"My Simple Heart" shows Nina's versatility
"My Simple Heart", Nina's Valentine's offering for 2008, was a huge success! With over 1,000 viewers at the One Esplanade, it was a night of gourmet food, music, laughter and love.
The venue opened at just after 6:30PM, which a red carpet welcoming guests. The guests were assisted by beautiful usherettes in black attire, giving the event a formal appeal. The open hall of One Esplanade was converted into a cocktail hall, where Josiah's Catering provided a sumptuous gourmet buffet. The menu consisted of a salad and appetizer bar (with Breaded Mussels in Tomato Sauce and Chicken Fingers), a pasta section (Spaghetti with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and a Penne Pasta dish), a meat section (highlighted by the delicious Chicken and Spinach Roulade, Oriental Grilled Beef Teriyaki and the Lechon Strips), a dessert and fruit bar. Bottomless Blue Hawaiian, Fruit Juice Combos or Red Alert cocktail drinks were available to quench the thirst of guests.
The show started promptly at 9PM, with an announcer calling in guests to enter the main ballroom - a big hall combining the Coral 1 and Coral 2 Ballrooms. The backdrop was black, accentuating the red hearts and the title of the event that dominated it in silver. Nina's band (Edward on guitar, Mark on bass, Mike on keyboards and Bogs on drums) with Edward on saxophone and flute are positioned on the right side of the stage, all dressed in black. Nina came out belting in a svelte violet gown by Ignacio Loyola, who won the 1999 Smirnoff International Fashion Awards in Hong Kong.
Wency Cornejo, Nina's special guest, belted out his signature "Next in Line" to which the audience sang with him. After this number, Efren Ibo, Nina's dance partner in the tv dance show "Shall We Dance", came out dancing in the remix version of "Someday". Nina followed momentarily in an African-inspired gown by Loyola, and together they had a sweet dance ballroom dance number.
Nina then sang a series of songs from the "Very Manilow" series she did in 2006 at the Music Museum (which later became part of the "Nina: Nina Featuring Hits from Barry Manilow Special Edition CD"). The segment ended with Nina singing some theme songs from random (unscripted) couples in the audience. The lucky couples whose theme songs were sang in their entirety won gifts from Nikon Home Appliances.
Wency followed again with a heartwarming rendition of "Habang May Buhay" while dedicating the song to a couple (a winner in the theme song segment of Nina) who are just one week into their relationship. Wency's final song was a duet with Nina who changed to an elegant red evening gown.
Nina's final songs included classic belting renditions of Listen, Bukas na Lang Kita Mamahalin and the final song Through the Fire. The show ended with a 72-gun fireworks display from Dragon Fireworks.
Jun Valbuena Photography was present to capture the event from beginning to end.
"My Simple Heart" is a presentation of JSU Enterprises and Hardy's Entertainment. One Esplanade is the latest and most unique venue for events at the SM Mall of Asia complex.
Links:
Josiah's Catering
http://www.josiahcatering.com/Jun Valbuena Photography
http://www.junvalbuena.com/One Esplanade
http://www.1esplanade.com/
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