Japan-bound!

No … ManoaDNA is not leaving for Japan this time, but Carla will be.  She departs today with Skyler Kamaka, Miss Hawai’i 2012, to attend the International Fashion Fair at Tokyo’s Big Sight along with 10 other Hawai’i vendors.  On Saturday, she and Skyler may go to Yokohama to visit the Hawaiian Holiday store in the new Hawaiian Village arcade located in the World Porters shopping mall in Minato Mirai.  It’s gonna be a busy trip for them …

Other than that, there’s nothing much happening this week except for the Ukulele Festival on Sunday over at Kapiolani Park.  This will be the first time in several years that ManoaDNA will be participating since we’re usually doing promotions in Japan for Hawai’i Tourism during this time.  It’ll be extra special too because Grammy Award winning singer, James Ingram, will also be there.  Ingram is a good friend of festival founders Roy and Kathy Sakuma, and has come to perform on several occasions.  I will always remember a meeting that Roy set up with James, Alex, and I over at Side Street years ago when Alex was still in high school.  Roy had sent James some demos of Alex’s songs and then set up the meeting so Alex could get direct feedback from him.  At that meeting, Alex asked James whether he should attend a music school after he graduated and James replied by pointing to his heart saying, “You don’t have to – you already have it here.  You can hire guys to do the other stuff for you.”  I like to think that what Ingram meant was that although music knowledge is very important, it all starts with an individual’s passion for it.  Pretty cool advice for a 17-year old don’t you think?

Aloha, “D”

 

4 Comments

  1. Hello Dad
    We are Kyoko&Tetsu
    Yesterday we met Mrs.Carla in Yokohama(the Hawaiian Holiday store)
    We enjoyed few conversations
    The dress made in IOLANI was very wonderful
    She gave a coupon of IOLANI to us. Thank you

    • Hi Kyoko & Tetsu,
      Mahalo for coming to see Carla while she was in Yokohama! She also showed me the photo that she took with you guys.
      Thank you so much for all your friendship and support, and we look forward to seeing you again soon!
      Kiyotsukette, ne?
      Aloha,
      Lloyd

  2. Hiroyuki Ninomiya

    How are you Dad?
    I went to see and hear from miss.Yuna
    Carla come to Yokohama on Saturday.
    Strawberry Daifuku from favorite food of Carla was not mde by out-of-season goods
    Unfortunately, we present the well-established in Asakusa Anmitsu cold sweet potato and Dad’s favorite.
    Hawaii was the mother of imagination as friendly to Carla for the first time I met.
    Please, it received was addressed to let Dad have a souvenir to Carla.

    from Hiroyuki(Chizarei Men)

    • Aloha Hiroyuki!
      Carla told me that you brought some wonderful omiyage for her! Mahalo!
      Also, thank you very much for the beautiful photos of our last live stage at Thumbs Up!
      I hope to see you again soon when we return to Japan in the Fall … please take care!
      Much aloha,
      Lloyd