How to save money!
Posted: June 26, 2011 Filed under: opinion, places, shopping | Tags: coupons, saving money Leave a comment »This slideshow requires JavaScript.
So I have been couponing for a while and have gotten some great bargains on certain stuff. I’m not quite at the Extreme Couponing level, since I usually buy on a smaller scale than the people on the show of the same name. But it always helps to save a little bit of money and not (completely) break your bank account. For instance, I paid about $5 for $45 worth of make-up (88%) at CVS, which is probably my best trip to date (although I did pay $.10 for a toothbrush at Walgreens, lol). I’ve had people ask me how I do it so I decided to share some of my tips with you. My BFF Trisha and I have totally changed the way we shop by using those tips. We hate paying full price for things that we believe we can get for less than what the price tag says. With that being said, I could probably be a pain in the butt to shop with, lol.
I know that many people may think they don’t have time to do what we’ve been doing but even the busiest person can save a little bit of money by following our tips. Whether you are a mom with four kids, a busy college student, or a bachelor(ette) who is always on the go, anyone can do this! It will help you save money on grocery or just plain shopping bills. All it takes is a little bit of time, research, and resourcefulness. 
Now here are my tips!
1. I usually buy things when they’re on sale unless I absolutely need the item (emergency situations may apply).
2. Invest in newspapers on Sunday mornings. Newspapers range anywhere from $1 (San Gabriel Valley Tribune or whatever regional newspaper your area has) to $1.50 (LA Times) plus tax. Or a newspaper subscription–for instance, a subscription to the LA Times is about $9.95/month.
3. Why newspapers? They have all kinds of ads for stores with sales (i.e. Target, Rite Aid, CVS, etc.)! And most of all, COUPONS! I know some of you may be coupon shy, but trust me, they are a life-saver.
4. Get store loyalty cards if you live by (or shop at) a store that carries one (i.e. Ralphs, Vons, Albertsons, CVS, Rite Aid if you live in Southern California). These stores have advertised sales and specials on certain items that you may (or may not need). Cost to you? FREE
5. Yes, you can use coupons on things on sale! It lowers the amount you pay for the item.
- Note: If you can stack coupons at stores like Target, the better. If you have a Target coupon and a manufacturer’s coupon, the price goes down by a lot. Ex. Sale price + Target coupon + manufacturer’s coupon = awesome!
6. Know the coupon policies for each store you go to. These will help you. Every store has their own so make sure you know the coupon policies before you go shopping. You can find them online or at the bottom of their ads.
- Just a tip, Ralphs will double coupons (unless the coupon says “do not double”) under $.50 and the coupons worth $.51-$.99 will be $1 off 
7. The clearance rack is always a good place to look for a sale. You can usually use coupons on clearance items.
8. Some drugstores have sales where you buy certain items and you get store credit. They can be used toward your next purchase, kind of like a gift card.
- Note: CVS has Extra Care Bucks and Rite Aid has Up Rewards
- Target: you can get a $5 gift card if you buy certain items (ex. buy 2 hair dye bottles, get a $5 gift card)
- Yes, you can use coupons to buy these and still get the rewards (and not have to pay the sale price… hahaha)
9. If you buy multiple coupons, you can sometimes get some good deals on some sale items. For example, if you have 10 $1 coupons for one item and the sale is 10/$10 that means you can get them for free. But you may have to pay the tax if they charge tax.
10. There are coupon sites online where you can print out coupons on certain items and use them while shopping. Some coupons are store-specific, which means that you can use them at that store only. Some good ones are coupons.com, Redplum, SmartSource, and Coupon Network. Target is also one of my favorites, but most of the coupons are for use at Target only.
- Note: Most coupon sites will only let you print 2 coupons per computer, so if you have multiple computers, make use of them.
- You say: But ink is expensive!!! I can’t do that!!! Well, you can recycle your ink cartridges just by refilling your ink at stores like Costco for about $8-$10 per cartridge. It’s cheaper than buying a brand new cartridge and it prints exactly the same.
11. Coupon blogging sites like This Frugal Life (good for SoCal Shoppers), Totally Target, and The Krazy Coupon Lady are really useful because they tell you what coupons are out, what deals there are on certain items, and explain the art of couponing in greater detail and probably better than I can.
12. Like stuff on Facebook. You can get coupons or other great deals just by liking something That’s where the above couponing sites come in, they usually tell you what to like if you want a certain item.
13. Join Groupon and LivingSocial (both have apps for smartphones if you have one). They have plenty of great deals for going out and other events around your area.
Any questions or any other tips I’ve missed?
So long to an era…
Posted: May 9, 2011 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a comment »Unfortunately for those in Laker Nation, the Lakers are officially done for the 2010-11 season… As a true Laker fan, I watched Game 4 til the bitter end. I definitely do not condone the actions of Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum. What they did was classless and embarrassing to the Lakers franchise and the fans. Fans are definitely disappointed and there is just no defending what they did. Many of us in Laker Nation agree that they humiliated the Lakers and I sure hope that Odom and Bynum have really good apologies to the Mavericks. Frustration should never lead to those situations.
But you can’t forget that the Lakers have brought five championships to LA in the past 10 years. Even one championship is hard to come by, so that is an accomplishment in itself.
We also say goodbye to Phil Jackson, who will retire from coaching. He is arguably one of the greatest coaches of all time. He had a great coaching run and I am so sad that he had to go out on a sour note.
So what’s next in the NBA and for the Lakers?
Well, there are three series still going on in the NBA Playoffs. The other series in the West, Memphis Grizzlies-Oklahoma City Thunder, is still going with the Grizzlies leading 2 game to Oklahoma City’s 1. In the Eastern Conference, Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks are tied two games each and the Miami Heat are leading 2 games to the Boston Celtics’ 1.
Although the Grizzlies came into the Playoffs as the 8th seed in the Western Conference, it is evident that they have played with a lot of heart. The Thunder are also a very good team and have evolved from a young and precocious team to a true contender. The series can go any way, but I think the Grizzlies are going to come out of this one and play against the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals. Call me crazy but I predict the Grizzlies in 6.
The Bulls and Hawks are now tied at two games apiece and it is tough to determine who will come out of this one at this stage of the series. However, I think that Chicago is going to come out of this one alive. Derrick Rose is the Bulls’ Kobe and this generation’s Michael Jordan. He is a skilled player with a great supporting cast and they have been building up this team to become a true contender for a few years. Bulls in 6.
And the last series… Honestly, I am not crazy about this one even if it does feature two of the most well-known teams in all the playoffs–the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat. I guess it is because I am not fond of either team and it doesn’t matter to me who wins. However, I think Miami will win this series because of LBJ, DWade, and Chris Bosh’s youth and hunger for a championship. Like the Lakers, the Celtics are not getting any younger and definitely need to make some changes in their hustle. Heat in 5.
My Finals prediction with no scientific basis… Heat Bulls vs. Mavericks. I don’t know who will win the NBA Finals, but I don’t know if I want to cheer on either team because I feel like the Lakers should still be up there competing for another 3-peat. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t meant to be. Whoever is going to win it all this year will be a true underdog. Knowing it won’t be another Celtics-Lakers matchup, I honestly think this year’s NBA Finals will not match up to their rivalry. Good basketball, maybe, but it just won’t be the same.
As of the Lakers, there will have to be a lot of rebuilding to be done if we want to get back to championship status. With the current roster and deadlocked contracts the Lakers have now, it may be years until the Lakers see another championship. Kobe has a few good years left and the main guys are not getting any younger… The Lakers need to find another superstar (Dwight Howard, maybe?) that could play well with Kobe in the paint. The Achilles’ heel for the Lakers has been 3 pointers, so I’m hoping we can get a couple of good point guards that can hit those from behind the arc. Size is not an issue, but stopping quicker and smaller guys is, so some guards that can play defense and hit shots from behind the arc would be useful. This is why I thought it was a ridiculous move for the front office to get rid of Sasha Vujacic because he was one player that could do both especially when he’s on fire… Same with Jordan Farmar. He wasn’t my favorite player but he could shoot when need be… Plus they are both fearless with defense and their shots.
What I thought hurt the Lakers was the lack of chemistry, and I noted this in January. We got a brand new bench and the vibe in the locker room was definitely rocked. The three-peat was in jeopardy and we could see that our two-time champs were not the same team. Maybe I saw something coming, but I definitely did not think the season was going to happen this soon.
In conclusion, there is always (at least) next year and room for improvement. It could be next year, or even a few more if not 10. As an LA girl, I will always bleed purple and gold no matter how bleak things are.
December 2010 in Review…
Posted: December 21, 2010 Filed under: entertainment, music, places, television | Tags: committed, ice skating, la live, los angeles, skating with the stars, the sing-off Leave a comment »So I’ve been pretty busy this month and have gone to some pretty exciting places. But I think I will have to go with the most recent events first…
DECEMBER 20, 2010: COMMITTED WINS THE SING-OFF!
So I won tickets to the Sing-Off Finale courtesy of 97.1 AMP Radio here in Los Angeles for me and a friend. I took my college roommate, Eizel and we just had an amazing time. The taping was at the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank and though it was pouring rain driving there, it was well worth the 35 minute drive. The finale was amazing and getting to see two of my musical idols, Boyz II Men (Shawn Stockman, one of the group’s singers is also a judge; how cool is that?) and Sara Bareilles, perform live. It’s probably the closest thing to seeing them in concert.
All of the acts were amazing (it was just too cool that all of the judges and host Nick Lachey are all singers and performed with the final groups) and everyone that was in the final four (Jerry Lawson and the Talk of the Town, Backbeats, Street Corner Symphony, and of course, Committed) definitely deserved to be in the finals. I thought they were all great performers live; if I didn’t know they were acapella groups, I would have thought they had a backing band or track. They were that awesome!
The Sing Off is, in my opinion, one of the best vocal shows on television today and I’m so happy that I finally discovered it. You bet I will be watching next season.
Side note: I sat next to Terry’s (of Committed) mom and gave her a hug when Nick announced they won. She seemed like a sweet lady and their entire cheering section was definitely a fun and lively bunch. I wish Committed and their supportive family and friends all the best!
DECEMBER 14, 2010: YARD HOUSE; ICE SKATING @ LA LIVE; KOGI BBQ TRUCK @ MIRACLE MILE
I went to LA Live with Eizel and my friend Alice (and now a new friend of Eizel’s) for the premise of ice skating at LA Kings’ Holiday Ice, but we started off with Happy Hour at Yard House because this trip just wasn’t going to be complete without it.
Yard House Happy Hour anywhere in Southern California just wins hands down. They seriously have one of the best Happy Hour specials on drinks and appetizers. We all shared the Moo Shu egg rolls, Traditional Buffalo Wings, Fried Calamari, and Pepperoni and Mushroom pizza. The service was the quickest that I’ve ever had at any Yard House, but that could be due to the fact that it was a weekday and not that many people were there. Anyway, the food was really good and it filled us up.
After our Fatty Fest at Yard House (lol), we headed over to the ice rink in the LA Live courtyard. We paid $12 for unlimited skating, which was well worth it. The rental skates were a lot more comfortable than the ones they usually give you at the indoor rinks, which my feet and ankle appreciated. I was a little sore, but not in total excruciating pain. The Christmas tree at LA Live was pretty awesome to look at, especially since it was comprised of lights that change color. There was also a Habitat for Humanity presentation being done at LA Live. The family being honored was so sweet; the children were all adopted and they were just so cute.
Then we drove to Miracle Mile to get Kogi BBQ since they announced on Twitter that they had a food truck parked at the corner of Cloverdale and Wilshire. It was me and Alice’s first time trying it and we were greatly pleased. I crave it every time I think about it, like right now. Their Twitter is @kogibbq and if you are in the LA/OC area, you MUST go to the nearest food truck location and try it!
DECEMBER 6: SKATING WITH THE STARS; WOOD RANCH BBQ & GRILL
Alice invited me to a Skating with the Stars taping at CBS Television City since she ended up getting priority tickets. However, there was a little snag since the audience coordinator didn’t acknowledge them at first and we had to wait in line for quite a while. But eventually we got in and ended up getting amazing seats next to the ice skating rink. Overall, it was a pretty interesting show since it is really hard for a novice to learn all those flips, turns, and lifts in such a short amount of time. I thought Brandon Mychal Smith, Jonny Moseley, and Rebecca Budig had the most potential to win out of all the contestants that were there. However, Brandon got sick and couldn’t perform live which was really disappointing since he was the one I was there to see. But health comes first and eventually he had to drop out from the competition. Anyway it was a good experience and good luck to those remaining in the competition.
Now this is where the evening got interesting; we went to Wood Ranch at the Grove for dinner and Trevor from O-Town was our waiter. I don’t really know his story post-O-Town, but I was quite surprised that after all that fame, he ended up waiting tables. And no, I didn’t mention the O-Town thing because I didn’t want to embarrass him. However, he seemed like a really nice guy (and still cute haha) and I hope things are working out for him. Oh yeah, the food filled me up and I pretty much had food coma for days.
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Well, that was December in review and I wish you all a happy holidays! If I don’t get to post by the end of the year, I’ll see you in 2011!
The Charice Conundrum (as published on Tumblr, with a foreword on WP)
Posted: November 30, 2010 Filed under: entertainment, music, opinion | Tags: asian-american, bruno mars, charice, far east movement, filipino-american 3 Comments »
This was already published on my Tumblr, but I felt that the SoCali Flavor Reviews blog needed a little love so here is a bit of my opinion on what is going on with Filipino singing diva Charice. She deserves a lot more than what she is getting, but it is really tough for someone like her to gain notoriety as a popstar in America.
I tried to be as objective as I could without sounding like a troll or a hater, because I am clearly none of those things as you can tell by my blog entries, and I have met her quite a few times. And she is literally the sweetest little thing ever! So no hating from this blogger. It’s just that some of her fans, affectionately called “Cha-sters,” make her out to be a little bit more than what she really is. I can’t help but applaud them for their dedication, but Charice still has a long way to go if she will truly gain respect and appreciation from the American public (especially American teens and young adults).
So here is my take, via my Tumblr post:
I don’t know why Charice is already considered a Glee star. She’s only been in one episode, hasn’t really contributed to much to the storyline except as Rachel’s *rival* and probably won’t be back until after the hiatus. She’s not remotely close to being a Glee star as far as I’m concerned. I think that would be reserved for people that have established their spots on the show (Lea Michele, Matt Morrison, etc). She’s just a GUEST star, not an actual star of the show. Hate on me for it but it’s true.
I have been tracking her career for a while as she is probably the only Filipina with an actual shot of making it in the mainstream. As my mom is considered a “Cha-ster,” I have gone to many of Charice’s performances live. Even though her voice is a dime a dozen in the Philippines, she also sings better than many of the popstars that are big today. Which is why I have thought about why she hasn’t received the radio airplay she deserves on radio stations like AMP radio and KIIS FM…
The following is my opinion and diehard Cha-sters would probably take offense to it and defend Charice to the death. But it’s what I perceive to be the truth and I tried to be as objective as I possibly could. This isn’t an attack on Charice because I obviously like her too. If you agree with it, great. If not, that’s fine too. We are all entitled to our opinion.
I don’t know if Charice will be the *star* that she should be or we would like her to be. She’s not particularly as *sexy* as Rihanna or Katy Perry and never will be due to her conservative upbringing and image. Unfortunately sex is what sells these days. If you aren’t oozing with some kind of sex appeal, you are clearly not going to have much of an in with the public. This is what I realized when I watched the AMA’s last Sunday. Performers like Rihanna and Katy Perry parade around in sexy outfits and people instantly pay attention to them. Sure they could be considered “vocally inferior” to Charice but their performances are also extravagant and they try to out-do their previous ones. Though Charice is a great singer, she hasn’t really had the artistic freedom or vision to bring out such blockbuster performances. It could be due to her age, or the fact that she doesn’t have the kind of image that kids her age or my age would normally respond to. How many 18-year-old boys would pick Charice over Selena Gomez? Exactly.
But maybe the “foreigner” card in the entertainment industry will be played in Charice’s success as well. People still think of Asian people as the nerdy kid or the karate expert, not a diva-like singer. Yes, there are Asian-American artists hitting the big time like hip hop group Far East Movement and singer/songwriter Bruno Mars (who is half Filipino). Their songs are hits; I would probably need more than my 10 fingers and 10 toes to count how many times I have heard Like a G6 or Just The Way You Are on the radio.
However, there is quite a difference between Charice and these talents. Unlike Bruno Mars and FM, Charice wasn’t born or raised in America, so she has very little understanding of what it is like to grow up in America. Other than the “makeovers” her style team gives her, she doesn’t really know the lifestyle of the young Filipino-American. If you compare life in America and the Philippines, there is a huge contrast. Charice may have the same Filipino blood as a Filipino raised in America, but she had different struggles and cultural ideals. This is why I think American youth have a difficult time relating to her. Sure the older crowd like her, but the younger people are a tougher crowd to follow.
As a music lover, yes I do like Charice’s songs and admire her talent. Although her new album sounds a lot more like the stuff we hear on pop radio, she could probably use an image overhaul if she wants to be truly successful in the mainstream and fully recognized by people her own age. She is someone that my 55-year-old mom would be more inclined to follow as opposed to my cousins and friends in their 20s. She isn’t really considered “cool” like GaGa or Rihanna… Charice has the dancing ability, so why not pull off a grand performance a la Gaga or BEP? She doesn’t need to get too sexy or wear revealing clothing, but she does need to dance a little more. People need to be visually stimulated in addition to listening to something pleasing in order to fully pay attention. I think people, especially the younger crowd, would really gain respect for her and take her seriously.
If you think I am turning my back on Charice, I am not. But we have to face facts. It is unbelievably HARD for someone like her to get full respect from the younger generation. I hope Charice will eventually prove me wrong by becoming a big popstar on the ranks of RiRi, GaGa, and Katy Perry. But for now, she will just be known as the clean-cut girl who my cousins would consider a “Whitney Houston copycat” as opposed to someone that is “cool” and worth following.
What are your opinions on Charice, her success in the mainstream, as well as emerging Asian-American artists? I would love to know what you have to say.
Photos: Promotional Pics from Charice’s Note to God release
Bruno Mars Live @ The Grove – Los Angeles
Posted: September 17, 2010 Filed under: concerts, music, places | Tags: bruno mars, the grove la Leave a comment » |
| From Bruno Mars LIVE @ The Grove LA |
I had the pleasure of attending a free Bruno Mars (“Just The Way You Are,” “Nothin On You”, “Billionaire”) concert live at The Grove in Los Angeles. Because I got caught in traffic on the 101 going there, I got there right at 5:30pm, right when the show was about to begin. Fortunately he didn’t come out yet so it gave me some time to get settled in.
I found myself a place in the back rows of the crowd, so I didn’t get to “see” much of the concert, especially because I’m 5’2″ and many of the people in front of me towered over me. But of course going to a free show with a bigger act meant that it would be a little more crowded. The stage was situated in front of the fountain and the audience section was already filled with many people awaiting Bruno’s arrival. When he finally came out, everyone went wild. People got their cameras out and when “Just The Way You Are” was performed, I couldn’t even see Bruno anymore; just with my handy dandy digital camera which I held with my tired right arm. (Note to self and anyone going to a free concert: make sure you come at least 2 hours early to be able to see!)
Bruno Mars is what I call a very talented musician. He plays guitar, piano (which he didn’t get to play unfortunately… man I would have loved to see that), and oh yeah, he can sing better than some of the bigger pop acts today. He clutched onto his guitar for most of the performance but for the last few songs, he put it down and connected with the audience with a live versions of his radio hit, “Just the Way You Are” and from his EP It’s Better If You Don’t Understand, “Somewhere in Brooklyn.” Everyone, including myself, sang along. Some of the other songs he sang included “Nothin’ On You,” “Billionaire,” and his version of Michael Jackson’s “Beat It.”
Bruno Mars’ 45-minute set was uninterrupted and it’s undeniable that he is a pro at what he does. He was behind the scenes for a while as a songwriter and producer for bigger acts before he hit the front stage to make it as a full-fledged singer/musician. At 23, he has surely accomplished a lot.
His debut album, “Doo Wops and Hooligans” hits stores, iTunes, and Amazon on October 5th, so be sure to check it out when it comes out. He also has an EP, “It’s Better If You Don’t Understand” is also out if you really want to check out more of Bruno’s sound
SIDE NOTES: Through Twitter, I found out American Idol finalists David Archuleta and Paige Miles were at the show (but of course I had to miss them). I also bumped into three of the cast members of ABC Family’s The Secret Life of the American Teenager (Francia Raisa, Brando Eaton, and Allen Evangelista). They were so sweet to fans, taking pictures with everyone who asked.
PHOTO GALLERY: Bruno Mars Live @ The Grove LA
American Idols Live! 2010 edition
Posted: August 18, 2010 Filed under: concerts, music, television | Tags: aaron kelly, american idol 9, anaheim, andrew garcia, casey james, crystal bowersox, didi benami, katie stevens, lee dewyze, michael lynche, siobhan magnus, tim urban Leave a comment »
I’ve taken a hiatus from this blog just to come back to it (I’m telling ya, nursing school is quite the stressor, haha!)… but I did take a short break from all that craziness just in time to attend and review the American Idols Live 2010 concert. I went to the second show in the LA/OC area at Honda Center which is minutes away from Disneyland. And let me tell you, it was probably the best experience I’ve ever had at a concert as of right now.
I won tickets from idolforums.com and ended up getting some really amazing seats… 3rd row in the pods on the sides of the stage. All of the Idols went in order of their eliminations from 10-Lee. Some special selections were the group numbers before intermission (The Climb performed by Didi, Andrew, Katie, Tim, Siobhan, and Aaron), Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman by Casey and Mike, and a cool mash-up of It’s My Life and My Life Would Suck Without You.
Everyone in general was so much better than the show. There’s no more pressure and they can all just do their thing. It’s just too bad that season 9 was totally underappreciated because it didn’t meet many people’s standards. But enough about that, I really enjoyed everyone’s set of songs. They all showed exactly who they are and what kind of artist they want to be once they leave the tour and venture into the nitty gritty of the music business.
And I also had the pleasure of meeting all of the Idols after the show. They were all so gracious and appreciative of all their fans. I honestly felt like a sardine standing next to all those teenyboppers and cougars who were also in line to get the Idols’ autographs. I was also sweaty and tired but it was all worth it. I got pics with Andrew (SOCAL!) and Casey, got to hug Lee (!!!!!!), Tim, Aaron, and Crystal and got autographs of everyone but Crystal because she was in a rush. I really wish my camera didn’t die on me when the Idols were signing. But it’s okay because they are all so super sweet and nice! All the memories I have of them will stay with me for a long time. And honestly, Season 9′s crop of Idols is probably one of my favorites along with season 7.
If you’re lucky enough to be in the upcoming cities that they’ll be in until the end of the month, GO! It is a great show and you won’t be disappointed. Even if you are simply a fan of good music and talented performers, it is definitely something you should check out. They sing all genres of music from Pop to Rock to R&B to Country.
all my pics from the show, please credit me if you’re going to use them: http://picasaweb.google.com/karen.balajadia/AmericanIdolsLive2010?feat=directlink
Glee’s new star: Charice!
Posted: June 22, 2010 Filed under: music, television | Tags: charice, rant, wtf 1 Comment »So the big news in the “Glee” world is that Filipina pop singer Charice is going to join “Glee.”
And some people are hating on it. Why? She is a triple threat. She can act (check out Ice Cream–her life story in which she plays herself. for those who don’t speak Tagalog, there are subtitles in English), sing, AND dance, which is a perfect combination for someone in Glee.
I know people have differing opinions but in my opinion, she has a lot to offer to the show! I wrote this on my Tumblr to stand by why I think she would be an amazing addition to the show.
Me and Charice after the David Foster and Friends show in LA in November 2009
So I clicked on the Charice tag on my dashboard and I’m still astounded by the amount of hate she is getting for being on Glee.
I’m so disappointed in people. Really.
She auditioned like everyone else did and I doubt the producers would bring her on board if she couldn’t handle the part. And for those who are saying that she can’t speak English correctly and she speaks it funny, sure, I think so at times but she is young. Give her a break. And the part she is given is for a FOREIGN EXCHANGE student!! Meaning… she doesn’t need to speak English perfectly for the role! And plus she is still learning. Being in the Glee environment will surely help her out in developing whatever English skills she is lacking. Celine Dion didn’t speak a word of English when she broke into the biz, and over time, she has been able to garner a lot of success.
Okay, so not everyone has to like her. I’ve had my reservations at first but after listening to her CD, meeting her twice, and seeing the amount of recognition she is getting from big-leaguers, I have to say that I am proud of her. Not just because she is Filipino like myself but because she worked so hard in getting her name out there (and she still is).
And to play the Filipino/Asian card, Charice could open so many doors to people like her that are trying to make it in the mainstream. Asians and Asian-American singers deserve a break too. Ever heard of the Norcal R&B boom in the late 90s (a la DNH, Pinay, etc)? Some of those artists are STILL trying to make it or already gave up trying. And plus YouTube is the one outlet Asian-Americans (AJ Rafael and Cathy Nguyen are a few) are using to get their names and talents out there. Surely with a boost from Charice (whose mainstream success stemmed from YouTube videos after her run on Philippines’ now defunct talent show LIttle Big Star), industry bigwigs may be more likely to pay attention to the Asian-American artists that have been trying so hard to make it. Filipinos are not just nurses and engineers, ya know?
To those of you who think Charice will ruin Glee, how do you know? The second season hasn’t even started yet! I can hear the answers now… Lea Michele/insert other cast member’s here is better, they need to focus on everyone else who isn’t as prominent on Glee, etc. Charice is only slated to be a recurring role for now and she also has a busy music career, so I don’t know if she will become a mainstay. Charice’s presence on Glee could likely boost the show internationally and could bring in a legion of new fans. She could also find new fans while on the show.
For the current Gleeks, if you’re thinking Charice will be one reason to stray away from your beloved show, don’t! If you’re curious about her singing abilities, check out her new CD (you can pick it up at nearby stores and download at Amazon and iTunes). We’ll see what she will bring to the table next season.
Your 2010 NBA Champions: the Los Angeles Lakers!
Posted: June 18, 2010 Filed under: sports | Tags: celtics, game 7, kobe bryant, lakers, nba finals, pau gasol, ron artest, sasha vujacic 3 Comments »
Yay!!! Congratulations to the Los Angeles Lakers for taking home a second straight title as well as their 16th championship! I’m so proud of you guys!
First of all, I do have to tip my hat off to the Boston Celtics… they did play hard and did not make the Lakers’ final journey to the championship easy. Sure I have screamed at the TV when things went the Celtics’ way and not the Lakers, but the rational side of me thought that yes, they are a good team with excellent defense.
One of the reasons why I love the Lakers-Celtics rivalry is because both are very successful franchises with a masochistic hate so deeply rooted in the early days of basketball. Both teams play hard to win… It’s arguably the best in organized sports, and yes it makes fan wars very interesting. Good luck to the future of the Celtics franchise.
You could tell that the Celtics wanted it just as bad as the Lakers, but the stars were aligned in the Lakers’ favor this year. Needless to say, the championship was well deserved. The Lakers have been through their ups and downs, but in the end, they prevailed.
Many people have argued that the addition of Ron Artest was a liability and wished for Ariza to return. Those people may have changed their minds after tonight. Artest was by far, the hero in tonight’s historic Game 7. In a game where team captain and star player Kobe Bryant struggled to break down the Celtics’ defense, Artest scored 20 points. This unlikely hero will be a celebrated one in Lakers history.
Throughout the NBA Finals, several Lakers have stepped up, so the argument that Kobe isn’t a team player can be easily refuted. He is probably the best player in the game today and contrary to detractors’ belief, he knows the importance of teamwork. If he wasn’t shooting, he was moving the ball around. Everyone from Pau Gasol to Josh Powell have contributed in many ways. And I must add that Sasha Vujacic, dubbed the Machine by Stu Lantz and Joel Meyers (those who think he made it up himself are mistaken!), shot two very crucial free throws in the 4th quarter, giving the Lakers some edge and confidence to close out the NBA Finals.
Thank you Lakers for a wonderful, chaotic, and exciting NBA season! 3-peat baby!!
See you at the victory parade on Monday!
Photo: Paul J. Richards (Yahoo!/Getty Images)
Summer Playlist!
Posted: June 9, 2010 Filed under: music | Tags: summer playlist Leave a comment »Summer’s coming up and it’s time to hit up the beaches if you live in SoCal and playing those summer tunes. So here’s a list of my top songs, old and new, to listen while you chill and get your tan.
1. California Gurls – Katy Perry and Snoop Dogg
2. Find Your Love – Drake
3. Bulletproof – La Roux
4. Summer Nights – Lil Rob
5. Insomnia – Craig David
6. Summertime – DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince
7. Princess (Reprise) – Lee DeWyze
8. Any Way You Want It/Lovin’ Touchin’ Squeezin’ – Glee Cast
9. Summertime in the LBC – Dove Shack
10. Burning Up – Jonathan Groff/Vocal Adrenaline
11. Summerboy – Lady GaGa
12. Body on Me – Nelly
13. I Need You – The DEY
14. Love Song – Sara Bareilles
15. Banana Pancakes – Jack Johnson
16. Over the Rainbow – Brotha Iz
17. Lucky Love (2009) – Ace of Base
18. Senses – Anoop Desai
19. Pyramid – Charice f. Iyaz
20. Billionaire – Travie McCoy
21. Getting Over You – David Guetta
