The Ghunnies

Happy New Year!

2012-01-05T08:03:00.001-08:00

The Ghunnies temporarily stowed their scuba gear and traveled to Italy and France in search of the Colosseum, The Vatican, the Sistine Chapel, the statue of David, the Duomo, the Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, the Venice canals, the Bridge of Sighs, the Mona Lisa, the Eiffel Tower, L'Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Louvre and of course the perfect plate of pasta and the ultimate french macaron. Please join us on our European adventure. First stop, that little Italian town founded on April 21, 753 BC Roma

Following “Roma” we hopped on a Trenitalia train and two hours later were in the picturesque capital city of Tuscany, Firenze (Florence). Florence is also famous for its history and especially its importance in the Middle Ages and during the Renaissance, its art and architecture and, more generally, for its cultural heritage. Florence is home to Santa Maria del Fiore, the domed cathedral of the city (known as The Duomo), world reknown art galleries including the Uffizi (Leonardo Da Vinci collection) and the Accademia di Belle Arti (home of Michaelangelo’s David). Let’s not forget the fashion. Florence is home of the Italian fashion company Salvatore Ferragamo since 1928. Gucci, Roberto Cavalli, and Emilio Pucci are also headquartered there. Did I mention that both Ghunnies bought leather jackets in Florence? Andiamo! Next stop Firenze

Wine Country!

2011-08-27T21:54:00.000-07:00

Shh..Surprise Birthday Get Away for Mark!!! read the evite from cousin Kaulu. Mark Hopkins (aka “Dogman”) was turning Fiddy and the goal was to get family and friends from the mainland as well as Hawaii to secretly converge on Sonoma Valley in Northern California to celebrate Mark’s Big Day. Kudos to Ulu for keeping Mark dumbfounded (I think she used a few of her stealth moves from her professional hula dancing days) and thanks to Mark's brother Mike for the hookup of the guesthouse on the grounds of the Arrowood Winery in Sonoma. The property was beautiful and the party a huge success.
The Ghunnies took advantage of this opportunity to spend an extended weekend in Napa and Sonoma, our first trip to the celebrated Wine Country! In Napa we stayed downtown at the boutique hotel Avia, packing in tours of Beringer (great wine aging tunnels), Robert Mondavi (lots of french oak barrels) and Opus One (founded by Baron Rothschild and Mondavi) wineries. We had excellent meals at Bouchon (a Thomas Keller French bistro), Morimoto (contemporary Japanese by Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto; located right on the Napa River), Boon Fly Café (a bright red farmhouse in Sonoma; try their bacon bloody mary) and enjoyed baked goods at Butter Cream Bakery (a Napa landmark since 1948).

It was the perfect blend of friends, family, fun and WINE.

Get a taste for yourself here.

Melisa and Maher Michigan Wedding

2011-08-07T21:17:00.000-07:00

The Ghunnies traveled to Farmington Hills, a suburb of Detroit, Michigan to celebrate friends' Melisa and Maher's Big Day. Join the gang and share the love by clicking here.

As an extra added bonus to the destination wedding, The Ghunnies were able to soak up some of the local color including getting massages in Ferndale, checking out Royal Oak, Greektown and enjoying a tour of downtown Detroit on the People Mover. Did I mention we saw a giant fist?

Let It Snow!

2011-02-08T16:12:00.000-08:00

Like a snowflake in the breeze, the Ghunnies floated into Boston just days after its 3rd snowiest January on record (38 inches)! In the first two days of February another 10 inches was recorded. Never two to let a little weather stop World Ghunnie-nation (not an official Wikipedia-ism - yet) the Ghunnies zipped it up, tucked it in and Blazed that ol' Freedom Trail, in hopes of thawing it out. Trip highlights included stops at Charlie's sandwich shop, Filine's basement, the China Pearl (great dim sum, and just in time for Chinese New Year), the Cheers bar, fine italian dining at Prezza ("the Gold Standard for North End restaurants"), Mike's Pastry (yummy canoles and chocolate chip cheescake), Faneuil Hall, the Paul Revere House, the USS Constitution, Alibi Bar at Liberty Hotel (used to be the Charles Street jail), seafood at Skipjacks, "pajama brunch" at Tremont 647 (wait staff all wore pjs), Joe's Bar & Grill and the Frog Pond in Boston Common to name a few. Our stay at the Fairmont Copley brought a couple of highlights of its own. Catie, the resident labrador retriever greets hotel visitors in the lobby. Vincent the concierge not only gave us great food recommendations - for our Saturday night he 'gifted' us with center orchestra tickets for the Boston Symphony (each had a $125 face value). Score (literally)! The current run's featured conductor was also a guest at our hotel, and he had passed the tickets on - eventually to us! For a revolutionary look at the Ghunnies in Boston please click here.

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-22T06:52:00.000-08:00

The Ghunnies wish you a Very Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year!

Eat Play Rub!

2010-04-04T11:12:00.000-07:00

The Ghunnies have returned from two and a half weeks in Hong Kong, Thailand and Bali - not nearly long enough! Although our time in Hong Kong was short, we were able to tool around Victoria Harbor, take a side trip to Mongkok and enjoy some excellent dim sum. Have a taste of Hong Kong here. We arrived in Bangkok just in time for the celebration of Songkran (Thai New Year festival), but also right in the middle of a political uprising! In addition to that excitement, we were able to visit temples, take a longboat on the Chao Praya river - and even see a Vegas style Ladyboy show. A definite Wow. Big thanks to our local tour guide Joy and driver Khun Charlie! In Phuket and Khao Lak we took a Thai cooking class, did some world class diving, rode elephants, and survived a wild thunderstorm that sent a tree crashing down just feet from our tent! Check out Thailand here. We completed our adventure in Bali where we met up with good friends, splitting our days between restful Ubud in the foothills and the luxury beaches at Nusa Dua in the south. Join us in beautiful Bali here. Special thanks to the wonderful Wati and our driver Katut. And where's the rub you ask? The numerous massages along the way of course!

Bali Time

Viva Las Birthday!

2009-11-01T19:34:00.000-08:00

We celebrated Maureen's big four oh in the way that only Las Vegas can provide, in over the top style.
Highlights of the Halloween birthday weekend included dinner at L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon, and bottle service at the nightclub Moon, atop the Palms Hotel and Casino. Among the invited revelers were the birthday Batgirl, Up!'s Russell, a Rambo, Batman, Greek god and goddess, Roman soldier, a Starship captain, Supergirl, Hef himself, a law enforcement officer, a peacock, and not just one - but two Medusas.

Apparently you just can't invite too many snakes to a Party.

Click here to roll the dice and watch all the What Stays In Vegas action! [watch it in HQ]

Can You Say G'Day!

2009-10-05T11:17:00.000-07:00

The Ghunnies spent a delightful 12 days Down Under. Sometimes Way Down Under! Lots to tell - please check back here shortly for details!

They Say It's Your Birthday

2009-09-03T14:08:00.000-07:00

August is apparently a big month for birthdays among our group.

Here are our good friends Jason Puerto, Fred George, and Naftali Sampson each captured in their yearly moment of ecstacy. Cheers!

Play Misty (and Shaq) for Me

2009-08-09T15:46:00.000-07:00

It was a fight to the finish - Shaquille O'Neal and AVP champ Todd Rogers vs olympic gold medalists Misty May Treanor and Kerry Walsh in some not so friendly two on two beach volleyball in Hermosa Beach for his tv show, Shaq Vs. I say "to the finish" because if Shaq lost he had to put on a pair of pink speedos and parade around the beach - which would surely finish his career as a macho NBA superman. Shaq was also nicknamed "the black crab" during the event.

Find all of the vball action here to see who has to wear pink!

We ♥ Hawaii – Back to Honolulu

2009-07-24T21:35:00.000-07:00

To celebrate the Ghunnies’ wedding anniversary on July 19 (has it already been 3 years!) we returned to the shores of Oahu. This time we brought along my mother, also a big fan of the islands. While mom went shopping and got caught up (“talk story”) with her Hawaiian friends and our extended ohana (family), Maureen and I went wreck diving

(swam through the Sea Tiger, a smuggling boat confiscated by the Hawaii coast guard, sunk and now resting at 120 feet), attended the 39th annual Ukulele Festival in Kapiolani Park,

lunched at the Ihilani hotel (next door to the famed Lanikuhonua),

snorkeled at the Ko 'Olina lagoons, and had a great dinner with our friend Ben Vegas and his wife Josie. Ben was kind enough to

perform with his music partner, the incomparable Maila Gibson, and their band (as well as being the emcee) at our wedding at Laniku. Mahalo!

Feel Good Fourth

2009-07-04T15:22:00.000-07:00

We bbq'd, we flippy cupped, we sang songs. The Ghunnies hosted their bi-annual Independence Day bbq on July the 4th. Life is good, and feels even better!

See all the bbq action here.

2009-03-05T15:45:00.000-08:00

In memory of Lance's dad, Kok Joon "Tanny" Tan.

We ♥ Hawaii - Kona Style

2008-12-30T16:33:00.000-08:00

The Ghunnies went to Kona on the Big Island at the end of December for our friends Dan and Aili’s wedding. Highlights of the trip include the island style wedding, and trips to Kilauea crater (the active volcano on the islands), Punalu’u bake shop (billed as the southernmost bakery in the United States – their Hawaiian sweetbread is da kine!) and Black Sand Beach (known for both its black sand and also for its sea turtle viewing). A real milestone was our going on a night manta ray dive! This is one of those experiences that you have to see to believe. The set up is that manta rays feed on plankton (e.g., brine shrimp) and plankton are attracted to light. We slide off of the boat into the water and are directed by the divemaster to stay on the bottom and form a circle with the other divers. We are each given an underwater flashlight, which we hold directed upwards. At first we see nothing (hey! It’s night time and we’re sitting at the bottom of the ocean). Then, after several very quiet minutes – here they come. One after another. They are awesome. The average wing span of the mantas is 8-10 feet. They silently glide, pivot and somersault as they funnel the plankton into their mouths. Even though we are requested to not reach and touch the mantas, it is not uncommon that they brush against you, as they glide in between the divers and pass barely inches over your head.

Season's Greetings!

2008-12-02T18:44:00.001-08:00

Welcome to our blog! If you haven't visited us before this is sort of an online photo journal of what we've been up to the past few years. With the help of Kodak Gallery slideshows, short videos we've posted on YouTube and our trustworthy Canon Powershot camera (oh yeah, and a waterproof casing for the underwater shots), we've chronicled the life and times of the Ghunnies from Inception (see "The Two Shot," "What is a Ghunnie") to Reception ("Our Day in Paradise").
You are just a few mouse clicks away from sharing the birthdays (Hear Ye! Hear Ye!, Sumo Arigato, Spare Me!) the scuba adventures in Hawaii (Scuba Chic), Turks and Caicos (No Turkeys at 85 Feet!), the Philippines (Brides, Boracay and Beacoup de Baboy) and Belize (Lazing in La Isla), the karaoke BBQ's, and weekend getaways to Chicago, Miami, Scottsdale, Seattle and New York.

One of our favorite posts is the Featured Wedding Guests (archives: June 2006) in which we good naturedly "profiled" some of our closest friends joining us in Hawaii (ok, so we roasted them). So cringe through the carpal tunnel, leap through the links on the sidebar (tip: left click on most photos makes them larger) and get up to date with the Ghunnies! Feel free to call or drop us an email.

Hallow Back

2008-11-01T20:56:00.000-07:00

Add two parts girl scout, one part very large penguin, thirty parts crazy party people, slightly stir and you have a frosty recipe for another lively Halloween at Busby's. Hallow back!

Click here to see more photos.

Sumo Arigato

2008-10-27T19:25:00.000-07:00

Having celebrated with Vegas, bowling and karaoke for past birthdays, we decided to throw down a different kind of party for Maureen this year. Who knew grunting could be so much fun.

Click here to see all of the action.

Lazing on La Isla

2008-10-08T16:40:00.000-07:00

The Ghunnies dropped down to Central America to spend a lazy week in San Pedro ("La Isla Bonita"), Ambergris Caye, Belize. Only there was nothing lazy about it, with zip lining high above the jungle canopy, cave tubing with bats, dancing with blue butterflies, carrying baby raccoons and, did I mention holding sharks with our bare hands? We barely had enough time to get in a couple games of beach volleyball. On Ambergris Caye our home base was the Victoria House, a small beach resort with a cluster of casitas with thatched roofs and plantation rooms with private verandas. We enjoyed beautiful grounds, great views, helpful staff and complimentary bike rental.
Our second home on the island turned out to be Aqua Dives, a dive shop outfit we stumbled upon while bicyling through town. Once we got used to their unique island manner (one of the staff insisted on calling me "Blackie Chan") and knowledge of the best dive sites, we were hooked and wound up going out diving with them almost every day. Belize has one of the largest barrier reefs in the world (second only to Australia) with amazing corals, swim throughs and a variety of fish. Our f avorite dive sites were Esmeralda (at 60 feet, we got to play with nurse sharks) and the Blue Hole (at 135 feet, swimming through age-old stalactites and stalagmites and trying not to succumb to nitrogen narcosis).
Belize has a lot to offer as a vacation spot and we highly recommend it for the adventure, the friendly people, the good food, the weather and of course, the pure laziness of it all.

Click here to watch the Ghunnies in Belize!

Second City – A First

2008-05-24T09:27:00.000-07:00

Perhaps inspired by its nickname the “Windy City,” the Ghunnies decided to blow through Chicago and explore what the city had to offer. We sampled the city’s cuisine (Hugo’s Frog Bar and Fish House – downtown, Giordano’s world famous stuffed pizza – Belmont, Noon O Kabob – Albany Park, Wow Bao – the Loop), hit some bars (John Barleycorn – Lincoln Park, Redmond’s - Wrigleyville), caught some sights (Shedd Aquarium - the world’s largest indoor aquarium, Millenium Park – home of the “Bean” sculpture, John Hancock Observatory – 80 mile view and 4 states, the Magnificent Mile – shopping!), rode the El (elevated rapid transit) and watched the Chicago Cubs beat the Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley Field (Cubs had 6 home runs)! The weather was very cooperative and our downtown accommodations (The Drake and Swissotel) very comfortable. Thanks to wedding alum and all around good egg Mike Webb, and Maureen’s cousin Ditto for their expert tour guidesmanship. A couple of days in Chicago is not enough and we look forward to our next visit.

Brides, Boracay and Beaucoup de Baboy

2008-02-18T18:07:00.000-08:00

They called it a Tropical Winter Wonderland.

This to be the theme of Gwyneth (Maureen’s cousin) and Mike’s wedding in the Philippines – and coincidentally, what we dreamed of escaping to during an otherwise cold and rainy January in Los Angeles. A contradiction, one would think. Maureen and I decided to travel 17 hours and 7,300 miles to see it for ourselves.

It was a quick trip to the Philippines, another contradiction.

During a little over a week we managed to

enjoy a short stay on Boracay Island...click here to see our video!

scuba dive down to see the shipwreck Camia resting at 100 feet

island hop back to reconvene with family to attend Gwyneth's beautiful wedding and reception at the Manila Polo Club

drive to Tagaytay and see Taal Volcano

do a little shopping at the gigantic SM Mega Mall in Ortigas Center, Greenhills in San Juan, and Greenbelt and Glorietta in Makati

catch rides on tricycles, bicycles and jeepneys

hit the dance floor at the Embassy at the Fort (a former military base)

drive in a car knowing the most important rule of the road...that traffic laws are merely suggestions

eat garlic rice for breakfast daily

eat plenty of pork (Baboy)

Watch the Ghunnies in Boracay!

No Turkeys At 85 Feet!

2007-12-12T15:47:00.001-08:00

Providenciales is located in the heart of the Turks and Caicos Islands, southeast of the Bahamas in the British West Indies. The Ghunnies spent Thanksgiving in Turks at the Regent Palms Hotel on beautiful Grace Bay (voted “Best Beach in the World” by Conde Nast), driving on the left side of the street (whoa!), visiting the world’s only conch farm, partying one night at the Club Med, playing with the island dogs (potcakes), and most memorably - scuba diving at the West Caicos Wall (a breathtaking 6,000 foot vertical drop)!
While we were really looking forward to the clear blue water, warm weather and white sand beaches that we had seen in travel magazines, we were most anxious to dive at what we had read were some of the finest dive sites found anywhere in the world, home to colorful reef systems and bountiful fish habitats. On our second day of diving we went to a spot known for it’s sightings of large pelagics - eagle rays, sea turtles and sharks. Sure enough, it wasn’t long before we encountered an enormous turtle, 4-5 feet in length, resting on the bottom while his shell was being cleaned by tiny blue fish. As I poised above him with my camera he decided to rise to the surface passing just feet in front of me. Watching the video back I realize just how massive the turtle was, his flippers as large as the fins of a diver trying to scurry out of his path. Moving further along the reef our divemaster slowed us to a stop and motioned toward a shark hovering about 50 yards away.

I was lucky to get off 3 shots as he suddenly turned and swam towards us before veering away. Back on the boat we were told that the shark was 6 feet long. Left mouse click for an up close look.

Click here to see more photos of the Ghunnies in Turks.

Hear Ye! Hear Ye!

2007-10-27T20:47:00.000-07:00

Maureen celebrated her um 27th birthday at Ye Olde King's Head in Santa Monica. Besides Maureen, the main attraction was an evening of karaoke. We ensured that there were no record execs on the guest list and instead, invited only the Westside's finest shower singers.

Click here to see more photos.

Scuba Chic

2007-07-21T23:09:00.000-07:00

A few sips of salt watertini and four 40 foot dives later, Maureen is now a PADI certified Open Water Scuba Diver. We saw eels, turtles, octopus and even a monk seal - which we are told are rare on the island.
Mahalo Nick, Scott, Adam, Chris, Frenchie and Elle at Waikiki Dive Center for your expert instruction and 'ohana spirit. We can't wait to come back and dive with you again!

Shark Shark Shark Yeah Yeah!

2007-07-20T22:43:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Maureen and my first wedding anniversary, and as much as I'd like to say I convinced the local NBC affiliate here to document the grand event, instead they chose to cover a shark attack at a local beach. Go figure. Luckily (or unluckily!) for us we were snorkeling nearby on the windward side of Oahu at the time of the attack by the 8 foot tiger shark. Yes we are both safe. The tourist from Ohio was not as lucky. Watch this video clip and you should recognize someone you know wearing a blue tank top and videotaping rescue divers pulling people out of the water. It comes at 2:00 into the story.

One Year Later

2007-07-17T22:21:00.000-07:00

Aloha from Hawaii!
We are back in paradise for a week of fun in the sun. We arrived just in time for Hurricane Cosme! It is estimated to hit the Islands later this week though they predict that it will be downgraded to a mere "tropical depression." How can there possibly be anything depressing in Hawaii?! We look forward to doing absolutely nothing but swimming, sunbathing (with spf 50 of course), driving to the north shore, eating plate lunches and spam musubis, surfing, bumping the volleyball, sleeping, shopping, dancing....and maybe even scuba diving!

The Queue at Cedar Trees

2007-06-29T01:18:00.000-07:00

The 3rd Annual July 4th BBQ was a blast! After the first round of beverages we learned that our guests were quite the international bunch, hailing from Bulgaria, Germany, Hungary, Spain, Belgium, Brazil, the Netherlands, Italy, Hawaii and the Phillipines. After the second round we were cozying up in the kitchen

Thanks to the next round we were up doing karaoke versions of "Dancing Queen," "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "The Macarena." Some stars were born, but others quickly extinguished.
Not sure at which round, but we wound up recreating our classic rendition of the globe - the Circle Picture. We can't wait for our next bbq!

The Manhat Tans

2007-05-14T19:12:00.000-07:00

Capitalizing on Maureen's call to be in New York for a workshop, the Ghunnies took Manhattan ghunnie style. Joined by friends (and Maureen's coworkers) Ivan and Dionne, highlights of the extended weekend included jaunts to the Financial District, the Empire State Building, Southside Seaport, Central Park and Coney Island. Opened in 1962, the famed amusement park has been sold and will be closing after the 2007 season. We enjoyed cocktails with friend AnnMarie in Gramercy and a spirited 80's night in the East Village with featured wedding guest #4, Mike Webb.
Avid theater goers, we wanted to see a Broadway Musical and were fortunate enough to catch (the 25th Annual Putnam County) Spelling Bee, turning out to be one of the best stage performances we had ever seen. The production was fresh (4 audience members are invited to 'join' the spelling competition), the script hysterical (when asked to use "gihad" in a sentence, the vice principal acting as moderator cited: "Look behind that western wall Billy, there's a gihad hiding.") and the cast of young unknowns amazing. The trip was topped off by a scrumptious dinner at Megu, a unique asian fusion restaurant in midtown. [Did I mention the filet mignon cost $150?]

Sealth, Suquamish, Duwamish and Doc Maynard

2007-04-30T19:05:00.000-07:00

No, not the names of the stars of Shrek and the Seven Dwarves - but some of the earliest workers of the Hi Ho, the American Indian tribes who were the original settlers in Washington. Maureen and I had never explored the Pacific Northwest and decided to give Seattle a shot. We learned that David Swinson "Doc" Maynard, a doctor from Vermont wanting a piece of the logging action, traveled to Puget Sound and befriended the leader of the Duwamish tribe, Chief Sealth. The friendship went so well that the settlement was renamed after Sealth ("Seattle" is an anglicized version of his name), and Doc became a founding father.

We took the Underground Seattle tour and learned more about the history of Seattle that included floods, the Great Fire of 1889 and plumbing problems that lead to the first use of gravity-assisted flush toilets. During these early years downtown sidewalks were raised 36 feet above street level and for a time, pedestrians climbed ladders to go between street level and building entrances.

Leaving the Underground we decided to go up, straight up 520 feet to the observation deck of the Space Needle, built in 1962 for the World’s Fair. The Space Needle has been used as a location for many tv shows and movies including the sitcom Frasier and Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me.

We took the Ferry to Bainbridge, enjoyed coffee at the original Starbucks, went shopping at the original Nordstrom's, bar hopping in Belltown, witnessed fish tossing at the Pike's Place Market, and even lunched at the Athenian Inn, where Tom Hanks and Rob Reiner dined in Sleepless in Seattle. It was a great weekend!

Spare Me!

2006-10-27T01:12:00.000-07:00

We sent these invitations for Maureen's Bowling Birthday Party...and according to Maureen, it's not a typo.

Is it Ghunnies or Ghumbees? What's the Deal!

2006-09-07T12:23:00.000-07:00

Now and again Maureen and I are stopped and asked the burning question: "Is it Ghunnies or Ghumbees?!?" and occasionally, "which ONE is Ghumbee!" Well the truth is, it's both, and we're both. Actually, we're all three - if you include Ghunnie Bee.

Our Story

2006-07-19T12:17:00.000-07:00

Our story unfolds
One summer, 03
Our interests had drawn us
Down by the sea

Both liked the sun
The sand and good food
We cleared all commitments
And dating ensued

Although clearly “in like”
We weren’t that well matched
Our road to success
Would be spackled and patched

I like to clutter
She likes to clean
She falls asleep
During my favorite scene

She has her two cats
Cats once made me sneeze
Good thing Frankie and Cleo
Are more fun than fleas

I work red carpets
Prima Donnas and Dons
She deals in software
Investments and bonds

She’s kind of quiet
I like to roar
She prefers 5 star
I just want a door

But not to mislead
We’re better together
Just like the Islands
We’ve got perfect weather

They call us the Ghunnies.
And 3 years from first date
We’re throwing a party
So come celebrate!

Our Day in Paradise

2006-07-19T11:50:00.000-07:00

It was truly a day filled with much aloha. Everything just fell into place...the ocean, the sun, the warm tradewinds, and by far the most important ingredient - our families and closest of friends. Below is a paraphrased summary of the wedding by Maureen's aunt Isabel.

"At about 4:30 PM Hawaiian time on July 19, 2006, with the blue Pacific Ocean before our eyes and the coconut trees swaying to the breeze. I still can still hear the ukelele music playing Ode to Joy as Lance walked to altar followed by his parents. As I saw Maureen in white accompanied by Mom Day and Dad Poy, I couldn't restrain the misty eyes and the lump in my throat that the wedding is really happening. The beauty of the place, the solemnity of it all and the friendliness of everyone made me understand what aloha means. I prayed: Lord, yesterday you showed me Eden. Today, You gave me a glimpse of Paradise. Please bless Maureen and Lance.
The estate where the wedding was held was like a Robert Redford movie, "The Great Gatsby." The clear top tents amidst the well manicured lawn and palm trees with their leaves playing with the wind. After the ceremony and as we waited for the reception to begin , well-dressed waiters gave us little snacks to while the time away. Quietly, mini reunions were going on---the Manacop's, Albarracin's, Tan's, Lance's extended Hawaiian family, their Santa Monica beach volleyball friends and work friends. We also have to congratulate Gwyneth for being our tour guide in the bus. She greeted us in Luau bus tour guide style "Hi Cousins!"
Was it really a dream come true? At the beginning of the reception, Lance even put their love story into words. It was good. The vibe was informal and yet so classy. Lance's cousin from the Islands (Oahu and Maui) expressed welcome for Maureen through a traditional Hawaiian dance as his best man Kapala sang and played the ukelele. The festivities continued with more dancing to a variety of songs played by Ben Vegas and Maila Gibson, a local band."

Click here to see more photos.

Featured Wedding Guests (1-8)

2006-06-30T23:42:00.000-07:00

We decided it would be a fun idea to introduce our guests to each other before the wedding. About two months ago I began sending out emails entitled "Featured Invited Wedding Guest Of The Week," which were equal parts Match dot.com-type bios and good natured "roasting." We felt that by performing this service our guests could dispense with the time-consuming introductions when they arrived in Hawaii and go straight to full blown Wedding Party Mode. We are re-posting the Features here in the order they were unveiled.

Our first featured wedding guest is - Alexis.
Residence: Boston.
Previous Address: Maryland.
How we met: Was my tennis instructor at Club Med in Sonora Bay, Mexico 6 years ago.
Favorite Beverages: Midori Sour, mudslides.
Favorite Phrase: Who's your daddy.
Number of times in a circle picture: One.
Interesting facts: Seemingly knows every lyric to every song ever written. Closet fan of Nsync. Has worked in the British West Indies, Dominican Republic and Cancun. Vacationed in Iceland last year.

Our second featured wedding guest is - Dan.

Residence: Santa Monica.
Previous Address: Detroit.
How we met: Playing beach volleyball in front of Perry's Pizza 4 years ago.
Favorite Beverages: jelloshots, Corralejo.
Favorite Pirate Outfit: The black one.
Favorite day of the week: Taco Tuesday.
Favorite Phrases: Roll Out, Bootie Mouse, That's So Brokeback.
Number of times in a circle picture: 50+ Interesting facts: Born in Belgium. Travels include Baja, Peru, Argentina, Chile, Antarctica, Trader Joes. Equally proficient at skateboarding, coed softball, texas hold 'em, guitar and trumpet.

Our third featured wedding guest is - Christine.
Residence: Playa Del Rey.
Previous Address: Beverly Hills, Manhattan Beach.
How we met: On a plane in New York 10 years ago. She was in the seat next to me and when there was turbulence she grabbed my wrist and held on tight. We've been friends ever since.
Favorite Beverages: red wine, Pacifico, Corona.
Favorite Pet: Akira, her 2 year old Shiba Inu.
Number of times in a circle picture: 5-10.
Interesting facts: Likes making jewelry, swimming, heavy metal, Depeche Mode. Travels include Cozumel, London, Italy, Greece, Switzerland, and Amsterdam. One of the first guests at FonzFest. Christine is in the fashion industry and will be flying to the wedding straight from Berlin!

Our fourth featured wedding guest is - Mike Webb.
Residence: Alphabet City. Previous Address: Cleveland, Oklahoma City, Chicago, LA.
How we met: Worked together at Columbia Records/Sony Music in the early 90's.
Favorite Beverages: vitamin water, Knob Creek, Laphroaig, Bombay Sapphire dry with a twist. Favorite Phrase: It seemed like a good idea at the time.
Number of times in a circle picture: "What's a circle picture?"
Interesting facts: Plays guitar, bass and drums. Worked on Bill Bradley's presidential campaign. Likes moonlit walks on the beach, fried chicken, world peace, Prince, progressive politics, the Steelers, the trombone. Travels include 40 different US states, Baja, Pacific Riviera, London, Amsterdam, Paris.

Our fifth featured wedding guest is - Elizabeth.
Residence: Santa Monica.
Previous Address: Colorado, Florida, South Carolina, Washington DC .
How we met: In a beach volleyball class 4 years ago.

Favorite Beverages: pinot noir, grey goose dirty martini, mojitos. Number of times in a circle picture: 40+.
Interesting facts: A former Attorney at Law, Administrator at the World Bank, Flight Attendant and Preschool Swim Instructor/Lifeguard, Liz is now an eighth grade teacher. Enjoys homemade hummus, jordan almonds, being a member of Amnesty International and just about anything athletic: from riding in a 50 mile bike race in Baja, competing in a triathalon in Thailand, or running in the LA Marathon - she just completed her first. One day she plans on teaching english in Africa.

Our sixth featured wedding guest is - Ivan.
Residence: The Valley.
Previous Address: Taiwan.
How we met: One of Maureen's coworkers; she has known him for ten years.
Favorite Beverage: Stella Artois.
Number of times in a circle picture: 10+
Interesting facts: Likes to scuba dive, mountain bike, kayak, rollerblade, ski and snowboard (has an annual ski pass at Mammoth).
Travels include Jamaica, Cozumel, Paris, Nice and Rome. He just returned from Thailand, Cambodia and Singapore. Ivan's association with weddings is legendary. He is known to dance like a bull at weddings, and has been seen in Las Vegas in a bridal gown.

Our seventh featured wedding guest is - Melanie.
Residence: Westwood.
Previous Address: Hawaii
How we met: One of Maureen's coworkers; she has known her for ten years.
Favorite Beverage: Coke on the rocks.
Number of times in a circle picture: 5+
Interesting facts:Has an extensive home video collection (including 24, Lost, Alias, Party of Five). Attended the Snow Festival in Sapporo (no not the beer but a city in Hokkaido, an island in Northern Japan). Likes to watch UCLA basketball games, UH football and volleyball. Went on an Alaskan Cruise. Likes crafts, scrapbooking, baking treats, Jason Mraz and Michael Vartan. Makes a mean Spam Musubi. Danced the Hula at Ala Moana back in the day....Adept at assembling office furniture from Target.

Our eighth featured wedding guest is - Jay.
Residence: Honolulu
Previous Address: Seattle, Tempe, Palm Springs, Cincinnati, Venice Beach
How we met: Where else? Beach volleyball courts in Santa Monica
Favorite Beverage: Beer
Favorite Nickname: King of Text (Messaging)
Favorite Quote: Risks are necessary to get to the rewards of the path less traveled
Number of times in a circle picture: 15-20
Interesting facts: (we let the King of Text tell us in his own words): Deliberately spinning and rolling an open canopy biplane while wearing a parachute over the Arizona Desert, sailing a boat in +45 MPH winds in the Puget Sound, riding a motorcycle through an unlit pot hole filled tunnel in the Oahu Mountains in the middle of a thunderstorm, flying a small single-engine airplane through clouds filled with ice and having to divert/spend the night in Lompoc, CA, flying my high school prom date up to the San Juan Islands for dinner, flying in the cockpit of a DC-10 to London as part of a college internship, living on my sailboat in Marina del Rey, placed over 150 pilots into airplanes based all over the US while I was a pilot recruiter living in LA, flew back from San Juan, Puerto Rico in the cockpit of a DC-8 cargo plane. My very first job was a ski instructor in the cascade mountains of WA.
Travels include France, Holland, Belgium, UK, Mexico, Israel, Canada, and the Caribbean. Jay enjoys windsurfing, surfing, beach volleyball, sailboat racing, ski racing and of course, text messaging!

Featured Wedding Guests (9-13)

2006-06-15T23:28:00.000-07:00

featured wedding guest 9 is Melisa.

Residence: Santa Monica
Previous Address: Detroit
How we met: beach volleyball class, Hermosa Beach 2003. I told Melisa she should come up to Santa Monica and play with us sometime. Little did I know she would come and eventually take over the entire beach.
Favorite Beverages: Faygo Rock N' Rye, white russians, 7&7, merlot
Favorite Food: Koo Koo Roo, stuffed mushrooms, filet, spinach salad with seared ahi
Number of times in a circle picture: 5+ (more she claims if you count the ones from 8th grade)
Interesting facts: has worked in community organizing, non-profit start-up, grant writing. Now negotiates university contracts for research grants.Deathly afraid of kangaroo rats. Her nana (great grandmother) is 108 years old - and collects limited edition quarters.
Hobbies: running, rock climbing, reading, camping, knitting, learning. Discussed with Maureen the idea of starting up a swimwear company for swimsuits that actually fit.
Travels: Mexico, South Africa, Mozambique, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, 45 of the 50 U.S. states.
Goals: learning Spanish and sign language, finishing her masters, starting a youth-serving non-profit organization, more triathlons, writing a novel, movie script, magazine articles, traveling for a year, "working as I go," having more adventures.

featured wedding guest 10 is Darius.

Residence: Santa Monica
Previous Address: Chicago
How we met: Another of Maureen's coworkers; she has known him for two years
Favorite Food: Carl's Jr 6 dollar burger, "koo koo ra roo," chocolate covered banana cake
Favorite Beverage: peach cider, lablatt bleu, pinot grigio. Darius is seldom seen without a beverage in hand. (editors note: this spells danger as it takes him only a diet pepsi to blow a .08)
Favorite Song: Mr Brightside by The Killers
Number of times in a circle picture: 17
Accolades: Voted 'Most Kissable' by Jagermeister, Jogeemeister, Wicked Productions and Lizzy Bowen.
Interesting facts: He has a twin sister. He is zoroastrian, the first religion to believe in one God (only 200,000 left in the world - freddy mercury was one), was held at gunpoint twice; once in New York and once in Rio by policemen, is known to go down to the beach at night handing out sheets of passport photos so people will remember him. Darius enjoys volleyball and trying new sports - recently attempting snowboarding and hand gliding for the first time.
Travels include Paris, Bangkok, New Mexico, and Rio for Carnival (twice)
Goals: to stay in Santa Monica

featured wedding guest 11 is Jenny.Residence: Venice Beach, California
Previous Address: L.A., San Diego, Ireland
How we met: Volleyball class 4 years ago
Number of times in a circle picture: 1
Favorite Beverage: Iced Mint Tea, Malibu and Coke
Favorite Companions: 2 big black lab mixes (Max and Rosie) and her cat Clyde
Favorite Phrase: I'm just a delicate flower
Favorite Story#1: Two brothers were invited to put $1000 into a small restaurant venture 50 years ago. One came up with the money, one didn't. The venture turned out to be IHOP and the brother (Jenny's uncle) never had to work again. But as Jenny puts it, "Poor daddy...."
Favorite Story#2: Jenny (and Lance) crashes an evening private party at the Mondrian Hotel (Sky Bar). Jenny decides to jump into the pool and swim a few laps, to the delight of the black tie crowd and chagrin of hotel management, who chase her down and remove her from the pool. She stays and party's.
Travels include Europe, Guatamala, Yucatan Peninsula, Belize, New Mexico, Texas - back packing in Canada and Alaska.
Loves rollerblading, bike riding, swimming, rule breaking, Bar-BQs and Art. Jenny has Sals-addiction and his going to Salsa Boot Camp this summer.

featured wedding guest 12 is Fred.
Residence: Malibu
Previous Address: Paris, France
How we met: One of Maureen's coworkers and Partner in Crime. She has known him for ten years
Favorite Beverage: Le Grey Goose vodka. straight up, on the rocks, w/cranberry, w/pineapple juice, w/tonic
Favorite Pet: his cat Otis (or "Charmaine" if you ask Lily)
Favorite Hour: Happy
Number of times in a circle picture: 5
Enjoys: fine cuban cigars, fine dining, fine happy hours. Kayaking, bike riding, the Lakers
Interesting facts: online poker champion, stays up all day and night when in Vegas, collects Monte Blanc pens, has an extensive cap, hat and beanie collection.
Travels include: Most of Europe, Indonesia, Canada, New York's Madison Square Garden and Chicago's United Center to watch Laker games.

featured wedding guest 13 is Stephanie.

Residence: Venice Beach
Previous Address: Cebu City (Philippines), Glendale, San Diego, Eugene
How we met: about 2 years ago year at Palisades MediaGroup where she is a senior broadcast buyer
Favorite Beverages: diet pepsi, passion fruit iced tea, Coffee Bean ice-blended vanilla or pomegranate blueberry
Favorite Food: Italian, Apple Pan's tuna melt w/cheddar cheese, Mastro's for the sautéed scallop appetizer & double pork chop
Favorite Phrase: OMG, whatever
Number of times in a circle picture: maybe one
Interesting facts: Dreams of someday swimming in a sea of tulips in Holland, went to the same Catholic boarding school where Joan Crawford left her daughter Christina (Mommy Dearest), has met the casts of Lost, Grey's Anatomy and Desperate Housewives. Knows Fred Savage (pictured).
Hobbies: shopping. considers trips to Target and Marshall's an adventure.
Loves movies, concerts, music, theater, art, her DVR function. Expert on pop-culture. Sings and dances to the radio in her car. Captured the gold medal at Lance and Maureen's annual 4th of july karaoke bbq sing-off.
Travels: Turkey, Greece, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Canada, Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, China.

Wish They Were There!

2006-06-01T11:27:00.000-07:00

Veni, vidi, vici.
They came, they saw, they conquered. Well, not exactly.
They can't come to our wedding, saw they couldn't come and concurred that they weren't coming.
Yet we still love our Hawaiian alias'ed friends and accept them for the individuals they are - however misdirected, misaligned or
misprioritized - for on our wedding day they shall be missingout.
Here then are the remainder of our dear friends who will all be in Hawaii next week in spirit. JUST NOT THE ALOHA SPIRIT : )

What We've Been Up To

2006-05-31T23:16:00.000-07:00

We recently had some pictures taken in Hawaii by Brad from Reve photography. Brad (pictured below) will also be taking our wedding photos.

What is a Ghunnie?

2006-05-15T23:15:00.000-07:00

Good question. The root of the answer lies in my poor typing skills. I probably couldn't type 40 words per minute if I had four hands. Actually that's not true. I can type twice that many, but few would be easily recognizable as English. Hence my instant message to Maureen 3 years ago went from "hunnie" to "ghunnie" (man that g is awfully close to that h) in one crazed keystroke moment. The name stuck. Now that I think about it, maybe the key did too.

The ghunnies have other family members. Frankie (a siamese mix) and Cleo (a tortie point siamese) actually believe they are the senior members of the ghunnie family.

The Two Shot

2006-05-04T21:48:00.000-07:00

The Two-Shot was born in July of 2003. It was created by the joining of two powerful forces and the need to document that union. It was born from necessity. Someone needed to capture the image of the Two, but the idea of enlisting another to take part was, well, two plus one. And as everyone knows, that makes three, not Two.

The Two-Shots were not limited to the beach, or to the daytime for that matter. The Ghunnies began to use the Two-Shots as a visual diary of places they had been, clothes they had worn, and the hairstyle of the day. By later reviewing the images great care was taken so that no two Two-Shots would ever be one and the same.

Spurred by the freedom that the Two-Shot afforded them, the Ghunnies began to branch out. They took up new sports. They experimented with trans-gender. They began wearing their hair long - and beading it. Their poses took on an aggressive air, yet they returned to the soft blue and white colors comfortably familiar from their very first Two-Shot.

Next came the hat phase.

followed by the bbq and bandana phase.

The Two were last seen in Hawaii planning their biggest Two-Shot to date.