Of Casting Calls & Playing Cards (The Casino Royale Event Part I)

Thursday, June 18, was such a fun day for me, full of blessings and surprises. As usual, I woke up at around noon and prepared for my casting call in Makati. There’s this VTR going on for a TVC (television commercial) of a biscuit product and they’re looking for both males and females to play different roles. I’d have to don my normal-looking attire which I’ve already prepared the night before and after a bit of vanity fuss, off I went and commuted/walked my way to the location. Thanks to MRT/LRT and the special walkways around Ayala and Greenbelt, walking was made more fun and enjoyable. I never thought learning how to commute these days can be such a breeze. I thought I won’t get the hang of it but surprisingly, I find it really easy. Plus, I get to burn some calories as I walk out of our village and around Makati every time. Anyway, it’s as if all those years of commuting back in college and in my early twenties seemed to be coming back to me. Of course, it helped that I googled and printed the map of the exact location first just so I won’t get lost. Cheers to another reason for me to NOT learn how to drive. Teehee. Don’t worry, when the time comes that I’d really have to, then I definitely will. After all, we have two cars and most of the time the older one (our Revo) always gets left behind. Peter only uses it when our Yaris is in coding mode.

talents wait their turn to be called inside the casting room

So there I was at the venue, feeling  excited and all. I even got to see Kuya Bob! I knew him since the beginning of my Entablado days in 2003! He’s already had numerous commercials, the latest of which was the one for Cornetto where he played as a barber and  cut the boy’s hair for Php20.00. Hihihi. Anyhoo, I was busy doing my craft when I suddenly remembered about this event that I wanted to go to at Newport Manila. Ack! I didn’t bring any other clothes to wear! I got a bit frazzled by the idea of me going to an event looking like a normal little girl. Oh noes! I texted Peter about it and he told me that it’s fine if I’m wearing casual clothes. So, that’s it then. I was going no matter what I was wearing. I always stick to my commitments anyway and I’m not just about to start breaking one. The fashionista in me just had to stick it out. ^_^

With Kuya Bob!!!

My VTR ended at 5pm. They had me eat biscuits. Haha! I dunno what will happen after that, if I’d get a call back or what. But I had fun doing it, I met new people and I got to bond with Kuya Bob. That’s what mattered the most.

Afterwards, I headed to  McDonald’s near Greenbelt where the meeting place for the Casino Royale event was.  I was there at 6pm, pretty early I suppose so I ordered a burger meal and seated at a spot near the glass windows so I’d get to notice anybody familiar. I was also plurking my time away the whole time. By 6:30 pm, I was still not seeing any blogger so I began asking people on Plurk. I wondered if they’ve left me.  I wondered if I was even at the right place! I stood up and headed for the door when I saw someone I know! TheMusicblogger! Ed Arevalo saved my evening! My first knight in shining armor! Teehee. All the other bloggers were just there outside Mcdo Cafe, at the smoking section, the whole time! Whew!  There, I met all the other bloggers  ( two of  them I know — Jonas Diego & Janette Toral) and one of the organizers/colleagues of Jonas, Rizal. She was looking so sexy and chic and model-like. I really liked the dress Rizalwas wearing that night. It was fit and fab and gorgeous. And her make up was great too! Too bad I didn’t take  a picture.  Tsk, tsk. Remind me to always bring my Nikon D40 next time, pls? Ha? Okay? Hehehe. 

Apparently, we were going to some chic hotel in Newport, Manila (near NAIA Terminal III) and there, we will discover something very exciting, especially for a traveler like me and people who love getting 5-star hotel memberships. Oh wow!!! I couldn’t wait!

Before 8 pm, we were already there. We were enthusiastically welcomed by very pretty ladies and handsome looking men.  Again, I wasn’t able to take photos of them. I only had my Olympus digicam with me and it was running out of batteries. I was saving it for the tour. Darn. Our lovely and charming ushers and usherettes led us to the second floor where the restaurant/training area was. There, I met Jayvee, then later on Liz and Bim arrived. We were served with drinks of our choices (except alcoholic drinks, sorry Bim!) and delectable dishes. We had spicy shrimp soup, pasta with Asparagus and huge slices of ham (was it ham? Basta it was delicious!) and bico for dessert. Yumyum!!!

Jayvee happily tinkering with his underwater camera. He’s excited to go diving this weekend! 

freshly squeezed OJ; bread sticks

spicy shrimp soup; pasta & ham

Bim & Bico. Lol.

L: With Jayvee & Liz; R: With Janette Toral

I wasn’t surprised that the food was really, really good. We were being served by a 6-star resort after all! Wow! 6-star!!!!I can get used to living like this! Hehehe.  While dinner was being served,  our group was vivaciously laughing our a*ses off! Bim was so hilarious! Oh and in between bites, I was learning a lot of  blog monetizing stuff from Janette too! Thanks Janette! I will think about what you said. ^_^  All of us present then got to introduce ourselves to one another and a little introduction about this multibilion dollar project of PAGCOR was also made.

Apparently, ALLIANCE GLOBAL will participate in PAGCOR’s US$15 billion Bagong Nayong Pilipino Entertainment City Manila project through its subsidiary, Travellers International Hotel Group, Inc. (Travellers International). Travellers received its PAGCOR license last June 2, the first of four pre-qualified groups.

Recently, Travellers International forged a deal with Hong Kong listed company Star Cruises Limited (Star Cruises), which is part of the Malaysian conglomerate Genting Group. Star Cruises is the third largest cruise line operator in the world.  The other major players in this consortia include Japan’s Aruze Corp, led by its Chairman Mr. Kazuo Okada, an investor in Wynn Resorts Las Vegas and Macau; local mall developer SM Investments Corp.; and  Bloombury. All four companies are betting their chips on this major touris-oriented  project and are  expected to put in at least US$1 billion in cash on the table for their respective projects.

This is truly a fantabulous opportunity! It will definitely open numerous jobs for Filipinos and those  Pinoys abroad who are already working in the hotel and tourism industry can be enticed to go home and find their  dream jobs here. Same goes for numerous OFWs who were forced to go home months ago due to the recession. Actually, a little part of me is enticed to apply for a position too. Ssshhhh…Hihihi. ^_^

The most ambitious and exciting part of Traveller’s International’s project is its task to put up an iconic structure to symbolize the rich culture and heritage of the Philippines, according to Sian, President of ALLIANCE GLOBAL, adding that the Entertainment City Manila is expected to be the platform to showcase the best of what the Philippines can offer in arts and entertainment. Sian said that from the Entertainment City Manila, it would be easy to entice tourists to see other attractions in the country.

The Alliance Global-Star Cruises consortium will likewise build several hotels with an aggregate room count of at least 5,000, thus transforming Travellers International into the largest hotel owner in the country. In addition, other facilities will include world-class theme park and museum.

Aside from Entertainment City Manila site, the group has embarked on the development of Newport City, an integrated tourism city at the Villamor air base in Pasay City. Newport City hosts the country’s most modern and luxurious gaming facility, an iconic mall that features renowned fashion brands, a theater for the performing arts, a high-end cinema complex, an indoor piazza and two luxury hotels, the 342-room Marriott Hotel and the all-suites Maxims Hotel.

Alliance Global is tapping the expertise of world-renowned Gettys Chicago to design the interiors of the Maxims Hotel suites so that these will all bear the mark of luxury that frequent guests have come to associate with the brand. Gettys has completed interiors for over  500 luxury hotel and five-star resort projects in the Americas and Caribbean region, including the Ritz-Carlton Chicago and the Hilton Grand Vacation Club in Hawaii. The firm is renowned in the hospitality industry for its “fresh thinking, creative solutions and uncompromising design.” 

Maxims Hotel Newport City will feature 172 Maxims suites, three villas and one presidential suite from fourth to eighth floors. A personal butler will service all the suites which start at a floor area of 54 sq.m. for the Maxims suites, 535 sq.m. for the villas and an expansive 652 sq.m. for the presidential suite.

Three private villa residences with individual pools are planned for the fourth floor. The same floor will host a luxurious pool for the exclusive use of hotel guests.

Sian believes that with the promising partnership of Alliance Global and Star Cruises, both the entertainment City Manila and Newport City will become a source of optimism and pride for the Philippines.

We were later on shown a sample of a suite room (that is renting for Php25,000 per night!).

Then we headed to the gaming room where we played cards and other games. I specifically liked playing Caribbean Stud Poker which is pretty much the same as pusoy dos. The other one was Bacarrat where Liz won! It was such a fun night! Drinks and Pica-Pica were served and dance music was playing in the background.  POPSY, if you’re reading this, I’m telling you, you will enjoy it here! This place is a whole lot better than the casino at Sofitel. Hehehe.   Little did I know that the people beside me were Jay and Aileen Apollo! I was so happy to finally see Jay in person. We usually correspond online and a part of me felt we were already bestfriends! Hahaha! Anyway, thank God we weren’t playing with cash. I did learn a lot that night, though. One of which is… to know when to stop betting. Hahaha!

Meeting Jay at last!

At around 11 pm, all bloggers gathered outside the gaming room for their loot bag & some photo ops. Ooohh wow!

I got at home  by 12 mn, thanks to Jayvee who drove me all the way home … my second knight in shining armor that evening, teehee.  Too bad, Peter wasn’t able to make it to this event. He would’ve had a fantastic time too. After a few minutes, he was finally home as well and I was blabbing away about how muchI enjoyed my day. I showed him my loot bag too. I wish everyday is as fun as this. Come to think of it, it already is! Yay! 

MY LOOT:

More photos HERE.