Lea Salonga – From Ms. Saigon to glamorous feline?

by admin, on Fri, Jul 30 2010 | No Comments

It seems that her fame wouldn’t come into a halt. From the acclaimed Ms. Saigon to the musical Disney Musical and Theaters, she is indeed a true artist and a diamond sparkling among the sand. Now she’s is here with a new character to be portrayed. I am talking to the one and only Ms. Lea Salonga.


World-famous Tony Award-winner Lea Salonga appears as the feline version of the woman mentioned in T.S. Eliot’s poem “Rhapsody on a Windy Night” in the upcoming and much-awaited Broadway musical, Cats.


She plays the role of Grizabella, the glamour cat who left the tribe to experience the outside world and who eventually wants to come back.


Cats is based on T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, a collection of poems about a unique tribe of cats. The show holds the record as Broadway’s second longest-running musical. It debuted in London’s West End in 1981. A year later the show opened on Broadway. For the first time, Cats will be staged in the Philippines and opens July 24, 2010 for a limited run at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo, Cultural Center of the Philippines.

The action takes place in a huge junkyard where the Jellicle cats have gathered for the annual Jellicle Ball. The main event of the Ball is the selection of the cat that will be reborn. The Jellicle cats have an opportunity to compete for that honor. Old Deuteronomy, the tribe’s elder, ends up choosing Grizabella, an old, former beauty kitten who has lost the favor of her peers.


As Grizabella, (formerly played by Elaine Paige and Betty Buckley) Lea gets to sing “Memory,” one of musical theatre’s most popular songs. Grizabella is, at the time of her appearance, a very old cat, withered by her age to the point that she no longer resembles the proud, carefree, flamboyant dancer of her youth. Her fellow Jellicles are quite repulsed by Grizabella’s disheveled condition, and taunt her.


Possibly because of this, it is Grizabella whom Old Deuteronomy consigns to the Heaviside Layer to be reborn. During her change, Grizabella sings the song “Memory”, which has been thought of by audiences as a very emotionally touching, profound, and even mysterious composition. It has been recorded by over 150 different artists, including Barry Manilow, Michael Crawford, and Barbra Streisand.

“I’ll be playing Grizabella (the non-dancer part). As for what attracts me to her, besides the big song? Grizabella is THE cat that shone in the spotlight once upon a time, and doesn’t anymore. She’s scraggy, dirty, ugly, and relives the Glory Days in her mind. It’ll be interesting to play someone that once shone, and no longer does,” noted Lea.


Far from the grizzly Grizabella that she portrays in Cats, Lea, in reality, is a few months shy of turning 40. Most women dread turning 40, but not Lea.


“I’m excited! I really look forward to turning 40,” Lea Salonga-Chien. “My late (and) early 20s, I was not happy. I was awkward. It was an awkward age for me. Yes, I had a Tony Award but it was a very weird stage of my life because I had not come into myself as a complete human being. I was like, who am I really? And I didn’t really figure it out until my mid 20s and early 30s. Now I am just really enjoying the age that I’m in. I really would not like to go back there.”


She was recently in town for the launch of Avon’s latest skincare breakthrough called Anew of which she is the brand ambassador. Come November, she will be back on the big screen with perpetual heartthrob Aga Muhlach. Although the storyline is yet to be discussed, Lea is already toying with a few ideas of her own.


“I just saw ‘It’s Complicated’ on the plane and I love that movie because the leading artists in the film were not young. They were older, and they were sexy, and smart, and they have issues, and baggage, and I’m like, ‘That’s awesome!’ I mean, we’re not spring chickens anymore so it’s got to be something that really fits us as 40-something.


From the immortals roles she played, shall we add Grizabella?

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Why don’t you ask for another bowl?

by admin, on Fri, Jul 30 2010 | No Comments

You never know when the munchies will hit you. Sometimes they happen when you don’t have a bite to eat within reach! This usually happens to me after a long meeting and I’m too tired to fall in line at a fast food outlet. Sometimes it’s in the middle of a jam at EDSA and everything is static save for my watch’s hands.

It helps to have a few snacks in your bag. I find that a sandwich bag full of cereal is a good way to tide over your hunger if you’re far away from a convenience store or a restaurant. I’m not talking about carrying a tetra pack of milk along with you on the road and preparing a bowl of cereal in the middle of traffic. That sounds pretty good though, doesn’t it? Cereal in the middle of an EDSA jam makes a cute picture. Anyway, a sandwich bag doesn’t take up too much space in your bag so it’s pretty convenient for you to carry a cereal snack bag around.


Why cereal? It’s light on the stomach. I like snacking on cereal because it helps keep my energy up between meals. My energy level gets really low around 3 p.m. Instead of getting a burger meal, I just take out my cereal snack and munch away. Snacking on a handful doesn’t ruin my appetite for lunch or dinner.


Depending on what kind of cereal you choose, it makes for a healthy snack, too. For as long as you don’t get the overly sugary ones, you’re choosing a healthy snack! I am partial to high-fiber, whole grain cereal. The fiber keeps me fuller, longer. Cereal in a sandwich bag doesn’t have to be just one kind, though. Mix it up! I mix in some chocolate cereal along with bran sometimes. My favorite cereal combination is berry cereal and oat cereal. Yummy and healthy!


Another reason why cereal makes a good carry-anywhere snack: you can customize it according to your own tastes. Mix in some raisins for added flavor. How about some sunflower seeds? You can throw in some chocolate chip bits too for a little indulgence. I like breaking up pretzels into smaller pieces and tossing them in along with the cereal. You know what also works? Popcorn! Kids will love this! Popcorn and cereal in each handful makes for such a fun snack. Dried fruits also work great. I love dried banana chips with the cereal. Small marshmallows add another dimension of flavor in your snack. Toss in some peanuts into the bag as well. Your snack bag will be popping with flavors! The variety in tastes and textures makes the snack even more enjoyable.


Dry cereal doesn’t appeal to everyone, though. Sometimes it’s just not right without milk, is it? If you’re the “There has to be milk with my cereal!” type, then maybe those tetra packs of milk will come in handy, after all. Keep some in your office refrigerator, and take one out once snack time hits. Get your cereal snack pack from your bag, pour it into a bowl, pour the milk in and voila! You’ve got yourself your ideal cereal meal.


Chocolate, candy bars and cookies are great snack choices, too, but I gravitate to my cereal snack bag more when the munchies hit. It’s just a healthier snack choice and at the end of the day, don’t we all want to eat a little more sensibly even when snack cravings hit? I try the best I can, and that’s where my cereal snack bag helps a lot. It also helps keep my sanity in check during those long traffic jams in EDSA. You just can’t go wrong with a cereal snack in your bag!


Source: ph.yfittopostblog.com

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Farewell Lorezen Wright

by admin, on Fri, Jul 30 2010 | No Comments

The whole world court of basketball was shocked about the unexpected and brutal death of the young and once basketball star.

A body found in southeast Memphis, Tennessee, on Wednesday has been identified as that of former professional basketball player Lorenzen Wright, Memphis police said.

The cause of death has been ruled as “homicide by gunshot wound,” police said Thursday in a news release, adding that the Shelby County medical examiner used dental records to confirm Wright’s identity.

“Investigators continue to work around the clock to bring justice to Mr. Wright and his family,” the police department said in a statement.

Before that confirmation, Wright’s family had already said that they were mourning his loss.

Wright’s cousin, Camella Logan, had released a statement to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution newspaper saying, “We appreciate your thoughts, prayers and condolences as they are comforting at this very difficult time.”

Wright, who has a home in Atlanta, was reported missing on July 22. He had been visiting with his former wife and their children in Collierville, near Memphis, investigators said.

Wright was last seen at his former wife’s home shortly before midnight on July 18, and a 911 call was placed from his phone in the early hours of July 19.His body was found on Wednesday by Shelby County Emergency Services Search and Rescue, police said.

Dewayne Benton, a Christian radio personality in Memphis, said he left work early to investigate reports his station received about the body.

Benton described the crowded crime scene as somber.

“Lorenzen Wright had a lot of financial problems … but this was just horrible,” said Benton. “He was one of the favorite sons of Memphis,” he added.

The 6-foot-11-inch Wright was a high school basketball star in Memphis, and he played professionally for the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies from 2001 through 2006.

“We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of Lorenzen Wright,” the team’s majority owner, Michael Heisley, said in a statement on the Grizzlies’ website. “We lost a member of the Grizzlies family.”

During his 13-year professional basketball career Wright also played with the Los Angeles Clippers, Sacramento Kings and most recently with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Wright did two tours with the Atlanta Hawks as well, from 1999 to 2001 and from 2006 to 2008.

Former Hawks coach Lenny Wilkens said, “Lorenzen was a real congenial young man who played with a lot of enthusiasm. This is certainly a huge loss for his family and friends.”

“Our thoughts and prayers are with [his family] during this difficult time,” said Hawks General Manager Rick Sund in a press statement released Thursday by the NBA team.

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A Straight Job for PACQUIAO!!!

by admin, on Fri, Jul 30 2010 | No Comments

After losing the deal with Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao seems to receive a straight punch regarding this issue. Please read this:

Philippine police said Friday that a sister of boxing hero Manny Pacquiao was involved in running an illegal gambling racket, after detaining 25 people in a raid on her home.

A police vice squad detained the 25 and seized evidence, including gambling materials and cash, in Thursday’s raid on the home of Pacquiao’s elder sister, Isidra Paglinawan, said local police chief inspector Leo Sua.

Pacquiao, the seven-time world champion elected to a seat in the Philippine parliament this year, personally watched as police searched the house in the southern port city of General Santos, but vowed not to interfere.

A lower court in General Santos ordered the raid as part of a crackdown on an illegal numbers game known as “masiao”, but Paglinawan, 34, was not at home, Sua told reporters.

He said the detained people were bet collectors for the illegal racket, in which bettors place wagers on the last two digits of the winning ticket of the Philippine lottery.

Police seized 33,000 pesos (about 721 dollars) in suspected bets, said Sua, who led the raid. He said police would ask state prosecutors to file illegal gambling charges in court against Paglinawan and the 25 other suspects.

Sua said police were searching for Paglinawan.

Pacquiao told reporters Friday he was attending his father’s birthday party when police raided Paglinawan’s house next door.

He said he would ask the police to investigate whether his sister was indeed a “masiao” operator.

“I will not interfere. Let the law take its course,” boxing’s “pound-for-pound” king said.

Betting in an illegal numbers game or allowing one’s property to be used for such a game is punishable by up to six years in prison.

Working for an illegal gambling operation, or actually running it, carries jail terms of between eight and 20 years.

The well-appointed houses of Pacquiao’s parents and five siblings are tourist attractions in the otherwise depressed General Santos district of San Isidro, where Pacquiao grew up in poverty.

The sister sought by police and her husband have no known permanent jobs.

However it is well known in the neighbourhood that Pacquiao, now one of the world’s richest sportsmen, gave his relatives the houses and large amounts of seed money to start their own businesses.

His winnings from boxing as well as his commercial endorsements last year made Pacquiao the world’s sixth-highest paid athlete, with earnings of 40 million dollars, according to Forbes magazine.

During the election campaign in May, aides of Pacquiao’s rival for the local parliamentary seat alleged that the boxer’s family were “masiao” operators.

Pacquiao publicly denied the allegations during the campaign.

Pacquiao is expected to fight Mexico’s Antonio Margarito for the vacant World Boxing Council junior middleweight championship on November 13.

He had wanted to fight undefeated American Floyd Mayweather Junior in what would have been boxing’s richest ever draw, but protracted negotiations appeared to have fallen through.

President Noynoy Aquino once said that there will be no reconciliation without justice. This one is a good start and I believe that this should be treated fairly. Afterall, that is justice!

Source: Yahoo Philippines

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Christmas breeze in July’s air

by admin, on Wed, Jul 28 2010 | No Comments

If I have to choose a month in a year, it would be December. It’s not that it’s my birthday month but because I love Christmas. I’ve been surfing the net when I dodged with this article originally written by Toni Tiu entitled HOME GROWN! The article is read as follows:

When the stress level of everyday begins to border on toxic, there is only one way for me to calm down. I open my iTunes, click on one playlist and let the music wash away the negativity I’m feeling. It’s not just any kind of music. It has to be this particular playlist. It has to be my playlist of Christmas songs.

“Christmas time is here, happiness and cheer, fun for all that children call their favorite time of year,” sings the Peanuts Gang from “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” The holiday jazz gently pulls me away from strained situations and potentially angry confrontations. Listening to Christmas songs has been good in helping me keep my temper. Listening to Christmas songs has been good in taking my stress level down a notch.

This particular album by the Vince Guaraldi Trio calms me significantly because it is the same set I listen to when wrapping gifts during the holidays. It is the soundtrack to my snipping and snapping of ribbons, cutting and crinkling of wrappers. With a mug of hot tea by my side, the twinkling of the Christmas tree lights in my peripheral vision, the music to the soothing giftwrapping moment is like the icing on the cake.

“Snowflakes in the air, carols everywhere, olden times and ancient rhymes of love and dreams to share,” go Charlie Brown and his friends. Any Christmas song can help cool my head, but “Christmas Time Is Here” is my ultimate calm-me-down song. It’s one of the most played songs on my office laptop. I guess that can say a lot about my work environment.

The peaceful and lulling melody of the song brings about a mood more tranquil that I’ve sung it countless times to my baby before bedtime. It unwinds us both as I nurse him and sing him to sleep. Another day has come to a close. Come on little one, let us leave our worries at the door and just enjoy the quiet evening together.

“Sleigh bells in the air, beauty everywhere, yuletide by the fireside and joyful memories there,” share the happy children’s voices. Who doesn’t enjoy Christmas? Who doesn’t associate the holidays with happiness? It’s my favorite season. Thinking about the holidays puts a smile on my face. Sure, there are the long lines to worry about when Christmas shopping. Sure, there may be last-minute meetings to wrap up at work before the holidays begin. Overall, though, the warm, fuzzy feeling only Christmas can give trumps all those realities. I think of Christmas and I feel a little Christmas candle light inside me. I feel a bit more hopeful. I feel a bit more love.

Maybe that’s why Christmas songs calm me like no other music does. It reminds me of the season of hope. It makes me feel that any stressful situation I’m in is only temporary. I end up more serene than when I first clicked “Play.”

Who says Christmas songs are just for December? The feeling of love that’s heightened during the holidays can be felt whenever needed, whenever necessary. “Christmas time is here, we’ll be drawing near, oh, that we could always see, such spirit through the year,” wraps up the choir of little angels. A Christmas song and its comforting spirit can serveanyone well through the year, indeed.

How euphoric it is!.Do you love Christmas too?

Source: yfittopostblog.com

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