FANGIRLING: THE BIG BANG EXPERIENCE

The BIG BANG ALIVE GALAXY TOUR 2012 in Manila was my first KPOP concert experience and it was every bit of FANTASTIC, BABY!! Lol Seriously though, words aren't enough to describe how UHH-MAZING it was! It exceeded every expectation I had in mind!! I remember just sitting there, doe-eyed and smiling in awe while watching them perform a stripped down version of "Haru Haru". *tears up* Hahaha! A fangirl's dream come true indeed.

Now that I'm well aware of how amazingly awesome they are live, I am so "investing" more on  their next tour! Hello, "money diet"! (a Pausy term)

Despite the rain, VIPs excitedly waited in line. That's what you call, "tiis Big Bang"! *kroo kroo* Haha

Besides the fans, scalpers were all over the concert grounds as well. But the thing is, they weren't selling tickets, they were buying them! Now that's a first! So I'm guessing that the boys really had a sold-out show. :)

An annoying encounter with a scalper:

Scalper: *looks at my ticket* Miss, itago mo na yan. Baka liparin ng hangin.

Me: How dare you threaten my ticket!!! (But of course I that said when he already turned his back. I didn't want to risk my ticket's safety. Haha! How annoying!!)

The stage was massive! (Low quality phone cam photo)

Funny story: I actually thought that this was it. I was wondering why the stage was so simple considering that is was a Big Bang concert. Little did I know that the giant white cloth was just a cover up for an even bigger stage. T_T Silly me. Haha! 

If you'll notice, there were barely any people when we got in. Apparently, concertgoers were supposed to line up altogether regardless of their seating section. But see, at first we didn't know that. So my friend & I completely unaware of the where (our seating section) should line up and shiz, approached a security guard to ask. But to our surprise, he just directed us to an open entrance! In short, we didn't even have to line up or anything. We even had to wait for about an hour for the concert to begin. Big Bang luck, yes? Hahaha! I really felt bad tough when I found out that some VIPs who lined up since earlier that day were able to enter halfway through the first song already. Lines were really disorganized. I hope it doesn't happen again next time. 

A sea of crown sticks! What a pretty sight!
From my Instagram: yzamontealegreelee Follow me!! :)

BIG BANG!!!!!!
Concept: The boys were deployed to earth (in these capsules) for a mission
Photo by Nadine Postigo

And this is where I started to scream my lungs out. I just couldn't believe it. I was watching Big Bang, IN THE FLESH!! BIG BANG. I actually got teary eyed first time I saw them. So overwhelming!! GOOSEBUMPS!

           

Enough of my blabbing. Here are more photos from the concert...

Photo by Nadine Postigo

Big Bang's unbelievably handsome rapper, TOP *_*
Photo by Nadine Postigo

GD and Seungri
Photo by Nadine Postigo

TAEYANG WAS BORN TO BE ON STAGE. NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT.
Photo by Nadine Postigo 

TOP TOP TOP
Photo by Nadine Postigo

TOP and the adorable Daesung
Photo by Nadine Postigo

My thoughts on the boys after watching the concert?

G-Dragon - EPITOME OF SWAG. SUPER talented singer-songwriter.  I'm left speechless.

T.O.P. - I say this without exaggeration...he's seriously god-like. *_* Extremely handsome. I mean EXTREMELY. I never knew someone can be so good-looking. And his sexy low (rapping) voice and awkward dancing are to die for!! 

Daesung - A RAY OF SUNSHINE! I didn't expect him to be so adorable!! ^^ Gaaah so cute! And his vocals are off the roof! I personally think he's the best vocalist in the group. 

Taeyang - He's every inch a performer! Flawless dance moves, his voice, and his ability to sweep any girl off her feet. *sigh* He's BORN TO BE ON STAGE. No doubt about that. 

And the one who stole my heart...again...

SEUNGRI MY BABY!!!
Photo by Nadine Postigo

Seungri - a.k.a. "BIAS DESTROYER"...No one expected him to be so handsome & charming in person, but HE IS. HE IS!!! *_* I'm sure a lot of girls were caught off guard by this maknae's classic boyish good looks & charm! I had an on & off crush on him after seeing him on Strong Heart, but after seeing him in concert, I am wavering no more. I'm under his spell!! <3 Hahaha

Photo by Nadine Postigo

Each member brings a different flavor to the group. They're all so different from each other, and I think it's exactly the reason why they've become so big. I'm certain that only bigger & better things are ahead of them!

It's been almost a week since the concert, but I still get all giddy over it. Gaaaaaaah!!! Most definitely something I won't ever forget! :) No, I don't want to cure this beautiful hangover!! Hahaha

FAMILY: Little Sis Turns 18 & My 22nd Birthday

Just got back to work from a very tiring yet fun & memorable weekend. My sister, Bia was officially "launched to society" during her debut last October 13, while I celebrated my 22nd (errr) birthday the day after. Hahaha!

Some outtakes & random photos from the event...

The amazing Raymond Isais doing my make up
Photo by Nadine Postigo

"The debutante & "the almost birthday girl" - Nadine P.

My 2ne1-ish dress. Hahaha! I'm really glad I found this! Perfect balance of girly & edgy. (I think)
Photo by Nadine Postigo

Bia and her awesome make up artist, Raymond
Photo by Nadine Postigo

Make up all done by Raymond Isais. Yay!  :)
Photo by Nadine Postigo

With Nadine & Raymond! I'm so glad they were there! :) I really love my make up here!
Photo by Nadine Postigo

Fortune Hall, Elements at Eton Centris
The venue styling turned out even better than what I expected. :)
Photo by Nadine Postigo

A fashion show theme party won't be complete without models, of course!
These are some of Bia's good friends from church & school.
Photo by Nadine Postigo

The male "models" with Bia
Photo by Nadine Postigo

Hooray for having talented people in the family! Haha Here's Bia with our cousin, Kevin who was the host for the evening. Programme was flawless! Kev really did an awesome job!
Photo by Nadine Postigo

Dad, Mom & B
Photo by Nadine Postigo

My not so little siblings
Photo by Nadine Postigo

Bia & Dad
Photo by Nadine Postigo

The "after party" = dancing & strutting down the runway
Bia seems very happy. I wonder why...LOL

With some of our friends from church

Oh hi, sissy!

I was very much involved from planning to coordination to event execution. (Event Management's one of the things I do for a living.) Though there were lots of arguments and bickering that sometimes brought out the monster in me, I was really glad to see my sister (and her friends) happy! :) So for those who are about to get married or have their debut, contact me!! Hahaha

And for my birthday...

I'm 2ne1 no more! Haha

Thought about making a separate post for my birthday, but since we really didn't do much cos we were still so tried from the night before, I'm just going squeeze it in here.

Stuffed, tired & sleepy!
With ze family! :)

I've been wanting to take my family to Vikings ever since I first ate there during my best friend's graduation dinner. But since it was faaar from our place, we never did...until last Sunday!! Finally! :) Haha They (my parents, siblings & cousin)  were all nice and patient enough to wait out cos we weren't able to make reservations. Haha We waited for almost an hour and a half but it was worth it! I love Vikings! This year's birthday memory would be me, eating to my heart's content. Gaaaah I'm so happy they're opening a branch near our place!!

"Happy happy happy birthday you're the VEST!" with matching macho dance. Good (& embarassing) times. Hahaha!

So there goes my very busy weekend.

I'm really looking forward to see what's in store for me this year! :)

FOOD: Don Day Korean Buffet

Don Day Korean Buffet

40 Malingap Street, Teacher's Village East, Quezon City, Metro Manila

Lunch: 11:00 am - 2:00 pm
Dinner: 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Php 199.00   Korean Buffet
Php 299.00   Korean Buffet + unlimited Samgyeopsal
Php 50.00     Bottomless Iced Tea

*They have a newly opened branch along Quezon Avenue. :)

 

Don Day's well know for its affordable Korean buffet & unlimited Samgyeopsal (삼겹살). Yes, you read it right. UNLIMITED.

Two things I love: 1) pork, and 2) South Korea. So, it's a no-brainer that Don Day's THE place for me. 

Don Day at Malingap St.

Korean Buffet

Banchan (Side dishes)

The restaurant's al fresco & very casual. (I often see Koreans come here in their pambahay.) It's nothing fancy shmancy but the food won't disappoint. For just Php 299.00, you can already avail of the buffet & unlimited Samgyeopsal! The buffet spread includes rice, soup, viands, various banchan (side dishes), Samgyeopsal fixings (different types of lettuce, chili, garlic, different sauces) & fruits for dessert. I've eaten here a lot of times already, and I must say that you really do get your money's worth (or maybe even more).

I can eat this everyday!
 How to eat Samgyeopsal

The "Korean spoon"

Pati kutsara may nationality? Oh yes! When you eat at Don Day, ask for metal chopsticks and the "Korean spoon" for the ultimate Korean experience. Lubusin mo na. Hahaha!

Soju Soju Soju

I definitely recommend Don Day! It's a good place to go to with your friends if you want to try out something new or just simply pig out. :) Mind you though that the grill ain't smokeless so prepare to smell like Samgyeopsal right after. But other than that, this place is heaven for a foodie & fangirl like me!  ♥

Update:

I recently went to Don Day Quezon Avenue with my siblings & cousin. It's definitely better than the one in Malingap Street. And the best part? It's air-conditioned! :) Yay! Table top grills are also better like the ones used in Kaya, but it still isn't smokeless. They also serve unlimited beef for just Php 399.00. Not bad at all! It also seems like the owners are more hands on with this branch. They were serving & mingling with the customers. Really nice people. :)

The after effects of to Samgyeopsal these three first timers! My sister looks crazy! Lol
Photo from my Instagram: yzamontealegrelee. Follow me!! :)

FANGIRLING: Koreans, Koreans Everywhere

Aside from the good food and the chilly weather, one of the reasons why I like going to Baguio is because of its growing Korean community. There, I said it. Haha!

We all know that Koreans primarily come to the Philippines to learn English. Some come to Manila, some come to Cebu, and apparently, some also come to Baguio. The cost of living's cheaper, the weather's waaay cooler...what's not to like? With that being said, it's no surprise that the hallyu wave has spread over the city.

Here's some "evidence":

Random K-ness

• Geney's Ramyeon House - serves very affordable ramyeon. They had an opening for a "cook" during that time. Honestly, I was seriously tempted.

• Under the Tree Book Cafe - I was told that it had the vibe of a real Seoul coffee shop! Too bad though cos it was closed when we went (Sunday). :(

• Kamsahamnida Internet Shop - literally LOL-ed when I saw this. It was the most panggap-seumnida of all according to my friend, Nadine. Nagpapanggap maging Korean. Hahaha!

...and there's still plenty more where that came from!

Koreans, Koreans everywhere...and I have no complaints. :) Haha! 

FOOD: "Mini Food Trip" in Baguio

I went to Baguio with the fam bam a couple of weeks of ago. My parents had some ministry work to do and of course, my siblings and I were more than glad to tag along. My sister, Bia was excited about the numerous ukay-ukay (thrift) stores, my brother, well he just likes the idea of a long drive & sleeping in a hotel, while I on the other hand, was particularly excited about the food!

I made a list of places I wanted to eat in, but sadly, it was rainy when we were there so I was only able to try out a couple of them. Hence, the use of "mini" in the entry title. Haha! But nevertheless, let me share some of the things I ate, what I thought about 'em & where to eat 'em.

Vizco's Restaurant & Cake Shop

8GF Puso ng Baguio Building Session Road, Baguio City
M-TH: 7:00 am - 10:00 pm
F-S: 7:00 am - 11:00 pm
SUN: 7:00 am - 10:00 pm



I've been to Baguio a lot of times already but only got the chance to eat at Vizco's during our recent trip. The place was small yet clean & chic. Really loved the wall details by long couch seating! The restaurant automatically gave me a feel of Conti's when I sat down & saw people eating cake. Hahaha!  

Garlic & Cheese Pizza

The Garlic & Cheese Pizza was good! It was served hot, the crust was soft & chewy, cheese was not compromised and the garlic was not overpowering. 

Garlic & Sundried Tomato Pasta

Garlic + olive oil + basil + sundried tomatoes. This was just heaven for me! All of my favorite ingredients in one dish! It's definitely a must-try! Really good. 

Sugar-Free Mango Cheesecake

I was not so happy about the Sugar-Free Mango Cheesecake. Though it's expected to be on the not-so-sweet-side, for me, it lacked creaminess, richness which I always look for in a cheesecake. It was so-so for me. 

Strawberry Shortcake

The reason why I wanted to eat at Vizco's was particularly because of their famous Strawberry Shortcake, but sad to say, it fell short of my expectation. Vizco's Strawberry Cake patrons, please don't hate me. Haha! But don't get me wrong, it looked really pretty & was also yummy, not too sweet, not too tart, but I guess I just expected more from it. I would still eat it again though. :) 

Overall, I would recommend eating at Vizco's. Good food at reasonable prices. It's definitely worth a try!

O' Mai Khan

12 Otek Street, Rizal Park, Baguio City

If you think that O' Mai Khan's named after the Mongolian warrior & conqueror Genghis Khan, then you're right...sort of. 

We were told that "O' Mai Khan" actually came from an Ilokano phrase, "umay kan" which literally means "come on". So basically, they're inviting you to come on and eat at their restaurant. Interesting, huh? Mga Pilipino nga naman o. Hahaha! But it was still aptly named after the Mongolian ruler cos they served Mongolian rice bowls (and a la carte items too).  The place was very spacious & al fresco. 

O' Mai Khan

We're fans of Mongolian rice bowls (though we barely put any rice in it) so that's what we all got. Php 250.00 for unlimited serving of meat, veggies & sauces from their selection. Really affordable! Food was okay but I can't say that it's the Mongolian rice bowl buffet I've tried. Plus, they served barely cooked liver to my mom. Minus points. 

Mongolian Rice Bowl Buffet Selection

Despite of the raw liver incident, I think O' Mai Khan's still worth a try. Next time, I'd choose something from the menu  though. Some of it seemed pretty tasty.

Hill Station

Casa Vallejo, Upper Session Road, Baguio City

We were checked in at the historical Casa Vallejo (no, there were no ghosts), and little did I know that beneath us was one of Asia's best restaurants. "No wonder why the place is so nice!" Haha! Silly me.

Hill Station

We were already full by the time we got back at the hotel so we just had dessert. We had the Ice Cream Palette and the Dark Chocolate cake.

Ice Cream Palette

Tried the Hill Station Ice Cream Palette Sampler for Php 150.00 only! They had quite a number of flavors on the menu but only had three available when we ate there. :( But nevertheless, it was so good! Oh, did I mention that they make their ice cream from scratch? Read that they have an amazing chef who's also behind the famous Antonio's.

I wasn't able to take a clear photo of the Dark Chocolate cake so I won't be posting it anymore. Haha! It really had that dark chocolate taste, but I think a tad bit more of sweetness would've made it even better.

I highly recommend Hill Station. The ambiance is perfect! Perfect place to celebrate special occasions or if you just want to eat somewhere extra special. I can't wait to go back and try out their entrees! 

Oh My Gulay

5/F La Azotea Building, Session Road, Baguio City

Right before heading back to Manila, we stopped by Oh My Gulay for some hot drinks. 

OMG

Oh My Gulay's owned by the artist, Kidlat Tahimik so don't be surprised to find different art pieces around the cafe.

View from the tree house-ish "ship"

Toilet Seat...Chair?

An interesting art piece which I find rather gross. And no, thank you. I'd pass on sitting on that chair. Hahaha!

Creepy

Next time you visit Baguio, don't forget to go to Oh My Gulay. It's definitely worth a visit! Really interesting.

*** 

So that goes for my recent Baguio food trip & my first ever real blog entry! Wuhoo! May this be the start! :)