BTBJ: Social media edition

Nadine Kam photos
At the entrance to the American Heart Association's 14th annual "Black Tie & Blue Jeans" fundraiser, a group of BFFs was one of many posing for a 7-second video that would be converted into a flip book to have and hold.

I thought I had a 6 a.m. flight home from New York July 16, so rather than risk going to bed and not waking up, I decided to stay up ’til 3 to go to the airport. At just about 3, I double-checked my flight time and found it was actually 7, but that just meant I could watch another movie in the hotel room before leaving at 4. Why oh why did I pick “Beastly?” I had to cut it off in the middle to leave, but no biggie. It’s a throwaway kind of film.

So, after having been awake 26 hours and making the 11-hour journey home (it’s not so painful when you opt for first class, where the seats recline and Delta proffers eye masks, comfy socks and other pleasant amenities), I managed to get back to work the same day, hauling my tired self to The Waikiki EDITION, where the American Heart Association was hosting its 14th annual “Black Tie & Blue Jeans” event.

Social media was the theme of the event, and the evening's Twitter feed was projected onto the walls at The Waikiki EDITION, where the event took place.

The event is always fun, and this year, the theme was social media. The evening’s Tweets and Facebook feeds were screened on the walls, there were QR codes providing information about the cause, short videos of guests converted into flipbooks courtesy of Flipbooks Hawaii, and there dancing, both human oriented or game-oriented.

There were also hundreds of great silent auction items, from dinners, to travel to massages. The fashion-oriented could bid on items including Tadashi Shoji, Fighting Eel and Diane von Furstenberg dresses, gift certificates from Tori Richard and Sig Zane, a Cole Haan shopping event, and jewelry, handbags and accessories from Coach, Folli Follie, Links of London, The Wedding Ring Shop, Fendi, Prada, Nina Ricci, and more.

Highlighted live auction items included an Alaska Airlines getaway, “Waikiki Escape Package” for two at the Waikiki Parc, and an evening for four with this year’s BTBJ co-chair, James Chan, that would start with dinner at Morton’s and end with star-gazing at Ko Olina.

While in New York, I had told BTBJ’s director of special events, Lesli Yano, that I wasn’t sure I’d be able to make it, but I was glad I did.

The Prada contingent, from left, Stuart Ing, John Schamber, Candace Konievic, Chanel Wong, Wayne Yoshigai, and Melody Cablay.

Lesli Yano takes her turn in a dance-off, trying her best to match the animated dancers.

Guests had to show their QR codes for refreshment, and a scan of the code led to heart-healthy nutrition information at www.heart.org/HEARTORG/.

Also among the party-goers, from left, Sasha Settle, John and Heather Wallenstrom, and Makani Maeva.

Patrick Sato and Craig Holbrook ham it up for the camera for their flip book.

Steve Shropshire and Candes Gentry.

Christine Song, left, and Meihua Lam.

Massimo Galluzzo and Terri Motosue.

Leslie Schipper, left, and Tai Blechta.

Caron Ling, left, and Mari Kishimoto.