2011 07/06-07/12

MANILA MAIL COMMUNITY

The Megastar Sharon Cuneta presented to the Silver Legacy Reno audience, Angeline Quinto, the first Star Power Pop Superstar Champion. Angeline got standing ovations from both their San Diego and Reno audiences.

The Newest "Standing Ovation Queen" Angeline Quinto, enthralled audiences from San Diego to Reno, during her very first US appearance.

The Concert Queen Pops Fernandez still packs 'em - her Reno show with the Comedy Concert Queen Ai Ai De Las Alas, being the latest testament. Her own version of Lady Gaga's 'Born This Way' has more voice than synthesizer.

The Comedy Concert Queen Ai Ai De Las Alas garbed in a 'Wonder Woman meets 4th of July fireworks' outfit in Reno last weekend.

(L-R) Regal Baby Mikael Daez, Tom Rodriguez (originally from Arizona who auditioned at 'One Kapamilya Go' at Santa Clara's CA Great America Park) together with the Perkins Twins, Christian & Jesse from Menlo Park, CA (summer vacationing in the Philippines) at the 'Temptation Island' movie premiere last Sunday, July 3, 2011. Photo by Kuset Kalweng

ENGAGED. Dennis Cariaga from the East Bay is set to marry Marilet Amon on 11/11/11 at the Tagaytay Highlands.

Artists Management's Atty Kenneth Graham (2nd left) with business partner, Pia Gutierrez (2nd right) celebrate with performers Ai Ai De Las Alas & Pops Fernandez after their very successful Grand Sierra Casino Resort "Unstoppable" show, their first, last Sunday.

Born on the 4th of July, Miss Len Ronquillo of Walnut Creek, CA celebrated with family, friends & co-workers in Reno over the weekend. Belated happy birthday, Len!

Congratulations to Echofaze Productions' Maribeth Ugalde for the sold-out Mega Upclose 2011 show (featuring Megastar Sharon Cuneta with Angeline Quinto) at the Silver Legacy Casino last weekend.

Kaisahan Dance Company of San Jose California celebrated its 30th Anniversary @ David's Restaurant in Santa Clara, CA on 06-18-2011. Kaisahan was founded by Helen Moreno and she also is the Choreographer of the said dance company. The Dinner Dance was a very successful one. In attendance was Mayor Jose Esteves, Board of Directors Rhuddee Vitug, Florence Pena, Lodi Del Rosario Members of Music and Arts,Our lady of Peace Church , just to name a few.

Rhuddee Vitug, Florence Pena-Board of Directors, Marvin Sabado, Lead Dancer, Helen Moreno-Founder/Choreographer of Kaisahan Dance Company, Lodi Del Rosario, Clarita and Tom Nelson-Board of Directors

Mayor Jose Esteves (of Milpitas, CA,) with Myrna Garcia & Loreto Garcia, supporters of Kaisahan Dance Company

Filipina Fashion & Editorial model, Dara Bascara of San Francisco, CA celebrated her birthday (June 26) at The Fluid Ultra Lounge SOMA.

The Gabucan Family Dentistry is a year old in Milpitas, CA and 4 years in their San Jose, CA location this year. To celebrate these milestones, the Gabucans are celebrating at theirMilpitas location this Friday, July 8, 2011 from 5:00pm up to 10:00pm. This photo was taken when the Gabucans invited ABS-CBN top contract stars Sam Milby & Maja Salvador in their Milpitas clinic last April, 2011.

2 Shows, 4 Women, All Winners

(Ai Ai vs Sharon vs Pops in Reno over ‘The Fourth’ weekend; Angeline hits jackpot)

SEEN IN THE CITY

Ai Ai De las Alas and Sharon Cuneta are each other’s best friend forever in real life, they even played one in a movie titled, you guessed it right, “BFF”.

Even before she was tagged as The Megastar, Sharon Cuneta has been pitted at a very young age, against Pops Fernandez (long before she got crowned as The Concert Queen). The two women, Sharon & Pops, have more commonalities (both studied at the International School in Makati, both managed by the Sottos, both attracted the same demographics, among others) than dissimilarities.

Angeline Quinto is the first ever Star Power Champion, an ABS-CBN TV singing contest that was hosted by Sharon Cuneta.

Last Sunday, July 3, 2011 in Reno, NV, all 4 women were put in a 2-way fight as Grand Sierra Resort’s “Unstoppable” featuring The Comedy Concert Queen Ai Ai De Las Alas and The Concert Queen competed for the holiday concert-going crowd against Silver Legacy Casino Resort’s “Mega Upclose 2011” (starring Megastar Sharon Cuneta with her protégé Angeline Quinto), as fate would have it.

How could we let this happen, producers? Even noted singer/songwriter Jose Mari Chan emailed his disappointment to this Column at the thought of artists competing in a single city in a single night, citing his own Las Vegas show years ago colliding with Martin Nievera’s concert at a nearby casino.

According to Pops Fernandez, who we had the pleasure of sharing a 3 and a half hour ride with from Reno, NV to Emeryville, CA after the show, years ago, the artists, through their managers, coordinate their show schedules in Manila, preventing this occurrence to happen. That practice had apparently stopped because the advent of internet (email, FaceBook, Twitter, etc) made it very easy for producers, especially new ones, to contact the artists directly. Hence, the labo-labo. Something must be done, though - a schedule clearing house or something, must be initiated to not let this happen again.

Anyways, the final verdict – both shows, were successful as there were enough holiday crowd who filled both venues, very fortunately. I was there in both places, travelling back and forth trying my bestest best, to capture the moments and the results.

During the opening of their show, Ai Ai (who was wearing shades for a 4-day old eye infection that has been making her shed tears with no emotion, as she says) and Pops both thanked Sharon Cuneta for sending them “good luck” flowers and wished her success in her show as well.

But, the biggest winner of the karambola of the queens, I can proclaim, is Star Power Champion Angeline Quinto, who got several standing ovations at the Silver Legacy from the loyal and solid Sharonians within a Sharon show. It was a her first show in Reno and she seized the moment belting out songs that showcased her vocal range, charming the audiences, from San Diego (her first show in the US) to Reno, one weekend after the other. A new ‘standing ovation queen” was born.

She further endeared herself to the audiences as she unabashedly describes her innermost thoughts and feelings as a first timer in the US (“Ngayon lang po ako nakakain ng ganon kalambot na baka,” she told the audience, giggling even.)

In summary, it was a well-spent evening in Reno, that biggest little city in the world.

Again, congratulations to the producers, Artists Management & Echofaze Productions!

TO-BE-SEEN IN THE CITY

Introducing…Miss Dara Bascara

Dara Bascara is a fashion model, a University of the Philippines graduate, currently living in San Francisco. She is currently in the midst of completing her Masteral Degree in Philosophy at UC Berkeley. Having lived for a good number of years in London, she loves Victoria Beckham’s fashion style and Leighton Meester’s edgy fashion sense. Her claim to fame? She did a library stock shoot for Getty Images in London. A year later, one of her photos from that shoot appeared everywhere in Manila and other major cities in the country as one of the most aggressive advertising campaigns in Philippine advertising history. All her family and friends back home were literally seeing her everywhere, several billboards, hundreds of posters on bus stops, train station, highways, even buses. She also apparently dominated their local internet ads on yahoo and facebook as well. Good luck, Dara! And belated happy birthday, too! Culled from www.urbanitychic.com

Briefs & Shorts

Gabucan Family Dentistry AnniversariesWhat do you know, the Gabucan Family Clinics are celebrating their 1^st Year Anniversary in Milpitas and 4^th Year in San Josethis coming Friday, July 8, 2011. As relayed to this Columnist recently by their Milpitas Office & Marketing Manager Tony Gabucan, food and drinks will be available to their thousands of clients, family, friends this Friday, from 5:00pm up to 10:00pm at the Milpitas location below:

Gabucan Family Dentistry

1535 Landess Ave, SUITE # 106

Milpitas, CA 95035

Phone: (408) 945-8880

Pistahan Parade & Festival

Do you like to perform at the Pistahan? Musicians, vocalists, dance groups, martial artists, spoken word artists, hosts, comedians, and other entertainers are encouraged to apply. Send an email to artists.faae@gmail.com providing a brief bio/resume and description of your act. Please include Web, Facebook, or MySpace links with photos, video and/or audio. Deadline is Friday, July 8.

Milestones

Belated happy birthday greetings to San Francisco’s Dara Bascara (June 26), San Jose’s Dante Hizon (July 2), Walnut Creek’s Len Ronquillo (July 3) & San Jose’s Rolan Sagmit (July 4).

Congratulations and Best Wishes to East Bay’s Dennis Cariaga who is now engaged to be married to Marilet Amon on 11/11/11 at the Tagaytay Highlands in the Philippines.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"At the end of this case, all you have to ask yourself is whose life was better without Caylee? This is your answer." By Lead prosecutor Linda Drane Burdick in the celebrated Orlando, FL murder trial involving a mother accused of killing her 2-year old daughter, Caylee, more than 3 years ago. The prosecution hinged their case in presenting mom Casey Anthony in 2 photos. One, smiling and partying in a nightclub during the month her daughter Caylee was missing. The other was the tattoo she got a day before her family and law enforcement first learned of the child's disappearance. The mother, Casey Anthony was acquitted of her 2-year old daughter’s death on Tuesday, July 5, 2011.

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