UYE: Red Shoes, etc! @ Eleven44

Clearly Santi knew how get my attention. Red.
I don’t have red shoes, but i got sexy red pants, and a cute red bowtie. ON POINT.
For a wednesday night, what a huge turnout.
Props to eleven44 for showing us a great time and the free drink and samples.
Great seeing the usual and new suspects and great event SANTI. WOOHOO

A few months ago, there was a posting on Unilocal’s Talk Thread about how, in the past, wearing of red high-​heeled shoes symbolized a prostitute who was advertising. With the conversation going back and forth, it was fun to read how some people, seriously or jokingly, maintained that wearing red shoes was significant of a red-​light district.
Now who comes along to prove that it isn’t so — Unilocaler Elite, Santi, of course! Yes, a UYE: Red Shoes, etc. @Eleven44 in its Red Room. What a great theme for a UYE! The initial requirement was to wear red shoes, but was extended to include wearing anything red, such as a shirt, blouse, dress, slacks, bow tie, hat, belt, etc. And yes, Unilocalers, including guys in red clothes and/​or accessories, came out in full force, about 50 of them in one of the largest UYEs held locally. And in case one didn’t wear red, Santi gave each Unilocaler a red beaded lei to keep in the spirit of the theme.

Thank you so much, Santi, for planning such a fun event! Santi had arranged with Eleven44 management to have each Unilocaler a complimentary well drink, wine, beer, etc. and complimentary tapas on the house — so awesome! Additional drinks and tapas were available for purchase at happy hour prices. The tapas were delicious — grilled beef skewers, spinach and artichoke dip with lavosh chips, veggie samosas, and other creative pupus.

I had a great time, and I’m sure everyone there had a fantastic time too! It was loud with laughter and conversation, as Unilocalers were making new friends and catching up with the latest with other Unilocaler friends.
With the large turnout, Eleven44, which formerly housed Bambu Two, was the perfect place for this event. It was large enough for all of us to mingle and talk to other Unilocalers, as well as having the cool lighting and aesthetically pleasing interior décor. Servers were spot on — drinks/​tapas served quickly after ordering and walking through the crowd to ask if anyone needed anything. Staffing was well planned for this event.
Red is one of three primary colors and is a color that attracts attention. It is associated with so many things — love; passion; anger; danger; courage; sacrifice; fire; Communism; Christmas; the list goes on; and for many Asian countries, happiness, good fortune, and joy. Being Chinese, I had no problem finding red to wear –a red blouse and red fingernail polish did the trick. And of course, red is the color of Unilocal,which brings us back to this event.
You did a great, Santi, for a well-​attended awesome Unilocal event! With all our red garb, I think each of us made a nickel that night (refer to Unilocal’s Talk Thread)!

We have your 50 shades of RED!
After reading a Unilocal thread on red shoes, what a perfect reason to host my very first UYE (Unofficial Unilocal Event) at the eleven44 Bar with all my fellow Unilocalers!
The theme «Red Shoes and etc.» had the best creative shades of red which our guests proudly flaunted. From red pumps, flats, sneakers, bow ties, neckties, t-​shirts, purses, pants, watches, nail polish we all had fun drinking, sampling pupus and meeting old and new Unilocalers.
I worked closely with the General Manager Jody Jenkins who was so kind to offer free drink tickets and sample pupus for our Unilocalers. From beef skewers to lamb rolls, everything was delicious. He also had the back room decorated in red lighting. The bartenders and staff had smiles and were very attentive.
Thank you so much for all 50+ attendees who made time to join us in fellowship and good drinks/​eats. Also, a big mahalo to Terry K., Michael C., Rod U. and Jo Y. where we had our first happy hour here to test it out and all their support. We all got lei’d thanks to Terry!
I can not express how lucky I am to be part of this Unilocal community. The people I have met are not only Unilocalers but some of them have become close friends and are a big part of my life. Again, thank you to everyone who attended as I’m so grateful to you for making this event so successful!
If I ever host another UYE, I hope it’ll be «golden»!

I came prepared. Below my gray exterior, a red shirt was lurking… and red Unilocal socks! Superman to the rescue!
Santi got some amazing hookups! Every person that showed up to this UYE got their first drink free and free pupus! If you didn’t make it, you missed out! It felt like an Elite event. There were so many elites that showed up and there was free food and drink. Simply amazing.
It was so great seeing everyone again and meeting new people in red. Even the carpet was red! Food was so delicious as I grazed a bit. I ordered a few things to eat too as I didn’t know there were pupus coming. I ended up with a feast!
I hope the next party isn’t gold themed or I may have to show off my gold shorts. Just kidding, or maybe not ;)

It started with a Unilocal Talk thread about how prostitutes wear red shoes and transformed into an awesome happy hour event hosted by Santi T! Sure, that sounds crazy; we all decided after a thread about prostitutes that we were all going to strut our stuff in red off in Chinatown, but it turned out SOOOOO well! Haha: D
Santi T did an AMAZING job putting together her very first UYE, and it was a HUGE hit! Not everyone can muster up over 40 people to a UNOFFICIAL Unilocal Event (UYE), but she did it with ease (& some grey hairs w/​a few hrs of lost sleep)!
It was so awesome walking into a crowd of Unilocalers donning their best red gear — shoes, shirts, dresses, ties, earrings, pants, belts! So much participation! It also made talking to a stranger less intimidating because you knew they were part of the group, especially with the cute red bead necklaces that Santi T handed out to everyone that said, «I got lei’d in my red shoes» with the date & place of the event! So thoughtful!
It was also super fortuitous that Eleven44 already hands out promotional first drink tickets & pupu samples during their Happy Hour! Super score! Although, I’m pretty sure one drink was NOT enough for anyone (especially Brian M, who apparently had a bunch of belated birthday shots: P).
I had such an amazing time! And while I hope she doesn’t lose hair over it, I do hope that Santi T will throw more awesome events like this one! We love you!

What a GREAT HUMP DAY UYE!
SANTI you did a great job in finding the perfect venue for all yeeps to come out to get over this hump day & in style! I think we definitely painted the town red… or at least eleven44!

Kudos to Santi T for her first UYE! Great turnout!
Great job on the planning! I loved the red theme… would’ve been nice to have a group pic with all of us sporting our red (did I miss out on that?)
Eleven44 has a great friendly staff, and the bartendress & servers are bona fide eye candy!
I look forward to Santi’s next UYE!

Great Job Santi hosting your first UYE.
Fantastic turnout and great Venue.
But best of all the best Unilocalers in all the Universe.

I had such a great time at Eleven44! It was so much fun we were the last to leave !
Finally met the great Rod U. I think my stalking skillz need some tweaking since I did meet more of the great Unilocalers! I did like the venue and the service. The shots were a bonus and glad that I didn’t drive. I did make sure that I tipped very well since our drinks kept coming with a great smile. We sat at a high top and maybe they could get bigger high tops so maybe four people can sit instead of two and possibly a third (tight). Love the furniture and ambiance there and I think it’s a nice relaxing place to stop for a drink if your in Chinatown.
Much thanks go out to Santi for a great UYE! And you are a great PR as well for the next event coming up. «Air Karaōke» Got a picture with the fabulous Emi H and the famous Melissa Chang. I felt so honored to be among other Unilocalers that love food. Also a great big thanks to the GM at Eleven44 for taking care of us Unilocalsters.
Looks like I’m going back there for the tapas and drinks soon!

Santi you did an AWESOME Job on your first UYE!
Now you can finally get some sleep Zzzzzzzzz and not worry about it! haha! This was a great event and one of the biggest turnouts for an UYE. It was gracious of Eleven44 to supply the first round of libations and even offered some free appetizers.
There bar was dominated by Unilocalers and seeing a lot of familiar faces wherever you turned made it feel like you’re with family. *My other family*
Like at every Unilocal event I had to make it a point to meet a few Yeeps that I haven’t met IRL and make few new friends. I think our Emi H. has brain washed me! *Hugs Emi*
Thank You Santi for Hosting and planning this Fantastic UYE!
Also…Pam H, Rod U, Ramfis B. for the Belated B’Day drinks and mind blowing conversations!

It starts with red shoes. Eye catching. Oh heck, sexy. «How you doin’?»
Lust.
Desire.
Little red devil on the shoulder telling you to go for it.
Giddy like a teenager; could this be; love?
Heart racing. With baited breath, lips touch. Wet. A tongues caress. Ahhhh…
«Yo, thanks for the shot. I needed that!»
And so it begins. Bring together a group of positive, fun loving Unilocalers, a chill venue with staff aiming to please, knowledgeable mixologist, happy hour drink prices, plates of tapas for the sampling and a round on the house to kick things off right; the makings of an incredible UYE. Props Santi T. Well done!
PS it was great catching up with «old» yeeps and meeting so many of my Unilocal heroes IRL! Until the next one, cheers!

Red Shoes! I got no Red Shoes… okay let me see… Red Underwear? nope… Red anything? nope Whaaa! I am REDLESS! I can’t go and not support my buddy Santi T. so off I go to Walmart, Whew Walmart saved the Day! I found a red T-​shirt that was 100% Cotton Yeah! for cheap too! a bargain at $ 3.75 with tax YES!!! I am RED!!!
Good thing as I was contemplating on cutting my wrist so I could bleed RED for this event.
Got to Eleven44 and was quite surprised how big the place actually is and nice too I like those big Round Ball Light fixtures so nice! I want one!
Wow Santi really came thru for us! We got our first drink free and a Beef Teri skewer thingy hehe sorry don’t know exactly what they called it… which was cool and the servers there were really nice great place! Fun Unilocalers as always great to talk to and meet. What a fun time!
I noticed no one had to slice their wrists for Red!

Ok Santi, i feel violated!!! There are always some things in life that i will never ever do. And after working in Waikiki for so many years and seeing these Japanese tourists looking like peacocks wearing pink shirts with green shorts and yellow crocs and different color combinations, i swear i will never ever in my so called life wear Red Pants or Red Shoes in my lifetime, but since i truly think highly of you and have never ever been to a UYE before, i thought i would break my UYE cherry and attend this Red Shoe Event.
Santi, do you know how embarrasing buying Red Pants and Red Shoes are? I would rather go to Longs Drugs and buy condoms and tampons rather than having to face the cashier that is ringing up my purchase with a big smirk on her face. I literally had to put my head down in embarrasment hoping my face wouldn’t been seen on CCTV with security just laughing hysterically at my purchase, but Santi, just because of you Santi, i made the sacrifice. The hardest part for me was getting out of my car in the Municipal Parking Lot in Downtown and running as fast as i can to Eleven44 without nobody seeing me in my Red Pants and Shoes. I felt like Ronald McDonald chasing after the Hamburgler
But as i walked into Eleven44 and seeing all my fellow Unilocalers and second family, i was put at ease just a teeny bit and needed a drink ASAP to calm my nerves. Eleven44 is a cozy relaxing atmosphere for those that just want to relax in the heart of Downtown. Meeting fellow Unilocalers in person is always a treat and i had great pleasure in meeting people in person such as Paul C, Michael C, Maka K, Dave F, Gary, and the usual faces such as Pam H, Brian M, and the one and only Emi H.
But if there was one Unilocaler i have always wanted to see in person because i admire his Unilocal Reviews like a Teeny Bopper watching the Jonas Brothers, it was no other than the one and only Rod U. As a longtime foodie that has been anywhere and everywhere, you Unilocalers have got to read Rod U’s Reviews. I usually don’t read reviews to determine what i’m going to eat, but i always read Rod’s reviews because he knows his stuff inside and out and reading his reviews are like something out of Food & Wine magazine or some top notch food publication. Nadine Kam has nothing on this guy because i think Rod U’s Unilocal reviews are the real deal and priceless to say the least.
Now on to the UYE. Santi all i have to say is that you must have some type of following because this was a really big turnout for a UYE being that this was my first one. Thank You for the free drink which i really needed and the great tapas that were offered. I think i should really attend more UYE events so i could meet more Unilocalers in person instead of seeing them on my iphone all the time. For all you fellow Unilocalers out there, i am not a social butterfly and am rather reserved but i am very approachable so next time i see you at any event please feel free to introduce yourself to me. I will tell you this, Unilocal is such a force out there, checking in to places really does have an effect on people as i have had a number of people come up to me and introduce themselves after checking in to certain places on Unilocal and that makes me very happy.
How do you think that i finally met Santi in person? I checked in at the Hermes Store in Ala Moana with my wife and her guests from Japan and i see this Asian Woman come up to me and ask me if i’m Ramfis. It was none other than Santi T and that was the start of our Unilocal introduction. Now how’s that for a meet and greet? From then on me and Santi have been very good friends and have kept in touch through Unilocal and other venues.
Once again i would like to thank the staff at Eleven44 and especially to our server Jaime who kept me at ease getting our chilled Ketel One and Patron shots on spot and that Rogue Dead Guy Ale Beer was KILLER!!! And Happy Belated Birthday to Brian M and once again Santi, this will be the last time ever wear RED EVER AGAIN!!!
Santi, i had a blast and thanks for hosting such a memorable event…
Best Host Ever…
Me and the infamous and best reviewer on Unilocal Rod U
Me, Emi H, Pam H, Melissa, and Brian M

Love love loved the theme for Santi T’s very first UYE! It was like walking into Valentine’s day!!! Everyone looked so amazing in their red dresses, shirts and accessories. My personal favorite? Red Ryan’s fire engine red pants = Demi God.
I was thoroughly impressed by how the gorgeous Santi T greeted everyone with a red bead necklace complete with custom tag. Completely blown away by the awesome attendance and 50+ Unilocalers. Now those are some skillz folks!
Can’t wait for the next color themed UYE which I’m sure will be a blast! All hail Santi T, Unilocal’s new UYE Queen!

Lady in RED… shoes.
The RED themed UYE, hosted by the gracious Santi T, encouraged fellow Unilocalers to put their best foot forward… preferably wearing a RED shoe. Though some did wear their finest and highest RED shoes, there was no shortage of RED clothing and accessories. Everything from RED shirts, dress shirts, dresses, headbands, pants, scarfs, bow ties, and traditional ties. There was an endless RED Sea of Unilocalers ready to partake in some drinks, food, and fellowship.
This UYE (the first and hopefully not the last!!) was organized and planned by Unilocal Elite Santi T, at the recently opened eleven44 in Downtown. The RED carpet was literally rolled out to welcome our very social group of Unilocalers to the event. Santi was kind enough to arrange with management, as part of the UYE, some complimentary appetizers and drinks (each attendee was issued a ticket in order to redeem their beverage). As one of the first people to arrive, I was «encouraged» to use my ticket for a shot almost immediately. And so I toasted with Rod U, Mark H, and Santi to good friends and her 1^st UYE!
Of course, many of the «usual suspects» were in attendance, but I was glad to have met a few Unilocalers for the first time. It was my pleasure to finally meet Sharon C (and her husband and friends), Ramfis B and Pam H. And it was great to see David T, Claire F, and Jayson N after a very long hiatus.
All good things must come to an end, and before we all knew it it was 7pm. The 2 hours went by fast, but time surely flies when you’re having a wonderful time.
BOTTOM LINE: CONGRATS Santi T on hosting a very fun and enjoyable UYE!

Red is my favorite color and Santi’s UYE held a torch as one of my favorites. A great event with great appetizers and great beverages. Thank you to eleven44 for being such great hosts.
Everywhere you looked!!! All you could see is red. Starting with the RED CARPET at the entrance. The men! They did a great great job in dressing the theme. Creative, colorful and some comical.
I’ve been to UYE’s here and on the continent. This event has to fall into one of the most fun filled events with great food, friends and fellowship.
thank you Santi

Disclaimer:
Please realize I’m writing this review after a crafted martini, a whiskey sour, and a Chardonnay someone handed me.
What a wonderful UYE, Santi! So glad on finally getting a chance to hug you and honored to be «lei’d» in red beads by you too! You ROCK! Your friend, Kelly rocks too!
Somehow I opened up to her about my ⁹⁄₁₁ experience… Well it’s a long story, lol!
Nice seeing some old time friends, Russ & Carla (calling me Cowboy:)), Jo, Terry, Davy, Brian, Mark, Gary, Malia — who reminded me we first met almost a year ago at the exact same place, but it was my Bambu Two UYE at the time… A year later it’s now called eleven44! Wow how time flies! It’s been awhile!
Good turnout, lots of «talk story» with Kelly (Santi’s friend), Michael, Davy, Jo & Terry.
Forgive me if I don’t recall what I said, but the government secrets are still safe!
Mark, your secrets NOT safe! Hehe.
Wow! Who’s that?!? Oh, it’s Aly O. Nice chatting with you, Aly!
Of course, my crush, Emi Hart was there
/​le sigh. Good looking women and men too!
Awesome staff. Some I remember from the old Bambu Two days. If you’re a Bambu Two regular like I was, you’ll notice a difference in the HH menu– unfortunately the martinis are no longer HH eligible, but oh well things change.
All in all… Awesome tapas, dranks & good company… Can’t go wrong! I tipped well too;)
I’m sure I’ll update this mañana! When I’m not squinting. Sadly, I must sleep now, I work at 4am in the morning. Weeee!
Hi Aly…
LIVE ALOHA…
Unilocal REVIEW #218

Awesome event! So great to see everyone pimped out in red accessories and attire! Santi even gave away red beads with a fun tag! Yay for unexpected party favors!
I didn’t realize eleven 44 was actually the bar’s address! Duh, Arynn. The bar was really relaxing and ambiance was… Party mode! There was quite a few people there and it was nice to meet people in person who I’m friends with on Unilocal.
My one comp drink was great as was the sampling of tapas. I ended up getting myself a plate of the spinach artichoke dip with pita chips. For a happy hour, happy price of $ 4 I felt like the cheap date… But who cares? I had fun and isn’t that what it’s all about?

What a nice venue in downtown Honolulu! It has a very modern décor with plenty of secluded and more public spaces to sit and relax with friends.
Santi did a great job of organizing the UYE for over 40 persons. The event was well attended and the host Jody did a great job welcoming all of us to his establishment.
Friendly waitstaff and great appetizers!
Thanks to Santi for introducing 1144 to us.

OMG, are you seeing red? Maybe it’s because I’m mad? Or, is it because our awesome hostess Santi T. came up with this fab theme party attracting such cool Unilocalsters?
The venue was very hip with such attentive and warm staff to greet and service us. We were treated to a comp drink with delicious appetizers.
Great to see old faces and met a few new ones tonight. About 50 peeps showed up tonight to have a blast catching up over laughs, picture taking and for great convo.
Before departing there was a discussion of the next color theme party. Perhaps gold to have fellow Elite Gary N. sport his shorty gold shorts again?
Woohoo! Thanks Santi for such a great UYE!!!