JR De Guzman in Manila to do LATER THAT EVENING in June

MYX is bringing Filipino American comedian JR De Guzman at the Theatre at Solaire this coming June. You've been with him all throughout the pandemic and also to through different social media platforms like Facebook and TikTok. He has entertained a LOT of people in the US and different countries, and this is a good time to do it in the Philippines.

JR De Guzman says "I'm a comedian and I think I have the greatest fans especially after the show when the Titas set me up with their daughters. They'll show me the pictures and when I say I have a girlfriend, they'll just say.. that's okay! then proceeds to hit on me themselves!"

 

He mentions one of his most viral songs about interracial babies, and says it was about a friend who owns a comedy bar, she had a kid who's African American and White. A lot of people connected with it because they are in the situation. There will be several people opening for him too like his friends Ryan Puno and Red Ollero, who also did their share of Tita encounters during the mediacon.

 

JR adds "Experiencing comedy in different countries means doing what you know in local context. Having music is helpful because it's very universal. You just have to do shows there, that's how you adapt, you have to travel.That time I bombed a set, I blame Alex, he was really good. I wanted to erase that story, but I kept on mentioning it. That was a valentines day, they asked Alex to come back to the stage because I bombed it. I know I could do it well, hopefully to make it to the end of my set. I built my base online during the pandemic, I think it was digitally good, but I need to do live, when I did it, I got COVID, it was just God punishing me. At that time, it was a silver lining, I learned how to edit, get a camera, that was the good part of it."

If you want to see the sexy guy do his stuff on stage, head on to ticketworld.com.ph and secure them seats now. It's surely going to be one heck of a funny evening!

Hitting Close to Home: Garrett Bolden Takes on MISS SAIGON in Guam

This particular achievement is something that hits close to home with Kapuso artist Garrett Bolden, The man who has succeeded to get a flourishing career in singing on The Clash, several GMA shows, here and abroad is now going to play the role of John Thomas, Chris' best friend in hit musical Miss Saigon.

He auditioned for this role and sent a video performance of Bui Doi, which means "A Dust of Life", a term used for babies born in Vietnam who have fathers in US Army/Navy/Airforce service. This wasn't something he expected to happen but once he got a call, he did several auditions and got the role later on. For those who don't know, Garrett Bolden is also a son of a GI, sadly, his Father and Step Mom passed, but glad he now has communication with his siblings that could tell him about their lives. 

 "When I looked back at my audition, I thought I wasn't going to get the role. When they told me I got it, I was nervous, this is a dream for me. First off, thank you for spending time with me today. You have all been part of my journey, our kapuso here and in Guam. For now I'll be doing a single that will be released soon on GMA Music, you can download Pwede Pa Ba on streaming sites. Let's see each other soon!"

Here's a part of the interview we had with him this afternoon:

Congratulations Garrett Bolden! Break a leg in September when the musical starts. He's leaving August 5 for rehearsals and this will surely change his life. This surely hits close to home with him, and I hope his story inspires more people.

See Her Shine: SOPHIA STAVE

I've been covering photo shoots of celebrities for quite a number of years. This was kind of special as it's been a while since I've gone out because of the pandemic. I've seen a few photos of her online and getting to know a new artist might seem to be a chore for some, but I felt a little excited because Tyronne Escalante Artist Management had a gem in their hands. She's Sophia Stave, a Filipino American beauty from the province of Bukidnon which is an extensive plateau and mountainous area in Mindanao.

After living in San Francisco for a couple years, she and her parents went back to Malaybalay, Bukidnon 4 years ago for business and pleasure. She didn't know she'd end up representing the city through a pageant that didn't push through because of the pandemic. She was discovered through social media by TEAM (Tyronne Escalante Artist Management) and she's been riding the wave since then. 

Sophia has a soft heart for horses and she's been riding competitively since 2018 after tagging along with friends in the province. That's good news so if there would be stunts in projects that would require riding one, she'd wouldn't have to train for it. She also plans to take up Animal Science in college soon as it is clearly has become a passion. She also wants to make it far in showbiz, use this platform to good use and do well in every project she's involved in. Sophia also adores Liza Soberano which she feels she could connect to since they almost have the same background since she too came from the US. She also loves Daniel Padilla, which to me means she has good taste! Here's more of our interview with her at the studio on our video editorial.

 

 

 

We couldn't help but marvel on how she looks. She's very pretty even up close. These photos don't do justice (which I captured on mobile during the shoot).

Currently, Sophia is currently making herself busy at their farm in Bukidnon during the pandemic. She's taking lessons and watching more Filipino movies/series to learn more about the language and her craft. She's a bit flexible in roles she wants to do, she's both a princess and a toughie. Now if she lands in a network soon, you know you've seen her here first. Follow TEAM's Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/TeamTyronnePH) for more updates about her and other artists from their camp. 

You'll see Sophia Stave shine even brighter, soon!

Youth Show KAIBIGAN: The Series to Air on GMA

The good looking guys and gals of KAIBIGAN the Series.

 

This December 5th, at 8:45am, a new youth series will premiere on GMA. It's called KAIBIGAN the Series, a show that talks about friendship, relationships, the effects of the pandemic. It's based on a movie with the same name and jumps off where that ended. The movie had a stellar cast including Stephen Baldwin, Tirso Cruz III, Jean Garcia, Lani Mercado, Boots Anson-Roa,Cesar Montano and other stars. This time however it'll revolve on the stories of characters portrayed by twins Jesse Perkins and Christian Perkins, GMA star Lianne Valentin and YouTuber Janina Vela.

 

They play the role of David Santos, Jake Anderson, Kylie Kino and Anna Torres. During the blog conference, they took time telling us more about their individual characters and their journey through life and the goodness of the human spirit. Kylie is more of the fun, perky, enthusiastic type while Anna is the more reserved, serious, bubbly at times, but still very country girl. David on the other hand is the God fearing, straight A student, who also had the time to be a jock, a star player in school and stays blessed all the time. Jake is the more free spirited one, always in the arts, but didn't do quite well in the last school he went to. These 4 will become friends, their lives intertwined, and suddenly needed each other when the COVID-19 health crisis happened.

It's actually nice that they deviced a way to actually make the story very current, discussing matters people their age would go through with things like anxiety, depression, personal and romantic relationships, family problems, honesty and their faith.

As Perkinspiredflix CEO Tarny Perkins puts it, he says "The derivative of this was 5 years of work with the Department of Education, it discusses how my sons were advocates of how to live without drinking, no drugs, no bullying, and felt there was a huge gap that needs to be filled in education in the country. This also teaches companiionship, love, all those things. It spurred the creation of the movie which came out last year and it showcased what families and kids were going through. It gave alternatives to worldly vices, and when we showed it on Good Friday on GMA, there was a huge call for a "good" kind of series. So we got together and saw the opportunity to do this. There was a need to reach out to the youth. That's when the series came about. We're so blessed that we're doing this conference. With my wife Thess, we began this as a family journey and we hope you see the real derivative, it's all about family and all about youth."

Daniel Dowell adds "We made this company to provide content but it had to be values oriented, has to be family friendly, it must be faith based and God glorifying. It was our vision, it answered the question "How can we change the values of this next generation". Culture is being transitioned where kids are being more and more disrespectful to their parents, being affected by drugs, where most of the time they end up in a hospital or worse death. We wanted to put up something that young people would see something different; see something that would really help them navigate through life whatever challenges are brought to them. KAIBIGAN the Series is about 4 friends that are interacting in this time of pandemic. How can they encourage each other? How can they be of help? How can they support one another in this lockdown. God willing we will be able to put out more movies, more series that would be able to reflect the same values and become bigger in the next few months or years."

Now make sure you watch the first episode happening this December 5, at 8:45am on GMA. See how they will make the first step, the first journey through life and how they could teach others that it's possible to succeed with goodness in their heart, live life with respect and become better individuals too. Again, this is produced under Perkinspiredflix.

TGI Fridays Celebrates 25 Years of Great Times!

You've all been here for one or more reasons, your meetings, a short break, a broken heart, or a date. Your favorite American comfort food joint TGI Fridays is celebrating their 25th year with you as they promise several special promos, parties and offers which you'll surely love! 

Now they will start offering 16oz Prime USDA Ribeye Steak, sides of Mango Chipotle Coleslaw, Truffle Rice or Mashed Potatoes. They also have huge servings of Truffle Pasta with bacon, fennel, porchetta and your lovely truffle in it. No they're not holding back because they will also offer Bucket of Bones, a set meal with their signature fall off the bone ribs (which I love!), 8 pcs of Chicken Wings, 2 Grilled Porkchops with sides of Mac and Cheese, Garlic Rice and fries. Perfect for sharing with your friends and family so if you're raring for a good meal, you should visit TGIFridays now. Because in here, it's always Friday!

Black Ink Truffle Pasta

Sides of Mango Chipotle Coleslaw, Truffle Rice and Mashed Potatoes

Lovely Prime USDA Ribeye Steak

Bucket of Bones - all the best ribs, wings and chops in one serving!

Mac and Cheese, Garlic Rice and Fries

You can also share your memories on social media and use the hashtag #25YearsOfGreatTimes wherein 25 winners will be picked every week to get those yummy Bucket of Bones for yourselves. Citibank card holders will also get a 2 for 1 promo on select food items from Tuesdays-Thursdays 11-5pm, 3 redemptions per card. For those who want free stuff, they also will have a huge party on December 11 where all tables will get FREE Chili Ball Park Nachos and drinks of your choice plus entertainment from TGIFridays staff to set you in the mood.

Make sure you check out TGIFridays social media channels so you get updates about their promos. I love this so much I'm going there this weekend!

American Tourister Challenges You to BRING BACK MORE

If you're planning to travel, one thing you should definitely be thinking about is luggage - because you need a dependable one to keep your stuff safe wherever you go. It need not to be expensive, very light And can weather the wear and tear that your trip presents. Now there's a lot out there trying to tell you they're the toughest, but are they really? For years American Tourister has been trusted by a lot of frequent travelers including Ronaldo who recently endorsed the lovely Curio line. 

Chelly Buenviaje the country manager of Samsonite creators of American Tourister says "The brand is made with you guys in mind, globe trotters who live life to the fullest. It's hightime to take care of your luggage, not to worry about the handles, with consumers needs in mind. To help travelers like you to bring home more goodies because these luggages can do that. Our luggages go through tests, with the highest standards, only to give you peace of mind everytime you go out of the country."

"Each time we have to prove it, they already know how our standards speak for itself. Our endorser Christiano Ronaldo is our global brand ambassador, our Curio luggage is his favorite, the golden yellow in particular and he didn't want to part from it. This is why our brand is trusted all over the world. This is where memories come into play, to BRING BACK MORE. We will pick a winner and bring them to Russia, to see the World Cup and hopefully to see Ronaldo in the flesh. If you guess the number on our Curio, and live in the Philippines, you get to have that chance."

Now if your luggage is tough, and super light, you definitely have more room to BRING BACK MORE things from where you came from. It's more pasalubongs, more shopping space, because you'll get more with American Tourister. You don't even need a pricey one to do it.

I'm enjoying one now. 

KUMAGCOW

Fresh Blogs Fast!

Take a Second Look at Racks

Racks Timog Avenue Branch (photo from Racks literature taken by my phone)

It's been a while since I visited Racks. The last time was with an event we had with a convenience store, and even then the food was awesome. A few days ago, we got word that they opened one of their newest branches over at Timog Avenue in Quezon City. I was thinking of the "all white" interior they had the last time... but it looks Racks has got a new look. Too bad I didn't get the chance to shoot the facade because I was rushing to another event, but I'm so glad we stayed for what seems to be the star of their new restaurant. Oh yes, they've got some of the best American country dishes. After all, RACKS stand for Real American Country Kitchen Style. I bet a lot of you didn't know that... but here's the thing, you'll have to agree with me if I say RACKS has got the Best Ribs in Town!

Onion Brick

This is their Onion Brick. I've seen these in US food shows, but I've never seen one in the Philippines, so for me this is a first. The verdict? Very good. The thing still tastes like onion, and the batter isn't that overwhelming. It's not like you're eating breading on each bite since the batter is nice and thin. They put just enough to keep it crispy. The brick is more like a basket because they probably had it on a fryer just like in the US. Would I order this if I go back there? Definitely.

Salad with Blackened Chicken Strips

The second one's pretty good too. This is Racks Salad with Blackened Chicken Strips. The fresh Caesar Salad is done quite remarkably although I have reservations with the chicken strips. The one that was served to us was coated with cajun spice (a thing that I use in the kitchen quite often because my family has a ton sent from Canada) but I felt that time it was slightly, no overly burnt. I suggested to have it lightly fried until brown because honestly, the burnt taste was overwhelming. Searing is okay but burning is another thing. It was kinda off, still, the salad was good. 

US Ribeye Steak

The presence of a US Ribeye Steak in Racks just made me wonder. How can a piece of meat this good be in Racks? Well my questions got answered. It's fate. However, the meat that was served to us that afternoon was already a bit cold which was probably because they prepared it ahead of time. I must say, you should only have this steak as soon as they take it out of the grill... and into your plate. Having it cold made me realize the necessity of prime meat to be eaten at the right time. It was still tender though, and the seasoned butter on top was delicious. I would order this on a date, or a regular manly meal because for the price, it's still worth it. If you see the price of this grade of steak in other establishments, you'll compare their rates quite fair. I would order this on a good day.

Racks Signature Baby Back Ribs

Piece de resistance? Of course it's the Baby Back Ribs! Racks has truly perfected the art of making this since they opened. They've impressed me of course and I think they're going to be the bar to measure the authenticity or goodness of ribs. It's really that good. They make it the ol American Country way so if you've dreamed of having the best ribs, sweet and savory, plus the thing just falls off the bones.. tender... mouthwatering meat when you see it on your plate. Just hold that thought, and take a good look at these bottles that will take you to heaven!

Racks Original Barbecue Sauce Regular and Extra Hot!

They make a mean barbecue sauce (available in Regular and Extra Hot!) to go with those ribs. I even thought they were holding back with the spicy version, but I'm glad I ate a ton of ribs with that smothered over it... it literally made me cry.. I was so glad, it was like the perfect way to have my taste of Baby Back Ribs. You should never let this experience pass and take your family, your friends and everybody else to a Racks branch near you. The Timog Avenue branch between Scout Tuazon and Scout Tobias was quite lovely though, I suggest you go there to experience the best ribs in town bar none! 

For more information about their restaurant:

Racks

Like them on Facebook


Visit their official website

http://www.racks.ph/

2PM's NICHKHUN for BENCH

Everyone was so excited to hear the news that 2PM's NICHKHUN was going back to the Phillippines, but more importantly he's back for something special as this Thai American singer/actor from South Korea affirms his status as the newest BENCHSETTER for lifestyle brand BENCH. We were there during his press conference.

The event was hosted by Grace Lee also known as Lee Kyŏng Hee in real life. She hosts local radio shows in Manila and consequently fluent in Korean too. NICHKHUN was surprised later on when she interviewed him in English and Korean. 

 Then he arrived =)