PARTYMASTERS HAWAII The invites shown are for "Sparkle," a fund-raiser for The Angela Perez Baraquio Scholarship Foundation for Hawaii's Youth; "A Night with the Sopranos," where guests wore "sleek black and red"; "A Midsummer Night's Dream" pajama party; and last year's Halloween party.

Life of the party

"Extreme Halloween" marks the coming-out
party for Partymasters Hawaii,
a company that adds a dash of style
and fun to its events

---

By John Berger
jberger@starbulletin.com

$1,000 cash! That's what the winning costume will be worth at the Partymasters Hawaii "Extreme Halloween" party Thursday at the Hawaiian Hut.

No one can accuse Justin Yoshino of thinking small. He really knows how to throw a party. While other contests are offering prizes "valued at" $1,000, he says, "I'm kind of a throwback to the '80s when Waikiki had nightclubs from Rumours to Bobby McGee's, the drinking age was 18 and Waikiki was a happening spot.

"Spats used to give away $1,000 cash to the winner of their Halloween costume contest. We decided it was time to bring it back."

Yoshino and his Partymasters Hawaii crew will also award prizes to three runner-ups in the costume contest, and give other party-goers opportunities to win prizes in "Fright Factor" contests. Entertainment will also be provided by psychics, fortune tellers and DJ Rich.

It's a big-scale coming out party for Partymasters Hawaii, a company that hosts frequent theme parties for a hip and well-connected crowd. "Extreme Halloween" marks the first time the company is opening an event to the general public.

"We've developed a really good core group of between 300 and 400 people that come to our events, and we're just trying to take it to the next level," Yoshino said. Earlier Partymasters Hawaii events were promoted through Yoshino's list of personal friends and upscale professional types. Yoshino's friends could invite other people, but public promotion wasn't part of the game plan.

"We wanted to stay away from the dollar shooter specials ... and appeal to a more sophisticated 'young professionals' crowd that did not want a crowded bar scene," Yoshino said. "We were looking to create a party where everyone would say, 'That was the coolest party I've ever been to! How do I get on the list?'"

"The Party," as Yoshino calls it, has become known as an event where people can dress up, but which isn't overrun with posers trying to impress each other.

"It's about style, it's about class, and just trying to be one step ahead of everybody. People know that a Partymasters party is going to be done with a sense of style and fun, and it's an opportunity to dress up."

For men, he says, that means something more than their standard workday attire of slacks with a polo-style pullover or reverse-print aloha shirt. As for women -- "We want to give them a chance to wear that show-stopping cocktail dress."

PARTYMASTERS HAWAII Guests have a chance to bring out their glittery gowns and dress up -- as shown at right with two molls ready for "A Night with the Sopranos" -- or dress down. "A Midsummer Night's Dream" party had partygoers arriving in sleepwear.

YOSHINO INTRODUCED the concept with a "Fly With Angels" theme party last summer at the Hanohano Room, and continued with "A Night With the Sopranos" at Ciao Mein, "Sparkle" with Angela Perez Baraquio at the Hanohano Room, and subsequent events at Sarento's, the Mercedes Benz showroom, and a Coyote Ugly "leather and animal-print attire" party at Chai's Island Bistro. A "Midsummer Night's Dream" event last night challenged invited guests to attend in sleepwear.

"We try to pick places that are not nightclubs, and for one night turn a fine dining restaurant into a club so that for one night people have a new place.

"With the first party up at the Hanohano Room we wanted to put something together really classy, so we did a black-and-white party ... we did a whole series of food (stations) featuring all the food at the Hanohano Room and followed with a fashion show, and we were the first to kick off in Hawaii martini-and-massages for $10 where people got a martini and a massage at the same time."

"The Party" also includes an assortment of pop music styles from the '80s onward.

Yoshino doesn't claim to have invented the Partymasters concept. He was visiting San Francisco four years ago when a friend took him to a warehouse party with an "Arabian Nights" theme that included Arabian-style food, "a great bar," several bands, and various events and activities that made the event more than "a dance or a singles mixer."

He brought the idea back with him, listened to what people were saying about the local club scene, looked at what successful clubs were already offering, and decided that Hawaii was ready for "The Party."

"It's about giving people a chance to dress up, have fun, and do it right," Yoshino said. "Create excitement, (offer) great food, great entertainment, and ... the right people."

PARTYMASTERS HAWAII Justin Yoshino, left, the ultimate Party Master, plays Hugh Hefner to a guest's Playboy bunny. Yoshino's company has been staging invitation-only parties for a year.

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