B on Hawaii

Executive director Chuck Boller and the organizers for this year's 30th Annual Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF) will get the ball rolling with the 13th year of "Spring Showcase"—20 films that will screen at Regal Dole Cannery Stadium theaters, April 16 – 22, 2010.

On Saturday, March 6, the 10th Annual Great Waikoloa `Ukulele Festival will take place from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Held at Queens' Marketplace on the Big Island of Hawai`i, the event will feature legendary "Ambassador of Aloha" Danny Kaleikini as Master of Ceremonies.

Once in a great while you'll catch wind of a truly fascinating story. As a journalist, I often hope it's one that's both true, and one I can track down the characters of. The story you're about to read came to us through a screening of the film Surfwise, at the Maui Film Festival a few years back.

How many times have you said in conversation: "Man, I totally need to get out to Makaha." Well, here's the perfect opportunity. The Buffalo Big Board Surfing Classic will be held this coming weekend, February 13 – 15, on Makaha Beach.

Palo Alto native Richard Bernstein, or, "Yogi Rick", is one of those easily recognizable characters who has become a mainstay in the lives of everyone that has come in to contact with him, let alone taken one of his Saturday morning classes in Nu`uanu Valley.

On January 30th and 31st, The Mind Body & Spirit Exposition folk will host the Total Wellness Expo on the island of Kauai. The event, sponsored by Inspiration Wellness Journal, will feature Mater Zhi Gang Sha as the keynote speaker—a title that went to Deepak Chopra last year.

The fine folks behind Waimea Valley have been busy ramping up with events that show off the grandeur of O`ahu's lush North Shore interior. Frankly, there are so many events they have planned, we'll let you know of the most prominent (and upcoming), and let you dig around their comprehensive web site for the rest.

Fortunate to have a very loyal (and vocal!) readership base in Southern California, we at B on Hawaii are happy to share some aloha headed east from the islands. On January 24, at 2:00 p.m., the 3rd Annual SoCal Slack Key Festival will take place at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center.

The Waikiki Aquarium is offering a number of unique events this coming year, beginning in early February. The first quarter's theme will be raising community awareness of the ocean habitats surrounding Hawai`i, the health and human aspects of our oceans. Leaders at the Aquarium are partnering with experts in the field at both UH Manoa as well as NOAA.

Ever sat at the opera—or been singing in the shower—and thought: "Man, I've got some chops!" We've got some news for your ego: It's never too late to hone your vocal skills. To boot, you're significant other (and neighbors) might really appreciate you mastering that falsetto. Enter Jacqueline Quirk.