I know there was a lot of criticism over FIFA having a half-time show — the World Cup Final is the most watched sports game of all time, the players will lose energy and momentum with such a long break in the middle of the game, etc. — but I thought it was put together really well with great global representation. Obviously, I paid attention because BTS was performing (I wish they got to perform the full version of "Dynamite" instead of an edited one, but I guess they had to squeeze in 7 artists — yes, the Muppets count! — in under 12 minutes so it is what it is) but I thought everyone performed really well. I mean, even after all these years, Shakira's hips still don't lie.
I could go on and on about how much I love this song, and how it's one of my favourite tracks off of ARIRANG, but at the core, it's a brilliant contemplation on the pursuit of sincerity in a world where they don't know if what's real anymore because they're too famous, they have everything they could possibly want so they don't know what to want anymore but they know having nothing is worse, their homes are both palaces and prisons, and they want people to stop talking about them but also to never stop talking about them. Basically, success can be a real fucking bitch.
Kerosene, dopamine, chemical-induced
Fantasy and fame, yeah, the things we choose
Show me hate, show me love, make me bulletproof
Yeah, we call this shit normal
Run away, out of sight, don't know what I want
Wish I had a minute just to turn me off
Kerosene, dopamine, what I gotta do?
Yeah, we call this shit normal
Heavy is the head when you chasin' true
Will you colour me red? Will you colour me blue?
Two sides of a coin, and they both ain't true
Is it different for mе? Is it different for you?
Got me feelin' things unusual
And I livе 'em all
Got me and my feelings up on this wall
And my knees
Kerosene, dopamine, chemical-induced
Fantasy and fame, yeah, the things we choose
Show me hate, show me love, make me bulletproof
Yeah, we call this shit normal
Run away, out of sight, don't know what I want
Wish I had a minute just to turn me off
Kerosene, dopamine, what I gotta do?
Yeah, we call this shit normal
How I'm 'posed to feel?
Used to think that I was built with a heart made of steel
Now I understand the truth, some pain don't heal
If everything's just happy, that ain't real
I breathe everything out like a thousand times
Normal and special, they are just some lines
One deep sigh, then it slips away, fades away
What I try to keep never want to stay
Runaway, pushin' me, pullin' me, said you wanted all of me
But what is even all of me?
Suddenly, part of me is hauntin' me, heard the things they callin' me
What the hell you want from me?
Got me feelin' things unusual
And I live 'em all
Got me and my feelings up on this wall
And my knees
Kerosene, dopamine, chemical-induced
Fantasy and fame, yeah, the things we choose
Show me hate, show me love, make me bulletproof
Yeah, we call this shit normal
Run away, out of sight, don't know what I want
Wish I had a minute just to turn me off
Kerosene, dopamine, what I gotta do?
Yeah, we call this shit normal
No, we, no, we, no, we call this shit normal
No, we, no, we, no, we call this shit normal, yeah
No, we, no, we, no, we call this shit normal
This MV features a lot of parallels to "Spring Day," not to mention symbolism from "Black Swan" and "SWIM." There are dozens of analyzations of this MV already, so I'm not going to get into it because other ARMYs are hypothesizing way better than I ever could, but if "Merry Go Round" is the saddest song from ARIRANG, I think "NORMAL" is the darkest.
Okay, I never thought I'd see any member of BTS taking a piss at a urinal let alone all seven of them at the same time, but you know, I'm here for it. (Honestly, I just assume all dudes go to the bathroom together like this.) Although, I'm wondering why RM chose the urinal between Jin and Jungkook. It's like one of those memes that show random celebrities in specific airplane seats and you have to pick which empty seat to sit in…
Anyway, "NORMAL" is one of my Top 3 favourite songs on ARIRANG (which is genuinely a no-skip album for me — well, except for "No. 29" — but "NORMAL" is always in my Top 3 even though the other two tracks might change) so I cannot fucking wait for this to be released as the next single. I'm actually a little surprised that they've released so many tracks as singles so far from one album because they've never done it before but, hey, the BTS global dominance is non-stop.
Well, I do, so I went with Chelsea and Braden to Mi-Ne Sushi, where we shared the sashimi platter and then I proceeded to get the hoe-deopbap because I hadn't had it in nearly four years and OH MY GOD, IT WAS SO FUCKING GOOD. Firstly, I don't know why I hadn't gotten it in so long. Probably because most sushi restaurants don't offer it unless they're Korean-owned... Which leads me to a second point: I don't know why I haven't gone to Mi-Ne Sushi in so long. They've been open for over a decade in the same location, which is very close to where I live now, and I keep forgoing it to try out newer sushi places. But if this dinner is any indication, their quality is incredible and, most importantly, CONSISTENT. I have never had anything less than an excellent experience here. Their fish is fresh and abundant, portions are fair given the price, the presentation is always beautiful, and their service goes above and beyond. I need to make Mi-Ne my regular sushi spot.
Milestones has been around for years — it was one of my go-to restaurants in high school — but I hadn't gone there in over a decade, until my boss took me there for a few employee lunches over the past year. (My office is really close to one, so my company does of a lot of business lunches there.) I was randomly craving their California Spring Salad (yes, I know, I have CHANGED), so when my mom asked where I wanted to go for dinner this afternoon, I told her to meet me at Milestones.
California Spring Salad with goat cheese, strawberries, avocado, red onion, candied pecans, and honey mustard vinaigrette
Spinach & Artichoke Dip with fresh cut salsa, Italian cheeses, and tortilla chips
Fried Basa Fish Tacos with cabbage slaw, fresh cut salsa, avocado, and chili avocado aioli
Blackened Chicken Alfredo with mushrooms, spinach, brie, feta, roasted garlic, fettuccine, and garlic focaccia
And we discovered that they have a HAPPY HOUR MENU! Obviously, there are many drink specials but, more importantly, there's a number of food items that are cheaper from the hours of 3:00PM to 6:00PM everyday! So aside from the salad I was craving (which is unfortunately not on the Happy Hour menu but is totally worth paying full price for), we got the spinach and artichoke dip ($16 instead of $19!), the fried basa fish tacos ($6 each instead of $24 for 2!!!), and the blackened chicken alfredo ($23 instead of $27!). I don't go to chain restaurants often, but I will obviously be coming back for happy hour again.
Okay, this is super random, but I was watching an ASMR video a couple months ago that featured some sort of relaxing sleep spray from The Body Shop, and I thought, "Wow, when was the last time I used anything from The Body Shop?" I would buy the odd loofah or hand cream in the 2010s, but had largely forgotten about this once ultra-giant bath chain from the UK. I remember I wanted to buy a couple things online during COVID, but saw that the Canadian website no longer offered online shopping or shipping, and I didn't care enough to do curbside pick-up at the mall, so I shopped elsewhere.
As an '80s baby born in Canada, The Body Shop was the go-to place to buy literally anything shower, bath, or skincare-related in the '90s and 2000s. (FYI, Bath & Body Works didn't come to Canada until 2008.) And this ASMR video reminded me that The Body Shop still exists, so I went to their website to see if they offered online shopping again. Not only have they revamped the entire website and made online shopping available again, but The Body Shop in Canada is now a fully Canadian-owned company! (Yay to supporting Canadian companies!) I had bought a variety of products because they were having a 40% off sitewide sale a few months ago, and I was incredibly impressed at the quality of quite literally everything I got. So when I got a notice that The Body Shop was having another 40% off sitewide sale for Canada Day, I hauled HARD.
My face and body genuinely feel softer, smoother, and more hydrated after using their products (moving to a condo means using hard water, which means my eczema-prone skin gets even drier, itchier, and scalier), and best of all, I'm not allergic to anything! In comparison, I am allergic to almost all skin products from Bath & Body Works because of the scent ingredients they use. And I found out the hard way. I had developed little blisters on my hands that would itch like crazy and then pop and burst open into lesions and bleed out. I would get patches of eczema on my shins and forearms seemingly out of nowhere. And I had these for YEARS before an allergy test at the dermatologist determined that both Bath & Body Works hand soap and body soap were culprits. Suffice it to say, I would only go there to buy candles. And I don't use candles.
The Body Shop, which is celebrating their 50th anniversary (!!!) this year, is still supporting, utilizing, and emphasizing fair trade, ethically-sourced ingredients, and women empowerment. Not only that, but no one's doing scents like The Body Shop, which are pure, nostalgic delights. One whiff of Satsuma, and I am brought back to Christmas morning when I was 8. A sniff of White Musk, and I am in Grade 9 taking the subway to school. Of course, I picked up some newer items I'd never tried before as well, like the Guarana & Coffee face cleanser (it's apparently "for men," but I'm happy to report that it smells amazing and leaves my skin feeling clean and baby soft), Camomile jelly cleanser (takes off all my mascara and sunscreen like a cleansing balm but with a much more fluid, bouncy texture), and the Vitamin C face scrub (not harsh at all despite being called "microdermabrasion" and leaves my skin smoother than ever) that have officially entered my repeat buy list.
I'm sorry I abandoned you for so long, Body Shop. But I am back, and I am here to support you again.
Okay, I'm ready to eat as many Happy Meals as it takes to collect them all. (Until I give up after Happy Meal #28, and end up ordering the toys I'm missing on eBay like last time. Sadly, my arteries can only take so many McNuggets.)
(Yes, his stamina and resilience is truly remarkable, but also his skin is flawless? Like, it's so smooth and glassy, it almost sparkles? Like a Twilight vampire?)
I still don't know how I managed to get this on Weverse Shop because it sold out within literal minutes, but my copy of the ARIRANG 613 Limited Edition Picture Disc Vinyl that was released for BTS FESTA this year finally arrived!
So we came back from NYC to an insane heatwave this week (like, over 40℃ each day on the humidex). And I met up with Minji and Daniel today for lunch at Red Lobster (Minji is 9 months pregnant and was craving seafood and Cheddar Bay biscuits, so how could we deny her?) all the way in Thornhill. So we obviously had to go Snowday Bingsu for dessert. You know, to avoid heatstroke. And it was there that I inadvertently found the ultimate summer dessert:
Fresh watermelon bingsu
Unlike the other bingsu options there, this one uses fresh watermelon rather than frozen fruit and is topped with freshly made watermelon sorbet. (It's also supposed to come with chocolate chips to mimic watermelon seeds but I asked for mine without them because, frankly, it already has enough sugar.) It's light and refreshing, sweet and milky, thirst-quenching and happiness-inducing PERFECTION. (Also, maybe it's because I haven't had bingsu in a long time, but I didn't realize they made these smaller cup sizes. It's perfect for one person.) Basically, I'll be back for more.
A few weeks ago, I mentioned to my friend Chelsea that I had never eaten meatloaf before (despite being born and raised in Canada, growing up in a Chinese household meant that meatloaf was never even thought about), and she immediately gasped and said I had to go over to her house ASAP so she could make it for me.
Meatloaf!
Mixed green salad
Plate #1 with meatloaf, salad, roasted Cajun potatoes, and honey glazed carrots
Plate #2 with meatloaf, corn on the cob, roasted Cajun potatoes, and honey glazed carrots
Okay, so, admittedly, meatloaf ain't pretty. It's basically a massive hamburger patty-meets-meatball shaped like a loaf and then glazed with a tangy ketchup-meets-BBQ sauce on top. Chelsea's meatloaf was well-seasoned, surprisingly moist, and pretty damn tasty. At least enough for me to eat seconds. And take some leftovers home. We also had corn on the cob, honey glazed carrots, roasted Cajun potatoes, and Greek salad as accompaniments, which made for a delicious, well-rounded dinner. Would I go out of my way to eat meatloaf again? Probably not. I think I'd actually go for burgers or meatballs over meatloaf. But I definitely wouldn't say no if it was offered to me, and I'm glad I finally tried it.
We spent the rest of the night taking a long walk with their dogs, watching fireworks in the park, and indulging in some pistachio gelato and raspberry sorbet from Chocolate & Company for dessert. A perfect ending to another Canada Day!
For our final meal in NYC, we went for brunch at the iconic diner, EJ's Luncheonette:
Country Sausage Benedict: Poached eggs and breakfast sausage on buttermilk biscuits, topped with sausage gravy and served with home fries
I went for the Country Sausage Benedict — a Southern twist on a New York classic. I've never actually been to the Southern US or, like, Cracker Barrel, so this is pretty much as close as I'm gonna get to Southern food. (Actually, this Benedict originally comes with grits on the side, but I didn't feel like I was ready for that step yet...) This is one of those dishes that tastes like it'll clog your arteries, so basically, it's tasty AF and I'm now sort of obsessed with sausage gravy. A truly delightful ending to this year's decadently delicious NYC trip.
We went for an early dinner (like, really early, as in happy hour early, because our schedule revolves around the babies' nap times) to a gorgeous Japanese fusion eatery called NR, where we had a feast of appetizers (or "bites," as they call them):
Spicy Tuna: Tuna, anchovies, truffle, shallot, porcini mushroom, spicy mayo, and lime zest in filo cups
Deviled Egg + Egg + Egg: Sea urchin, caviar, tosa vinegar jelly, dashi, wasabi, Japanese mustard, mayo, and shiso on quail eggs
Seafood Tower (Bottom): Fresh oysters
Seafood Tower (Middle): Uni + salmon red caviar jelly, hamachi sashimi, tuna with cucumber foam
Seafood Tower (Top): Fried shrimp and fries
Pork Buns: Pork belly with lettuce, scallion, teriyaki, and tartar
Miso Glazed Eggplant: Deep fried eggplant, miso, pomegranate, mint, and dill
Incredible flavours and ingredient combinations — this was honestly one of the most interesting meals I've had in a long time, and there is no shortage of Asian fusion restaurants back home. We were unfortunately too full after the apps, but I'm really hoping we get to come back for the ramen, which is actually what NR is known for. I mean, there is a $42 USD wagyu and bone marrow ramen on the menu that is just too indulgent to not try once in my lifetime...
(Oh, and in case you're wondering, we managed to do just over 11,000 steps today. So, yes, we feasted, but at least we felt slightly less guilty about it!)
Moules frites marinières: Mussels, white wine, shallots, roasted garlic, fresh herbs, and toasted baguette served with fries
Croque madame with fries
Yep, that's a lot of calories and fat grams to consume before noon... And that's not even including the leftover piece of brioche French toast from my nephew's plate that I shared with my mom for "dessert"... So we'll have to walk a lot today, rain be damned. (Good thing I wore my new Hokas.) But it was TOTALLY WORTH IT.
Denise, '86 liner. Chinese-Canadian, born, raised, and still living in the Greater Toronto Area. Professional make-up artist turned office manager. Introvert with brilliant extrovert skills. BTS ARMY since 2016, OT7, Jungkook and Jimin biased. BTS and BT21 merch collector, amateur foodie, skincare fiend, mascara connoisseur, shopaholic, teetotaler, Scorpio, avid The Sims 4 player, K-drama addict, and Potterhead since 1997. Penchant for live concerts, collecting figures, dining out, building LEGO, and food photography.
About the Site
Circuits of Fever is a personal blog and a hobby only. It mainly features my interests in BTS, food, beauty, music, photography, travel, lifestyle, and culture. The name "Circuits of Fever" is a song by Thursday from their 2009 album, Common Existence. The title of this blog has no relevance to the actual purpose of or topics discussed within the blog.
All photos since November 2023 have been taken with an Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max. All photos are taken by me, unless otherwise noted. Please do not use my photos or blog content without permission. Photos are edited by me using Adobe Photoshop 2024. This blog is written and edited by me using Blogger through Google Chrome, on an Apple MacBook Pro.
Note: None of these posts are sponsored. All products reviewed or shown on this blog are purchased by me for personal use only.
Playlist (July 2026)
Alessia Cara - My House
Bella Poarch - Don't Fear the Reaper
Bella Poarch - Living Hell
Bella Poarch - Sweet Delusion
Bella Poarch - Zombie
Benee - What
BTS - 2.0
BTS - Aliens
BTS - Body to Body
BTS - Come Over
BTS - FYA
BTS - Hooligan
BTS - Into the Sun
BTS - Like Animals
BTS - Merry Go Round
BTS - NORMAL
BTS - One More Night
BTS - Please
BTS - SWIM
BTS - They Don't Know 'Bout Us
FKA Twigs - Perfect Stranger
Foxes - Feet Don't Fail Me Now
Hayley Williams - Good Ol' Days
Hayley Williams - Hard
Hayley Williams - Ice in My OJ
Hayley Williams - Love Me Different
Hayley Williams - Mirtazapine
Hayley Williams - Parachute
Hayley Williams - Showbiz
LE SSERAFIM - Creatures
LE SSERAFIM - Iffy Iffy
LE SSERAFIM - Need Your Company
LE SSERAFIM - Sonder
LE SSERAFIM - Trust Exercise
Teddy Swims - You've Got Another Thing Coming
The Rapture - Miss You
Tomorrow x Together - Surfing in the Moonlight
Towa Bird - Your Girl
