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I’m convinced there’s nothing our May Candy cover boy Sam Concepcion can’t do. We’ve just received word that he recorded a version of the song “Kung Fu Fighting” for the animated film, Kung Fu Panda. What’s great about this accomplishment is that he’s the very first Filipino to sing for DreamWorks, and the said track will be played at the end credits of the movie. It opens June 6, and I’m so looking forward to seeing/hearing Jack Black play the part of a huggable panda!

Congratulations, Sam! (Oops! This is the closest emoticon we have to a panda bear. Haha!)

Next Wednesday is a very special day for all you Candy girls/Sam fans because you’ll get another chance to chat with our adorable cover boy. He’ll be in Candy’s ChitChat from 5 to 6 pm so don’t forget to log in early! However, if you’d rather see Sam in the flesh (which I’m sure you do!), you can catch him and his buddies Kevin Concepcion, Jackie dos Santos, Candy Jan-Feb cover girl Cheska Ortega, Athena Tibi, PJ Valerio, and Janeena Chan perform on May 17 (tomorrow) and 24 (next Saturday) at Enchanted Kingdom’s Spaceport Zone! Entitled “Enchanting Teens Musical,” expect a one-hour concert that’ll make you dance, sing, and swoon. Lucky park guests can even win a Sony PSP, so visit the amusement park now or get the details from their official site.

Sam and his performing posse at Enchanted Kingdom.

I’m off to the beach. Hope you guys have a great weekend. Remember to make the most of your remaining summer days…

Mimi

Have you ever received a letter so beautiful and so touching that you just want to share it with the whole world? I did, last week. The day after Hearts' Day, my friend Maris and I met up for our annual Valentine dinner. It's been our little tradition for years now, and we were really excited. We ate at Kimono Ken (we're always trying out new Japanese places together—she's half-Jap, and I'm…just a sucker for Jap food), where they serve the best Yakisoba and the biggest California maki ever. Before she dropped me off, she gave me my birthday/Christmas/Valentine presents: a book (it's called The Fourth Bear and looks really interesting), a rosary from France, and a card. 

When I got home, I opened the envelope. In front, it says, "I know you so well that I see in you a strength you never even knew you had." Inside, it reads, "That's why I know that even when you get the worst of it, you can still make the best of it!" I found it very sweet. But what really made me cry was what she herself wrote:

"You have always been one of the first people I'd think of when I decide on things: 'What would Marley do if she were here?' And I guess that's partly because no matter how different our interests often are, the basic truth that we are almost sisters always lies in the background of our lives. I have always respected your opinion, and I think I always will. I do hope that in some small way I have let you know this before, and have done the same for you at one time or another. I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have you as my friend, Marley…I would probably have gone crazy by now."

I felt so loved after reading it, and I texted her immediately to tell her that our friendship is one of the most wonderful things in my life. And it truly is. So here I am, sharing her message with all you Candy girls out there. Because good friends—the ones who stick with you no matter what—make all the difference in the world.  

Big hugs,
Marla

I had a V-Day date with Marla, Macy, and Steph last night. We watched Juno and we all enjoyed it immensely. The dialogue was witty yet sincere, there were so many touching moments, and the actors didn’t seem like they were acting at all. I’ve always liked Michael Cera because he always plays naive, dorky, but loveable characters (see Arrested Development and Superbad). I love how those tiny, golden yellow running shorts look on his lanky legs (haha!), and I totally agree with Juno that he’s a really cool guy. I must say that Juno (played by the equally talented Ellen Page) is spunky with a sharp wit. I loved the way she ultimately handled her pregnancy (maybe finding out that unborn babies had fingernails freaked her out? Haha!) and the baby's adoption. 

 
Another thing we loved about the movie were the songs. Very indie but quirky. There’s one in particular called “Anyone Else But You” that Bleeker and Juno sing at the end. It’s originally by The Moldy Peaches. Give it a spin if you find it. The lyrics below are based on the movie version.

Guy: You're a part-time lover and a full-time friend
The monkey on you're back is the latest trend
I don't see what anyone can see, in anyone else but you

Both:
Du du du du du du dudu
Du du du du du du dudu
Du du du du du du dudu du
I don't see what anyone can see, in anyone else but you

Go watch Juno with your gal pals. I’m sure you’ll like it!
Mimi

PS: Just want to give a shout-out to one of my best-est buddies, Blanche. Advance happy birthday, girl!!!

Do you enjoy watching Zac and the gang every time you watch High School Musical?

Do you like reciting your all-time favorite movie lines?

Do you want everyone’s attention on you?

Do you sing or dance for every family reunion?

Do you think you have what it takes to be a star?

If you answered YES to all these questions, why don’t you hone your talents by attending Trumpets Playshop this summer? Trumpets is offering so many new classes (children’s theater for toddlers, digital fashion photography, anime production, VJ hosting, baking, professional makeup, stage direction, rehearsal techniques, voice workshops, and choreography for non-dancers) to add to their awesome, 15-year-old summer line-up (children’s musical theater, teens and adults’ musical theater, street dance, modeling, public speaking and hosting, master class, and theater production workshops).

The good news is that they’re accepting early enrollees this year. Workshop rates are at P5,500 for musical theater, public speaking, and hosting; P6,000 for street dance; and P7,500 for modeling. These workshops will be held in various malls in the metro like Podium, Shangri-La Plaza Mall, and Alabang Town Center. Workshops will begin on April 2, so be sure to enroll early! Call 636-2842 for more information.

Who knows, you may be rubbing elbows in future productions with Trumpets Playshop alumni Iñaki Ting, Sam Concepcion, Kathleen Francisco, Cheska Ortega, and Tanya Manalang!

Mimi

Last week, Chichi, one of my best-est friends in the whole world, celebrated her birthday. Chi and I have been friends since college (we started off hating each other's guts but eventually clicked!), and she is hands down one of the funniest people I've ever met—she'll entertain you with her impersonations, her quotable quotes, and her quirky sense of humor. I love her to bits, and I love the fact that no matter how busy we get these days, we still find time to catch up on each other's lives and remind ourselves why we're such good friends in the first place. Last Saturday, she treated me and my college girlfriends to dinner at one of our favorite restos, Haiku. Here's a photo we took after stuffing ourselves with their yummy tuna salad sashimi, salmon spring rolls, and sukiyaki. That's Pia, me, Chi, and Vida.

After dinner, we headed to Sofitel, where our other friend Maris was checked in for a company event. She had an entire room to herself, and graciously let us crash (and trash! hehe.) her place. I wanted to stay awake for our impromptu slumber party, but I fell asleep the moment my head hit the pillow. Haha! Sorry for conking out on you, girls!

Because I slept early, I woke up way ahead of everyone else—just in time to catch the sunrise. I tiptoed my way to the balcony to admire the gorgeous view and slip into muni-muni mode. There's something so hopeful and magical about watching the darkness turn to light, and although I may have looked strange getting teary-eyed while staring out into Manila Bay, I felt inexplicably at peace with myself and with the universe that morning. I wasn't able to bring my camera (which explains the quality of the pics in this post), but I played around with my phone's effects settings and was able to take a few photos to document my senti sunrise experience.


And now, Candy girls, I end this post with something for you to chew on: When is a hotel's sliding glass door NOT in use? When you discover the answer, let me know. =P

Finding the sunrise within,
Marla