I knew that title would get your attention. 8) But fo’ real! It’s legit… and just one of the many things I like chat with you guys about today. They are…
Oceanic Time Warner Cable Mobile is having a neat little photo contest that asks you to show off your “Hotspot” (wherever that may be) using a “My Hotspot” graphic. The winning photo will get a FREE Netbook and 1 year of Oceanic Mobile Internet service! Check it out here: http://andhere.com/hotspot/, but you better hurry because the contest ends this Friday!
With my first post up, I am now officially a Time Warner Cable approved blogger for the corporate TWC Untangled web site. Woo hoo, reppin’ us here in Hawaii baby! Here’s my first blog, covering a recent iHeartRadio VIP event at the Road Runner Music Hall.
Hawaii’s Backyard writer Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi wrote a feature article on the Rice Fest in this past Sunday’s Honolulu Star-Advertiser (Travel section). Great coverage!
I know I sound like a broken record about this, but as a co-founder of this event, I guess I feel it’s my duty to help spread the word. Hope y’all can make it down! 🙂 Look for all details in a post tomorrow…
Late yesterday afternoon, my homey at the Star-Advertiser asked me if I had a blog ready to go for today as they were planning on posting my mug in the print version of the paper again. Apparently, the demand to see my face again was that overwhelming.
CHEEYEAHRIGHT!
I wish. But yeah, a fella can dream right?
Regardless, bruddah ovah hea had to be ready with a blog, so I did what any red-blooded American would do in a crisis situation. Cry.
After wiping away my tears, I was able to regroup and figure out what I was going to blog about…
Last week Thursday, Oceanic Time Warner Cable and Road Runner Mobile held their Official IntelliGo Launch Party – at the Road Runner Music Hall – to introduce their newest wireless product to the public: The IntelliGo. The IntelliGo is their shiny/sparkly wireless device that acts as a personal mobile hotspot, providing a WiFi signal for up to 5 of your friends. (Click here for more info about the IntelliGo).
Various members of the media (both traditional and social media), current customers, contest winners, etc. were invited to this exclusive event which included free giveaways, ono kine grindz, and live entertainment from two killer local bands: Busekrus and Elephant! Check out the scenes and commentary below!
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Sixty bags of goodies went just like that! Apologies to the late comers who weren’t able to score one! 😦
60 bags of goodies to be given away to everyone who attended
And here’s a shot of the bags (with the IntelliGo poster in the background) from one of @ParkRat‘s tweets!
Photo from @ParkRat’s tweet
What kinda goodies were inside? Check it!
Goodie Bag Contents
The calm before the storm. Busekrus doing sound check before the Road Runner Music Hall gets packed!
Busekrus doing sound check
What we were all there for: the IntelliGo (and Road Runner Mobile) signage.
IntelliGo and Road Runner Mobile signage
The Road Runner Mobile logo getting some air-time on the big screen.
Road Runner Mobile logo on the big screen
The scene from the other side of the Hall: Two staffers relaxing before show time.
Big Mahalo to Lanakila Pacific’s Xpress Chefs for doing an amazing job with the eats! Based on what I was hearing, the Stuffed Mushroom Caps were probably the biggest hit of the night. 🙂
Catered food from Xpress Chefs
@johngarcia snaps a twitpic of the stage just before showtime. The anticipation mounts!
Photo from @johngarcia’s tweet
With the room packed, we were ready to go! Oceanic Time Warner Cable’s VP of Marketing Alan Pollock kicks off the show!
VP of Marketing Alan Pollock with some introductory statements
Standing room only! Busekrus starts the night with some acoustic sounds.
Busekrus on stage
Here’s @johngarcia‘s shot of Busekrus from the front. Yep, that’s @Mel808 tweeting away on her iPad.
Photo from @johngarcia’s tweet
@OceanicCable gets in on the (Tweeting) act with this crowd shot.
Photo from @OceanicCable’s tweet
Just outside, the media conducted one on one interviews with some of our guests. Here’s Maribel getting ready for her interview.
Back inside, @ParkRat and @maliachu get their hands on the IntelliGo!
Photo from @HawaiiIRL’s Facebook
Then it was time for the second band to take the stage: Elephant. Wow! Lead singer Kevin Jones (who, oh-by-the-way, is also a Star 101.9 personality) has gots some serious pipes!
Elephant’s front man Kevin Jones belting away
All too soon, it was over! Check out @HawaiiIRL‘s hilarious cartoon about the long hallways from the Road Runner Music Hall (featuring @Melissa808, @Mel808, and @johngarcia)! LOL!
Photo from @HawaiiIRL’s tweet
A big Mahalo to Oceanic Time Warner Cable’s VP of Marketing Alan Pollock and Road Runner Mobile’s Wireless Director Kiman Wong for helping to make this event a possibility. Also to the Marketing department (both locally and at the corporate level) for donating all of the great gifts and giveaways. Big ups to James Avis and Kevin Jones of Clear Channel Communications for the support, as always, and to Caroline Witherspoon and Malia Chung (and Marichris Diga) of Becker Communications for your media support as well. A special thanks to all of our guests spanning the local community… from our current Road Runner Mobile customers, to Hawaii’s social media leaders like @Bytemarks @DigitalSignGuy @HawaiiRealty @johngarcia @ktpoy @Mel808 @Melissa808 @ParkRat @peterkay and @ryankanno. Much love everyone!
* For more information about Road Runner Mobile, please see rrmobile.oceanic.com or AndHere.com.
* Tune in to thehall.tv in a few days to watch the encoded version of the event in its entirety.
* Check out the 3:11 mark of the following video to see @Melissa808 reveal the swag that was given away that night.
And although she posted a pic of me in there that looks like I’m balding, I won’t hate, I’ll appreciate… I guess. Nah, she’s da woMAN! 😛
So last night, the “Party Like A Chef” event, put on by Share Your Table‘s Melanie Kosaka, and hosted by the good people at Roy’s Restaurant, was in full effect. Melanie, with the help of tech entrepreneur Eric Nakagawa (ICanHasCheezburger.com), developed an iPhone app based on an idea she and Master Sommelier Chuck Furuya thought up: create a place that focuses on where Hawaii’s chefs like to go and grind during their down times. You know, the “insider” mom and pop kine places. The event helped to formally introduce and launch the app to much of the state’s local media (traditional and social) and food industry’s titans.
The app, fittingly called “What Chefs Eat“, is currently the #1 “Hawaii” app on the iPhone app store and can be downloaded here.
According to Kosaka, an Android version of the app is in the works. Yeah, I had to ask. 😉
The quality of some of the pics are not the greatest as they were pulled from the pics from my live tweets (via my phone), but here’s a glimpse at some of the sights and ono grindz from last night.
Outside Roy’s Restaurant, Hawaii Kai
The Ahi Summer Roll
Misoyaki Butterfish (left) and Spicy Tuna Ahi Tomato and Salmon Puree rolls (right)
Hawaii Kai Style Crispy Crab Cake with Spicy Aioli Sauce
Chinatown Chicken Spring Roll with Maui Pineapple Sweet and Sour Chili Sauce
A Hank’s Haute Dog with Sweet Relish
On a side note, Kosaka is also busy working with Oceanic Time Warner Cable to develop a full-blown Share Your Table TV Channel. Scheduled to launch on June 1st, Share Your Table TV will literally share their table and air their massive library of culinary content to Oceanic’s customers via channel 320. For a sneak peek at Share Your Table TV, visit shareyourtable.tv or click on the screenshot below.
A big Mahalo to Melanie Kosaka, Eric Nakagawa, Roy Yamaguchi and the gang at Roy’s Restaurant, Starwood Hotels’ RumFire Bar Station, Hank’s Haute Dogs for the yummy dogs, and Oceanic Time Warner Cable. See below for some apropos linkage:
(Sorry I’ve been MIA gang. Deadlines have been killin’!)
Now I know many of you are probably pullin’ a little MIA action yourselves today due to Good Friday, but for those of you still around, or for those of you Mad Maxes checking in from beyond workdome, here are some random tidbits to help pass your time…
WIH Photo
On WIH Wednesday, I cropped the photo just a weeeeee bit too tight. It proved to be too much for y’all, so I brought it back a lil’. Shortly thereafter, rayboyjr quipped, “… hahahaha … you made it so easy now!!! … you sure this not one April Fool’s joke!!! …”
D’OH!
Oh well, at least we got a winner out of it! Ha!
For those of you curious bees out there, here’s the full shot:
Tama Maru Boat In Tamashiro Market
Recogmatize um now? Yep, it’s Tamashiro Market. Just one of many stops on my endless pursuit for the state’s best poke. Speaking of poke…
Poke
Part IV of my Poke Paradise series went live yesterday. In it, I have interviews with Rachel Haili of Haili’s Hawaiian Foods and Guy Tamashiro of Tamashiro Market (above), and I also pay a visit to Hilo’s own, Poke to Your Taste. Click on the image below to ch… ch… check it out…
Talk to me!
* Ever been to Haili’s Hawaiian Foods in Kapahulu? How about their Backyard Luau lunch wagon in Ward? Like um? Prefer one over the other?
* How often do you go to Tamashiro Market? Do you go there for the seafood, various goods, poke, or all of the above? Preferred poke from Tamashiro?
* I would ask where your favorite poke locations are state-wide, but I’ve already done that one before: Fave Five Friday – Poke Locations. LOL! But feel free to share more if ya like. I can always take one for the team and force myself to eat new poke for my Poke Paradise series. 8)
I guess that’s a good a place as any to end things…
Have a Happy Good Good Friday and weekend and I’ll see ya on the flip side. Shoots! 🙂
Alright alright! It’s another exciting day up in hurr. Can you feel it? 🙂
I’d like to first start off by welcoming you new readers who found your way here via my floating head on the cover of today’s paper. Hope you like what you see and decide to check back often! 8) I would also like to send mad love to all y’all regular (dare I say daily?) readers! Majahloz for being a loyal member of our little WWE `ohana we got goin’ on ova hea!
Earlier this month, I asked you to post your questions for Mr. Shane Victorino to my blog. You see, your boy had the unique opportunity to meet and interview our beloved All Star and I wanted to take some of your questions with me, as we did with Bruddah BJ Penn. Well, I finally had the chance to edit, transcribe, and Youtube the puppy, and, below, is the fruit of our loins, er labor. 😛 Enjoy!
[bB ]: Did you have any baseball heroes and did you collect baseball cards of them?
I collected baseball cards, but I didn’t have really no baseball heroes growing up. I was very big into every sport I think. I never really focused on baseball, but I watched it definitely as a kid, but you know I never really was like “baseball’s gonna be my passion,” you know growing up as a kid. And of course now it is my passion, it is my job, it is my career, yeah I never really had any baseball heroes.
(Ed’s notes: Sorry beeBz, I got rayboyjr‘s question mixed up with yours! *blush*)
[hemajang]: Does Shane have any thoughts about life after baseball.
Life after baseball. Right now, you know what, I’m trying to line myself up with some things. You know things that you brainstorm. Hopefully I’ll have a long enough career, and hopefully I’ll save enough money that I make during my career and hopefully get to retire and sit back on the beach, but no, I definitely want to uh, you know anytime in this business I think you meet so many people you know, you just, you try to keep getting better and you try to keep learning and you always listen to people’s advice and try to get the best advice you can.
[Matt ]: what’s it like when he runs into other Hawaii boys in the league?
What’s it like? I mean it’s just like you know it’s one of those things where it happens everywhere. You know how Hawaii is. We’re very family oriented, we always stick together. Like last night for instance, going over to support BJ (at UFC 101), going around the league and facing guys like Tyler Yates, and Brandon League, and playing against Kurt Suzuki. You feel good because you see a fellow “Hawaiian,” a guy that you know, hey, there’s not many of us out there that get the opportunity to do what we’re doing. You know you feel good for the guys that get the opportunity to go out there and do that.
[kuya.d ]: What do his teammates ask him to bring back for them from Hawaii?
Um, you know what, a lot of them always ask about the pineapples. Hawaii’s got great pineapples. We got a lot of guys on our team that love pineapples. You know I brought President Obama… I gave him macadamia nuts and chocolates during the All Star game, so, you know stuff like that, little things like that that you bring home from Hawaii.
[NeedaHobby ]: did he know Kurt Suzuki growing up and does he keep in contact with him?
Yeah, no yeah. In fact we just spoke last night during the fights. He text messaged me over the phone and we definitely, I did play against him growing up. He was a couple years behind me. I think he was a sophomore when I was a senior. But I definitely played against Kurt. It’s definitely exciting to see another guy, another fellow Maui boy in fact, do well and with guys like Tyler, with Brandon, you know just seeing the state of Hawaii do well in baseball.
[rayboyjr]: Which current Major League player(s) are you a big fan of? Have you asked for autographs or game-used stuff from them after a game?
Yeah, no I get autographs from as many guys as I can. I never know how long I’m going to be playing in this game. I think when you go out there every day, playing with guys like Albert (Pujols), playing with guys like Jimmy (Rollins), Chase (Utley), and being friends with guys like (Ryan) Howard, you know being friends with the guys on my team, especially, you know, we got so many guys that are good on our team. I’m definitely a guy that likes to talk to people, and say hi and get to know people, so…
[zzzzzz]: Has he got any of his teammates hooked on Spam Musubi? Is PETA still giving him grief about Spam Musubi being his favorite food?
No PETA’s not giving me a hard time yet this year, but Scott Eyre, one of our relievers, he’s big into SPAM. He bought me some SPAM last week and we actually fried it up and ate it. Yeah we have some fun around here.
[skycastles]: Boxers or briefs?
Boxers or briefs? No answer on that one (*laughs*). No answer to that one. A little too much for me. (*laughs*)
(Ed’s notes: Never again sky! Nevahhhhhhh agaaaaain! 😛 )
[Dave Oi]: What do you miss most about Maui in particular (not necessarily Hawaii)…besides family & friends.
What do I miss most about Maui in particular? I think uh, the beautiful weather, the beautiful beaches. Just paradise. I definitely miss that. The Jersey shore is about an hour from here, and it’s definitely not walking out to the white sandy beaches of Hawaii and uh, you know, it’s definitely different living on the east coast. But like I always said, if everybody’s healthy and my family’s doing well, home will always be home. But when I retire, that’s where I plan to be, I plan to be back home in Hawaii. I make my house right now what we consider the 9th island, and that’s in Las Vegas in the off season. When all is said and done, I definitely want to move home to Hawaii again.
[snow]: Does he feel that, coming out of a small state like Hawaii, he was at a disadvantage trying to break into the major leagues? Or might that have somehow worked in his favor?
Um, I say yes and no. It might’ve worked in my favor, but yet it might not have. I think once you get to where I’m at, when you get drafted, I think that everybody’s on uh, you know there’s guys that are, you know a different level, 1st rounder 2nd rounder, but you know what, to me, when you get drafted, everybody has a shot. If you work hard, you play the game the right way, you try to go out there with the right approach. You know I’ve seen a lot of guys get drafted after me, a lot of guys get drafted before me that didn’t get to the big leagues, so I think it depends on the individual, the character of the individual. Everybody has a chance. It might’ve helped me in a way being from Hawaii, but I think everybody gets a fair shot.Â
[YN]: what’s the weirdest request he has ever gotten from a female fan?
Weirdest request. Boy, you get some weird ones. Some I can’t talk about on camera, but some of the things you get asked to do, especially by female fans, it’s like, I can’t do it. It’s just not realistic. You know being around and having a passion for the game and fans loving you I think is such a nice thing. The most I do is sign balls you know and do little things like that.
[uncle jimmy]: Shane’s arrival and rise to a starting spot pretty much coincided with the re-emergence of the Philly Phranchise. try ask him if Pilly peopo consider him a good luck charm.
*modest laugh* I guess yes and no. I think this team’s a good team, but I think we all work together, we work hard. You know it might’ve been just a coincidence, but you know what, I appreciate the opportunity that I get to play here in this lovely city. And it’s one of those things where you never take it for granted.
…
If it sounded like I was kinda rushing, I really was. I had taken up a good part of his warmup time with my previous two sections and could tell he was getting a bit antsy. As you can hear towards the ending, some peeps started to trickle into the dugout as well! Apologies if I skipped your question but I think I got most of the non-duplicated ones in dea.
Look for the complete video interview and article at AroundHawaii.com on September 1st!
Hope you enjoyed it yo! Lemme know what you thank!
For those who get one holiday tomorrow (Statehood/Admission Day), enjoy! See y’all on Monday k? Shooots! 🙂
* Do you Facebook? If not where do you call (social networking) “home”?
Lately, the old older peeps here at work have been asking me about this strange new thing called “Facebook.” As the resident “Web Expert” I guess I’m the go to guy for these types of questions and boy, have they been a-comin’! First I smirk (at how late they are to the party) and then I proceed to explain to these newbies what it’s all about. How you use it, why people use it, privacy concerns, etc. The look on their face is priceless. It’s the same as that of someone who just watched TV in color for the first time. (at least I think that’s what they looked like. 😛 )
Facebook, at least to me, is where it’s at. There are so many features to control privacy, friends, microblogging/notifications (ala Twitter), and, as evident by the interest from the old older peeps here at work, it’s catching wind. I’ve gotten back in touch from old friends from yesteryear that I haven’t spoken to in years, and all the company and corporate peers are there as well! There are so many more relevant people up in thurr than say a MySpace. If I had to compare the two, I’d tell someone that MySpace is more for kids and ‘tweens and Facebook is more for adults. (No, not that kind of “adult” you perv. 😉 )
There is a downside though. With so many of your professional contacts up in the heezy, you really have to watch what you say and post. It’s not like I have anything to hide really, but posting that drunken party pic from the weekend (I don’t do this – just an example) is probably not something for your boss’ eyes. I’ve heard of stories of those kinda things coming back to haunt employees, and that doesn’t really surprise me.
How did we get to this point? I remember the good ol’ days when these social networking type sites were strictly for us “young” peeps? Let’s turn back the clock a bit shall we… Remember these?
Is there something after Facebook? Probably, but for now, this is where the party’s at yo. Holla if ya hear me! 😉
Talk to me!
* Do you Yahoo! Facebook?
* If so, how many friends ya got?
* Do you add anyone or just the people you know IRL?
* Are your bosses or company’s executives on there too?
* What’s your favorite part about Facebook?
* Your least favorite?
* What other social networking sites do you frequent?
* If you’ve never joined Facebook or any other social networking site, why or why not?
Possible Hijacking Topics 😛
* American Idol dish
* Hell’s Kitchen dish
* The Office dish
* Survivor: Tocantins dish
* CSI dish
* Grey’s Anatomy dish
* Harper’s Island dish
* Southland dish
* Dancing With the Stars dish
* The Biggest Loser dish
* Lost dish
* NBA Playoff runs
* etc.
Happy Survey Thursday… Woo Hoo it’s almost TGI(F)F!
With a whoppin’ 7 comments on yesterday’s post (2 of which were mine!), I decided to postpone the oh so popular wedding related posts to next week (while I’m on vacation). That way, I won’t have to be in front of a computer when I cry my eyes out at the lack of comments. Haha! I keed. But seriously, let’s get back to some hard core postin’ shall we?
The prizes were compliments of Oceanic Time Warner Cable, the delicious food was catered both by Creations In Catering and the gang at Clear Channel Communications, and the entertainment was by a new group called Onward. The lead singer’s voice (Chad?) was pretty killah! Here are some scenes from the night (mahalo to Kiman Wong for the shots!)!
Stage at the Road Runner Music Hall
Some of the Night’s Prizes
Pupu Starter: Poke
Pupu Starter: Cocktail Shrimp
Onward, Rocking the stage at the Road Runner Music Hall
Shout outs!
* Mahalo to Charmaine and the gang at Creations In Catering for putting together an amazing menu for my peeps.
* Mahalo to the man Kevin Jones and the rest of the staffers at Clear Channel Communications, for helping to coordinate such a successful night!
* Mahalo to the killah reggae band Onward. You guys were awesome!
* Mahalo to Gwen, Maribel, Kiman, Alan, Noreen, Matt and everyone else at Oceanic Time Warner Cable, for helping to make this night possible!
World Wide Ed 