Kato Shigeaki to debut as a novelist

It is so nice to see NEWS together as a group in the latest photo shoots. I absolutely love my new banner kyaaaaaaa!

Shige is going to publish a book!! i wanna read it!!

Here's the article on tokyohive:
http://www.tokyohive.com/2011/11/news-member-kato-shigeaki-to-debut-as-a-novelist/

More in depth information from spilledmilk:
http://spilledmilk25.livejournal.com/119120.html#cutid1

This is the official website for Shige's new book:
http://www.kadokawa.co.jp/pink-gray/

You can pre-order the book on amazon.jp here:
http://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/4041101085

i hope other websites like CdJapan will have it too ^_^

Shige would be the first Johnnys to do this. so proud of him, so cool!

NEWS4EVER!! ganbatte minna!!!

Tony Romas & Tim Hortons - Banff

Want some awesome baby back ribs?? where else but Tony Romas!! YUMZ!!


Baby back ribs meal!


Some potato skin appetizers


Shrimp meal


For a light snack to eat on the bus from Banff to Calgary - timbits from Tim Hortons!!




Tony Romas
138 Banff Avenue
Banff, AB, Canada
(403) 760-8540

Tim Hortons
100 Gopher St
Banff AB, T0L0C0
(403) 762-8701

Sushi House, Banff - Sushi Train Conveyor Belt

This little restaurant has a similar concept to the Sakae Sushi restaurants in Singapore - sushi on a conveyor belt! The only difference is that this restaurant actually uses a real model train to bring the sushi round the conveyor belt for you hahaha. When you see something you like or would want to try, just lift the plate off the belt and tuck in!


My favourite Edamame beans :)


There's the train for ya!


There's also a sushi chef behind the bar for you to watch if you're interested lol


At the end, they will count the number of plates you've had - if i'm not wrong, different coloured plates have different costs...


Sushi House, Banff - Sushi Train, Conveyor belt sushi
304 Caribou St, Banff, AB T1L

Yamapi and Ryou leave NEWS

Well, it's official... news (pun intended) spreads fast nowadays, what with facebook and twitter. I woke up this morning (Canada time) and my fellow Johnnys (Arashi) fan posted on my facebook wall that NEWS has been reduced to 4 members?!

So i went to check my twitter feed, and most of the JE or NEWS pages that I follow all say the same thing, that it was announced through their agency... please see the link of their profile here: http://www.johnnys-net.jp/j/artists/news/prof/prof.html (if it still shows 6 members, please refresh your page) ... the truth just hits you in the face *WHAM BAM SLAM* Please keep all your singles/albums/videos/magazines/music etc of the 6 members, as you won't get them anymore, treasure them!!

So people, and fellow grieving-but-saw-something-like-this-coming NEWS fans, it is official - Yamashita Tomohisa and Nishikido Ryo have left NEWS, and the remaining 4 members TegoMass and KoyaShige will continue on as a group. Hmmmm, maybe now each of them can take one cardinal each - North East West South hahaha

I agree with a fan article that i read, that even though the 2 most popular members have left, the remaining 4 can hold their own too (so i'm not worried about that). But another thing that the fan mentioned is that for this to be announced now, when TegoMass activities have only just started ... bad timing. so my sis and i were thinking maybe KoyaShige will appear at one of the TegoMass concerts near the end to announce their next NEW NEWS single...

So it looks like we're poised to see the NEW NEWS at the start of the new year 2012. At least now we can have magazine photoshoots of the 4 of them without the use of photoshop. I must admit that I am sad that we would never see the 6 members together again, but we must always learn to think positive!! This means that there would be more time for NEWS activities, more singles, more concerts etc etc. Even though there would still be TegoMass activities, but as a TegoMass fan, i know that their activities only lasts for a maximum of 4 months. Which means EIGHT solid months of new NEWS (compared to no NEWS at all this whole year) yeahhhhhhh!! And because these 4 members are so close, i mean they spend time together in private (what with crashing Shige's place) - so the camaraderie backstage, the MC time, and all their interactions would be funny and interesting!!

I am looking forward to the new NEWS, i will still support them, and i wish them all the best!! I wish Ryou all the best too as he continues with Kanjani8, and please continue acting awesome dramas! As for Pi, all the best at his solo act too. But my full support will be for the 4 members of the new NEWS!!! I'm sure that the NEWS fandom will be shaken up as the RyoPi fans leave, but TegoMassKoyaShige ganbatte!!! CLAW YOUR WAY UP!! BE SUPER POPULAR!!! WHETHER IN JAPAN OR INTERNATIONALLY!! SHOCK EVERYONE!! YOU CAN DO IT!!

I SUPPORT YOU!!
我会永远支持你!!!
ずっと応援してます！

TegoMass new album!!

Again, food trail has been shoved aside hahaha

As you all know, TegoMass would be releasing their new album テゴマスのまほう (the magic of tegomass perhaps??) - which i so totally agree, because the voices and harmonies of TegoMass = magic!!!

I'm really looking forward to their album! i'm sure there would be energetic sounding tracks and also awesome ballads (their specialty). And i wonder what the PV for 魔法のメロディ (the magic of melody perhaps?) would be like!!! can't wait!!

These are the tracks for the upcoming album (taken from http://tower.jp/article/news/81989)

1. 魔法のメロディ
2. 花火
3. 夕焼けと恋と自転車
4. 雪だるま
5. わすれもの
6. 七夕祭り
7. Over Drive
8. タイトル未定
9. 猟奇的ハニー
10. ユメタビビト
11. 青いベンチ
12. ら・ら・桜　※Normal edition
13. ただいま、おかえり　※Normal edition
14. アイノナカデ　※Normal Edition

【】※Limited edition
・“魔法のメロディ” Music Clip & Making
・Special Interview

Well basically its the usual Johnny's, two versions - one with the section of the PV and interview, and the other with extra bonus tracks. Personally, i would prefer the extra bonus tracks for their lovely voices. YEAH!!

The album will be released on October 19th, so please go get it everyone!! support them!!

Of course, with the release of a TegoMass album and their 3rd live concert tour - it means that there would be no NEWS activities for the rest of the year ... which translates into no NEWS activities at all for the year of 2011!!!

There have been many "we want NEWS" / "bring back NEWS" etc etc activities going on around the world, and after Massu's comment in the latest magazine interview - we know that our voices are being heard. But i think the most impressive activity would be the mass purchase of 星をめざして from September 13th - 16th (i believe this was created by the Japanese fans). An absolutely AWESOME idea i must say. I heard that 星をめざして is now the number #1 single on CD Japan, all thats left is the Oricon charts!! gosh this is so exciting!!

i'm sure that this news would definitely catch the attention of NEWS and hopefully the important decision-making people in Johnny's Entertainment. Please let there be more NEWS activities!!

i mean look to the right - poor NEWS has been silent for too long!!

Evergreen Restaurant - Delta Royal Canadian Lodge, Banff

We went to this swanky restaurant at the hotel we were staying at in Banff to celebrate Mother's Day earlier this year.

Super soft bread with vinegar - simply divine!!

We all ordered the same dish - Seafood Fettucine

It was SOOOOOOooooo good that i gave it a special frame with a flash ;)

Dessert 1 - cheesecake

Dessert 2 - Pyramid chocolate mousse *yumz*


Evergreen Restaurant - Delta Royal Canadian Lodge, Banff
http://www.deltahotels.com/en/hotels/alberta/delta-banff-royal-canadian-lodge/restaurants-and-dining/
Delta Banff Resort
459 Banff Avenue, P.O. Box 1478
Banff
Alberta, T1L 1B4

Chaya - Japanese Restaurant in Banff

And the food trail continues!!
We stopped by a restaurant that we went to previously, called Chaya. It is a Japanese restaurant that specializes in Ramen and Udon. They also have sushi that can be bought from the counter.


We got some Gyozas as a side dish :)


My favourite Kitsune Udon!! sweet beancurd skin in a clear soup :)


Mum got the wonton ramen


Sis got the miso ramen


Affordable and nice to eat during the winter!! ^_^

Chaya - Japanese restaurant in Banff
118 Banff Ave
Banff, AB T1L

The Old Spaghetti Factory - Banff, Alberta

The original Old Spaghetti Factory is actually in Gastown, Vancouver. But who can resist trying the second branch in Banff? :)

Try to make a reservation or go early though, its relatively crowded and you might have to wait for quite awhile...


We ordered the strawberry and the banana milkshakes
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Our appetizers - Caesar salad for mum, Clam Chowder soup for sis and French onion soup for me :)


Sis ordered the parmesan chicken with tomato sauce pasta


Mum ordered the Alfredo Fettuccine (i think!)


I ordered the Clam pasta ... which turned out to be a Clam chowder like pasta... i was actually expecting a white wine sauce clam pasta OOPS!


We all ended up with our stomachs being SUPER full and bloated. And there is still dessert! one super huge scoop of vanilla ice cream :)


The Old Spaghetti Factory - http://www.oldspaghettifactory.ca/locations/alberta/banff/
2nd Floor, 317 Banff Ave. Banff, Alberta, T1L 1J7

A must go for any pasta lovers! Their set meals are super worth it :)

Tim Hortons in Banff

A visit to Canada must result in a visit to Timmy's! the locals favourite :)


The wide selection of pastries


my fav - toasted blueberry bagel with strawberry cream cheese :)


French vanilla coffee yumz!


Maple pecan danish, chocolate dip donut and boston cream donut


Random candy shop in Banff


Candy Apples!!!


Tim Hortons in Banff - pastries in Banff, coffee in Banff

St James Gate Old Irish Pub

We took a bus down from Jasper to Banff and we went to visit an old friend who works at the Old Irish Pub, and found out that the food was really good!!


I had the salmon with scalloped potatoes


Mum had the chicken with scalloped potatoes


Sis had her favourite fish and chips


Nice, quaint place to sit and catch up over good food and a few beers haha!

St James Gate Old Irish Pub - good food in Banff
207 Wolf Street
Banff, Alberta, Canada

Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge - Cavell's Restaurant & Terrace

Reservations are highly recommended for this place, it is really popular! Even though the prices are a little steep, but the rich food and good service makes up for it :)

We were served delicious small cute buns with different flavours and a whole swab of garlic butter!


We ordered all three of their mocktails, in my personal opinion, the one in the centre is the best!! its something power berries i think, its really good :)


I ordered the lamb with the fettucine


Mum and sis ordered the roast chicken


Dessert 1 - some apple strudel thing. it was not bad, just that i would give it a pass next time, its just too filling.


Dessert 2 - White chocolate creme brulee with a biscuit spoon on top! now, this was good and refreshing :)


THE FAIRMONT JASPER PARK LODGE - Cavell's Restaurant & Terrace, Fine dining in Jasper
Old Lodge Road
Jasper, Alberta
Canada
T0E1E0

Just on a side note, before we left the Lodge, we bought some cupcakes from the cafe in the basement that sells sandwiches etc. it was REALLY good!!! Sis and i got the red velvet cupcakes, mum got the vanilla hazelnut one. Doesn't it just look so good!! ^_^

Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge - Room Service Part 2

Yes, once again we were lazy to venture out of our lodge (especially after a nice morning at the awesome spa) so we ordered room service!!

Wait... upside down glasses of water? amazing!! that was my first thought ... but it's just cling-wrap people hahaha


You can custom make your pizza - my mum is allergic to beef and my sis to mushrooms soooooo ... we ordered Ham & Onions with Extra Cheese *YUMZ YUMZ!!*


And some Honey Garlic Wings!! These two were more than enough for us, so the price came out to be real cheap! hee hee good for small eaters :)


I bought this chocolate bar from the souvenir shop - it is ABSOLUTELY delicious :)



THE FAIRMONT JASPER PARK LODGE - Room service, Pizza in Jasper, Wings in Jasper
Old Lodge Road
Jasper, Alberta
Canada
T0E1E0