Featured Cover Artist: Alaina deHavilland
Born in South Africa, Alaina deHavilland moved to Hawai‘i on Jan 3, 1983, the day Kīlauea began what is now a 31-year continuous eruption. Her first images sold the day she made them. “I took a colored pencil class for…
Island Treasures: Sassafras—Waimea, Kailua-Kona
Sara Hayashi “What we do is quickly becoming a lost art. It’s important to support the artists carrying on traditions and techniques of old.” Hand-sculpted jewelry from Sassafras are hand fabricated, one-of-a-kind pieces. These wearable works of art are made…
Swimming with Spinners: Plunging into the Swim-with-Dolphins Industry
By Gabrielle Gray and Lindsay Brown Leaping out of the serene Pacific and thrusting their smooth, graceful bodies into the unsuspecting air, Hawaiian spinner dolphins’ aerial acrobatics are one of the most spectacular displays to witness in Hawai‘i. Hawai‘i companies…
Ka Puana: Lost Twain – A Novel of Hawai’i
Following is an excerpt from Kailua-Kona resident Kate Winter’s book, Lost Twain. Used with permission. From outside the window of the Islander Inn early that second Maui morning, the smell of plumeria blossoms had slipped through the jalousies inviting her…
Featured Cover Artist: Lisa Bunge
Lisa Bunge grew up in Orange County, CA and came to Hawai‘i in 1984 from Austin, TX. After many years living so far from the ocean, she fell in love with Kailua-Kona when she came to help with her friends…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: Harbor Gallery
Elli and Gunner Mench grew up on farms in the country and were instilled with a hard work ethic. “I was a poor immigrant child from Germany whose parents spoke no English when we arrived [in the US]. I was…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: Chef Pauls LLC
Chef Paul Heerlein attributes his success to his mom who was a part time personal chef, and his father who taught him a good work ethic. Chef Paul has an A.A.S. degree in culinary arts and is an ACF Certified…
Honoring a Five Year Advertiser with Ke Ola: Kona Stories
Kona Stories is an independent bookstore located on Hawai‘i Island. Established in 2006 by Brenda McConnell and Joy Vogelgesang, it features all genres of books. Whether it’s the latest hard cover, best seller, or an old classic, this bookstore is fully…
Island Treasures: Marcus Castaing
Marcus Castaing has been making fine furniture and doing architectural mill work for a living in the remote town of Wai‘ōhinu since moving there 34 years ago. “The source of my inspiration is the wonderful expressions of beauty and elegance…
Ka Puana–The Refrain: How To Be Happy In One Reading
By Michael J. Vielman Emotions, we all have a little or a lot, but being able to feel them is first, before being able to control them. Emotions are like the colors of your soul. That’s why people say when…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: Pacific Gunite
By Sara Hayashi From a young age, Peter Epperson has enjoyed building and working with concrete. Backyard projects with his father paved the way to opening his own business, Pacific Gunite, in 1986. Peter describes his early interest in concrete…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: Arabel Camblor with Clark Realty
In 1990, Arabel Camblor and her husband moved here with their son from Miami, Florida. Faced with limited job opportunities, she helped her husband build his optometry practice. It was perfect with a young five-year-old son just starting school. She…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: Kelly Shaw with Koa Reality, Inc.
Kelly Shaw has worked with different kinds of people since she was 14 years old, spending many years working with special needs populations and families in crisis. Moving to Hawai‘i Island in 1998, her first job on-island was as a…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: Plantation Living and Interiors
Dana Mattos is hooked on collecting vintage Hawaiiana. It all began in 1979 during her senior year at Konawaena High School when she got a job at Hula Heaven/Flamingo’s, a well-known retail store in Kailua-Kona that featured new and vintage Hawaiiana.…
Island Treasures: Hawaiian Dolls—Wood Valley
As a little girl in Germany, Sabine Hendreschke had about 30 dolls that all had a name and a “soul.” Her childhood was filled with fairy tales and magic. One of her most cherished toys was a coconut cradle that her parents…
Island Treasures: High Country Farm—Honoka‘a
By Sara Hayashi Protea flowers originate from the southern hemisphere, and their unusual shapes give them an otherworldly appearance. High Country Farm has 1.5 acres of these unique flowers on the Hamakua Coast. Shortly after she moved to Hawai‘i Island,…
Featured Cover Artist: Lisa Greig
Lisa Greig grew up in a creative atmosphere in Sydney, Australia. Her parents were graphic designers who worked from home and had many artist friends who stopped by. Art has been her passion since she was a little girl. “I…
Kūpuna Talk Story–Kai Kaholokai: Native Hawaiian Cultural Practitioner, Kumu Lā‘au Lapa‘au
By Keith Nealy As a filmmaker and storyteller, I have been blessed with the gift of sharing the mana‘o (knowledge) of more than 60 of Hawai‘i’s most revered kūpuna in spirited conversation exploring the cultural legacy they carry in their…
Ka Puana–The Refrain: Joy
Excerpt used with permission of the Friends of the Library Waikoloa Region. By Jacqueline McBride Koscil There are many wonderful ideas that I believe in, but choosing joy in all circumstances tops the list. Some people may think of joy…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: Fabric Gift Shoppe
Honya Sawinski’s background is business and theatre. After college she got a job at the Hayloft Dinner Theatre in a barn with a big silo in north Virginia. Besides waiting on tables, she worked with the costumers. One day, she…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: Mi’s Wine & Cheese Shoppe
Morgan Starr graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in June of 1997, just two years after graduating high school. First, he worked in New York, then, Las Vegas where he helped open the Venetian Hotel. While still in his…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: ProVision Solar Inc.
ProVision Solar is Hawai‘i Island’s first solar electric construction company. When solar was a relatively new concept, it was challenging to convince people that the technology was safe, reliable, and would actually save them money in the long term. Now,…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: Big Island BookBuyers
With books stacked from ceiling to floor, Big Island BookBuyers is a refreshing sight for anyone who still loves the physically printed word. Whether you’re looking for a guide to the island or a literary adventure to another world, there…
Island Treasures: Garden Inspirations, Inc.—Kailua-Kona
Garden Inspirations creates cast stone outdoor décor—decorative and functional concrete pieces that include fountains, planters, furniture, and statues. Each piece is stained and finished so it performs well in our tropical environment as well as reflecting the design styles prevalent…
Island Treasures: Aloha Adirondack—Hilo
By Sara Hayashi James Sutherland likes to make “old fashioned things that are comfortable and make people smile,” and his simple, beautiful chairs do just that. Aloha Adirondack chairs are New England style chairs with a Hawaiian feel. James was…
Ka Puana: The Problem With Thinking
Excerpts used with permission of the publisher: GreatRiverBooks.com I have a knack for generating stress in that time right before dawn when it’s too cold to get out of bed and my wide-awake brain seems to run out of control.…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: Bamboo Too
Bamboo Two owner, Kacey Parker, hails from northern California. He came to Hawai‘i Island 30 years ago. “I originally started my business selling mats to local restaurants and hotels, as Aloha State Matting. About 14 years ago, my customers started…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: East Hawaii Veterinary Center, LLC
By Sara Hayashi For most of us, our furry companions are more than just pets; they are treasured members of the family. At East Hawaii Veterinary Center, Dr. Alfred Mina and his dedicated team are here to help. East Hawaii…
Island Treasures: Kailua Village Artists Gallery—Kailua-Kona
The Kailua Village Artists Gallery, Inc. (KVA) is a cooperative organization that offers original art made by local artists from Hawai‘i Island. The gallery features an eclectic display of reasonably priced original artwork including paintings in acrylic, gouache, mixed media,…
Island Treasures: Fahrenheit 2400—Volcano
“There is something both dramatic and dynamic about the manipulation of a molten mass of glass, such that the process has almost as much appeal for me as does the product. Hot glass is a medium in constant motion, where…
