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Ricky Lee’s Autographed Books and T-Shirts Holiday Promo Packages

This holiday season, the Writers' Studio is offering a special selection of its available books and merchandise. The Christmas packages contain varying combinations of books and shirts--the perfect gifts for your friends and love ones, or perhaps even yourself! As an additional incentive, all books bought under this promo will be autographed by the author.

For more info, visit the Writers Studio Online Store.
 
 
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From the expensive Celestina's purse and perfect hibiscus to the humble bread and dried fish, Nora Aunor is a name to reckon with…indeed a cultural icon.

Pan de Nora

Here’s one blogger's encounter with “Pan de Nora”, the Superstar's bread.  

“Then, pumunta kami sa isang maliit na bakery. Natawa ako dun sa isang bread na tawag, “Pande Nora!” Haha ... Didn't know that they sell stuff like those pala. Siguro, yung may ari ng store, sobrang idol si Nora. *lol* Teka, bat walang Pande Vilma? O kaya, Pande Sharon?”

The blog was written in 2006. I wonder if the bakery still sells the stuff now. I have not seen a Pan de Nora before but from the pic, it looks like the humble pandesal. But isn't there supposed to be one raisin on top to resemble Ate Guy's mole?

The blogger was asking about Pan de Vilma. Is there such a bread? How can you tell Vilma's bread? Wrapped in a handkerchief maybe? (he-he). And what about Pan de Sharon? Hmm … no comment.

Daing in Naga Market called “Nora Aunor”?

It has to be in the Bicol region where the “Nora Aunor” dried fish can be found. One blogger went to Naga market to get some but unfortunately, missed out on the “holy grail” of dried fish.  

Here’s an excerpt from the blog site. For complete blog and pictures, visit heart- 2-heart-online. com.

This is the second thing my bestfriend Eds told me to do. Buy “Nora Aunor” in the market! She actually said to just send someone to the market and have them buy it…but Mom and I went because we wanted to see for ourselves.

WOW!! They have a section dedicated to dried fish. How organized can they be? I told you someone is behind this!  

We were trying to figure out which one was Nora Aunor…and the guy heard us talking and he said this one… called “NEW LOOK.” So we got some. We tried it and it was really good!

Though Eds told me that Nora Aunor apparently is seasonal……So maybe they were offering something similar called “New look.”“

Has anyone seen “Nora Aunor” yet? 
 
 
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This week is FEU’s turn in the second year of  “FEUlikulahan” a film festival honoring five films that have earned accolades abroad. To be screened free at the FEU Theater are “Confessional” (Nov. 18, 3p.m.); “Himala” (Nov. 19, 3p.m.) and “Astig” (Nov. 19, 6p.m.); “Kinatay” (Nov. 20, 3p.m.) and “Lola” (Nov. 20, 6p.m.). In all the screenings, people involved in the production have been invited to ask questions in an open forum following the film showing.
   
“Confessional”  is the least known of the four films presented. Directed by first timer Jerrold Tarog, it has already won Best Film in the First Features Category of the 10th Osian’s Cinefan in New Delhi , India in July   2008 where it competed with another Filipino entry, Jim Libiran’s “Tribu “ which we loved to death. I wonder why we missed out on “Confessional?”  Will surely make it to the FEU screening. This same festival where Tarog won also gave a Lifetime Achievement Award to screenwriter Pete Lacaba who has sadly been away from the scene for at least a decade.
   
The digital film Confessional tells of a small-time filmmaker who goes to Cebu to document the Sinulog festival and stumbles upon an ex-politician who confesses his crimes for the camera. Is he telling the truth or is he like the camera manipulating the audience?  Apparently the multi talented Tarog who writes, directs, scores films, and does sound engineering, was also winner in the Cinema One Originals and at the PMPC Star Awards for Movies. He is credited for the musical scoring of the much awarded Brillante Mendoza films “Kaleldo”  and “Foster Child,”  as well as Jeffrey Jeturian’s “Kubrador.” “Tarog” has finished a second feature “Magatyanan”  which he says is a sequel to Confessional, the second in a trilogy of man and the camera. Truth versus fiction?
   
“Himala”  is the best known film of Ishmael Bernal, if only for having Nora Aunor in the lead, and being brought back to the moviegoer’s attention by that recent award  of CNN Best Film of all Time in the  Asia-Pacific region. I have a special interest in this film, having stayed during its filming in the Paoay desert of Ilocos Norte 27 years ago. More than giving value to Nora who was already a celebrated talent at the time, it also practically launched the careers of such people before and behind the camera as Joel Lamangan, Racquel Villavicencio, Vangie Labalan, Pen Medina, Spanky Manikan, Joe Gruta, Richard Arellano, Ellen Ongkeko Marfil, and the late Ray Ventura.
   
“Astig”  directed by GB Sampedro was 2009 Cinemalaya’s box office hit with a main cast of Dennis Trillo, Edgar Allan Guzman, Arnold Reyes, and Sid Lucero and cameo appearances ranging from Ai Ai delas Alas, Gardo Verzosa, Keana Reeves, to Boy Abunda himself  who was one of the producers. This episodic rendering of people surving in the squalor of Manila was recently brought to the Pusan Film Festival. I remember the crowds at the CCP waiting for a glimpse of Dennis Trillo although Arnold ’s role was the best in the film. But let’s see what the FEU audience will think.
   
Next film scheduled may not be the most popular, but it certainly is the one that brought immeasurable pride to the Filipino filmmaker with Brillante ‘Dante’ Mendoza’s first ever award given to a Filipino – the Best Director Award at the Cannes Film Festival for the film “Kinatay.” Dante’s voyage into the dark crevices of the underworld has been called everything from “worst ever” to “a prurient and excruciating viewing experience that makes the audience partners in crimes of inhumanity.”
   
And perhaps to give Dante’s works a sense of balance, the last film is also his – “Lola”  with Anita Linda and Rustica Carpio (who once headed FEU’s Cultural Office), in a sad paean to two lolas who survive in the harsh and unforgiving city, powered by the irrefutable love and devotion to their family. 
   
The choices of the films are great, giving the principally student audience an idea of how it was then in the 80s and how it is now. The festival in under the program of the FEU President’s Committee on Culture headed by Martin Lopez. Call 7364897 for information.
Peoples Journal, November 16, 2009

(Himala screenwriter Ricky Lee will be the guest speaker in the forum after the screening of the film, November 19, 2009, from 1:00 p.m. His books, Trip to Quiapo, Para Kay B, and Si Tatang at Mga Himala ng Ating Panahon, will be available at the FEU Theater.)
 
 
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She always has a good voice and over the years, she has developed her own style. Nora in her heyday towered above all other singers not only in terms of popularity but simply because she has a beautiful voice which is what spells the difference even now that many other pop singers have cropped up. Most of our singers now sing well, yes. They have their own style but most of them are at best imitators.

Kung susuriin mo, walang natural na ganda ang mga boses nila. Dito naiiba si Nora dahil maganda talaga ang voice quality niya. Karamihan sa mga pop singers ngayon, pare-pareho ang chest tones. Pagdating sa vibrato, doon nagkakatalo. Dito pumupuntos si Nora.
–        Prof. Andrea Veneracion
 National Artist for Music

 
I was one of the judges in the Tawag ng Tanghalan championship who batted for Nora Aunor. And I proved myself right from the start. The first time I heard this tiny, little gem of a singer, I was really impressed. “Wow, what a voice! To think that it’s coming from someone so young at that time. She had a natural nice, deep voice to typical of the soulful Filipina soprano voices. And more than that, I was really struck by her beauty. Believe me, I knew then she would amount to something great.
–        Fides Cuyugan Asencio
Professor of Music and Voice, UP
Founding Artistic Director, Music Theater Foundation of the Philippines

From “Handog ni Guy” Souvenir Program, 1991
 
 
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Superstar Nora Aunor in Concert in California, USA

Through the Years

with former screen partners
Christopher de Leon,
Tirso Cruz III,
and Edgar Mortiz.

November 6, 2009 (Friday), 7:30 pm
Four Points Sheraton, San Diego

November 7, 2009 (Saturday), 7:00 pm
Oceanview Pavillon, Oxnard

November 8, 2009 (Sunday), 7:30 pm
Heritage Forum, Anaheim

Tickets are $66 and $88.
For inquiries please call (909) 718-9948.