★ M.A.R.A.★

More Asians Rockin' America

New York Fashion Week September 2011: Click photos to see larger versions.
Also, I realize this week is the big Spring 2012 reveal; autumn is upon us, however, so I'll be posting Fall 2011 collections as well
ENJOY! NYFW


Donate: March 2011 Tohoku or Great East Japan Earthquake
(9.0 magnitude, one of the 5 most powerful earthquakes in the world, triggered a tsunami of waves reaching up to 40 meters/133ft;
Japanese Police agency confirmed 16,000 deaths, 6,000 injured, and more than 4,100 missing)

Pakistan monsoons July 2010, China earthquake April 15, 2010, Haiti earthquake Jan 12, 2010




The buzz on
Famous Asians,
Famous Filipinos
,
and exactly who is Asian
in the American spotlight
(some big surprises!)

News, Events
Music, Concerts
TV/Film Premieres,
Red Carpet,
short Bios

Special thanks to those who participated and gave input on the layout, design, and naming. Your ideas and feedback were a great help. Thank you.

Enjoy!

Feel free to email or
ask me a question





News Proposed Legislation:
Lunar New Year
as school holiday!


NY Fashion Week:
Naomi Campbell
organizes star studded
benefit catwalk for Haiti
How is Naomi Asian?




Most Viewed Patrick Gallagher

Vanessa Hudgens


Victoria's Secret Revealed


Tiger's Slow Jam Remix Hilarity

Tiger's short bio

John Cho, People's Sexiest 2009



Artistic Noise
program empowering juvenile youth through art & entrepreneurship
From: I can't do this,
I'm not an artist
To: Wow! I can't believe
I did this! That was amazing!





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Tuesday, June 29, 2010
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Hey Folks! I know I kinda been MIA - my apologies - been SO busy! I have you all in mind in the meanwhile - will be posting catch ups in a week or so - thanks for staying with!

If you haven’t already heard, 18 year-old Filipino sensation, Charice Pempengco, will be guest starring in Fox’s hit show Glee in its second season.  Entertainment Weekly reported that Pempengco will play an exchange student with a singing talent that is a serious rival to that of Rachel Berry’s (played by Lea Michele).  Here she is singing Shania Twain’s “You’re Still the One” for Billboard’s Mashup Mondays.

Pempengco debuted in front of a live audience on the Ellen Degeneres show in Dec 2007, followed by an appearance on Oprah in Sept 2008.  Pempengco launched her first international album in May this year and became the first Asian in history to land in the Top 10 of the Billboard 200 album chart. 

WOW! ROCK ON GIRL!

See her “Pyramid” video below feat. Iyaz.  She’s adorable and so incredibly talented!

Other Keywords: famous filipinos, famous filipino, famous asians, famous asian, famous asian singers, singing sensation, talented kids, charice on oprah, charice on ellen, pyramid video, charice sings shania twain, you’re still the one, mashup mondays, billboard, glee, charice on glee

Thursday, February 18, 2010
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The NYC Soho International Film Festival starts today! Runs Feb 18-21

Founded by Jorge Ballos, Noli Parumog and Luis Pedron on July 1, 2009, the Soho International Film Festival (SIFF) encourages new and seasoned filmmakers to create innovative and thought provoking pieces.


SIFF host screenings and events in the renowned SOHO district of New York City to bring together filmmakers, critics, and cineastes from across the world.  Filmmaking seminars will be conducted by film experts and nightly after parties will be held. The festival is open to Features/Shorts/Music Videos of all Genres (Professional, Amateur, Work-in-Progress and Student Films)


One of the features that hooked me:
Autism: Made in the USA


Autism. What is it and why is it on the rise? In this feature length documentary presentation, award winning executive producer Gary Null is on a quest to reveal the true causes and promising solutions for the recent dramatic increase in autism in our children. Is autism related to environmental factors?

Could it be caused by mercury, aluminum, viruses, or other toxins contained in the 40-odd vaccines that every American child must receive? What are other environmental or genetic factors which could be contributing to the epidemic increase in childhood autism?

In this pioneering educational film, Dr. Null will be interviewing some of the world’s leading experts on childhood autism. A full spectrum of medical and scientific views will be presented, both orthodox and non­traditional, to get at the real reasons behind this childhood scourge. Novel effective therapies will be explored, showing that both the problem and solution of autism could be linked to weakened childhood immune systems, the inability of some children to rid their bodies of heavy metals and injected viruses, and unusual reactions to environmental toxins, foods, and proteins.

The film will consider that there are successful biomedical treatments for autism including utilizing special dietary supplements and gluten-free/casein-free (GFCF) diets, as well as chelation and hyperbaric oxygen therapies. Some of these natural solutions are being challenged by the pharmaceutical industry as unproven. But, could it be that the drug companies stand too much to lose from a more critical scrutiny of our national policy of compulsory vaccinations for infants and children? These and other important issues woven into the fabric of the autism debate will be examined in detail in this film.

A couple of others that caught my attention…


Links & list of Features @ the NYC Soho International Film Festival


Agenda/Film Schedule & Tix


SIFF Co-founder Luis Pedron is Filipino! Say hello via Twitter or Facebook


SIFF Filipino Night is on Saturday, Feb 20th!

There will be a chance to meet the Filipino actors and filmmakers during Q&A’s, a Red Carpet event, free goody bags, and a Special After Party (by G Productions) to highlight the event. Tickets are $15 per movie or $50 for a Day Pass which includes the 4 Filipino films featured in the Festival and the After Party Cover Charge.  Tix here



Other Keywords: famous asians, asian, filipinos, filipino, international film festivals, nyc events, nyc film events, nyc happenings this weekend feb 2010, soho, soho film fest, soho intl film fest, siff, tix to siff, tickets to siff, soho international film festival, up and coming, emerging artists, film makers, documentaries, feature films, features, autism, midwifery, burma, indonesia, philippines, filipino movies

Tuesday, February 2, 2010
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Black Eyed Peas win 3 at the Grammys

Sunday, January 31, 2010
52nd Annual Grammy Awards at the Staples Center in LA, California

Black Eyed Peas wins and nominations: List of winners and nominees

Record Of The Year - nomination
I Gotta Feeling
The Black Eyed Peas
David Guetta & Frederick Riesterer, producers; will.i.am, Dylan “3-D” Dresdow & Padraic “Padlock” Kerin, engineers/mixers
[Interscope]

Album Of The Year
- nomination
The E.N.D.
The Black Eyed Peas
apl.de.ap, Jean Baptiste, Printz Board, DJ Replay, Funkagenda, David Guetta, Keith Harris, Mark Knight, Poet Name Life, Frederick Riesterer & will.i.am, producers; Dylan “3D” Dresdow, Padraic “Padlock” Kerin & will.i.am, engineers/mixers; Chris Bellman, mastering engineer
[Interscope Records]

*Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals - WIN
I Gotta Feeling
The Black Eyed Peas
Track from: The E.N.D.
[Interscope Records]

*Best Pop Vocal Album - WIN
The E.N.D.
The Black Eyed Peas
[Interscope Records]

Best Dance Recording
- nomination
Boom Boom Pow
The Black Eyed Peas
will.i.am & Jean Baptiste, producers; Dylan Dresdow, mixer
Track from: The E.N.D.
[Interscope Records]

*Best Short Form Music Video - WIN
Boom Boom Pow
The Black Eyed Peas
Mat Cullen & Mark Kudsi, video directors; Anna Joseph & Patrick Nugent, video producers
[Interscope Records]

Red Carpet BEP

apl.de.ap, Fergie, will.i.am, Taboo [Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images]


Black Eyed Peas arrive at the Staples Center [Photo Merritt/Getty Images North America]

How is Black Eyed Peas Asian?


Other Asian Celebs at the Grammy Red Carpet
Director Quentin Tarantino and actress Tia Carrere [Photo: Merritt]




MTV G4 Host Olivia Munn [Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images North America]



Musician Kitaro and Jane Zhang [Photo: Merritt]


TV personality Carrie Ann Inaba [Photo: Busacca]



Composer A.R. Rahman [Photo: Busacca]


Other Keywords
: famous filipino, famous filipinos, famous asians, famous sian, famous filipino artists, musicians, 52nd annual grammy awards, grammys, black eyed peas, the end, awards shows, asians in music, filipinos in music, red carpet, grammy red carpet

Wednesday, January 6, 2010
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Winners! Iron Chef America Super Battle: Filipina White House Executive Chef Comerford & Chef Flay

Filipina White House Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford and renowned chef, restaurateur, and TV personality Bobby Flay defeated Mario Batali and Emeril Legasse by only 5 points in the Michelle Obama special-guest-hosted Iron Chef America Super Battle held at the White House Sunday, Jan 3rd, 2010.  The winners receive $25,000 to contribute to the charity of their choice.  (See why the White House approached the Food Network about this opportunity.  Hint: Sustainability, healthy eating)

Renowned English food writer, journalist and broadcaster Nigella Lawson was a judge along with actress Jane Seymour, and Olympic Gold medalist, Natalie Coughlin (who is part Asian-click on her name to see her intriguing gene mix!)

Videos of each team presenting their dishes to the judges and the winner announcement are below.  The dishes are mouth watering and beautifully crafted.  Definitely worth the viewing.  The cauliflower gratin is most likely the one dish I could recreate.  Flay’s recipe! Woot!

I was a bit confused about the results because the judges seemed to highlight more of the Batali/Legasse team’s dishes in the final judges’ comments.  In viewing both teams’ presentation videos, however, the judges had more accolades for the Comerford/Flay dishes than they had for those of the Batali/Legasse team.  Video editing aside, I’ll give the point system the benefit of the doubt.  It was only a five point spread after all.  ALL the dishes looked beautiful.  I would be a judge in that battle anytime.  YUM!

(Tumblr “followers” must go to permalink to see videos.  Top right corner of the dash post.  Tumblr, will embeds ever be made available on the back end? Sigh…)


L to R: Flay, Comerford, Brown, First lady Obama, Batali, Legasse [via]


Comerford and Flay pick “secret ingredients” from the White House Garden [via]

Iron Chef America Super Battle Intro

Comerford & Flay Presentation (Sorry bout the quality folks. Will update with better quality vids when made available)

Batali & Legasse

Iron Chef America Winners




Other Keywords: Famous filipinos, famous filipinas, famous filipino, famous filipina, chef, white house executive chef, iron chef america winners, iron chef america videos, clips, video, clip, food, sustainability, health, healthy eating, nutrition, vegetables, scallops, radish, sweet potato, ravioli, bbq, barbeque, oysters, ginger ice cream, marshmallows, pie, broccoli based chowder, pineapple, new orleans
Sources: WSJ, Washington Post, The Food Network

Wednesday, December 9, 2009
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Fast Company Names Pharell Williams in Top 100 Most Creative People In Biz

(#36)
Pharrell Williams’ recent achievement: Limelight, an updated version of Fame that he created with film director McG, was picked up by ABC (loosely based on Williams’ performing-arts experience in high school)


Other Fast Company mag highlights:

  • Co-owner of production company, Neptunes (Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Madonna are some clients)
  • Fronts the funk-rock band N.E.R.D.
  • Produces a Billionaire Boys Club  clothing line
  • Sells a line of shoes under the Ice Cream Footwear brand
  • Designed sunglasses and jewelry for Louis Vuitton


[Todd Selby | Corbis Outline]

How is he Asian?



Keywords:  African American, Black, Asian, Asians, Filipino, Famous Filipinos, Music, Hip Hop, Funk, Rock, Producer, Businessman, Rap, NERD, N.E.R.D., Blasians, blasian
Source: Fast Company

Sunday, December 6, 2009
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Ana “The Hurricane” Julaton makes boxing history with her 2nd World Championship Title!



On Friday, December 4, 2009, Ana “the Hurricane” Julaton won the World Boxing Organization super-bantamweight title with a unanimous decision over Donna Biggers in front of a crowd of 3,943 at the HP Pavilion in Silicon Valley.   Julaton improved to 6-1-1 with the 10-round victory and won her second world title in just eight career bouts.

The Filipina makes boxing History to become the 1st ever WBO 122lbs World Champion. 

See her comments after the fight in the short video clip below (jump to 0:21 to skip the intro)




Other related posts: Other Famous Filipinos, Asians in Sports News, Asians in Sports
Keywords
: WBO championship december, female boxers, asian boxers, asian female boxers, asian athletes, filipino athletes, filipino champions, famous asians, famous asian, female athletes, female boxers, asian female athletes, Ana Julaton video, Julaton interview, Julaton post-fight video, filipino female athletes
Sources: 1, 2

Thursday, December 3, 2009
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Filipino White House Chef draws attention to healthy eating


Only one more month till we see Filipino White House Chef, Cristeta Comerford, in an Iron Chef America challenge against renowned chefs Bobby Flay, Mario Batalli, and Emeril Legasse.  First Lady, Michelle Obama, will make a cameo appearance introducing the secret ingredient: anything grown in the 1,100 square foot White House garden.

The White House approached the Food Network about filming “Iron Chef America” at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. as a way to reach those people who haven’t heard yet about the first lady’s efforts to curb childhood obesity through healthy eating and exercise, the New York Times reports.


Actress Jane Seymour, food writer and journalist Nigella Lawson, and Olympic gold medalist swimmer Natalie Coughlin will judge.  The episode will air Jan 3, 2010 on The Food Network @8pm/ET. [Note: Coughlin is Filipino too (part)]


[via]


Comerford was hired at the White House in 1995 as an assistant and became the first woman and Filipino to hold the White House Chef position when she was hired by Laura Bush in 2005.  Sharing the perspective on the importance of healthy eating and healthy families, Michelle Obama announced that Comerford would remain as White House Chef in early 2009.  More on Comerford. 



[via 1, 2]



Sources:
Slashfood, The Washington Post, Wiki
Keywords: Filipino White House chef, Filipina White House chef, Filipino on Iron Chef, childhood obesity, Michelle Obama, Public Health, healthy eating, healthy habits, healthy practices

Tuesday, December 1, 2009
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This just in: Pacquiao to run for congress seat in Philippines



Philippine boxing hero Manny Pacquiao, left, stands beside wife Jinky as he shows the certificate of candidacy for congress which he filed at the provincial capitol in Sarangani province, southern Philippines on Tuesday Dec. 1, 2009. Pacquiao, considered the world’s best pound-for-pound boxer for winning the championship in seven weight classes, will be having his second jab at politics after his 2007 campaign fell short. (AP Photo)


Click here for the Associated Press article


Some quick facts:

  • This is Pacquiao’s second attempt at office (he was defeated in 2007 in General Santos City)
  • Unclear if he will fight Mayweather Jr. if he wins Congress
  • Pacquiao is the first boxer to win 7 world titles in 7 different weight classes (after defeating Miguel Cotto on Sat, Nov. 14 (see pics from the fight here)


I have some concerns - mainly that he maintains focus to defeat Mayweather if he does decide to fight him.  Also wondering if Pacquiao wants to run because he has a genuine agenda to help the people and if he has trustworthy advisors to help strategize and execute programs that address hunger, health, education, and poverty (these, to me, are the biggest problems concerning the Philippines).  Or are the people behind him utilizing his platform for their own, selfish motives, without genuine concern or care for addressing the issues?


What do you think about this? (Feel free to comment below.  Can be anonymous or you can sign in with an AKA…coolio.)


Keywords
: Manny pacquiao to run for congress seat in the philippines, pacquiao politics, pacquiao to be a politician? Will pacquiao fight mayweather, the latest news on manny pacquiao
Thanks to George Yui for the FYI!

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