Your Guide to the Perfect Weekend: May 19–21, 2017

A lineup of the weekend’s best events.

May 17, 2017

Marisa Heung,

Motherhood is beautiful, magical, rewarding—and, especially for first-timers, scary as all hell. (Nine months without coffee, wine and poke? Yeah, we’d be terrified, too.) New and expecting parents, head to Hawai‘i’s largest prenatal-to-preschool expo for baby-related products, info, giveaways and more. Plus, unwind from a hectic work week with some live stand-up comedy, explore a brand-new Waikīkī restaurant and (when all else fails) a beer event featuring two well-known breweries.

Photo: Courtesy of New Baby Expo

New Baby Expo

Saturday, May 20 and Sunday, May 21, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

There are few things more life changing than two tiny, pink lines on a white stick. Along with the joyful shrieks, panicked hyperventilating and steely resolve to be the best mom ever comes a flood of questions you’d never considered before: How does one be the best mom ever? Am I even adult enough to have a kid? Was Rosemary’s Baby based on a true story? Will I be able to give up wine? While only you can answer most of these (Rosemary’s Baby is fiction, by the way), for other, more practical questions on motherhood, head to the New Baby Expo. Considered Hawai‘i’s largest prenatal-to-preschool expo, this one-stop resource, hosting 150-plus exhibitors, was created especially for current and soon-to-be parenting newbies and includes mom and baby products, informational talks, giveaways, fun keiki activities (including appearances by Disney princesses and Mermaid McKenzie!), a baby crawling competition and more. For the expecting, make sure to RSVP to Hawai‘i’s Largest Baby Shower, a fun celebration with shower games, prizes and giveaways.

$5.50, free for children 5 years and younger. Neal S. Blaisdell Exhibition Hall, 777 Ward Ave. For more information on this event, go here.

Nick Swardson Live

Friday, May 19 and Saturday, May 20 at 7:30 p.m.

Did you ever watch Reno 911! and think, “Man, I bet the actor who plays that sassy, gay prostitute would be great at stand-up comedy”? Well, you’re not wrong. You may know him best as Terry Bernadino, the show’s character with an unforgettable affinity for short-shorts, but Swardson’s career all began 22 years ago at an Acme Comedy Co. open mic night. In addition to sketch comedy he’s acted, written and produced for a long list of TV shows and films—including writing collabs with Adam Sandler on Grandma’s Boy, The Benchwarmers and I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry. No guesses on whether Terry Bernadino’s short-shorts will make an appearance, but keep those fingers crossed.

$29–$39, The Republik, 139 Kapiʻolani Blvd., Third Floor. For more information and to purchase tickets, go here.

The Street at International Market Place

Photo: Catherine Toth Fox

The Street, A Michael Mina Social House

Grand opening Friday, May 19

Apparently, one restaurant was just not enough for Michael Mina. Not even one year after opening the high-end Stripsteak in International Market Place’s Grand Lānai, the James Beard Award-winning chef brings yet another dining option to the marketplace with The Street, A Michael Mina Social House, an elevated take on the quintessential shopping mall food court. And you’ll find no cafeteria-style trays of greasy, overcooked fare here—true to Mina’s culinary style, this is food court gone gourmet, with 13 different mini restaurants housed in 6,900 square feet of International Market Place’s ground floor. (Check out our full write-up here.) Curious? Head to The Street this weekend and experience it for yourself.

International Market Place, 2330 Kalākaua Ave., Ground Floor. For more information on The Street, go here.

Salt Bar Crawl: North vs. South

Saturday, May 20, 5 to 10 p.m.

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. and Ballast Point Brewing Co. go head-to-head on Saturday evening during this month’s Salt Bar Crawl. Featuring the two much-loved American breweries from opposite ends of the country, guests can enjoy both at Village Bottle Shop & Tasting Room, Moku Kitchen and Bevy alongside live music by Left of Right from 5 to 7 p.m. and DJ Shift from 7:30 to 10 p.m. In this battle of brews, which side will reign supreme? Try all the craft beers and decide for yourself—but we have a feeling it will be a tough call.

Free admission, Salt at Our Kaka‘ako, 660 Ala Moana Blvd. For more information on this event, go here.

Looking for more things to do this month? Click here for more events.