CABRINI Hits Philippine Cinemas Today June 19th

If you are religious, faithful, care about other people, or know an OFW, you definitely should watch this movie called CABRINI. This stars Cristiana Dell'Anna, John Lithgow, David Morse and an ensemble cast of Italian-Americans, because this is mainly, a story about them.

Cristiana plays the role of Francesca Cabrini, a woman who after landing in New York's shores, saw the shocking plight of immigrants, their children, and the condition they live in. The story is TRAGIC right from the moment she stepped foot in Five Points, a place where she saw the orphaned children, the abused women, the people who live through unbelievable means. She was frantic, and wanted to do something about it. 

Cabrini was also with other nuns, whom all worked from sun up to sun down preparing what's supposed to be an orphanage so they could house the kids, take them away from the streets and burrows, the sewers of the same city. They began feeding them, cleaning them up. They did sew a lot of clothes, they looked quite nice in dresses and suits which the nuns personally had woven, and sewn together. Though this was the time they began noticing, they needed funds in order to serve a lot of children (bambinis).

But just like the Philippines, the politicians had a different view. They felt there should be no funds, and they should never be seen as part of the city. It was disheartening to see how when Chrisitana was making headway together with the nuns and community, they began sabotaging, do unnecessary things to stop them from flourishing on American soil. It felt like when they already had a roof on their head, they begin throwing a ton of bricks on top, or burn them to the ground because they didn't like what they were seeing.

She started to device a way to put the spotlight on those who need help specifically the immigrants, Italians, and children. After getting displaced, lack of funds, she began believing she could do more for the voiceless, those who are quarantined and in the slums, the ones with dignity and still have the chance to live. She does ALL these while suffering from an incurable disease (back then). A woman who in spite of adversities, used art, a second language, her faith and love in order to make sure the women, children and people she serve gets adequate medical care, nourishment, and dignity they deserve.

Watch this trailer to get a grasp of the story

Her story based on real events is so inspiring. The dark treatment/color grading for this masterpiece by Director Alejandro Monteverde was apt for the mood they wanted to exude. Its excellent, and warrants you to definitely see and hear her story, on how this once sickly but feisty lady from Italy became the first American saint, and patron of immigrants.

It shows in the Philippines starting today, June 19 in theaters nationwide!

The Party Continues at Salvatore Cuomo & Bar Philippines

Joined a few friends in the blogging scape a few days ago at Salvatore Cuomo and Bar in GF Uptown Parade in BGC. It sits at the corner of 9th Avenue and 38th Street and is frequented by party goers this side of town. On Saturdays, DJ David Ardiente takes the lead and plays awesome songs that could be enjoyed by Millennials, Gen XYZ's and just about anyone who just wants to have fun.

Moscow Mule

Sangria

Espresso Martini

Aperol Spritz

Aside from the usual fare (of beer, wine and hard drinks), they've got really mean cocktails like Espresso Martini, Moscow Mule, Sangria, Aperol Spritz which you should definitely try.

I could picture this place as a launch pad for other bars around the area but I'm pretty sure after a few rounds of cocktails in this joint. you'll never want to leave and just enjoy the night with friends and family here.

Brushchetta Porchetta

Carpaccio

Now to make sure you don't drink with an empty stomach, they've got several pizzas and antipasti you can enjoy while you hold your cocktail on your other hand. It's a great conversation starter, there are several single people right across the bar for that. This place gets pretty packed on the weekends so make sure you get here a bit early if you have dining plans. They also have a really mean Truffle Pasta, I didn't get to see it on the table anymore because it was that good.

Don't be sad as it'll all be a blur when you get home (don't drink and drive of course!). This place has good food, good drinks, just bring the companions or see people there. Take the trip to one of the hottest spots in BGC, and make that night an epic one at Salvatore Cuomo and Bar.

Homey Comforting Dishes at Mamma Mia Uptown Mall BGC

Uptown Mall BGC just keeps getting better. At the iconic fountain in front of the mall stands another restaurant that would be able to whisk you off your feet and send you to Italy (as it felt like it). This is Mamma Mia, located at the Upper GF Uptown Mall 36th Street Fort Bonifacio, Taguig. 

It's got modern interiors, wood, brick and metal mostly for the bar. Seating can accommodate about 40-50 people at a time and have bunk chairs and seats for groups 8 or more arranged. 

They have new group meals on promo so if you're with a few of your officemates looking for a cozy and homey meal, this might be a good place to dine. Also, their bar has adequate booze to take early patrons before you need to party elsewhere because most of the big ones are nearby. 

It was early afternoon, so I had two drinks. One is the shake made of red grapes and the other, they concocted a Sangria which they can arrange upon special requests. Ask the friendly bartender/server for it.

The salads are undoubtedly different with the addition of Polpo Con Patate (Grilled Octopus with Potatoes, Arugula, Onions tossed in Pesto Vinaigrette). Slightly chewy and savory grilled octopi mixed in with that peppery arugula, I love it!

Quattro Formaggi Pizza, stretched thinly then thrown into the oven, made it crunchy, salty on sides and so good and cheesy. Love how this was served hot, fresh and fast! Imagine, my boss could finish this in 5 minutes. He would love this I'm sure because like me, he's so fond of cheese.

Their Spaghetti Carbonara ala Mamma Mia is quite creamy, the yolk is just underneath and the pasta is topped with bread crumbs and parmesan cheese so you get more texture than usual.

This is Mamma's Roasted Chicken which you can get in quarters, half or whole. It's a huge one, prolly can feed up to 4 even with huge appetites. Very flavorful, cooked nicely so it's soft and juicy. 

I have dined in the mall several times now but I'm glad there's a homey Italian place that would remind you of Tuscany here in Uptown Mall. I would choose to go here before meeting up with friends and have a bottle or two. They have booze, hard drinks, and pretty affordable considering this is the BGC area. 

Try it out, it's quite good!

 

Watch For FREE: MovieMov Italian Film Festival Slated April 23 - 26

Bruno Gabriel and Ashley Ortega were guests at the MovieMov Italian Film Festivval

Got the chance to see one movie last night at the Moviemov Italian Film Festival in Cinematheque Theater in Kalaw, Manila. MovieMov happens in different countries around the world and is a FREE showcase of Italian movies aimed to promote their films around the world.

Italian Cinema Now, a call they will do in Manila from April 23-26, 2019. They brought in famed Directors and Producers from Italy and got us to interview some of them last night. I asked about how they want the audience to feel about their movie but they got back to me that they wouldn’t want to impose on things, as every culture reacts differently. They have seen this first hand in other countries and during the presscon, they made the impression of leaving it to the audience. True enough, I felt the movie I watched called Una Questione Privata (first movie to be shown for this festival) evoked emotions without too much camera work. Wide shots were impressive, didn’t depend so much with actor faces to tell the story because even if you are seeing them so small on screen, you can feel them, immediately.

Federica Sabatini says “It is a piece of art, I traveled in different places like Busan, and first time here.”

Mario Sesti says “I know how important it is to stress the closeness of reality and fantasy.”

Agostino Ferrente says “I’d like to give my thoughts to the victims of the earthquake.”

David Fabros represented Ms. Liza Diño Seguerra and he says “On behalf of FDCP, we welcome you to Cinematheque Manila. It cultivated the appreciation of Italian cinema in the Philippines, this year they brought 9 films. Aside from screenings, there will be two master classes from Sir Mario sometime during the week so for serious takers, take the time to attend these. Hope we foster exchange, thank you for bringing this to Manila. Gracci mille!”

From the Italian Embassy in Manila, they said “We are happy to see you all. Italian Cinema is underrated, so far away from our country, very old, very rich, but very innovative. Thank you for hosting this event, we hope the Filipino public will participate in great numbers.”

Lisandro Millani of the PIA says “We are happy to participate in this discussion about moviemov here in Manila. Ms Liza Diño and David Fabros, they worked very hard in making this happen. Yesterday, there was an earthquake, even today, no work supposedly but they opened for us. That is commitment. Ths PIA is glad to be a partner, cinema is an important part of our program, even our cultural programs and exchanges. It’s our 12th edition this year, thanks to our partners. We will also organize Philippine Euro Film Festival in Europe very soon, here’s to a more meaningful cooperation soon!”

Fabio Goudini says “I want to thank everyone especially PIA even on holidays. Everyone who accompanied me in promoting Italian film in Asia and South America. It’s our 5th edition, we realized this country is ready to receive new works from artists and directors, the selection here is something we will enjoy more. We are more interested now to offer you Italian Cinema, I ask you in the next evenings to come to give your votes so we know which one you’ll like. Thank you to the Godmother of this festival as well.”

Mario Sesti says “It’s an honor for me to introduce this film (UNA QUESTIONE PRIVATA). The outstanding quality of shooting at night time is something to appreciate, they called me and said good things afterwards. Our friendship with a songwriter in Italy, to speak here is touching, I am passionate about their work, filmed to show the 60’s and 70’s to show it is possible to handle the deep heart of cinema and political issues. Allow me to show you how important and exciting it is, it’s people and how they felt to transform the nature and control a lot of people like a melodrama. It’s like a dance, singing, and acting like in a theatre. It has a meaningful way of story telling, important to historical themed films during a difficult time in Italy, right after the fight with the nazis. The love, and politics, to keep them together like sides of a coin. The brothers started to film because they like the work of Rossilini, something who can link Italian people together, to fight facism, the chance to be free. I hope you enjoy the movie.”

This is all FREE, just go to the venue and ask for it. They brought 9 masterpieces for you to enjoy and they will be showcasing most of it in the coming days. Manuel, Saremo Giovani E Bellisimi, C’E Tempo, Il Cratere, La Paranza Dei Bambini, Selfie, Troppa Grazia and Bertolucci’s The Dreamers will have their screenings today and until the 26th. Make sure you visit Cinematheque in Kalaw to watch it, then vote why you would want the movie to win afterwards. There will be two masterclasses for film making, so if you are also serious about your craft, you may do it too with one of Italy’s famed Director Mario Sesti.

Contadina Set To Conquer Philippine Kitchens

It looks like the lives of the Filipinos will become so easy this year as one of the world's most recognized food brands finally lands in the Philippines. I'm sure you've seen Nigella Lawson in several blogs and TV programs and she was here for the same reason. Have you heard of Contandina?

It's a brand that's pretty well known in the US because that's where it started in World War 1. Three immigrant families found themselves in a situation where there was a shortage of tomatoes in America. That's when they found the soil in California apt for growing an even better harvest of these lovely fruits. They started making these products and thought of home. Now they have different sauces, canned tomatoes, rich olive oil and pasta, and a woman in the fields is representing them on the packaging. That's exactly what it means in Italian.

Trying Contadina for the first time had me thinking, why hasn't this been released in the Philippines when we're one of the most pasta loving people in the world? Even if we have our own sweet version, we have tons of people in the country who prefer the more conventional, herby and classic sauces right? Like me for example, I love Arrabbiata. The Contadina Arrabbiata Sauce is a little on the sour spicy side as it's got tomatoes, garlic and chili as it's main ingredients. It's lovely on Penne pasta and only needs a little heat when making as it's ready to serve on these handy dandy bottles which Contadina comes in. Aside from that, they also have Napoleatana which is made from vegetables mixed in with the usual ingredients like the Trinity in Italian cooking (onions, carrots, celery). The Aglio Arrostito on the other hand is made from tomatoes and the wonderful roasted garlic. I can already imagine having a hot bowl of it looking at my bed side window while the rain pours. Perfect comfort food.

I love antipastis and these olive oils would really make it special. They have Pure Olivr Oil which you can use to cook and the Extra Virgin Olive Oil for just dipping with bread or your salads, or just on top of slices of parma ham and prosciutto. I can go on and on and we'd still be hungry haha! I'm imagining things already! 

For those hearty stews, Contandina also have these canned tomatoes that'll be perfect for that. Imagine baking chicken topped with cheese and spending a few minutes on the stove, but we don't really have to wait for hours and waste precious time stewing because the sauce is already good to go.

The Linguine and Penne pasta stayed firm and al dente as we cooked it at home. I overcooked the penne a bit actually but it didn't become mushy at all. The convenience, the flavors, all come easy in a bottle or a can, plus a very competitive price range if you compare it to the existing local ones. It's hearty, homey and definitely reminds you of the Italy and how it's made by the Italians.

Are you excited about Contadina?

For more information about their products:

Official GMA Artist Center

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Visit their official website

https://www.facebook.com/contadinaphilippines/

Santoni Shoes Now in Manila

I dream of perfect shoes.

I still probably have around 30 shoes on the shelf that I haven't even used. A problem? Yes. I admit I'm a shoe-a-holic. 

If I find something nice, if I find something unique and something good... I usually pick it up and pay for it on the counter no matter what the price is. When I got an invite to Santoni's launch a few days ago, I almost fainted at the sight of the shoes.

 

He is Francesco de Santis. He's one of the few artisans left in the world who still make hand made shoes with Italian brand Santoni. There are only a handful left because some Italians choose other careers other than making good shoes like these. Sad, but they are fighting that by showing the difference of these gorgeous pieces of heavenly foot covers. If you don't actually see it up close like this, you won't appreciate how much care they put in on making shoes. See how he tortured that show on his hand by folding it? It comes back to form when he released that. That's how confident he is.

 Madame Edith Dychiao says it's time that the Filipinos have this world class brand. It's time they get pampered. Shoes of this class wasn't even imaginable before because people were always associating the Philippines as a third world country. Today, men and women of different professions in this place prove to have more purchasing power than ever. Be it luxury cars, bags, other products, all can be splurged and appreciated by people like us. Santoni presents itself as upscale, but the practicality of it all depends on quality. 

 

Quality that means your shoe will fit perfectly and would last you years. Aside from that, the design and craftsmanship would be never questioned. Famous people, Hollywood stars and even world leaders wear it. If you had your shoe customized by them, your permanent shoe size will be stored on their records together with these famous people says Andrea Casavecchia, Santoni's Asia Area Manager. Isn't that amazing!?

The shoe fitting. I really hate David Celdran when he got the chance to have one of these pairs. While I watch in the sidelines. It'll take around 6 months before the actual shoe is made because of the care and love they put into it. They measure the right and the left foot separately. I didn't know before this that there was a difference, but it does make sense. 

It's nice to know something classy like this is now available in the Philippines. Santoni is open at the East Wing of Shangrila Mall. Don't be afraid to come in and check out what they have inside the store. I on the other hand am still dreaming. I didn't even get to fit the shoe during the event. I'll have to wait to get one of my own. Soon.

See what I mean by addicting? :)

For more information about their stores:

Santoni

Like them on Facebook


Visit their official website

http://www.santonishoesusa.com