News and reviews of made on Maui products and Maui-based companies and success stories. Also featuring island shopping guides

Posts tagged ‘Cocktails’

Preview of Carden Jamboree Auction Items + Cocktails

carden jamboree auction items plus cocktails This weekend (Saturday, April 25, 2015) is the event we’ve been waiting all year for – the Carden Academy Jamboree!  (click here to see the pictures from last year’s event) Today’s post we give you a bit of a sneak peek into what will be special this year- including just a few of the Silent and Live Auction items (already over 170 items posted online – and even more not yet disclosed!)

The greatest thing about these auction items is that some of these things you CANNOT BUY!  For example, if you’ve lived on Maui long enough you’ve heard of The Poker Game, held at Don Nelson (former NBA Coach)’s house – and not to name drop here but let’s just say some of Maui’s more famous residents, like Woody, Willie and Owen, have been known to drop in to these games.  Want to get a seat at this game?  There will be two available to the highest bidder at the Jamboree…

maui celebrity card game - poker night - don nelson - owen wilson - woody harrelson - willie nelson

Another item that’s NOT AVAILABLE for purchase anywhere, is a Seat at the Judge’s Table for a Knife Fight at Cow Pig Bun in Kihei.  From the catalog description: “You’ll have the opportunity to taste all the food (and beverages also provided) as two local chefs battle it out in the Cow Pig Bun kitchen arena. Chefs will be given a featured ingredient to use in three rounds of food as you watch from your prime viewing spot. As one of the 3 judges that evening, you will help decide who is the best chef! Other judges include food critics, chefs and culinary school instructors, so you’ll be in great company!” 

cow pig bun knife fight judge

 

There are lots of hotel stays all over the country, including this awesome offering for anyone heading to the Big Apple this year – two tickets to see Late Night with Seth Myers and two nights at the Millennium Broadway New York Hotel. 

seth myers late night NYC hotel stay auction item

Many, many island businesses have generously donated restaurant gift certificates, activities, art, jewelry and much more!  A new addition to the silent auction this year are the Gift Baskets, assembled by the parents of each class (K-8) at Carden, and by some of our sponsors and donors as well!   Gift basket themes include Mother’s Day, Summer Fun, and what’s sure to be a huge hit – the Trader Joe’s basket!  This Mother’s Day basket (shown below – styled by RiverMoon Botanicals) includes a $75 gift certificate (in a silver frame) from Green Ti Spa in Wailuku, coffee, tea, a make-up/tote bag, a Bottle of Merlot and wine glasses, Mixing bowls, measuring cups, tart baking cups, spices,  Wrappily wrapping paper, Jasmine soap and a few air plants and succulents, a floral bucket and  wooden crate.  Mother’s Day is coming up on May 10! 

mother's day basket - auction gift basket ideas

The Mother’s Day Basket – filled with goodies for mom or grandma, and styled by Rivermoon Botanicals

I’d also like to personally thank Maui Ocean Center’s gift shop, Maui Ocean Treasures, for assembling a beautiful basket, and everyone who so graciously donated towards the creation of a Maui Made basket in honor of this blog! (all photographed below)  Mahalo to Wrappily (recyclable and eco-friendly gift wrap and accessories based on Maui), Rip Skirt Hawaii (an athletic and swim coverup designed here on Maui), Mana Sol (body products made on Maui), Backyard Juice by Two Chicks in a Hammock (chili water made on Maui), Beauty of Maui (Maui photography screensaver/flash drives) and Sailbags Maui (bags made from recycled kite surf sails!).

Wrappily paper flower craft kit
Wrappily – eco friendly wrapping paper, by a company based on Maui!
Need your hit of Trader Joe’s items? Food AND body products baskets…
Summer Survival Kit Gift Basket!
Sailbags Maui tote – available in the Maui Made gift basket!
RipSkirt Hawaii – designed here on Maui by a Maui mom!
A gift basket of treasures from the Maui Ocean Treasures store at the aquarium! Food items plus an adorable turtle plush!
The insides of the Maui Ocean Treasures basket
The Maui Made Basket! All products designed or made ON MAUI! (except the basket) – The final basket also will include the sail bags maui tote as pictured in this gallery – dropped behind the desk and only rescued today!
Mana sol body products will be in the Maui Made basket!

 

Deep Island Hawaiian Rum - Wave Rum - Made on Maui

Deep Island Hawaiian Rum – Wave Rum – Made on Maui

Two more baskets that will be popular are the baskets provided by our sponsor Ocean Vodka and Deep Island Hawaiian Rum, all created right here on Maui!

Other amazing auction items include a children’s birthday party package at the Kihei Firehouse  and a package of five horseback riding lessons at True North Equestrian, and a tour and lunch at O’o Farms   

Besides the auction items, another EXCLUSIVE to the Jamboree are the cocktails – created by Dazoo’s bartender Jimmy Shoemaker, two cocktails, featuring Ocean Vodka and Deep Island Hawaiian Rum (of course), were designed just for this event.  These cocktails also feature Dazoo’s house made shrubs.

Jimmy Shoemaker, bartender at Dazoo, will be mixing up cocktails all night long at the Carden Jamboree!

Jimmy Shoemaker, bartender at Dazoo, will be mixing up cocktails all night long at the Carden Jamboree! Photo by Jessica Pearl, Courtesy Ocean Vodka

 

Whipcracker - made with Wave Rum and Tangerine Shrub

Whipcracker – made with Wave Rum and Tangerine Shrub

High Noon - made with Ocean Vodka and strawberry shrub

High Noon – made with Ocean Vodka and strawberry shrub

 

Hope to see you at the event!

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Event, Food and Beverage, Fundraiser

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The Ultimate OCEAN Cocktail Showdown

What’s a winning recipe for an awesome event? Combine equal parts Ocean Vodka, celebrity chefs and charitable giving, shake it all up and serve immediately on the rocks at a stunning beachside location… 

ultimate ocean vodka cocktail showdown 2015

Earlier this year, Ocean Vodka invited cocktail aficionados to submit cocktail recipes using Ocean Vodka and following a ‘Farm to Table’ theme. On Saturday, April 11, the six finalists will be creating their drinks for The Ultimate OCEAN Showdown at the Sheraton Maui Resort and Spa in Kaanapali!  Guests, along with a panel of judges, will be asked to vote for their favorite cocktail, with the winning cocktail named Ultimate OCEAN Cocktail and to be featured on all cocktail menus on property for a year! The recipe creator will also receive a $500 cash prize and a three-night stay at Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa.

pineapple express cocktail maui

Pineapple Express by James Shoemaker of Dazoo Restaurant, Photo by me, (too bad you can’t vote for best photograph, right? Maybe next year…)

To view the final six recipes, click here!

“We are thrilled to be hosting our 2nd annual Ultimate Ocean Vodka Cocktail Contest this year with our partners at the Sheraton Maui,” said Shonna Pinheiro, Director of Marketing, Events and Tourism for Ocean Vodka. “Recipe submissions tripled this year versus last year!”

In a new twist on the event this year, each finalist has been paired with a celebrity chef, who will create a dish to pair with the cocktail.  Guests will also get a chance to vote on on the Best Chef Creation and the Best Food Pairing for the evening.

The event will also be a benefit for six island non-profits, with $25 of each ticket sale going towards the ticket buyers’ choice of non-profits. In addition, each non-profit will be paired with a cocktail, and the organization paired with the winning cocktail will receive a portion of the cocktail’s sales from the next year!

cucumber cooler - cocktail recipe - maui - ocean vodka

Cucumber Cooler by Daniel Vincent of Austin, TX!

Entertainment for the evening will be provided by Jimi Canha, followed by CrazyFingers. Event ticket holders will also have free entry to the Afterparty at Black Rock Lounge.

“The Ultimate Ocean Showdown is a great community event celebrating the talents of creative mixologists and celebrity chefs, local nonprofit organizations, and entertainers alike for a fun evening full of passion on Ka‘anapali Beach,” shared Brian Hunnings, the Sheraton’s Executive Assistant Manager.

Here’s the list of this year’s finalists, presented with cocktail name, hometown, paired chef, and paired non-profit: 

Waiona - ocean vodka cocktail recipe

Waiona by Amie Fujiwara of Honolulu

Ross Steidel’s Poi Dog (Lahaina, Hawai’i) – Alex Le from The Pig and the Lady in Honolulu Oahu – Make-A-Wish Hawai’i 

Amie Fujiwara’s Waiona (Honolulu, Hawai’i) – Sheldon Simeon from Migrant in Wailea Maui – Whale Trust

Allison Bellows’ Pele’s Pineapple (Waialua, Hawai’i) – Will Chen From HiFreshBox in Manoa Oahu – Imua Family Services

Victor Mendoza’s Napili Tini (Lahaina, Hawai’i) – Shawn Gavin from the St. Regis Princeville Kauai – Grow Some Good 

James Shoemaker’s The Pineapple Express (Kihei, Hawai’i) – Hank Adaniya from Hank’s Haute Dogs in Kaka‘ako Oahu – Hui O Wa’a 

Daniel Vincent’s Cucumber Cooler (Austin, Texas) – Lee Ann Wong from Koko Head Café in Kaimuki Oahu – Women Helping Women

Event Details –

  • Location: Ocean Lawn, Sheraton Maui Resort and Spa
  • Time: 6-9pm
  • Date: Saturday, April 11, 2015
  • Cost: Tickets are $40 in advance or $45 at the door, with $25 going to your choice of six selected charities!  Or you can upgrade to a VIP table for 10 for only $1,000!
  • Buy Tickets Here (will be directed to Honolulu Box Office website – scroll down for the showdown event!) 
  • And make sure to follow Ocean Vodka on Facebook for lots more on the event!

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Event, Food and Beverage, Fundraiser

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Liven things up with a Trip to Dazoo – Paia’s Newest Restaurant

For year’s now it’s been the same thing on nights when neither of us feel like cooking.  “Flatbread or Cafe Des Amis?” Well finally, a new restaurant has worked its way into the rotation – Dazoo.   

paia maui restaurant new korean

The long tables are perfect for a large family or dining with all your friends!

Dazoo Restaurant, which just opened earlier this month at the former Moana Cafe location, features locally-grown ingredients with eclectic Asian-American cuisine, highlighted with Korean favorites.  Owners Yulie and David Law, who purchased Moana Cafe over a year ago, spent the last several months designing the new restaurant, including a revised menu and extensive renovation, creating a modern new space with a warm, inviting atmosphere.

(Sidebar: They are having a Photo Contest!!! If you are dining at Dazoo between now and December 15, (or even just walking by!) snap a picture and enter their Photo Contest for a chance to win dinner for two, and two Dazoo logo t-shirts!  See complete rules on Dazoo’s Facebook Page. )

Dazoo is open daily from 8am to 2pm for breakfast and lunch, and Tuesdays through Saturdays for dinner, from 5pm to 9pm.

korean food maui restaurant

The Korean Specialty – Bibimbap – keeps customers coming back!

The breakfast (served until 2pm!) and lunch menu features traditional dishes such as eggs and french toast, a seasonal roasted pumpkin salad, and some Korean specialties such as Bibimbap and Ramyeon.  Starting at 10am, burgers (made from Maui Cattle Company beef) and sandwiches are also available.

Dazoo’s dinner menu features a wide variety of tapas, ideal for sharing and sampling various dishes.

This ulu (breadfruit) luau was just featured in WestJet in-flight Magazine!
Big Island Sweet Potato Croquettes, Served with Sweet Chili Sauce
The puffed rice nori is a fun, crispy take on seaweed!
Maui Beef and Bacon Meatballs, with hoisin glaze and grilled pineapple

One of the most visible changes of the new Dazoo is the enhanced bar area, where hand-crafted cocktails take center stage.  Created by their in-house mixologist Jimmy Shoemaker, these fresh and inspired cocktails are served up by bartenders day and night.  Another unique offering at Dazoo are the Bald Sodas – non-alcoholic beverages featuring muddled fruit and sparkling water, a perfect refreshing beverage that’s not too sweet.

The Strawberry Bald Soda
Mixologist Jimmy Shoemaker mixes up some fancy concoctions nightly!
Jimmy lights the lemon peel for a Highlander
The new bar at Dazoo

 

Dazoo's new look

Dazoo’s new look

But what is ‘Dazoo’?  Owner Yulie explains the origin of the name: “while we were designing the new restaurant, we created these sculptural animals  to hang from the ceiling, and our architect kept referring to the project as ‘the zoo’.  We pidginized the phrase, and the more we said it, the more it stuck.  It has a bit of an Asian sound, so it ties in with our theme, and its 100% original, so it works for us.”

Another exciting development is the development of a stand-alone bakery, which will be in the old Vanity Salon location. The Moana Bakery will be serving fresh artisan breads and pastries, each created daily with organic, unbleached flour.  The Bald Sodas will also be available to-go in to go bottles at the bakery.

The tapas and imaginative cocktails create a fun and memorable dining experience.

The tapas and imaginative cocktails create a fun and memorable dining experience.

If you haven’t made any Thanksgiving Day plans yet, Dazoo will be offering a prix-fixe three-course dinner from 3-8pm. Each course of the meal will have 2-3 options, each  based on traditional Thanksgiving classics, served with locally-sourced ingredients and some Korean twists. $45 for adults, with optional wine pairings and Children’s Menus available. Seating with be limited and reservations are limited – Call (808) 579-9999 or reserve through OpenTable.com/Dazoo

dazoo.photo.contest copy

Disclaimer:  I am a paid consultant/publicist for Dazoo.  

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Food and Beverage

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