A whale of an art…read more.. Titled "Earth Day Hawaii" this is a a sight that I can never resist to glance at every time I pass it which really isn't as frequent since you need to head into Waikiki on Kalakaua Ave driving past the Hawaii Convention Center and you'll see it on your left which is painted on the side of a condominium. Wyland Whaling Wall #67 apparently is what it is I just recently learned this and whenever I grab something from the 7-Eleven which is right beside it I do take a quick glance before I carry on my way to start my day and like how we appreciate seeing nature's beautiful rainbow which oddly I thought this mural had as well this artist rendition of nature is certainly greatly appreciated for all of us to enjoy. Thank you!

What an experience!! Highly recommend! Lopaka is a great guide and story teller…read more The tour is engaging and mysterious. We started off sitting on the steps of the bandstand in Waikiki. Walked over to Kapiolani park, then the tennis courts. Lopaka told us stories throughout the entire tour. You do get to participate, I don't want to give too much away. You'll walk away with memories and stories to share. There is walking involved on this tour. Bring a jacket. Park at Waikiki Shell or the metered parking between the bandstand and the tennis courts (Kalākaua Ave). I can't wait to go on the next tour!

What a fun thing to do, whether your visiting or a local. A great guide and even if you don't…read morebelieve in Night Marcher's of spirits, there is a lot of history related in the tour. Allow about 90 minutes, come a little early for parking if needed. Can't say much more as I don't want to ruin the tour. Great guide with 30 years experience.

My eye has been on this place for a few years and I have often visited whenever I was in town…read more Their selection of stationaries, incents, to clocks, and travel items were amazing. All curated for those with an eye of minimalism and simplicity. The prices here are fair as I feel that the quality really exceeds the average patron. I purchased a water bottle that has traversed the United States with me and has done well. A few incenses that smelled amazing and a few other items. The guy at the cash register was super friendly too. We had a small talk about mid century modern vibes and it was great to speak to someone that had a real good sense of the vibe I was trying to aim for.

I have been going to Mono for about a year to pick up my stationary and every day carry essentials…read more As someone who have been to Japan's largest station store Itoya and shopping around in the Bay Area, I have found many of my favorites for journaling, notes taking, drinkware, sun glasses and crafted canvas handbags. Owner is friendly and helpful to get you what you're looking for.

Hidden gem! The second floor is an incredible showcase of a collection from across the world, and…read moredon't miss the full jade Buddha on the first floor. I did significant damage purchasing pearl and angel skin coral jewelry from Flora and they are now some of my favorite pieces in my rotation (and I'm normally a Cartier girl!). Really interesting that they do school field trips here to have students familiarize themselves with all different types of rocks, minerals, and other similar material. Highly recommend for folks stopping by in Waikiki, not a tourist trap for sure!!!!

What a great cause from this small family run business. No admission price. Kids from schools are…read morebrought to see up close gems, stones, corals from all over the world to see and touch first hand. Large intricate sculpted figures on display. There is a wide variety of quality jewelry for purchase. Better priced than many other establishments I've went to. Such as 3 for $20 or 2 for $30 for bracelets, earnings and necklaces. Much better quality too. Very nice people. Parking can be tricky. If you luck out on street parking I suggest Target/international market place perhaps?

I've been going to the Punahou Carnival at Punahou School for years as it was a mere 7 minute…read morewalking distance from where I once lived. But for this year, it was a different experience, not just travel wise but overall. As expected, parking can be difficult to find for this weekend event. You can either pray to the street parking gods to have a spot available nearby the campus or pay at nearby locations like Central Union Church or neighboring school and churches ranging from $10.00 to up to $30.00. Food items and games (except for the E.K. Fernandez games) can be purchased through scrip. There are many scrip booths available on campus for you to purchase scrip from. Most of the crowd tends to go to the scrip booth at the entrance of the school, but I found it more convenient to go to the other areas like by the white elephant tent or kiddie land as the lines are much much shorter. One key thing to remember is that the booths only accept credit/debit, Apple Pay or Google Pay to purchase scrip. No cash will be accepted. One scrip is 50 cents, a whole sheet of scrip is $10. It does tend to get busy during this event and it is highly expected that you will be waiting in line for the food. Unfortunately this year, the food was just...meh. The regular gyro that costs about 15 scrip had an equal amount of protein and onion (if you know me well enough, I'm not a fan of raw yellow onions). The noodles (that I always look forward to) that costs about 10 scrip with char siu, was bland and didn't have that many char siu pieces. The teri burger (9 scrip, 10 with cheese) was nostalgic but also meh. But the most upsetting food we had this time around was their famous (turned infamous for us) Portuguese bean soup (32 oz. is 18 scrip, limit 2 per person). When we got home and were ready to partake in that so-called hearty, comforting bowl of soup, we were faced disappointment with more broth than the actual ingredients. It was so watery that I was only able to identify only 4.5 pieces of elbow macaroni in that 32 oz! My friend's soup however had a lot of ingredients (she went earlier in the day instead). To make things worse, they moved the soup station further away from everything else, meaning extra walking (without any markings or signages) to just be let down. Although this year's experience wasn't the greatest, it's still the Punahou Carnival, with its usual crowds, usual announcements over the PA, and its nostalgic charm. Hopefully, they'll improve the food quality (the best ones we had from this experience were the malasadas and corn on the cob) and include some signages or arrows to point us of where to go for the hot items instead of letting us go on a hiking adventure up, down, left, and right through the campus.

The iconic Punahou Carnival is like any other popular place so expect crowds, looking for parking,…read morelines, but it's a priceless experience with the right mindset. It's always held the FIRST WEEKEND in February. First, the parking. Only volunteers receive on-campus parking. The public can find free parking on adjacent streets like Dole, Clark, Whitney, Wilder or opt for paying flat rate at Maryknoll School which is a short walk across the street, St. Clements Church about a block west, Shriners Hospital is 2 blocks makai, Central Union Church 2 blocks makai, and St Peter's is 3 blocks makai. Traffic can be crazy around these areas with a lot of pedestrians so extra caution. If I didn't live within walking distance I'd probably Uber over to save time. I give the carnival 4 stars - until the scrips can be purchased online or a QR code. Waiting in line to purchase scrips can be difficult when you're bringing young children. That being said, we purchase more scrip for both days so we don't have to wait in line again. It's fifty cents per scrip or $10 for entire sheet. Credit cards only- no cash accepted. When you enter through main gate there's a scrip booth to the right but also more on the diamond head side which usually isn't as busy. This year there was also one near Bishop Hall (mauka) where more of the keiki games were. I highly recommend the carnival website which gives great info to plan your day. A map shows food, games, bathrooms, scrip booths, art gallery, logo shop, white elephant, plants, fruits/vegs was awesome for us to plan our attack. A list of Punahou games (EK Fernandez is separate) and food booths with amount of scrip needed helped us figure out how much scrip to purchase for both days. It also says which places take scrip or credit cards. The food is basic carnival - which to me always tastes good because of the great memories growing up. Teri burgers, saimin, wok-prepared char siu noodles, malasadas, Portuguese bean soup, Hawaiian plate with kalua pig, rice, poi, lomi salmon, sweet potato, pineapple, hot dogs, spam musubi, corn on cob, taco salad, nachos, mini Haagen Daz ice cream cups, gyros, smoothies, soda, bottled water are all reasonably priced. This is a FUNDRAISER to give financial aid to more students- which are about 30% of the classes. Bathrooms are scattered throughout the carnival and pretty clean. Also have accessible portapotties placed far enough away from activities with portable sinks and soap. Police officers posted at each scrip booth and also entrances/exits, as well as security. The first day on Friday is busy because Punahou and Maryknoll allow students early access. Evenings after-work/school crowd gets busy so if you have small kids it could be a little overwhelming plus walking to your car in dark perhaps bring flashlight as sidewalks are narrow with cracked asphalt, and alerts cars who may be distracted or in a rush to get outta there. Saturday is the busiest since most people have the day off. Not sure why but this year didn't seem as busy- lots of room to walk around and the weather was perfect. It ended earlier at 10:00 PM instead of 11:00. EK Fernandez has their own area for games and rides. You can either purchase at their booth or download QR code and pay for games and rides with your phone. The prizes are nice- really huge stuffed animals and inflatables. Punahou games do not give out prizes at their booths. If you win or as a consolation prize they give out coupons which can be redeemed at the Prize Tent located up top by Bishop Hall (Diamond Head / mauka of White Elephant tent). This was nice because we didn't have to carry it around with us and could redeem upon leaving. The Haku Booth had a sign saying pre-ordered only so check Carnival website for details. They are beautifully made by the students. The Portuguese bean soup and Hawaiian plates are located mauka in the cafeteria. Be prepared to wait in line but it goes quickly as there's a limit of 2. You may sit in the cafeteria to eat or there are groups of tables just outside. They sell small cooler bags if you plan on taking home or we brought our own. There is also a schedule of live music to enjoy. There was NO CHICKEN PLATE this year so we missed that rotisserie chicken cooked at the carnival on campus. The art gallery had moved to Bishop Learning Center because the library was being renovated so we enjoyed checking out the beautiful artwork and paintings for sale which were mostly local artists. In our experience it's always been a very safe and clean carnival- we took our 2 year old granddaughter this year and she loved all the games and a couple of rides like the "hot air balloon" and carousel. Lots of sunscreen, water, and people-watching made it all the more enjoyable.

We did a three hour UTV tour on June 21. Had the BEST time with our awesome tour guide Mike! He…read moremade our experience super enjoyable and made sure everyone had a great time!

Would absolutely recommend, our two tour guides, David and Eden(sorry if I spelled her name wrong)…read more Made our UTV tour so wonderful, had all the information you need, answered all of our questions with no hesitation. Very family friendly, and brought out the most of our tour. 10/10 would recommend.

I was looking for independent movie theaters and discovered the Movie Museum on Yelp. They were…read moreshowing Hamnet which recently got nominated for - and WON! - a bunch of awards, so decided to check it out. This place is a true hole-in-the-wall theater. The entrance is slightly hidden so it can be hard to spot, the inside is super cozy with only about 16-18 comfy recliners, and you can bring your own blanket to get settled in. It feels very local and intimate. The owner said she's been in business since the 90s. A few things to know: you have to call ahead to make a reservation, tickets are $8 cash only, parking is in a paid lot, and masks are required (or you can buy one there for 50 cents). I think they used to allow outside food, but that doesn't seem to be the case anymore. It also looks like they've shifted focus--while they used to rent VHS and DVDs, now the movie screenings are the main draw. If you're looking for a cozy, community-style movie night, this place is absolutely worth your time!

Super quaint and old school. You need to make a reservation to see movies here, and they are all…read moreoff-beat and interesting. It's like stepping back in time and feels like someone's house at the same time. Like an old friend who is a movie buff and has tons of videos and DVDs around their place. The owner is an older gentleman who seems to be in this business purely for the love of cinema. Which I respect! My husband loves this place and That being said, it's not your typical movie experience. It's only $5, cash only. You can bring your own snacks (if they are super quiet!) which is amazing because there are almost no vegan movie snacks in bigger commercial theaters. We brought our hydroflasks and some of our favorite snacks from home and were all set! It really is an experience to go here. It's not for everyone, but if you're down for an interesting time, check it out!

Though I did not stay here, I went to their bar, pickleball court, and shopette with my military…read morestatus. The drinks at their outdoor bar were cheaper than other bars in the area with a less appealing atmosphere. There was live music that was just the right sound level and it boosted the mood. The drink quality was great and Amber the bartender was the BEST! We had some fun banter throughout the evening and she was so helpful and kind. The pickleball courts are free to reserve and are an amazing amenity to enjoy and have some outdoor movement. Other patrons were kind and respectful, and the bell desk attendants were polite and fun when I dropped off and picked up the key. Reservations can be made by guest or active duty military online, which is super easy! Note: for court access day-of you must change your ID for the key into the courts. The shopette is a great place to get mass produced and local souvenirs for a great price (better than ABCs). My friend also sought out RIMPAC merch, which they sold at an extremely reasonable price! I had such a great experience with Hale Koa that I would absolutely stay here next time! Its convenient location near the Hawaiian mall, bars, restaurants, and the beach are truly the cherry on top for this establishment!

It's a military hotel, but don't let that fool you. They are well positioned on the beach to give…read moreyou amazing access to two beautiful and calm beaches. The beaches don't get that crowded, but they also have a great "kids" area with a pool and hot tub. They also have a separate adults only pool and hot tub. We ate in the on-site restaurant several times. Great food, but a little pricey. I recommend their NY stripe steak special, when available. There's a nice little Cafe with grab and go hot and cold foods. I would get breakfast there every morning. Two eggs with bacon for $5. Also nice coffee cart open daily until 11 AM. Coffee was good and they have several prep methods. Definitely do souvenir shopping in the exchange. 50-75% less than the rest of the island on the same products. Rooms are nice and clean and the staff are very attentive. Not at all what you would expect from a military resort. We also did the Friday night Prime Rib buffet. Food is definitely delicious and there's plenty of it. The dessert bar is ok, but could be better. Finally, the luau. Definitely worth the price for the activities and show. The food it ehh. It's good but the portions are small and the fish was really fishy for me. They only have one dessert and no substitution policy unless it's a food allergy. They handled my food allergy well, but no options for diabetics or gluten free, which surprised me. Still, this is definitely a five star experience!

The Hawai`i Public Library system is one of the best uses of tax dollars: truly a democratic…read moreeducational hub for our community. Mānoa Public Library has been my library since childhood, even though I no longer live in the neighborhood, and the staff knows our family, since we are long-time regulars! The current building is its third incarnation, built on the site of the original It's got two book drops, one near the library entrance, and one at the end of the U-shaped covered parking lot. On the ground floor, you'll find a magazine swap table. The library itself, along with restrooms, and a conference room, is on the second floor, and you can access it via stairs or the elevator. As you ascend, you'll see a lovely cast-glass sculpture, "The Spirit of Mānoa: In the Light of Day," by Rick Mills, sunlight illuminating the greens and blues of its rugged pieces. To the right of the upstairs entrance, you'll see a small Friends of the Library book sale, offering paperbacks, hardbacks, DVDs, and CDs for cheap. Bibliophiles will often find treasures there in the form of like-new hardback copies of recent literary fiction: $1 for a book?! Whatta deal! Mānoa Library itself is very spacious and quiet, with cold AC, a nice reading area for kids and study/reading tables, a well-curated YA new books display, an extensive cookbook and crafts book collection, free Wi-Fi, and the option to self-checkout or check out at the circulation counter. Should this library branch NOT have your desired book on the shelves, avail yourself of the FREE service to place a hold on your desired reading online and pick it up at the library branch of your choice! Something else that the public may not be aware of is the community programming, special events, and reading programs offered year-round, but especially during the summer: great for parents with school-age kids. Should you not want to visit the physical library or like the convenience of reading on a device? Take advantage of e-books, audiobooks, magazines, and newspapers, which you can also borrow and read...no late fees! Finally, the library isn't JUST for reading. In the Ewa/mauka corner of the library, you'll find the DVD/CD collection, and you can also stream movies using the online service Kanopy. You can also borrow ukuleles--seriously! (I'm shocked that this particular library branch has not received five stars, given its heavy community use. I've always found its staff and security courteous and welcoming, and that's been true at all the library branches I've visited.)

Love this library. It is the most convenient one for me-- the location, the hours, the parking…read more(including street and at Mānoa Marketplace), and the awesome self-checkout stations! The librarians are wonderful too. There's been a turnover in recent years but they're just as warm, kind, and helpful. They have fun seasonal programs. The kid and I used to do the summer reading challenges and we'd claim fun prizes. Should do that again! OG members who have the red library card can keep it, (I think maybe until the account expires? I can't recall.) if you want the new blue one with the fancy logo you'd have to sign up for a new account. But who wants to memorize a new number?! Yesterday I went in on a whim to ask abt my account (I wasn't able to log in online a week or so ago). Didn't have my card OR ID (smh) but the librarians could look up my account via my account number. But of course the minute I confidently said I have it memorized i couldn't say it. (SMH again) Thankfully I have my app on the phone which has the barcode, but I had to log on to the library WIFI to access it (thank goodness for prefilled userid and password). Long story short, both librarians accommodated my situation and helped me borrow books and cancel requests etc. i realized later I can cancel the requests myself on the computers (which was how I placed the requests in the first place SMH x3) and via the self-service machine! Because you can enter the account number manually. Anyway. Best library. Cool a/c. Lots of tables and computers (I saw an uncle playing solitaire). Very quiet and calm, until I came along, that is.

For this year's annual trip, we decided to visit during the week of the Honolulu Festival, which…read moretook place on March 13th-15th. Having been to Honolulu over the years, we never had the chance to partake in the festival activities. I had always thought the Festival was an event promoting Hawaiian culture but from being here, I found out his was the 30th year for this cultural event that promotes mutual understanding, economic cooperation and ethnic harmony between the people of Hawaii and the Pacific Rim region. Over 2,300 participants from Japan and other countries were here to participate in this Festival with events at the Convention Center, Ala Moana Shopping Center and Waikiki Beach Walk. I went to the Saturday events at the Convention Center. On the main performance stage, there were 25 various performance acts of traditional, dance, musical cheerleading, and a singing performance by Hitomi Shimitani to conclude. There were art and craft vendors and a sake and food fest section with free sample offerings. Love the sake and beer tastings, cookie and cracker tastings and a sushi making workshop. Due to the Kona storms that hit Hawaii during this week, I was disappointed that the Grand Parade and the Nagaoka Fireworks to conclude the festival were cancelled. I will plan to be back again next year for this Festival and look forward to the Parade and famous fireworks.

This year admission for adults was $10 at the door ($8 online)…read more In the past, especially last year, there were many food sample booths offering samples of different Japanese food products with none of them offering any for sale. But this year there were no samples, only food for sale, so there was no way to try it before buying which would have been helpful.