Sexy Nomad Cooked at TV 5’s HOW BOUT MY PLACE…TONIGHT?

 July 14, 2009, 11:30 AM, right after they shoot my part at the new Claudine Barreto TV commercial (I just found out last weekend from my agent that as soon as they finish shooting the third set  [ours was the 2nd], then that’s the time it gets aired on TV), I immediately went to the location of TV5’s HOW BOUT MY PLACE…TONIGHT shoot. I was chosen by their adorable writer, Marc Almajose, to be the show’s guest blogger. My taping was scheduled at 6 PM but because it was my first time to commute all the way to Malate from Marikina, I’d rather be early than late so in case I get lost, there’s still more than enough time left to rest, dress up and do my make up.

 I got there at around 1 pm…yeah… I was too early. Marc’s direction was so precise that I managed NOT to get lost. Yipee! Marc showed me around, introduced me to the handsome director/producer, Butch Ilige, and to the charming chef/host, CHEF FERNANDO ARACAMA, and let me watch the other tapings being done. I first witnessed the taping of Makati Shangri-La’s Chief Chef Karl Heinz Krautler. He was making three wonderful dishes made of duck. Yummy. At the same time, I felt kind of worried coz the dish I was going to do was really quite simple and based on my own experimentation at home. Hmmm… Oh well. I just hoped and prayed that nothing will go wrong later that day.  

 Then it was Gov. Lray Villafuerte’s turn to cook his favorite Laing. He is the governor of Camarines Sur and he’s quite  a good looking guy if I may say so… dark version of John Lloyd Cruz (ahem!). Prior to his taping, while we were still in the waiting area, I was introduced to him and he seems to be a pretty funny guy too. As his make up was being done by Ken and Roman, he was telling us stories about CWC. He’s very proud of  his Camsur Watersports Complex. I told him that my hubby and I have been planning to go there for the longest time. We just don’t have the time and energy to make that trip at the moment. Hopefully, we can visit next month. We’ve only done knee boarding at Lago de Oro and it was so much fun! I bet, it’s gonna be more exciting at CWC! We exchanged numbers then it was his turn on cam.

 Top: Roman; Bottom: Ken

(They’re Gov. Villafuerte’s make up artists that afternoon. They’re so good looking! Unfortunately gurls, they’re gay. I had  a fantastic time chatting with them about the wonderful clients they had, their passion for their craft and other businesses they do. They’re quite a power team. Kudos!)

Guess who else arrived on the set later that afternoon? The power couple Ryan Agoncillo and Judy Anne Santos! I was mulling over if I should introduce myself and tell Juday that I was one of the bloggers who got tapped for her Ploning movie project before BUT… I felt shy and stayed on my seat instead. As Ryan was preparing his Burrito, his wife watched him with a proud look on her face. Awww… *mush*

Another chef was in the house that afternoon — Chef Jay Gamboa of Circulo. I wasn’t able to concentrate on what he was cooking coz I was beginning to feel anxious then. It would be my turn after him! Ack! This was so unlike the other TV gigs I did before. For one, there was no script. Number#1 rule was to just be myself. Second, I was asked to converse with a real chef and show him how I cook my own version of chicken adobo! To think it’s only my hubby who has ever seen my cooking and now the public will be seeing it once it gets aired in August! Double ack! Third and lastly, this would be the longest TV exposure for me by far. I’m not sure how many minutes, but it would definitely be a lot longer than the commercials and primetime soap participations I did in the past. Triple ack! 

And then, there I was, in front of the camera, conversing with Chef Fernando Aracama who I fondly called FERDS the whole time, as if we have known each other for so long! I realized that I was having loads of fun! Ferds was a very charming guy, a very good conversationalist and the entire production crew was just so much fun to be with! I felt so right at home like I was really meant to be there. (Naks!). It was so much fun and easy, I wished it never had to end.

 When the taping was over, we managed to have some photo ops with the crew.

Top Left: with Chef Fernando Aracama

Top Right: with director/producer Butch Ilige

Bottom Left: with writer & editors Marc Almajose and Frederick Teng (owner of KUSINA TEATRO, located at the foodstreet of the Ortigas Home Depot, behind Taboo, near the market, which I plan to visit soon.)

Bottom Right: with the camera crew

The moment the taping ended, I was looking for my chicken adobo so I can take a photo of the finished product. This was what welcomed me on the kitchen table! I was so surprised! I guess my original recipe was good! I was so touched… I cried a few tears… tears of overwhelming joy. ^_^ I still don’t know what to call this recipe. Aside from the usual adobo ingredients, I added tuna flakes, potatoes, pineapple chunks, sage, rosemary, basil and thyme. What do you think should I call it? Chef Fernando said it tasted like Estofado. Wow! I’m so proud!  My Dad will be proud of me! He first taught me how to cook Sinigang na Baboy at age 11. Then I just got lazy in the kitchen after that. I’d rather eat than cook…  until last January when Peter got sick and my lazy helper was nowehere to be found. That’s when I started cooking full time. Who knew I would end up here! Teehee! ^_^

HOW BOUT MY PLACE…TONIGHT?

 Every Thursday at 11:30 PM on TV5

 TEN YEARS…
A FEW THOUSAND RECIPES…
A FEW HUNDRED PERSONALITIES…
ALL ACCEPTED OUR INVITATION,
AND NOW WE ARE INVITING YOU,
LET US IN TO YOUR PLACE EVERY
THURSDAY AT 11:30 PM, AND WE’LL SHOW YOU THAT GOOD RECIPES AREN’T LIFTED STRAIGHT OUT OF COOKBOOKS…
THE ART OF COOKING IS BEST LEARNED BY HEART.
OUR HOSTS
CHEF FERNANDO ARACAMA AND
CHEF JOHN CU-UNJIENG TAKES YOU AROUND TOWN AS WE EXPLORE THE BEST, MOST EXOTIC, YUMMIEST DISHES, FROM UPSCALE RESTAURANTS TO THOSE THAT ARE…
WELL, OFF THE BEATEN TRACK.

Sexy Nomad is Part of the New Claudine Barreto TV Commercial!

The taping was supposed to be last July 13. I met with my agent at 6 in the morning as it was raining cats and dogs. We were praying then that the schedule doesn’t change coz we already had previous commitments the rest of the days that week. Thanks to Cai, my co-talent, we traveled all the way to Marikina in her BMW and arrived at the location on time. Upon entering this huge electronically gated house with tons of cars and a swimming pool in the far off park, the caretaker wondered why we were there. Apparently, the taping was rescheduled for the next day and my agent didn’t know about it! Aaarrghh. Why didn’t the production people bother to confirm if my agent got the message?! It was infuriating coz for one, I already had another commitment with TV5  the next day and I’d hate to cancel it. But we couldn’t do anything about it, except treat ourselves to lunch on the way back, using the production’s money. Harhar.

The Mansion where the shooting took place… Ganda!

Anyway, my contact, Mark, writer for How Bout My Place Tonight, was able to fix the schedule for the next day. Instead of a 10am call time, it was moved to 4pm. Hurray! I’d be able to do both. *banana rock*

 The production crew and talents were getting ready for the shoot. I was done with my hair and make up then so I was just taking photos.

 I guess I was quite lucky the next day. It stopped raining, we got to the location before the directors and camera crew did, I was able to prepare myself a bit, I was the first to have gotten hair and make up services, the color of the clothes the wardrobe dept. prepared for me was good for my skin tone and I was the first to get shot. I also had a feature part with speaking lines. Yay! If I remember right, my line went something like this “Di na naman naubos ng anak ko baon nya. Lagi na lang nasasayang. Ano kaya pwede ko ipabaon sa kanya. Yung masustansya at masarap.” I wonder when it will be shown? I don’t watch TV pa naman… Oh well.

L: That was the bench where I sat while they were shooting my segment; R: I promised the camera crew I’d put their photo here. So there.^_^ 

At at around 11:30 am, I was done with everything which means, I have more than enough time to prepare for the next shoot. I would’ve loved to wait for Claudine. They said that she will be there at around 1 pm. However, my agent advised us all that Claudine Barreto is the quiet type. She doesn’t like entertaining fans for photos and the likes. Oh well. I’m not really a fan anyway. So after I got my talent fee, off  I went to How Bout My Place Tonight’s studio located in Manila near Malate.Thank God for Mark’s directions, I didn’t get lost. Til my next post. ^_^

That’s the assistant director in the middle. Gwapo noh? Beside him are my co-talents Ritz (L) and Cai (R)

Sexy Nomad is part of the new Mar Roxas TV commercial!

 July 10, 2009. Call Time was at 6:00 am. I was thankful that the location of the shoot was just here in Sucat, Paranaque, in one of GMA 7’s studios, a few minutes away from Alabang where we live.  The moment I got there, the camera crew was already busy preparing their stuff.

All the talents were asked to stay first in an airconditioned studio/warehouse where we waited for further instructions as we took our breakfast. I was so excited that I couldn’t eat what they prepared for us (true breakfast meal of rice, eggs and meat) 

Would you believe, this whole compound was turned into a real palengke (public market)! How awesome! They also used real fruits, vegetables, meat products, etc. I’m telling you, by middday, I couldn’t anymore distinguish the studio from the make-believe scene. It was even starting to smell like a real public market! LOL!

 At around 8-9 am, Senator Mar Roxas arrived! He was sooo kind to let the talents smother him. And he was sooo handsome, so far from the way he looks like on photos and on TV.  I was too shy at first but then I thought, this was a once in a lifetime opportunity! So I went ahead and stole a photo with him. Teehee.

 Then it was shooting time! I didn’t know that Joel Lamangan (the chubby guy at the bottom left) was to be the commercial’s director at that time. Woah!!! The only downside was, he was such a perfectionist. He wanted every scene to be perfect. Thus, we finished at around 11 pm that day. Soooo tiring! I even overheard a lot of talents saying “Anubayan! Di naman pang FAMAS tong ginagawa natin! Commercial lang to. Bakit paulit-ulit?!” But I didn’t mind, really. I’m used to these kinds of things. I enjoyed every minute of it all. Thanks to Direk Joel Lamangan, even if I was just doing an extra role (meaning, I’m not even sure if you guys will see me on TV once the commercial airs [a friend told me it’s already airing]), I got to kiss and hug him over and over again (38 times I think!). This was the scene before the kid Vincent spotted him in the middle of the public market. ^_^ 

 At 11 pm, when Senator Roxas was about to leave, I took the opportunity to have a photo op with him. I was still feeling shy but what the heck!

 I also managed to take a photo with Vincent, quite a talented young kid. I just waited for my talent fee then off I went home, extremely tired but happy. Thanks to my kind hubby Peter, he waited for me and drove me home. ^_^

I Caught My QTV Interview

Yeah, I almost missed it actually. I was still sleeping when they aired it last July 1. Good thing I woke up just in time to see the fashion segment being aired. I immediately grabbed my camcorder and tried to record it. Unfortunately, I was running out of batteries and the TV was making some static. But I’m still glad I got it on video. I’m still waiting for QTV  though to send me a clean video copy of it. ^_^

Sexy Nomad, a Multimedia Celebrity?! Abangan…!!!

OMG! OMG! OMG!!!

The past few days have been such blessings! I’ve been very, very busy to the point of having no time to sleep at all but it was all so worth it!

I don’t have the time to divulge all the details right now so I’ll just give you a quick and short preview:

Watch out for the following:

I’m part of the new Mar Roxas political ad… did a bit of extra role but at least I got to kiss and hug him on cam! He is so kind, funny and handsome! *kilig!*

I’m playing mommy in Claudine Barreto’s new seasoning TV commercial. This involves frontal camera exposure with speaking lines! OMG!

And the most exciting of all — I get to be the guest blogger to cook my special CHICKEN ADOBO on TV 5’s How Bout My Place Tonight hosted by Chef Fernando Aracama or Ferns as I fondly call him which airs every Thursday evening at 11:30 pm.  We did the taping last night together with Chief Chef Karl Heinz Krautler of Makati Shangri La, Chef Jay Gamboa of Circulo, Governor LRay Villafuerte of CamSur  &  Ryan Agoncillo. I got to see Juday too!!! . I’ll let you know when exactly my guesting will be aired. Most probably 3rd or 4th Thursday of August. I’m so excited!!!!

These are three more things I can add to my acting portfolio! Weee!!! 

Watch out for all the details, photos and videos here on my blog!!! For now, it’s time to focus on work first. Teehee. ^_^

Enjoy the rest of your week, folks! 

You’re the 1, Goldilocks

You’re the 1 Goldilocks because…

Even before I got the chance to enjoy good food with my own money…

Even before my husband and I  started trying out other dishes, loved some, hated some…

Even before me and my family experienced the good life…

Goldilocks has always been the one!

As early as three years old, I already remember how my parents would work so hard, coming home late at night, even doing some buy and sell business and putting up a small sari-sari store on the side just so they can make both ends meet and provide the best for us, their three kids. No matter how hard life would get (with my Dad getting sick and having been laid off from work and eventually becoming the househusband that he is until now), when our birthdays came up, they have never failed to buy us our own birthday cake from no other than the number 1 cake shop — Goldilocks of course!

The sight of that rectangular creamy mocha yumminess is always such a blessing from heaven. Blowing my candle year after year, taking my first slice and sharing it with my family and close friends had always given me euphoric feelings, no matter how fleeting it was, making me think then that life was good… that life can always be that good. And it is! And it just keeps getting better every time.

Even now, with my parents having a grandson of their own, Goldilocks is still the ONE and ONLY choice. There is no better way to celebrate one’s life here on earth than to have a Goldilocks cake by your side. It’s been my parents’ legacy to show us how much they care. And it will always be our family’s tradition no matter what.  Goldilocks has always been there before. Goldilocks will always be there every step of the way.

Happy Birthday Popsy!!!!

Jennie are you ok? Are you ok? Are you ok Jennie? (Still Mourning Michael Jackson’s Death)

How I wish today’s reality is only a movie… then perhaps Michael would still be alive…

…Michael would still be performing and making millions of his fans happy with his music….

 Unfortunately, this is all so very real  and I couldn’t help but feel the tremendous loss our entertainment world has ever experienced…

We’ll all move on from this. I’ll be ok. Thank you, Michael. Thank you for sharing with us your gift all these years. 

 I LOVE YOU Michael.You’ll always be here in my heart…Rest in peace…

Michael Jackson Ghost? During CNN Larry King Interview with Jermaine Jackson

Sexynomad, Nuffnang Featured Blogger for the month of July

OMG! OMG! OMG!!!! I am Nuffnang’s featured blogger for the month of July! *faints!* Please do check it out… Here’s the link:

http://www.nuffnang.com.ph/featured-blogger/bg-2009-jul

Laiya, Batangas Les Caraibes Resort - A Homey Piece of Nature

Peter spent his birthday weekend by the beach of Les Caraibes Resort

It’s been a long, stressful  & tiring week and I’m so glad it’s almost over. For those of you who are yearning for a beach trip anytime soon, (I know I am) may I recommend this quiet, peaceful, serene and beautiful piece of paradise located in Laiya, Batangas — LES CARAIBES BEACH RESORT.

Les Caraibes Beach Resort is managed by Ms. Len Congco Haddadin and Ms. Corrie Pumarada Menez. Resort operations began on January 2008 as they pursue their dream of offering Filipinos and Tourists a place with an atmosphere much different from the atmosphere of everyday life. A place where one would sit back and let nature take its course making you feel as if you were never apart from it. Here in Les Caraibes Beach Resort, we believe that each and everyone of us deserves to have a good time…but only our guests deserve the best. Our resort offers Carribean-inspired cottages and rooms, a restaurant with a wide variety of intercontinental cuisine by Mr. Philippe-our French Chef, a bar lounge, water activites such as boating, fishing and kayaking, day-trip picnic tables, tent areas, and other facilites. Come visit us and you’ll soon realize that nature is your real home.” —– LES CARAIBES

  We were supposed to kayak (only Php200/hr) but I fell asleep!

Click to read more about Les Caraibes in Laiya Batangas.