nuriko’s Neighborhood

genki desu minna? hisashi buri! been quite busy and stressed with work lately so i haven't had time to post about wu chun & calvin's visit in our country. unfortunately i wasn't able to stalk them & see them in person. just as i predicted...it's another "so near yet so far" ending for me *sigh*.

anyway, i ended up watching them on every tv show they appeared. and i just have to say that these guys are mecha nice!!!! they're really accommodating. i didn't expect calvin to be really cute. i just love his bright smile. no wonder he won the "sunshine boy" competition (i hope i remembered it right) before he entered showbiz. and chun...what else can i say...he's so sweet!!! he looks like a big kid.

i could pretty much say they were in awe by the number of fans who welcomed them. not to mention the fact that the fans here, according to them, are so loud! hehe! and they were surprised that their fans here could actually sing their songs in chinese. well, we've had enough training during the F4 mania here...hehe!

i have a friend who was able to stalk them & let me just re-tell her story. she & other singapore fans waited for chun & calvin to finish their dinner & when chun saw the fans he waved & said "bye bye" to them but my friend told him "no, we're still following you (back to the hotel)". some would have reacted negatively to that. i mean some wouldn't feel too comfortable knowing that somebody's gonna stalk you, right? but chun then said "oh, okay. take care." kyaaaa!!!! he's such a sweetie!!!! and then my friend who was driving the car drove like crazy to catch up with them & when they bumped on each other again at the hotel lobby, my friend called chun once again. then chun said "nice driving" to her. calvin even asked her if she was the one driving & gave her a thumbs-up sign.

another thing, during their first tv appearance, fans were waiting for them outside & chun was even the one who asked if they could take a picture with the fans! he was even telling the fans "don't push, don't push" so no one would get hurt. <3 <3 <3 and calvin was really funny because it's like he wanted to look at every fan who's calling out his name. at times he would even react to their shouts amidst the interview.

my sister told me she saw a clip from their meet & greet session w/ chosen fans that there was this woman who asked if she could hug chun & he instantly opened both of his arms & said "sure". there was even one who asked permission if she could kiss chun & he agreed so they kissed...cheek to cheek ^___^. my mom told me that it's good that the fans are asking "permission" before doing anything to their idols and it's nice that chun was so accommodating to their requests. i told her their management company is still kind & lenient but i guess if they really go BIG time things will begin to change. i don't know if they will be allowed to just take whatever the fans give them (i saw chun taking a letter from a fan who just reached the letter to him when he passed by).

both has expressed their intention of going back here, this time with the whole Fahrenheit team (i'd like to see jiro & aaron too!). i think it's a possibility. maybe chun & jerry could also go back together when they promote their drama & i think it's gonna be another "fan-demonium" when that happens. just imagine having these 2 hunks together on stage!!!

i can't wait to see him post about his visit here on his blog!!! and just a bit of trivia: he likes our chiken adobo!!! when one of the host told him he looks filipino he said he wants to try speaking in tagalog to see if he can pass as a filipino so he said "masarap chicken adobo (chiken adobo is delicious)" XD. and i didn't know that most of his employees are filipinos! lucky for them to have a boss like him ^__^

i guess there are lots of nice stories about their visits here so i'm posting some links of people who actually saw or had encounters with them:

http://marikit.org/archives/2008/07/14/wu-chun-and-calvin-chen-in-the-philippines/

http://teamkapamilya.multiply.com/video/item/64/Wu_Chun_and_Calvin_Chens_One-on-One_Interview_

http://www.ampedasia.com/forums/weekend-with-wu-chun-calvin-chen-philippines-t-11418-3.html

http://www.ampedasia.com/forums/weekend-with-wu-chun-calvin-chen-philippines-t-11418-4.html

 

 

I finally sat down to start watching Fated to Love You (thanks to Yupki's burned cd), but I realized it was missing the first four episodes.

So I sat in front of my PC trying to dl the first episodes, waited about an hour and got a freaking error message that I couldn't dl it.

Guess I'm just not fated to watch this. :P

I am honestly such a packrat. I cannot bear to part with any of the fangirl crap that I have accumulated the past few years. Some people can sell their fangirl stuff when they get tired of it but I just can’t bear to part with any of it (well at least the Jpop stuff). 

For example, I have a couple of uchiwas, but I got the Nino-Sho-Aiba uchiwas the first time I saw them in concert two years ago. One uchiwa just costs 5,000 won ($5 or 500 Yen).

I think it's pretty cheap. But for my non-fangirl friends, they're like... $5 for a freaking fan with a face??? Yeah, they don't get it.

If you think about it, an uchiwa would probably just cost less than a $1 to mass produce, but those marketing geniuses at Johnny’s know just how much the adorable faces of their idols are worth. So let's say, it's $1 for the cost of producing the cheap plastic fan and the rest $4 they pocket it as profit. Now that's pure genius.

For me, it’s not about how much the uchiwa is, but the memory attached to it. The uchiwas are lying around somewhere but everytime I happen find it, it reminds me of a happy time.

Being a fangirl sometimes makes you a teeny bit irrational.

I really don’t get it why anyone would pay 40,000 Yen or 50,000 Yen for a concert ticket. Now unless that ticket comes with a sure chance of actually meeting one of the members, I’d probably think about it. But if it’s just concert… I’m not THAT crazy. Besides, fans taking advantage of other poor fans is just wrong.

Then again, if people really want to spend $500 on a concert ticket, then if I’m the person selling the ticket, I will probably do that too.

Of course, I admit I am crazy in some ways. Did I really buy a $20 plastic bag (splashed with the concert tour logo)? Do I have four $25 different concert tees (that I’m too embarrassed to wear anywhere)?

But in other ways, I’ve become a lot more sensible when it comes to fangirling and spending. Surprisingly, I didn’t break the bank for my Tokyo trip/K8 concert. I didn't even buy a lot of K8 con goods.

I think there’s a direct correlation between the amount of money you spend on online shopping with the time you spend surfing fan sites and blogs. So far this year, I haven't spent a lot on idol goods, cds, magazines and dvds, compared to last year.

Either I'm getting annoyingly sensible as a fangirl or I'm losing interest.

If only I was this sensible two years ago, then I wouldn't have a stack of photobooks, albums, singles, DVDs and magazines collecting dust at home. 

I needed a song to wind me down after a pretty rough day, and my iPod shuffled to Ayaka's song. Her voice is just so soothing. 

 

 

 

With all the SALE signs around Tokyo, it was almost enough to make me let go of my wallet. But I didn't really shop that much because shopping takes too much time and I didn't have much time.

One shop that I was really determined to find was Crystal Ball in Omotesando. I love their cute Boston Terrier logo and funky patterns. And I got a kick out of brand's name. ^_^ I just stumbled on the brand while reading TokyoLookBook, and found their bags on some Websites. I rejoiced when they opened their online store earlier this year and needless to say, I ordered a bag ASAP! Their online service is impeccable.

The first time I went looking for the shop, I walked down from Harajuku towards Omotesando Hills. But I had to turn back because I had to rush off somewhere else. But on my last day, I headed back, determined to find the store even if I was late for my flight.

I found the store, tucked away in a quiet sidestreet. The store was smaller than I expected, and there weren't a lot of bags. Most of the bags, I've already seen online. Nothing really grabbed my attention, until I spotted this rock-and-rollish black and white bag (and it's dotty too!).The salesgirl informed me it was the last one!

As I was about to pay, I made the mistake of checking out the accessories section, and found a pair of black and pink leather bracelets. It looked plain enough, and when the saleslady said it was "cheap" ... I believed her. Ack. It later dawned on me that I just purchased a $20 leather bracelet. Maybe it was because the salesgirl was extremely nice, helpful and spoke in excellent English.

I rushed out of the store, with my new bags, ran across town and managed to still be early for my flight.

Incidentally, I love Japan Airlines because they always upgrade me to business class! A perfect end to a great vacation. I can't wait for the next one!

 

One of the highlights of my trip was going to the Kanjani8 TokyoDome concerts. I snagged the tickets pretty easily, one through auction and the second one at an idol shop in Harajuku on the day of the concert itself (And I got it for a steal! It was even cheaper than the original price! Ha!!!!)

I was surprised the seats for both nights were pretty decent, with a good view of the stage. A good deal considering I had no idea what seat I was buying when I got the tickets.

I really love K8 right now, so there's no doubt I loved every minute of their concert. Baru's voice is really strong, Yasu is so cute when he rocks (and licks the guitar, Okura is just a great drummer, Maru plays a mean bass, Yoko and Hina are the super chatty ones and Ryo is a hottie and he knows it! These Johnny's concerts do have a "formula" and K8 sticks to the formula pretty much. 

The first concert was pure fun, but there were some minor glitches. I guess that's what's funny about Johnny's concerts, the guys can mess up but they can just smile and the fans will still love 'em. The second concert was a better, with three encores and more energy and hilarity! The MC was funny, especially the Korean stars bit. Yoko saying Annyonghaseyo and Sugohaseyo was so hilarious! LOL!

 

It wouldn't be a Johnny's concert without fanservice. There was a lot of Ryo-Okura action, with the whole bit of Ryo as Sousuke beating up poor Okura and hugging him. Omg! There were some Yasu-Okura and Ryo-Baru moments too!

The concert was more of a "live" concert, so there was no Eito skit. I kind of like K8 being a real band, who can play instruments, play rock and even acoustic sets.

Considering everything, I can't think of a better way to spend an evening than watching my favorite idol group for three hours in concert! And twice!

Would I do it again next year? Maybe! If I'm still a fangirl by then.

Second time is a charm for me in Tokyo. Instead of shaking off the J-bug, it just really got me even more hooked! I managed to squeeze in a lot in just four days.

 

Edo-Tokyo Museum
According to Lonely Planet, this is one of the best places to go and learn about Tokyo's rich history and culture. It was a good introduction, and lots of interesting dioramas and interactive displays. I was lucky enough to have caught a retrospective of designer KansaiYamamoto's outlandish and creative designs. His clothes were worn by David Bowie, and even John Lennon was photographed wearing one of his funky jackets 2 days before he died.

Tokyo Dome City
I spent three out of the four days at Tokyo Dome. On the first night, K brought us to a ramen place. The next two nights to see the concerts. There was a nearby shopping mall where all the shops were on sale!  There was a rollercoaster and ferris wheel at the Korakuen Amusement Park, but we chickened out!

 

Roppongi Hills
We went to Roppongi Hills really early in the morning. Too early for the Tokyo City View to open. But just the right time to camwhore without looking like total idiots. It was so nice and calm on a Sunday morning.

 

Ebisu Garden Place
Just had to go back, even if there's nothing much to see. P and I went nuts when we saw the lovely flowers and colorful pinwheels. What is it about pinwheels that make you feel like a carefree kid again? Plus the wind really helped ease the mid-day heat.

 

Tokyo Tower
Everyone told me Tokyo Tower is not much to see. But I didn't listen. I still went, but it wasn't that impressive. Then again, all these city towers are nothing really. The nearby temple was quite interesting though.

 

Harajuku
I kept going back to Harajuku just because it has clothes, accessories, shoes, crepes and idol shops. Not to mention the Daiso shop for cheap souvenirs. 
It was at the KDDI design building where we accidentally stumbled on a live radio show broadcast featuring Jpop trio W-inds! So funny that we had no idea who they were but we were gushing how cute one guy was! Another random celebsighting for me! Hahaha... I really do have weird luck with that.

 

Imperial Palace East Garden
This was one place which is so peaceful and serene that its hard to believe it's in the middle of Tokyo. I liked how it was so elegant, clean and quiet. It's true there's not a lot to see but it was just the garden and history itself that you want to absorb. (May isang atrabida nga lang na nagcomplain sa akin na wala daw makita sa Palace gardens, compared sa palace nila! LOL! kaloka pati palace ng mga Hapon eh pintasan).

Omotesando
It's a really pretty and posh place for shopping. I loved the treelined streets and awesome flagship stores for LV, Dior and Chanel. I had a rough time looking for the elusive Crystal Ball store, which turned out to be just after Omotesando Hills. Argh! I did manage to find it, just before going to the airport! Ha!

 

Ghibli Museum
Any Miyazaki fan should visit the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka. It was kinda difficult to get the ticket from Lawsons, but on my second try I succeeded.  I had only two hours to spare, so I practically just skipped through the entire museum. The Chasing Totoro zoetrope is a must-see.

There was a short Ghibli film shown, and it was so typically Miyazaki. No words needed, just stunning visuals and heart. I was such in a hurry to catch another concert that I forgot to check out the giant robot on the rooftop. *weeps*

Sigh. There was so much to do, so little time! Until next time!

 

I failed to buy pearls.

Was it a subconscious effect of hearing all the superstitions about buying pearls? Maybe.

I was too busy running around all the places I wanted to see, that I missed out on going to the Mikimoto store in Ginza. Argh!

But this is not to say that I didn't buy any jewelry because I did. I think got into this "everytime i travel, i buy jewerly" habit from my friend R.

While I was on the plane to Narita, I checked out their duty-free shop and found some Mikimoto pearls but it was only for sale during long-haul flights. Darn. But then I spotted a pretty necklace with an infinity pendant. Oooooohhhhhh... is this a sign? Infinity = ∞. But unfortunately it was also only available on long-haul flights.

Fast forward to my return flight. I was trolling the duty-free section at Narita, when I spotted the Tiffany shop. Lo and behold, the infinity necklace was there!

The infinity necklace is just the perfect souvenir for me. ∞ is forever.

 

Tadaima! I'm back from my super short trip from my favorite city in the world... Tokyo!

I really really love Japanese food a lot, so this time I wanted to try out lots of different stuff. The hotel buffet kept me stuffed for breakfast, so I splurged on lunch and dinner (if I had the time). ^_^

 

Sushi: The first thing I did when I arrived in Tokyo last weekend (yeah, after I dumped my stuff at the hotel) was to head over to Tsukiji Market for some of the best sushi.

This time, I ordered a tuna sushi set... all different kinds of tuna for only 3,000 Yen! It was a steal, considering it had those fatty tuna sushi bits that melt in your mouth.

But I think I've had enough tuna sushi to last me a year!

 

Ramen: P's friend Kei brought us to this small but popular ramen place in Suidobashi (near TokyoDome). I ordered the Tamashii no ramen which had a boiled egg (800 Yen). It was really yummy!  There were pics of a famous Japanese boxer who came to eat at the ramen shop.

At the ramen shop, P nudged me to look at the ramen chef... "he looks like Jin, no?" The guy did look a bit like Jin, but upon closer scrutiny -- NOT!

 

Crepes: One of the things I failed to do when I was in Tokyo last year was to eat crepes. This time, we hung out so much at Harajuku. I checked out two of the crepe places.

I think Marion Crepes is the more famous (not sure if better one), simply because there's always a line. I ordered the banana-strawberry ice cream-whipped cream and cheesecake crepe.

It must have been fattening, but who cares! It was sooo oishii!!

 

Pudding: Blame the Jdrama "My Boss My Hero" for my pudding obsession, not to mention that addicting Puriin song. I must have eaten three or four cups of pudding during my trip.

 

The best one was from a French-style pudding store at one of the department stores. It was in a cute glass bottle (300 yen), and even came with tiny dry ice to keep it from melting. It was actually my lunch for the day! Soooo creamy and yummy, especially for such a hot day!

Eel: I love unagi don. But this time I didn't have time to find out where the best unagi dons were, especially since I was rushing between stations. I just went to good ol' Yoshinoya for some unagi. It wasn't that great, but for 480 Yen, what can you expect?

 

 

I am still in Tokyo.

I just wanted to blog something on vox, while Im still here.

It is really a successful trip --- hang out with P & her friend K, went shopping but more of sightseeing, managed to do almost everything I wanted to do (save for buying pearls and the Crystal Ball bag which I will hunt down before I leave).

I didnt just watch Kanjani8 at Tokyo Dome once, but TWICE!!! It was soooooo cool. I just love em to bits!!! Subaru is soooooo HOT! And they were all sooo CUTE, no more eito rangers though. And everyone is just soooo funny, especially those bits about Annyonghaseyo and being Hangukstars. LOL! 

Ja ne! Will blog more when I get back go home!