Then & Now: Wai‘ōhino
By Ann C. Peterson Driving through the sleepy little village of Wai‘ōhinu, tucked into a lush, green valley near the larger village of Na‘alehu, it’s hard to believe that it was once the economic hub of Ka‘u. Rich in early…
The Life In Business: Eryce Enterprises
The Big Island has always been a favorite location for people’s second homes. And in today’s market, many have turned their second homes into vacation home rentals. Eryce Enterprises is in business to help both. “With the economy being what…
Teens Take the Stage in SONG: Stars Of the Next Generation
By Hadley Catalano A group of 15 teenagers—unsupervised and listening to music—gather inside on a sunny Sunday afternoon in early November. It’s hot inside the old attic space of the Aloha Performing Arts Center LOFT and the kids are sweating.…
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…
Zen Hostess, Keeper of Sacred Spaces
By Kim Cope Tait If you are just looking for a place to lay your head for a night or two, Akiko Masuda might just send you on down the road. She will do it with love and a casual…
Flower Power: Outdoor Circles Make a Beautiful Difference
By Ann C. Peterson If you’ve noted that Hawaii’s beautiful scenery isn’t marred by a cacophony of huge billboards, you can thank The Outdoor Circle. “Clean, Green, and Beautiful” —that simple mission forged almost 100 years ago—has helped preserve and…
Feng Shui Hawaiian Style: Earth Energy for Stability and Success in a Changing World
By Marta Barreras, Master Feng Shui Practitioner Have you noticed a rising sense of anxiety in the air lately? Changes in jobs, changes in economic status and especially changes in our Earth’s atmosphere are provoking millions of people to be…
The Innkeeper and His Wife: Nostalgia and Romance from the Heyday of the Kona Inn
By Ann C. Peterson Lee Taylor walks into the doctor’s office in Kailua-Kona, and then there are four of us sitting in typical waiting-room fashion with our faces down, or in an old magazine — but not for long. I…
Viewpoint: Hawai‘i Island Healthcare—Different Tactics for Different Results?
By John White, Chief Executive Officer, North Hawai‘i Community Hospital Healthcare is a core element of communities anywhere, but it’s particularly important to the well-being of people on the neighbor islands of Hawai‘i. We count on being able to access…
The Life in Business: Kenji’s House
“Our greatest challenge has been our unique, hillside location in a historic Kapa’au plantation house,” says Catherine Morgan, artist and museum founder. “When Roz, Malia, and I set out in 2006 to create a destination for locals and visitors that…
Mama Mia! It’s All Homemade: House-Cured Meats, Garden-Fresh Veggies and Homemade Breads—in Gourmet Pizza
By Devany Vickery-Davidson In a quiet little corner of Hilo something very special is going on. Not only are great pizzas with locally grown and made ingredients being created, but so are sausages, cured meats and an assortment of bread…
Ka Puana: Everything I Needed to Know About Life I Learned from Potluck
By Catherine Bridges Tarleton “We’re having potluck on Tuesday,” said my boss. “For the January birthdays.” She nodded at the paper on her desk. “What do I sign you up for?” On no. Potluck. The Initiation. What do I bring…
Jim Sargent Builds Life into Hawi Town
By Hadley Catalano It is not easy being Jim Sargent, but it is rewarding. Sitting behind a large wooden desk in the office of his real estate mortgage business, Sargent could, at any one time, be discussing window trim, scheduling…
Negative Ions Naturally Create Positive Benefits
There’s something in the air and while it may not be love, some say it’s the next best thing—negative ions. It’s why you feel so good when you’re outdoors near the water. Negative ions are odorless, tasteless, and invisible molecules…
One Woman’s Tree of Life Bears Beautiful Art: Caren Loebel-Fried Retells the Legends of Hawaii in Block Prints and Books
By Marya Mann, Ph.D. Caren Loebel-Fried is in love with nature, art, mythology, dreams, and the study of cultures that live “at one” with nature. All these loves blend together eloquently in her creations. One of Hawaii’s most beloved myths,…
‘Ae, Poni Mō’ī ‘o Kalākaua
Na Kumu Keala Ching Aia ho’i (‘o) Ka’ōnohiokalā I ka hale o ha’eha’e ē Pi’i a’e ka manu, ‘Iolani Kaulana ia, he hale Ali’i ē Holo ka moku, puni ka honua E ō mai he Ali’i o Hawai’i nei Palapala…
Building a Home Hawaiian-Style
By Mike Moore When someone dreams of living in Hawai’i, they usually picture a home overlooking a white, sandy beach and swaying coconut palms, with a view of sparkling, crystal-blue waters. In reality, Hawai‘i offers such a diversity of landscape…
The “Cool Factor” Bonds Youth and Farming
By Andrea Dean Dashiell Hammet was a famous detective novelist. Dashiell Kuhr, of North Kohala, is the energetic, articulate, handsome (dare I say dashing) driving force behind the Hawai‘i Youth Agriculture Program and the operations of Uluwehi Farm and Nursery,…
The Life in Business: Trans-Pacific Design
Interior designer Susan J. Moss has found that it’s best not to specialize in one area working in a small market. So, from boats to businesses, hotels and homes, the Kamuela interior designer is able to offer advice and talent…
Home on an Active Volcano: Visions from the 1984 Eruption of Mauna Loa
By Wayne Stier Island. The concept I understand with ease; it’s the reality of it that I have had to adjust to. I grew up as far from oceans and islands as a person can in America—in the center of…
Art Under Foot: It’s More Than Just a Rug
By Karen Valentine Walking barefoot inside your tropical Hawaiian home gives you an appreciation for the floor covering that’s more than esthetic. The tactile sense now becomes as important as the functionality, maintenance and appearance. One option that may not…
Feng Shui Hawaiian Style: Water for Living with Balance and Prosperity
By Marta Barreras, Master Feng Shui Practitioner There is a beautiful gift that the ancient Hawaiians have passed down through generations: the ability to live in harmony with nature. For centuries, the Hawaiians of old lived with a deep interconnectedness…
Kukui Nut Oil for Beautiful, Healthy Skin
By Barbara Fahs Polynesians of yesterday and today have beautiful skin. This could be due to their use of the oil from our state tree, the kukui, which their ancestors introduced to Hawai‘i around 1600 A.D. Kukui trees and the…
The Life in Business: Upper Cervical Health Center of America
“I have always been told that you should open your own practice where you want to live the rest of your life,” says Joe Breuwet, DC, owner of Kona’s Upper Cervical Health Center of America. “From the first moment I…
The Life in Business: South Kona Green Market
“People tell me they get more hugs here than anywhere,” says Tim Bruno, the visionary entrepreneur behind the South Kona Green Market, the Sunday gathering place that has been embraced whole-heartedly by the community. When Bruno moved with his wife…
Aunty Mahealani Henry: Righting the Path with Aloha Lokahi
By Marya Mann, PhD Legendary singer Israel Kamakawiwo’ole relates the story of Hawaii’s Superman, Maui, who, before Clark Kent, somewhere in the dawn of time, attempted to capture the sun. He went in search of roads, rituals, and knowledge, a…
Storytelling with Color and Canvas: Suzy Papanikolas Makes Hawai‘i’s People Come Alive
By Karen Valentine A painting by Suzy Papanikolas delights the eyes and the imagination. As you walk by it, whether in a gallery or in your own home, it grabs your attention. What is that? It’s not what is in…
Growing Our Own Fuel: Biodiesel Ventures Sprouting Up
By Alan D. McNarie Hawaii‘s lifestyle, for better or worse, depends on cars, trucks and buses. And cars, trucks and buses, unfortunately, depend on oil. Currently most of that oil comes to the island via ships from Alaska or Indonesia.…
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…
