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Much ado about Italian Cinema, Sam Bradley

FINAL CUT

Edsel-Thadeus O. Lorete

10/16/2009

The 2009 Italian Film Festival, which enters its eighth year this October, and rising American pop singer and composer Sam Bradley, who co-wrote with actor Robert Pattinson the hit song “Too Far Gone” for the Twilight movie soundtrack, are taking their big mainstream leap.

Fresh from his Twilight stint that openly linked Sam with childhood buddy Pattinson, the tall yet unusually soft-spoken American singer, who stressed that “music is for everyone” (and that it should be “distributed freely”), is unfazed over his commercial affiliation with said film franchise, which is set to launch the next awaited chapter, New Moon, this November.

“It has never been a concern. I regard Twilight as a successful starting point... It does not limit or even prevent me from doing things I truly desire like writing and singing. I will continue recording music for other soundtracks in the near future,” was Bradley’s confident reply to tabloid queries concerning his career’s perceived link with Twilight’s commercial success.

Originating from a family influenced by business and music, Bradley has a distinct knack for pop entertainment. His prolific recording output is defined by critics as “a clever and clean combinations of soul, folk and rock music.” SM Supermalls invited Bradley for a series of mall gigs this week to promote his self-titled album, which reportedly sold out after its maiden Aug. 29 release.

The CD’s hit song “Sea Blue,” which received a whopping 300,000 plays on Sam’s MySpace social Web page, is one of the local pop chart’s hottest foreign releases. “My songs, all influenced by the works of Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan or the late Ray Charles, reflects much of my (romantic) relationship experience,” he says.

The album includes five personal songs about relationships, such as “Eugene,” “Derek,” “Pretty Boy,” “Passport” and “It Begins.”

The Italian cinema, meanwhile, ending years of shifting public screening venues that included Makati or the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), is stepping up its visibility by having the Shangri-La Cineplex, which has played host to several international (Asian and European) film festivals over the past 10 years, as its newest venue.

“We thought it was high time to do this now, to bring Italian cinema closer to a wider audience in the Philippines,” said the Italian Embassy’s spokesman Emanuela Adesini. The pre-holiday film festival, which runs from Oct. 15 to 21 and highlights the works of some 13 young and classic Italian filmmakers, will screen such films as The True Legend of Tony Vilar (La Vera Leggenda di Tony Vilar), a comedy about Latin American singer Tony Vilar; GAS, the story of a 24-year-old Italian confronting his homosexuality; Before You Know It (Basta Un Niente), a comedy about lifelong friends Ivo, Rosario and Peppe, who witness the excavation of a local mafia hood’s grave, and the thriller Caravaggio. For screening schedules, log on to www.shangrila-plaza.com or contact 633-78-51 local 113.

Sam Bradley, meantime, is slated to do mini concerts at the SM Southmall (today), SM Cebu (Oct. 16), SM Fairview (Oct. 17), and SM Sta. Rosa (Oct. 18).

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Savoring Diwali’s Indian cuisine

Diwali, India’s lavishly celebrated lunar new year holiday, known internationally as “the festival of light,” will be celebrated here on Oct. 17. The glorious five-day religious festivity is widely practiced by India’s nationals by paying homage to their Hindu Gods for the good life.

People wear their best garb and celebrate with a feast. This colorful Hindu celebration is the highlight of the Crown Plaza Hotel’s authentic month-long Indian buffet specially prepared by three Indian chefs flown in from its sister hotel in Gurgaon, India.

The buffet, called “Enticing India,” features is intended to entice culinary enthusiasts in Metro Manila. Until Oct. 31, guest chefs Chandan Das, Smashad Ahmad and Rameshwar Kharol will display their authentic Indian recipes throughout the seven interactive stations at Seven Corners restaurant.

Aside from curries, other popular dishes such as papad, the Indian version of tortilla; paneer, India’s equivalent to tofu; and tandoori, the barbecue, will be served in traditional fashion. Diners can choose from five buffet choices offering assorted chicken or lamb kebabs, Indian curry dishes and pickled condiments, which is rarely seen or served in most Indian restaurants in Metro Manila.

Suman Gogna, who assisted the Crown Plaza to authenticate the right dishes to be served for Diwali, assures that the dishes the hotel prepared “are true and authentic to traditional Indian cuisines.”

To have a clear perspective of India through its variety of cuisines, Gogna suggested sampling first the dishes from the North, the rogan josh (stewed lamb), which goes well with the orange rice biryani, followed by South India’s dosa, which is crepe made from ground paste rice and lentils normally eaten with vindaloo, before going for heavy Western seafood and meat dishes served with pickled relish.

For reservations, call Seven Corners Restaurant at the 3rd floor of Crown Plaza Galleria Manila at 633-7222 or e-mail f&b.reservations@ihg.com.

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Relaxing indulgence

After a festive meal, what could be more rewarding than a relaxing hand and foot massage? The Spa 101 Foot Spa & Waxing Salon is a good place to go, with its relaxing ambiance, courteous staff and, of course, outrageously affordable prices.

Imagine a foot spa, manicure and pedicure for only P250! As an initial treat for their opening promo, this has certainly driven people nuts. With all the other hand and feet care establishments around with their services priced excruciatingly high it almost burns your pockets, Spa 101 is definitely a welcome alternative.

Its staff is made up of all highly-trained persons. And its Timog Avenue branch provides a premium ambiance. Budget-conscious women — even men — who value good grooming, starting with meticulously cared-for hands and feet, will appreciate that the salon focuses on the core basics of one’s beauty regimen.

“We’re happy about the response, particularly our clients’ queries on franchising. That only means our clients like our service. We’d really like to test extensively our first branch and fine-tune everything so we’d be very prepared the moment the opportunity of expanding through franchising becomes serious. Let’s see first. God is in control,” said business manager Darius Flores.

Spa 101 is located at 51-B Timog Avenue, Barangay South Triangle, Quezon City. For details, text or call at 0927-7103173 or 515-6952.

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Doris Duke on HBO

Oscar awardees Susan Sarandon and Ralph Fiennes give life to controversial tobacco heiress Doris Duke and her butler Bernard Lafferty in HBO’s Bernard and Doris. Fresh out of rehabilitation, penniless and unable to keep a steady job, Bernard, six years later, is granted control of Duke’s billion-dollar fortune. How that happens is the subject of the controversial feature that made headlines in the entertainment, business and tabloid newspapers. Bernard and Doris is set to premiere this coming Tuesday, 9 p.m., on the Home Box Office (HBO) channel. Log on to www.hboasia.com for more show times.