2012 02/22-02/28

MANILA MAIL COMMUNITY

Lead stars Angel Locsin & John Lloyd Cruz will grace the US premieres of "Unofficially Yours" in Los Angeles (Alex Theater in Glendale, CA) this Friday, Feb 24 (1PM & 7PM screenings).

Film Director Paul Soriano (shown here with actress girlfriend, Toni Gonzaga) reportedly will attend CineQuest Film Festival (to be held in San Jose, CA from February 28-March 11) screening of his movie "Thelma" with its lead star, Maja Salvador.

Maja Salvador essays the complicated role of the struggling Ilocano national track star, Thelma "Elma" Muros in the Paul Soriano-directed and A-rated (by the Cinema Evaluation Board) inspired by her (Muros') true story movie, "Thelma," - reportedly to be screened at the 22nd CineQuest Film Festival in San Jose, CA (Feb 28 - March 11). Get their festival guide at a nearby Peet's Coffee & Tea location near you. Both Director Soriano and lead star Maja are expected to attend the festival screening in person.

Papa Sam Milby will be seen in Reno's Grand Sierra Casino Resort singing beautiful tunes together with Angeline Quinto (her Dream Tour 2012) on Saturday, February 25 and then at the James Logan High with fellow heartthrobs Gerald Anderson, Enchong Dee, Rayver Cruz, Xian Lim, Young JV (with Pokwang) in Archie Mendiorro's Lighthouse Entertainment's "Teleserye Bida" on Saturday, March 31. And to think Sam's on vacation from Philippine Showbiz, huh.

"Dancing With The Stars" 2-time Champion Half-Filipina Cheryl Burke danced for charity last Friday in Mountain View, CA

US Pinoys for Good Governance (USP4GG) holds welcome party for visiting US Ambassador to the Philippines Harry Thomas Jr. on Saturday, February 4, 2012 at The Intramuros Restaurant in South San Francisco, CA with Charito Benipayo, Pep

R. Vasquez, Ofelia Tanaotanao Castro, Rad Abarrientos, among others.

Eunice Bejar-Lee and Gilbert Henry Lee of New Haven Home Health & Mare Island Home Health were honored by Donaldina Cameron Award for Excellence in Leadership and Service given to both of them last Saturday, Feb 18 at an invitation-only lavish dinner ceremony held at the South San Francisco Conference Center. Congratulations!

Maliah Bautista (shown here with parents Mark & Naidell Bautista & siblings Marcus & Mikaela) celebrated her 1st birthday last Saturday at her grandparents Zeny & Wendell Roth's South San Francisco residence. Belated Happy Birthday, Maliah!

CONGRATULATIONS and best wishes to Lilwyn Lucas of San Jose, CA who got engaged this weekend to Paul Dyer of Seattle, WA. They met and romance blossomed at New York Life Insurance Company where they both work for so many years now.

“UNOFFICIALLY YOURS” in LA - Feb 24

(John Lloyd Cruz & Angel Locsin to grace the film's premieres in the US)

TO-BE-SEEN IN THE CITY

It’s going to be a very busy event season starting this week as Angeline Quinto sings with Sam Milby at the Grand Sierra Resort Casino in Reno, NV on Feb 25, then Cinequest Film Festival starts from February 28 (ends March 11) in San Jose, CA (Maja Salvador accompanied by her director Paul Soriano will reportedly attend their movie collaboration “Thelma” screening), then Vina Morales & Vhong Navarro will entertain Cache Creek Casino patrons on March 9 & 10, followed by the Star Magic 20 US Tour (starring ABS-CBN’s 22 of their brightest stars led by Piolo Pascual) at the Waikiki Shell in Hawaii on March 30, and then it’s “Teleserye Bida US Tour” (Gerald Anderson, Sam Milby, Enchong Dee, Xian Lim & Rayver Cruz with Pokwang & Young JV) at the James Logan High in Union City versus “Eat Bulaga (the whole cast led by Tito, Vic & Joey) at The Cow Palace in Daly City both on March 31, talks are getting louder that ASAP 2012 is going to Los Angeles, live also on April 1st (since most of their artists are in Hawaii already by that time, why not?), then the Mayweather-Cotto fight at The MGM Grand on May 5^th. GMA Films will premiere its movie “The Road” in Hollywood on May 9 and will wide release it on May 11. Also being planned is “Will Time Big Time” (Willie Revillame & his whole cast) launching the US invasion of TV5 (btw, is International Singer/Broadway Star Lea Salonga also a “kapatid” now, having seen/heard her recently singing the Kanta Pilipinas theme song?) also sometime in May/June, followed by the Philippine Independence Day Grand Celebration that is Mabuhay Fiesta at the San Francisco Civic Center on June 8 & 9 overlapping (if plans don’t change) with the Pacquiao-Bradley boxing match at the MGM Grand on June 9^th. These are just the ones that came to this Columnist’s attention, so far. Whew!

Before all that happens, though, the ever swift and strategic The Filipino Channel (TFC), the trailblazer in quality entertainment that reaches out to Filipinos around the world, is set to bring another memorable movie experience with “Unofficially Yours” this Friday, February 24, 2012 at the Alex Theatre in Glendale, CA. Showtimes are at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.

And there’s more - John Lloyd along with Angel Locsin will get the chance to see the reaction of their fans in the U.S. as they are set to grace the premiere in California.

Produced by ABS-CBN Corporation subsidiary Star Cinema, the movie first premiered in Manila, fittingly a day after Valentine’s Day. “Unofficially Yours,” as its title connotes, breaks norms by highlighting a relationship without the benefit of commitment – a theme not commonly tackled in Philippine cinema. In a much-awaited reunion, former Imortal (the famed TFC teleserye) leads John Lloyd Cruz star as Mackie Galvez, a straight-laced dentist who believes in commitment and Angel Locsin as Princess Medina, a liberated lifestyle reporter who puts no labels to her relationships. Together they share a one-stand stand that lead into another then another and later face the pressure of "officially" getting into a relationship.

“Unofficially Yours” is indeed raking it in at the box-office in the Philippines grossing a whopping 18.5M just for its opening day, officially becoming the hottest Valentine’s Day date event!

“Ecstatic!” that’s how Star Cinema insiders describe the vibe inside their office the past couple of days. “The feeling is beyond happy! Ang saya-saya naming lahat dahil hindi lang malakas kundi ang lakas-lakas ng Unofficially Yours sa box-office since it opened last February 15 in the Philippines! Star Cinema, the lead cast John Lloyd Cruz and Angel Locsin and the box-office director, Cathy Garcia-Molina did it again! And how!

And not only that, but Unofficially Yours is guaranteed to be worth seeing! In fact, it’s a must-see, what with the Cinema Evaluation Board giving it a Rated B dahil sa ganda ng pagkakagawa at kuwento nito. Masasabi talagang walang pangit na pelikula si Direk Cathy! From all her past movies, she never disappointed all of us dahil sa husay n’yang mag-direct.

So sabi nga, even if you’re single, in a relationship (whether official or unofficial), bagets, yuppie or just a good old fan of love stories eh puwedeng-puwede mo talagang ayain ang kapamilya mo, kaibigan mo, significant other mo, katrabaho mo or barkada mo to watch Unofficially Yours! Don’t be left behind. Nood na ng official at certified box-office hit movie this love season!

To reiterate, don’t forget to watch “Unofficially Yours” starring John Lloyd Cruz & Angel Locsin (who will BOTH grace the event in person) at the US premiere at the Alex Theatre in Glendale, CA on Friday, February 24, 2012!

For ticket purchase information, visit www.abs-cbnglobalmovies.com.

SEEN IN THE CITY

Monique Lhuillier, The Designer, The Business Empire

Carla Zimbelman, Professor of "Couture Techniques" class of the Fashion Department of Monterey Peninsula College invited FilAm Business Expert, Evelyn Sineneng-Smith, to give a presentation this Thursday, Feb 23 to Ms. Zimbelman's students regarding the life and career of Monique Lhuillier, currently one of the most prominent FilAm fashion designers in the United States and globally, the other one being Josie Natori.

Ms. Sineneng-Smith will talk very briefly about Monique Lhuillier's family, and will focus more on Ms. Lhuillier's contribution to the art of "Haute Couture", specifically her bridal designs and the couture techniques she used in creating her bridal gowns.

In addition, because Ms. Sineneng-Smith will be addressing fashion students who might or will choose to enter a career in haute couture in the fashion industry, she will talk more extensively about Monique Lhuillier as a fashion designer, and "Monique Lhuillier", the business empire. She will cover the following business topics, (as of press time), as it relates to "Monique Lhuillier", the business empire: starting a career in fashion; working for a fashion house vs. going into business as an entrepreneur (Monique Lhuillier, the business); copyrights and trademarks; infrastructure of a fashion designer's business or the "army" behind Monique Lhuillier; the business form of "Monique Lhuillier"; creating and managing the fashion designer's name brand; marketing for the fashion designer in the digital age.

Briefs & Shorts

Cheryl Burke Dances for Charity

Cheryl Burke Dance Mountain View, a popular South Bay ballroom, hosted “Dance with Cheryl for Black History Month,” a gala fundraiser for the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) student scholarship program last Friday, February 17 from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. at 1400 North Shoreline Blvd. in Mountain View. Proceeds from the event will be donated to the Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO). This program encourages high academic and cultural achievements among African American high school students. An inspiring video about the program can be viewed on YouTube. The event featured Cheryl Burke, two-time champion on the hit TV show "Dancing with the Stars," and top-rated entertainers, including a superb live band for dancing in the main ballroom of the 14,000 square foot studio complex.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"In the height of my anger, I tweeted those things and now I regret it. So please allow me to fix this. First, that letter was real. But Vicki and I spoke about it already and I believe her. Vicki DID NOT have an affair with that guy. Al and I spoke already and he had apologized to me about that letter. I have forgiven him and that's finished. I am saying this as plain and as simple as I can. Vicki NEVER cheated on me. And about Nancy, it is also not true that we were dating or were having an affair. I hope that clears her name and my name as well. I hope that this ends it all. Vicki did not cheat on me. I did not cheat on Vicki. And Al and Nancy have got nothing to do w/ this. And so, finally and officially, I am quitting this twitter account and abandoning my previous plan of going back to THAT world. Thanks and bye. See you around." – by Hayden Kho, Jr. (Vicki Belo’s now EX-fiance’) retracting his previous posts that Vicki Belo was the one who cheated on him. He also bids goodbye to Twitter and showbiz. No mention, though, if he’s also quitting Facebook.

This article also appears online at www.FilAmnation.com and http://sites.google.com/site/adkinsmmcevents/Home/ with readership in 156 countries now (& still counting!) according to the latest Google Analytics report.

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