Tickets for the concert, featuring Earth Wind and Fire in their first New Zealand concert together with jazz legend Patti Austin and blues singer/songwriter Keb Mo, are being snapped up fast and festival director Arne Herrmann says people need to be quick if they want reserved seating or they may be disappointed.

Earth Wind and Fire is the seventh top selling US band of all time with 50 Gold and Platinum albums, 90 million albums sold and seven Top 10 US singles including the mega-hits ‘September’, ‘Let’s Groove Tonight’ and ‘Boogie Wonderland’.

After 40 years of global success, their popularity has not waned – two weeks ago they featured at Ellen Degenres’ televised birthday show, played at Kim Kardashian’s wedding and are a favourite of President Obama.

“And now they’re coming to New Zealand to play,” Arne says, adding that Earth Wind and Fire are playing one New Zealand concert only – at the National Jazz Festival on Sunday 8 April at Tauranga Domain. Tickets are available through Ticketek 0800 TICKETEK (842 538) www.ticketek.co.nz The full line up for the 50th National Jazz Festival is at www.jazz.org.nz.

Last year, I never imagine in my life that I’m going to visit the city for the first time in this kind of event. My news editor from GMA Network, the Philippine’s Largest Television Network, Ms Malou Talosig called me up to cover the disaster.

I went to Christchurch on Feb 24 ,two days after the earthquake on a Air New Zealand flight and stay there for 4 days to gather news about 11 filipino nurse trapped in CTV building.

Above is the actual report, I made for GMA network It was a challenging  job for me as Journalist, reporting this disaster and the atmosphere in the area But I need to focus on my job delivering accurate information about what happening in the City.

When I arrived in the Central Command, a on going press conference with CC mayor Bob Parker with international Journalist mostly  Japanese  giving an update about the situation.

Above is the first footage I made after the Christchurch Disaster management organized a press bus tour around the affected area in the Central Business District.

Tomorrow (Feb 22) a Christchurch  memorial services have been organised across the country .

ChristChurch :

A service focused towards the families of those lost and first responders will be held at  Latimer Square, 8am-8.45am and a public memorial service will held in North Hagley Park ,12noon to 1.30pm for  the while community.

Auckland :

Aotea Square, 12.51pm, two minutes’ silence will be held, with the Auckland Town Hall clock bell rung at the start and finish.

Holy Trinity Cathedral, 12.30pm-1pm, service of remembrance for people of Christchurch and Canterbury.

Wellington :

Wellington Cathedral, 12.30pm, Anglican and Catholic vigils.

Aside from that, we are planning to watch ” The Vow”  movie staring Rachel McAdams & Channing Tatum at Reading cinema. But never materialized due to disorganized delivery service of Flower Girl Florist.

My wife already went home. The flower never made to the destination. I called them to deliver instead to my house and very disappointed with them. However, they upgrade my item with a free  red bear.

Anyway ,every body is happy.

Yesterday, me and my kids watched the Chinese New Year Street parade from Courtney Place to Frank kitts Park .

My kids just love them. Communities share their spirit of Chinese New Year in a fabulous display of colour and celebration.

A spectacular 23-man dragon troupe twisting through the city route, plus two stunning dragon stilt-dancers I also saw Wellington City mayor Cecilia Wade-Brown in celebration.

After, the parade we went to TSB arena for the Asian Market  and a two hour colourful entertainment  programme features diverse community groups of Wellington and international performances was held at the Frank Kitts park.Check some of my photos at Captured Snapshots

What a wonderful day to spend with family.

Shame is a 2011 British drama film co-written and directed by Steve McQueen, starring Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan. Shame was co-produced by Film4 and See-Saw Films.

The Venice Film Festival Winner (Best Film and Best Actor) directed by Steve McQueen and starring Golden Globe nominee Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan. In New York City, Brandon’s carefully cultivated private life — which allows him to indulge his sexual addiction — is disrupted when his sister Cissy arrives unannounced for an indefinite stay.

SHAME will be in cinemas from February 23rd 2012. However, our friends from Transmission and trigger Marketing invited me for the advance screen next week. Thanks.

Coldplay announce a two day Australian promotional visit to Sydney on Thursday 16th February and Friday 17th February. Direct from performing live at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards on Sunday 12th February, Coldplay will play two intimate performances in Sydney.

Fans will have the opportunity to see Coldplay like never before at these two exclusive, “money-can’t-buy” events.

The first is a 2Day FM & Huawei Mobile Live Set With Coldplay on Thursday 16th February, where an audience of 30 competition winners will get up close and personal with the band while they play live on 2Day FM.

Selected winners will also receive a Huawei mobile to record their experience and share with their friends via social networking on the day.
For those who miss out, Huawei Mobile will be live streaming the performance on their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/huaweimobile, or you can head to 2Day FM’s website at www.2dayfm.com.au to watch.

Fans have a second chance to catch the band while they’re in town at Sunrise & Huawei Mobile Present Coldplay Live on Friday 17th February. As well as being broadcast on Channel Seven, this event will stream from Huawei’s Facebook page.

For a chance to win tickets to see Coldplay at one of these special events, head to www.facebook.com/huaweimobile, tune into Sydney’s 2Day FM, and watch Seven’s Sunrise.

7 time Grammy winning Coldplay have sold over 50 million albums in their career. They last visited Australia in 2011 for a triumphant set at Splendour In The Grass before releasing their fifth album Mylo Xyloto which topped the charts in 34 countries worldwide, including Australia.

As Mylo Xyloto officially hits double platinum sales in Australia this week, the band’s current single Paradise has surpassed triple platinum status and is currently the No.1 most played song on Australia radio. Paradise is now Coldplay’s most successful song to date in Australia!

Paradise is currently No.5 on the national ARIA singles chart, with Mylo Xyloto sitting at No.7 on the ARIA album chart.

Coldplay head straight to London from Sydney to perform at the Brit Awards ceremony on Tuesday 21st February where they are nominated in two categories – British Group and British Album Of The Year.
Officially released to Australian radio this week, the new single Charlie Brown was a clear live highlight from recent festival performances. Before the official video drops, check out this live festival clip directed by Mat Whitecross and Mark Rowbotham:

High profile and popular Christchurch labels MisteR, Barbara Lee and Caroline Moore were approached by the iD Fashion Week Committee to showcase their Winter 2012 collections in the iD Fashion Shows.

iD Dunedin Fashion Week Committee Chair Susie Staley says the committee felt the opportunity to show at iD may be welcomed by these designers who, along with many others in Christchurch, have experienced considerable hardship personally and professionally over the past 16 months.

“We’re thrilled that these three Christchurch-based designers will join our ‘Dunedin’ designers and enjoy the fun and excitement that being part of the iD Fashion Show is all about. It also gives the public a chance to see their latest winter collections, available in retail outlets across New Zealand directly after the shows.”

MisteR, a boutique menswear label known for its distinctive international outlook, combines the heritage of British tailoring and the experimental fun and quirkiness of Asian fashion, while Barbara Lee has been at the forefront of fashion since opening her signature store in 1978. She is famous for designing sexy, fabulous city wear for high-flying women. New Zealand’s leading label of high fashion leather garments, Caroline Moore, features collections designed and tailored in the company’s Christchurch premises by expert seamstresses using the finest lambskins selected from tanneries in New Zealand and Italy.

Also featuring in this year’s iD Fashion Show, with an exceptional capsule collection, is a joint showcase by the Cooper sisters, Tamsin and Emily, with their respective labels Tamsin Cooper and Silkbody. The collection will feature Silkbody garments styled beautifully with Tamsin Cooper accessories and velvet coats creating synergies of silk and luxury.

These four capsule collections will join the 18 other participating labels selected to show their winter collections, including many of Dunedin’s much-loved designers such as Nom*D, Carlson, Mild Red, Charmaine Reveley, and Company of Strangers alongside some of the hottest new labels in the country.

Fashion lovers can also enjoy other fantastic events during the week, including a ‘Darnell Renewed’ fashion show hosted by author and fashion guru Charlotte Smith at Dunedin’s Golden Centre Mall at 6.30pm during Starlight Shopping on Wednesday 28 March. Charlotte Smith was a popular international guest at iD Fashion Week in 2011 and the show will feature a variety of international vintage couture items not seen previously, mixing vintage alongside current season pieces from local designers and retailers.

Tickets for key events during iD Dunedin Fashion Week go on sale on Thursday 26 January at 9.00am. Tickets are available at TicketDirect venues (including the Regent Theatre, Dunedin), Ph 0800 4 TICKET or online at www.ticketdirect.co.nz. A booking fee applies.

The international guest for the iD Dunedin Fashion Shows is yet to be revealed. For more details of the 2012 iD Dunedin Fashion Week go to www.idfashion.co.nz

The iD International Emerging Designer Awards will take place on Thursday 29 March 2012, starting at 7pm. Front-row tickets cost $70, second row and raised seating $55, and tiered seating $40. Tickets include a show gift bag and programme. The event will be held at the Lion Foundation Arena, Edgar Stadium, Dunedin, in front of an audience of more than 1200. Doors will open at 6.15pm.

The 2012 iD Dunedin Fashion Show will take place on Friday 30 March and Saturday 31 March, starting at 8pm, in front of an audience of 1500 each evening. Front-row tickets $110, second row and front-row carriage $90, third row $75, fourth row and second-row carriage $65. Tickets include a complimentary drink, show gift bag and programme. Doors will open at 6.30pm.

The ‘Darnell Renewed’ fashion show will take place on Wednesday 28 March, at 6.30pm in Dunedin’s Golden Centre Mall. A limited number of tickets are available via TicketDirect at $20 per person with profits going to iD Dunedin Fashion Week. Quartz Reef bubbles included.

Five new acts have been announced for WOMAD New Zealand 2012 which takes place at New Plymouth’s Brooklands Park and TSB Bowl of Brooklands from 16-18 March.

Artistic director Drew James says these new acts add to the diverse range of music and performance for the three-day festival, with 20 countries now represented.

From Brazil comes accordion virtuoso duo Toninho Ferragutti and Bebê Kramer; TORI Ensemble features Korean traditional musicians, while the beauty of Javanese shadow puppetry comes to life in Wayang Kulit with Gamelan Padhang Moncar. A collaboration of Maori musicians, He Rangi Paihuarere will perform a special tribute to acclaimed Maori composer Hirini Melbourne and Wellington ‘supergroup’ Shogun Orchestra also join the line-up.

Brazilian culture and popular music is inexorably tied to the accordion and virtuoso players Alessandro ‘Bebê’ Kramer and Toninho Ferragutti present a comprehensive picture of where the accordion sits in Brazilian music today – from folk traditions through feisty gypsy festivities to orchestral performance, driving distinctive Brazilian rhythms, waltzes, ballads and polkas.

TORI Ensemble features Korean traditional artists which uses local styles (tori) of traditional music focusing on improvisation as an important aspect of Korean traditional music.

Wayang Kulit with Gamelan Padhang Moncar brings together traditional Javanese shadow puppetry presented by eighth generation Javanese puppeteer Joko Susilo of Dunedin with Gamelan Padhang Moncar, a Wellington-based Javanese gamelan ensemble. It features exquisitely carved leather shadow puppets to tell tales from one of the traditional Indian epics, the Mahabharata or the Ramayana, with local references and jokes that make the shows relevant and topical.

He Rangi Paihurarere is a collaboration of well-known and emerging Maori musicians who perform a tribute to acclaimed composer Hirini Melbourne. Dr Melbourne is credited with the revival of taonga puoro. Each artist interprets his work in different ways from soul to jazz, hip hop to traditional performance. Artists involved in the project include Ngatapa Black, Tama Waipara, Ria Hall, Katera Maihi, Maytreya, Mel Davis, Majik Paora, Warren Maxwell, and taonga puoro composer Horomona Horo.

Shogun Orchestra was created by Wellington-born saxophonist and composer Lucien Johnson and is a “supergroup” of Wellington musicians featuring Joe Lindsay (trombone) and Toby Laing (trumpet) Fat Freddy’s Drop; Chris Yeabsley (organ), his brother Dan (alto sax) and Paul Hoskin on drums from Twinset and The Eggs; Justin “Firefly” Clarke on guitar, and Mexican import Adan Tijerina on congas.

The five new acts join a line-up of musicians and performers from 18 other countries as diverse as Palestine, China, Japan, Ivory Coast, France, Romania, Ireland, Australia, Burundi and Senegal.

As well as 30 hours of music on the seven stages, WOMAD New Zealand 2012 features artists in conversation, Taste the World – this year hosted by Masterchef runner-up Jax, artist workshops, a global village, sustainable village, Kidzone and the option to camp at the adjacent racecourse. Seniors have special viewing platforms at the three main stages with seating, shade and free water sponsored by TSB Bank.

WOMAD is an international festival created by Peter Gabriel and Thomas Brooman in 1982. Since then 21 countries have hosted the festival and entertained millions of festival goers.

Last Tuesday, we went to Adrenalin Forest in Porirua City , about  20 minutes drive north of Wellington. As we celebrated my wife birthday .

Adrenalin forest was created in France in 1995 by a retired Army officer, the concept is inspired by his extensive use of army training courses to provide a fun and challenging experience. 

There 6 pathways and each pathways consist of a number  of challenges varies in height. We went their around 10am and the ticket cost $38 for adult and $25 for children or a family pass of $107 (2 Adult + 2  children under 18).

I started my adventure with my son on pathway 1 (Discovery), a easy and low as warm up with 10 challenges less than  3 meters high.  For less than  20 minutes, we went to stage 2  (Adventure pathway) still easy but a bit higher around 7 meters high with 13 challenges includes Indiana jump, the barrels and the flying fox.

I remember my old days with Red Stallion mountaineering  club, we used to do these kind of things like rock climbing among others. But, I think I’m getting older with this concept however I still enjoy it bonding with my son despite my back is a little bit hurt . ha! ha! ha!.

After  25 minutes, we went to Pathway 3 (Excitement) and Pathway 3a (Excitement+), a  12 meter and  15 meter high with 17 and 18 challenges which my son and I takes an hour to finished this stage.

The Author

The most  exciting  challenges are  the balance rope and the crossed logs that takes me more than 25 minutes to pass and thrill of  the commando  flying fox. If you doing the pathway  4 (thrill) , more strength  and agility will be needed , a 21 meter high  with 19 challenges mainly on commando flying fox , zigzag rope  and the snowboard.

Unfortunately, we didn’t finished the entire challenges because my son got scared on height. On a bright side, we enjoyed and I’m proud of my son for his courage and determination to finished it. If you want to test against  gravity , balance  and agility . You can check out the Adrenalin Forest in Porirua City , a fun entertainment  for the whole family  or as part  of a group.

]]> http://micosantos.wordpress.com/2012/01/19/bonding-time/feed/ 0 DSCF3418 micosantos DSCF3405 DSCF3418 DSCF3404 The Author http://micosantos.wordpress.com/2012/01/17/id-reveals-2012-emerging-designer-finalists/ http://micosantos.wordpress.com/2012/01/17/id-reveals-2012-emerging-designer-finalists/#comments Tue, 17 Jan 2012 20:00:58 +0000 micosantos http://micosantos.wordpress.com/?p=3492 Continue reading »]]> Fashion history will be created and careers launched when the world’s hot new fashion talent show their collections at the 8th annual iD International Emerging Designer Awards in Dunedin, New Zealand.

Twenty eight finalists from seven countries have been selected to show at this year’s prestigious event to be held on Thursday 29 March 2012, at the Lion Foundation Arena, Edgar Stadium, Dunedin.

Victoria Muir, iD’s event co-ordinator says the iD Awards are continuing to attract international talent who travel from around the globe (including Switzerland, Israel and Croatia) for the opportunity to show at this must-see fashion event.

“For the first time since this international fashion competition was launched in 2005, we have a finalist from Canada, with an even stronger representation from New Zealand and Australia. Every year I’m amazed at the quality of the entries we receive, and this year is no different. I’ve collated over 100 entries from 11 different countries, representing some of the most prestigious fashion schools in the world.”

Kacey Devlin australia University of Technology Sydney

Tanya Carlson, fashion designer and selection panellist, says it is exciting to see more menswear collections in this year’s entries, alongside many applicants showing sustainable processes and a greater awareness of the environment.

“It’s great to see an increase in the number of Australian finalists embracing the opportunities the iD Awards offer – including having their collections seen by one of the industry’s best, Hilary Alexander, who I’m looking forward to meeting again!”

This year’s finalists are:

· From New Zealand:
· Auckland University of Technology: Vihanga Mahesh Sontam.
· Massey University: Luka Mues; Samantha Murray; Andie Ye Ji.
· Otago Polytechnic: Grace Averis; Phillip Hawkins; Jojo Ross.
· Whitecliffe College of Art and Design: Sally Huang; Yun Shin Do.

· From Australia:
· Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology: Carolina Barua; Allison Bell; Jon Cordiano; Katie Dickinson; Christina Exie; Jane Fuge; Chris Ran Lin.
· University of Technology, Sydney: Penny Allen; Ben Bala; Kacey Devlin; Natalia Grzybowski; Patricia Kapeleris; Caitlin Murray; Keira Paradice.

· From Austria:
· University of Applied Arts, Vienna: Tanja Bradaric & Taro Ohmae.

· From Canada:
· Ryerson University: Yvonne Lin.

· From Croatia:
· University of Zagreb: Verdrana Mastela.

· From Israel:
· Shenkar College of Engineering and Design: Renana Krebs.

· From Switzerland:
· University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW): Julia Klein-Klute.

The selection panel comprised of renowned New Zealand fashion designers Tanya Carlson (Carlson), Sara Aspinall (Company of Strangers) and Anjali Stewart (twenty-seven names).
Prizes include NZ$5,000 for first place winner, $3,000 for second place, $1000 for third place, with other special prizes yet to be announced.

Winners from the 2012 iD International Emerging Designer Awards will show their collections at the iD Dunedin Fashion Show on Friday 30 and Saturday 31 March 2012.