May 2021: Table of Contents

Home and condo sales in the ‘Ewa area increased more than almost any other O‘ahu neighborhood in 2020. Photo: Olivier Koning

Features

The buyer of this Kailua home was represented by Hawai‘i Life Realtor Cathy Possedi. Photo: Olivier Koning

If Can, Can Do

In 2011, a new generation of journalists began reporting for PBS Hawai‘i. Now, 10 years and 1,142 stories later, the student news program Hiki Nō is still the little engine that can do.

By Christi Young

Can We Talk?

Isolation, financial troubles and more than a year of anxiety strained our mental health. While a new survey shows a majority of Hawai‘i residents are grappling with depression, loneliness and panic attacks, many of us are also ready to talk and are finding new ways to get help.

By Robbie Dingeman

Raging Real Estate

Record high prices. Record low inventory. Just days between listing and going into escrow. Hawai‘i’s always-hot housing market is moving at a feverish pace. We asked Realtors for their tips to navigate this high-pressure zone.

By Christi Young

The 2021 Homebuyers’ Guide

Whether you’re looking to buy, sell, refinance or insure a home, our annual Homebuyers’ Guide is a great place to find expert help; the professionals listed here come highly recommended by our readers and other professionals.

Calabash

Mural, Mural on the Wall

I KA WĀ MAMUA, KA WĀ MAHOPE: The future is in the past. That’s the message emblazoned on the bottom corner of a new elaborate mural in Mō‘ili‘ili’s Old Stadium Park.

May Picks

Food, mimosas and plants: This Mother’s Day (May 9), thank yo mama for taking your daily pandemic calls (even if you can’t see her). Plus celebrate May Day, Memorial Day and juicy hamburgers.

By Katie Kenny

It’s Raining Hawai‘i Films!

Local Oscar-listed animated short Kapaemahu is just one of more than a dozen recent films to spring from our filmmaking community into the spotlight—and it’s no Baywatch Hanauma Bay.

By Don Wallace

Da Meter

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

Parks and Re-Creation

Honouliuli National Historic Site has its first full-time employee: superintendent Hanako Wakatsuki-Chong. The granddaughter of internment camp survivors talks about what’s next for Hawai‘i’s largest internment camp site, her own journey through history and how an order at a Honolulu Starbucks helped the Idaho native feel at home in the Islands.

By Christi Young

Big on Birria

Yes, birria tacos are still hot in Honolulu. But if you’re over the dippable, crunchy snacks (and even if you aren’t) we’re already digging these riffs on the original riff on the rustic Mexican stew.

By Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

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: The Surprising Past of Pickled Mango
• The History of Hawai‘i From Our Files: Dairy Tales of Prized Goats
• The History of Hawai‘i From Our Files: The Ancient Traditions of Makahiki Was the Olympic Games for Hawaiians
• The History of Hawai‘i From Our Files: Looking Back at the Cases Against 5 Men Who Were Wrongfully Arrested

By Stacey Makiya

Punahou alumna Chloé Selarque’s intricate embroidery pieces capture the grand grooves of the Ko‘olau, the perky peaks of the Mokes and the wavering blues of the Pacific. Photo: Aaron K. Yoshino

Style

Fancy a spot of tea? Fashionable pots, cups and saucers that will elevate your teatime. Plus, embroidered landscapes and a new artsy bookshop in Chinatown.

• Tea Sets From Big Fashion Brands are So Haute Right Now Thanks to Shows Like Bridgerton and The Crown
• New Bookshop for Creatives, Collectors and Keiki Opens In Honolulu
• Jahier Studio Shows Off Hawai‘i’s Gorgeous Landscapes from a Needle’s Point of View

By Stacey Makiya

Photo: Aaron K. Yoshino

‘Ono

Hawai‘i’s New General Store

Hawai‘i’s 7-Eleven stores offer better food than their Mainland counterparts, but with aggressive expansion plans, 7-Elevens across the country might soon look a little more like those here. And catch up on three stories you might’ve missed online.

By Martha Cheng

Opinion

Editor’s Page: House Rules

We always want to love where we live. But now, it feels essential.

By Christi Young

Afterthoughts: The Summer After

Making the most of a fresh season of adventure.

By Katrina Valcourt

Special Promotional Section

Best in Real Estate

Buying a home is one of the biggest investments people will ever make—especially in Hawai‘i. Find an expert you can trust and learn why their clients and peers named them Best in Real Estate.

We Are West O‘ahu

A vibrant, fast-growing community, O‘ahu’s West Side is rising as a favorite place to live, work and play.