Drama Genres I Love & Hate

HI! I am back with another drama post! Today I will be sharing some drama genres I love and some I hate.



1) Tomb Raiding Dramas (Love)





While it is not exactly a genre per se, dramas that involve tomb raiding are hard to classify. It falls under the mystery + thriller genre definitely, but it still is very different from typical mystery and thriller shows.

I am a huge trash for tomb raiding dramas. I have probably watched every Chinese tomb raiding dramas under the sun. Tomb Raiding dramas are a combination of Mystery, Thriller, Historical, Adventure and Action with some having a tinge of Supernatural. They are extremely amazing in the sense that I can get the best of both worlds since I love the suspense and the link towards actual historical people/events.

Tomb Raiding dramas are getting increasingly popular recently, especially in China with almost 1 tomb raiding drama coming out each year.

Dramas I recommend: The Mystic Nine, Candle In The Tomb.
Dramas I don't recommend: Candle In The Tomb, Mu Ye Gui Shi



2) Sci-Fi (Hate)

Yes, I really really dislike Sci-Fi dramas. The reason why I tend to stay away from them? CG.

Sci-Fi dramas rely rather heavily on CG and CG can make or break my interest towards a drama. It makes me feel really uncomfortable whenever I am watching a drama and the CG just looks too artificial or that it doesn't flow well with the actor's actions. I won't be able to get absorbed into the drama and will end up just dropping it.

Another reason why I do not like Sci-Fi dramas is that it tends to spoil the mystery element to it. Many Sci-Fi dramas include the mystery genre and the Sci-Fi aspect makes it impossible to guess what's behind the mystery since there are so many possible ways to commit the crime. It just makes me feel disappointed and that I watched the drama in vain.


3) Revolutionary period drama/Spy dramas (Love - Hate)



Now comes the genre where I have a love-hate relationship with -- dramas that are set in the revolutionary period of China OR Dramas that are set during the Japanese Occupation in Asia.

Why do I love it? Firstly the plot is definitely solid. The plots are thrilling, suspenseful and you will be on the edge of your seat during every single episode. Trying to hope that the protagonist's identity will not be revealed or be guessing who is also a spy is what you will be doing throughout the whole drama. Dramas like these will also give you good plot twists when you find out the real identity of certain characters. It is definitely a drama that will keep your mind busy

But... why do I hate it? Since it is set during war times, it is for sure that there will be many casualties. You will be spending ALL of your time praying and hoping that the main character or your favourite character will be able to live at the end and a happy ending will take place,only to find out at the last few episodes that your prayer isn't answered. That moment, although necessary is really painful may spoil your whole drama watching experience.

It is also important to see who is the cast is. Their acting skills must be top notch or else you will just be cringing for the whole drama and ruin it for you no matter how great the plot is.

Dramas like these : Sparrow, The Disguiser, No Regrets

Nescafe Dolce Gusto Review Part 2 (The Flavours)

Hi! I just posted a review of my new Nescafe Dolce Gusto Piccolo coffee machine which I have enjoyed using so far, so here is part 2 with reviews of the flavors I have purchased!

Since there was a sale, I had to buy 10 boxes of Nescafe Dolce Gusto capsules in order to get a free Cherry Red Piccolo coffee machine. Here are the flavors I purchased :

Espresso





Nescafe description: Espresso is our most classic coffee pod.. Whether you serve it up as a brilliant breakfast accompaniment, or after dinner with friends, our Espresso pod coffee is a timeless drink that has a soft, nutty lingering bitterness.

I bought 2 boxes of espresso, with each box having 16 capsules providing 16 servings. The recommended volume stated on the box is 50 ml, although most espressos served in cafes are around 40 ml. 

Rating : ★★★★☆

The Espresso has a really nice aroma and was very intense. It perked me up real fast despite being a rather small cup. I see myself buying a lot more boxes so I can kinda experiment with it a little.

Americano 




Nescafe Description: Our Americano is a straight-up roast and ground coffee, but don’t let that fool you. Its stylishly smooth blend can be enjoyed at any time of the day


I also purchased 2 boxes of Americano. Each box had 16 servings with each serving being around 240 ml. 

Rating : ★★★★★

The Americano is so far my favorite flavor amongst the 8 flavors I purchased. Just like the Espresso, it had a really nice aroma and despite the volume, it had an intense flavor too. What I really enjoyed was the aftertaste which was extremely satisfying. Because of its volume, I see myself regularly buying more boxes since it makes a good drink for anything, be it for studying or as a beverage during a meal.


Nesquik 




Nescafe description: The delicious cocoa pleasure of a hot cup of NESQUIK® in one capsule - an irresistible treat for the young and the not-so-young!

I only purchased 1 box of Nesquik and it has 16 servings in a box with each serving being around 150 ml.

The Nesquik is a new flavor and is caffeine-less. It very similar to the Milo (also from Nestle) and enhances calcium in your body. However, it is only sold in Asian countries.

Rating : ★★★★☆

I was really surprised when I first drank Nesquik. It tasted very milky with a tinge of chocolate yet is a very light drink. It was not overly sweet and thus does not make you feel thirsty after drinking it. My Grandmother really loved this drink and I feel this drink is suitable for people of all ages. Will definitely purchase more boxes.


Chococino 




Nescafe Description: . This isn’t a regular hot chocolate. Chococino has an intense chocolate taste with notes of vanilla, rounded off with a deliciously dense and chocolaty froth.

I only purchased 1 box of Chococino. There are 16 capsules in 1 box, however, it as one serving requires a milk capsule and a chocolate capsule, 1 box only serves 8 servings. Each serving serves 210 ml

Rating : ★★★★☆

The Chococino has no caffeine. There is only slightly more milk than the chocolate so you can taste both the chocolate and milk at the same time, making it a very delightful drink to drink. Just like the Nesquik, it is not that sweet making it more enjoyable to drink. I may purchase the Chococino occasionally.

Vanilla Latte Macchiato 



Nescafe Description: This uniquely attractive coffee is an upside-down café latte with a little twist. Beautifully smooth with a hint of sweetness, our Latte Macchiato pods turn into a stunning drink that will impress every time.

I only purchased one box. Each box comes with 16 capsules, 8 milk and 8 coffee capsules. Thus one box provides 8 servings with each serving being around 220 ml.

Rating : ★☆☆☆☆

I was the most excited to try this flavor since I love vanilla flavor and it looked so visually appealing. However, it became one of my least flavors. The milk tasted rather artificial, and the coffee taste was overpowered by the taste of the milk. It was so bad that I struggled to finish the drink. I saw many reviews on the Nescafe website and most of the reviewers had the same experience as mine. I probably will not buy any more boxes. 

Green Tea Latte 

Nescafe Description: Discover the indulgent NESCAFÉ® Dolce Gusto® Green Tea Latte, finest quality Japanese green tea topped with a smooth frothy milk foam.

I only purchased one box. Each box comes with 16 capsules, 8 milk and 8 coffee capsules. Thus one box provides 8 servings with each serving being around 190 ml.

Rating : : ★☆☆☆☆

Boy am I glad that I did not succumb into temptation to purchase 2 boxes instead of 1. I am not even sure if I can finish one box. The green tea + milk combination did not go well at all. Not only did the green tea taste fake, the smell of the drink was unpleasurable. I could not bring myself to finish even a single cup, and will definitely not purchase more boxes. 

Mocha

Nescafe Description: Discover NESCAFÉ® Dolce Gusto® Mocha, a delicious cocoa beverage with a hint of coffee made with two capsules. An indulgent, creamy drink topped with a generous cocoa foam.

Each box comes with 16 capsules, 8 milk, and 8 chocolate capsules. Thus each box serves 8 servings with each serving being around 220 ml.

Rating : ★★★★★

I thoroughly enjoyed each and every sip of  Mocha. While some might say that there is not enough chocolate flavor, I feel like it was perfect. The coffee taste slightly overpowers the chocolate flavor, yet you get a tinge of chocolate flavor explosion in your mouth every few sips you drink. It is not sweet and the amount of milk was just right. It is my second favorite flavor and I will definitely buy more boxes.


Cappuccino



Nescafe Description: Rediscover an Italian icon with NESCAFÉ® Dolce Gusto® Cappuccino. An intense espresso with rich and bold aromas, combined with the smooth taste and creaminess of whole milk froth.


Each box comes with 16 capsules, 8 milk, and 8 coffee capsules. Therefore each box serves 8 servings with each serving being around 240 ml. 

Rating : ★★★★☆

The Cappuccino tastes exactly like what the description said. It is very smooth and the milk does not have a weird taste. I really loved this drink since it exceeded my expectations greatly. It would have had 5 stars if the Cappuccino was slightly more intense and less sweet. Will definitely buy it regularly.


So this is my review of all the flavors I purchased. Overall, I am really enjoying the Dolce Gusto capsules with a few exceptions. There are many more flavors that are being sold and I am really excited to try all of them. 

The ranking of my favorite flavors are 
1) Americano 
2)Mocha
3)Cappuccino
4)Chococino
5)Nesquik
6)Americano
.
.
million light years 
.
.
.
7)Vanilla Latte Macchiato
.
.
.
another million light years
.
.
.
8) Green Tea Latte 

Nescafe Dolce Gusto Review Part 1 (Piccolo Machine)

Hi! Just last week, my new Nescafe Dolce Gusto Piccolo coffee machine that I have always wanted for years now have finally arrived and I will be sharing my experience so far including a simple review.

In my country, there was a sale on the Nescafe Dolce Gusto online store where if you purchase 10 boxes of Nescafe Dolce Gusto capsules, you will be able to redeem a FREE cherry red Piccolo machine.The Piccolo machine is on sale for $109 SGD whereas a single box of capsules sells for $11.90 SGD. That means for $119 SGD, you will be able to receive 10 boxes of capsules and a Piccolo coffee machine, a HUGE bargain. This means that you can enjoy a cup of cafe style coffee for less than a dollar!

The Machine 



Of course, with such a good deal, one cannot expect the free machine to be the latest model. The Piccolo machine is a rather old model that came out in 2010 (8 years ago). However, don't be put off by this as the Piccolo machine has many pros.

The Goods :

- The Piccolo machine is a very compact sized machine, only slightly bigger than your average sized kettle. It fits on small table tops and very portable too
- It is also extremely easy to use. It is simple and takes a really short amount of time to dispense your coffee
- It can dispense both hot and cold water. This function is extremely useful to people living abroad or in small places.
- It is very nice looking. The picture speaks for itself

The Bads :

- (for the sale only) When you purchase your 10 boxes of capsules, you can only get the Cherry Red Piccolo machine and cannot choose any other colours, however, Cherry Red is still very pleasing to the eye
- It makes a rather loud noise while dispensing the coffee. (only for minute at most though since coffee dispenses very fast)
 - It has a very small water tank, probably only enough for you to make 2 drinks. (you can buy a bigger water tank online though)

Overall, I think it is a very very worth it coffee machine even if it is at its usual price of $109 SGD. It is the perfect coffee machine for a beginner like me and for people who lives in small places.

Rating : 8/10

Stay tune for my next blog post where I will be reviewing the flavours I purchased! Thanks for reading :)