Category: Hawaii Culture & Happenings

There surely will be evenings during your Hawaii vacation when cocktails, a nice dinner and then some good music will seem like a good idea. When such an evening arrives, you’ll be wondering just who the hot singers are. After all, the popular local acts are pretty-much unheard of on the mainland now that Don […]

Fern Grotto is one of Kauai’s most popular attractions. Accessible only by boat, this secluded, encaved area is a treasured part of the island’s past and a beautiful sight to see.  What is Fern Grotto? Fern Grotto is a secluded open cave near the Wailua River on Kauai. As the name suggests, it’s a lush […]

Many of those of us who live in Hawaii, when we move into a new home or open a business or a business office, have it blessed. When ground is broken for a new construction project of any kind — corporate or private — the land is blessed. It’s not necessarily religion or superstition, it’s […]

So you enjoy your cocktails and you’re wondering about Hawaii’s laws and restrictions. You’re aware that several states have legislated rules that can affect your drinking pleasure. For instance, 33 states permit persons younger than 21 to consume alcohol or to consume it under certain circumstances. 24 states, including Hawaii, permit adults age 18 or […]

When you vacation on Oahu, the center of attraction is Waikiki. Even if you stay in a remote resort area such as Turtle Bay or Ko Olina, you expect to see some action in Waikiki before you go home. That’s where the glitter and the glamour are. Downtown gets bypassed way too much, except to […]

If you’re planning to be on Oahu during your Hawaii vacation, check to see what might be going on at the Waikiki Shell. The Shell (full name: Tom Moffatt Waikiki Shell) sits in beautiful and spacious Kapiolani Park with Diamond Head as a backdrop and Waikiki Beach at the opposite end. It’s an attractive outdoor […]

Unless you’re into quilting as an avocation, it’s likely that quilts aren’t a large part of your consciousness. Here in the islands, a Hawaiian quilt is considered a treasure, whether you’ve received one as a gift, bought one or made one yourself. Long before the first Westerners reached the islands, the Hawaiian people were making […]

The clutter of billboards in the city of Los Angeles is notorious. They have more than 3,000 ILLEGAL billboards littering their streets and hillsides. On the other coast, Manhattan’s Times Square sports a Target billboard measuring 23,000 square feet. That’s half a football field. Some billboards across the country actually promote travel to Hawaii. The […]

Back in the 1960’s the local brew to drink in Hawaii was Primo Beer. About ten years ago, the beer was discontinued when parent company Stroh Brewing decided to stop production. So Primo lovers were more than ecstatic to learn that their beloved beer was back and available this week on Oahu. Once the island’s […]

Merrie Monarch Hawaii is basically the Olympics of hula. This week-long prestigious hula competition occurs each year in Hilo, putting the Big Island town on the map and bringing in a crowd of competitors and spectators. If you ever get a chance, you should definitely attend the Merrie Monarch Festival! A Merrie Event for 60 […]

Driving in the bustle of downtown Honolulu, it is hard to imagine over 100 years ago one of the best watermen on the planet lived on the busy corner of King and Bishop streets. Duke Paoa Kahinu Mokoe Hulikohola Kahanamoku was born in 1890 at his family home. Duke was named after his father, who […]

On the mainland they are called “snow cones,” in Puerto Rico “piragua” but here in Hawaii we know it as “shave ice.” This is one fun treat that is worth trying. The tasty shave ice was brought to Hawaii in the 1880s by the Japanese immigrants who came to work on the sugar plantations. At […]