Love for Honolulu

Photo: Aaron K. Yoshino

Hawai‘i is an increasingly difficult place to live for reasons beyond high costs. But we can’t forget what’s good about life here, beyond balmy weather. I know everyone experiences life individually and under completely different circumstances. ​​Personally, I live with more ease here. I’m less stressed, more trustful of others and healthier than I was when I lived in larger cities. Work doesn’t consume me the way it used to, and I have time and ample opportunities to care for myself. Perhaps it’s because I’ve gotten older and my priorities have shifted, but whatever the reason, Honolulu offers me a high quality of life in big and small ways.

This month’s cover story is a small way to celebrate our city at a time when it might be easier to focus on the negatives. Our editorial team was tasked with scoping out fun things to do and sharing the ones we would personally recommend. The result: 22 first-person write-ups that span food outings, wellness endeavors, outdoor adventures and art classes.

Photo: Aaron K. Yoshino

After living in Honolulu for most of my life, including the past 21 years, I was surprised I didn’t know about many of the activities before this assignment. Most are offered by small local businesses, and when I thought about them collectively, I felt love for our city.

I remembered an essay I wrote about four years ago, after starting this job as HONOLULU editor. It only ran online, but it spoke to my intentions. Here’s an excerpt:

“I want to write a passionate love letter to Honolulu, the city where I was raised. … This is a city that can bring me to my knees with worry with its high cost of living, but also where I met friends that feel like family. It’s a city where the sun shines year-round and the skies turn a kaleidoscope of colors at dusk, and where people arrive at potlucks bringing way more than their fair share. It’s where my daughter’s kindergarten artwork once blew into rush hour traffic on Ke‘eaumoku and a guy got out of his car, stopped traffic and dashed around retrieving every piece with no honks or complaints from other drivers. It’s a city that I sometimes long to travel far away from, but the city that I have always said I’m from. 

“Now in this role at HONOLULU, I am working alongside people with equal passion for this city. Together, we know the ins and outs of our home, how government is run, the nuances of local living, where to hear live music, where to shop for the perfect first birthday baby gift and the best place to get a smoked tako poke bowl. Together, we can pen a gorgeously written, heartfelt letter.” 

Consider this issue part of that ongoing love letter.

Diane Seo is the editorial director of HONOLULU Magazine.