Danita & a few of her favorite things

Having seen her as an infant in the loving arms of her mom, Daisy Romualdez, I have to rub my eyes twice to make sure that the flawless-complexioned, dainty young lady (17 turning 18) before me is, indeed, Danita Paner, on the threshold of a full-time career now that she’s about to finish high school (at O.B. Montessori Greenhills). How she has grown!

Every now and then, she would appear as guest in concerts produced by her own mom who’s seeing to it that Danita puts her studies as priority. She has done a few movies as a kid star and used to have a band (Phase One) in high school.

This coming Thursday, Sept. 14, Danita will star in her own concert, Danita... New Girl on the Block, at the Music Museum, with Piolo Pascual and Sam Milby as her special guests, along with Monty of Mayonnaise, Tutti of Protein Shake and Jeff of Soapdish.

"They are all my personal choices," said Danita.

Get to know a little more about Danita as she "plays favorites."

• ACTOR (foreign): Chad Michael Murray (TV series One Tree Hill, and movies House of Wax and A Cinderella Story, etc.).

• ACTRESS (foreign): Lindsay Lohan.

• ACTORS (local): Sam Milby and Piolo Pascual ("I cried when I saw him in Maalaala Mo Kaya where he played a mentally-ill teacher").

• ACTRESS (local): Judy Ann Santos ("She’s a natural, very good in Sa Piling Mo which my mom and I watch religiously").

• MOVIE: House of Wax ("I love horror movies. But the last movie I saw was action, Mission Impossible 3").

• TV SHOWS (foreign): One Tree Hill, OC and Laguna Beach.

• TV SHOW (local): MYX ("And any show about music").

• SONG: Everything You Wanted ("I listen to all types of music – pop, rock and alternative. It’s good for a singer, isn’t it?").

• SINGERS (foreign): Ashlee Simpson, Jennifer Paige, Clash, Led Zeppelin, U2, Gwen Stefani, Dishwalla and Tori Imos ("Sobrang relaxing ang voice niya").

• SINGERS (local): Mojofly, Sponge Cola and Monty Macalino of Mayonnaise ("Kasi ang taas ng boses niya for a guy and he’s very funny").

• CRUSH: Chad Michael Murray ("I like his eyes and his bad-boy aura").

• HIDEAWAY: "My room. That’s where I write songs."

• HOBBIES: Surfing the Net, watching TV and cooking.

• RECIPE(s): Paella and pancit canton.

• TIME OF DAY: Night. ("Sometimes, I go with my mom on her errands and I sleep soundly in the car; at home, I find it hard to fall asleep").

• DAY OF THE WEEK: Saturday ("The only day I’m allowed to go out with my friends").

• RESTAURANT: Sugi ("I love Japanese food").

• BEAUTY PARLOR: Ricky Reyes.

• FOOD (Japanese): Gindara.

• FOOD (Filipino): Lechon paksiw.

• DRINK(s): Coke and apple juice.

• FRUIT: Mango (with cottage cheese).

• FLOWER: Calla Lily ("Tito Raymund Isaac used it in my pictorial and the effect is amazing!").

• COLOR: White ("It can be matched with any color").

• HANGOUT: Mall ("Especially EDSA Shangri-La Mall").

• CITY: Hong Kong ("Where I’m mistaken for a Chinese because of my chinky eyes").

• FRIEND: Mayton Eugenio (daughter of choreographer Geleen Eugenio). "Pareho ang takbo ng utak namin. But I still terribly, terribly miss my good friend KC de Venecia who died in a fire at their home in Dasmariñas Village two years ago".

• SUBJECTS (in school): History and Science.

• AUTHOR: Mitch Albom ("I love his book Tuesdays with Morrie, which was required reading in school").

• PART OF HER FACE: "My eyes. Smiling daw, sabi nila."

• PART OF A BOY’S BODY: "Teeth, which must be nice; and skin, which must be smooth and flawless. If he has a good voice, it’s a big plus".

• COMICS CHARACTER: Spider-Man.

• EXPRESSION: Kumusta naman ‘yon?

(Note: Danita... New Girl on the Block is produced by Backroom Inc. with Rep. Butch Pichay. Direction is by Bong Quintana; musical scoring by Marc Lopez. Tickets are available at the Music Museum, Ticketron, National Bookstore outlets and Ticketworld outlets. For more information, call Backroom at 435-1120.)

Anna Maris among Miss World’s Top 20

Our bet in the ongoing 2006 Miss World contest in Warsaw (finals set for Sept. 30), Anna Maris Igpit, is doing well among a field of more than 100 beauties from around the world. Maris made it to the Top 20 Best in Beachwear, reported Funfare’s "beauty experts" Felix Manuel, Joey Cezeare, Gery Yumping and Francis Calubaquib.

The 19 others were delegates from Angola, Barbados, Canada, Colombia, Czech Republic, India, Ireland, Italy, Nigeria, Panama, Poland, Puerto Rico, Romania, Scotland, Singapore, Slovenia, Sweden and Venezuela (Alexandra Federica Guzman Diamante who emerged the winner).

"Miss Venezuela has just earned one of the coveted ‘fast-track’ places in the semi-finals," said the "beauty experts."

Meanwhile, Funfare’s Bohol correspondent Leo Udtohan (provincemate of Maris who was last year’s Miss Bohol Sandugo) pointed out that Maris is not the only Filipina in the contest.

"There’s also Miss Netherlands Sheryl Lynn Baas, born in Rotterdam, whose mother is a Filipina," reported Leo. "The well-traveled Sheryl has visited the Philippines. She wants to be a fiscal lawyer; she teaches the Scripture at a church in her hometown."

Welcome back, Fr. Joey!

After a six-month rest, a recharged Fr. Joey Faller is back in his healing ministry effective today, his 17th anniversary as a priest which he will mark with a Mass at 9:30 this morning at his healing church in Lucban, Quezon.

"It’s a new beginning of my ministry," said Fr. Joey who took time-off from his back-breaking schedule which burned him out. "I have also decided to cut down the schedule of my healing Masses which sometimes numbered from 42 to 45 per month."

Here’s Fr. Joey’s revised schedule:

• Every Monday, 9:30 a.m. at the Kamay ni Hesus Healing Church in Lucban, Quezon;

• Every Saturday, 9:30 a.m. at the Kamay ni Hesus Healing Church in Lucban, Quezon;

• Every first Wednesday, 9 a.m. at SM Makati and 12:15 p.m. at SM Megamall;

• Every second Friday, 5 p.m. at the St. Francis Church in Sariaya, Quezon;

• Every Tuesday, 9:30 a.m. at the Buklod ng Pagibig Healing Center, Quezon City; and

• Every first and third Sunday, 8 a.m. at NBN Channel 4 (healing Mass on TV).

(Note: For inquiries, call the Kamay ni Hesus Healing Church in Lucban, Quezon, at 042-540-2206, look for Jenny; or Fr. Joey’s residence at 042-540-3085.)

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