Hawaii Socialites...

It's funny how I always dub my girlfriends as the "Hawaii Socialites", but it's more in a fun way and not literally. BUT, we are now OFFICIALLY the Hawaii Socialites!! Cydney Chu from Pearl Ultralounge set up a philathropic event where once a month we come together to help fund a different cause. Yesterday's event held at Pearl benefitted the Hawaii Foodbank where we all donated 3 (or more) canned goods for the charitable agency. What FUN! I get to help a good cause AND hangout with my most awesome girlfriends while doing it?! Sort of a no-brainer..



Socialite: (adj. noun): is a person who participates in social activities and spends a significant amount of time entertaining and being entertained. Socialites use their social skills and connections to promote and raise funds for various charitable or philanthropic activities.

Beautiful girls... They keep my spirits up..



...trying to make even the smallest of differences in others lives..

*Photos by Mark Ramelb.

Manolo Blahniks!!

So a couple weeks back I blogged about a shoe contest called Sex and the Shoe.. The finals for the contest was June 3rd at Pearl Ultralounge where the 6 girls who won over a period of 3 separate weeks (1st and 2nd place) came together to compete once more for those precious Manolo Blahnik's among other prizes.. I'm not going to lie, I was anxious for the night and wasn't sure my little Betsey's had what it took to win it all.. Of the 6 girls competing, I knew 2 others, my friend Giselle and my co-worker/friend Kate. I was third in line to go up on the stage and show my stuff and work my little toes off. I've done a million fashion shows on that stage and for some reason doing this contest made me a little nervous and I didn't even have to show my face because we hide our faces behind a pink umbrella so the judges would pay attention to our legs/shoes..


Here it was.. the moment our feet had been waiting for.. Announcing the top 3 winners.. Giselle got 2nd runner up with her black chunky jeweled Sam Edelman heels! 1st runner up went to a girl donning Paris Hilton heels that were black and a bow on each side of the shoe. First place and winner of THE MANOLO BLAHNIKS!!! Brigitte Patton!! WHAT?! I won?! Yup, that was my name they called!! OMG! I got my crown for the night (literally wore a little rhinestoned tiara), picked up my prizes which consisted of gift certificates from Fashionista's Market, Sephora, and some other goodies, AND 24 white roses.. I was told my grand prize shoes would be given to me at a separate party put on by sponsor Skyy Vodka the following week where a limo would pick me up and take me to the celebration! EXCITED!!




Time arrived for the big day.. enter my H2 limo ride to Dole Cannery which is where Skyy Vodka was having their Sex and the City/Sex and the Shoe festivities... I had no clue the limo was going to be an H2 Hummer.. What a surprise! Totally arrived in style..



Upon entering the ballroom, I was greeted with movie tickets to watch Sex and the City.. again.. good thing I don't mind fashion and the movies.. Also provided were boas and fedora hats to get in the fashionable groove.. I chose a white and gold boa for my outfit.. Enter the ballroom doors.. It seriously felt like Prom night! Snapped a few shots with friends and proceeded through..


I was completely amazed at how nice the party was set up! They had a candy bar, fruit bar, sushi, dim sum, crab cakes.. and everything tasted so good!! Did I mention it was open bar?! I kept drinking a concoction called The Sophisticate which had the X-Rated liquer with champagne and raspberries.. oh so tastey..



THEN.. it was Manolo Blahnik time.. all the other finalists received shoes that night too!! My name was called to come up on stage for presentation of the grand prize.. I was given my first new pair of Manolo's!! The Corslace.. And the name is exactly how the shoe was designed.. the heel has a corset going up the back and the top and ankle parts are covered in black lace.. So vintage!! Love it!




On stage pose of the winning shoes! My Betsey Johnson's!!


Of course what kind of night would it be if I didn't have some sort of mini photoshoot with my surroundings?? This is my party pose..


..my feet will now rest on $765 worth of pure bliss..

*event photos by Mark Ramelb and Elliot Takane.

Sex and the Shoe...

A couple years ago, Pearl Ultralounge hosted a contest titled Sex and the Shoe. Every Thursday for about a month, girls entered the contest with the cutest shoes they own to model on stage and for the judges of various backgrounds (shoe store owners, fashion industry types, boutique entrepreneurs, etc.) to select their favorite shoes and how well you really sell the idea that you have THE BEST shoes out there.. Anyways, I ended up winning my preliminary round AND the finale!! They were the cutest shoes from Laundry by Shelli Segal with a mixture of soft velvet bluish/turquoise and purple with this awesome brown brooch embellishment on the top with a peep-toe opening.. unfortunately I wasn't able to attend the premiere party with the whole shbang with a limo ride, red carpet, all the glitz and glamour because I went out of town. Did I mention you win a pair of Manolo Blanik's too?! SOOOOOO, lucky me, I get a second chance!! Sex in the City is coming out with their second movie and Pearl is having another contest! I competed for the first Thursday available just in case I couldn't make any of the other Thursdays for the month of May.. They also allow you to come back to compete if you didn't win for another try, so in the event I didn't win, I had the opportunity to come back and try again with another pair the following week.

BUT I did WIN!! First place too!! I wore these super cute Betsey Johnson's that have patiently been waiting in it's hot pink box for the perfect time to be placed on my feet. I thought it was appropriate for a shoe contest to wear these little beauties.. Good thing because it won me a pair of Deuces Hawaii pink satin shoes, Fashionista's Market swag, and other goodies AND to compete in the finale that's to take place June 3rd! Let me tell you, there's some competition out there.. WAY too many cute shoes and my little Betsey Johnsons are afraid.. They've done me good so far.. wonder if I should purchase a new pair for fun??

The winning shoe for the May 13th competition.. my sweet little Betsey's:


There's some stiff competition and some of those girls have got moves to show off their little toes like you wouldn't believe.. Thinking maybe I should purchase one of these cute Christian Louboutin's for safety?? Or MAYBE I'm looking for an excuse to buy a new pair of shoes.. I'm thinking it's the latter...

Presenting... The Studio:


The Tahiti:


I don't even think you can purchase these particular shoes anymore.. any idea where I can?! The Very Prive Peep-Toe:


...For those Manolo Blanik's...

Fashionista's Market and Deuces Hawaii Fashion Show...

What a whirlwind of fabulous this weekend.. let's start with this past Thursday night.. Pearl Ultralounge transformed into All Dolled Up, which is geared toward girls to come out and try a new salon and get their hair, makeup, eyebrows waxed, massages, etc. all free and for a night of fun right on the dance floor! A friend of mine, Alyssa Fung, owns the fantastic Fashionista's Market; she had a fashion show to present some new finds from her latest buying trip to LA, so me and a bunch of my fabulous friends were models for the show.. She stocks her downtown Honolulu store with the latest designs from Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Romeo and Juliet, Collective Concepts, and many others that make me way happy to even think about. She showcased chunky jewelry, lacey tights, and lots of bows which made me want every outfit the models wore..

Backstage shots..




Marsha Nadalin Salon and Spa did our hair and makeup.. let's just say that I couldn't have been happier they were going for the Brigitte Bardot (Patton hehe!) big Texas sized hair..



Shoe company, Deuces Hawaii supplied the footwear for the evening.. can I please have one pair of each??


On stage pose!*


We wrapped up the show with some post pictures..



In case you were wondering what our fierce faces looked like.. look no further..


..fashion feeds my soul...

*Runway shot and pictures thereafter by: Mark Ramelb Photography