This Saturday in Hawaii! Patron 10-year Anniversary Party details

(Patron-Only Post)

Aloha, Patrons! Our 10-year Patreon anniversary party in Hawaii fast approaches. Give a shout out in the comments if you'll be attending! (For those who can't make it this year, we'll do another Hawaii gathering before too long.)

Patron-led activities and chat/email thread

Please, if you're planning to be there, fill out this updated attendee spreadsheet created by our UK Patron Charmian Heaton. Thank you, Charmian, for taking the lead. Charmian is creating a Whatsapp group, and I will send a group email with updates and reminders. If you'd rather not post on the spreadsheet, send me a note at cynthialin.team@gmail.com to be added to the group email. Also, if you want to pick up a CL Signature Ukulele here, email me asap to tell me which model!

We also have a dedicated Patreon chat specifically for the anniversary weekend events (can also access from the Patreon app). I invite you all to coordinate rides, jams, ukulele factory visits. See below for activity ideas.

Friday dinner gathering: If you are already on Oahu on Friday, Charmian has invited folks to get together at 6pm at Nico's Pier 38, a popular seafood restaurant with live music, about a 20 minute drive from Waikiki. FYI there are fireworks in Waikiki every Friday night at 7:45pm, by the Hilton lagoon. It gets a little congested by the lagoon but you can see them from all over Waikiki.

Schedule of Events for Saturday 3/15

9am Jam at Windward Mall (Kaneohe): Ukulele Club of Hawaii will have their monthly jam. Free and open to the public. Kaneohe is a 30 minute drive from Waikiki. If you have time, I suggest you drive the long way around the east side of the island and enjoy the coastal views! Led by Craig and Sarah. (Cynthia and U3 will be at Blue Note for sound check)

1pm Ukulele Jazz Brunch with U3 @ Blue Note Hawaii. Get your tickets here. Doors open at 11am. The Blue Note is on the 2nd floor of the Outrigger Hotel, and there are valet or self-parking options. We will stay in the building for post-show activities, so it might make sense to park your car back at your hotel and walk/Uber back. The show runs 1-2:30pm and we'll have a meet and greet in the gift shop afterwards.

3:15pm FLASH MOB Performance Video!  We'll gather after the Blue Note show to shoot an ukulele flash mob video! Please practice Island Style, and bring sunglasses!  I've invited a videographer to help capture the flash mob video. We will find a place in the hotel or somewhere nearby on the beach side (so bring your hat and sunscreen too). Everyone, please help me wrangle the group!

4pm Party at Duke's.  After the flash mob, we'll head to Duke's, which is an iconic Waikiki restaurant in the same hotel as the Blue Note, with an iconic Waikiki beach and Diamond Head view. I have tables reserved on the lanai (back patio) at Duke's, where they'll have live music (I'm hoping the musicians that afternoon will let us play a little ukulele with them!). It will be a casual gathering where Patrons can hang out and mingle, enjoy drinks and food, watch the surfers.

There's no evening plan. If you still have energy, I'm sure some Patrons will find a place to get together and jam.

Other Activity Ideas

CL Favorites - House without a Key at the Halekulani for sunset cocktails, lovely Hawaiian music, hula. Liliha Bakery for loco moco and poi doughnuts. Ice Monster if you want to try Taiwanese-style shaved ice. Ono Seafood or Tamura's for poke. Foodland Farms is our local grocery store and has great poke and ready-to-eat items to pick up. Tommy Bahama or Eating House for a fancier meal. ABC stores are everywhere, super convenient, and well-priced. You can get pretty much anything there! Outside of Honolulu: Makapu'u Lighthouse Trail hike (paved, great views, possible whale sightings this time of year), Kailua Beach (the inspiration for Aquamarine).

Ukulele Factory Tours - If you call/email the ukulele companies and say you're bringing a small group (feel free to drop my name, ha!), then they may be able to do a special tour just for your group. Try to reserve in advance, the tours are limited in size and it's better if they have advanced notice.

Monday - Friday 1pm: Free tour at KoAloha. Reservations just needs to be made 24hr in advance and by emailing us at sales@koaloha.com

Tues - Friday 10:30am: Free tour at Kamaka. Large groups (more than 5) and school-supervised groups must schedule special tours in advance by calling (808) 531-3165

Ukulele stores to visit: Kanile'a store at Windward Mall and Ala Moana Mall, Ukulele Site in Haleiwa, Ukulele Puapua at the Sheraton Waikiki (carries CL Signature Ukes), Best Hawaiian Ukulele in Waikiki (carries CL Signature Ukes).

Getting around - Parking in Waikiki can be expensive, and a lot of hotels offer daily car rental. It's easy but not cheap to Uber/Lyft. It's also easy to take the local bus, called Da Bus. :)

Thanks for being patient with me as we put this event together. Look forward to seeing many of you here!!

xo cynthia. 🌺