Where to party on New Year’s Eve
New Year’s Eve is just around the corner. Not sure where to go? Here’s our guide of all kinds of parties happening around town. 7th Annual Bud Light New Year’s Eve Party of the Year 7 p.m. – 2…
Author: Eric Baranda
Party pics: Super CW Retirement and Birthday Party
Who can bring out the nightlife crew while the sun is still up? None other than Honolulu’s leading lady for parties, promotions and entertainment: Christa Wittmier, aka Super CW. Her retirement and birthday party last night at Pure Nightclub featured…
Hidden gem: Cafe Fusion
I had promised babes that I would take her to a cafe for breakfast. Someplace she’s never been before. I like surprises, so on a random weekday morning, I took her to church. Sort of. Cafe Fusion is located inside…
Breakfast in Taiwan
A flight across the Pacific, a ride into the city and 12 hours later, here we were: Taiwan. Babes and I immediately got down to business: breakfast. I had my first taste of Taiwan at Jiang Yellow Beef Noodle Shop.…
Hidden gem: Teishoku
Tucked in a corner of Kam Shopping Center. I haven’t felt this young in a while. That was my first thought the first time I ate at Teishoku, a Japanese restaurant that opened in July at the Kamehameha Shopping Center…
Coming soon: Amazing Hawaii Comic Con 2016, Part 2
A cosplayer from the first Amazing Hawaii Comic Con in 2015. Once again, it’s back: the incredible Amazing Hawaii Comic Con 2016 … Part 2. Amid the universe of cosplay, panels, workshops, exhibitors and Pokemon Go challenges coming to the…
Bevy: New chef, new pupu menu, lunch coming soon
My first date with the woman who is now my girlfriend was at Bevy. So it’s fitting that as we close in on our one-year anniversary, I swing by Bevy to celebrate its third. And what an anniversary. Bevy has…
Something new: Yacchaba
What does a Japanese fisherman say to get attention? “Yacchaba!” That’s according to the owners of the newest Japanese izakaya in town, Yacchaba. And get my attention, Yacchaba did. What secrets do you hold? Besides sake and beer. I’m a…
Party pics: Blue Tie Bash 2016
Clean energy non-profit Blue Planet Foundation held their first Blue Tie Bash at the Hawaii Convention on Wednesday evening. This benefit featured a wine tasting, live entertainment, dinner and both silent and live auctions. The highlight of the evening featured…
Party Pics: Goddess Zone
We checked out belly dance showcase Goddess Zone on Saturday evening at Doris Duke Theater, hosted by Mistress of Ceremonies Cocoa Chandelier as “The Lady of Wahiahole.” Dances performed in Goddess Zone are inspired from paintings of Hawaiian goddesses by artist Rochelle…
International Market Place tour and gala
This is one of the marquee signs from the original International Market Place. What once was old is new again. Welcome back International Market Place. More than 1,000 people gathered Wednesday night to preview the newly revamped complex, which opens…
Something new: 9Bar HNL
I exercise to eat. That’s why I decided to reward myself with a trip to 9Bar HNL for breakfast after my morning run. I don’t really run that far. Or for that long. Anyways, I woke up my partner in…
Something new: The Friend Cafe
The gentrification of Kapiolani continues. The buy me drinky bars in the area have done nothing to stem the tide of milk tea shops. There’s Mister Tea, Taste Tea, Teapresso, Tea Boss. And now there’s a new one: The Friend…
Pacific Ink and Art Expo 2016 – Day 1
What’s black and white and red all over? The skin of most people at the first day of the Pacific Ink and Art Expo. I strolled through corridors of skin canvases and bloody inking, watching magicians at work. It must…
Comic Con Honolulu 2016: Day 1
Harley Quinn and the Joker from the upcoming “Suicide Squad” film were friendlier than expected, considering their suicidal tendencies. And Katana from “Arrow” apparently gave birth to a Hogwart’s wizard, Jedi knight, and a tiny barbarian. Where did I encounter…
Why you need to see ‘Batman: The Killing Joke’
I have to be honest. As a child, I wasn’t a fan of Batman. Although I had read Frank Miller’s “The Dark Knight Returns” at my local library and recognized the masterpiece for what it was, my young mind couldn’t…
Your guide to Comic Con Honolulu 2016
Didn’t we just have another convention? Well, you can never have too much of a good thing, can you? While some fans in the local geek community may be feeling the burnout, I welcome our new convention overlords. I’d rather…
Think you know your Miyazaki films? There’s more
Hayao Miyazaki’s critically acclaimed “My Neighbor Totoro” screens on Sunday, July 10 at 3 p.m. Have you heard the rumor about “My Neighbor Totoro”? The one where Totoro is actually a death god? And everyone dies? Totoro comes to bring…
Something new: Tipsy Pig Bar & Grill
I tilted the menu because the pig is tipsy. The nightlife scene may be gentrifying along a notorious strip of Kapiolani Boulevard. Open since early June between a nest of buy-me-drinky bars and the adult entertainment store Suzie’s, Tipsy Pig…
Our Top 5: Dragon Ball Kamehamehas
Kamehameha. The name evokes strength, power and nobility. A fitting description of the man who united the islands of Hawaii and became its first king. It’s a great way to describe the signature attack of martial artist Son Goku, hero…
White Box Hawaii
Local designers and artists gathered at Kaka’ako Agora Thursday night to share their visions of a contemporary Hawaii, one free of the cliched coconut bras and tiki torches the world knows us by. The idea involved giving participants a white…
Honolulu Ekiden 2016
Driving from Sandy Beach to the top to Hanauma Bay takes your breath away. So does running from Sandy Beach to the top of Hanauma Bay. Well, running and walking, in my case. But not for the views. I’m talking…
Amazing Hawaii Comic Con 2016 Day 1
Avengers assemble! Day one of the Amazing Hawaii Comic Con 2016, was noticeably slower than last year, probably due to all the high school graduations happening Friday night. Still, we saw tons of comic book artists, vendors, crafts and…
Guide to Amazing Hawaii Comic Con 2016
Once again it’s back: the incredible Amazing Hawaii Comic Con! Not to be confused with the other comic convention in Hawaii. Or the other anime conventions in Hawaii. It can get confusing, which is why we’re here, to help guide…
We tried out: Luxe cinema at Kapolei Commons 12
Abandon all hope, ye who enter here. $3 movie tickets at an actual movie theater? Granted it was only for the soft opening, but I figured it would be a good excuse to check out Regal Kapolei Commons 12, the…
Party pics: 30th Annual April Foolish FUNraiser
The Boys Bunch Hawaii hosted their 30th Annual April Foolish FUNraiser at M Nightclub Friday night, featuring live entertainment and pupus, with proceeds benefiting the keiki of Make-a-Wish Hawaii. …
Insider’s guide to Kawaii Kon 2016
In 2005, I was a lonely otaku. In kinder terms, that’s a passionate fan of a particular interest, usually anime and manga. Why lonely? Because I had no friends who shared my passion. That changed with the advent with Kawaii…
ARTafterDARK: #SELFIE
I didn’t take a selfie, but I found a bunch of people who did at ARTafterDARK: #SELFIE on Friday night at the Honolulu Museum of Art. This month’s themed event featured selfie stations throughout the museum grounds and the usual nightlife…
‘The Boy and the Beast’ is all about the ride
The Boy and the Beast. It’s that time of year again, when your friendly neighborhood otaku start diving into their closets and cosplaying up in preparation for next month’s Kawaii-Kon anime convention. And what better way to get into the…
Party pics: 16th Annual Executive Vineyards
The 16th Annual Executive Vineyards raised $30,000 to benefit programs at University of Hawaii at Manoa’s Shidler College of Business. This year’s fundraiser was held at the Royal Hawaiian in Waikiki where attendees grazed on bites from top local restaurants in…
ARTafterDark: Afrofuture
You definitely lit up my life at ARTafterDark’s Afrofuture on Friday night. The monthly party at the Honolulu Museum of Art featured Honolulu’s first ever silent disco, so party goers got glowing wireless headphones streaming live beats from DJs Maynard…
Hawaii Anime and Comic Convention Guide 2016
It’s that time of year again, when elusive otaku and comic book nerds reveal themselves and venture forth into the daylight to gather among others of their kind. You can find these creatures everywhere – at work, the mall and…
POW! WOW! Hawaii 2016
The weeklong POW! WOW! Hawaii art festival attracts artists from around the globe to Kakaako for a huge celebration of music, culture and art. The hub of it all is at Lana Lane Studios, with live art and mural projects…
Party pics: POW! WOW! 1XRUN Print Exhibition
First come, first served at the Pow! Wow! 1XRun Print Exhibition at Lana Lane Studios in Kaka’ako. The exhibition opened Tuesday night with buyers getting first dibs on limited edition prints from over 30 artists painting in this year’s mural…
Party pics: Aloha Cancer Project Kickoff
The Aloha Cancer Project held its kickoff event at Nextdoor in Chinatown on Saturday night, featuring live entertainment, vendors, raffles, along with food and drinks. The Aloha Cancer Project provides support for people fighting cancer by raising awareness, sharing information,…
Party pics: Bar 35’s 10th Anniversary
The popular Chinatown nightlife spot hosted a festive Year of the Monkey-themed celebration on Saturday night. When owner Dave Stewart opened the bar and club on Hotel Street, the area was not what it is today. But Bar 35 quickly…
Something new: Hawaii Voice KTV & Lounge
For a place called Voice, I was left speechless. Located in the 808 Center near Keeaumoku, Hawaii Voice KTV & Lounge is a karaoke bar unlike any other in Hawaii. Air Park may have fancy touchscreens and Nocturna’s got video…
Party pics: Go Jimmy Go 20th Anniversary & Farewell Show
A hui hou, Go Jimmy Go! The popular local and internationally known ska/rocksteady/reggae band held its last concert Saturday night at The Republik, playing to a venue packed with loyal fans. The concert also marked the band’s 20th anniversary, and…
Poetry slams: Why I love First Thursdays
Performance therapy came to mind as I watched the spectacle of First Thursdays. Poets from the islands and all over got up onstage and bared their souls with poems that were political, satirical, lyrical, but all soulful. The audience was…
Party pics: NYE Night Circus @ Sheraton Waikiki
HAPPY NEW YEAR! RumFire brought the circus to Waikiki for New Year’s Eve, featuring aerial performers, stilt walkers and a medley of costumed characters. The Night Circus burst the doors of RumFire, spreading to the Sheraton Waikiki’s Infinity Pool with…
Party pics: Holidaze Chinatown Market
Christmas shoppers had a chance to scoop up gifts at the Holidaze Chinatown Market, with more than 60 local fashion, art, music and food vendors participating. The event was coordinated by Art + Flea and the city’s Office Of Economic Development. …
Anime Matsuri 2015
The debut of Anime Matsuri started off slow, probably because of Thanksgiving weekend and Black Friday, but we spotted some amazing cosplay. The debut of the new anime convention, thrown by a crew based in Houston, featured panels, vendors, special guests,…
Anime Matsuri Hawaii gets underway
Photo provided by Anime Matsuri. Photo provided by Anime Matsuri. Photo provided by Anime Matsuri. Photo provided by Anime Matsuri. Photo provided by Anime Matsuri. Photo provided by Anime Matsuri. Photo provided by Anime…
Party pics: Golden Moment Opening Party
Ice skating superstars Kristi Yamaguchi, Brian Boitano and the rest of the cast of this weekend’s Golden Moment show took part Thursday in a VIP opening party at Royal Hawaiian Hotel. Along with music from ManoaDNA, invited guests dined on…
Party pics: Harajuku Tokyo Street Fashion
Tokyo street fashion has arrived in Honolulu! Last night, Honolulu Museum of Art debuted its Harajuku Tokyo Street Fashion exhibit with an opening party, featuring appearances by Japanese boutique Tokyo Bopper and Tokyo street fashion star Minori demonstrating the art…
Attention gamers: Extra Life at Armchair Adventurer
There is only the Emperor, and he is our shield and protector. Being an unabashed gamer and geek, I recently got back into playing Dungeons and Dragons at my Friendly Local Gaming Store, a.k.a. Armchair Adventurer at Dole Cannery. If…
Party pics: Yelp’s Monster Mash
Ghosts and goblins came out Tuesday night for Yelp’s Monster Mash costume party at Aloha Tower. The event offered free samplings of food and drinks provided by local restaurants, along with live entertainment and prize giveaways. Donations from the event…
Party pics: Celebrenty Halloween Costume Party
We celebrated with local celebrity Brent Anbe on Saturday night for his 2nd Annual Celebrenty Halloween Costume Party at Scarlet Honolulu in Chinatown. A big supporter of the local film and art scene, Anbe also works in casting for “Hawaii Five-0.”…
Party pics: Honolulu Museum of Art at First Hawaiian Center
Honolulu Museum of Art and First Hawaiian Bank held an opening reception Wednesday night for three new art exhibitions at the First Hawaiian Center. The event featured works by artists Tom Lieber, George Woollard, Hannah Day, Nelson Flack, Carl Jennings…
Party pics: Taste of Korea 2015
Lovers of Korean culture and food gathered Friday night for the Taste of Korea 2015 at the Japanese Cultural Center. The event featured Korean dishes from MW Restaurant, Sorabol, Lucky Belly, Waipuna Sushi, Haili’s Hawaii Food, Ohana Bento and Sushi…
