Working in public relations and representing a client whose mission it is to get TV shows to Hawaii, it’s critically important to keep up to speed on the shows making headlines. But factor in a long work day, 10.5 month old baby boy, and husband duties, even our DVR can’t keep pace.
So thank goodness for sites like Hulu.com which makes watching TV’s most popular shows on the Internet at your leisure a cinch! And did I mention that it’s all FREE! A couple of my favorites these days are Three Sheets with Zane Lamprey and Saturday Night Live. BTW, they’ve got full-length movies on there too! According to Hulu’s website:
Hulu’s ambitious and never-ending mission is to help you find and enjoy the world’s premium content when, where and how you want it. We hope to provide you with the web’s most comprehensive selection from more than 50 content providers including FOX, NBC, MGM, Sony Pictures Television, Warner Bros., Lionsgate, and more to deliver premium programming across all genres and formats, television shows, feature films, and clips. Watch full-length episodes of current primetime TV shows such as The Simpsons and The Office the morning after they air, classics like Miami Vice and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and clips from Saturday Night Live, In Living Color, and others. Hulu also offers full-length feature films like The Usual Suspects, Ice Age, Sideways, and The Big Lebowski as well as clips from films such as Napoleon Dynamite, The 40 Year Old Virgin, Devil Wears Prada and many more. Hulu is free and ad-supported — available anytime in the U.S.
If you don’t believe me, give it a try. But don’t blame me if you can’t break away from your computer and happen to become a TV junkie…or media junkie as I like to call myself.
Okay, so I think Kelly and I have a monster named Ensen on our hands. A cute, super cuddly monster that is! But a monster nonetheless. Just take a look at these photos below from the weekend. Not only does Ensen think he rules the bedroom when he wakes up in the morning, he’s claimed the living room and every toy in it as well! Wow, little fella…why the mean looking face?
If anyone knows how to keep these kinds of cute monsters at bay, we’re all ears! For now, we’ll keep this one contained with hugs and kisses.
…K-I-S-S-I-N-G! Well not exactly a tree as you see above, but rather in our living room last night. How cute are Kaui (17 months) and Ensen (10.5 months)? Aunty Erin (my sister) and Kaui’s mommy Aunty Kim (my sister’s friend) stopped by for dinner. Not even five minutes after getting here, we were egging them on. Kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss! And they did! So what did they both think after their first kiss together? Click here to find out.
After a little more playing and getting to know each other better, Ensen ditched the kissing and insisted on showing Kaui his more aggressive way of showing affection. That would be his “ram-like” head butting technique. Check out the video below.
So will this love connection go any farther than just one night? Only time will tell.
A typical West Maui sunset from the beach fronting The Westin Maui in Kaanapali. Spectacular!
Another great day of shooting with the Three Sheets crew on Maui in the books! I can’t believe there’s only one more day left. I’m keeping this one short as I’m about to head out the door for dinner with the crew. Simply put, the Hawaii show is going to be awesome!
Zane’s “hangover cure” was a lomi lomi massage in a cabana at The Westin Maui in Kaanapali.
Zane samples Pau Maui vodka distilled from Maui Gold pineapples. Another Three Sheets First!
More Magnum P.I. spoofing! All about recreating the opening scene as close as possible.
Eric the Sound Guy gives the whole Magnum P.I. thing a shot.
It’s a wrap! Eric the Sound Guy, me, Zane, Shay (Ocean Vodka), Garrett (Maui Brewing Co.), and Curtiss the Cameraman below.
After finishing up on Oahu, the Three Sheets crew moved to Maui on Sunday. Again, I’m not going to disclose too much (you’ll need to watch Three Sheets Hawaii in January on MOJO HD) but since you’ve been asking, here’s a little recap of our recent shoot on the island.
Zane at the Ocean Vodka facility in Kahului. This stuff is awesome!
The show wouldn’t have been complete without a visit to Ocean Vodka and its “unmarked” distillery in Kahului. Zane had a bast getting to know the family that makes this unbelievably delicious handcrafted spirit and also getting hands on working in the factory. By the way, there was a “Three Sheets First” that occurred during this visit, so you’ll have to watch the show. Let’s just say it involves the number 1-9-2. Any guesses what this means?
Zane also visited a new bar in Lahaina called the Mai Tai Lounge on Front Street. Sorry, no photos of this one as I was responsible for taking care of Curtiss the Cameraman’s light on the floor below all the action.
Yesterday, we shot the open of the show which included a little spoof on the whole Magnum P.I. thing! This open alone will be worth tuning into the show.
Then Zane was invited to a backyard paina to drink it up local style. The segment will speak for itself when you see it, so I’ll keep you hanging there. The folks from Ocean Vodka were in attendance, along with Garrett Marrero of Maui Brewing Company. I became a big fan of their Coconut Porter during a visit to Maui with the family a month or so ago. Garrett and Zane broke it all down and tasted a few of the brewery’s offerings. Ocean Vodka cocktails were also abundant and a good time was had by all. George Kahumoku Jr. also showed up and played some Hawaiian music, while girls from the Old Lahaina Luau showed Zane how to hula.
Garrett from Maui Brewing Company with Zane and guests.
Everyone yelling “Three Sheets Hawaii” for the camera. Curtiss the Cameraman and Eric the Sound Guy with the lovely girls from Old Lahaina Luau. Zane with Grammy Award-winning entertainer George Kahumoku, Jr.
Zane with Shay and Garrett. Producer Christina with the guys. Zane being entertained.
The production winds down over the next couple days with more fun stuff on the schedule. Stay tuned for more vague updates. Once production wraps I’ll get into more detail as we head towards January’s airing of the Hawaii episode.
As a fan of the drinking show Three Sheets with Zane Lamprey on MOJO HD (Oceanic Channel 1561), it was amazing to finally meet the man himself on Oahu the other day at Duke’s Canoe Club (Outrigger Waikiki). You never know what these celebrity encounters will be like, but Zane is as cool as they come and the guy is funny as hell!
Don’t have HD cable? No problem. You can still watch the show online at MOJOHD.com or Hulu.com.
I’ve been working with Zane’s production team (Christina, Curtiss, and Eric you guys are awesome!) to get the show to Hawaii since the beginning of the year and all the hard work has finally come to fruition. A little PR project for my client the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau to showcase a little different side of what Hawaii is all about.
Shooting a scene with Zane on the beach in Waikiki. Those familiar with the show, that’s Curtiss the Cameraman and Eric the Sound Guy to the right.
I’m not going to give away anything about the show, but I can assure you the stuff we’ve been filming the past two days on Oahu have been great. Things even the locals here probably didn’t know about.
We’re off to Maui today for more fun and exploration of Hawaii’s drinking culture. I’ll try to post more tidbits along the way. Oh, and by the way, Pleepleus the monkey made the trip too!
Another beautiful day at the Hanalei Bay Pier on Kauai.
News headlines these days have been pretty grim for Hawaii following the shutdown of Aloha Airlines and ATA. Most outlets are speculating airfare to the islands will rise due to a reduction in seats and jet fuel prices at all time record highs. I think it’s fair to say travelers will certainly see higher fares in the near future.
But despite all of the negative headlines, I was curious to find out just how expensive it is to fly to Hawaii this summer from some of this destination’s key markets (versus other competitive destinations like Orlando, Jamaica, Mexico, Bahamas, London, etc.).
So I did some very non-scientific research yesterday on Kayak.com. I picked travel dates (July 3-11), which I thought airfares were most likely to be at a premium. And here is what I found (rates based on one round trip ticket):
Los Angeles
LAX-HNL (Honolulu) - $538
LAX-MCO (Orlando) - $369
LAX-KIN (Jamaica) - $550
LAX-FPO (Bahama) - $476
LAX-MEX (Mexico) - $357
LAX-LHR (London) - $1,103
San Francisco
SFO-HNL (Honolulu) - $652
SFO-MCO (Orlando) - $399
SFO-KIN (Jamaica) - $700
SFO-FPO (Bahama) - $513
SFO-MEX (Mexico) - $545
SFO-LHR (London) - $1,123
Vancouver, B.C.
YVR-HNL (Honolulu) - $754
YVR-MCO (Orlando) - $648
YVR-KIN (Jamaica) - $1,004
YVR-FPO (Bahama) - $777
YVR-MEX (Mexico) - $723
YVR-LHR (London) - $1,215
New York
NYC-HNL (Honolulu) - $868
NYC-LAX (Los Angeles) - $366
NYC-KIN (Jamaica) - $445
NYC-FPO (Bahama) - $347
NYC-MEX (Mexico) - $342
NYC-LHR (London) - $912
To summarize:
No matter what destination you’re thinking of traveling to, airfares will generally be high across the board, particularly to Europe.
Airfare from the West Coast/Canada to Hawaii remains very competitive with other destinations. The current exchange rate for Canadians makes a trip/vacation to Hawaii very reasonable.
Airfare from the East Coast to Hawaii is higher versus travel to competitive destinations. No surprise here regardless of the current airline situation.
Looking at the bigger travel picture, if you’re determined to take a tropical overseas vacation this summer regardless of the cost, Hawaii is still a great value! What are you waiting for? Do your research, book early, put your tax refund to good use, and make that Hawaii vacation a reality.
To start planning your Hawaii vacation, visit GoHawaii.com.
FORE! The Golf Channel’s Big Break Kaanapali (ladies edition) begins its new season tonight at 4 p.m. HST (with repeats at 6 and 9 p.m.). Beautiful Kaanapali Beach Resort will be in the spotlight for the next 12 weeks and from the looks of the preview below, the show is sure to include some drama on and off the golf course.
My prediction to win it all? Kim Welch. Don’t ask me why. I just a hunch. Who do you think will take the top prize?
If you haven’t been to The Contemporary Museum (TCM) on Makiki Heights Drive, here’s my recommendation: GO!
It’s been a favorite spot for Kelly and I for years dating back to when we lived in the Punahou area. While we aren’t die hard art enthusiasts by any stretch of the imagination, the relaxing ambiance of the museum and interesting art always make it an enjoyable experience. And now that Ensen is 10 months old, it was time to take him to the only museum in Hawaii devoted to contemporary art. And we had some fun!
Having fun in with the mirrors and Ensen enjoying Cade Roster’s artwork in the main gallery.
After paying the $5 admission fee (yes, you read that right…$5!), we immediately toured the main gallery and wandered through the Biennial of Hawaii Artists (VIII) show currently in full swing through August 17. According to the TCM Web site:
Inaugurated in 1993, The Contemporary Museum Biennial of Hawaii Artists (VIII) presents a selected sampling of exceptional recent work by Hawaii artists. The selected artists collectively represent the remarkable range of contemporary expression in Hawaii. The exhibition includes seven invited artists: three from Oahu, two from Maui, and one each from Kauai and Hawaii. Each artist is provided with a space and is able to show a body of work or develop an installation.
We saw a lot of great artwork in the gallery, but one artist whose work we enjoyed most was Cade Roster and his mixed-media cartoonish creations. Just brilliant! Here’s a few of his pieces above and below:
After touring the galleries and exploring the grounds for over an hour, it was time for lunch at The Contemporary Cafe. This restaurant alone is reason enough to make the trip up the hill. The menu here is unpretentious and simply delivers delicious food! Not to mention, everything is reasonably priced. After feeding Ensen his lunch, it was time for Kelly and me to dig in. I’ll let the photos do the talking.
Lunch began with the Hummus & Pita and Crostini of the Day which came with a garbanzo bean and couscous spread. Both were very tasty and are must orders. My Grilled Vegetable Salad on homemade focaccia bread with a side of hummus was the perfect lunch.
Kelly indulged in the Hot Special of the Day which was a Bacon Wrapped Baked Ahi with a side of wilted spinach and white rice. We usually don’t like ahi cooked all the way through, but we both agreed that this dish was moist, tender, and full of flavor. Pork fat rules! And for the finale, we ordered the Gateau, a layered chocolate cake with strawberry whipped cream in the middle. Decadent!
I’ve never had a bad meal at the Cafe and highly recommend lunch here if you’re seeking something different. The service is great and atmosphere is wonderful. Your family, friends, and colleagues will surely be impressed.
Once again, it was an amazing day at The Contemporary Museum and the first of many more to come for the Kam family. I hear ArtSpree in July is a wonderful event for adults and kids. If the following photos of Ensen in the Cafe are any indication, he’s sure to have a lot more fun getting hands and creating some art. You can bet we’ll be there.
The Contemporary Museum
2411 Makiki Heights Drive
Honolulu, HI 96822
Phone: 808.526.1322
Tuesday-Saturday (10 a.m. – 4 p.m.) / Sunday (Noon – 4 p.m.)
Ensen and Uncle Kevin cool off in the pool at Kailua Grandpa’s house. Nikki (the dog) loves to swim too.
It was Ensen’s first time swimming in a pool yesterday at Kelly’s dad’s house in Kailua. The water was a bit chilly so he wore his RipCurl wetsuit that Aunty Erin bought for him a while ago. Here’s a few photos of Ensen getting ready to go in, then figuring out if he’s having fun or just plain scared.
Kailua Grandma helps get Ensen ready for some pool action. Me and the little guy braving the cold water for a little afternoon fun. I need a tan!
He enjoyed the water at first, then got a bit fussy and demanded out. It was a good first time in the pool and we had some fun. If you though he looked good inside the pool, check out these photos of him outside. The next Hugh Hefner?
It’s official! Ensen (9.75 months old above) took his first step on his own on April 8, 2008. It happened while my mom (Kona Grandma) was babysitting him last week. Since then, he’s been “free standing” every moment he can, though we haven’t been able to catch that on camera yet.
This also means Kona Grandma is the big winner of our little “Let’s play a little guessing game” contest with a guess of April 9. She was the closest to picking the date Ensen would take his first step.
Congratulations mom and we look forward to treating you (and dad) to breakfast at Bob’s Big Boy the next time you folks are in town. In the meantime, here’s a few more photos of the little guy to tie you over.
Ensen three ways: Not having a lot of fun at the beach, enjoying his time at Dave & Busters, and acting silly at home sporting a beanie.
The view from the 14th floor of Hilton Hawaiian Village’s Rainbow Tower with famous Diamond Head (Leahi) in the background.
Last weekend my pal Chris turned the big 3-0! So in celebration of this significant milestone in his life, his girlfriend Kris threw him a surprise party at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Resort & Spa in Waikiki. It was an awesome day with some good friends and delicious food. We also took advantage of a quick dip in the cool Pacific Ocean, as well as the newly renovated Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon and hot tub in the Kalia Tower. It was the first time I’ve touched saltwater in a while. A few photos below to recount the day. Happy Birthday Christopher!
Kris did a good job surprising Chris. Too many people named Kris/Chris in this post.
From left: The birthday boy and his girlfriend. Lorne, Regan, Cathy, and Ensen. Abe, Nicole, Jackson, and Wes.
From left: Aunty Cathy, Kelly, and Ensen. A Kam family portrait from the lanai. Regan and Cathy.
Ige’s famous Shoyu Pork is a winner! Soft, flavorful, and delicious!
I’ve heard a lot of good things about Ige’s Restaurant and 19th Puka in Aiea but never had the chance to eat there until this past weekend. Afterall, its catering service is legendary on the island. And let me tell you it was worth the wait! My parents were in town, so we picked up my Uncle Gerald (my dad’s brother) and headed out.
Kelly had been there before with her girlfriends and warned me that this place was probably not going to be what I expected. Not from a food point of view, but from an ambiance standpoint. And she was right. Upon entering the restaurant, I was immediately caught off guard by the size of the place. It is huge. I would describe Ige’s as the “Costco warehouse” version of Side Street Inn.
A few photos inside Ige’s with the family. That’s Uncle Gerald sitting next to Ensen in the photo on the right.
But let’s get down to what this place is all about. GREAT FOOD! And we certainly had our share that night along with some cold beers…and plenty of them. The look of the place may not win any awards, but the food is an entirely different story. A menu filled with “broke da mouth” local favorites perfect for any occasion. Not to mention the service there is attentive, speedy, and gracious.
I’ll stop rambling now and let the pictures of what we ate that night do the talking. If you’re looking for a great place for dinner with family and/or friends, Ige’s is the place.
The Crispy Pork, Fish Patties, and Fried Rice were all ono! No complaints here.
Ige’s Fresh Poke, Pulehu Steak, and Raw Sliced Tako with Miso Sauce were equally as tasty. All these dishes are a must order!
For the finale, we ordered the Bread Pudding with Ice Cream on the side which was super good! Then to our surprise, a generous order of Andagi came to the table (complimentary with the meal).
Ige’s Restaurant and 19th Puka
98-761 Oihana Place
808-486-3500
Working in public relations and representing a client whose mission it is to get TV shows to Hawaii, it’s critically important to keep up to speed on the shows making headlines. But factor in a long work day, 10.5 month old baby boy, and husband duties, even our DVR can’t keep pace.
