Hello Buddies!
I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. I give thanks every year that I'm able to live such a blessed and wonderful life surrounded by truly wonderful friends and family. I also give thanks that I'm fortunate enough to live in a country where I can freely write about my favorite movies, songs, and restaurants and share these favorites with the ones I love. So anywhoo...here's the hot joints I give thanks for this week!
Music
Wynter Gordon feat. David Guetta --- Dirty Talk
This song actually came out last year. Most of you have probably never heard of Wynter Gordon. She's an amazing singer who's been featured on songs like Flo Rida's "Sugar" (the song that sampled "Blue" by Eiffel 65). In any case, I believe Ms. Gordon is on the verge of releasing or recording an album of her own, and this track that was released last year features, arguably, one of the hottest mainstream DJs out there right now. Mr. Guetta seems to be everywhere this year, from his own album, to providing the beats to some of Pop's and Hip Hop's biggest club tracks this year. This song is no different. Granted, the lyrics aren't anything special, they're literally just a hot female singer saying random sexually toned words and phrases in a list format...but the beat and the hook are so catchy, it makes little difference. I haven't stopped humming this song since I first heard it. 4/5 Stars
Movies:
Harry Potter The Deathly Hallows Part 1
Now before all you wizards and witches start yelling at me for my critique, let me make it completely clear that I've never read any of the HP books. I've done that purposely because too often in life, I've read a book that was great, and been supremely disappointed by the movie. That is why now, I watch movies first, then read the books afterwards so I'm not disappointed. Having known for many years how awesome the HP books are, I knew that if I started reading them, I'd want to finish the entire series...and I didn't wanna risk ruining the later movies for myself by reading the books first. Thus, I've decided to wait and watch all the movies and then go back to read the books. That being said, I watched the first part of the last movie this past weekend. And I didn't like it. It was long (2.5 hours), it was boring for the most part, and for those of you who watch Naruto and/or Bleach (two popular anime shows), this movie felt like the "filler" equivalent of many episodes of those shows in which nothing happened, and it was simply a placeholder or buildup for the next episode. Now, I have spoken to some people who did read the book, and they admitted the first half of the last book is pretty boring. And in that regard, they also said that the movie mirrored the book almost exactly. So I suppose in that regard, the movie is a success...but from a viewer's point of reference, it didn't do it for me. It did however, leave me hanging and wanting to see the second part of the finale, so I suppose it succeeded in that manner. 3/5 Stars (Not a tremendously horrible movie, just not worth the $11.50...wait for it to come on Netflix or On Demand, then rent it, watch it and get ready for part 2 which should be much better)
Restaurants:
Burapa Thai Classic
So I've now lived in Herndon for over a year. You would've thought I'd been to all the Thai cuisines out here, but this past week, a friend of mine who works in Ashburn took me to Burapa. And holy cow, it blew me away. The menu itself had me intrigued as it has most of my favorite Thai dishes: massamun curry, panang, drunken noodles, pad thai, etc. However, the thing that separates Burapa from all the rest if you can combine your favorites. The restaurant has about 6 or 7 pre-made combos that you can choose for lunch or dinner. And in these combos two of your favorite Thai dishes are served to you in one plate. So I ordered the drunken noodles/Panang and just as I'd hoped, I got a plate with drunken noodles on one side, and rice with panang curry on the other. It was awesome! And at only $8.50 for lunch, it was great. I also had the thai iced tea, with bobas (that's bubble tea to those who don't know), and it was great too! The tapioca bubbles were nice and soft. If I wasn't so stuffed from my meal, I would've tried some appetizers and/or dessert. But now having tasted how wonderful this place is, I'll definitely go back there again sometime. So yeah. 4/5 Stars
Monday, November 29, 2010
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
11/9/10
Waddup buddies,
Gonna keep it short this week. Here's the hot jams for this week. Note that the movie is a negative review...not a recommendation this time. Enjoy!!!
Music
Far East Movement --- I Party
First off, I have to admit, I love FEM. As cheesy and ricey as their name might be, and despite the fact that they look like an all Asian Kanye West tribute band, these guys put out quality club jams. In general, I try to support my fellow Asian artists whenever someone makes it mainstream, but in most cases, it's simply because I want to see more Asians in the media for positive things....and not necessarily because they're awesome. But Far East Movement, is indeed awesome. You've no doubt caught yourself dancing or jamming along to their hit single "Like a G6" and then vehemently denied to your friends that you secretly love the song. I think their new single "I Party" is even better. First of all, it samples one of my favorite electronic tracks of all time "It's a fine day". Add to that, their hip twist on the grooves within the track as well as their lyrics and you got another club banger. Then there's the music video itself, which is one of the coolest videos I've seen in a long time. Check it out on youtube if you haven't already. 5/5 Stars
Movies
Paranormal Activity 2
So last year, I went to see Paranormal Activity. It was a ground-breaking new horror film with lots of pre-debut hype as being the scariest movie of all time. I went with some friends, with little to no expectations of the film, and what I got in return was nearly a week of restless uncomfortable sleep as a result. So when this year's sequel was announced, I couldn't wait to see what was in store for me. Some people think it's sadistic but for me, there's a good deal of entertainment in stimulating one of the most natural emotions a human can experience. Granted, not being able to sleep properly probably was a negative side effect of watching the original movie, but I have to applaud any production that's able to scare me in that manner. So I was hoping, that this year's sequel would leave me at least equally petrified of what may occur after hours within my relatively quiet house. Unfortunately, this year's sequel fell flat. Knowing that most of its audience had seen the first film, I felt the movie tried to do too much in this new film and forgot what it was about the original film that had every scared. Mainly, that everything happened mysteriously and that we never saw any true horror or demonic attacks until the very end of the movie. The sequel, and I'll try not to give anything away here, gives away too much too early in this film...and in the moments where it did try to keep us in suspense, it only bored us instead. I was really hoping for better, but I suppose that was a poor expectation. I hope to rectify this mistake this week by watching the film Due Date, which I was debating watching last weekend when I decided to watch PA2 instead, because I've heard Due Date was very good. 2/5 Stars for Paranormal Activity 2.
Restaurants
East Moon Asian Bistro
Located in the Kingstowne shopping center between Bonefish Grill and the movie theater, this restaurant opened up earlier this year. I had long meant to go try it out, but didn't get a chance to until this past weekend when I saw the aforementioned movie. All I can say about the restaurant is WOW. It's extremely classy and modern in decor. Huge dining area with tons of wait/bust/cooking staff. The wait was only about 15-20 minutes for a table. All of the food I tried was amazing. The restaurant boasts Indonesian, Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, and Japanese (both hot plates and sushi) cuisine. I tried the Sriracha Chicken entree which was both spicy and flavorful. I also tried one of the specialty sushi rolls, The Kingstowne Roll, and it was delicious. My cousin had the sesame tofu, which was sweet and amazing. For dessert, we split the molten chocolate cake which was also fantastic. All in all, the restaurant succeeded on all cylinders and I can't wait to go back and try some more of their menu items. 5/5 Stars.
Gonna keep it short this week. Here's the hot jams for this week. Note that the movie is a negative review...not a recommendation this time. Enjoy!!!
Music
Far East Movement --- I Party
First off, I have to admit, I love FEM. As cheesy and ricey as their name might be, and despite the fact that they look like an all Asian Kanye West tribute band, these guys put out quality club jams. In general, I try to support my fellow Asian artists whenever someone makes it mainstream, but in most cases, it's simply because I want to see more Asians in the media for positive things....and not necessarily because they're awesome. But Far East Movement, is indeed awesome. You've no doubt caught yourself dancing or jamming along to their hit single "Like a G6" and then vehemently denied to your friends that you secretly love the song. I think their new single "I Party" is even better. First of all, it samples one of my favorite electronic tracks of all time "It's a fine day". Add to that, their hip twist on the grooves within the track as well as their lyrics and you got another club banger. Then there's the music video itself, which is one of the coolest videos I've seen in a long time. Check it out on youtube if you haven't already. 5/5 Stars
Movies
Paranormal Activity 2
So last year, I went to see Paranormal Activity. It was a ground-breaking new horror film with lots of pre-debut hype as being the scariest movie of all time. I went with some friends, with little to no expectations of the film, and what I got in return was nearly a week of restless uncomfortable sleep as a result. So when this year's sequel was announced, I couldn't wait to see what was in store for me. Some people think it's sadistic but for me, there's a good deal of entertainment in stimulating one of the most natural emotions a human can experience. Granted, not being able to sleep properly probably was a negative side effect of watching the original movie, but I have to applaud any production that's able to scare me in that manner. So I was hoping, that this year's sequel would leave me at least equally petrified of what may occur after hours within my relatively quiet house. Unfortunately, this year's sequel fell flat. Knowing that most of its audience had seen the first film, I felt the movie tried to do too much in this new film and forgot what it was about the original film that had every scared. Mainly, that everything happened mysteriously and that we never saw any true horror or demonic attacks until the very end of the movie. The sequel, and I'll try not to give anything away here, gives away too much too early in this film...and in the moments where it did try to keep us in suspense, it only bored us instead. I was really hoping for better, but I suppose that was a poor expectation. I hope to rectify this mistake this week by watching the film Due Date, which I was debating watching last weekend when I decided to watch PA2 instead, because I've heard Due Date was very good. 2/5 Stars for Paranormal Activity 2.
Restaurants
East Moon Asian Bistro
Located in the Kingstowne shopping center between Bonefish Grill and the movie theater, this restaurant opened up earlier this year. I had long meant to go try it out, but didn't get a chance to until this past weekend when I saw the aforementioned movie. All I can say about the restaurant is WOW. It's extremely classy and modern in decor. Huge dining area with tons of wait/bust/cooking staff. The wait was only about 15-20 minutes for a table. All of the food I tried was amazing. The restaurant boasts Indonesian, Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, and Japanese (both hot plates and sushi) cuisine. I tried the Sriracha Chicken entree which was both spicy and flavorful. I also tried one of the specialty sushi rolls, The Kingstowne Roll, and it was delicious. My cousin had the sesame tofu, which was sweet and amazing. For dessert, we split the molten chocolate cake which was also fantastic. All in all, the restaurant succeeded on all cylinders and I can't wait to go back and try some more of their menu items. 5/5 Stars.
Monday, November 1, 2010
11/1/10
Buenos Dias Amigos,
I hope everyone had a pleasant Halloween. I know I'm still trying to recover from all the partying and debauchery. In any case, here's the hot joint cures of the week for that candy and alcohol hangover. Enjoy!!!
Music
Wiz Khalifa --- Black and Yellow
You may remember Pittburgh native rapper Wiz Khalifa from his hit single a couple years back "Say Yeah". It's the one that samples Alice Deejay's Better off Alone. Well, monsieur Khalifa is back this year with another new single that's already killing the airwaves. While the song is named Black and Yellow in honor of the Pittsburgh Steelers (BOOOOOO!!!!!), I won't hold that against the song too much because it doesn't actually say anything about the Steelers, so I suppose it's ok. The beat is hot, the lyrics are hot. Everything about this track makes you wanna bounce in your car. 4.5/5 Stars because of the name of the song and because the music video is a bunch of people waving Terrible Towels.
Movies:
Saw 3D
Yes, I know. I can't believe another Saw movie was made either. But, if you're like me, once you like a particular movie series, no matter how many movies they make, you have to continue seeing them. And Saw is no different. I loved the first Saw, it was ground-breaking and unlike anything I had ever seen previously. 2 was still decent, with a neat twist, but not as good as 1. 3 Was the first time I thought the series was going to end...and yet...it didn't. How the movies can continue without the main villain...ehh I'm not even gonna begin the argument. Then the producers somehow made Saw 4, 5 and 6. So when Saw 3D came out this year...I was like "you have to be kidding me". Nonetheless it had become tradition at this point, to go see the Saw movies Halloween weekend with my cousin, and so I did. All in all, it was a decent movie...as far as thriller horror movies go. Definitely not my favorite of the series, and by this point, I'm so desensitized to the gore and brutality of the traps that it no longer affects me as harshly anymore. Nonetheless, if you are a fan of the Saw series at all, and you enjoyed the previous ones, you'll probably also enjoy this one. 3/5 Stars
Restaurants:
Vienna Inn
I had heard a couple times from people that there existed a restaurant in Vienna that made great chili dogs. As far as American classics go, the chili cheese dog is among my favorite indulgences. So last week, I ventured out to Vienna Inn to check it out. This place is awesome. It's literally a dive bar in the heart of Vienna. Rock music plays over the speakers. Cute waitresses run around taking orders. And the menu is everything you could possibly want from a dive bar in terms of chili and cheese. The Chili Cheese dogs were delicious (and only cost $1.50 each). The Chili Mac was also great, although now that I know that the dogs are so cheap, I'm gonna just do those instead. And the fries were great as well (try the Gravy Fries if you want something different you've never had before). On top of that, the restaurant has birch beer, which is one of my favorite sodas. You gotta check this place out next time you're in Vienna or in the mood for hot dogs. 4/5 Stars
I hope everyone had a pleasant Halloween. I know I'm still trying to recover from all the partying and debauchery. In any case, here's the hot joint cures of the week for that candy and alcohol hangover. Enjoy!!!
Music
Wiz Khalifa --- Black and Yellow
You may remember Pittburgh native rapper Wiz Khalifa from his hit single a couple years back "Say Yeah". It's the one that samples Alice Deejay's Better off Alone. Well, monsieur Khalifa is back this year with another new single that's already killing the airwaves. While the song is named Black and Yellow in honor of the Pittsburgh Steelers (BOOOOOO!!!!!), I won't hold that against the song too much because it doesn't actually say anything about the Steelers, so I suppose it's ok. The beat is hot, the lyrics are hot. Everything about this track makes you wanna bounce in your car. 4.5/5 Stars because of the name of the song and because the music video is a bunch of people waving Terrible Towels.
Movies:
Saw 3D
Yes, I know. I can't believe another Saw movie was made either. But, if you're like me, once you like a particular movie series, no matter how many movies they make, you have to continue seeing them. And Saw is no different. I loved the first Saw, it was ground-breaking and unlike anything I had ever seen previously. 2 was still decent, with a neat twist, but not as good as 1. 3 Was the first time I thought the series was going to end...and yet...it didn't. How the movies can continue without the main villain...ehh I'm not even gonna begin the argument. Then the producers somehow made Saw 4, 5 and 6. So when Saw 3D came out this year...I was like "you have to be kidding me". Nonetheless it had become tradition at this point, to go see the Saw movies Halloween weekend with my cousin, and so I did. All in all, it was a decent movie...as far as thriller horror movies go. Definitely not my favorite of the series, and by this point, I'm so desensitized to the gore and brutality of the traps that it no longer affects me as harshly anymore. Nonetheless, if you are a fan of the Saw series at all, and you enjoyed the previous ones, you'll probably also enjoy this one. 3/5 Stars
Restaurants:
Vienna Inn
I had heard a couple times from people that there existed a restaurant in Vienna that made great chili dogs. As far as American classics go, the chili cheese dog is among my favorite indulgences. So last week, I ventured out to Vienna Inn to check it out. This place is awesome. It's literally a dive bar in the heart of Vienna. Rock music plays over the speakers. Cute waitresses run around taking orders. And the menu is everything you could possibly want from a dive bar in terms of chili and cheese. The Chili Cheese dogs were delicious (and only cost $1.50 each). The Chili Mac was also great, although now that I know that the dogs are so cheap, I'm gonna just do those instead. And the fries were great as well (try the Gravy Fries if you want something different you've never had before). On top of that, the restaurant has birch beer, which is one of my favorite sodas. You gotta check this place out next time you're in Vienna or in the mood for hot dogs. 4/5 Stars
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