If this post seems to be propelled by caffiene controlled text … you’re right! Holy Gopher, it’s all about September, and September is already here!

OK, let’s get to it.

Big Bash! HAWAII FOOD & WINE PARADISE

No, that’s not a misprint. "Paradise" is the operative word here. I’ll have to admit I’m not attending due to the lack of a certain vital ingredient … MONEY!
 Anyway, the event is from September 11th through the 13th, in and around the Kapolei area (all the way out H1 to the north).
 I’m giving away the farm here, but I want to get the news out, so unleash your wallet and read this. And if you need a roof over your head, here’s some possibilities. A couple of the lower priced properties are sort of doggie, but I’m not going to say which ones, ’cause they know where I live!

Let’s hustle along here.

Hawaiian Quilts for Visiting Quilters

If you’re going to be on Oahu between September 13 and 21, and are a quilter, or quilting fan, be sure to Visit Kahala Mall for a major quilting event. Kahala Mall is at 4211 Waialae Avenue, Honolulu, Hawaii.
Hawaii’s Master Quilter, Carol Kamaile (Kah my leh) will be displaying her designs as an important part of Kahala Mall’s "Shop with Aloha" event.
 This is a big event in honor of Aloha Festivals, and features live entertainment and demonstrations that celebrate the arts, music and culture of Hawaii, past and present. If you’re new to Hawaii, this is a great way to get plenny Hawaiiana all in one place.
 
Oh, and did I mention it’s open to the public and  free of charge.

QUILTING DEMONSTRATIONS AT KAHALA MALL Saturday, 9/13 10am-2pm, Sunday, 9/14 10pm-2pm, Wednesday, 9/17 5pm-9pm, Friday, 9/19 10am-2pm, Saturday, 9/20 10am-2pm; and final day, Sunday, 9/21 1pm-5pm

AND THAT’S NOT ALL. During this awesome event, you’ll be treated to a prestige fashion event where you’d normally pay big bucks for admission.

Here it is.

Hawaiian Monarchy Collection … Fashions from Hawaii’s Golden Age.

Imagine. The royal clothing of Queen Kaahumanu (Kah ah hoo mah new) , who presided, for all purposes, as the Queen Regent of Hawaii from 1820 until 1832; Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, who envisioned the Kamehameha Schools; and many, many more.
This elegant fashion show is limited to September 13 only at Center Court of Kahala Mall at 2pm. 
OK, here’s a link to the Honolulu Advertiser article that tells all about this very special "Shop with Aloha" event. 

Aloha a hui hou

Maui Chefs Present… The 2008 Culinary Olympics

This event takes place Friday, September 5, 2008 (Ok, OK, so I’m little late with the news.) It’s all about gourmet prepared food and spirits. And, although the event is widely touted by the Lahaina Town Action Committee, it’s actually located in Kapalua, Maui at the Ritz Carlton Pavilion

This is not "pupus and go" beer bust. No indeed. Featured are 24 gourmet dishes from the leading chefs on Maui. The entire event is very high class, and is geared towards perpetuating and enhancing the culinary arts on Maui. This is the 16th year for this gastronomic get-together, so they must be doing something right. I’ve attended twice and was much impressed.

Oh, and did I mention there’s live music and an opening ceremony featuring Raiatea Helm? Holy Gopher, I’d go just to hear her sing (I’m going to do an entire post on her soon, but in the meantime check out this Hawaiian Blossom right here).

OK, this is what makes me wince slightly about this event. The price. $150 each. But, a percentage of the proceeds does benefit Maui Community College Culinary Arts Scholarship Program.

For more details, go to this site.

Halloween in Lahaina

Unless they’ve upgraded since I talked to them on 8/22/08, disregard most of the info on the Lahaina Town Action Committee website concerning Halloween in Lahaina, 10/31/08. There will be a children’s costume parade, but no food booths or live bands on the streets. And the streets will be open to traffic for much of the event.

All I can say is a big "BOO" on all that. Dang, most of that stuff is what made this event so great. To quote from a post I made about this last year, "It’s the most outrageous party you can imagine."

Rant over, I think there will still be boatloads of people and great costumes.

OK, let’s say you trashed my rant and booked a flight to Maui for Halloween, Now, imagine it’s actually Halloween, and you’re ready to take in the big event. You and your party jump in the red convertible you’ve rented, and, top down, you buzz off to Lahaina. You arrive at the outskirts and, after driving up and down Lahaina’s narrow streets for about 20 minutes, you realize, HOLY CRUD! there’s no place to park!

First, forget the red convertible and, a couple of days in advance if possible, or right now, call the hotel or resort you’re staying at, and ask them about free or paid transportation to Halloween in Lahaina.

Let me sum up by saying, I’ve attended this event many times, and have never felt threatened in any way. OK, OK, it does get a little noisy towards closing time, but for the most part it’s a family affair …

AND HERE’S SOME OF THE FAMILY!

Aloha  a hui hou

The Hawaii State Flower is yellow … not red. Gotcha!

It’s true. The native yellow hibiscus (Hibiscus brackenridgei A. Gray), also known as the Pua Aloalo or Ma`o-hau-hele, was established and designated as the official flower of the State of Hawaii in 1988.

Up to that time, just about any old hibiscus could be considered as the State Flower. Red was usually a popular choice.

So, just to show you my heart’s in the right place, and because I’ve been gone so long (another contest of wills between this blog platform and myself), I brang you a flower.

When you’re in Hawaii you’ll see many beautiful yellow hibiscus blossoms, but most won’t be the real deal. To paraphrase the University of Hawaii botanical guys:  It is native to dry forests and shrub lands at elevations from 400 to 2,600 feet, and is found on all the main Hawaiian islands except Ni’ihau and Kaho’olawe.  But it is not common in any location.

And This is a Modern Situation

The  official blossom was once prevalent in the locations mentioned above, but started to decline after the arrival of western cultures in the Hawaiian Islands. As often happens, new arrivals bring alien, exotic plants with them. Those plants bring diseases endemic and indigenous species are not immune to.

Where Can I find Them?

Check with local garden clubs, the Bishop Museum, and paid tropical gardens. The resort you’re staying at might also have some plantings.

Ok, Now for News Flash and "Fun Facts About Hawaii"

First, the ever popular News Flash: I gotta qualify this announcement, because it’s one of those "left field" notices from Hawaiian Airlines.

• Seattle-Maui: $436
• Portland-Maui: $572
• Phoenix-Honolulu: $642
• San Francisco-Honolulu: $644

 It’s worth checking out through folks like  Orbitz or Expedia. Don’t get nervous I’m not an affiliate … yet.

Fun Facts About Hawaii: At 4,063 square miles, the Big Island of Hawaii is the largest island in the United States. Think about it.

(Apprentice Blogmaster Note: I’m using a new font, Comic Sans MS. Do you like it, or no? Love to see your comments. Be Gentle.)

 Aloha  a hui hou

[Apprentice Blogmaster Note: If you've been back to this blog, and the news seemed to be stale, that's because IT WAS. My blog platform and I have been in serious dispute as to who runs this outfit. Especially about pictures I want to display. Not the kind of pictures, but where they are displayed, and if they'll be displayed at all. Well, we'll just see about that.]             

 OK, on to the Jewelry  Department. Hawaiian jewelry runs the gamut from beautiful natural necklaces to island style gold and silver. For this post I’d like to concentrate on natural jewelry.

Kukui Nut Lei (necklace)

The Kukui lei (layee) on the right is an elegant example of Hawaiiana. Kukui leis,  in very old Hawaii, were worn only by the ali`l (ahlee`ee), or royalty. In modern times they symbolize good luck.

You’ll find these nut leis in a variety of treatments. All the way from ground and polished to completely natural. Here’s an example of a lei with several different styles of the nut. The shells are called Opihi (oh pee hee) and the little seeds are from the Koa tree

The Kukui nut comes from the Kukui tree (duh!), a native tree of Polynesia. The tree was actually brought to the Hawaiian Islands by the early voyages from the south. So jewelry made from the nut is very much steeped in Hawaiian history.

Natural jewelry, especially leis, is not a gender thing in Hawaii. The lei to the left is mine, and I used to wear it to work every day as  a tour guide/bus driver.

Kamani, wiliwili, and goat’s eye are common materials for leis.  Of these, the red seeds from the wiliwili (weelee weelee) are probably the most impressive.  I don’t have a good picture of the finished lei … and didn’t feel right about … er … ahem … borrowing one. When your in Hawaii, and in a quality gift shop, ask about a wilwili lei. Also, standby for sticker shock. 

Ni`ihau Shell Lei

Speaking of sticker shock, the Ni`ihau shell lei is another pricey item, but well worth the money. Why so expensive? Mostly due to shortage of the pinkish shells and the meticulous care taken to create the lei. That, and because they are only made one place in the world … the Island of Ni`ihau in the  Hawaiian chain. The pictue on the right  shows a choker and a 3 strand lei. There are  fake knockoffs, so insist on proof of authenticity.

Newsflash: For some temporary killer deals on Hawaiian jewelry hop on over to

hawaiistore4u.com/Hawaii-Store/Jewelry-and-Watches This is the "now" part I was talking about earlier. OK, OK, it’s my site, but regardless, there’s some real bargains lurking there.

Fun Facts About Hawaii: The capitol of the State of Hawaii is Honolulu on the Island of O`ahu.

Honolulu= Hono looloo

O`ahu= Oh ah hoo

Aloha  a hui hou

Some of the airlines have scheduled major increases and surcharges to the Islands of Hawaii.

Case in point. HURRY ON THIS ONE!

HAWAIIAN AIRLINES ANNOUNCES NEW SURCHARGES. Effective May 27, Hawaiian is raising one-way inter-island fares by $10, raising its lowest fare from $54 to $64, the airline said. Actually that’s just early morning and late night flights. Minimums on normal daytime flights will be either $74 or $84. And that’s just minimums. Remember, these are one-way prices.

Fuel surcharges to the Mainland, USA will increase $35, from $65 to $100; to Sydney, up $40 from $120 to $160; to Pago Pago, up $45 each way from $65 to $110; to Papeete, up $55 each way from $65 to $120; and to Manila up $35 from $115 to $150 for Honolulu to Manila only. Again, that’s EACH WAY.

Inter-island Choices

Island Air … still good reliable service, and holding their present fares.

Go! … Cheap, but are looking at bankruptcy.

Pacific Wings … Fares remain steady.

American Airlines Puts Premium on Luggage.

American Airlines’ will now charge a $15 fee for the FIRST checked bag; that’s in addition to the $25 fee already charged for a second bag. $40 for two bags … each way! Skinny down to one piece of luggage stowed, and get creative with your carry on.

OK, that’s it for this post. will double up on News Flash and Fun Facts About Hawaii in the next post.

Now, get out there and hunt down those cheap airline tickets to Hawaii!

Aloha a hui hou

Well, anybody that pays attention to the pop news knows that Jason Castro scored big on American Idol with his rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”, while artfully strumming a Ukulele. So simple, and so great.

Well, Jason certainly got his inspiration from the great and beloved Isreal Kamakawiwio`ole … Bruddah Iz … and his world renowned recording of the same tune. Bruddah Iz passed on in 1997, but his music remains strong, in Hawaii and around the world.

(In fairness to all parties, the song was first recorded in 1939 by Judy Garland for the box office hit “Wizard of OZ”. I believe it was the first Technicolor film I ever saw, and that was in early 1940. So there. And I was 8 years old … so there, again.)

If you’re prepping for your first visit to Hawaii, knowing about Bruddah Iz is an essential. Many of his songs address the desire of the Hawaiian people to protect their cultural heritage, as well as giving the world a sense of what Hawaii’s all about. You’ll hear his music everywhere. You may already know some of his work.

His great version of “Somewhere over the Rainbow” was included in the soudtracks of “Meet Joe Black” “Finding Forrester” and “50 First Dates.” On a personal note, I recall seeing “Meet Joe Black” when I lived on Maui. The song came on towards the end, maybe while the credits were being shown. I can tell you this, nobody left that auditorium ’til the song was completed. There was a litte throat clearing and eye dabbing going on, too.

Strangely enough, I read an article about that film written by a so-called movie critic of a major national magazine. This critic claimed Bruddah Iz’s song somehow insulted the memory of Judy Garland. Well, Thrrruuup! on you Mr. Movie Critic. History has certainly proved otherwise.

Please do acquaint yourself with Bruddah Iz before you go to Hawaii. It’ll make your Hawaii Vacation just that much more pleasurable.

So, spend a few enjoyable minutes listening and viewing the videos below. You choose which one you like the best. Yeah, and leave a comment about your choice. Then, check out the sources for Bruddah Iz’s great songs.

First, Here’s Bruddah Iz

Now comes, Jason Castro

And, finally, Judy Garland

And, I’ve also listed a few opportunities to add Bruddah Iz to your music library.

My personal favorite! Facing Future
In this selection,”Wind Beneath My Wings” will tear you up … No, I mean really. E Ala E
This group led the way to “new” Hawaiian sounds. Olomana

OK, can’t leave this post without my stimulating, mind blowing News Flash and Hawaii Fun Facts features:
News Flash: Island Air announces new service, Honolulu to Lihue, Kaua`i. Find out about it Here
Fun Facts About Hawaii: Kilauea Mountain on Big Island is considered to be most active volcano in the world.

Aloha a hui hou

Ok, I neglected to leave you News Flash, and Fun Facts About Hawaii on my last post, so we’ll “kiss and make up” with two of each.

News Flash: An event that has been going on in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island for several weeks now, is going to wrap up in late May. It’s called 2008 Kona Earth Festival. But here’s the thing, and this is especially true if you have keikis (kids), one of the major events is called Jack’s Diving Locker Ocean Fair ,and it takes place on Saturday, May 24, 2008.

Second News Flash: Have you read the claims AAA has made about what it costs to vacation in Hawaii for just one day. Get this … according to a AAA survey released Monday [5/5/2008] … it costs two adults an average of $793 a day for food and lodging alone. Here’s my take: COMPLETELY IGNORE THE STATEMENT!

Even the most rudimentary research online (and that’s where you should be making your arrangements) will show the $793 figure as just crappy … did I just type crappy? … bean counting analysis. Having a simply glorious Hawaiian vacation is going to cost you far less than that.

Two Fun Facts About Hawaii:

• The State Bird is called a Nene. It’s a flightless goose slightly smaller, but similar in appearance, than a Canadian goose.

• The State Flower is a Yellow Hibiscus. No, not a Red Hibiscus, a Yellow Hibiscus.

OK, I’m gone.

Aloha a hui hou.

Ukulele facts, the history of ukulele, and ukulele cord charts are all over the internet. Just Google any of those terms and you’ll have at least an afternoon’s reading.

What sometimes is missing, is what a love affair there is between the ukulele and the music from it, and the people of Hawaii. Almost every school, grade school on up, has a ukulele band. Bet you don’t have that in Yuma, Arizona or Portland, Maine.
The instrument, and the music from it, is rooted in the arrival of Portuguese immigrants in the 1870’s, sugar plantation workers, and the culture’s just plain love of music. It’s “everyman’s” musical instrument; portable, basic cording is pretty easy, and very versatile (just ask Jake Shimabukuro).

Oh, about the “jumping flea” part. There are many stories as to the origin of the name “ukulele.” One, of many, is that when people saw it played rapidly, fingers dancing and strumming, it reminded them of a flea jumpng around.
In Hawaiian:
uku (oo coo)=flea
lele (leh leh)=jump,leap
Put ‘em together folks and you get “ukulele.”

OK, OK, here’s the announcement … I’ve edited it somewhat in the interest of brevity. If you wrote it, I guess you can just come over and slap me:

SAN CLEMENTE, Ca. -May, 2008. The Surfing Heritage Foundation will be hosting ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro on Sunday, May 25th. The concert will be held at the Foundation’s cultural heritage facility … 110 Calle Iglesia, San Clemente, CA 92672. Show time 7:30 pm and doors open to the general public at 6:30 pm. General admission is $25. VIP tickets, include dinner, drinks and premiere seating,$75. Proceeds go to the Surfing Heritage Foundation … .

Jake Shimabukuro is fast becoming recognized [he's already recognized] as one of the world’s top ukulele musicians. His virtuosity defies label or category, playing jazz, blues, funk, classical, bluegrass, folk, flamenco, and rock, Jake’s mission is to show everyone that the instrument is capable of so much more than Hawaiian music. Jake has played and recorded with a treasure trove of other musicians including; Jimmy Buffet, Diana Krall, Fiona Apple, Bobby McFerrin, and Ziggy Marley. He has also appeared on The Late Show with Conan O’Brien.

Here’s a good place to start on your ukulele research:

Aloha a hui hou

If you’re considering going to Hawaii on a package plan, check out all that is offered, especially the lodging that is included in the package.

Why do I emphasize this point? Because I’ve had soooo many people on my tours that voiced disappointment, or alluded to downright deception about their accommodations.
Having said that, you need to know that the general level of cleanliness, courtesy, and service in Hawaii lodgings is excellent.
The problem, most of the time, seems to be in the traveler’s perception of what he’s paying for, and what he’s actually paying for (excuse the gender thing). Here’s a property ad from an actual web description … I’ve changed a few words, but haven’t downgraded or embellished the property.

“Hotel xyz is an older moderate hotel with expansive grounds and over eleven hundred palm trees. This low-rise property is located across the street from the beach in the Kihei area on Maui. It features a pool, 2 tennis courts, central laundry facilities, activity desk, complimentary coffee in the lobby, BBQ and volleyball.
The hotel rooms (which range from garden view to oceanfront) all have air conditioning, refrigerator, shower & bathtub and color cable TV.“

Now, this is a very forthright description of the property. I’ve stayed there several times, and have recommended it to others. So what’s the problem?

The problem lies in several terms. “Older” is not well defined. This property is, without a doubt, the oldest resort on Maui that’s still standing.

And then there’s “across the street from the beach.” The beach consists of a few small pockets of sand, which are blocked off by small oceanfront units that actually belong to Unit xyz. The main body of this property sits back about 75 to 100 yards off the road…”across the street.” Again, “oceanfront” is a fair distance from the ocean and is blocked by many of the “eleven hundred palm trees.”

Would I stay there again? Sure I would. But I know what I’m getting. I have no allusions. I know it’s a very old Hawaiiana style resort that’s seen better days. But it’s very clean and friendly.

New visitors wouldn’t know that from just reading the description. They also wouldn’t know there isn’t any restaurant located on the property (McDonalds is about 1 1/2 miles down the road), or that a real beach is a pretty good hike in either direction. But the ad should have mentioned there is a great windsurfing beach a short distance away, and because Hotel xyz is far back from the road, it’s pretty quiet.

So, here’s my point again. Don’t just take an agent’s, website’s, or travel brochure’s word for what your “home away from home” is going to be like. Check it out! Call ‘em up! Ask questions! It really doesn’t take much effort, and I know you’ll be a lot happier knowing your perceptions are a lot closer to the real thing.

New Features Alert: News Flash, and Fun Facts About Hawaii

News Flash: Well now, I sorta promised that I’d let up on the air travel news, but later realized that I’d overlooked an important carrier, Alaska Airlines. And here’s the flash: Alaska Airlines will start a new daily round-trip flight between Seattle and Maui that begins July 17. Of course, Alaska already flies nonstop to Kauai and Honolulu.

Fun Facts about Hawaii: Below is the Hawaii State Song.

Hawai’i Pono’i

Written by King David Kalakaua

Aloha, a hui hou (until we meet again)

Wait a minute! Does it seem like I’m giving waaaay to much attention to air travel? Ok, OK, this’ll be the last post … for a little while … about airlines, cheap airline tickets , and stuff like that. Except for updates.

Last post I talked about the demise of Aloha Airlines, but neglected to note the passing of another great airline service to Hawaii,ATA Airlines. Bruddah, did I love those guys. ATA, for me always delivered the goods. I took numerous trips out of Maui, and later from Hilo on the Big Island when ATA resumed service there in … ummm, I think it was 2006. They had a great connection with Southwest in Oakland, then on to Albuquerque (my second home). Why is it that so many of the good guys get cut?

Moving on, below is a list of the airlines that provide service to Hawaii from the Mainland (that’s the really big island called the “lower 48″). Not all airlines fly to every major airport in Hawaii, so check your schedules.

• American Airlines
• Continental Airlines
• United Airlines
• Northwest Airlines
• Hawaiian Airlines
• Delta airlines

Don’t forget you can island hop to any of the Hawaiian Islands by using the services of the local airlines. Again, not all go to each island.

• Hawaiian Airlines
• Island Air
• go!
• Marjet
• Pacific wings
• Mokulele Airlines

Yeah, I know, airfares are going up due to fuel costs, etc., but shop around, you’ll be suprised what you find. Remember, you’ll always find great airlines that fly to Hawaii.

Aloha a hui hou