Thank God I’m not flying this weekend.Airports are bracing for what may be the worst Thanksgiving holiday, thanks to an Internet boycott of full-body scans at airport security checkpoints.The protest, called National Opt-Out Day, is scheduled for today, the busiest…
Bromance is in the air — and all over “Hawaii Five-0.”The relationship between Dets. Steve McGarrett (Alex O’Loughlin) and Danny “Danno” Williams (Scott Caan) has been the subject of both intrigue and criticism.Some argue that the banter between the two…
I was having dinner at Mr. Ojisan on Kapahulu Avenue — one of my favorite Japanese restaurants, by the way — and faced a dilemma:Should I order the chicken katsu or the tonkatsu?It was a legitimate discussion in my head. On…
Three years ago okazu lovers in central and east Honolulu got a nice surprise: the beloved Gulick Delicatessen in Kalihi opened a second location on South King Street, where the old King’s Bakery used to be.And when it opened, it…
It’s not everyday you can get authentic burritos from a tour bus-turned-lunch wagon in downtown Honolulu.Or at least you couldn’t until this summer, when former KTUH deejay Paul “Mano Lopez” Zarate, along with two cousins, converted a Roberts Hawai‘i tour…
The other day I was driving along the Ala Wai Boulevard. The Buick in front of me wasn’t keeping up with traffic, so I turned on my blinker to change lanes.Then, as if the driver knew how little tolerance I…
Welcome to another installment of Cat Chat!Thanks for all your feedback — both positive and constructive — after last’s week inaugural episode. We’re still figuring out what’s the best format, the best location, the best way to deal with my unruly…
It’s the question that comes up often in small circles of die-hard TV junkies: which Hawaii-based detective show is better — CBS’ “Hawaii Five-0” or the classic “Magnum, P.I.”Both are set in Hawaii. Both boast an ensemble cast. Both are…
Growing up in Hawaii, we learn a lot of things.Morning traffic always slows arbitrarily by the Middle Street merge. Just because it’s sunny in the morning doesn’t mean it won’t rain later. And don’t eat anything that comes out of…
It’s not every day you come across an Irish-themed pub that serves Mexican food. But that’s exactly what Pablo McGinty’s is, a pub-slash-cantina that’s popular on the Mainland. Too bad that’s not what opened last month in the space vacated…
People have asked me, “Why don’t you do TV?”And my answer is always the same: “I don’t own a hairbrush.”That’s partly true — the other part being that I never felt I fit into the traditional TV mold. I don’t sit…
Question: A September 6 post … highlighted the growing acceptance and pride among small breasted women (and much of the public at large) that small is beautiful, too.Well, Dr. Dish, I’ll be blunt: I’m a mature man who’s hung like…
Dear “Hawaii Five-0” writers,We feel your pain.It’s hard enough making the show interesting, figuring out creative plot lines and ways to get Grace Park to wear next to nothing in every episode. We get it.But we didn’t realize writing in…
My entire life I’ve been told — sometimes forced — to take a bath.It’s something we, as Americans, do every day — Hawaii folks prefer evenings to mornings — as part of our personal hygiene ritual. We shower, we brush our teeth,…
Years ago, Rainbow Drive-In, the popular plate lunch spot on Kapahulu Avenue, opened Rainbow Drive-In Express on Coral Street in Kakaako, serving its specialties such as loco moco and chicken cutlet to the downtown crowd.But it turned out to be…
Question: An easy one for ya: should I buy an iPad or what? The more I see them around, the more I want one. But is this just Apple trying to suck me in and steal my money? You have…
It’s back.After a 16-year hiatus, the beloved McRib sandwich, a cult favorite on the McDonald’s menu, returned yesterday to all 14,000 locations nationwide for six weeks.The McRib — not the healthiest option at the fast-food chain with 26 grams of fat…
The news came in an e-mail.Jodi Wilmott, longtime surfer and media director of the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, sent out a media alert that Andy Irons, three-time World Champion, died today. He was just 32.I’m in complete shock. He…
It’s not a recent phenomenon.Product placement has been around for decades, gaining popularity in the ’80s with movies such as “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,” which prominently featured Reese’s Pieces.These days two-thirds of advertisers employ what’s called “branded entertainment” — or product…
The New York Times published an essay by writer Dominique Browning last week that begged the question, “Why can’t middle-aged women have long hair?”Especially long gray hair.It got me thinking about middle-aged (or older) women I knew and, hmm, she…
The last time I ate at Chef Mavro on the corner of King and McCully streets was several years ago — well before the high-end restaurant received national accolades like the AAA Five Diamond Award or the designation of Top…
I’ve never been a big horror movie fan.Sure, I’ve seen the classics such as “The Exorcist,” “Psycho” and “Scream.” But I probably only saw 20 percent of each film, my head usually ducked into my lap and my fingers jammed…
Question: I am living proof that nice guys finish last. My girlfriend of six months dumped me and went back to her abusive ex-boyfriend, a guy that cheated on her and made her feel bad about herself all the time.…
This Saturday I helped at a journalism workshop for high school students, where they had to participate in actual press conferences and write stories or blogs afterward.One of the press conferences featured a University of Hawaii-Manoa film student who has…
The other day I was walking into the public bathroom at Ala Moana Center and immediately went into that usual internal debate:Which stall should I take? Is anyone in this one? Why don’t people flush toilets?I was about to take…
I remember when Tsukuneya Robata Grill opened in the spot on the corner of University Avenue and Dole Street vacated by Players Sports Bar (and before that, Pizza Hut). And I remember, after eating my first meal there, “This isn’t…
I don’t often get bad service at restaurants — and it’s not because they know I blog about food.I think it has more to do with my attitude — I’m here to eat, not be served! — and my inability to…
It’s no surprise that most folks hate flying.I mean, what’s to like? You’re stuck in cramped quarters, virtually rubbing elbows with strangers without enough room to pass your neighbor to get to the bathroom, which is smaller than most closets…
A cell phone works hundreds of feet under water — and in a submarine, no less.An entrance stamp from a nightclub is readable by black light on a dead woman’s wrist.And “Heroes” star Masi Oka is a medical examiner named Max…
It’s nearly impossible to narrow down my favorite 10 things I saw, did and ate in Europe.There were just too many.From seeing the famous Rosetta Stone in the British Museum to noshing on paprika-flavored chips (or crisps) while waiting for…
It’s hard to believe this nine-day, whirlwind tour of France and England is about to end.It feels like we’ve been here for weeks — considering all the things we packed into this relatively short time — but it also feels…
The weather hadn’t improved on our second day in London. But we weren’t deterred. We were on a mission to meet the Queen, whether she knew it or not.Since we didn’t rent a car — and I wouldn’t recommend it — we…
It’s easy to get lost in London.And not just because every street corner is marked with a different sign or because a lot of places aren’t even marked at all — but because there’s so much to look at, so…
It’s hard to believe it’s been just 36 hours in Paris.In a way, it feels like we’ve only just arrived. But then again, seeing how much we were able to cram into a day-and-a-half, it almost feels like we’ve been…
I had heard so much about Paris — good and bad — I actually didn’t know what to expect.People have said it’s dirty, it’s romantic, it’s expensive, the people are rude. Some have touted its vibrant cultural and art offerings;…
I’ll be honest. I didn’t know much about Avignon, France until I got here.And even now, I don’t feel like I truly understand the city’s place in European history.Here’s all I know: the small city about three hours south of…
After just about an entire day of traveling — including two train rides from Paris to Avignon, I finally got to step off a moving object and breathe in the air of France.Which was a strange mix of cigarettes and…
Airports are lonely places.Even now, as we wait for our connecting flight to Minneapolis on our way to Paris — France, not the hotel in Vegas, though that wouldn’t be a bad alternative — I’m looking around a fairly uncrowded…
People who don’t know me very well are always surprised to see me in the drive-through line at Taco Bell.They expect me to only dine at five-star restaurants or those hole-in-the-wall eateries that just knowing where to find them puts…
On Sunday I noticed a friend of mine — and not the type you’d expect — was wearing something unexpected around his wrist.It was one of those energy-enhancing bracelets made popular by professional athletes like soccer star David Beckham, Los Angeles…
