Post #193244 by donhonyc on Mon, Oct 17, 2005 7:07 PM

aLoHa-

I WAS THERE! Guess I was overwhelmed by the fact that I had my senior prom in June of 1984 in the VERY SAME BALLROOM where Hukilau 2005 was held at the Bahia Mar. How's that for freakin wierd? In some parallel universe the me of today and the me of my 1984 prom were shaking hands and conversing. Probably saying something to each other like:

"you're me future guy? you're at a hukilau? what's that?"

"I was you, teenager? That blue tux is hideous!"

They also used to hold the Broward county/local TV affiliate version of The Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon in that ballroom. You know...the tote-board, people performing, a few tiers of people answering phones in the background...

I loved the Charles Phoenix slide show. Brilliant! And Waitiki blew my mind!

To the guys in Waitiki: you are amazing musicians! I never thought Exotica music could be performed with as much passion as you guys put into it. Amazing. Come to NYC and do your thing. i want my friends to check it out.

Basement Kahuna: you had the best goods in the house! I went back on Friday (or was it Saturday) afternoon and looked for your table, but you wuz gone! Did you sell everything? Looked like you were doing well, selling your stuff right out of the box. Nice work!

I would checked out more Hukilau stuff, but I was running around visiting family and stuff.

**I was hoping for more people with vintage merch like Basment Kahuna. Very cool stuff dude. Particularly old tiki postcards. Outside of Kahuna's table, couldn't find many of those there. Just as well...probably saved a boat load 'o money. Can't say that I was too thrilled with the prices of Yma Sumac's autographs. $20 for an autographed 8x10, and $10 a piece to sign your own memorabilia? Hmm...kinda steep. I had her sign my LP of 'Voice of the Xtabay' and my EP of 'Mambo'. I was hoping to get a signd 8x10 too, but $20 worth of autographs was where I had to step off. Oh well.

Fun time!!! I will probably be at the Mai Kai hopefully several times before next Hukilau, until then see you in the 1984 prom flashback ballroom at the Bahia Mar next year for Hukilau '06.