Drew Barrymore on taking chances in "Blended"

DREW BARRYMORE TAKES A CHANCE AT LOVE AGAIN IN “BLENDED”

In Warner Bros. Pictures' new comedy “Blended,” Drew Barrymore stars as single mother who, after a disastrous blind date with single dad Jim (Adam Sandler) agree on only one thing: they never want to see each other again.

But when they each sign up separately for a fabulous family vacation with their kids, they are all stuck sharing a suite at a luxurious African safari resort for a week.

“Blended” marks the third collaboration between stars Sandler and Barrymore, following their successful onscreen pairings in the hit romantic comedies “The Wedding Singer” and “50 First Dates.”

“I think Adam and I have always been in sync and really bring out the best in each other,” Barrymore says. “I love working with him. We’re constantly thinking about how to make our characters more personal and genuine and there’s a lot of care that goes into it, but at the same time we can let go and be silly and free together.”

Not surprisingly, their collaboration on “Blended” came about organically, when their hectic work and family schedules finally dovetailed into a lunch date—and, from there, a renewed excitement about working together again. Says Barrymore, “We both felt it was time; let’s get something going. And then, to Adam’s credit, he found us the perfect project—a big, fun comedy with real, touching moments.”

“Blended” not only offered the two stars the chance to recreate their magic on screen but to expand their romantic repertoire as single parents Jim and Lauren, in a scenario that many people can relate to. While struggling to make a living and raise their kids as best they can, looking for love is a more complicated proposition than it once was, involving after-school schedules, babysitters, curfews and tough questions. Priorities have shifted. No longer a matter of just finding that one special person, it’s now about finding that one special person who will also be good for your children. Very often, it’s the dreams and desires of the adults that are the last item on the list.

“Who doesn’t want to laugh and escape into something that is actually about real life, and family, and love, and the day-to-day things we all go through with our marriages and our kids,” asks Barrymore. “It’s very relevant, and there are some heartfelt, meaningful moments in this movie that will definitely touch you, but make you feel good at the same time.”

Setting the scene of Jim and Lauren’s first meeting, Sandler says, “She’s recently divorced, and my character, Jim, is widowed. They were both married a long time and they’re really not ready to date again, but their friends keep telling them they have to move on. So, somehow they get set up on this blind date and it doesn’t go well. They’re nervous. He says all the wrong things and drinks her beer, and then she ends up choking on her soup and that’s pretty much the high point of the evening.”

“They almost start to get into a rhythm several times but it goes awry each time and that’s so true to life,” adds Barrymore. “How many times have we met someone and maybe liked them, and had things in common, but just couldn’t get it right somehow. And you think, ‘Why does it keep going off the rails with this person?’”

Drew Barrymore has been a favorite of film audiences for almost three decades. She is also enjoying success behind the camera as a producer under her own Flower Films banner, which has produced such hits as “He’s Just Not That Into You,” “Never Been Kissed” and “50 First Dates,” and the actioners “Charlie’s Angels” and “Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle.” In addition to producing the “Charlie’s Angels” features, Barrymore joined Cameron Diaz and Lucy Liu to star in both films, which, together, grossed more than half a billion dollars worldwide. She is currently executive producing the Esquire Network reality series “Knife Fight,” a dynamic live cooking competition, featuring top chefs and celebrity judges, now in its second season.

Barrymore won a 2010 Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award and earned an Emmy Award nomination for her performance opposite Jessica Lange in HBO’s “Grey Gardens.”
Opening across the Philippines on June 11, “Blended” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment company.

The Brave and Fearless go for Veloci

Unveiling Veloci: A Must Watch for the Brave and Fearless

John Spainhour

The Italian-inspired Veloci watch dares you to live your life to every spirited second. You only live once, after all, and nobody knows what happens next. You owe it to yourself to fill your days with adventure, whether it’s defying gravity with skydiving or bungee jumping from thousands of feet in the air, or swimming into the depths of the sea with sharks. Time is golden, especially with Veloci, and it reminds you to have that insatiable thirst for a life well-lived.

Veloci Pulse

In the midst of all these daring adventures, it’s imperative that you do it in style. Veloci stands for the young and the fashionable, the ones who face up to their biggest fears and do it with a daredevil attitude. They’re the ones who don’t forget to look good, no matter if they are hiking up the highest cliffs, or surfing the most treacherous waves — they know that making an effort to look good also means loving yourself.

MYX VJ's Karla Aguas, Chino Lui Pio and Ai dela Cruz

It’s no wonder then, that a number of celebrities from Marc Nelson, Andrea del Rosario, Ornussa Cadness, Sanya Smith, Lifestyle Network’s hosts Walter de Mesa & Karen Pamintuan, Robby Carmona, DJs Mars Miranda, Jay from Kamikaze, Gretchen Fullido, Patty Betita, MYX VJ’s Chino, Karla & Ai, Obama Grill’s Manoy Llige and Gine-bra Team players LA Tenorio, Mac Baracael,were spotted in Boracay recently donning Veloci watches to add a splash of color into their beach outfits. They all share the phi-losophy that Veloci has in that a life lived well is a life with no regrets. “I’ve always dreamed of going skydiving,” Sanya shared, “And also a food tour around the world.” Ornussa agreed that travel was a great way to soak up some culture and adventure and said, “I’m living my adventure right now… Being a DJ allows me to travel and to work close to my best friend.”

Tom Taus

For other celebrities like Tom Taus, Mark Caguiao, and Chef Sharwin Tee, it’s all a mix of taking yourself out of your comfort zone. Tom said that he wanted to expe-rience being on a navy seal mission, while Mark listed parasailing as his greatest ad-venture yet, and that he would love to try skydiving. Chef Sharwin, on the other hand, considered it a gastronomic and professional adventure to cook Filipino food in Mos-cow.

Veloci watches, after all, are the perfect accessories to their ensembles, be it for the office, the night club, the mall, or the beach. Veloci is customizable and is meant to fit in with every aspect of their lives. Veloci comes in five collections, each with its own distinct characteristics, so you can take on your own adventures in style.

The Aeronaute is designed for the daredevils, those who have a need for speed, and believe that there is no challenge that they can’t conquer. The Voyager is for the seafarers, those who love skimming the waters and don’t mind plunging into the deep. They are the ones who sail the world to sate their thirst for wanderlust, and who want to experience every different culture that they come across.

The Cruise, meanwhile, is for those who like to sit back and enjoy the ride, for the spontaneous and the brave. They are the ones to forge on journeys without an itinerary, those who indulge themselves with a cold glass of mojito while sunbathing on a yacht deck and letting life take them where they please.

The Aeronaute, Voyager, and Cruise are characterized by their sophisticated Japanese movements, each with sleek stainless steel cases. Because Veloci is all about spontaneity, these watches also come with interchangeable Nato straps which can be switched in seconds and without tools.
Veloci also has a digital collection comprised of Pulse. Pulse is for the fashiona-ble athlete, the teammate for champions on and off the court who live to compete and win at every game. It is 100 meter water resistant, and deliver function with an alarm and stop watch. Metro, meanwhile, is a new addition to the fashion collection. It is for the nocturnal urbanite, the life of the party and the wingman for any long night out filled with bass and neon lights.

There is no shortage of Veloci watches that cater to your varying styles. So whatever you dream of doing, Veloci is right there with you as you cross off items in your bucket list.

Veloci watches are available in all LTimestudio, Asprey boutiques and SM Department Stores.

Rurouni Kenshin is back on the screen for the Manga fans

WARNER RELEASES “RUROUNI KENSHIN” SEQUELS IN PH AUG 20 & SEPT 24

Warner Bros. Pictures Philippines will roll-out a back-to-back release platform for the eagerly anticipated sequels of “Rurouni Kenshin.” This was announced today by Francis Soliven, General Manager of Warner Bros. (F.E.), Inc.

The first sequel, “Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno” will open here on Aug. 20, 2014, to be followed one month after by “Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends” on Sept. 24, 2014. (The teaser trailer for the two titles can now be viewed at http://youtu.be/MSqj9n0VqIQ.)

The release pattern will allow fans to experience the cathartic conclusion to the celebrated saga with little time in between and honors the filmmakers' wishes as to how the sequels should be viewed. The twin features will have the same opening window in Japan.

With the release of the original “Rorouni Kenshin” last year, Japanese cinema entered a new era. A commercial film combining unparalleled speed and overwhelming action in a moving human drama, it was an explosive blockbuster that was met with riotous enthusiasm by the fans.

This was the first motion picture inspired by Kenshin the Wanderer: The Romance of the Meiji Swordsman (Shueisha Jump Comics), the monumental manga comic by Nobuhiro Watsuki that has sold more than 5.8 million copies and been translated into more than 20 languages.
Directed by Keishi Ōtomo, the film told of fictional events that took place during the early Meiji period in Japan, focusing on a wanderer named Himura Kenshin (Takeru Satoh), formerly known as the assassin Hitokiri Battōsai. After participating in the Bakumatsu war, Kenshin wanders the countryside of Japan offering protection and aid to those in need as atonement for the murders he once committed as an assassin.

The filmmakers faced a serious challenge in meeting the high expectations of the manga fans, a challenge they succeeded beyond anyone’s expectations as the film arrived to a rapturous reception throughout Japan, quickly taking in more than 3 billion yen at the box office. Word-of-mouth spread quickly overseas, and “Rurouni Kenshin” was shown in 31 festivals and received distribution in 64 territories, including the Philippines.

The production team was aware from the start that the “Rurouni Kenshin” story would not be complete without a film version of the “Kyoto Arc,” the highest-rated and best-loved segment that serves as a climax to the manga series. Coincidentally, the resolution and determination with which the main character Kenshin survives through a turbulent age serve as a guidepost to the filmmakers.
And so, in answer to calls from around the world demanding “more Kenshin,” the filmmakers proudly present “Kyoto Inferno” and “The Legend Ends.”

Mash up magic at the wonderful Globe GoSURF launch

Mash-up magic at the wonderful Globe GoSURF launch. X-Factor Philippines finalist Daddy’s Home and beatbox artist DJ Myke (center) display their musical prowess at the launch of GoSURF, Globe Telecom’s newest consumable mobile internet plan that offer megabytes (MB) of data used to browse the Internet. All GoSURF plans are bundled with free access to Spotify, the world’s biggest music streaming service with over 30 million songs available for users to enjoy.

The musical ensemble showcased a mash-up of songs from different genres sung in acapella and accompanied by beatbox sounds to celebrate music and the innovation behind GoSURF, where customers get more value for their money as they only pay for the data used in surfing their favorite sites. Customers on GoSURF can enjoy free access to Spotify without worries as usage of the app will not consume allocated MBs for every GoSURF data plan.  Register by texting GoSURF to 8888 or dial *143# and choose GoSURF. To know more about GoSurf and Spotify, visit www.globe.com.ph/surf/plan/gosurf.

Get ready to have "Fun with Philip" on its new home GMA 7

After his two successful shows “It’s More Fun with Philip” and “Philip Lifestyle Guy,” from TV5.  Philip Abadicio is now ready for "Fun with Philip" at his new home GMA 7. Joining him with the show is  Jeffrey Whitney, Lucky Mercado, Madam Venus, Bryan Santos (the fitness coach hunk) and Hilda Ehrenberg or popularly known as Bru-hilda.

The 30 minutes lifestyle show will air every Saturday and Sunday from 3:00 to 3:30pm  starting on June 14, 2014. Everyone is excited for the show each and every one will have their own segment that will surely cater to the "masa".

Philip Abadicio wants to make sure that we all have fun while living our different lifestyles in his latest TV show, “Fun with Philip,” on GMA News TV. Chosen letter senders will experience the food, beauty treatments, fitness regimen, etc. that wull be featured on each episode.  More than this, contests both on-air and online via www.philipabadicio.com will give viewers more chances of enjoying the lifestyle features on the show.

He was meant to be a lifestyler. After finishing college in U.P. Diliman, Philip and his pals setup Wild Life, a clothing store catering to cool high school and college kids. They used the heartthrobs and sweethearts of the top schools and this marketing strategy gave them sales beyond their expectations. The lifestyle editor of the Manila Times took notice of Wild Life and invited Philip to be a contributor.

The initial half page that he had to fill up would eventually be extended into 2 pages with various lifestyle news—food, fashion, parties, beautiful people, travel. The job opened doors and several lifestyle experiences for Philip. “My network expanded and I realized I really loved lifestyle news and coverage,” he shares.

Philip also interacted closely with the PR’s and publicity industry. He learned how PR is done effectively and opened RPA & Communicate, a PR agency specializing in lifestyle and society clients. “In the 90s and 2000’s lifestyle was mostly for the affluent, done in English and always featuring high-end products and services,” he relates. Things have changed since then.

In the age of reality TV, lifestyle is no longer just for the rich and those who can afford it. “I’ve always maintained that lifestyle should not just be aspirational but more importantly, it should inspire people to live their lives in style, no matter what circumstance you are in,” he explains.

After 2 seasons each of “It’s More Fun with Philip” and “Philip Lifestyle Guy,” the objective of making sure lifestyle is understood and appreciated by a wider audience has been started. In the latest offering, “Fun with Philip,” the agenda to help and entertain is pushed even further.

“Fun with Philip” is a show made for lifestylers. As they say on the show, “mga Kapusong Lifestylers, we will give you the surprises for you to win the prizes!” A segment called Kwentuhang Kumot, where Philip interviews a celebrity under the sheets as he or she reveals untold secrets, will be there. Philip will also bring the occasional American tourist, Jeffrey Whitney, around the Philippines so he will be obliged to speak Filipino and try the various food, culture and lifestyles.

“The show will be a lot of fun while you learn something new and you can apply it in your lives plus, you just might win prizes too,” Philip says. “Fun with Philip” will not have a formula, so expect the unexpected.

“Fun with Philip” is produced by The Lifestylers Media, directed by Tootoots Leyesa and written by Rod Divinagracia. It will air on GMA News TV every Saturday and Sunday, from 3:00 to 3:30 p.m. starting on June 14, 2014.

Throwback Thursday for The New Shakeys Pizza 1954

Shakey’s Tasty Throwback: The New Shakey’s Pizza 1954

It was a throwback thursday afternoon on May 22, 2014 as Shakeys Katipunan launched the new Shakey's Pizza 1954 made with its new gourmet crust, finest toppings and fresh herbs. "The secret´s in the crust. Sure to shake you up from the top right to the crust!

The gourmet pizza was served piping hot, chewy soft and delicious. I finished the first slice up to the last bite with their famous and chilled Lemon Cucumber Cooler, perfect pairing add up with their Chicken and Mojo's. The launch of Shakeys Pizza 1954 was a blast from the past, it tasted like my mother's, as it was hand tossed, with delectable dough and fresh herbs to compliment the finest ingredients and toppings. It has an amazing taste that has built the brand and made Shakey's a name in creating good times and great memories.

Shakeys Marketing and Guest Engagement Director Chez P. Manalaysay (left), with host Tricia Centenera (right), entertains mediia with Shakeys Pizza 1954 trivia.

The launch was well attended by the media and guests. Some of the media who were present was garbed in the 50's ensemble. Two fellow bloggers won the coveted "Best Dressed of the Day". It was an event made special for the Shakey's lovers in mind as everyone enjoyed the Shakeys Pizza 1954 and their favorites.

“This is truly an innovation for Shakey’s since we are the first in the pizza category to offer contemporary gourmet pizza,” says Koi Castillo, Brand Manager for Shakey’s. “We will further develop this new category of Shakey’s pizza and create more iconic products for our Guests.”

With PR/Fashion blogger Kristel Ann Cruz in her cute 50s inspired dress.

Indeed, the special touches to the new Shakey’s Pizza 1954 boast both quality and exceptional flavor combinations. Fresh Rosemary and Basil leaves, juicy morsels of Italian sausage and Angus beef, slices of Pepperoni, 100% Mozzarella cheese, savory red onions, and a sprinkling of Parmesan rest atop a yummy soft gourmet dough crust of another tantalizing Shakey’s original.

A certified standout with its unique crust and hearty mix of the finest ingredients, the new Shakey’s Pizza 1954 retains the classic Shakey’s spirit while staying true to the times.

The new Shakey’s Pizza 1954 (Php. 450) is currently available in all Shakey’s restaurants, nationwide.

In celebration of the #ShakeysPizza1954, Shakey's are giving away one (1) Mini Cooper! To join, order the Pizza 1954 with pitcher or bottomless Coca-Cola product OR the Monster Meal Deal with the Pizza 1954 as pizza variant from May 11 to June 12, 2014 and get a chance to win a Mini Cooper.

The first Shakey's parlor built on April 15, 1954  (Photo taken from Valley Community Newspapers)

The first Shakey’s Pizza Parlor & Ye Public House at 5641 J St. in East Sacramento. The community has not forgotten the many memories that this eatery delivered during its more than 40 years in East Sacramento, CA. For history's sake, this Shakey's site is special, since it was built on April 15, 1954 and became the very first Shakey's parlor. The business was founded by Sherwood "Shakey" Johnson and Ed Plummer.

City of Dreams to Open in Manila This Year

CITY OF DREAMS MANILA COLLABORATES WITH DREAMWORKS ANIMATION
TO DEVELOP WORLD’S FIRST DREAMPLAY
“EDUTAINMENT” CENTER

Casino operator Melco Crown (Philippines) Resorts Corporation partners with Dreamworks Animation SKG to develop the world’s first DreamWorks-inspired “Edutainment” center at City of Dreams Manila within this year.

“DreamPlay,” an interactive play area that will feature educative and entertainment activities for children. It is being designed by DreamWorks Animation SKG -- the animation studio that created the films Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda and How to Train Your Dragon, where children can interact with animated characters set on a 2,000 to 3,000 square meter high-ceiling indoor park, is now being developed at Bagong Nayong Pilipino of Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. in Parañaque City.

Joey Mead King hosted the City of Dreams event

The $1.3-billion City of Dreams Manila is a joint venture of Melco Crown and SM Group's Belle Corp. It will have a casino, high-end restaurants, and three luxury hotels, including a 260-room Crown Towers Hotel and a two-tower, 321-room Nobu Hotel.

City of Dreams is among the four integrated resorts being developed at Bagong Nayong Pilipino of Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. in Parañaque City.

Kung Fu Panda; Shrek; and Alex the Lion from Madagascar, join executives  Mr. James Clark, Head of Retail Development and Entertainment for Asia Pacific of DreamWorks Animation

Inspired by the mantra of learning through play, “DreamPlay by DreamWorks” is a revolutionary approach to family entertainment.  Each experience is designed exclusively for City of Dreams Manila by the artistic and creative forces of DreamWorks Animation and iP2 Entertainment to combine the best elements of the DreamWorks library with the hands-on activities of an education inspired play-center to create a truly one-of-a-kind family adventure.

“DreamPlay” represents an exciting blend of integrated live and digital play spaces, featuring DreamWorks’ popular characters and creative storytelling combined with innovative educational play, appealing to children and adults alike.

Guests will immerse themselves in the world of DreamWorks Animation, interacting directly with their favorite characters through revolutionary experiences. Interactive environments, featuring the very latest digital technologies, will enable kids to engage in a wide range of thrilling activities, interacting with beloved characters from DreamWorks Animation’s world-famous franchises including Kung Fu Panda, Shrek, Madagascar and How to Train Your Dragon.

Mandaluyong Children’s Choir set the scene with a medley of hit DreamWorks’ songs at the official announcement of “DreamPlay by DreamWorks” at City of Dreams Manila.

“Melco Crown Philippines is delighted to be introducing DreamWorks to the Philippines as we
continue our strategy of delivering innovative leisure and entertainment offerings that enhance the leisure destination appeal of Manila,” explained Clarence Chung, Chairman and President, Melco Crown (Philippines) Resorts Corporation.

“Our collaboration with DreamWorks is a further illustration of our expertise in developing world-class, innovative and ground-breaking entertainment for leisure seekers both in the Philippines and internationally. The ‘DreamPlay’ concept delivers an education experience through spontaneous and sensory play that represents an industry first.”

Paul Kurzawa, Head of Retail Development & Entertainment, DreamWorks Animation said: "We are very excited to work with Mr. Lawrence Ho and Melco Crown Entertainment to build something that we believe is a truly unique way for children to experience, learn and interact with the characters and worlds of DreamWorks Animation.


“As a global entertainment brand, we continue to expand our footprint with immersive, year-round fan experiences and ‘DreamPlay’ provides a distinctive opportunity for visitors in a fun and educational setting.

“Harnessing leading digital technologies, this attraction is going to be unlike anything that currently exists and will undoubtedly become a new type of destination for families, both in the Philippines and across the rapidly growing leisure-destination markets of Asia."

In January 2014, City of Dreams Manila introduced Hollywood-celebrity trendsetting Nobu brand, marking the first Nobu Hotel in Asia. With the addition of the world’s first “DreamPlay by DreamWorks” edutainment center, City of Dreams Manila is a further step in realizing its overall vision to deliver world-class and diverse innovative lifestyle and entertainment offerings, and to support the Philippine government’s strategy to broaden the appeal of the Philippines as a leading leisure destination in Asia.





About City of Dreams Manila
City of Dreams Manila, when it opens in 2014, will mark the formal entry of Melco Crown Entertainment into the fast-growing and dynamic tourism industry in the Philippines. The new integrated casino resort at Entertainment City, Manila Bay, Manila, is being developed and will be operated by Melco Crown Philippines in alliance with SM Group’s Belle Corporation.

The dynamic and innovative resort complex, located on an approximately 6.2-hectare site at the gateway to Entertainment City, will include the ultimate in entertainment, hotel, retail and dining and lifestyle experiences with aggregated gaming space, including VIP and mass-market gaming facilities with up to approximately 365 gaming tables, 1,680 slot machines and 1,680 electronic table games upon opening.

The integrated resort will feature three distinctive entertainment venues, including Manila’s first branded Family Entertainment Center, a live performance central lounge inside the casino and a night club situated at the Fortune Egg, an architecturally-unique dome-like structure, which will be accented with creative exterior lighting design. It is expected to become an iconic landmark of the Manila Bay area.

City of Dreams Manila is destined to deliver an unparalleled entertainment and hospitality experience to the Philippines and will ultimately play a key role in strengthening the depth and diversity of Manila’s leisure, business and tourism offering, enhancing its growing position as one of Asia’s premier leisure destinations. It is being developed to specifically meet the needs of the large, rapidly growing and increasingly diverse audience of leisure and entertainment seekers both in the Philippines and those visiting Manila from across the Asia region and around the world.

About Melco Crown (Philippines) Resorts Corporation
Melco Crown (Philippines) Resorts Corporation, with its shares listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE: MCP), is a subsidiary of Melco Crown Entertainment (SEHK: 6883; NASDAQ: MPEL). It is currently developing City of Dreams Manila, a casino, hotel, retail and entertainment integrated resort in Manila, which is expected to open in 2014 and have six hotel towers, including the Crown Towers hotel, Nobu Hotel and a hotel managed by the Hyatt Group, numerous specialty restaurants and bars, gaming facilities, a multi-level car park, as well as three separate entertainment venues.. For more information about Melco Crown Philippines, please visit www.melco-crown-philippines.com.

About Melco Crown Entertainment Limited
Melco Crown Entertainment, with its shares listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the “Hong Kong Stock Exchange”) (SEHK: 6883) and its American depositary shares listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market (NASDAQ: MPEL), is a developer, owner and operator of casino gaming and entertainment  resort facilities in Asia. Melco Crown Entertainment currently operates Altira Macau (www.altiramacau.com), a casino hotel located at Taipa, Macau and City of Dreams (www.cityofdreamsmacau.com), an integrated urban casino resort located in Cotai, Macau. Melco Crown Entertainment’s business also includes the Mocha Clubs (www.mochaclubs.com), which comprise the largest non-casino based operations of electronic gaming machines in Macau. The Company is also developing the planned Studio City Project, a cinematically-themed integrated entertainment, retail and gaming resort in Cotai, Macau. In the Philippines, Melco Crown (Philippines) Resorts Corporation’s subsidiary, MCE Leisure (Philippines) Corporation, has been cooperating with SM Group’s Belle Corporation to develop and operate City of Dreams Manila, a casino, hotel, retail and entertainment integrated resort in the Entertainment City complex in Manila. For more information about Melco Crown Entertainment, please visit www.melco-crown.com.

Melco Crown Entertainment has strong support from both of its major shareholders, Melco International Development Limited ("Melco") and Crown Resorts Limited ("Crown"). Melco is a listed company on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and is substantially owned and led by Mr. Lawrence Ho, who is Co-Chairman, an Executive Director and the CEO of Melco Crown Entertainment. Crown is a top-50 company listed on the Australian Securities Exchange and led by Executive Chairman Mr. James Packer, who is also Co-Chairman and a Non-executive Director of Melco Crown Entertainment.

About DreamWorks Animation
DreamWorks Animation creates high-quality entertainment, including CG animated feature films, television specials and series and live entertainment properties, meant for audiences around the world. The Company has world-class creative talent, a strong and experienced management team and advanced filmmaking technology and techniques. DreamWorks Animation has been named one of the "100 Best Companies to Work For" by FORTUNE® Magazine for five consecutive years. In 2013, DreamWorks Animation ranks #12 on the list. All of DreamWorks Animation's feature films are produced in 3D. The Company has theatrically released a total of 28 animated feature films, including the franchise properties of Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda, How to Train Your Dragon, Puss In Boots and The Croods.

Dell introduces New Inspiron 14 3000 and 5000 series

New Dell Inspiron Laptops Bring Compelling Features, a Variety of Options to Students and Families

 Dell introduced the latest Inspiron 14 3000 Series laptops and Inspiron 14 and 15 5000 Series laptops to media on May 22, 2014 at Edsa Shangrila, Ortigas.  The new laptops are designed with power and comfort features aimed at helping users do more through every phase of their lives. Powerful processors, high capacity hard drives, and responsive 10-finger touch displays up to Full HD resolution are some of the options designed to meet the needs of consumers’ diverse lifestyles. New features that make life easier include 20GB of Dropbox cloud storage for sharing, saving and collaborating, and facial recognition software to make using password-enabled web sites safer. All of these products seamlessly fit into your life on your terms.

“Students and parents alike want technology that helps them to be successful in their personal and educational pursuits,” said Charlz Adano, Marketing Manager, Dell Consumer Group. “Our new Inspiron laptops are a smart investment for families, providing the latest technology for productivity and entertainment in thin, space-saving designs.”  "The latest computing machines of the company have been designed with powerful processors, high-capacity hard drives and responsive 10-finger touch displays up to full high definition (HD) resolution. These are some of the options designed to meet the needs of consumers’ diverse lifestyles." Adano added.

Further, Adano said Dell added new features such as the 20GB of Dropbox cloud storage for sharing, saving and collaborating, and facial recognition software to make using password-enabled web sites safer.

He said the new Inspiron 14 3000 are loaded with lots of hardware configurations to enable consumers to select the model best suited to their needs. With built-in DVD drives, up to 1TB of storage and optional touch panels, the Inspiron 3000 Series laptops are backed by long-lasting battery.

Dell Inspiron 3000 Series: Big Entertainment with Bold Features
Providing a complete range of essential features at unbeatable value, the new Inspiron 14 3000 Series feature a variety of hardware configurations so that consumers will always be able to select the model best suited to their needs. With built-in DVD drives, up to 1TB of storage and optional touch panels, the Inspiron 3000 Series laptops are backed by long-lasting battery , that is not finished until you are. Like all Dell products, the Inspiron 14 3000 Series laptops are carefully designed and rigorously tested for the real world, where life happens, for full assurance that they will survive as a consumer’s capable copilot.

Dell Inspiron 5000 Series: Stylish and Sharp Computing
The new Inspiron 14 and 15 5000 Series laptops are packed with convenient features, and are ideal for a day spent roaming across campus or sharing screen time among family members. Families will enjoy a versatile mobile computing experience enhanced by high-end options like a backlit keyboard and Full HD touch display (15-inch laptops only). The brilliant display is showcased within an attractive, brushed aluminum lid, and the 10-finger capacitive touch option makes it easy to scroll, zoom, and tap through documents or social media status updates. The laptops are powered by 4th Generation Intel Core i processors that help extend battery life, up to 8 hours, 9 minutes for the Inspiron 14 5000  and up to 7 hours, 33 minutes for the Inspiron 15 5000 . Since immersive entertainment is a welcome break after a diligent work or study session, the laptops come standard with Waves MaxxAudio for a rich audio experience. The inclusion of 20GB of cloud storage with Dropbox allows people to easily access important files across multiple devices, anytime, anywhere, ensuring that no document is ever left behind.


Availability and Pricing
The new Dell Inspiron systems are available today at retail stores at the following starting prices:
• Inspiron 14 3000 Series: Starts from P18,590
• Inspiron 14 5000 Series: Starts from P38,990
• Inspiron 15 5000 Series: Starts from P40,990

Links
Inspiron Laptops & Ultrabooks on Dell.com
Inspiron Desktops on Dell.com

About Dell 
Dell Inc. listens to customers and delivers innovative technology and services that give them the power to do more. For more information, visit www.dell.com.

Dell and Inspiron are trademarks of Dell Inc. Dell disclaims any proprietary interest in the marks and names of others.

Goldilocks captured the filipino taste with their "merienda" meals

Timeless Merienda Classics

Goldilocks does not only serve premium cakes and pinoy meals. You can now go to your nearest Goldilocks foodshop for your merienda at an affordable yet tastiest with a free drink to begin with.

There comes a point in the day when Pinoys start to feel hunger creeping up in their stomachs, usually in the middle of work or other activities. Given this, one word automatically comes to mind: “merienda”.

An ideal merienda, however, should be tasty, filling, and yet affordable. Goldilocks, the country’s number one bakeshop, has been offering merienda meals that have perfectly captured the Filipino taste for generations. There are classic homegrown dishes such as palabok, sotanghon, or fresh lumpia, which will surely bring back childhood memories. More recent additions include spaghetti and baked macaroni, which are perfect for more hearty appetites.

The best part of these timeless merienda classics is that they cost between P75 to P90, with a free softdrink. So head on over to any Goldilocks Foodshop branch or dial 888-1-999 for Goldilocks Delivery to refuel your day! []

Freeway Gives Tribute to National Artist Bienvenido Lumbera

Freeway x Lumbera Collection

National Artist Bienvenido Lumbera

Freeway celebrates its 11th tribute by featuring the National Artist for Literature, Mr. Bienvenido Lumbera. The poet who introduced a new aesthetic to traditional Tagalog literature, turned dramatist then professor to top universities gives way to Freeway’s Filipino National Artist Collectors Series for 2014 featuring one of his recognized composition, The Yaya’s Lullaby. The event was held in  Glorietta 1 at The Row, on May 20, 2014 in time for the launch of 10 piece fashion collection composed of vibrant floral mosaic prints matching Lumbera's literary aesthetic. Rich colored prints on halter sleeveless tops, shirts, and dresses in flowy cuts is now available this merry month of May.

The area was very festive with guests and the media.  Tessa Prieto Valdez who was wearing a haltered Lumbera mosaic collection hosted and entertained media. Guests were treated to a lovely song number performed by an up-and-coming artist, Lirah Bermudez where she rendered a couple of Carpenter songs- a personal request of Lumbera’s family. To cap the musical event of the night,  award winning rapper Gloc-9  performed Upuan and Sirena, Tatay Bien’s favorite rap songs to a huge crowd of fans gathering in the hallways.

Lirah Bermudez

Tessa Prieto Valdez hosted the Freeway tribute

Celebrating today’s openness to freedom of expression is a timely tribute to one of the brave souls who embraced the art of expression since Martial Law. We are talking about the multi-hyphenate, renowned National Artist for Literature, Bienvenido Lumbera, one of our few remaining living treasured National Artists.

Gloc-9 entertained the audience

After the musical treat, the audience was treated to candid stories from the panel of Special Guests: Vim Nadera, Director of Philippine High School for the Arts who gave his professional views on art and literature, Gloc 9 who shared his fondness for Tatay Bien and of course, the man of the hour, Bienvenido Lumbera himself who shared with us a hearty and enlightening look at his life and works.

Get ready to wear another Literature x Fashion comeback highlighting BienvenidoLumbera’s emotional piece translated into visually attractive silhouettes.
Thanks to Janilyn (www.facebook.com/Janylinshoes) for the footwear.
For more information, visit freewayonline.com.ph or visit our Facebook page facebook.com/FreewayOnline. You can also follow us on Twitter and Instagram @FreewayOnline.  Shop Online with us, it's easy and reliable!

The unveiling of the much-anticipated Fall Collection for 2014 was a sight to see.. Freeway awed the audience by showcasing a wide array of tops and dresses with vibrant mosaic prints matching Lumbera’s literary aesthetic, and also gave the audience the gift of knowledge and pride to take home!

In line with the artistic and nationalistic theme of the event, the night was capped off with the presentation of the winners of the recently held Art Bag Design Contest. Their winning designs, Batok by Elito Job Mirasol and Tanglaw by Felicidad Plata, are now available in Freeway Stores nationwide.

It was a night to remember, filled with funny anecdotes, warm memories and educational insights, all in the spirit of celebrating Filipino Culture and Talent.

For more information, visit freewayonline.com.ph or visit our Facebook page facebook.com/FreewayOnline. You can also follow us on Twitter and Instagram @FreewayOnline.  Shop Online with us, it's easy and reliable!

Academy Award Winner Stromberg Directs "Maleficent"

OSCAR-WINNER ROBERT STROMBERG DIRECTS “MALEFICENT”

Robert Stromberg, who won Oscars for production design for both “Avatar”and “Alice in Wonderland,” steps up to the plate to direct his first feature film, Disney’s “Maleficent.” About taking on the large-scale project, Stromberg says, “I think as an artist you’re always looking for the biggest canvas you can find and it was yet another big canvas to conquer. I thought it was intriguing and fascinating to take on something that was bigger than something I had already done; it was a challenge.”

Stromberg was excited about taking on directorial duties and creating a vision for the film. He says, “Luckily for me, there are a few big projects in the rearview mirror, so I was actually more excited than nervous about any of this, including working with Angelina Jolie. I’m the luckiest guy in the world to have the opportunity to do a project of this size, so why not take that and make the most beautiful thing that I can make out of it that the world might respond to in a new and exciting way?”

Stromberg feels that “Maleficent” gives audiences “an opportunity to find out the history of Maleficent and find out where she came from and what pushed her to the point where we all know her to be. So we get to not only see her when she was a child, but what she went through that drove her to the dark side.”

Director Stromberg and screenwriter Linda Woolverton were in agreement that they wanted to start off the story seeing Maleficent as a young child. “We actually get close to her right off the bat in the beginning of the film, and then we see how she meets Stefan,” says Stromberg. “Stefan and young Maleficent form a bond together early on in the film and so we get to see how that tragically widens over the film as they split and how they, over time, become enemies.”

With Angelina Jolie cast as Maleficent, Stromberg could not be happier. “Angelina Jolie is obviously perfect for the role,” comments Stromberg. “It’s the perfect marriage of actress and role in my opinion in a long time, and I think that ‘Maleficent’ will take us to a place where the audience will have fun seeing where she came from. There’s a lot of dark and a lot of light and there’s even humor in this film. There’s a little bit of something for everybody.”

Everyone familiar with Disney’s classic “Sleeping Beauty” knows what the animated Maleficent looked like, so getting the look right for the live-action film was important to both Stromberg and Angelina Jolie. “Angelina was really passionate about not only who the character was, but what the character looked like,” says Stromberg. “We worked together to come up with a character that wasn’t that stereotype image but was close enough that people would immediately know her to be Maleficent. We see Maleficent through different stages in her life and several types of looks up to the point where we see her as the iconic image that we all know.”

Stromberg set out to bring his vision and the magic touch of his designs to “Maleficent” and relates how he approached the task, saying, “The other projects that I've done have a certain look to them and what I wanted to do on this film is not only have an element of fantasy and a surreal quality, but also make ‘Maleficent’ a bit more grounded in reality. In my other films, I’ve always taken the surreal elements and made them the strongest points and in ‘Maleficent’ we’ve started with real and are augmenting after the fact. It’s a new look.”

Research for the look of the film involved looking at a lot of reference materials. “In this case, I looked at a lot of classic paintings done by artists in the 17th century and 18th century, like The Hudson River School artists who just went out and painted landscapes that they heightened a bit,” says Stromberg. “So that became interesting to me, to create this classic look that has mostly realism in it and see where we could push that. It’s actually turned out to be something that’s quite elegant and beautiful but yet you get the sense that there’s fantasy involved.”

It was also important to Stromberg as a director to have enough of the elements of the 1959 animated “Sleeping Beauty” so that people will not be disappointed. “It was important that those people who recognize and are fans of the original classic film feel that they can not only see it realized in a new light but also see the genesis of some of those things that they saw in the original film,”explains Stromberg. “So it’s a new spin on Maleficent but at the same time we’ve woven in enough elements that people will immediately recognize it to be from the original film Sleeping Beauty.”

On completing his first directing job, Stromberg remarks, “I personally had a great time working with the actors, just opening up a new door for myself in communication and how that relates to the timing of other things and how art crosses over into the performances. For the first time, I’ve seen all the colors on the palette and that makes me really happy.”

Robert Stromberg hopes “that people who see this film will be not only thoroughly entertained but also feel that they have been immersed in a world and in a story that they wanted to stay in.”
Opening across the Philippines on May 28 in 3D, 2D and IMAX 3D, “Maleficent”is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International through Columbia Pictures.