Honolulu Weekly

While I was on a boat, somewhat stressing about how in the world I was going to compile the biggest week and weekend of things going off in this little box, someone turned to me and asked, “So Christa, what was the best party you hit this weekend?” My immediate answer surprised me a little.

Christmas eve. It was just that good. I mean, everything was good. Way good. Like, over the top, why-is-this-so-fun good. Just one of those nights; I was lonely and orphaned and decided to take on the martini list at Bambu 2.0 (the old rRed Elephant) to overcome my holiday boredom. Its whole $3.50 martini any day any time thing really works. Six or seven martinis later after I found myself alone again wandering/staggering along past the Hawaii Theatre over to thirtyninehotel, where the Andrews Sisters version of Winter Wonderland was floating down the stairs. There were Christmas lights everywhere, and Christian Self and Kyle Reutner at the bar with their fresh fruits and sugars and drink concoctions in jars and bottles for the ‘Best of’ edition of Prohibition. Their weekly cult cocktail culture Thursday event was actually open on Christmas eve, and people kept coming up the stairs as the night progressed. Christian handed everyone who came in a small glass of the most amazing warm muddled wine, and at one point every table in the place had a nice group of people enjoying drinks together. I actually had a family here to spend this night with. It was a Christmas miracle!

Wednesday was a night to rage, too. I only meant to spend a little while at Jazz Minds to check out Kealoha Mahone’s special Lyricist Lounge but just couldn’t get away. The beautiful Hawaiian rapper known as K-Luv had not one, not two, but five MCs on the stage in there and they were totally pro. Big Mox, Creed Chameleon, Harumi the Hymn, Kwalified Emcee and K-Luv, the Hawaiian Zach de la Rocha himself, were taking turns with the microphone. The energy was something dreams are made of and you could tell from all the afterglow the next day online that they’d hit it exactly spot on the mark. He’s going to be doing it again tonight (Wednesday 12/30) since The Deadbeats are on a holiday hiatus, and I would definitely recommend checking this emcee showcase out.

It was also nice to be back at the Hard Rock Café with the Vertical Junkies. Last Wednesday was a special treat to see all the barely legals all grown up and have drinks with the boys. When people are back in town it’s just fun, man. Welcome home everyone. Especially you, Mister President. Oh, and artists Jasper Wong, Mat Kubo, Braxton Olita and even Flying Coffin Jason Gomez, who I spotted lurking Superhandsome Saturday at Manifest. Chris Kam a.k.a. DJ Delve was definitely on fire as soon as his needle hit the first record. The crowd was hyper-hip that night, nothing but plaid, arty T-shirts and genius brains in the room, and they were all way in to the records Delve had lugged in there. Super spot-on. And wow, look at what happened at Ward this past weekend; Brand spanking new Ka at the old E&O Trading Company and Paparazzi at the old Brew Moon both bringing in people like Kurious and Flipside folks, with their highly active, deliciously good-looking, top-shelf-drinking crowd of people to party. Ward Centers is finally starting to perk back up on that top floor, which is definitely a treat for all of us. A Christmas miracle!

PROLIFIC UNKNOWNS LYRICIST LOUNGIN’ PT 1 12.23.09 from PROLIFIC UNKNOWNS on Vimeo.