Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Gallery Blessing

Aloha Peg's Legs & Ohana,

Come and help us celebrate this momentous occasion! The Grand Opening of the Peggy Chun Gallery - a dream come true for Peggy and all of us!

We invite you to join us for a special reception and blessing on Friday, April 3, from 3pm to 5pm at Peggy Chun Gallery. The address is 1161 Nuuanu Avenue Honolulu HI 96817. This will precede our public Grand Opening from 5pm to 9pm (as part of the First Friday art walk).

Here is a link to parking options for the gallery:

http://www.firstfridayhawaii.com/d/d/parking.html

The blessing will be performed at 4pm by our favorite Peg's Legs angel Kahu Suzanne Maurer...there will be refreshments and musical entertainment...and some champagne toasts of course!

And you know Peggy would want you to come in costume!!! Come as one of her favorite whimsical creatures from one of her paintings! At least throw on a pair of ears or antlers! This night is for Peggy!

Looking forward to seeing you all...

Me ke aloha,

Kimi

Catching up...Getting ready for FRIDAY!!!!

Aloha Peg's Legs!!!! I'm sorry that I have been out of touch...all last week I was just not feeling myself...it just got worse and worse until on Sunday I finally went to Urgent Care again where I was diagnosed with strep - AGAIN!!! Relapse - argh!!! So, they gave me a big ol' shot in the rear of Penicillin and now I am on top of the world again! Truly a miracle drug. They seem confident that this will do the trick and I'm eating well and doing all the right things to support my immune system and get me well FOR GOOD!

I've also been having very frustrating email/internet problems at the gallery so I haven't really been able to send email from their or get online very easily...I will spare you the techie details, the short story is that we are close to solving all the problems and should be up and running this week.

So today I am taking a luxurious FULL DAY off from the gallery to work at home, catch up on all my computer work, emailing, etc. Eric took the kids to school for me, so this is a real treat to be able to work uninterrupted at home...yay!

Eric is just about done with the Alika house. He has been working SO hard on this move. He did a couple more runs yesterday and looks like today might be the last day of moving stuff for him...the Seglers have been busy moving their stuff in and Elroy has just about everything moved into his new place.

So the plan for tomorrow is that we will be at the gallery getting it ready for First Friday. So any helper Legs that want to come by - that would be wonderful!!! We definitely need print titlers (you know who you are, Ladies!) and we'll also need help bagging up the prints, cleaning the gallery, decorating, etc.

We are planning on surprising Karen with some festive birthday decor - remember tomorrow is her 50th birthday! She's in Vegas right now at the slots so I'm sure she's not going to be reading this anytime soon! She will be coming in on Thursday to work and so we want to have the gallery looking amazing for her and have some balloons, birthday decor, etc. We will also be having a cake on Friday!

I think it is so special that Karen is hitting a milestone birthday right at the same time that we are having the Grand Opening of the Peggy Chun Gallery. It is so appropriate that we will be celebrating both Karen and the business at the same time. Karen has been at Peggy's side since way before my time - it is her brilliance, crazy robot work ethic, generosity, and true love for Peggy, the business, and our family that has made the company what it is - without Karen, we would not be where we are today.

OK, so back to tomorrow's plan...we will be there from 10am on and just a heads up, KGMB will be coming to get a sneak peak at the Gallery (thanks Lynn Cook!) at 11am. We want all of you to be there because you are all part of the story! Peg's Legs RULE!!!

Tomorrow we can also talk about the plans for First Friday grinds - we will be looking for anyone who might be interested in donating some grub or booze for the night! I will also be sending out more information TODAY about the special private reception & blessing for Peg's Legs from 3pm to 5pm on Friday.

One last note - I got a message from Martha who suggested another parking spot - Kukui Plaza municipal parking lot off Kukui street (behind Pali Longs and Safeway). Thanks Martha!

Saturday, March 21, 2009

It's Crunch Time!



Eric is over at the Alika house today sorting and packing more stuff. He has the kids with him, so I have some quiet time at home - always a treat! I am sitting here at my computer with Cola next to me since we brought her home to our house last night! The transition has been pretty smooth so far (except for the transport which we had to pull off without a cat carrier! She meowed the whole way...this really weird foreign meow, like she was singing Chinese opera).

Maka doesn't seem too perturbed by the appearance of a new feline resident and Cola is starting to look pretty comfortable in our house. She even used the litter box this morning and got to explore outside with the kids for a bit. Last night she lay in bed with us to read books. She has completely adopted Indy and likes to cuddle with her like she used to with Peggy. Indy is in seventh heaven!

Thursday's "Tuesdays with Morrie" play was wonderful and the "Thursday with Peggy" panel discussion after was a lot of fun. It was great to see some Legs, some HCA gang, Vi Jones Medusky and family, the MDA ohana...and the pre-show food catered by Kat Hurtubise's company was ono!

You should ALL go and see the play! I know a lot of people hesitate to see it for fear that it will be depressing, but it is filled with humor - I promise you will be laughing more than crying! The cast, crew, and director did such an amazing job with an amazing story - it really is a must-see!

And it will remind you so much of our days with Peggy...it was so nice to sit there and remember her...I love remembering it all and reliving it like that...it brings me such joy. The play is about living each day to the fullest, slowing down enough to enjoy it...and who can't use a reminder about that!

Now, here are our plans for the upcoming week. Karen has asked me to let you all know that on Wednesday (beginning at 10am), she'd like all of you to come to the Alika house for a last day of final packing, transporting to the gallery, and clearing out the house for the Seglers. Our goal is to be completely out of the house by the end of next week. There is not much left, but there is some stuff...(Side note: if you are a print titler, Karen said she'd like you to be at the gallery!!! She has lots of titling that needs to get done!!!)

This week we will simultaneously be getting the gallery in order for First Friday. Yesterday, Karen and Eric hung the whole Boo and Gecko series - it looks so great! It is really starting to come together! On Monday we have our window sign being installed! Fun!

OK, we'll see you guys this week! And please mark your calendars...First Friday is April 3 and we will be having a private reception and blessing from 3pm to 5pm just for the Peg's Legs - it will be right before the First Friday Grand Opening that begins at 5pm. We hope you can all join us - more info coming soon!!! Have a great weekend!

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Eric and friends moved a bunch more stuff today...really getting that Alika house cleared out! Our new gallery is in disarray, as to be expected with any move...but it is starting to come together. We wanted to let everyone some of the changes in contact information...we tried and tried to keep our same numbers with Hawaiian Telcom, but they just could not do it for us, so...we will have new phone and fax beginning Thursday, March 19. However, the Alika Avenue business phones (595-8434 and 595-8435 and the fax 595-8224) will all be disconnected tomorrow, Wednesday, March 18. So tomorrow, you can reach us by email or cell.

Our new gallery number beginning Thursday will be 808-545-4810 and our fax will be 808-545-4860. We will be updating this info on our website soon. Please spread the word! Our new gallery address is 1161 Nuuanu Avenue Honolulu HI 96817.

The best parking for the gallery is the Chinatown Municipal Parking lot on Beretania. It is an underground lot right after Nuuanu Avenue (go thru the light) - you'll see the sign on the left. There is usually tons of parking and it is about $1 to $2 an hour. There is sometimes parking in the open parking lot on Beretania as well as in the Mark's Garage Building, but we don't know yet how much that parking is...we'll keep investigating. Sometimes you might luck out and get street parking, but that is only 1 hour parking and a quarter only gets ya 10 minutes!

So come down and visit us! We are technically closed as we get things ready this month, but we will be around M-F 10:30 to 4ish and then once we open in April, our hours will be Tuesday-Saturday 11am to 5pm. We are loving our new adventure and have been enjoying meeting all the Chinatown characters! It is so fun to get walk-by traffic and visits from our neighborhood friends. It is a whole new experience for us! We're adjusting to the feeling of being in a big fishbowl! No more hiding in the back office of a house anymore...we are FULLY exposed!!!

So, we have just over one more week to really get the gallery looking good before Karen leaves for Vegas next week Saturday! It has been challenging trying to handle the move, the set up, the transition, the Grand Opening prep, the daily business, etc. all at the same time...it is hard to know where to put your energy when there are so many things to do!

One more thing - don't forget to get your tickets for Thursday night's Tuesdays with Morrie! After the show, I will be moderating a panel discussion with Peg's Legs Hanna Levitz and Pat Lokatos, and Vi Jones Medusky. Hope to see you there!

Speaking of Pat L - yesterday was her birthday! Happy Birthday, Pat!!! XOXO!

OK, I'm off to get the kids.. it is starting to get crazy down here. There are tons of people in green heading down to Murphy's and O'Toole's! On a mission to get some green beer, I'm sure. I think I'll pass this year - I don't think green beer and antibiotics are a very good combo. Happy St. Patty's, Everyone!!!

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Just the Facts, Ma'am

Last week Monday, the office girls, Karen's sister Jo, and Marita S spent the day boxing up the office and getting things ready to go to the new gallery. We were all moving a bit slower than usual that day - Karen had some folding chairs fall on her toes and smashed them so bad she couldn't drive! Luckily Jo came to the rescue, brought her to work and helped us move stuff. Both Kelly and I had gotten bit by something over the weekend...mine must have been a spider because it soon turned into a red, flaming hole in my thumb that wouldn't stop throbbing.

Thankfully, Suzanne Maria Rose Ching came over and gave us some medical attention. She gave us enough TLC to get us on our way to the gallery. I have to also thank Ms. Hanna Levitz for her many phone consults during the whole spider bite incident.

(Just a side note here about Suzanne Ching - last Tuesday was her birthday!!! Happy Birthday, Maria Rose!! We love ya!)

So then on Tuesday, Eric rounded up a bunch of strong menfolk to help us move the big stuff to the gallery and the storage space below. They worked so hard and moved all the prints, posters, pretty much all the big stuff to the new space. Just a few more runs and we'll be set and ready to go!

On Tuesday Pat Lokatos and Andy Yim also helped pack and move stuff to the new space. I have to also give a BIG shout out to Joyce Nunokawa who has been faithfully (obsessively?) sorting the thousands and thousands of Peggy's photos. Thank you Joyce!

As Pat, Andy, and da girls know, I was starting to feel a little sore throat on Tuesday. I went on my way to get myself well since our flight to Kona was at 10:00am the next day. We got all packed and ready to go, but that night my throat was still bothering me and I felt feverish. I was so mad that I was getting sick right before our big second honeymoon!

I figured I would get better and did all the usual stuff - hot liquids, vitamin C, zinc, blah, blah, blah...well, by the time we got to beautiful Hualalai I had a fever and could barely swallow. I tried to get myself better, but sometimes life has other plans for us. We spent most of the night trying to find medical attention and trying to decide if we should drive to Waimea ER (an hour away). We made it to the morning when we made the executive decision to "Abort Mission". We called Hawaiian to change our flight and flew home at 11am.

When we got to Oahu, we drove straight to an Urgent Care facility (thanks to my Mom for that tip) and saw a doctor who diagnosed me with a bad case of Strep Thoat. He gave me a prescription for antibiotics and a lidocaine gargle. I feel like I've been asleep ever since.

So, here I am. I feel like I just woke up from a really long and weird dream. I am feeling so much better - just weak and a bit achy. I have to say, as much as I like to avoid them, antibiotics sure do work. I'm like a completely different person than I was just a couple days ago.

The good news is that the hotel was able to refund the money that we didn't use and so we can try again soon. We'll have to wait until after our Grand Opening of course. If we planned it once, we can do it again. And my parents have just been so wonderful. The kids did great at their house and my mom and dad came over the night we got back to help Eric with the kids, make dinner, etc. My mom even made her yummy potato leek soup for me - its so good and always makes me feel better when I'm sick.

This whole debacle was really a lesson in letting go. I tried really hard to focus on the facts (I am sick, I need a doctor) instead of the drama of it all (this was supposed to be our big romantic getaway and full circle moment, why is this happening, why me?). I recently read this really great quote from Eckhart Tolle that I love:

"The primary cause of unhappiness is never the situation but your thoughts about it. Be aware of the thoughts you are thinking. Separate them from the situation, which is always neutral, which always is as it is. There is the situation or the fact, and here are my thoughts about it. Instead of making up stories, stay with the facts. For example, "I am ruined" is a story. It limits you and prevents you from taking effective action. "I have 50 cents left in my bank account" is a fact. Facing facts is always empowering."

Isn't that great? Now, I'm saying I was laying there in bed at Hualalai just meditating peacefully like Eckhart Tolle - no, not even close - just ask Eric. But, I have come to peace with all of this and refuse to turn it into a "story". It is what it is. I also kept thinking of what Peggy always said, "Everything happens for the RIGHT reason." I'm sure there is a right reason for all of this...one that we might never even know.

One thing I do know is that I am married to the most patient, loving, easy-going, and understanding husband in the whole world. Eric was so amazing throughout this whole thing. He is so much better at going with the flow and accepting things than I am. I really learn from him. I was so sick and I whimpered to him, "What should I do?" and he looked at me and said calmly and lovingly, "I think...you should just accept this." What a guy.

Eric handled everything with such efficiency. I could barely talk or move, so he made all the phone calls, did all the packing, handled everything and NEVER, I mean NEVER complained once. That is an amazing man. I feel so grateful and so in love - guess it was a romantic getaway in a sense, just not the type we had in mind.

So now we're back to focus on the move again. In another interesting turn of events, it looks like it is not exactly "goodbye forever" to the Alika Avenue house. It looks like it is official that Jason and Jenifer will be renting the house from Dr. Chang - they are planning to move in April 1 (no that's not an April's Fool's Joke!). So Eric and Jason will be working today to begin moving Elroy to his Alohi Way place and we will spend the next couple weeks really clearing out the rest of our stuff.

Speaking of April 1 - that is also Karen Lilinoe's birthday! It is a milestone birthday, so a heads up that we will be planning something - although Karen is planning to be in Vegas for her actual birthday - you go girl!

OK, that's it for now...I'm off to rest and get better for the weeks ahead. Have a great weekend everybody!

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

New Gallery, Peg's Legs Roster, Tuesdays with Morrie, and More!

Hey Legs! I can't believe over a week has gone by since I blogged last...it has just been so hard to keep up with the blog with no internet at the house. In fact, having no internet has made me realize how much I love it and NEED it! I'm at home this morning trying to catch up on all my computer work before I head over to the house to meet up with Da Girls, Eric, and any Legs that might be joining us to work on the house.

Things are moving along beautifully! Karen, Kelly, and I went down to the new gallery yesterday to see the place and get the inside scoops from Mariko who has been running the gallery as Nuuanu Gallery for the past 2 years. She has been incredibly helpful and the great news is that she will be moving over to work at The Arts at Mark's Garage, so she'll be our neighbor! She is moving out this week and so we are hoping to start moving our stuff in at the end of this week/beginning of next. We will not be participating in this week's First Friday, but we are going to be putting a "Coming Soon" sign in the window with our banner/Peg's photo.

These are exciting times for us Gallery Girls! We got new Peggy Chun Gallery shirts and have been working on updating our wardrobes since we're going to be a lot more visible soon! Big glass windows are great motivation to get out of our "boro boro" clothes! No more slippahs and sweats to work, but that's OK, we're moving on up and we love it!

So this week and next we will be getting everything ready to move down to the new place. We have our insurance set up and should be getting our keys any day. There is a lot to do to on the business front - new business cards, update the website, change of address forms, new Peggy Chun gallery sign, letters to our vendors about the change, newsletter to our customers, talk to Hawaiian tel about keeping our phone number, set up DSL, new shelving for our prints, the list goes on and on! But it is all fun and and exciting.

I am so thrilled to share that last week we paid off the last of Peggy's medical debt as well as all of our other bills! I found myself tearing up - out of joy and relief. It was a beautiful moment. I am so grateful to be moving on without the weight of those medical bills on us. I feel like we can really begin this new chapter now.

That's just about it - just a couple more items - First, the Peg's Legs Roster is complete! I have sent it to FedEx printing and I am picking them up today at 2pm. If you submitted your info to the roster, then you get one - free of charge!!! I will have them at Peggy's house tomorrow and then when we move to the new gallery, we'll have them there.

If you would like to have it emailed to you as a PDF, just let me know, I can do that too. I can also email it to you as a FileMaker File if you have that application!

Also, coming up, the Manoa Valley Theatre's next production is "Tuesdays with Morrie" based on the amazing book by Mitch Album. If you haven't read this book, go out and get it today! It is the story of how Mitch ends up caring for his former professor who has ALS - it is the beautiful tale of their weekly visits...a must read and a must-see at the MVT!

Even more wonderful is that a percentage of sales for the Thursday, March 19th performance will benefit ALS Research. Refreshments will be provided by Gourmet Events Hawaii and will also be available for purchase prior to the show. Gourmet Events Hawaii is owned by Kat Hurtubise (previous MDA Hawaii District Director and Peg's Leg!).

After the show, there will be a panel discussion about ALS and caregiving...I will be on the panel along with Vi Jones-Medusky. We are also hoping that a couple of you would be able to participate on the panel. Please call me if you are interested in participating...I have Hanna on board already and would love one more person who is perhaps familiar with the book and would feel comfortable being on stage to discuss your time with Peggy as it relates to the theme of "Tuesdays with Morrie". Let me know!

OK, phew! Long blog! I will be sure to blog again before Eric and I leave next week for Hualalai! We are sooooooo looking forward to our getaway! I can't believe it is already next week! Woohoo!