Celebrity L.A. Scene by Oliver Carnay

HOLLYWOOD, California - Great Filipino performers Marco Sison, Rey Valera, Hajji Alejandro, Nonoy Zuñiga, and Rico Puno, artists whose images put them at the high end of the ballad spectrum, joined up at a filled July 10, 2004 Grand Olympic Auditorium Concert, gagged up fans to the hilt with songs and concrete laughs.

True to their promise --- the Greatest Hitmakers maintained the crispness of their vocal crafts, staged a fully entertaining ensemble ever to hit Los Angeles, and added more workmanship. To everyone's delight, these perennial Hitmakers produced at their best, which takes out the rest of a usual concert. They will be hard to follow. A salute to the best well-loved romantic hits, each element, pun, and song reverberated spontaneously. Each of these vocal performers delivered heart-warming favorites, and embedded lavish scatological humor from start to finish.

Initially for the grand entrance, each of the five emerged the platform with bright-colored solid outfit and teased a few songs. Cool-voiced Marco Sison initiated the solo acts by starting his signature "Make Believe," followed by retro "The Way You Look Tonight" and "Always" before exiting the center stage.

Nonoy Zuñiga, then, followed with a heart-warming rendition of "You'll Never Find" (popularized by Lou Rawls), and his everlasting hit songs "Doon Lang" and "Love Without Time."

Songwriter/singer Rey Valera's comedic flair perpetuated "The Power of Musical Scoring", giving a chance to introduce each of the band members, alongside tributes to musical director Gerry Matias and great composer Toti Fuentes (incidentally being featured on an upcoming episode of "Maala-Ala Mo Kaya").

Hajji Alejandro showed off his dancing prowess and revved up the crowd's enthusiasm through Motown medleys, flanked by "Tag-Araw" and "Nakapagtataka", songs lauded his title as the original "Kilabot Ng Mga Kolehiyala".

The concert's momentum went on, as the rest of the performers went back to the stage to do a hilarious version of "Mr. Suave", and incorporated the "spaghetti" fame.

Saving the best for last, Rico J. Puno lived up to his unmeasurable title as the "The Total Entertainer," gave blow by blow puns at the same time as he belted out songs with his untarnished singing prowess. Rico J went down mingling and cavorted with the bemused crowd, stinging them with his dirty fun-filled antics. Singing the best of his hits medley, weaved hearts and caressed the audience before "Kahit Isang Saglit", "Macho Guwapito", and his very own version of "The Way We Were."

Over the years and even decades from now, you're still going to remember all the songs from these quintessential Hitmakers. Thanks to StarMedia Entertainment (headed by Empress Concert - Ana Puno and her tireless and hard-working staff members), with the help of V Entertainment Group's Vic Perez (concert's line-producer) who brought once more a very entertaining concept.

Too much as it may be, call it "gross or dirty" but one could only agree that the show concert was one hell of an act -- a full-circled total entertainment from top Filipino veteran artists, which truly deserves an L.A. welcome repeat!

The act continues on to Las Vegas, Orlando, Atlantic City and Chicago. (Glimpse more shots from the Los Angeles concert at www.picturetrail.com/olivercarnayphotos. E-mail carnay25@yahoo.com for comments.)

RUSBLOOM Shop unveiled in Panorama City

Los Angeles, California - Rustom Padilla finally unveiled his Rusbloom Skin Care Shop & Products on Saturday July 24, located at the Bennie Bebe Fashion (inside the Island Pacific Supermarket on Roscoe Blvd., corner Van Nuys Blvd.). The ceremony, under a grand red carpet had entertainment with overflowing foods, a festive fete for guests and raffle winners. Among special guests of Rustom Padilla was 7-month preggy Ruffa Gutierrez (with daughter Lorin in tow). (More pics from this event at www.picturetrail.com/olivercarnayphotos.)

One Sunday afternoon during a day-long hang out with the actor, Rustom talked about his new and improved skin care product RUSBLOOM, and about getting ready to direct his first feature film project.

Russ (as he would like to be called), who just finished up taking a two-year course in filmmaking (Entertainment Studies for Film and Television) at UCLA this month, was so ecstatic to finally be achieving his long dream of becoming a full-fledged director, and at the same time being productive on the business aspect of his skin care line of cosmetics. "I have been gone from the Philippines for two-straight years, and I'm just so happy that my vision in life is finally happening," he said. "I used to have a Skin Care Clinic in Manila but when I moved here to study, I have to find ways to earn at the same time. I have always had a passion in filmmaking. I really like watching films and I knew I have a keen eye in filmmaking, and this is what I've been wanting to do ever since," he continued.

Rustom's fascinated with Fellini's works. "I like Fellini's films. I've collected a lot of films and I'm always in particular how a film is being directed. I like films which are visually entertaining. I believe that a film can be beautiful and perfect even without any dialogue. Some of my favorites in my collections include Y Tu Mama Tambien, The Piano Teacher, Amores Perros, among other foreign films I have collected," he told.

In August, next month, Rustom will be in Manila for a two-month vacation to prepare the script of his first feature film project. "I already have a plot for my debut feature. I'm so excited! I'd like to do features about the role of teens in the society, about teen angst, with a little bit of love story. But I'd like to do more of a character-driven type of film, and the main lead doesn't need to be a popular actor or actress," he quipped.

Now, about his new and improved skin care product, "RUSBLOOM Skin Care is a safe, easy to use, and very effective product for men and women. You don't need a facial treatment if you're going to start using it. The package consists of a soap, a sunblock cream, and an illuminating cream, which will keep your skin clearer and beautiful. It exfoliates dead skin, removes blemishes, protects you from harmful sun exposure, and promotes a younger, healthier, and softer complexion." I guarantee everyone who will use it will have an invigorating skin and vibrant skin. My new product is a mixture of fruit extracts (which includes papaya, aloe vera, and other fruits rich in Vitamin E). The process starts from the soap, a lotion and liquid toner at night, and a sunblock (SPF 24%) to be used in the morning. Actually, the product has been around for a few months. I have not fully promoted this yet, but was very effective that we always run out of stock. The response from first-time users was really so overwhelming. You really have to try it to believe it," he concluded.

Lorin turns one!

Los Angeles, California - Lorin Gabriella Gutierrez-Bektas' 1st Birthday celebration will be held on Sunday, August 8, 2004 at the Seaside Cabana Family Amusement Park of Pacific Park at the Santa Monica Pier. Overlooking the ocean and surrounded by the sand, surf and sun, Pacific Park has exciting rides, fun games, thrilling attractions, an oceanfront food plaza, and plenty of convenient parking. The BY-INVITATION-ONLY event will have UNLIMITED RIDE WRISTBANDS for kids, a personal visit from the Park Mascot INKIE, personalized giveaways, and will be entertained with face painting, magic tricks, children's songs and animal shaped balloons. (Text and more photos at www.picturetrail.com/olivercarnayphotos by Oliver Carnay.)

OLIVER CARNAY regularly writes for BALITA MEDIA, INC. ("Balita USA", "Weekend Balita" and "Go4Women Magazine", available online at http://www.balita.com/ and www.Go4Women.com), ASIAN-AMERICAN PEOPLE'S JOURNAL (circulated in northern and southern part of California), Philippine and other Asian Headline newspaper – circulated in Sacramento, San Francisco and its vicinities) also published in northern and southern parts of California. In San Diego, he writes for FAME Magazine and PHILIPPINES TODAY. In New York, he writes for PLANET PHILIPPINES, with an online version at http://www.carouselpinoy.com/. He is a also contributor for BUZZINE Magazine (www.buzzine.com), AUDREY Magazine (www.audreymagazine.com), an occasional correspondent for www.siklab.com, PARA TODOS Magazine, and other L.A. based publications. He is the Los Angeles correspondent of Global Pinoy Entertainment Corporation (GPEC) which publishes S Magazine (circulated in Manila, all over the United States and other parts of the world) and PINOY GAZETTE (published in Hong Kong, Japan, and its vicinities). He is an active member of the National Press Photography Association (N.P.P.A.), Press Photography Association of Greater Los Angeles (P.P.A.G.L.A.-see www.ppagla.org for member listings), and is under the directory list of the Motion Picture Association of America (M.P.A.A.) covering movie Premieres and other Hollywood events. More recent news and Photo Galleries of Hollywood and local Fil-Am events recently covered can be seen at his new web site http://www.hollywoodflip.com/. Besides being busy maintaining his web site and writing for domestic and international publications, Oliver Carnay manages Talents, is also a Publicist and an event organizer. Email him at carnay25@yahoo.com or at webmaster@HOLLYWOODFLIP.com

HOME