Breakfast for Lunch and Dinner
I know a lot of people who consider breakfast as their favorite meal. I also know a lot of people who don’t wake up early enough, but eat breakfast food all day anyway. For those who fit into either category, this new place in Fort BGC, Taguig may just be your instant foodie Mecca. The Early Bird Breakfast Club offers interesting gourmet twists to your favorite morning entrees all day, every day. With its picturesque, cozy interiors and inviting facade, it’s impossible to miss. I ended up visiting the place 3 times during this past week – once with my teammates Sheena, … Continue reading Breakfast for Lunch and Dinner
Faces of 5: The Music Video (TAKE TWO!!!)
Let’s do this again, shall we? Last month marked a highlight in my brief soon-to-be-made-official tenure as an artist relations officer for TV5. I can go on and on about how honored I feel to have been part of this campaign; how it empowered me and gave me the experience I didn’t expect to get. Putting this thing together was no walk in the park. It involved contacting handlers, bargaining with schedules, thoroughly choosing best photos out of hundreds of nearly-identical shots. And that’s only scratching the surface. So when the behind-the-scenes music video started airing last December, it felt like a milestone, … Continue reading Faces of 5: The Music Video (TAKE TWO!!!)
This week in fairy tale bastardization: Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters
HANSEL AND GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS D: Tommy Wirkola S: Jeremy Renner, Gemma Arterton, Famke Janssen, Peter Stormare RATING: * FACT: Fairy tales were meant to be scary, especially the ones by the Brothers Grimm. Most of us know by now that Little Red Riding Hood was about rape, Snow White was about necrophilia, and Cinderella’s stepsisters went as far as severing their toes to fit into that goddamn slipper. This makes any attempt at a more gruesome reboot a redundant exercise, to say the least. Norweigan director Tommy Wirkola (Dead Snow) must have missed that memo. In Hansel and Gretel: Witch … Continue reading This week in fairy tale bastardization: Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters
Anna Litvinova, 1983-2013
Sad news on the pageant circuit yet again. Anna Litvinova, a former Miss Russia and Top 20 semi-finalist in Miss Universe 2006, died last January 22, 2013 after battling a yet-to-be-specified form of cancer. According to reports, she was diagnosed only one year ago. She sought further treatment in Germany, where she would spend her final hours. She was only 29. Anna is notable for bringing her country back to the Miss Universe semi-finals 4 years after Oxana Fedorova’s dethronement. During the Top 20 swimsuit round, she was fondly called “From Russia With Legs” by commentator Carson Kressley. She also made a memorable … Continue reading Anna Litvinova, 1983-2013
Farewell, Sensei
If only you knew how much you changed me. Thank you, Direk. MARILOU DIAZ-ABAYA March 30, 1955 – October 8, 2012 Continue reading Farewell, Sensei
“Magic Mike”: Frothy fun, but not much more
Magic Mike D: Steven Soderbergh S: Channing Tatum, Alex Pettyfer, Cody Horn, Matthew McConaughey RATING We all have our problems, that’s for sure. So, a heavily-chiseled hunk who lives in the lap of faux luxury won’t exactly fit everyone’s “embattled hero” prototype. That’s the challenge at hand for director Steven Soderbergh and screenwriter Reid Carolin in making Magic Mike. Inspired by Channing Tatum’s brief career as a stripper, this edgy but uneven drama explores the blood, sweat and tears that go with the strip club business. Tatum plays Mike Lane, a wannabe furniture designer by day and a strip dancer … Continue reading “Magic Mike”: Frothy fun, but not much more
The “Rock of Ages” movie: All Swagger, No Soul
ROCK OF AGES D: Adam Shankman S: Julianne Hough, Diego Boneta, Tom Cruise, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Alec Baldwin, Russell Brand, Malin Akerman, Paul Giamatti, Brian Cranston To adapt a stage musical into a movie is a Herculean undertaking. It’s not easy to expand what’s originally envisioned for a limited space (that being the stage) into an infinitely broader landscape. Yes, there are successful transitions, like West Side Story (1961) and The Sound of Music (1965), but apart from those aforementioned classics, many musicals flunked in their foray to film. Jesus Christ Superstar (1973) was campy, Yentl (1983) was a … Continue reading The “Rock of Ages” movie: All Swagger, No Soul
It’s a wrap.
And so it ends. For now, at least. Today marks the conclusion of the two-week whirlwind of events celebrating TV5‘s U.S. launch. Some of the Kapatids already started flying back home, while some will be on extended vacation (including myself). To say that I’m grateful to be part of it would be a glaring understatement. But honestly, that’s the only adjective I can think of that will encapsulate the onslaught of positive emotions I’m feeling right now. I’m especially to come to know the folks at TV5 International, who chose to take me with them in this adventure and for putting their … Continue reading It’s a wrap.
Highlights from the WTBT San-Fo Show
As expected, the venue’s wi-fi connection conked out as the evening progressed. So I focused mainly on updating the TV5 International Facebook page. Here are some of the highlights from the show earlier: Astroboy may be covered in silver paint, but his opening number was golden! The main man makes his entrance. Everybody Baile! Lovely of the Big Time Girls donning a colorful costume during the opening number. No Other Woman, Part 2? Derek Ramsay is joined by, not just one, but two lucky fans during his song number. The ever-exuberant Aga Muhlach hits the stage. A few inspiring words … Continue reading Highlights from the WTBT San-Fo Show
Another Round of Dish
And the deal is sealed. Executives from TV5 International and Dish Network met up once again to formalize their partnership through a press conference and contract signing held at the Mandarin Oriental in San Francisco. Present, this time, was our Big Boss Manny V. Pangilinan who arrived in the city just this morning. Filipino Dish subscribers can now see their favorite TV5 programs on Kapatid TV5 and Aksyon TV International. Subscribers of other cable providers need not worry. TV5 International is exploring partnership with them as well. So keep posted! 😉 Continue reading Another Round of Dish
The Great Supermarket Raid
Jollibee on the foreground, Red Ribbon Bake Shop on the far end and bandelitas dangling the ceiling. One glimpse at this photograph and you’d think this was taken in Manila. If not for the occasional Caucasian customer, you would even think that this was on our end of the Pacific. But actually, this is Seafood City, Concord, California, the second of two stops of the Supermarket Tour held earlier this afternoon. With Derek, Ruffa, Nora and the Big Time Girls in tow, we surprised the unsuspecting Filipino shoppers of two supermarkets (The other one being Island Pacific Supermarket in Vallejo) to promote Saturday’s show. … Continue reading The Great Supermarket Raid
Work (semi-)officially resumes today
Welcome to SFO! 😉 I’ve been on standby here at the lobby the whole day waiting for the Kapatid stars to arrive from Las Vegas. Derek Ramsay was the first to arrive. Superstar Nora Aunor is also already here, but preferred to keep it low profile. We’re still waiting for Ruffa Gutierrez and the Wil Time Big Time posse. Our estimate is that they’ll be here by 11. One thing’s for sure, they’re all going to need rest before tomorrow’s mall tour. Continue reading Work (semi-)officially resumes today
Back to Masonic
Curse my unpredictable sleeping patterns. I woke up past noon today and discovered that everyone had gone to lunch at the Fisherman’s Wharf. Apparently, they were trying to call me up, but I was probably sleeping like a log. Once again: Free Day Fail. So, I spent the early afternoon making additional updates on the TV5 International Facebook page. Luckily, I eventually got in touch with my cousin Andrea, who picked me up from the hotel lobby after learning about my predicament. After wrapping up on the day’s work, we boarded the bus to their apartment in Masonic. Which is … Continue reading Back to Masonic
Return to Frisco
Hello again, San Francisco! Told you I’d be back! This is only my third time in the city, but I’ve always felt some sort kinship with it. If Frisco were a person, it’d be like that really close friend or relative I don’t see often, but whenever we meet, it’s like we’re always together. That’s what I feel about San Francisco. And that’s why I’m so thrilled it’s part of the Big Launch itinerary. We arrived in the city at around 2:30 this afternoon. Upon leaving the airport, the entire TV5 contingent (sans Willie and his crew, who went on … Continue reading Return to Frisco
Mission Accomplished in LA
1 down, 1 more to go. Thank you so much to our Kapatids who graced the venue with their presence last night. The reception was quite overwhelming, actually. Everything’s been quite a blur after the first show. From the Shrine, we went straight to our hotel to have a mini victory celebration. I say “mini” because it was quite subdued and relax on account of the collective post-event exhaustion. But despite the lack of energy, everyone was happy. Here are some post-event shots I took: Fernando Carrillo of “Rosalinda” fame flanked by Ms. Jane Walker of TV5 Marketing and Ms. Divine Yap … Continue reading Mission Accomplished in LA
Early at the Shrine
This is the Shrine Auditorium where tonight’s show will be held. If the name sounds familiar, that’s because ten (10) Academy Award ceremonies were held here – the most recent one being 2001 before they made the big move to the Dolby (Formerly Kodak) Theatre. Knowing that the likes of Russell Crowe, Julia Roberts, Angelina Jolie, Kate Winslet, and Hilary Swank once set foot in this 86-year-old structure already makes me star-struck. While taking a break from the set-up, the caretaker took me and Ms. Georgette on a quick tour of the basement (or shall we say, it’s own version of the Walk of Fame) where I learned more about the venue’s impressive and extensive pedigree. Displayed … Continue reading Early at the Shrine
So what’s the dish?
After only 12 hours in the city, we already set out to an 8:00am call time at the Celebrity Centre. Waking up was not much of a hassle since my body is still operating on Manila time. I did manage to salvage some shut-eye on the way to the venue; turns out it was at least 2 hours away from where we’re staying. First in our agenda today was a press conference with TV5‘s official direct-to-home satellite partner in North America, Dish Network. There, Jennifer Leslie, Dish’s General Manager for International Marketing spoke about their recently-launched brand exclusive for the Filipino … Continue reading So what’s the dish?
Told you it’s going to be jam-packed.
A few scenes before boarding the plane back in Manila: Big Time Girls Bea (left) and Lovely (right) snuggling in the boarding area. Talentadong Pinoy’s Daniel Darwin (AKA “Astroboy”), low profile without his hula-hoops. Halfway through the 12-hour flight, Willie took a stroll around the plane and surprised the passengers in our area: Upon our arrival at the Hyatt House in El Segundo, Willie wasted no time briefing the entire production team on everything that will happen within the next two weeks. Also managed to shoot a couple of quick video greetings before heading to our room: Derek Ramsay Astroboy So, … Continue reading Told you it’s going to be jam-packed.
In the words of LL Cool J…
…I’m Going Back to Cali! More specifically, in less than 12 hours. And as I want to join majority of the Filipino community in lamenting Jessica Sanchez‘ defeat. (Augh, might as well rename that show White Dude with Guitar Idol), I am way too overcome with excitement to focus on that topic. It was only last week when my friend Krizzia informed me that I’m joining the TV5 International team for the grand U.S. launch. Yes, after the long wait, the Kapatid network is now ready to make its presence felt in North American shores and this will be highlighted … Continue reading In the words of LL Cool J…
A Serbian Sausagefest
Yes, I was being literal when I said “sausagefest”. FROM TOP TO BOTTOM: Hefty servings of Cevapici, Batak, and Stuffed Pljeskavica (Loose English translation: Sausages, Grilled Boneless Chicken Breast, and Stuffed Burger Steak, respectively) from BALKAN Yugoslavian Home Cooking. Located in Perea Street, Legazpi Village, Makati. Last night, I came to the impression that Eastern European cuisine are an acquired taste. Some of the dishes may seem bland at first, but with the right combination of condiments and sidings, the gastronomic experience actually packs a wallop. Pretty interesting cuisine from a country that no longer exists. Looks like somebody’s happy with his batak. Continue reading A Serbian Sausagefest
Planet Chuckie 