I read the other day that the number of fatal car crashes spike on Tax Day, which just goes to show how much we stress over this deadline. So it’s no surprise that it’s become popular for restaurants to offer deals to help you unwind and relax. This year tax day falls on Tuesday, April…
Last night a group of us got together to try out the yakitori offerings at Kohnotori. This cozy little restaurant specializes in little skewers of grilled items (yakitori) and is best experienced with a group if possible so you can try out many little plates, as you would with tapas. Ice cold pitchers of Asashi…
When I was on the Kona side of Hawaii Island, a friend who lived there told me they go to Hilo to eat. After having visited, I can understand this. While there is some spectacular food on the Big Island – fresh, locally-sourced, and sometimes pretty pricey, there’s something to say for good old home-style…
One of the benefits of living near the resorts and hotels of Waikiki is that we’ve got world-class spa facilities available to us when we’re up for a splurge. A great way to treat yourself is to book a spa treatment at the Mandara Spa at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. The Mandara Spa Experience Check…
Many who visit the islands consider visiting the volcanoes a “must do” and plan accordingly. Yet, I’ve lived in Hawaii my whole life and have only visited the volcano once, way back in the 80’s when the eruption first began. Back then we traveled with my grandparents who were visiting from Pennsylvania, and I remember…
UPDATE (2023): You can find details of the Ohana Club program which is the current package of discounts available to Hawaii residents here. Note that the Ohana club is free to join and you’ll receive lifetime membership for signing up, including various offers and discounts. PCC still offers the Kamaaina Annual Pass (as of 2023…
My disclaimer for the next post: I’m the type of person who plans my vacation around meals. I like to get suggestions from friends and family who have lived or visited there, and if all else fails, I turn to Yelp or Twitter. There’s nothing I hate more than being forced into “just grabbing something”…
My first morning waking up in the mountains of South Kona and the stillness of the forest outside was almost overwhelming when compared with the city of Honolulu I’d left behind. Huge, stately ohia trees reached up to the sky with lush, green ferns and colored hibiscus flowers scattered throughout canopy below. A little bird…
I arrived in Kona late in the evening, and I was a tad disappointed that I hadn’t thought better about timing my flight. I had done my research on which side of the plane would give me the best perspective coming into the landing (right side, I was told) and I always love that first…
While many think of beer (or sake) as the beverage of choice in Hawaii, you may be surprised to hear just how many spots there are for wine lovers in Honolulu. Wine Bars Restaurants Amuse Wine Bar – Self-service wine tastings (sold by the ounce) are accessed by a wine card purchased from the bar…
One of my new year’s resolutions this year was to do more traveling within Hawaii. When I was growing up on Maui, I don’t think I truly learned to appreciate the islands. I was always pining to be somewhere else – living in New York City, spending holidays in Paris, or taking extended trips around…
When I travel, I find myself turning more and more often to social media to help me get recommendations from locals on a town’s hot spots, best dishes, and up and coming chefs. Sites like Yelp and Foodspotting and their companion smartphone apps are extremely valuable for food-lovers and diners in Honolulu have embraced them…