Obsession is a funny thing. If you’re obsessive and successful, you’re considered brilliant. If you’re obsessive and a failure, you’re considered crazy.The obsessive pursuit of accomplishment is at the heart of “Somm,” a look into the arduous process of passing the Master Sommelier Exam. This three-day exam is the highest achievement in wine. In more than 40 years, less than…
Arancino opens at The Kahala Hotel & Resort today, but even if you know Arancino from its two Waikiki locations, this one is different. It’s the same Italian concept with light Japanese touches, and some dishes even broadly the same. But forget the rustic atmosphere and the red-and-white checkered tablecloths: Arancino at The Kahala is a fine-dining incarnation, with fixed-price…
Whoa, what a Night Market! Saturday’s monthly Kaka‘ako streetfest kicked off at 6 p.m. with the Red Bull X-Fighters Motocross team here for the latest stop on their global schedule. Keith Sayers, Wes Agee and three-time X-Games gold medalist Ronnie Renner put on an amazing freestyle demo along Auahi Street, soaring and flipping high above the asphalt. The crowd gasped,…
The first night of the Republik Music Festival brought the bass inside Republik, with DJ tag team sets by local DJs opening the night at 6 p.m., followed by heavy-hitting, back-to-back sets by Pretty Low, DJ Muggs of Cypress Hill, Infected Mushroom and Excision (Brillz was unable to make the show due to a scheduling conflict). Although plans for the…
Field Notes explores Honolulu’s vibrant and varied scenes and subcultures. This month: the Sandbox BMX races.
This Saturday, Honolulu Night Market goes “Xtreme,” with the Red Bull X-Fighters Motocross team pulling off daring stunts right on Auahi Street. There’s also a fashion show styled by Barrio Vintage’s Bradley Rhea, and of course, lots of great shopping at the Pinch of Salt warehouse.But to catch the Red Bull team’s high-flying acts, you have to come early. Show…
Since arriving at The Whole Ox, chef Justin Yu has reworked the menu and recently added a Saturday late-night menu (from 9:30 p.m.-1 a.m.) that’s drawn crowds and raves to the evolving Kaka‘ako eatery. I had a chance to talk to Yu about his menu tweaks and inspiration behind late-night grub, and he spoke candidly about his intentions and memories…
My head looks funny because it’s windy at Maunalua Bay!You’ve seen these unusual yellow vehicles driving around Oahu, some actually making quacking noises. Other than asking what the heck it is, I hear a lot of people say they thought Hawaii Duck Tours had closed. Well, it did for a few years, and it’s back, but with a new owner…
This blog post had some technical difficulties on the back end, which makes it a little late! Back to our regular programming:One of the highlights of the trip was a hands-on trek to a chocolate and coffee farm, up in the mountains overlooking all of the Kona area. This is a showcase of Kamehameha Schools‘ lands and partners in the…
Tiny, chic boutique Quince, tucked away in a corner of Kaka‘ako behind the Pinch of Salt warehouse, is a bright, cheerful haven for those seeking a way to spruce up their living spaces with eclectic decor, from quirky ceramic figurines to cookware and table settings. We got a chance to talk to owner Marissa Selders (side note: Her husband is…
Kaya camouflage shirt, $80, and Woodsmen crop pant in navy, $60. Ryan Ota. Great guy. Often referred to as the M.C. Hammer of menswear designers. Kidding. He's not, although both know their way around a great pair of pants. Take Ota's new Woodsmen crop pants, just into The Human Imagination. Now these are too legit to quit: cool, casual trousers…
I was planning on writing an entirely different column about “Coming to America.” It would’ve been about the American dream and Eddie Murphy’s super-nova ’80s career, with maybe a joke or two about the royal wipers.Then I saw this weekend’s “Game of Thrones.”Don’t worry. For anyone who hasn’t seen the episode yet, this post is spoiler-free. For those who don’t…
Operator: Fashion police. What's your emergency? Caller: (frantic) My boyfriend's "I-like-em-baggy" pants are perilously close to falling to the ground! I've tried to dump them, but he's clinging on for dear life. I see no chance of letting go. You've gotta help me! Operator: Whoa, take a deep breath. Now, if he refuses to cut those cords, there's only one…
I’ve always been fascinated by magic, so much so that I even practiced card tricks and other close-up tricks after watching street magicians like David Blaine on TV. Attempting these tricks really made me appreciate the time and discipline it takes to effectively pull them off, and as a result, I have much respect for magicians and their craft. So…
I attended last year’s TEDxHonolulu in search of knowledge and inspiration. As part of the interactive conference, we had to fill in the blank to the following statement: “Before I die I want to…”I picked an experience that had piqued my interest since living in Chicago — to dine at the city’s only three-Michelin star restaurant, Alinea. I went to…
More than 1,300 people turned out for the sold-out, 36th annual Na Hoku Hanohano music awards gala last night at the Hawaii Convention Center. The Hokus, as you may know, are the Hawaii equivalent of the Grammy Awards, so entertainers from around the state were a big part of the crowd.The big winners this year were Na Hoa, a trio…
Jim Beam’s Master Distiller Fred Noe hosted the inaugural Hawaii Cocktail Sessions last night, where 10 of Hawaii’s top bartenders competed to create the most crowd-pleasing cocktail using any of their whiskies. About 200 guests sampled the drinks, each casting one of three chips to vote for their favorites.The top three finalists were Stephen Tam Loo of Sansei, who created…
As many of you know, the Today Show kicked off its “Great American Adventure” yesterday in visiting Hawaii, Yellowstone, Chicago, Orlando and the Jersey Shore — starting with us, of course, and working their way back east. (Note to viewers, due to the disaster in Oklahoma, the Today Show has changed travel plans and will be broadcasting live from Oklahoma…
Saturday’s Honolulu Night Market featured the much-anticipated fashion show titled, La Dernière Mode (the latest fashion), produced and styled by Nonstop contributor Tyson Joines. Onlookers were treated to a menagerie of designers and boutiques, and overall, the runway show took Hawaii fashion to the next level.The show featured styles from local boutiques Basique Threads, Bamboo Sky and I AM, along…
Ding ding ding! Ladies and gentleman, we have a winner! “Star Trek into Darkness” has just become my favorite movie of 2013 so far, and it’s not even close. The latest installment in the “Star Trek” franchise combines nonstop pulse pounding action, the further development of characters we were introduced to in the previous film and also an unforgettably menacing…
Wine for breakfast? It’s not a bad idea, especially if you’re with other women, talking business. Christa Wittmier of Young’s Market Company, the alcohol distributor, invited me to a women’s breakfast this morning at the Beach House at the Moana, featuring winemaker Kate Madigan of St. Francis Winery in Sonoma. It was nice to chat about business, leadership, and, of…
SONY DSCA lot has been said and speculated at the Whole Ox Deli in Kakaako lately, with the changes that have taken place. How many of you have gone to see for yourself what the new menu and the new chef is like? In print and on the Internet, even if you try to make statements as detailed as possible,…
An I <3 Kakaako block party? Oh hail yes. Now that Honolulu Night + Market has hit its stride, closing down a block and a half of Auahi Street on the third Saturday of every month for a celebration of all things street, the theme finally comes home.What that means exactly, we have no idea, but we’re always game for…
One of my favorite comic books growing up was called “What If?” The stories were weird little one-offs about alternate, super-hero realities. They asked questions like, “What if Captain America Became President?” or “What if Wolverine Had Killed the Hulk?” While reading about the origins of “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” I discovered an earlier script that made for…
