Tag Archive | "Mind"
What To Buy For The Hawaii Lover On Your Christmas List
I don’t know about you, but I’ve got Christmas shopping on my mind today. So, I wanted to revisit last year’s gift idea post with some fresh ideas for what to get your friends and family that love the Aloha State. Hawaiian Happy Cakes –
Continue reading...Maui Wowies These First-Time Hawaii Visitors
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Matt & Cari prepare for a Maui helicopter tour. First-time Hawaii visitors Matt and Cari from Tri-Cities, Washington thoroughly researched their May trip through their Hawaii vacation planning resources . While they were well prepared for their Maui vacation, they were still surprised by several aspects of Hawaii. I always like to read and hear what first time Hawaii visitors think of their trip to the Aloha State. So when Matt and Cari offered to write this guest post to describe what they found surprising about Hawaii, I was all for it! I think you will enjoy reading Matt and Cari’s Hawaii surprises. Matt’s Surprises 1. The Weather I knew it would be hot, but for some reason I never thought about how humid it would be. It hits you like a brick wall when you get off the airplane. Of course, it’s a tropical island so, in hindsight it makes perfect sense. I just never thought about it in advance. And not just humidity, but it also rained a lot during our visit — much more than I expected. I think I had this Chamber of Commerce vision of perfectly clear, blue skies that stretch on and on. This isn’t a complaint; the weather didn’t stop us from a wonderful visit. It just wasn’t what I expected. 2. Prices We read plenty of articles that mentioned things are more expensive in Hawaii, but there’s still a sense of sticker-shock when you pull into the gas station and fill up at $5.15 per gallon. Or when you go to Kmart for some snacks and basics, put about 10-12 items in your cart and the cashier says, “That’ll be $99.90.” It may have been something I tried to not believe, but there was no avoiding it on the island. 3. Snorkeling/Snuba I had no idea how much I would LOVE snorkeling and snuba. We took the Four Winds II boat out to Molokini on our first day there and I didn’t want to get out of the water! I even told Cari that I’d be happy to cancel all of our other plans for the rest of the week and come back and do the same boat ride each day. After a couple minutes of struggling with the snuba gear, it was a thrill to go down 10-15 feet below the surface and get up close to all kinds of fish, plus to see the amazing coral on the ocean floor. Man, I’m ready to go back now and do it again! 4. The Beauty No matter how many pictures you look at, you won’t be prepared for the Maui’s stunning beauty. The ocean? I had no idea there were so many shades of blue! The land? You’ll see every shade of green possible along the road to Hana. And when the two come together, like at the Ke’anea peninsula or the end of Nahiku Road – there are no words. Black sand beaches? Red sand beaches? Sigh. It’s more beautiful than I could’ve expected. Cari’s Surprises 1. The Language I’m a reader. I have a bachelor’s degree in English Literature. I have read through countless books, articles, essays and cereal box backs. I thought I knew how to use language to share my feelings, and how others use words to express themselves. But that was before I visited Hawaii! In Hawaii, one simple word connotes welcome and consideration and hospitality – and that word is ‘aloha’. Yes, I know it’s not an English word, so I suppose I couldn’t be expected to truly understand the many layers of meaning another language infuses into its words. However, it was still a surprise to me since I thought I knew what it meant – “hello”, or “goodbye”. However, it was the way the word was spoken on Maui that helped me see that there was a difference…subtle, yet distinct. The Hawaiians I met conveyed empathy and kindness and understated joy in those five letters, and I felt like shafts of sunlight were slanting from their mouth when they said it. 2. The Food When my husband and I went on our honeymoon, we went to San Diego, CA, and loved everything we ate there. Everything from Sea World’s hot dogs to McDonald’s milkshakes were elevated to sublime! In retrospect, it wasn’t because the food was so spectacular, it was because we were on our honeymoon! However, even though I was in Hawaii, again with my husband, nearly twenty years have passed (as has his capacity to turn fish and chips into lobster in my mind!). So I can say with certainty, the food really was excellent. Truly, anyone would agree – especially when it came to the pineapple and the shave ice . Oh my gosh – this ain’t your mother’s snowcone! 3. The Beauty Yes, I know, Matt already talked about it, but I have something to add. In Madeleine L’Engle’s The Moon by Night, the main character, Vicky, takes a camping trip across the U.S. with her family. When they arrive at the Grand Canyon, she reflects this way - “The only trouble with Grand Canyon was that we were already so saturated with beauty that we looked at it and said, “Oh. Pretty.” Which is hardly the word for the Grand Canyon. But it just didn’t mean to us what it would have meant if we’d come straight to it…without all the other things in between.” And that’s exactly how I felt about Hawaii. We saw so many gorgeous vistas all over Maui, that by our third day there, it was, “Oh. Pretty.” over and over again, because I’d become surfeit with gorgeous things! That being said, it was stunningly beautiful, and pictures help, but there is no substitute for seeing it in person. It is truly awe-inspiring. —- A big mahalo to Matt and Cari for sharing their Hawaii surprises!
Continue reading...HA: Breath of Life – An Unparallel Polynesian Show
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Andy and I loved the Polynesian Cultural Center’s long-running show Horizons . As I wrote in my review of Horizons back in 2007: We saw this evening show on our first full day of our recent trip to Oahu. We had flown to Hawaii from the East Coast the day before and we were extremely jet lagged. We had had a full day touring the islands of the center and taking part in the Ali’i Luau . By the time the show started, it was well past our bedtime at home. So, we were a little concerned that when the lights dimmed for the show, that we might end up watching the back of our eye lids instead of the show. Our concerns were not warranted because the show captured our attention the entire time. Not only were we wide awake watching the show, but when we got back to our hotel at the Turtle Bay Resort , we kept awake for a while talking about how great the show was. So, when we learned that Horizons was being replaced by a new show, HA: Breath of Life , in August 2009, we wondered why would the Polynesian Cultural Center change a show that was already spectacular. I mean, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right? When HA: Breath of Life debuted, I kept hearing how much people enjoyed it – both local residents and visitors. It’s not easy to create a show that strikes a chord with locals and visitors, but HA does. When we had the opportunity to return to Oahu in October, one of the first things that popped in my mind was, “We’ve got to see HA !” So, we made our plans for this short, five-day visit, making sure we got to the Polynesian Cultural Center. Photo courtesy of Polynesia.com We thought HA was outstanding. This spectacular Polynesian show has all the bells and whistles of a top notch Broadway or West End show, but with the warmth and pageantry of all the major Polynesian cultures. HA features more than 100 performers, live music, colorful Polynesian-inspired costumes, a stage that’s approximately 60ft tall, and fire – lots of dramatic scenes using fire. I believe I counted about 10 Samoan fireknife dances at one point — an illuminating display! All the cast, music, choreography, and technical features of the show help to make HA excellent entertainment, but HA ’s story is what makes it so memorable. The show centers on Mana, following his life and his family. With each stage of Mana’s life, we journey to a different Polynesian island chain, with aspects of each culture beautifully woven into the story. If I remember correctly, the Polynesian journey goes through Tonga, Hawaii, New Zealand, Samoa, Tahiti and Fiji. I don’t want to give too much of the storyline away. I will say this, don’t be surprised if a tear wells up in your eye. To help you gain a better idea of what to expect from the show, here’s a short YouTube video produced by the Polynesian Cultural Center. (Email subscribers, use this link to access the video.) Andy prepared a nice video with scenes from the show shot from our seats. The previous video was professionally produced, so please don’t compare the quality of our video with clips from the show. (Email subscribers, please click here to see our own video.) HA: Breath of Life shows every Monday through Saturday evening with the exceptions of Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. The open-air venue is covered, so you don’t have to worry about getting wet if it rains. The Polynesian Cultural Center offers a variety of packages including admission to the show. The lowest priced package is $60 for adults and $45 per child. That package includes entrance to see all the Polynesian villages, free buffet dinner, and general admission to HA . Some packages include guided-tours, upgraded meal plans and better show seating. In my opinion, the Ali’i Luau ticket package is a really good value at $88 per adult and $64 per child. The Ali’i package comes with a luau and preferred show seating as well as access to the Polynesian villages and cultural presentations. See this link to compare ticket packages . I’ve seen many Polynesian shows and HA: Breath of Life is truly outstanding. I don’t believe there’s another Polynesian show anywhere that’s on par with the magnitude of HA’s production. I highly recommend it. Have you seen HA: Breath of Life ? What was your impression of the show? © Go Visit Hawaii – Republication of this entire post is prohibited without prior permission. Using extracts of less than 100 words are permitted with full attribution and link back to GoVisitHawaii.com .
Continue reading...Aloha Friday Photo: No Rain = No Rainbows Edition
Friday, October 22, 2010
Today’s gorgeous Aloha Friday Photo comes to us from my friend Dave from Oahu. Here’s Dave’s story about this photo: I park a few blocks away from work because I like/need the walk. On this day it was raining so I decided to walk straight to the car instead of walking down the beach but changed my mind. I was thinking that if the sun were to come out, it would create a rainbow in the direction of Diamond Head. Sure enough! As soon as I got to the beach, the sun came out made a perfect, sunset rainbow over Diamond Head! Woo Hoo! :^) As you can see from the photo, Diamond Head is still brown. Due to the fact that we get more rain in the Winter, it should start turning green pretty soon. I like the rain out here. We typically don’t get a huge downpour. The vast majority of the time the rain is more like scattered but heavy mist which is perfect for producing the amazing rainbows that Hawaii is so famous for. No Rain = No Rainbows! ;^) I’m glad Dave decide to walk down the beach instead of straight to his car, aren’t you? Mahalo Dave! © Go Visit Hawaii – Republication of this entire post is prohibited without prior permission. Using extracts of less than 100 words are permitted with full attribution and link back to GoVisitHawaii.com .
Continue reading...Elvis Presley – Suspicious Mind (Legendado em Português)
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Elvis Presley – Suspicious Mind (live in Aloha from Hawaii) * Legendado em Português por Beto Brandão (beto_russo@ig.com.br)
Continue reading...William S. Richardson remembered, Honolulu budget up under Hannemann, Lingle stalls on civil unions veto decision, Maui water plant challenged, more
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
William Shaw Rich- ardson, a statehood advocate and Dem- ocratic Party leader who became lieutenant governor, chief justice of the State Supreme Court and a Bishop Estate trustee, died early Monday. KITV William S. Richardson, a former Hawaii State Supreme Court chief justice, had a lifelong commitment to social justice that has served as a model for thousands of students whose juris doctorates bear the name of the law school he helped found. Star-Advertiser. A longtime leader is gone. William S. Richardson died Monday at the age of 90. Hawaii News Now. Former Hawaii Chief Justice William S. Richardson died early Monday morning at his home in Honolulu at the age of 90. KHON2. Hawaii's political leaders mark the passing of Chief Justice William S Richardson. Excerpts from their statements are below: Hawaii News Now. Gov. Linda Lingle on Monday bought herself two more weeks to make a decision on contentious legislation that would allow same-gender couples to form civil unions. AP. Gov. Linda Lingle said yesterday that she had not made up her mind on civil unions and described her deliberations on the bill as perhaps the most difficult of her political career. Star-Advertiser. Gov. Linda Lingle (R) on Monday released a list of 39 bills she may veto, including the civil unions bill. KITV. After months of consideration, the governor has put the civil unions bill on her list of potential vetoes. KHON2. Here is a list of the 39 bills that Governor Linda Lingle has submitted to the state legislature for potential veto. Hawaii News Now. On Monday Governor Linda Lingle recapped her 11-day trip to Asia Hawaii News Now. During Mufi Hannemann's half-decade as mayor, annual spending on operating expenses has gone up 39 percent to $1.2 billion, despite the nation going through the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. Civil Beat. Earthjustice filed a lawsuit Monday in 2nd Circuit Court, challenging Alexander & Baldwin's plans to build a $30 million water treatment plant in Wailuku that would draw 9 million gallons of water from contested Na Wai Eha streams. Maui News. Breene Harimoto, an eight-year member of the Board of Education who in recent months has become an outspoken critic of its operations, will resign effective June 30 to run for City Council. Star-Advertiser. A new plan calls for building an estimated $12 million municipal parking structure with more than 360 stalls in the heart of Wailuku town. Maui News. Renew our faith, unite our efforts, ensure our future" is the theme of Hilo Meishoin's centennial celebration. Hawaii Tribune-Herald. As robotics experts from around the world continue to work with submersibles to stanch the flow of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, the next generation of experts will be honing their skills right here in Hilo. West Hawaii Today.
Continue reading...Janet Jackson’s Would You Mind – Live
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Janet Jackson Live from Hawaii
Continue reading...JANET JACKSON LIVE IN HAWAII – WOULD YOU MIND
Monday, March 8, 2010
JANET JACKSON LIVE IN HAWAII – WOULD YOU MIND
Continue reading...A Love Letter To Lanai
Monday, January 25, 2010
Dear Lana’i, Aloha, my dear. I miss you terribly. I realize that Valentine’s Day is three weeks away, but I couldn’t wait to confess my love for you. There, I’ve said it. I love you, Lanai. After our New Year’s Eve visit, I can’t get you out of my mind. I write this letter to you, dear Lanai, to tell you all the ways you have stolen my heart. Will I be able to complete my task? I will make my earnest attempt. I love you, Lanai, because your people are so warm and welcoming . When I walked through your city (Lanai City) several days after New Year’s Day, at least a dozen strangers wished me a happy new year. Each resident I encountered shared their warm spirit of aloha and I felt sincerely welcomed. I love you, Lanai, because you teach me how to relax, unwind, and savor your island beauty . How do you do it? How do you make this engineer and efficiency expert take such sweet respite from the rush of life’s daily grind? I’m convinced you do this by some magic that you disburse through the gentle trade winds. I love you, Lanai, because you offer so many different environments — from the warm, sunny Hulopoe Bay Beach at Manele to the most unusual wind-worn landscape at the Keahiakawelo (Garden of the Gods) to the crisp, clean air of green Lanai City and Koele. You surprise me at every turn. I love you, Lanai, because you have a sense of humor. Your finest joke is the naming of Lanai City . Your only city, Lanai City, has no stop lights, no traffic jams, no fast food chains, and no self-absorbed people. There’s nothing city-like in Lanai City . I love you, Lanai, because you spoil me in luxury . For such a tiny island, you host two fantastic Four Seasons Resorts with properties and services that far exceeded my expectations . Your resorts are surrounded by spectacular scenery and tropical gardens. Your resorts’ artwork and antiques would rival the collections of any major museum. I’ve never felt so pampered as when you delivered chilled Evian spritzes, chilled towels, and fresh pineapple as I enjoyed some time at the beach. I know you do that for all the guests, but you really made me feel special. I love you, Lanai, because you encourage the cultural arts. You have a thriving art community . You celebrate the many ethnicities that have made Lanai so culturally rich. I can’t wait to return to explore all the stories and treasures in your brand new Lana’i Culture and Heritage Center . I love you, Lanai, because you are so romantic . When I think back to the the times we spent together, they were some of the most romantic times I’ve experienced in Hawaii. I recall the sunset hike to Puupehe (Sweetheart Rock) you provided to Andy and me. My mind also wanders back to the sunset couples massage at the ocean hale (private hut). Of course, I will never forget the romantic dinner we experienced at the ocean hale . We’ve dined across four continents and we must say that our dinner at the ocean hale was absolutely one of the best and most romantic dinners in our lives. I think Andy and I will still be talking about that romantic dinner even when we’re old and gray. I love you, Lanai, because you feel so remote . When Hawaii feels remote and away from it all , you feel even more so. I love that you give me this feeling of being in an exotic far away place, yet you’re still so accessible by plane and ferry. I love you, Lanai, because you offer unique adventures . From 4-wheel drive journeys through contrasting landscapes , to sporting clays, to hikes with memorable views. You encourage me to make new memories. I love you, Lanai, because you do the driving. I don’t have to worry about renting a car or navigating. Your shuttle service takes those cares away. When, dear Lanai, will we meet again? I cannot wait! With my fondest aloha, Sheila A selection of photos from Lanai : Dear Go Visit Hawaii Subscribers: I want to let you know that during the month of January, I will not be able to post as frequently as normal. I’ll be taking a break and doing some research. © Go Visit Hawaii – Republication of this entire post is prohibited without prior permission. Using extracts of less than 100 words are permitted with full attribution and link back to GoVisitHawaii.com .
Continue reading...
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Monday, November 28, 2011
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