How Sen. Daniel Inouye “went for broke”
Would you give your right arm for the country that considered you to be an “enemy alien”? Hawai‘i Sen. Daniel Inouye, who died today at age 88, literally did so, after enlisting at age 18 in the heroic...
View ArticleMayan blowout on Kauai; taking the cake in Japantown
Two completely unrelated food items, both mouthwatering, from the Hawai‘i Insider files: THERE They’re taking the end of the Mayan calendar with a lot of grains of salt on Kaua‘i — witness the...
View ArticleWyland’s charitable brush with dolphins
A brush with spinner dolphins in Hulupo‘e Bay is a highlight for many visitors to the little island of Lāna‘i. Those lucky enough to be there on Dec. 26 this year can see how the brush of noted marine...
View ArticleMele Kalikimaka, Mr. President (and readers)
It’s that time of year: The Obamas are back in the islands for Christmas vacation — this time with a somber tribute to the late Sen. Daniel Inouye at Punchbowl, attended by Washington and local...
View ArticleGetting crabby on Christmas Island (this time with pictures)
You think you’re feeling crabby? If you want to spend Christmas on Christmas Island, as the song goes, you’d better be prepared for the annual migration of bright red crustaceans. I wrote about the...
View ArticleGuess who’s coming to D.C. dinner? Da Kitchen!
President Barack Obama may be back on vacation in Hawai‘i, but he’s paying for it by missing out on a great meal in Washington. Les Tomita and Mariah Brown, founders and owners of Maui’s popular Da...
View ArticlePono ways to start the new year with music, hula, aloha
A friend recently asked me about the meaning of “pono.” While I could explain some of its uses — “righteous, virtuous, just, proper,” etc. — it was intriguing to see the vast array of nuances listed by...
View ArticleRare jewels in the Waikiki Aquarium crown
Soon Sasha and Malia Obama will be back in school, but perhaps the next scheduled family vacation on O‘ahu should include a First Family drop-in at the Waikiki Aquarium. Although small — think an...
View ArticleIslands’ inventive pop-ups highlight local ingredients
Bay Area celebrity chef Ravi Kapur‘s Hawai#8216;i-inspired Liloliho Yacht Club pop-up dinners made another appearance just before the holidays, according to yesterday’s mini-story in the SFis/Style...
View ArticleTemporary paddling, hiking ban at Kealakekua
The state Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) has placed an indefinite moratorium at Kealakekua Bay State Historical Park on certain water activities — including kayaking and stand-up...
View ArticlePoint Reyes park manager to run Maui’s Haleakala
Things are looking up for Point Reyes National Park natural resource manager Natalie Gates — way up. Dr. Gates, a veterinarian who holds degrees from Harvard, Berkeley and Cornell, has been selected as...
View ArticleSharing aloha for Elvis & his 1973 TV special
When Elvis Presley performed his “Aloha from Hawaii” concert on Jan. 14, 1973, some 1.5 billion people watched in more than 40 countries as it was beamed live on satellite — a first for a full-length...
View ArticleTim Zagat on Zagat Guide to Hawaii: old faves, new trends
The new Zagat Guide to Hawai‘i, released earlier this week, reveals “old faves” and “new trends” among 1,050 restaurants, attractions, shops and nightclubs reviewed by 7,853 people who claim to go “all...
View ArticleBig Island, Garden Island get their Zagat kudos too
In my recent interview with Tim Zagat about his guidebook company’s newly published 2013 Hawaii edition, I included the current guide’s Top 10 Oahu and Top 5 Maui restaurants, lists provide by Zagat...
View ArticleDramatic dolphin aid during manta ray dive
Aloha from the Hawaiian Islands, abuzz with native son Barack Obama’s pending second presidential inauguration, Larry Ellison‘s acquisition of Island Air (which flies to his earlier acquisition, the...
View ArticleKauai: Drownings occur even as ocean info increases
Note: This post has been edited as of 8:30 p.m. Pacific time Sunday to reflect new information and include a photo from the search. As the search continues for the body of one of two San Francisco men...
View ArticleAnother piece of Hawaiian land up for grabs
Psst, want to buy a big chunk of the Big Island? On second thought, please don’t, unless you can develop it with sensitivity to the true needs of the community and the land, understanding as the...
View ArticleYear of the Snake, Hawaiian-style
Chinese New Year — or more accurately, the Lunar New Year celebrated by several cultures — officially begins Feb. 10, and in typical San Francisco fashion, our city’s elaborate evening Chinese New Year...
View Article“Club Lanai”: First look at Larry Ellison’s future eco-resort
]The former Pineapple Isle is abuzz over the nonstop changes — widely viewed as positive — that Oracle mogul Larry Ellison has brought to this quiet island of under 3,000 residents since taking...
View ArticleBay Area hula battle: Prepare to get super bowled over
If you didn’t already have a reason to get hyped up Super Bowl weekend, how about one more? “KaHulaHou: Pride on the Line” offers six rounds of no-holds-barred hula in a competition hosted by Academy...
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