It was a unique and elegant debut party, with a medieval theme, and held most appropriately at the edenic and now very famous Fernwood Gardens in Quezon City. It was also unique in the sense that a lot of the frills of the usual debut party, like the cotilion de honor and 18 candles, was done away with. Instead, when the debutante showed up (descending most elegantly in a reddish pink gown from the stairs of a cavana) she immediately proceeded to the dance-floor where her grandfather, Emiliano Burgos, has been patiently waiting for her entrance. Nadine’s first dance was with her lolo. Then, uncles, cousins, friends and fellow GMA artists, including German "Kuya Germs" Moreno, took turns in giving her a red rose and dancing with her.

Nadine’s last dance was with her handsome beau Emerson Chua.

In keeping with the theme, most of the guests came in costumes reminiscent of the medieval era and wearing the most authentic costumes were the head of GMA Artist Center Ms. Ida Henares, Rita Avila, and Kirby de Jesus. So they won in the Best Costume contest.

A towering birthday cake with pearls and swarovski crystals and beads, was a gift from YSA for which Nadine is celebrity endorser.

There was a "treasure and wish" portion and the heads of the companies that Nadine endorses, close family friends and GMA bigwigs and stars like Ms. Ida Henares and German Moreno, Jean Saburit, Sheryl Cruz, Cez Quesada, Beth Tamayo, and director Ruel Bayani, among others, expressed their birthday wishes for Nadine and presented her meaningful gifts, like a Bible, a crucifix with diamonds, bags, jewelry, watches, cash (Kuya Germs gave her R5,000) and others. Kuya Germs said that when his long-running show "That’s Entertainment" bade televiewers goodbye, he felt very sad. But when "Starstruck" came about, he felt happy because from it came Nadine Samonte, a beautiful and talented lass who’s certainly now making her own mark in local showbiz.

In thanking all those who came to her debut party, her family, friends, supporters and all those who’ve been supporting her career, and especially GMA Artist Center, Nadine even turned emotional and she had to pause for a few seconds to wipe away her tears and to calm her feelings. Those were tears of joy of course.

To Nadine, may you have many more birthdays to come!

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The stage is set for the Box-Office Entertainment Awards, formerly the Box-office King and Queen Awards annually presented by the Guillermo Mendoza Memorial Scholarship Foundation, Inc. The 36th Grand Annual Awards and Coronation Night will be held on March 19 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium of RCBC Plaza along Ayala Ave., Makati City.

This was announced by Mrs. Corazon M. Samaneigo, president and over-all chairman of the GMMSFI. She also announced that this year’s chairperson is Mrs. Gloria Y. Lazaro, president of the Bocaue For Progress Movement.

To be crowned Box-office King and Queen of RP Movies are Vic Sotto and Kristine Hermosa.

The other awardees are: Aga Muhlach, John Lloyd Cruz and Zsa Zsa Padilla, Film Actors and Actress of the Year; Richard Gutierrez and Angel Locsin, Prince and Princess of Philippine Movies and TV; Ogie Alcasid and Regine Velasquez, Male and Female Entertainer of the Year; Christian Bautista and Sarah Geronimo, Male and Female Recording Star of the Year; MYMP, Most Popular Recording Group; Orange and Lemons, Most Promising Recording Group; Mark Herras and Jennylyn Mercado, Most Popular Loveteam; Jose Manalo and Toni Gonzaga, Most Promising Male and Female Star; Sam Milby and Yasmien Kurdi, Most Promising Male and Female Singers; Sexbomb Dancers, Dance Group of the Year; Vhong Navarro, Most Popular Novelty Singer; BJ "Tolist" Forbes and the cast of "Mga Anghel na Walang Langit," Most Popular Child Performers; Star Cinema, Most Popular Film Producer; Shaira Salvador and Ricky Lee, Most Popular Screenwriters; Rory Quintos, Most Popular Film Director; "Encantadia," Most Popular TV Program; Mark Reyes and Gil Tejada, Most Popular TV Directors.

A special award will be given to Bayani Agbayani, who will be the recipient of the Bert Marcelo Lifetime Achievement Award. Manny Pacquiao will receive the People’s Hero Award, and Pinoy Big Brother will be named Phenomenal TV Program of the Year.

Proceeds from the Box-Office Entertainment Awards will go to the poor but deserving scholars of GMMSFI.

Oscar’s red carpet, hailed as the runway to the world’s most-watched fashion show, comes to Manila on March 6 when Solar Entertainment’s Prime Shift, in cooperation with Mandarin Oriental Manila celebrates the 78th Academy Awards with a Red Carpet Gala at the Captain’s Bar. Times with the primetime telecast of the Oscar on RPN 9, Manila’s social luminaries and local showbiz’ power players will walk the red carpet to replicate the glitter and glamour of Hollywood’s biggest night.

Guests will dine on a three-course dinner of warm goat cheese with lettuce and walnut dressing, pan-fried snapper fillet on mashed potatoes with asparagus and white wine sauce, and apple cinnamon crumble with rum raisin ice cream and calvados anglaise. They will be entertained by the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of conductor Eugene Castillo. The PPO will capture the Oscar’s greatest moments with a repertoire of award-winning movie themes and songs. To cap it all, the 78th Academy Awards will be screened on a giant screen without commercial interruptions.

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Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings today, March 6, go to Gretchen Barretto, Rudy Tee of SonyBMG Records, Vicky Amalingan, Roberto Reyes, Meden Espino, Marc R. Ablaza, Norma Williams, and Anacleta Rubang-Velasco...Happy wedding anniversary to Alex and Ana Cayabyab...