1.31.2008
A Dash Of Sea
Shot of the day:
Homemade spaghettini alfredo with smoked salmon
(Yes I like to be fancy with my lunch sometimes...=P And I made it from scratch!! Kinda wish I had some green garnish to top the salmon though, it would've looked much better...but meh, too lazy, & it still tasted great xP)
Shot of the day:
Homemade spaghettini alfredo with smoked salmon
(Yes I like to be fancy with my lunch sometimes...=P And I made it from scratch!! Kinda wish I had some green garnish to top the salmon though, it would've looked much better...but meh, too lazy, & it still tasted great xP)
1.30.2008
Love Today
I know if I don't write about this now, I'll never do it, so here I am, trying to put into words what can only be described as an indescribable experience...
So last night was Mika's concert at Kool Haus. It was my first time there so I had no idea what to expect; all I knew was that there's no assigned seating (ie. all floor) so it's about getting there early to get a good spot. At first I figured arriving 2 hours beforehand (doors open at 7) would be ample time, but in the end I was there at 4:30. By then there were already 40 or so people in line, so I was quite glad I made it earlier than planned. It wasn't particularly cold yesterday, in fact it was one of the warmer days this winter, but still it was wetter than normal (there was a drizzle throughout the wait) so it was colder than one would prefer. Not to mention having to stand outside for nearly 3 hours, it WILL get cold, whether you like it or not. For me it was just a rehash of my Wii experience (except warmer), so I wasn't too bothered. I was more bored than anything since I went by myself. But with my music, I handled just fine...
30 minutes before the doors opened, a "jam van" came by & started blasting Mika's music through its speakers. I think that's the moment I really became excited; the whole day I was just kinda indifferent & frankly, a bit dreadful of having to wait outside. That's also when I found out almost everyone around me was going to the Spice Girls concert as well, since once their music came on everyone exclaimed in joy. Some even decided to do the "Stop" dance to keep warm, all the while I was trying hard to resist joining...xD
As soon as the doors opened & we got our bags checked, I ran straight inside to grab myself a good spot. I was about the 3rd person or no more than 2 metres away from the stage. Soon the placed filled up & I was surrounded by the most interesting group of people - on my left were the most stoic women who hardly made a peep; on my right was an engaged couple who were both huge Mika fans (apparently Mika's music was playing on their first date, hehe), & behind me were a fabulous gay guy (who never stopped saying how much he wanted to marry Mika, lol) & his even more fabulous gal pal. I didn't stay there for long though; thanks to a bunch of overzealous fans, there was major pushing & shoving going on & I ended up being pushed more to the left but closer to the stage. Meh, as long as I was closer, I thought.
At around 8 the concert finally began. Since the opener was never announced, everyone was pleasantly surprised when a band full of hot people came out, lol. It was a band called Creature, we later found out, from Montreal. Their music was a mix of punk, rock, & dance, which was quite refreshing & an interesting lead-in to Mika. They were a lot of fun (one of the girls play the cowbells!!) & definitely got the crowd going. But to me, it was all about Mika & I wasn't going to scream my lungs out until he was on...xP
After some major shuffling on stage, Mika finally came on, about half an hour after the opening act was finished. Everybody lost it & as soon as he started singing, the crowd sang along, word-for-word, a trend that continued through the rest of the night. Normally I would be VERY bothered by that (hey I paid to hear HIM sing, not YOU!!), but it turned out I was one of those who sang too. xD It was just hard to resist, the energy Mika brought on stage really charged us up & swept us all off our feet. Everyone was dancing, jumping up & down, & singing as loud as we could. There's simply no way for me to describe how much fun it was - you just had to be there. Mika was just SO spectacular there was never a dull moment during the concert. Even when he was sitting down & playing the slow songs, I could still feel the energy coming through his music & I had chills down my spine. I was literally weak in my knees & had trouble standing even though I had 5 people pushing up against my ass at that point (lol). If there ever was a state of non-drug-induced euphoria, that was it. Song after song, he blew me away, & at one point (when he sang "Happy Ending"), I was near tears. It was just a very touching moment for me, having connected to the song on a personal basis, & having him look me in the eye (that's right he looked at me, a few times too!! xP) while singing it was simply too much to handle. I could go on & on about how great he was, but no amount of words would ever match the larger-than-life spectacle that he's brought on stage. And for that I have new-found respect & admiration for this guy...
After the concert I waited outside (along with 30 or so people) for Mika to come out for pictures & autographs. Yup, another hour in the cold...when he finally came out though, we were told that he had a minor sore throat & wouldn't be signing anything or taking any pics...it was a major bummer for everyone until he started talking to us. He was genuine, down-to-earth, & just a gentleman all around. He left us all with the greatest memory even though we all went home without an autograph in hand. But we definitely didn't go home empty-handed.
I for sure will be going to his concert again the next time he comes to Toronto. For now though my focus is on the Spice Girls concert next week. It probably won't be as personal as this one but I'm sure it'll be loads of fun in a different way. =D
Here are some pictures from last night...this time I got a number of good ones since he was literally within arm's reach (I had to zoom OUT instead of IN at times, that's how close I was). I'll say I got to see a lot of things, I most certainly did (especially when he took his shirt off, lol...ya you can imagine the whole place bursting out in screams, can't ya)...xP
I know if I don't write about this now, I'll never do it, so here I am, trying to put into words what can only be described as an indescribable experience...
So last night was Mika's concert at Kool Haus. It was my first time there so I had no idea what to expect; all I knew was that there's no assigned seating (ie. all floor) so it's about getting there early to get a good spot. At first I figured arriving 2 hours beforehand (doors open at 7) would be ample time, but in the end I was there at 4:30. By then there were already 40 or so people in line, so I was quite glad I made it earlier than planned. It wasn't particularly cold yesterday, in fact it was one of the warmer days this winter, but still it was wetter than normal (there was a drizzle throughout the wait) so it was colder than one would prefer. Not to mention having to stand outside for nearly 3 hours, it WILL get cold, whether you like it or not. For me it was just a rehash of my Wii experience (except warmer), so I wasn't too bothered. I was more bored than anything since I went by myself. But with my music, I handled just fine...
30 minutes before the doors opened, a "jam van" came by & started blasting Mika's music through its speakers. I think that's the moment I really became excited; the whole day I was just kinda indifferent & frankly, a bit dreadful of having to wait outside. That's also when I found out almost everyone around me was going to the Spice Girls concert as well, since once their music came on everyone exclaimed in joy. Some even decided to do the "Stop" dance to keep warm, all the while I was trying hard to resist joining...xD
As soon as the doors opened & we got our bags checked, I ran straight inside to grab myself a good spot. I was about the 3rd person or no more than 2 metres away from the stage. Soon the placed filled up & I was surrounded by the most interesting group of people - on my left were the most stoic women who hardly made a peep; on my right was an engaged couple who were both huge Mika fans (apparently Mika's music was playing on their first date, hehe), & behind me were a fabulous gay guy (who never stopped saying how much he wanted to marry Mika, lol) & his even more fabulous gal pal. I didn't stay there for long though; thanks to a bunch of overzealous fans, there was major pushing & shoving going on & I ended up being pushed more to the left but closer to the stage. Meh, as long as I was closer, I thought.
At around 8 the concert finally began. Since the opener was never announced, everyone was pleasantly surprised when a band full of hot people came out, lol. It was a band called Creature, we later found out, from Montreal. Their music was a mix of punk, rock, & dance, which was quite refreshing & an interesting lead-in to Mika. They were a lot of fun (one of the girls play the cowbells!!) & definitely got the crowd going. But to me, it was all about Mika & I wasn't going to scream my lungs out until he was on...xP
After some major shuffling on stage, Mika finally came on, about half an hour after the opening act was finished. Everybody lost it & as soon as he started singing, the crowd sang along, word-for-word, a trend that continued through the rest of the night. Normally I would be VERY bothered by that (hey I paid to hear HIM sing, not YOU!!), but it turned out I was one of those who sang too. xD It was just hard to resist, the energy Mika brought on stage really charged us up & swept us all off our feet. Everyone was dancing, jumping up & down, & singing as loud as we could. There's simply no way for me to describe how much fun it was - you just had to be there. Mika was just SO spectacular there was never a dull moment during the concert. Even when he was sitting down & playing the slow songs, I could still feel the energy coming through his music & I had chills down my spine. I was literally weak in my knees & had trouble standing even though I had 5 people pushing up against my ass at that point (lol). If there ever was a state of non-drug-induced euphoria, that was it. Song after song, he blew me away, & at one point (when he sang "Happy Ending"), I was near tears. It was just a very touching moment for me, having connected to the song on a personal basis, & having him look me in the eye (that's right he looked at me, a few times too!! xP) while singing it was simply too much to handle. I could go on & on about how great he was, but no amount of words would ever match the larger-than-life spectacle that he's brought on stage. And for that I have new-found respect & admiration for this guy...
After the concert I waited outside (along with 30 or so people) for Mika to come out for pictures & autographs. Yup, another hour in the cold...when he finally came out though, we were told that he had a minor sore throat & wouldn't be signing anything or taking any pics...it was a major bummer for everyone until he started talking to us. He was genuine, down-to-earth, & just a gentleman all around. He left us all with the greatest memory even though we all went home without an autograph in hand. But we definitely didn't go home empty-handed.
I for sure will be going to his concert again the next time he comes to Toronto. For now though my focus is on the Spice Girls concert next week. It probably won't be as personal as this one but I'm sure it'll be loads of fun in a different way. =D
Here are some pictures from last night...this time I got a number of good ones since he was literally within arm's reach (I had to zoom OUT instead of IN at times, that's how close I was). I'll say I got to see a lot of things, I most certainly did (especially when he took his shirt off, lol...ya you can imagine the whole place bursting out in screams, can't ya)...xP
1.28.2008
Like No Other
Even now, whenever I listen to "DISTANCE", I'm reminded of the good times we've had together. And that makes me smile. =)
Even now, whenever I listen to "DISTANCE", I'm reminded of the good times we've had together. And that makes me smile. =)
1.27.2008
Atonement
...I swear, it wasn't me this time around. My parents bought them. xP An early happy Chinese New Year to all (especially those born in the year of the rat)!!
--
So, with Djokovic winning over Tsonga in 4 sets & claiming the men's singles title, the 2008 Australian Open has officially drawn to a close. Many consider this to be the most exciting Grand Slam in recent years, filled with classic matches, shocking upsets, miraculous comebacks, & just spectacular tennis from all over the board. I of course was most exhilarated about Maria's win. After last year's crushing loss at the finals (which coincidentally happened on one of the most disappointing days of MY life), a dismal 2007 followed - she ended up only winning one title & as defending champion, crashed out of the US Open in the 3rd round. Somehow though she managed to recover during the off-season & played the best tennis that I've ever seen from her. EVER. She won the tournament WITHOUT LOSING A SET & beat 3 of the top 4 players on the way (although I must say the rankings right now don't truly reflect their real capabilities)!! I was beyond words when she finally won, & I was especially impressed with her victory speech. She showed that not only is she a champion, but also a great spokesperson for the sport. And she's only 20!! Man I just love her. <3
As for Nole's win...it's weird, 'cause I became a fan of his even before his rise to the top, & I even rooted for him when he faced Roger at the US Open final last year. But somehow, when he beat Roger in the semis here, I've lost all interest in him or anything that had to do with the men's tournament, lol. I guess I just wasn't used to not seeing Roger in a final (after all, he did make all of them 3 years in a row), & without him this just didn't seem like a Grand Slam final. Last night I forced myself to stay up to watch to match, but the spark just wasn't there, despite some great tennis was on display. I ended up going to bed after Nole was up a break in the 3rd set, 'cause by then I knew he had it in the bag. And he did end up winning, so...yay?? Lol nah I AM happy for him, but I think right now I'm more anxious to see how the dynamic on the men's tour will change now that the Roger-Rafa domination has been broken. With the Olympics thrown into the mix this year, there's definitely gonna be a lot more twists & turns than usual. AND CAN YOU TELL I'M EXCITED?? =D
P.S. Speaking of tennis, a few days ago I submitted a question to SI & it was chosen for an answer (scroll down, mine's the 4th one)...I feel so special!!
...I swear, it wasn't me this time around. My parents bought them. xP An early happy Chinese New Year to all (especially those born in the year of the rat)!!
--
So, with Djokovic winning over Tsonga in 4 sets & claiming the men's singles title, the 2008 Australian Open has officially drawn to a close. Many consider this to be the most exciting Grand Slam in recent years, filled with classic matches, shocking upsets, miraculous comebacks, & just spectacular tennis from all over the board. I of course was most exhilarated about Maria's win. After last year's crushing loss at the finals (which coincidentally happened on one of the most disappointing days of MY life), a dismal 2007 followed - she ended up only winning one title & as defending champion, crashed out of the US Open in the 3rd round. Somehow though she managed to recover during the off-season & played the best tennis that I've ever seen from her. EVER. She won the tournament WITHOUT LOSING A SET & beat 3 of the top 4 players on the way (although I must say the rankings right now don't truly reflect their real capabilities)!! I was beyond words when she finally won, & I was especially impressed with her victory speech. She showed that not only is she a champion, but also a great spokesperson for the sport. And she's only 20!! Man I just love her. <3
As for Nole's win...it's weird, 'cause I became a fan of his even before his rise to the top, & I even rooted for him when he faced Roger at the US Open final last year. But somehow, when he beat Roger in the semis here, I've lost all interest in him or anything that had to do with the men's tournament, lol. I guess I just wasn't used to not seeing Roger in a final (after all, he did make all of them 3 years in a row), & without him this just didn't seem like a Grand Slam final. Last night I forced myself to stay up to watch to match, but the spark just wasn't there, despite some great tennis was on display. I ended up going to bed after Nole was up a break in the 3rd set, 'cause by then I knew he had it in the bag. And he did end up winning, so...yay?? Lol nah I AM happy for him, but I think right now I'm more anxious to see how the dynamic on the men's tour will change now that the Roger-Rafa domination has been broken. With the Olympics thrown into the mix this year, there's definitely gonna be a lot more twists & turns than usual. AND CAN YOU TELL I'M EXCITED?? =D
P.S. Speaking of tennis, a few days ago I submitted a question to SI & it was chosen for an answer (scroll down, mine's the 4th one)...I feel so special!!
1.12.2008
Indulge
Just a few pics that I've collected over the past couple of weeks...
This was taken on the first day of the New Year, when I had to drive home (after rocking out on Rock Band =P) right in the middle of a snowstorm. Don't worry, I parked the car & made sure no other cars were around (this was about 2 o'clock, anyway) when I took it. =P
My dinner tonight at Kelsey's. I had an 11 oz. striploin steak cooked in a balsamic cream sauce, topped with sautéed mushrooms & fried onion rings, AND with vegetables (broccoli!!) & garlic mashed potatoes to the side. Yes, it was every bit as good as it sounds...in fact it was the best entrée I've had in a while, mostly 'cause the sides were just REALLY good (& I also loved the sauce). The dessert, a caramel cake with vanilla ice cream topped with whipped cream & oreo sprinkles, was something that I've had before. I remember loving it, so I decided to order it again this time...& it was even better than I remembered!! Definitely gonna go to Kelsey's more often now (just when I thought their food was starting to suck)...
And last but not least...
MY NEW LCD TV!! Yes, it finally arrived this Wednesday...right now I don't even wanna go into the details of much how trouble & frustration I had to live through for it to get here safely, I'm just gonna enjoy its gorgeousness...*o* Next up: an Xbox 360 Elite (I need HD gaming now xD)...
Just a few pics that I've collected over the past couple of weeks...
This was taken on the first day of the New Year, when I had to drive home (after rocking out on Rock Band =P) right in the middle of a snowstorm. Don't worry, I parked the car & made sure no other cars were around (this was about 2 o'clock, anyway) when I took it. =P
My dinner tonight at Kelsey's. I had an 11 oz. striploin steak cooked in a balsamic cream sauce, topped with sautéed mushrooms & fried onion rings, AND with vegetables (broccoli!!) & garlic mashed potatoes to the side. Yes, it was every bit as good as it sounds...in fact it was the best entrée I've had in a while, mostly 'cause the sides were just REALLY good (& I also loved the sauce). The dessert, a caramel cake with vanilla ice cream topped with whipped cream & oreo sprinkles, was something that I've had before. I remember loving it, so I decided to order it again this time...& it was even better than I remembered!! Definitely gonna go to Kelsey's more often now (just when I thought their food was starting to suck)...
And last but not least...
MY NEW LCD TV!! Yes, it finally arrived this Wednesday...right now I don't even wanna go into the details of much how trouble & frustration I had to live through for it to get here safely, I'm just gonna enjoy its gorgeousness...*o* Next up: an Xbox 360 Elite (I need HD gaming now xD)...
