Come experience the arts, food and culture of Downtown-Chinatown's First Friday.
By Staff Reports
(Honolulu)– On the first Friday of each month an array of activities and entertainment can be found in the Downtown-Chinatown Arts and Cultural District. The area’s galleries, shops and boutiques have extended evening hours. First Friday offers art gallery exhibits, demonstrations and openings, performances, trunk and clearance sales and happy hour deals. And you never know what kind of entertainment will pop up on a street corner – from classical string quartets to acoustic bands and Brazilian dance. Families are often seen prowling around in the earlier part of the evening and once galleries and shops close, the crowd shifts to a late night scene.
Drivers and pedestrians should be aware of the modified traffic patterns on First Friday. Hotel Street, between Smith and Nuuanu, is closed to traffic to allow a safe path for pedestrians to walk the area. It’s an alcohol-free zone. (In fact, alcohol is not served or allowed on the street on First Friday.)
Here is just some of what can be found this coming First Friday, April 5, 2013:
Andrew Rose Gallery. Artist talk and reception at 6pm. 1003 Bishop Street.www.andrewrosegallery.com.
Arts at Marks Garage. HAPA with Sergio Garzon and Alakona Corp Pavement Specialists is proud to present Print Bigger, a display of work created at last month’s First Friday steamroller printmaking event featuring large scale prints with a sustainable foods theme, community involvement and experimental “inks” including local fruits and vegetables. This exhibit includes the largest woodblock ever created in Hawaii at over 200 square feet. (Exhibit showing through April 6, 2013.) Musical guest Clones of The Queen playing all original music. 5-10pm. 1159 Nuuanu Avenue. www.artsatmarks.com
bambuTwo Cafe + Martini Lounge. Happy hour from 4-7pm. DJ Mortadelah starts spinning at 8 pm. No cover. Next door, at theVenue, check out the DJs and dancing. 1144 Bethel Street.www.bambutwo.com.
Bar 35. Open 4pm-2am. Happy hour deals from 4-8pm. DJs Rhombus, KSM and Anarch. Cover after 9pm. 35 N. Hotel Street. www.bar35.com.
Blank Canvas. Open until 9pm. Featuring hundreds of custom T-shirt designs. Find one you like to create your own. 1145 Bethel Street. www.facebook.com/blankcanvashi.
Brasserie Du Vin. Happy hour from 4-6pm. 1115 Bethel Street. www.brasserieduvin.com.
Fighting Eel. Trunk show and double stamp promotion all day long. Open until 9pm. 1133 Bethel Street. www.fightingeel.com.
Florenicia Arias Boutique and Showroom. Posh Pua (Maui bikini designer) trunk show at 5pm; complimentary drinks for customers. Open until 9:30pm. 1161 Nuuanu Avenue.www.florenciaarias.com.
Hawaii State Art Museum. Partners in Time will present a mix of Near Eastern (Armenian, Turkish), Balkan (Macedonian, Greek), and Middle Eastern music, with some original tunes and jazz fusion thrown into the mix. The band incorporates improvisation into many tunes, a practice common to both Balkan/Middle Eastern music and jazz. Band members include Kip McAtee (guitar), Anita Trubitt (accordion), Ernie Provencher (bass), and Marcia Kemble (dumbek, or hand drum, and frame drum) and will be joined by two visiting master musicians from New York, Souren Baronian and Haig Manoukian. Free. Starts at 6pm. 250 S. Hotel Street. www.hawaii.gov/sfca/HiSAM.
Homecoming. Shop with a friend and save! You and one friend = 10% off; you and two friends = 15% off; and you and three or more friends = 20% off. Complimentary beverages. Open until 10pm. 1191 Bethel Street. www.facebook.com/HomecomingHonolulu.
La Muse. For this first Friday, La Muse will have some Featuring new jewelry designs by Julia Chu, from a collection called Shanghai Calling. The line is inspired by the old Shang- hai, the bund, international atmosphere, high society and old glamour. Julia uses mainly sterling silver, Swarovski crystals and pearl, semi-precious stones for this line. 40-50% off swimwear and clothing. Open until 9pm. 1156 Nuuanu Avenue. ww.lamusehawaii.com.
Louis Pohl Gallery. New installation of pottery by Daven Hee and his art students at the Louis Pohl Gallery. Reception at 6pm; open until 9pm. Free. 1142 Bethel Street. www.louispohlgallery.com.
Lucky Belly. The restaurant is open from 5pm-Midnight. The take-away window from 10pm-2:30am. Everything at the window $5. 50 N. Hotel Street. www.luckybelly.com.
Mendonca Building, Chinatown Courtyard. ARTmusicBEER, when the Chinatown Courtyard are transformed into a Secret Beer Garden benefiting The ARTS at Marks. Shop Bop & Grind takes over the downstairs walkway with music by DJ Mr. Nick that’ll make you bop while you shop. Delicious grinds by Cafe 88 and local goods and art. The Chinatown Artist Loft inhabitants will open their galleries to the public between 5-10pm. So drink in the art with your eyes, drink in the music with your ears and drink in the libations through your mouth and experience First Friday like never. 5-10pm. 1123 Maunakea Street.
Ong King Art Center. It’s a birthday bonanza, celebrating 7 years of Ong King. Art gallery open 6-9pm and performances start at 9pm. Line up includes Pamela Poles and the Pole Cats, music by The VAJJs, burlesque with Violetta Beretta, Miss Fortune, La Femme Rikita, and poetry by Serena Simmons. All you can drink kava, along with soft drinks for sale. Free before 8pm. $5 cover 8-9pm and $10 after. 184 N. King Street 2nd Floor (corner of King and River). www.ongking.com.
Pegge Hopper Gallery. Haku & Hibiscus: Featuring new charcoals by Pegge Hopper. Enter a drawing to win Mangiare in Verde, a signed print from Pegge’s Italian poster series. 5-9pm. Free. 1164 Nuuanu Avenue. www.peggehopper.com.
Soul de Cuba Cafe. Pitchers of mojitos just $25 after 10pm and the kitchen open until Midnight. 1121 Bethel Street. www.souldecuba.com.
Thirty Nine Hotel. Go Bang! With DJ Mark Chittom, DJ Timo, DJ Farley. Thirty Nine Hotel resident DJ’s spin new favorites and underground classics, from New York Disco to Euro- pean Techno. 9pm – 2 am, $10 cover. 21+. 39 N. Hotel Street. www.thirtyninehotel.com.
Other things to consider in the neighborhood:
Art
Hawaii Theatre
The Loading Zone
Nightclubs
Dragon Upstairs
Hank’s
Next Door
SOHO
Restaurants
Adega
Downbeat Diner
Duc’s Bistro
Epic
HASR Bistro
Indigo
JJ Dolan’s
Little Village
Murphy’s Bar & Grill
O’Toole’s
Otto Cheesecake
Shops
Art Treasures Gallery
Barrio Vintage
Catherine’s Closet Vintage Boutique
Community Hawaii Boutique
Fashionista’s Market
House of Aria
Human Imagination
La Muse
Owens & Co.
Roberta Oaks
Tin Can Mail Man