EXO 'Wolf' Boys

The EXO boys have taken a new approach in their latest comeback, this time round as Wolf boys! 

Although I'm not a fan of their previous hits, something about their latest single draws me in somewhat, but as I still have yet to come to recognize each and every member (except for Kai which is chanelling Big Bang's Taeyang's style) I still do feel a deep connection with this rookie group.

I like the wolf boys concept in 'Wolf', but I must say the image of this group does not really match the mood of this song. There are tribal background sounds in the song conjures up images of men in tribal attire and surroundings, which I think would have worked better had the music video featured this element.

As expected, the music video is polished and comes complete with a stunning choreography, as every other SM video should be.

If you have yet to, make sure you watch the music video for 'Wolf' in the link below!



The author thinks that EXO is the latest rookie group that is a force to be reckoned with. But somehow SM's style of creating groups with huge number of members should be stopped. I want a chance to see all members equally on screen!

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CL Is 'The Baddest Female'

The Baddest Female in 2NE1 is finally going solo! After a long wait, fans of CL are treated to her first single, aptly named 'The Baddest Female'.

Initially the single was supposed to be named 'Bad Girl', but later CL and her agency, YG Entertainment decided to change the title to 'The Baddest Female'. 

While some had said that the song title change was due to the clash with Lee Hyori's 'Bad Girls', which happened to be released weeks earlier, CL herself has addressed the change saying that both titles has been on the table for a long time, but she decided to change the song title at the last minute.

The song itself is a rap number which seems to have various parts which transitions seamlessly, and it is very up to date song (dubstep, if you're wondering)that keeps the current music trends in check.

Check out CL's multiple wardrobe changes throughout the music video!



Meanwhile, CL's solo seems to be start of what seems to be 2NE1's comeback. Let's hope it's pretty soon!

The author is a huge fan of 2NE1, especially after listening to 'I Love You'. She had a wonderful experience seeing them performing up close in flesh at the Twin Towers @live 2013!

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2PM: Boys Turned 'Grown' Up Men

The boys (or rather, men) of 2PM are finally back with their 3rd album titled Grown! Their last one 'Hands Up' was released in 2011, which was around 2 years ago!

This time round, the boys showed how much they have 'grown' over the past 2 years by showcasing a more matured and sexier image, which I found did reflect the title of their album very well.

And I bet many fan girls would agree that the second cover looks greater huh? With all that hot hunks' six packs, I'm sure many of the fans would swoon once they get their hands on the album!

There are 2 singles which I think are the title tracks off the album, since they shot music videos for them and are currently promoting them on live music shows.

The first is Come Back When You Hear This Song, a track that starts off sounding like a ballad, then picks up into a mid-tempo dance number. 

While there are some reviews that said the dance moves seem a little musical or theatrical and look out of place, somehow I find that they executed the moves well and it seamlessly fits with the mood of the song. 

Check out the music video for 'Come Back When You Hear This Song' which will get you singing to the chorus "I norael deutgo dorawa, dorawa...," in no time! Look out for the 7 sins in the video too!



Next up is All Day I Think Of You (what's with all the long and mouthful titles this time round, JYP?). This song is quite a mix of rapping, slow ballad like parts, as well as synthesized voices. 

What I love most is the part where they all sat down on chairs and snap their fingers while swinging one leg. So swag!!

Check out the sexy music video for 'All Day I Think Of You' below!



Otherwise, the rest of the album is still pretty good for those looking for a album for easy listening as most tracks are quite tuned down, with a couple of ballads here and there.

I shall be looking forward to catch their sexy live performances on television one of these days!

The author is loving the new concept for 2PM's comeback. What about you?

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Xia Junsu releases 'Foolish Heart' for Fugitive of Joseon OST

JYJ's Xia Junsu adds another OST to his belt, a list which seems to be growing quite steadily in number.

His latest single is Foolish Heart for the Fugitive of Joseon OST. The drama stars his agency mate, Song Jihyo (of Running Man fame) and Lee Dong Wook (Scent of a Woman).

Fugitive of Joseon is a medical based drama where Lee Dong Wook's character, Choi Won, is a royal doctor who is soon forced to be a fugitive as he gets entangled in the royal family's affairs.

Check out the fanmade music video for 'Foolish Heart' below which gives you a good glimpse of the drama!



The drama airs on KBS World (Channel 391 & 392 on Astro) on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 9pm Malaysian time, so make sure you tune in!

The author is a huge fan of K-dramas, just as much as she loves K-pop. Sageuk dramas (historical dramas) are particularly her favourites since they showcase the elegant traditional dresses in beautiful colours.

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K-pop Dream Concert Live in Malaysia 2013

The K-pop Dream Concert Live in Malaysia 2013 is definitely a dream come true for K-pop fans! Working with a mainly female line-up, the concert will be held on 23rd May (Thursday) and 24th May (Friday), 8.30pm, at Genting's Arena of Stars.

Fans will be treated to a concert with the likes of girl groups Sistar, 4Minute, Brown Eyed Girls and solo female artist G.Na, as well as boy group BTOB!

I'll bet that the girls of Sistar will be a good reason enough for most fanboys to attend this K-pop concert. Check out Sistar19's smokin' hot music video below to give yourself something to expect out of their performance!

For those who are fans of the ladies featured in PSY's Gangnam Style and Gentleman music videos, you'll be happy to know that HyunA (4Minute) and Gain (Brown Eyed Girls) will also be making an appearance.

Currently, there is a promotion going on where you will be entitled to a 50% discount with every RM100 and above spent in a single receipt at participating Genting outlets.

So what are you waiting for K-pop fans? Go get your tickets now if you have yet to!

The author is a huge fan of K-pop. Sistar is currently on her list of girl groups to watch out for.

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Garibaldi: Authentic Italian Cuisine & Fine Dining

Garibaldi Italian Restaurant & Bar is an award-winning restaurant which serves authentic Italian cuisine. Located in Bangsar Village, it caters to those seeking comfort food in a warm and cozy setting.

Recently, I had the chance to visit Garibaldi with my family for dinner. And although we did not request for a room during our reservation, we were ushered into a cozy room away from other diners, probably since we were a big group consisting of 9 people.

We loved the setting, with a aptly placed sunflower light box that brightens up the room. A waiter is at hand to answer all our questions regarding our menu and also serve us personally.

First up, we had some bread sticks while going through the menu. It came nicely presented in a tall glass and we were curious what was the red stones at the bottom of the glass. Turns out they were red coloured sea salt. The bread sticks were crispy and we had a great time opening up our palette with this.

 
Soon, the Sun Dried Tomato Focaccia was served. The bread was very soft and goes well with the dipping sauce which I presume was vinegar and olive oil.

Up next we had dishes off the a la carte menu. We had the Antipasto Italiano (RM48) which our waiter recommended since it is a tasting of 6 starters on the menu. On the platter we had a tasting of Bruschetta, Rucola, Parmigiana, Bufala, Moscardini and Vitello Tonnato each. 

Of all, I particularly favoured the Bufala which is buffalo milk mozzarella cheese with basil, ox heart tomatoes and “Particella 34” olive oil. The mozzarella was different from most I've tasted as it doesn't have a pungent smell and has a very creamy and smooth texture. 

I also liked the Moscardini which is stewed baby octopus “a la Veneziana” in tomato sauce on white polenta. The baby octopus was fresh and not chewy, and combined with the tomato sauce, it makes a very fragrant dish.

The Fettuccine Pomodoro (RM24) is home-made fettuccine with fresh tomatoes, basil and parmigiano. As a tomato lover, I find this dish very delightful as the tomatoes are really fresh and the fettucine springy in your mouth.

We also had the Risotto Mare (RM55) which is seafood risotto in tomato sauce. It's quite similar to the Spanish seafood paella, and as a seafood lover, I find this dish very tempting as the seafood used in it is very fresh. But I find the couscous a little too buttery, so it's best to take a proportionate amount of seafood and couscous in every bite, otherwise you'll find it too much to stomach halfway through the dish.

My uncle had the Degustation Menu (RM165) which is essentially the full course menu consisting of 7 courses, but since they were fully seated that night, his dishes took quite a long time to be served. Although he had his dishes served with around 20 to 30 minutes in between, he waited quite some time for his main course, which is the slow cooked Wagyu tail a la “Vaccinara”, as it was served a good 2 hours after we arrived at the restaurant!

But we were grateful that the waiter and establishment did not rush us throughout our meal as we actually dined way past their opening hours. Kudos to the chefs and staff!

 

We had some dessert after the satisfying main course and we had the Cioccolato (RM28) which is molten lava chocolate cake with hazelnut gelato and raspberry coulis. The lava cake was sinfully good and the hazelnut gelato a smooth and creamy one.

We also ordered the Strudel (RM27) which is crispy baked fillo pastry filled with apple, raisin and pine nut served with cinnamon gelato. The strudel was heavenly, as it was freshly baked, so piping hot till you knew it just came out of the oven! The cinnamon gelato didn't really get to me though, since I wasn't a fan of cinnamon.

Lastly, we had the Gelati E Sorbetti (RM9 per scoop) and we chose passionfruit and lemon sorbet out of a wide range of flavours. Both chosen flavours didn't disappoint as it was both very smooth and pleasing on the palette after consuming lots of buttery dishes. I particularly loved the lemon sorbet, as I find it has just the right amount of sourness.

All in, our visit to Garibaldi had been a pleasant one, with good food, ambience and great company. Definitely a place to go to impress that special someone or just have a great fine dining experience with friends or family.

Garibaldi is open daily for lunch (12pm-2.30pm) and dinner (6.30pm-10.30pm). The dress code is smart casual, no shorts, slippers or jogging shoes for gents. Online reservations can be made at http://www.garibaldi.com.my/.

Garibaldi Italian Restaurant & Bar
Lot10 & G22, Bangsar Village I, Jalan Telawi 1,
59100 Bangsar, KL
Tel: 03-2282 3456 

Email: garibaldi@garibaldi.com.my

The author is a huge foodie lover, especially desserts. She finds it difficult to stop to admire and take photographs of food before digging into them, often regretting after eating halfway.

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T-ARA N4: Farmer Girls Who Can Dance!

Finally T-ARA is back! Well, technically not as a whole unit, but as a sub-unit of four. Named T-ARA N4, the sub-unit consisting Jiyeon, Eunjung, Hyomin and Ahreum is definitely going to make you party this summer on the dance floor with their latest hit!

Their latest single Jeon Won Diary (also known as Countryside Life) from their mini-album of the same name retains their disco-esque and funky sounds from their previous albums, albeit with a more country sound.

In the drama version of the music video, the four members are helpless farmer girls who can't even farm properly but have superb skills on the dance floor! Check it out below!



The chorus is superbly catchy and I bet in no time you'll be singing "Ddingaringaringa ddingaringaringa, Ddingaringaringa dding dding dding," while gyrating your hips!

Do check out the drama version of the music video too to learn the simple dance moves!



The author loves T-ARA for bringing funky hits such as Bo Peep Bo Peep, Roly Poly and Lovey Dovey into her life.

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Langkawi, Jewel of Kedah: Duty Free Paradise & Beach Getaway

Thanks to AirAsia and their official tagline, "Now everyone can fly", I recently brought my grandparents, mom and brothers to a little retreat in the island known as the 'Jewel of Kedah', Pulau Langkawi.

Having bought my flight tickets a year ago during their zero fares sale, the wait to the beach getaway was a long one. Having said that, everyone was happy that the grandparents had wheelchair and ambu-lift access to aid them up the aeroplane. I can't imagine if they were to climb up stairs into the aircraft!

I booked 2 cabin rooms at Casa Fina Fine Homes located in the Pantai Cenang, where all the nightlife and shopping is. I highly recommend this great place if you are looking for well-maintained and affordable accommodation, easy access to food and shopping, and of course the beach! 

Upon request, the staff had placed both of my booked rooms side by side in a shared cabin unit. We chatted on the verandah where there were tables and chairs for lounging outside whenever you feel bored in the room.

The view from the cabin in great, as there is a cozy garden where guests can sit and relax too. Kids will love the open space. They even provide a water dispenser in the garden for all guests. So if you feel like having a cool drink of water or hot water, you can just walk out to the garden for a refill! 

The executive double room which I booked is also very spacious. We can accommodate 3 on the bed, plus an additional mattress for 1 more person. The rooms and toilet are clean and well-maintained. There is also a mini-fridge to keep your chocolates and alcoholic drinks chilled! 

It is also very quiet here at night even if the shops are open. No loud music will disrupt your sleep, for sure!

Duty-free shopping is just across the street from Casa Fina, with the Zon Duty Free Shop, Warisan Duty Free and Coco Valley located on the same strip with Underwater World. Cenang Mall is a few blocks down the road, which is open till 10pm. Great for shopaholics like myself who can shop past 8pm (shops in Kuah town are usually closed by that time). Above is a picture of the colourful soap display taken at Cenang Mall which caught my attention!

As a tip for future travellers, do try to shop for your alcohol in Coco Valley (since most alcohol on display is cheaper than most places) and chocolates in Teow Soon Huat Department Store (they have the cheapest prices for chocolates by far) while Zon Duty Free outlets have generally fair pricing.

Pantai Cenang is a great place for lounging on the beach, water sports and watching the beautiful sunset. Nightlife here is great, with shops open till midnight. Some bars even past midnight, as the crowd still shimmies to the dance beats along the beach.

Attractions worth visiting on the island includes Dataran Lang where you can have your picture taken with the eagle monument Langkawi is famous for, as well as Oriental Village and Langkawi Cable Car.

Oriental Village is where the Langkawi Cable Car is, but you can do your fair share of shopping and sight-seeing before you go up on the cable car ride. Naminara Garden is a combination of Chinese, Korean and Japanese landscape which will sure to capture the ladies' attention.

Above is the lotus pond at the Naminara Garden which reminds me of scenes from Japanese or Korean palace dramas.

There is also a mini Korean Nami Island and Jara Island where pictures of the Winter Sonata characters put you in the mood for a picture. Though I think that the 2 snowmen looked really odd and out of the place in the hot and humid Langkawi weather!

Malaysians are entitled to a RM15 cable car ride (provide your IC at the ticket counter) which is normally priced at RM30. The Langkawi Cable Car ride is not advisable for young children and the elderly as they require you to jump in quickly to the car which does not stop rotating at the station. Not to mention the height that will challenge people with fear of heights. Gulp!

After stopping at the middle station, take a short breather and enjoy your surroundings before taking another car up to the second station. 

The view from the viewing tower is superb and I could see the mist and feel the cool air on my skin. The Skybridge was unfortunately closed for maintenance, but the view up on the second station (it's 700 metres above sea level) is good enough for you to appreciate the beauty of Langkawi.

Since I went up the cable car around 10am, I was disappointed to find that the best view can be seen at sunset, between 6.30 to 7pm. This is a tip to all future travellers and I hope to come back here one day to see the sunset!

As for dining, we tried many options here in Pantai Cenang. There is a huge variety to choose from, namely Western, Chinese, Japanese, Malay and Thai, but the main similarity is seafood of course. We had a good dinner at Palm View Restaurant, but unfortunately we were too hungry and I was too busy eating to take some pictures.

We had breakfast at the Breakfast Bar in Pantai Cenang, and it was a good hearty meal. I recommend the Koay Teow soup, Breakfast Bar Special and Omelette.

The creative menu outside Breakfast Bar is part of the charms of Pantai Cenang, where graffiti (not the vandalism sort) is a common feature.

A colourful sign post outside the Breakfast Bar with good morning greetings in various languages pique the attention of tourists who throng the area for breakfast.

We also had breakfast the next day at The English Tea Room and Coffee Bar just outside Casa Fina. The proprietress is an Englishwoman who makes the best scones and strawberry jam I've ever tasted! 

Because I was too engrossed in eating the scones, I forgot to take a picture. Rest assured the scones looks as good as they taste!

We also had sandwiches, sausage rolls and hashbrowns for breakfast. Be prepared to spend a little bit more at this joint though!

All in all, Langkawi definitely is a great place if you are looking for duty-free stuff. Even franchises such as Old Town White Coffee, Starbucks, KFC and McDonalds do not charge the 6% government tax here!

I'll definitely make another trip here again for the shopping, food, beach and beautiful scenery!

The author totally went crazy buying chocolates, especially Kagi and Ritter Sport. She even bought a 30" luggage bag at RM200 only for her upcoming Busan trip in November. Korea and K-pop, look out!

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