Visit Gerry's Restaurant at SM Sta. Mesa

Gerry's with its popular filipino dishes is now open to serve you at SM Sta. Mesa. Gerry's recently unveiled its newest restaurant branch at SM Sta. Mesa  to the public last November 11.
Residents of Sta. Mesa, no longer need to go far to enjoy delicious Filipino favorites with the opening of  this well-loved restaurant.

Bulalo crispy pata

Located at the second floor of the famous mall, Gerry’s presents diners with their best selling dishes such as Pork sisig, Crispy Pata, Bulalo, Kare Kare, Grilled Squid, and many others, as well as their new  desserts, the fruit medley and Toasted ice cream.

I love how this fruit platter medley tastes with ice cream and mango slices, it compliments everything. This is my new favorite dessert from Gerry's.

The rebranded Gerry’s which has dropped ‘Grill’ from its name is among the flagship brand’s new outlets scheduled to open within the Christmas season.

Gerry’s Restaurant and Bar is scheduled to open two more branches before end of the year: Antipolo and Las Pinas. It hopes to close the year with 70 branches worldwide, among them two in the US and Singapore and one in Qatar.



Gerry’s recently reopened its renovated branch at the ground level of Ali Mall at the Araneta Center in Quezon City.

The branch is the second reopened outlet after Tacloban which resumed operations in June seven months after typhoon Yolanda struck Eastern Visayas.

Gerry’s Restaurant and Bar’s aggressive expansion opened new outlets which include SM Malolos in Bulacan, Ayala Terraces Fairview, Naga, Iligan, Cauayan in Isabela, Tugegarao, and Fisher Mall along Quezon Avenue in Quezon City.

Meanwhile, Kusinang Gerry’s, a fast-casual/do-it-yourself restaurant is also set to open in Talisay, Cebu within the month.

Last June, Gerry’s Group of Companies launched Sweet Chili, located at the third level of Fisher Mall; the third brand under the Gerry’s Group of Companies.

Lets celebrate Thanksgiving at Oakwood's Oakroom

We all have something to be thankful for and what best way to celebrate Thanksgiving with your loved ones than with a memorable feast at Oakroom.turkey dinner

Gather together in gratitude on November 27, from 6:00 to 11:00pm, and indulge in a hefty four-course dinner highlighted by a traditional roasted turkey complete with sage and sausage stuffing, braised brussel sprouts, whipped potato, cranberry-orange compote and giblet gravy. The sumptuous spread to look forward to, complimented with a glass of red or white wine, is specially created by Oakroom’s executive Chef Jerome Cartailler and priced at only Php 1, 400 nett per person.

The Oakroom is located at the 6th floor of Oakwood Premier Joy~Nostalg Center Manila along ADB Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig. For reservations, please call 637.7888 or email premiermanila@oakwoodasia.com.

The Look of Style Awards 2014 reinvents Maria Clara

The 2014 LOOK of Style Awards was held last Nov. 12 at Buddha-Bar Makati.  A runway show was presented for the apparel category which features creation of Xioti Chiu, Bengt Enrique, Jinggo Inoncillo, Exur Lopena, Daryl Maat, Viña Romero, RJ Santos, Ron Santos, Eugene Tidalgo and Mike Yapching.

Accessories category finalists are Meme Dakay, Shiela Damalerio, Louie dela Cruz, Christopher Gomez, Nere Ku and Em Mariano.

In the novel Noli me Tangere, Jose Rizal described María Clara as the most beautiful and widely celebrated lady in the town of San Diego. She was the epitome of virtue, “demure and self-effacing” and endowed with beauty, grace and charm, and promoted by Rizal as the “ideal image”of a Filipino woman who deserves to be placed on the “pedestal of male honour.”

Its been more than a hundred years,  yet a lot still regard Maria Clara as the true standard of a real Filipino woman.

But how would she look,  and more importantly what should she be wearing in this modern era?

This was the challenged posed to the finalists of the 2014 LOOK of Style Awards.  Each finalist in the apparel and accessories categories were tasked to create pieces inspired by “Maria Clara.”

Wearable clothes, bags, shoes and jewelry, which utilize local and sustainable materials and techniques and reflect the new generation’s take on the Philippines’ national attire, were presented before a panel of designers, British Council officers, and LOOK Magazine editors during a prejudging.

As in previous LOOK of Style Awards, scholarships in short courses in the UK will be awarded the winners in the apparel and accessories categories.

A chance to showcase one’s creations in a London show also awaits this year’s big winners.

One of the finalists in the accessories category will also be awarded a scholarship by Amina Aranaz-Alunan in the School of Fashion and the Arts (SoFA).

The LOOK of Style Awards 2014 is supported by Hana Shampoo, Champion Infinity, SM Accessories and London College of Contemporary Arts, with Fashion is Great, Uber, Max Factor, Z Salon, Coca-Cola and Victoria Visual.

For more information on the 2014 LOOK of Style Awards, visit www.facebook.com/lookmagazineph and www.facebook.com/BritishCouncilPhilippines, and follow @lookmagazineph on Instagram and Twitter. Follow LOOK of Style Awards on Instagram using the hashtag #LOSA2014.

Set sail to fun this Christmas as SM City Sucat celebrates a YO HO holiday!

SM City Sucat celebrates a Yo Ho Holiday starting November 9.  The unveiling of the christmas season's Yo Ho Holiday was hosted by Chino Lui Pio and attended by celebrities Danica Sotto-Pingris, Christine Jacobs,  Beauty blogger Verniece Enciso and Santa Claus! Santa joined the fun as he  gamely posed with the celebrities, bloggers and mall-goers.

The Christmas season is about to get more exciting as SM City Sucat invites kids and their families to Celebrate a Yo Ho Holiday. The merrymaking began on November 9, at 6 p.m.  Mall-goers came in their best nautical and pirate-inspired costumes to revel in the festivities and score awesome surprises.

Families can sail to an awesome adventure aboard the giant pirate ship at SM City Sucat’s Atrium B and capture the fun in dozens of photos with a beautiful snowy mountain as their backdrop.  They can also take greeting-card worthy photos with the majestic 30-foot Christmas tree decked in twinkling lights and baubles of different colors.

Even Santa Claus himself is joining in on the fun, ready to meet and greet his fans, both young and young-at-heart.

Katniss is back for "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay –Part 1"

“THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY – PART 1”
ACADEMY AWARD-WINNER JENNIFER LAWRENCE SETS THE WORLD ON FIRE ANEW ON NOVEMBER 20

Jennifer Lawrence’s Katniss is set to set the world anew on fire as she stands to lead their people in the highly-anticipated third installment of the blockbuster phenomenon that blazed across movie screens around the globe, “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay –Part 1.”

The movie finds Katniss Everdeen (Lawrence) in District 13 after she literally shatters the games forever. Under the leadership of President Coin (Julianne Moore) and the advice of her trusted friends, Katniss spreads her wings as she fights to save Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) and a nation moved by her courage. “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1” is directed by Francis Lawrence from a screenplay by Peter Craig and Danny Strong, from an adaptation by Suzanne Collins and produced by Nina Jacobson's Color Force in tandem with producer Jon Kilik. The novel on which the film is based is the third in a trilogy written by Suzanne Collins that has over 65 million copies in print in the U.S. alone.

The story now accelerates to new, exhilarating levels as the futuristic chronicle of Katniss Everdeen enters into a new realm. The Games may have been obliterated for good, but the fight to survive is about to intensify. Faced with the most daunting odds - and watched by the eyes of a hopeful nation - Katniss must put into motion courage, strength and empowerment against the all-powerful Capitol. This is the moment when she realizes she has no choice but to open her wings and fully embody the Mockingjay symbol. If only to save Peeta, she must become a leader.

The story begins again as Katniss has just been rescued from the destruction of the Quarter Quell. She awakens in a shocking world she didn’t even know existed: the deep, dark underground of supposedly annihilated District 13. She quickly learns of the devastating reality she must face: District 12 has been turned to rubble; and Peeta is being held, manipulated and brainwashed by President Snow in The Capitol. At the same time, Katniss’s eyes are opened to a secret rebellion rapidly spreading from District 13 throughout all of Panem – a rebellion that will place her at the center of a daring plot to hack into The Capitol and turn the tables on President Snow.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 dives further into the fabric of Panem and into the story’s most powerful emotions as Katniss and the nation enter a harrowing but transformative time. Explains returning director Francis Lawrence: “Emotionally, Katniss is like a foreigner in a strange land as this story begins. This is the time when she realizes she can’t stand by and do nothing. There has been too much deception and the people Katniss loves are in danger. She will do whatever it takes to keep them safe.”

The director continues: “The stakes have always been high in The Hunger Games but now the entire world opens up. The Games themselves are gone, but threat of oppression now permeates all of Panem. This chapter gave us a chance to reveal entirely new locations with amazing action sequences. It’s a gigantic movie.”

In her third and most poignant turn as Katniss, Academy Award winner Jennifer Lawrence relished the chance to portray the character at this heightened juncture as she emerges from distress to take her first steps into leadership. “I was excited for Katniss to come into her own as a leader, but she’s still a very reluctant hero,” Lawrence observes. “In the first movie she wanted to save her family. In the second, she tried to save her friends and herself. Now, she starts to realize the impact she has on the wider world and that she has a choice to lead this battle for what is right.”


 That choice does not come easily for Katniss, who recoils at nearly every element of her new life: the militaristic order of District 13, the pressure to perform on cue, and the heart-wrenching reality of war. Katniss remains hopeful that becoming the Mockingjay might truly change things. “As an actor, the challenge was having Katniss wake up in a brand new environment, where she has to rebuild herself from nothing. Katniss has not only left behind her old life as a District 12 victor, she has entered a world unlike any other. Says Lawrence: “She has to get used to a new way of life in District 13. Everything is deeply unfamiliar and it’s all underground, so she can’t even go outside or hunt.”

Lawrence continues about approaching Katniss: “She felt almost like an entirely different character because she is so stripped down and feeling so empty. It’s something that truly does happen to people after 4 traumatic events like she’s been through. Katniss still has the same core, but she’s in a completely different place inside and out.”

Join the revolution when “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay –Part 1” opens November 20 in theatres across the nation (Phils.) – from Pioneer Films.

Globe powers customers with Globe Prepaid's GoSakto

Globe Telecom through its digital brand Globe Prepaid, powers customers with over 200 million prepaid promo combinations with the new GoSakto, the country’s first-of-its-kind prepaid service that allows customers to create their own promo bundles the way they need it depending on their budget, lifestyle and needs.

Prepaid customers can now enjoy the promo’s newest and most exciting feature which allows them to choose the sites or apps they want from any of the surfing buckets (social, chat apps, information, entertainment and shopping) in addition to their promo bundle.

 These new sites and apps available form a wide selection, from favorites like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Viber to new ones in Spotify, Youtube, and Sulit-OLX. Customers can register via different platforms such as an easy-to-use menu on USSD (*143#), Globe Portal, Facebook and the new GoSakto App which is available to Android and iOS smartphone users.

Moreover, prepaid customers get the freedom to choose the promo validity which can be good for 1 day, 2 days, 3 days, 7 days, 15 days or even for 30 days. They can also select the type and number of call minutes and texts they need and adjust the MBs of mobile surfing the way they want it.

 “We want to give our prepaid customers the freedom to decide on the prepaid promo that exactly fits their lifestyle, budget and needs. Globe revolutionizes the prepaid market by bringing the first and only prepaid service GoSakto, which allows prepaid customers to personalize their call, text and surfing needs that’s sakto to their lifestyle, without worrying about their budget,” says Issa Cabreira, Globe Senior Vice President, Consumer Mobile Marketing.

Catering to the digital lifestyle of the youth, Globe gives its prepaid customers the promise of providing a surfing experience that speaks their language, giving them the freedom to choose the sakto call/text/mobile internet promo they need.

To know more about the expanded GoSakto promo, visit www.globe.com.ph/gosakto.

Victorinox Swiss Army launches I.N.O.X. watch

Celebrating the 130th anniversary of its parent company in style, Victorinox Swiss Army launches a watch of sharp, versatile design that is so strong it defies your imagination. Victorinox Swiss Army has created I.N.O.X, a new watch that pays tribute to the history and industrial know-how of the brand by showcasing the values that have made it famous: authenticity, strength, quality, expertise, and Swiss design.

        From left to right ; Andrew Wolff, Marnie Chua – Brand Manager, Victorinox Swiss Army, 
Ivan Yao – Managing Director, Lucerne. Alexander Bennouna – CEO Victorinox Swiss Army
Axel Wenger – International Sales Manager, Asia Pacific, Emerson Yao – Managing Director, 
Lucerne, John Spainhour, Marc Nelson



The name I.N.O.X. comes from the French word for stainless steel, the solid, durable, and corrosion-resistant material that Victorinox adopted more than 50 years before it became the norm in the Swiss watch industry. Marking a shared link between cutlery and watches, I.N.O.X. is as iconic as the Original Swiss Army Knife. A concentrate of Victorinox’s DNA, it represents nothing less than the very quintessence of the brand.

An exceptional celebration requires an exceptional watch. I.N.O.X. watch demonstrates a level of robustness never before achieved in watchmaking. Designed to withstand unusual stress, it has passed with flying colors a ruthless battery of 130 strength tests. Beyond the standard certification tests of the Swiss watch industry, a series of new tests was developed specifically for I.N.O.X. watch. They reflect Victorinox Swiss Army’s passion for pushing boundaries and imposing new rules on resistance. Its robustness is incomparable to any other — an I.N.O.X. timepiece can resist eight tons of compression under a hydraulic press, and can resist being driven over by a truck of 25 tons or a military tank weighing up to 64 tons.

Friends of Victorinox Swiss Army Andrew Wolff and John Spainhour

Moreover, it can also withstand temperature shocks from -57 degrees to +71 degrees Celsius, set to a standard set by the US Army for the manufacture of missiles. Nothing comparable exists in the world of watchmaking. The I.N.O.X watch can also take on glacial cold; the watch will function non-stop and without complaint, even when frozen in an ice cube for 168 hours. Neither does it have a fear of heights; the I.N.O.X. watch can weather extreme conditions at a stratospheric altitude of 21,300 meters, which is twice the height at which airlines fly. It can also withstand a fall of 10 meters onto a smooth concrete surface, the approximate equivalent of a drop from a three-floor building.


Given its extreme robustness, one would expect the I.N.O.X. watch to look like a bunker. Its elegance, however, is evident at first glance. The refined design of the 43 mm stainless steel case is enhanced by a skillfully polished hexagonal bezel. The case is made with a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal with triple anti-reflection treatment, and is water resistant to 200 meters. Available in three colors such as black, khaki, and navy blue, the I.N.O.X. watch can be further personalized with a bumper. An inventive new accessory in the watchmaking world, this removable protector in silicone and nylon lets you change the watch’s look to match your mood. Whether it’s the office, a mountain, a busy morning, or a leisurely evening, nothing beats the I.N.O.X. watch for versatility: it can be worn anywhere, anytime.

Marnie Chua – Brand Manager of Victorinox Swiss Army with Andrew Wolff and John Spainhour


This is the same thought that celebrities Marc Nelson, Andrew Wolff, and John Spainhour have with regard to the I.N.O.X. watch. Leading such busy and adrenaline-fueled lives, these three “friends of the brand” exemplify the qualities of the I.N.O.X. watch. Marc, an adventurer who dares to brave the outdoors, Andrew, who shows tenacity on the rugby field, and John, who courageously was a marine for several years, all find a companion in the watch. These three men capture the spirit of what it means to be strong, fearless, and passionate. With I.N.O.X. watch, they are free to scale the heights, to be fierce on the field, and to be brave in the face of duty. Although the watch’s primary functions are telling the time and date, its robustness, craftsmanship and style, make it the rightful heir of the famous Swiss Army Knife, and thus these three men’s perfect “companion for life.”

Victorinox Swiss Army Watch is available at SM Megamall Boutique, Century City Mall Boutique, Lucerne, Elemento, Chronos, Wrist Pod, Swiss Gear, L Timestudio, SM Department Stores and Robinson’s Department Stores.

Penshoppe is now available at ZALORA

Cara Delevingne who ranked number 17 on models.com's 50 Top Models for 2013 and is a previous face of Burberry now joins Penshoppe. The famous British millionaire model whose known for her   shapely eyebrows is now the perfect face to join Penshoppe.

ZALORA Philippines has widened its selection by teaming up with retail fashion giant Golden ABC, PENSHOPPE.

ZALORA, Asia’s leading online fashion destination, has expanded its assortment with the addition of the country’s leading fashion brand, Penshoppe.  ZALORA makes it easier for the brands customer to purchase pieces from their latest Holiday collection which starts November 3, 2014 at www.zalora.com.ph!

Penshoppe, who recently named British supermodel and It-Girl, Cara Delevingne as the face of their latest Holiday campaign, will showcase a large array of apparel on the ZALORA website. ZALORA Philippines’ Category Manager, Regine King said, “We, at ZALORA, are very pleased to be adding Penshoppe to our growing product offering, specially this Yuletide season. Our customers can expect to see a lot from this partnership, from on point fashion pieces and off the runway looks in very simple yet classy color palettes of white, black, grey and salmon.”

“This is a new season for ZALORA,” said Paulo Campos, Managing Director of ZALORA Philippines. “With our massive reach of 15 million visits per month, we have clearly positioned ourselves as the leading online fashion destination in Asia.”

“At the end of the day it is the consumer that we hear and decides where they want to get their fashion and ZALORA is offering an additional choice," added Campos. "Given our impressive reach, we want to work together with our brand partners to further strengthen their brand equity and awareness. In general we believe, it is important that online and offline go hand-in-hand to further offer excellent customer experience in fashion retail.”

Global Art Phils play hosts to the Annual International Competition on November 15

I have just witnessed the best painting session with these gifted children students, ages from 4 to 13 yrs old, last November 8 at Global Art in Sekai Center, Greenhils. with Yenny Saw, the Country Manager of Global Art Philippines.  I was amazed at how this kids could create such an artwork, how their creative moment took flight on a blank canvas. I wish I still have the creative juices to hone, given my age,I could not give justice to any simple drawings or art. I could have started at a very young age of 3.

 I learned that our human brain consists of two parts, the left and the right hemisphere.  The left hemisphere is used in analytical processes and logical thinking, this is when you count the change you received from a store,that is Math for you, and when you get excited over a thriller/suspense book, that you tend to finish it in one day.   The right brain is used in emotional perception, intuition and creativity.  It is the right brain that is mainly used when a person is involved in creative endeavors such as making art, drawing or painting.

 Kids should be exposed to the arts as their cognitive skills mature so that their right brain will be as developed as the left, and both hemispheres work in tandem, thus achieving the full potential of the mind.

At Global Art Philippines, a school where toddlers, kids and teenagers are encouraged to unleash their creative potential through world-class art enrichment programs, art does not only cleanse the soul but also frees the inner artists of students and guides them on how to turn these ‘soul dusts’ into works of art.

Self-expression through art

 Since education and competition are two of the universal ingredients of human nature, learning to express one’s self through art and linking one’s work with those of other young artists can help gauge how truly well they have advanced in their knowledge and how far they have come to enhance their gift and talent.

Connecting kids through the Global Art International Competition
As Global Art Philippines mentors students on their way to being little Picassos, little Da Vincis and mini Michaelangelos, the school also encourages them to join art competitions.

And this year, the Philippine franchise of Global Art plays hosts to the Annual International Competition with the theme “Heal The World.” It will be held at the SM Aura Convention Hall on November 15, 2004.

“It is both an honor and a pleasure for Global Art Philippines to be chosen to host this year’s competition,” says Yenny Saw, Country Manager of Global Art Philippines. Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia have played host to the said event in the past years.

 Yenny Saw, Country Manager of Global Art Philippines

A total of 300 art students from Global Art Philippines will be pitted against 200 students from other Global Art campuses around the world. Young artists from Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Brunei, Myanmar, China, India and Hong Kong will gather together to compete with their fellow art students and showcase their artistic talents and skills.

 On the said date, Global Art Philippines will simultaneously hold a competition among students from local branches— the winners of which will advance to the International Level where they vie for a slot among the best artists of Global Art worldwide

Categories
The competition will be divided into four categories based on age groups. In each category, there will be specific directives and guidelines on each template (such as coloring and adding objects, drawing on a given blank template based on a particular theme, and adding personal ideas and objects according to the contender’s imagination) that contestants will follow and finish within a given time limit.

Category A is for kids ages 4 – 6 years old and they will be asked to color and add some objects on the given drawing template in 90 minutes.

Category B, meanwhile, is for 7 - 9 years old.  The contestants will be asked to add ideas and imagination on the given drawing template + coloring for 90 minutes.

  For 10 – 12 years old under Category C, kids will be asked to draw on given blank paper based on the given theme with a time limit of 2 and ½ hours.

  Category D for  13 – 17 years old, participants will  be given 2 and ½ hours to draw on given blank competition paper based on the given theme.

Judges for the Global Art International Level Competition are Mr. Mahair Goh; founder of Global Art);  Mr. Ajin Thong, Global Art Master Trainer and Ms. Gean Fong,  Global Art Assistant Trainer.

 Winners will be based on  these criteria: creativity - 40%; drawing skills - 20% and coloring techniques 20% and overall presentation 10%.

There will be a grand champion and several runner- ups per category/age group. Prizes include a trophy plus cash prizes for the grand prize winners.

Aside from determining who the best artists are, Saw and Global Arts Philippines hope that the said international competition will be an excellent opportunity for visiting delegates to realize, discover and explore the beauty of our country and the richness of our culture.

“We hope that our guests from other countries would also get acquainted with Filipino arts and culture and appreciate the wealth of lessons they would gain from this unique learning experience,” Saw expounds.

Global Art and the art of mentoring young minds

At Global Art, a company founded in Malaysia in 1999 by Mr. Mahair Goh, children are taught not only how to copy a drawing but to create their own artwork, design and interpretation through different techniques.

The school boasts of having touched over 500,000 young artists’ minds and hearts in 15 countries including Malaysia, Singapore, India, Sri Lanka, Brunei, Indonesia, Thailand, Australia, Vietnam, China, USA, Cambodia, Myanmar, Hong Kong and the Philippines.

In the Philippines, Global Art accepts students as young as 3 years old to adults and teaches them varying level of skills using diverse mediums like color pencils, oil pastel, poster color, acrylic paint, watercolor, glass paint, ink pens, and pencils. The multi-level programs allow each art enthusiast to learn at their own pace and use their own ideas to create an artwork.

“We provide our students with templates but we inspire them to do their own version and their own take on any pattern or blank sheets,” Saw explains. She and husband Dexter founded Global Art Philippines in 2009 from a small place in Greenhills but have since opened 11 more branches in Metro Manila, Cebu and Davao city to accommodate the surge in the number of students and parents who want to experience their method of teaching.

Global Art Philippines puts a premium on the quality of teachers they hire and the teaching methods they practice. “Our teachers undergo training both on art techniques and on how to effectively transfer knowledge to an aspiring young artist,” Saw says.

Different programs are available for different age groups

The Junior Level (for ages 3-4 years old) introduces the toddler to the wonderful world of color and shapes through story-telling, coloring and handicrafts.

The Foundation Level (for 4-6 years old), motor skill and attention span are guided through dotted lines, addition of more objects in the template and coloring.

 The Basic Level (7-9 years old), the child is given the opportunity to tackle “projects” where he is required to come up with a story based on a particular theme and retell that story into the drawing board.

The Intermediate Level (10-13 years old) the child is taught how to further enrich his drawing and sketching skills, illustration and poster-making, acrylic painting and cartoon and comic making, this time, through the use of both dry and wet medium.

 “A lot of life-changing innovations come from the minds of young people who dream and think creatively. Global Art Philippines hopes to provide a place for children who dare to dream and create something, to teach them other life skills, to cultivate their creativity and equip them to be competitive globally in the future, towards a better world that fully embraces creativity and innovation,” Saw says.

(For further information and inquiries on Global Art Philippines and the International Art Competition, visit or call their main office at Unit 101, Sekai Center, 368 Ortigas Avenue corner Madison Street, Greenhills, San Juan; Tel no. 726-0435. Like them on Facebook: www.facebook.com/globalartphil or visit their website at www.globalart.com.ph )

Michael Buble to serenade Manila on January 31

Michael Bublé, the four-time Grammy award winner and Canadian superstar, is returning to Manila as part of his World Tour on January 31st 2015 - at the Mall of Asia Arena.

It’s been more than 10 years since Michael’s last concert in Manila and he is very excited to come back and serenade Filipino fans with his much loved, chart-topping songs.

Michael Bublé has been selling out Arenas across the globe, making this show one of the year’s hottest concert tickets. In London, he was originally slated to do six nights at the London’s O2 Arena, but had to add four extra shows when the first run sold-out in just five minutes!

“No one can accuse Michael Bublé of being anything but a crowd-pleaser,” The Telegraph raved, adding that the Canadian superstar “had the audience shrieking in appreciation”.

The London Evening Standard concluded: “This feel-good show was complete. Maybe nice guys don’t finish last, after all.”

Besides Europe, America, Australia and New Zealand, Michael will now extend his fifth concert tour and biggest ever to Asia –to include stops in Manila, Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Seoul, Tokyo, and for the first time ever, Shanghai.

But, of course, it’s all about the music, with the tour celebrating Michael’s latest chart-topping album. Michael says: “My new record is about love, happiness and fun.”Released in April 2013, To Be Loved debuted at number-one on the Billboard 200, becoming the crooner's fourth consecutive number-one album on the chart.Produced by fellow Canadian Bob Rock, To Be Loved features the hit single “It’s A Beautiful Day” – co-written by Michael – plus his interpretations of the Bee Gees’ “To Love Somebody”, Elvis Presley’s “Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?” and Randy Newman’s “You’ve Got A Friend In Me”. Reese Witherspoon also joins him for a delicious version of “Something Stupid”.

“I think it’s the best album I’ve ever made,” Michael says. “I know every artist on earth says that when their new album is coming out but, really, this time it’s true. I swear. You can ask my mother.”

Michael’s Christmas album was in the first place on the Billboard 200 for the final four weeks of 2011 and the first week of 2012, totaling five weeks atop the chart. It also made the Top 5 in the United Kingdom. With this, Christmas became his third consecutive number-one album on the chart.

Michael has also had several hit singles that Filipinos love, including “Home”, “Sway”, “Everything”, “Haven’t Met You Yet”, and the 2013 smash song, “It’s A Beautiful Day.”

Michael Bublé is always striving to make better albums and do better shows.

“Do not think I take my success these last 10 years for granted. I was anything but an overnight sensation, which inspires me to deliver big time for my fans – maybe even make some new ones this time out.

“Trust me, there’s no sitting back, no phoning in for me.”

The multi-awarded singer adds: “I just love getting in front of people. It’s so important to be in touch with your audience. They’ve paid their money; I want them to be entertained. If they want to cry or laugh or dance or sing or yell, they can do whatever they want.My responsibility is just to take them away.”

Proudly presented by Wilbros Live with Dainty Group International, tickets to Michael Bublé – Live in Manila 2015 will be on-sale on November 14, 2014 via www.smtickets.com or call 470-2222 or 374-22222.

Tom Hardy stars in this gripping tale of crime and passion "The Drop"

Tom Hardy heads up a phenomenal cast in this gripping tale of crime and passion in “The Drop” from a screenplay of world-renowned crime novelist Dennis Lehane.  At first glance nothing looks particularly unusual as the movie starts. But as the clientele of the bar put their hands on their hearts, Bob (Hardy) discreetly stashes an envelope of cash behind the bar. Indeed, there's more to Cousin Marv's bar than meets the eye. Cousin Marv (played by the late James Gandolfini) has been drawn into working with a group of nefarious Chechen gangsters, meaning his employee Bob has to go along with the scheme. Meanwhile, the bartender has found an abandoned pit bull puppy in a trash can, leading him to cross paths with the beautiful but troubled Nadia (Noomi Rapace) and her violent ex-boyfriend Eric (Matthias Schoenaerts). It's the set-up for an explosive, emotional drama with plenty of twists and turns.


Bob’s simple life becomes much more complicated when he discovers a battered pit bull puppy in a trash can. Turning to his neighbor Nadia (Noomi Rapace) for help, he nurses the puppy back to health, as their mutual concern for the dog sparks an unexpected attraction between them. But when Eric Deeds (Matthias Schoenaerts), the dog’s original owner and Nadia’s abusive ex-boyfriend, tries to reclaim both of them, and a robbery at the bar puts Bob in the crosshairs of the Chechen crime boss who owns it, Bob is forced to face the shocking truth about the people he thinks he knows best—including himself.

The story is, as Lehane points out, still quite simple. “A guy finds a dog. The dog allows him to reclaim a part of his life. But at the exact same moment, outside forces press in on him. The Chechen mobsters who own the bar where he works for his Cousin Marv are suspicious about a robbery. The guy who originally owned the dog wants it back and he’s not taking no for an answer.”
The film opens on the day Bob re-engages with the world he’s closed himself off from. It all starts with Rocco, the puppy. “Bob made a decision ten years ago to shut himself away from humanity, from feeling,” says Lehane. “Suddenly something begins to open up in him. He meets this woman. He starts to re-join the human race. The largest dramatic question of the film is, can Bob really be rescued?”

“Like most of the people in the film, he is chasing something that’s already in the rearview mirror,” the writer continues. “They’re trying to get back to a self that doesn’t exist anymore. That idea fascinated me as I was writing the script. I think the audience will feel an emotional connection with the characters that leads them to some sort of emotional truth about their own lives, about the moments when they seem to be stuck in gear. The people who successfully navigate those waters are the ones who will ultimately reach a happy ending.”

"This has been an intense shoot," says director Michael Roskam. "It is such a tense story, but there is also a huge amount of heart. That combination is really what made me fall in love with it." The cast and crew know that they are making something special. "It's a very beautiful story about daring to take a risk with your emotions," muses Rapace. "To let someone in, even though you have a smashed heart. Someone who has been beaten up really badly still finds a way to believe and to hope again. Through a dog!"

                “The Drop” opens November 12 in cinemas nationwide from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.