Do we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Hawaii?

The question should be … Why wouldn’t we? We live in a place that’s practically green the whole year ‘round, our own tropical version of an Emerald Isle.

The state’s biggest St. Paddy’s Day celebration is always at Murphy’s Bar & Grill in downtown Honolulu. Every March 17, thousands of residents and visitors descend upon downtown's so-called “Irish corner”—on the corner of Merchant Street and Nuuanu Avenue—for a full evening of serious revelry.

The streets surrounding Murphy’s are closed to traffic, making way for food and drink booths, live music stages and much pinching if you’re one of the unfortunate souls not sporting some kind of green.

Owner Don Murphy has been hosting the party for just over two decades, growing it from a bustling celebration within Murphy’s walls to the massive block party you see in the photo above.

Murphy’s being an Irish pub and all, there’s, of course, always enough corned beef and cabbage and Guinness ale to feed half of Cork. But we recommend supplementing the traditional fare with a trip to the fresh oyster bar, a Gaelic steak or some Guinness-braised short ribs, and Murph’s simply amazing steamed clams.

The party starts at 6 p.m. tonight. You’ll find the specifics here.

Erin go bragh!
 
 

It’s always a good month to visit Maui. But, if you love aquariums, this is an especially good month.

Hawaii’s finest private aquarium, the Maui Ocean Center, celebrates its 10th birthday all month with events, activities and entertainment.

Some highlights:

March 13 @ 10:30 a.m.: Happy Birthday
The Maui Ocean Center’s actual anniversary date. There’ll be entertainment, crafts for kids and birthday cake. Admission for the day is only $10 if you purchase tickets here.

March 13 @ 6 p.m.: A Night at the Reef
The aquarium reopens for evening views of its Living Reef exhibits, presentations on Hawaii’s coral reefs and video of live coral spawning. Admission is $18. Reservations recommended, 808-270-7088.

March 17-26, from 9:30 a.m.: “Only in Hawaii” Naturalist Tours and Presentations
10 days of educational workshops and tours on different aspects of Hawaii’s marine environment. Click here for tour and presentations schedules.

March 28 @ 5:30 p.m.: “Sleep with the Sharks” Aquarium Sleepover
Spend the night at the aquarium and learn about what happens to the coral reefs and marine life after hours. Feed sea turtles and hammerhead sharks. Watch movies, and enjoy pizza for dinner and pancakes for breakfast! Bummer alert: It’s only for kids in grades three through eight. Reservations recommended, 808-270-7075.

Click here to find out about other Maui Ocean Center 10th birthday events this month.

  

While your mind is on romance today, here’s a suggestion.

Tickets for the Hawaii Romance Festival go on sale today. For 10 days in May, the second annual music fest will give attendees more romance for their buck than a Nat King Cole ballads CD on repeat.

The Honolulu-based festival will run from May 2 through 11.

There’ll be concerts full of music’s greatest love songs interpreted live by the likes of Smokey Robinson, Gladys Knight, Aaron Neville, Boz Scaggs, Sergio Mendes and Hawaii vocalists Amy Hanaialii Gilliom and Jimmy Borges.

(The line-up’s old school, yes. But the combo of love and vocalists like Smokey Robinson never goes out of fashion.)

Dinners, dancing and love flicks will be served up at the legendary Royal Hawaiian Hotel, under the stars at the Waikiki Shell and other venues around Honolulu.

Providing the soundtrack for all of the above? Romance Festival co-founder Matt Catingub (pictured) and his own Matt Catingub Orchestra.

If you’re in Honolulu, in May, and in love, it’s a sweetheart of a plan.

Tickets for Hawaii Romance Festival events and fest information may be found here.

  

You don’t have to be in New Orleans or Rio de Janeiro to celebrate Mardi Gras. Hawaii has its own spin on the “Fat Tuesday” street carnivals that both cities are famous for right here in downtown Honolulu’s Chinatown Arts District.

From 6 to 10 p.m. tonight, Nuuanu Avenue fills with samba dancers, Brazilian percussion groups and New Orleans-inspired food. (Red beans and rice, anyone?) Catch a parade of floats gliding down Nuuanu Avenue, and enter contests—including the search for King or Queen of Mardi Gras. (Basically, it’s a “best entertainer” award based on both costume and spirit).

Down the street and along the waterfront, Aloha Tower Marketplace joins in on the fun with live jazz and blues musicians, and a Brazilian samba parade.

Admission is free to both downtown celebrations.

In Waikiki, Mardi Gras heats up at Waikiki’s new rum lounge Rum Fire. This Fat Tuesday party kicks off at 6 p.m., but, be warned, it’ll cost you—$15 if you arrive before 9 p.m., and $20 thereafter.

Before you grab your feathered mask and beads, however, consider consuming some fried dough. Today is also Malassada Day in Hawaii.

Portuguese immigrants made malassadas (yes, the Portuguese spelled it with two s’s) as a way to use up their eggs, butter and oil before Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent. On Malassada Day, it’s also tradition to eat something truly indulgent. And what fits that description as perfectly as this deep-fried sugar-coated doughnut?

For hot malassadas made to order, we recommend Leonard’s Bakery [933 Kapahulu Ave., (808) 737-5591], Agnes Portuguese Bake Shop [46 Hoolai, (808) 262-5367] or Champion Malasadas [1926 S. Beretania St., (808) 947-8778].
 

 

If you thought the Mai Tai was a hit, try the “Pua ‘Olena,” a cocktail inspired by a song on Tia Carrere’s Grammy-nominated Hawaiiana album.

Each year, bartenders from Hawaii’s Outriggers Hotels and Resorts create drinks, inspired by the Grammy-nominated albums in the Hawaiian category, for the Outrigger’s Hotels and Resorts’ fourth annual “Signature Drink Contest.”

Last night, Bob Melton, a bartender of Chuck’s Steakhouse in Waikiki, took top honors for the second year in a row.  His lilikoi-guava-lychee cocktail concoction was inspired by Tia Carrere. “The way Tia sings Pua ‘Olena inspired me to make a drink seeking the same sweet smell and essence of the ‘olena blossom,” says Melton.

Here’s his winning recipe, full of Island flavors:
 

Pua ‘Olena
1 oz. Yazi Ginger Vodka
¾ oz. Malibu Coconut Rum
½ oz. Sohi Lychee Liqueur
1 oz. Lilikoi Juice
1 oz. Guava Juice
½ oz. Kiwi Fruit Juice

Mix all ingredients in a shaker filled with ice. Shake to chill and strain in to a chilled martini glass.

(BTW: We got Melton to make us one.  It rocks.)

Besides Carrere, other nominees for the Hawaiian Grammy are

• Keola Beamer’s Ka Hikina O Ka Hau (The Coming Of The Snow)
• Raiatea Helm’s Hawaiian Blossom
• Cyril Pahinui’s He‘eia
• Treasures of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar produced by George Kahumoku Jr., Daniel Ho, Paul Konwiser and Wayne Wong.

For a complete listing of the Grammy Award nominees, click here. The awards will be aired Feb. 10, 2008 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CBS.

As the winning bartender, Melton will travel to Los Angeles to serve his drink at a special Grammy Awards party.