According to H!O, Fujimoto Miki will be recording a single entitled “Oki Tegami”. Now even though this might be a children’s song, I dont mind. As long as she is back in the H!P line-up, I’m happy. I’m more than happy. I missed her a lot.

Andrew E.
Mahal Kita (1991)

Death Threat
Bantay Zalakay (1993)
Fratsta (1994)
Ilibing ng Buhay (1997)

Denmark
Si Luningning (remake of a 1991 original by the same artist)

4EastFlava
Check Da Hood (1994)

Francis M.
Mga Kababayan (1990)
Mga Praning (1992)

Legit Misfitz
Air Tsinelas (1994)
Jabongga (1994)

MastaPlann
Fix Da World Up (1993)
Here Wee R (1993)
Is It Tyme (1993)
Party Daze (1994)
True Asiatiks (1994)
Tumalon at Sumayaw (1993)
Who Gat Da Skills (1993)

Urban Flow
Baleleng (1996)
Padalaw (1998)

Like last year’s entry, I’ve included the album or single covers for each song except it’s a little bigger due to increasing monitor resolutions. New this year are the links to music videos or live performances for each song except when they are unavailable.

20. Don’t Push Me
by Sweetbox
Live Performance

I discovered this song from Hyori’s Pig Bar CF(commercial). The song was playing in the background and at first I thought it was Hyori’s song. It took me a while to find out the name of the song and the real singer since I didnt know the name of the ad, and I don’t speak or read Korean. But I later found out thanks to the comments from a video website.

19. Sunny Side Up
by Hitoto Yo
Aishiteruze Baby Opening

Every year in the countdown, there is at least one song that represents Anime Music. Last year, the top 4 songs we’re all from Animes. This time there is only one and it is Aishieruze Baby’s opening theme. The anime’s from 2004 and the song’s from 2002. But it was 2007 when I watched it and first heard Sunny Side Up.

18. Haru Beautiful Everyday
by Morning Musume
Live Performance

Although I felt like Morning Musume didn’t have good songs this year, they still managed to get three songs on the list. The first of which is this song from their Sexy 8 Beat album. The song is really only sung by two of the members — Mitsui Aika and Kamei Eri even though Morning Musume gets the credit. (But then so did Furusato which was sung by one member — Abe Natsumi, and still credited to Morning Musume)

17. Smile
by Lily Allen
Music Video

I used to really like this song but it easily got old after hearing it too often. But this was the first Lily Allen song I heard and rightfully so since this was her first hit. I actually first heard of this song from Chelsea’s myspace. BTW, Chelsea’s an H!P fanatic who became well-known to H!P fans because of her videos. She is currently in Japan for a modeling gig. Best of luck Chelsea and hope you actually meet the girls someday!

16. Mienai Hoshi
by Nakashima Mika
Music Video

Mika has not missed the countdown since I started it in 2004. Yuki no Hana was no.1 that year. I am always on the lookout for Mika’s hits after her first two monster albums, TRUE and LOVE. Though I didn’t like most of Mika’s songs since 2006, Mienai Hoshi and Sunao na Mama brought my Nakashima Mika fanhood back.

15. Sunao na Mama
by Nakashima Mika
Music Video

This other single from Mika also followed Mienai Hoshi in release. I don’t really think that Sunao is better than Mienai or vice-versa so 15 and 16 could have gone either way. Mienai did do better in the Oricon though being #4 in the first week while Sunao only got as high as #18.

14. LDN
by Lily Allen
Music Video

Yes another Lily Allen song, Smile led me to Lily Allen which led me to LDN. It’s rare for me to listen to western music nowadays. Even with 40 songs in the countdown last year, only one was in English and the song actually came from the anime Initial D. But 8 out of the 20 songs this year are in English so it is quite a change. Anyway, I thought the music video for the song rocks.

13. Egao YES Nude
by Morning Musume
Music Video

I hated this song when I first heard it but I often change my mind after I see the music video. I just thought it wasn’t as good compared to the last five Morning Musume singles. This single features the debut of 8th generation member Mitsui Aika which ended in my opinion the prettiest line-up MM ever had — the great Sexy 8. (I aplogize to Mitsui Aika fans but I really don’t like her.) This single also started a string of subpar MM singles.

12. Reunion f The Morning After
by The Detrimentals

There is no music video or live performance for this song because the Detrimentals doesn’t have a record label. They just happen to be people I know who made a song in 2006 which I started to find catchy in 2007. You can go to their myspace site to hear their other songs but they aren’t as good as Reunion in my opinion.

11. Lucky
by Lucky Twice
Music Video

I first heard Lucky when I saw its music video in a Hollywood Video screener. I’ve always liked European Pop from time to time and Lucky is a good example of that. But I don’t get how a Swedish pop group can get a #1 hit in Spain with a non-Spanish song but only reach #43 in Sweden. It’s almost like asking why David Hasselhoff is so famous in Germany. Well it’s too bad the song didn’t really get any attention in the U.S.

10. FREE
by ERIKA
Music Video

After the success of Taiyou no Uta last year, I’m not surprised that gravure idol turned actress turned singer Sawajiri Erika, or ERIKA as she is called these days has her first single. First single under her own name that is, Taiyou is credited to Erika’s character Kaoru Amane. (It’s a long story, Japanese music can be quite confusing) Anyway, like Taiyou no Uta, FREE also went #1 in the weekly Oricon charts. I just never get tired of looking at Erika, she’s such an eye candy.

9. Nan, You’re A Window Shopper
by Lily Allen
Live Performance

Ok so this is really a 50 Cent song but I actually heard Lily Allen’s version first. I don’t like the original version by 50 but this I do like. I think the song’s better than Smile and LDN too. But that’s just my opinion, which all that matters in my blog.

8. Odore! Morning Curry
by Morning Musume
Live Performance

This song is a “side B” song from Morning Musume’s Aruiteru single. (I know the term “Side B” doesnt apply to CDs anymore although it’s such a waste to put two songs in a CD.) It was nothing special at first but it became my favorite song performed in H!P and MM concerts. (Though I really never actually went to one.) And with all the sucky songs MM have this year, I’m not surprised I had to get this one from 2006.

7. My Love
by Justin Timberlake
Music Video

I was one of ‘em NSync haters, and I’m not fond of this artist but a Timbaland song is a Timbaland song. Since I first heard his beats from Aaliyah’s album, I knew Timbaland can make great music. Yes, even if it is performed by a former Mickey Mouse Club member.

6. FANTASY
by ERIKA
Music Video

Another “Side B” song, FANTASY is the second song in the single FREE at no.10. Totally different from FREE, this song has a techno beat to it, like I mentioned before it reminds me of Daft Punk’s One More Time. And the music video helps me enjoy listening to it too. I just wonder what sentimental time, wild suntan fellow, or listen to the deep yellow means. I just love it when Japanese songs use random English words for lyrics.

5. Sexyback
by Justin Timberlake
Live Performance

Once again the credit is to Timbaland. Plus this song just reminds me of the Victoria Secret’s fashion show back in 2006. In case you don’t know why, click on the Live Performance. Just another song with great beats thanks to Timbaland.

4. Hajimete Kuchibiru wo Kasaneta Yoru
by Matsuura Aya
Live Recording

Ayaya’s Naked Songs came out late 2006, so it was in the start of 2007 that I often listened to the songs and this one just caught my attention. This song, which means “The Night Our Lips First Touched” was originally released in Ayaya’s first album back in 2002. The original had a faster beat and was fitting to the 16-yr old popstar. But since the Naked Songs album was meant to turn Ayaya’s older hits to mellow versions using regular band instruments, the result was a new and beautiful version of Hajimete Kuchibiru wo Kasaneta Yoru.

3. AnyStar
by Lee Hyori
Music Drama

I would’ve never imagined Lee Hyori getting 2 of the top 3 spots in my top 20. AnyStar came out late 2006 and is actually the third installment of 3 Music Dramas from the Korean cellphone company AnyCall. If you didn’t get that, read this entry. The first installment made it in the countdown as well. AnyMotion was no.11 back in 2005. Of course it helps that one of the best looking and best dancing female in Korea is in it.

2. Samui Kara Fuyu da mon! ~Doumokou mo Naissu yo Mikitty~
by Fujimoto Miki, Hagiwara Mai and Okai Chisato
Live Performance

There is just something about this song that I love. Maybe it’s Mikitty, maybe it’s Hagitty, but whatever it is, I can’t get enough of it. Probably heard this song more that 1000 times and it just never gets old. The song came from Morning Musume’s winter mini-album released on December of 2006, and is actually predominantly sung by Miki. I realize Mikitty songs accompanied by H!P kids are always a hit to me like 2005’s no.1. Too bad no music video for this, it would’ve probably helped making it no.1.

1. AnyClub
by Lee Hyori
Music Drama

This was the song from the 2nd Anycall Music Drama which was divided into two parts. I was late in discovering this song, after finding out about AnyStar being the third Music Drama, I quickly looked for the 2nd since I already knew about the first. So I didn’t start listening to AnyClub until December of 2006. The song was so good that I declared it no.1 for the year of 2007 even before 2007 started. One year later, I still think it’s the best song in my countdown. But the Music Drama definitely helped though.

This is the hotel we are staying at, the Belvedere. It’s a good hotel but they are currently doing renovations on the floor we’re at. But I like how it’s only about a block away from Broadway and it’s about a five-minute walk to Times Square — where my day begins.

This is a view from the top of the double-decker bus I am sitting at.

TRL Studio

Stage getting ready for tomorrow.

And that is where the ball will drop tomorrow night.

More of Times Square

Then we stopped by the Empire State Building

where we didn’t get anywhere higher than the 2nd floor because of the long line. So we hopped on back to the tour double-decker to see the rest of Manhattan.

So after driving through Union Square, Greenwich, Little Italy, Chinatown, and Battery Park, we hopped off at South Street Seaport.

From Pier 17, I had a good view of the Brooklyn bridge.

Behind me is the Brooklyn bridge.

Then from Pier 17, we took a tour around the bay.

Right in front of Lady Liberty.

And some of me..

So after the tour, we went to church at St. Patrick’s Cathedral

which was right across from the Rockefeller Center.

A view from the cathedral’s exit.

Again, it was time for another tour. This time we saw the nightlights of Manhattan. But it was raining so most of my shots were covered by water drops.

This is a front view of Rockefeller Plaza.

Radio City Music Hall at night.

From Times Square.

The home of Batman.

Here was that snowflake I showed yesterday.

More snowflakes.

And my favorite place to get Pina Colada.

We got here in the morning and the first thing I ate was…

And they were a tad better than the frozen ones I can buy from the supermarket, but to me they’re not as good as I thought they were gonna be.

Close to the White Castle I ate at was Madison Square Garden.

And from there, I could see the Empire State Building.

From Penn Station, we took the subway to Columbus Circle on our way to Central Park.

That’s me and my sister.

And that’s me, my Mom, and my Dad.

A familiar location in movies

If I lived here, I wouldn’t mind just sitting in Central Park all day.

Then we walked to the other side of Central Park South and there you can see the Plaza Hotel. I remember it as the place where Kevin stayed in Home Alone 2.

Do I look like a tourist?

FAO Schwarz has expensive stuffed animals. Some are worth more than a hundred bucks. It’s an awesome toy store if I was an eight-year-old girl.

On our way to Rockefeller Plaza, this snowflake was hanging in the middle of the street. No it’s not a real one.

After walking eight blocks on 6th Ave and making a left on 51st St, we finally got to Radio City Music Hall which is next to Rockefeller Plaza.

And now I can see the infamous Christmas tree in Rockefeller Plaza.

There was also a pool of pennies to my left

FYI, one penny = 1/100 dollar = 1 cent.

Just to prove I was there.

The famous skating rink in Rockefeller Plaza that I’ve seen in movies and the Today Show. There was a long line to get in though.

Again, the Christmas tree from this angle.

We went back to the hotel to rest after a lot of walking. Then it was time for the other reason I came to NYC.

To watch Little Mermaid The Musical in Lunt-Fontanne. It’s the only place in the world I can watch the show. I took this picture at a later time since cameras weren’t allowed.

This was the playbill from the show and my ticket. I also got Sierra Boggess’s (the girl who played Ariel) autograph after the show. I sat second row in the center orchestra and it was awesome. I am now officially a fan of Sierra.

Finally, before I went back to the hotel I stopped by my favorite Donut chain.

Yes, even a Trueno found its way in this car show.

You can view the large versions of the images in my gallery.

This was my first Black Friday with a full-time job and this year, I had money to spend. And I bought what I wanted.

My 32-inch LCD HDTV for $419.99 from K-mart (with only a 45-minute wait in line) which I actually bought on Thanksgiving morning.

And a matching DVD/DivX player from Best Buy that upconverts up to 1080p for my HDTV so I can watch my .avi files.

I had originally planned on buying a PS3 for Black Friday but I realized I won’t be able to use it a lot until Final Fantasy XIII comes out since I dont play video games other than Final Fantasy and Madden, but I have already started playing Madden on my PS2.