Melissa Chang

Frolic Contributor

Melissa Chang graduated from the University of Hawai‘i with a degree in journalism and has been blogging since 2007, mostly on food and travel. She works primarily in social media, so you can find her on Twitter and Instagram.

 

 

Articles

Hawaii: In Real Life ~ Tiare Thomas

Do you ever feel like you need extra help in reaching your life goals? Do the goals seem too far out of reach? Believe it or not, maybe all you need to do is make yourself a dream board.A few…

Central YMCA’s indoor triathlon

Yesterday, I participated in my second indoor triathlon. You read that right: indoor. Last March, Earl Solidum at Central YMCA came up  with the brilliant idea to create a fun event that would showcase the Y’s facilities while challenging people’s…

More new items at the Oki Fest

Shari Tamashiro, a staple at the Okinawan Festival, took me around to see them set up yesterday. I didn’t realize that their Heiwa Dori, or market, is full of items flown in from Okinawa just for the event. Here are…

Heading to see Robert Irvine … live

If you’re a fan of the Food Network’s “Dinner Impossible” and “Restaurant Impossible” shows, you’ll probably want to check out this live show with host Robert Irvine coming to Honolulu on September 7. That’s right, the celebrity chef will be…

Hawaii: In Real Life ~ 3 Ladles

There’s soup, but no nazis here: 3 Ladles (yes, ladles, not ladies) are three sweet women serving up hot bowls of goodness. You may have seen this soup booth when you go to the farmer’s markets around Oahu, or the…

CPK’s healthy new adventures

You may have already seen these new menu items in CPK restaurants, but the eclectic pizza restaurant chain officially launched its “new adventures” menu nationwide yesterday to give diners globally-inspired dishes that have vibrant flavor, but lower calories. The new…

The Good Table 2012

For the last three years, Lanakila Pacific has held a fundraiser for Meals on Wheels called The Good Table. Before I even tell you what it is, I want you to know two things: 1) The money raised goes to…

Shave ice: What I’m eating this summer

Thanks to global warming, the Hawaii summer heat seems to be getting increasingly oppressive each year. Coupled with the humidity that washes over us in September and October, it’s no wonder that I’m constantly obsessing over shave ice.I’ve already done…

Hawaii: In Real Life ~ Razor Concepts

(Note: This week’s video was shot on time but is posting late due to the cameraman catching the flu.)Hands down, one of the funniest live interviews I’ve ever done was with Kaulana Chang (@MagicianKaulana) of Razor Concepts (@RazorHawaii) two years…

Did this: Off-Premise at EAT Honolulu

Off-Premise is back! The team that puts on unique dinner parties in unusual places held its 11th event last night in the hallway fronting EAT Honolulu (@EatHonolulu) in the Gentry Design Center. The menu, created by chef/owner David Passanisi, was…

Hawaii: In Real Life ~ Pancho Abalos

If you’re into local art, you are probably very familiar with Ewa Beach painter Pancho Abalos (@PanchoAbalos): He’s known for taking familiar Japanese art styles and incorporating it into his own modern street style to create unique pieces. Girls with…

Grand opening pics: AirBuggy

This isn’t normal content for Nonstop, but I’m blogging about this new store for personal reasons. You see, I have a smart, athletic, handsome, foodie-in-training grand-nephew who is about a year and a half, and if he lived closer to…

A taste of Maui at 12th Ave. Grill

I was fortunate to get an invitation to last night’s beer dinner at 12th Avenue Grill (@12thAveGrillNow), which had an all-Maui theme. The ingredients were flown in from Maui, and all dishes were paired with Maui Brewing Co. (@MauiBrewingCo) beers.Now,…

Did this: Natsu Matsuri at Pacific Beach Hotel

When it comes to bon dances, most people think of going to neighborhood temples; now that visitors know that it’s a huge part of Hawaii culture, they want to attend, but these neighborhoods can be hard to find. It’s kind…

Hawaii: In Real Life ~ Via Gelato

There’s been quite a bit of buzz about the new truck in town, Via Gelato (@ViaGelato). A bunch of us visited it on her opening night and were impressed with the interesting and intense flavors. I haven’t had time to…

Learning about Bombay Sapphire

One of the cool things about knowing Christa Wittmier (@SuperCW), who works for wine and spirit distributor Young’s Market Company, is that she always tries to educate me on products that I don’t drink — usually due to overindulgence and/or…

PRSA’s Koa Anvil Awards

The 29th annual Koa Anvil Awards recognized the best work of Hawaii’s public relations professionals. Thirty-seven Koa Anvils and Awards of Excellence were and 38 Koa Hammers were presented to outstanding campaigns and projects that were executed during 2011. In…

Hawaii: In Real Life ~ Nani Moon Mead

Did you know that we have wine produced on Kauai? And not just any wine: Nani Moon is a mead, or a honey-based wine, and is handcrafted in small batches using fruits and honey exclusively from local, independent farmers and…

Did this: Jikoen bon dance

It’s been a month since I did a blog to kick off bon dance season, and I had not been to one yet. Since Donna Shiroma Nakasue (@Champuru) was nice enough to show me some bon dance etiquette for my…

Did this: Mangoes at the Moana

Mangoes at the Moana 2012 ◄ Back Next ► Picture 1 of 36 Residents and visitors celebrated the peak of mango season at the Moana Surfrider's annual "Mangoes at the Moana." Makaha Mangoes was one of the big sponsors —…

Party pics: Joy of Sake 2012

Joy of Sake 2012 ◄ Back Next ► Picture 1 of 40 About 1,200 people filled the Pier 2 Cruise Terminal last night, to partake of the largest sake-tasting celebration outside of Japan. Yes, the annual Joy of Sake was…