Honolulu's Nightlife Diaries

let it load: the first/longest running independent nightlife blog in honolulu city. its worth it.

honolulu's nightlife diaries header image 1

kickstarter project? funded! here’s a teaser:

July 24th, 2017 · No Comments

WOW that was a serious hurdle you all helped me jump. Now I have some actual money to pay these people who have already been donating their time and equipment for my project. While they were happy to do it there’s nothing like cold hard cash to keep them motivated as we enter the critical time crunch that is the SXSW film entry deadline (October 20th).
My heart goes out to Gerard and Nick. Kyle too! They have been working tirelessly to organize and tag two years worth of footage. Every day I am praying for their strength. They have told me the story inspires them which is so important. Please say a prayer for them that we can hit this deadline.

Hugh mahalo Gerard for taking time to cut this teaser. Kyle helped a lot with organizing. It’s simply incredible.

Christa Teaser from Gerard Elmore on Vimeo.

→ No CommentsTags: activities · film · my documentary · World Premiere

health update v.3

May 12th, 2017 · 2 Comments

Hello, friends. It’s been awhile since my last post and some of you might not know how I’m doing today.

There’s a lot to tell and it’s all good things.

Whatever I’m doing – and however you are helping – it’s working. IT’S WORKING!

Those of you who have bumped into me out and about or at a gig already see the drastic physical improvements from December’s birthday event. My hair is finally growing back. My skin is pretty healthy from all the vitamins and vegetables. I’ve got some (SOME) energy. It’s truly inspiring, even to me.

As far as my health I’ve had two brain scans already in 2017. One showed three spots which we couldn’t tell if they were new or from the old batch of 40. The next scan showed those three spots shrinking, so doc thinks they are just stubborn ones from the first batch. So basically I responded very well to the whole brain radiation. Liver, lungs, breast- all gone. They have now marked me as “stable, no signs of disease.”

!!!!!!!!!!!

Don’t think the magnitude of this feat isn’t lost on me. I wake up every day almost in tears with gratitude for a chance to keep living. I’m not sure what it is about this time of year (May) but the past two years it’s been very bad for me. I am more edgy and down in the dumps, which could very clearly be why I had the initial diagnosis and recurrence.

With the Erickson family in October. They have been so supportive the whole time. I was in the hospital with neutropenia which is a common side effect of my current meds.

This year I really made a point to stay as positive as possible. There were definitely some bumps in the road but I’ve learned to roll with those punches and thankfully I’ve reached the other end. I have more scans in June to make sure I’m still showing no signs of disease and will have to repeat this process until the fall. Two years from now I will be able to say I am “in remission” even though my cancer is “chronic” and “incurable” but who cares about labels anymore. I have NO. SIGNS. OF. DISEASE.

I’ll take that.

What’s next for me? Well this is very very important, please keep reading. Most of you know I’ve been working on a film for the past two years. I’m happy to tell you that we have finished shooting and have begun the tedious efforts of post-production. By the grace of my own prayers producer Gerard Elmore has actively entered the project and has generously already donated tens of thousands of dollars worth of equipment and time to get me to this point.

After a MindLab retreat I’ve decided to take their advice and start a Kickstarter to not only raise the money we need to finish this film, but to raise awareness about the project. I need to be very clear that this money I’m about to raise is just for the film, not me or my own treatments. With my savings and disability checks (and whatever side gigs I can get) (hire me!) (buy my merch!) I am good for now, especially since my health is stable. This, I’m sure, is not a coincidence. Nothing happens by chance and the timing for everything since I was first diagnosed two years ago has been incredibly favorable.

That means this film was meant to happen. It’s happening. We are all going to make it happen.

So I am not good at asking for help (still) but getting better at it. I really need your help. A donation of any amount is huge but most importantly I need your help SHARING the project. We all need to get this in front of as many eyes as possible. My friends especially in the entertainment industry: have I ever asked you for anything? Please, today I am asking.

Please take a moment to share this project with your trusted colleagues. Same goes for the rest of you. You have to know that we are going to be able to help so so so many people with this film. I know this because I am still sending my Plan of Attack out at least 5-8 times a week. While I am sad to hear about so many people being diagnosed I am so so honored to be able to offer even a little bit of hope, and have already seen some follow the paper and find their cancer has also resolved.

Here is the video plea we will be using for the campaign to get your eyes nice and soggy. I’ve heard that if you get a lot of attention those first few days it can get the attention of people who decide what is featured. WE ALL HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN!!!

Thank you so much for everything you have done. Your messages, letters, organic produce, prayers, all of that. It’s definitely working. Now I’m going to pay it forward. Love you.

→ 2 CommentsTags: cwstrong · feeling better · film · for the greater good · health status · hellllpp

Art Car for Cancer

January 25th, 2017 · 1 Comment

Music: The World is Ours – Jai Wolf
Shoot/Edit: Josuha Bowlin

Mahalo to Aaron De La Cruz, one of my favorite artists period, for flying to Oahu courtesy of my POW! WOW! Hawaii family to resurrect the art car!!!! WOW! What an amazing birthday gift!! For the birthday the doctors didn’t think I would see!!!

Search the hashtag #CWBMW on Instagram to see what Aaron did four years ago to my car as a part of his Long Walk Home solo exhibition in Hawaii. And make sure to check out the crazy-epic murals and other works he has produced (prepare to be blown away).

The pink tells a different story – one that will hopefully inspire others when they see that yes, even with stage iv breast cancer that’s spread all over my brain and other organs… YES I am still here.

Now whenever you see this beauty on the road you know that

1. CW is alive!
2. You can CHOOSE HOPE!
3. Life is a gift! Use it wisely!

Mahalo to Joshua Bowlin at Creative Timing Images for this beautiful shooting and editing.

If you or anyone close to you has been diagnosed at late stage for breast cancer know it is NOT a death sentence! You can take control of your own health!

Please read more under “cancer resources” here:

#CWSTRONG

→ 1 CommentTags: art · art car · cwstrong

the Best of 2016, according to me

January 9th, 2017 · 3 Comments

i know what you’re thinking – why would we want to look back at such a terrible year. let that crap go already. i know i know.

2016? the worst.

i’m usually a pretty optimistic glass-is-half-full kind of person and have been my whole life but 2016 got to me too.

the most obvious is what happened in politics, but my cat sophia loren the love of my life since paul and the only one who was with me day in and day out during those very difficult treatments passed away. my cancer not only came back but EXPLODED (the doctors words) all over my lungs liver and brain, i lost a friend that was immortal to me, i had to take a huge step back from everything that made me feel alive – socializing, doing events and parties, being at work, DJing, just being out there. in the scene.

[Read more →]

→ 3 CommentsTags: Best

mahalo

December 23rd, 2016 · 2 Comments

woah. that was a really great birthday party.

if you were there you know. if you couldn’t make it, trust me your positive vibes were received loud and clear.

to be fair, that was not my party. i mean it was my party, but that was not executed by one person. it took the selfless participation of many others working for no other reason than to share the love. that? is what we call a community.

moana events was key and morgan and jennifer nailed it. there will never be a way to repay them so i accept their generous donation (and the It Girl All Black welcome registration) (!!!!).

you saw kamea hadar there yes that’s the pow wow kamea hadar. and that was lana lane gress and pow wow jasper wong. i am floored you guys it was wonderful to experience your artwork in action and share it with people. whoever took the white canvas jasper painted inside please message me so i can get it back.

gah, those records spinning outside by maria and nara with the food (town was grilling cheese sandwiches ahgfjkgjghajgh) and jenn brought her famous vegan mochi and poni’s food trucks and those pretty string lights but it doesn’t stop there.

i was defeated trying to figure out a way for mega-artist aaron de la cruz to come back to oahu and paint my car again. yep. art car ii. thank you kamea and pow wow for making that happen. what a special sidebar. thank you joshua for capturing that.

inside the venue was a dream. huge mahalo to tamara rigney and cristina luck for making that possible. all the greenery around the stage and the epic centerpiece with the bottles in the back. and to michael and alysia for setting up the celestial tours with their light alchemy and tarot and stones!

as for a venue i couldn’t have asked for a more effortless experience. jimbo and bubbs and their team over there are super on point. i have to say even the greatest yet. promoters, can you pls do more stuff there? i know parking is shitty but nobody drives at night really. you know what i would love to see there? weird dance music artists like ryan hemsworth or a chillwave show with petit biscuit. can someone make some calls and get that done?

hugest mahalo to my youngs family for showing up in full force (yes that was THE bonner paddock you saw by the bar) esp our president for taking care of my family’s bar tab and staying longer than he planned because i wouldn’t let him go without seeing at least ONE already sweaty song. to hugh duncan – the man who runs the craziest business and hundreds of millions of dollars worth of beverages and does it so well that he makes it look easy. i never finished college and i had a visible tattoo and was way too bubbly in my interview with him, and i know he wasn’t really interested in hiring me. becker made it happen. not only did hugh duncan come around and finally like me and believe in me, he got up on the stage and made the most heartfelt goodbye toast i’ve ever had. i hope you guys saw that. i am thankful diane caught a part of it (the best part!). to go from working systems and computers and the government service and all that to the liquor industry was a steep learning curve. these guys really taught me a lot. i am going to miss being around all that craziness.

thank you to all the bands that performed; Verses Undefined, Castle Park and Already Sweaty. MY #GirlGang that donated their musical curating talents for us to dance. Bozz for having such great chemistry when they perform together. Singer/songwriter Max Louie music. Most of all bird for managing the stage.

great seeing stylies Matt Bruening and Rance pull off yet another wonderful fashion display. his inspiration and work and THAT SHOW has always given me a lot of fire at my parties and as long as i’m doing them i’ll try to keep him involved.

MAHALO to Nella Media for the CDs (did you get one? let me know what you think), About the Goods, Roberta Oaks, Will Chen, Collete, Flash, and Roxy for the raffle prizes, Paiko for the greenery, Teresa Milton for the photo booth and airbrush tattoos, all of the Young’s suppliers for the delicious cocktails, twilight chris for donating the sound equipment and giving us a huge discount, tim lum, joshua bowlin, marie and noil for filming, and especially Moana Events for executing what is going down in my personal history as the greatest fcking night ever. love u all. video coming soon. i see some galleries going up though if you weren’t there and want to see.

REMEMBER GUYS YOU DON’T KNOW HOW MUCH TIME YOU GOT ON THIS EARTH HOW DO YOU WANT TO SPEND IT?


→ 2 CommentsTags: breh · nightlife

12/21 Event Tickets and Info

December 15th, 2016 · 1 Comment

hello! i’m pretty excited for my party. here’s the link for pre-sale tickets:

Eventbrite - SUPERCW's Official Liquor Industry Retirement and Birthday Party Fundraiser

guys, this is NOT the event to come fashionably late to! the food vendors might run out of food, you might miss the aerial burlesque, or matt’s epic fashion show, or MY SPEECH, or THE most killer live act. just come early. eat. drink. dance. smile. celebrate with me. ok? don’t worry there’s valet parking. i recommend a taxi or uber.

screen-shot-2016-12-15-at-8-57-36-am Thank you so much Tracy and Frolic Hawaii for this feature and such nice words. you too, honolulu magazine, wow you called me a “nightlife powerhouse” i am still so floored by that recognition!

Hey, tell your friends to come? This may or may not be a benefit to help me cover some of my never-ending cancer treatments. (hint: it is). Also, if you can’t afford the ticket message me and I’ll put you to work so you can still come. I would rather have you there! Trust me I know how the holidays are, or any month living in Honolulu city. I had to work three jobs to make ends meet and still lived paycheck to paycheck. It’s so worth it to be here though :)

and WOAH you guys check out the poster art. mahalo to my buddy jeffrey gress for taking the time to make a hand-lettered poster for the event. it’s way beyond anything he’s ever done for me and i’m just sitting here crying with gratitude.

15590441_10157947442260451_6904033498571495131_n

merry christa-ams. (epic video by UVAV)

→ 1 CommentTags: activities · art · art car · cool shit · fashion · get hyped · music · nightlife · nostalgia