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 ~ Chart House

I’ve been working with the Chart House (@ChartHouseHI) for a while now, and found that their Facebook fans are a little different from other restaurant fans. Yes, they love the food, drinks, live music, and the view, but nothing —…

Hawaii: In Real Life ~ Miso & Ale

As you know, I went to the new pop-up, Miso & Ale (@MisoAndAle), a couple of weeks ago and loved it. I see these guys around town, planning for their events, and was so impressed, I wanted to know more…

Another vote for Hawaii: Stuck at Prom

Here’s another contest that local folks can adhere their support to: Kelvin Abe and Kailie Grinder are the among the top 10 national finalists and only Hawaii entrants in the Ohio-based Duck Brand “Stuck At Prom” contest. These are the…

Lawson Station opens in Hawaii!

With Lawson General Manager Ray ToshinagaJapanophiles around Hawaii let out a collective squeal of “OMG, that’s my favorite!” as the first Lawson Station opened in the United States today, right here in Hawaii. The famous convenience store (also known as…

Popping up with Miso & Ale

There’s been a lot of buzz about the new pop-up gastropub, Miso & Ale, but I never got the chance to go until this past weekend. Now that I’ve had a taste, I can’t wait to go back.The business is…

Hawaii: In Real Life ~ Landsberg Law

Social media, when used well, can be beneficial for people across all industries. I have a lot of attorney friends who are skeptical of the purpose, ethics, and advantages of social media for their profession, but if you look around,…

Ikemen ramen: Do the dip

I got a frantic call from restaurateur Jason Kim on Sunday, with so much urgency that you’d think the cast of “Hawaii Five-0” was ordering boneless short ribs again. Well, it was close — there’s a Hollywood connection. Turns out his…

Eating through Los Angeles

Ah, the wonders of Twitter. I’ve met so many new and different people through social media — especially Twitter — over the last four years, and not just in Hawaii. One of those people is Jay Terauchi (@Chef_Jay), who has…

Live positively, Hawaii!

Mayor Carlisle, City directors, Coca Cola and Junior Lifeguards at yesterday's presentationUpdate: July 6 ~ We are currently in ninth place! For a tally of points and to see the leader board, click here.******************************************Hawaii, it’s time again to show your…

Hawaii: In Real Life ~ Leonard’s Bakery

When did you have your first Leonard’s Bakery malasada? I think I had my first bite at about 8 years old. I don’t know where the malasadas came from or why we had them, but I remember eating the classic,…

Breakfast at Arancino di Mare

If you’re not too hung over from the International Sushi Day celebrations, you may want to mosey over to Arancino di Mare in the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort for breakfast. That’s right, the Waikiki restaurant known for its uniquely Italian…

Party Pics: Hawaii Bowl’s “Flavors”

About 400 people attended the annual Hawaii Bowl Foundation “Flavors” fundraiser, which featured a large variety of international wines. Some new labels (to Hawaii) were also introduced to oenophiles. Party pics: Flavors ◄ Back Next ► Picture 1 of 23…

Hawaii: In Real Life ~ Kicking off bon dance season

It’s summer — for Hawaii folks, the season is often celebrated by attending a bon dance at a Buddhist temple each weekend, and there will be one for you in your neighborhood at some point. As many of you know,…

New(ish) eats: Cactus Bistro

Dinner at Cactus ◄ Back Next ► Picture 1 of 17 Kailua residents have been delighted to see innovative new restaurants popping up on their side of the Pali, like Prima and The Grove. Judging from the crowds that spill…

LA: Checking out Abbot Kinney

I promise not to drag out my stop in Los Angeles — I was only there for three days, and pretty much just ate my way through, 12 hours a day. As with San Francisco, I used Airbnb.com to find…

San Francisco: One last look

I promise, here’s my last San Francisco blog for this trip!I love visiting my classmate Deb Aoki (@DebAoki) — she’s fun, a foodie, and knows all the cute places to eat and shop in the Bay Area. I BART’ed out…

Hawaii: In Real Life ~ Simply Organized

Simply Organized (@SimplyOrganize, no “d”) recently opened at Kahala Mall, much to the delight of townies who love (or need) to clean, but weren’t too keen on driving out to Kapolei to shop for cool organization products.As my OCD friends,…

San Francisco: Cotogna and Brenda’s

I’m still trying to catch up on my blogs, so here’s one of the last ones for San Francisco. They’re worth the wait, I promise!If you are looking for a brunch spot, people will probably steer you to Brenda’s French…

Party pics: ‘Tributes’ by Pancho Abalos

Painter and illustrator Pancho Abalos (@PanchoAbalos) is showcasing his latest work and 13 guest artists from Waianae, Nanakuli, Kapolei, Waipahu and James Campbell high schools in an exhibit called “Tributes” at ING Direct Cafe in Waikiki. He opened the four-week exhibit…

Brunch at the Surf Lanai

The Surf Lanai in the Royal Hawaiian Hotel recently launched a special Sunday brunch buffet for summer, so I checked it out last Sunday with my neighbor, Stacy (@_mdoridori, whom you may remember from a past Hawaii IRL episode). We…