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My kind of carnival
By Lenn Almadin-Thornhill Not THAT Carnival. This one had thousands jumping up and down the streets not jumping off a ship. There’s nothing like it anywhere else in the world — a week-long celebration which takes a year to organize. Carnival in the islands of Trinidad and Tobago, on the southernmost part of the Caribbean […]
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‘Sisterakas’ screens in New Jersey Feb 1 to 7
“Sisterakas,” the top grossing film in the recent Metro Manila Film Festival, will screen in American theaters from February 1st. Three of the theaters are in New Jersey. The movie, jointly produced by ABS-CBN Star Cinema and Viva Films, is described as an “outlandish comedy.” It stars Philippines’ Queen of All Media Kris Aquino and […]
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18 songs, only one Lea Salonga
By Elton Lugay For the umpteenth time, I found myself craning my neck and applauding vigorously as I watched my all-time favorite Filipino singer, Lea Salonga. I promised my editor this would be my fourth and last review, but I did not sign it in blood so there is no record of my pledge being […]
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Joe Bataan: Playing catch-up with his Filipino roots
By Cristina DC Pastor He strode into the room trailed by his family, all the way down to his granddaughter. The venerable Joe Bataan, the much-touted King of Latin Soul, was impeccably dressed like he was going to church: gray linen suit over black turtle neck, a gold crucifix chain dangling from his neck. “I’m […]
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Beyond ‘Lincoln,’ the little-known John Hay
By Nestor Palugod Enriquez The youngest character in the film “Lincoln” belongs to John Hay. The young White House intern was Lincoln’s personal secretary from 1861 to 1865. He carried the copy of the famous Gettysburg Address and was present when Lincoln was assassinated at the Ford Theatre in 1865. He was possibly a witness […]
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Boss lady at the Blakely
By Elton Lugay When superstorm Sandy battered the New York region in October, Charice Pempengco found herself stranded at The Blakely Hotel on West 55th. Managing director of sales and marketing Theresa Gonzales made sure the “Glee” singer-actress felt at home and comfortable while waiting for her canceled flight to Los Angeles to resume. Theresa […]
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Janine Tugonon: ‘Filipinos take pageants seriously’
By Elton Lugay To many Filipino pageant watchers, Miss Philippines Janine Tugonon was the complete package: Beauty, grace and smarts. She was – but, of course — the Filipino favorite from the beginning. And when she answered her final interview, many had thought she nailed it. But she ended up placing second to Miss United […]
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Fans jam Meatpacking District for free Darren Criss concert
Hundreds of Darren Criss fans — me included — didn’t mind soaking wet in the cold rain on December 9 as the “Glee” star serenaded the Meatpacking District with holiday classics. The FilAm singer-actor helped launch the eBay Toy Box with Christmas classics at a free outdoor concert on Hudson at 14th Street. He brought […]
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200 high kicks per show for Rockette Christine Sienicki
By Cristina DC Pastor When Christine Sienicki was a little girl, she watched a friend perform as a young boy at the Rockettes’ Easter Show at Radio City Music Hall. A dance student at the time, she was mesmerized by the Rockettes’ synchronized movements, the variety of techniques not to mention the radiant costumes. “I […]