Coffee Time
By Sonia R. Martinez Hawai‘i Island has been known for coffee for many years, and in the last 10 or so, several ‘new’ areas of our island have become award-winning coffee growing regions. Our island is also growing vanilla beans…
Island Treasures: The Blue Sea Artisans Art Gallery—Kailua-Kona
By Anais Gude In May 2014, The Blue Sea Artisans Gallery finally became the true cooperative gallery of artists that Teresea Boswell had envisioned when she first opened the space in 2009. Featuring 17 different local artists, one may feel…
Island Treasures: True Hawaii Blue—Waimea
By Le‘a Gleason Jamie Hoskinson has always worn an apron. She grew up a farm girl in Mt. Hood, Oregon and wore her first apron as a child while making plum jam with Grandma. Later, she sold strawberries on the…
Celebrating a Long Time Advertiser: Hawaii’s Gift Basket Boutique
By Aja Hannah Upon entering the store, customers are greeted with an array of products from about 100 different vendors, all local to the Hawaiian islands. While Hawaii’s Gift Basket Boutique does carry products from other Hawaiian islands, it specializes…
Featured Cover Artist: Mary Lovein
Ordinary becoming extraordinary—this describes Mary Lovein’s art journey to a T. As a young mother, she took up oil painting for a hobby, and found she had a knack for it. Her first painting sold when she was a 21-year-old…
Managing with Aloha: ‘Ike loa
‘Ike loa: The value of learning. To know well. To seek knowledge and wisdom. Twelfth in an ongoing series. By Rosa Say New knowledge is food for mind, heart and soul. Without it, you deny yourself vital nourishment for overall…
Sing-Song, Sing-Along! Celebrating 25 Years with the Kona Choral Society
By Fern Gavelek With one thing in common—the love to sing—Kona Choral Society’s 70-some members rehearse weekly to perform concerts for the enjoyment of the community. This year, KCS is marking its 25th year with a new name, additional performances,…
Worldwide Voyage Update–Mālama Honua
‘Ike Hawai‘i: ‘Sense of Place, Sense of Identity’ Mālama Honua Take Care of the Earth “Mālama Island Earth—Our Natural Environment, Children, and All Humankind” Kaulana e ka holo o Hōkūle‘a I ka ‘ale ī I ka ‘ale moe I ka…
Kūpuna Talk Story: Warren Vignato
By Keith Nealy I first met Warren Vignato about 15 years ago. He was dangling from a thin rope attached to a huge ironwood tree 30 feet above the ground, trimming back the overgrown branches, shaping and pruning one of…
From Soil to Toil: Celebrating Kona’s Finest Crop and the Volunteers of the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival
By Aja Hannah For 44 years, the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival has celebrated the coffee pioneers, farmers, and artisans alongside the coffee bean, itself. This year the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival is one of the winners of the 10 Best…
Kāko‘o ‘o I Nā Keiki (Support the Keiki) to Advance the Common Good for All Hawai‘i Island Keiki
By Gayle ‘Kaleilehua’ Greco A child’s big, innocent eyes gaze out into the distance. He waits street side, anticipating excitement, yet remaining ever-so-patient. He is surrounded by his ‘ohana who summon the minivan down the street. Reminiscent of waiting for…
A Place to Remember: POW-MIA Memorial Garden at West Hawai‘i Veterans Cemetery
By Barbara Fahs Every year we honor the men and women who have fought for our freedom on Veterans Day, Nov. 11. Susan “Awapuhi” Graffe emphasizes we should honor them every day. Awa, her husband Paul, along with generous volunteers…
Ka Puana–The Refrain: My Year in a Yurt
Following are excerpts from Pa‘auilo resident Jen McGeehan’s book, My Year in a Yurt. Used with permission. Look Up! There are many elements to yurt living that make it both unique and enjoyable. The ceiling is just one of them.…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: BMW of Hawaii
When customers first walk onto the 2.5-acre property of the BMW parking lot in Kailua-Kona, they are greeted by BMW staff who stay within sight and earshot to answer any questions, and are allowed to browse at their leisure. “It’s…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: Fair Wind Big Island Ocean Guides
The beginning of Fair Wind Big Island Ocean Guides is a recognizable one. The family-owned company was started by Michael and Janet Dant, when they built their first boat in 1969 in Monterey, California, and planned a trip through the…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: Hawaii Marine Center
Tucked away in the Shipman Industrial Area, Hawaii Marine Center is no small business. Manager Glenn Marsteller grew up on the North Shore of Maui and was raised in the ocean—surfing, scuba diving and boating. He worked for Valley Isle…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: Maika‘i Veterinary Clinic
Alfred Mina, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) has a deep-seated interest in caring for animals and for serving the Hilo community. He was born on Kaua‘i and raised in Hilo on Hawai‘i Island. As a child, he was active in…
Passionately Yours: Liliko‘i
By Sonia R. Martinez There are many varieties of Passion Fruit (Passiflora edulis), or as we know it in the islands, liliko‘i. The most commonly used in Hawai‘i is the yellow fruit (flavicarpa). A less common variety also seen in…
Island Treasures: South Kona Macadamia Nut Company—South Kona
By Aja Hannah Meris Farwell, a soft-spoken and petite woman, hand scoops a bag of Tamari-flavored macadamia nuts. Flavored with shoyu (soy sauce), the reddened nuts drop into 4oz and 8oz packages. Each package of South Kona Macadamia Nuts is…
Island Treasures: High Fire Hawaii Gallery & Studio—Hilo
By Le‘a Gleason Shannon Hickey was born and raised in Chicago and has lived in Hawaii 25 years. She holds a degree in Art from the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo and was deeply involved in ceramics and printmaking during…
Celebrating a Long Time Advertiser: Kelly Shaw, Realtor®
Kelly Shaw, an independent Realtor® with Koa Realty in Hōlualoa, believes in having goals and meeting them today instead of tomorrow. In Long Island, New York at only 25, Kelly was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Like taking a page out…
Mark Yamanaka: “Just a regular dude that loves music”
By Catherine Tarleton Only in Hawai‘i. Only in Hilo, actually, can you buy a car, turn on the radio, and drive away listening to a hit song by the guy who sold it to you. Nine-time Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award-winner…
Featured Cover Artist: Kira Kamamalu
“Have you ever had the feeling that you were doing exactly what you were meant to do?” Hilo-born 31-year-old Kira Kamamalu is going into her eighth year as a professional artist. She says that painting is the thing she feels…
Ancient Hawaiian Agricultural Practices at Sacred Sites in North Kohala
By Jan Becket Archaeological surveys in Hawai‘i yield valuable knowledge about the traditional life of a place, and yet it is often knowledge that is inaccessible to the community where the surveys are conducted. Many contracts call for reports to…
Boone Morrison: Hawai‘i Island’s Leading Restoration Architect
By Alan D. McNarie When I was about 11, my folks were touring the gold rush country,” reminisces Boone Morrison, sitting in the architect’s studio behind his house in Volcano. “We showed up in Sacramento and they were restoring Sutter’s…
Managing with Aloha: Kuleana
By Rosa Say Kuleana: The value of personal responsibility; “I accept my responsibilities, and I will be held accountable.” Eleventh in an ongoing series. One of my goals for our Hawai‘i is fully woven into the mission and healthy work…
The Mana Anointed: Steve Grossman
By Peter Michael McCormick Mana, a supernatural or divine power, Mana, miraculous power; a powerful nation, authority; to give Mana to, to make powerful; to have Mana, power, authority; authorization, privilege; miraculous, divinely powerful, spiritual; possession of Mana, power. From…
Fire and Ice: Kumu Dane Kaohelani Silva’s Life of Spirit and Service to Health
By David Bruce Leonard, L.Ac. As the late afternoon sun warmed his back and shoulders, the chiropractor, acupuncturist, and teacher of Long Life Lomilomi walked briskly across his garden, following a well-worn path between tall ‘ōhi‘a trees bedecked with scarlet…
Aloha ‘Āina: Waimea I Uka
By Ku‘ulei Keakealani On April 20, 2008 a group assembled on a misty Waimea morning. The destination was somewhat clear and somewhat vague, i uka, to the uplands, was our chosen destination. Were we on a journey for answers? Perhaps.…
Healing Plants: Māmaki, The “Stingless” Stinging Nettle
By Barbara Fahs You might have seen dried māmaki leaves for sale at your local drug store or farmers market. Tea made from this endemic Hawaiian plant is tasty and popular. Known as Pipturis albidus, māmaki is a perennial shrub…
