An unforgettable time as events host for this year's World Gamefowl Expo, Pigeon Congress & Exotic Pet Expo!

Again I am truly so thankful to be hosting for the big annual event of Worldexco (a big thank you to the amazing Romero family for their faith in me as a host) and Pit Games Media (hugs to Sir Manny Berbano and his wonderful daughters and superb media staff), presenters of the World Gamefowl Expo & World Pigeon Expo and Congress, for the 5th consecutive year now! Here I am with Kuya Kim Atienza, arguably the country's most popular educational TV host. He led the opening festivities for the biggest Pigeon racing and Reptile pet exposition this country has ever seen so far! And below, here I am again beaming like a little kid in the sea of other little kids who came to see gamefowl, racing pigeons, exotic pets and more!

 And in between breaks I made sure to pet as many reptiles as I can... I just cannot find my photo with the humongous Albino Burmese python, but I did it! Yes! Carried its entire weight wrapped around me. So I'm just here with a Caiman:

What made this year special was that my sister Natalie emceed in the other side of this event as it got so big already (but not as big as it will be next year). For that earlier post about my sister, events host extraordinaire, click: Mary & Natalie, Sisters and Events Hosts and below, my sister and I face-off not as events hosts but as Sulcata Tortoise whisperers... yes, that below is the real deal! 

Apart from the usual excitement I get when I go onstage and talk my heart out as events host, I also got to bring home our family's newest baby... one who really makes my heart sing whenever she munches on the fresh grass, weeds and veggies that I pick, Sammy! I just cannot get enough of her! I find therapy and utter gladness whenever I pick weeds and carabao grass for her to munch on... I can dedicate an entire post all about my tortoise, Sammy... look at her nice shell and them bright eyes! Or should I say, "TORT-EYES....?" 

 Note: Tortoises are different from sea turtles. Tortoises live on land and might drown if you make them swim. Our beautiful Sammy here, is a desert dweller, from a species known as African Sulcata. I personally gather grass for her, but it's also super amusing to watch her munch on carrots, apples and watermelon bites! 

Again, thank you for your continued trust in me as emcee this year's World Gamefowl Expo, and my heart continues to brim with joy from the fun memories with my sister who learned so much from it as I did, and the best part was bringing home Sammy, our adorable young tortoise... 

Thank you for dropping by and please don't forget to click on these two other links and resources about my life as an events host and event master of ceremonies too!

Marylaine Viernes Hosting Website: www.marylaineviernes.com

Marylaine Viernes Hosting Portfolio: www.marylaineviernes.org

A wedding, a debut and a hip hop party!

So many hosting jobs have whizzed past; am still trying to find time to extract, edit and compose those posts; for now, let me just share about my latest three events: a mishmash of the most colourful experiences, where I offer endless thanks to God for the chance to be able to do something that I love, growing in more ways than one at the same time. I am so thankful that this festive season was also restful for me; to ponder on what truly matter in my life. I am able to set some of the things I have finally been longing to do, so let me just post three of my most recent gigs up in one release. 

Aren't sunsets divinely breathtaking? Here are a few of my photos of 2015 entries.

Let me first begin with this wedding I was truly honoured to host; this truly set the tone for the rest of my year... reminding me to relax and enjoy the moment. Most of my life I have been a road runner (at times even on a rampage), that I take what's essential for granted. My aimless speed, instead of truly taking me to where I ought to be, sometimes ends up in making the road far longer than it was supposed to be, had I chosen to take a step back and revel in the beauty of the moment. So below is my snap of the pre-wedding reception, with God's majestic sky as the backdrop... 

I was more than delighted to emcee for this breathtaking wedding, which wasn't tiresome for me at all. In fact, its majestic backdrop, a reminder of the Creator's love and magnificent providence, made me forget any pressures of keeping up with over a hundred guests. Not only that; I emceed this mesmerising event; the unforgettably magical Nacino-Arboleda nuptials, barefoot and toes digging in the sand!

Excuse the extremely rare (in fact this is my first time) bathroom selfie... I just well... felt like a mermaid in my gown. The crazy mind of an event host, when finding herself where she belongs... by the calming, alluring, enigmatic sea! 

My stealth shot of Mrs. Arboleda as she made her way towards the awe-inspiring cliffside where she exchanged vows with her husband. Isn't she a vision? Gorgeous at every angle! But what's most beautiful about her is what's within...

And of course, with the beautiful couple... Best Wishes, Alvaro and Bem! Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Nacino! I love the love you have for each other! Keep inspiring those around you with Your faith in God, your commitment, and your childlike admiration for each other! Thanks for your faith in me... I am excited for your journey as man and wife.

From memorable weddings, I also had the honour of taking part in such an enjoyable debut! Thank you, Angela and to your Mommy Milba Rutaquio for making me part of your very special night! Here I am below, squeezing beside the debutante... and yes, you can sit with us! Only, there isn't space anymore... LOL. I had a blast; felt as though I was 18 again... This was the 18 debut party I never got to experience back when I turned 18. You are such a beautiful lady, A!

From the long gowns, I step into totally different gear: hip hop, reminiscent of what you see on those Step Up flicks I can't stop watching! Had a blast emceeing for the EDL Group of Companies during their superb Christmas party! I was blown away with Hip-Hoppiness that night! Mary from the Block with my partner, Jay Z, Jay Monterola from TV show, Tukaan. Do I look badass enough?

I give thanks for such a phenomenal year 2015. What I would say is the year of emancipation, conservation of resources, and the year of aligning in gratitude, and Grace... Thank You Lord, and am I looking forward to a greater 2016! 

-- Marylaine Viernes Website (www.marylaineviernes.com)

-- Marylaine Viernes Event Host Youtube Channel

-- Marylaine Viernes Portfolio (www.marylaineviernes.org)

School is Super Cool with the Total Girl School Tour!

Total Girl Talk is Back! And this time, we've got more surprises for everyone! I've blogged about my adventures with Total Girl last year, and also our TG (true gear) for school - Post-It and Scotch goodies by 3M Philippines, so let me just share the highlights of our recent fun TG party at Angelicum College... 

Back in the zone... I have always dreaded the thought of going back to school; I'd even have nightmares of still being in College (far from graduating) all because I have always sought to be independent and to reach for my dreams, like a hatchling raring to finally fly. But thanks to TG, the li'l girl in me is starting to love school again... 

I love this - one of the slides of my fellow TG ate and speaker, the lovely and inspiring Ines Bautista Yao who spoke about reaching for your dreams! I am so glad that I have been living one of my dreams - and that is to be an events host! And the best part is that I am able to do it, have fun, learn and earn plus meet wonderful people while I work on my other big dreams...  I am truly thankful to the generous Father for all my amazing blessings!!! 

Such an awesome day! Like these gals, I got so caught up in the energy and fun during this remarkably fun day!!! I guess here, I was trying to coach these adorable TG's as they made their dream boards!!! 

Thanks for visiting... 

Marylaine Viernes, Events Host (Click here for my full portfolio)

Clucking Delicious as we welcome Chickilicious! (Food Review)

I am so happy for my good friend, Jayson and his wonderful mom and sister, Conchita and Cathy, for bringing in Chickilicious to the Philippine shores! Needless to say, Chickilicious boasts of chicken like never before! I loved how immensely crispy their humongous chicken breast cuts (don't worry, these are real chicken, in fact not frozen - these are delivered fresh, cooked and served right away) and how perfectly tender the breast is! I loved the taste - so did my mom and sister who I just initially dragged there in the first store of Chickilicious, only to find themselves clucking for more! 

Our top favorites were the Lemon Chicken with herbs and seaweeds, and the Crispy Golden Chicken, and the Takoyaki Chicken - yes takoyaki and chicken, why not?!? These golden plates were all pleasant to the palate, an extraordinary kick with its immense burst of flavor! But I think that the winner for that evening, was legendary Chocolate Chicken! I mean I have never eaten sweet viand - I like to keep the sweets for traditional dessert. But the Chocolate Chickilicious Chunk took home the trophy - with the impeccable bitter sweet taste of chocolate, generously drizzled on the magnificent crust of the well-carved, tender, juicy chicken! Ahh.... Chocolate-Chicken heaven! Only found in my newest favorite joint - Chickilicious! 

Plus of course, they even had my classic favorites - yummy crunchy tofu bites, and my favorite calamari - squid rings! Needless to say me and my fave girls were crunching our way to yummy chicken heaven! The experience harked me back to when I visited Taipei, Taiwan back in 2011 - only better! In Taiwan, I never got accustomed to the hit delicacy, stinky tofu, but here with Chickilicious, they made their tofu bites just right! So many Chinese and Taiwanese customers piled that night when we visited - for they all knew Chickilicious back in Taiwan - where the mother franchise company was founded. But the best part? While the Chinese loved it - the Filipinos love Chickilicious more! 

I cannot wait for Chickilicious Philippines to open its wings and soar to more places! And lastly - will you believe me if I say each chicken with rice meal is not more than P 150.00? What a great deal! You can share one meal with your loved one, your office mates, but I am certain that one won't be enough - you'd all find yourselves clucking crazy and loving each and every offering! To find out more, please click this and like the Chickilicious Facebook Page .

And above, here I am with my dear friend enjoying a snap as we snapped the yummy Choco Chicken gone! And lastly, let us not forget how awesomazing their Taiwanese beverages are - hands down- the best! I would recommend the Lychee and Passion fruit juices which my mom, sis and I got to try; but with my palate being so discriminating and unadventurous at times - I went with the traditional chilled Taiwanese tea - and drank every last drop! 

Come fly by Chickilicious at the Sea Residences, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City for a taste of the best in Taipei - suited to satisfy the Filipino taste! Thank you and Congratulations Chickilicious; more stores to come! 

- Marylaine Louise Viernes, Events Host and now, Food Blogger!

Hosting is a Breeze with Good Housekeeping Magazine

I am totally thankful to Summit Media for their continued trust in me - I've emceed for their magazines such as Total Girl, Entrepreneur and Smart Parenting. This time, I got to emcee for the Good Housekeeping event, "GH Baon in a Breeze," held at the Robinsons Galleria event atrium. The event was attended by tons of guests, and of course our Good Housekeeping subscribers and our usual blogger-mommies and friends from the media. 

We played so many awesome games and gave our a ton of amazing prizes! And 5 lucky mommies even walked away with a one-year magazine subscription! Sweet!!! 

Top Photo: Excuse my nerdy look for the day. But I tried to balance it out with a nice dress; hope that you still liked my dress from www.dressinmanila.com please visit their website for the hottest, sexiest clothing trends! And of course, thank you so much to the awesome Summit Media events team; it is always wonderful to work with you! So excited for our next activities; what a great way to welcome September - looking forward to all things amazing and enriching! lastly, below is one of our guests, Momma Blogger behind http://lavishlyparsimonious.blogspot.com/ please check out her blog too! 

- Marylaine Louise Viernes, Events Host

Sharing my True Colors at the Inside Out Party and Movie Premiere

I am still buzzing from the awesome "Express Yourself" party and parenting workshop presented by SM Cinema, Snack Time and the top parenting magazine - Smart Parenting by Summit Media! This unforgettable family party was the exciting prelude to the premiere screening of Inside Out, Disney Pixar's much-anticipated movie! 

Part 1: Sharing My True Colors
Mesmerised was I to walk into such a gleeful affair which brimmed of so much Joy and Love!  I am so thankful to emcee this parenting workshop that brimmed with tons of informative activities and freebies! Our speakers for the day were Chef Roselle Miranda, Editor of Good Housekeeping Magazine, and of course the creative mind behind Color Me Doodle, Mark Dean Lim! As usual I was in my element; more than just being a passionate host, I too am a parent - an honor  and blessing that is life-changing; extremely humbling yet empowering at the same time. I had so much fun learning with Smart Parents - all who strive to give their children the best childhood possible. And I am certain that thanks to SM Cinema, Snack Time and Smart Parenting, this memorable experience will go a long way in the hearts of all the kids (including mine) as the bond between parent and child grows stronger! Thank you so much to the wonderful SM Cinema team (led by their gorgeous, smart and sweet PR Head, Ms. Stephanie Henares who also shared some of their photos for my blog), and of course, my Summit Media family! Check out these parents and kids! We even had actress & glam mom, Ms. Gladys Reyes present! 

PINOY PRIDE: Filipino Ronaldo De Carmen co-directed Inside Out with Peter Docter and naturally, the film received critical praise for its concept and moving on story on family, which were successfully presented in an entertaining and easily understandable manner. Sorry for sounding so redundant but I feel honored and blessed beyond words to be part of this affair! 

Kids loving their balloons from Krispy Kreme and their loud, happy screams! 

Part 2: My Movie Rave-view for INSIDE OUT:
The movie made me understand so much not just a mom, but most of all, as a woman. So many times, like Riley - I have let ANGER steer me and this resulted to mistakes and regrets that I continue to work on this day. The movie is about more than just the voices in our heads. It truly reaches to the depths of our hearts. I won't spoil it for you; all I can say is that you'll love it!
I don't know, I guess it's the little girl inside me that cried when Riley's imaginary friend, Bingbong that adorable pink, fluffy cotton candy hybrid of sorts gave way to the more important emotions as Riley matured. I guess that is how it is - letting go is so beautifully painful. But in letting go can we only find growth beyond wonder. Here I am below with JOY and ANGER - two of the main characters of this really, really amazing animated movie!  

You won't regret anticipating the movie so much. Every scene was perfect. More than just a movie it was an experience. Kudos to my friends who bought their tickets in advance! To those who'd like to learn more about Inside Out and of course the many amazing promos of SM Cinema, please click this link to visit the Official Website of SM Cinema. Thanks for dropping by. Enjoy the movie!
- Marylaine Louise Viernes

The best VACATION you'll ever take (A Movie Review)

Where do I even begin? Don't expect me to share something profound about the latest hit movie presented by Warner Bros Philippines: VACATION. This movie truly caught me off guard; from the awesome scene with Keegan Michael Key I lost my brakes and just kept on rolling with laughter until the end of the movie!  

VACATION is a remake of the hit “National Lampoon’s Vacation,” a classic comedy that my mom also loved when it was shown back in 1983, with Chevy Chase as the original Griswold dad. To my mom’s delight, Chevy Chase makes a cameo but this time, his son, Rusty is all grown up, leading his own family through sidesplitting misadventures. 

The movie is top billed by Ed Helms, Christina Applegate, Skyler Gisondo and Steele Stebbins and they make up the idiosyncratic Griswold family. The movie also boasts of a remarkable list of superstars as part of the supporting cast and the most notable would probably be Chris Hemsworth (Thor of the Avengers) but it was Norman Reedus (Daryl of Walking Dead fame) that solicited the loudest “ooohs” from the crowd with his enigmatic charm (though that thing in his truck still haunts me ‘til today).

Chris Hemsworth has never been this THORriffic. I stared only at his nice hairstyle. I promise, that is all that I stared at, LOL! This part here was downright crazy. Crazy funny. You need to see this movie!!! 
It was quirky, raunchy and downright mirthful and I promise you it will drive your blues away! It may not be a ride for the entire family as the movie is strictly R-18, but for adults like you, watch it! All I can say is that I haven’t laughed like that in years!

Movie Review: Fantastic Four

I was really blown away by 20th Century Fox and Warner Brothers Philippines’ latest film: the reboot of the Fantastic Four Franchise, kicking off with an origins theme. 

I appreciated the real-life situations of how sometimes, the best of intentions can turn into the most gruesome mistake, and also on the upside, and how the seemingly most tragic occurrences turn out to our advantage. Heartrendingly was the story of friendship between Ben and Reed, saw its eventual rut when an excited Reed coaxed Ben to join their verboten expedition which ended up in turning Ben into a monster and a killing machine as “The Thing.” I mean, everyone else got to keep their original forms, with a few irregularities they were eventually able to control, which then became their super powers. I can only imagine how Ben felt when he was unable to shift to his original form and worst - his best friend went into hiding after promising help, making one think that there are those who make it and those who pay the price to make things happen. I guess it is with coming into terms with life and who we have become, which of course we will see with Ben – in the next instalments of Fantastic Four – is what will make us embrace our potential – even if we didn’t turn out (or we did) into what we wanted to be. So instead of focusing on the realities of life beautifully rendered in a timeless, iconic superhero film, bet you didn't know that... 

* In the original 1960’s comic books, friends Reed Richards and Ben Grimm served in the World War II. But in the movie, they were good friends whose friendship was built on love for science and mystery, with Reed taking the lead, as usual, while Ben cooly played sidekick. 

* Ms. Susan Storm eventually married Reed and they had a son named Franklin Benjamin Richards and a daughter named Valeria Richards. And what's cute about Valeria is she is younger, but then thanks to time travel, she gets to be big sister! 

* In the comics, the only members of the Fantastic Four who didn’t become part of the Avengers was Johnny Storm. But isn't quite ironic how in real life - the actor who originally played Johnny Storm, Chris Evans - has moved on to become on of the most famous avengers - Captain America? Hows that for doing the Avengers-shift in real life? 

Above: My very own superhero who loved the movie so much that everyday we play superhero trivia games.

- Marylaine Viernes 

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