me a lot of elbow grease plus soap and water to get rid of the dirt stuck in the various crevices.  The watch also had some bad scratches on the plastic crystal and did not work when I received it.

The watch case as well as the wrist band is made of aluminium and very light weight at only 62 gms. The watch case has a width of 40mm and is 12.5mm thick.

It is powered by a quartz ETA movement with a date at the 4 o clock position on the dial.

A change of batteries revealed that the watch did work but there was some problem with the chronograph function - it did start and stop but could not be reset (back to 0). I wanted to open up the case but discovered a major drawback of Swatch watches - opening up Swatch watches is a major project involving breaking the crystal and the crown as well. Quite annoying but I guess I would have to live with the malfunctioning chronograph.

I used Polywatch scratch remover to polish off the scratches on the crystal and apart from some tiny pit marks which are bit too deep, the crystal looks great.

I am quite impressed with the quality of images as well - they were taken using my Nokia Lumia 900 using the Macro mode.

Cycle tyre puncture - prevention better than cure

As you might have guessed from my previous posts, I am really into cycling now. I even borrowed a couple of books on cycles/cycling from the local library (I know there are loads of information on the net but nothing beats a good book with illustrated pictures).

Anyway, one thing I am really worried about is getting my tyres punctured while riding to the University. I got myself a cycle tyre puncture repair kit. Through it has never happened but repairing a tyre by the side of the road is not something I am really keen on. I tried practising at home using the old bike I am restoring - getting the tube out, trying to find the hole and then patching it up. I have seen YouTube videos and they make it look so simple. Prying one side of the tire bead over the edge of the rim was the hardest.

Here is a popular clip on YouTube on how to repair a puncture:


Searching on the net, I came across a site which sells Amerityre tyres which they claim are 100% puncture proof but they are not cheap. On the other hand, Andreas at the London Cyclist Blog says that there is no such thing as 100% puncture proof tyres. However, there are a number of tyres which are said to have high puncture resistance.

While shopping at Halfords I noticed a green bottle - it was the Slime Tube Sealant. I didn't buy it because I was sceptical and wanted to read the reviews first. Apparently this product was really good with so many positive comments on various sites. I noticed that it was also available at the Go Outdoors store. I later took my bike along on my way back home from the university and bought a bottle. The in-store bike mechanic put the green liquid in both my tyres for free. I haven't had a puncture even once but I do feel much better now.

I now want to put the Slime in all my bikes and doing an online search realised that I could have got it much cheaper elsewhere, with the cheapest online at Amazon Here is a comparison of the prices:

Halfords: £8.99

Go Outdoors: £8.09

Wikinson: £4.97

Amazon:

Choi Time tea review 1

First of all I would like to clarify that I am not an expert on teas. However, I love teas. If you come to my house you can rest assured that I will have a tea you like - from the ordinary English breakfast teas to herbal teas. Just take a look at range I have:

So you can imagine how delighted I was when Choi Time, a company specialising in quality Chinese green, rose bud and chrysanthemum flower teas, sent me a couple of samples to try out.

They have an amazing selection and the first tea I tried out was the one called Exotic mixed flowers. This is how it looked before...



...and after I poured the hot water in. It was amazing watching the ball unfurl to reveal needle tea leaves with several other flowers carefully woven.






This tea apparently has several health benefits as well. For example, chrysanthemum is said to have cooling properties and detoxifies the blood, helps with sinus decongestion, lowers high blood pressure and also calm the nerves. On the other hand, Marigold aids in improving digestion. The tea has a strong aroma and a slight hint of bitterness which is replaced by a sweet after taste. I refilled the pot with hot water twice and my wife preferred it the second time around - with a light taste.

A few days later, I tried out the Jasmine Pearls. This tea has won 3 gold stars at the Great taste awards in 2007 and 2008.



Made from lu-cha tea leaves and scented with Jasmine blossoms, the handrolled balls slowly unfurled as I poured in the hot water.



Jasmine teas are the most popular type of Chinese teas and I can see why the Sunday Times Style Magazine called this tea the Dom Perignon of the tea world. Has a nice aroma and light taste with a really  nice slightly sweet after-taste. They are also said to have several health benefits as well.

Though I liked both, I would have to say I definitely liked the latter slightly more. The former is really dramatic and can be a nice conversation starter when you have guests at home. I am definitely going to order packs of both teas.

UPDATE:
Choi Time is offering an extra 10% discount to all my readers. All you have to do is use the code twithadamok. Enjoy.

Spraying on the plaster

I am really into DIY right now and am picking up the skills by trial and error. I find the DIY programmes on TV really, especially where they buy a dump and turn it into their dream home. Another reason I like to watch these programme is because I would like up to do up my own home one day. For now my DIY work is limited to painting walls and putting up shelves. Anyway, one skill I would liek to learn is plastering the walls.

I recently saw a programme where the plaster was sprayed on instead of the normal hand troweling. It looked much more convenient and is obviously faster. Anyway,if you are looking for plastering tools, check out Mortarsprayer.com. The company which is based in Eugene, Oregon manufactures 3 different plastering tools which should cover all your different plastering needs.

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Another autism guide

A few days back we had our son's six month review. This was to evaluate whether his school is suitable for him. We had fought hard to get a place in this school which is actually the only Mainstream school in Coventry to have a special autism unit attached with it. The places are limited but we were able to get our son in. We did not want to send him to a general special school which are not really focussed on children with autism.

Anyway, we have realised that because of our son, our research on autism has actually exceeded that of our own PhD research (based on the number of files and books we have in the house).

I will be carrying a list of blogs and resources on the net on autism with my readers. This is the first of the series.

While going through the net, I came across the autism guide for parents. This is an informative blog with short posts that I think will assist parents of autistic children. There are several posts and one of the posts talks about 'how parent's cope with autistic children". I can definitely relate to some of the stuff written down there. I wish other parents with neurotypical children understand what we have to go through.

Join us in our journey with our son Imaan as well.

Alternative registration for cars in California

If you live in California and hate to queue up to register your car with the Department of Motor vehicles or the DMV, visit Nodmvlines.com.

According to Skeet DMV Consultant and Owner of Nodmvlines.com, if you need to register your car, she will deal with the DMV so that you do not need to go in, make an appointment, or ever have to go to the DMV and wait in line.

The office is located at 21777 Ventura Boulevard Suite 267, Woodland Hills, CA 91364.

The service will take care of all registration requirements so you dont have to wait or make an appointment. Other services include transfer of vehicle ownership, lost plates and certificates, registration of out-of-state vehicles among others. The company can also help you obtain personalised plates as well.

Please visit the site for more details. More content will be added soon.

Sponsored Post

Warm baselayer made from bamboo

Last month, the guys at BAM Bamboo clothing sent me a Zip neck baselayer to review.

It was a perfect fit when I first tried it on and it really felt comfy. I have been using it for a while now and I only have good things to say about it. It was apparently designed for skiers and come with thumbloops to keep wrists warm and prevent snow going up your sleeves when you have a wipeout.



When using it for cycling, I don't use the thumbloops as they were uncomfortable with the gloves on.

The first time I tried it on while cycling to the University of Warwick campus, the morning air was a bit nippy and I put a light jacket on. Halfway to the University, it became warmer and after a while I was sweating really bad. I stopped halfway and took off my jacket which is waterproof. I was soaked but I had no choice but to go on. The cold air was refreshing and I reached my office soon. I took the baselayer off which was soaking wet in the toilet and put on a fresh T-shirt I had bought along. As usual, I dried off the baselayer on top of the radiator and it was completely dry in a couple of minutes before my room mates came in.

The great thing was that despite all the sweat, it was not smelly at all. I later found out that the baselayer is guaranteed to be odour free. I know of many people who refuse to go into a lift with a sweating cyclist - this revolutionary clothing might actually change that. I also read somewhere that the bamboo fibres inhibit bacterial growth and is also anti-fungal and anti-static (meaning it won't stick to your skin) as well.

On the way back home, I wore it without the jacket and I was quite comfortable despite the chilly air. It is quite long and doesn't ride up my back while cycling which is really good. The wicking action was as good as my other baselayers but this one felt much warmer. The other baselayers have a mash type of material which facilitates wicking but can get really chilly.



Since then, I have worn the baselayer several times when cycling and even at home when it gets a bit chilly. It costs £40 in the online BAM store I am definitely going to buy a few more of them.

Finding the right saddle for my cycle

This is my second post about my new passion - cycling and about a very important component of the cycle - the saddle. It is after all the part that remains in contact with your body and also carries most of your weight most of the time. At least for me anyway, because on my way to the University, I see a lot of guys who don't seem to be sitting on their saddles while paddling their bikes. I guess they are the pros.

Anyway, a few days after I bought my used bike over eBay, I took it out for a ride in the neighbourhood. The cycle is a Hawk mountain bike and came with it's original saddle from the shop - basic plastic and foam. I had barely gone for only a several hundred yards when I realised that the saddle was really uncomfortable and in fact my butt was beginning to get sore. By the time I got home, some very sensitive parts of my body in contact with the saddle were already numb. There was no way I was going to ride 4.8 miles to University on that saddle.

On my way back from the university a few days later, I dropped by the Go Outdoors store and bought myself a Canyon Gel seat cover. The thought of buying a new saddle never came into my mind then. After all, the reason I started cycling was because I wanted to save money. Anyway, the cover did make it a bit more tolerable and I did eventually start cycling to the University of Warwick campus from my house in Radford.

As time went by, I realised that I needed to invest in a new saddle. There were some drawbacks of the gel cover. It soaked up rain and the cushioning effect was gone by the time I reached the University. Doing research on the net, I found that there were so many brands and all kinds of saddles to choose from. A number of long time riders swore by their leather Brooks - a luxury brand in cycle saddles. Yes! There are actually luxury bicycle and accessories brands.

Best selling Brooks saddle - the B17 Special

However, I realised that I could actually buy a brand new bike with the price of the cheapest Brooks saddle. So I gave up the idea of buying a brand new brooks and went to eBay. I actually missed an amazing bargain on an almost new Brooks that went at just £5.50.

I ultimately bid and won a brand new WTB  Speed-V Sport Saddle. It retails at £24.99 but I got it for £12 including postage. The saddle features something which they call the 'Love Channel' which allows some room for some sensitive parts in contact with the saddle and it definitely made a huge difference. Though I would be lying if I said that it was really comfortable, I guess it will have to do for the time being.

Besides a comfortable saddle, I found out that it helps to have padded cycling pants. I am not a fan of men in tights but I decided to go for a Karrimor Padded Cycling Pants Mens, which I got on Amazon for just £10.99 including postage (original price was £34.99). What a huge difference it made and I always wonder why I didn't buy one earlier. Looking forward to sore free bottoms in the future.

If you are a cycling enthusiast, please do share your experience with cycle saddles.

Cycling in winter: essential clothing

I have been cycling to the University of Warwick from my home in Radford, Coventry for little more than a month now. I have definitely come a long way and what initially started out as a means to save money and get some exercise in the process has become a bit of a passion. IN fact I now know a lot about bikes, repair and different brands.

As it's getting colder , I also have had to think about specialised clothing. I go with 3 layers of clothes:
1. A wicking baselayer,
2. Insulating fleece and
3. Waterproof/ windproof jacket

I learnt that a wicking baselayer is absolutely important to get a dry layer next to the skin and keep you warm at the same time. My old 100% cotton t-shirts would soak up the sweat and I would feel really uncomfortable with the wet sensation which also took ages to dry when I ultimately got to the campus.

I just bought a red long sleeve Surfanic baselayer and it's really great. It is made of a fabric they call Surftex Dry 100% polyester and just cost me £9.99 at TK Maxx. However, one baselayer is not enough if you ride regularly,and I went to TK Maxx and bought another baselayer, this time a blue Trekmates baselayer, which just cost me £8.99 (apparently the retail price is £24.99), so I think I got some great deals.

The fleece was a really cheap one from Go Outdoors (£5.99). I am still using my old trusty Nike Jacket but I probably need to get a good waterproof cycling jacket. However, all the ones I like such as the Endura stealth jacket, are extremely costly and out of my budget.

However, I have read from the reviews that there is no such a thing as waterproof and breathable jackets. Do tell me if you know of a good winter cycling jacket that's both breathable and waterproof.

Pencil case made from recycled tyres

This is a really fun pencil case my wife bought from 'Love thy Space', an online store based here in Coventry, UK.



The words on the case says: "I used to be a car tyre recycled into something Remarkable"

Yes! It's made from recycled tyres. They cost only £4.50.

My favourite pizza

Right now I am in the process of writing up my thesis and this means sitting in front of the pc most of the time. This means that I don't have much time to do most of the things I love - like blogging (the reason why this blog is not updated regularly), gardening (the lawn is is need mowing) let alone cook. My wife is in the same boat and she is writing up her thesis as well. We only cook for our son who needs a special diet and occasionally for ourselves. Thank God for Domino's Pizza which is just around the corner and of course the Internet.

Domino's became our favourite just because of the convenience and as for my favourite pizza - nothing fancy, the Original Cheese and Tomato. They also have subs and dessert as well. I am always on the lookout to save money and I usually go to the Voucher Hub - my favourite discount voucher site. They have online as well as printable voucher codes. The site updates vouchers available in the UK daily for high street stores such as Debenhams as well as online retailers like Littlewoods among others.

They have dominos discount codes as well and I always save some money every time I buy online by using their codes. All I have to do is click the discount code on the site and the code is automatically copid and I am taken to the site. One great deal I look forward to is Domino's special offer every Tuesday, where you get a pizza free for every one you buy. However, I sometimes get tired eating pizza and might go for a vege sub with a chocolate melt. Yummy!

Yes, you are right. All this rich food and lack of exercise means that I have been putting on some weight. But I am going to sign up with a gym once I submit my first draft and go on a strict heath regime.

Writing this is making my mouth water, and I think I will go down and grab the leftover from yesterday.

Go for a customised t-shirt this summer

Now that summer's truly here, it's T-shirt time again. I am one of those guys who hoard stuff and I have some t-shirts which are more than 10 years old. I sill have a Stonehenge t-shirt that my then wife-to-be had brought back from the UK. Another one of my favourites is the old Firefox t-shirt which always seems to attract a lot of attention.

However, I guess it's time to get some new t-shirts and I have decided that this time there will be no famous brand t-shirts for me. I would like to go for something unique, something that's not available in the stores, a t-shirt that stand out and says that "I am unique".

What can be more unique than to have your own picture or design on your t-shirt. Now there are a number of sites online where you can have them printed out on a t-shirt. And if you are the entrepreneurial type, you can even set up a store. Just take a look at some of the customized tshirts on Cafepress. As a long time user, I am quite satisfied with their services. You do not have to worry about payment or delivery. All you have to do is upload your designs and select the apparel you want your designs on.

I just came across a page that lists all the fan created Eclipse apparel and I am thinking of getting her a t-shirt before the movie comes out. As a Twilight fan who's eagerly looking forward to the movie, I am sure she will appreciate it. One of the designs I found quite interesting are the Edward/ Jacob loves Bella t-shirts. You can personalise the design by cutting out Bella's name and putting up your own name.

You can also check out the fabulous designs on the T-Critic blog as well. Some of the designs are really amazing - would be like wearing a work of art. I won't be seen wearing some of the others but I am sure you will find one you like.

Free books

Quite recently I received an unexpected gift, or should I say gifts - four great books for free. These were books we had reviewed as part of the initial judging panels of the Inaugural 2009 Warwick Prize for Writing. Of the four, three were actually in the long list, namely, Glister (fiction) by John Burnside, Planet of Slums by Mike Davies and Brasyl (Sci-fi/ fiction) by Ian McDonald. I particularly liked Brasyl.

The one that didn't make it is 'Dry Store Room No. 1: The Secret Life of the Natural History Museum' by Richard Fortey which is kind of interesting in a way.

Naomi Klein ultimately took the prize for her book 'The Shock Doctrine' (I have her signed book as well).

These books should keep me occupied for a while.  Looking forward to the books they have short-listed for next year's prize.

Fundraising Made Easy

I am a member of a student society at my University and a couple of months back we organised an event whereby we invited some consultants to come over and talk to the students. At our first committee meeting, the members came up with a number of great ideas. Unfortunately most were shot down due to one main factor - the lack of funds. The funds allocated to us seemed quite a lot but when we broke down the expenses involved including the refreshments (very important), the funds suddenly seemed like pocket change. This made me realise the importance of having a fundraiser before we organise any event to make sure that we are not limited by funds.

In the end, we did organise the event successfully but I was not really satisfied with the student turnout and the way the event was managed. It could have been much better had we started working on the event much earlier and more importantly, had we had more funding. This made me think of various ways to raise funds for the next event.

It seems so easy but from experience I know it's easier said than done. How do you convince people to part with their hard earned money?

The Fast Track Fundraising site has so many ideas and tips to make your fundraiser easy. One of the ways I use to evaluate a service is by looking at the customer testimonials and reviews. Frankly I am quite impressed by their track record. Quite recently one guy actually raised $4,030.40 with a Lollipops fundraiser while another raised $3,000.00 with a dinner and movie card fundraiser. There are so many other fundraising products listed on the site. They have been featured in Forbes, CNBC, and SmartMoney. What I found quite surprising was the fact that they don't take any money upfront and provides 100% free shipping for their products. The company uses the MacAfee secure system and gurantees 100% safe fundraising. Another great feature was the fundraising thermometer which allows you to track and display your fundraising goal online. All you have to do is note your fundraising goal and the money you have raised so far. Just clicking a button will generate a code which you can then put on your site.
So if you are thinking of doing your own fundraising for an event, or for some charity or it may even be for a school trip, do drop by the Fast Track Fundraising site.

Savings with discount vouchers

Yesterday morning we went grocery shopping to Tesco at the Arena park near our house here in Coventry. I had recently received my Tesco clubcard vouchers as well as other discount vouchers as well and thought that it might be a good idea to use them before they expired.

Anyway, we ended up with a car boot full of groceries, all organic, as well as other household stuff. My wife was pleasantly surprised when it all came to less than £50. Normally our weekend grocery shopping would cost us around £100.

All the discounts do add up in the end and in these gloomy economic times, we need all the help we can get.

Anyway, I have entered into a partnership with Voucher Alerts - a leading online UK discount code directory, to give my readers the best deals on buying gifts and gadgets online. This includes voucher codes for over 2500 leading online stores including Amazon, HMV, Play.com, Tesco, GAME, Currys, Debenhams and many more. With Christmas around the corner, I am sure you could do with discounts on your online Christmas shopping.

If you are like me and looking to buy electronics online, they have exclusive discount vouchers for the top electrical stores including Currys, Dixons, Pixmania, PC World, Dell, Comet and Play.com. Go through the full list of gift and gadget voucher codes for all your favourite stores here.

You can also sign up for exclusive Voucher Alerts - a free voucher code service. All you have to do is pick what stores you want to be notified for and you will receive custom emails with the latest voucher codes. As most vouchers are short term, this is a great way to make sure you never miss a deal.

Ikea the supermarket

Last week I was leaving the office when I met a friend. He was so surprised when I told him that I was going to the Ikea Coventry store to have lunch with my wife and son. "Are you sure?" he asked.

He is looking forward to visiting the restaurant on his first ever trip soon.


My son fell asleep in the shopping trolley during a recent trip to the Coventry store.


Anyway, most people still see Ikea as a furniture store but strangely we rarely buy furniture though we are regulars at the store. Most of the time, we usually go to eat there but we do end up buying something or the other - a picture frame, candles, rugs or even plants. This may be de to the fact that we don't change furniture that often.

They have also started selling luggage, books, electrical equipment and even soap. In the future we may actually see Ikea transformed into something like Marks and Spencer (another favourite store of ours) selling everything from food and clothes to furniture and electrical equipment.

First Commentator:
Lynne

Timex wathces

While browsing through the watches in one of the shops in the city, I came across some Timex watches and it brought back some memories. I suddenly thought of the day in school during my teenage years when one of my friends came to school with this chunky watch and he showed us how it glowed through the dial as compared to ours which had small lights from our sides - it was a Timex watch. I was crazy about gadgets back then as well and that was my objects of desire. Funnily enough I never got to own one though.

Anyway, I was thinking that I should probably get a new watch and of course I thought of Timex watches. Looking for reviews, I found several Timex watch offers on various sites but the best were on Amazon. I found the customer reviews really useful and I like the fact that the site does not hide the negative reviews about the products.

I am not really looking for something "geeky" with a lot of buttons and loads of functions - just a simple looking watch. Going through the various designs and reviews, I kind of like the Timex Expedition Traditional Leather and the price is not that bad at all.

First Commentator
Rani

Online T-shirt store with a difference

Look what came through the door yesterday - a brand new T-shirt.



It is an original Iffyton T Shirt from Iffyton High Street - a new online T-shirt store. It is totally different from other online t-shirt stores I am familiar with. It features a virtual high street with various stores, each with a different theme selling original designs you won't find elsewhere. You can go left or right depending on the position of your mouse and hovering your mouse over a store will give you a brief description below.



You can also start selling your own designs by setting up a virtual store on the site for a one off fee of only £500. This includes store set up, hosting, banking, etc. Found out later on that the guys behind Iffyton High Street are Totally Original T-Shirts (TOT-Shirts), one of Britain’s largest garment decoration specialists (in their words).

My only concern was that the TOS and contact information are not easily accessible. Some fussy first time customers might be put off by that.

Anyway, I had a tough time choosing from the various designs but I finally went for this guitar design in a shop called "A DJ is not a musician".



I don't have anything against DJ's - just thought that the design was cool. It costs £18.60 inclusive of the postage. The delivery was fast and the quality of the cloth (100% cotton) was surprisingly good. I am really impressed. Will definitely be shopping there again.

First Commentator
Angel

Healthy recipes

We rarely eat outside and today afternoon I had to cook as my wife was busy with her research work. I am an ovo-lacto-vegeteraian and I didn't want to cook too many dishes. I had a look in the fridge and quickly came up with something with what was available - fried rice with vegetables and eggs.

My daughter was complaining that she was tired of eating the same things and wanted something different. That made me realise that she was right and thought that would make an effort to do some research myself - for vegetarian recipes.

This led me to the Phytolife.com, a new online source that should appeal to health-conscious consumers or to anyone looking for some great healthy recipes. I found out that the name of the site comes from the word 'Phytonutrients', which refer to plant-based nutrients. This site also carries a number of articles on healthy lifestyles as well. I love their green nature themed template.

Phytonutrients are naturally occurring compounds found in fruits and vegetables. According to this site, they are probably the most important part of your diet and are required for the proper functioning of our body. They might help in preventing diseases. According to Phytolife.com, 90% of Americans aren’t getting enough Phytonutrients. I suspect it's the same here in the UK as well.

I am going to try out their Warm Wedding Soup. Sounds delicious and perfect for the cold weather.