Portland is like Mecca for craft beer lovers. You can find small breweries and brewpubs specializing in many different types of brews – sour ales, barrel aged beers, super hoppy IPAs. Thanks to it’s thriving food scene, you can also find many food-friendly beer pairings to go with your food cart finds, shared plates at…
A month has gone by, yet I’m still craving some of the great meals that I had in Portland. If you love food, this town is serious about ingredients and giving them the respect they deserve before they end up on your plate. Whether it’s a lunch with beer and charcuterie, crazy flavor combos in…
When I mention to people that I’ve never been to Portland, they’re always surprised. It’s one of the great food cities of the West Coast, and it’s been on my radar for years but I had never gotten around to making an actual stop there for one reason or another. My cousin Daniel moved up…
The 2014 AWP Conference took place this year in Downtown Seattle at the Washington State Convention Center. It was a great location, just minutes from the Pike Place Market and with easy access to public transportation to take you elsewhere if you desire. We were fortunate to have great weather the first day or so,…
For me, the first thing that comes to mind when I think of Seattle – no, not Nirvana, grunge, or even good beer – is fresh seafood. Sure, it’s a bit corny that the fishmongers in Pike Place Market still put on their show for the tourists where they toss around huge salmon like a…
Whether you are coupled up and looking for romance or seeking a night out on the town with friends for Single’s Awareness Day, Honolulu has a variety of tasty options for celebrating Valentine’s Day in 2014. (I’ll be adding to this list as I hear about others – feel free to send your tips or…
A bowlful of comfort – creamy corn chowder with bacon the way my grandmother made it.
Food lovers in Honolulu know that there are a few events worth marking in your calendar. Restaurant Week in November. Taste of Marukai. Joy of Sake. Made in Hawaii Festival. Eat the Street. And then there’s the Hawaii Food and Wine Festival. It’s truly in a different category than those listed above, because of the…
This month’s Honolulu Magazine is probably one of my favorite issues, ever. I have subscribed to the magazine for years because I love the historical portraits of Honolulu over time, unique perspectives on people and places that make our city so diverse, as well as some of the Honolulu’s best food writing. This month’s issue…
Despite the crowds, ridiculous parking fee, and the fact that I spend more than I budget every time, I love the Made in Hawaii Festival and I continue to go every year. It’s a chance to support local small businesses and to see what’s new from around the state. This year there were more vendors…
After the glorious excess that was Birth Month, I’m finding a need to gain some balance back into my life, especially in my eating habits. I won’t lie, April was a month with some truly amazing meals shared with some of my nearest and dearest, many of which I still need to post. Starting with…
Trying out new restaurants on Maui, for me, is always a challenge. There are old mom-and-pop favorites, like Sam Sato’s, where I try to stop each time I come home because I never want to see them go out of business. Then there are more recent favorites, like Star Noodle, where I’d only been once…