It’s almost like choosing between Team Edward or Team Jacob.(Thanks to all the “Twilight” fans who got that reference.)Turns out, there are clearly distinct camps when it comes to the two leading men in CBS’ “Hawaii Five-0”, its second season…
There’s nothing better than fried dough.Except when that fried dough — in this case, the Okinawan donut andagi — is freshly made at the annual Okinawan Festival, held this weekend at Kapiolani Park.While the annual festival serves such Okinawan staples as…
Last week I had the arduous task — note the sarcasm — of staying overnight at the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea (@FSMaui).If you’ve never been to this luxurious, five-star resort, put it on your bucket list. It’s an…
I had been dreading this decision since April.And I wasn’t even the one making it!My boyfriend, Derek, got accepted into the Ph.D. program in history at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. (He’s working on his Ph.D. here, but this…
Kim Kardashian got married to NBA star Kris Humphries this weekend.OK, so it’s not breaking news. I mean, how can you keep a secret about a reality TV star — Kim Kardashian is actually in at least two separate reality…
The other week we were on the Big Island visiting family — and decided to stop off at a resort I had only heard about.Four Seasons Resort Hualalai at Historic Ka’upulehu is not exactly in my price range. Standard rooms…
It’s not often you get to attend the kind of wine-tastings held for only industry insiders.But for the third year in a row, Roy’s Hawaii Kai, along with JMD Beverages, the only locally owned fine wine distributor, opened up this…
You don’t have to give me a reason to visit the luxurious Halekulani in Waikiki.But it’s added incentive when the hotel is featuring a special dessert menu prepared by the acclaimed pastry chef from the iconic Imperial Hotel Tokyo.Called “The…
My pregnant girlfriend is having her first child, a boy, and she’s already got his name picked out.But she’s not telling anyone yet.I thought that was strange since she’s not the superstitious type. But she decided to keep the name…
Lauren Takao is a 30-year-old fifth grade teacher at Christian Academy who helps coach the school’s cross country team. She’s a Beachbody — think P90X and Insanity — coach and part-time yoga teacher. And she just had a baby seven…
Guys have a bad rep when it comes to housework.They’re typically the ones earning more money and working longer hours.But that all changed once women entered the workforce in large numbers in the ’70s. Women started earning incomes comparable to…
We didn’t have much time. Only on Kauai for two days — and working most of our waking hours — we wanted to see and do and eat as much as we could in a 48-hour span. It’s amazing how…
Last month the Nonstop team had the difficult job of judging 22 pork dishes at Eat The Street.Yes, 22. It was painful.But with a plate of succulent Okinawan-style shoyu pork and crispy chocolate-dipped bacon, Simply Ono (@simplyonowagons) stood out from…
One of my favorite childhood memories is waking up on Sunday morning to the smell of freshly baked biscuits, cubed potatoes drenched in butter, and, my all-time favorite, vinha d’alhos.It’s a Portuguese pickled pork dish that came to Hawaii via…
Summer, to me, means a few things.Longer days spent at the beach, less traffic on the highway during rush hours, and the annual bon dances at temples around the state.This annual Japanese Buddhist tradition — held between June and August…
I grew up in Kalihi and for years have driven past the large red-and-white sign that reads, “Megs Drive-In” (@megsdrivein).And surprisingly, I never stopped by.But back in April, Melissa Chang (@melissa808) dropped by the old-fashioned drive-in that’s been serving plate…
The phrase on the food truck said it all:“Everything tastes better fried.”That was enough to lure me to the corner of Ward Avenue and Kapiolani Boulevard to check out Hawaii’s Fried Musubi (@friedmusubiHI), a new food truck run by a…
One of my favorite things about working in downtown was the bounty of lunch options.Whatever you’re craving — pho, ahi poke, tomato bisque, carne asada burritos, crepes, vegetarian spanakopita — you can find in a four-block radius.And when you’re in the mood…
Are you in the Circle?Apparently, I am. But I’m not in the loop.Circles are the latest social media hub — the place where you want to be. It’s replacing followers on Twitter and friends on Facebook.And yet, Google+, the company’s newest…
Let’s face it: we love kids.Until they kick our seats in a plane or scream mercilessly in a restaurant.But is banning kids from places like airplanes and restaurants really fair?This question came up recently when a Pennsylvania restaurant decided to…
I had heard about it and I always think about trying it whenever I drive past. So when my girlfriend invited me to dinner at Bernini Honolulu, a new contemporary Italian restaurant that opened in April near Ala Moana Center,…
Change can be a good thing. And that’s definitely the case at the award-winning restaurant Chef Mavro, which recently unveiled both a new chef de cuisine and a new summer menu. Back in May, chef/owner George Mavrothalassitis (@chefmavro) hired Paul…
My friends and I have spent a lot of time Kanpai Bar & Grill. A lot. So much, in fact, we even knew the shifts of the servers. So when some of the staff left Kanpai to work in the…
I get asked this question a lot as a college instructor:Does having a college degree really matter?You may think since 1) I teach at a community college and 2) I have both bachelor’s and master’s degrees that I would immediately…
It may look like Wine The Experience in Kilohana Square is closed — but it’s not.The boutique venue in Kaimuki where people can bottle — and experience — their own wine is scaling back operations.Shannon Ball, owner and Cat Chat veteran, explains…
Everyone has a memory — fond or not — about school lunch.You remember the rubbery beef patty, the mysterious burrito, the square-shaped pizzas you wish were served every day.To many of us, it was the focal point of the school day.…
There’s nothing like chicken right off the grill. And I particularly love the local-style huli-huli chicken, which you hardly see around anymore. While some places — like Koala Moa on Nimitz Highway — offer a variation of the trademarked chicken, nothing…
Editor’s note: Catherine Toth is back on Nonstop. Although she’ll be blogging primarily on her own site, thecatdish.com, Nonstop will run some of her posts and also her weekly Cat Chat video segment.It’s not everyday you get your cup of…
It’s not breaking news: people in Hawaii love their noodle dishes.And we’re not afraid to debate them, either.Case in point: Nonstop’s Mari Taketa (@nonstopmari) sparked a spirited online debate with her blog about saimin — and how much she doesn’t…
Don’t expect to get a discount on the famous Osaka-style okonomiyaki during happy hour at Chibo Restaurant (@chibohawaii) in Waikiki.Its signature pancake dish — usually consisting of flour, egg, cabbage and mountain yams and topped with a special plum sauce…
Foodland versus Walgreens. It’s actually not a fair debate. Foodland is primary a grocery store; Walgreens is a drugstore.But for this week’s Great Debate, I thought it was appropriate since Walgreens — the nation’s largest drugstore chain with 7,714 drugstores…
Editor’s note: Catherine Toth is back on Nonstop. Although she’ll be blogging primarily on her own site, thecatdish.com, Nonstop will run some of her posts and also her weekly Cat Chat video segment.Six months ago I walked through Aina Haina…
Whenever I get a free weekend — and it’s not too often — I like to take quick jaunts to the Neighbor Islands.And lately, I’ve been planning free weekends around visiting Maui.The Valley Isle has been named “Best Island” by readers of…
Sure, there are festivals all over the state that feature great food and wine.But there’s nothing like the annual Kapalua Wine & Food Festival on Maui.In its 30th year, this four-day, world-class event is the longest-running and most prestigious festival…
Editor’s note: Catherine Toth is back on Nonstop. Although she’ll be blogging primarily on her own site, thecatdish.com, Nonstop will run some of her posts and also her weekly Cat Chat video segment.It’s hard when guests aren’t comfortable in front…
I could blame a lot of things: my upbringing, the years spent in Catholic school, a subconscious attraction to drama.But I’m a honker.I’ve been one since before I had a driver’s license. I would reach over and honk someone’s else…
I’ve never been one to trust people feeding me.I knew at a very early age — specifically preschool — that I liked choosing my own meals. Because if I didn’t, I would be stuck with plates of peas and oyster shooters.So…
Editor’s note: Catherine Toth is back on Nonstop. Although she’ll be blogging primarily on her own site, thecatdish.com, Nonstop will run some of her posts and also her weekly Cat Chat video segment, which resumes today with her interview with…
Since Friday’s National Donut Day — what, you didn’t know? — I’ve had these hole-y baked goods on my mind.And there are two schools of thought when it comes to donuts.Some (like me) are purists and prefer their donuts to…
When the city called for a ban on using electronic devices while driving, most people were on board.Sure, it was a huge inconvenience for people like me, who like to dangerously multitask while commuting. But we had to respect the…
