iStyled Stef Prescott and Mara Lopez for Manila Bulletin 03282012

Too Hot Too Handle

Article By ALDO J. AVIÑANTE

Photos by JERICO MONTEMAYOR

Styled by JP Diche and PIERRE PERALTA

Makeup By RHINA MONTEMAYOR

Grooming by ANPY TORIO

Hair by KLICK VIKTORIA

Clothes and Accessories from SM DEPARTMENT STORE

 and FOLDED AND HUNG

Shoes from SUELAS

Male Models: Migo Ybanez, Miguel Gonzaga, and Troy Cuizon



unpublished photo



Steff Prescott, Swim Fan

A passionate swimmer and licensed scuba diver, Stef Prescott comes out from a successful stint in Survivor Philippines with renewed confidence, all ready to meet new challenges.

At first glance, this mestiza stunner looks intimidating with her strong features. But really, she is quite the opposite.

“I just look maldita. But after Survivor, mas nakilala na ako. People approach me more,” Stef says.
The Seattle-born showbiz newbie came to the Philippines originally to pursue swimming as a sport. But she was quite disappointed to learn there are not much opportunity for her to continue her passion.

“Since I was a kid, swimming was all I did. We didn’t have beaches in Seattle, but there were indoor pools. Parati akong laman ng indoor pools. I really love the water. I would have wanted to be a member of the swimming team, but it seemed basketball is the top priority here,” she adds.

The Survivor Mentality

Steff showed strength of character and poise throughout her Survivor stint. After all, she went into the competition armed with a clear strategy and wits to outlast her competitors.

“Survivor for me is a mental game. It doesn’t matter if you win the challenges, what’s important is who is going last in the voting system. I planned out strategies in my head, picturing different circumstances to ready myself. I learned some tricks from watching Survivor,” recalls Stef, who has been a fan of the show since it premiered in the US.

But still, there were things she chose to keep to herself even if Survivor was a reality show. “I didn’t want to bring the real Stef. Ang dinala ko lang dun ‘yung pagiging maldita ko.”

Survivor has given Stef a different outlook in life. She has learned to value and appreciate the things that are constantly overlooked and unnoticed.

“Life after Survivor has a lot more meaning. There, I experienced what it’s like to live with nothing. It makes you work hard for the things you want in life,” she looks back. “Before, I underestimated myself. After Survivor, I’ve become more flexible and open. To succeed, you don’t need someone telling you what to do. Trust yourself and keep your eye on the goal,” she ends.



unpublished photo

Mara Lopez Yokohama, Surf Girl

Survivor Philippines is the coming-out party of 20 year-old professional surfer Mara Lopez Yokohama.
After her successful stint in the reality game show, where she was partnered with her mom, beauty queen/actress Maria Isabel Lopez, the young De La Salle University graduate is ready to move on to the next level – to be a serious actress.

“I miss everything about Survivor because that is my lifestyle. It was a dream come true for me to be stuck on that island. The only thing I needed was my surfboard and I was all set to stay forever,” Mara says. “My mom and I are best friends. I was the one who insisted that we join Survivor. She motivates me to achieve more than what she has achieved.”

Indeed, Mara and her mom played to win.

“Our huge advantage was we were the only blood-related partners in Survivor, so we were certain we wouldn’t betray each other,” explains Mara, who is slowly but surely stepping out of her mother’s shadow, as the vibrant professional surfer is now ready to face the waves of show business head on.
Dreams And Aspirations

More than the glitz and the glamour, Mara’s first passion really is surfing.

“I started surfing when I was around six years old. Surfing for me is very spiritual. It’s something that I share with my Dad, that I share with the ocean,” she says.
Mara may not follow in her mom’s footsteps as a beauty queen, but she dreams of walking the red carpet in international film festivals. Her first taste of acting was when she played the young Maria Isabel in a true-to-life drama anthology.

“I want to be really involved in terms of making advocacy films. I want to go to the Cannes Film Festival like mom,” says Mara, who has done mostly independent films including “HIV”, “Tulak”, and more recently, “Happy Land”, which is about underprivileged kids who aspire to become football players. Mara will next be seen in an entry for the upcoming Cinemalaya Film Festival.

Although Mara is still young, she has her priorities and goals in check.
“Aside from my dream of going to Cannes, I hope to travel the world before I’m 25. I also want to finish my master’s degree in Japan or maybe take up Marine Biology,” she quips.

unpublished photo



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Article from mb.com.ph

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iStyled: Alessandra de Rossi for Manila Bulletin (09/07/2011)

Miss Understood

Article By JASER A. MARASIGAN

Photos by JERICO MONTEMAYOR

(Assisted by CROMWELL TORIO)

Styled by JP DICHE

Make Up by RHINA MONTEMAYOR for TEMPTU Pro

Hair by DAVE GRONA

Clothes Shoes and Accessories from

SM DEPARTMENT STORE

Shot on Location at

MANILA HOTEL (McArthur Suite)

Read full article HERE

MANILA, Philippines — One might think that a young yet accomplished actress like Alessandra de Rossi wouldn’t have any regrets in life.

She has received accolades for her work here and abroad. She gets paid for what she loves to do. But she says there is still one thing missing when a few years back, she came to a realization – she regrets not finishing school.

Alessandra was half-way through high school when showbiz happened.

“I was already acting in high school and I was struggling with my Math. I felt at that time, I did not need Math if I would be an actress all of my life. ‘Yun naman ang gusto ko. But I was wrong. Kailangan ko pala siya because there were several times I thought of quitting showbiz and I needed a fallback. How I wish I graduated from college para meron akong alam na ibang gawin,” reveals Alessandra.

Now Alessandra is seriously considering taking a basic baking course as soon as she finds the time. “So when the time comes that I feel I needed to do something else, I can always go back to Lecce (Italy), every week pupuwesto ako sa isang kanto and sell my baked goodies. Besides, mas masarap ang buhay doon because my family is there. Gusto ko rin kasi ng tahimik na buhay kaya ok lang din ako doon,” relates the part-Filipino and part-Italian actress.

Although she may be successful at showbiz, Alessandra advises young kids to make school their top priority, because not everyone is cutout for this type of job. “Lalo na kapag bata, I don’t advice them to get into showbiz. Mag-aral na lang muna sila. Kasi ako, hindi ako nakapagtapos, at nagkamali ako,” she says, speaking from experience.

Read full article HERE

Passion for Acting

“My mom wanted me to become a lawyer. But then I also wanted to become a pilot and a pre-school teacher. I even wanted to be a mermaid. But never to be an actress,” she recalls.

“Eversince I started it was never really about the money for me...It’s just now that money has become a consideration because I have responsibilities to take care of. Even if I need more money to pay for my bills, if I don’t want to do a certain project because it would compromise my values, I still won’t do it,”  

Read full article HERE

The contravida perception about her is something that Alessandra is well-aware of. “Even the friends that I have now, they thought at first I’m this liberal type of girl na mataray, but I’m not. You can see naman.

Mukha lang talaga akong mataray,” Alessandra says, who claims she is actually the sweetest and most thoughtful among her sisters.

“I’m sensitive to my parents’ needs, emot ional ly and even financially. For some reason, I can feel if they are going through something. Mas open tuloy sila sa akin. If my daddy is sick, sa akin niya sinasabi kasi alam niya na gagawan ko ng paraan. Si mama, whatever she needs, I give it to her,” she relates.

“I wanted to do something like a Julia Roberts type of romantic comedy.

But I know it’s not going to happen, kasi hindi naman siya kikita, sayang ang pera. Ako na lang ang gagawa in the future, ako ang producer and director,” she says.

Read full article HERE

While she relies on her TV work to feed her body, she turns to making independent films to feed her soul.

“For so many years, I’m only given contravida roles, na gusto ‘yung leading man na ayaw sa kanya. I don’t have any problems with that because it feeds me. But for a thinking actress, it bores me sometimes...  There’s no growth. That’s why I’m so thankful there’s indie,” says Alessandra

Ales sandra’ s recent work “Busong” (Palawan Fate), directed by Auraeus Solito took her to the Cannes Film Festival where she got the chance to walk the red carpet.

“My first few days there, parang wala lang siya. Noong medyo pauwi na, that’s when it finally sunk in, ang laking event pala nung pinuntahan ko. What’s nice about Cannes is that you really feel their respect for you as an actress and for your film.

Malaking bagay ‘yung nabibigay mo ‘yung gusto mong ibigay, hindi ‘yung kailangan mong ibigay para may manood sa’yo,” she says.

Read full article HERE

Not known to many, Alessandra has a secret hobby – she sings, composes, and arranges songs.

“I want people to know that I have that other talent. Kasi it is also one of my dreams to do musical scoring for a movie,” she says.

Likewise, Alessandra hopes to direct a movie in the near future. When she has mustered enough guts, she wants to participate in the Cinemalaya Film Festival as a director.

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Read full article HERE

Many Thanks to Manila Bulletin Students and Campuses Section

Clothes, Shoes, and Accessories from SM Department Store

and

Manila Hotel

Historical MacArthur Suite Experience

The other day, I styled a photo shoot for (I cant say just yet) a festive celebrity. We held the photo shoot at Manila Hotel, in one of their fabulous suites called Mac Arthur Suite.

At first, I wasn't really excited about the location- I'm like okay Manila Hotel, nice and grand. But when I was told that it is a room filled with history, I immediately got curious to check it out. The first few minutes upon entering the suite gave me goosebumps, not because it was that fabulous but because I felt that weird feeling you'll have when you walk inside an enclosed area hearing nothing but dead silence. I immediately felt the "Okay I'm back in 1940's" feel. Felt a bit of negative energy, probably because of the ventilation and the scent of antique woods and ornaments placed all around the suite. But when they turned the Aircondition on everything started to lighten up.

I was able to take some pictures of the interiors using my mobile phone, and must I say it was GRAND!

A Masters Bedroom with a huge Toilet and Bath that has a Dressing Room, A Guest Room with own Toilet and Bath, A Kitchen, Fabulous Dining Area, A Personal Office Area, And a huge living room!! Not to mention a view overlooking Manila Bay (don't ask me details of the view though). One of the staffs said it cost 100k/day to stay in the MacArthur Suite. I didn't bother to confirm it though. Here are the photos, enjoy!

The Living Room: looked like the office of the president

The Bedroom 1

Bedroom window with a view of Manila Bay 

 The bedroom has an anteroom with a letter couch and 2 Lazyboys.

The dining area

The Living Room with the view of Manila Bay

Some vintage photos of Gen. MacArthur's family in his mini-office

and this is the mini-office where MacArthur worked during his stay

 It was historical, because General Douglas MacArthur stayed there from 1935-1941. They also said that most US dignitaries and famous personalities have stayed in this suite. Bill Clinton and, the late King of Pop, Michael Jackson have stayed in this suite during their visit here in Manila.

It was an experience for me, being able to walk and sat and touch the same floor, chairs, and stuff  that these remarkable and historical people have touched.

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Jp was here!! lol