When reaching the serene state park on Waahila Ridge, cool, refreshing air instantly let’s you know that you’ve made it to the top of St. Louis Heights, an area guarded by the vast Norfolk pine trees standing astutely at the park’s entrance. They shade and protect the ridge while padding the ground with several layers…

Bruce Fisher spends his days telling visitors about Hawaii, but his own first impressions are somewhat hazy. His first visit was when he moved here in 1992. Working a radio shift at night, Bruce got a crash course on Hawaii culture during the day. That crash course took on new intensity when Hurricane Iniki hit…

Ho, brah! Why you when make ladat for? You stey making anykine. Make mo’ humbug fo’ me! Ah, lose money ladat. I tell you, das why hod! Huh? … That’s exactly the question many people who aren’t from around here find themselves asking when they come to Hawaii. Wait, what did he just say? I…

Upon meeting a lady who just moved here from Florida, I asked her how she liked Hawaii so far. The pleasant version of her response might have included words like “wonderful warm weather” and “breathtaking sunsets.” But instead, I got a more depressing version: “We got ROBBED our first day here!” She went on to…

Sometimes our view of the beautiful mountain ranges in Hawaii can get a bit hazy, particularly when volcanic fog, or vog, is in town. It’s a form of air pollution created when volcanic gases mix with oxygen and moisture and can best be seen when it’s sunny outside.Voggy weather on Oahu’s west side makes for…

Everyone’s a collector of some sorts, whether we realize it or not. Pokemon cards, recipes or bottle caps get stashed away somewhere in a box or get put on display in all their prized-possession glory. And for the subtle collectors, it’s those music downloads or bookmarked websites saved on their computers that can easily be…

The names of the 8,000 leprosy patients who lived and died at Kalaupapa will be brought to life with a memorial in their honor. It will list each name and not only serve as a tribute to these inpiduals but as a tombstone for many of them as well. This comes at a time when…

Being practically bottle-fed on Zeppelin and Hendrix, it’s safe to say that I love rock and roll. So when I was invited to attend a media-only event at the Hard Rock Café in Waikiki to sample a new brand of Maui-made rum created by Sammy Hagar – the legendary front man of Van Halen –…

Blind as a bat. Yeah, I’ve heard that one on more than one occasion! I’m not blind, but I do have pretty horrible eyesight, meaning – if my glasses ‘ain’t on the nightstand when I wake up, then I ‘ain’t going nowhere. I’ve been a four-eyes for as long as I can remember. I’ve gotten…