It seems there’s nothing Lee Anne Wong can’t do. After competing on Bravo’s “Top Chef,” the New York-born chef moved to O‘ahu, opened award-winning brunch spot Koko Head Café in Kaimukī, moved to Maui with her new family to head up the restaurant at the historic Best Western Pioneer Inn in Lahaina and, during a pandemic, overhauled […]
Stacy Farias holds up a strand of precious pakalana, strung together with hundreds of delicate flowers, and the sweet scent perfumes the air. More flower lei are arrayed on the table in front of her: pale orange pua kenikeni, plumeria in rainbow shades, precious pakalana, ti twisted into handsome lei for men. Sophia’s—the place is
Turning food purple is just one thing ube does. This starchy root vegetable, also known as purple yam, has seen a rise in popularity over the past few years. A common ingredient in many Asian and African cuisines, ube is extremely versatile in both sweet and savory dishes. Whether you’re in the mood for soft
I’m banking hard, shifting my weight to meet the sloped dirt trail ahead of me. My balance doesn’t fail me, and I coast through the turn, only to have to lean left, then right as a series of tight corners puts my cycling abilities to the test. Finally, the path straightens out just enough to
It had been a week of staying indoors and no amount of Netflix or Magna-Tiles was staving off cabin fever. So I grabbed my 3-year-old son, packed enough snacks to feed an entire soccer team, and made the hourlong drive to Waimea Valley on O‘ahu’s North Shore. I grew up going on school field trips to the
Unlike O‘ahu, Maui, Kaua‘i and even Lāna‘i and Moloka‘i, Hawai‘i’s youngest island is also the biggest in the state. And that’s very exciting. Those with a sense of wanderlust, who love exploring unmarked dirt paths, who are always searching for the next best thing, will find solace on Hawai‘i Island. Calling the island and its beaches, businesses and boroughs hidden is almost
For years, Aloha Mondays didn’t even have a sign outside its unassuming kitchen in the heart of Hilo, on the corner of Lono Street and Kīlauea Avenue. And they still don’t have a set menu, but that’s on purpose. Known for its catering and food delivery services, Aloha Mondays also serves lunch and dinner, which are based entirely on
Shadi Faridi stands in front of a wall dedicated almost entirely to lauhala hats, ranging in style from fedoras to berets to the more iconic wide-brimmed pāpale design. “I think I’ve always done this,” she says, admiring the different styles of hats that were handwoven by her mother, Michele Zane-Faridi, sister of famed Hawai‘i Island designer Sig Zane. Faridi practically grew
More often than not, the journey to a truly hidden gem starts on a small, bumpy dirt road. That applies to the bay that borders Kaloko Fishpond in Hawai‘i Island’s Kailua-Kona district. The area has many small, glassy little tide pools and a few picnic tables, often unoccupied. Located at the end of the Ala Nui Kaloko,
While most people visit the Islands for its sandy beaches and sunshine, birding enthusiasts flock to Hawai‘i’s lush forests and coastlines hoping to spot some of the rarest birds in the world. Hawai‘i is one of the best places around for birding, primarily because of the many unique and rare birds found here. And Hawai‘i Island is
There’s a dry-erase board at Ke Kai Ola, a monk seal hospital at Keāhole Point, with the names of its Hawaiian monk seal patients, where they’re from, when they arrived and their weights, both on arrival and now. One look at this chart and you can see the impact this hospital, built by the California-based Marine Mammal Center, has
Over 700 years ago, ancient Hawaiian settlers founded Lapakahi, a small seaside village that for years prospered within Koai‘e Cove. The waters were abundant with marine life, the location was sheltered from the harsh Kohala winds and numerous thatched-roof hale (houses) were erected in the area. Today, it’s easy to see what once was at Lapakahi, now a historical
