HONOLULU Magazine March 2023

The WOMEN’s Issue

PLUS: DANCERS SHAKE IT UP IN VEGAS P16

◆

NEW LIFE FOR OLD BUILDINGS P18

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OUR FAVORITE MUSUBI SHOPS P53

INSPIRING WOMEN WHO MAKE HAWAI‘ I A BETTER PLACE

P28

HONOLULU MAGAZINE_MARCH ISSUE_144088v2.indd 1

1/25/23 9:00 AM

HONOLULU | $3,600,000 FS ANOTHER LISA & MALIA LISTING! Situated on one of the island's most prestigious streets & close to the sandy beach & famous surfing spots of Brown's, Kaikoo's & Cromwell's. www.LisaAndMalia.com

KAILUA | $1,810,000 FS Wonderful Kailua home w/stunning ocean & coastline views. This home offers you a wonderful Kailua lifestyle with the possibilities of multi-family living or rental space to offset the mortgage or to invest in a great home! Modern & functional design! MLS# 202225246

Lisa Haeringer (R) 808.927.7177 | RB-20517 Malia Kakos J.D. (RA) 808.741.8292 | RS-74485

Francine Felix (RA) 808.754.5428 francine.felix@cbrealty.com | RS-70653

HONOLULU | $2,990,000 FS 3 cottages originally part of the Dillingham Tantalus Estate. A truly extraordinary property with large acreage & incredible ocean, harbor views & near town.

HONOLULU | $630,000 FS 2br/1.5ba condo in the heart of Waikiki. Features fresh painted w/new carpet, split AC, built-in washer/dryer, covered assigned parking & much more.

Carol Taylor (R) 808.221.5842 carolt@cbrealty.com | RB-21878

Travis L. McGaughy (R) 808.542.6540 | RB-23698 Tiare Kabazawa (RA) 808.398.9626 | RS-80800

KAILUA | $3,398,888 FS

KANEOHE | $1,595,000 FS

KAILUA | $1,475,000 FS

KAPOLEI | $1,450,000 FS

Large 10br/9.5ba w/an oversized lot. Home was being remodeled, but owners decided not to complete. Sample renderings available.

Beautifully renovated 5br/3ba home. Upstairs 3br/2ba, open concept living kitchen & dining. Downstairs 2br/1ba & living area.

3br/2ba you in Enchanted Lake located on the windward side of the island w/spacious kitchen, modern laundry room & backyard lanai.

4br/3ba in the gated luxury community of Kumulani at the top of Makakilo. Open floor plan, high ceilings, updated flooring & more!

James S. Farmer (R) 808.542.4749 | jamesf@cbpacific.com RB-18575

Marnie McClain (RA) 808.284.6920 | MarnieM@cbpacific.com RS-59388

Lynn Young Soldat (RA) 808.255.3477 | LynnS@cbrealty.com RS-74656

Mike Fuller (RA) 808.383.7450 Fran Magbual (RA) 808.368.7386 RS-82907 | RS-78148

The property information herein is derived from various sources that may include, but not be limited to, county records and the Multiple Listing Service, and it may include approximations. Although the information is believed to be accurate, it is not warranted and you Banker Real Estate LLC. The Coldwell Banker® System is comprised of company owned offices which are owned by a subsidiary of Anywhere Advisors LLC and franchised offices which are independently owned and operated. The Coldwell Banker System fully

ColdwellBankerHomes.com

guiding you home since 1906

HONOLULU | $1,295,000 FS

MILILANI | $1,200,000 FS

WAIPAHU | $1,189,000 FS

EWA BEACH | $1,135,000 FS

3br/2ba waterfront townhome on the marina boasts an expansive open floor plan & ideal indoor-outdoor living. Includes boat dock.

4br/2ba remodeled home w/low-maintenance yard has vaulted ceilings, a skylight, 2 living areas, interior laundry area & more.

4br/2.5 home w/a generous floorplan, new roof, a spacious kitchen, main floor primary suite in highly sought after community.

3br/2.5ba Garden Series home includes peek-a-boo views of the LPGA famed Hoakalei Golf Course w/many resort-like amenities.

Jason Paulo (RA) 808.384.6959 | jason.paulo@cbrealty.com RS-79872

Dennis Muth (R) 808.387.9153 | dennis.muth@cbrealty.com RB-20649

Travis L. McGaughy (R)

Mary Jo McGillicuddy (RA)

808.542.6540 | travis.mcgaughy@cbrealty.com

808.724.4629 | maryjo.mcgillicuddy@cbrealty.com

RB-23698

RS-81297

HONOLULU | $1,098,000 FS

KAAAWA | $1,050,000 FS

HONOLULU | $998,000 FS

HONOLULU | $849,000 FS

Wonderfully maintained home w/separate entrances & 2 electric meters. Upstairs 2br/1ba w/city views. Downstairs 2br/1ba.

3br/2ba custom beach home across from Kaaawa Beach Park. Eat-in kitchen, large primary suite, covered lanai & photovoltaic/solar.

Another Lisa & Malia Listing!

4br/2ba condo, w/2 lanais, 2,600+ sq. ft.

UNDER $1,000,000. www.LisaAndMalia.com

Extensively renovated home w/new kitchen, appliances, fixtures, flooring, fresh paint & 2 covered parking stalls. Move-in ready!

Dianne Ng (RA) 808.223.2728 | diannen@CBRealty.com RS-59869

Diane Pizarro (RA) 808.343.0659 | dianep@cbrealty.com RS-73948

Lisa Haeringer (R) 808.927.7177 Malia Kakos J.D. (RA) 808.741.8292 RB-20517 | RS-74485

Vlad Timoshchik (RA) 808.352.4101 | vladhawaii@gmail.com RS-79235

KAPOLEI | $840,000 FS

KAPOLEI | $810,000 FS

HONOLULU | $699,000 FS

EWA BEACH | $695,000 FS

2br/2ba home on the golf course at Ko Olina w/2-car garage, front lanai looking over the fairway & much more.

3br/1.5ba well cared for home. Offers expansive surrounding fenced-in yard & 20 PV panels on 2-car garage. Near shops & dining.

2br/2.5ba Highly desirable 04 unit at Imperial Plaza in Kakaako w/high ceilings, sprinkler system, 2 lanais w/views & more.

3br/2.5ba wonderful home in Lombard Way w/LVP, fresh paint, 2-car garage, quartz counters, 19 leased PV panels & more.

Sally Palafox (R) 808.391.8813 | sally@sallypalafox.com RB-20713

Melonee Galaviz (RA) 808.216.8846 | melonee.galaviz@cbrealty.com

Vlad Timoshchik (RA) 808.352.4101 | vladhawaii@gmail.com RS-79235

Amber K. Gonzalez (RA) 808.940.8510 | amber.gonzalez@cbrealty.com RS-82795

RS-73005

HONOLULU | $688,000 FS

HONOLULU | $459,000 FS

HONOLULU | $459,000 FS

HONOLULU | $425,000 FS

Another Lisa & Malia Listing! 2br/2ba w/ocean & mountain views & resort like grounds. Near the ocean & shops. www.LisaAndMalia.com

2br/1.5ba in Kaimuki Jade w/views of Palolo Valley and the Ko’olau Mountains near great restaurants, cafes, bars, bakeries & more.

1br/1ba furnished condo on 24th floor of The Pavilion at Waikiki. Features mountain and canal views, parking, rooftop pool & more.

1br/1ba unit in Chateau Waikiki! Enjoy being near world-famous beaches and Eaton Square w/lush fifth-floor amenity deck & more.

Malia Kakos J.D. (RA) 808.741.8292 Lisa Haeringer (R) 808.927.7177 RS-74485 | RB-20517

Dianne Willoughby (R) 808.347.9945 | dianne.willoughby@cbrealty.com

The Casey Group (R) & (RA) 808.366.4306 | karla@kcaloha.com RB-17901 | RS-85448

Dawn Kayano (R) 808.389.4662 | dawnk@cbpacific.com RB-22899

RB-15951

should not rely upon it without personal verification. Affiliated real estate agents are independent contractor sales associates, not employees. ©2023 Coldwell Banker. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker logos are trademarks of Coldwell supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act.

ColdwellBankerHomes.com

WE ASKED OUR STAFF “What woman inspires you?”

For inquiries, contact our circulation department: Phone: (808) 534-7520 Email: circulation@pacificbasin.net

Publisher: Donna Kodama-Yee (808) 534-7501 | donnaky@honolulumagazine.com

Jane Fonda— for her courage, activism and humor.

editorial Editorial Director

Diane Seo

Executive Editor

Katrina Valcourt Editor at Large

Robbie Dingeman Food & Culture Editor

design Creative Director

James Nakamura | (808) 534-7151 jnakamura@honolulumagazine.com Senior Art Director

Christine Labrador Art Director

Kayla Rivera

Martha Cheng

Food & Dining Managing Editor

Mari Taketa

Contributing Dining Editor

Thomas Obungen

Managing Style Editor

Marketing Director

Christy Davis | (808) 534-7503 christyd@honolulumagazine.com

Brie Thalmann

Branded Content Creation Manager

Senior Style Editor

marisah@honolulumagazine.com

Stacey Makiya

Senior Editor

Michelle Obama for her boundless grace and dignity.

Gloria Steinem for her women’s rights advocacy that helped smooth the way for so many of us.

marketing

Jasmine Chagnon

Marisa Heung | (808) 534-7152

A 5-foot-1-inch Filipino American chemical engineer who later earned her MBA, worked on low-income housing projects and is always giving back. My mom!

Special Projects Coordinator

Chloe Tomomi

Digital Editor

Meghan Thibault Contributing Editor

Don Wallace

advertising representative

Copy Editor

East Coast

Contributors

jeff@freeagentmedia.com 15 Maiden Lane, Suite 1001 New York, NY 10038

Elroy Garcia Eric Baranda Maria Burke James Charisma Lesa Griffith

My longtime mentor and friend, Sherri Rigg. She inspires with strength, panache, resiliency and words of wisdom: “It’s only a chapter and not the whole book.”

Jeff Greif (212) 213-1155

Editorial Intern

Julie Stanley

advertising Strategic Partnerships

Michelle Stofle | (808) 534-7532

michelles@honolulumagazine.com Client Relationship Specialist

Janelle You | (808) 534-7533

My mom! If it weren’t for her, I would not be able to answer this delightful question!

janelley@honolulumagazine.com

Advertising Executive

Donnie Ford | (808) 534-7131 donnief@honolulumagazine.com Advertising Project Manager

Pui-Heng Tang | (808) 534-7147 puiheng@honolulumagazine.com

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Audience Development Director

Circulation Manager

Audience Development Manager

IT & Infrastructure Manager

Chuck Tindle

Gaylyn Laikona

Kim Koki

Wes Funai

Staff Photographer

Duane Kurisu

President and Chief Operating Officer

Susan Eichor

Aaron K. Yoshino

Chief Financial and Administrative Officer

Ken Miyasato

Chief Revenue Officer City & Regional Magazine Association

Hawai‘i Publishers Association

Circulation Vertification Council

For subscriptions call (800) 788-4230 I fax: (808) 537-6455 honolulumagazine.com/contact-us

4 HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM March 2023

Patrick Klein

photos: michelle stofle, christine labrador

Linda Kawamura: My sister, my best friend. Her caring heart makes the world a better place.

MARCH 2023 | VOL.LVII I NO. 7

28 Inspiring Women Who Make Hawai‘i a Better Place Meet six standout women—from a Supreme Court justice to the state’s new poet laureate— leading the way toward better futures in the Islands. by jasmine chagnon, martha cheng, robbie dingeman, diane seo, mari taketa and katrina valcourt

photo: aaron k. yoshino

Get to know Dawn Lippert, CEO of Elemental Excelerator, on page 40.

HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM March 2023 5

MARCH 2023 | VOL. LVII NO. 7

DEPARTMENTS

8 Editor’s Page

Inspiring Women In celebration of Women’s History Month, meet six extraordinary women. by diane seo

11 Calabash

12 March Picks 13 Upcoming concerts 14 Where to catch

live music

The hina-ningyo display at Minamoto Kitchoan

16 Hawai‘i dancers make it big 18 New life for old buildings 20 The buzz at Mānoa

Honey & Mead

22 From Our Files

27 Style

The WOMEN’s Issue

PLUS : DANCERS SHAKE IT UP IN VEGAS P16

◆

NEW LIFE FOR OLD BUILDINGS P18

◆

OUR FAVORITE MUSUBI SHOPS P53

INSPIRING WOMEN

Women designers, creatives, shop owners and artists supporting the community through their work are always in style. by stacey makiya and brie thalmann

53 ‘Ono

VOLUME LVII NO. 7 |

WHO MAKE HAWAI‘I A BETTER PLACE

P28

$5.99

The WOMEN’s Issue

PLUS : DANCERS SHAKE IT UP IN VEGAS P16

◆

NEW LIFE FOR OLD BUILDINGS P18

◆

OUR FAVORITE MUSUBI SHOPS P53

INSPIRING WOMEN

Luis Campos holds up honeycomb from Mānoa Honey & Mead’s hives in Wahiawā, part of its Bees to Mead tour.

|

by eric baranda, maria burke and thomas obungen

INSPIRING WOMEN

MARCH 2023

Our 10 favorite shops when we’re craving musubi. Plus, we revisit some classic neighborhood diners with old-school charm.

64 Afterthoughts

Animal House Why can’t Honolulu be more pet-friendly?

by james charisma MARCH 2023

Special Promotional Section

| VOLUME LVII NO. 7 |

INSPIRING WOMEN WH O MAK E HAWAI ‘ I A B E TT E R PLAC E

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40th

ANNIVERSARY PRESENTED BY

VOTE NOW! ➸ It’s time to make your taste buds heard. Vote for your favorite restaurants in the 2023 Hale ‘Aina Awards. Log on to honolulumagazine.com/ haleainaballot to vote by March 31.

I T A L L S TA RT S AT

H O N O LU LU M AG A Z I N E .C O M/H A L E A I N A BA L LOT

L A S T D AY T O V O T E : M A R C H 3 1 S e e h o n o l u l u m a g a z i n e .c o m f o r o f f i c i a l r u l e s

ON THE COVER Top: Subscribers only.

Illustrations: JT Ojerio of Aloha de Mele

(ISSN 0441-2044) © 2023 PacificBasin Communications, LLC. All rights reserved. Any unauthorized copying, distribution, or adaptation is strictly prohibited and will result in liability of up to $100,000.

Published monthly by PacificBasin Communications. Advertising and business offices: 1088 Bishop St., Ste. LL2, Honolulu, HI, 96813-4204. Phone: (808) 537-9500/Fax: (808) 537-6455. MATERIALS Publisher cannot be held responsible for care or return of manuscripts, photographs or art. Unsolicited material must be accompanied by a self-addressed envelope and return postage. Publisher reserves the right to edit letters to the editor and other material submitted. Periodicals postage paid at Honolulu, Hawai‘i, and at additional mailing offices. SUBSCRIPTION: one year $24.99 / two years $34.99 / three years $44.99. Foreign: one year $41.99 / two years $69.99 / three years $97.99 (US funds). For subscription inquiries, additional rates, information, notification of change of address and subscription service, please call (800) 788-4230. POSTMASTER Send address changes to HONOLULU Magazine, 1088 Bishop St., Suite LL2, Honolulu, HI 96813. Subscribers notify the same office. Please include new address and old address (mailing label preferred).

6 HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM March 2023

photos: aaron k. yoshino

VOTE

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F O R YO U R FAV O R I T E R E S TA U R A N T S

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editor’s page

Inspiring Women

About Our Cover Artist

BY DIANE SEO

W

E ALL KNOW WOMEN IN HAWAI‘I, probably sev-

eral, who do things ​​that make life better. ​Whether under the radar or publicly, they ​​​tackle problems, accomplish the difficult and change lives. Their stories may or may not be widely known, but they all make a difference. So, for this issue, we are spotlighting a few of these extraordinary people.

The assignment: Identify inspiring women who make Hawai‘i better.

So many possibilities. Women are impactful in many areas​:​​business, government, the arts, community service. Our editorial team brainstormed, and we selected six, including a few behind-the-scenes choices, who stand out. Puanani Burgess, Dawn Lippert, Brandy Nālani McDougall, Sabrina McKenna, Jennine Sullivan and Ashley Watts make for a diverse group. They mediate conflicts, leverage Hawai‘i’s innovations internationally, work toward sustainability, speak out for the disenfranchised, feed those in need and help others overcome trauma with the power of their words.

Their stories personally lifted me. The news is often filled with troubling events, and it’s easy to forget amid such chaos that there are many people with drive and vision bolstering our community. As we kick off Women’s History Month, which honors women’s contributions across the country, it’s a pleasure to share these stories of hope.

DIANE SEO EDITORIAL DIRECTOR DIANES@HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM

8 HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM March 2023

JT Ojerio of Aloha de Mele was born and raised on O‘ahu.

She’s heavily inspired by other artists and their influences, as well as all the beautiful things in Hawai‘i that surround her.

For the cover, she says, “I was excited and humbled to create an image that wasn’t about me and my artwork. It was about all the women who are featured inside the issue and how I could sum up their essence in one piece.”

Ahana Kōkō Lele In February’s roundup of seven notable new restaurants, the ending of ​the piece about ​ Le’s Banh Mi was cut off. The full version is online and reprinted here: You won’t find plastic containers of spring rolls, rice cakes, buns and vermicelli. But with Chi Lam and her husband’s attention to detail, you won’t miss what isn’t there. (By Martha Cheng and Thomas Obungen)

photos: aaron k. yoshino, courtesy of aloha de mele

In celebration of Women’s History Month, meet six extraordinary women.

MK3012

4 0 YE AR S O F G RE AT VISI O N 5 0 % O FF LEN SE S with frame purchase*

Plan your visit at Ala Moana Center

*

Some restrictions and exclusions apply. See associate for details. Offer ends 4/2. ©2023 Luxottica of America Inc. All Rights Reserved

➸ SOUNDS OF SPRING P·13 // NEW BEGINNINGS FOR OLD BUILDINGS P·18 // NICE TO MEAD YOU P·20

Calabash

P E O P L E P L A C E S

PHOTO: AARON K. YOSHINO

C U L T U R E

Hello, Dolly!

➸ AS WITH MANY CULTURAL PRACTICES THAT MAKE THEIR WAY TO THE ISLANDS, how we

observe Girls’ Day, the March 3rd Japanese celebration that honors women and girls, has taken on a uniquely local spin. Nowadays, we mostly give out mochi including chi chi dango, a distinctly Hawai‘i replacement for traditional hishi mochi. But for a lovely reminder of why the day is called Hinamatsuri, or Doll Festival, in Japan, look no further than confectionery shop Minamoto Kitchoan. Each year its Ala Moana store puts out an elaborate display of traditional hina-ningyo, delicate figurines depicting court life in the Heian period that are customarily bought for a family’s first daughter and passed down through the generations. Ala Moana Center, kitchoan.com, @minamotokitchoanhawaii HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM March 2023 11

This year’s campaign theme for International Women’s Day (March 8) is #EmbraceEquity.

calabash | THINGS TO DO

March Picks

For more things to do visit honolulum agazi things-to ne.com/ -do

Learn about various cultures, cheer on the Rainbow Warriors and enjoy onstage performances by some of Hawai‘i’s top artists.

SHOPPING

Aloha Home Market March 19 / 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Free / Ala Moana Center

BY JASMINE CHAGNON

THEATER

20,000 Leagues Deep #hawaii_ascending

Support local small businesses at one of Hawai‘i’s premier pop-up markets. Expect an array of unique treasures and finds—everything from fine furniture and jewelry to clothing, accessories, keiki and pet items and specialty food vendors. alohahomemarket.com

March 3–5 / Various times Though specifically designed for keiki in grades three to five, the young at heart will delight in this interactive play too. It addresses climate change and includes themes of teamwork, collaboration, resilience and determination. The immersive Theatre for Young Audiences experience is directed by alumnus and former Honolulu Theatre for Youth artistic associate Alvin Chan. manoa.hawaii.edu/liveonstage/ leagues DINING

HONOLULU Magazine’s BrunchFest presented by American Savings Bank

SPORTS

UH vs. UConn March 10–13 / 6:35 p.m.

Tickets from $5 / Les Murakami Stadium Support the Rainbow Warriors baseball team as it competes against highly competitive nonconference teams, including UConn, a 2022 Super Regional team. hawaiiathletics.com THEATER

La Cage aux Folles March 24–April 9 / 3, 4 and 7:30 p.m.

March 26 / 10:30 a.m.

$27–$52 / Diamond Head Theatre

Various prices / Outrigger Reef Waikīkī Beach Resort Indulge in a morning of delicious sweet and savory bites, bottomless bloody marys and mimosas, lawn games, entertainment and more. The Outrigger Reef Waikīkī Beach Resort vibe is the perfect atmosphere for a Sunday Funday.

HNLTix.com

Watch this heartwarming musical comedy about family, commitment and show business showcased in the new theater. The story of a gay couple trying to win over their straight son’s fiancée and family inspired the popular movie The Birdcage. diamondheadtheatre.com CULTURE

St. Patrick’s Day Parade FESTIVAL

Honolulu Festival

Free / Throughout Waikīkī

March 10–12

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and watch as nearly 800 people march in the 56th annual parade. The fun starts in front of Fort DeRussy and makes its way through Waikīkī, ending at the bandstand at Kapi‘olani Park. Expect marching bands, school groups,

Various prices, times and locations Learn about and celebrate the cultures of the Pacific Rim. For its 27th year, the festival’s theme is Connect with Aloha, Forward to the New Future. Expect craft fairs, bon dances, live performances, a Japanese film festival and more. Sites for this year’s events include the Hawai‘i Convention Center, Ala Moana Center and Waikīkī Beach Walk. The three-day festival, which promotes mutual understanding, economic cooperation and ethnic harmony between the people of Hawai‘i and the Pacific Rim region, culminates with a parade down Kalākaua Avenue. honolulufestival.com

12 HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM March 2023

March 17 / noon

community organizations and more. friendsofstpatrickhawaii.com

➸ Looking to get the word out about your upcoming event or activity?

Email info@honolulumagazine.com.

photos: getty images, courtesy of honolulu festival foundation, christine lamborn. opposite page: courtesy of blue note hawai‘i

$8–$20 / Kennedy Theatre

calabash | THINGS TO DO

Sounds of Spring We’ve been saying it for a long time, but with this many upcoming shows, it finally feels true: Live music is back, baby. Here’s what’s on deck, from pop to EDM to folk, at some of the most popular concert venues around town.

Storm Large POP Thursday, March 2, 6:30 and 9 p.m., $25–$35, Blue Note Hawai‘i, 2335 Kalākaua Ave., (808) 777-4890, bluenotehawaii.com, @bluenotehawaii

Cash Cash

Phora: The Fake Smiles Tour

Judith Hill

R&B

Tuesday, March 14, 6:30 and 9 p.m., $35, Blue Note Hawai‘i

Saturday, March 11, 8 p.m., $30–$130, The Republik

Mozart Piano Concerto No. 20 with the Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra CLASSICAL

EDM Friday, March 3, 9 p.m., $40–$50, The Republik, 1349 Kapi‘olani Blvd., (808) 9417469, jointherepublik.com, @jointherepublik

Saturday, March 11, 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, March 12, 4 p.m., $18–$99, Hawai‘i Theatre

Joshua Radin FOLK

Beach Bunny ALTERNATIVE & INDIE

Monday, March 13, 7 p.m., $35–$45, Blue Note Hawai‘i

Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons

R&B

Keahiwai

POP/ROCK Saturday, March 18, 8 p.m., $45–$295, Waikīkī Shell

Mom Jeans: Sweet Tooth World Tour

HAWAIIAN Thursday, March 16, 6:30 and 9 p.m., $40–$50, Blue Note Hawai‘i

ALTERNATIVE & INDIE Saturday, March 18, 8 p.m., $27, The Republik

Mat Zo EDM Friday, March 17, 8:30 p.m., $25, HB Social Club, 1680 Kapi‘olani Blvd., Second Floor, (808) 9461343, hbsocialclub.com, @hbsocialclub

Raiatea Helm with the Spring Wind Quintet HAWAIIAN Sunday, March 19, 6:30 p.m., $25–$35, Blue Note Hawai‘i

Thursday, March 9, 8 p.m., $35, The Republik

The Irish Tenors with the Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra CELTIC Friday, March 10, 7:30 p.m., $75–$105, Hawai‘i Theatre, 1130 Bethel St., (808) 528-0506, hawaiitheatre.com, @hawaiitheatre

Shaun Cassidy POP ROCK Friday, March 10, and Saturday, March 11, 6:30 p.m., $45–$55, Blue Note Hawai‘i

Rebelution REGGAE Saturday, March 11, 7 p.m., $49.50–$85, Waikīkī Shell, 2805 Monsarrat Ave., (808) 768-5252, blaisdellcenter.com, @blaisdellcenter Judith Hill

HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM March 2023 13

calabash | THINGS TO DO

Otoboke Beaver

For King + Country

Bonnie Raitt

PUNK ROCK

CHRISTIAN

FOLK

Sunday, March 19, 8 p.m., $30, The Republik

Tuesday, March 28, 8 p.m., $59.50–$129.50, Blaisdell Center

BIG BAND

Saturday, March 25, 7 p.m., $29–$139.99, Blaisdell Center, 777 Ward Ave., (808) 768-5488, blaisdellcenter.com, @blaisdellcenter

Monday, March 20, 7 p.m., $25–$35, Blue Note Hawai‘i

“Weird Al” Yankovic

Mike Lewis Big Band

Jimmy Eat World ROCK

Where to Catch Live Music

Mike Phillips

Whether you’re in the mood for jazz in a luxurious vintage setting or tropical vibes in a breezy alfresco spot, these places are sure to strike a chord.

JAZZ

PARODY Saturday, March 25, 8 p.m. $59–$289, Blaisdell Center

Wednesday, March 29, 6:30 and 9 p.m., $25–$35, Blue Note Hawai‘i

Two Friends

Thursday, March 23, and Friday, March 24, 8 p.m., $45–$100, The Republik

Jordan Davis

DANCE POP

COUNTRY POP

Friday, March 31, 9 p.m., $47.50, The Republik

The Motet

Saturday, March 25, 8 p.m., $45, The Republik

BY N ATA L I E S C H A C K

Kaka‘ako: Merriman’s Honolulu

DANCE Friday, March 24, and Saturday, March 25, 6:30 and 9 p.m., $25–$35, Blue Note Hawai‘i

This effortlessly stylish eatery’s outdoor tables are prime spots for some laidback acoustic-style croonings.The musical lineup complements a casual dinner-and-drinks night out.

1108 Auahi St., merrimanshawaii.com/ honolulu, @merrimanshonolulu

Kalihi: Nico’s Pier 38 Check out Nico’s website for an impressive calendar of acts scheduled almost every day of the week and in the evenings too. Look for relaxed R&B and Hawaiian music at lunch between noon and 2 p.m., and again starting at 6 p.m. for dinner service.

1129 N. Nimitz Highway, nicospier38.com, @nicospier38

Jordan Davis 14 HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM March 2023

It wouldn’t be a live music roundup without a nod to Halekūlani’s legendary House Without A Key. This go-to spot for happy hour boasts oceanfront sunset views and tropical cocktail classics to go with Hawaiian music every evening starting at 5:30 p.m., accompanied by the dancing of former Miss Hawai‘i and Miss Hawai‘i-USA winners. Also on the hotel property is Lewers Lounge. Think cozy woodpaneled walls, lush velvety seating, and a moody ambiance that’s a perfect match for its nightly artists’ masterful jazz stylings. Find them under the spotlight and ready to groove from 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays.

2199 Kālia Road, halekulani.com, @halekulanihotel

photo: courtesy of red light management

Waikīkī: Halekūlani

calabash | THINGS TO DO

Kailua: Maui Brewing Co. Maui Brewing Co. in Kailua has the no-fuss night-out formula down pat with a huge variety of local beers, easygoing brewery vibes and a great Island-inspired bar menu. And with live musicians every Wednesday through Sunday evening starting at 6 or 7 (check the Maui Brewing Co. calendar for specifics), we could chill here for hours.

573 Kailua Road, Kailua, mbcrestaurants.com/kailua, @mauibrewingco

Ala Moana Meets Waikīkī Marina: 100 Sails Prince Waikīkī’s 100 Sails has been on our radar for years, thanks to its stunning marina views and top-tier brunch buffet. But its centerpiece

bar, where you can grab small bites and craft cocktails, is a new reason to come back, this time for happy hour. Sweetening the deal is live music every Thursday through Saturday at 6 p.m. and Sunday at 5 p.m.

100 Holomoana St., 100sails.com, @100sails

Hale‘iwa: Maya’s Tapas and Wine Get into the laid-back North Shore mode during weekend brunch, when Maya’s brings out some live tunes of the reggae-inspired, Island-vibing variety.

66-250 Kamehameha Highway, Hale‘iwa, mayastapasandwine.com, @mayastapasandwine

Ala Wai at Ala Moana: Signature Prime Steak and Seafood Come for breathtaking floor-toceiling views that encompass everything from Mānoa to the Waikīkī Yacht Harbor. Located on the 36th floor of the Ala Moana Hotel, this elegant, old-school restaurant and bar offers a fabulous happy hour and throwback dishes (like oysters Rockefeller and steak tartare). Throw in some live musical stylings on the house piano (expect classical, jazz and contemporary sounds) and you’ve got a trifecta of appeal that makes this classy, stylish spot one of the city’s best.

410 Atkinson Drive, signatureprimesteak.com, @thesignatureprimesteak

Waikīkī at Sea: Vida Mia The Vida Mia is a restored yacht with a beautiful, vintage aesthetic that will take your coffee or cocktail hour to the next level. While the bulk of Vida Mia’s offerings include snorkel cruises, morning coffee cruises and private sunset sails for quite the pretty penny, the calendar also opens up on Wednesday and Saturday evenings for Vida Mia Live. Only 30 seats are available for each of these intimate two-hour experiences, which feature a full seafood dinner, local artists and a full premium bar for $159.

Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor, Slip 499, thevidamia.com, @vidamiahawaii

DESIGNED FO R GETAWAYS EXPERIENCE THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS INCLUDING ALL THE COMFORTS OF HOME AND FIVE-STAR HOTEL AMENITIES FOR A PERFECT GETAWAY.

Oahu’s first Forbes Travel Guide 5-Star Hotel KAMA’AINA LUXURIOUS GETAWAY OFFER INCLUDES Luxurious Waikiki Accommodations | Valet Parking for One Vehicle Daily $50 – $150 Food & Beverage Credit | Waived Resort Fee | Trump Pets Waived Pet Fee 223 SARATOGA ROAD HONOLULU HI 96815 1.877.683.7401 TRUMPHOTELS.COM/WAIKIKI

calabash | BREAKTHROUGH

Two Honolulu Dancers Shake It Up in Vegas HE SAID, SHE SAID. Get to know besties

Kent Shinomae, 32, and Christianne Moss, 23, who beat out hundreds from across the world to be cast last year in Michael Jackson ONE, a Cirque du Soleil production at Mandalay Bay.

BY S TA C E Y M A K I YA

HOW WAS IT THE FIRST TIME YOU PERFORMED IN MICHAEL JACKSON ONE? CM: The first show we did only involved us performing in one dance number. We started off with “Smooth Criminal.”

I was really excited to finally be onstage in front of an audience. I felt confident and ready. After the show, I was pumped up and just wanted to get back out there and keep dancing.

KS: I was nervous, anxious and stressed—so many things going through my head, like remembering the choreography. It was a huge moment, and I was excited for it, especially since we trained for a month and a half, and now, getting to do it. When it was done, I was hyped to jump back onstage and do it all over again.

DOWNTIME MUST BE PRECIOUS (THEY DANCE TWO SHOWS A NIGHT, FIVE NIGHTS A WEEK). WHAT DO YOU DO IN YOUR OFF HOURS? KS: I take the opportunity to sleep in and catch a movie or show at a local theater.

CM: I spend a lot of my free time on FaceTime.

My boyfriend still lives in Hawai‘i, and I chat with him often. We like to play online games together. I also have group FaceTime calls with friends where they catch me up on things I’m missing back home, and I fill them in on everything new for me. When I’m alone, I like taking long baths, doing skin care, lighting candles, etc.

WHO WOULD BE YOUR TOP THREE ENTERTAINERS TO DANCE WITH? CM: Rihanna, Ariana Grande and Chris Brown.

KS: Justin Timberlake, Usher or any of the top K-pop artists like BTS, Twice, Stray Kids, etc.

IF YOU WEREN’ T DANCING, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR DREAM JOB? KS: It would be to have my own performing dance company.

CM: I would love to be a professional choreographer. This is something I can see myself doing in the future following my career as a performing dancer.

16 HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM March 2023

Christianne Moss as a toddler

Kent Shinomae as a toddler

WHAT ’S THE FIRST THING YOU DO WHEN YOU COME BACK HOME FOR A VISIT ?

CM: Spend time relaxing and talking story with my family. We go on boba runs!

WHAT ’S THE BEST ADVICE SOMEONE GAVE YOU?

KS: I spend time with my dad and go out for dinner at a yummy local restaurant.

CM: Don’t let anyone tell you what you can or cannot do. You are capable of anything as long as you’re willing to work for it.

PHOTOS; COURTESY OF CHRISTIANNE MOSS AND KENT SHINOMAE

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE EACH OTHER IN THREE WORDS? KS: Supportive, adventurous and honest.

CM: Reliable, articulate and intentional.

IF YOU HAD TO GIVE EACH OTHER A NICKNAME, WHAT WOULD IT BE? CM: Kento Bento has always been his go-to nickname.

KS: Miss Tenacious. I’ve known Christianne for over 10 years and have come to appreciate her tremendous tenacity in life. She is someone who never gives up and never stops trying in anything she sets her heart on. I love that about her.

KS: Never give up and take every opportunity that comes your way.

Thank you, Mom, for always telling me to go after my dreams.

Shinomae shows off his Michael Jackson moves.

WHAT ’S THE BEST ADVICE YOU’VE GIVEN TO YOUNG DANCERS? KS: Honestly, the same advice my mom gave me as I was growing up: Be the best you can be and branch out. Learn other dance styles, take performance opportunities, and audition for things to achieve your goals and dreams.

CM: I always remind my dance students not to forget the joy in dance. We spend so much time treating dance as a job or competition that it can be easy to forget why we do it at all—because it makes us happy.

Moss on stage in Ballet Hawai‘i’s The Nutcracker

calabash | CITY LIFE

New Beginnings for Old Buildings Architect Dean Sakamoto spearheads the adaptive reuse of notable buildings to honor Honolulu’s social past.

PHOTOS: AARON K. YOSHINO

BY LESA GRIFFITH

18 HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM March 2023

Read more on the plans for the Wo Fat building at bit.ly/hn-wo-fat.

H

O N O LU LU A RC H I T E C T D E A N SAKAMOTO HAS BEEN ON A Q U I E T, Y E T D E T E R M I N E D, Q U E S T to preserve Hawai‘i’s

past by finding new uses for notable buildings. As a creative problem solver with a commitment to sustainability, he says it’s his civic duty to prevent the loss of valuable resources.

A current focus is helping to reenvision the dilapidated Hawai‘i Hochi building in Kapālama, with Kamehameha Schools and the city preparing for its extreme makeover as a workforce housing hub on a revitalized industrial footprint. Built in 1972 for the Japanese newspaper Hawai‘i Hochi, and designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Kenzo Tange, the raw concrete structure is a testament to the social significance of the newspaper, which was born out of the milestone 1902 strike by exploited Japanese plantation workers.

Last fall, Sakamoto and Canadian architect Brigitte Shim co-led an advanced studio workshop at Yale’s School of Architecture (Sakamoto’s alma mater; he was also director of its Architecture Gallery).

With Kamehameha Schools’ support, the duo centered the workshop on the Hochi Building, asking their students at Yale to complete two projects—one proposing adaptive reuse of the building, and the other integrating the building into a new urban ensemble of workforce housing, public space and public programs.

Hilarie Alomar, Kamehameha Schools’ director of planning and development, attended the studio workshop last December and saw the students’ innovative ideas.

Sakamoto hopes it leads to a new life for the Hochi building as part of the envisioned Kapālama Kai redevelopment.

“I believe in service learning,” he says.

“The studio was an opportunity for Yale to lend brainpower to Hawai‘i. … It’s a healthy and necessary thing to do.”

You could say Sakamoto jump-started advocacy for Honolulu’s midcentury modern buildings—he conceived and curated the 2008 milestone Honolulu Museum of Art exhibition Hawaiian Modern: The Architecture of Vladimir Ossipoff, which refo-

cused light on the influential Russian and his design principles such as the living lānai. Shortly after, the city’s preservation community rallied to get The Howard Hughes Corp. to repurpose the iconic Ossipoffdesigned IBM Building as its sales center, instead of razing the landmark structure as planned. Sakamoto also co-founded the Hawai‘i chapter of Docomomo, a midcentury modern advocacy nonprofit.

And he spearheaded an investor hui that last year purchased another Ossipoff creation—the 1953 Liberty Bank building in Chinatown. The move “came out of my need to find an office space,” Sakamoto explains. The stars aligned when it turned out that Allen Kubota, the head of commercial real estate at American Savings Bank, which owns the building, remembered Sakamoto from his research for the Ossipoff exhibition. “He appreciated my appreciation—ASB did a lot to maintain the building,” Sakamoto says. “When I approached him about buying the building with my business

partner, he thought it was a good idea.

The bank allowed me to rent space there while working on financing.

We’re trying to determine how best to repurpose the property with knowledge of its cultural significance.”

As with the Hochi building, Sakamoto is attracted to the Liberty Bank building’s social history. The bank was founded in 1922 by Chinese businessmen to help Asians, who couldn’t secure loans from white-owned banks. (It was acquired by Bank of America, which then sold its Hawai‘i holdings to American Savings Bank.)

In the same neighborhood, Sakamoto is also a consultant on the project to reimagine the 1938 Wo Fat building as a boutique hotel.

“It would be negligent on my part as a professional not to call attention to opportunities like this, avoiding the loss of historic resources,” he says. “It’s the most sustainable thing to do and has cultural value. Why throw away a sturdy chair when it still works?”

Dean Sakamoto at the Hawai‘i Hochi building HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM March 2023 19

calabash | DRINK

Nice to Mead You

Beekeeper suit and smoker

Mānoa Honey & Mead launches new tours and a line of traditional-style meads that defy tradition.

Y

U K I U Z U H A S H I F L E W O N TO OU R R A DA R when he started

making mead. The Osaka native bought Mānoa Honey (founded in Mānoa Valley) from its original owner and took things a step further by turning its golden wares into a line of carbonated, low-alcohol meads in flavors like liliko‘i, pineapple and fruit punch.

As if that weren’t buzzworthy enough, he launched tastings at Mānoa Honey & Mead’s “honey house” next to its production facility in Wahiawā, expanded offerings recently with a Bees to Mead tour that starts at its hives in a nearby field, and has now debuted a line of uncarbonated meads that are closer in style to traditional mead that’s been made for millennia—if that style includes durian, that is.

Yes, durian mead. The pungent fruit is one of three new flavors that also include Pō, Uzuhashi’s homage to ancient mead; and Slee Ping Potion, made with Christmas-berry honey and botanicals. None are as sweet as you would expect, a reflection of the tastes of their maker. “We’re enjoying the flip of people’s expectations—first, coming to Wahiawā and this alley, really?” he says of the meadery’s unexpected locale at the end of a modest dead-end road. “And then the mead—it’s sparkling, like Champagne. Now the durian—oh!

This is drinkable!”

An art student in college, Uzuhashi’s conversion from sculpture to honey was sealed long ago in Jamaica. He was staying with a friend who, intent on exacting revenge on bees that had stung him, handed Uzuhashi some window screening for protection and set off with him for the hives. Uzuhashi watched in awe as his friend destroyed the honey-

20 HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM March 2023

PHOTOS: AARON K. YOSHINO

BY M A R I TA K E TA

Learn more: manoahoney.com, @manoahoneymead

Honeycomb from the Wahiawā hives

comb, bees buzzing everywhere as translucent drips glinted in the sunlight. It was primal and awful and beautiful. He saw in the world of movement the opposite of sculpture, which captures a single moment for eternity. That’s how he came to see all of it—bees, honey, durian mead—as expressions of art. “Sometimes you make art from a piece of metal you pick up off the ground. You add value to it,” he says.

Mead starts with honey and “contains terroir, water, cultures, flora around us.

It makes a story. You drink it and enjoy it and feel connected to the land. How can we elevate the status of mead to a higher level, and from there how can we elevate it more?” It sounds like there’ll be a lot more worth watching.

From left, Slee Ping Potion, durian mead and Pō

HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM March 2023 21

calabash | FROM OUR FILES

Leslie Wilcox led PBS Hawai‘i from 2007 to 2020, before retiring from local journalism.

March HONOLULU Magazine emerged from Paradise of the Pacific, a publication commissioned by King Kalākaua that began in 1888, making it the oldest continuously published magazine west of the Mississippi. Each month we take advantage of its enviable archive with a nostalgic dive into the past. For this issue, we flipped back 30 years to see what the city was buzzing about in March 1993.

BY ROBBIE DINGEMAN

Flashback ’90s Faves

I

N THE ’90S, HONOLULU Magazine

asked readers to mail (or fax!) their picks for the People’s Choice Awards for the Best and Worst of Hawai‘i.

Looking back, we celebrate both the changemakers and how times have changed.

On the tribute side, the award for Kama‘āina with the Most Aloha Spirit went fittingly to entertainer extraordinaire Danny Kaleikini, who died in January of this year. Loved as Hawai‘i’s “ambassador of aloha,” the 85-year-old remained a positive force for Hawaiian values.

He also won as one of five Best-Dressed Kama‘āina.

Rounding out the best-dressed were TV news anchors Linda Coble and Leslie Wilcox, business exec/former politician John Henry Felix and former first lady Lynne Waihe‘e (while husband John Waihe‘e hit the worst-dressed list along with fellow now-former Gov. Neil Abercrombie).

Many food-scene favorites are long gone: Sunset Grill for Best Business Lunch; Studebaker’s for Best Happy Hour (where the waitstaff danced on the counters); Tripton’s American Café for Best Dinner Under $20; as well as The Secret, winning for Best Discreet Dinner, which now sounds like a very sketchy category. But, take heart! Back then, multiple awards went to Michel’s at the Colony Surf in Waikīkī, which outlasted them all—it won Best Place to Propose Marriage, Best Place for An Anniversary as well as Best Power Breakfast.

People with aloha spirit earned the Top Reason to Live in Hawai‘i. Biggest Waste of Taxpayers’ Money went to $50 million in rapid transit studies. Best AND worst contests 22 HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM March 2023

confuse us: The Best Use of Spam award went to musubi, while Worst Use of the Island favorite was “human consumption.” Gulp!

The awards included Favorite Local Jokes with enough ethnic stereotypes to insult just about everybody, although the No. 1 skewered state employees: A worker vehemently stomping a snail is asked, why the attack?

“This damn snail has been following me around all day.”

Groan.

News Icon Former television news anchor Leslie Wilcox stylishly rocked the cover of the magazine after earning awards for Best Dressed as well as Female Local TV Personality You’d Like to Go on a Cruise With. Making this only slightly less sexist by today’s standards, the writers praised her “brains and beauty” while crediting male winner Dan Cooke only for “beauty.”

Learn more about the evolution of covers in HONOLULU Magazine and Paradise of the Pacific: 125 Years of Covers, available at shop.honolulumagazine.com.

MARCH 2023

W H O M A D E M A H I N A M A D E ? P. 2 5 / / F R E S H F I N D S AT N Ā M E A H AWA I ‘ I P. 2 6 / / M O D E L I N G I N C LU S I V I T Y P. 2 7

BY S TA C E Y M A K I YA A N D B R I E T H A L M A N N

Earth-Friendly, But Make It Fashion

Ok bet

Two local brands helmed by women prove style and sustainability fit perfectly together.

Read more on page 24 

Onepa‘a Hawa

i‘i OK Bet large scrunchies, $16

PHOTO: AARON K. YOSHINO

Onepa‘a Hawai‘i sports bra, $60

HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM March 2023 23

style | GOING GREEN NATURALLY GOOD

Nitasha LymanMersereau

“Research is critical,” says Nitasha Lyman-Mersereau, “to create a brand that is environmentally responsible and intentional in its practices.” She devours climate change articles daily, learning how to rightly grow her eco-friendly lifestyle brand, Onepa‘a Hawai‘i, that launched in 2019.

The Maui native says she was always that high school friend who challenged her crew to use reusable utensils. And, while global preservation is the catalyst for Lyman-Mersereau’s eco-conscious crusade, honoring the Hawaiian culture also takes a front seat in driving her business.

“Fashion is not something I’ve always been comfortable with, but I’ve learned to use it as a vessel to express my creativity—in all aspects,” she says. “I’m thoughtful in the designs I create while celebrating native flora and birds. In that regard, it’s vital to discover innovative ways to take care of the things that inspire me.”

Running a small local label with little money to waste, she admits, means she has to be savvy in the ethical practices she chooses when creating lifestylewear for families, especially women. By sourcing organic fabrics from manufacturers, creating made-to-order pieces to eliminate wasteful overstock, selecting printing methods that use fewer chemicals and less water, and designing a plastic-free T-shirt line that is made domestically, she fashioned her own business path while minimizing her retail carbon footprint. onepaahawaii.com, @onepaahawaii

Coffee grounds from The Curb. Avocado pits from Arvo.

Onion skins from Down to Earth. As the adage goes, one person’s trash is another person’s treasure. In this case, the lucky person is Kristin Baucom, owner of local textile dyeing business OK Bet. The 26-year-old with a degree in natural resources and environmental management is a wizard at producing dyes from fallen foliage, flowers and fruit; recyclable refuse; and dirt from Mililani. In May 2021, she introduced her online shop, which has a super cool offering of hand-dyed streetwear, including Nike socks dyed with strawberry guava leaves, coconut-husk-dyed scrunchies, and shoelaces dyed with onion skins.

To create the dyes, she forages all over the island to find anything she can extract color from. Even when she is driving, her eyes are open to possibilities. “If I see a mango tree, I’ll make a mental note to ask the owner if there’s any inedible fruit he wants to give away.” Through trial and error, she found that “plants are like people—their environment affects their core. A leaf from Hawai‘i Kai will produce a different color than a leaf from Mānoa.”

For the dyeing process, Baucom scours fabrics; soaks leaves, fruits and flowers for hours (or days); adds chemical agents to fix the dyes to the textiles; then dyes, dries and washes the garments—sometimes triple dyeing a piece to get

24 HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM March 2023

Kristin Baucom

a richer outcome. “Yes,” she says, “it takes a lot of discipline and patience.”

Others in the industry are huge supporters of her art. She’s been commissioned to do work for Here, Banan, Arvo and Sig Zane Designs. “The Sig project involved dyeing a collection of shirts featuring an ‘ulu print. The ‘ulu leaves I used for the dye were from the tree that inspired his first ‘ulu print—that was a great full-circle moment.” okbet.supply, @okbet.supply —SM

PHOTOS: PEKUNA HONG/KICKING BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY, COURTESY OF OK BET; OPPOSITE PAGE: COURTESY OF KAILEE FREITAS

TO DYE FOR

MEET THE MAKER | style

Who Made Mahina Made?

Kailee Freitas. Taking inspiration from her family’s puakenikeni tree, she turned the fragrant lei flower into a breakout trend.

“M

Y MOM MADE SO MANY LEIS from that tree

and always gifted it to people,” Kailee Freitas recalls. “The house was always filled with the flower’s sweet scent.” The memory makes her smile.

On a whim, during the pandemic, Freitas created a puakenikeni shirt.

“It started with custom doormats, a simple project to fill my creative side,” says Freitas. “At the time, I was juggling being a stay-at-home mom to two boys and virtually teaching second graders from Makalapa Elementary. The idea of a lei T-shirt was something I just tried, people latched onto it, and my business took off.”

The overwhelming response encouraged her to make the bittersweet decision to take a hiatus from teaching. “I love giving back in that way, but this was a chance to pursue another passion,” the Kamehameha Schools graduate says.

All of her tees are inspired by a personal connection.

Her second shirt featured pīkake, a lei she donned at

"I share why I selected this flower with my customers ... In return, they’ve shared their special memories with leis.”

— Kailee Freitas

Kailee Freitas with her son Keko‘i‘ula.

her wedding. “I share why I selected this flower with my customers either on a tag or in person. In return, they’ve shared their special memories with leis,” says Freitas. “It’s one of the best things to come out of this.”

Since the O‘ahu-based company’s 2017 launch, sales have grown 100 times over. A recent poll on the Mahina Made Instagram account shows that some of her customers own 15 shirts.

Riding the high of the tees’ success, she expanded Mahina Made to include home goods and accessories, which have also become top sellers. On top of that, the boss mom created the Ho‘omau Hawai‘i Market, a pop-up event featuring goods that perpetuate Hawaiian culture.

“During the pandemic, small-business owners felt lonely. I wanted something to bring everyone together and normalize support of Hawaiian artisans and their products,” Freitas says.

The first market in 2021 was at the International Market Place.

She was nervous about people showing up, but the response brought her to (happy) tears. “On the first day, there was a long line at 8 a.m.,” she says. “The market didn’t open until 10, and the parking lot was closed at 10:30. We drew over 3,000 people that weekend. I couldn’t believe it.”

With her businesses booming, Freitas says she has no plans of slowing down. This year, she’s again organizing a summer and holiday market. She’s also releasing new designs and colorways of her iconic tees and has more lightbulb collabs up her sleeve with local businesses.

She’s on a fast-track now, and despite all of her hard work, she says she knows she couldn’t have gotten as far as she has without some help. “One of the hugest takeaways from doing all this is gratitude. I get to do what I love, learn from other women-run businesses, meet incredible people and work with my family and friends. We joke my husband is Mahina’s maid—he’s the labor behind the brand. I couldn’t do all this without him.” —SM

HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM March 2023 25

style | COMMUNITY

Goods Intentioned

W

ITH FOOTHOLDS IN THE WORLDS OF ART, commerce

and local culture, Maile Meyer has been championing Native Hawaiian creators long before Nā Mea Hawai‘i first opened in 1996. Fans of the Ward store appreciate her eye—wellhoned thanks to an extensive art education (Meyer studied studio arts, typography and photography on her way to a master’s degree in arts management)—for items that are truly special and unique.

But more than that, they know that behind the scenes Meyer is working feverishly to foster the growth of rising Native Hawaiian makers, offering support and guidance in everything from manufacturing and accounting to scaling up responsibly, and realigning value systems along the way. “People want less things and more value in their gift-giving and in their own belongings,” Meyer explains, and they prefer the dynamic where “someone has made something that they’re very proud of that’s real and authentic, and someone values what was made for them.

There’s something about that exchange, that keeps the human element really in it, that I find very, very gratifying.” Ward Village, 1200 Ala Moana Blvd. Suite 270, (808) 596-8885, nameahawaii.com, @na_mea_hawaii

INTO THE BREW

“Hobbs Tea Co. organic, small-batch teas are from a husband-and-wife duo who grow their tea on the slopes of Kīlauea volcano.” $18.95 each.

26 HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM March 2023

WRAP STARS

“Pua Medina, of Ka Pua U‘i Designs, has great fashion sense and her small-batch scarves focus on comfort and flow.

Recently, she collaborated with artist Harinani Orme on hand-screened wraps.” $56.

CLUTCH MOMENT

“From a family of creatives, A Maui Day’s elegant purses are screened and sewn by hand on Maui.” $46.

GOOD ON PAPER

“Roy Machado has been creating his Kanaka Prints notepads with mostly native plants for years—they’re a perennial favorite.” $4.95 each.

CHECK PLEASE

“We love Kahui Palaka bucket hats for littles and their parents, created by son-and-mother team Max and Dawn Mukai, and born during the pandemic.” $58 each.

—BT

PHOTOS: AARON K. YOSHINO; OPPOSITE PAGE: COURTESY OF MEL TJOENG

Nā Mea Hawai‘i is one of our favorite shops for discovering up-and-coming Native Hawaiian brands, hand-picked by owner-curator Maile Meyer. We checked in to see who she thinks should be on our, and your, radar next.

Q&A | style

Role Model Tired of the lack of diversity in the modeling world, Hawai‘i photographer Mel Tjoeng set her sights on changing beauty norms. The Honolulu City Club, her inclusive agency, has taken the industry by storm since launching in 2019. We chatted with the shutterbug about self-worth, model scouting at U-Haul and the importance of representation.

H

OW DID YOU END UP IN THE ISLANDS?

Mel Tjoeng

I was born in Brisbane and grew up in Papua New Guinea. Then I moved to Hawai‘i in 2004 to study anthropology at Hawai‘i Pacific University.

WHAT LED YOU TO PHOTOGRAPHY?

I went with a friend to a photojournalism festival in France.

Seeing so much beautiful work there moved me—I had a lightbulb moment. So, I actually became a documentary photographer first, before segueing into fashion.

WHY WAS IT IMPORTANT TO OPEN AN AGENCY BUILT AROUND DIVERSITY?

When I grew up in Australia, it was very white. I’m half Chinese and am Italian, Spanish, Portuguese—I’m very mixed—and I’m curvier. I didn’t see enough representation of people who looked like me. And I saw how the beauty industry affected people’s self-worth.

So, I thought, I’m going to open my own agency, and I’m not going to have restrictions on weight, height or age. It’s so much more interesting. How boring when there’s one type of beauty. The world isn’t like that.

WHY HAWAI‘I FOR YOUR AGENCY’S HOME BASE?

The first time I came to Hawai‘i I was 12, and I remember thinking, oh my God, everyone looks like me. I loved it. Hawaiian culture is so rich and beautiful and strong. I really was moved by it.

IT SEEMS LIKE MORE LOCAL MODELS ARE FINDING SUCCESS BEYOND THE ISLANDS.

Hawai‘i has been put on the map. We’re getting a lot of clients from Europe, Australia and New Zealand. We just had five models in a Jacquemus runway show, which our model Bianca [Blakeney] opened—she’s half Japanese, half African American and gorgeous, but shorter by runway standards. That made me happy.

AND NOW YOU’RE LOOKING TO OPEN AN AUSTRALIAN BRANCH?

Yes! Australia is pretty diverse now, but people of color are still underrepresented—Indigenous, Aboriginal and Asian groups and Black people. But it’s changing, which is great.

HAVE YOU BEEN SEEING SHIFTS IN THE LOCAL MARKET?

Model Bianca Blakeney

In Hawai‘i people have always hired models of color, but I love seeing way more Native Hawaiians represented, not only within Hawai‘i, but domestically and internationally.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD MODEL?

Being thin and tall doesn’t matter. It’s how one interacts with the camera. I think of it as a conversation between me and whoever I’m photographing. What do you have to say to me?

WHERE DO YOU MODEL SCOUT?

Everywhere! I’ll just be somewhere and see someone amazing—Whole Foods, a little restaurant on the Big Island or the beach. One girl was working at U-Haul.— BT

HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM March 2023 27

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SKED:

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ill you “How w ake u e to m contin te r i a b et Hawai‘ ” place?

AT C

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To mark Women’s History Month, which honors women’s contributions in the country, meet six extraordinary wāhine whose impact resonates across the Islands.

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WHO MAKE HAWAI‘I A BETTER PLACE

ILLUSTRATIONS BY JT Ojerio of Aloha de Mele PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY BY Aaron K. Yoshino

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SabrinaMcKenna

By Robbie Dingeman

Associate Justice, Hawai‘i Supreme Court

photo opposite page: hawai‘i state judiciary

While in high school, Sabrina McKenna played on the U.S. women’s military basketball team at Yokota Air Base in Japan.

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N HER 30 YEARS AS A JUDGE, state Supreme Court Associate Justice Sabrina McKenna has earned a reputation as a leader in advocating for equitable policies for those often pushed aside by the legal system. “Everybody deserves to be treated with dignity,” she says.

Over her career, McKenna, 65, has presided over hundreds of criminal, domestic violence and civil cases, and her judgments have challenged governmental and institutional practices that hindered the public’s ability to have a voice, and helped the public navigate government bureaucracy.

She ruled, for instance, in 2013 that the state Department of Education was liable for not investigating sex abuse allegations against a Mōkapu Elementary schoolteacher, a decision hailed as a model for how public schools should handle such allegations. She also cleared the way for parents to receive child support payments by ordering the state to account for $3.5 million that remained in uncashed checks while parents waited for payment. At Family Court, she required the appointment of court interpreters for cases where language is a barrier. And in 2021, she was part of the majority that ruled lawmakers violate the state constitution when they replace the original content of a proposal with vastly different information late in the process, a tactic called “gut and replace.” The ruling was hailed as a victory for more public discussion.

McKenna achieved her classic American success story on a sometimes unconventional path that ultimately shaped her drive for justice and inclusion. She was born and raised in Tokyo, giving her a bicultural view of the world. Her mother was from Japan, and her father was a professor from the Midwest who taught U.S.

military personnel and nurtured her love of sports. After her father died suddenly when she was 9, her mother worked for U.S. military hotels, where McKenna saw her mother face discrimination. “I told myself that someday, when I grow up, I’m going to get a good education.

I’m going to get a good job, and I’m not going to treat people the way people treated my mother,” she says.

McKenna moved to Honolulu at age 17 to attend the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. She won a Rainbow Wāhine basketball scholarship in 1974, as a very early beneficiary of Title IX, the groundbreaking federal legislation co-authored

by U.S. Rep. Patsy Mink of Hawai‘i that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex and opened access to women’s collegiate sports.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in Japanese, aiming for a career as an interpreter/translator, then enrolled at UH’s Richardson School of Law, where she was editor in chief of the law review.

After graduation, she worked in private practice and as an assistant professor before becoming a state judge in 1993.

When McKenna was appointed to the high court, she publicly identified herself as a member of the LGBTQ community, weighing a reluctance to call attention to herself. As a judge, mother of three and member of the Asian Pacific Islander community, she saw in court the trauma of people rejected by their families.

“I realized that as an Asian American, it was especially important for me to be open and out,” McKenna says. “I wanted not just to provide hope to the youth, or to LGBTQ people, but also for their parents to see that you can be professionally and personally happy and successful being a member of the community.”

“Everybody deserves to be treated with dignity.”

In March 2011, Judge Sabrina McKenna was sworn in as an associate justice of the Hawai‘i Supreme Court. From left: Associate Justice James Duffy Jr., Associate Justice Paula Nakayama, Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald, Associate Justice Simeon Acoba Jr. and McKenna.

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Puanani Burgess

By Martha Cheng

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I N S P I R I N G WO M E N W H O M A K E H AWA I ‘ I A B E T T E R P L AC E

Zen Buddhist priest, poet, community facilitator and activist Small world: Burgess and Justice Sabrina McKenna attended law school together until Burgess left to focus on community work in Wai‘anae.

P

UA N A N I B U R G E S S BEGINS WITH “GUTS ON THE TABLE.” She

says, “Hawaiians understand your deepest thinking comes from below your belly button, your na‘au.” Or, in English, “guts.” “I’m always trying to get people to go to the place of their gut and tell stories from there.” In her sessions, the stories start with names. “The nametag name is not enough. When you tell the story of your name, you tell the story about your family, what they hoped for you, you tell the story about your culture.” The second story is of your community, or of belonging;

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“Aunty Pua is my role.

Every society needs elders.

Aunty is an earned place.” and the third, of your gift, or hope. As a facilitator, it helps her read the room. “I’m trying to understand who’s here and how are they showing up, from where their depth is and where their hope is,” she says. And as a group, it helps build “respect and appreciation for the way other people see things and how they come to see it that way.”

For the first 27 years of her life, she was Christabelle Yoshie. She was born in Wai‘anae in 1947 to a Hawaiian mother and Japanese father, and at that time, “a marriage between those races, at least for the Japanese side of it, was not comfortable,” she says. “So, my mother’s strategy in order to make me a part of my father’s family, was to name her child after her husband, Christopher Yoshiyuki Sonoda. And then she added Puanani,” so that it would be there if “that’s who you choose to be.” The first time Burgess used Puanani as her first name was on a job application for the Polynesian Cultural Center, so “they would know I was Polynesian,” she says with a laugh.

In addition to multiple names, Burgess has many titles: Zen Buddhist priest, poet, community leader, activist, aunty. (These days, she says, “Aunty Pua is my role. Every society needs elders.

Aunty is an earned place.”) About 50 years ago, she worked to stop the military bombing of Kaho‘olawe and became an advocate for the Native Hawaiian community in other struggles. But a turning point came in the ’80s, during the West Beach (Ko Olina) conflict between the developers and community members. In the mediation facilitated by Tenshin Tanouye Roshi at the Chozen-ji temple in Kalihi, she went from seeing the Japanese-national owners of the development “as an enemy to be defeated at all costs,” to “watching the role of culture in the media-

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tion and how that culture allows you to come to the middle where both exist, not necessarily in harmony, but respectfully,” she says. As a result of the conversations, funds were committed to community-based economic development and infrastructure, leading to initiatives including a mental health center and aquaculture project in Wai‘anae. Soon after the experience, Burgess began her training as a Buddhist priest, and has since spent her life deepening understanding and empathy in groups and developing processes she calls “building the beloved community.” She has brought this practice to countries from Romania to South Africa and across Hawai‘i’s institutions, from University of Hawai‘i campuses to the state Women’s Community Correctional Center.

“In building the beloved community, empathy is the core experience I wish people to have,” Burgess says. “A lot of people interpret empathy to mean that we are in agreement. But empathy really has nothing to do with agreement. I’m not looking for you to agree with me. I’m looking to understand so that even as we disagree, I can still respect you.”

Burgess’ work has been integrated into the first-year orientation at UH West O‘ahu, as well as a team dynamics course for students and professional development program for teachers.

Katrina Abes, who helped bring Burgess’ processes to the campus, says, “When we’re working in groups or even in a classroom, we have this implied understanding that we know how to work in them. But we don’t have that skill building in how to work through conflict. So, using Aunty Pua’s framework, we begin to better understand how we work with others by understanding how we are ourselves.”

SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION

2023 WĀHINE OF HAWAI‘I

Ixchel López Theatre Arts Teacher La Pietra – Hawai‘i School for Girls

“I’M PASSIONATE ABOUT TEACHING LIFE SKILLS THROUGH STAGE SKILLS.”

BEFORE SHE JOINED LA PIETRA, Ixchel López spent more than 10 years honing her craft in the performing arts. Beyond her career as a professional actor working both locally and on the mainland, she has a background as a traveling teaching artist, visiting different schools, academies and conservatories throughout the years, and currently writes and produces for the Hawai‘i Comedy Festival and Improv Hawai‘i Paper Sketch Comedy Shows.

Now, as a newcomer teaching her first year at the all-girls school, López is using her craft to nurture young women to lead a life of purpose. “I’m passionate about teaching life skills through stage skills,” says López, who helps her students learn empathy, build confidence and discover their voices through theater, musical theater and Page to Stage classes. Off the stage, she connects with students as an adviser for the student council and drama club. She says she wanted to teach at a school where she could make a difference with each of her students. So, to her, a small school like La Pietra was the perfect choice.

“I feel like I know every single one of my students well,” she says. “That’s something I’ve never experienced with typical class sizes.”

Grace Kane Senior La Pietra – Hawai‘i School for Girls

GRACE KANE IS THE KIND OF WELL-ROUNDED, driven student

“I HOPE TO PAY IT FORWARD, TO TEACH LOW-INCOME FAMILIES AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE.”

that any school would be proud of. Since joining La PIetra in sixth grade, she’s been a part of Science Olympiad, the Student Ambassador Program and National Honor Society. Now a senior, Kane serves as the student council president, chess club leader and co-captain of the varsity volleyball team. For her, La Pietra has been a strong guiding force both in and out of the classroom. “I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in eighth grade. La Pietra helped me adapt to my condition through sports,” says Kane, who has been on the volleyball and basketball teams since she was a freshman.

This year, under her leadership, the varsity volleyball team went on to win the ILH Div. III championship, with Kane earning the title of ILH Div. III Girls’ Volleyball Player of the Year.

Guiding young women to lead a life of purpose is what La Pietra’s all about.

There, students are encouraged to learn not just about the world around them, but about themselves as well. “I’ve had the opportunity to explore many passions and interests,” says Kane, who has found her purpose as a future educator, supporting young minds just as she was supported during her years there. “I hope to pay it forward, to teach low-income families and make a difference.”

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2023 WĀHINE OF HAWAI‘I

Julie Smolinski Vice President, Strategy and Corporate Sustainability Hawaiian Electric Industries

TO FIND SUCCESS, CHANGE IS MORE THAN INEVITABLE: It’s necessary. And Julie

Smolinski, Hawaiian Electric Industries’ new Vice President of Strategy and Corporate Sustainability, has never been afraid to switch it up. After two years practicing law in California Smolinski moved to Hawai‘i in 2009, working for a firm in Honolulu before joining HEI’s General Counsel department in 2011. “Then, I found myself becoming more and more interested in the business aspect,” she says. “So, while I was working, I started taking night classes at UH.” Two years and an MBA degree later, she made a career shift to focus on HEI’s relations with investors. In 2020, she became HEI’s VP of Investor Relations and Corporate Sustainability.

A few years ago, Smolinski noticed a change in the way investors were looking at companies. Questions about things like carbon emissions goals, employee diversity, customer satisfaction—things that weren’t directly financial but significantly contributed to a company’s long-term sustainability—were becoming more common. “While our companies have long focused on this, investors were just starting to realize how much a company’s longevity depends on the strength of the community,” she says. “And they wanted to support ones that were thinking of the bigger picture.”

Hawai‘i has been a leader in sustainability for decades, with HEI one of the key local companies at the forefront. So, when socially conscious investors started to speak up, HEI was swift to respond. Smolinski spearheaded HEI’s ESG reporting and corporate sustainability initiatives, gathering pages of real, transparent data for investors, local communities and customers.

These reports have become foundational for HEI as it seeks to find long-term solutions to Hawai‘i’s broader sustainability problem. For Smolinski, HEI and its family of companies— Hawaiian Electric, American Savings Bank and Pacific Current —a better Hawai‘i means one that is striving economically, environmentally, culturally and socially. HEI understands that things like climate change, cost of living and affordable housing have no easy fixes, but Smolinski notes “Hawai‘i has shown that as a state we can be a leader in tackling tough challenges.”

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Ultimately, the goal is to build Hawai‘i to be a place where there are enough resources for everyone to survive and thrive—something Smolinski acknowledges that HEI can’t do alone. “It will take collaboration and lots of small —and big—steps. But as a company we know that working with others we can make a difference.”

“WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE, IF WE ALL WORK TOGETHER.”

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2023 WĀHINE OF HAWAI‘I

L iann Ebusugawa

Assistant General Counsel and Assistant Corporate Secretary Vice President, HEI Charitable Foundation Hawaiian Electric Industries

LOCAL GIRL. LAWYER. CIVIL RIGHTS ADVOCATE. Charitable spirit. Liann

Ebesugawa is a woman who wears many hats, but they all align with the same purpose. “I started off being interested in criminal law, but I have a soft heart,” she laughs. “I’m not that tough. Criminal cases were hard on me.” She moved to business law and became involved with many different nonprofit organizations. It was on this new path that she found her passion and skillset lie in social justice and civil rights. “I feel my purpose on Earth is to be of service,” she says. It’s a mantra that has been, and continues to be, a guiding force through her life.

In 2017, she joined Hawaiian Electric Industries as Assistant General Counsel and Assistant Corporate Secretary. These roles focus on governance, which are critical in ensuring HEI and its subsidiaries are growing in a direction that best serves shareholders, customers and the community.

Today, she has the added role of Vice President of the HEI Charitable Foundation, which has given more than $25 million to support nonprofits since 2010.

In 2020, the foundation launched the grassroots movement Project Footprint, which empowers the community to help build a better Hawai‘i through small, sustainable choices. “I love that I’m able to bring my whole self to my job,” says Ebesugawa. “Both as a lawyer and through the foundation.” Outside of work, she lives her calling through community work, whether volunteering as chair of the Hawai‘i Civil Rights Commission or as a long time director of the Japanese American Citizens League Honolulu Chapter, an organization committed to ensuring justice and equity for all.”

Ebesugawa believes that everyone has an underlying purpose, and if you hold on to that, opportunities will find you. After working for many companies throughout her career, she’s thankful to be with one that has the

right ethos, that’s rooted in a desire to help. “I truly believe that you can have everything you want,” she says, speaking from experience. “You can have a fulfilling career that integrates all aspects of your life.”

“I FEEL MY PURPOSE ON EARTH IS TO BE OF SERVICE.”

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Brandy Nālani McDougall

By Jasmine Chagnon

Hawai‘i State Poet Laureate

photo opposite page: brandyn liu, courtesy of hawai‘i state art museum

Her late father, Jeff McDougall, a musician and composer, wrote the song, “My Island Maui.”

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RANDY NĀLANI MCDOUGALL BELIEVES POETRY IS FAR MORE THAN ENTERTAINMENT— it saves

people. It saved her by providing an outlet for her to process and release past traumas, including sexual abuse and her father’s early death in a car accident.

McDougall is a poet, scholar, activist, mother, educator—the list goes on. And now, she’s been selected as Hawai‘i’s poet laureate. She succeeds the state’s first poet laureate, Kealoha, who held the title for the past decade. McDougall, who says poetry helps us to remember, understand, connect and release, writes commanding poems that push back on imperialism, militarism and colonialism. During her tenure, she plans to spearhead poetry readings and workshops at local libraries and schools, including Hawaiianlanguage schools and special education programs.

She also intends to work with community organizations across the Islands, including ones that support the transition out of incarceration. Her hope is to “change the idea that stories and poetry don’t matter, that they don’t have power, that they can’t change our world.”

Born and raised in Kula, Maui, McDougall, 46, is a “page poet,” focusing on words on a page as opposed to spoken words, and though she may be more on the quiet side, there’s no denying her impact. Like other Native Hawaiian activists—

past and present—she conveys powerful messages. Her poems, teachings as an Indigenous studies professor at UH Mānoa and community work honor the ‘āina, and promote social and environmental justice and Hawaiian culture, language and history.

McDougall thinks about the people in Hawai‘i who have suppressed their stories for generations. “I think about how painful that must have been, not only for those communities, but for all of us who may have had the chance to learn from and connect with those stories,” she says.

Even during high school at Kamehameha, McDougall saw a lack of literature of, or by, people of color. So, she sought out the work of Kānaka Maoli and Pacific Islanders. This hunger for something that speaks to her life and her commitment to uncovering it has empowered her as a poet, she says. She reflects on past experiences in her poem “Tiny Rebellions,” part of her first collection titled The Salt-Wind, Ka Makani Pa‘akai.

Her second collection, ‘Āina Hānau, Birth Land, will be released this summer, and is dedicated to her daughters.

“Our words are powerful, and therefore, we also need to reflect on, and understand, our kuleana in using them, to ensure that they always have our best intentions behind them, and that we understand that words also may have lives beyond us through the people they reach,” she says.

“Our words are powerful, and therefore, we also need to reflect on, and understand, our kuleana in using them …”

Brandy Nālani McDougall performing her first live poetry reading as the new Hawai‘i State Poet Laureate at Hawai‘i State Art Museum

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i n s p i r i n g wo m e n w h o m a k e h awa i ‘ i a b e t t e r p l ac e

CEO, Elemental Excelerator Lippert served as cocaptain of the women’s club soccer team at Yale while pursuing a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies.

photo opposite page: courtesy of elemental excelerator

By Katrina Valcourt

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T’S AN EXCITING TIME TO WORK IN THE CLIMATE SECTOR, mainly

because “It’s not its own sector anymore,” says Dawn Lippert, who has dedicated her career to fostering clean energy. “What’s critical right now is the idea that solving climate intersects with every industry. ... Every job can be a climate job.”

As CEO of Elemental Excelerator, a Honolulu nonprofit that funds tech companies and projects invested in climate repair, her message is clear: We—everyone, every industry—must commit to decarbonization. And not just for the sake of the Earth, but as a way to rectify social and environmental injustices that have impacted certain communities, such as Native Hawaiians, disproportionately.

Since the launch of Elemental Excelerator in 2009, the nonprofit has funded more than 150 technology companies in Hawai‘i and abroad.

One of its latest success stories is a partnership it funded and facilitated between the Hawai‘i ‘Ulu Cooperative and Propagate that resulted in a $60 million federal grant to diversify and expand ‘ulu agroforestry production in the Islands, which will address food insecurity and help the local economy.

Through such initiatives, Lippert, 38, is committed to taking lessons learned locally and scaling them internationally, resolute in her belief that Hawai‘i’s innovative endeavors are models worth sharing beyond our Islands’ borders. “We

want to be woven into the fabric of [global] transformation,” she says.

Lippert says the rest of the world also can learn from such local values as kuleana and working with a humble spirit, which she aims to instill in her own operations. “We can take the values of Hawai‘i and bring them elsewhere,” she says.

She is likewise passionate about diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace, which means bringing more women into the industry. In 2010, she formed the local organization Women in Renewable Energy, or WiRE, with some “really extraordinary” women to enable more connectivity, relationships and professional development among women working toward local sustainability. WiRE now has more than 100 members.

One of the women Lippert asked to be on WiRE’s advisory board, Connie Lau, served as CEO of Hawaiian Electric Industries for 15 years. HEI was the founding corporate sponsor for Elemental Excelerator, and Lau also served on Elemental’s board. “Dawn has worked tirelessly to advance women as leaders in clean energy,” a traditionally male-dominated industry, by hiring mostly women to the Elemental Excelerator team, as well as looking specifically to fund startups headed by women, Lau says. Lau also nominated Lippert to be a Clean Energy Education and Empowerment ambassador, which recognizes role models for women seeking careers in clean energy. She was appointed to this role by the U.S. secretary of energy in October 2022.

The Elemental Excelerator team gathers at Kāko‘o ‘Ōiwi to volunteer at the lo‘i patch during its first whole team offsite since the pandemic.

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Beyond widening the field for women, in 2021 Lippert co-founded the spinoff Earthshot Ventures, a for-profit venture capital company. “It’s also important to show you can raise capital for Hawai‘i” with a mix of local and foreign investors, which “creates dynamism,” she says.

Looking out a floor-to-ceiling window of Elemental Excelerator’s 12th floor Downtown office, we see the mountains, the ocean and every building in between, including the Hawai‘i State Capitol. Lippert, who grew up in Seattle and started coming to Hawai‘i for work in grad school, points to the “totally unprecedented alignment” over

the past few months between local and federal government and the private sector to address climate issues. This includes the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS and Science Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, along with Gov. Josh Green’s clear climate focus (he proposed spending $100 million of the state’s budget on addressing climate change).

“That’s the context in which we’re working,” she says. “Because we’re an island, everything is already related,” and on a scale this small, it’s much quicker to show impacts across sectors.

“It’s an incredible opportunity for Hawai‘i.”

Elemental Excelerator team members, including Dawn Lippert, planting Pongamia trees via portfolio company, Terviva. Pongamia trees produce seed pods that can be pressed for oil and used as a sustainable source of protein.

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photos: courtesy of elemental excelerator

“What’s critical right now is the idea that solving climate intersects with every industry. ...

Every job can be a climate job.”

SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION

2023 WĀHINE OF HAWAI‘I

Dr. Celia Dominguez Co-Director Pacific In Vitro Fertilization Institute

DR. CELIA E DOMINGUEZ (CHELY)

was born in Paraguay and moved to the United States when she was 5 years old. After obtaining her Medical Degree at George Washington University and her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City, Dr. Dominguez completed a fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at the University of California in San Diego in 1993 and subsequently joined the faculty. While at UCSD she received extensive laparoendoscopic training specializing in endometriosis.

In 1994, Dr. Dominguez accepted a position at the University of New Mexico, where she was involved in multiple clinical and basic science research and was involved in establishing a program for the teaching of laparoendoscopic and hysteroscopic surgery. She was part of a multidisciplinary team working with gender reassignment surgery and vaginal and uterine reconstructive surgery. She helped establish the GYN/OB ultrasound program and was involved in several multicenter hormone replacement trials.

In April of 2000, Dr. Dominguez joined the faculty at Emory University in the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility.

She was recruited primarily to help teach laparoendoscopic surgery. She continued research in the field of endometriosis and worked with the department of Epidemiology in the field of endocrine disruptors.

She was recruited to Hawaii and came in June of 2008. She was the Director of the Hawaii Reproductive Center and in 2011 joined the Pacific In Vitro Fertilization team where she is presently Co-Director. Dr. Dominguez is Board certified in both OB/GYN and Reproductive Endocrinology.

DR. DOMINGUEZ IS BOARD CERTIFIED IN BOTH OB/GYN AND REPRODUCTIVE ENDOCRINOLOGY.

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Ashley Watts

By Mari Taketa

“W

E HAVE MARLIN TODAY, WHICH IS GREAT FOR SASHIMI. We’re

gonna have snappers like ‘ōpakapaka, and I just ordered Kona kampachi.” It’s just before New Year’s and Ashley Watts, owner of Local I‘a, is ticking off seafood that will be on the sashimi and poke platters customers have preordered. What’s not on her list are ‘ahi, hamachi and salmon—the usual suspects people in Hawai‘i associate with sashimi—so Watts doesn’t have many orders. “New Year’s is something that people CONTINUED O N PAGE 4 6

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Owner, Local I‘a This fishmonger is also an artist—Watts painted the mural of an octopus chasing a school of ta‘ape on Local I‘a’s wall.

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CO NT I NUE D F ROM PAGE 4 4

“We are trying to change people’s behavior to eat what the ocean provides instead of having preconceived desires.” want ‘ahi for, so it just goes in a circle,” she says.

“But I have a feeling there’s a way to advertise and say, ‘If you want ‘ahi, please go somewhere else,’ without being a butthead about it.”

Year by year, Watts, 38, has been redirecting people’s tastes away from imports and an overreliance on ‘ahi. Local I‘a is driven by sustainability: It sells seafood that locally based fishers catch in local waters. Almost all of it comes from small-boat day fishers; none is from trawlers or longliners, which can set thousands of hooks at a time. That doesn’t mean Watts doesn’t sell ‘ahi, just that when she does, it’s from trollers who catch the bigeye tuna and other deep-sea fish with poles trailing single hooks from the backs of their boats. And while she doesn’t always have ‘ahi, she never has imported fish like salmon or hamachi.

Business for a seafood purveyor who never knows whether she’ll have ‘ahi—or any species, unless it’s farm-raised like kampachi—hasn’t been easy. The part of Watts’ calling that led her to the ocean, that was easy. She grew up in the Florida Panhandle in a family of cattle ranchers, hunters and fishers; her grandfather grew most of the rest of what they ate. Her mother gave her long days at the beach looking for treasures, scooping up blue crabs in season, snorkeling for scallops in a nearby bay. When Watts started asking “why” questions, she got a microscope. It was natural that this sand-tousled child would become a marine scientist. A job as a longline fishing observer brought her to Hawai‘i, where she got an online master’s degree in engaging the community in marine conservation. That, she says, “was when I really realized what I was here to do. That’s when I decided I didn’t want to have a job where I wouldn’t be able to make that difference.”

She’s been at it about seven years. The slow process of developing trust and relationships with fishers was repeated with chefs and others, and went hand in hand with learning how to run a grassroots business. Watts started out buying catches from three or four fishers. Today she buys from a core of about 15, plus another 50 semiregu-

lars, and wholesales to Farm Link Hawai‘i, Kahumana Organic Farms, and restaurants including Fête, Heyday, La Vie, Brick Fire Tavern and Mud Hen Water. Her 50 initial CSA—Community Supported Agriculture—subscriptions have quadrupled. She does catering, offering things like poke and gumbo, and sets up a weekly booth at the Sunday Mililani Farmers Market. On Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays she props a chalkboard menu of the day’s offerings outside Local I‘a’s kitchen in Kaimukī. And once a month she leads a class, in which she breaks down a whole fish and teaches people how to cook it.

“We are trying to change people’s behavior to eat what the ocean provides instead of having preconceived desires,” Watts says. “It’s shown me that it takes a community to make it through, and we have to help and support each other. And that’s what I’ve been trying to do.”

Watts at Local I‘a’s storefront in Kaimukī

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I N S P I R I N G WO M E N W H O M A K E H AWA I ‘ I A B E T T E R P L AC E

Jennine Sullivan

Executive director, The Pantry

By Diane Seo

Jennine Sullivan, a Punahou graduate, worked for General Electric Co., then as an early member of GE’s startup incubator program.

A

FTER YEARS IN THE CORPORATE WORLD, steering

an international career in finance, venture capital and strategic consulting, Jennine Sullivan found her purpose in a 13,000-squarefoot warehouse tucked in a Kalihi neighborhood.

It’s there at The Pantry, an O‘ahu nonprofit that provides food and other goods to those in need, where the 34-year-old has connected with her long-standing desire to be of service. “I was born and raised here, my family’s here, and I really wanted to come back C O N TI N U E D O N PAG E 5 0

48 HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM March 2023

WE’LL BE YOUR WING WOMAN ANYTIME. Make your mark around the world with us.

I N S P I R I N G WO M E N W H O M A K E H AWA I ‘ I A B E T T E R P L AC E

CO NT I NUE D F ROM PAGE 4 8

and take a job that meant something to me,” she says. “I was interested in building things from nothing—and making a difference.”

Since moving from San Francisco to Hawai‘i in 2020 to serve as executive director, The Pantry has been resurrected and reinvented, serving about 4,000 eligible families, or 11,000 individuals, each month. This amounts to a massive 126,000 pounds of food provided to three main groups: kūpuna, disabled individuals, and working families struggling to make ends meet.

It’s the only weekly e-commerce food distribution operation in the Islands, with customers placing orders online, then picking up their goods in the warehouse lot, a system Sullivan designed.

Every week, customers choose 10 dry or frozen items for each person in their household. Along with food, pet food, laundry detergent and other

essentials are available, and certain refrigerated items like eggs, fresh fruits and vegetables are added to all orders. While there are other food distribution operations, The Pantry’s system allows clients to digitally select the items they need.

The organization began operating 20 years ago but closed in 2017 when its Kaka‘ako space was sold to a developer. It reopened in Kalihi in April 2020, shortly after Sullivan started working there, and a month after the pandemic began.

At the time, the warehouse was empty, a stark sight, which ultimately was a blessing that allowed Sullivan to create from the ground up.

“At first, I was thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, what am I supposed to do at this place?’” Sullivan recalls.

But she rooted herself, set up efficient systems and fostered a robust network of more than 1,300 volunteers.

C O N TI N U E D O N PAG E 5 2

Jennine Sullivan on a forklift at The Pantry's Kalihi warehouse

50 HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM March 2023

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I N S P I R I N G WO M E N W H O M A K E H AWA I ‘ I A B E T T E R P L AC E

CO NT I NUE D F ROM PAGE 50

“We’re all committed to supporting our senior citizens and working families so they can live with dignity and have fresh, nutritional food for their families.”

The impact has been palpable.

It’s Tuesday afternoon, and there is a pulse in The Pantry’s Costco-esque space. You sense it as the volunteers, many of whom are seniors, intently mill about and pack orders for the next day’s pickup. A Huey Lewis tune from the ’80s plays in the background, lending a lively vibe. It’s a true grassroots operation with the community taking care of the community.

Sullivan is most proud of this volunteer force, because like her, it’s driven by heart. “They could be doing anything, and they’ve decided they want to make sure no one in our community

goes hungry. They believe in what we’re doing,” she says. “We’re all committed to supporting our senior citizens and working families so they can live with dignity and have fresh, nutritional food for their families.”

So, after years in corporate boardrooms, Sullivan now spends her days on a forklift, stocking shelves and directing traffic at the drive-thru pickups, as well as raising funds to keep the operation going. “I love my job, and I’m grateful I have this opportunity,” she says. “I’ve worked in a number of jobs and this one is the highlight.”

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ono

MARCH

Food and Drink in Hawai‘i

2023

O L D - S C H O O L D I N E R S W E L O V E P. 5 8 PHOTOS BY AARON K . YOSHINO

MUSUBI ROUNDUP

When Only Onigiri Will Do These are the shops we go to when we’re craving Spam with ume and shiso, mentaiko mayo or even cheeseburger musubi.

BY T HOM AS OB UNGEN

Assortment of mentaiko, tuna and salmon onigiri from Paradise Poke

Mixed rice and hijiki onigiri from Mana Musubi

HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM March March 2023 2023 53

‘ono | ROUND UP

Higoto Japanese Eatery

Mai Musubi Mai recently relocated from Liliha to just off University Avenue in the former Bubbies Ice Cream shop. The result: loads of space, parking and a larger menu (with online ordering). The musubi keep well and the toppings are generous, with a good ratio of rice to match. Reasonably priced bento and curry bowls are just as popular.

LOCATION: 1010 University Ave., Mō‘ili‘ili HOURS: Wednesday to Friday, 6 a.m to 2 p.m. or

I’m always shocked by the line that forms outside Higoto Japanese Eatery in Kaimukī.

Are there even enough parking stalls at this small shopping center for all these people?

But every time I bite into a cheeseburger musubi, I’m reminded why the line is so long. These fistfuls of rice and generously portioned toppings are sublime and enough to fill a grown man in one go.

LOCATION: 3221 Wai‘alae Ave., A4, Kaimukī HOURS: Wednesday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

until it sells out; Saturday and Sunday, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. or until it sells out INSTAGRAM: @maimusubi MUSUBI VARIETIES: 25-plus PRICE RANGE: $2.55 to $3.75 each OTHER MENU ITEMS OF NOTE: Bento MY PICK: Crunchy ume musubi and tuna mayo musubi

Musubi Café Iyasume

or until it sells out INSTAGRAM: @higoto_japanese_eatery MUSUBI VARIETIES: 20 (10 types, with two rice options) PRICE RANGE: $2.60 to $2.95 each SPECIALTY: Large, filling musubi generously stuffed with toppings OTHER MENU ITEMS OF NOTE: Bento and donburi MY PICK: Karaage chicken musubi and cheeseburger musubi

Another OG in the musubi game, Musubi Café Iyasume is likely the best-known shop. With six locations, it is where many people get their onigiri. What I love most about Iyasume isn’t that you can find it from

54 HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM March 2023

Kāhala to Ala Moana, but that it has the most options, best prices and is fairly consistent across the board. When I work at the mall, it’s my first choice and I always get the same thing: a shiso Spam musubi, a chicken karaage mayo musubi, potato salad and an Aloha Maid Iced Tea. LOCATION: Six locations (Ala Moana to Kāhala) HOURS: Vary by location INSTAGRAM: @musubi_cafe_iyasume MUSUBI VARIETIES: 39 PRICE RANGE: $1.88 to $4.88 each SPECIALTY: Spam musubi in dozens of variations

from shiso and ume to deluxe versions with avocado, bacon and shrimp tempura OTHER MENU ITEMS OF NOTE: Bento, tonjiru pork belly miso soup, fried chicken MY PICK: Shiso Spam musubi, chicken karaage mayo onigiri, shrimp tempura roll

Nana Musubi Formerly known as Shichi Musubi, Nana has reappeared in the new Stix Asia food hall. Sumptuous rice balls with fillings like sweet-salty honey ume or salmon and ikura are made by hand throughout the day, with your choice of organic rice. Nori comes on the side for an added charge, so it’s always crisp.

LOCATION: 2250 Kalākaua Ave., Waikīkī HOURS: 5 to 10 p.m.

MUSUBI VARIETIES: About 20 PRICE RANGE: $2.25 to $4.95 each SPECIALTY: Musubi made with organic white,

brown and ancient black rice; and tonjiru pork miso soup shop photos: james nakamura

O

NIGIRI—OR MUSUBI, as we love to call them—are a dietary pillar for many of us on the go. The locals’ version of an energy bar, but way more fun and oishii, rice balls often add up to more than the sum of their parts. They’re the quick snack between meetings, a trip down memory lane or just a simple indulgence we don’t have to break the bank to enjoy. You can pick up musubi at convenience stores, supermarkets and okazuya, but this roundup is reserved for the specialists: 10 favorite shops on O‘ahu dedicated to the craft of pairing freshly cooked rice with salty, pickled and sweet toppings and then wrapping it all up in nori.

Cheeseburger and chicken karaage onigiri from Higoto Japanese Eatery

Avocado, bacon, egg and Spam musubi; Spam and egg musubi from Musubi Café Iyasume ▲

Crunchy ume onigiri and Spam and egg onigiri from Mai Musubi

From left: Tony Chun, Alan Chun and Frankie Chun Ikura and salmon onigiri and hijiki onigiri from Nana Musubi HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM March 2023 55

‘ono | IND UST RY Edamame onigiri and egg, kakuni pork and shiso onigiri from Komedokoro M’s

Mentaiko onigiri, Goteborg sausage onigiri and Spam musubi from Paradise Poke

Mentaiko and egg onigirazu, salmon onigirazu, chicken katsu onigirazu and kombu onigirazu from Ma‘ona Musubi

Sisters Queena and Liana Fang of Sing Yuan Bakery 56Cheong HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM October 2022

shop photos: james nakamura

Hot dog onigiri, corn and bacon onigiri from Got’z Grindz

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Got’z Grindz

You have to be on the “right” side of Kamehameha Highway if you want to get to this Kāne‘ohe hidden gem. Got’z Grindz is worth the hassle, though, especially for its myriad musubi choices. The rice-to-topping ratio is ideal: You get more flavor in each bite. I also recommend picking up side dishes like garlic noodles, and the poke bowls are excellent.

LOCATION: 45-726 Kamehameha Highway,

Kāne‘ohe INSTAGRAM: @gotzgrindz HOURS: Tuesday to Saturday, 6 a.m. to 1 p.m.

MUSUBI VARIETIES: 35-plus PRICE RANGE: $1.95 to $5.25 each SPECIALTY: 20-plus Spam musubi variations MY PICK: Butter garlic corn musubi and red hot

dog musubi

Ma‘ona Musubi

shop photos: james nakamura

Onigirazu are large, square musubi that resemble sandwiches, only they’re made with rice. Ma‘ona sells onigirazu by the half, so you can get a variety of flavors without committing to a full one. They’re perfect to pick up before heading to the office downtown, or you can find them at the Kapi‘olani Community College, Kaka‘ako and Pearlridge farmers markets. In early October, Ma‘ona expanded to Waikīkī at Inn on the Park, where you can find a limited selection of onigirazu.

LOCATION: 921 Alakea St., Downtown; 1920 Ala Moana Blvd., Waikīkī; various farmers markets HOURS: Monday to Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. or until it sells out; Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

INSTAGRAM: @maonamusubi, @maonamusushi_express MUSUBI VARIETIES: 30 PRICE RANGE: $1.39 to $3.39 each SPECIALTY: Onigirazu OTHER MENU ITEMS OF NOTE: Donburi rice bowls

Komedokoro M’s

In Waikīkī, it pays to go off the beaten path, especially if it leads you to the corner of Hobron Lane and Ena Road—a popular spot for many Japanese expats. At the corner is Komedokoro M’s, a teensy shop that teems with business from opening to closing, where shelves are barren in the first half-hour because neighbors in the know and gourmands have claimed their musubi for the day. It’s here that I’ve found the best rice, Hokkaido Nanatsuboshi, which comes in brown rice form from The Rice Factory and is milled fresh daily at Komedokoro. From the first bite to last, this is the musubi I dream about.

LOCATION: 438 Hobron Lane, Suite 107, Waikīkī HOURS: Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. or

until it sells out INSTAGRAM: @komedokoro.ms MUSUBI VARIETIES: 11 PRICE RANGE: $2.69 to $4.25 SPECIALTY: Musubi made with Hokkaido Nanatsuboshi rice that’s milled fresh in-store each day OTHER MENU ITEMS OF NOTE: Chicken karaage, Japanese beef curry and ‘ahi poke bowls MY PICK: Spam and egg onigirazu, shiso with ume musubi and mentai-mayo musubi

Shrimp tempura, egg and Spam onigiri from PoTama

Pork Tamago Onigiri Affectionately known as PoTama, Pork Tamago Onigiri is an Okinawa-based chain of musubi shops specializing in Spam, egg and rice fold-over sandwiches—whether for efficiency or aesthetics, I’ll never know. But I do know that these are freaking delicious, especially when the Spam is slathered with sweet abura miso paste or layered with bitter melon and katsuobushi flakes to make a play on goya champuru. I’ve been to PoTama shops in Okinawa and Fukuoka to compare, and their local cousins are just as good.

LOCATION: Waikīkī Food Hall, 2301 Kalākaua Ave., Suite C311-C, Waikīkī HOURS: Monday to Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

INSTAGRAM: @pork_tamago_onigiri MUSUBI VARIETIES: Eight PRICE RANGE: $5 to $8 each SPECIALTY: Okinawa-style Spam and egg rice sandwiches OTHER MENU ITEMS OF NOTE: Miso soup MY PICK: Double shrimp PoTama and goya tempura PoTama

Paradise Poke There are two types of Paradise Poke customers: those who go for poke and plate lunches and the occasional boiled peanuts, and those who go straight for the morning onigiri. I’ve been both. Paradise is the exception to my criteria that these shops be musu-

‘ono | ROUND UP

bi specialists—it lays out rows of onigiri every morning that are snatched up by folks on their way to work and school faster than you can say “poke.” This is also one of only two shops that serve onigiri with crispy nori, a huge standout if you ask me.

LOCATION: 1613 Nu‘uanu Ave., Nu‘uanu HOURS: Monday to Friday, 6 a.m. until it sells

out; Saturday and Sunday; 9 a.m. until it sells out INSTAGRAM: @paradisepokehi MUSUBI VARIETIES: 8 PRICE RANGE: $2.79 to $3.49 SPECIALTY: Salmon and ikura onigiri with crispy nori OTHER MENU ITEMS OF NOTE: Poke bowls, garlic shrimp plates and baked salmon MY PICK: Goteborg musubi

Frolic Hawai‘i

Old-School Diners We Love There’s something about the way time stands still in simple neighborhood eateries, which is exactly what we love about them. Here are two from our sister publication Frolic Hawai‘i’s online series.

Mana Musubi (Mana Bu’s) Manabu and Fumiyo Asaoka opened what was known as Mana Bu’s in 2008. If you’re looking for the OG musubi folks in Honolulu, they’re it, having literally written the book on musubi. Although they’ve used third-party operators in the past, they returned to oversee operations in 2020 and increased the shop’s offerings and output. Mana Musubi is also the only

musubi shop with staff in chef coats, which says all you need to know about these premium onigiri.

LOCATION: 1618 S. King St., McCully HOURS : Monday to Saturday, 6:30 a.m. to

12:30 p.m. or until it sells out INSTAGRAM: @manamusubihi MUSUBI VARIETIES : 32 PRICE RANGE: $1.99 to $2.65 each SPECIALTY: Uniform musubi made with a wide

variety of toppings with California and Japanese Koshihikari, pilaf and mixed-grain rice OTHER MENU ITEMS OF NOTE: Coffee jelly and custard pudding MY PICK: Beef sukiyaki musubi with Japanese Koshihikari rice and chicken shiitake pilaf musubi

58 HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM March 2023

Pancake sandwich and griddled biscuit from Jack’s Restaurant

Jack’s Restaurant

BY MARI A B URK E

THERE ARE ESTABLISHMENTS THAT SEEM TO EXIST in cozy bubbles

where time stands still, even as shopping centers and neighborhoods evolve around them. If you have one of these near you, its bubble not yet popped by development and newfangled trends, you’re lucky: It’s worth seeking out.

Out toward Hawai‘i Kai, stores and restaurants have come and gone, but aside from some touch-ups, Jack’s Restaurant in the ‘Āina Haina Shopping Center hasn’t changed much at all since it opened in 1964. Granted, nowadays hand sanitizer joins the collection of condiments on the tables, but Jack’s still has a homey vibe. It’s the kind of place where the waitresses recognize if you’re new, and folks who run into neighbors and old friends will pull up a chair and enjoy an impromptu meal together.

The menu is largely breakfast-focused with pancakes and French toast, an omelet bar, meal sets, combos and sides. Lunch offerings are pretty much what they’ve always been, including

1018 MCCULLY ST., (808) 947-8977, ANYPLACEHAWAII.COM

HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM March 2023 59

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820 W. HIND DRIVE, #119, (808) 373-4034, JACKSRESTAURANTHONOLULU.COM

60 HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM March 2023

Harry’s Cafe

BY ERI C BARANDA

W H E N I L I V E D I N K A K A‘A KO, I loved being

able to walk everywhere, especially places where parking was an issue, like Ala Moana Center during the holidays, Magic Island on the weekends, and Harry’s Café almost every day. I loved my old apartment, but when it came to cooking, my options were a microwave and a hot plate. So having Harry’s Café across the street was a convenient way to satisfy my cravings for pancakes.

I remember the first time I ordered them at Harry’s. It was around 6 in the morning. I sat myself at the counter and took in the hustle of people coming and going, some of them on their way to work, others just recovering from a long night. There were a lot of big guys in fluorescent green shirts, construction workers fueling up for the day. I noticed that the guy sitting next to me looked familiar. Turns out it was my next-door neighbor. I’d seen him around the building but this was my first time actually having a conversation with him.

Harry’s Café has been a mainstay for the townie breakfast crowd for decades. Its 99-cent breakfast was a longtime favorite,

Harry’s has been a mainstay in Kaka‘ako for decades.

photos: eric baranda

the specials. Under Jack’s Lunch Suggestions you can find saimin, chili and an array of oldschool sandwiches like fried ham and egg, and tuna and tomato. Homestyle plate lunches range from Grandma’s meatloaf ($13.95) to lamb curry ($13.95) and a bit of everything in between.

My sister went to school near Jack’s, so growing up the place was part of our landscape, an easy destination for comfort food.

Today I’m back with my mom and we’re on track for a big breakfast. If you know Jack’s, you know that will include a hot griddled biscuit. The diner’s original owner and namesake, Jack Hee, devised the buttery biscuits and they’re still cooked in muffin tins, giving them a sconelike crispy top and a cakelike bottom.

I order a hot chocolate with whipped cream ($3)—a pleasure I like to indulge in as part of a diner breakfast—and a Spam and green onion omelet with added cheese, hash brown and biscuit ($11.75). Mom goes for coffee ($3) and the corned beef hash with eggs over easy, fried rice ($12.25). We add a pancake ($3.50) and a side of bacon ($4.25), extra crispy.

The biscuits arrive with a sizable dollop of whipped butter smeared on the edge of the plate; they’re perfectly toasty, steamy and moist in the middle with a faint hint of vanilla.

My omelet is tasty, the toppings embedded in the egg along with a slice of white American cheese—another pleasure. Salty bits of Spam burst in my mouth and are followed up with crispy hash browns. Most people probably don’t understand how long it takes to make a proper hash brown without a ton of oil. But the folks at Jack’s do: These are expertly made, light and fluffy. Mom’s corned beef hash is chock-full of corned beef with crisp edges, and the fried rice, though lightly flavored, is a nice alternative to white rice. The pancake is a bit dense, but the beyond-compare biscuits more than make up for it.

Regulars come and go as we eat, folks from all walks of life looking for a hot plate and a warm smile. It had been awhile since I’d been to Jack’s. But I’ll be back again soon.

FIND MORE OLD-SCHOOL DINERS WE LOVE ON HONOLULUMAGAZINE. COM/FROLIC-HAWAII

From top: the menu board; late lunch on a recent weekday; beef stew; the counter at Harry’s Café

consisting of one egg, one piece of luncheon meat or sausage and one scoop of rice. Hungry folks interested in a cheap and tasty meal were its biggest fans. As the years passed, Harry’s Café had to raise prices and its 99-cent breakfast is gone but not forgotten.

Now that I’m married and living in the suburbs, I decided to revisit the place with my wife and mother-in-law, a kind of checkin to see how an old friend was faring. I was pleasantly surprised to see Harry’s takes credit cards now. Since it’s been awhile, I started with the pancakes ($8 for a short stack of two).

I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was looking forward to them. And they were better than I remembered. Substantial and thick. Golden brown and harboring the light sweetness of vanilla.

Next was the hamburger steak ($14.25).

It’s hard to go wrong with this local comfort food favorite: a beefy patty with a light smoky flavor, drenched in gravy.

The final dish was another comfort food: beef stew ($14.25), consisting of a generous portion of carrots, accompanied with fatty beef chunks, swimming in gravy. Rice and mac salad complete the dish.

When it comes to classic diners like Harry’s Café, there’s a sense of history and nostalgia that permeates the place. Looking at the floor, you can see the scrapes that have accumulated from decades of comings and goings. A faded poster for a 1995 Kenny Loggins concert in Waikīkī is framed near the back corner. In the opposite corner is an arcade machine featuring card games. On another wall is a framed HONOLULU Magazine article about Harry’s Café, written years ago by Frolic editor Mari Taketa. It’s near a photograph of the original owners of Harry’s Café. The place hasn’t really changed over the decades; it’s just added to its history. And it’s a history I’ll show my son when he’s old enough for pancakes and hamburger steak.

1101 WAIMANU ST., (808) 593-7798

HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM March 2023 61

afterthoughts

BY JAMES CHARISMA

contributor

Animal House

M

Y APARTMENT BUILDING HAS A STRICT NO-PETS POLICY. It’s sad, because I love animals. I’m especially a

sucker for Shih Tzus and cats with smushed faces. For close to a decade, I never saw a single person with so much as a service animal coming or going. Then, a few years ago, I was in the elevator with an older lady who reached for something inside her Louis Vuitton purse when the fuzzy face of a Pomeranian suddenly poked out and looked at me.

The lady and I both gasped. Me, because I was delighted to see the little guy.

Her, because she thought I was going to rat her out to the property managers. (I’m no snitch.) She must’ve eventually realized I was cool because she waved hello when I saw her again a few weeks later. In the park near our building, she showed me how she trained her dog, Hodu— which means walnut in Korean, how cute is that?—to stay hidden and be quiet when he’s in her handbag. He was free to run around when they got to the park for their daily walks.

After that, either the rules relaxed or the folks in charge became more forgiving because, over the course of a year, one tiny hidden Hodu turned into a handful of dogs in the building. I say good for them.

Honolulu isn’t particularly pet-friendly. This city has great beaches, campgrounds, swimming areas and other public state parks, but dogs aren’t allowed at many of them. Bills were introduced in both the state Senate and House in 2019 that would have given Hawai‘i restaurant owners the choice of whether or not to allow dogs under certain conditions. The Hawaiian Humane Society was all for it. But the Hawai‘i Food Industry Association wasn’t, testifying that dogs can carry harmful bacteria.

The Hawai‘i Restaurant Association also opposed the idea, citing possible allergies and other liabilities that dogs in restaurants would present. Ultimately, the bills failed.

64 HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM March 2023

Some version of dog-friendly dining laws have been passed in 17 other states, including California and New York, which poses some interesting questions, such as: Do dogs in Honolulu carry more bacteria than dogs in Los Angeles? Are local residents really more allergic to dogs than the 8 million people who live in New York City? Are dogs here somehow more of a nuisance than dogs in San Francisco or Denver, where free doggie poop bags are offered in the parks?

Wherever you stand on the issue, I think we can all agree that pets themselves aren’t as problematic as irresponsible pet owners who don’t train their dogs properly and don’t clean up after them. Or pretend to need service animals just so they can bring their dogs with them to restaurants or the mall. Sure, there’s a law that sticks people with fines up to $500 for faking it, but how often do they get caught?

And it’s the actual people who need service animals who are hurt when a dog that isn’t certified starts acting up.

Which is sadly what ended up happening in my building: Someone walking their “service” dog outside my apartment encountered little Hodu, and the bigger dog snapped at him. There was no harm done—the other dog was a puppy, he didn’t mean anything by it—but a few of my neighbors saw the encounter.

Now my building has gone back to its old ways, with “No pets” signs taped up in the elevators and common areas. I haven’t seen any more fake service animals, or any dogs for that matter. Hodu and his fellow compatriots who live here have been forced back into hiding. (My heart goes out to those hoping to fit their Labrador in a handbag.)

I’m no pet owner. But if you ask me, I’d happily abide a hundred people sneaking in dogs like Hodu over a single person who believes buying a fake service animal vest allows them to let an untrained pet run wild. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to return to my nightly routine of feeding treats to the semi-friendly feral cats outside my building.

illustration: getty images. composite: james nakamura

Why can’t Honolulu be more pet-friendly?