Toni Gonzaga's 7th Album: Celestine

It looks so promising as Ultimate Multimedia Star unleashes another album under Star Records called "CELESTINE". Listen as Toni gets a little overboard and personal on the songs because she had a hand in choosing all of these. Add to that her own compositions and not just another remake but her own version of well loved songs in the album.

It contains an upbeat/trance like song called "The Love Is Like" which she co wrote with Jonathan Manalo. You'll also love the more romantic song "Awit Ni Ginny" which consequently she wrote while on the set of the movie Starting Over Again. She also has that same movie's song interpreted her way which was more refreshing as we heard her sing during the launch. The album all in all has 10 tracks , but you've got to watch out for her original compositions "Got You", "Finally", "Sweetest Song", "Oh Boy", "Di ba halata", "Kahit Na" (Remixed) and the remix version of "This Love Is Like" done and produced by Chris Lopez. I hope this gets to major clubs soon. 

"Celestine" is now available in record bars and stores nationwide. It's only 250 bucks so it's dirt cheap for a very personal album with feel good music. This is how you'll feel, in love and happy. you can also download it off iTunes, Amazon, MyMusicStore.ph and Starmusic.ph. 

You know you want this! :)

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On His Self Titled Debut Album: James Wright

Say hello to good looking James Wright!

We got to spend an afternoon with one of GMA's newest artists James Wright. You might mistake him for a full foreign chap but no, he's a half Aussie - Pinoy who lived most of his life in Hong Kong. His chiseled and sculptured physique would pass off as a model or action star no? Though he's heavily concentrating on his singing career now. If you don't know it yet, he's the one who sang "Sana'y Ikaw" for the Marian Rivera and Alden Richards starer Carmela.

Nothing beats a positive attitude. Happy and wanting more projects soon.

James says he's so happy that GMA Records took notice of him. He is managed and taken cared of by one of the most noted composers in the country Vehnee Saturno. His album was launched May 25th during Sunday All Stars. I loved how they did the number with Aljur and Mark, but still James stood out pretty obviously. He also knows he sounds really close to Christian Bautista, a little twang and his foreign accent would give him away. 

In fact, he really is a nice guy. He says he's very romantic too. He adds "I might not come across as a very romantic person but I am. I even watch romantic movies like The Notebook, A Walk To Remember etc.". This would be a nice thing to know for those that may think he's a very ASTIG guy. He's got a soft side that'll be very attractive to some girls I know.

"It's like an emotional escape and I can just be myself when I'm singing. As for admiring other singers. I don't want to admire anyone but I don't wanna be "mayabang". I want to admire myself to push myself and not to become that person. Everyone is different. This album is my leap off point. We've been planning this since November last year. It was a pop song before, but GMA said they wanted it to be a teleserye kind of song." He also attributes his biggest break with the former reality show "Anak Ko Yan" and Carmela. During the show, it was just me. Hong Kong is a very aggressive country; and that aggressiveness might have come across as an anti hero during the "Anak Ko Yan" days but that wasn't the deal. It was good though because it gave the show flavor rather than just putting cutesy people on the show. This was his answer to me when I asked about how his character was shown during the finals. I watched it. :)

About singing "That's what I have to show everyone but if there's an acting opportunity why not. I take risks" he adds.

 As of now, GMA might be planning a lot for him. He says he's going to lined up with contrabida roles first; and he doesn't mind because he knows even contrabidas can become heroes later on. When I said that the reason might be is because he looks chiseled, buff and so strong, he says no and said because "mukha daw akong mayaman" and we laughed off of that. :) I tell you, people who have that much humor, means they're also smart! Now how can you not love someone as good as James Wright? :)

If there's more things to hear from James, the album contains 5 songs. Aside from "Sana'y Ikaw", “Babe”, “Ikaw Yon”, “Kung Hindi Ikaw” and “Ako’y Sa ‘Yo”. His aim is just to create beautiful music. He doesn't care that much about top singles but wants you to feel and relate a lot with his songs. As long as you guys do, then he says he achieved his goal as a singer. Mind you, he still hasn't "fully" grasped Filipino, but he did these five songs beautifully. I bet his dream to be an artist in "Hollywood" would be really close. His voice live during that afternoon was even better than the album so just imagine.  

The self titled album of "James Wright" will be available at all major record bards nationwide. There are also digital copies that you can purchase through iTunes and other digital download spots online. Trust me, you'll love it just like my family did.

For more information about his album:

Official GMA Artist Center

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http://gmanetwork.com/artistcenter

Time To Revisit Heaven and Eggs!

Group shot courtesy of Ruth, Ruthilicious.com. That's Rodel Flordeliz, Earth Rullan and Reg Tolentino.

I've been a regular in this establishment when their store in Eastwood City was still open. I guess they closed down and concentrated on more well earning stores as a business strategy, which makes sense. Together with my other blogger friends, we visited their branch in Glorietta 4 a few days ago. I was there to 1. Check if the food is still that good, 2. To see if my friends would still love it and 3. To see if there's something new in this joint. The Heaven and Eggs branch still carries that rockstar vibe they initiated a few years ago. As with the old look, I got the consensus that we all miss it. You remember that sky blue interior with clouds and cherubs all over it? The good news is, that they are highly considering to bring that back and get a more heavenly vibe since they are an all day breakfast place.

The Food

The food choices was considerably kept in tact because this is what customers want in this place. It's something that we would love to have; like true blue comfort food - one which you can have all day, every day!

Steak and Eggs

Think of mouthwatering perfectly grilled 8 ounce USDA grade rib eye steak served with 2 whole eggs, hash brown and buttered corn kernels. They have experience cooking things like these so it is as lovely as you can imagine it to be. Soft to the bite and had minimal seasoning, prolly simple salt and pepper as a major part of it. The gravy, hmmm... it's not to salty so it goes well with the steak. Pinoys would probably want rice with this but naturally because this is a big cut of steak, we don't have to. Really good. This is Steak and Eggs.

Classic Eggs Benedict

This is their Classic Eggs Benedict. Think of thick sweet and savory Forest Ham slices, lightly toasted English Muffin, soft poached eggs, asparagus spears and smothered with hollandaise sauce. This is also served with super crunchy naturally cut shoestring potatoes. This is the favorite of expats and foreigners when inside the Heaven and Eggs store. The all day breakfast is a reality, they've proven that with this awesome offering. Add salt if you prefer.

#OneVibePH by Viber

Domini Primero, Crystal Lee and Stephen Ku for #OneVibePH

It's one special day as Metro Manila's hottest clubs close down in solidarity and support for #OneVibePH this June 11th in celebration of Independence day. It's a dream come true for party goers because this one big gathering will get you a great people, good food and 1 peso beers. Now if that isn't something to celebrate about, I don't know what will!

This is in cooperation with Aracama, Dillingers, The Distillery, Haze, Hyve, Imperial, Prive, Prohibition, Republiq, Skye, Time in Manila and URBN. Flashing your Viber app will also entitle you to 50% off the regular price of tickets. It's only Php 1000 for Patrons and will become Php 500 for subscribers and students. They will also slash Php 150 off your Grabtaxi fare if you are going there. Now, there's no excuse not to be in the SM Mall of Asia Concert grounds. Domini Primero of Driven Manila says they strategically also placed this event on the 11th because there will be no work on the 12th since it's a holiday. Manila's premier bards will also be closed so this is the only venue where you can party that evening. 

Crystal Lee also adds that Viber will be giving away tons of freebies. Not to mention the activities they have prepared for your barkada and family. She also mentioned people would be highly suggested to bring extra clothing because there will be foam castles, a huge pool of balls and gigantic activities around the venue. They have also set transportation points for free bus rides in SM North Edsa, Makati and Ortigas Center. You don't have to worry getting there because everything's taken cared of.

As for security, they have arrangements made from the city government of Pasay, SM Security and three big Bouncer organizations to take care of you. The only thing left is... YOU to show up in the greatest Independence day party in Manila. For tickets, just call Ticketworld at 8919999 or SM Tickets at 4702222. You can message 0911VIBERPH to get your own promo codes before purchasing online. Be there on the eve of Independence day to celebrate what it means to be Filipino. We work hard and party harder for #OneVibePH!

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Viber PH

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My Illegal Wife Starring Zanjoe Marudo and Pokwang

Shocked about the news that Pokwang got hooked up with hunk Zanjoe Marudo? Well let's not be too hasty because the rumors are TRUE. We're not going to tell you this is a crazy stunt, but you need to watch Star Cinema and Skylight Film's best offering this year called MY ILLEGAL WIFE. 

Pokwang plays the role of Clarise, a mother who has spent an entire time working in Japan to be able to provide for her 2 kids in the Philippines. Later on, finds herself making up stories to woo a gorgeous looking guy Henry played by Zanjoe Marudo who had a weird case of amnesia. Clarise got several movies from Star Cinema and acted them out to convince Henry that they are married. Henry couldn't believe it either and another girl comes along to take this guy from the hands of Clarise, played by the sexy Ellen Adarna. Then again, Pokwang vs Ellen Adarna? We all vote for Pokwang of course! The girl in the rain scene was unbelievable!

  

No one can ever say that Pokwang can't execute something as funny as this. In fact, judging from the reaction of the people I saw that afternoon during this grand presscon affirmed my hunch that this will be a hit. Why? Even if the video was looping, the trailer just kept us laughing non stop. The director and people behind the film even goes on to say that this isn't even 10 percent of the film and we're getting laughter this much... what more if we saw the entire film! Both Star Cinema and Skylight Films are excited to see how this film will perform later on this week when it shows in cinemas. 

Other stars on this film like Edgar Allan Guzman, Mikylla Ramirez, Steven de Guzman, the legendary Anita Linda, Beauty Gonzales and funny comedian Pooh will surely make this film a must watch. Don't also hold back when you see the antics of Empoy and Ms. Joy Viado, you'll pee in your pants moment will come close I'm sure!

Will this romance end with Bea Alonzo begging Zanjoe Marudo back from Pokwang and her beauty? We have to find out by watching the movie on June 11, don't miss it!

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http://www.starcinema.com.ph

The Huawei Ascend G6 Launch

Last Saturday was a little special by phone brand Huawei as they opened their first store in the Philippines at the SM North Edsa Cyberzone in Quezon City. To make the the day even better, they got popular endorser Jasmine Curtis Smith to be their brand ambassador in the Philippines and launched the Huawei Ascend G6 which is their mid range phone alternative to their Huawei Ascend P6. These are android phones so you can fully customize it. 

This particular phone has got an eight megapixel rear camera. It also has a five megapixel front camera so for those who LOVE taking selfies, this is the best thing money can buy. The phone can also take wide angle shots so if you want to show your friends how huge a place is, then you need not convince them. Just show them the whole angle.

Mr Charles Wu, Country Manager of Huawei Technologies Philippines says "This is just the beginning of our commitment to consumers in bringing them high quality phones at affordable prices. Watch out for our even bigger, better models soon." That just spells there will be more of these items to watch out for inside their stores. A visit would probably be the best thing to do now that they have a store open in SM North Edsa.

Jasmine says "It's time you get your money's worth when choosing the right mobile device for you. Something that would fit your lifestyle, something that still would have the computing power you need important for day to day activities and without breaking the bank." She totally wants the public to take notice of what value the Huawei Ascend G6 birngs. At around 10K for this powerful phone, it's one of the most affordable quad core devices in the market. They are also expecting the release of an LTE version of this phone later this year. I haven't used it yet but I plan to visit the store in my free time. Or if they choose to lend me a unit later on, maybe I can tell how it performs in my app, usage and video tests. In the meantime, visit their channels below if you want to know more if this is the perfect phone for you. Jasmine already has one, would you not want one too? :)

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Huawei Device

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consumer.huawei.com/en/

Azkals Wants Philippine Peace and Suzuki Cup Crown

The Mighty and Proud Silver Medalists - Philippine Azkals from the AFC Challege Cup

I was one of the few, no, millions of people who watched early morning games of the Philippine Azkals during the AFC Challenge Cup in Maldives. It wouldn't be possible without the help of ABSCBN Sports who streamed these games live during the past few weeks while our boys fought for the country once again. They all appeared quite apologetic though during the interview because they wanted to have won the gold during the games; quite humble still for these guys right? Then they go on promising a Gold medal performance on the Suzuki Cup slated late this year. Now that's the Azkals spirit!

Azkals Striker Phil Younghusband

"The messages and support we received were overwhelming and we could have won the tournament but overall it was a successful bid. To the media, the fans, especially to the Filipinos who stood up for us when some locals jeered... thank you! we all support each other and we are all so close, even those who were in the bench. We're looking forward to the next one." says Azkals striker Phil Younghusband.

Team Manager Dan Palami can't thank all the players enough for their maturity and attitude because they didn't cause problems at all while they were there. He adds "There were many firsts here. First time to beat Laos, first time to beat Maldives as well. We have always set the bar high and nothing but the championship was the goal for us, but we are looking forward to putting Philippine Football on top in Asia. A pretty good feat on its own."

19 year old Sato says he's very thankful for the support of the fans and promises in the Suzuki cup that they will do their best next time. He declares "We will get that gold now" to the delight of the crowd that afternoon. "It was amazing, a little disappointing but we thank you for the support. The people, especially the Pinoys in Maldives felt like family.   We got seasick but we're alright." says Simon Greatwich who had some small issues with traveling there from other islands. He says it was really hard for them to practice and go to game venues because the only way to get there were by boats; but they were so thankful for the Continental Air sandwiches which they miss a lot! Even Anton Del Rosario had the same sentiment. He adds "Thank you to the people who put up with the natives there. We want to play with them again and I hope we don't go to boats again."

They joked a ton like that.

Dino Laurena head of ABSCBN Integrated Sports pronounces their support for the Azkals once more and reiterates they will continue to support the team by having their games broadcasted live so a lot of Filipinos continue to get inspired and love the sport. ABSCBN will be covering the upcoming Philippine Peace Cup, the Group Stages of the 2014 AFF Suzuki Cup and will be airing everything on ABS-CBN Sports + Action channel. This will all kicks off November this year so you better watch out for that!

For more information about their stores:

Sports And Action

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http://sports.abs-cbn.com/sports-and-action

Half Sisters: Thea Tolentino, Derrick Monasterio and Andre Paras

It was a pleasant day to see the stars of upcoming series "Half Sisters". Thea Tolentino who won the second installment of reality show Protege and lead star of Pyra: Ang Babaeng Apoy, plus the hunky lead of many GMA series Derrick Monasterio and promising new comer cum basketball star Andre Paras talked with us during a luncheon in Kimono Ken, Tomas Morato in Quezon City.

First impressions, Andre is so tall, articulate and very accommodating. He wasn't as shy as I expected him to be as he was friendly and didn't bat an eyelash answering questions. He really thought about each one first before blurting out something. His charm might have fallen in his ability to communicate with a very gentlemanly demeanor which I think comes from his right upbringing. He's starting right and this project will be something that'll test how much he's learned during the small workshops here and there.

Derrick even thought he was going to be a little hard to be with but was surprised how funny this guy is. It even came to a point that the Director Mark Reyes had to put them in different places just to stop them from playing antics against each other. That part failed though because the guys still went to the ladies tents later on. Somehow, they already gelled early in the making of this series. Andre plays Benjie Castillo who plays a college jock who's also part of the basketball team. Rich kid but not an anti hero - you'll probably see their characters have a love triangle and or become a foursome during the story. Find out how complicated that is for him and the sisters. That'll be an interesting take on his character.

Nescafe: What's your fresh start?

We often go to coffee shops and pay a lot to get a dose of these wonderful grounded beans, but we usually go home and get contented with a cup of Nescafe, always, all the time. It's the single thing that makes us realize that there is goodness in something small. Something that is full flavored as they painstakingly spend time with these beans through slow roast. It becomes fuller bodied, richer, a tad sweeter. You can't rush that. You have it in the morning, because you always want a fresh start.

   

What's even greater news is that you can now get that same experience in every pack of Nescafe Classic. Sit down with your folks and talk about how the day went. Talk to your friends and see what memories can come down on a cup of coffee. It's these things that count. 

The greatness lies in each coffee bean and this is what Nescafe Classic wants us to understand. The care they put into the process and how they want us to never ever see coffee "the same way again" is a very high standard to achieve. They didn't force us to have this everyday in our breakfast table but we do, because the tough is in the putting. It is this good that we choose this than other brands in the market. You can't discount the fact that Nescafe has been with us for 75 years. Their celebration isn't about big parties or massive concerts, they just make do with introducing to you the reason why they have lasted that long with the Filipino people. It's the coffee bean and we appreciate them more because of that. Now, you will get to see your coffee in a different light. You can enjoy it more in every pack that you buy off the grocery/store. You are not shortchanged because you know how special brew you make in each cup. Now ask yourself, what's your fresh start? :)

For more information about their products:

Nescafe PH

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