February 2021: Table of Contents

This Benjamin fig tree at Roosevelt High School is one of more than 170 named exceptional trees on O‘ahu. Photo: Aaron K. Yoshino

Features

On the cover: The kapok at the Department of Agriculture on King Street. Photo: Aaron K. Yoshino

The 2020 Sour Poi Awards Present: The Day That Never Ends

Our annual look back at the weird, wacky and wild news you may have missed.

By Robbie Dingeman

The Giving Trees

We are losing city trees in a time when we need them more than ever. Can Trees for Honolulu’s Future, Treehooo! and new initiatives for urban forestry save us? Plus, learn more about five exceptional trees in a photo essay by photographer Aaron K. Yoshino and editorial director Christi Young.

By Martha Cheng

SEE ALSO: Photo Gallery: See Some of Honolulu’s Exceptional Trees

Best Dentists

HONOLULU Magazine helps you find the dentist you need, whether it’s for a routine checkup or more specialized work, with this list of the best dentists in the Islands.

HAWAI‘I Magazine’s 22nd Annual Photo Contest Winners

The editors, art directors and photographers of our sister magazine pored through hundreds of photos. The six striking winners showcase life and the landscape of Hawai‘i.

By HAWAI‘I Magazine staff

The sheer amount of lobster dripping with butter makes Feast’s lobster roll simple yet supreme. Photo: Rachel Breitweser

Calabash

So Cherry!

Signs of spring arrive earlier in Hawai‘i than Washington, D.C., and Japan. Sakura trees in chilly Waimea on the Big Island and Wahiawā in Central O‘ahu typically start showing off their delicate blooms in late January or early February.

February Picks

If the first month of 2021 wasn’t what you hoped, reset with the Lunar New Year on Feb. 12. Here are a few ways to celebrate the Year of the Ox.

By Christi Young

A HONOLULU Magazine Exclusive Short Story: “Haleola’s Tears” by Alan Brennert

Read the prequel to “Moloka‘i” and “Daughter of Moloka‘i,” only available here.

By Alan Brennert

Da Meter

Gauging what’s hot and what’s not in Honolulu.

Oh, the Pastabilities

Onda Pasta is back with more shapes than ever.

By Katrina Valcourt

From Our Files

For 133 years HONOLULU Magazine has kept its readers and advertisers at the vanguard of fashion, insight and fun. Starting out as Paradise of the Pacific in 1888 with a commission from King Kalākaua, we’re the oldest continually publishing magazine west of the Mississippi. Take a look into our archives.

• The History of Hawai‘i From Our Files: Tagging Along with the “Hōkūle‘a” on Its Most Ambitious Journey to Date
• The History of Hawai‘i From Our Files: One Warrior’s Journey to Save the Hawaiian Language
• The History of Hawai‘i From Our Files: UH Mānoa Students Test High on Culture
• The History of Hawai‘i From Our Files: A Young Family’s Attitudes About Growing Up Half-Japanese After World War II

By Katrina Valcourt

Style

Fabulous florals and beauty products that benefit your body.

• Delicate Laser Cuts, Leg Slits and Head-Turning Hues Kick the Floral Trend Up a Notch
• 3 Local Skin Care Experts Dish on Everyday Essentials That They Stand Behind
• Indulge Yourself with 8 Hawai‘i-Made Treatments For Your Face and Body

By Stacey Makiya

‘Ono

He didn’t start the trend, but Jon Matsubara rolled with it, and now lobster rolls are popping up all over town. Read how the sandwich changed the game at Feast and where else you can order it, plus other fishy finds.

By Martha Cheng, Kelli Shiroma Braiotta and Mari Taketa

Opinion

Editor’s Page: Park It

Sometimes it is easy to be green.

By Christi Young

Afterthoughts: Garden Variety

Blooming buds, prickly petals and a quiet escape.

By Katrina Valcourt