Your Destination Guide to Oahu

A few weeks ago my brother and I were hiking around Makapu'u Head.  We hiked up above the lighthouse and took in the view of Manana and Kaohi-ka-ipu Islands.  We cruised around on the trails to the Dragon's Nostrils, checking out the lava formations and the pools along the shore.  The sun was warm but not hot, there was a gentle breeze, and there weren't too many people, a rare and welcome summertime treat.

As we walked back to the car I saw a woman with two Great Danes.  My brother and I are both huge animal lovers and couldn't resist the site of these floppy eared, droopy faced, gentle giants having the time of their life rooting through the grass.  We walked over, said hello, got in a few pats, and went on our way.  A few minutes later we saw another Great Dane.  Then another.  Then three.  I couldn't figure it out.  Was there some kind of convention going on?  I'd never even seen one Great Dane on my home island of Maui, and now they were everywhere.

When we reached the parking lot there were at least five more Great Danes getting out of cars to go on hikes.  I had to ask.  Turns out it was a Great Dane convention of sorts.  Once a month, Great Dane and English Mastiff owners get together at various dog friendly hiking spots around O'ahu so their dogs can play together.

If you're interested, check out http://www.meetup.com/hawaiigreatdanes/about/.  The site hasn't been updated in a while, but the contact information is still posted and obviously they're still out and about.

I've hiked Moana Falls, one of O'ahu's most famous hikes, twice. Somehow, impressive as I found it the second time around, I don't remember much about my first trip beyond the stand of bamboo and the huge trees. I definitely don't remember the trail being quite so slippery and steep.

So this is my warning to all of you thinking about taking this hike: only do it if you have good balance and excellent traction on the bottom of your shoes. To reiterate the warning, I just heard about a woman who was hospitalized after falling off of that particular trail. So, yes, it's a breathtaking hike, but just be prepared before you head out.

Another tip: don't bring along the kiddos. We passed at least two smallish (under 7) kids crying their eyes out because they were scared. And when the parents tried to carry them, they had trouble keeping enough balance to hike themselves.

That being said, it is a lovely hike. Perhaps overcrowded from popularity, but still lovely. And as with anything challenging, the feeling of success makes it worthwhile. I may never go on so difficult a hike again, but at least I can say that I've done it.

Other Tips:
- Visit the Lyon Arboretum while you're up there--it makes for gorgeous pictures to send home.
- Be ready for some rain. The area is misty a good majority of the time (and cooler than Waikiki).
- Walking sticks come in handy for keeping your balance.
- Read Adriana's take on the hike.

Enjoy true Portuguese culture at the Portuguese Festa at the McCoy Pavilion inside Oahu's own Ala Moana Park. The festival features an array of activities including live entertainment, great food, and even various classes and workshops focusing on rich cultural subjects such as genealogy and ethnic dance. Live entertainment ranges from comedy routines to slack key guitar. Delicious foods include pork and fish dishes, malasadas (a fried dough covered in sugar), and sausages on Portuguese sweetbread.

The festival is organized by the Hawaii council of Portuguese Heritage and all proceeds benefit future festivals and events. Relish in delicious food, colorful entertainment, and amazing company at this unique festa!

Admission costs: $3/person

Dates: September 20th, 2010

Location: McCoy Pavilion in Ala Moana Park, just west of Waikiki.

The thing that separates O`ahu from the other Hawaiian islands is that the natural experiences in the tropical sunshine are always followed by a pulsing nightlife in bright city lights. The only dilemma is deciding at what evening hot spot you will show off your suntan from your daytime escapades.

A few weekends ago I had my first experience at at VLounge/Bar Seven on Kapiolani Blvd in Honolulu. When you step inside this unassuming late-night bar it seems to be your typical 20-something scene with a DJ, dance floor, and a full bar (though you'll notice most patrons double-fisting Heinekens.) However what sets VLounge above the rest is their food! Yes, I said it, music, dancing, drinks, AND late night eats! But not just any food, VLounge has become famous for their wood-fired Neopolitan-style pizza.

And you better believe that after about 4 beers, some dancing—and watching some jaw dropping BBoy dance battles—I was ready for a pie of my own. I got a pizza with the works, which included an over easy egg on top! Not only was the crust so perfectly crispy and doughy at the same time, but the egg actually made the pizza for me! Being a long-time lover of loco-mocos (a local favorite of rice, hamburger patty, sunny side up egg, with gravy) I've come to love eggs on so many things. But I had never tried—or even heard of—egg on pizza before VLounge. And now I'm hooked.

So if you're looking for the perfect place for good music (especially if you love old school/underground hip hop), good times, and good food, this is the spot. Just make sure you work up a sweat dancing, because you WILL want a whole pie to yourself.

V Lounge
1349 Kapiolani Boulevard
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 953-0007

The Ka'a'awa Valley may be one of the most scenic places in the world.  Framed by rugged, steep, green walls on three sides and the Pacific on the fourth, this huge rolling valley is quintessential Hawai'i.  It's what you picture in your mind when you think of the islands - peak after peak of near vertical walls, every color of green, and a wide open meadow reaching out to meet the tropical blue of the North Shore.

The amazing beauty of Ka'a'awa Valley hasn't gone unnoticed.  Chances are if you've watched any of the major blockbuster movies filmed in Hawai'i in the last twenty years you've seen this valley before.  Crews for Jurrasic Park, Pearl Harbor, 50 First Dates, Windtalkers, You, Me, and Dupree, and Godzilla all shot scenes here.  More recently, the valley has served as a regular location for the TV show Lost, and any fan of the show will have a great time checking out the locations of many memorable scenes.

Ka'a'awa Valley has been owned by the Kualoa Ranch since 1850, and visitors hoping to venture in have to go through them.  I highly recommend the two hour horseback tour.  It's a little overpriced at $93, but the guides are well informed and it's a great way to see the northeastern side of valley without being cooped up in a motorized vehicle.  Kualoa Ranch also offers ATV tours and a Movie Sites bus tour which will take you deeper into the valley than most other tours.  Pick up from Waikiki is available for a fee.  Kama'aina rates are available to those with Hawai'i State ID.

As a resident of Maui, I generally view O'ahu as the overpopulated city island; a place to go when I want to browse the Apple Store, see an IMAX movie, or go out on the town past 10 pm.  I never think of O'ahu as a place to have outdoor adventures.  It's too busy, too much like suburbia, too much like any city on the Mainland.  But as I look back toward Lanikai and Kailua from the island of Mokulua Nui in Kailua Bay, my attitude completely changes.

Ridge after green ridge hides any trace of Honolulu, and steep mountain walls push right up to the long sand beaches that make these little windward towns famous.  Combine the view with the clear, tropical water and I feel transported.  O'ahu is no longer the city island of Hawai'i, it's a tropical paradise I've too often overlooked.

To get to Mokulua Nui, the north island of the Mokulua Island pair, I rented a stand up paddle board from Kailua Sailboards and Kayaks and paddled the mile or so across the bay from Kailua Beach.  If you've stand up paddled before, this is the way to go.  If not, rent a kayak.  The distance is too long for a first time stand up paddler, and you'll end up spending all of your time just trying to figure out how to balance on the board.  Also, go early.  Kayak tours invade the island around 10:30, totally ruining the "O'ahu isn't a city after all" experience.

Kailua Sailboards and Kayaks

• Address: 130 Kailua Road, Kailua HI 96734
• Phone: 808-262-2555
• Website: http://www.kailuasailboards.com/

The music scene in Hawai`i is a lot like the food—a variety of flavors that satisfy the appetite, yet keeps folks coming back for seconds…and thirds! With the amount of talent packed onto the tiny island of O`ahu, it's not hard to believe that people never get full. One of Hawai`i's favorite musical flavors is reggae mixed with a little bit of Hawaiian spice. Below are a few artists that have been delivering these kind of delicious melodies. If you have the chance, it would do your body—and soul—good to catch one of their musical mealtimes.

Rootikal Riddim
Staying true to Hawai`i's roots reggae vibe, Rootikal Riddim features heavy baselines, rootsy "riddims", and melodic vocals with conscious lyrics. The O`ahu-based band has already released one album, and their second album "Special Request" is due out at the end of this year. You can catch a taste of their sweet melodies at venues like Tropics Café and The Shack in Waikiki or Pipeline, where Rootkial Riddim frequently has shows. "Hawai`i is producing fruit!" says one fan of the band, and I would have to agree—I especially love the sweet flavor of the title track off their new album "Special Request". Check this and other songs out here: http://bit.ly/aGnPEc

Dubkonscious & Mike Love
I've only heard good things about O`ahu musician Mike Love, lead vocalist for Dubkonscious, and when I finally heard him for myself, "good things" was an understatement. While also drawing from the reggae influence, Mike Love's music is a bit mellower—yes it is possible to be mellower than reggae. Think Ben Harper "Burn One Down" acoustic vibe. With an acoustic guitar and a few drumbeats backing up Mike Love's vocals, his powerful voice and lyrics really drive home the musical message. Mike Love not only plays with his band Dubkonscious, but you can catch him jamming with other local acts, including the talented Paula Fuga. Check out Mike Love's Myspace to sample some of his soulful songs, and see when and where you can catch him live: http://www.myspace.com/mikelovehawaii

Check back, as I will feature different musical tastes from Hawai'i every few weeks. Aloha!

How would you answer if someone asked, "What do you collect?"

Maybe you collect family recipes, or maybe you collect vintage postcards from your dream destination. Or maybe not . . . maybe you don't collect anything. One could argue that "collecting" seems a thing of the past - whether you take "collecting" to mean your grandfather's epic stamp collection or your, um, not-so-epic keychain collection from elementary school. The verb collect is defined as "gathering together; to acquire or dig up". With that in mind, ask yourself the question again . . . what is it that you "dig up", and then "gather together" to keep for your own?

Me? I collect The Best of O'ahu. I have this idea that everyone collects the "bests" of any place they truly love; it's our way of making something universal our own. My dad grew up on O'ahu, and since coming here as a kid, I've been building my collection of its "bests" for as long as I can remember. The best open-water swimming (Halona Cove Beach), the best malasadas in Honolulu (Leonard's, of course!), the best place to watch the sunset (the strip of beach a few blocks from my Tutu's house). So perhaps you can imagine my surprise, then, when I discovered there is one "best" search topic and inherently Hawaiian phenomenon that has slipped under my radar all these years: shrimp trucks.

I admit that my search is nowhere near complete, but I had to share the next "best" I'm adding to my collection, at least for now. Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce to you . . . Lanikai Shrimp Shack.

Alright, I know what you're thinking . . . it looks like a dive. But you're just going to have to believe me on this one. If you are a shrimp-lover, a garlic-lover, or simply a sit-on-the-beach-and-eat-dinner-lover, you can't leave O'ahu without hitting up Lanikai Shrimp Shack. The menu is brief, but it needs nothing else. Shrimp plates comes in three sizes, the 12-piece, and 10-piece, and the mini (6-piece), each of which comes with two scoops of white rice (except the mini, which comes with one), cooked to sticky perfection. You can choose either garlic or garlic lemon butter for your shrimp, and both are so exquisitely garlicky that you can't go wrong either way. Hands down, most delectable shrimp I've ever had.

Lanikai also offers specials like tasty chili dogs, fish tacos with a cilantro cream sauce, and chips with homemade salsa. They have plenty of chop sticks, soy sauce, and hot sauce options on site, so all you need is a little bit of cash (the most expensive thing on the menu is $11) and a blanket to spread out on the beach. The truck is located at the eastern-most point of Kailua Beach Park, right next to the boat dock. Kailua Beach Park is only about a 30-minute drive from Waikiki, and makes for a beyond-picturesque setting for your shrimp enjoyment.

So go ahead and reward your taste buds with this little piece of my collection. Believe me, you won't regret it!

Last year marked the 50^th year since Hawai'i became the 50^th state of America. Soon, on August 21, 2010, statehood will be celebrated once again—though not so fondly by all. Fifty-one years ago, while many celebrated in the streets waving the American flag they could now call their very own, the hearts of the opposition sank, as their nation was swallowed into a larger whole. A bitterness remains towards the forceful and painfully lengthy way the Hawaiian kingdom was overthrown (Queen Lili'uokalani, Hawai'i's last monarch, was dethroned in 1893, when the fate of Hawai'i was tossed around for the following in the 60+ years to follow.)

While the controversy surrounding Hawai'i's statehood will likely linger forever, in today's reality the 50^th star still waves along with the rest of our nation's flag. What has made Hawai'i's star shine so bright, though, goes far beyond its tropical sunsets and world-class waves. The ability of the Hawaiian people to cultivate their roots and carry on such rich traditions while moving forward with the changes life so inevitably hands us, reflects the true strength and grace of a nation. It teaches the native youth to know not only about the country they are a part of, but also the ancestry from which the came.

While I feel a combination of sadness and anger when I think about the way Hawai'i was so forcefully taken, I also feel proud to have grown up here the way I did. I grew up with the freedoms of an American, while still learning ancient Hawaiian traditions through activities such as hula and canoe paddling. These activities taught me a lot about culture, responsibility, and respect. It helped me to understand that the history, the land, and the people are the foundation of Hawai'i's future.

I offer a sincere "e komo mai" (welcome) to those who visit, as I can imagine the joy this place can bring to others, but also ask that visitors please remember to respect the land and the people of a place that has worked so hard at perpetuating its culture.

Here are just a few of the places you can go to experience some of the culture and history of Hawai'i:

'Iolani Palace

Pu'u o Mahuka Heiau

Polynesian Cultural Center

Pele's Chair

On the south shore of O'ahu, a secret lies nestled between walls of cooled lava rock. There, deliciously foamy waves lap a narrow strip of golden sand, their graceful crashes echoing a dewy symphony among the rocks. Above the ocean, the sun ducks playfully behind a towering mountain, momentarily bathing the secret in transient shadow. A real-life, Hawaiian penseive, this secret keeps captive my memories and my deepest thoughts; it is the place to which I close my eyes and travel when little else feels right with the world. But mostly, it is the place my family has affectionately named The Secret Beach . . . and my very own corner of the world.

Tucked just southeast of the Halona Blowhole, you can find it with a little bit of searching. Climb down a long set of smoothed stone steps, over a few straggling rocks, and your toes will meet the sand of The Secret Beach. Tread carefully, because they may never want to let go. Trek along the beach's rocky ridges until you're far enough along to lose sight of the sandy ocean floor. Hop gingerly between the rocks' dusty cracks and glittering pools of water, heated warm from the sun. Step up to the edge and look out at the giant expanse stretching beyond your toes, stretching until there's no more to stretch - until forever. Wait for a swell to enter the inlet, giant and rolling, and then, without hesitating, jump.

You'll fall easily beneath the surface, where the water belongs to you and you to the water. Swimming in The Secret Beach's narrow inlet is the closest I've ever gotten to tasting true open water. Choppy and unpredictable, the movement of the water is dangerously freeing. Sometimes, before I jump, I'll stand with my toes hooked over the ledge and stretch my arms as wide as they'll go, imagining I can scoop the entire turquoise ocean up inside them if I muster enough strength. Nine times out of ten, it doesn't work, but it's totally worth it for the one time it does. Fine . . . ten out of ten times it doesn't work. But somehow I always try anyway.

As humans, we crave secrets like we crave sleep, or nourishment, or aloe on a sunburn. And secrets can look like anything - like the dark space beneath our beds or a freezing winter morning. But it's because we yearn for them and because they hide themselves so carefully from us that secrets keep us alive. My secret, my craving, what keeps me alive . . . it looks like this.