Frolic Contributor Melissa Chang

Apps for the new year

House hunting? There’s an app for that

New(ish) eats and party pics: HASR Bistro

Where has the time gone? HASR Bistro opened in October, but we haven’t had the chance to eat there until recently. With the holiday rush and all, it was always in the back of our minds to make a point…

Did This: Cakebread Cellars wine dinner at Japengo

In 1972, hobbyist wine grower (and full time garage owner) Jack Cakebread acquired 22 acres of land in Napa and started his winery. Little did he know that 40 years later, the Cakebread name would be renowned for its cabernets…

Open house pick of the week: Aiea

Well-kept older home is a hot property

Condo living in Hawaii Kai

Spacious, quiet unit at the Commodore

Hawaii: In Real Life ~ Sing Cheong Yuan

I’ve posted about Chinese New Year before, but for the first time since I’ve been blogging, it’s my year — the year of the snake. If you want to get technical, it’s the year of the black/water snake, in 4710…

The search for a new home: an unexpected twist

The Pachecos get called back to town

Did this: Sony Open awards gala

While most of you were paying attention to the annual Sony Open in Hawaii (@SonyOpenHawaii) for the golf this past weekend, I — the non-golfer — checked out one of its fabulous food events … of course. The Pro-Am awards…

Open house pick of the week: Kaneohe

Ahuimanu “treehouse” offers unique design

Hawaii: In Real Life ~ Tanioka’s

Whenever you mention Tanioka’s to local people, they get crazy and start salivating like Pavlov’s dog. Never mind that they’re all the way out in Waipahu; people seek them out for their fried chicken, poke, musubis, and assorted plate lunch…

Vegas: Downtown Cocktail Room, revisited

No trip to Vegas is complete without a spin on Megabucks, a Bellagio fountain show, or at least one drink at the Downtown Cocktail Room. As mentioned last year, the Fremont Street East district — a redeveloped area just past the…

Number crunching: December 2012

Oahu condo sales and prices showed double-digit growth

Vegas: Drink & Drag

Kicking off Matt's birthday celebrationAs I do every year at this time, I vacationed in Las Vegas — it’s a good way to escape the holidays as a singleton, and spend time with my second family, the Yoneyamas. Just two…

Open house pick of the week: Wilhelmina Rise

Get the best of both worlds on the hill

Stunning views from Hawaii Loa Ridge

A large home and a large lot, on the Ridge

Year-end recap from Prudential Locations

Low inventory and high demand are pushing prices up

Last day in Paris ~ À bientôt

I spent my last day in Paris — Christmas Day — in a similar fashion to the way my family used to always spend it: lazing around. If you are there on Christmas, don’t be afraid to venture out, as…

Christmas eve in Paris

Although it would have been nice to have a white Christmas in Paris, I was actually glad that it was unseasonally warm during our time there. The air was a crisp 50 degrees, cold enough to get you in the…

Open house pick of the week: Marco Polo

Convenient condo in metro Honolulu

Paris: Wandering the Marais

Every time I go to Paris, I have to allot some time to wander the Marais district, which is full of unique shops and restaurants. Back in the day (and I mean far back), the king decreed it a place…

Real estate’s year in review

The highest and lowest recorded real estate sales for 2012

Searching for a new home with the Pachecos

Visiting a tenant-occupied listing

Bonjour from Paris

If you’re following me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, you already know that I’m in Paris for Christmas. My three hapa nieces —Ahnya, Cymri, and Morgen — have been traveling around Europe for the last few months, and their plan…

Open house pick of the week: Waialae Nui Ridge

A rare, mint-condition home at the top

Waterfront living in Kaneohe Bay

A private ocean playground on the bay

Product review: GLO Science

I’ve been curious about the various teeth-whitening implements out there, since I drink a lot of coffee. I’d never tried any, however, because various people who had used Crest Whitestrips mentioned that it heightened their teeth sensitivity. My teeth weren’t…

Award-winning home on Judd Hillside

A contemporary Japanese style home with stunning design

Aloha Brisbane! Our last day

We had almost one full day left in Brisbane, and it was a Sunday. What to do? We needed to do something in the city to ensure we got to the airport on time, but not too strenuous. I wanted…

Aloha Brisbane! The Gold Coast

Wow, I can’t believe it’s taking me so long to pump out my Brisbane blogs. Usually, when I travel, I blog each night, but it was difficult due to connectivity problems. For you geeks: the wifi issue is not just…

Open house pick of the week: Wailupe

It’s the only listing on The Peninsula and it won’t last long

Mango dreams in Kahala

A rare lot in the Diamond Head area draws interest

Hawaii: In Real Life ~ T.J.Maxx makeovers

Ever since T.J.Maxx opened its stores in Hawaii, stylist Tyson Joines (@Tyson_Joines) (and Nonstop contributor) has been dying to do some “Maxxinista” makeovers. The store is known for carrying designer and brand name items at better prices — keeping you…

Aloha Brisbane! Cuddling koalas and more

As with every Hawaiian Airlines inaugural flight, there is a media day tour to show the highlights of the destination. When you go to Australia, if nothing else, you absolutely must go to a zoo that features all of the…

Number crunching: November 2012

Prices continue to rise as inventory falls

Party pics: SantaCon 2012

Several hundred Santas (and a few rogue elves) attended the annual SantaCon 2012, an international, non-denominational, non-commercial, non-political and non-sensical Santa Claus convention that occurs once a year for absolutely no reason.The Ho-down started at Tiki’s Grill & Bar, then proceeded…

Melissa Chang

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