It may seem hard to believe Alan Wong, a James Beard Award winner and pioneer of the groundbreaking Hawaii Regional Cuisine movement, who has cooked alongside some of the world’s greatest chefs and reimagined ethnic cuisine in the Islands, would prefer to eat beef stew—“the watery, tomato-y kine, not the thick, brown kine”—than a fancy […]
It was tense for Oahu’s John John Florence at the 2019 Billabong Pipeline Masters. He lost in the quarterfinals against his longtime rival, Gabriel Medina of Brazil, and his Olympic qualification was at risk of being taken by 11-time world champion Kelly Slater. If Slater won the contest outright, he would overtake Florence in the
This Kauai native ditched college at 18 and moved to Europe, where she fell in love with traveling and storytelling. Since then, she’s become a social media influencer with more than 800,000 followers on Instagram, entranced by her world travels and inspiring adventures. (She did go back and earned two degrees: journalism and international studies
Not done with your Christmas shopping? We feel you. Here’s a list of 22 Hawaii-inspired, island-themed gifts for anyone on your shopping list—including you. For Kids Keiki Kaukau Wooden Food Play Set Photo: Courtesy of Hawaii Says Hi Kauai-based Hawaii Says Hi has a slew of great locally made gifts, from handcrafted soaps to extra-large
Did you know Santa’s elves are real? At least, in Hawaii they are. But instead of working at a toy factory at the North Pole, these holiday helpers work in government buildings, juggling their day jobs as Honolulu city employees with their holiday seasonal assignments. And while they might not be making toys for the
Locals love to nosh on small bites that deliver big island flavors. Here’s a roundup of the latest packable—and affordable—snacks from Oahu, Maui, Hawaii Island and Kauai that make great vacation gifts for family and friends—or yourself. The order goes clockwise from top left. Yummy Gummy Our favorite way to eat breadfruit? In chip form,
“Come closer,” my guide says. My eyes widen—I’m already mere steps away from the action—but I do as I’m told. Just a foot in front of me, I watch as a woman deftly peels and folds look funn, Cantonese steamed rice noodles, into long translucent rolls. In under a minute, the stack of slippery sheets
Who knew there was a heiau (Hawaiian shrine) behind Kailua’s YMCA? Not me. I’ve driven by the spot countless times on my way to the beach and somehow never paid attention to the massive historic stone structure, Ulupō Heiau, just steps from Kailua Road. It’s a spot I would have never known to visit without
A year ago Shannon Hiramoto was browsing the Salvation Army thrift store in Lihue when she came across a short muumuu, with bright pink and purple flowers and a ruffled neckline. She absolutely loved it and bought it for $4. The Kauai-born fashion designer has long had a thing for the loose-fitting aloha-print dresses that
Island-born locals like Alana Kysar know all too well how homesickness can tug on the heartstrings when they move away, but a comforting dish of mochiko chicken can often soothe the ache. What began as a means of easing homesickness for the Maui native and her Oahu-born boyfriend became a journey into the world of
It’s obvious when Mark Noguchi walks into Palace Saimin in Kalihi on Oʻahu that he’s been coming here for decades. Practically his whole life. “I’m a creature of habit,” explains the gregarious chef, who greets everyone in the kitchen with a hug and kiss on the cheek. “If you had to kill me, I would
With summer coming to a close, fall has begun to rear its head, and that can only mean one thing. It’s pumpkin spice season y’all, where your favorite food and drink brands introduce a variety of its products with the now-iconic fall flavor. However, the most surprising pumpkin spice product to be announced so far comes from Hormel Foods,
