Up on the roof at Parc Hotel
By Nadine Kam
Nadine Kam photos
Iona Dance Theatre’s Lotus floated at the surface of Parc Blue, which led to curiosity about “Atlantika” for those who missed its debut. If you missed the “Atlantika” debut, check out my video from October.
It snowed in Vegas, and it snowed in Waikiki last Friday — specifically on the rooftop at the Parc Hotel — where guests were invited to enjoy “A Waikiki Winter at the Parc,” a celebration marking the unveiling of unveil the hotel’s new roof-top pool, Parc Blue.
A snow machine sent soft snowflakes into the air at the deck’s entrance, such that I caught one right in the eye upon entering. This being a winter sunshine state, others dressed in black didn’t know what that “that white stuff” was and tried to steer clear of getting any on their fine threads and hair. It was a little annoying at first, but the combination of clear skies and cool snow wafting about proved magical by evening’s end, as close to a white Christmas as we’d get short of heading to Mauna Kea when conditions are right.
Peter Shaindlin, Chief Operating Officer of Halekulani Corp., center, welcomed guests, from left, Eric Kaneda, actor Daniel Dae Kim, Juli Henning, Sean Nakama and Wendy Kaneda.
The Lotus from Iona Dance Theatre’s “Atlantika” floated on the pool’s surface, while the Sea Anemone and Octopussy worked their way through the crowd, posing for photos, while guests nibbled on pupu served up by Roy’s, Nobu and Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse.
groundUP Pirates, from left, are Ckaweeks, Dodge Distad, ringleader Noa Laporga and Kristof Menor.
At the far end of the pool, the groundUP Pirates — a collective of independent artists numbering about 100, who bring their collaborative expression to events around the world — were busily creating a painting for the water-themed occasion. There’s been a lot of interest in their finished work since the party, but no word yet as to whether it will be made available for sale. Find out more about the artists at groundupmovement.com when the site is out of maintenance mode.
Condos have rules against hanging laundry from lanais, but what’s to stop hotel guests from putting their laundry out there?
Guests had a 360-degree view from the rooftop, and the hotel projected holiday greetings onto some of the blank walls surrounding the property. But, they couldn’t do anything about the sight of pants hanging from another building’s balcony. The juxtaposition was amusing. Maybe I was the only person who thought so. Another juxtiposition, the Lotus in the pool, and the Lotus downstairs at the valet’s. Book the hotel’s Room and Vroom package and you get to zoom about town in a Lotus Elise or Exige. Check out the details here.
Hotel guests who can’t drive away with the Lotus do the next best thing.
An enchanted evening on the rooftop.
Also enjoying the groundUP Pirates work were, from left, Roycen Dehmer, Malika Dudley, Alvin Chung, with one of the artists, Dodge Distad.
Philana Bouvier’s, left, back in town for the holidays, with Hotel Renew’s Sheila-Anne Hodges and San Francisco-based photographer Robert Bengtson, who’s working on a project for Halekulani.
From left, Marisa and Patrick Gey, with Leatrice Grantham and The Pacific Club executive chef Eric Leterc.
Party guests, from left, Jennifer Macaraeg, Cathy achtel, Penny Bantanidis and Mari Agapay.
