On a cold spring evening last month, Chicago warmly welcomed Hawaii ukulele phenomenon Jake Shimabukuro to the stage of the Old Town School of Folk Music.

Shimabukuro, 31, played two shows at the renowned music school—one sold out, the one I attended a near sell out. I couldn’t see any flip-flops. But the audience was full of aloha shirts. I felt as if I were back in Hawai’i. 

Shimabukuro became legendary early in his career for his ukulele “fireworks”—rapid-fire strumming inspired by legendary rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix. On recent recordings, however, Shimabukuro has focused on showing off the quieter side of his instrument.

His CDs always display meticulous musical craftsmanship—a precision I wondered if he'd be able to maintain in concert.

I left amazed by the range, depth and emotion of his ukulele-playing throughout the 11-song set. Between songs, he’d tell warm stories of their creation, and talk about the family members, friends and heroes who have inspired him.

On “Me and Shirley T,” Shimabukuro talked about how the song was written as an homage to childhood trips to an Oahu restaurant with his parents, where he often consumed too many “childrens’ cocktails.” The audience especially appreciated snippets of other songs he infused in the song’s crescendo—in particular, The Champs’ “Tequila,” which brought a roar of approving laughter.

During “Blue Roses Falling”—an original song, played as a tribute to a friend’s late grandmother—and Franz Schubert’s “Ave Maria,” you could hear each pluck of Shimabukuro’s four-string Kamaka brand uke.

The concert ended with Shimabukuro’s cover of the Beatles’ “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”—which has become something of a YouTube phenomenon, and was praised by George Harrison’s widow Olivia—and his own “Third String” composition.

Topping it all off post show? Shimabukuro happily signing autographs and posing for photos with fans.

Such a great night in Chicago. My first Jake Shimabukuro concert won’t be my last.

Jake will be touring Mainland U.S. cites from May 25 through July 1. Click here for a complete tour schedule.

Read about Kamaka Ukulele—and Jake's fondness for their instruments—in our May/June 2008 HAWAII Magazine cover feature "15 Things We Love About Hawaii," now on sale in bookstores nationwide or in our digital edition here.

  

The May/June 2008 issue of HAWAII Magazine features a story on cartoonist Robert Ripley’s fascination with our Islands. Ripley created Ripley’s Believe It or Not! —the strange-but-true trivia-filled newspaper cartoon series. And, reports writer Greg Daugherty, he visited Hawaii four or five times during his brief, illustrious life.

The “believe it or not” Ripley nuggets you’ll find in our story include:

• How the amateur anthropologist—portrayed as a hardy world adventurer—actually preferred to travel in the lap of luxury.

• How most of his “Believe or Not” items were actually uncovered by an associate combing the shelves at the New York Public Library.

• How he saw water falling “uphill” in Oahu’s Nuuanu Valley.

• How he discovered the “House of Everlasting Fire”— better known to most of us as Kilauea volcano’s Halemaumau crater.

You’ll find the full text of Daugherty’s story—along with vintage cartoons and photos from Ripley’s Hawaii sojourns—in the current issue. Here's an excerpt:

When Robert Ripley arrived in Hawaii for the first time in 1922, the young “Believe It or Not!” cartoonist recorded a couple of surprises in his dispatches home. First was the genuine friendliness of the Hawaiians who greeted his ship. Second, the hula turned out to be less risqué than he had expected—or maybe hoped.

From his first trip to the Islands, Ripley was amazed by their natural wonders, which would figure in his cartoons for decades to come. Many he sketched at the actual sites, later transforming the sketches into finished artwork at his drawing board in New York.

Ripley's interest in all things Hawaiian went so far that he hired a well-known Chinese-Hawaiian author, actress and lecturer named Li Ling Ai and gave her the fancy title: director of the "Ripley's Believe It or Not!" Far Eastern Department.

You'll find HAWAII Magazine in most bookstores nationwide. In addition to print subscriptions, we now offer digital subscriptions and single copies as well.
 
 

One of the cooler things about my job is escaping the office on Oahu every couple of months, flying to one of the neighbor islands and getting to call what I do there work.

I’m on the island of Lanai this weekend, taking in some scenery, activities and food. You’ll see everything I collect while I'm here in future HawaiiMagazine.com Web posts and HAWAII Magazine articles.

For now, though, some photographic evidence of what I was up to on Friday.

Vog from Kilauea enveloped most of Hawaii on Friday, obscuring views of Oahu and Molokai on the morning flight to Lanai. The effect it had on the view of the manicured gardens at the Four Seasons Lodge at Koele when I checked in, however, was wonderfully dramatic.

A view of the island's only town, Lanai City, from a bluff above the Lodge at Koele. With just over 3,000 residents, a handful of businesses and comprised mainly of homes, it's not your classic definition of a "city." But you'll meet some of the friendliest people in Hawaii here.

I rented a Jeep 4x4  to explore the island's beaches for a future HAWAII Magazine feature. With only 30 miles of paved road on the island, Jeeps are pretty much the only rental available. Fortunately, they're the best way to see Lanai (other than on horseback, which I'm also doing a bit of this weekend for a HAWAII feature). This is a beach road on the island's north shore.

Polihua Beach, on Lanai's north side, is your reward after a lengthy and extremely bumpy drive down a single-lane Jeep trail. Stretching more than two miles, it's Lanai's longest white sand beach. It's also one of the island's most remote. On a typical late afternoon visit, you'll find about as many people exploring its breathtaking grandeur as you do in this photo.

My dinner after a long day of "work"—a meat lover's pizza at Pele's Other Garden in Lanai City. It's always a joy visiting owners Mark and Barbara Zigmond, and sampling their terrific homemade Italian entrees, pizzas, deli sandwiches and desserts. Great people. Must-have-food on Lanai. Check out Mark's must-read "My Corner of Paradise" feature in our Jan./Feb. 2008 issue.

 

You ask. We answer.

Reader Joe McPherson is headed to Maui next week and had a question for us. What’s the best way to make arrangements in advance for golf tee times?

Simple. No matter which island is your destination, call the concierge of the hotel or resort you are staying at before you get there.

First, they’ll be happy to reserve tee times for you. More importantly, they’ll know the most convenient and best courses, costs and availability. They may even be able to find you special golf packages at the resort.

Also keep in mind that registered guests at nearby resorts almost always get the best rates. So if you're staying at, say, The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua, your best bet is teeing off at Kapalua Resort.

Maui’s golf courses are among Hawaii’s best. Here are just a few recommendations:

Wailea Golf Club. Guests staying at resorts in south Maui's Wailea resort area get the best rates, but all three courses are open to the public. Book tee time here, or call (800) 888-6100, ext. 8. Click here for rates.

Kapalua Resort. Kapalua's two courses are world-renowned for hosting championship golf tournaments. The Plantation Course  hosts the PGA Tour season-opening Mercedes-Benz Championship in January; the Bay Course the Kapalua LPGA Classic in October. The resort won Golf Magazine's 2008 Gold Award for best value. Book tee time here, or call (877) 527-2582. Click here for rates.

Kaanapali Golf Resort. There are two courses here—The Royal Kaanapali and the Kaanapali Kai.  The Royal Kaanapali is one of only two courses in Hawaii designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. It's also the main location for the current season of the Golf Channel's reality series Big Break. Book tee time here, or call (866) 454-4653. Click here for rates.

Makena Golf Courses. Two courses—a North and South course—designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. 808-891-4000. Book tee time here, or call (808) 891-4000. Click here for rates.

 

The cover feature of the new issue of HAWAII Magazine is all about the “15 Things We Love About Hawaii” right now.

Among them, you’ll find the Big Island-made chocolate we’d fly from our Oahu offices to savor. The Hilo designer whose Hawaii-inspired fashions and prints we’d pick up while we’re there. And the hula dancer whose graceful movements we’d most want to accompany an oceanside mai tai and Waikiki sunset when we return home.

We've already clued you in about our love for Lost actor Michael Emerson in a previous “15 Things We Love About Hawaii” post. The love currently quenching our thirst for a carbonated beverage like no other, though? Artisanal sodas from Waialua Soda Works.

Trust us. You haven’t had a great vanilla cream soda until you’ve had a Waialua Soda Works vanilla cream soda. HAWAII editor John Heckathorn and I emptied a small office supply of the stuff in an afternoon binge session. (Our original plan was to share a single bottle.) And I’m still unsure whether associate editor Sherie Char got to enjoy any at all. (Burp.)

Here’s an excerpt:

Waialua Soda Works is all about homegrown Hawaii ingredients. There’s Big Island vanilla and Kauai honey in its vanilla cream soda. Island-grown fruits, when available, infuse its pineapple and mango sodas. Maui sugar cane sweetens its root beer. … The contents are handmade and hand-bottled by Jason and Karen Campbell (who) make old-fashioned artisanal soda in the former plantation village of Waialua on Oahu’s North Shore.

Read the full text of our Waialua Soda Works write-up and the 14 other things we love about Hawaii in the May/June 2008 issue of HAWAII Magazine, on newsstands now.

  

One of the joys about HAWAII Magazine is that our readers love to talk story with us. As a result, we’ve created a section in our magazine called, “Your Hawaii”—an assortment of short stories about our readers’ Hawaii experience.

In our May/June issue, HAWAII Magazine reader and geologist Lawrence Galiano and his wife, Lori, of Hammonton, N.J., tell us what it was like to spend an afternoon hiking over lava flows at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

Here’s an excerpt:

“We were so close to it all—fresh lava was slowly moving just below the surface beneath our feet. … It was amazing to think that this was where the island was growing larger and larger each day.”

You’ll find the rest of Lawrence’s “Your Hawaii” story—along with tales from three other HAWAII Magazine readers—in our May/June 2008 issue, on newsstands now.

Interested in sharing your Hawaii experience with us? Submit your story and photos to yourhawaii@hawaiimagazine.com.

 

Is Don Ho really your favorite Island musician? Is Waikiki Beach your favorite beach in Hawaii?

Agree? Disagree? Tell us what you think.

We’re looking for the best of Hawaii—the best places to stay, to eat, to see, the best things to do.

We know our readers know Hawaii unlike anyone else, so send us your opinions.

As a bonus for sharing your ideas, your ballot will be entered into a drawing. Ten lucky readers will be randomly selected to receive a gift from Oils of Aloha.

Click here for the ballot.

You can either fill it out online and submit it electronically—or print it out, fill it out by hand and mail it. Your choice.

In either case, the ballots must be mailed or submitted by June 13, 2008.

The Best of Hawaii will be featured in our September/October 2008 issue. Don’t miss it.

 

The new issue of HAWAII Magazine features a story on Maui Brewing Co., a Lahaina-based artisanal brewery crafting Hawaii-inspired beers.

Its brews have won international beer awards. Owner Garrett Marrero and brewmaster Tom Kerns use Hawaii-grown ingredients, when possible—fresh island-grown pineapple, Maui-made rum, Kauai lehua blossom honey.

But since opening in 2005, Marrero has also worked to make his company one of Maui’s most Earth-friendly. He’s one seriously resourceful brewer.

All of his delivery trucks—including his and wife Melanie’s cars—run on biodiesel he makes with his Kaanapali brewpub’s used vegetable oil. The brewpub’s lighting is entirely energy-saving compact fluorescent. Marrero is installing photovoltaic solar cells that will soon generate all of the brewery’s electricity.

Beer brewed by the Maui sun? What a concept.

Leftover grain, yeast and hops from the brewing process are given free to Maui farmers for use as pig and cattle feed, or to create compost fertilizer for produce. Marrero then purchases meat and produce from the farmers for his brewpub.

Maui Brewing Co.’s retro Hawaii-inspired packaging is made of recycled cardboard. Cans for restaurants and bars are delivered sans packaging in reusable trays.

About those cans. Why does Maui Brewing Co. sell its retail beer exclusively in cans instead of bottles? First off, they’re recyclable, use less energy to chill, transport and recycle again, and are made locally. It's also a taste issue.

“If a bottle took better care of the beer, I would be bottling,” says Marrero. “The cans have a water-based liner so the beer does not contact the aluminum. Cans don’t allow light exposure and oxygen pick-up, which affects taste. It’s beer as the brewer intends.”

Keeping things “green” is as important to Marrero (that's him in the photo) as the quality and taste of his beers.

“We’re not going to have a ‘zero (carbon) footprint’ at the brewery, but we’ll be damn close,” said Marrero. “That’s just something we believe is the right way to go. At the end of the day, it’s good to know that there’s one less smog cloud we’re contributing to.”

Maui Brewing Co.’s brewpub is located at the Kahana Gateway Center near Kaanapali Resort, 4405 Honoapiilani Highway, Maui. Call 808-669-0191. Check out the Maui Brewing Co. Web site for retail locations and online store.
   

For the May/June 2008 issue of HAWAII Magazine, I indulged myself—at four secluded spas on the Kohala Coast: the Hualalai Sports Club & Spa at the Four Seasons Resort, the Kohala Sports Club & Spa at the Hilton Waikoloa Village, The Spa Without Walls at the Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii, and the Mauna Lani Spa at the Mauna Lani Resort.

If the story inspires you to sign up for your own spa treatment, here are my 10 tips on how to make the most of your next spa visit.

1. Make your reservations ahead of time. Don’t wait till you get to the spa to select your treatment. Appointments often fill up fast, so book them as soon as you can.
2. Arrive 20 to 30 minutes before your spa appointment. You’ll want to have enough time to check in and change into your robe and slippers. One of the benefits of getting there early is that most spas will let you use their steam room, saunas or hot tubs for free. Or provide you with tea and soothing music.
3. Turn off your cell phone. In fact, don’t bring it at all. You are here to relax, as are your fellow spa visitors.
4. Drink water before and after. A well-hydrated body allows therapists to work more deeply into your aching muscles. Sufficient hydration also helps remove toxins.  
5. Learn about the treatments. Take the time to learn what type of treatments the spa offers. Many spas nowadays also offer couple’s massage.
6. Give yourself enough time. Spa treatments may last for 20 minutes or three to four hours. Allow yourself enough time before and after your treatment. Don’t rush off to the next thing on your schedule.
   
7. Remember your appointment. Most spas have a strict cancellation policy. If you’re a no-show, you may end up paying anyway. If you arrive late, your treatment will be that much shorter.
8. Speak up. Let the staff know ahead of time if you’re pregnant, have any medical conditions, allergies or special requests. Recommendations can be made based on your needs.  
9. Clear your mind. Now’s not the time to think about work or other responsibilities. If you can’t relax your mind, your body won’t be able to relax and enjoy the treatment.
10. Lastly, don’t forget to tip. If you received outstanding service, 15 percent to 20 percent is considered appropriate.

 

We ran into Michael Emerson, who plays Benjamin Linus on ABC’s hit TV series “Lost,” listening to jazz in Honolulu’s Chinatown district the other night.

Nice guy—which makes you realize what an incredible actor he is. When he plays Linus—the series’ complicated is-he-or-isn’t-he-a-villain—he somehow manages to be both seriously sinister and as equable as a Jack Johnson CD. Often at the same time. Always brilliantly.

In the cover feature of our current issue, we give you the low down on the “15 Things We Love About Hawaii” right now. One of these, just happens to be Emerson—the only actor to make the list.

Among the other objects of our affection? The only ukulele we’d pay four figures to strum. The Hawaii-published book that’s on our nightstand right now. The Big Island clothing designer with the fashion sense we’re digging most. The classic surfboard we’d hit the waves with right now if we weren’t at work (and knew how to surf). And more.

Emerson’s work on “Lost”—which is filmed entirely on Oahu—is one of our favorite things about every episode. It’s our good fortune that he feels similarly about our Islands, and talked to us about it.

Here’s an excerpt:

There is no “Lost” without Oahu, says Emerson. … He admits that Oahu’s beauty captivates him. No matter where he is after a long day of work shooting in the jungle, he stops every evening to watch the sun drop beneath the horizon.

Well, we did say it was just an excerpt.

You’ll find the full text of our Emerson write-up and the 14 other things we love about Hawaii in the May/June 2008 issue of HAWAII Magazine, on newsstands now.