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. […]
Anyone who’s traveled to Waikiki over the last two decades knows the city’s more urban roots, with street performers lining Kalakaua Avenue, shops selling kitschy gifts and the endless maze of kiosks at the old International Market Place. In the past five years, though, upscale retailers and trendy restaurants have replaced much of this more
Never has the spiky, scarlet-studded flower of the ohia lehua been more on our minds—or social media feeds—lately. Unfortunately, a lot of that is due to growing awareness of the Rapid Ohia Death crisis, a fungal infection that has already killed hundreds of thousands of its trees, and could allegedly destroy 90 percent of the
It’s been a rough few months of the Island of Hawaii. With the ongoing eruptions at Kilauea affecting the remote eastern region of the island, reports indicate that the economy, which strives on tourism and visitors, has taken a noticeable dive. With local businesses feeling the brunt of this decline in foot traffic, now is
In our March/April “Best of the Best” issue, our editors picked the top stores on Oahu where you can find the best made-in-Hawaii clothes, knickknacks, music, crafts, jewelry and home décor. 1. Na Mea Hawaii With items ranging from Hawaii-published used and new books, CDs and DVDs, to clothes and crafted wood, there is something
Looking for a vintage 1930s aloha shirt? Some unique, made-in-Hawaii gifts for your friends and family back home? That rare Hawaiian music single? These are the shops and boutiques you should search out when on Oahu, Maui, Kauai and Hawaii Island. Bailey’s Antiques and Aloha Shirts For the serious aloha shirt aficionado, Bailey’s is paradise. Off
Only the most skilled hands know the intricacy required to weave Hawaiʻi’s most precious shells into uniquely Hawaiian jewelry. The highly prized pupu o Niʻihau (Niʻihau shells) can only be found on the shores of The Forbidden Island and require acute patience, as a single strand can take several years to complete. These natural ocean
“Slippahs” if you want to be truly local from your sole to your soul. But NEVER flip-flops. Say “thongs” and watch residents’ eyebrows rise. A plantation old-timer will understand you if you say “geta,” the Japanese word for the footwear Islanders borrowed and made iconic. If it’s got a backstrap, a raised heel or it
