Posts Tagged ‘Oahu’

The surf on the south shores of the Hawaiian Islands, especially the always crowded south shore of Oahu has been horrible this year. No epics days at all let alone a big day at all this season. Which may explain why everyone and their mother has headed out before (or maybe in lieu of) work.

Now the surf isn’t crazy big, but it’s there. Solid 3 foot Hawaiian Scale coming through at Kewalos and Flies with incinerators and panics right there with it. If you can stand the crowds I’d get wet if I were you. Who knows when the next swell will be coming.

At this rate, the summer season will pass us by and it’ll be on to the north shore.
Any pics or comments feel free to leave below.

Dog the Bounty hunter who has made headlines here on Aloha Update on numerous occasions (just check our Dog the Bounty Hunter Section) is back at it with more Hollywood news coming his way.

The bounty hunter who has been made famous chasing down those that skip court dates and put his bail in jeopardy (and sometimes others bail), and doing this all in Hawaii none-the-less, has a new set of cameras following him. E! True Hollywood Story and their cameras have been following Dog and his family around Hawaii for the past week and will finish up taping for a show to air this May on E!.

Dog’s show continues to do well with his niche audience and continues to bring he and his family fame and fortune as they run their bail bonds shop from downtown Honolulu and live out in Portlock on the south east side of Oahu.

We’ll let you know the exact date the show is going to air, so check back in our Dog section.

Also, check out Dog the Bounty Hunter’s Site.

A few days into a New Year and a New Decade and things are getting better already with the word that ‘Salsa Thursdays’ aka ‘Salsa After Hours’ will return to Rumors Nightclub inside the Ala Moana Hotel at 410 Atkinson Drive.  Mark your calendar for January 7 2010, 8:30PM to 1:30 AM, for “Hawai’i’s finest Latin music & dance event.”

The event features Hawai’i’s hottest Latin Music Ensemble ‘The Son Caribe Band.’ When the band takes a break there is no break in the music, experience the DJ Sounds of ‘DaLion of Judah’ “Throwing down the best in Salsa, Bachata, Merengue, Reggaeton, Latin House Cumbias, Top 40 and more.!”

Dance instructor Greg ‘SalsaMan’ Henry will gladly teach you Bachata/Salsa for free with paid cover, and those in the know know that Rumours has a large user friendly dance floor, while Latin/Salsa Videos will play on the big screens scattered throughout the club.  “Dress to Impress” you never know who might throw you an invitation with the wink of an eye, Salsa has a habit of putting people in the mood for fun and adventure.

Cover is a mere $10 at the door, this is a 21 and older event, this event presented by Alma Latina Productions, for more info call 955-4811 or 285-007, and remember to tune into the ‘Alma Latina Radio Show’ from 12Noon to 3PM via KWAI/K-108  1080AM.

The winter surf season on the northern shores of Hawaii’s islands continues to be in the great to greater category with the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational, and more exceptional free surf competitions having some of the best waves in years.

Well, it isn’t planning to stop anytime soon. 25 – 30 foot faces are expected on the North Shores of the Hawaiian islands with the western shores seeing as high as 20 foot faces. These wave heights are right on the edge of closing out places like the Banzai Pipeline and making Waimea Bay on Oahu and Jaws on Maui having some great turnouts.

Hopefully you’ll be able to make it, but if you aren’t, you can enjoy these videos from previous large north swells that came late in 2009. Videos of Jaws on Maui and video from the epic day at Waimea Bay for the Eddie Aikau.

Live from the Lawn at the Hawai’i State Art Museum experience a free concert celebrating the Best Hawaiian Music Grammy® Award Nominees for 2009.  The Stars will be out from 6PM to 9PM on Friday January 8 2010 at a venue that is one of the very best places to enjoy music here in Honolulu.  An oasis of tranquility on the edge of the financial district adjacent to the hubbub of the State Capitol and the Historic traditions of the Iolani Palace, the lawn of what was once the Armed Forces YMCA and is now the Hawai’i State Art Museum (250 South Hotel Street), is the perfect place to flake out on a beach mat or lawn chair while listening to music.

Though all of the Music from The Lawn Concerts have featured a Galaxy of Top Performers, this particular event has a rare cachet, featuring Grammy® Nominees, stars as illustrious as Tia Carrere and Daniel Ho will play the Lawn for the first time, Amy Hanaiali’i and friends, her band (Steve Jones, Darryl Pellegrini, Chino Montero, Jeff Peterson), as well as ‘Slack Key Masters’ George Kahumoku, Sonny Lim, Dennis Kamakahi, Owana Salazar, and Keoki Kahumoku, and a repeat appearance by Jeff Peterson, an artist on his own yet ever willing even eager to work/play with other talented musicians.

A concert featuring this much talent should cost plenty of green but instead it is FREE courtesy of the Friends of the Hawai’i State Art Museum (HISAM), the Hawai’i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, with support from the LEF Foundation, the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, Outrigger Hotels & Resorts, Clear Channel Communications, and it is produced by the ever energetic Tim Bostock Productions.

No need to go hungry during the concert there will be ONO Grinds from Hale Kealoha Ai Pono, India Café, Le Crepe Café, and Downtown at HiSam. Quench your thirst with organic juices & sorbet from Land of Organica, and grind down on popcorn by Kettle Corn Hawaii.

The Hawai’i State Art Museum is an easy walk from just about everywhere in urban Honolulu and it is straddled by bus stops serving the entire island but for those who persist in driving a vehicle scope out directions & parking info via www.hawauu.gov/sfca .

Toka Media will be filming throughout the event and the concert, producing a DVD which will be streamed via the ‘web.’  The Grammy Concert kicks off 2010′s “Live From the Lawn” Concert Series, which most often land on the First Friday of each Month, a perfectly good reason to visit the many galleries/shops/restaurants/bars in the Arts District both before and after the event.

President Barack Obama spent 11 days on the island of Oahu, trying to get away in the quiet windward town of Kailua.  Although the health bill cut their stay a few days short on the front end, and the vacation was interrupted by terrorist attack on a plane in Detriot, all in all, it seemed to be a relaxing time for the family.

The first family again stayed at the $8.9 million dollar estate on the beach on Kailuana Place near the Kaneohe Marine Base.  Creating community accepted inconveniences such as car searches and home sweeps.  The house is for sale and can be yours for the price tag (and hey, if you buy it, you can own the place where the president stayed, pretty cool if you ask us.)

While they were in Hawaii the Obama’s spent time at Hanauma Bay, enjoyed dinner at Alan Wong’s and enjoyed all of Sea Life Park to themselves.  Reporters and eager onlookers tried to get a glimpse of the family anytime the presidential motorcade passed by, closing down streets, highways, and parks.

Also on the list was a trip to the North Shore to check out the waves and a private screening of “Avatar,” the 3D version, at Windward mall.

If you follow their trip exactly, it won’t be all to yourselves, but it’ll be a great way to see all of Oahu.

For those who call Hawaii Kai home and have furry canine friends have definitely been to the Hawaii Kai dog park located on Keahole Street across the street from Hawaii Kai Towne Center.  The park is open from dawn to dusk and only closed on Tuesday mornings from 7 am to 12 pm for park maintenance.  This dog park also has a small dog area for dogs that are 18 pounds or less.

This large all grass dog park was founded by local group of Hawaii Kai dog owners called Hui ‘Ilio Hawaii.  This active group of dog lovers are dedicated to “promote safe and friendly places for dogs and their people to play, and to promote responsible dog ownership.”  In this mission they helped organize and establish Hawaii Kai dog park.  Hui ‘Ilio Hawaii also organizes a group of volunteers to help maintain the rules, order, and up keep of the Hawaii Kai dog park.

Hawaii Kai dog park is best about 4 pm when the sun has started to go down, since there aren’t many shaded areas in the park.  Usually, about 4 pm and on you can find this park packed with pooches.  To enjoy this free dog park you must abide by a few rules.  These rules can be found on the Hui ‘Ilio Hawaii website:  http://www.hui-ilio.org/DogParkRules.php .  The Hawaii Kai dog park is a beautiful Oahu off leash dog park, but owners beware the rules are strictly enforced by park volunteers.

A rare Celestial Confluence has brought the celebrated Honolulu First Friday Celebration into alignment with the First Day of 2010. Break away from a day of college football and televised coverage of floral parades by venturing into the Arts District downtown Honolulu. Festivities will begin around 5PM, though historically First Friday Events run on Hawaii’an Time and officially end around 10 PM but the clubs will keep running to 2AM and one can be assured to find fun things to well into the night.

Naturally there will be those who spent New Years’ Eve inside a bottle of bubbly or similar alcoholic concoction, those souls are encouraged to embrace the theme ‘Bloody Mary Friday’ with a drink designed to cure any hangover blues at any of the many wonderful watering holes in the Arts District. INDIGO at 1121 Nuuanu Avenue host ‘Martini Madness’ from 4PM to 7PM, “The biggest martinis all for $4.00, including our award winning sake martini and Mandarin Cosmopolitan. Complimentary buffet at 5:00pm.” Other clubs offering comfort & joy; BAMBU MARTINI BAR, BAR 35 CLUB KE KAI LOUNGE, THE INDIGO GREEN ROOM, MANIFEST, MURPHYS BAR & GRILL, NEXT DOOR, O’TOOLES IRISH PUB, SLIP INN, SMITH UNION BAR, and SOHO MIXED MEDIA BAR.

A big part of the fun though on First Friday is to scope out the Art Galleries and give in to temptation to buy the one of a kind painting or other work of art. Various musicians will share their talent at assorted spots, and most often one will find a ‘Tarot Card’ reader outside of the Institute for Hair Design on Nuuanu Avenue, giving everyone the option of peering deep into 2010 or the chance to unravel thorny personal issues. Most of all First Friday is a wonderful reason to interact with friends & complete strangers on the ultra friendly streets of downtown Honolulu. So celebrate the New Year with First Friday.

Step into the year 2010 through the Looking Glass as Fusion Waikiki celebrates the occasion with a Wonderland theme.  A timely theme in many ways with the highly anticipated Tim Burton version of ‘Alice in Wonderland’ with Johnny Depp due to be released in March 2010, the recent showing of Alice’ on the ScyFy Network, the sheer madness of 2009, the magical wonder of living in Hawai’i.

Fusion Waikiki upstairs at 2260 Kuhio Avenue will spark the revelry Thursday December 31 2009 New Years’ Eve with 2 Floors & 2 DJs with dancing all through the night into the wee hours of morning, experience the thrill of the most beautiful ‘Showgirls on the Island’ in a special New Years’ Eve revue.  At Midnight there will be a massive balloon drop with the chance to snag cash & prizes including a ‘Nintendo Wii.’  (Apparently there is no truth to the rumor they will give away Michelle Wii, sorry ladies).

Tickets for this event are a mere $10 if paid in advance, or $15 at the door, the doors will open at 8PM, and yes you must be over the age of 21 and in the mood for fun, and in support of the Wonderland Theme, and what the Heck this being New Years’ Eve, Crazy Colorful Costuming is more than welcome, Psychedelic or clothing inspired by the upcoming Burton/Depp film would be a wow.  For more info scope out  http://fusionwaikiki.com/ or call 808-924-2422 or   PLEASE CALL Pat Miller at 808.224.2701 or email fusion808@live.com .

PS  You might just find a Tarot Card reader attending the event; take a peek into 2010 for a suggested donation of $10 or $20.