Fern Gavelek
A native Hoosier, Fern moved to Hawai‘i in 1988. Ever since, she’s been writing about what makes Hawai‘i so special. She has extensively covered the state’s tourism, culinary, and agriculture industries and was named Hawaii County’s Small Business Administration Journalist of the Year. Also a public relations professional, Fern promotes a half-dozen Big Island events, several trade associations, and local businesses. The Holualoa resident is an avid community volunteer and was by tapped the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce 2009 Member of the Year. She enjoys gardening, time with husband John and playing with their pup, Sweet Pea.
“Cowman A-Moo-Ha”: On the Run for World Peace
By Fern Gavelek It’s easy to spot the Kailua-Kona resident known simply as “Cowman” running races and triathlons all over the world. Sporting his trademark, horn-topped helmet and hand-drawn t-shirts, Cowman has been competing in marathons and triathlons for over…
Hands On, Minds Ahead! All Aboard Bluewater Exploration
By Fern Gavelek “Throughout the course of human events, mankind’s impacts on the environment have stressed the carrying capacity of our ocean, thus ruining the essence of why we love and enjoy areas such as the Keauhou-Kona coast. Experience has…
Earl Bakken, at 88, Has Many Dreams Come True
Visionary Philanthropist Wants Kids to Have a Better Future By Fern Gavelek He goes to bed every night with pen and paper at his side. “That’s because I dream of ideas while falling asleep,” says Earl Bakken, M.D. HON. C.…
The Nene Project: GPS Tracking Reveals the Hawaiian Goose Doin’ What Comes Naturally
By Fern Gavelek Hawai‘i’s beloved state bird, the nēnē, is making a comeback, and a new Hawai‘i Island study has revealed some fascinating facts about the Hawaiian goose and how we can help it thrive. The good news is the…
A Master Chinese Brush Painter: Shirley Pu Wills Practices the Art of Imagination and Chi
By Fern Gavelek It’s both what you see and what you don’t see that create the magic in Chinese brush painting. “The thing about Chinese brush painting is you imagine what’s not there,” says Shirley Pu Wills of Captain Cook.…
A Beloved Daughter Retires: Fanny Au Hoy
By Fern Gavelek She walks through the treasure-filled rooms—fingering the china, straightening a photo frame, smoothing a quilted bedspread and then opening wide an upstairs window. As the fresh air fills the stately bedroom, Aunty Fanny turns around and grins.…
A Breadfruit Lunch with Chef Olelo Pa‘a: Love for the Land Sparks Joyful Cooking
By Fern Gavelek Olelo pa‘a Faith Ogawa respects and loves the land through the preparation and celebration of food. The private chef and food educator, who prepares meals for Fortune 500 executives and celebrities, will participate in the Breadfruit Festival–Ho’oulu…
Telling Grandpaʻs Story: How to Preserve Lifeʻs Experiences
By Fern Gavelek Everyone has something to say, and there’s a science to recording it for future generations. When you ask Grandpa what it was like working on the sugar plantation, you had better know how and what to ask…
Atebara Chips
Atebara Chips, founded in 1936 by Raymond Atebara, was the first company in Hawai‘i to make potato chips, and it continues in business today. After WWII rationing cut the supply of imported potatoes, the company turned to locally grown foods,…
If Only Chocolate Grew on Trees . . . or does it?
By Fern Gavelek Mmmmmm…….chocolate! Many people consider it one of the major food groups. And with good reason—it not only tastes good, but makes you feel good while boasting health benefits. The botanical source of chocolate is cacao (pronounced ka-cow);…
Coffee Wives Created a Cottage Industry with Lauhala
By Fern Gavelek Times were especially tough during the 1930s Depression Era in Kona. Cash was scarce among residents of the Kona Coffee Belt along the slopes of Hualalai. To help subsidize their families between coffee seasons, Holualoa wives and…
Extra Helpings for All: No One Goes Hungry as Island Restaurants and People Pull Together
By Fern Gavelek An old Hawaiian proverb goes: O ke aloha ke kuleana o kahi malihini—”Love is the host in strange lands.” The saying is given a profound explanation in A Little Book of Aloha, Hawaiian Proverbs and Inspirational Wisdom:…
Scott Seymour Nurtures a Family Floral Tradition
By Fern Gavelek Scott Seymour has an eye for decorating with plants, whether it’s planting on a sloping hillside or designing a table centerpiece, the self-taught, flower-arranging guru is the go-to guy in Kona for spectacular flower arrangements. A landscape…
Superfoods! Made Here on Hawai‘i Island
By Fern Gavelek In the search for healthier eating, many people boost their diets with supplements. Hawai‘i Island is not only a cornucopia of locally grown foods, but it’s also home to some highly regarded supplements. These locally made products…
Physical Challenges Never Stop This Triathlete: Jason Patrick Lester Keeps Running on Faith
By Fern Gavelek “Today is the youngest you will ever be. Live like it.” This advice comes from Jason Patrick Lester, who recently posted it on Facebook to his nearly 3,000 “friends.” Fewer than a dozen words, they speak volumes…
Holuakoa Gardens Restaurant and Café: Connecting the Plate with the Planet via Slow Food
By Fern Gavelek Handmade potato gnocchi…house-cured bacon…homemade fresh pasta lasagna… Admit it—the above is not your normal restaurant fare. They can be had, however, in the heart of Holualoa village at Holuakoa Gardens Restaurant. The delicious, labor-intensive delicacies illustrate the…
Hut Ho! “Octo-Paddlers”: Pull Together for Fun and Fitness
By Fern Gavelek At 6:30 every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings, a canoe full of paddlers heads out of Keauhou Bay for a morning workout. They come from all walks of life and hail from different parts of the world.…
It’s No Secret: Huggo’s Is Invested in Making Kona a Better Place for Living and Eating
By Fern Gavelek When Huggo’s opened its doors in 1969, restaurateurs Shirley and Hugo von Platen Luder knew they had a prime spot for oceanfront dining in Kailua-Kona. Now in its second generation in the same family and the oldest…
Crafting the Sacred Pahu Drum
By Fern Gavelek The drum selected him—not vise versa. Kumu Hula Aloha Victor of Halau Kala‘akeakauikawekiu recalls when he purchased his first pahu (drum) from Rodney “Uncle Kala” Willis as if it were yesterday. It was October, 2005. “We were…
Paris Without the Jet Lag: Restaurant La Bourgogne
By Fern Gavelek If you think Restaurant La Bourgogne is Kona’s best-kept culinary secret—think again. Booked way in advance for Valentine’s Day and other major holidays, the classic French restaurant is abuzz with new and loyal, satisfied patrons dining on…
An Amazing Thing Is the Humble Gourd: Ipu and the Rediscovery of an Art Medium
By Fern Gavelek With no pottery, metal or glass, early Hawaiians found a myriad of creative ways to use gourds. From water carriers to ossuary urns, from musical instruments to canoe bailers, they could be plucked from a vine in…
Good Tasting and All Hawai’i Grown: Meet the Mind and Muscle Behind Our Local Food Producers
By Fern Gavelek Big Island ranchers are putting meat on the table at local restaurants—whether beef, pork or lamb. In fact, the island boasts about 60 percent of the state’s cattle operations. In addition, the Big Isle is considered the…
Love of Orchids Forges Perennial Friendships
By Fern Gavelek Mention the word “orchids” and smiles light up their faces like girls gazing at a dollhouse. These eight Kona women, who eagerly banter over growing media and ant control, are enthusiastic charter members of the Kona Daifukuji…
Exquisite Kohala Cuisine and World-Class Wine Pair up at the New, Manta & Pavilion Wine Bar
By Fern Gavelek Since its opening in 1965, The Mauna Kea Beach Hotel has relied on the bounty of local farmers to supply its kitchen. The hotel’s first manager, Les Moore, knew the wisdom of using Big Isle products to…
Garden Fresh, Asian-Style Cuisine with a Masterful Touch
By Fern Gavelek The enticing aroma of kaffir lime and ginger wafts through the entrance to Lotus Café and floats in the air like the expanse of silk that drapes from the ceiling. Water trickles down a lava-like fountain and…
How do You Make Liquid Aloha?
By Fern Gavelek In a 3,500-square-foot brew house, carefully measure barley malt and blend with hot Hawaiian water to form a “mash.” Heat mixture until grain converts into a fermenting sugar liquid called “wort.” Separate the “spent” grain from the…
It’s A‘ole Pilikia for Waimea’s “Parade Lady”: Lani Olsen-Chong
By Fern Gavelek Known by many in Waimea as “The Parade Lady,” Lani Olsen-Chong is often recognized by her neatly coiffed hairdo and wide grin. Personable, while efficient; friendly, yet business-like; Olsen-Chong is a hustle-bustle volunteer in this upcountry ranching…
From Farm to Table: Touching the Earth Farm and Blue Dragon Restaurant—It’s All in the Family
By Fern Gavelek Fresh! That’s the best word to describe the culinary ingredients at the Blue Dragon restaurant. In fact, you can’t get much fresher. Most of the fruits and vegetables used at the Kawaihae restaurant are grown just 15…
