Nearly 100 New York tri-state alumni spanning the Classes of 1965 through 2012 descended upon TriBeCa in lower Manhattan on Feb. 1, 2013, to celebrate the first Punahou Carnival in NYC. The frigid temperatures outside were ameliorated by the piping hot malasadas, teri burgers, chicken skewers and fried saimin prepared by Executive Chef Robynne Maii ’92. Shelly Chung ’80, Kanoe Lum ’01 Williams, Karen Elizaga ’88, Paul Hsi ’82, Liz Yee ’94, Lisa Gainsley ’04 and Allen Murabayashi ’90 collaborated on the event, which was held at Murabayashi’s home and was by all accounts a great success.

Alumni Carnival Event in NYC

“We had a feeling that the malasadas would prove to be irresistible,” quipped Murabayashi, “but we were delighted by the great showing of alumni of all ages and the camaraderie that they expressed.”

In the lead-up to the school’s 175th anniversary in 2016, Punahou Alumni Association regional chapters are taking shape, expanding and getting recharged. “This gathering serves as an informal, soft launch of the newly invigorated New York regional chapter, which seeks to increase alumni engagement and networking opportunities in the tri-state area,” said Murabayashi. “We look forward to finding new ways to bring the Punahou ‘ohana together with a New York state of mind."