REEL DEAL Movies and Television: Mission Impossible Ghost Prototcol Review

Now on its 4th movie, Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol sets a new action-filled experience with exotic locations, cool gadgets and tactics and the best part are scenes shot using the iMax camera!

Tom Cruise leads the cast as the IMF spy Ethan Hunt, with a brand new team but faces a very difficult and critical situation after a terrorist bombing destroys the Kremlin. With no plan, limited reasources,  no backup and no choice, the Russian government categorizes the attack as "an undeclared act of war," prompting United States government to initiate a black operation known as "ghost protocol", disavowing the entire Impossible Mission Force. Hunt and his four-person team are allowed to escape from the government's custody as part of a plan to enable them to operate outside of their agency's command structure. However, when the IMF is ambushed, they are forced to operate without any kind of official support in an attempt to locate an intelligence source connected to the Moscow bombing and the attack on the IMF. Also stars Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg,Paula Patton and Anil Kapoor

HEALTHY LYF: Gandiva Cafe and Archery Range

Running maybe the in thing today but being fit and healthy is more than just a hobby but a lifestyle. It starts with eating the right kid of food and indeed it hard to find those kinds especially with a lot of fast food and unhealthy varieties.


But there is a rise in the centers of wellness that only provides healthy foods but also some other activities that promotes the alternative lifestyle to fitness and also get us into interesting hobbies such as Yoga and (wait for it...) Archery! All of these are offered at this one of a kind establishment called GANDIVA CAFE.

REEL DEAL Movies and Television: Protégé reveals Top 3 Finalists

After weeks of live performances and nerve-wracking elimination nights, Krizza Neri, Lirah Bermudez and Lovely Embuscado are headed for the Grand Finals of GMA’s hit reality singing search, PROTÉGÉ.

Following the elimination of Jensen Teñoso and Nomer Limatog, Jr., the competition is now down to the Top 3 finalists who will compete to clinch the much coveted prizes in the program’s finale on December 18 to be held at the Centerstage of SM Mall of Asia.

JUAN MINUTE SPOTLIGHT: Judy Ann and Ryan Agoncillio for MY HOUSE HUSBAND IKAW NA!

Judy Ann and Ryan Agoncillo are now known to be a young celebrity model family with endorsements and shows giving them a lot of exposure. And for the Metro Manila Film Festival they now come back with a new film MY HOUSE HUSBAND IKAW NA by OctoArts Films. Written and Directed by Jose Javier Reyes. 

They have alreday appreared as a couple in Kasal Kasali Kasalo and Sakal Sakali Saklolo in the past MMFF. And their chemistry brought box office success. After giving birth to their son Lucho, the couple is back in the big screen and now ready to bring the house down with MY HOUSE HUSBAND IKAW NA! 

XSTIG: iPhone 4S is coming here in the Philippines

I love the iPhone and how it revolutionized the way people do things with applications or apps.  We were not  used to apple products because of the dominance of other brands. However, when the demand began to rise, many (including me) have seen its features and amazing innovation that also made the world go 'WOW'.

Though the founder of Apple and the iPhone, Steve Jobs is gone, he left with the dawn of the newest generation of the iPhone, The iPhone 4S. This phone has been the talk of the town for months and people await what 'magic' it possess. And indeed on its launch in the US, it was well received by the public with features like the 8 megapixel camera, iOS5 and Siri (an voice operated program that can understand and executes the command for easier use).

ART IS A BANG: Ballet Philippines’ The Sleeping Beauty

Audiences still have the chance to watch "The Sleeping Beauty" presented by Ballet Philippines at the CCP Main Theater. They have shows on Thursday, Dec. 8 at 10 AM and 3 PM, Friday, Dec 9 at 3 Pm and 8 PM, and Sunday, Dec 11 at 3 PM. The performances on Saturday (3 PM and 8 PM) are sponsored by Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Employees Association and Knowledge Channel, respectively. 

The Manila Symphony Orchestra will play Tchaikovsky's music live for one last time on Friday, Dec. 9 at 8 PM, with Katherine Trofeo as Princess Aurora and Jean Marc Cordero as Prince Desire. 

EVENTOLOGY: Urban Athletics Kings on Deck Mixtape Launch

The country’s leading premium street lifestyle retailer “Urban Athletics” held an awesome event last Saturday with the Launching of Philippines Street Plan (PSP) and UA Collab shirt, Dada footwear and Kings on Deck Mixtape.

Dada is the hottest urban basketball brand in Europe that produces clothing and apparel for the hip-hop community. Dada started in 1995 on producing hat and T-shirt Company and they aimed to target the urban basketball youth.

“We are excited and proud that Dada is finally hitting the Philippines. I know that a lot of Dada fans are thrilled to expect popular Dada lines,” said Marc Vinas, Dada Brand Manager. “The Dada urban and athletic line is sold in major athletic retailers worldwide and has been endorsed by athletes including NBA players Latrell Sprewell, Chris Webber, Karl Malone and Horace Grant. Entertainers from Snoop Dogg, Ludracris and even Leonardo Di Caprio have also endorsed the product. Watch out for Dada as it hits stores this December” added Vinas.

“Urban Athletics continues to be the trend-setter when it comes to urban sports fashion and street wear. With the arrival of Dada footwear, our market can expect the freshest drops from this very popular brand. It will definitely excite the members of the hip-hop community but the urban fashionistas as well,” said Toby P. Claudio, founder of Urban Athletics.

Aside from promoting international brands Urban Athletics has always believed in supporting home-grown talents and this is reason behind its recent collaboration with well-known underground urban graffiti artists Pilipinas Street Plan (PSP). Collaboration gathered PSP’s top creative artists Whoop, Nemo, Jood and Vermont to design limited edition shirts that fused together their signature elements together with Urban Athletics persona.

The Wonka Imaginarium

Just last December 1 to 4, a different kind of world comes to life as Candy Corner, in partnership with Wonka, opens the doors of an enchanted factory that harvests dreams and turns them into candies—the Wonka Imaginarium.

A four-day exhibit that puts the spotlight on Wonka candies, the Wonka Imaginarium allows everyone to bring their candy fantasies to life. Here, you’ll be able to walk into a magical forest with giant bugs and talking trees; enter a tunnel of lost wishes and forgotten dreams; fly and fall from the sky; and learn magic straight from a witch—all to find the rainbow: the dream that makes the happiest of all candies.

“The Wonka Imaginarium is the first of its kind in the Philippines, and we’re happy to be doing this in time for the holiday season,” shares Ricky Andres, President of Candy Corner Philippines. “More than just giving everyone a chance to get to know more about Wonka candies, our main goal is to give people of all ages a great avenue to feed their imagination and to find a different, unique activity for the whole family to share this Christmas.”

 A candy brand that uses licensed materials from Roald Dahl's Charlie & the Chocolate Factory and its two movie adaptations, Wonka’s distinct packaging and colorful taste has propelled it to become Candy Corner’s flagship brand.

“These are quality candies that have found their way into the hearts of many Filipinos,” adds Ricky. “Many of our best sellers such as Nerds and Pixy Stix are actually products of the brand, and that’s why we’re very proud to be distributing their candies here in the country.” 

The first outlet in the Philippines to combine traditional packaged and novelty sweets with the concept of having customers choose and combine their own selections of treats, Candy Corner has, over the years, consistently provided chocolates and candies to satisfy the local demand for international confectionery brands. Since its humble beginnings as a lone store in 1996, the company, over the years has expanded immensely, and currently has branches across the country. 

FASHIONISTA: Tomato Holiday Collection gives you more options to be delicious

There's a reason to be "hot" this Holiday Season!  Drop by any Tomato store and check out the Holiday Vintage Vogue collection that will surely get the oohs and ahhs every where you go! It’s just sheer delight this season!  Whether dressing down or dressing your best, you will be fashionably sexy and delicious, exactly just how a Tomato Woman should be.

One of the most in-demand fashion stylists, Pam Quinones, the brand's style guru, said that Tomato’s Holiday collection is about glitz and glam that are appropriate for the season's festivities. 

 “The essence of the collection is its appropriateness for the holidays.  A time to be merry, a time to be jolly and the best time to glam up and be sexy. Tomato's pieces have separates and sheer pieces that can be mixed and matched to achieve a rich and vibrant holiday feel.”

 “The collection exudes that 70s vintage mood but still modern with a lot of provocation. It’s fashionably trendy, sexy and with a subtly flirty statement which is very Tomato,” she said.

MUSIC LYF: Tunog Natin Songs From Home Album

After Three successful  Tunog Natin! OPM Concert Series, its now time to bring it to another level with its first compilation album: “Tunog Natin! Songs From Home”.

Tunog Natin! Songs From Home gathers 16 of the most promising and established Filipino artists in a compilation album that celebrates the beauty of our very own brand of music.

Presented by Avida Land Corp., the album is composed of 10 tracks of authentic OPM music—three original tracks and seven covers of timeless songs that Filipino love. The album will exclusively be available in Astrovision and Astroplus record stores nationwide as part of the Tunog Natin advocacy to revive audiences’ appreciation for OPM.

“Coming out with a new album is definitely a huge step towards promoting OPM. The success of the three concerts has paved way to this new venture,” says Tess Tatco, Avida Land Marketing Head.

“The enthusiastic response of audiences to the Tunog Natin concerts is nothing less than inspiring for us. We’ve always supported efforts to promote Filipino culture and Tunog Natin, both the concert series and the album, is one advocacy that we are proud to be a huge part of,” adds Tatco.