July 2006 archive
One of seven amphitheater valleys carved from the extinct Kohala Volcano along the northern shore of the Big Island, Waimanu Valley is something of a Holy Grail to Hawaii hikers. Abandoned in the late 1940s, it's one of the few…
I gobble down three varieties in roughly 15 minutes before dashing back out to the car. Times running out and I have plenty more poke to eat. The next stop is literally up the street. Tanioka’s (808-671-3779: map) is…
To my right the steep crumbling cliffs of the Na Pali Coast plunge 3,000 feet into a blue sea. To my left a ravine of ohia trees is vibrant with vermilion blossoms. I am standing on the serpentine Awaawapuhi…
David Kuhn has effectively made himself Hawaii's soundman. With microphone in hand and recording gear slung over his shoulder, Kuhn wanders Hawaii recording the sounds of nature. Generously, he posts a good number of brief recordings for free download on…
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Five feet down in the liquid blue somewhere off leeward Lanai, I see a subtle flutter amid the busy commotion of butterfly fish on a cluster of pinkish brain coral. I swim down a few feet to the lava…
Onward to the Fort Ruger Market, another poke bastion. This slightly dilapidated superette sits in the shadow of Diamond Head a stone’s throw from Waikiki Beach. Fort Ruger’s claim to fame is that it uses true sashimi grade ahi…
This is one of my favorite beaches in the islands. It's not a big beach but its truly stunning. Actually, Kuki'o is more like a peninsula with two pocket beaches and fabulous lawn overlooking crystal clear water. There is…
In the 16th century, Japanese potters figured out a nifty way to fire clay that created a glittery coating as if the vessels had been quickly dipped in liquid gold or silver. Since then, the raku process has become…
Read Da Perfect Poke Part 1 and Part 2. I elect to start my 24-hour pokethon at night, as many restaurants don’t serve it on breakfast or lunch menus. Sam Choy’s is the first stop and the second is…
At the Hawaii Invitational Bill Fishing Tournament, Team Malibu vaulted into the lead by landing this 399-pound, fighting mad, Pacific blue marlin. Of the 19 fish caught by the 28 teams from the international field, 14 were tagged and…
It's a whole new brand of Maui Wowee. And in a really pretty bottle, too. Ocean Vodka is distilled in Idaho from organic grains then shipped to Maui where its blended with pure Hawaiian deep sea water pumped up…
Hiking with junior can be tricky in the islands. Many trails are extremely exposed to the elements or unstable and in dangerously steep terrain. This trail is almost made for kids. It starts in the back of Maunawili Valley,…
Sifting through all the garbage offerings from freebie publications on Maui is a major hassle. All masquerade as true editorial -- 101 Things to Do on Maui, or Maui Menu's or whatever. Maui Time, however, is a true-blue alt…
Note: Read Da Perfect Poke Part 1. With its rustic roots, simple preparation and seasonings, poke until recently remained a blue-collar, soul food for Hawaii. “It was very convenient. It was very important to have poke after a hard…
I was writing an article on driving the spectacular H-3 Interstate (Hawaii actually has three, all on Oahu) for a magazine and tooling around looking at images online when I stumbled across this site put together by Oscar Voss.…
Note: There is at least one other company that claims it is making Hawaiian chocolate.The key question -- ask where the beans are grown and what percentage are actually grown in Hawaii. Ono Farms in Hana, Maui that is…
Note: Due to the graphic nature of the subject matter, this event may not be for small children or animal rights activists. The 47th annual Hawaii International Billfish Tournament kicked off on July 24 on the Kona Coast of…
Your butt will ache, you knees will be knock, your vision may blur...but you'll be transported to one of the most spiritual -- and haunted -- places in the islands. It's a classic excursion, over covered and much extolled.…
At Sam Choy’s Diamond Head on a windy October night, the night crew is in the process of closing down the joint. I arrive right before 10 p.m., the last customer and slip into one of the chairs at…
Phillipe Padovani closed his eponymous and highly-regarded restaurant in December, but there's a sweet side to this sad turn. Never one to stew, Padovani has opened a chocolate shop that is winning rave reviews for its high art edibles.…
Long before Coke and Pepsi dominated the soft drink landscapes, dozens of local sodaworks served up cold, lovely sweet libations all over the Hawaiian islands. On the North Shore of Oahu, Waialua Sodaworks made cola that quenched the thirst…
*Note. This will be a regular feature to alert readers when chefs at restaurants they love have moved on, a key part of any serious dining decision. * Dan York moved from Haleiwa Joe's on the North Shore to the…
I've done numerous stories mentioning windsurfing on Maui. It is the windsurfing capital of the world, with the most consistent breezes on Earth whipping through Hookipa on the North Shore. Maui is also a great place to learn, even…
The hotel workers union and management at the Turtle Bay Resort have apparently settled their differences. This is good news for locals and visitors alike, as the labor conflict has been acrimonious, with continuous picketing (including several instances where…
From the deck it looks like the Southwest Swell as promised has yet to arrive. Should come in this afternoon. Glassy and light winds so not a great windsurfing day. Surfline Southern Shores Report…
My wife has long dreamed of a mango or curly koa rocking chair for our living room. And she fantasy shops for them at Nohea Gallery No surprise. Nohea is a small, family-run operation that deals directly with artists…
The rooftop drinking and dining craze that has swept Manhattan and many other hip locales across the country in the past year has only just landed in Hawaii. In Lahaina, locals are raving about the Lahaina Store Grill, which…
A particularly bad box jellyfish invasion has struck Waikiki. Bummer, as the South Shore is just starting to light up with the new swell. These jellyfish are a regular visitor to the southern and leeward shores of the Hawaiian…
Small surf around the islands, best bets are on the South Shores for longboarding on the strong rising tide in the early to mid-morning. A new southwest swell should start filtering in later today or tomorrow. Surfline Southern Shores Surf…
Phillip Robbins obviously has waaaayyyy too much time on his hands. The young Honolulu resident has put up an impressive hiking trail Website that covers 95 popular and not-so-popular (and some downright dangerous) trails on Oahu. Robbins has dozens…
Go out to any Japanese restaurant in Honolulu that serves booze and you'll likely find, at the very least, a respectable sake menu. I've marveled at the exotic sake selections on offer at hole-in-the-wall sushi joints in Honolulu. An…
I made a quick getaway to Maui yesterday for dinner with an old family friend who was on a golf trip to Kapalua. We ate at David Paul's Lahaina Grill. I've eaten there at least a half-dozen times over…
* Dave Choo from Hawaii Business reviews Shokudo * Wanda Adams from the Honolulu Advertiser reviews the new menu at Chef Mavro * Cheryl King from Hawaii Diner reviews Fujimamas * John Heckathorn of Honolulu Magazine reviews The Blossoming…
Back in the 1960s and 1970s, Jimi Hendrix and other top acts rocked out in Diamond Head Crater, the iconic extinct volcano located just east of Waikiki. A natural amphitheatre with fine acoustics, the crater rivaled Red Rocks, the Shoreline…
Kona Brewing Company's new chef Dan York, who will man the kitchen at the Koko Marina location (as opposed to the Big Island HQ) had his coming out party on July 10 with his first Brewmaster's Dinner. Hawaiirama attended…
We left Charley's and Paia town to drive up to our digs in Huelo. It's not really a town as much as a place. There is no center and its mostly rural homelots and gentlemen farms spread above and…
* Keahiwai plays the "Ke Kani O Ke Kai Keahiwai" (Sounds of the Ocean) summer family concert series at Waikiki Aquarium. See Hawaiian monk seals, chow down at food booths and groove to fine tunes. Proceeds benefit a new…
Hawaii cruise includes oceanview room, 7 nights accomodations plus dining, and airfare from LAX or SFO. Add another $100 to $400 for airfare from other U.S. airports. A very cheap and fun way to see the islands.…
Very cool multi-media installation at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center running through July 30th. "Maui artist and filmmaker Tom Sewell’s fascination with Hawaii’s sugar mills has compelled him to create a multi-media installation project, complete with industrial video…
Our semi-regular compendium of travel, culture, food and sports articles. Cheap hotels get pricier in the islands Midway Island eco-tourism tours to reopen soon. Want blue Hawaii? Bring more bucks Where to eat laksa (Malaysian curry) in Honolulu Kayaking the…
These are the two best properties on the sunny Poipu Coast. Both have phenomenal locations right on the water with good beaches right off the property. You can't really lose staying at either one. That said.... Food: Tidepools at…
In Hawaii, old muumus never die. They just go to Kaneohe on the Windward side of Oahu.! Muumuu Heaven is a mother-daughter team on the Windward side that collects and buys old muumuus and muumuu print fabric and turns…
Cruising paradise and saving the planet? A guilt-free ride for a fully consumptive Maui vacation? The good folks over at Treehugger originally tipped me on eco-friendly car rentals on Maui a while back that run on veggie oil. Big…
We blew across the isthmus through Kahului on our way to Paia from Wailea, driving from the southern side of Maui to the northern side between the great basin formed by the West Maui Mountains on one side and…
$1111 Maui Ritz Carlton - 5 nts, Air, Car, from LAX Travel dates: Sept 6 thru Dec 7 on Tue, Wed, Thu. This is a total steal, even if you are in the lamest garden view room. The Ritz…
Bananas are not just bananas. The varieties have very different sizes and textures. Williams are massive and creamy (you get them in mainland supermarkets). Cavendish is likewise tasty, big and creamy. In Hawaii, we eat and grow a lot…
We flew into Kahului in the early morning (my son gets me up at 5:30 am so its always a little difficult but I'm kinda used to it by now). Our first stop, after renting the car, was Wailea,…
Note: We're going to try to bring your attention to what we consider to be a truly good deal for flights, hotels, restaurants or other things once per day. We'll spot 'em so you can suck 'em up, as Don…
"And the hula, while not as polished as you might see at the Merrie Monarch in Hilo, is fabulous and from the heart."
For the World War II buffs and aviation geeks, here’s a fabulous Zero. A rare Mitsubishi/Nakajima A6M2-21 Zero warplane will make its final landing at the Pacific Aviation Museum later this year. The museum, which is slated to open…
Early word filtering back from those lucky enough to get in to the Hoku's preview dinner. Chef Wayne Hirabayashi has redone the menu and the restaurant has gotten a facelift with new flatware, new floors, new uniforms for staff. Initial…
Information overload. I'm not talking about 24-hour news, bleating cell phones, email chips implanted in your brain. No, I'm talking about surf reports. Yep, in Hawaii one thing you will never find in short supply are forecasts for what…
We got back a week ago from a quick getaway to Maui, my first overnite with my three year-old son sans mommy. Our trip mostly covered Paia, the windsufing capital of the universe and a wonderful old plantation town…
Britney blog Breathe Heavy (among others) brings us thumbnails from this month's "People" mag of the diva cavorting in Miami Beach with hubby and baby sporting a Hula-la bikini by Hawaiian Hula Girl, a very cool swimwear company based…
The Waikiki Plantation Spa takes the pleasure principle to new heights in Hawaii -- quite literally. Located on the penthouse level of the Outrigger on the Beach Hotel - an unremarkable beachfront property recently buffed, polished and expertly repositioned upscale - the new spa floats serenely above the surfers, the blue waters and the crowded sidewalks of Waikiki.
We took the brood out for a bite this Sunday. While the meal at South Shore Grill was kinda "eh", the stop at Dave's Hawaiian Ice Cream on Kapahulu Avenue near Waikiki was, as always, spectacularly fulfilling. For new…
With 1,695 rooms (!!!!), the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel is the largest structure in Waikiki. And it's a classic example of the kinds of traps that await unsuspecting travelers expecting Hawaii paradise. The Expedia description notes that hotel rooms are…
Oahu, and Hawaii in general, has an extremely vibrant theater scene with many practicing local playwrights penning works that explore Hawaii themes and issues. The plays range from side-splittingly funny (Lee Cataluna and Lisa Matsumoto are two of the…
Hawaii has long suffered from a dearth of interesting architecture. That's due, in part, to the lack of permanent structures (aside from lava-rock temples and agricultural structures) existing in the islands in pre-contact days. The headlong rush to develop…
"It's even more French than I am."
I never would have imagined a North Shore break was named after lost dentures.
