Posts Tagged ‘The Big Island’

International Jazz Ukulele Artist Benny Chong headlines this one of a kind event at the Aloha Theatre, 79-7384 Mamalahoa Hwy. Kainaliu, The Big Island of Hawai’i, accompanied by University of Hawai’i Professor of Music Byron Yasui on Bass, at 7PM on Friday January 22 2010.

Benny Chong was once the guitarist for the famed Ali’i s the band that backed up Don Ho, a self taught musician widely respected by his peers, Benny Chong first picked up & plucked away on a ukulele when he was eleven years old, only to put away the instrument nine years later.  After a thirty five year hiatus, Professor Yasui reintroduced Chong to the ukulele in 2000, requesting Chong be one of four artists in ‘The Art of Solo Ukulele’ a concert series that rekindled Chong’s interest leading to a CD and a Public Television Special.

Chong’s CD ‘Ukulele Jazz’ is a rarity, an eclectic mix of Jazz standards, pop favorites and musical musings marking Chong as a truly original Jazz & Ukulele Artist.  The opening act is a Big Island favorite, “Mili Nanea” featuring Randy Lorenzo, Darrel Aquino, and Christy Lassiter.”

Tickets are $25 presale or $30 at the door, open seating. Tickets available at apachawaii.org, Aloha Theatre Cafe from 7am-2pm, or at the door 1 hour prior to showtime. Or, call 808-959-8869.

Sunday January 17 2010 everyone is invited to stroll through Kailua Village on the Big Island of Hawai’i from 1 PM to 6PM, check out the many stores & restaurants, musicians & artists, and then at 4PM take a beach chair or mat to the south lawn of the historic Hulihe’e Palace sit and enjoy a free Hawai’i’an music concert  by the Merrie Monarchs men’s glee club with the Hawaii County Band, presented by the Daughters of Hawaii.

Special kama’aina pricing at participating restaurants & merchants. For more info about the Village Stroll, email hulihee@ilhawaii.net. For info about the Village Stroll, call 808-936-9202, email dorlenechao@yahoo.com or visit www.kvbid.org.

With so much going on this weekend in Kona you should check out some flights and spend the long weekend in the land of coffee.

It is tough to ignore the siren call of The Big Island of Hawai’i especially when one hears that legendary Cowboy Poet Joe Herrington will be sharing his home spun tales at the Kailua-Kona Public Library (75-138HualalaiRoad Kailua-Kona, HI 96740) on Saturday January 16 2010 from 2 to 3PM.  Joe Herrington is the genuine article, a real Texas cowboy born in age “before television had assaulted the young imagination.” 

Herrington learned his craft from his Grandfather and his Uncle Jack, discovering that he could create a World where “I could safely go wherever I wanted to go, be whatever I wanted to be, or conquer any evil and always win.”  Herrington has numerous recordings to his credit, written a novel Tekoa, and is welcome at festivals across the Globe.  One should scope out Joe’s website for information about how you can get more of his tales.

This event is free and truly will be a one of a kind experience for many who have not experienced the thrill of listening to a genuine Cowboy Poet.  For more information, call 331-1781, email folk@folkhawaii.com or visit www.folkhawaii.com.

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.

On the heels of the Honolulu’s own Petwalk earlier this month, the Hawaii Island Humane Society’s Annual Halloween Pet Walk is scheduled for Saturday, October 31 in Kailua Village, with registration beginning at 8 a.m.

The event encourages pet owners to walk from Hale Halewai to Kailua Pier and back and then enjoy contests and prizes. The three walkers who raise the most pledge money will receive prizes. There will also be prizes awarded for best costume, best pet trick, hot dog eating contest, best canine kisser and more.

The Annual HIHS Halloween Pet Walk is a great family event. Pre-registration is $30 per individual or family or $35 the day of the event. Anyone who garners $50 or more in pledges will receive a free tee shirt. The walk will begin at 9 a.m.

Registration forms are available from the Kona HIHS shelter or from many area veterinarians. Get a form, get your pet, and start walk’n. Proceeds benefit many of the needs of Hawaii Island Humane Society, including pet food supplies and low-cost spay and neuter services to help eliminate pet overpopulation.

Visit www.HIHS.org, where adoptable animals and their photos are listed or stop by HIHS’ Kona, Waimea or Kea’au shelters to find your new best friend. Mobile adoptions are also offered at the Kona Commons PetCo Store each Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

An objective assessment of Mauna Lani’s Canoe House is no easy task.  It’s somewhat akin to assessing your dentist’s chair-side manner after being administered a liberal dose of nitrous oxide.  At the Canoe House, the “active” agent in the anesthetic is the setting… a mesmerizing combination of starlight, sea breezes and intermittent bursts of breeze-borne floral fragrances.  Immediately in front of the seating area, a small section of shoreline has been illuminated.  Diners can see as well as hear the rush and receding of the sea against the rocks. In this setting, chili dawgs — properly plated on a bed of roasted root vegetables (lightly tossed with sea salt and olive oil) and accented by the obligatory orchid blossom, perched just so — could likely pass for haute cuisine.  But it need not.

The food, beginning with the sashimi of sable and shiso, was delicious.  As entrees, we tried the grilled Moi and the Seared Ahi with Scallops; both were beautifully presented and delectably toothsome.  With dinner, we enjoyed a light but intensely flavorful bottle of Conundrum, a California white that adeptly blends varietals such as Chardonnay, Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier and Muscat.  The Mango Shortcake is the perfect dessert choice – refreshing, tropical and sweet but not cloyingly so.   Dinner for two (with wine), shared appetizer and shared dessert cost approximately $225.

The service, at this price point, should be respectable if not impeccable. It was not.  The hostess was rude and the wait staff confused as to who was responsible for our table.  After being seated and waiting 20 minutes for a server, I reluctantly rose, located the nearest attendant and then requested a waiter.  Once our server appeared, our meal proceeded without incident.

Getting seated and then promptly forgotten by the wait staff is never a good start to dinner.  However, if one must be forgotten temporarily, if one must wait and wait, then do it here… at the edge of a lush island, beneath innumerable stars, buffeted by floral breezes.  An idle 20 minutes could hardly be better spent.

The Canoe House ~ Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows
68-1400 Mauna Lani Drive
Kohala Coast, HI 96743-9726
Phone: (808) 885-6622

My family is not vegetarian. In fact if I couldn’t offer my sons meat they would starve to death. My 9 year old begins to resemble an anxiety ridden mini Woody Allen at the mere idea of vegetables.  I have added dill pickle as an option to satisfy my “one vegetable” a day rule. My kids know where vegetables come from. They trim herbs from my planter boxes and feed the worms in our Worm Factory, which produce fertilizer for our vegetable garden. But where does meat come from?

At 7 and 9 my boys have a small collection of weapons. We even have a drawer labeled “guns” under the “electronics” drawer in their closet. The also have swords, sling shots and rocket launchers. These two are proficient at killing aliens on their X-box and are comfortable watching their father put salmon out of their misery when fly fishing in Alaska. So I thought it was time to take them hunting.

While staying in one of the Parker Ranch cabins on the side of Mauna Kea we took the boys on a turkey hunt. They chattered away excitedly while searching for turkeys through the binoculars. I worried that this might be too much reality for them but I also wanted them to understand that meat does not begin in a cellophane wrapped packet. The boys kept spotting flocks in the distance but they were either too far away or the wind was blowing our scent toward them. After an hour one of the men spotted a pig. They switched rifles and off they went to shoot the pig while the boys and I stayed quietly behind. We watched as one hunter steadied his rifle on a tree branch to look through the scope and the other ran quietly up behind the pig. We couldn’t see it but we heard the shot. The boys looked at me for affirmation that the pig was indeed killed and waited apprehensively as the men returned to the truck.

We drove up closer to where the pig lay and the men carried it over to us.  After gutting it and putting it in the back of the truck we set off back to the cabin.  My 7 year old asked why does blood make your stomach feel funny? And my 9 year old said he was going to tell his class about this experience. However, before we made it back to the cabin we spotted a flock of turkeys on the top of a little hill with the wind blowing away from them. Again we stopped so one of our hunters could go after them and sure enough, we heard a shot.  Minutes later he came trudging over the hill carrying 3 turkeys. We were impressed that one shot aimed high enough hit all three in their heads.

The boys handled it calmly and only asked a few questions about the experience. That afternoon we cooked some of the pig heart in olive oil and spices over the open fire and both boys tasted it inquisitively. My 9 year old is prone to nightmares and shies away from any movies or television that might appear frightening. I was pleased that he handled this experience as we intended.

On the ride home from school Monday, my littlest said “mom today I lied in my journal about what I did this weekend.  I said I went to the park to play tether ball.” I told him he had a really exciting weekend and asked why he lied. His exact words were “Well it would go like this ~ we went hunting on the side of Mauna Kea Mountain.  We had guns. We shot and killed a pig.  He bled a lot.  We put him in the truck. Then on the way back to the cabin we shot 3 turkeys in the head. We put them in the truck. At the cabin we cooked the pigs heart.” I told him that was what hunting is and that his teacher would understand.  He looked at me like I was clueless and patiently explained “guns, shooting, blood, killing ~ mom, we are not allowed to write or talk about that at school.”  I have since discovered that this is true. The mere mention of guns and killing is grounds for expulsion even in elementary school. I do not want him to test that rule and so I sanctioned his lie but cautioned him to make sure he mentions that he is writing a story instead of a true account next time.

In the end the children do not want to go hunting again soon. They still eat meat but now know where it comes from and they feel very grown up to have been allowed on such an adult outing.

Despite working only minutes from Charley’s Thai Cuisine, I have eaten there only 3 times.

I fell in love with Thai food on a three-week visit to stay with a Thai friend living outside of Bangkok. I am slowly but steadily trying all of the Thai restaurants on the Big Island.  The reason I have eaten at Charley’s so infrequently is that I have not found a dish there that truly tastes like Thai food.  It looks like Thai food, it smells like Thai food, but it misses the mark somehow.  I have tried the Pad-thai, an assortment of curries, spring rolls and various other standard Thai dishes.

I have read other reviewers praising the food as delicious. I even have several friends who really enjoy this restaurant. What I have to wonder is if these people have ever eaten really authentic Thai food?  I am sure this opinion will cause some folks to become defensive but honestly – it is only my opinion.

Charley’s Thai Cuisine is located in the Waimea Shopping Center across from the Parker Ranch Center in downtown Waimea. The restaurant is clean, cheerful and pleasant. The wait staff is prompt and efficient.  Perhaps you should try it to see if I am off my rocker on this one .

65-1158 Mamalahoa Hwy ~ Waimea/Kamuela ~ HI 96743 ~ 808-885-5591
For directions and more information check out Charely’s Thai Cuisine in our directory.

Tired of Ken’s House of Pancakes in Hilo, four of us went to the Coconut Grill for breakfast a couple of times this month.  Between us we ordered the Eggs Benedict, waffles, pancakes, fruit cup, fried eggs, two omelets, and assorted side orders.  The general consensus was ~ the service and refills on coffee are a bit slow although we didn’t feel rushed to get out of there, the food was good but not great and the portions a bit small for the prices.

Of course this was only breakfast.  They serve lunch and dinner too.  The menu for lunch and dinner includes Prime Rib sandwich, vegetarian and other healthy choices.  In addition it has a pleasant family friendly atmosphere and the wait staff was nice. Plus it is conveniently located right next to Hilo bay and all the hotels on Banyan Drive.

Other reviewers praised the salad bar and dinner menu.  I would definitely go back to try lunch or dinner.

For more information and directions checkout our directory listing
Coconut Grill ~ 136 Banyan Way, Hilo Hawaii ~ Phone: (808) 961-3330

Hilo Bay Café is a little hidden treasure.  Located in the Wal-Mart shopping plaza, it is almost invisible somewhere between the Verizon and T-Mobile Wireless Stores. This restaurant is modern and chic in a really nice way. It feels as if you have stepped off the island for a moment into a trendy west coast restaurant/bar.

Except for the front view the parking lot, there are no other windows, yet the atmosphere is still fresh, pleasant and inviting.  Jazz was playing quietly in the background.  Our table was a few steps up in a little area separated from the room by half walls.  Looking down a bit at the rest of the room there appeared to be mostly couples, some clearly romantic, in various degrees of attire from casual to somewhat formal.

I have a friend who drives to Hilo from Hawi (2 hours) just for Hilo Bay’s spinach salad. Recipes are modern fused and upgraded favorites made with fresh organic ingredients.  I had a personal vegetarian potpie that had an amazingly delicate and delicious crust just right for dipping. My friend and I shared a yummy salad with homemade baguette bread.

The menu included homemade ravioli, stuffed with artichoke hearts, garlic and cheese. There were burgers with Gorgonzola cheese, grilled pork loin and seared, crusted Ahi tuna.  Lots of vegetarian choices and everything looked almost too beautiful to eat.  Of course we did eat it and it was as delicious as it looked.

I have since discovered that this one of those best kept secrets.  Everyone I have asked who has eaten there loves it and goes back regularly. Prices are extremely reasonable and much less than restaurants of this caliber command elsewhere.

They are open for lunch and dinner with easy parking right out front.

Hours: Daily 11am-9pm; Lunch 11am-2pm, Light Lunch 2pm-5pm, Dinner 5pm-9pm.

Hilo Bay Café ~ 315 Makaala Street ~ Hilo, HI 96720 ~ Phone: (808) 935-4939