MAGIC MEN Australia is Coming to the PHILIPPINES

Looks like Filipinos are going to be in for a treat as Australia's very popular MAGIC MEN is coming to our shores this coming March 16 and 17 at the Newport World Resorts Theater in Pasay City.

They're off touring different cities in Australia, and now the world. This particular stop in the Philippines is produced by Trifecta Brand Lab. For those who don't know, MAGIC MEN Australia is one of the hottest acts in live entertainment. With a LOT of their hottest male performers set to land our shores, it'll certainly heat up our already sunny weather.

How? Let's just say they're ripped, carry huge guns, good looking, washboard abs laden fine men who would want to make you forget your problems for at least these two nights.

We got to talk to some of them, meet Will Parquet.

Will says "Magic Men Australia is bringing an amazing ladies night throughout the world. We're inclusive and we just want to create a fun atmosphere for everybody who wants to enjoy an amazing night out watching some guys taking some of their clothes off in the process. You can expect there will be screaming women, a lot of dancing, a lot of partying, and a lot of getting zonked with a couple of boys in the change room."

Ceazr Smith adds "All you have to do in the show is to sit back and relax, as it's the type of show where you have 8-10 Australian hunks and have the experience where women would talk about weeks or months after the show. There's going to be a lot of crowd interaction involved. You won't just be watching, you get to be in it! We usually have 45-50 women on stage at any one time and for anyone that's sitting at the back, we actually spend a lot of time with them. Nobody gets left out, everybody gets out attention."

Together with them will be Jaxon Human, Carlos Fang, Jeff, Dante and a whole lot of gorgeous men from down under. All they want you to know is that tickets will surely sell out fast, so get them at TicketWorld.com.ph now or contact Trifecta Brand Lab if you want to hire them for private shows while they are here in the country. They have confirmed that they can do that.

Show starts at 8PM but be there early so you can get cocktails (for the pre-show). There will also be available merch for those who want to have them signed and taken home. This is only for folks 18 and above, so take note. Follow Trifecta Brand Lab social channel for updates about the guys while they are in the Philippines.

Ladies, Gents, ALL are welcome! This is going to be one heck of a crazy party!

Honor Magic5 Pro Set to be Released June 8th in the Philippines

Looks like HONOR is bringing their A game to the Philippines this coming June 8th. It's their Honor Magic5 Pro, their current best in class flagship smartphone.

Stephen Cheng, the Honor Philippines VP dubs this as something that could depict something magical, unmatched in design, display, photography and performance. With really good bezels, triple camera design, plus a huge 5100mAh battery that can last all throughout the day, it's going to be hard to match it in a lot of areas.

They call it Falcon Triple Camera System which includes a 50 MP wide camera, 50MP Ultra Wide lens, plus 50MP Periscope Telephoto lens, with added multi spectrum color sensor and AI Motion Sense which puts them ahead of the pack in the latest DXOMARK Smartphone Camera Rankings released during the 1st Quarter of 2023. It also has an IMAX Movie Master that takes cinematic videos like no other, those short films would be easy to do if you're a videography freak.

Again, it will be launched this June 8, 7PM at the Honor Philippines FB page, visit https://fb.me/e/T11UD2VR on the time mentioned and stand to win phones during the stream. Follow their social channels if you're interested. It's going to be magical!

NADINE, BEA + More at the OPPO Inspriation Ahead Event

Super happy to see OPPO getting a little closer to lifestyle events as they held an "Inspiration Ahead" forum with speakers like stylists Pam Quinones and Daryl Chang, concert photographer to the stars Magic Liwanag, and Fashion and Style blogger David Guison. It was nice to see them share their expertise in their respective fields, but in a nutshell, it takes guts to be fashionable, it's okay to experiment, make amends with style mishaps in the past (and to just go ahead and try it). 

 

 

Leanne and Naara also provided needed entertainment in the middle of festivities, music from them was really super nice, a lot of people danced during their set. I'm a fan of their music now :)

Magic says "My inspiration starts the moment I wake up, shooting different people, I learned that it depends on how you feel. Experience for me is champ! As a photographer, I'm glad my wife isn't a content creator, I get to rest, capture moments, even if it's not Hollywood or international artists, I get to share my story. OPPO really helped me become pro active, because of its functionalities, from Reno to Find, you get excited to take photos and remain inspired anywhere."

David Guison says "I don't really think bout it so much nowadays, just dark, minimalist, things that you don't tend to see much, that's what I document. Knowing what you like is your style. It's nice to see people that hype you up, it helps because you get to say hi and show your personality. "

During the evening, they had Bea Alonzo on stage and talk about her own passions. She also shared her ways on finding inspiration on everything she does. She was extremely happy to see her fans on the grounds since late lunch time. That's dedication right there!

 

Then to make the evening even better, I was able to take a few minutes to talk to President NADINE LUSTRE who has been in the headlines these past few weeks. But of course, we didn't talk about THAT. I had to ask how she's been, and how she feels being trusted by OPPO all these years. It's been a while since I've sat down with her, so here, enjoy!

I think this was my favorite shot that evening :)

Nadine also has stressed how she loves her RENO line of phones which she's endorsing with OPPO, and for the tons of new phones that they have come out with in recent months. These men and women do inspire a lot of people, and sharing those experiences probably would make all of us see our efforts, that it's okay to take time. Thank you for having me at the OPPO Inspiration Festival! :) 

Oh by the way, more events like these and offers are being announced through the their channels so go give them a follow! Recently they priced the OPPO A96 at Php 14,999, plus some news about their folding phone would be a nice thing to get acquainted with, go see it there!

HONOR Launches X7a and MagicBook X Series

Two things were launched at the HONOR event yesterday, an addition to their phone models the HONOR X7a and a new laptop series called MagicBook X, and they came to impress with their new products.

The X7a has a really long lasting battery (almost powerbank like with it's 6000mAh capacity), boasting of 3 days of power for a single full charge. The main camera is a 50MP Ultra clear Quad system plus it's got a lot of storage at 128 GB. The display is 6.74 inch, so those video and games would be nice to see on it. Currently, it's priced at Php 7,990 and has a Php 1,590 worth of HONOR earbuds given for free. Pretty good deal til the 28th!

The new MagicBook X series comes in 2 models, the X 14 and the X 15. It is designed for school, work and play. It utilizes 11th generation of Intel Core processors that can pretty much take on heavy work you need to do on it. It is also lightweight, so if you're the type to travel around locally or internationally it won't be too much to carry around on your backpack. It can last up to 9.9 hours of regular use with its 56Wh batteries. It won't be too hot too because they were able to stick a supersized cooling fan on it which dissipates heat. There are lots of other features for ease of moving files if you're editing most of it from different devices. The X 14 comes in the i5-1135G7 and i3-1115G4 version, price stands at Php 27,990 and has a free backpack and speaker packaged with it. This is only til the 28th though, so head on to HONOR kiosks if you're interested in getting one.

The HONOR MagicBook X 15 though costs Php 37,990, and comes in a i5-1135G7 and i3-1115G4 version. A little heavier at 1.56kg and wider display at 87% screen to body ratio, and would be useful on intimate presentations. You may visit HONOR's official website and social channels if you wish to see the complete specs. They are also offereing freebies til the end of the month. They also announced the re-supply of the X9a 5G which got sold out a few months back. 

Congrats HONOR Philippines!

HONOR Comes Back with Flagship Phones and Lifestyle Devices

Spent a couple of hours at the event of HONOR, the smartphone brand making a comeback to the Philippine market which happened last September 27th. I still have my old Honor phone from a couple years back and it still works, which means they've rather impressed me already with the quality of phones they manufactured (specifically HONOR 6).

This comeback has been met with excitement as they're  releasing a couple flagship devices promising magic among other things.

It's a phone that can take sharp images, with actual Google Mobile Service wherein you can have a lot of apps you can use for socials, games, photos and videos. It's called HONOR Magic4 Pro and is packed with a powerful Snapdragon processor, several camera features, wireless charging and lengthy battery life. Aside from this flagship phone, they also released three mid range smartphones called HONOR X7, X8, and X9. Set in different price ranges, it still gets a lot of features that people can use to connect, nice displays and power up fast when charging.

For the health and fashionably conscious, HONOR has got these for you!

HONOR also released two products, a smartband and a smartwatch called HONOR Band 6 and the HONOR GS3. The band needs to connect to a phone with an HONOR app to work and make changes. Pretty descently priced compared to its competitors here in the Philippines. The band can last up to 2 weeks without charging, whic is so good if you're the type that monitors health stats or if you're into sports. The HONOR GS3 on the other hand is more for a fashion statement and a lifestyle piece. If you're into music, alarms, flashlight, weather monitoring, sms messaging, or even answering calls, pretty lovely to see working if you are into organizing.

Stephen Cheng, Honor's VP for Marketing says "We are back and we all know we are now a stand alone company. We are happy to announce we have 16.7 percent market share and number one in China. Our plants are all digital, ready to take on the Philippines. We know people rely with Google for automation and how other important apps also connect with it. Thank you for your continued support and we're raring to get to the top spot in the Philippine market."

Honor Magic 4 Pro costs Php 52,990 with Free Honor Watch GS3, the Honor X8 is Php 12,919 with Free Honor Band 6, Honor X7 costs Php 9,990 while the X9 stands at 13,990. It's available now on Lazada through their official store. They also have authorized dealers around the country, stay tuned for updates on their social channels.

They have plans to also launch a phone specifically made for vlogging and editing automatically. They will also have something for the more affordable line plus a rumored tablet so stay tuned for that in the coming months. They will be a little saturated and if we've got choices, that's a good thing!

Coca-Cola Shows You Real Magic

Truth be told, we have history with Coca-Cola. This Christmas season, they're starting to tell us about community and togetherness, called aptly as "Buksan ang Magic ng Pasko".

This reminds us of the connections we make, with family, friends, with others. The human connection, the friendships we make, the community we help especially during the holidays in the country. Each time we go have a meal together, ending a plate of your favorite meal includes that fizzy, sharp and caramel like end which comes with a glass of coke. Coca-Cola's Marketing Director Cesar Gangoso says "Our Christmas has changed a bit in the past two years, but Coca-Cola has remained a part of everyone's story.

For them, magic is everywhere. You maybe alone, or in grandiose celebrations, or making memories while sharing with people we love dearly. The connections remain the same. Check out this video they've made for you.

 

By the way, this is just the star because they're having a lot of activities this holiday season. It's time you celebrate the #PaskongCocaCola you've always done through the years. It's not to late to reconnect, establish that magic once again inside your homes. Check the Coca-Cola Philippines Facebook page for more information about it.

ARANETA CITY Giant Christmas Tree Lighting Happening Today!

Tonight is going to be special as Araneta Center is making our Christmas even better with the annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremonies. It's at the Times Square Food Park, still iconic, and they're at their 40th year of doing this. This year, their theme is "Believe in the Magic of Christmas".

Christmas brings magic to our lives, despite the pandemic, they want us to feel like we used to, but in a safe way of course!

The Giant Christmas Tree Lighting event will be today at 5:30PM, and they can accomodate a few people because they have to follow protocols. Appearing in the event is the one and only Piolo Pascual, AC Bonifacio, TNT singers, and Binibining Pilipinas queens. There will also be simultaneous Mall Christmas Tree lighting at Gateway Mall, Ali Mall and Farmers Plaza on November 13, 4PM and it will be livestreamed on the Araneta Center FB page. They will have mall weekend activities, more surprises every Saturday including a Fireworks Display starting November 27. The best spot is at the Times Square Food Park. You can also dine al fresco style including a farmers market weekend and gift wrapping stations in malls. There will be city wide activities, eat a lot and see the new dining options they prepared. Just follow Araneta City Tiktok account and the Araneta City Twitter account that will be doing a TV giveaway too. There will also be a Virtual Chorale Competition and food court promos starting November 15 in partnership with Coca-Cola. This year, they will also be doing a Christmas Promo wherein 1000 peso receipts can get you join in a raffle too.

Also joining in the festivities are Pizza Hut because they have a new Maple Bacon Stuffed Crust Pizza and MyBox promos so you can buy it for pizza party needs. They also have app promos which you can avail. DQ also has Blizzard Kitkat Fest, plus Christmas Royal treats that is available just for this last quarter. They also have ice cream cakers and tins which you can get for your celebrations. Taco Bell also has Christpy Chicken Gordita and Holiday Bundles so you can have samples of Taco Bell favorites in lesser price. GrabFood promos are also available for all brands because they love you that much.

NOVOTEL will also have Christmas offering, but you have to follow their channels to know more about it.

The cinemas at Gateway Cinemaplex is also open starting this week, it's time to watch movies and do it safely. They need submit to temperature checks, do QC Pass, and they allow to remove face shields while one seat apart on sanitized and disinfected seats. There are more events happening at Araneta City, so go and enjoy the food, fun and entertainment during the holidays here in Quezon City!

I'm quite near, so I'm going!

AXN Originals Show Strength Amidst Trying Times

AXN on Cable TV was a lifesaver during the pandemic because it kept everyone at home busy while the world was trying to solve COVID-19. They didn't shortchange from a content standpoint and instead have come out with ground breaking shows that are all original, catering to a multitude of cultures, and the whole region. 

 

Shows like AXN All Stars showcased the different talents of AXN's biggest stars which was presented by the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy Indonesia. World stars like Afgan, Michael Bolton, Cosentino, Cyril Takayama, David Foster, Anggun and Mel C performed and was also streamed through AXN's Facebook page and YouTube Channel. Aside from that, they recently showed PROJECT GO together with GoDaddy to discover and mentor startups and entrepreneurs in the Philippines. We actually got to interview some of them a couple weeks ago when the reveal of the Final 4 happened. The show is hosted by Maggie Wilson, and judged by the Tung Brothers of Ligo Sardines Corp, Rappler's Bea Cupin and GoDaddy's Tina Hsieh. They also did Asian Dream which I followed religiously during lockdown in Manila. It's a singing competition hosted by Asia's Phoenix Morisette Amon where they pitted 7 singers from different countries in Southeast Asia for a once in a lifetime opportunity to perform with Grammy award winner Michael Bolton and tour with him around the world. The winner also got a Subaru car since it is presented by the same brand. Manila's very own Karl Zarate was my bet that time but he didn't get to win, it was so fun to see they did this very original reality show on AXN. 

Aside from these, they also teased more content in the coming months as AXN and KC Global Media Asia will be coming out with even more orignal shows here and the other networks they are affiliated with. Two of them will be coming out on the first quarter of 2021 so make sure you're tuned in on these channels and KC Global Media Asia's website www.kcglobalmedia.com.

 

I will be looking forward for more of  what they have to offer as they continue to reach Asia and a global audience with their new programming.

IMPOSSIBLE Starts Today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum

Impossible is the world’s greatest magic show, ran for 2 years in UK and six magical acts will be here in Manila on Christmas day. Magical Bones, Ali Cook, Chris Cox, Bello Knock, Ben Heart, and Josephine Lee will make you drool over their acts all in different ways. It starts today (CHRISTMAS DAY) and will have two shows at 1PM and 7PM. They will be here until January 3 so if you're looking for good family fun, you shouldn't miss this world class show!

Chris says “I’ve been doing magic since I was 7, but been doing this show for 2 years. We have performed in about 100 countries, we have really performed in front of a lot of audiences.”

Bello adds “We might not have the helicopter but we have other stuff that people hasn’t seen yet. I look like a clutz, I feel like a clutz, people laugh so might as well go with it. They say the fear of being in front of large audiences, being laughed at, I’m doing that for a living now. It’s three death defying stunts that I’ll do in the show so you have to watch out for that.”

Josephine Lee on the other hand was giddy and says “I’m here to have fun and these risks on stage is done to motivate, inspire and make people keep going at what they do.

Ben Heart says “We are looking forward to design a show, high tech magic, dangerous things like fire water and fun, you love Christmas so much that we had to add that in as well. We just would have fun that evening, so we’re looking forward to see you!”

Magic Bones says “We might have bomed a few acts, we just had to go with the flow and improvise. People don’t come to see you go wrong and not according plan and do a new thing if one doesn’t work out. I don’t get scared, I just go into performance mode and play with the audience while I'm here.”

I'm already preparing so I can go later at 7PM so see you at the Araneta Coliseum! :) This is produced by WILBROS.

KUMAGCOW

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IMPOSSIBLE at the Araneta this Christmas

You've already seen Ben Hart on my earlier article about this show but today we're delighted to see another guy who's monicker explains it all, he's Magical Bones!

He hails from the south of London, known for his antics about street magic and conjuring. The title bestowed upon this chap is The World's Best Hip-Hop Magician that stems from his capability to mix magic tricks, break dancing, sleight of hand and a whole lot more. So from December 25 to January 3, make sure you get tickets to the show with the biggest and most breathtaking performances, the greatest magic show on earth!

"As a magician, I like other street magicians like David Blaine and other UK based street performers. I think it's all about practice, sitting in front of a mirror and it takes a while perfectinga trick, you can always improve. You might take a long time doing it because it's a skill but the wonder and astonishment is real. We do have a lot of death defying tricks in the show, life threatening but you'll see that during Christmas. I did a couple shows with really big stars but we focus on doing our job. Everyone has a segment on the show and we all have the same amount of time in the show. Maybe when the internet came out, it may have had the kids enjoy figuring it out but what I do is different. Dancing and magic happened in London, during breaktime in the sets I just came up with it like a natural progression. It's just doing me, who I am, my taste, in different hiphop tracks. There's only a few, I may be the only one doing this so I'm the best. We have dancers in London that are Filipino, amazing but quite a few. It's fun doing what you do, you'll see Crunchy, my signature act. You'll see the best magicians too aside from me, and you've got variety, different ranges of magic throughout the show and each is unique, you won't see any other acts like it in the world. Maybe, maybe, you'll get to see us all in one act, that's a secret. We also will have our team's Christmas dinner here so I'm excited and really looking forward to that!"

Visit and get tickets at TicketNet or the Araneta ticket booths that's open office hours. Your kids would enjoy this as much as you!

KUMAGCOW

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IMPOSSIBLE: World's Greatest Magic Show at the Smart Araneta Coliseum

I have been a fan of magic since Mickey Mouse did it on The Sorcerer's Apprentice. I also watched reruns of David Copperfield and am still terrified of some of David Blaine's and Criss Angel. I've also watched some BBC shows online and have seen some of the best illusionists in Europe, and pretty much I've seen some AMAZING stuff that would get me sleepless for a few days. I'm sure I'm not alone, and if I would have the chance to see them in one place, I'd gladly do it in a heartbeat. 

Now I don't  think I have to get and fly to Europe now just to see some of the World's best MAGICIANS because this afternoon, I got to see one of them in the flesh. Yes, it's Ben Hart. This gentleman from Hampshire is part of the act together with 6 other magicians as they bring IMPOSSIBLE which debuted in London's West End to Manila, Philippines.

Pleasing to the eyes, this chap had us giddy to actually talk to him about how he started. We also asked him about what to expect in the show that they are staging at the Araneta Coliseum from December 25 to January 3, 2018.

We sat down and he said "I really really enjoy magic and it's hard to say what's special about me, I started about 5 or 6 and did it professionally when I was about 16. It's amazing to have a job that you enjoy and earn from it, we know people are leaking secrets on social media and we have got to up our technology. Magicians are actually scientists, it becomes more challenging and difficult, we research a lot and get answers immediately"

We also asked what to expect on Christmas day and he said "On this show, I will be with Bello Nock is a really good daredevil, Magical Bones who is a street magician that does break dancing on show, Josephine Lee a brilliant female illusionist, Ali Cook who is a daring escapologist from UK, Chris Cox who is a mind reader. There are some great magicians in the world but these are currently some of the industry's best. Being around these magicians are inspiring, it takes a lot to do this, traveling internationally is great especially in this kind of work. I meet people and learn so much about people, you can feel the attitude of te culture when they are in front of you. I don't sit down to practice you just work on it and make it better most of the time. I want to go everywhere, I wanna keep going. My advice, is make magic for your audience and try to create something new in the way you present it."

Now we're not leaving the venue without us seeing the MAGIC itself, so Ben gladly showed us his tricks with our blogger friend Albert of Chikaness.

We had so much fun in just a few minutes of being there with this young lad. Now imagine if they were all there. That's exactly what you'll love to see in IMPOSSIBLE this Christmas day. Get tickets of the show via TicketNet.com.ph. Ticket prices are Php 1800, Php 1500, Php 1200, Php 800, Php 500 and Php 150 (plus ticketing charge). Or you may reserve via phone 911-5555 or 374-9999.

Thank you for this experience Wilbros Live and for producing the show!

Mario Maurer and Erich Gonzales Star in Suddenly It's Magic!

You guys probably know by now that the Mario Maurer and Erich Gonzales movie entitled "Suddenly It's Magic!" is going to be shown soon. We got first dibs on asking the stars of the movie. I was eager to see both of them but I kinda knew that Mario is in Bangkok. You guys pretty much know I love Erich since I've covered her way back Maria La del Barrio and Corazon days. This light hearted film just spells so much excitement to me because this project by Star Cinema is going to other places than just Manila. Imagine, they are also going to be shown in other countries like Malaysia, Thailand, probably China and other Asian countries. It's a step, and everyone knew what was going to happen next.

Her face just lighted up the room, when she arrived she immediately told the host to introduce all of us and she remembered me.

So I didn't ask tough questions later hehe =)

She told us how easy it was to actually work with Mario. She also mentioned how gorgeous Mario's skin is, told us he didn't have any pores and doesn't want to do overtime when the hours are done. Shooting in Thailand was very disciplined and you won't be able to do anything more than what is submitted to the authorities there. It was strict but you kinda see how they were able to work with different nationalities. If they say that the shoot will start at 8AM in the morning, they will start at that time and would have everything ready in 30 minutes. All the lights, rigging, cameras are all ready to go.

Enrico Santos says they don't really have any problems shooting in Thailand. Erich has nothing but very good words about the film crew there. There is a huge difference but even the Filipino crew didn't become a problem either so it was smooth sailing. Even if it was only a few days they didn't have any problems with food, or comfortable chairs because even Erich brought Mario one. So did Mario when they went to film in Bangkok. They had the greatest scenes filmed in Ilocos, the scenes in Bangkok were good too. They wanted to do a balance between tourist spots in both countries and show the best. The majestic churches, windmills, beaches in Paoay, the temples in Bangkok, the rivers and the lovely side streets of Thailand, it was like a combination of both and as what we saw in the trailer... it really did work. I even asked Erich about the slapping scene, if you saw it (Maaawa ka kay Mario) because she slapped him so hard! But they were happy about that take because they only did it once. =) She said sorry afterwards, of course!

Enrico Santos presented Erich as the next Asian beauty. Different, non Caucasian, pretty face she's got all of that. He says Erich Gonzales will be the one to look at as The New Asian type of leading lady.

I totally agree.

Then to my surprise we were able to get someone hooked up through Skype.

 

It was Mario Maurer! =)

Erich and Mario were joking about how each of them looked. I was lucky enough to ask questions about this and his other films. Of course there is probably something different =)

I tried my best to talk in Thai but I guess he didn't understand it LOL. Anyway he said this is a feel good movie and the conditions of the other movies he did in Thailand are totally different. Plus the chance to work with other actors from different countries was a great experience. He says he loves adobo, and everything in the Philippines. He's planning to go back next year just for a tour because he wants to get to know the country more. He also wants Erich to do the same so he can take care of her when she's in Thailand. He wants to show her around just like Erich wants to do if he comes back for a vacation.

He was so nice, I got very nervous honestly. There is something to look forward to in this movie and if you are not going to do anything on its showing date on October 31, 2012! We just can't wait to see the chemistry between Mario Maurer and Erich Gonzales to spin and make this movie a little sweeter! Are you excited as I am? =) Mario Maurer and Erich Gonzales would like to see you in theaters too! =)

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Star Cinema's Suddenly It's Magic