Deck. to Host Halloween Festivities and Concert Series Featuring Kimie Miner Plus Halloween Drinks and Desserts

Pennywise: an 'IT'-inspired, red balloon-topped backwards Long Island with brandy, pineapple citrus, and rum.

It’s spooky season at Deck. and they have some great food and drink specials just for Halloween including a thrilling Sunset Sessions weekend featuring Kimie Miner!   

The media was invited to preview the now available Halloween movie inspired handcrafted cocktails created by Head Bartender Jessica Newalu. 

 

REDRUM: side-by-side shots that tastes deceptively sweet like cotton candy inspired by the creepy twins from 'The Shining,' with strawberry "blood" and blueberry coconut rum.

RING: A dark cherry, rosemary, and charcoal old-fashioned inspired by Sadako and her haunting look in 'Ring.'

THE JOKER: A mind-bendingly healthy drink featuring a Tequila-base, fresh-pressed beet juice with green apple and kale foam. So good, you'll be asking "why so serious?"

HOCUS POCUS CALDRON: From Friday, October 28 through Halloween, October 31, the "HOCUS POCUS" cauldron will be available to order as a mocktail or cocktail. Recommended for groups of up to 3 people, this housemade Limeade (Guava, Mango, Blueberry, lime juice, lemon juice) comes with the guests' choice of vodka, rum, tequila, or gin.

 

We also enjoyed some delicious Fall desserts featuring festive flavors including an Ube Apple Tart with whipped cream and dehydrated apples, a Kabocha Tart topped with pumpkin cream cheese, caramel, and pumpkin seeds, and an ube flan.  I personally tried both tarts and the crust is just exceptional!  Both desserts are very delicious.  They are now available through the end of November.  

Ube Apple Tart

Pumpkin Cheese Mont Blanc

Ube Creme Brulee

 

Don’t miss Deck.’s Halloween Weekend line up! 

 

Friday, October 28

6:00 PM - 8:00 PM Photo booth with photographer

6:00 PM - 9:00 PM Live music by JOBY, a Native Hawaiian singer-songwriter who has an upbeat and danceable groove heavily inspired by the surf and skate culture in the islands.

 

Saturday, October 29

10:00 AM - 3:00 PM Halloween Brunch & Keiki Costume Contest

12:00 PM - 3:00 PM Photo booth with photographer

 

Sunday, October 30 - Sunset Sessions: Halloween Edition

4:00 PM - 8:00 PM Live Concert by award-winning Kimie Miner & Halloween Costume Contest.  Sunset Sessions Admission: No cover charge; Table reservations required for premium ($65 per person) and standard seating ($50 per person) spend per person minimum, plus 18% auto-gratuity. Standing room will also be available at $25 person and includes 1 drinks ticket per attendee.

 

For reservations, call (808) 556-2435. 

Honolulu Zoo parking available for $1.50 per hour; Alternative parking also available at Aston Waikiki Sunset and Aston Banyan; hotel parking currently limited.

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MAKAPU‘U TWILIGHT CONCERT RETURNS TO SEA LIFE PARK, CELEBRATES 5TH ANNIVERSARY WITH MUSIC AND HULA

 

Anuhea Headlines Evening under the Stars (photo courtesy of 6 Pillars Marketing)

When:  August 21, 2021, 5 p.m. Where: Sea Life Park 41-202 Kalanianaole Highway Waimanalo, HI 96795 What: For a fifth year, an award-winning lineup of Hawai‘i’s best performers, including Anuhea, will grace the stage, as the Makapu‘u Twilight Concert returns to Sea Life Park with an evening of music and hula. The community is invited to enjoy an unforgettable night under the stars with top local artists, including multiple Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award winners Anuhea and Kūpaoa, along with island favorite Mike Tulba. Hālau ‘O Nāpuala‘ikauika‘iu, under the direction of Kumu Hula Sallie Yoza, will also perform hula throughout the night. The evening, hosted by native Hawaiian storyteller and KHON2 News journalist Kamaka Pili, promises to be a celebration of great local music as Hawai‘i emerges stronger than ever, in beautiful Makapu‘u Meadows. VIP concert ticket holders will also enjoy a half-day admission to the ever-popular Sea Life Park and its world-class attractions, in addition to early entry to the concert, premier seating and pre-plated dinner (Teri Chicken, White Rice, Mac Salad, Potato Chips, Bottled Water, Can Mai Tai or vegetarian menu of Grilled Portabella Mushroom Stuffed with Zucchini & Eggplant Drizzled with Olive Oil, Tossed Green Salad with Dressing, Bottled Water, Canned Mai Tai). With family-friendly music, hula and a spectacular setting, the Makapu‘u Twilight Concert offers an ideal opportunity for family and friends to come together outdoors for an incredible and unique experience.  Seating is limited. For more information and tickets, visit www.sealifeparkhawaii.com/twilightconcert. Call (808) 259-2500. Sea Life Park follows guidelines so guests enjoy a safe and clean environment.   ### About Sea Life Park Located at 41-202 Kalanianole Highway, Sea Life Park is where the heart meets the sea. No amusement park in Honolulu offers the opportunity to experience a variety of unique animal encounters and other interactive programs like Sea Life Park. Guests can get up-close and personal with the animals in an intimate setting and dive into the science of the sea while having fun learning about marine animals in one of the park’s five habitats and exhibits. Whether guests are watching penguins jump in and out of the water, enjoying the company of lovebirds, or stepping into the breathtaking world of Hawaii's sharks, Sea Life Park is sure to delight. See www.sealifeparkhawaii.com.

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Visit Las Vegas: Celine Dion

My parents and I are ready for the show!

Las Vegas has tons of shows to suits all fancies, but I wanted to treat my parents to a show that would really WOW them.  Originally, I had tickets to the much raved about Jersey Boys play, but the show closed in September, just weeks before our Vegas trip.  As luck would have it, Celine Dion was performing limited shows during the time we would be in Vegas.  I ran it by my mom and she was ecstatic. 

I was a little less ecstatic.  Although I was a HUGE fan of her "Falling Into You" album from 20 years ago, I wasn't a current fan and was a little worried I may not enjoy the show.  So armed with a plastic cup of red wine, I filled one of the 4,300 seats at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace and hoped to be entertained.  The second she started singing, I was a fan again. 

You just cannot deny her talent.  As she sang new and old songs, her amazing, powerful voice is like nothing else and you are moved.  She was incredible!  I also really enjoyed her humor as she told us stories of her family and showed the audience the soft and funny side to her. 

Can you believe she has been performing in Vegas for 15 years?  She will be celebrating her 1,000th show today!  As for my parents, they LOVED the show.  It felt wonderful to give and share with them this spectacular memory! 

She wowed the audience and was accompanied by a full orchestra and band.

Amazing water shower as she performed My Heart Will Go On.   

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Taylor Swift Concert Review

I admit it; I am almost 40 and a big fan of Taylor Swift.  Not an insane fan like in my NKOTB days when I had wall to wall posters of the boy band in my bedroom and would rush the stage at concerts, but I’ve matured into a fan that enjoys the music, follows the artist on social media, and prefers reserved seating at live shows.  After my amazing experience at the Bruno Mars concert, my desire to see other artists live grew.  I had a feeling Taylor Swift wouldn’t be playing in Hawaii for her 1989 Tour so I checked the tour line up for the west coast.  I decided on her Seattle show since I had never been and this would be a great chance to explore the city.

I originally wanted to bring my 8 year old daughter, but my husband and I ultimately decided she was still a little too young to travel across the ocean for a concert.  I ended up visiting Seattle with 3 friends and another friend who lived there joined us for the concert.  On the day of the show, we caught Seattle’s light rail to CenturyLink Field.  I had learned the stadium had a reputation for being notoriously loud so I was looking forward to Taylor Swift performing a sold out show in front of 60,000 fans. 

The show started promptly at 7pm with Shawn Mendes, a Canadian singer who attracted a following in 2013, when he began posting song covers on Vine.  He was followed by Vance Joy of Riptide fame.  Taylor came on about 8:45pm and opened her show with Welcome to New York.  The concert was unbelievable.  She was energetic, fun, and sounded amazing live.  The crowd went absolutely wild.  Each attendee was given a bracelet that lit up in sync to her songs.  It made the stadium look stunning and it was really fun being a part of it all. 

Her set didn’t stray too much from her 1989 album except for an updated version of Love Story and a mash up of Wildest Dreams and Enchanted.  She surprised the crowd by sharing the stage with Fetty Wap where they performed his 2014 hit single Trap Queen.  It was awesome!  Later on in the show, you could literally feel the stadium shake when she brought on stage singer Ciara and Seattle Seahawk’s quarterback Russell Wilson. 

She ended her 2 hour performance with Shake It Off; thanking the audience and promising she would always include Seattle on her tour.  The concert was the culmination of our three night stay in Seattle and it was everything I had hoped it to be!

Opening song:  Welcome to New York!

 

With rapper Fetty Wap

 

Fans went crazy for Ciara and Russell Wilson

 

Performing Love Story

 

She hardly took any breaks during her two hour performance.

Closing the show with Shake It Off. 

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Off-Island: Musical Playdate at Club Nokia

My kids love the Doodlebops, but unfortunately it's not shown on TV as often as it before.  Luckily we have a DVD that they can watch anytime, and they watched it A LOT leading up to the Musical Playdate concert at Club Nokia that we recently attended!

Get movin’ and groovin’ with your family’s favorite characters in this Musical Playdate by Koba Entertainment! 

After a well-deserved rest, the Doodlebops and Caillou are ready to hit the road once again, but this time, they are doing it together for a show unlike any other! Each performance by the Doodlebops and Caillou will take families on an exciting musical journey. With fun music and some dazzling dance moves, this interactive Musical Playdate will have the whole family on their feet! But the fun doesn’t stop there! Heeding the call of their legions of fans, rock stars (and siblings) DeeDee, Rooney, and Moe Doodlebop take the stage to sing their favorite songs, tell their zaniest jokes and show off their funkiest dance moves. They just can’t wait to “Get on the Bus” and come to your town! Growing up is not so tough, especially with a friend like Caillou! This irresistible four-year-old is always up for an adventure and this energetic live show is no exception. Caillou and friends show off their fabulous footwork as they explore all kinds of wacky movements! 

Club Nokia is a rather intimate venue, so attendance was not that large, but it seemed to be the perfect size for Musical Playdate.

We had general admission seating in the rear of the venue, which basically meant that there were no assigned seats, and we could sit anywhere in the back.  Because of the venue set up I thought we were still close enough to the stage to enjoy the show, however, because of a short wall that divided the seating areas, little kids sitting in the back had a hard time viewing the show.  Our two youngest sat on our laps to get a better view, and I saw numerous other kids either kneeling on the chairs, being carried, or sitting on grownups' laps to watch the concert.

Tickets were sold for kids to go into the pit area, so those who had tickets for the pit had a great, up-close view.

Prior to the concert starting, music was blaring and lights were flashing, allowing kids in the pit to dance and have fun while they waited for the show to start.

The concert started just 4 minutes late, and Caillou was first, who performed with Julie, his sister Rosie, and his cat Gilbert.

They performed a lot of songs, such as an ABC song and another about reading books, which the kids throughout Club Nokia sang and danced along to. (Note: I only took photos with my smartphone so they do not appear very clear.  For information on cameras at Club Nokia, click here). 

The Caillou performance was about 30 minutes long.  There was a 20 minute intermission, and then the Doodlebops appeared on stage!

The Doodlebops segment was a lot livelier and featured more songs, and DS1 just had a blast.

He kept dancing along with them during so many songs (below you can see him dancing along)!

Although the Doodlebops performers were not the regular cast, they still did an awesome job, and the kids went crazy as the Doodlebops did their Pledge and sang a lot of their popular songs, such as Let's Get Loud and Get on the Bus.

Overall the concert was very enjoyable, especially for the kids.  

I thought the 30-minute segments was just the right length for the kids, but I did think the 20-minute intermission did seem a bit too long though - perhaps 15 minutes would've been better.  I know the crew had to set up the stage for the Doodlebops, but they did that fairly quickly and I could tell kids were getting a bit restless.

Parking was in a nearby structure ($15) and there are numerous restaurants in the area to dine at before or after the show.  During the show drinks and snacks could be purchased at Club Nokia.

Everyone that we encountered that worked at Club Nokia - the ticket agent, the security staff, the ushers - were ALL very friendly.

Musical Playdate was a lot of fun for the kids, especially for the kids who were lucky enough to sit (dance) in the pit!

For upcoming events, check out the Club Nokia calendar.

Thank you to the sponsor for providing complimentary tickets for our family. All opinions are my own.

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