TGIFr!day

Week of Friday, August 11, 2017 | Vol. 5, No. 32

Check da Scene

Grinds & Da Kines For Your Weekend

‘FADEAWAY’ Kauai’s Thomas Iannucci a finalist in John Lennon Songwriting Contest

Photo by Alyssa Carvalho

Keep Growing & Farm On Kauai!

Four Days of Fun, Food, Farming & Great Entertainment for the Family

Come See the

2017 Fruit & Vegetable Show

See you at the Kauai County Farm Bureau Fair

August 24-27, 2017 • Vidinha Stadium For Full Schedule, Event, and Contest Details visit www.kauaifarmfair.org

2 | TGIFR!DAY | August 11, 2017

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TOP PICKS FOR THE WEEK

TONIGHT

“LUCKY STIFF” 7 p.m. Puhi Theatrical Warehouse This musical is about unassuming English shoe salesman Harry Witherspoon who leads an uneventful life until he learns his uncle, a casino manager in Atlantic City, has been killed by his blind lover. Directed by Chris Alderete. FINAL WEEKEND www.hawaiichildrenstheatre.org.

Shops, Restaurants & Services at Ching Young Village: Activity Shack

Hanalei River Healing

Lee Acupuncture

Aloha from Hanalei

Hanalei Surf Backdoor

Na Pali Catamaran

Aloha Juice Bar

Hanalei Strings

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Banandi Creperie

Honua Engineering

Ohana Shop

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On the Road to Hanalei

Billabong

Hula Moon Gifts of Hanalei

Pedal and Paddle

Bouchons

Jo-Jo Shave Ice

Reside Kauai LLC

Blue Tiki Tattoo

Kalypso

Spinning Dolphin

Chocolat Hanalei

Kauai Nut Roasters

Styles Studio Hanalei

DeCamp Construction

Kauai Vacation Rentals

Tresor Rare

Divine Planet

Kealia Poke

Timeshare Resales

Chicken in a Barrel BBQ

Kokonut Kids

Village Snack & Bakery

Hanalei Bay Pizzeria

L&L Hawaiian BBQ

Village Variety

SALVATION ARMY 120TH ANNIVERSARY 5 to 8:30 p.m. at the Kauai Marriott Resort.

Enjoy signature selections from top island chefs, live music by Brother Noland and Blayne Asing, Ben Vegas and Maila Gibson and a silent auction.

Register online at Hawaii.salvationarmy.org. Info: Sonia Topenio, 652-2499 MAHELONA HOSPITAL’S 18TH ANNUAL BON DANCE 6 to 8:30 p.m., hospital courtyard.

WALK TO END ALZHEIMER’S 8 a.m. Kapaa Beach Park Marissa Westlake, 591-2771 “LUCKY STIFF” 7 p.m. at the Puhi Theatrical Warehouse GARDEN ISLE ARTISAN FAIR 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Poipu Beach Park.

Products from some of Kauai’s finest artisans WHALE MOVIE 1 to 2:30 p.m. Princeville Public Library Created by IMAX filmmakers MacGillivray Freeman Films and filmed in Hawaii, Tonga and Alaska.

This free event is in celebration of “Get Into Your Sanctuary Day” sponsored by the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary.

SUNDAY

“LUCKY STIFF” 7 p.m. Puhi Theatrical Warehouse.

MOVIE FUNDRAISER 6:30 p.m., Breath of Life Calvary Chapel, Rice Shopping Center, Lihue.

Operation Christmas Child hosts a fundraising Friday night at the movies, showing “Facing the Darkness.”

SATURDAY SAND CASTLE CONTEST 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Hanalei Bay. Open to all. Build a sand sculpture. Prizes.

PILGRIMAGE OF COMPASSION 1 to 4:30 p.m. Lawai International Center Ancient shakuhachi flute melodies performed by Grandmaster Riley Lee. Members of Taiko Kauai open this 17th annual event. Exhibits, taro-pounding, coconut-weaving, program and pilgrimage.

Donations appreciated.

MAHAULEPU AND MAKAUWAHI CAVE EXPLORATION SOUTH SHORE. Moderate, three-mile hike Allan Rachap, 212-3108

Italian Pasta Night at Courtyard Kaua‘i Enjoy a taste of Italy in a tropical setting Served every Saturday from 5:30 to 9pm Pollo al Diablo

Marinated chicken breast, garlic, onions, and chili flakes with our house Pomodoro sauce and a touch of cream

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Cappellini Fritto di Mare

Prawns, scallops, and fresh catch, sauteed with onions, garlic and lemon basil cream sauce over angel hair pasta

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Life in song W

hen Dondi BILL BULEY Iannucci TGIFR!DAY suggested to her brother Thomas he should enter the 2016 John Lennon Songwriting Contest, he asked one question.

“How much does it cost?” “$35,” his sister answered.

The Kauai man shook his head.

He said the chances of a rapper from Hawaii that no one has heard of winning anything in a national competition were slim. With hundreds of songs coming in from rising musicians across the country, he didn’t like his chances.

“Nothing against my talent, I just don’t feel like throwing my money away,” Thomas said, adding he could use the cash to fill his car with gas, a much more sensible thing to do.

Dondi, however, wasn’t taking no for an answer.

“I really think you should do this,” she insisted, then she offered her brother a deal he couldn’t refuse.

“I will pay your entry fee as your birthday present,” she said.

Done.

Thomas entered the song “Fadeaway,” which he co-wrote with Cameron Williamson, with John Obiano singing some of the lyrics alongside Thomas. He then promptly forgot about it and didn’t hear anything for months.

He figured, well, at least it wasn’t his $35.

Then, earlier this year, as he was waking up from a night’s sleep, still rubbing his eyes, and he checked his emails on his phone.

No, he didn’t win. But he was a finalist in the Hip-Hop category. That, itself, is cool and prestigious. There are only three finalists from many submissions.

“You gotta be kidding me,” he thought.

Dondi happened to be the only other one awake in the family’s Eleele home.

“You’re not going to believe this, but I made it to the finals in the hip hop category of the John Lennon thing,” he said.

Dondi was like, no way.

Yes way.

Photo by Jerek Barcelona

“I guess you were right and I was wrong,” he told his sister. “Thank you.”

For being a finalist, he will receive some studio equipment, which he plans to give to Dondi, herself a talented musician. His picture is on the John Lennon Songwriting Contest website, and the song Fadeaway can be found there, too.

You can hear Thomas rapping away, with the opening lines: “I wake up in the morning, I can see my hand shaking. I can’t find the aspirin, now my head’s aching. I feel nervous, and I don’t know why. I just woke up, I want to cry, to scream, to run, to leave this place, to do anything else but face the day. It’s an anxiety attack, I know it well, I’ve had enough that I can tell.”

T

hey’re more than words.

For Thomas, they’re life.

“Fadeway,” 3 minutes and 30 seconds long, is about his bouts with anxiety, which he has battled over the years. He has struggled to meet, connect and talk with people.

TGIFR!DAY | August 11, 2017 | 3

Thomas Iannucci shares his struggles with anxiety in ‘Fadeaway,’ a finalist in the hip hop category of John Lennon Songwriting Contest

On stage, he’s fine, a performer at his best. Off stage, it’s different. Fear creeps in.

Worry. Tension.

Anxiety is something few will talk about, but Thomas does and will.

“I want to talk about real things,” he said.

Not that it doesn’t hurt to do so. But it also helps him overcome those feelings of insecurity.

“It’s not very cool to admit it,” he said. “Hip hop is very masculine.”

“Fadeway” has found connections.

“I’ve had a lot of people come up to me, ‘Dude I know that feeling so well,’” he said.

“It’s crazy that song is so personal, it actually applies to so many people at the same time,” he said.

Being a finalist in the John Lennon contest is great exposure, he said, and gives him a career boost as he was considering giving up music and focusing on writing, which he loves.

“Music is an expensive hobby if you want to do it well,” he said. “It’s way cheaper to write prose than pay money to go record in a studio.”

can’t sing, either.

“I’m under no illusions of that,” he said, laughing.

“I am realistically nobody at this point in my career. I’m just some guy.”

While others urged him not to be discouraged and praised his songwriting gifts and flair as a rapper, doubts remained.

“I don’t know if this is for me anymore,” he responded.

It was then he said a little prayer: “God, let me know.”

Soon, that email arrived with that notice of being a finalist.

A message from heaven?

For Thomas, absolutely.

“Am I abandoning music? That was like a resounding, no,” he said, smiling. “Stick with the music, man. That was like God himself.”

“F

adeway” ends on a positive note: The Christian rapper finds resolution through faith in Jesus Christ.

He’s already working on a second album that will be in memory of his friend, Lucas Makana Riley, who died in a car accident last year in San Diego.

Doing well in the contest looks good on is passion is telling stories. Hip hop his resume. It also gives Thomas standing lends itself to story telling. Thomas to music producer, something to point out refers to it as “modern day poetry.” if they haven’t heard.

“I’m able to express things,” the 2010 “Suddenly, it makes them take me a lot Waimea High graduate said. more seriously,” he said. “They’ll say, ‘He’s Thomas is the night manager at Pietro’s not just some clown. There’s a level of Pizza Kauai at Harbor Mall. His parents are Tom and D’Lissa Iannucci. excellence, there’s a level of commitment. It His father is the man who started Pietro’s opens up quite a few doors in that regard.” last year, is the pastor of Breath of Life It also just happens that Thomas Iannucchurch in Lihue and writes, too. ci, like his father, is a Beatles fan.

His mom is a gifted musician, songwriter When he was in elementary school, he and a church music leader. was part of a Beatles parody group that “I was learning at her feet constantly,” he wrote Christian lyrics to Beatles songs. He said. later was in a Christian rock band in high The 25-year-old has an album to his cred- school. it — “Notti Insonn,” (Sleepless Night) — and His father told him most of the great has been involved in music 15 years. songs tell great stories.

Despite his passion, he found himself “There’s very much proof of that in the questioning whether music was worth it, Beatles stuff,” Thomas said. whether it was the right thing for him. He Songs don’t have to be crazy, over the believed he wasn’t gaining traction toward top, he said. They just have to be catchy a breakthrough. and tell a story — a story about life.

He said he’s not a musician, and insists he “I think ‘Fadeway’ does that,” he said.

H

4 | TGIFR!DAY | August 11, 2017

‘SAVOR’ THE DAY North Shore Community Foundation plans wine, chocolate event to raise funds for youth

C

hefs, wine connoisseurs and chocolate aficionados are gathering to raise money for education programs.

On Aug. 19, the Kauai North Shore Community Foundation will be hosting “Savor: A Wine and Chocolate Fundraising Event” to benefit North Shore youth education.

The second fundraiser is being held in Po’oku Meadow at Princeville Ranch from

JOHN STEINHORST TGIFR!DAY 6 to 10 p.m. to create an epicurean experience. Wine and chocolate tastings will be accompanied by pupus, a silent auction, and live music from Treysara.

Net proceeds will go to scholarships for Kauai North Shore youth. The inaugural fundraiser generated $21,000 for the University of Hawaii Foundation, Pu’uku-

mu School, and Aloha Angels.

The University of Hawaii Foundation awarded $7,000 in scholarships to four North Shore students attending Kauai Community College: Kazimir Tasic, Ginger Keller, Darlene Jarquio, and Tanya Gomez.

“We need fundraisers to benefit education. The youth are what matter most,” said Barb Cameron, coordinator.

Photo courtesy of Bob Wright Photography

The 2016 inaugural Savor Wine and Chocolate event drew 168 attendees for an epicurean experience.

two locations!

Enjoy a complimentary basket of fresh hot chips and a cup of salsa per table.

Happy Hour Daily 2 - 5 p.m.

In addition to Authentic Mexican Cuisine our menu also features Omelettes, Pancakes, and French Toasts as well as Club and Santa Fe Sandwiches, Vegetarian Burger and Mahi Mahi Sandwich.

Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner

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Open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Daily (Friday and Saturday til 10 p.m. at Harbor Mall location)

BAMBOO GRILL & SUSHI “Local Food at Its Best”

Breakfast is served from 7 a.m.-2 p.m., Lunch is from 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m., and Dinner is from 5:30-9:30 p.m.

Wi-Fi available, and they can also cater any occasion.

11-10pm • Sun-Wed and 11-1am thurs-Sat

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Bamboo Grill & Sushi, formerly Richie’s Restaurant 2978, is located in the Anchor Cove Shopping Center next to ABC Store.

Dining can be done inside, or on one of the patio dining tables which has a view of the Kalapaki Bay.

10% Kama‘aina Discount

HAPPY HOUR SPECIAL

1/2 off Sushi Rolls, Pupus, Drinks TUES & WED 5:30 - 6:30 P.M.

For more information, call 245-6886.

TGIFR!DAY | August 11, 2017 | 5

Last year saw 168 people in attendance.

“Nobody has done a chocolate festival, so we thought we’d better do it first,” Cameron said. “We’re expecting over 200 people this year.”

Specialty chocolate will be donated by Wild Kauai Chocolate and Blunc Chocolate with wine selection provided by Young’s Market, Southern Wine & Spirits, and Paradise Beverages.

Local Kauai chefs are serving up delicacies with cacao including pupus, main dishes and desserts with recommended wine pairings.

Tastings will be presented by St. Regis Princeville Resort chefs Frederic Hoffmann and Heather Campbell, chef Ron Varr of Destination Events, chef Judy Capertina of Haole Girl Island Sweets, chef Erin Keller of The Local Kauai, chef Janice McKeachern of Farmcook Kauai, and chef Ron Miller of Hukilau Lanai.

Tickets are available online or at Princeville Community Center for $90 in advance with limited space.

Info: savorwineandchocolate.org or 240-2670

Third annual Kauai’s Best Bartender Competition begins tonight POIPU — RumFire Poipu Beach at Sheraton Kauai Resort and Koloa Rum Company are once again on the hunt for Kauai’s Best Bartender.

In the contest’s third year, the island’s food and beverage industry professionals have been challenged to showcase original Koloa Rum-based cocktails for the chance to earn the title and the $4,000 grand prize.

The runner-up will receive a $1,000 prize; both cash prizes are courtesy of Koloa Rum. Over the 15 weeks of the single-elimination tournament, contestants will go headto-head by creating an original cocktail featuring a mystery ingredient or theme chosen the prior week. A winner will be named Kauai’s Best Bartender in the final round on Nov. 17.

Every Friday evening beginning tonight, patrons of RumFire Poipu Beach will have the opportunity to cast their votes between 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. to determine the winner of each round, along with a judges’ panel with a weighted vote.

Monday to Friday - 8:30am to 2:30pm Saturday & Sunday - 9:00am to 3:00pm

Where The Locals Eat

Hyatt® and Grand Hyatt® names, designs and related marks are trademarks of Hyatt Corporation. ©2017 Hyatt Corporation. All rights reserved.

Sueoka’s Snack Shop Now Open

Participants can enjoy an eight-ounce portion of each contestant’s Koloa Rum-based cocktail for $16. The RumFire culinary team will create a weekly appetizer special featuring the mystery ingredient or theme as an optional pairing for patrons.

In the 2016 Kauai’s Best Bartender competition, more than 6,000 Koloa-Rum-based cocktails were served over the course of the competition.

Jennifer Bryant of The Club at Kukui‘ula was named the 2016 winner with her original “Malie” cocktail, featuring Koloa Coconut Rum, kaffir lime leaves, fresh Hawaiian guava juice and essence of lemon.

Nilo Badua was the inaugural champion in 2015 with his Plantation Mai Tai, a twist on the classic mai tai enhanced with fresh lime juice, homemade lavender falernum, sugarcane juice, lemongrass simple syrup and seasonal ingredients.

Versions of the past winning cocktails are currently featured on RumFire’s menu.

STEVENSON’S SUSHI & SPIRITS Poipu’s luxury nightspot offers sweeping views, scrumptious sushi, inventive cocktails, tropical drinks, aged whiskies.

Live contemporary Island music nightly.

Free valet parking for diners. Kamaaina discount on sushi.

Open 5:30pm-12am. Sushi rolled 5:30-9:30pm. Music 8:30-11pm.

Old Koloa Town

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6 | TGIFR!DAY | August 11, 2017

NO SOUR GRAPES HERE CYNTHIA & ED JUSTUS SPECIAL TO TGIFR!DAY

M

ath. Most of us think we either love it or hate it and yet we all use, and interact with, math everyday without even thinking about it!

We do business with math.

We use math when we cook and sew. We use math when we fix and build things. We use math when we buy things and pay bills. Surfers and hunters depend on angles and speed. Weather uses math. Photography, art and design use math. Video gaming uses math. Yes, even

gambling uses math!

“The Grapes of Math: How Life Reflects Numbers and Numbers Reflect Life”, by Alex Bellos, is a fascinating introduction into how math and numbers are a part of every single thing we see and do.

In his engaging writing style, Bellos explores our conscious and unconscious relationship to numbers, and then guides us through easyto-follow explanations of a variety of numbers, groupings, and formulas.

Don’t like math? Even the author states that if your eyes start fuzzing out from the detailed breakdowns, you are allowed to skip past that to get to the fun stuff which is even more interesting!

For instance, did you know that the upside-down loops on roller-coasters were conceived by a mathematician?

Or how about the person who just by using math has

Fall Frenzy!

ay, Wednesday & F d n o M Every Ask about our riday Fall Frenzy Special!

Aug. 2-14, Aug. 25-Oct.30 Fall Frenzy rates are exclusive of tax.

Rates subject to change. Valid August 2–14, August 25 through October 30, 2017.

Cannot be combined with other specials, discounts or group/club play.

Photo courtesy Rick Bundschuh

Brenton Brown

‘Night of Worship’ at Kauai Christian Fellowship been at home discovering other universes that could exist?

Did you know people got into violent scuffles over proposed math equations and solutions? One even lost their nose!

“The Grapes of Math” in its easy-to-read way shows us how the effect of numbers and math on our world and our history is truly amazing.

Perusing this book is a fun and easy way to learn about math and shows us that math is truly part of our every day life and what makes our world fun and interesting!

••• Ed and Cynthia Justus are owners of The Bookstore in Hanapepe.

Musicians, singers and composers from Kauai’s first “Worship Songwriting Summit” will join with noted worship leader Brenton Brown on Sunday at Kauai Christian Fellowship’s Poipu Campus for a “Night of Worship.”

Brown, whose compositions such as “Everlasting God,” “Lord Reign in Me” and this year’s Grammy nominated “Heart on Fire,” along with numerous other worship leaders from Kauai, Oahu and the mainland, will have just spent several days

together at the summit in Kokee creating new songs of praise as well as sharpen their musical and composing skills.

Sunday evening will be the culmination of those efforts with over an hour of worshipping through music as their only agenda. All those who enjoy lifting their voice are invited with celebration beginning at 6 p.m. This Night of Worship is free but a love offering will be taken to benefit the good work of the Bandwagon Music Centers in Lihue and Kilauea.

Kauai Photowalk on Oct. 7 will be a first Kauai will be joining the Scott Kelby Worldwide Photowalk during the event’s 10th anniversary on Oct. 7.

Jack Hodges, a Kauai photo enthusiast, will be leading the event at the Kilohana Plantation from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.

“This free event, also the

Carrying Rain Cha Now Creating that ins

“place of peace and balance” in your garden

For Tee Times: 808-245-8756 www.puakeagolf.com 828-6400

www.gardenpondskauai.com In Kilauea, next to Mini Golf Open Wed-Sun • 12 to 5 pm

largest of its type in the world, will feature an opportunity for island photographers to come together for a morning photo session on the grounds of the historic Kilohana Plantation,” Hodges said. “Photography has been my avocation for a half century. Currently, I am a Nikon user, but also specialize in iPhone photography.”

During the photowalk, ideas and photos will be discussed, and Kelby Photo will be awarding prizes for the best photos.

Lunch, or pupu at Gaylord’s to discuss the photo shoot will follow.

Hodges said each walk is limited to the first 50 registrants. The event is free, but pre-registration is required.

“Because each walk is limited, I am sending out information early in order to give people an early start,” Hodges said. “Anyone is welcome as long as you have a camera.”

The Scott Kelby Worldwide Photowalk has grown immensely in size and popularity since the inaugural walk in 2007.

Photo walkers will be able to upload their favorite picture to the popular Photowalk contest for an opportunity to win prizes.

CHECK DA SCENE

TGIFR!DAY | JANUARY XX, 2014 | TGIFR!DAY TGIFR!DAY | August | Sept. 30, 11, 2016 2017 | 7 7

DENNIS FUJIMOTO TGIFR!DAY

Ocean Iona, Teata Kinimaka, La‘amea Kinimaka, Lohiau Kinimaka Kanani Beniamina-Shintani, Debbie Kanahele, Kanani Beniamina Bon Moore, Stuart Lloyd - Australia

HEIVA I KAUAI S

Lauren Taylor, Kalehua Packard, Kamaile Packard, Wailana Makepa

Hannah Collins-Doijode, Kiara Wetherington, Leila Nelson

Momi Tolentino, Sofia Brewster, Kyla Paglinawan - Kona

Ricky Kimi, Kawai Pascua, Pono Nero

Kawailehua Hepa, Mikiala Luis-Rapozo, Zaiah Michael, Kaimaila Michael-Reyen

Steve Claybourne

tuart Lloyd of Australia was grateful for the gesture by Onio Punzal to share his coconut frond booth at the Heiva I Kauai event at the Kapaa Beach Park.

Lloyd shared his knowledge of weaving coconut frond baskets with Bon Moore, an artist who works with coconut fiber to create fine twine which is used in jewelry and other artistic pieces.

Hundreds of people took advantage of the clear weather to view the Tahitian dance competition which is the highlight of the two-day celebration and showcase of Tahitian culture, including crafts.

The Michael Drake ohana offered fire-knife exhibitions and instruction as well as demonstrations and presentations on coconut, Emmsley-Michael Drake going on to win one of the tane solo divisions.

A silent auction featuring contributions from local communities and a food booth rounded out the two-day festival.

Philip Velles Jr., Thomas Edejer, Dre Edejer, Josh Pupualii California

8 | TGIFR!DAY | August 11, 2017

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