Filipino, Spanish dishes highlight Madrid Fusion

THE Philippines and Spain share a deep and colorful history, and what better way to celebrate these two cultures than through their vibrant and intertwined culinary traditions.

This April, the world’s most anticipated epicurean event will celebrate the two countries ’300 years’ worth of shared connection through food in one global event where the world’s top chefs showcase culinary innovations and cutting-edge techniques, ingredients and recipes taking food and dining to the next level. If one wants to see the “future of food,” this is the place to be in.

SM plays host to this historic affair and welcomes Madrid Fusion as it comes to Asia for the first time and puts Manila at the heart of culinary interest worldwide.

Madrid Fusion Manila 2015 happening on April 24 to 26 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City highlights the Philippines as an haute cuisine destination in Asia.

A welcome night at the scenic SM By the Bay for the official delegates is sure to put everyone in a good mood during the first day of the congress on April 24 where this time, it’s all about the best of Philippine food, art, and culture.

“SM is proud to be the venue of the historic Madrid Fusion Manila. We believe that one of the Philippines’ best-kept secrets is our rich culinary heritage,” expressed Steven Tan, SM Supermalls senior vice-president. “We also want to bring the excitement of Madrid Fusion, particularly Spain’s strong influence in our food and culture, to our mall-goers by taking these culinary festivities to our malls.”

To help create national awareness for this cultural milestone, the official Madrid Fusion Manila 2015 TV commercial is being aired in all SM Cinemas nationwide.

Set to captivate Manila with their culinary virtuoso are Spain and Asia’s legendary chefs Andoni Luis Aduriz, Elena Arzak, Quique Dacosta, Ramón Freixa, Francis Paniego, Paco Roncero, Mario Sandoval, Paco Torreblanca, André Chiang, and Alvin Leung.

Presenting the Philippines’ own diverse and imaginative epicurean traditions are chefs Fernando Aracama, Margarita Forés, J Gamboa, José Luis “Chele" Gonzalez, Pepe Lopez, Rob Pengson, Bruce Ricketts, Myrna Dizon, Claude Tayag, and Juan Carlos de Terry.

Taking centerstage at the congress will be this exciting encounter between Spain’s legendary Michelin-starred chefs and the Philippines’ very own culinary stars. A trade exhibition will focus on the finest Spanish and Filipino products from Spanish wines and cheeses, to the Philippines’ world-class exports such as rice, cacao, coffee, mango, coconut, and liquors.

A feast of everything delectably Filipino-Spanish shall delight foodies at the Gourmet Weekend Market from April 24 to 26 at SM Mall of Asia. A premium selection of cheese, tapas, wine, ingredients, local finds and special bundles shall be made available in partnership with SM Markets (SM Supermarket and Hypermarket).

New food concepts that reflect culinary innovation and technique will be available only this April at select SM Mall of Asia restaurants where special dishes with Spanish influence or cooked with the finest local produce, ingredients and flavors are sure to bring out your inner foodie.

Savory goodness awaits mall-goers of SM Aura Premier which shall host its own Spanish-themed fiesta with music, dancing, food and drinks on April 26 at the Sky Park lawn.

Also from April 24 to 26, irresistible dining deals await all food lovers at SM Megamall’s flagship and first-in-the-country dining destinations and the newly-opened Mega Food Hall.

A unique facial experience

By Ivan Saldajeno, Dugout Philippines

JUST like women, men need facial care too, so it's not surprising that boys go to facial centers too. However, I found a very unique facial center inside the Bonifacio Global City.

Skin Philosophie, formally called Skin Philosophie Medical Aesthetic and Lifestyle Solutions, offers a unique kind of treatment. I tried it out.

In my previous facial experience, I had my face sprinkled with warm water. However, at Skin Philosophie, there are no water sprinkler, and the machines used for the facial are totally different from the others.

Some of the machines used in my facial.

However, like the other facial centers, the mission is the same: to have a youthful skin free of the nasty pimples.

The entire facial process

After an hour of the clinic's signature facial, my face got refreshed, younger-looking, and clearer, that is, most of the pimples are gone.

Aside from the facial, Skin Philosophie, owned by Dr. Kyla Talens, offers other services.

In fact, Skin Philosophie offers a fat-burning radio frequency treatment where anyone who avails of the said service can shed off those unwanted fats and have that beach body he or she wants for the beach outings.

(Update as of April 1: For this summer season, however, Skin Philosophie offers an 80 percent discount on its RF treatment. For only PHP560, you can blast out the fats from you. The promo is good until May 31.)

For further details, you can visit Skin Philosophie at the third floor of the Fort Strip at the corner of 28th Avenue and 7th Street at the Bonifacio Global City. You can also call the clinic at 2118762, 2158080, or 8567451. You can also visit its website at skinphilosophie.com or its Facebook page at facebook.com/skin.philosophie.

(Update: The writer is now an accredited lead generator for Skin Philosophie Medical Aesthetic and Lifestyle Solutions, and as a special offer by the writer, you can avail any of the services in the said clinic for five percent off. If you wish to do so, just post a screenshot of this post, print it or save it to your gadget, and present it to Skin Philosophie. Be sure you have made your reservation a day before your treatment schedule.)

Live well; leave well with Aeternum Garden

A panoramic view of the Aeternum Garden. From Aeternum's Facebook page

Aeternum is a Latin word which means Eternity. Located at the heart of Heritage Park Area 2 of Fort Bonifacio Taguig City, Aeternum Garden boasts its grandiose and inviting facilities such lush greenery, manmade lagoon and waterfalls, the viewing chapel where funeral services take place and the peaceful columbarium.

Jan Vincent Mercado, President of The Fort Park Estate Inc., who introduced the country's first True Garden Columbary, "Aeternum": The Park Estate Columbary discussed how they stumble upon the idea of putting up Aeternum Garden. He and his family received an offer before from the local city government to buy the property which then was just a piece of land. It was bought, developed and now became the country's first true garden columbary. "Living the life you want is very important but you need to live it well without harming other people." This is one of the inspiring lines from Vincent Mercado which people need to live by.

"Live well. Leave well" is the theme of the night where guests are encouraged to share something that they could not forget about their departed loved ones. Online media and VIP guests willingly participated in the "mini-sharing". 

Aeternum Garden has a viewing chapel inside the 5-hectare land of The Fort Park Estate Inc. Families, friends and other relatives may reminisce the happy memories they had with their loved ones inside the chapel peacefully and scenic praying areas of the park. The serenity inside and outside the chapel and the themed buildings will make you feel at ease for your treasured ones.

Back to the pre-historic times, people from Rome, Italy called Etruscans give honor to their loved ones by cremating them believing that fire would purify their loved ones for eternity. After the cremation service, the matriarch of the family would gather the ashes of her loved one and place them in an urn and was kept in a sacred place--the columbarium.

Aeternum Garden, which is a unique and floral-inspired structure, symbolizes the love of the family to the departed ones. The garden setting is a sanctuary of memories and a haven of comfort for those who were left behind. At night, you will an amazing view of the columbarium as the lighting is randomly changing its colors. Classy. Flexible, grandiose, majestic, serene--these are the words to describe Aeternum Garden. If you are wondering if the rates are too expensive, need not to worry as Aeternum offers its clients flexible payment options.

We all deserve a place on Earth like heaven. You live well. You leave well.

For more information, please take note on the details below.

Aeternum Garden Columbary Park, C.P. Garcia Ave. corner Bayani Road, Heritage Park Area 2, Taguig City

Tel: (02) 401 1303 Website: http://www.aeternumcolumbary.com

Facebook : Aeternum Columbary

Twitter: @AeternumGarden

Instagram: @AeternumGarden

Vyne Restaurant: Worth the skip

After a journalism forum at the nearby Mind Museum, I was wondering if I can still make it to a concert from afar after a blog tour organized by Zomato in Vyne Restaurant. It turned out, outside the concert venue was a basketball event that I would actually more prefer to attend. Eventually, the Vyne event ended at around 11:30 PM, already too late to still go there. I may have missed the two events, but the resto visit at Vyne really made up my night.

J.P. Enriquez, the owner of the restaurant and the same guy behind the Hyve Bar just next door and the Skye Lounge, said that Vyne was intended to be "a concept restaurant that has the flavors from all over the world." Indeed, the world was fused into one restaurant.

First served was the Pork Chasu Bun. For me, the appetizer alone can already satisfy my cravings because it was delicious.

Although I'm not really a fan of seafood, I found the other two appetizers, the Thai Scallops and the Mini Crab Cakes, delighting for me too.

Thai Scallop (left) and Mini Crab Cakes

Then in comes the sizzler, the prawn and ravioli laksa. Although I can "survive" a certain level of "spicyness", the soup really got me. While it's yummy, I also got a craving for a cold beverage because of it being hot and spicy. A blogger friend of mine told me that she loves spicy foods and just consumed the spicy soup in a jiffy. I was appalled by her.

And in came the salads. I liked the presentation of the Apple and Bleu Cheese Salad, but I liked the taste of the East Asian Salad. I liked the latter so much (maybe partly because I don't eat apples that much) that I "murdered" the dish.

Apple and Bleu Cheese Salad (left) and the East Asian Salad

Now, enter the Ramen Carbonara, a Japanese twist to an Italian noodle dish. In my honest opinion, although I liked the dish (especially the pork cuts), I find the taste too much carbonara. I prefer a good balance of the two sauces.

However, our blog tour of Vyne took a huge turn after the restaurant's trademark hamburger came. It was a tough luck that we, a group of four, had to cut the hamburger equally. But I really wanted to solely eat the burger. The 200-gram beef patty was cooked medium-rare, but it was still delicious.

At first, I thought the restaurant tour was already satisfying enough. But hold on! The main courses were yet to be delivered at that time. In the tour, we were offered the Pan-Seared Sole Fish and the US Angus Rib-Eye Steak. While the beef dish, like the burger, was cooked medium-rare, I found the steak too delicious that, like what I did with the East Asian Salad, I almost consumed all the steak (and the french fries, the side dish) on my own.

The Pan-Seared Sole Fish (left) and the US Angus Rib-Eye Steak

And now, the dessert. The lemon cheesecake was designed to be like an ice cream popsicle, which I found interesting. The cake overall was delicious, and I also lorded over the dessert like the others.

Blogger friend Dems Angeles, who also went to the Rappler journalism event
earlier in the day, "modeled" the lemon cheesecake.

To keep the customers alive, some nights have specific themes. It was a Wednesday, so it was music quiz time. We stayed for the music quiz contest co-presented by Play FM where on the line were John Legend concert tickets. We lost the quiz contest, but it was fun.

The "wild" crowd during the John Legend quiz contest.

Vyne Restaurant is located at the eighth floor of the W Building near the Bonifacio High Street in Taguig City. The restaurant is open at as early as 11:00 AM from Monday-Saturday. For reservation, follow its Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/VyneManila and its Twitter and Instagram pages at @vyne_ph.

Skippy's Bar and Grill: Aussie culture being spread in PH

Skippy’s Bar & Grill is a sports bar and restaurant bringing a piece of Australian goodness in the Philippines. It offers scrumptious and filling grubs for every hungry tummy, Aussie or local alike.

In here you will find honest-to-goodness Aussie comfort food like the imported Aussie Meat Pies (choice of chicken or beef) from Down Under, the famous Aussie burger, Aussie steaks and lamb chops, and fish and chips are fast-becoming house specialties.

And rightfully so, because Skippy’s never scrimps on ingredients and serving-size, making it great for hungry foodies or for a group of friends who just would like to have a great time!

The bar boasts of an excellent selection of Australian beers like Victoria Bitter, and Crown Lager as well as other top-notch imported beers to toast on.

Its owners, Sydney-native business man, Steve Bird and his wife Tina, envisioned the place to be a laid-back, no-fuss pub where a mate can grab an ice cold beer, eat brunch until 3PM while cheering for his favorite sports team showing in live HD. And true enough just over a year in operation, it has become a place where great food, lots of laughter and awesome mates gather round.

Open daily from Monday to Sunday, as early as 9AM, it serves breakfast for as low as PHP165 with great selection to choose from. Not a breakfast person? No problem, Skippy’s has its affordable lunch menu for only PHP195 ready to make any tummy happy. Serving breakfast from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM and lunch from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM, one can enjoy great meals any time of the day!

Not only that, at Skippy’s there’s always a reason to celebrate starting from its PHP60 cocktail with 40 different selections to choose from happening Sunday to Wednesday from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM! Calling all beer drinkers out there, Skippy’s offer a 4+1 local beer selection during its crazy long happy hour starting from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM every Monday to Saturday, and all-day during Sunday Fun Day.

What’s more is that, Skippy’s flavorful chicken wings--14 pieces of this delectable intense wings are up for grabs for only PHP150 from Sunday to Tuesday when availing of the 4+1 local beer promo. Like Skippy’s Philippines on Facebook and be in the know with all the events and promotions on your favorite all-action sports, Rock-on Friday and Saturdays with local blues and rock artists performing live or just about anything Au-some!

Blogapalooza Returns

The biggest online media gathering is back! Bloggers, online reporters, businesses, and even people from the other media platforms come together once again in Blogapalooza 2014.

Blogapalooza, brought to you by When in Manila and Our Awesome Planet, will happen on September 20 at the SMX Convention Center of SM Aura in Taguig City.

Businesses and media practitioners will network with each other as they will boost their respective marketing.

Special guests will also grace the event to speak about the latest in the social media scene.

Carmudi Launches Mobile App

A guest tries the new Carmudi app during its launch in Taguig. Shutter Panda

Carmudi, the world’s fastest growing online car classified, is all set to change the experience of shopping for car enthusiasts in the Philippines.

The online car classifieds has officially launched its mobile application which will allow users to browse thousands of cars on the go.

Hosting over 20,000 vehicles online, Carmudi’s app will give users an excellent experience of buying cars while on the move, thus allowing them the same sense of ease and comfort out and about as they would experience in front of their PCs at home.

The app is available to Android users in 20 countries across Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America.

For the convenience of customers, Carmudi has made the app available in 9 different languages.

The app features the same usability and filter functions as its computer counterpart www.carmudi.com.ph. 

Customers can filter searches by any means that they wish, from brand to model and year to price.

Users can also share listings on various social platforms to gain opinions from friends and family if they are unsure.

In addition, the Carmudi app allows for favoriting of listings so that they get instant notifications on their favorite rides.

Stefan Haubold, co-founder and global managing director of Carmudi, commented, “We want to bring the massive choice of cars to the fingertips of our users. This is a huge milestone for Carmudi."

He added, "The app will allow millions of users across the globe to find their dream car in just a single tap. We already have over one million users visiting our website every month."

"Carmudi is changing the way consumers search and shop for cars. With mobile phones accounting for more than a third of the internet usage in the emerging world, Carmudi’s app will further strengthen its dominance there,” Haubold concluded. 

So if you are looking for that perfect ride, make sure that you download the Carmudi app on the Google play store.

Las Flores: A First Taste of Authentic Spanish Dishes

Although I've already tried some Spanish or Spanish-inspired food like paella, I never went to a Spanish restaurant. Not until a good friend of mine invited me to Las Flores in Taguig. Located at the Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City's central business district, Las Flores is a place usually visited by many because it's at least one of only a few Spanish restaurants in that area.

There, I found out that there's more to the Spanish dishes. When I tasted the restaurant's paella, I found out that it's totally different from the paella I grew up with. It turns out, the genuine Spanish paella tastes very delicious.

Also, being a sandwich lover, I like to try new sandwiches, from new burgers to simply some experiments of my own at home. When Uri Singla, the marketing head of the resto, introduced me and my friends to the beef angus and foie minis sandwich, I did not hesitate on tasting it immediately.

I (standing, right) and my pals together with Las Flores marketing head Uri
Sangla (standing, 2nd from left)

It's really delicious. But on an intriguing note, I found out that the "bun" is actually made of goose liver. I'm not a fan of edible liver, but I never tasted even a hint that it's goose liver after tasting the beef sandwich.

Another surprising fact I learned from the resto was that there's such a thing as edible humus. After tasting "Secreto Iberico", a pork dish with humus, I find it delicious too.

Another thing I found out from Las Flores was that you can tweak your custard. A dessert served to us was "Flan de Arandanos con Nata". To make it simple, it's a custard topped with blueberry.

If you want to try these dishes and the rest of Las Flores' menu, come to the restaurant located at 25th St. Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City, at the back of One McKinley Place. For reservations, call (02)5522815 or 09166193365. Visit its Facebook page for more of the resto.

Just Thai: My First Thai Food Experience

I haven't been into a Thai restaurant in my entire life. Much more, I haven't eaten any Thai dish; not even the Tom Yum flavor of Lucky Me Supreme Noodles. So I really made the most when good friend Kenny Ngo invited me and Ross Del Rosario to Just Thai along Burgos Circle in Taguig City.

I find it amusing that the restaurant design and the background music are totally Thai. What I really like more is the chandeliers, which are designed in flowers.

Now, on to the main agenda. We were first served Just Thai's iced tea. It's the same as the Nai Cha or milk tea you would see in other establishments, but what makes it unique is that the tea leaves are fresh from Thailand.

And then... Tom Yum!

What I like about the soup was the aroma and how the chefs cooked the mushrooms and shrimps. I was really reminded of sinigang; it's just that the addition of mushrooms made the Tom Yum different.

But that's not it. We were also served Tom Kha Gai or the Chicken in Coconut Milk Soup. It turned out to be a blockbuster that I consumed the soup almost all by myself and still wanting for more!

Then the appetizers. We first tried Gai Sate or grilled chicken served with a peanut dip. I was like, "Chicken and peanut sauce? Really!?" After taking some bites, "Wow! They make a good match!"

Now, the real jawbreakers! First up was the Moo Sam Chan Yang or grilled pork in tamarind sauce. Again, I got curious, "Tamarind as a dip? Isn't that even sourer than vinegar?" Again, after tasting the dip, "Tamarind dip is cool after all!" Turns out, the tamarinds use are also from Thailand, and the taste of the tamarinds there is sweet unlike our local ones. If the dip was different from what I think, so was the tamarind juice coupled with it.

I liked the pork dish the same way former beauty queen Alma Concepcion did.

Although I'm not a fan of seafoods, I really like the Squid in Garlic and Pepper, especially how the dish was prepared.

If you were to go to Just Thai, though, you should try the Chicken in Pandan Leaves. The flavor of the chicken dish is totally unique. Try it on your own and you be the judge.

Finally, the desserts. We tried the coconut pudding, and it's a good dessert. But the sellout was the Khao Niaow Ma Muang or the Mangoes in Sticky Rice. The presentation alone is a blockbuster. Just like how the others said about the dessert, we hesitated at eating it, but eventually, we had to destroy the design.

I was satisfied in my first ever trip to a Thai resto. So if you want to experience the same way I had, go to Just Thai along Forbes Town Center in Taguig, Two E-Com Center in Pasay, and Molito Commercial Center in Muntinlupa. Like its Facebook page for more.

All photos courtesy of Ross Del Rosario

FAME Gathers Bloggers this Wednesday

Following the success of its event last year, Friendly Alliances and Media Expression (FAME), Inc. will host another one-night fellowship for renowned bloggers from food, lifestyle, entertainment, health and wellness, fashion, photography industries on March 19, 2014, 6 p.m. at the Megaworld Showroom, McKinley Hill in Taguig City.

Dubbed as Bloggers’ Night Tagged!, the event will feature FAME brands alongside with its other corporate partners and supporters.

FAME has gone a long way from having only a doctor’s passion to write – a passion that turned to a vision of spreading a word on health and wellness in the country.

Abiding by its mission to promote good health, a healthy lifestyle, sound Christian values, and professional excellence, FAME has become a trusted brand in creating quality publications and providing other services in the country.

Owned by its very own Editor-In-Chief and Publisher Dr. Rafael R. Castillo, a renowned cardiologist, FAME started by giving its doctor-readers the Health and Lifestyle (H&L) magazine, the quintessential guide for the modern-day doctor, which is FAME’s flagship publication.

Two years later, FAME expanded its publication and ventured into commercial publications. DiabetEASE magazine was launched to empower patients and their families with diabetes.

From feature and in-depth stories on medicine, FAME ventured into promoting the Philippine and international tourism and empowering women with its Travel Plus and Zen Health magazines, respectively.

For more than two years now, Vital Signs, one of the latest FAME publications in an eight-page newsletter format, is seen to become the leader in medical news as it synthesizes the most recent scientific and healthcare news taken from notable sources in the field of healthcare, medicine, public health administration read by doctors, healthcare professionals, and even legislators.

So what are you waiting for? Mark your calendars, come along, and tag your blogger-friend! You surely don’t want to miss this year’s Bloggers’ Night event as exciting prizes await all attendees courtesy of FAME’s major sponsors and surprise guest appearances and performances.

We hope to see you there in our best event ever!

Palanca Awardee Antonio Conducts Playwriting Workshop

Ready to bring your story to the stage? Learn how to write plays from five-time Palanca Award-winning writer, Dr. Joem Antonio, in Amateur Playwriting. This is a three-hour workshop that will be held on January 18, 2:00 PM at U-View, Fully Booked, Bonifacio High Street, Taguig City.

Aspiring playwrights will learn the differences between theater and other media, constructing a story for the script, making a story feasible for stage performance, and formatting a script for directors and actors. By the end of the workshop, attendees will have a basic method to follow in writing theater plays.

For more information, please visit http://playwriting.bluebackpack.com or contact Mia Madarang of Blue Backpack Events Management at info@bluebackpack.com or at 09175861906.

Bonus: Get 10% off on this event! Simply register using this promo code on or before January 11, 2014: Please email joy@magneticnorth.co for the promo code.

Rockeoke Christmas Party for Bloggers Set

When in Manila presents Rockeoke Bloggers' Christmas Party on December 17 at the Aracama Restaurant in Taguig City.

Janjay Coquilla, Guji Lorenzana, and the Tuesday Band will be coming over to party with the bloggers and other social media personalities.

Also, come in your best rockstar or pop icon get-up, and you might win cool prizes. What are you waiting for? Come and party with us.

Youtube Sensations Ho, Bustos Spark Blogapalooza Event

Marco "Bogart the Explorer" Ho (R) and Jako De Leon discussed their videos
and how they became viral on Youtube.

Mikey Bustos and Marco Ho, whose viral Youtube videos made them stars, were keynote guests during the 2013 When In Manila Blogapalooza at the new SMX Convention Center inside SM Aura in Taguig City.

Bustos, who became known for teaching the Filipino culture in a funny way, and Ho, more popularly known as Bogart the Explorer, who exposes the kinds of people living in the Philippines, graced the whole-day event that connected online media personalities and business entities.

The two Youtube sensations, together with Bogart the Explorer video producer Jako De Leon, shared how their videos became a hit and empowered the online writers to continue with their work.

Stand-up comedians Tim Tayag, Derf Hebrado, James Caraan, and Marlon Olivan also joined the fun and entertained the bloggers and business owners with their comedic pieces.

Philip Abadicio of Aksyon TV's "It's More Fun with Philip" and the new TV5 show "Philip the Lifestyle Guy" also made a talk how online media and TV can co-exist.

Also sharing their insights were social media expert Jason Cruz and radio DJ's Karen Bordador, Sam Gogna aka Sam YG, Tony Bueno aka Tony Toni, and Eric Virata aka Slick Rick.

Also, bloggers got a chance to meet with business entities through booths where they can interact about the latter's products.

Black Canyon Opens in Taguig

The Tuscany at the McKinley Hill in Taguig City is now the home of the newest Black Canyon Coffee branch in the Philippines.

The Thailand-based coffee shop and restaurant franchise formally opened its Taguig branch at the Tuscany, just across the Venice Piazza.

Various media practitioners got a chance to experience the foods and drinks Black Canyon offers. The owners also revealed plans to further expand the franchise here in the Philippines.

The coffee shop is open everyday from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM. For more information, visit Black Canyon Philippines' Facebook page.

Prive Cooks Up Grand End of Summer Party

The summer fever reaches its climax as Prive Luxury Club culminates the Babewatch Summer Party series with a bang tomorrow.

Come in your best beach attire and party all night with the Superfly DJ's. The girls in bikinis will get free booze for the entire party night, so come on over to Prive Luxury Club along The Fort Strip in Taguig.

This is one way for you to end your summer season on a high note.

Sarah Jessica Parker to Grace the SM Store Aura Opening

Guess who's coming to SM Aura.

There’s been a lot of buzz about the SM Aura Premier opening this May. And it has just been confirmed that international screen and stage actress–and style icon-Sarah Jessica Parker will be gracing the launching of the mall’s SM Store.

Parker, who played Carrie Bradshaw on the HBO television series Sex and the City (1998-2004), has won four Golden Globe Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two Emmy Awards. She served as a producer and reprised her role in the screen adaptation of the hit series with the theatrical release of Sex and the City and Sex and the City 2.

Her Carrie character –who has been described as someone who lives for fashion - as well as her own incredible personal style make Parker the perfect guest for the store opening, which Manila’s stylish set is looking forward to.

In the fall of 2013, Parker will return to the stage in the world premiere of The Commons of Pensacola by Amanda Peet opposite Blythe Danner.

Past film credits include: I Don’t Know How She Does It, Did You Hear About the Morgans?, Smart People, Failure to Launch, The Family Stone, State and Main, Mars Attacks!, Ed Wood, The First Wives Club, Miami Rhapsody, Honeymoon in Vegas, and Footloose.

Parker also lends her time to charitable causes.  She currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the New York City Ballet and is a UNICEF ambassador.  In November 2009, the Obama administration elected her to be a member of President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities.  In April 2012, she adopted the Martin Luther King, Jr. School in Portland Oregon for the Turnaround Arts Initiative.

Sarah Jessica Parker at the opening of The SM Store at SM Aura Premier - now that’s great fashion news. Spread the word! Share, repost, and retweet!

For more promos and updates, join The SM Store online community: 

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheSMStore 

Twitter: http://twitter.com/thesmstore 

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/thesmstore 

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/TheSMStore

Sunset Party at Venice Piazza Sizzles People's Summer

Flow artists showcased their talents. Venice Piazza

The Venice Piazza in McKinley Hill in Taguig gave a summer treat to the partygoers through the Venice Sunset Party: Summer Spindependence in the said venue.

The beach-inspired free concert party at the Venice Piazza's open area was filled up with people from sunset even until late night as world-class flow artists displayed their stuff to kick things off. The Katribu Kolektib Drum Community also made sounds in the party with their reggae beats.

The summer party was highlighted by performances from Pedicab, Urbandub, Sandwich, and Franco. The four bands performed their hits like "Ang Pusa Mo", "First of Summer", "DVDx", and "Happy Days". Pedicab's lead vocalist Diego Mapa and fellow DJ Diego Castillo, who make up the duo The Diegos, added some more beats with their party music skills to pep up the late night.