By Maria Kanai While you’re at Germaine’s Luau, I highly recommend making a stop at the luau’s gift shop to find special omiyage (gifts) for family and friends back home. If you arrive by 5:30 p.m. at the luau, you have about an hour to enjoy the setting sun and a mai tai from the bar, with plenty of time left to peruse the gift shop. Full of pretty trinkets, cool knick knacks and charming keepsakes, it’s easy to find something you can take home to remember your night. 1. Carved honu (turtle) decorations This caught my husband’s attention right away while we were at the shop. He loved the attention to detail in the wooden carving, giving the turtles a sense of movement. It made an affordable and perfect addition to our home. Currently: on my bookshelf. 2. Tote…
By: Maria Kanai I recently had the opportunity to visit Germaine’s Luau on Oahu with my husband. It was a welcome break from the holiday craziness to enjoy an evening with just the two of us. I’ve been a tourist to Hawaii a few times when I was a child – my father was an avid fan of the ocean and Hawaiian culture – so I’ve attended several luaus before, but this was my first time at Germaine’s. We drove ourselves there, but it seems most people booked through Roberts Hawaii as I saw groups of visitors arriving via the signature green busses. We got there at 5:30 p.m., but the luau didn’t start until around 6:30 p.m. We had plenty to do to kill time though: we had the plumeria package, which meant we had three free alcoholic and…
Photo by Natalie Schack By: Natalie Schack Let’s talk parties. Christmas and Thanksgiving are just at our tails, and we’re going to take a wild guess and say you’re probably feeling a bit overbaked right now. There’s still a whole year of celebrations around the corner, but who’s still got time or energy for additional…
BY: MARIA KANAI Make Christmas day extra special by visiting one of these restaurants around Hawaii that’s serving up delicious food for dinner. Think beyond roast turkey or carved ham with mashed potatoes (though there’s nothing wrong with that!) – these are all establishments known for local flair and being creative with their dishes, which…
Leonard’s on Kapahulu Avenue. Has the best Malasadas. BY: NATALIE SCHACK There’s so much to see in Hawaii, from the majestic mountain ranges scraping their green tops against the clear, blue sky, to the wild, cresting waves, rushing in and out on the shore like some mesmerizing azure dance. It’s a beautiful feast for your…