After I did a series of interviews with Eclipse stars Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner in Beverly Hills last June, my friend Tim Evans (of the US Immigration, assigned at the L.A. airport) invited me for a coffee break at Urth Caffé (at Melrose St., West Hollywood) where, according to Tim, celebrities hang around. Yes, that was where Tim and I had a chance encounter with Krista Ranillo whom I pinned down for that “It’s over!” interview that came out later that same month.
From Urth Caffe, Tim and I dropped by at Oliver Tolentino’s shop located nearby, also on the same street. Oliver (the Filipino couturier making waves in California) was out and guess who Tim and I found minding the shop that Wednesday afternoon – yes, G Tongi no less, busy entertaining two Filipino women who were acting in a haughty manner. You know, the type of Pinoy who think that just because they are “stateside” they can look down on “natives” visiting the (former?) Land of Plenty.
Tim and I did snatches of conversation with G Tongi who was entertaining calls from clients making an appointment (for fitting, etc.). Between mothering to her and her American husband Tim Walters’ two children, Sakura (four years old) and Kenovi (two years old), G Tongi said that she worked part-time (once a week) at Oliver’s shop and studying (minor in filmmaking). She said that, yes, she did miss Manila (“Not the tsismis and the intrigues but showbiz friends”) and she hoped to do TV and, why not, a movie when she comes back for another vacation, the last having been in June last year. She mentioned having starred in an indie film which might be entered at the Sundance Film Festival (the one spearheaded by Robert Redford, in which Ang Lee first got noticed).
G Tongi loved to recall how her son Kenovi beat nine other kids at an audition for a role as Marcia Cross’ grandson in the hit TV series Desperate Housewives.
She volunteered the information that Oliver was taking a refresher fashion course,
“He’s in school today,” said G Tongi. (Tim and I learned too late that it was her birthday that day.)
Oliver was among the couturiers who competed in a designing contest for the gown worn by a star-presenter at the Oscars earlier this year. She has been dressing up A-list celebrities including Niecy Nash (of Dancing with the Stars and Clean This House TV show) who wore an Oliver Tolentino when she hosted the 2010 New Now Next Awards in L.A. last June, and also Patti Austin and Lea Salonga when they performed at a concert in Beverly Hills last May. Kimora Lee Simons chose an Oliver Tolentino when she posed for the cover of BC magazine, same with GMA TV host Kara David when she received a Peabody Award (for her I-Witness: Ambulansiyang de Paa report) in New York early this year.
Asked how many Oliver Tolentinos she had in her wardrobe, G Tongi smiled and said half-jokingly, “I’m still saving for one.”
An eye-opener story we can learn lessons from
An unidentified reader e-mailed the following eye-opener story (author unknown) and, again, I’m sharing it with other Funfare readers:
A story to live by
There was a blind girl who hated herself because she was blind. She hated everyone, except her loving boyfriend. He was always there for her. She told her boyfriend, “If I could only see the world, I will marry you.”
One day, someone donated a pair of eyes to her. When the bandages came off, she was able to see everything, including her boyfriend.
He asked her, “Now that you can see the world, will you marry me?”
The girl looked at her boyfriend and saw that he was blind. The sight of his closed eyelids shocked her. She hadn’t expected that. The thought of looking at them the rest of her life led her to refuse to marry him.
Her boyfriend left in tears and days later wrote a note to her saying: “Take good care of your eyes, my dear, for before they were yours, they were mine.”
(Note: Moral of the story? Read on.)
This is how the human brain often works when our status changes.
Only a very few remember what life was like before, and who was always by their side in the most painful situations.
Life is a gift.
Today, before you say an unkind word— Think of someone who can’t speak.
Before you complain about the taste of your food —Think of someone who has nothing to eat.
Before you complain about your husband or wife—Think of someone who’s crying out to GOD for a companion.
Today, before you complain about life—Think of someone who died too early on this earth.
Before you complain about your children—Think of someone who desires children but they’re barren.
Before you argue about your dirty house someone didn’t clean or sweep—Think of the people who are living in the streets.
Before whining about the distance you drive—Think of someone who walks the same distance with their feet.
And when you are tired and complain about your job—Think of the unemployed, the disabled, and those who wish they had your job.
But before you think of pointing the finger or condemning another—Remember that not one of us is without sin.
And when depressing thoughts seem to get you down—Put a smile on your face and think: you’re alive and still around.
David Foster coming for show
BREAKING NEWS!
It’s confirmed: David Foster is coming for the first time for a show called Hitman: David Foster and Friends set for Oct. 23, 8 p.m. at the Araneta Coliseum.
Fifteen-time Grammy winner, record producer, composer and also a singer, Foster helped propel Charice (in photo with Foster) by producing Charice’s eponymous debut album (with Pyramid as the hit carrier single) after he saw her on Ellen DeGeneres’ show which was Charice’s first appearance on a US TV show. It was Foster who introduced Charice to Oprah Winfrey who promptly invited Charice to guest on her show and eventually became Charice’s manager.
Together with Boy Abunda, Kris Aquino, Charo Santos-Concio, Julius Babao, Bum Tenorio (of The STAR’s Allure section) and your “Funfarist,” Foster and Oprah were listed as godparents at the recent baptism and confirmation of Charice and her brother Carl after the siblings’ conversion from Iglesia ni Kristo.
Charice herself will perform with Foster at the Big Dome show, together with Natalie Cole, Peter Cetera, Ruben Studdard and the Canadian Tenors. The singers will interpret songs composed by Foster.
“I was just with Charice the other day and we were talking about how exciting the Philippines is,” said Foster in a brief phone interview with Funfare. “I’m looking forward to my first visit to the Philippines.”
If he had the time, Foster said he would like to see the house where Charice lived and grew up. He also wants to meet other Filipino talents whom he described as “something great.”
Foster is the producer and composer of hits such as Chicago’s Hard to Say I’m Sorry, Cetera’s The Glory of Love, John Parr’s Man in Motion, Toni Braxton’s Unbreak My Heart, Whitney Houston’s I Will Always Love You, All-4-One’s I Swear and Celine Dion’s Because You Loved Me, plus those by Alice Cooper, Al Jarreau, Hall and Oates, Kenny Rogers, Kenny Loggins, Boz Scaggs and Olivia Newton-John.
(Note: For tickets to the Hitman: David Foster and Friends, call Ticketnet at 911-5555.)
What’s up?
• Aliw Awards Foundation, Inc. (AAFI) president Jeatte Palabrica announced that nominations for the 23rd Aliw Awards are now being accepted at the AAFI office (telephones 521-8078 and 0905-412-1960) at the Dante Ang Bldg. 409 A. Soriano Avenue, Intramuros, Manila. Deadline for the submission of nominations is Sept. 1. The current Entertainer of the Year (2009) is Regine Velasquez.
(E-mail reactions at rickylo@philstar.net.ph or at entphilstar@yahoo.com)