Last post – Grapevine Productions makes 23 years today

This new post- Grapevine Productions makes 24 years today

No excuses

I will though, today, send a shout-out to Mark Ellman – Grapevine’s first client was his amazing and groundbreaking Lahaina restaurant Avalon. I’m going to dig through some boxes in the garage and see if I can find some nostalgic ephemera.

Let’s take a walk down memory lane and look at some highlights, shall we?

• Executive Chef Ivan Pahk, Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar Maui, featured on food52.com (Dec. 16, 2009) and BehindtheKnife.com (Jan. 19, 2010)

•Catherine Nobriga Kim of Roselani Ice Cream profiled in Enterprising Women magazine – Winter 2009

•Nobriga Family Businesses featured in Family Business magazine – Spring 2009

•The Old Wailuku Inn at Ulupono – Sunset magazine – March 2010; Conde Nast Traveler – July 2008; Travel + Leisure – January 2008; Bride’s – Feb/March 2008 and May/June 2005

•I’o restaurant: Induction into DiRoNA (Distinguished Restaurants of North America); Class of 2007.

•The Old Wailuku Inn at Ulupono (www.mauiinn.com): Only Hawai‘i property on Fodor’s Top 20 Hotels of the World list; 2005.

•Roselani Ice Cream (www.roselani.com) - Conde Nast Traveler; April 2004

•Chef D.K. Kodama, Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar: Appearance on TODAY (NBC); March 2004 (following publication of his cookbook – “D.K.’s Sushi Chronicles from Hawai’i: Recipes from Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar” by D.K. Kodama with Bonnie Friedman- Ten Speed Press)

•Publication of “The Hali’imaile General Store Cookbook” by Beverly Gannon with Bonnie Friedman – Ten Speed Press – February 2001

•The Old Wailuku Inn at Ulupono (www.mauiinn.com) – Travel + Leisure – Ranked #5 in “Top  Ten B&Bs in the United States” –  June 2000

•Beach House Restaurant, Kaua‘i – Restaurants & Institutions: Cover “Ethnic Salads Accent Menus” –  March 1, 2000

•David Paul’s Lahaina Grill: Five-page, full-color feature as “Restaurant of the Month” in Bon Appétit; February 1997

•Cheeseburger In Paradise: The only Hawai‘i restaurant included in the Beef Industry Council’s national “Burger Boom” campaign; State of Hawai‘i Beef Backer Award winner in 1996

•Chef David Paul Johson: two-page, full-color Illy Caffe ad in Food Arts magazine; December 1995 (0nly Hawai‘i chef ever featured in Illy national advertising campaign.)

•Fourth Annual “A Taste of Lahaina” – Coverage on TODAY (NBC) - September 1995

•Chef David Paul Johnson: Appearance on TODAY (NBC); July 1995

•Maui Stingrays: Story on NPR’s Weekend Edition; December 1994

•Third Annual “A Taste of Lahaina” - CBS This Morning; September 1994

•Food & Wine: Cover for Hali‘imaile General Store, signature dessert, Piña Colada Cheesecake (“Hawai‘i: The Next Wave”); March 1992 – 0nly Hawai‘i restaurant ever featured on Food & Wine cover

want more? take a little trip around the website…thanks, Maui, for 23 amazing years!

I heard a short story on NPR about an auction of the entire contents of the Roy Rogers and Dale Evans museum. Apparently, the family needs the money to pay off debt. I went to the Christie’s website this morning and if bids were still being accepted, I would have bid on a lot of silk scarves worn by Ms. Evans – 16 in all. The auction estimate was $300 to $500. I would have paid more.   

In a previous lifetime – back in the ‘70s – I worked for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, first in Winnipeg, then in Toronto, then back in Winnipeg. (I’ve heard all the jokes and snide comments so just let it go.) For the last season of my seven years with the network, I was the senior (line) producer on the hour-long evening news and current affairs show. And it was a pretty plum job – FOR WINNIPEG. We had our own building – a charming (?) old church with offices downstairs, studio on the main floor and control room in what had been the choir loft. But I digress. Whenever a “celebrity” came through town, he or she would usually end up on our show. Once, that celebrity was Dale Evans. For all of us of a certain age (you know who you are), she was an icon. Before she arrived, the show host and I talked about the interview and I suggested that at the very end she ask Ms. Evans to sing “Happy Trails.” I figured the worst that could happen was she’d decline but if she agreed…well, how cool would that be?! In she walked with her gorgeous Western clothes – remember those big skirts with piles of crinolines underneath?! – and a beautiful smile. She was extraordinarily gracious, chatting with everyone who approached her, signing autographs. And at the end of the segment, proudly singing “Happy Trails.”    

 I wonder if anyone else remembers…

I heard this morning about the passing of a Hawaiian cultural treasure, ‘Ilei Beniamina. She left much too soon – she was only 55 years old.  I don’t know a lot about her – she was a native Ni’ihauan, composer, and tireless educator – but I did have the honor of meeting her a couple of times over the years.  She wrote one of my favorite Hawaiian songs, Pua ‘Ala Aumoe for which she won a Na Hokuhanohano award in 1987. Around that time, I had the privilege of attending a weekend-long haku mele workshop in Hana at which ‘Anake ‘Ilei shared the deep kauna of that song. Being in the presence of  incredible Hawaiian poets like her is one of the best memories I have of my life on Maui. She will be missed. Her beautiful words and works live on.

http://kapalama.ksbe.edu/archives/collections/kelley/Jean%20Ileialoha%20Keale%2074.pdf

Not only an extremely misguided veto, a hypocritcal one, too, making it even worse. Today’s editorial in The Maui News:

http://www.mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/533185.html?nav=9

I realize I may be a little late to the World Cup vuvuzela party but I need to have my say. In true ”Western” style, if it bothers US or if WE don’t like it, get rid of it. The horns are, obviously, part of the South African culture. So, if you can’t stand the noise, get out of the stadium.

I resisted the facebook thing for a long time thinking, mistakenly it turns out, that it’s just for kids. Like everything else, it is what you make of it. I do think it’s good for business, especially a small business like mine that sits way out here in the middle of the Pacific. Even more, it’s a great – and remarkable, somehow – way to reconnect with old friends. I’ve been in closer touch with some of my sorority sisters in the last few months than I have in the almost 40 years (ugh!) since I graduated from college. We’ve shared joys – children getting married, grandchildren being born, a book being published – and sorrows – losing a beloved sister after a valiant fight with cancer and the pain of others who continue to battle. I even shared a pie crust recipe – in real time because the strawberries were waiting! - with one of my old college roommates and closest friends. Now, THAT’S technology.

My all-purpose blog. Anything and everything goes. Except food. You’ll find that at tourdafood.com