Kaila Hawai'i

Last week, I was faced with an insurmountable task: read… revise that, go through… several hundred pages by 19th century French author whom I don’t care very much. After much gnashing of teeth and procrastination, I finally sat down on Monday evening at 6 pm to take on George Sand. (I should note that, despite the name, George was, in fact, a woman.) By 7 pm, my mind was wandering far off course. I couldn’t manage to stomach any more melodramatic descriptions of her wanderings through Italy.  I needed to take action and fast in order to make it through the night. Thankfully, I had on hand a bottle of Joseph Drouhin Saint-Véran 2006 already chiled in the fridge. The Saint-Véran takes its name after the village of the same name in Bourgogne, or Burgundy. Made entirely from Chardonnay grapes, it was floral with a wash of citrus that was truly enchanting. And thanks to this wonderful Bourgogne, I was able to make it through the night and the rest of George Sand.

Tags: chardonnay, George Sand, Joseph Drouhin Saint-Véran, Makiki, Makiki Wine Mart, wine

In the web chatter that surrounded Francisco Costa’s recently debuted Spring 2010 collection for Calvin Klein, several references were made to how Costa had revamped Calvin Klein’s famous t-shirt inspired collection from 1994—the same collection that launched Kate Moss as the designer’s muse.

In one of my recent jaunts on YouTube, I happened to find by chance a segment from Elsa Klensch’s Style featuring the same collection. Watching the clip was a flash back into my youth in the early nineties. This was before the Internet explosion, when we all had to actually read the newspaper or watch television to find out was going on. Klensch’s distinctive accent was overly nostalgic for me. Her voice took me immediately back to being a teenager, sitting in a living room in west O‘ahu and watching flashes of an intriguing, glamorous world, as far away from New York as one could possibly be.

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Tags: Calvin Klein, Elsa Klensch, fashion, Francisco Costa, Jenny Shimizu, Kate Moss, minimalism, New York City, nineties, spring collection, t-shirt

On what would’ve been a mellow Wednesday Honolulu evening, the Kaila Hawai‘i team and friends went out on the town  this past November 4 to mark the launch of Project P.E.P., a special collaboration between the house of Jimmy Choo (known for its high glam shoes and handbags) and the Elton John AIDS Foundation. The night was smashing fun with drinks and nibbles from Pearl at Ala Moana and retro grooves. We were happy to see friends from local businesses, arts organizations, and non-profits, including The Place, Animo Kingdom, Hawai‘i State Ballet, the Moana Surfrider, and the University of Hawai‘i. A special nod goes to Cora Spearman of The Place Honolulu for her rocking fashions for the evening, which just serendipitously happened to match the Jimmy Choo Fall 2009 collection. (We’re thinking specifically of the Odette handbag and the Cara clutch . You just had to see her tights to understand.)

Kaila Hawai‘i sends out special mahalo a nui to Joelle Hashimoto, Rose Horikawa, Desmond Kāne Balbin, Christine Smith, and Garrett Segawa of the  Jimmy Choo Ala Moana team for a fantastic evening and supporting a great cause! Select pieces from Project P.E.P. are still available at the Ala Moana store for a limited time. (Browse collection pieces of the Jimmy Choo website.)

In the photo set above:

1. Joelle Hashimoto, Jimmy Choo; Cora Spearman, owner -  The Place, and guests
2. Friends of Jimmy Choo

In the set above:

1. Holly Kim and Erin Stickley
2. Elegant daughter and mother pair Nicole Love, Common Cause, and Kazuko Love, Japan-America Society Hawaii
3. Jragen Moki Anderson, owner – Animo Kingdom; Raquel Avila; Jessi Bruce
4. Zachary Tomashosky and guest

In the set above:

1. Kai Andersen, founder of Kaila Hawai’i; Cora Spearman, The Place
2. Céline Labrador, Matt Cavert, Lesley Ann Culver, Holly Kim
3. Friends from Hawai’i State Ballet
4. Desmond Kāne Balbin, Jimmy Choo; Sumi Omatsu, Moana Lani Spa – Moana Surfrider Hotel

Tags: Ala Moana, Animo Kingdom, benefit, charity, Common Cause, Elton John AIDS Foundation, fashion, handbags, HIV/AIDS, Jimmy Choo, luxury retail, Pearl, Project P.E.P., shoes, The Place

One of Kaila Hawai‘i’s favorite clips on YouTube recently has been the debut video from Tikahiri, “Tapea te paari”, off their first album, Tamaki Hope’a. Firstly, the song is killer, combining acoustic rock and Tuamotu language—a totally unique sound for Tahiti and the rest of Te Ao Mā‘ohi. But stylewise, we’re digging brothers Aroma and Mano Salmon’s combination of tātau (tattos) and leather with a goth edge. (You’ll have to see the whole clip to understand.) Kudos to their stylist. When we finally get into Pape‘ete some time soon, we’re going to have to make a stop at the Salmon’s brother tattoo studio to get inked. In the meantime, we’ ll be following them on Facebook.

Tags: French Polynesia, maohi Te Ao Maohi, Mele / Music, music video, Tahiti, Tahitian, Tikahiri

I’ve been hooked to Māori spin doctor Tiki Taane since I first caught a glimpse of his mindblowing video clip “Tangaroa”, off his debut album album Past, Present, Future. For those unfamiliar with Polynesian mythology, Tangaroa is the Māori god of the sea, corresponding to the Hawaiian akua Kanaloa. The track is a shock to the system, combing traditional Māori chant with a raging dancehall-style beat. (more…)

Tags: Aotearoa/New Zealand, god of the sea, haka, Hawaiian Mythology, Hawaiian religion, Hawai‘i, Kanaloa, kinolau, Māori, Māori mythology, Mele / Music, spirituality, Tangaroa, Tiki Taane

I’m not certain if anyone has kept a journal relating to Makahiki, the traditional Hawaiian New Year, but as the clouds started to sweep in over Mānoa Valley, darkening the sky. It somehow felt appropriate to do so.

A few years ago, when I was living in New York, I had almost entirely forgotten what Makahiki even was until I came across its Māori cousin, Matariki. After having finally purchased my first laptop and joining the modern age, I began to devour everything online that had to do with Polynesia. I had been living in New York for four years during the post-9/11 era and was feeling burnt out. Seeing what my Polynesian cousins were doing with new technology was uplifting and inspiring, making me feel connected to a long genealogy that stretched across the oceans. One particular site of inspiration was Māori Television, all the way from Aotearoa/New Zealand. Seeing a full-fledged, professional Polynesian news broadcast, streamed from thousands of miles away, was amazing. (more…)

Tags: akua/gods, Aotrearoa/New Zealand, Hawaiian New Year, kupua/demi-gods, kūpuna, makahiki, Māori, Māori Television, New York