It’s pretty hard, especially in Hawaiʻi, to be wowed anymore by shave ice. But that’s what’ll happen when you try one from Chillest Shave Ice, a small shop that opened in May in Kaimukī on Oʻahu. Owner Aaron Wong crafts dreamy, cloudlike domes of snow-fine ice, soaked in syrups in unique flavors like creamy strawberry […]
*This story was originally published on Jan. 26, 2018. When it’s my turn to order at Kaimukī’s Crack Seed Store, I tell Mr. Young, the owner, that I’ll have whatever the guy in front of me had. What the guy had was a strawberry Icee with li hing mui (preserved plum) juice and vanilla
Many first timers to Hawaiʻi set their sights on Oʻahu, thanks to its visitor-friendly activities and locales known around the world. The island is home to the state’s capital city, Honolulu, and sites including Waikīkī Beach, Diamond Head (the Hawaiian place name is Lēʻahi), Pearl Harbor and the North Shore. While travelers should certainly include
About a few miles outside of Waikīkī is the charming town of Kaimukī. One of the oldest communities on Oʻahu, Kaimukī (pronounced ky-moo-kee) was once the site of King Kalākaua’s ostrich farm. The first road paved here was Waiʻalae Avenue—still the main thoroughfare—in 1925. It’s now a bustling little town with some of Oʻahu’s best
Most visitors to Oʻahu end up staying in Waikīkī—and for good reason. The beachside neighborhood offers a wide variety of accommodations—from high-end oceanfront resorts to cozy boutique hotels to cheap hostels—and tons of things to do. But if you’re looking to ditch the crowds—and you should!—get in a car (or hop on the city bus)
Coffee shops are true community gathering places. It’s in neighborhood cafés that doctors, lawyers, teachers, artists and travelers all coalesce, uniting over a similar need—caffeine. This very reason often makes cafés representative of the neighborhood’s residents and even the types of visitors it draws. There’s much to discover in a neighborhood through the coffee culture.
The doorbell chime at Awa and Olena jingles merrily into the early Kaimuki air. From a shaggy carpet, Rika, a little rescue pup, is adding his own cheery canine song to welcome me. “Oh stop,” says Amanda Watkins to the excited pup, grinning from behind a counter of geometric cinder blocks and clean, bright wood.
