AyalaLand Avida Serin x Summit Media Stay Tagaytay Magazine Launch

The breathtaking unveiling of AyalaLand - Avida's latest project - Serin Tagaytay along with the grand launch of their collaboration with Summit Media's Good Housekeeping Magazine - Stay Tagaytay was indeed successful and I am still overwhelmingly proud to have been a part of it!

And if I may add, as I have emceed for many a hotel & luxury event, this has to be the most stylistically chic event ever! Every inch of the even breathed the signature of Ayala: timeless luxury, class, elegance and of course, world-class quality! The units were breathtaking indeed! 

The venue was styled so beautifully, too beautiful for words, with its Southern, rustic, homey feel. Everyone (including myself) felt at home that we just wanted to stay there! I had tons of fun participating in our fab activities such as the design seminar and rubber stamp making activity with Urban Abode and Lucina, and of course, the fun succulents workshop with Smarty Plants PH. Also chatted with a few blogger friends and of course, my awesome event partners from Summit Media!

Thank you, Summit Media and Avida by AyalaLand, for believing in me. For now I will keep striving until I can finally be able to afford one of your beautiful units at Serin Tagaytay! (And have its interiors designed by one of the best in the country - Mr. Michael Magturo of Urban Abode below)...  

Marylaine Louise Viernes
Corporate Events & Party Host 

KONG-quering new heights with the amazing Mr. Francis Kong

So happy to be working with my newest events family, WildFire and my first project with them is an awesome project for Nestle, with no less than the amazing Francis Kong! You already know who Mr. Kong is; one of, if not the most respected lecturer/speaker and entrepreneur in the country, who inspires everyone with his amazing wit and accomplishments, but most of all since he walks the talk, thru his exemplary lifestyle. 

While he is such an amazing guy (with his supportive wife, Ms. Lilia Kong who is kind and equally amazing too), he and his family exude humility and glee even in the simplest things. It was a very quick shoot, and a great way to spend the weekend too! 

 Serious anchorwoman for this memorable weekend shoot... Loving my look for this project!

 The works: green backdrop and the boom mikes that later on transformed into a real studio! 

This was a very fun project and while I am not allowed by the producers to share any part of the clip here, we did snap a few BTS where I got the rare opportunity of picking the brilliant mind of Mr. Francis Kong! Below is a collection of my fave BTS starstruck/bloopers/kulitan photos: 

Thank you and I look forward to more successful projects with the amazing Wildfire team soon!

- Marylaine Louise Viernes

Truly Grateful to Total Girl Magazine

When I scream "I love Total Girl," I TOTALLY mean it. And every time I grab an issue of TG Magazine, I can't help but feel so happy and optimistic. So you can only imagine my delight of being part of this month's issue! 

Thank you TG for opening up a wonderful world for me. More than this feature (and something special to add in my portfolio as an event host), I am so thankful that after my TG Hosting gigs, I also have hosting projects with other Summit Media brands such as Good Housekeeping and Entrepreneur Magazine. 

So please hurry and stack up on Total Girl Magazine issues this month, and make it a monthly habit! Sharing my fave reads in the July 2015 issue: 

You know it! I love accessorising (and I need to, when I emcee events to stand out a bit) and another thing that I love is hearing advice from another point of view. Plus, even at this age, we encounter the same issues that hark back to when we were teens (as the song goes: same script, different cast), so reading advice from these awesome TG ladies really helps - they were truly wise beyond their years! And lastly, this page below features Patty and Sophia - two sweet Total Girls I met during my interview along with Nix and the lovely TG Managing Ed, MM De Mesa! 

I love Total Girl Forever!! Check out our fun BTS group photo with the exceptional TG team at the Summit Media Headquarters... 

- Marylaine Louise Viernes

Finding myself in Paper Towns: A Movie Review

Paper Towns, the latest and hottest new movie by 20^th Century Fox reached out to be in a pleasantly unexpected manner, harking me back to different times, when I craved for and loved mystery and adventure (and I still do). I was so glad to be invited to the premiere night for this awesome movie, which was based on a hit best-selling book by John Green (The Fault in our Stars). 

I remember my younger, morose self with scene of the movie, and realising more about my profound journey. Plus I realised too that while I never understood what made Cara Delevigne (and her eyebrows) a modelling hit, but I would have to agree that she lived up to the role of Margo Roth Spiegelman – an angst-ridden, elusive and downright crazy teenager who had a refreshingly sullen take on the world and everything else around her. I loved how she and “Q” (Quentin Jacobson, portrayed by actor Nat Wolf) took things into their own hands, and set their own passionate paths while having fun along the way. I loved how this movie testifies to the adage that, "you need to get lost in order to find yourself..."  

Indeed, this movie is perfect and relatable to all of us who’ve gone through that awkward, trouble times in our lives, looking for our places in this world, and bumping into different people and taking them for granted in this big sad word, not realising that maybe to one of them – we are the world.

I loved its refreshing take on adolescence – on how at this stage, we treat life with wild abandon, getting lost and not having a clue (but in the case of Margo she deliberately got lost and left them with clues) and sometimes not wanting to be found as we immerse ourselves in the beauty of all things we were told to be scared of. I loved the creativity of the movie, taking in the usual elements that we love: solving mysteries, young love and adventure! Let go of your fear of the road - by traveling it! (Translation: What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.) This is a must-watch! So make sure to catch it before it’s gone (like Margo) then you won’t know what you are missing. 

Loved the movie and even these awesome tickets. Thanks so much to the superb president of Warner Bros. & 20th Century Fox, Mr. Francis Soliven!

- Marylaine Louise Viernes

Glee with Galileo: the Singapore Math Learning Festival

Thank God for Galileo and Singapore Math! Having the honour of attending the 3rd Singapore Math Learning Festival, held at the Asian Institute of Management in Makati as their master of ceremony for that one eventful and empowering day surely opened my eyes to the fact that: (1) Singapore Math techniques would have helped me be so much more today if I had been immersed to it and (2) I need to ensure that my son is equipped with it, as I am certain that this is one of the greatest investments I will make for his future.

Apart from my hosting hat that day, I had my mummy-hat on, oh, and my thinking hat too, as I joined the almost thousands of participants learn about the latest trends in learning especially when it comes to math, and we actually had our hands on (read: REALLY HARD) math problems! 

I remember as a child, I always, always shied away from Math. While it was good that back then I already knew what I wanted to (communication arts, a.k.a chatting with seat mates and creative writing and literature appreciation a.k.a reading pocket books while my math teacher droned on not realising that I wasn't behaved and reading my math book - I was reading Sweet Valley High or Nancy Drew back then), but it would have been much greater if I had the basic foundation, especially if it was Singapore Math! So, thank you, Ms. Rowena Matti, CEO and Ms. Fides Reyes, Business Development Head for letting me part of this event. Below is Ms. Matti, Galileo and I: 

But I am so glad I found you, Galileo, and I will definitely make sure that my son grows with you! So glad that there will be a branch opening near my house soon, so I hope that you help me equip my son for his blazing bright future ahead! Be a Galileo Whiz Kid today! 

- Marylaine Louise Viernes  

Marylaine Viernes and Peppa Pig in the most pig-tastic party ever!

Welcome to the second day of Peppa Pig's amazing Meet & Greet Party with Toys R Us! Yesterday, I had my hair in pigtails, and I wore a warm pink outfit, but for today, I opted to have my hair in bright pink curls, just like Peppa's curly tail, while I chose to wear a hot pink dress. I am truly so humbled and honored to host this event as I had fun with Peppa and the Peppa Pigsters, too!  

Peppa says Hi to everyone! Thank you all for coming out to play with Peppa Pig on this lovely Sunday! Peppa Pig is the world's most beloved little hog, who just loves giving out big, big hugs!

Please check out my video on Youtube, for Day 2 of the fun meet & greet: 

Marylaine Viernes Peppa Pig Event Host Video - Day 2 

And please click below to watch my video hosting for Day 1, too: 

Marylaine Viernes Peppa Pig Event Host Video - Day 1

Oh, and here's a quick glimpse of the awesome event hall before the fun piggy-party started: 

And I didn't forget to do the ceremonial photo op in front of the backdrop with Peppa's invitation to come out and play! So glad that many of you came!

Lastly, here's the hard-working team behind this successful event! 

Thanks everyone; always remember that you are Peppa-rrific! 

- Marylaine Louise Viernes

Pig Pig, Hooray! Peppa Pig's Meet & Greet (First Day)

It's a dream come true for me to meet and bond with the world's most adorable piggy, Peppa, and more so land my first hosting gig with my new friends from Bankee (Melissa, Richard), and Ms. Gina Pena too for leading me as host of this Pig-tastic Peppa Pig Meet & Greet Party! Until now I am oinking with excitement; just like all the kids who will always cherish such a memorable experience with Peppa. Below are my Peppa-riffic event photos, for the first of the two-day activity:  

 'Tis a perfect day to play games with Peppa and all these Peppa Pigsters, or maybe Peppa Peeps!!! 

 We had a fun show and tell where these cute Peppa Pigsters shared why they love Peppa toys!

 Peppa is also very excited to meet you all!

Thank you so much, Peppa for such a memorable, exciting and Pig-tastic time! We cannot get enough of you, so for now we will keep watching your shows (and we love your English accent, too!)

We love Peppa and George so much, we get to cuddle with them all the time! You too can grab your own Peppa and George toys, over at Toys 'R Us, the world's greatest toy store! 

 - Marylaine Louise Viernes

Mad about Max: Mary's Movie Review

I loved everything about Warner Brothers Philippines’ latest blockbuster hit, MAX. The movie tugs at your heart the way your sweet puppy dog tugs on your pants to ask you to play or cuddle. It had all of the quintessential elements in a movie that the entire family could enjoy: tear-jerking patriotic scenes, traditional family moments, heart-pumping unlikely-hero action and the excitement of young love. 
Thank you very much Mr. Francis Soliven (President of Warner Brothers) for the premier night passes, and the bowwowriffic sweet treats like this doggy-treat-shaped cookie:

True to its title, it was about this smart and adorable war dog, Max, a Malinois Shepherd who helped the U.S Marines in Afghanistan. Max and his handler, Kyle Wincott (Robbie Amell) had a tight relationship and it was Max who knew first that Kyle’s death was no accident when they were ambushed; he died in the hands of a traitor – his own best friend who was actually involved in smuggling of arms. Reluctantly, the bereaved Wincott family took Max home with them not knowing that this is the start of thrilling adventures between Max and his new master, Justin (Josh Wiggins), the younger brother of Kyle.

The movie dealt with issues about trust, family bond and true friendship. I loved how tight the Wincott family was, and by family, this includes Max. How they loved, protected and put their trust in each other’s hands. That even in the face of peril, they knew that they could rely on each other. I especially loved how these values were played out with the youthful action scenes by Justin and his friends – taking down the weapon syndicate and the corrupt police officials, with nothing but their study bikes, hearts full of grit and goodness, and of course, a U.S. Marines trained dog!

Everything was just so heart-warming, as I write this now and relived the scenes; I am still gripped by the breathtaking stunts as Justin and his friends moved to save his father, and also the struggle of Max as he battled two other vicious dogs and those vile gunmen with his wit and heart, and of course interminable loyalty to the Wincott family. Most of all, the movie spoke about how the truth eventually comes out and favors the faithful, and how there will always be struggle, but our values and family will always help us through. It is a splendid ride – love, values and excitement that you and your family must not miss!

Photo below is our own little MAX... Her name is Sasha, a sweet mini pinscher who may not be able to fight the bad guys, but she can certainly fight our blues away...  

- Marylaine Louise Viernes