Make a plan for Spam Jam. That's my advice to get the most out of this event. It's always fun, but…read moreit gets crowded quickly, so what I do is look at the list of vendors and check out what they'll be offering ahead of time. I even go to their Instagram because a lot of times they will show pictures and describe the items in more detail. So then I have a plan going into Spam Jam of the things that are must-eat and then the "maybe I'll get this if I have room" stuff. This year, I really wanted funnel cakes, which had been listed online as part of the menu, but when I got to that vendor's tent, there were no funnel cakes, just spiral potatoes, gandules, and some other things. So no funnel cake for me. I kind of hate when the listing online shows things that will be there that are not even offered when you get there. I did get delicious hula pie topped with candied Spam from Duke's along with a teriyaki katsu sandwich from Duke's, which was interesting because it had both pineapple tidbits as well as raisins (?!) but the raisins kind of oddly worked. My favorite was Il Gelato's caramel Spam gelato topped with Spam toffee, which was delicious! There are several Il Gelato locations near my place so I will be checking them out later on for sure. I also enjoyed birria tacos from Skybox Taphouse. I got the queso birria tacos for $9 for 2 tacos, which I thought was reasonable. My husband got the two "hellfire" tacos for $14 which were (1) too hot for me and (2) I couldn't tell why they were $5 more than my tacos. Other than the heat and including two large jalapenos, I couldn't tell what inside them merited a $5 increase. A fun time hopefully had by all. We enjoyed our celebratory day of Spam!

A great event, with lots of retail and food booths, supported by specialty Spam dishes at various…read morerestaurants, roaming photo ops, entertainment, and happy people. Hawai'i Foodbank also thanks everyone for their support! We arrived a tad late, it was a busy day - so we just missed the drone show, and most spam specialties were sold out. Those that weren't still had long lines, so YAY it was a success! This was our first time at the Waikiki Spam Jam, and we were happy to miss the super big crowd. We just wanted to check this out, and we're very glad we did! Mahalo to all the volunteers, vendors, security, and HPD for helping create and make this a wonderful and safe event for everyone to enjoy!!!

For the 3rd year in a row, the Prince Lot Hula Festival is taking place on the Coronation Lawn on…read morethe grounds of the 'Iolani Palace. This (42nd) Annual Hula Festival is the largest non-competitive hula celebration in Hawai'i and honors Prince Lot Kapuaīwa who helped reprise hula and served as Kamehameha V during the mid-to-late 1800s. This two-day festival is taking place on July 20 and 21 and runs from 9:00AM - 4:00PM. Prior to and during hula performances, we roamed through the palace grounds where multiple vendor tents featured local made arts and crafts. We met artist Ms. Shannon Weaver who designed the Prince Lot Hula Festival posters and souvenir art. That being said, there are tents selling souvenirs and the proceeds goes to help cover the costs of the festival. There were also food tents with Hawaiian foods and snacks as well as demonstrations. The vendors will only accept scripts for purchases so you'll need to purchase scrips from the tents nearest the Armory. We found it a bit inconvenient but, it's better security for the vendors so they don't have to handle cash or credit cards. Admission is FREE and attendees are welcomed to bring beach mats or chairs. The MAIN EVENTS are to sit under the shady trees or private organization tents to watch dozens of well-known hula hālau from every Hawaiian island. These hālau will perform both kahiko (ancient) and auana (modern/contemporary) hula over these 2 days. The Royal Hawaiian Band played rousing Hawaiian marches and several compositions written by the Hawaiian Royals. Residents and visitors should take advantage of this annual event. TIP: if you know what you're going to purchase, ask the vendor for the price and then just go to the tents where they sell the scripts and buy the amount of scripts that you need. That way, you won't have excess scripts but, you can always donate any surplus scripts to the festival.

This is Part Nine in my "Moanalua-A-Day" Series. Exploring the unique finds of my neighborhood…read morevalley. Established in 1978, the Prince Lot Hula Festival is held annually on the third Saturday in July. Internationally renown and recipient of grants by the National Endowment for the Arts, this festival is Hawai'i's oldest and largest non-competitive hula celebration to honor Prince Lot Kapuiwa, who would become King Kamehameha V, and who revived the once banned hula in the district of Moanalua. The event will feature both hula kahiko (ancient) hula and chant, and 'auana (modern) hula performances. Dancers will perform on one of the few remaining pa hula (hula mounds) in Hawai'i. It is a day immersed in Hawaiian culture, crafts, kapa making, lauhala weaving, ipu making, lomi lomi massage, traditional Hawaiian games and more. Admission is free, however a $5 button donation is encouraged to support the event. The public, and visitors, are welcome and encouraged to bring their beach chairs and mats and enjoy the fun, food and festivities under the shady monkeypod trees of Moanalua Gardens. E Komo Mai. Mana awaits. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpdiFFbj99M&feature=related #Yelp 365: 13/365

5+ stars! Everything was excellent from start to finish- location, service, food & show... all…read morewonderful.

This was easily one of the most authentic luau experiences I've had. The setting right on the beach…read moremakes a huge difference because your feet are literally in the sand while watching the show. The sunset here is unreal. It has that soft, golden Hawaiian glow you always imagine but rarely actually see in real life. The performances feel heartfelt rather than overly commercial, and the whole evening flows in a really relaxed way. It's the kind of experience that feels both entertaining and culturally grounded at the same time.

Backstory: I'm on a girl's birthday trip. This is my second trip to Hawaii. For two sisters, it's…read moretheir first and they wanted a luau experience. We were original Mauka on a Friday, but that was cancelled due to weather. When trying to reschedule, we debated our options and ended up at Germaine's. It was not our preferred choice due to some reviews, but the beach location swayed us. It's a good distance from Waikiki, and we thought at some point we'd gotten lost in an industrial district, but after a few turns we found ourselves in paradise. We paid for parking and everything was uphill from here. We started with check in and photos. Then onto flower making for our hair, a quick sunset selfie and a return for a temporary tattoo. Then the evening's big highlights began. We gathered for the unearthing and presentation of the pig, then returned to our tables for dinner service. The Mistress of Ceremony, Serena, has such a warm demeanor. She referred to us all as cousins and family, and honored special celebrations of those in attendance (anniversaries, birthdays, etc). I realized this was all routine, but Serena had a way of making us each feel special. Food was buffet style unless you paid for VIP. VIP had their food brought to them. The menu was fine. I got a little of everything, but was most satisfied with the teriyaki chicken and rice. I added some vegetables from my friend's vegan option. While we dined, we were educated and entertained by Polynesian history and dance. Everything was beautiful. I'm happy we had a chance to witness this little piece of Hawaiin culture, beauty and sweetness. A-lo-ha!

This was a wonderful luau experience with pretty beach on the background. This event was packed…read morewith all the seats taken. We chose the Central Area Seating (Original Luau) ticket for us. This place was easy to find because all the cars were lining up for the event and they opened the gate around 5:30pm or so. They charged few dollars for the parking fee. Checking in was easy a they gave us colored bands. After we checked in, they let us choose our seats within yellow tables that they already set up. There was a drink fountain that people can get soft drinks in the back. Half way through the performances, we were able to get foods from the buffet. They were calling people from table to table to go to the buffet. All the foods were good and everything is as expected. Alcoholic drinks should be stronger though. Too much water and not enough alcohol. I loved all the performances because they were interesting and interactive. All the costumes and designs matched their characters that they were performing. 5 out of 5 on performances. They truly represented their culture and their way of their lifestyle during their performances. The lady announcer was funny and very interactive with people. They also had pre-show cultural activities such as flower headbands making and tattooing art as you please. They were fun activities. We had fun and we immersed ourselves in Polynesian cultural show at the beachfront under the stars. Highly recommend this luau! You won't regret it!

The Taste of Chinatown Festival 2017 was held at the Beretania-Smith Park and Playground. The…read moreTasting Pass that I received is like a coupon that vendors at the festival will accept and typically give $1-2 off on a dish. One vendor only gave a discount if I bought two plates, which I chose not to do. Another vendor gave me $1 off an overpriced $8 small bowl of bibimbap. I realize that there are a lot of different cuisines offered in Chinatown today, but I thought there would be more emphasis on Chinese culture and cuisine. Instead, I only saw Little Village Noodle House offering typical fast-food Chinese fare that I was not interested in having. There was some entertainment including Hawaiian music and dancing from local artists and community groups. I also saw that fortune telling was being offered for a little while. I expected the festival to be a bit larger and more dynamic, especially compared to the annual Greek Festival and Korean Festival, which provide actual cuisine, music, and entertainment from those respective cultures. As someone with Chinese heritage, I would like to see Chinatown step up its game and showcase more Chinese culture and history alongside the ethnically diverse businesses that now occupy much of the neighborhood.

Do you feel "intimidated" about going into Chinatown? You should NOT worry because you don't speak…read moreany Asian language or think that you're on an episode of Bizarre Foods. Just come on down.... This festival is for you because Chinatown is not only about Chinese businesses or restaurants but instead showcases the great mix of cultures and urbanization in one of O'ahu's historical districts. Featured today, are several well-known restaurants such as Downbeat Diner, Little Village (the only Chinese restaurant being represented), Pig & The Lady, Kan Zaman and Artizen by MW Restaurant. We came down to sample some of the goodies which also includes artisan chocolates and other local favorites. Instead, we got a bit distracted by watching the lion dance and some live entertainment that was readying to get on to the stage. The aromas from Kan Zaman's lamb kebabs and Downbeat Diner's grilled sandwiches were drawing hungry families over to their tent. Darn, that line to the shave ice vendor (Kona Ice) is gonna be long because it's so hot and sunny today. Also, Ulu's Lemonade and Aloha Pops represented for more cold treats to beat the heat. There was a tent with tables and chairs as well as a couple of bar-stand tables for folks to eat at. Non-food booths from some local jewelers, a moisture-wicking apparel company, a Hawaii Heritage Center and a couple of local artists rounded out this festival. This park has been cleaned up considerably because in the past, a lot of homeless would come here to sleep and do their business. We noticed that they even had portable toilets set up for festival-goers. There are lots of free parking spaces along Vineyard Boulevard. If you choose to park in the nearby municipal parking lots and along the streets, don't forget to feed the meters because it's Saturday. Enjoy the day in Chinatown because right around the corner (Mark's Garage area), there is also a Downtown Artists Festival going on. Maybe we'll run into each other!

Did ya know that the Honolulu City Light started back in da mid-80's?…read more The tradition started back in 1985, it was an idea from the honorable Frank F. Fast (da BESTEST Honolulu mayor)! A little history about this wonderful event - https://www.honolulucitylights.org/our-story#:~:text=1985,Honolulu%20City%20Lights%E2%80%9D%20Is%20Born From a simple 50 foot Christmas tree that was installed on the courtyard of Honolulu Hale back in 1985.........through the years this holiday event has greatly expanded with a lot more holiday displays to see. One of the most iconic displays on the Honolulu Hale courtyard is the "Shaka" Santa, & Tutu Mele. The event is free, and there are numerous holiday displays on the courtyard, as well as inside of Honolulu Hale. Shout out to the hard working city workers who take the time to put up the holiday displays, as it takes a lot of time to do this. The holiday displays are usually put up around Thanksgiving time, with a big Christmas tree lighting ceremony event on the first Saturday after Thanksgiving. The holiday display stays here for about a month, then it is usually taken down after the new year. Loved by locals, as well as visitors, if you're ever visiting da 808 in December, don't miss out! Make da trip down to Honolulu Hale to see this wonderful holiday display. Merry Christmas!

This is our new family tradition. The whole family enjoyed checking out the themed Christmas trees…read moreand we made a contest to bet which the other like the most. The Shaka Santa and lit tree in the front is a show stopper. Although there are a lot of visitors and can be a little chaotic for those who avoid people, the holiday spirit will get you excited and it is FREE. Even free parking!

This was my first time attending this type of event and boy was it an experience. I'm not really a…read morebeer drinker myself so I was kind of wary going here, but my friends already bought us the tickets to why not. I saw a lot of people wearing pretzel lei's, and I thought those could be purchased inside but apparently you could make your own and bring it! Keeping that in mind for next time we go. I have to say I enjoyed myself too much. They were giving away free shirts for a dance contest and I won by dropping into splits. LOL. Safe to say I drank the $35 worth of beer, or more. Downside, got home and took a nap and woke up with a hangover, all on the same day. Yay daydrinking!

It's a really great festival. It's worth the $35 I paid. So many beers to choose from and ample…read moretime for try them. For beer drinkers, this is the best place to try out the many varieties. I encourage everyone to string up a pretzel lei and tie on some packages of beer nuts which is allowed to wear but you can't being in food bcuz they do have food vendors. NO soft pretzels sold which I was really craving but happy to accept an extra pretzel lei from a friend. You need the pretzels!

#7 of 2017 I…read moreattended this event on March 24, 2017. We were invited by Robyn F. who graciously acquired an invite for my cousin visiting from down under. I wasn't sure what to expect. Didn't really want to go but I did. Go along for the walk... get some exercise... they said. I got that, and much more. Once we had our group together, there was a line we stood in to get checked for age because this was a 21+ event only. Colored wristbands were secured on that allowed us access to the various venues. A passport was provided that included information to the participating stores. There were several big prizes to be drawn later in the evening. To qualify all you needed were 6 stamps posted in your personal passport. Approximately 23 stores participated in the event. Starting at 6pm, you had until 8pm to visit as many stores as you'd like before gathering at Bloomingdale's. Most of the shops were on the 2nd level making it easy to visit. We were greeted warmly, black and tie, with a nice smile. Endless champagne with a nice food offerings was presented decadently to your mouth watering eyes. With more than enough time to visit 6 stores, we managed to complete 8 narrowly escaping the tight grip of drink and food. Would have loved to go on to more but time was running out and I had drunk more than my fair share for moi and company. I will say the most impressive visit was to Ben Bridge. They stepped up their game for this event. First, the invited several local Beauty Pagent Queens to participate. We were greeted by Miss Maui who striked up a conversation with us beautifully entertaining. Quite charming if I must say so. lol. Two, several food offerings around the room. When we came in refreshing sliders on the table. In the middle of the room, a gentleman carried a tray of sweets. Towards the back, the champagne. Sometimes spending a little more will get you to become more noticed. It worked. It was 8pm now. Time to go to Bloomingdales, cast our passport for prizes and tour the store for fashion and deals, and do tastings from some of the best restaurants and chefs on the island. Here is just a few of the items attendees had the luxury of eating and drinking. There was lots more than that. 1. Mentaiko Tarmasalata by Pai Honolulu (opening soon) 2. Fois Gras Cream and Papaya Confit EClair by 53 By The Sea 3. East India Lychee-Chi by Jennifer Ackrill\Sky Hawaii 4. Caviar Chazuke by Forty Carrots 5. Smoked Salmon with oven dried tomato, pickled cucumber, wasabi mascarpone and sesame lavash by Ravish\Modern Honolulu 6. Vietnamese Inspired Beef Salad by Top of Waikiki 7. Hy's mini beef sliders by Hy's Steak House I really enjoyed the beef salad most of all. The right sourness and sweetness in the dressing combined perfectly with the fattiness of the beef creating a wonderful taste. It was so good I made my own beef salad at home a couple days later. Awww, not the same, but still good. Reading about the prizes in the passport got me excited. Any prize was worth winning, and I was hoping I would be one of the luckiest ones. The prizes 1. Ala Moana Shopping Center; $500 gift card 2. Alaska Airlines; 2 unrestricted coach round-trip tickets to any Alaska Airlines destination, no black out dates. 3. The Modern Honolulu; 1 night stay ocean view studio suite, dinner for 2 at Ravish, VIP access to Addiction Night Club and day bed for 2. 4. Bloomingdale's; Set of blue hard side carry on suitcase and black nylon shopping bag. 5. Honolulu Club; 3month membership In the passport it states you need be present to win. As we entered Bloomingdale's we were told to go ahead and walk around to participate in all the offerings. Prize drawings would be announce ovder the speakers and should have no problem hearing. As we did I tried to listen to the prize announcements because I really hoped to win. Wouldn't you? Well, I did not hear a single thing. Like I said, I had no clue what this event was about. Therefore, I was not appropriately dressed... in fashion. However, that did not hinder my participation in anyway. We did look at jewelry and accessories, perfums and more clothing than I care for for everyone in our party. Modern Luxury Hawaii Magazine did put on a wonderful event. Going around hunting for the various treasure troves of food and drink was certainly an enjoyable tour. And, they succeeded. We did try clothes on. And, my cousin did purchase a parfum' from one of the stores. Mission accomplished. Looking forward to next year. Tip #1 Find out what stores participated, start frequenting there often and make a friend. Become a good customer and get the invite. Tip #2 Get there early hit as many stores as you can and get the good stuff. lol

Why is there no review yet? Passport to Luxury is an annual event and It's in to support the…read moreAmerican Red Cross. So it's basically a shopping event while participating stores (luxury meaning ballah expensive stores.. break the bank kine) will give discounts and 10% usually is donated to American Red Cross. This is reoccurring sponsored by the Modern and Ravish.. Held at Ala Moana Shopping Center. Tickets for this event is sometimes competitive and its "invites only"... Why you ask? Well people like me I'm in for the BUBBLES, booze booze more booze and food! Yep you read that right.. Since it's a shopping event, dress code is a must... Had to wear my wedges to fit in and it was muggy hot this year! You go to the center stage first, get your wristband and give your VIP tickets and one of the peeps in the bar tables will give you a passport book. Aside from the discounts in stores, youre tasked to get 6 stamps for 6 diff stores to enter for a drawing. Each store has booze and a little treat... The shopping is from 6pm - 8pm. Then Bloomingdales well this year (2017) it's bloomingdales each year it changes a bit... so at the end around 8pm - 9pm , Bloomingdales has 2 floors of FOOODDDD AND MORE BOOZE.... yow! For a foodie it's like heaven and if you're a fellow elite, you know how are events are... it's way more bomb diggity! Bottomless booze, many vendors with food.... It's all the top notch food places too like HYs, EH1849, BLT steak, etc... Big thank you to Ms. Terry for getting me tickets and my sasster Daven H for going with me. #BOOGIELIFE