October 2019 – In this history of our company, I estimate that we have produced thousands of openings and ground breakings in Hawaii. No event is the same as we approach each with great reverence for the gifts that new spaces and places bring to Hawaii.
These are sacred and historical moments in the life of our communities. For our Team of Planners and Producers, these events hold so much more than a stage, a podium and a shovel. We always start with a Client’s vision, purpose and intention so that we can extend their brand in a way that enables them to closely connect with their Guests and others they cherish.
Video courtesy of Brookfield Homes
Last month’s groundbreaking for a Waikiki condominium project incorporated a beloved monarch’s favorite flower. The Brookfield development’s namesake, Lilia, was held beneath a 100 year-old banyan tree that honors Hawaii’s royal roots. The project pays tribute to Queen Emma, whose favorite blossom was the lily.
Prior to that, Current Affairs produced a groundbreaking event to celebrate Azure, a luxury condominium in midtown Ala Moana. It featured a spirited lion dance with an Asia-inspired menu in honor of the project’s diverse and cosmopolitan leadership from across Asia.
Housing developments are just some of the new addresses that we help to usher into life and our community.
At last week’s opening of Alohilani’s ballroom, a tropical canopy entrance served as a gazebo of fragrant pandanus leaves and blossoming ginger. Giant monstera leaves and a variety of palm fronds from eureka to fish tail were freshly harvested from a private Windward rainforest so that their fragrance would perfume the entire room. Guest were tantalized with the scents of Hawaii indoors. They were welcomed to experience the ahupua’a, which are tracts of land revered by ancient Hawaiians that span from the mountains to the sea. A 3-D LED roaring waterfall stretched across an entire wall.
For the opening of Victoria Ward Park, Current Affairs produced a community concert of Hawaii’s finest entertainers. The park stands as a grassy centerpiece of Ward Village’s master plan of a walkable urban lifestyle where green gathering spaces offer opportunities for people to come together in community.
These are special moments indeed. While the Hawaii essentials of a kahu, an o‘o stick and maile lei hold a powerful place in the realm of new beginnings in our island culture, the magic doesn’t end there. In fact, it’s often just the beginning.
Tiffany Richardson | President & Partner
P.S. – You can read more in our October 2019 newsletter here.