Saturday, March 24, 2012

Dream High 2

If you have been reading my blog, you remember me blogging about how much I love IU after watching Dream High - Korean Drama. They made a sequel - Dream High 2 which I have been obsessing about and it came to an end this week. Booohoooo... *I want more*
It's a sequel so the cast from previous Dream High will not be seen here. In fact, I think they have gather a better cast! A lot of great singers and great rendition of original songs!

Synopsis:
Kirin High School was taken over by Oz Entertainment after a financial bankruptcy. Oz Entertainment transferred their own young talents into Kirin High School to obey some law which required young talents to completing their studies. 
Oz Entertainment held a competition to find and grow young talents into Super Idols. There were intense competitions between Oz Entertainment young talents with Arts student of Kirin High School.
Shin Hae-Sung who is a student who were talented in theories more than performance which made her the weakest student in performing. Jin Yoo-jin and JB came to her life and make her believe in herself more and try to be a better performer. Yoo-jin and JB fall in love with Shin Hae-Sung but she only has her eyes on JB. 
There will be a lot of rivalry between Yoo-jin and JB.
Rian is one of the HershE K-Pop group with Ailee and Nana. Rian is JB's ex-girlfriend and she's very jealous of how JB treats Shin Hae-Sung differently compare when they were together.  

ALL Cast
Some highlight on what you get from Dream High 2. This is most of the cast singing recent rendition of latest K-Songs - Roly Poly / I Am The Best / Top Girl
I really like Jin Yoo-jin (Jung Jin Woon from 2 AM) and JB (JB who is a fresh idol that JYP is moiling to be together with Park Jin Young - Jr. in this Drama) a LOT! Although I would prefer Shin Hae-Sung (Kang Sora) to be with Yoo-jin but then JB is too hard to resist too.
Shin Hae-Sung
 
One of the statement songs for Dream High 2 where most of the cast sing together in the competition. Cute song. 
Dream High 2 - B Class Life 
Jin Yoo-jin the Rocker in Dream High 2
Check out how cute he is 
Jung Jin Woon - Tired To Talk

 
JB
 
 
I'm sorry to Se7en fans but JB sings this song so much better. 
JB - When I Can't Sing  
The drama has recruited a lot of good talents. Ailee as herself, Nana (Hyorin from SISTAR), Rian (Ji-yeon from T-ara) they are the K-Pop group known as HershE in the drama. They really can SING!
HershE - Superstar 
This is how GOOD of a singer is Ailee. Totally love her more after watching this video. This is how she was found, in a singing competition.
Ailee - Halo
Ailee
I really like Hyorin and Kim Ji Soo singing together in the dram. Their vocals are the perfect match together. Both very great and talented singers.  
Hyorin and Kim Ji Soo - Destiny 
Hyorin and Kim Ji Soo - I'm In Love  
Nana
Kim Ji Soo act as Park HongJoo in Dream High 2 who loves Nana and is not afraid of showing his love for her. His voices can really go to any range! 
Kim Ji Soo - Sunflower

Park HongJoo (Kim Ji Soo)
This song is written by Shin Hae-Sung in the drama but the jealous Rian stole the song to sing in a performance and JB was very furious about it.
Ji-yeon - Hello To Myself
This is another song written by Shin Hae-Sung but this time, she willingly gave the song to Rian to sing with JB. 
Ji-yeon & JB - Together
There are a lot of dance scenes in the drama too. Love them all!
JB & Jung Jin Woon Dance Scene
 
JB and Jr Dance Battle
The teachers shown their talent in the drama too. Yang Jin Man (Park Jin-young) and Hyun Ji Soo ( Park Kahi) dance scenes are superb.
JYP and Kahi Couple Dance
JYP and Kahi Tango Dance 
I'm sorry on the Dream High 2 overdose but I can't help it! I reckon is way better than the first one. Hope you all enjoy the drama as much as I did. 

Friday, March 23, 2012

The Hunger Games

Thanks to Nuffnang I got to watch the very awesome movie The Hunger Games which I believe a lot of people are anticipated for.


The Hunger Games is a long movie, it's two and a half hours, so you better stock up your soda and popcorn for it. You'll be at the edge of the seat for the whole time as well.

The movie is set in the future, Capitol is where all the rich and powerful people live and the country is divided into 12 District where people are living with fear and poverty.

Capitol is rule by Panem government who's President is President Snow who is in needs to control everyone in order the ways of their living will not be disturb and that's their so-called peace.
President Snow of Panem (Donald Sutherland) and Head of The Hunger Games, Seneca Crane (Wes Bentley)
Every year Capitol will selects a pair of boy and girl, age between 12 - 18 years old from each District to fight for their lives and they treat it as an entertainment programme, The Hunger Games to watch. Yay, I know it's sick and out of the norm.

On the 75th Annual Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen's sister, Primrose was selected with her name being in the list for the first time.
Primrose (Willow Shields) and Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) sisterly love is strong
Katniss couldn't bare to see her sister being slaughter to death in the game, she volunteer herself to participate in the game.
Katniss volunteer herself, knowing that she will have a better chance of surviving in the game. With her hunting instincts, she's very good at hunting with a bow. She has a very good eye on aiming and most of all she hunts with her best friend, Gale (HOTTIE ALERT!) in the forest.
Katniss with Gale Hawthrone (Liam Hemsworth)
Katniss represents District 12 with Peeta Mellark who has a crush on her since five years old. 
Katniss and Peeta (Josh Hatcherson) representing District 12
After Katniss and Peeta have been selected for the game, they send to Capitol to get ready for the game. The difference between Capitol and other Districts is huge. Capitol has rich resources and food but in Districts, if you were to find a bread it's consider a luxurious food.

While Katniss and Peeta were on their way to Capitol, they were introduce to their mentor, Haymitch to prepare for the game and Effie who is their representative escort of District 12 to Capitol.
Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson), District 12 mentor who had survive the Hunger games long ago
Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks) District 12 Escort Representative
While they are in Capitol, all Tributes (contestants who participate in the game) from each District will have a stylist to dress them and parade themselves out to the audience. The more crowds like the Tributes chances of getting sponsors are higher. Sponsors are very important, where the Tributes gets necessaries supplies during the game for better chances of surviving.

Katniss and Peeta's stylist is Cinna. Guess who plays Cinna? Yup! It's Lenny Kravitz!!! Nostalgic! Love him! He's very cool in the movie, it's soooo him LOL
Stylist, Cinna (Lenny Kravitz)
Cinna gave them fire costumes and Haymitch label them as the golden couple to get more people to like them and get more sponsors.
Lighting up their costume for the parade
At the parade with other Tributes
Mentor and Stylist discussion to get more sponsors
Before the game starts, Tributes will be given chances to be interview and perform their skills, allowing the crowds and sponsors to get to know more of them. The main Interviewer of The Hunger Games is the blue hair yet stylish, Ceasar.
Ceasor Flickerman (Stanley Tucci), the Interviewer
Everyone were very fond out Katniss and believe that she could win because they knew she is that good. Haymitch and Cinna support Katniss a lot and so does Peeta.

Everyone is Capitol sees The Hunger Game as an entertainment programme but for the Tributes, their lives depends on how they survive the game. Upon the beginning of the game, Tributes turn violent and very cruel, seeing them killing other Tributes brutally is sick in the stomach for me. 
Show the 'nicer' side of all the Tributes
Surviving the game is difficult and it takes more than hunting instinct to survive, you have to be quick in response and brave. 

Some of the Tributes have form a line to have a better chance of killing their opponent and winning in the game. Katniss was alone from the beginning of the game, she was somehow wounded and Rue one of the Tributes saved her.
Rue (Amandla Stenberg)
Unfortunately, Rue didn't survive in the game but she died in the hands of Katniss. All the audience were very move by how Katniss treated Rue's body. Somehow Katniss's actions gave people from all Districts HOPE.
Katniss showing peace sign for Rue
Alright, I'll leave you to enjoy the ending of the movie. This is a great movie, I like it a lot. There's just a lot of elements in it. There's fashion, love, friendship, fighting spirit, surviving skills and many more.

You guess it right, there is love wondering between Peeta, Katniss and Gale. It's some what like Twilight and fans of The Hunger Games has form Team Peeta and Team Gale. I'm routing for Team Gale ;P
Team Gale 
Oh ya, just in case you are wondering who is this hot new chick Jennifer Lawrence is. She's the blonde/blue Mystique from X-Men: First Class. Are you feeling more thirst for her now?
In X-Men: First Class
Mystique
PS: The ending of the movie seems like there will be a sequel of The Hunger Games coming soon. Can't wait. 

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

The Vanilla Place

Me and my colleagues stumble upon some interesting reviews on The Vanilla Place at Empire Shopping Gallery. We planned to have an outing/farewell for me (Yes, you heard me it's me leaving, that will be in another post) and other colleague so we decided to head on to the place. 
The Vanilla Place certainly have a variety of desserts. In fact, it's the first thing that attracted me *screams dessert lover* to come and try out the place.
Check out the variety of cakes
Baby cupcakes 
Mini Macaroons 
HUGE Macaroons (they are 4x the size of the mini ones)
Tea Time Set
They do have lovely dessert tea time set but it was dinner time, so we couldn't order the tea time set which we initially came to have it for, maybe next time.

Most of us ordered their Dinner Set as we could tasted most of their food and all of the main course are well reviewed.
Mushroom Soup
The mushroom soup is chunky enough but it's not creamy enough for me and I tasted a tar bit of sourness.
Smoked Duck Spaghetti 
Chicken Lasagne 
 Chicken Lasagne is cheesy and the pasta between it is quite chewy.
Seafood Pesto Spaghetti

Seafood Pesto Spaghetti is my order, the amount of seafood is generous enough. I like the mixture of raw tomatoes and dry tomatoes.
Aglio Olio Spaghetti
Dessert time! The Dinner Set's dessert is Brownie with Ice Cream but one of my colleagues manage to request to switch her and my dessert to other dessert choice that we like. Lucky us.
Brownie with Ice Cream
Brownie was not bad but if it's heated a bit longer and serve it warmer it will be great. It has some nuts in the Brownie. I like nutty Brownies.
Apple Crumble
Carrot Cake
Honestly this is my first time tasting Carrot Cake, so I don't know what to expect. Though the cake itself is very filling. It could be a main meal itself LOL
Pavlola 
The inside bit of Pavlola
Never tried a Pavlola too, so didn't have any expectations. I reckon it's too sweet for me and the crust is almost like Macaroon crust and it has softer crusty-filling in it. This is one of the desserts being switch and colleague told me it goes really well with the English Breakfast Tea that came later.
Lemon Meringue
The Lemon Meringue is mine and is the switch dessert. I'm not saying that I know how to pick but this is the best dessert among all that we order topping the Brownie. Though the Meringue is a bit sticky/rubbery. The lemon sauce and lemon curb goes very well with the crust. Some say it's a wee bit sour for their tasting.
Long Black Coffee
We had some spare time after dinner, so went around to take some shoots to practise on my Lumix G3.
Trying to be artsy
 
Bokeh?
  
Another one with poses
I guess everyone had a great time. It's seldom we could gather almost everyone together and here we got old friends and new friends.

Overall, the place is just average to me. Though it's a place with reasonable price you can go to have a meal or high-tea with your friends. The location is quiet to have long chats as it's away from other restaurants.

Address:
FK01, 1st Floor, 
Empire Shopping Gallery.
Tel: 03- 50222198
Email: thevanillaplace@hotmail.com