Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Joe White returns, Capt. Fryer is gone (but not without a fight) and we learn that "Shelburne" is... mom? Between that and the unknown fate of Kono at the hands of dirty cop Frank Delano, we'll be all atwitter until the Season 3 premiere this fall.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
And we're down to the last episode: a showdown of (from the looks of it) explosive proportions. The Plot: Five-0 is in hot pursuit of a shooter who guns down one of their own, while another team member is forced to choose which of their kidnapped loved ones will live. (Photos: Norman Shapiro/CBS)
Tuesday, May 08, 2012
McGarrett returns from his supersecret "Shelburne" excursion to Japan with Wo Fat in custody. But it was all too easy. In an action-packed episode, we have yakuza trying to hunt down Wo Fat (and McGarrett by proxy), Kono hooking up with the yakuza chief's son, the CIA caught up in Wo Fat schemes... They should have titled the episode, "It's Complicated."
Monday, May 07, 2012
Travel + Leisure Magazine just released its annual list of the World's Best Hotels for 2012, as named by its discerning, travel-happy readers. (Learn more about how T+L compiled the list here.) A list 500-strong is gathered from readers' detailed feedback, which is whittled into a score of 1-100 down to two decimal places.
Wednesday, May 02, 2012
Hot on the heels of the "NCIS: Los Angeles" crossover episode, Steve McGarrett triumphantly captures Wo Fat in Japan. Are we getting our Season 2 happy ending? Naaaaaah...
Tuesday, May 01, 2012
Weaponized smallpox makes it to the Islands in a special crossover episode with "NCIS: Los Angeles." The story line finishes in Los Angeles on Tuesday night, but we were treated to many fine Hawaii filming locations as well as strong teamwork between Chin Ho and Danno.
Tuesday, May 01, 2012
We're just a few short weeks from the start of summer season. The kids are chomping at the bit for vacation... and, well, so are the parents. O'ahu is a top destination for family vacations — just ask U.S. News & World Report. (And if you really need to see a canyon, you can "Island hop" over to Kauai.) Here's our list of O'ahu family must-dos this summer that'll have the kids squealing to return next year:
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Lovers of the outdoors will be especially excited starting Saturday: It's the start of National Park Week! Of course, the idea behind National Park Week, April 21-29, is to encourage everyone (not just lovers of the outdoors) to visit one or more of the 397 national parks; they're also encouraging visitors to post photos of their adventures to various parks' Facebook pages (the campaign is "Picture Yourself in a Park"). To that end, park entrance fees are being waived during this week.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
"Five-0" fans get restless during back-to-back repeats of our favorite filmed-in-Hawaii series — you can check the Twitter stream to see the freak-out firsthand. Of course, most fans appreciate the reason why and hope Alex O'Loughlin is back in good health. Fortunately, CBS is keeping everyone's hopes alive with an early preview of back-to-back episodes (Mon., April 30 and Tues., May 1) featuring the "NCIS: Los Angeles" crossover.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
While McGarrett takes off to solve the mystery of Joe White and "Shelbourne" (Alex O'Loughlin is taking a brief breather), we have a murder is mysteriously linked to Max Bergman (Masi Oka), giving our favorite quirky medical examiner a chance to shine.
Monday, April 09, 2012
The Hawaiian Islands are a source of such astonishing natural beauty that it's easy to forget this abundance isn't a self-replenishing gift, a product of isolation and temperate climes that has produced gorgeous, verdant mountain ranges.
Thursday, April 05, 2012
Our favorite quirky medical examiner Max Bergman (Masi Oka) is the central star in this next episode, in which the Five-0 team helps him track down a murderer who is also a shadowy figure from his past.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Ed Asner reprises a role as a tough smuggler, aged and humbled by 30 years in prison, and recruited by the new Five-0 to help them nab a diamond smuggler who has ensnared McGarrett's sister (Taryn Manning) in a criminal enterprise. But don't turn your back on Asner, no matter how avuncular he may be.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
A very exciting new episode heads our way on Monday, with Emmy Award winner Ed Asner (pictured) reprising his role as a diamond smuggler from a 1975 episode of the original series, now out of prison after serving a 30-year sentence. (See interview video, below.) Tom Sizemore (Capt. Fryer) and Taryn Manning (Mary Ann McGarrett) also return to their recurring roles.
Saturday, March 10, 2012
The Royal Hawaiian Center has happily jumped into the Farmers Market craze, which provides visitors the opportunity to access fresh produce, baked goods, jams, salad dressings, beef jerky, lemonade and lots more. Come hungry.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
James Caan drops in on son Scott, playing a former NYPD bomb expert who has retired to the Islands. And our other big-name guest star, Dennis Miller, plays radio shock jock Bobby Raines, who gets killed in an explosion.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Outdoors life is so ingrained in the "Hawaii experience" — the beaches! the mountains! the oceans! the parks! — that it may seem surprising that there are some who visit who don't particularly care for the outdoors. Or alternatively, they do, but they neglected the proper sun protection too many days in a row and crisped themselves into needing a day or two indoors. And for these people, we have shopping. At the nexus of East and West, Oahu provides some of the world's best shopping, including unique, Made in Hawaii treasures. If you've got shopping on the brain when you visit Oahu, here's your definitive must-hit list:
Thursday, February 23, 2012
It's the father-son reunion we've all been waiting for: James Caan makes an appearance on Monday's episode, as a former NYPD bomb expert, to help solve the latest crime and, more importantly, to back-talk the quip-spewing Scott Caan.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
The team must solve the murder of a Hawaiian warrior — or, rather, a war reenactor. He's actually a builder of ships, which allowed locals to relive the saga of the Superferry, an interisland craft that was shut down under similar protest a few years back. Thanks to the writers for the trip down Memory Lane.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
We've got Hawaiian warriors running amok in this episode, and it guest-stars two warriors of another bent: Superstar athletes Shane Victorino, the Philadelphia Phillies outfielder (and a local boy), and speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno, the most decorated American Winter Olympic athlete of all time.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
An international incident nearly brought the Five-0 unit to an end. Turns out it wasn't the end of the unit, but the end of Lori Weston — she resigned at the end of the episode. And our perp was a evil corporate titan originally from Russia who hid out at the consulate! A most excellent bad guy — bravo, writers.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Uh-oh, someone's gonna get pink-slipped: The Plot: When Five-0 nearly causes an international incident while on a case, Lt. Governor Denning tells them one of the team members will pay for it with their job.
Tuesday, February 07, 2012
Danno is coerced by a dirty former cop to commit murder? Where Gracie is concerned, Danno will do almost anything. Fortunately, he fakes shootings well.
Tuesday, February 07, 2012
Time at the beach is part of everyday life in Hawaii — even during workdays, beaches will fill during lunch hours and at sunrise and sunset as locals munch on plate lunches or jump into the water for a quick surf session.
Thursday, February 02, 2012
And we're back! After taking an extended post-"Shelbourne" break, "Hawaii Five-0" returns with new episodes showcasing the glory that is Hawaii.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
The Five-0 team investigates a smuggling case involving Passport IDs, which dovetails with Joe White's efforts to elude Wo Fat's wrath and brings the "Shelbourne" arc to a close.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
The growing tension between McGarrett and Joe White over Hiro Noshimuri and "Shelbourne" reaches a climax on Monday.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Now that 2012 is rolling in earnest, it's time to plan your ultimate trip to the Hawaiian Islands. Maybe you've been here before, or only dreamed of visiting. But in either case, you'll want to peruse our list of Hawaii must-sees — the locations that epitomize a trip to these Islands, beyond just hitting the beach. If you plan on hitting any of these six islands, consider this your to-do list. For visitors and kama'aina (Hawaii-born and raised) alike, they're life changing experiences to always remember. Read on and see why.
Tuesday, January 03, 2012
This was an all-new New Years Day for your 3DHawaii online editor. Instead of greeting the new year at midnight like the rest of the world (and Hawaii does it with tons of fireworks, though fewer this year than in years past due to a new ordinance), I was tucked in bed, woken briefly by the noise, then quickly back asleep.
Tuesday, January 03, 2012
Fly to the top filming locations in 3D: Check out our 'Hawaii Five-0' Scene Spotting page > Happy New Year, scene spotters! "Hawaii Five-0" returns with another mystery on the team's hands: A teen girl murdered in a professional hit. Meanwhile, Joe White is being pursued by Honolulu police and the local yakuza over the disappearance of Hiro Noshimuri. (Photo: Norman Shapiro/CBS).
Thursday, December 29, 2011
A sparkly new episode of "Hawaii Five-0" descends with the new year on Monday. The Plot: When the Five-0 determine that the murder of a teenage girl was a professional hit, they must first find out why she was targeted before they can find her killer.
Friday, December 23, 2011
It's the end of the year, so it's time for a 2011 retrospective. Rather than mark the news and events of the year that was paradise, we'd rather show it to you in pictures.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Waiting is hard to do, especially if you're a die-hard (and impatient) "Hawaii Five-0" fan. After a couple weeks of repeats, the series returns with a new episode, "Ka Ho'oponopono," on Jan. 2. So here's our "Happy Holidays/Happy New Year" gift — a Storify roundup of clips, posts, pics, behind the scenes moments, tweets and funny outtakes from the Five-0 cast and crew and the fans, from Season 2 to date.
Monday, December 19, 2011
The best way to experience Hawaii is to get outside: The Islands are a romping-in-the-sun destination. It goes without saying the romping brings hunger pangs, which produces yet another great opportunity to experience the Islands: Through your taste buds. So here's our list (in no particular order) of choice outdoor sights in the Islands followed by a great local place to fuel back up after those calories are spent.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
A man in a coma and a Jane Doe — two crimes, the Five-0 team working one, Capt. Fryer working another, and they meet in the middle of the episode (turns out our vics knew each other). After an elaborate shakedown scam was revealed, we got to the real show — the Chin Ho and Malia wedding. Kicking dress, Malia.
Thursday, December 08, 2011
On next Monday's episode, "Alaheo Pau'ole," Chin Ho and Malia are getting married, the palm trees are decked in holiday cheer, and the Danno quips are flying. Should be a heartfelt, good-for-the-family episode... ... almost.
Tuesday, December 06, 2011
A murderous cartel hijacks a busload of kids to coerce the Five-0 team to hand over $10 million in cocaine they nabbed in a sting operation, just so it could be destroyed and the jailed cartel head freed for lack of evidence.
Friday, December 02, 2011
After taking a week off (they deserved the break after that epic face-off with Wo Fat in "North Korea"), we return with what appears to be a story ripped from the headlines... from 1976.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Big winds greeted Day 1 of the Vans World Cup of Surfing out at Sunset Beach yesterday, with just the faintest chill in the air. One of the Triple Crown of Surfing commentators noted it's mornings like this — a little bit cold, with big surf — when you happily realize winter has come to Hawaii.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
It hasn't been a mind-blowing start to Oahu's annual big surf season, if the surf contests are any measure. The HIC Pro at Sunset Beach a month ago shot off a few fireworks with overhead sets, but Haleiwa had barely enough chest-high surf to power through the Reef Hawaiian Pro, first contest in the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Big story arc came in for a landing as Jenna Kaye returned, part of Wo Fat's plot to snare McGarrett and get him to spill the beans on "Shelbourne." We still don't know, he still doesn't know, and — curses! — he got away to deploy more dastardly deeds in future episodes.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Buckle up, Five-0 fans, the next show is going to be intense. Also, airborne... with Jimmy Buffett flying the heli.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
It was a twister of a plot — the murderer candidates ran from hot rod thieves to hit men for Boston's Irish mob to a panicked plastic surgeon — but the Five-0 gang got their perp.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
In Hawaii, the beach is not a one-stop label for that perfect stretch of sand that disappears into a brilliant blue ocean. There are so many types of beaches here, each with its own unique experience, that you have to ask "What kind of beach do I feel like today?"
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Officer Lori Weston (Lauren German) does the hubba-hubba undercovah as the Five-0 unit tries to draw out members of a hot-rod squad. To what end? Stay tuned.
Tuesday, November 08, 2011
Danno's a dog man! Not a surprise, really, but the show should have given Danno a dog long ago, if only for the excellent cargument with McGarrett.
Thursday, November 03, 2011
We've had our "Lost" reunion with Terry O'Quinn and Daniel Dae Kim on "Hawaii Five-0." Now it's time for the much anticipated "Heroes" reunion — at least, much anticipated among the Twitterati — between Greg Grunberg, who guest stars as a customs supervisory agent on Monday's show, and the delightfully strange Max Bergman (Masi Oka). These Heroes join our heroes to solve another mystery:
Wednesday, November 02, 2011
November means we're inching closer to the world premiere of "The Descendants" (Nov. 18), which it seems has been chalking up Oscar buzz almost from the get-go, with George Clooney starring and Alexander Payne ("Sideways," "About Schmidt," "Election") directing.
Tuesday, November 01, 2011
Good rule of thumb in Hawaii: Do not desecrate iwi (ancestral bones). But leave it to the boy from Jersey to ignore that. Here's a rock through your windshield, Danno.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Not much in the way of filming locations in this sneak peek, but it looks like the Halloween-themed "Five-0" on Monday will bring good fodder for The Quotable Danno — Freddy of "Nightmare on Elm Street" fame (Robert Englund) puts a curse on our favorite quip-spewing detective.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Golf Digest released its 2011 ranking of North America's best golf resorts. In the top 20 are five Hawaii locales: One each on Maui, the Big Island and Kauai, and — no surprise to Four Seasons lovers — two on Lanai. And with all due respect to the Number One resort (Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Oregon), our weather is better.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Wo Fat returns to grease Cmdr. White (unsuccessfully), Chuck Lidell made McGarrett's spit fly in the ring, and McGarrett chased an aspiring MMA champ across the rooftops of Kakaako in Honolulu. Big action, everyone still breathing?
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Wo Fat (Mark Dacascos) returns to deliver some fly kicks to Cmdr. White (Terry O'Quinn), and McGarrett (Alex O'Loughlin) jumps into the MMA ring with the legendary Chuck Liddell. Looks like the action-packed series will be delivering an extra punch or two next Monday. (Poor McGarrett's jaw!) Plus we get our first CBS series crossover, as Daniella Ruah steps in from NCIS: Los Angeles.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Die-hard Grace Park fans were vindicated tonight, as the story arc revealed Kono was in fact working undercover in cahoots with the IA's Vincent Fryer (Tom Sizemore) to bring down Frank Delano's (William Baldwin) ring of dirty cops.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Looks like Kono's side drama is coming to a head in Monday's episode. Is she working undercover? Is Grace Park channeling her inner (and former) Battlestar Gallactica cylon? (That one was for the fan boys.)
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Lots of ocean, harbor and boat time in Episode 4, as Five-0 solved the murder of a diver with only a severed hand to work with. These detectives have skills. And with a diving episode, all the Alex O'Loughlin fans got the requisite shirtless scene — admittedly, not long enough.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Hawaii is the birthplace of surfing. As the "sport" evolved (it was an ancient Hawaiian community activity long before it was ever a competitive sport) to include big wave surf, Hawaii remained the enchanting epicenter. The Aloha State is the go-to destination to watch the boldest surfers in the world take on monster waves. With the big wave season approaching (November to March), here's our list of best places to watch — and we emphasize watch, these are killer waves only to be attempted by skilled surfers.
Friday, October 07, 2011
Five-0 has another whodunnit on their hands, this time involving the murder of a diver who discovered gold treasure in the waters off Oahu. They'll get wet on this one. (Insert shirtless McGarrett scene here.)
Tuesday, October 04, 2011
The squad is hot on the trail of a murderer who's picking off the members of SEAL Team 9 one by one. McGarrett (Alex O'Loughlin) ... or rather his dive-trained stunt double (I know, sacrilege) is flying over the North Shore. And Kono (Grace Park) falls in with some shady former cops — and can't seem to stop wearing the same black tank-dress-and-boots outfit. Can Chin Ho (Daniel Dae Kim) stop her from a precipitous moral slide — or at least from a fashion no-no? That's a question for another episode.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
On next Monday's episode, Cmdr. White (Terry O'Quinn) asks Five-0 to help him investigate the mysterious murders of Navy SEALS. Meanwhile, Kono (Grace Park) starts hanging out with the wrong crowd — namely crooked ex-cop Frank Delano (guest star Billy Baldwin, aka the Cheerleader-in-Chief of wife Chynna Phillips — see "Dancing With the Stars" for reference).
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Turns out Lanai was the star of the first neighbor island showcase in "Hawaii Five-0" — those south Lanai sea cliffs sure looked like Molokai in the preview. But there is definitely no mistaking all those pine trees: classic Lanai. Big props to the producers for island hopping. Good to see.
Monday, September 26, 2011
When you think "Hawaii," you think "beach." Rightly so. As isolated as it is in the Pacific, Hawaii's waters are crystalline, teeming with marine life, her sands warm and inviting, her palm trees and naupaka plants alluring, the sun showcasing an electrifying array of blues. They're truly the stuff of postcards. But Hawaii is also a place of green wonder, site of some of the wettest places on earth, home to unique tropical jungle with plants and creatures that can only be found here.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
So McGarrett "chums the waters" to catch the Wo Fat shark by releasing one of his henchmen in the premiere, thus introducing the most talked-about moment for Season 2: a new member of Five-0.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Nail biter! Don't know if it's the new directorial style with the flickering zooms on the characters and scenes or the dramatic music or a more confident cast rolling into its second season, but the premiere episode was tight!
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
The first sneak peek of Season 2 of "Hawaii Five-0" is here! Don't watch if you're "saving yourself" for the premiere next Monday, but — FYI — Alex O'Loughlin is doing push-ups. Just saying.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
The stars of "Hawaii Five-0" were on hand — as were thousands of the filmed-in-Hawaii show's fans — for the Season 2 premere in Waikiki yesterday. Almost as big a star was the surf hitting the south shore: Not at the epic levels of a couple weeks ago, but clean, rolling head-high sets for miles. It was the perfect backdrop for the year's biggest Sunset on the Beach event.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
You know how you feel a kinship with a place where you spent quality time in your life? My father lived in Lanikai, a division of Kailua on Oahu's Windward side, for a number of years before retiring to the Mainland. I shacked up in that glorious little A-frame house of his for a few months, just up the hill from the entrance to the Lanikai Pillbox Hike.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
The south shore of Oahu is being gifted with a late summer swell this week, peaking this morning and diminishing throughout the day. According to a friend here in the office who surfed Canoes late yesterday and caught one epic wave, it was a glorious pounding. (His text, spread out over five messages: "Oh. My. God. Biggest wave (singular) I've ever surfed. Absolutely brutal. Best wave ever.")
Saturday, August 27, 2011
U.S. News & World Report released its list of Best Adventure Vacations in the U.S. — included in the Top 7 were three Hawaiian Islands: Kauai, Maui and Hawaii Island. No surprise there, just wondered why the other three populated isles weren't included. (Guess you have to spread the love around the country a bit.)
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
It's been a long summer for "Five-0" fans, but our favorite filmed-in-Hawaii series returns to CBS on Monday, Sept. 19 — with McGarrett (Alex O'Loughlin) behind bars, Kono (Grace Park) in trouble for the HPD asset forfeiture locker heist, Chin Ho (Daniel Dae Kim) returned to his old job as Honolulu police detective, and Danno (Scott Caan) trying to sort out the mess, including the dissolution of the Five-0 unit.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Honolulu is flanked by the majestic Koolau mountain range, chock full of lush valleys and impressive peaks. At one moment, you could be in the grand cosmopolitan center of the Pacific, and 15 minutes later be strolling under a dense canopy, and standing streamside on your way up to a tropical waterfall.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
You learn a lot about people when they are faced with a challenge. For my friends and me, the challenge was hiking Olomana. And what we learned was who was in shape and who wasn't.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Most island residents love playing tourist. They'll grab the kama'aina rate and spend a weekend in one of Waikiki's swank resorts, go island hopping, hit the occasional luau and visit the big attractions, especially the Polynesian Cultural Center and Sea Life Park. Just one of the many perks that comes with living in paradise. Among these is the Diamond Head hike.
Tuesday, August 09, 2011
I grew up in Hawaii (apart from the first two years of my life), but now, as a college student at Pacific University in Oregon, I spend nine months of the year away from home. Pacific University is home to one of the biggest Hawaii-state student populations outside of Hawaii, so while I'm surrounded by the familiar, I still miss things from home. And that often centers around food.
Friday, August 05, 2011
An official release from Hawaii Volcanoes National Park today announced the reopening of Chain of Craters Road, which leads from the Kilauea Caldera down to the ocean within the park. A new eruption that started on Wednesday has captivated the world. Kilauea, which has erupted continuously since 1983, is having an especially active year after another major east-rift zone eruption in March.
Wednesday, August 03, 2011
On Oahu's lush windward side, across the street from the green majesty of Kualoa Ranch, sits a cone-shaped offshore island called Mokolii — more commonly known as Chinaman's Hat for its curious shape. Most will just stop to snap photos, but with some effort you can explore one of the most popular natural features of the island.
Tuesday, August 02, 2011
Nevermind the hot air in nation's capitol after all this bloviation about debt and taxes — the real heat has been witnessed by the Mainland U.S. this summer, with temperatures soaring into the 100s just about everywhere.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
When you think of Oahu, dense tropical rainforest may not be the first image to spring to mind. Or if you're a fan of "Lost," which filmed entirely on Oahu, maybe it is — the series' stars spent a lot of time running away from The Others and the smoke monster through some impressive island greenery. Interested in an easy hike that delivers on this beauty and rewards you with a small waterfall and swimming hole at the end? Read on about Jackass Ginger in the lush upper Nuuanu Valley.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Maui is unquestionably one of the most beautiful islands on earth, with beaches and resorts that prompt you plant a towel on its white sands — or black, or even red — and let your cares be whisked into the breeze. But after a couple days of that, get a jolt of the extraordinary with a trip to Haleakala. The extinct volcano's crater, which belongs to Haleakala National Park, has miles of trails and sights you won't find anywhere else.
Saturday, July 02, 2011
When you think "best of the best," the Super Bowl, the Masters Golf Tournament, the Rhodes scholarship, the Pulitzer or the Nobel may come to mind. When it comes to the world of ukulele? It's the Roy Sakuma Ukulele Festival, which returns to the Kapiolani Park bandstand on Sunday, July 17, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
At 7:30 on a Saturday morning, most people are enjoying their "sleep-in" day. But some of us are scouring for parking around Kapiolani Community College and waiting for the air horn that signals the start of the KCC Farmers Market.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Looking for a physical challenge during your trip to Oahu? Try this thigh-burner: The Koko Crater Tracks hike.
Thursday, June 09, 2011
Does this sound familiar? You jump off the plane, ready to start your relaxing tropical vacation, and suddenly you're hitting all the best hikes, driving around the island in a day, shopping for local goods, chowing down on Hawaiian Regional Cuisine every chance you get, getting your surfing-kayaking-scuba-diving sessions in and... vacation's over. It blew by in a frenetic burst of activities.
Tuesday, June 07, 2011
Driving around Oahu, you'll find dozens of scenic lookouts that display the island's stunning beauty. None, however, boasts the historical significance of the Pali Lookout, where the Battle of Nuuanu cemented King Kamehameha I's unification of the Hawaiian Islands under one kingdom.
Friday, June 03, 2011
Childhood memories come flooding back when I snorkel — gliding among colorful coral, delicate butterfly and beefy parrot fish, curmudgeonly turtles, eels and (if we were lucky) dolphins, all of us suspended in an aquamarine world. Breathing Darth Vader-like, in and out of a rubber tube; sometimes a wave would top over it and I'd inhale a little salty ocean, an opportunity to adjust the apparatus before diving deep again. Staying out so long my fingers were shriveled and my lips started to shade blue.
Wednesday, June 01, 2011
Summer brings the Bon Dance season, a series of popular festivals of Japanese Buddhist tradition that honors ancestors, featuring dancing, food and a healthy dose of community. Temples around the state, festooned with colorful lanterns strung from a center tower that light up the evening sky, will host hundreds of people dancing in unison to choreography passed down through generations — an amazing sight.
Friday, May 27, 2011
There are a few perks that come with being one of the most remote destinations on the planet. Tradewinds bearing fresh air with the scent of plumeria, sure. Cultural distinctiveness, definitely. But undoubtedly one of the best is Hawaii's vast ocean and the bountiful water activities it provides.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
It's the last Friday of the month — time for ARTAfterDARK at the Honolulu Academy of Arts, a monthly art party held on the grounds of the Honolulu museum.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Memorial Day is especially significant on Oahu — not only as the site of the Japanese attack that ushered the United States into WWII, but because it hosts a large military population and their families at bases around the island (many of these families make their permanent home here). Ceremonies are held throughout Memorial Day weekend to honor the sacrifice of those who died serving.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
We start with Elvis singing "The Hawaiian Wedding Song" against the backdrop of scene location favorites Kualoa Ranch and the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl, panning to Danno's apartment, where he and Rachel are watching "Blue Hawaii and he proclaims only two people in the world could pull off Elvis' white shirt-white pants-red-sash-and-lei combo, and he's one of them.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Get ready for cliffhanger drama on the season finale of "Hawaii Five-0" on Monday, with Wo Fat's diabolical grip closing in on McGarrett and the unit, with Laura Hills (played by local actress Kelly Hu), the governor's public safety liaison, getting caught in the middle. Ouch.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
This episode seemed especially action packed for a series that is king of the genre, and our multiple story threads are slowly weaving together as we near the season finale. For this one, definitely buckle your seat belts as we fly:
Monday, May 09, 2011
With just two new episodes left, CIA specialist Jenna Kaye returns to help the Five-0 unit hone in on Titan of Evil Wo Fat:
Tuesday, May 03, 2011
McGarrett flashes his guns (the fleshy kind along with the killing kind), Kono is in a bikini and Rick Springfield takes a non-singing turn — so, something for everyone. Let's see where they filmed:
Monday, May 02, 2011
Back from what should be the last repeat of the season, giving us a straight shot to the season finale, we have Rick Springfield guest starring as a fashion photographer who meets a fiery end.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Hawaii is so many vacations. It's the all-inclusive resort vacation. It's the romantic vacation, the wedding destination, and the honeymoon. It's a family vacation. It's a foodie's vacation no matter what your palate. It's a spa retreat, the luxury resort vacation. It's a beach and surf vacation. And, for those who need it, it's the Get-AwaY-From-It-All vacation.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Music fans: When you visit Oahu, you have to treat yourself to a Royal Hawaiian Band concert — at least one, but it would be all too easy to see several if you get hooked on the first. Plus, they're free!
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Because Wo Fat and Hiro Noshimura are not enough crime lords for one island, we're importing one from the Big Apple — and a rap mogul on top of that. Let's fly to the locations while Five-0 solves another dastardly crime:
Monday, April 18, 2011
The much-anticipated Sean Combsepisode is here. Show description for "Hoopai" — When a crime lord moves against the family of an undercover NYPD detective who infiltrated his organization, it's up to Five-0 to stop the policeman from exacting revenge.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Five-0 has returned after three long weeks! (It's okay, some of us went on vacation.) But the unit is back with a murder to solve. Seems you can't go hiking in your black jeans without stumbling over a body.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
After another lengthy hiatus (thanks, NCAA Men's Basketball Championship), our favorite paradise-based crime-fighting unit returns tonight with "Ma Ke Kahakai" — While hiking in a remote area of the jungle to see the famed petroglyphs, McGarrett and Danny instead find a homicide victim.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
When spring break comes to a close you can feel the anticipation mount... Summer is coming! Long, languid days in the sun, carefree adventures — no homework.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Plot lines converge with the local yakuza, Wo Fat and "Super Dorks" — the writers' words, not mine, for fan boys — as we return from the desert of a 3-week series break. Let's fly:
Monday, March 21, 2011
Sneak peek of tonight's first new episode in a month shows our boys nailing a perp in the Kaelepulu Stream where it empties into Kailua Bay...
Friday, March 18, 2011
Best thing about St. Patrick's Day aren't the costumes, the general merriment or even the beer — although that last is a close second. It's the music. I texted a friend who wasn't able to stay that we were going to dance like we had no rhythm. That's the essence of Irish music: you're impelled to move, if only to jump up and down in place — which, when it's this crowded, is about all you have room for. And no one could possibly care if you don't have moves. We're only hoping you stay upright.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
The 9.0 earthquake and tsunami in Japan affected all of us here, not just because Hawaii was hit with tsunami waves starting around 4 a.m. last Friday that did some damage around the state — it should be noted, without loss of life or injury, and businesses hit in Kona and Kahului are mopping up; in fact, most were open for business that day...
Monday, March 14, 2011
Is it us, or is this 3-week "Hawaii Five-0" break really long? On the one hand, it's good practice for the summer hiatus months when we're without our favorite filmed-in-paradise series until fall...
Wednesday, March 09, 2011
Whenever I see "Island" and "World's Best," I'm looking to see how Hawaii did. It usually ends with a smile on my face. And so it was with Travel + Leisure's "World's Best Island Hotels" — the Aloha State garnered 5 of the 20 nods.
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
The skies opened with a deluge at the start of the annual Mardi Gras block party in Honolulu's downtown arts district. We can't have it: runny makeup, wet feathers. But lasting about five minutes, it was more of a blessing — the gods wishing us well as we partied our way through three stages of live music, rich food and enough hurricanes to spark a typhoon.
Monday, March 07, 2011
Pele is the Hawaiian volcano goddess, and she's been quite busy over the weekend. A new fissure has opened next to the Napau Crater — molten lava is spewing skyward and cascading in falls. This is some of the footage we're seeing from the staff at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
Monday, March 07, 2011
In 1901, the Moana Surfrider opened her doors. The elegant building still holds the hallmarks and charm of that era — grand colonnades, open-air verandas, a giant courtyard banyan tree — which makes visiting her such a treat. Stepping inside is stepping into another world. On Friday, March 11, the Gray Lady will celebrate 110 years of Hawaiian hospitality.
Thursday, March 03, 2011
It's a crack-up — and highly indicative of taking your tropical home for granted — when you're scanning your video footage for glimpses of humpback whales and, finding none, rule the endeavor a failure.
Monday, February 28, 2011
We'll be without fresh episodes of "Hawaii Five-0" for the next few Mondays — upcoming repeats include tonight's "Poipu" (the unit protects a ruthless dictator on his way to the U.N. to submit to crimes against humanity), next week's "Hei Hei" (the unit hunts for triathlete bandits and enlists Danno's ex for help) and "Palekaiko" on Monday, March 14 (the honeymooner serial killer).
Saturday, February 26, 2011
It was an irresistible draw for the local foodie community — a couple dozen food trucks and kiosks, DJs spinning, kids dancing and (for those of us addicted to such things) the opportunity to connect a half-dozen ways through social media check-ins and see those peeps in real life. The Foursquare site had more than 300 check-ins! The second Eat The Street event was more than double the first — crowd estimates were about 3,000.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Those of us who inhabit the downtown Honolulu nightlife scene saw the approaching dates with a sort of awe and wonderment. Could one urban core handle so much merriment?
Monday, February 21, 2011
Last year, I ran the Great Aloha Run — an 8.15-mile race between Aloha Tower and Aloha Stadium. This year, due to injury, I walked it. What I missed last year by running it? All the people who finish and then run the same route back. That's 16.3 miles! Judging by all the people running back, this state has a whole lot of fit people.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Dane Cook drops in as Danno's "little" brother with a $58 million cash-flow problem, and a recently paroled bomber is killing the kids of the judges, officers and lawyers who separated him from his kid. It's a lot to pack into one episode, but fear not — 'Five-0' has got this.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Honolulu may be isolated — equator-adjacent and Pacific-surrounded as we are — but we're as in the thick of the food-truck craze as any other metropolis.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Breezy interview with our favorite reincarnation of Steve McGarrett: Alex O'Loughlin takes five questions from USA Today.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Comedian Dane Cook drops in on next week's episode as Danno's little brother (guess he got the tall gene in the family). Word in the Twittersphere is he was a fun addition. Between him and Scott Caan, it's sure to be a summit of wise-assing.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Happy Valentine's Day, Five-0ers! Our favorite on-screen couple — McGarrett (Alex O'Loughlin) and Danno (Scott Caan) — sparred beautifully while sharing screen time with real-life couple Nick Lachey and Vanessa Minnillo and taking down a rogue band of (what are assumed to be) Tongan pirates who kidnapped several Mainland kids on spring break. What can we say? Our boys got skills.
Friday, February 11, 2011
"Hawaii Five-0" stars Daniel Dae Kim and Alex O'Loughlin sat for interviews with E! Online to talk about what they hope to see happens with the rest of Season One — and why Hawaii is so special to them.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
The title of this post is no doubt a mind-scrambler for the guys who are scurrying to find Valentine's Day dinner reservations at a hoity-toity restaurant or working with a jeweler to craft that perfect bauble to make her swoon — but it's true: Love Is Free. The natural features of this island paradise make it that much easier to set the stage for romance — they impress no matter the size of your billfold.
Tuesday, February 08, 2011
Extrapolating from events in East Africa and the Indian Ocean, next week's episode of "Hawaii Five-0" serves up — pirates!
Monday, February 07, 2011
Quite impressed with the intro to tonight's episode — that fly-down from the atmosphere with that Planet Earth view zooming onto the Aloha State, then Oahu ... it had such a 3DHawaii.com feel!
Friday, February 04, 2011
An all-new episode of "Hawaii Five-0" airs Monday night, and instead of a preview CBS went in a different direction, crafting a commercial filled with the sun and skin to appeal to the frost-bitten Mainland. And after this week's storming, that's just about the entire U.S. Mainland. A good ploy, but short on locational sneak peeks...
Friday, February 04, 2011
Last year, John Madden correctly predicted a Saints victory. His eponymous game charts out a Steelers squeaker on Sunday, but a great many could care less. And I don't mean Packers fans. The Super Bowl is the most wonderful time of the year for people who don't like football.
Wednesday, February 02, 2011
Last weekend was the blowout, but the actual holiday falls on Thursday. You can, of course, wander into Chinatown to enjoy fresh dim sum and I'm sure a few lions will be creeping about, but Waikiki plans to celebrate as well. Here's where:
Sunday, January 30, 2011
No, it wasn't much of a game. The NFC racked up 42 unanswered points and never had to look back as they marched to a 55-41 victory. But the game was incidental.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Happy Year of the Rabbit! Chinese astrology runs on a 12-year cycle, so if you were born this year, 12 years ago, 24 years ago and so on, the Rabbit is your sign. A few characteristics associated with Rabbits...
Saturday, January 29, 2011
The Pro Bowl Youth Football and Cheerleading Clinic was held this morning at Kapiolani Park under bright skies with hundreds of bright faces in attendance. NFL cheerleaders and players kept them starry-eyed as they were led through several drills.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
As if the Pro Bowl being here weren't enough, with its oodles of get-downs and Saturday night's block party in Waikiki, Chinese New Year is on Feb. 3 — meaning the annual block party and parade in Chinatown is this weekend. Honolulu might split at the seams from so much partying.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Let the festivities commence for Pro Bowl 2011. Football is big here — Hawaii's high-school players are strongly recruited here and abroad, and the University of Hawaii Warriors football team has an iron-clad fan base. But we're too small, too isolated for a professional team. So this is our week to go hog-wild for all things National Football League.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
A tsunami heads toward Honolulu and the head of the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center is mysteriously missing. Chin Ho (Daniel Dae Kim) rightly says coincidences like this take a lot of planning.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Next week's drama (airing SUNDAY after the Jets-Steelers game) centers on the Five-0 unit racing to solve the disappearance of the head of the tsunami warning center before a tsunami wipes away the evidence. That may be the very definition of a bad coincidence.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
The rumblings started last weekend when it looked as though a north Pacific storm had the possibility to bring "Eddie-level" surf to Waimea Bay. People started looking at their schedules, moving things around. If it went, many of us would go. Thursday would be the day. Would it happen?
Monday, January 17, 2011
Our favorite shot-in-paradise show returns tonight with the following caper: Five-0 joins the Honolulu Police Department in a high-speed police chase that ends with the driver fatally injured, and a gruesome discovery by the team...
Monday, January 17, 2011
We've got a John-Doe-in-the-Box, more wisecracks from Danno (with a brilliant leap-and-roll out the passenger side door of the McGarrettmobile) and spectacular Hawaiian scenery — all hail Mondays! Let's get to it:
Friday, January 14, 2011
We were waterlogged by a deluge on Wednesday that dropped more than six inches of rain in several places around Oahu, and it forced the postponement of Day 1 of the Sony Open. Fortunately it was gorgeous today
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
A friend I grew up with on the windward side of Oahu came home for the holidays. She's spent the last 20 years living in Seattle and enjoyed a break from their cold, rainy winter. Twenty years must have removed her from the experience of living here, though — she asked if people here get cranky when the holidays are over.
Wednesday, January 05, 2011
I don't know if it's because the Hyundai Tournament at Kapalua (Maui) is going on now and the Sony Open is kicking off next week at the Waialae Country Club (Honolulu), but I hit the links for the first time in several months last weekend — and golf is in the air.
Monday, January 03, 2011
Big drama and an especially menacing performance by Cary Hiroyuki-Tagawa (don't mess with Shang Tsung) as we return from a series hiatus. Let's fly:
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Want a challenge? Olomana Trail is the hike for you. There are others, not necessarily sanctioned for public use, that go further and work you harder. But this five-mile trail ascends about 1,600 feet — steeply in many areas — with rock-face climbing to boot.
Monday, December 27, 2010
New Year's Eve in Hawaii is a family affair. The New Year is a significant event among many cultures, and neighborhoods across the Islands will erupt in fireworks (a new ordinance banning all but simple fireworks goes into effect Jan. 2, leading many to speculate that this NYE could be particularly boisterous).
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
It's the beginning of the holiday week, so hopefully you all have days off coming (or you're already enjoying them) to spend with friends and family, sleeping in, eating lots of good food, catching up on movies — ya know, holiday stuff. From the looks of it, the Mainland is going to be socked in with snow and rain this week...
Thursday, December 16, 2010
You couldn't have asked for better weather on the final day of the Pipeline Masters, the Superbowl of Surfing held in December on Oahu's North Shore at the world-famous surf break. Sunny, 70s, virtually no wind, glassy and clean conditions. Just... small waves.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
The laundry list titled Reasons Living in Hawaii is Fantastic runs very long, but high up on it? "Mele" is in the air. Literally. Seems no matter where you go, someone's playing an instrument, someone else is singing, or they're collaborating.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Now you didn't really think Victor Hesse (James Marsters) was dead, right? Hot former vampires are a growth industry and make nice super criminals — especially super criminals who return from the dead.
Wednesday, December 08, 2010
On Dec. 1 I walked out of the 3D Travel offices to Honolulu's version of a Winter Wonderland. Every building in the downtown area dresses up for the holidays: the trees are wrapped in lights, the buildings are draped in wreaths and boughs...
Wednesday, December 08, 2010
A holiday episode of "Hawaii Five-0" next week includes Chin Ho Kelly (Daniel Dae Kim) taken hostage by McGarrett's father's murderer. So much for the holiday spirit.
Monday, December 06, 2010
First, let me assure everyone in blissful coupledom that Hawaii is, in fact, a very popular destination for romance.
Wednesday, December 01, 2010
It's December 1, and for many of you the holidays are well under way with trees bought and trimmed, presents collected and soon to be wrapped, shopping lists attacked and parties planned. Here's a Hawaiian-themed playlist to keep the spirit going.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
A curious thing happens when your family moves away to the Mainland (my father retired two years ago and moved to Idaho, an impossibly cold but beautiful, forested place) — your holidays are sometimes free.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Next week we're back with a new episode of "Hawaii Five-0" titled "Palekaiko," which is a non-word in Hawaiian but is meant to mean paradise. I'm thinking they intentionally named it that because it turns out for one honeymooning couple that Hawaii is not paradise at all.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
3DHawaii had its celebratory feast last week. Hoping you and yours have a wonderful holiday, no matter where you are.
Monday, November 22, 2010
The Koko Crater Classic Triathlon — no where near Koko Crater. An armored truck heist purportedly on Kalia Road in Waikiki was, in fact, next to the parking structure at Neil Blaisdell Center in Honolulu. A humdinger of locales when the Five-0 squad splits up to take out four triathletes who just stole millions worth of diamonds...
Thursday, November 18, 2010
I love hiking, and I'd say I only do it for the gorgeous Island vistas and the connection to nature, but it's also to help me stay in shape. This becomes especially important through the holiday season when the calories start to pile on and then, quite out of nowhere, something else starts to pile on. Boo.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
An armored car heist that isn't about the money but involves a countdown to murder? Guess we'll see what the writers mean next week. In the meantime, sneak peek scenes include...
Monday, November 15, 2010
The squad investigates the dirty deeds of a femme fatale (former "community," aka CIA) while protecting a dictator who is in the Islands en route to the U.N. Strap on your aviator goggles as we fly around Oahu:
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
We've got a female killer and the attempted assassination of a foreign dignitary in the next episode, oddly named "Poipu," which is a lovely beach and resort area on Kauai's south shore
Monday, November 08, 2010
A reminder to all you Scene Spotters: You can now fly to one site on 3DHawaii.com that includes all the major filming locations on Oahu: Find it here » One link flies you there, then you can fly among all the locations in 3D –– it's our one-stop-shop of "Hawaii Five-0." Enjoy!
Wednesday, November 03, 2010
Next week's episode titled "Manao" (pronounced Mah-nah-OH, has many meanings including thought, belief, idea, knowledge) has the following description: A Hawaiian luau turns into a nightmare when the body of a dead cop, who turns out to be Danny's ex-partner from the Honolulu P.D., is found in the barbeque pit on the next episode of Hawaii Five-0. Ew...
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
Since my birthday is on Halloween, you’d think I’d be the perfect person to write about the Haunted Lagoon, which just finished its third year at the Polynesian Cultural Center. You couldn’t be more wrong.
Monday, November 01, 2010
We have a new feature in Scene Spotting: One page you can link to with the primary locations around the Island where "Hawaii Five-0" has been shooting.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Next week's episode "Hoapono" is filmed in large part on the Battleship Missouri at Pearl Harbor, where a bad guy –– or not, we'll have to wait and see –– takes hostages. It's also where McGarrett's grandfather served and died during World War II
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Have you had the Doubletree cookie? I have a friend through the UCLA Bruin Club of Hawaii (Go Bruins!) who used to be the front office manager at the Doubletree Alana Hotel, and he was the HOOKUP for these amazing cookies...
Monday, October 25, 2010
I didn't do a count on how many times "haole" made it into this week's episode, but it was more than a handful. It means foreigner, but commonly refers to white people. It's starting to rub our favorite necktied detective Danno Williams the wrong way...
Friday, October 22, 2010
Now that CBS has picked up "Hawaii Five-0" for a full 22 episodes, we can scene spot until May. Good times! Chime in here on where you would like to see the series film next that you haven't seen yet.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Last week I did a decadent thing for a Wednesday –– and this is Hawaii, so that really should be more the norm, but we all have busy lives and responsibilities that interfere with life in the tropics. Every so often, though, even us residents get to play tourist.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Next week's episode, "Koolauloa," involves the sharp-shooter murder of a surfer, so we're getting quality beach time with the cast and especially, evidently, Kono (Grace Park). All fans of bikini-clad babes, set those DVRs to "record."
Monday, October 18, 2010
The series took a turn for the real with this episode, referencing a sex trade and Kuhio Avenue as the "red light" district in Waikiki. In its defense, it also has fantastic dance clubs. But props to the writers for reining in the fantasy a bit.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Not many clues in next week's sneak peek of the episode entitled, "Nalowale." We can make out the beach fronting the east Honolulu neighborhood of Aina Haina...
Monday, October 11, 2010
Nice surprises with this episode. D.L. Hughley makes an appearance as a con, and Balthazar Getty was the criminal (Dawkins) who busted out of prison to get to a pile of cash. I'm not strong on recognizing the local actors, but couldn't mistake Q (stage name) as the guard who let Getty get away...
Sunday, October 10, 2010
The granddaddy paddler's race between Hale O Lono Harbor on Molokai and Duke's Beach fronting the Hilton Hawaiian Village on Oahu ended today with no great surprises: Tahiti's formidable Shell Va'a team won its fifth straight ...
Friday, October 08, 2010
The point of a "hidden gem" is to let you, Fine Reader, know about cool places to go and dine in Hawaii that you might otherwise overlook because it's not on the Main Tourist Drag. But even I didn't know about Bruno's Forno and it's two blocks from where I live.
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
Got a couple early scene-spotting tips from Ryan Ozawa, Kukui High alum and webmaster, on the clip for next week's episode, "Nalowale."
Monday, October 04, 2010
It's the introduction of Kukui High School, the fictional alma mater of Chin Ho Kelly and Steve McGarrett, where they met all those years ago (as set up in the pilot episode).
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Here's the clip from next week's episode of "Hawaii Five-0," titled "Malama Ka Aina"
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
I did a post a few weeks ago about the easier hikes to do around Oahu. They're actually some of my favorites because they deliver on the views without working you over. But when it comes to hiking, honestly, I dearly love getting worked.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Past the pilot and heading into the meat of the series, "Hawaii Five-0"'s newest episode starred several prime Oahu locations, including one of our favorites: The Hilton Hawaiian Village, which we've built out in 3D.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
It was a supremely sunny day on Saturday as the annual Aloha Festivals Floral Parade wound down Kalakaua Avenue. The pau riders (pronounced Pah-OO) and their horses trotted regally down the street between convertibles bearing state political stars and marching bands...
Friday, September 24, 2010
Happy Aloha Friday everyone! If you're needing a dose of aloha (and who doesn't?), here are some tunes to get your weekend started right.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
If you're visiting Hawaii, chances are you left your fuzzies (i.e., pets) at home, where they are whimpering, sad-faced, longing for your return. I know, pets make it rough to go anywhere.
Monday, September 20, 2010
During the six-year run of "Lost," we'd have parties and name the sites on the Island where they were filming. It made for some good comedy. The Ala Wai Boat Harbor was Sydney, Australia. The canal was Korea. And, of course, Kualoa Ranch and Mokuleia served as a mythical island that channeled eletromagnetic energy.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
September is Aloha Festivals month in Hawaii, a series of events that celebrates Hawaiian culture through song, dance, tradition and food. The best part? The hoolaulea.
Friday, September 17, 2010
V Lounge caused a tremor in Hawaii's pizza scene when it started serving up its kiawe-wood-fired creations in 2009. The pizzaiolo chef, Alejandro "Aker" Briceno, has a global perspective...
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
It was a C-R-O-W-D, and I know part of that is because of the hype surrounding the reincarnation of the classic series, but I can't help but wonder if it's also because everyone misses Sunset on the Beach. The movie-on-the-beach program fell victim to city budget cuts, but CBS pulled it off with big-time sponsor Chevy. C'mon Honolulu, can we get a sponsor?
Monday, September 13, 2010
I didn't have much time for it on Saturday, but there was no way I was missing out on the 1st Annual Rice Fest at Aloha Tower. Rice is important among most cultures in the world, of course, but I don't know of a place that has our same level of cultural fusion that places rice in such high priority in our diet. Literally, nobody in Hawaii doesn't eat rice.
Thursday, September 09, 2010
You know that restaurant that wins all these awards and about which you heard amazing things, but you never got around to dining there because [insert excuse here]? You always meant to go to this place: It buzzed like a bee in the back of your mind. Remember to check this place out! it said.
Monday, September 06, 2010
Tucked into a small courtyard with a peaceful burbling fountain off Pauahi Street in Chinatown is the best wine store on Oahu.
Monday, September 06, 2010
It may seem to the outside eye that Hawaii is a state of casual wear and slippers. And that's true for the most part, but we have some talented, fashion-forward designers and labels...
Wednesday, September 01, 2010
Second place is losing (they say) and not worth crowing about, but our scrappy team came just inches shy of glory at last night's Stump! trivia smackdown at The Manifest, and I can't help but think a victory is, well, manifest.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
On Friday, I walked around Diamond Head, lounged and snapped photos at Duke's OceanFest and consumed more food and tea on the Veranda at the Moana Surfrider than one human should rightly pack in. How's a girl to cap that?
Friday, August 27, 2010
WAIKIKI — What I love about the Duke's OceanFest competition is... it's not really a competition.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
It's easy to forget when you live in a place its uniqueness and allure. That's true of most places, even in the world's most tantalizing destinations. You just... get used to it. But it's different with Hawaii.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Saturday was the occasion of Yelp's first birthday in Hawaii – that site with the "power to the people" reviews of restaurants and more. They hosted it at the urban, arty Fresh Cafe, which itself just hit a year in business.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Oahu has hiking enthusiasts aplenty, so it was unusual to see a trail with hardly anyone on it. Guess that's the benefit of hiking in remote Pupukea on the famed North Shore.
Friday, August 20, 2010
It was a packed house at the Academy of Arts for the Joy of Sake Thursday night. More than 300 sakes with various degrees of rice refinement (as noted by labels Daiginjo, Junmai and Ginjo) were available for tasting. It's hard to get your head around the scope of that, but simply put, you're not going to try all of them.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
We're getting a weekly pau hana ("work is done," aka happy hour) thing going at the Team Vision Virtual offices. The Manifest, an art-filled, edgy bar in Honolulu's Arts District in Chinatown, offers a trivia night on Tuesdays called Stump!
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
One assumption you might make about a Hidden Gem is that the product or service (in this case, food) that's being proffered is exquisite and unique, a must-have or-do experience, but not easily found or well known. And you'd be right. But this one you may have heard about. They're legendary, after all. But tucked into a nondescript strip mall on King Street near Keeaumoku in Honolulu, you wouldn't know it by looking at it.
