B on Hawaii

It goes without saying that one of the aspects that makes Hawaii such a special place is the unique bonds that link us to cultures across the oceans. Hula is no exception: On Saturday, July 11, the annual Hula Ho’olauna Aloha Festival bridges Japan and Hawaii for a weekend of celebrating the graceful art of storytelling through dance and chant.

Let's face it: Memorial Day has always been another three-day "pardon" from the shackles of work... and not much more. Even here in Hawaii, the extent of "memorializing" is usually minimized to trying to get our neighbor's black lab out from under the house after the F-1 fighter jets do a fly-by.

This June the soundtrack of Hawaii will be all-Rachmaninoff. It's time for the Aloha International Piano Festival, and hometown hero (and assistant professor of piano at the Juilliard School of Music) Sean Botkin returns to present a recital, as well as teach master classes on the week's featured composer.

What is spirituality? As with most things in life, it all depends on whom you ask. For some, it's a steady regimen of religious practice; for another, it may be a yoga class and a quiet meditation. For plenty of others, "spirituality" is a hippy-dippy concept they try to avoid in fear of attaching themselves to any movement or affiliation—understandably so.

If you haven't seen an outdoor concert at the Waikiki Aquarium, then this is the summer that you should break the trend. The Thursday evening "Ke Kani O Ke Kai" summer concert series has been an annual event that brings in the top Hawaiian artists, puts them onstage facing the lapping shoreline of Waikiki, and offers unparalleled sunset views as the music takes hold.

The two-year old "Showdown in Chinatown" filmmaker's event is back, after a brief hiatus. The next "Main Event" showcase of films is scheduled for Friday, May 15th, at NextDoor on Hotel Street. Film topics are posted on Thursday, May 7th at 5:00 p.m.; the works need to be completed and submitted exactly one week later, on May 14th. 

One of the most tranquil resorts that evokes feeling of "Old Hawaii" is the Kona Village Resort, on the Kohala Coast of the Island of Hawai'i. To encourage travelers to unwind far from the blinking lights of cell phones, computers and televisions, Kona Village is offering a hefty deal: An $800 airfare credit to those who book a higher-class room category for five nights or more. 

In August, 1907, a weathered Jack London showed up on the doorstep of Hilo's Shipman House with a letter of referral from a prominent Honolulu newspaper publisher. London and his wife stayed for 5 weeks while his sailing vessel, The Snark, was being repaired. Twenty-three years later Hollywood's "first" director, Cecile B.

Makahiki, or "the season of harvest", is an ancient Hawaiian celebration that brought together high-ranking chiefs and commoners, all of whom paid tribute to the ali'i nui, or king. Games that showcased strength and smarts, elaborate gifts and a feast were a part of the procession.

Two small business owners are making the best of the temporarily slowed economy on O'ahu. Simply Grape wine shop in downtown Honolulu and No Ka Oi Crepes (in Kailua) each offer quality product at reasonable costs; the creature comforts of both should ease your corporate woes.