This evening was nice, more so to see the ensemble cast of Ngayon at Kailanman the new soap starring Joshua Garcia and Julia Baretto. The two have been making waves in recent blockbuster movies, more so with their previous shows and this exciting drama - and love story.
Today was the first day to forever, they had us enjoy the pilot episode this evening with the cast and their fans, plus a glimpse of who their characters were. They set the mood straight and told us the reason why they ended up fatherless, and how their lives got in great danger.
Now more characters start to unfold, but the thing we noticed earlier is how intense each one of them presented themselves especially Iza Calzado, the kids and Mercedes Cabral in the first few gaps. This involved murder, death and lies told for years just to save the young Julia Baretto in the series.
I asked them earlier about having this ended early so they can market this in other countries but they would rather do it for years just like the successful shows Jericho Rosales and Kristine Hermosa starrer years back that got the nod and dubbed in other countries, the same fate definitely wouldn't be bad.
Make sure you watch this show on ABSCBN's primetime slot. It's got more up it's sleeve and we couldn't wait to see more of Julia Baretto and Joshua Garcia on screen. This chemistry must be tested on daily TV.
Had lunch with the people who organised the World Natural Bodybuilding Federation of the Philippines. They did this small luncheon to promote bodybuilding as a sport in the country. I have attended about two of these recently (other competitions) and have seen how remarkably improved our athletes have become. It is true that they spent blood sweat and tears in order to be in their best shape but I guess WNBF Philippines will be making this a whole lot different, a whole lot stricter.
The organization is affiliated with the WNBF which has been around for 30 years and now has about 24 countries competing. They are still growing and to get in alone is a task - because they do polygraph and urine tests as a form of seeing who’s getting illegal substances in their system. The federation also bans athletes who fail these tests for 7 years, so don’t even think about it!
Chris Byrne VP of WNBF Philippines says “People can go to our website and register at wnbfph.com , requirements only include membership in the federation and be an adult (18 and above) and we are expecting around 50 competitors and it depends on how this would run. We would have stricter regulations than the olympics and it levels the playing ground. A lot of people are using illegal substances, this won’t shun them but we really want a platform for those who does it naturally. We will have judges from INB Canada coming in to do this in October. Last June was a test and we plan to do 5-6 competitions a year. It doesn’t much have cash prizes but we have a collectors item medal to give out. We will also be accepting sponsors as long as it’s natural, organic, as we plan to do this in other parts of the country. This is more of a sports competition, after they get the medals the athletes stayed anyway. We’re confident that it will be in Johnny B. Good formerly Hard Rock Cafe Makati, this will be called WNBFPH3 which will be done on the date we mentioned. You can also go to our social media channels and we can get them aboard.”
Last June they held one of these competitions in Johnny B. Good (a local restaurant in Glorietta 3, Makati City) and some athletes from Taiwan, China, Korea, Mongolia and our very own country joined in. They will be doing the same this coming October 27, 2018 so if you’re ready to show your sculptured physique, sign up for it now. There will be international competitors, judges and organisations again in this leg so make sure you represent Philippines well if you plan to join.
Took some time out to talk to the finalists of THE CLASH a few days ago, some really good singers I must say. I mean they wouldn’t be in the finals if that wasn’t the case right? I was a little nervous doing this interview because apart from just watching the show, I don’t know much of them on a personal level. In a way it was hard for me to ask them because I didn’t know more about them, so I did the best thing of doing this from a fans point of view. I asked them about their beginnings, things they were doing before they auditioned for the show... and some about their personal life so I’d get to know them even for the few minutes we had the chance to interview these guys and gals. It went without to say, a very happy chat with them instead of a nervous wreck I anticipated. I felt that they were just ordinary people like you and me, just a little more special because of the biological setup of their pipes, which has taken them places literally.
Most of these guys hailed from small towns in Visayas and Mindanao, of which only a handful of them coming from Valenzuela and nearby cities. Most of them are amateur singers who frequent Barangay Fiestas and join shows to win things to put food on the table, while others are first timers who just one day said “I’m going to try this out!” to see where this takes them. I remember one of them also saying he didn’t even join contests outside school, which I felt humanized this competition to ultimately get their stars to shine, on a national stage. Some are OFW’s finding a silver lining, earning for their family and thinking about their survival.
Clad in their gowns, suits, hair rollers, little to no makeup before the show, these men and women of The Clash taught me something, that it doesn’t have to be all complicated. There are hindrances that life may present to you, but a dream is a dream. Let no one tell you that you don’t deserve this shot -and GMA has given them the platform to make their dreams into reality. With the show almost ending, I’ve seen standouts and worthy adversaries for the last showdown, but I’m keeping my cards private. They all deserve to win but only one will be chosen, this will be a hard predicament, a hard choice, but the judges have to do ther jobs. Do not hate them if your bets don’t win, it’s a vicious cycle, but they have to do it.
We had the courage to ask them about their crushes on the show, this is fun!
Congratulations to whoever is going to win! Thank you for being so nice and candid during our short interview.
Kris Bernal has been wearing different hats since I have known her. Aside from being an actress, singer, dancer, business woman, here she goes again delving into a restaurant in Dapitan Street, Manila called HOUSE OF GOGI. That sounds like a fashion house but do know this stems from the Bulgogi which is a Korean beef dish that she fancies, we tried it out for ourselves a few days ago to know what it was all about.
The concept is simple, if it's lunch time you pay 399, if it's dinner you pay 488. What do you get for that amount you say? You get A LOT!
The Banchan (customary side dishes) consists of Fish Cake, Corn and Cheese, Potatoes, Korean Pancake and dried anchovies. They also refill at will so if you are a buffet Olympian like me, skip breakfast and bring your appetite to lunch with your friends and family.
The meats? It's what they are known for. GOGI goodness comes in Beef Samgyupsal, Beef Bulgogi and Kimchi Beef varieties. Pork also comes in Pork Samgyupsal, Pork Bulgogi and Spicy Pork viands. I went for the Beef Samgyupsal and had it with fresh greens which they serve with a table top one burner stove. Lay all the meats on the grill and wait for your cheese to melt (takes a few minutes) and all this comes with the price you paid for lunch. I asked how she was able to keep the prices of lunch and dinner so low, Kris shares because she gets them straight from the source. She tells us the supplier is the family of her non showbiz boyfriend which she has known for quite a while now. Remember MEAT KRIS? All the patties she used from that burger business came from that same supplier. She closed down shop because she felt that was all a testing ground before she decided to open a full blown restaurant - hence House of Gogi.
The meat becomes doubly good with their sauces, the gochujang was exceptionally good, kudos whoever made that because it has a little sweetness and not just super spicy.
The kimchi wasn't too strong, a little on the less spicy side but you can fix that with the gochujang. Your grilled pork will have even more love if you get melted cheese with it, not the cheddar type but real Mozzarella. You can ask for refills if you need to. This is so good!
Things like Beef Bulgogi and this steamed egg dish makes this place even better. Oh and did I forget to mention that they serve unlimited BIBIMBAP instead of the usual rice? Now how can you not try this place no?
The place is also instagrammable if there is such a term, so make sure you bring your phone cameras so you can share the experience.
After a good meal, we asked Kris Bernal a few questions about her upcoming show and a few details of who's going to be in it. She will be opposite Thea Tolentino on another ground breaking drama which GMA is known for.
Additionally we also learned she's planning to put up her own brand of lipstick, which dumbfounded me because everyone thought she was just quiet and doing nothing apart from her show, but NO. She's doing businesses left and right, some real estate investments, several shows and movies in the pipeline, even got a brand launched very soon.
Kris Bernal wants you to also experience House of Gogi for yourselves so head on to #55 Dapitan Street in Manila or just search House of Gogi in WAZE or Google Maps. It's this food park that has a car wash shop in the center. Just go up the small flight of stairs in the center and enter House of Gogi. Kris and her partners usually are there to say hi while you dine.
Congratulations Kris! Can't wait to see your other branches and other restaurants soon!
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