I Have a Dream...

...and it came true at 8:30pm on Saturday, August 6 2011. After a satisfying pho dinner, much, much anticipation, a great opening act and a half hour break, New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys started their second last show in their NKOTBSB tour.

I. Went. Bananas.

Turn back the clock to 1999 when Millennium was released. An album packed with what are now BSB classics I couldn't help but fall madly in love with the Boys, but really, what isn't there to love? They cover all bases -- catchy dance beats as well as slower love songs, and they dance. They are what all boy bands will forever be compared to... and they will never measure up.

2001 comes around and for my 11th birthday I received Black and Blue.
Shape of My Heart is still my favorite on that album.

Fast forward to 2005 when my dear friend's birthday occurred shoftly after the release of Never Gone. Because I was too cheap to buy her the actual CD and I was feeling techy, I made her a mixed CD of past BSB hits as well as their new material. The love grew as I reacquainted myself with their biggest hits.

2008 rolls around and I am off to first year at Wilfrid Laurier. Thanks to a wonderful thing called DC++ I managed to download their entire discography and a tiny obsession begins.

All this time, I'm dreaming of one day seeing them in concert.

Summer 2011 my friend Eileen emails my girlfriends and I telling us that NKOTBSB will make a stop in Hamilton! Without hesitation we all agreed to get tickets for the show. The obsession grew as each day passed. The closer we got to the date, the more I was starting to  feel like I was a preteen again.
The week before the concert my sister and I listened to all their songs to prep us for the concert.

When the day finally came, my friends and I spent a couple hours making our tshirts. When they were dry, we ventured into Hamilton where we saw about 8 tour buses parked outside Copps Coliseum. We were going to see our childhood loves! As Copps is really close to our dinner spot, we walked there. Before we got close to the main entrance we saw a group of women crowded behind yellow tape. What were they there for? To catch a glimpse of the Boys of course! Determined to see Brian (our favorite), we stuck around. We waited around for about 15 minutes when one of the bus's doors opened. Women screamed as Howie D stepped outside and walked in our direction!! He stopped in front of the small crowd we were in and started shaking hands. I muscled myself in there and he touched my hand and WINKED.

Brian didn't end up coming out and the concert was starting. We didn't want to miss too much so we made our way to our seats. Matthew Morrison (Mr. Schue from Glee) was the opening act. He's amazing live! Sounds just like recordings. And he's way more attractive in real life.
Great way to start the show.

30 minute intermission.

Lights dim, fans scream, opening video introduces the groups and then BAM. The bands appear and sing some of their lyrics to Viva la Vida. Actually a dream come true. The concert was amazing! Could care less about New Kids but the Boys still got it! What made it even better is that they sang all my favorites!






Concert highlights:
- many crotch grabbing dance moves (so funny seeing 40 year old Kids dancing like that)
- seeing Brian
- Jordan Knight's comical high-pitched falsetto
- Donnie Wahlberg stripping
- BSB's amazing dancing
- "Don't Turn Out the Lights"
- "Everybody" encore
- experiencing this with my girls




I have never screamed so much or so loud in my life but it was definitely worth the sore throat!

Who shalt play Romeo?

According to Perez Hilton the role of Romeo has been cast by Douglas Booth. This I confirmed on IMDB. The name is not familiar to me, but like Hailee Steinfeld, a name I am sure we will be hearing for years to come.

...Actually, now that I think about it, he was the boy Miley Cyrus allegedly dated briefly after her initial split from Liam Hemsworth. Anyways, he will soon have another reason to remember his name. The fresh faced newcomer will be starring alongside Hailee Steinfeld as the famous star crossed lovers. While I know absolutely nothing about him, I think he is the appropriate age to star as the leading male.

In similar news, Holly Hunter is set to play the Nurse, and (Vampire Diaries fans rejoice) Paul Wesley will play Paris, the guy who does not get the girl. Shouldn't matter, he's so good looking, he should get pity dates easily.

Read more about it on Perez's website!

So long, Farewell

There once was a boy named Harry

Whose name was mentioned in a prophecy

One must die

While the other survives

And thus it all began

Hunting for Horcuxes

Voldy's soul now fluxes

Voldemort rises again

His power so great

Harry’s life was up to fate

…and the Battle was less than accurate.

Like my fellow Potter fans, I have been anticipating “The End” since the release of the final novel. It was inevitable, and for most it means the end of their childhood. I am one of them.

I started reading the series when The Prisoner of Azkaban had already been published. A friend introduced me to the magical world of witchcraft and wizardry and it was unlike anything I had ever read. I was fully immersed in their world.

All 7 books were published within 10 years, and similarly, the films were also released within 10 years. If I started reading the books when I was just shy of the age of 10. It means that Harry Potter has been part of my life for 12 years.

More than half my life has been dedicated to the series and I’m sad it has come to an end. However, the purpose of this post is not to bore you with my laments, but to share my thoughts on the final gift the franchise could give.

After being blown away by Part 1 of The Deathly Hallows, I expected no less from Part 2. Because I had not read the book since 2007, I felt compelled to refresh my memory and read it once more. 

I believe the movie was a joy to watch – cinematically speaking. 3D didn’t do much for me but I got Harry Potter glasses out of it. The film was full of emotion… those who have read the books will understand why. For those of you who don’t read the books and haven’t seen the movie yet, I will not spoil it for you. The most frustrating aspect of the movie was the inaccuracies that plagued the film.

Movies based off books have the difficulty of staying true to the original, for many reasons. The Harry Potter film franchise was no exception.

While I love the films, a part of me is always disappointed with the film doesn’t match the book. However, I must constantly be reminded that it is the Director’s vision not mine, that budgeting must play some role in the omission of characters, and again, it is someone else’s interpretation.

I liked the film, for it bade farewell to the beloved franchise… but unfortunately it was laced with inaccuracies.

While it saddens me to see it all end, I find comfort in the fact that Harry, Ron and Hermione still have adventures on paper.

Auf Wiedersehen, Harry Potter.

Oh na, na... Part III

You know the phrase "slice of pie"? How about naming my blog "Slice of Lai"?
It combines my love for food and it's a play on words.

Yay or nay?

Oh na, na... Part II

A while back I asked you guys what I should change blog name to and one person responded with "Lai to Me".

I really liked it, but I decided to go in that direction with my own twist. So please take a second to participate!

I have no idea how to put in an actual poll in my post... so I'll just ask that you write your answer in the comments section.

Name Change!
What should I change my blog name to?
1) Lai 2 You
2) All Things Stefani
3) Other (then write your suggestion)


Thanks friends!

From Chuck to Tybalt

2 months ago, I blogged that Hailee Steinfeld had been cast to play Juliet in the upcoming adaptation of Romeo and Juliet.

Well I've just read that Ed Westwick will be playing Juliet's cousin Tybalt in the Shakespearean love story.
You've probably seen him in the CW hit show Gossip Girl, in which Ed plays Chuck Bass. A heavy schemer who is devilishly charming. He plays that role with ease, and from what I know of the character Tybalt, I believe Ed's familiarity with playing the douche-bag will help him deliver a notable performance.

I can't wait to hear who will be cast to star opposite Hailee. She's only 14, so he's got to be age appropriate, otherwise it could get creepy.

Crap, please let it be anyone BUT Justin Bieber?!?
Who would you like to see play Romeo?

Read more about it on Perez!

HK: Day 7

Probably the most tiring to date...

We left the flat at 10ish this morning, and just stepped in at 10:15pm. We were out for 12 hours today folks. It's safe to say I'm pretty tired.

So we took the subway to Central, then bused to Stanley where we did what we do best... shop and eat. Stanley is a pretty touristy place. You can tell cuz there's white people everywhere! As tourists, Stanley was the best place for us to buy souvenirs. Opportunity to practice haggling skills.

Today was pretty much all about the sights and views of Hong Kong. At Stanley/Central, the view of the water was amazing. My sister described it as the Hamptons of HK, as it is by the beach. The beaches were pretty crowded because it was a holiday (Buddha's birthday). Everywhere we went there were hoards of people. Heat + Sweat + People = Sticky Situation...

After a very long and nausea-inducing bus ride, we made it back to Central. We chilled at a place where my cousin's friend tends bar. Such a sweet atmosphere. My family and I were just about the only ones in the joint, and it was nice just to lay back, sit, and enjoy some A/C.

A while later, we took a tram headed to the Peak to check out more sights of Hong Kong. The view was amazing. By the time we got up there the sun had set, so the city lit up and looked so beautiful.

Our day didn't stop there...
Took another nausea-inducing bus ride back to central, but instead of subway-ing back to Lok Fu, we took the ferry to Kowloon. So much motion sickness in one day! I'm glad I didn't throw up over the side of the ferry...

Finally, we're back in Lok Fu, and before we go back to the flat, we eat a late dinner. Mmmmmm... pho..... Though admittedly it's not as good as B&T somehow.

That brings me to the end of my day. It really was a lot more tiring than I'm making it sound I think... Believe me, I'm sitting half dead on the couch right now as I'm writing. Need to take a quick shower and get to bed. Gooooood night!!

HK: Day 6

Note: This was supposed to be posted yesterday. Blogspot would not let me post...

Well gang, I’m happy to announce that I’ve finally overcome jet lag. I went to sleep at the late, late hour of 11:30pm and slept all the way till 9:30am. It was glorious. I can only hope that changing back to regular time won’t be as daunting of a task…

Anyways, today was our day of rest. Bummed around until 10:30 when we finally went downstairs to eat breakfast. Noodles for breakfast – again. Only on vacation though... I don’t know if I could do this on a regular basis.

Since today was our day of rest, I don’t have much to report. Ev and I ventured to a mall in Kowloon Tong and of course I ended up buying a couple things. Probably the shortest shopping trip ever, including travel time! We were pretty much on a mission.

Came home to catch the tail end of my mom’s facial. Afterwards we looked at my aunt’s past clients’ photos. She’s an aesthetician who helps to beautify brides on their special day. I didn’t realize how talented she is! She does everything! Facials, makeup, hair, designs the dresses… You name it she does it. Pretty much recruited her to doll me up on my day... when it comes. Ha.

The only set plan we had for the day was dinner with my late aunt’s husband. But before dinner, the highlight of my day was passing two gwai-lo (white) pubescent boys, and they were talking about chicks I suppose. The one was describing his dream girl: “Tall? Hot? Wassup!!” It was actually hilarious and made my day.

So anyways, my uncle took us to a place I’d classify to be fine Chinese dining. The food was MSG-free and deeelicious… especially the fish hand picked by my uncle. So fresh, so good. I could have eaten the whole thing. If you haven’t noticed, I’m a huge fan of seafood.

Pretty stoked for my facial. My aunt popped my brother’s huge zit. THAT was quite the sight. Should be a good time. I’ll keep you posted.

Well that pretty much sums it up. How’s Canada? Did I mention I miss home?

HK: Day 5

We haven't even been here for a week and already I'm a wreck.

First of all, as much as I appreciate the subway system here, it's tiring going from place to place to place. I miss sitting in a car. Standing is a bit much, and I've come to the conclusion that I'm not built for this lifestyle. The good thing about all this traveling though, is that there's no way you can get fat. You've got to walk everywhere! No excuse for extra poundage!! Hopefully my theory pans out... We've been eating out every meal. *fingers crossed*

So what did we do today?
Had McDonalds for breakfast. For 4 people, it didn't even cost $10 CAD. It's crazy how cheap food is here! Not to mention tasty and convenient.

At 11:30 we met up with my aunt and cousin in Kowloon Tong to head to Tung Chung Bay. We took a gondola to Ngong Ping Village, where we walked around and saw the gigantic Buddha. The most tiring part was waiting in line to get back. But at least the scenery was nice!

After a quick bite to eat, we did some shopping at Citygate Outlets. So many brand names but so little money. I'm so low on funds that I passed on the most beautiful pair of Burberry sunglasses! Instead I settled for a top and shiny leggings (finally) from Mango. Now that I think about it, I overpaid. Even at outlet prices... Ah well. It was red pocket money.

2.5 hours later, we ended up taking the subway to the gates of Disney. We didn't get off... but the actual subway cars were incredible!! Plush couch-like seats, and Mickey-shaped handles and windows, and even Disney character statuettes in glass cases. The seating was so comfortable, we didn't even bother to move. I could have ridden that line for hours.

Anyways, with that minor detour out of the way, we finally made it to Festival Walk in Kowloon for the most satisfying dinner so far. Chinatown food court-style meals. I was very happy with my char siew, siew yuk faan. So simple, yet so delicious. Good eats = Good times.

To all the mothers out there (who actually read my blog), I hope you have the most happy Mother's day. You're the most under-appreciated amongst us, so it's your day to bask in your awesomeness.
And to my own Mom (who doesn't read my blog), I'm sorry I don't show it much, but I do appreciate everything you do for me. You're the best mommy anyone could have.
I love you Momma. 

HK: Day 4

What better way to start off the day than to see my puppy back at home?? My family and I miss Abbie so much that we had to set up a Skype date just to see her. She's doing well, but apparently sits by the door awaiting our return. Heartbreaking, but so adorable that my love for her grows exponentially.

Afterward, we headed downstairs to have some breakfast. Instead of eating noodles today, I had corn and pork congee. Mmmmm. So good. Oh, and what meal isn't complete without HK style milk tea?

Once breakfast was over, we went back to the flat to take a quick nap before meeting my aunt at 11:30. Today we had dim sum and shopped in Sha Tin. We had a $1000 HKD gift card for Zara, and I thought I would spend it in a flash no problem. WRONG. I almost forced myself to buy stuff. Thankfully our Mother's Day present saved the day and helped us spend the rest. Also, having to spend 3 hours in the mall was the worst  because we're still fighting jet lag. After about 1.5 hours, we were beeeat. Plus, apparently people in Hong Kong don't believe in providing comfortable seating for the weary. It was quite the adventure just to find a bench to sit on.

Mom's new friend

When we reunited with my mom and aunt, we headed to Sai Kung's Public Pier to check out the scenery. It was refreshing as we were by the water. Loads of people walking around with their dogs, and it was there we met the most beautiful 3 year old St Bernard. I don't care that they're super slobbery, I'm definitely getting one when I grow up.

Soon it was finally time for dinner. I'd been waiting to eat some good seafood, and eating by the pier calls for nothing but. I got my wish and ate some lobster and about 2 full crabs. I'm a fiend when it comes to yummy crustaceans.

K, so I'm finally back at home. Exhausted and my feet hurt. It may be time to go to bed. I'm clearly still jet lagged... but I did sleep from 10-7 straight last night. So it's getting better.

But for now, I'm going to give into fatigue and hit the hay. Peace out.

HK: Day 3

Another busy day in Hong Kong. We've been going non-stop for 12 straight hours.

Jet lag is starting to diminish. I managed to sleep from 10:30 to about 6:30am. If only I can stay up past that time... I'll be kicking jet lag's ass in no time.

By 8:30, my mom, brother and sister were ready for breakfast, so we went downstairs and had noodles for breakfast again. Hahaha
After a hearty breakfast, my Mom took us to the market. Smellier than a supermarket, but the produce and meats are SO fresh. Everywhere you go, you'll see fresh veggies, fish, meat, baked goods. All cost what seem like mere pennies compared to prices back home.

What my product looks like so far...

After about an hour back at the flat, the fam and I left with my cousin to go to his studio where he taught us how to make simple leather goods. We decided that passport holders/small wallets would be our first projects. It's tougher than I'd thought. I've learned that I can't cut leather in a straight line... even with the help of a ruler.

At about 4pm Evelyn and I met up with our favorite campers from Bronte last summer -- Chess and Jenny!
We met up in Mong Kok to do some shopping. Really surprised I only picked up a few things, including pj's -- which I forgot to bring. I would forget to bring pyjamas.

Ladies Market in Mong Kok

Anyways, after a few hours of shopping, we needed to eat. So we opted for Korean BBQ. But it was way different than back at home! Instead of ordering food, like a buffet, you got up to get your own. In addition to the traditional meats etc, you could get dessert and drinks (like soy milk and herbal teas). Still feeling the food coma as I write...

It's almost bed time, so I'll just finish off.......... Now.
G'night!

HK: Day 2

It's only the second day in Hong Kong and I am beat.

Let me start off by saying that jet lag is a bitch and a half. I woke up at 4am and couldn't fall back asleep. Thank goodness I brought my laptop. It served as my entertainment til the rest of my family awoke. Hopefully I'll adjust quickly so I can finally get a good nights rest.

Once everyone was finally up and ready, we left the flat to eat breakfast downstairs. I love having instant noodles in the morning. I'll try not to make a habit of eating it or I'll end up being a fay poh (fat lady) and will have to gaam fay (lose weight) when I return to Canada.

After breaky we made our way to the cemetery where our late aunt Julie rests.  It was a somber moment, as her passing still affects our family -- even though it happened 7 years ago. I hadn't seen her in years, but the memories I have of her are precious and it's fair to say that she is dearly missed.

After visiting Julie, to brighten up the mood, we were led to APM, the largest shopping center in Kowloon. 7 floors of retail heaven to some... I however, felt overwhelmed because my head hurt trying to figure out CAD from HKD. I'm just happy that phones come equipped with calculators nowadays. Math woes aside, I actually ended up coming home empty handed. Chea. I know. Shocking huh? Haha

Following the shopping trip of the day, my cous brought us to the Jockey Club Creative Arts Center. A government sponsored building that rents out studios for artists and art classes. Most places weren't open, but we ended up looking at some neat light fixtures and crazy detailed dioramas. I wish I was creative...

Sounds like a jam packed day huh? Damn straight it was. We scarfed down a quick lunch and made our way back to the flat where I passed right out for an hour. If it wasn't for a previously arranged dinner with my aunt, I probably would have slept til the middle of the night. Which would have screwed up my sleep schedule even more.
So we met up with my mom's cousin (my aunt... kinda) to eat at a seafood restaurant. Food was alright. My stomach is also confused, so when I eat I can't really appreciate the quality of the food. But seriously though, at the rate I'm going, I'll definitely have to lose weight when I get home...

Well that was my day. How was yours?

HK: Day 1

Since our travels began, I've already learned one important lesson: Never travel with young'ns prone to misbehave.

After a daunting 15 hour long flight, I've come to the conclusion that I will NEVER fly with a 2 year old who screams at the top of their lungs for over an hour straight. That's right. Over an hour straight. I thought he would have tired himself out... I underestimated him entirely. Screaming for that long prompted my family and I to develop ill feelings towards the parents and their [obvious] lack of disciplinary skills. Parents, be wary of traveling with young children. Remember, there are others around you who are subject to their cries.

So, in Canada, we already stand out as white-washed Chinese kids. Imagine standing half a foot taller than most, dressing differently, speaking English and less than passable Canto. The Lais stick out like a majorly sore thumb. Not nearly as much as Caucasians though. We've started a tally, and in the metro station alone, we counted 14. Seeing white people makes me feel more at home. Man I miss Canada...

Haven't done much yet, but apparently we've a set itinerary courtesy of my more-than-eager 2nd uncle. Boredom is out of the question!

I Do?

The guests. The hats. The DRESS.

Like 2 billion others, I tuned in this morning at the ungodly hour of 5am to watch Prince William marry his main girl of 8 years, Catherine Middleton.

Was it worth it waking up so early? Probably not. I would have benefited from a few extra hours of sleep. I mostly got up to see the dress.

The best kept secret was Kate's McQueen wedding gown. It was beautiful no doubt. But after watching Royal Wedding specials for the past few days, I was somehow hoping she would pick something more extravagant.
Little did I know that her style is simple but elegant, and that she wanted her dress to reflect that of Grace Kelly's. I love the skirt and train -- pretty and fit for a princess.


While the new Duchess of Cambridge looked heavenly in white, her Prince was dashing in a scarlet Irish Guard uniform. Too bad he's balding. Sad face. I used to think he was the hottest of the princes, but Harry currently holds the new title of PILF. I didn't make that up by the way... it's trending on Twitter.


Anyways, enough about the couple. Let's talk about the actual ceremony -- which I felt was a tad long. And boring... While Will and Kate are more modern, they kept the ceremony very traditional. The biggest modern twist was that Kate's sister Pippa served as Maid of Honor. Usually the brides maids are younger children, so Pippa is the first to be close to the bride's age. Interesting huh?


So... my overall thoughts? I could have waited till later in the day to watch the highlights. The ceremony could stand to be a bit more interesting (I fell asleep during the sermon). But I loved the boys/men's choir. Beautiful music. Beautiful venue -- except I wouldn't want to be stuck somewhere with a crap view of the alter.
It was cool to watch history in the making -- a commoner becoming a princess. It's every girl's dream, and one lucky lady gets her fairytale ending.

One and Only

Pictured on the left in the newest issue of Rolling Stone magazine is the beautiful Adele. Her sophomore album 21 debuted at #1 on the US Billboard's top 200. I have Adele-fever. Which is much more potent than any Bieber-fever I might add.

Her voice is as amazing as her face. For those of whom haven't heard her single Rolling in the Deep please do so now.
Most of the reason why she's gaining popularity (and why I'm obsessed with her) is thanks to her amaaaaaazing voice. It's ridiculously husky, yet powerful. But so beautiful.

Like another 21 year old in the music biz she writes about her breakup and heartaches. But UNLIKE a certain country/pop artist, she's got a gazillion times more talent. And she's not overly spiteful in her lyrics.

Oh and her songs don't all sound the same...

I LOVE HER. Take a listen to a couple of my faves off of the album:

Oh na, na...

What's my name?

Yeah. That happened.

So I'm thinking about changing the name of my blog. What should I change it to?
Suggestions please...

Up, up, up she goes!

Hailee Steinfeld has been cast to star in the latest film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet.

She's the youngest, but most "age appropriate" to play the role of Juliet. After watching her in True Grit I expect nothing but another amazing performance.

She may only be 14, but get used to it because you'll be hearing her name a LOT.

This is one star that is far from burning out.




Read more about it on Perez's website!

What's next...

Hello Blogosphere. It's been a while.
I have clearly run out of things to blog about. I need help! Please give me ideas.

But for the mean time, I'll post a song I'm currently obsessed with...

Another one bites the dust...

March 5, 2011 now goes down in history as the day Louis and Eileen became one. My friends walked down the aisle to For Good from Wicked, recited vows, and said "I do" to become man and wife. It was the most special occasion of their lives (as of now), and I felt so honored to be a part of it.

I've known Eileen for the majority of my life, and we've become close in the past 4 years. So much so, that my younger sister and I see her as a mentor, confidante, and jeh-jeh (older sister in Cantonese). She's always sure to free up her weekends just to hang out with us, even if we were just going to sit around and watch a movie or share a meal together. Eating take out became such a problem that Eileen and my sister collectively decided to start working out on Fridays. Thus began "Daily Friday Workouts". The time we spend together is memorable. She's a gift from the Lord and now we share her with another special person.

Like Eileen, when I first met Louie I could not take him seriously! This guy is a joker and he just takes things so lightly and cracks jokes from time to time. However, having gotten to know him due to Africa missions this past summer, I can now see why Eileen fell for him. He's just as caring as she is. His jokes are just as lame as hers are. He's got the same sense of humor as she does (and folks, it's not a good thing. Just kidding haha). He's got a heart for missions, like she does. And most important of all he loves the Lord with his whole being. Lou, you know that I would NEVER admit these things to your face, right?

As sad as I am to see her become someone's lo-poh (wifey),  I'm so glad that these two were brought together. Endless bouts of Lou's (anticlimactic) stories are sure keep her laughing for the rest of her life! They couldn't be more perfect Kingdom Life Partners. They are truly blessed to have found one another.

But seriously. Eileen/Louie, don't expect me to say such things to you in person. I WON'T DO IT!
Sooo... I guess I'll wait to get made fun of by you now. Hate you guys. OH SNAPS!

Lucky 21

Wow, almost 2 full weeks went by without a new post. You know you're getting lazy when...


So this post will not be a movie review. My blog is about anything that I want to write about, so in lieu of my 21st birthday, I want to reflect on one of the greatest gifts I've ever received.

This is gonna get corny fast, so if you're not fond of sap or warm & fuzzies, perhaps you should wait for my next review.

Like I said, I'm reflecting on one of the best gifts I've ever received, and that would be my friends. God put such beautiful people in my life, all of whom I am proud to call my brothers and sisters. They're genuine, thoughtful, loving, and know what it means to be great friends. Most of them I've known since birth... some of them are newer friends. But I can't even begin to describe how much I love them.

So here's to being legal world-wide. And here's to great friends. Love you all. I thank the Lord for each of you.