THE ANTICA MURRINA VENEZIA PHILIPPINE LAUNCH

Notte D’ Eleganza

World-renowned Italian Brand Antica Murrina Venezia © ™, makers of fine Murano Jewelry and accessories is now proudly launched here in the Philippines by Mr. and Mrs. Nardone of Porta Lucerna Trading. It is with excitement and flair of a night of fashion, that the introduction to Antica Murrina Venezia © ™,  was sparkling in glamour and elegance, here in Makati at the Buddha-Bar.
The marriage of the artistry of the East and the West was highlighted with a very colorful Jewelry fashion show that showcased the exquisite pieces of Antica Murrina Venezia © ™, and a collection of classic and colorful resort collection by fast rising designer Ryan Madamba. High note of the night was, that all the dresses were made of local fabric “Abel Iloco”, a hand-loomed cloth proudly made in the Northern Province of Ilocos Norte.  The owners, Jenny and Mom Nardone together with Ryan Madamba were the soul curators of the Antica Murrina Venezia © ™, pieces that was showcased during the show highlighting unique Murano jewelry and its craftsmanship through the 31-piece Murano Jewelry collection line, personally chosen from the Autumn/ Winter 2014 collection Antica Murrina Venezia © ™. All of this paired with the dresses for chic casual looks to the most glamorous evening parties for women of varied ages by Ryan Madamba. The event was held at Buddha Bar, hosted by charming and witty Issa Litton and was well attended by Manilas Who is Who from society circles, fashion, politics, show business and industry leaders including Ms. Imelda Marcos, several Ambassadors and several Misses of the Beauty pageant world.
Murano is known for glass-blowing since the 12th century. Its famed Maestros as glassblowers creating vast and elaborate chandeliers, wondrous mirrors, and especially at Antica Murrina Venezia © ™, timeless and beautiful Jewels. Visiting Murano and Venice, is like watching an art from another world, as skilled Italian craftsmen and women shape light and color into the unique beauty of each Murano jewelry. Antica Murrina Philippines is proud to represent its beautiful collection, which cleverly combines a tradition of craftsmanship, with contemporary design and an awareness of current trends.

Notte D Eleganza which means A night of Elegance in Italian, is underlining a premium accent on local artistry and what better way to present these beautiful creations by way of a spectacular fashion & Jewels, combines in one show,  graced by some of the most fashionably chic women of today.

 Manilas beautiful and known ladies from different facets of society sashayed the runaway as muses of the night wearing each of pieces from the latest Antica Murrina Venezia collection in the likes of Tessa Prieto Valdez, a certified muse in the social scene who is a writer and an interior designer, fashion-savvy Editor in Chief of Mega, Peewee Reyes- Isidro, Divine Lee a media personality and popular endorser and blogger, young actress Ritz Azul of TV 5, Kylie Padilla of GMA 7 and pop royalty, Keana Valenciano from ABS CBN, Rica Peralejo Bonifacio, an actress, singer and blogger, Charmagne Laconico  Beauty Editor of Metro Magazine, Rocio Olbes  one of Manilas It-Girls and social advocate for welfare of livelihood projects for women in need, the beautiful and fashion-savvy socialites, Jerika Ejercito and Camille Farinas Mathay, Abby Asistio, a musician and social advocate for Alopecia Awareness alongside the top models headed by Asias Next Top Models Jodilly Piendre ending the glamorous night together with the brand ambassadress, the Face of Antica Murrina Philippines, Ms. Maggie Wilson-Consunji, who walked in beautiful Abel Iloco creations and accent unique masterpieces from Venice.

For the Fashion collection, Ryan Madamba explains his inspiration, having known the owners personally, Jenny and Mom Nardone who were inspired with the unique craftmanship of  Murano jewelry during their travels to Venice, enlightened me with surprise and awe when they shared how the craftsmen of Antica Murrina Venezia © ™ blow and handcraft each piece by hand,  painstakingly to come up with all these one of a kind jewelry and all its unique colors inspiring a colorful yet classic and clean design in my head. Their expressed love and appreciation for handcrafted creations likewise reminded me of the artistry of Abel Iloco from my home province of Ilocos Norte. Immediately I thought there was no better way to welcome such an esteemed Italian brand but to marry it with our own. During the creative planning of the show, Mom and Jenny made sure that the handcrafted jewelry and accessories we perfectly partnering with the creations of classic and clean lines of each dress from my colorful collection. We wanted to showcase that whether you are dressing up for the beach, work, a casual tea with friends, a walk in the mall or attending a black-tie gala, the Antica Murrina Venezia © ™ collection will accompagny and dress you up in elegance and glamour each and every time.”

Mr. and Mrs. Nardone, who are the driving soul behind Antica Murrinas arrival to the Philippines , and who are also the creative purveyors behind the interior design firm Porta Galleria      (www.portagalleria.com) here in Manila, offering an unique world of Fusion interiors, and lighting solutions inspired from world class brands, thought it was timely and such a perfect addition to the elite lifestyle pieces that complement people with taste for unique and timeless, classy pieces. And Antica Murrina Philippines was born .

The goal for this event is to spread knowledge of this unique and extraordinary creativity, craftsmanship and artistry that make authentic Murano craftmenship a choice of excellence for a Made in Italy product which is another milestone and special highlight in the many successful and well loved brands under Porta Galleria - when asked how she feels about bringing Antica Murrina in the country, Mrs. Jennifer Nardone, replied with so much enthusiasm. A jewelry designer herself, she believes in the timeless elegance of each Antica Murrina jewelry hence deciding to bring the brand to the Philippines, so more Filipinas could be mesmerized by its collection.  As Jennifer Nardone will put it, when my husband introduced me these hand crafted Jewels, if I may say, I was right away attracted and caught by its flawless beauty and uniqueness. The vivid colors, the melting crystalline perfection and the elegance are beautiful accents to every stylish women’s wardrobe.”
One of the guests of honor, flying in from Italy was Antica Murrina Venezia © ™ CEO, Robert Ciotti, who could not keep his excitement throughout the show. During the event he on his Blackberry sending photos and real time updates to his team in Italy calling the launch a fashion event that could have been staged and rival events in Europe. I was blown away, he says. I came knowing it will be a great event but this exceeded my expectations. And as we are looking into more presence in Asia, I could not have asked for better representation for Antica Murrina Venezia © ™, as Mom and Jenny Nardone who are our partners now in Philippines.  The dresses were beautiful and did perfectly complemented our Jewels from Murano. Such a beautiful collaboration that makes me even more excited for a brighter future for Antica Murrina Venezia © ™ here in the Philippines.

Mom and Jenny Nardone focused on the experience of bringing “Venice jewels” here to the Philippines and gave a glance to everyone, on how master glass makers perfect every piece of jewelry through an exciting fashion show, complete with enchanting music and dramatic lighting, lush and elegant theme that mesmerize the senses. This event was co-sponsored by Ledcore , Porta Galleria, Okee Vitamin Drink, Bestworld Beverage International Inc, Cygnal Travel & Tours, Light Skin Organics, It Figures Skin Care Clinic, and Iphor Trading Inc.

When asked Mr. Mom Nardone, the President of Antica Murrina Philippines, what separates Antica Murrina Venezia © ™ from other jewelry and he was very delighted to say “Each Antica Murrina Venezia © ™ Jewelry is handcrafted, so every piece is literally an UNIQUE PIECE. For me Antica Murrina Venezia © ™, is more than just a Jewelry brand. It is a lifestyle, it is Luxury per se, it a slice of Venice and la dolce Vita Italiana in each of the pieces, that comes along, when a woman wears Antica Murrina. And that alone, is priceless! ��Antica Murrina Philippines Flagship store is located at the New World Hotel Galleries , right on Makati Avenue, corner Esperanza Street, in the centre of Makati City . Tel : (02) 810 0105  09285202881 www.anticamurrina.com.ph , contact@anticamurrina.com.ph

Asia's Got Talent Presents the Judges

                                     AXN Announces “Asia’s Got Talent” Judges:                                                                                David Foster, Melanie C, Anggun and Van Ness Wu

SINGAPORE (13 January 2015) – It’s a YES! Grammy-award winner David Foster, UK pop sensation and former Spice Girl Melanie C, Indonesian rock icon Anggun and Taiwanese-American pop idol Van Ness Wu have been named as the celebrity judging panel for the season premiere of hit talent search show, “Asia’s Got Talent” on AXN.
Billed as the biggest talent competition in the world, “Asia’s Got Talent” will light up screens across Asia in March on AXN and will feature some of the region’s most incredible performing artists as they compete to take home the coveted winning title.
Hui Keng Ang, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Sony Pictures Television Networks, Asia said, “We have put together a superb panel of judges for ‘Asia’s Got Talent’. This is definitely our most ambitious original series to date and is very much in line with the type of smart, high-quality local programming that audiences have come to expect from AXN."
Paul O’Hanlon, Managing Director of FremantleMedia Asia said, “We’re proud to say that ‘Asia’s Got Talent’ will be the largest version ever of the Got Talent franchise, and our judges bring a depth and breadth of experience and talent worthy of this show.”
From thousands of applicants, the four judges must select Asia's most jaw-dropping, mind-blowing, and breathtaking performances.  Those who move on to the semi- finals will face an even more intimidating judge, the AXN audience at home who will ultimately determine who wins the first season of Asia’s Got Talent. Adding to the excitement, the semi-finals and finale will be held at the iconic Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, with the winner awarded a contract to return and perform live at Asia’s leading entertainment destination.

A powerful judging panel:

Anggun, Rock Icon

Anggun started singing at seven and by 12 released her first Indonesian studio album, ‘Dunia Aku Punya’, with hit single ‘Mimpi’ recognized as one of the ‘150 Greatest Indonesian Songs of All Time’ by Rolling Stone magazine.

A series of singles and albums followed to make Anggun the biggest Indonesian rock star of the 90s. Her international breakthrough came in 1997 with ‘Snow on the Sahara’ which was released in 33 countries worldwide, topped music charts in Italy and Indonesia, and made the top 20 in Finland, France, Japan, Spain, and the US. Following that, Anggun released five more studio albums, and released songs that featured in Danish movie “Open Hearts” and the Hollywood box office hit, “Transporter 2”. Anggun is a recipient of the ‘Chevalier des Arts et Lettres’ from the French government. She is also a judge on “X Factor Indonesia” and “Indonesia’s Got Talent” TV series.

                                                  David Foster, Music Producer

David Foster discovered and launched some of the greatest music careers including Michael Bublé, Josh Groban and Celine Dion. He has created hit songs and award-winning platinum and gold albums for Earth, Wind & Fire, Natalie Cole, Michael Bolton, Seal, Chaka Khan, Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton, Chicago, Hall & Oates, Brandy, ’N Sync, Boz Scaggs, and Gloria Estefan; propelled classical singers like Andrea Bocelli and Josh Groban into mainstream popularity; as well as created soundtracks for hit films like “The Bodyguard”, “Urban Cowboy”, and “St. Elmo’s Fire”. In 2008 and 2011, David performed and hosted his very own, star-studded “Foster & Friends” concerts in Las Vegas to celebrate the music from his career and toured Asia annually from 2010 – 2012. David has won 16 Grammy Awards from 47 nominations, and is the chairman of Verve Music Group.

                                                        Melanie C., Pop Icon

Melanie was part of the iconic five-member Spice Girls, in which she was nicknamed ‘Sporty Spice’. Following that, as a solo artist, Melanie sold more than 12 million records from six albums that she released. She has the second most No.1 singles in the United Kingdom and is also the only female to top the charts as part of a quintet, a quartet, a duo and solo. Melanie also performed the role of Mrs Johnstone in the West End musical “Blood Brothers,” for which she was nominated for ‘Best Actress in a Musical’ at the Laurence Olivier Awards. In 2012, Melanie co-starred in the musical “Jesus Christ Superstar”, and also judged the preceding talent search series “Superstar” to select the lead actor for the said musical.

                                                        Van Ness Wu, Actor/Singer

Van Ness Wu was born in California where he took classes in performing arts, acting and languages in Hollywood before moving to Taiwan at 21 to build his career. His breakthrough came with his lead role in the wildly popular hit idol drama “Meteor Garden” and its sequels. Van Ness and his co-actors of the series formed the pop idol group F4 – now known as JVKV – and released three studio albums.

Turning his attention to his solo career, Van Ness released his debut solo album in 2002 and followed that with six other solo studio albums up to 2013, as well as singles collaborating with musicians including Kanye West, Beyoncé, Wang Lee Hom, Kangta, and Coco Lee. He also acted in many other TV series including “Autumn Concerto”, “Material Queen” and “Peach Girl”, as well as movies such as “Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon” and “Kung Fu Chefs”.

“Asia's Got Talent” is the 63rd version of "Got Talent", which won the Guinness World Records title for being the world's "Most Successful Reality TV Format" in 2014. The hit format is co-owned by FremantleMedia and Simon Cowell’s Syco Entertainment.
The season premiere of “Asia’s Got Talent” on AXN is proudly presented by Marina Bay Sands, BIG COLA, Pantene, Caltex, Jetstar and Tune Hotels.
Marina Bay Sands is the premier sponsor of “Asia's Got Talent.” As Asia's leading entertainment destination and crossroads for global celebrities, Marina Bay Sands provides opportunities for local talent to shine on the world’s stage.
BIG COLA is the exclusive beverage partner of “Asia’s Got Talent”. With BIG COLA, ‘if you can dream it, you can do it’. Contestants and fans across Asia will be encouraged to ‘Think BIG’ and ‘Dream Bigger’ in pursuit of their dreams.
Pantene, the exclusive haircare partner of “Asia’s Got Talent”, makes hair stronger inside and shinier outside to enable contestants to shine and be the world’s number one talent.
Caltex is the exclusive petroleum partner of “Asia's Got Talent.” Caltex delivers a hassle-free experience to get people back on their journey quickly, so they can have more time and energy to do whatever matters most to them. By being a part of “Asia's Got Talent,” Caltex wants to celebrate key moments of the contestants’ journey to stardom, providing viewers the opportunity to enjoy the journey with them.
Jetstar is proud to be the official airline of the very first edition of “Asia’s Got Talent.” With more than 600 weekly flights to 22 destinations across 13 countries in Asia Pacific, Jetstar enables talent to fly further, connect with families and fulfil dreams.

Tune Hotels is an international select-service hotel brand that provides accommodation with high quality essentials in key gateway cities.  Five star beds and power showers help “Asia’s Got Talent” contestants get a good night’s sleep and perform at their best.

AXN is a leader of regionally produced original content in Asia, with notable ratings successes including four seasons of the international Emmy-nominated “The Amazing Race Asia”; the Asian Television Award-winning “Cash Cab Asia”; “The Apprentice Asia”; “Cyril: Rio Magic”; “Cyril’s Family Vacation: Hawaii Edition”; and the Asian Television Award-nominated “Cyril: Simply Magic.”

www.AXNAsia.com/AsiasGotTalent
-ENDS-
About Sony Pictures Television Networks, Asia
Sony Pictures Television Networks, Asia was established in 1997 with Singapore as the Asian headquarters of Sony Pictures Television's networks business. It operates six ad-supported 24/7 channels which are wholly-owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment.
AXN is the home of thrilling entertainment; beTV is the place to be for the best of TV; Sony Channel is the premier destination for female-skewing Hollywood entertainment; Animax offers anime for all; ONE is powered by prime and current South Korean entertainment content; and GEM serves up star-studded and popular general entertainment programming from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea.

About FremantleMedia Asia
With offices in Singapore, Beijing, Bangkok, Jakarta, and Mumbai, and servicing the entirety of Asia, FremantleMedia Asia is one on the preeminent production companies in the region, producing world class content from the large scale talent competitions for which it is best known, including Idol, X Factor, and Got Talent, to long running game shows such as Family Feud. In addition to creating and developing local content, FremantleMedia Asia is no stranger to localization and is uniquely positioned as one of the most accomplished adaptors of international formats in the region, ensuring continuing success season after season in territory after territory. Beyond single market productions, FremantleMedia Asia has also demonstrated its strength in pan-regional production having recently produced the widely successful The Apprentice Asia.

For further information, please contact: For Sony Pictures Television Networks, Asia: Paul O'Hanlon Jennifer Doig Managing Director, FremantleMedia Asia Executive Director, Communications T: +65 6223 8771 T: +65 6622 4278 E: paul.ohanlon@fremantlemedia.com E: jennifer_doig@spe.sony.com

The Jack Daniels Holiday Barrel Tree Lighting

The Jack Daniels Holiday Barrel Tree
Comes To Manila!

The holidays just got better.

Where tradition and family, community and togetherness are already at the heart of this time of year, in Manila we are being treated to a symbol of all these that’s also bound to one man’s independent spirit and belief in what this season is about.

Welcome the Jack Daniel’s Holiday Barrel Tree! A Lynchburg Tennessee holiday tradition that through the years has spread to the United Kingdom and Canada. This year, it is going to be lit in Manila.

The first of its kind in Southeast Asia, the Jack Daniel’s Holliday Barrel Tree is more than just a symbol of the holidays that has traveled the world. It stands for a community that has built a tradition together, this annual tradition started by the men and women of Lynchburg.

That the Lynchburg community would create its identity around the making of Jack Daniel’s is no surprise. Yet the man behind it all, Jack Daniel himself was not one to let them forget about the importance of family and togetherness, no matter the demands of building America’s oldest registered distillery. This could only bring the men and women of Lynchburg Tennessee to create the annual tradition of the Holiday Barrel Tree – made from the very barrels used in maturing Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey, a symbol of their hard work and persistence, but more importantly a reminder of the value of gathering together as community and family.

This is what the Holiday Barrel Tree brings to Manila, rising in two locations – in Fuente Circle in Eastwood City and at The Fort Plaza in Bonifacio Global City. It speaks of how priceless this time of year is, not because of the rituals of gift-giving and excess, but because we come together for no reason other than gratefulness.  It tells us that above all else, gathering merrily with family, friends and loved ones is the reason for this season.

After all, it’s not what’s under the tree that matters most. It’s who’s around it.

Moreover, the event was graced by Mr. Gabriel Fernando, Jack Daniel’s Philippine Brand Manager and Mr. Anthony Ramirez, Brown Forman Corporation Philippine Market Manager who also iniated the lighting of the first and only Jack Daniel’s Barrel Tree in Asia.

Meanwhile, Up Dharma Down performed before the ceremony began.

We also got the chance to ask some questions to the Manager of the company. The press con was held at Rue Bourbon Eastwood.

Gather Merrily.  Drink Responsibly.
For 18+y.o.only.