B on Hawaii

Those who have spent time at the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea know that luxury has its price. Yet as the current economic climate continues to reveal incredible values, those not inclined to weather the storm with Netflix and a bowl of Zippy’s chili (small size) will find an excellent excuse to get over to one of Maui’s top resorts this Valentine’s Day.

There are a number of people and organizations talking about making sustainable changes within the world. Heck, there are even some in Hawaii. Henk Rogers is one of the few who returned to Hawaii after a prosperous hiatus with a distinct plan: To get Hawaii independent of fossil fuels within ten years.

A 15-minute stroll from downtown Waikiki is Jazz Minds Café, one of Hawaii's hottest underground jazz clubs. The scene is white hot; attracting die-hard music fans who seek out this dark, velvety lounge to soak in the best live jazz on the islands.

He’s covered Hawaii’s hottest topics for Honolulu’s CBS affiliate for a decade. In that time, he’s reported in the dark following a major earthquake, produced a feature package on Hawaii’s historic trees, and gave Katie Couric lessons on how to speak like a Hawaiian.

It's fairly amazing to stew on the notion that yet another year has slipped by. Where does the time go?

As talk of sustainability, the varied problems that accompany importing food to Hawai'i, and overall wellness abound, here's an event that is sure to address many of these issues. On Saturday, March 14, 2009, the second annual Maui County Agricultural Festival will take place on the lu'au grounds of Maui Tropical Plantation in Waikapu. From 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Which holiday card hanging on your refrigerator do you remember best? Why, it's the one that was hand-written on custom stationary, of course. It's elegance harkens back to a time before email, when kind words were scripted, stamped and mailed on a regular basis. It seems like a distant memory.

At the 2008 Kapalua Wine & Food Festival, as "B on Hawaii" publisher, I was asked to host a wine dinner that spotlighted wine-producing regions around the globe. I noted the parallels between the terroir of typical wines from places like Tuscany and Northern Spain, while speaking on the fare that usually accompanied these varietals.

Overeating and drinking at holiday parties can leave you feeling less than Merry come January. The key? Finding balance in your holiday routines can leave you with the best of both worlds.

Deepak Chopra will hold his second speaking engagement in two years on January 26, this time on Kaua'i, during the 5th Annual Kaua'i Wellness Expo 2009. Chopra will host a VIP reception from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Monday evening, followed by his lecture. He will then sign books until 10:30 p.m., promoting his newest release, entitled "Jesus, An Enlightenment Story".