Past Events
Mahalo to All who Made the 2011 Party at the Plaza a SUCCESS!!
Oakley
Aiea Bowl
LD & ADHD Center
Loveland Academy
Central Pacific Bank
Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort and SPA
First Massage Service for Children
Speech Solutions
ABC Group
Clear Hearing Center
Kathryn Taketa, ND, Autism Research
Glenn Kaya and Alex Bueno of Waimalu Plaza
Rotary Club of Pearlridge
Charis Peich
Roy Sakuma, Sakuma Ukulele Studio
Hawaiian Contemporary Music by Kakio
Office Depot, Waimalu Plaza
Starbucks Coffee, Waimalu Plaza
Jamba Juice, Waimalu Plaza
Safeway, Waimalu Plaza
Paesano Restaurant, Waimalu Plaza
State Farm Insurance, Waimalu Plaza
Golden Lion Chinese Restaurant, Waimalu Plaza
Honolulu Police Dept., Pearl City
Carolyn Tokunaga/ Safilo USA
Michael Horton Photography
Roxy & QuikSilver / A&A Optical
Dena Ann Robles /Tura Optical
Vera Bradley & XOXO/ McGee Optical Grp
Kettle Corn Hawaii
Eric Fujimoto, Ameriprise Financial
Waimalu Elementary School
Johnson Bros
Budweiser
Coastal Wine and Spirits
MotoMedia
Ryan Kuroiwa, Kuro Builders
Hinode Rice
Y Hata
LP Neenz Faleafine, Oceanit
Ed Morita, Nonstop Honolulu
Mahealani Richardson, KITV News
Jocelyn Passanisi, EAT Café
Jaime Young, 2010 Winner of the Country Stew Cook-Off
Lisa Shishido
Nicole and David Higa
Denise Blas-Phillips
Teresa Fujimoto
Edmund Kellet
Lyn Salamanca
Gene Neal
Kaliko Martinez
Chris Clark
Dr. Claude Tamura
Jayson Tsukayama
Susan Sorensen
Sharon Wong
Fay Utsugi
Darrell Young Mick and Karleen Keaney
Doug Phillips Jim and Susan Utsugi
Carson Young
Dillon Keaney
Richard Shiroma
Troy Takano
Manu Nugent
Matthew Choy
Sheena Choy
Greg Hayashi
Glenn and Fay Yamamoto
Tony Valdez
Melissa Henyan
Steve Peich
Lori Sugimoto
Tyson Sugimoto
Madi Sugimoto
Chelsea Shodai
Shannan Yamamoto
Steve and Eva Kishimoto
Sarah Mann
Dee Asuncion
Tina Chorman
Joyce Canute
Julie Katayama
Steve Cummings
Kiele Pennington
Sarah O’Donnell
Caitlyn Lee
Jolene Kiyono
Dan Miyahira
Aaron Miyahira
Todd Toyama
Sean Kim
Jon Fia
Delbert Kamikawa
Sophie Saito
Roni Cayetano
Dean Shishido
Pamela Fonoti
Alysia Marlow
Hinano Atkins
Makalapua Atkins
Shiloh Swanson
Category : Past Events
It’s our 2nd Annual Party at the Plaza, a benefit for TACA: Talk About Curing Autism! Paradise Optical, SWAM, and TACA are teaming up once again with great sponsors: Oakley, Aiea Bowl, Office Depot, Central Pacific Bank, Roy Sakuma Ukelele Studio, Hinode, Loveland Academy, Rotary Club of Pearlridge, and Waimalu Plaza. Last year’s guest judge, Glenn Uyeda from Aiea Bowl, a chili cook-off contest winner as well, is donating stew bowls!! The Alley’s Country Stew Bowl Tickets are pre-sale and will sell out! $5 a ticket all proceeds go to TACA! Tickets are available at SWAM, Paradise Optical, and Aiea Bowl. Stew pick up is on the day of the Party at the Plaza! See you there!!!
Date: Sunday, October 23
Time: 11am – 3pm
Place: Diamond Head side of the Waimalu Plaza Parking Lot
Cost: FREE!!
The Alley’s Country Stew Bowl Tickets: $5
Available: at SWAM, Paradise Optical, Aiea Bowl
Category : Past Events
Smokin’ Swings is back this year with a co-sponsor, Prudential Life Insurance. Did you know that there is a special rate for life insurance especially for cigar smokers? Daniel Bonilla from Prudential will be here to answer your questions. If you love to golf, check out Neal Takara from Titleist. He will be here with Titleist products to demo.
The cigars featured will be Pedro Martin, Gran Habano, and Pinar del Rio. Gran Habano and Pinar del Rio are one of Mark’s favorites from the IPCPR Trade Show. Pedro Martin, founded by Maria Martin who was once the regional sales rep for Camacho, is the up and coming cigar winning accolades from Cigar Aficianado.
This is also a non-alcoholic event. We are proud that we can have events without serving alcohol. We hope you appreciate them as well.
Date: Wednesday, September 21
Time: 5pm onward
Place: Pearl Country Club Driving Range
Cost: $20 presale
Tickets available at SWAM
Category : Past Events
It’s our Second Annual Country Stew Cook-Off ! From a grass roots idea, SWAM wanted to find the best home made stew on the island. We all have a family secret recipe that will revival any professional chef. There are many food challenges like chili and barbecue cook-offs but stew is Hawaii’s regional cuisine.
Last year, the timing to have a cook-off could not be better. My neighbor Paradise Optical wanted to throw a party to help drive business to our stores. The idea snowballed from just a party to helping out another friend who is involved in an organization called TACA, Talk About Curing Autism. Lee Choy from Paradise Optical, Debbie Zimmerman from TACA, and I got together and brainstormed. In three months, we were able to organize ‘The Party at the Plaza‘ highlighting the ‘Country Stew Cook-Off’ with all proceeds benefiting TACA.
Once again, we are calling for entries, amateurs only, to bring your stew to challenge. Keep in mind, stew can be anything that is cooked in liquid. Curry and chili are considered stews. Creativity is key! Last year, Jaime Young, won the title ‘Best Country Stew’ with her Hawaiian Style Stew.
Category : Past Events
Working with the Ha Wine & Music Experience, September 1 at The Venue taste the Hello Kitty Sweet Pink sparkling wine and listen to the sound of Dragon Chase, a jazz/hiphop fusion band. Save your ticket and get 10% off your next visit to SWAM.
Date: Thursday, September 1
Time: 5pm – 10pm
Place: The Venue
Cost: $20 Advance/$25 at the Door
Get your tickets at SWAM in the Waimalu Plaza
Category : Past Events
Once again SWAM teams up our favorite wine venue, EAT Cafe, in the Gentry Pacific Design Center. Sky Cameron from Chambers and Chambers selected wines from Pacific Northwest favorites, Bergstrom Winery, Long Shadows Wineries, and Charles Smith Winery. All producers are different in style, history, and direction. We are excited to pair courses and dishes with the wineries personality. Please inquiry about reserving your seats at SWAM by email, phone, or drop by the store. Seating is limited. It’s always a good time!
Date: Friday, August 19
Time: 6pm onward
Place: EAT at Gentry Pacific Design Center
Cost: $55 inclusive, please prepay at SWAM
RSVP by August 15
Info@swamwine.com
SWAM store: 487-7926
Highlights from the Dinner:
We never sold so much chardonnay from a wine dinner ever. The pairing with the Island Fish Escabeche with Bergstrom Old Stones Chardonnay ’09 was the crowd favorite. The chardonnay also paired well with vegetarian alternative, Avocado Escabeche. The crowd was extremely pleased with the Long Shadows Pedestal ’07 which showed well with the Island Pork Ragout. For the finale, Chef David’s version of an open faced bacon burger was a great match for Charles Smith’s K Vintners Roma ’08, which is completely sold out at the winery and our distributor, Chambers and Chambers.
Category : Past Events
Nickel & Nickel Wine Dinner
ONLY 7 seats left!! RSVP now at SWAM for another great wine dinner at EAT cafe. We are featuring…
-Nickel & Nickel Truchard Chardonnay ’09
-Far Niente Chardonnay ’09
-Nickel En Route Pinot Noir ’09
-Nickel & Nickel John C. Sullenger Vnyd Cabernet ’07
-Nickel & Nickel Branding Iron Vnyd Cabernet ’07
-Nickel & Nickel State Ranch Vnyd Cabernet ’07
-Dolce Late Harvest ’05
WOW!!
Date: Saturday, June 25
Time: 6pm onward
Place: EAT Cafe in the Gentry Pacific Design Center
Cost: $65 plus tax and tip (payable at EAT)
RSVP is required: please contact Jill at 487-7926 or info@swamwine.com
Category : Past Events
April 25, 2011 will go down as one the most memorable evenings since SWAM started hosting wine tasting events. With the help of Kobrand, a distinguished corporate brand manager, the wines featured were Sassicaia, Oreno, Silvio Nardi Manachiara, Nozzle Il Pareto, and Michele Chiarlo Cerequio Barolo. But wait! Did I mention VERTICAL? Yes, on all five producers!! Insane. The average retail cost on a current vintage bottle was $105 but that’s not including the older bottles featured which some have increased in their value. How much did we charge for this tasting? $200, $100? How’s about $65 not including tax and tip. 19 guests had the opportunity to taste one of the most respected Italian Portfolios in the world. Get yourself on the SWAM VIP email list! Here’s the recap..
Out of the 20 wines only 1 bottle was corked, the Nozzle Il Pareto 1998. I think we all breathed a sigh of relief to have only one out of all the gems. Advance Sommelier and Kobrand Italy Representative, Silvio di Silvio conducted the tasting with a lot of insight on sampling high-end wines. First, he discussed the history on the winery, vineyard, and vintage year. Then we simply focused on the wine and tasted from current vintage to older. He pointed out that we can taste how the wine will evolve over the years. This was the tasting order and just a few notes..
- Silvio Nardi Brunello Manachiara di Montalcino 2005, 2004, 2003, 1998
- Nozzle Il Pareto 2007, 2006, 1999
- Sette Ponti Oreno 2008, 2007, 2004, 2003
- Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia 2007, 2006, 2005, 2003
- Michele Chiarlo Barolo Cerequio 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003
The vintage that stood out for me was the 2007. Il Pareto ’07 (100% cabernet sauvignon) think steak wine, Oreno ’07 (Sangiovese, cabernet sauvignon, and merlot) more approachable to a ‘new world’ or California style wine drinker, Sassicaia ’07 (85% cabernet, 15% cab franc) just plain, WOW!! No need to go through lengthy descriptors. All the wines possessed their own story, character of vintage, and why they command such demand.
Of course these wines are food pairing wines and EAT Cafe owned by David and Jocelyn Passanisi prepared the appropriate menu for such a tasting. Their Italian Sausage Cacciatore paired so well with Il Pareto and Sassicaia, Braised Beef Short Ribs with the Manachiara, House made Gnocchi with Chef Passanisi’s heirloom sicilian sauce with Oreno, and the Formaggio selection with Cerequio Barolo. If you ever need a private function catered, contact Jocelyn at EAT, she is amazing with wine and David with the food. Great couple and a great place to hold a gathering.
The wine and conversation flowed throughout the evening, nonetheless we all had to go home, at sometime. Viva Italia!
If you want more information on Kobrand’s wines and spirits: http://www.kobrandwineandspirits.com/index.php
If you want more information on EAT Cafe and Catering: http://www.eathonolulu.com/EAT/Welcome.html
If you want to be on SWAM’s VIP email list, Contact Jill and mention SWAM VIP WINE sign me up! info@swamwine.com
Category : Past Events
