On Friday—the summer solstice—the sun will set on the southeast corner of the newly restored Hapaialii heiau on Hawaii’s Big Island. Billy Fields is sure. He wasn’t so sure last December 21—the winter solstice. That day, Billy Fields sat gazing nervously at the heiau, originally built in the 1400s, possibly as a place to honor […]
Congratulations to the Hawaiian monk seal—now our official state mammal. Hawaii Lieutenant Governor Duke Aiona signed a bill into law last week giving the endangered and much-beloved seal the official designation. Wildlife experts—who have long considered the seal one of the world’s most-endangered species—hope the move will raise international awareness about the native Hawaii mammal’s
Our Chicago correspondent, Peter Van Buol, did a post for us on Hawaii’s best known chef, Roy Yamaguchi, and the Chicago stop in Yamaguchi’s 20th anniversary tour of the United States. We got curious about what Roy planned for the 20th anniversary celebration in Honolulu. Hang onto your hat–there’s a magnificent $1,000 a plate fund-raising
Some might actually call it destiny. “It” being the anticipation that accompanied the recent release of the Brothers Cazimero’s first album of new recordings in four years, Destiny. If you own a copy of Robert and Roland Cazimero’s last disc, 2004’s Some Call It Aloha … Don’t Tell, you might know why. That album—which more
Today we celebrate the birthday of King Kamehameha I, the alii who united the Hawaiian Islands in 1795. It’s a state holiday. Schools and farmers markets are closed, city buses operate on a holiday schedule and state government officials have the day off. Waikiki had its celebrations this past weekend, but now it’s Kapaau’s turn.
When I heard that famed Hawaii chef Roy Yamaguchi was planning a 10-city tour to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the first Roy’s restaurant, I crossed my fingers, hoping he’d make a stop at his eatery on Chicago’s Gold Coast. At the half-way point of a tour that started two months ago in Orlando, Fla.,
Want to save at least $200 on your next trip to Hawaii? Come here this summer. The Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau promises you can save at least that much per traveler if you book your travel through one of a number of partners: American Airlines Vacations, American Express Vacations, Classic Vacations, Expedia, NWA WorldVacations,
Hawaii coffee farmers have bared it all for their love of pure Kona Coffee. A new 2009 calendar called “The Naked Truth” features 11 women farmers with decades of experience, getting naked while demonstrating the process of growing and harvesting Kona Coffee. Shameless promotional stunt, you say? Yes. The Kona Coffee Farmers Association wants to
What’s your favorite town in Hawaii? Place to stay? Favorite treat or indulgence in Hawaii? Is it Kona coffee or fresh pineapples? Tell us. We want to know. If you haven’t already filled out our Best of Hawaii ballot, you still have time. There’s two ways you can participate: fill our ballot out online and
King Kamehameha Day is not until June 11, but Waikiki begins its celebrations this weekend. If you’re here on Oahu, check out these events. The celebration kicks off tomorrow at Aliiolani Hale (Honolulu Civic Center), where the King Kamehameha I statue will be decorated with 13-foot lei at 4 p.m., followed by music and hula
Summer is almost here, which means o-bon season is upon us. O-bon, or simply bon to many, is a Japanese Buddhist custom honoring the departed spirits of ancestors. According to tradition, it is believed the summer months are when these spirits return to visit family and friends. In Hawaii, o-bon has taken on a life
Wanna share a little bit of Hawaii’s beauty with someone? Send it to them in a virtual postcard. Thanks to the City and County of Honolulu, you can send beautiful landscape pictures of Hawaii for free. Just click here. The process is pretty simple. The hardest part is choosing among the 35 designs—from Hawaiian sunsets
