News and Announcements
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OHANA: Taste the fresh in every bite
03/22/2014AloooooooooooooooooHA!!!!!
I was originally going to compose an email called “How I spent my Winter” with a list of awesome amazing things I achieved, and all the cool stuff we’ve been lining up for Ohana… but then I realized the personal side of my list would only be one entry: “Froze my butt off”, so I figured it’d be better to just focus on the spectacular offerings of Ohana. No one wants to hear about my butt again.
So, without further ado, let’s celebrate the return of spring (in name only it appears… Is it EVER going to stop snowing and warm up!?
) with a chat about one of my favorite parts of Ohana weekend…
THE ROOM CRAWL!!!!!!!!
Easily one of the highlights of Ohana, and more amazing every year, the room crawl is all about YOU. You folks just keep bringing it!! And of course we’re going to do it again.
For the uninitiated, the room crawl is a round robin, hosted by our guests, on Friday night. They open the doors to their hotel room (often decorated with a theme) and serve a cocktail and/or snacks to all the attendees. Their creativity, generosity, and Aloha know no bounds. Keep in mind that they do this out of the spirit of Aloha (and out of their own pockets!), and they make Friday night the over the top spectacle that it is, so if you visit a room, TIP them, and tip them well!!
If you’re an old veteran who constantly hosts, you have our unending gratitude, and we can’t wait to see what you have in store for us this year!
If you’ve been a crawler, and you think this might be the year to pay back some of that aloha by hosting, that’s double-plus awesome!!! We’d love to have ya, and can’t wait to see what you come up with!
Either way, to host a room you need to get in touch with our Room Crawl Coordinator, Reverend Thumper. Email the Rev at geoffb91(at)gmail(dot)com
And while we’re talking about the crawl, I should mention that long time sponsor Kona Beer will be a part of it again, so expect to see those super cool beer carts making the rounds! Go check them out at www.konabrewingco.com and give ‘em some love on the facepage at www.facebook.com/KonaBrewery
PLUS, our friends at DeadHead Rum are joining us again, and not only are they donating some killer swag for the bags, but they’re also going to host a room as well!! These folks get it. And they’ve got the coolest packaging in the entirety of boozedom. Hit up www.facebook.com/DeadheadRum and give ‘em the thumb and visit them at www.deadheadrum.com to soak up the awesome.
I have MUCH more to talk about, but I’m getting flak about the length of my email ramblings, so we’ll put a pin in it for now…
Except to say: There are just a HANDFUL of kickoff tickets left, and a couple handfuls of Ohana tickets. We’re getting close to sell out, so don’t hesitate, buy those tickets today!!
See ya at the Lake!!!
-Bargoyle
PS. Don’t forget about the Royer Swizzle Video Contest, where you can win custom made swizzles of your own design!! Email Caroline(at)LuauAtTheLake(dot)com to get more info and an entry form. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and you don’t even need to be coming to Ohana to enter!! Don’t let it slip by!! Get cracking on those videos!!
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OHANA: More awesome to feast your eye-holes on!!!
03/06/2014Aloha HepCats and HepKittens!
First let me get the usual announcements out of the way, but then I have some HUGE news, so be sure to scroll all the way down.
1) TICKETS – We’ve got about 50 left. You know the drill. When they’re gone, they’re gone. And if you have a room at the Tiki, you STILL need to buy a ticket!!
2) HOTEL – There’s a waiting list at the Tiki. If you’re not on it, get on it!! But be sure to book a room at one of our overflow hotels so you have a backup plan. I can only fit so many of you who wind up roomless in my room, and no sleeping in the tub after last years incident!
3) KICKOFF – Still a handful of tickets for MoonBase Alpha featuring the rip roaring sounds of the Nebulas. Food included, bring your own space-helmet.Ok. You ready for the news? Oh you think you are, but you’re not. Once again, we’re straddling the line between genius and crazy like a Lithuanian lapdancer, and this time we’ve got some great folks to join us out in the deep end of awesome.
Royer… you know ‘em, you love ‘em. They make our kickass swizzles every year, and have loaded the swag bags with keychains and goodies, and this year they’re going completely off the hook .
Royer has decided to sponsor a contest. The winner of the contest gets a custom made swizzle of your own design absolutely FREE!!!
(Actually you’ll get 2500 of them… one would be too difficult to share at parties.)
Let me say that again for the folks in the cheap seats… That awesome tiki bar you built in your basement or porch or back deck… the one you named and had a big party to christen it… you can get a custom swizzle, with your logo, name, skulls, flames, flying monkeys, or whatever you want on it, simply by winning the Royer Swizzle Challenge!!
So, what do you have to do to enter, you ask excitedly? Easy peasy rice and cheesy my friends…
Simply make a video (no longer than 2 minutes) featuring Royer products. Any of the swizzles or cocktail picks they’ve made are acceptable. Go hit up www.royercorp.com or visit them on Facepage at https://www.facebook.com/RoyerCorp (and hit that LIKE button!) for inspiration and to bask in the sheer awesomocity of their work.
You can make your video funny or serious or somewhere in between. Extol the wonders of Royer’s swizzles expert aerodynamics and their superior cocktail swizzling prowess (with charts and graphs!), or their use in cooking to spear delicious spam slices to pesky pineapples, or use them in construction as you build a scale model of Abe Lincoln’s log cabin out of swizzles from Frankie’s Tiki Room. The sky is the limit. Anything you want, just feature Royer’s amazing stuff!
To enter, you’ll want to get in touch with our own Princess Pupule via email at Caroline (at) LuauAtTheLake (dot) com, and all submissions become the property of Royer for them to use as they see fit (Hey, you might go viral and become internet famous!).
Entries must be received by midnight on 05/15/14.
The winner will be announced during Ohana this year, but need not be present to win…although that’ll be a bummer if you win and then you’re not even there.
Tell you what, if you win and you’re not there, I’ll accept the prize on your behalf… and I’ll even design it for you (What can I say, I’m a giver.) I’m picturing a big Lono with gargoyle wings…a “Bargoyle” if you will. C’mon, that sounds like the coolest swizzle ever, right? Hmmm… that DOES sound like a pretty cool swizzle… I think I have to enter this thing! Am I allowed to enter?
I am!?
Ok folks…ummmm… nevermind all that stuff above. Forget I said anything. Mine will be the only entry and therefore the defacto winner, so all you creative awesome people just, you know, throw it neutral until the contest is over.
I keed, I keed. Enter early, enter often, and good luck to you all.
And as always, we’ll see ya at the Lake!
-bargoyle
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OHANA: tickets...on the moon!!!
01/27/2014Aloha everybody!
Just a friendly reminder that Ohana tickets go on sale TOMORROW at 10.22AM. at www.LuauAtTheLake.com.
Again, tickets WILL sell out, so its better to buy yours sooner rather than later, just sayin’.
These are for OHANA: Luau At The Lake, in kitschy Lake George, NY this year. 6/27-6/29.
NOT OHANA: Luau By The Sea that will spring to life next year in south Florida. Tickets tomorrow are also NOT for Luau IN the Sea at secret oceanic base SL13 located on the sea floor in the Bermuda Triangle, nor Luau In The Snow up at Ice Station Zebra by the polar icecaps, nor Luau On The Moon at Moonbase Alpha. Those are all separately ticketed events.
No friends, tomorrow is Lake George’s time to shine in the spotlight, and we hope you can join us for the usual weekend of sheer amesomocity that we’ve got planned.
Oh, and in addition to Ohana: Luau At The Lake tickets, our kickoff party event (Thursday night 6/26/14) will be on sale tomorrow as well. $25 for an evening stuffed full of food, fun, and freakery; if you can join us a day early, its time well spent!
And you probably want to know what you’re in for if you come out Thursday, right?
Ok, I kind of lied up above, as the kickoff party is indeed going to take place on Moonbase Alpha.
What is Moonbase Alpha, you ask (knowing full well I’m going to tell you anyway, but humoring me because we’re cool like that)?
Well, even we’re not sure. We know it was built on the bottom of the moon, sometime in the last century, using misappropriated funds from a grant from the Children’s Television Workshop. Is it a secret James Bond super-villain lair? A shelter from the impending dangers of Y2K (Hey, it was built last century, remember?) An attempt to colonize the moon and cultivate the cheese therein? A top-secret cold war government listening station? An intergalactic bar and grill for alien tourists on their way to abduct our earthly livestock? Buck Roger’s vacation home?
I think its all that and more, so be sure to dress to impress in your best space gear as worlds collide… in Spaaaaaaaaace!!!
Live music from the far corners of the cosmos will delight your ears while intergalactic delicacies tickle your ribs and cocktails that are “out of this world!” dissolve your brain… in a good way!
It will be onsite again this year, and we promise to have the pneumatic airlocks working properly to jettison all attendees to Moonbase Alpha safe and sound. Getting back? Well, that’s a bit trickier, but we’ll try to have at least one tech stay sober enough to work the controls.
As always, it will be great time, so if you CAN get out early, you should. More details to come. And don’t forget to buy those tickets!!!
Mahalo for your continued support, much more to talk about really soon, and we’ll see you ON THE MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!!!!!!!
-Bargoyle
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OHANA: ticket info...plus a second Ohana!?!?!
01/14/2014AloooooooooooooooooHA!!!
I hope the new year finds everyone safe and sound, and hopefully above single digit temperatures at last! Perhaps the memories of Ohana past and the threat…errr, promise, of Ohana future will keep you warm. No? How about a Hot Toddy? Not doing it huh? Ok fine, you can turn on the space heater, but only for 20 minutes and make sure that door is shut tight! We’re not paying to heat the outdoors!
So, Ohana. What news have I about Ohana? Glad you asked. Big news actually!
First, Ohana tickets will be on sale during the last week of January…lets say, Tuesday the Twenty-Eighth at 10:22AM, because I like alliteration.
Tickets this year will be $90 each, and that’s still an ALL INCLUSIVE ticket. Yes, that includes dinner on Saturday night, the Polynesian show, access to the vendors, the silent auction, games, all the bands, the room crawl, amazing swag bags, and all the late night/mid-day/early morning shenanigans you’ve come to expect, plus a few surprises.
And YES we’re doing a Thursday kickoff event again this year but we’re still putting the final touches on that, so I don’t have a price point yet (but it’ll be cheap again and chock full of food, drinks, music and awesome), so if you can get out a day early, I promise to make it worth your while. Have I ever let you down yet? Don’t answer that! I’m happy in my bubble of denial.
Ok, so a quick recap… tickets.. $90, includes everything, 1/28/14 10.22am EST on the website (http://www.LuauAtTheLake.com)
Kickoff hopefully for sale at the same time, probably in the $20 to $30 area, more info to come on that front VERY soon. VERY VERY soon.
And remember, the event WILL and DOES sell out. Just having a room at the Tiki does NOT get you into Ohana. You need a ticket, and unfortunately we can only accommodate so many people, so be sure to buy yours early!!
Which leads me to the other big news….
We’d love for OHANA: Luau At the Lake to be bigger, but the venue can only hold so many people. We hate turning folks away every year. It makes me feel bad, and it effects the money we raise for the Easter Island Foundation (Don’t forget, Ohana is for charity!). And while I wish we could have Ohana every weekend as some have suggested, just to make sure everyone gets a chance to enjoy it… well, that would kill me. Plus, I’m crazy, but not THAT crazy!
So, as a compromise, we’ve decided to add a SECOND annual OHANA, starting Spring of 2015. This will allow more folks to experience the wacky awesome aloha that you guys bring, raise more money for charity, and keep the party going just a little longer each year. That’s just full of win!!
Yeah, you read that right. Starting spring of 2015, OHANA: Luau By The Sea will launch in beautiful, bright, sunny South Florida.
We’re already hard at work on it and will have more details to release soon.
I think we’ve already got a facepage and everything set up, so you can follow the developments there ( https://www.facebook.com/OhanaSea ), or you can always join the discussion over at the F.O.M. by visiting us at http://www.fraternalorderofmoai.org
As always, I can’t thank you enough for your continued support, and we’ll see ya at the Lake! (And next year, by the Sea as well!!!)
-Bargoyle
http://www.LuauAtTheLake.comps. Just in case it wasn’t clear, we’re talking about TWO Ohanas every year starting 2015. We’re still going to do our Lake George thing at the Tiki every year until we wear out our welcome. Who loves ya?
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OHANA: Merry New Years!!!
12/16/2013Aloha from the frozen tundra of the northeast!!
A couple quick things I forgot to mention with the last email.
#1 Tickets should be on sale by the end of January, so keep your eyes on your email inbox or on our facepage for updates there. We’re going to keep attendance capped again, so be sure to buy your tickets early so you don’t get shut out. Oh, and a reminder, just having a hotel room does NOT get you entrance to the event. You need tickets as well.
#2 Tickets will be around the same price this year. We’re doing our best to hold the prices down. They’ll be sub $100 for sure, and they will be all inclusive again, including the meal on Saturday night. We’re also working on making that a little more “traditional Hawaiian” for next year. We used a new company this past year, and while the feedback on the food was VERY positive, I think we need to make it clear that we’re a Luau, not a BBQ Pig Roast. Lol.
#3 Not only have you already sold out the Tiki Resort, but we’ve got sponsors jumping on board to be part of the awesome-sauce again as well!! DeadHead, who’s rum was featured in the cocktails and helped with the amazing kick off party is back on board to make Ohana even more over the top next year. We love these guys! They totally “get it” and that rum has got to have the coolest bottle, ever!
Oh, and have you seen the glasses & pitcher Tiki Farm did for them?
OK, I’m probably biased because I really like The Pizz’s work, but holy crap, check this out!!
Limited edition, so if you want a set, better act fast!
Also, if you were looking for a Christmas idea for me, better order soon to make sure I get that sucker by the holiday. Just saying.
For real though, here’s more info right from DeadHead:
Deadhead Rum is proud to present you with our brand new Classic Cocktail Set. Designed for us by notorious lowbrow artist The Pizz and manufactured for us by world famous Tiki Farm, our cocktail set includes an oversized pitcher featuring hand-etched and hand-stained Deadhead Rum art as well as 2 accompanying hand-etched and hand-stained martini-style inspired mugs plus each set comes with an oversized swizzle stir stick to mix up your libation of choice. **
The pitcher measures an impressive 9 1/2” in height and has a 28 oz. capacity and each mug measures 4 3/8” in height and has a 4 oz. capacity. Manufactured in Guadalajara, Mexico in high quality, high temperature fired ceramic stoneware, this beautiful set is both microwave and dishwasher safe. With a total run of just 1,000 sets, each set comes individually boxed in a high quality tuck top box with signed and numbered commemorative art on the cover signed by Deadhead Rum founder and creative genius, Kim Brandi.http://store.iconicbrandsinc.com/deadhead-rum-limited-edition-classic-cocktail-set/
Ok, I’ll leave ya alone until after the new year. Hope everyone has a great holiday. Get crazy, but stay safe, and we’ll see ya at the Lake!!
-bargoyle
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OHANA: Luau At The Lake 2014
12/04/2013Aloha Pilgrims!!!
Yeah I called you a pilgrim… I meant to send this before Thanksgiving, but there was just too much food to be prepared and devoured… so anyway, now that I’m out of my turkey induced coma and about 30 pounds heavier, I’m back with tidings of good news and my usual nonsense!!!
First off, we’re doing this OHANA thing again next year. If you were with us, you probably got a save the date postcard in your Swag Bag, and indeed, we’ve already completely booked the Tiki Resort once again. WHAT!?!?!? Already?!?
As usual, if you didn’t get a room at the Tiki, all hope is not lost. You can call them and get on the wait list, and we’ve got the usual overflow hotels; although I’m going to work with a couple more of the local “mom & pop” joints for those who like that retro flavor, so keep your eyes on the inbox for announcements soon if you want to roll Ohana retro style.
If you didn’t get a save the date, then make a note to SAVE THIS DATE: June 26-29th, 2014. The new website is up, and it will fill out as we get everything locked down. I hope you’ll join us again (or for the first time) and help make what is consistently my favorite weekend of the year just that more awesome.
And speaking of the awesomeness that is you…
Look at what you did…again!!!!
http://www.fraternalorderofmoai.org/news/index.php/2013/11/04/fom-sends-2013-donation-to-eif
Sweet mother of Batman, you managed to outdo yourselves again!!! We even added a THIRD scholarship this year, thanks to your attendance and generosity at the Silent Auction and Mystery Drink Auction.
You guys humble me to the point of almost being speechless…. Almost. I can ramble on. It takes a lot to de-speechify me.
But for reals, a HUGE Mahalo from the bottom of my heart to all of our attendees, volunteers, sponsors, vendors, hosts… it doesn’t happen without you. And this past year it happened in a big big way. You folks rock!!
Anyway, I promise to only bug you maybe once more before the New Year, so I hope everyone is safe, sound, and happy through the holiday season.
May all of your Kalikimaka’s be Mele. Now if you’ll excuse me, I think there’s still some leftover pie that needs eating… not sure if its Grasshopper Pie, or just moldy, but we’ll find out soon enough.
-Bargoyle
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F.O.M. & Ohana Luau at the Lake Announce 2013 EIF Donation
11/04/2013Iorana!
The F.O.M. is happy to announce our 2013 EIF Donation. An extra-spectacular Ohana in 2013 has allowed the F.O.M. the increase our donation this year & establish a THIRD FOM Scholarship to be given to a student from the island of Rapa Nui!
Maururu to all who have helped make this happen through enjoying the Ohana Luau at the Lake event, volunteering, & donations of your time, talents, art & collectibles to Ohana and the Silent Auction!! And thank you to all who have bid & bought at the Ohana Silent and our annual Mystery Bowl Auction, too, which have helped make this donation possible. It all truly makes a big difference!
You can read more HERE: 2013 FOM EIF Donation Announcement
A Big, BIG MAHALO to you ALL!!!!!!!
& Now onto Ohana Luau at the Lake 2014 – See You At The Lake!!
MORE on Ohana 2014 Here: www.LuauAtTheLake.com
