I had a neighbor who, every January, would drop off homemade gao on my doorstep. The steamed Chinese rice cake would be topped with sesame seeds and wrapped tightly with plastic wrap. It’s not the most visually appealing dessert—a caramel-brown slab not unlike the taro-based kūlolo—but man is it delicious. Nian gao is short for […]
Many people make the winding trip on Tantalus-Round Top Drive to the top of Puʻu ʻUalakaʻa State Wayside for the panoramic views. Yet, few people—visitors or locals—know about the small-scale lūʻau at the park. The Nutridge Estate is nestled on the slopes of Mount Tantalus, overlooking Honolulu. The estate opened in the 1920s as one
“Moana 2,” in theaters now, brings together the beloved characters of Motunui, along with enough new crew members to fill a canoe. Auliʻi Cravalho returns to voice Moana in the just released sequel to Disney’s 2016 hit animated movie. The spirited and bold actress talks story about production and what audiences can look forward to
For Kekoa Kekumano, weekends were made for fun. As a middle and high school student at Kamehameha Schools Kapālama, he and his friends would take TheBus from Mililani to Waimea Bay and Ke Iki Beach on the North Shore, where they would body surf and play in the shore break all day. Like many local kids
Every Thanksgiving for decades, the Kualoa-Heʻeia Ecumenical Youth (KEY) Project on Oʻahu has been cooking hundreds of turkeys in an ʻimu, a traditional underground oven. In fact, this practice is so popular, it’s become a tradition in the Islands, with groups and organizations offering the same service: For a fee, people drop off their Thanksgiving
Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group is breaking ground with its first resident show in Hawaiʻi this December. The production is entitled ʻAuana, loosely translating to wander, veer off the beaten path or to embark on a journey in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language). Cirque du Soleil, famous for its jaw-dropping acts and theatrical artistry, promises
If the mai tai is Hawai‘i’s official cocktail, then POG is its official juice. Unlike Green River or Melona—flavors revered in Hawai‘i but not from Hawai‘i—POG was created on Maui at Haleākala Dairy (now Meadow Gold) in 1971. If you grew up here in the ’70s and ’80s you probably lived on the stuff. In
In 2021 Carissa Moore clinched her fifth World Surf League championship and a few months later became the first female to win an Olympic gold medal in surfing. And now the world can read all about it—and much more—in her new book, “Hawai‘i Gold: A Celebration of Surfing.” It’s a remarkable tribute to the sport’s
Years ago, I went on a ghost tour with Native Hawaiian storyteller Lopaka Kapanui, visiting haunted spots on Oʻahu. It was early evening, the sun had long set. We were standing in a remote area on the windward side of Pali Highway. And this is when Kapanui, who runs Mysteries of Hawaiʻi ghost tours, tells
You’ve probably heard of the age-old question: If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? For the team at Bizia Surf, falling trees not only do make a sound, they also make an impact. Founders and owners, Joey and Christine Valenti, opened a
While attending the famed Ka Ulu Lauhala O Kona Weaving Conference nearly a decade ago, weaver Kā‘eo Izon realized his kuleana (responsibility). The weaving club president asked his then 12-year-old protege, Kaha‘i Chan, to stand and be recognized. The crowd acknowledged her presence as a poignant first: Chan was among the youngest participants to ever attend
Last year Honolulu-based lei maker and stylist Meleana Estes made her debut in the publishing world with her gorgeous book “Lei Aloha: Celebrating the Vibrant Flowers and Lei of Hawai‘i,” a touching homage to lei making and the people in Hawai‘i’s lei community. Brimming with beautiful photos of lei and flowers, the book shares the
