Kiana's Mom!

We had Sunday dinner up on the grand hills of BEAUTIFUL Kalihi, haha, or more like a perfect place to look out from at all the beautiful lights at night. Tonight wasn't much, as it was a simply family get together....but we all finally were able to meet Kiana's Mom (Kaulu Amaral) visiting from Kona. Now I can see where Kiana gets her sweet spirit, gorgeous looks and style from. I was also very excited to meet her Mom ever since I found out that she was the model in one of my FAVORITE paintings by Herb Kane:

I've LOVED this photo since I was a little girl and it describes all of my passion and love for hula. Graceful hands, a REAL smile, love for your culture, long wavy hair, fragrant haku and maile lei, very classy....and that GORGEOUS holoku & train!!!

Kiana's Mom is VERY well-known in the hula community, travels everywhere & is always asked to perform for important events, like they fly her in that's how beautiful a dancer she is!

Here she's showing us one of her recent photo shoots for a magazine in Japan. She's very easy to talk to and be around.....she's one of those local people I like being around because they remind me (just by their aloha and demeanor) how proud I am to be Hawaiian. 

And it's funny that her granddaughter is named "Mahie" too. Now Ike & Kiana hurry up & get married so you can have two nieces named Mahie :)

Karate Kick!