Honolulu Magazine November 2024 by aio Hawaiʻi

THE MAYOR’S VISION

PLU S → 3 N EW PLA NT- BAS E D ME NU S | T HE A RT O F BE E K E E P I N G

HEAL YOUR GUT_P.26 BOOST YOUR BRAIN_P.30 SLEEP BETTER_P.33 GET MOVING_P.36

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STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP MANAGEMENT AND CIRCULATION (Required by 39 U.S.C. 3685) 1. Publication Title: HONOLULU. 2. Publication Number: 0441-2044. 3. Filing Date: September 20, 2024. 4. Issue Frequency: Monthly. 5. Number of Issues Published Annually: 10. 6. Annual Subscription Price: $24.99. 7. Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication: 1088 Bishop St. Ste. LL2, Honolulu, HI 96813. Contact Person: Donna Kodama-Yee. Telephone: (808) 534-7501. 8. Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or General Business Office of Publisher: same as above. 9. Full Names and Complete Mailing Addresses of Publisher, Editor, and Managing Editor: Publisher: Donna Kodama-Yee, 1088 Bishop St. Ste. LL2, Honolulu, HI 96813; Editor: Diane Seo, same address; Managing Editor: Katrina Valcourt, same address. 10. Owner: PacificBasin Communications, LLC, 1088 Bishop St. Ste. LL2, Honolulu, HI 96813; Stock of which is held by Duane Kurisu, same address. 11. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees, and Other Security Holders Owning or Holding 1 Percent or More of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages, or Other Securities: None. 12. Tax Status (For completion by nonprofit organizations authorized to mail at nonprofit rates): N/A. 13. Publication Title: HONOLULU. 14. Issue Date for Circulation Data Below: July/August 2024. 15. Extent and Nature of Circulation: a. Total Number of Copies (Net press run) – Average number of copies each issue during preceding 12 months: 18,852; Number of copies of single issue published nearest to filing date: 20,170. b. Paid Circulation (By Mail and Outside the Mail): (1) Mailed OutsideCounty Paid Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541 - Average: 3,181; July/August Issue: 3,222; (2) Mailed In-County Paid Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541 – Average: 13,612; July/August Issue: 13,385; (3) Paid Distribution Outside the Mail Including Sales Through Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors, Counter Sales, and Other Paid Distribution Outside USPS – Average: 1,207; July/ August Issue: 1,080; (4) Paid Distribution By Other Classes of Mail Through the USPS – Average: 30; July/August Issue: 43. c. Total Paid Distribution – Average: 18,030; July/August Issue: 17,730; d. Free or Nominal Rate Distribution (By Mail and Outside the Mail): (1) Free or Nominal Rate Outside-County Copies Included on PS Form 3541 – Average: 20; July/August Issue: 20; (2) Free or Nominal Rate In-County Copies Included on PS Form 3541 – Average: 40; July/August Issue: 788; (3) Free or Nominal Rate Copies Mailed at Other Classes Through the USPS – Average: 0; July/August Issue: 0. (4) Free or Nominal Rate Distribution Outside the Mail – Average: 788; July/August Issue: 950. e. Total Free or Nominal Rate Distribution – Average: 848; July/August Issue: 1,758. f. Total Distribution – Average: 18,878; July/August Issue: 19,488. g. Copies not Distributed – Average: 382; July/August Issue: 715. h. Total – Average: 19,260; July/August Issue: 20,203. i. Percent Paid – Average: 95.50%; July/August Issue: 90.97%. 16. Electronic Copy Circulation: a. Paid Electronic Copies - Average: 28; July/August issue: 0. b. Total Paid Print Copies + Paid Electronic Copies: 18,058; July/August Issue: 17,730. c. Total Print Distribution + Paid Electronic Copies - Average: 18,906; July/August Issue: 19,488. d. Percent Paid - Average: 95.50%; July/August Issue: 90.97%. 17. This Statement of Ownership is required and will be printed in the November 2024 issue of this publication. 18. Signature and Title of Editor, Publisher, Business Manager, or Owner: Donna KodamaYee, Publisher. I certify that all information furnished in this statement is true and complete. (Signed) Donna Kodama-Yee, Publisher, September 20, 2024. 2

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Katrina Valcourt Christine Labrador Dining Editor

Mari Taketa

Managing Style Editor

Brie Thalmann

Associate Editor

photography Staff Photographer

Aaron K. Yoshino

marketing

Thomas Obungen Marketing Director Digital Editor Christy Davis | (808) 534-7503 Andrea Lee christyd@honolulumagazine.com Contributing Editor Branded Content Creation Manager

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Where Your Heart Lives Giving Tuesday is December 3rd Give Big Hawai‘i is HONOLULU Magazine’s online local fundraising initiative designed to spark Hawai‘i’s charitable spirit. Support the movement with an online donation on Giving Tuesday, December 3, 2024.

givebighawaii.com | #givebighawaii

A WHIMSICAL CHRISTMAS EXPERIENCE

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C E L E B R A T I N G H AWA I‘I’S S O U L NOVEMBER 2024 | VOL. LIX NO. 4

FEATURES 22 The Playbook Mayor Rick Blangiardi discusses his second-term strategy to tackle our city’s most critical issues. BY R O B B I E D I N G E M A N

24 Health Is Wealth How the latest findings about four pillars of health—the gut, brain, sleep and movement—can boost wellness in Hawai‘i. BY DIANE SEO, K ATRINA VALCOURT AND MARY VORSINO

DEPARTMENTS 6 Editor’s Page

HERE’S TO OUR HEALTH

How this issue’s cover stories came about. BY DIANE SEO

9 Currents Where to find Hawai‘i’s only Snowthies, the latest exhibit from a 98-year-old icon, new noir stories, ocean-themed wares and more. 65 ‘Ono

WHERE PLANT-BASED GOES VOGUE

Even omnivores are opting for new meatless offerings at three spots in Kaka‘ako. BY M A R I TA K E TA

72 Afterthoughts

WINNING THE BRONZE

The four-year odyssey to earn our home a historic distinction.

PROMOTIONS 40 Give Big Hawai‘i We celebrate the spirit of philanthropy in our Islands, plus follow up on the latest news of where the Maui donations are going.

AARON K. YOSHINO

BY DON WALLACE

The vegan curry ramen at Alo Café

ON THE COVER Illustration by James Nakamura

E D I TO R’ S PAG E

Here’s to Our Health

AARON K. YOSHINO

How this issue’s cover stories came about.

’M A REGULAR READER of The New

York Times and The Washington Post, and it’s clear health is a hot topic, a primary pillar of their coverage. While the Times has “Well,” the Post offers an equally robust “Well+ Being” section, both of which are updated daily with new stories. It’s normal to see this content high on their homepages, especially when it involves a big health finding, but sometimes even quirky pieces get prominent billing. (“How Healthy Are Apples?” for instance, recently made the top of the Times’ homepage.) I personally gravitate to this coverage, lured to learn of the latest medical discoveries or to gain practical advice about how to be healthier. I’m certainly not alone. As a curious editor, I follow The New York Times’ rankings of most-read and emailed pieces, revealing the day’s most popular stories; those rankings routinely include health-related articles. Perhaps COVID-19 spiked interest in medical matters, as the world continues to

HONOLULU MAGAZINE

try to dodge the latest coronavirus variant. Or maybe it became trendy with the deluge of wellness Instagram, TikTok and YouTube influencers. Even some of the country’s top doctors have gotten in on it, posting IGs like @drjeremylondon’s “what does a heart surgeon buy from the grocery store,” which drew thousands of likes. For whatever reason, people now are eager to know everything from how to stave off dementia to the best fitness routines for those who hate exercising. This was partly the inspiration for this issue’s “Health Is Wealth” cover feature. It makes sense for HONOLULU, a city magazine, to provide people in Hawai‘i insights on how to be healthy. Our stories delve into medical discoveries and how they are impacting us locally. We are, after all, considered to be among the fittest states in the country; by some measures, we are the fittest. It’s difficult to find people here who don’t care about their fitness. Take a drive any Sunday morning along Diamond Head Road, and you’ll see hundreds, maybe thousands, of runners, bikers, walkers and surfers doing their thing. Meanwhile, thousands of other residents are playing pickleball, hiking, swimming, and going to yoga, the gym and CrossFit. Many of us know that without health, our quality of life diminishes exponentially. And as we get older, we have to work harder to maintain that health. Although some may disagree, wellness does overshadow wealth in the long run. I’ve personally made health one of my top life priorities. By being well, I can take care of the people in my life, do my job, enjoy myself, so many things. It’s not always easy. While I’ve

been athletic and active my entire life, I wasn’t a conscientious eater until I reached my mid-50s. I love fries, chips, candy and more, but as I get older, my body increasingly rejects such indulgences. It became worrisome (bloating, indigestion, rising blood pressure), so I made radical changes in my diet. I wrote about my quest to heal my gut, as part of a story on the gut microbiome on page 26. The challenge in tackling such a broad topic as health is that there are literally thousands of things to cover. Because the Times and the Post provide daily health content, they can be very specific and micro on topics they explore. For our part, in doing a cover feature, we decided to focus on four main pillars of health: the gut, brain, sleep and movement. There are so many new discoveries in these areas, and one thing national media aren’t doing is localizing their coverage for specific places like Hawai‘i. That’s our niche, to cover health and wellness with a local lens by interviewing our doctors, health practitioners and residents. By doing so, we can learn about how wellness is unfolding in Hawai‘i and of all the new offerings and specific issues we face. Our overall goal with this issue is to help people here achieve a higher state of wellness. So, even if there’s just one takeaway for you from our stories, we hope it has a positive impact and that it contributes to a longer, healthier life.

DIANE SEO EDITORIAL DIRECTOR DIANES@HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM

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LIFE

ART

Paints of View

HONOLULU

IN CREATING PIECES FOR SATORU ABE: 100 NEW PAINTINGS, on view at UH Mānoa through Dec. 8, acclaimed painter-sculptor Satoru Abe took a decidedly fresh approach, self-imposing criteria that each work be viewable and displayable right side up, upside down and rotated either direction. “[It’s] something I had never painted before,” he says of the concept, which the now 98-year-old artist from Mō‘ili‘ili stumbled upon in-studio. “I just happened to turn a piece 90 degrees, and I saw something very different that opened up everything.” Showcasing his mastery of modern abstraction, the lyrical collection highlights Abe’s ability to evolve after decades of creating. It’s also a call to action for other artists. “Just be free. Explore,” he says. —Brie Thalmann, photo by Aaron K. Yoshino

The Art Gallery, 2535 McCarthy Mall, hawaii.edu/art, @uhmanoa_art

NOVEMBER 2024

CURRENTS

HAPPENINGS

November Picks Top events this month. BY K AT R I N A VA LC O U RT

DINING HONOLULU Restaurant Week Nov. 9–17 Multiple locations

As if we need more reason to dine out, participating restaurants across O‘ahu will offer special menu deals for a limited time, benefiting the Hawai‘i Restaurant Association Educational Foundation and Aloha Harvest. Reservations are highly recommended. Browse the menus online to plan your week in advance.

EXHIBIT Hawai‘i’s Woodshow Nov. 17–24 / Free admission Neal S. Blaisdell Center Pīkake Room

HOLIDAY Waikīkī Holiday Parade Nov. 29 / 7 p.m. Kalākaua Avenue / Free admission

See the beauty of Hawai‘i-grown hardwoods that have been transformed into works of art in the Hawai‘i Forest Industry Association’s 32nd annual woodshow. And don’t worry—the use of endemic species is not allowed, other than Acacia koa.

Not just a Christmas parade, this annual event honors survivors and veterans in commemoration of the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. Expect marching bands and entertainment along the route from Fort DeRussy to Kapi‘olani Park.

woodshow.hawaiiforest.org

waikikiholidayparade.com

HOLIDAY ’Twas the Light Before Christmas Nov. 22–Dec. 31 Hawai‘i Convention Center

SPORTS Honolulu Marathon Dec. 8 / 5 a.m. Start at Ala Moana Beach Park / $196–$310

The debut of Honolulu’s latest immersive event brings wonder and the magic of the season to the whole family. Expect holiday music and treats, light sculptures, an ugly Christmas sweater night, gingerbread houses and more.

Maybe you’re running it yourself, or just want to support the nearly 30,000 runners expected to take part in one of the world’s largest marathons. Head to Kapi‘olani Park around 7 a.m. to catch some of the world’s elite runners as they cross the finish line.

alohaimmersive.com

honolulumarathon.org, @honolulumarathon

hnlrestaurantweek.com, @honolulumag, @frolichawaii

THEATER Once on This Island Nov. 14–Dec. 8 Mānoa Valley Theatre / $25 and up

A peasant girl named Ti Moune offers her life to the gods to save Daniel, the unconscious, injured boy she has taken care of and fallen in love with. Shows are at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays.

CONCERT Lil Wayne Nov. 16 / 5 p.m. Aloha Stadium parking lot / $99 and up

Just because the stadium is closed doesn’t mean it can’t host events outside. Fans of the rapper have been waiting for Tha Carter VI to drop since the album was teased more than two years ago, but no date had been announced as of press time. tmrevents.net, @liltunechi 10

HONOLULU MAGAZINE

TROY CONRAD

manoavalleytheatre.com, @manoavalleytheatre

COMEDY Jo Koy: Just Being Koy Tour Nov. 29 and 30 / 8 p.m. Blaisdell Center / $59.50 and up

When comedian Jo Koy performed at Blaisdell in 2017, he broke a record with 11 sold-out shows. A local favorite, he’s since been back multiple times. Keep in mind kids under 12 should probably stay home. ticketmaster.com, @jokoy

CURRENTS

GOOD READS

Honolulu Noir, a new collection of short stories, shares tales of crime, murder and mayhem. BY DIANE SEO

HOSE OF US WHO LIVE HERE know life in Honolulu is far more nuanced than its tropical paradise image. There’s an edgy, dark side, and a new collection of short stories, titled Honolulu Noir, reflects this mysterious undercurrent. With all stories set on O‘ahu, 13 writers share tales of crime, murder and mayhem involving such characters as an Islamic State group recruiter and real-life Native Hawaiian/ Chinese cop Chang Apana, who was the inspiration for Charlie Chan. Published by Akashic Books, Honolulu Noir features never-before-published stories from writers Kiana Davenport, Scott Kikkawa, Alan Brennert, Stephanie Han, Christy Passion, Morgan Miryung McKinney, Lono Waiwaiole, Mindy Eun Soo Pennybacker, Tom Gammarino, B.A. Kobayashi, Michelle Cruz Skinner, HONOLULU contributing editor Don Wallace, and Chris McKinney, who served as the compilation’s editor. This is the first of Akashic’s global “Noir” series set in Hawai‘i. “Being dark was really the only requirement, and the gamut of stories is wide,” McKinney says. “Alan

On Nov. 23, Da Shop will host a public book release party for Honolulu Noir, with several authors featured in the collection in attendance. Honolulu Noir is available at Da Shop and at akashicbooks.com.

A ARON K. YOSHINO

COURTESY: AK ASHIC BOOKS

Dark Side of the City

Brennert wrote a story set in early 20th century Downtown, then you have Tom Gammarino who wrote a futuristic story set in the Ala Moana area, which is half underwater because of climate change. Michelle Skinner wrote a magical realism story about the voyage from the Philippines to Honolulu, and there’s also weird stuff with vampires.” McKinney said he worked closely with all the writers to edit pieces, including his daughter, Morgan, a college student and Gen Zer. “My biggest hope is for readers to see how many different voices exist in a small place,” he says. “The initial reaction might be, this is kind of weird, all over the place, but I think that’s actually its strength. You have all the ethnicities and genres, and that encapsulates Honolulu and Hawai‘i.” Also recently published this fall by Mutual Publishing: Honolulu Stories Today: An Anthology of Modern Hawaiian Fiction. The collection of short fiction is an abridged version of a book Mutual published in 2008, with 1,000-plus pages of short stories, poems, songs and much more. “We decided to just do short fiction and stories that took place after statehood,” says Jane Gillespie, Mutual Publishing’s production director who served as the book’s editor. “I was really impressed with the writing, and that a lot of the new writers are younger. I hope this helps people see Hawai‘i as a dynamic literary place.” The book is available at mutualpublishing.com.

PICKS

Page Turners Da Shop shares its top three Hawai‘i books to read this year. COURTESY: DA SHOP: BOOKS + CURIOSITIES

EVERY DROP IS A MAN’S NIGHTMARE

SIGNIFICANT OTHERS

KONA WINDS by Scott Kikkawa

by Megan Kamalei Kakimoto

by Zoë Eisenberg The Hawai‘i Island platonic friendship divorce story we simply cannot get enough of.

The popular first installment of the hard-boiled noir murder mystery series set in Honolulu.

A powerful collection of stories inspired by Hawaiian mythology and local superstitions.

NOVEMBER 2024

CURRENTS

Genshu Price at the Kualoa Ranch recycling area

KŌKUA

Can-Do A teen’s community recycling program has made college possible for other local students.

ENSHU PRICE BEGAN COLLECTING RECYCLABLES AT AGE 10 to save

money for college. Yet after doing the math, he realized it would take him decades to accumulate a sufficient fund from the 5-cent redemptions—if he did it alone. Six years later, he’s still going strong with the recycling, but he now has community support to raise money for other students needing financial aid for college. His nonprofit, Bottles4College, which he formed at age 13, has recycled more than 1.75 million cans and bottles, equating to more than 140,000 pounds of trash diverted from landfills. Price alone sorts up to 15,000 recyclables every week.

A ARON K. YOSHINO

BY ANDREA LEE

Since its inception, the organization has granted $43,500 in scholarships to O‘ahu students, plus $10,000 to those affected by the Maui wildfires. “We’re raising the accessibility of higher education,” says Price, a student at Myron B. Thompson Academy, a public charter school in Honolulu. “Many students tell us that because of what we’re doing, because we’ve inspired them, they’re actually considering college when they initially thought of not applying.” To volunteer at upcoming recycling events, visit the nonprofit’s Instagram, @bottles4college. “Anybody, from keiki to kūpuna, can make an impact through our platform,” Price says. bottles4college.weebly.com

FILM

Nicole Scherzinger as Sina, Moana’s mom. The film takes place three years after the original, with Moana venturing out across the ocean to find an ancient island and bring her people together. Moana 2 comes to the big screen. Ho‘omaika‘i to Dana Ledoux Miller, one of the directors and co-writer of the movie, BY K AT R I N A VA LC O U RT and Bryson Chun, a Kamehameha Schools grad who wrote for it as well. Ledoux Miller graduated from UH Mānoa’s Academy for KICK OFF THE LONG THANKSCreative Media and worked on Netflix’s Thai Cave GIVING WEEKEND at a theater Rescue, among many other projects; this is her first time with Moana 2, featuring role directing a full-length feature. She also co-founded the reprisals from Hawai‘i favorPasifika Entertainment Advancement Komiti and this ites Auli‘i Cravalho as Moana; summer launched a writers fellowship, of which Chun Dwayne Johnson as Maui; and served as a mentor. Moana 2 opens Nov. 27.

EVAN MULLING

Setting Sail

HONOLULU MAGAZINE

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FIELD TRIP

Dogs behave differently in shelters than when they’re out and about among people, and insights from these day trips can help HHS place them in the right homes. With the shelter often over capacity for dogs, anything visitors can do to perk them up and help them de-stress can make a difference in getting them adopted. The Hawaiian Humane Society’s ‘Īlio Explorers We took sweet girl Sesame for an adventure around Mānoa, program paves the way to adventure for you Kāhala, Kaimukī and Mō‘ili‘ili in and a canine companion. September, before she was adopted. Read about our experience by BY ANDREA LEE scanning this QR code. ‘Īlio Explorers is currently held on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with orientation at 9 or 10 a.m. The OVE DOGS BUT CAN’T COMprogram is offered at both the Mō‘ili‘ili MIT TO ADOPTING? Now you Campus and Kosasa Family Campus at can borrow one for the day, Ho‘opili in ‘Ewa Beach. Kama‘āina can book thanks to a new program from a day trip for $50; nonresidents pay $150. the Hawaiian Humane Society. You will be asked to verify your residency ‘Īlio Explorers pairs adoptable puppers in person for the kama‘āina selection. The with folks who take them out to preapfees help to cover program costs. proved locations. The program serves two purposes: getting shelter dogs some fresh hawaiianhumane.org, air and giving animal lovers their fill of the @hawaiianhumane dogs’ adorable antics.

Pup for a Day

ANDREA LEE

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NOVEMBER 2024

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DISCOVERIES

New in Town Places and activities that have opened recently. BY ANDREA LEE

LEILA

ROOM WITH A CLUE

REGALIA

Chris Kajioka and longtime business partner, Marrakeshborn Mourad Lahlou, opened this Moroccan spot in the old Angelo Pietro space in Kaimukī in September.

Relocated to Pensacola Street, the locally owned escape room puts a scavenger hunt spin on the concept with a sushi restaurant theme. That theme goes Christmassy in November.

leilahnl.com, @leila_kaimuki

roomwithaclue.com, @roomwithaclue

Regalia brings a curated selection of European lifestyle goods and gifts to Ala Moana Center, from filigreed porcelain to backgammon boards inlaid with mother-ofpearl, plus luxury floral arrangements.

SILVER LINING WINE BAR

LA BIRRIA

MAI MUSUBI

The first birria taco truck in Hawai‘i now serves its extra-spicy “Hell Fire Taco,” plus ramen, at its new Fort Street Mall eatery.

Mai Musubi has reopened in Kaka‘ako, with some 30 musubi varieties offered daily. Go early for the best selection.

@la_birria_hi

maimusubi.com, @maimusubi

@silverliningwinebar

HONOLULU MAGAZINE

MELISSA CHANG, ANDREA LEE, THOMAS OBUNGEN

Sister bar to Brix and Stones cigar lounge, new Kaka‘ako spot Silver Lining specializes in natural wines, plus serves craft cocktails, whiskeys and light bites.

regalia.us, @regalia_usa

CURRENTS

FTER BUILDING A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS selling crystal clear ice

TEV MEDIA

cubes for cocktails, bartender Tyler Yafuso continues to elevate the home bar experience with a collection of sustainably inclined drink mixers that use citrus and excess produce from local farms such as Mahi Pono on Maui. The Pau Hana Co. debuted three premium drink mixers at this summer’s Made in Hawai‘i Festival, each blended to pair up with liquors and spirits. There’s li hing lemon, a versatile base with just three ingredients and a strong lemon overtone that works best with vodka or tequila. The kick of the liliko‘i lime and Hawaiian chile pepper mix is a perfect match for smoky mezcal, while the sweetness in the pineapple lemongrass lime lends a comforting base for Scotch whisky and plays well with grassy white rum or the botanicals of gin. Since the $15 mixers have no alcohol themselves, they’re also great starting points for mocktails. Each bottle makes three to four drinks.

DRINKS

Shake It Up Raise your home bar game with new premium cocktail mixers made with rescued local produce.

drinkpauhana.com, @thepauhana.co

BY THOMAS OBUNGEN

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TA S T I N G S

Krunchy Crops RE

New artisan granolas feature ancient Hawaiian staples.

BY M A R I TA K E TA

hawaiiankrunchcompany.com, @hawaiiankrunch

FROLIC FINDS

Must Try: Hawai‘i’s Only Snowthies One of our favorite pick-me-ups, featured as part of Frolic’s new Sweet Treats series. BY ANDREA LEE

A ARON K. YOSHINO

ALO, ‘ULU AND ‘UALA CAME TO HAWAI‘I with the first settlers. Now Bonny Davis is trying to help sustain these canoe crops with a new line of artisan granola that she hopes to scale beyond the Islands. The flavors of Hawaiian Krunch hark back to Davis’ memories of visiting her grandmother in Kapahulu. “Every day we had poi on the table. She would make ‘ulu and we would always have sweet potato. I grew up with canoe crops” that Polynesian voyagers brought to Hawai‘i, says the executive chef of Kamehameha Schools’ Maui campus. “I wish I paid more attention.” That was especially true in 2022, when Davis joined several chefs from around the country to learn about kalo. Back at work in Makawao, she tested versions of kalo granola on a tough audience. “Kindergarteners, they don’t want to eat anything. If they liked something, it would work,” she says. “I made granola and put it in poi parfaits with kalo and a locally sourced goat’s yogurt with fresh fruit and natural honey. The kids loved it.” Today Davis and her partner, Tootsie Nāmu‘o-Davis, make Hawaiian Krunch in small batches. The canoe crop niblets peek out from mixes of organic rolled oats, local honey and coconut oil, coconut flakes, macadamia nuts and warm seasonings. ‘Ulu comes with dried pineapple and mango. ‘Uala gets a crunch from cacao nibs. You can find them online at Hawaiian Krunch’s website and Farm Link Hawai‘i, as well as at ChefZone on O‘ahu and ‘Oko‘a Farms and Hawaiian Moons Natural Foods on Maui.

MILKY WAY HAWAI‘I combines Taiwanese snow ice with fruit juices in a sweet, thirst-quenching mashup known as the Snowthie. The idea is the brainchild of Andy Gao, who wanted a dessert reminiscent of his native Taiwan. Milky Way first launched as a truck, parked at Kaka‘ako’s Mother Waldron Park with an eye-catching paint job of vibrant, smiley blobs by World Wide Walls co-founder Jasper Wong. Gao went on to open the Milky Way Café in Kalihi, serving up more teas, Snowthie flavors and snow ice, plus a seating area. We recently stopped by the North King Street shop to taste two of Gao’s most popular treats. He fills the cups partway with papery layers of snow ice, then adds juice to the Strawberry Man Snowthie (“man” is short for “mango”), while milk goes into the Snow Milk Snowthie. Both are finished off with a mound of snow, but the Snow Milk gets an additional base of grass jelly, a topping of boba and a drizzle of brown sugar syrup. Both are worth hunting down on a hot day. 2130 N. King St., (808) 200-1448 (store), (808) 463-8110 (truck), @milky_way_hawaii

HONOLULU MAGAZINE

CURRENTS

TA I L S O F T H E C I T Y

Queen Bee Katie Metzger’s Hānai Hives teaches members the art of beekeeping.

“W

E DON’T THINK OF BEES AS FAMILY the way we think of our ‘ohana, but we truly depend on them for our whole food system,” beekeeper Katie Metzger says. Teaching people about their vital role is a goal of Hānai Hives, the North Shore-based program Metzger founded in 2020, which raises Western honeybees and offers beekeeper mentorships. Its aim is to combat the population decline of bees caused by disease, climate change and pesticides. Members can adopt a hive at one of the organization’s apiaries and learn how to analyze colony health, keep pests out, supplement food and harvest honey. Its Sunset Beach apiary also offers tours for the bee curious. “It’s easy to forget that crops can’t make it to our plates without first being pollinated. Seeing bees hard at work helps people connect the dots. A light goes off and they appreciate it much more,” Metzger says. —Brie Thalmann, photo by Aaron K. Yoshino hanaihives.com, @hanai_hives NOVEMBER 2024

CURRENTS

HOME

Call of the Sea

OPENINGS

Keeping it Eel

Dive into Twin Urchins Superette’s enchanting vintage curios.

Fighting Eel celebrates its 25th anniversary with a new store.

HONOLULU MAGAZINE

KRISTEN REYNO

fightingeel.com, @fightingeel

twinurchinssuperette.com, @twinurchinssuperette

SPOTTED

Wrap Party Lola Pilar Hawai‘i’s luxe robes. IT’S NO SURPRISE that Kristen Reyno’s

botanical prints look just as good on the body as they do on a wall. After all, the shutterbug has an eye for artful compositions and rich color combos. Both come together beautifully in her latest Lola Pilar Hawai‘i releases, floaty kimono-style robes that blend elements from popular works. Slip on the silk Hau-te Couture Robe, which pairs hau and allamanda flowers with dusty pastels. Or don the cotton Pualani Robe, featuring swirling anthuriums and philodendrons, that’ll dazzle around town. —BT $350 for cotton, $450 for silk, lolapilarhawaii.com, @lolapilarhawaii

SAM FEYEN

T STARTED BACK IN 1999

with a simple pair of culottes, sewn by hand on Lan Chung and Rona Bennett’s living room floor. Twenty-five years later, the local fashion brand boasts a die-hard following, 45plus employees and four O‘ahu stores with a fifth on the way. Chung now heads the company solo and continues to push it in fresh directions. Its latest boutique, set to open on East Mānoa Road this winter, will be its first home goods-focused store, offering bedding, drinkware, towels and more. The 1,200-square-foot space will also stock several new Fighting Eel categories, including pet items and plateware. Additionally, Chung is developing a dressier apparel range she’s calling the Black Label. Chung’s gusto for branching out has been key to Fighting Eel’s success. “There’s still a lot of room for us to grow,” she says. Expanding to other islands is on the table. “I’d even love to open a Fighting Eel café one day—the Mānoa store has a courtyard in the back, with a stream next to it. That would be a great spot.” And while many brands nowadays are solely online, Fighting Eel is leaning heavily on its brick-and-mortar model. “Our customers like feeling the products and connecting with the team selling them—that’s how they connect with the brand,” Chung says. “They get to know you, then they’re not just supporting the brand, they’re supporting you.” —Brie Thalmann

Cousteau’s attic, the vintage wares from online boutique Twin Urchins Superette are beautiful, rare and recall the romance of the sea. Founder Sam Feyen, a local fashion photographer, began acquiring and restoring vintage décor in 2017 to use as props. Now, collectors clamor for her monthly drops, often full of oceaninspired finds. Past favorites include shell cross-stitch art and circa 1980s stained glass trinket boxes. Feyen’s also become known for exquisite shell lamps from the ’50s and ’60s. “When I find a piece that just needs a little bit of love or looks like the day it was made 50 years ago, I’m over the moon,” she says. “I like seeing that item have a second chance at life.” —BT

A ARON K. YOSHINO

LIKE A STASH OF LONG-FORGOTTEN TREASURES unearthed from Jacques

CURRENTS

H O L I D AY

Shopping List Local craft fairs and holiday markets ramp up in November and December. Here are some of the big ones. Mele Kalikimaka Gift Fair Nov. 9, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Ka Makana Ali‘i islandcraftfairs.org/oahu Island Crafters Market Nov. 10, 16 and 24, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Ala Moana Center, Mauka Wing, Level 2 islandcraftfairs.org/oahu Mālama Hawai‘i Makers Market Nov. 16, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Waialua Community Association malamahawaiimarket.com, @malamahawaiimarket Koko Marina Makers Market Nov. 17 and 23, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Koko Marina Center islandcraftfairs.org/oahu PAG E S

808 Craft and Gift Fairs Nov. 23, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Kalani High School 808craftandgiftfairs.com, @808craftandgiftfairshawaii

Ace of Space Design inspiration abounds in Peter Vincent Architects’ new book.

$50, pva.com, @petervincentarchitects

Super Saturday Hawai‘i Winter Festival Dec. 7, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Hawai‘i Convention Center supersaturdayhawaii.com, @supersaturdayhi MATTHEW MILLMAN

RELEASING THIS MONTH, Island Homes: Casual Elegance in Design explores residential and commercial projects by acclaimed Honolulu firm Peter Vincent Architects. The glossy 248-page hardcover also tracks the design journey of founder-managing partner Peter N. Vincent, who shares behind-the-scenes tidbits from the builds. Tour a contemporary Diamond Head oasis that bears elements of Hawaiian and Chinese design, a modern Japanese restaurant inspired by Kyoto townhouses, a plantation-style golf course clubhouse and more that showcase the firm’s commitment to sustainability, indoor-outdoor symbiosis and understated luxury. —BT

53rd Annual Holiday Craft Fair Nov. 30, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives missionhouses.org, @hawaiian_mission_houses

Mele Kalikimaka Marketplace Dec. 14, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Dec. 15, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Blaisdell Exhibition Hall melekalikimakamarketplace.com

NOVEMBER 2024

PURSUITS

A Messenger In Pālolo Valley, a former economist’s free talks relate ancient Buddhist teachings to life in the modern world. BY M A R I TA K E TA

“It’s fundamentally a practice about compassion, loving kindness, and learning to accept other people and ourselves as being fundamentally the same.”

of deep Pālolo Valley, amid dove calls and rustling leaves, Gregory Pai’s voice rises and falls. He’s talking about the interconnectedness of all humans, and how much we resemble trees. “A tree is not an object. A tree is a miraculous creation of photosynthesis, which is a growing biological organism. But then we have coconut trees, banyan trees, maple trees, chestnut trees,” he says. “They are different kinds of trees, but in fact they’re all the same organism. People are the same. We grow up in all kinds of different conditions and environments. We look at each other as different, but we’re all the same. We’re human beings.” Pai is a teacher. Every Saturday afternoon he sits cross-legged near the altar at Mu-Ryang-Sa, a jade-and-vermillion Korean Buddhist temple nearly 2 miles into the valley, and talks about mindfulness, how to ease stress and strife, and the 16 stages of awakening. In front of him in the open-air hall are two or three dozen peopleofall ages, from all over the city. Some are regulars, some newbies. Pai says they come for the calm of the one-hour guided meditation that he starts at 4, followed by a reading and dharma talk that guide t hem toward better, kinder interactions. The practice of mindfulness meditation also “allows people to realize their true gifts,” he says, “and begin to live lives that are more in alignment with their fundamental aspirations.” These are Buddhist teachings, but Pai is no priest or academic. He’s a former chief economist at First Hawaiian Bank and adviser to Govs. John Waihe‘e and Benjamin Cayetano. Throughout, he practiced medita-

HONOLULU MAGAZINE

— G R E G O R Y PA I

tion, and when he retired, he headed to Myanmar to deepen his practice at rainy season Vipassana retreats—sitting and walking meditation from 3 a.m. to 9 p.m., in absolute silence every day for three months. He did this three years in a row. Pai gifts what he learned, relating ancient wisdom and practices to everyday life 2,500 years later. Once a year, he runs a five-day retreat with three hours of sitting and walking meditation in the morning and three in the afternoon; every month there’s also a half-day retreat. Like his Saturday guided meditations and talks— which Pai uploads at brokenridgetemple.com—it’s all free: People contribute what they can, if they can. “It’s fundamentally a practice about compassion, loving kindness, and learning to accept other people and ourselves as being fundamentally the same. We can accept each other as brothers and sisters in humanity and not be defined by our differences,” he says. “You start to realize that we are in fact all the same. But we’ve forgotten that. This message is a very powerful message. I think the more people that understand that, the more we can have a shift in consciousness that can allow us to be more compassionate and humane toward other people.”

A ARON K. YOSHINO

N THE QUIET green

CURRENTS

NOVEMBER 2024

FEATURE

THE PLAYBOOK Mayor Rick Blangiardi discusses his second-term strategy to tackle our city’s most critical issues. BY ROBBIE DINGEMAN

ONOLULU VOTERS THIS

SUMMER gave Mayor Rick Blangiardi a resounding primary election victory, earning him a large enough margin of votes to skip this month’s general election. As the former television executive and football coach heads into his second term, we sat down with him at Honolulu Hale to learn of his priorities for the next four years on such urgent topics as crime, homelessness and rail transit.

(Answers have been edited for space and clarity.)

COURTESY: MAYOR’S OFFICE, CIT Y & COUNT Y OF HONOLULU

THE PLAYBOOK

What’s being done in Chinatown/Downtown, where crime hinders revitalization? By the end of the year, we’ll have 60 cameras in Chinatown. We came into office, there were 26 cameras. Only one worked. It was 1990s technology. Now, we’ll have 60 cameras, each of which has five heads, which totally records everything. They can zoom in on anything. In fact, they have audio, too, so if somebody screams, the Police Department can help. This is state of the art.

When you became mayor, you took over the most expensive public works project in O‘ahu history, with a price tag now topping $9.8 billion. We know the rail has been plagued by rising costs, delays and funding issues. A 10.75-mile segment opened in June 2023, but to get the federal funding, you compromised on a shorter route, ending in Kaka‘ako instead of Ala Moana Center. By the time you complete your second term, how far will rail reach? We’ll be Downtown. We’re coming down the Dillingham corridor with the utility relocation. We already have the guideway built to Middle Street. We’re working on the stations, and we’ve now begun to run [after-hours test] trains from Aloha Stadium to Middle Street.

Gun violence and random attacks have folks on O‘ahu worried about spiking crime. How are you responding? We’re doing everything we possibly can to build up the Police Department, because public safety is the overarching No. 1 priority. We first came into office, I signed a threeyear police pay contract [with] 5% raises each year, compounded to about 22%. We agreed to three 13-hour shifts a week for police. We try to help with the recruiting. We have an incentive bonus, $25,000 for signing.

HONOLULU MAGAZINE

The Skyline now runs from East Kapolei to Hālawa. What will that mean when it reaches local job centers at Pearl Harbor and the airport, projected by the end of 2025? We think the ridership, once we get past the two [Pearl Harbor] gates and the airport, could probably reach 20,000 to 25,000 a day. The belief is that’s the incentive to get a shift in ridership, because now people can take it to work. At that point 84% of the system will be built and operating.

FEATURE THE PLAYBOOK

The latest survey estimates about 5,000 houseless individuals on O‘ahu, half on the streets and half in shelters, and the Institute for Human Services’ executive director, Connie Mitchell, tells you that’s heading closer to 7,500. Why the increase and what is the city doing? Homelessness is a very complicated problem. That still represents less than 1% of our population. It’s a source of a lot of aggravation, a lot of frustration for people.

You’ve partnered with the state on a respite center, bought transitional housing and are expanding the Crisis Outreach Response and Engagement, or CORE, team approach. What’s next? I want to be aggressive with this, but as humane as possible. With CORE, we’ll have four ambulances, the [refurbished city] bus, six SUVs, a CORE staff of 30. We’re looking for another 10 staff, possibly more. For mobile crisis, they go out, they build trust. They respond to calls if they see somebody lying on the street. Typically, in an emergency room, what they used to give them before was a $1,000 shower, maybe treat some open wounds, feed them and put them back out. We’re not doing that. We have wraparound services: We’re under contract now with IHS, Catholic Charities, the North Shore Medical Group, Lutheran Health Services, Premier Medical Group. The idea is to get as many as possible into permanent supportive housing.

How are you responding to reports of people flying here without housing, jobs, support? We learned yesterday from Connie Mitchell that 80%—12 out of every 15 people—that they’re taking into their shelters now are from the mainland. I am livid. We’re going to do something about that. That’s where the growth has come from. We’ve done a lot of work at trying to deal with our local people, but I’m going to fight that number with everything we can, even to the point of doing what they pretty much did during COVID, which is intercept them. If they have a one-way ticket, you can’t come in here unless you’ve got housing, an address and everything else. We’re going to turn them around, detain them and fly them right back. That would be my goal, and I think legally we can get that done. This is our own border crisis. They’ll overtake our system. Our resources are finite; they’re strong and they’re good, but finite.

You face a longtime crisis at the Department of Planning and Permitting: bureaucracy that delayed permits for years, outdated technology and indictments for fraud related to taking bribes for expedited permits. What’s changed?

What’s the city doing for affordable housing? We came to office, there was one person in the housing department, and they were deferring everything. We weren’t working with developers. Even the affordable housing fund, all this money had lapsed. It’s a crisis for decades, and the state was the only player, yet the city had a very big responsibility and opportunity to help with that. We’ve now got a full-blown housing department. We have a strategy. By the time we leave office, we will have created 18,000 units. About 56% will be for ownership, and 44% will be for rental across all demographics.

What’s the worst thing about being mayor? It’s the frustration of the time that it takes to get stuff done. This job is about problem solving, but to solve a problem, you really have to understand the problem. That takes time, because with these problems, nothing is linear, everything is complicated, and there are laws and ordinances and practices. And even sometimes on a deep dive, you don’t even know why they’re doing what they’re doing. Once you understand the problem, you have to develop a solution, and then that solution is going to go through procurement.

What’s the best thing about being Honolulu’s mayor? This job for me is the challenge, responsibility and privilege of a lifetime. To have work that matters like that is the best thing. This team is getting things done—good things—and tackling the tough problems. I understand my role as mayor. I understand what the responsibility is, but this is definitely a team sport.

We were in office for only four months, and the feds came in, in April, and arrested six people, and the first person that went to jail was a 72-year-old grandmother. We had beyond management dysfunction, systems dysfunction, and had that to deal with. We took it upon ourselves to invest in people, technology and processes. In one year’s time, your permits will be two to four weeks, we’re going to hold to that.

NOVEMBER 2024

FEATURE H E A LT H I S W E A LT H

Health Is Wealth 24

How the latest findings about four pillars of health—the gut, brain, sleep and movement—can boost wellness in Hawai‘i. By DIANE SEO, K ATRINA VALCOURT and MARY VORSINO Illustrations by JAMES NAKAMURA

HONOLULU MAGAZINE

T’S HARD TO FIND anyone

who doesn’t want to be healthier. While we aim for it in different ways, and to different degrees, wellness is clearly a desired outcome in Hawai‘i and beyond. Ask anyone young or old whether they’re actively doing things to be healthier, and you’re likely to see how universal the prioritization of it has become.

Wellness isn’t just a buzzword. While by some measures Hawai‘i is deemed among the healthiest states in the country, that distinction has not shielded us from countless issues that jeopardize it. We have higher than average incidences of some diseases, especially among certain populations. And while it may be easy to take health for granted when you’re well, you recognize the magnitude of what’s at stake as soon as it’s threatened. More than ever, we’re learning it’s critical to

take care of ourselves with both medical guidance and on our own, from how we move and sleep to how we support our brains and microbiome. The latest findings give us hope. After talking with local doctors, specialists and those on personal wellness journeys, we’ve discovered that significant research continues to take place to better address some of our most concerning health issues, reduce the risk of illness and improve our overall quality of life. NOVEMBER 2024

FEATURE H E A LT H I S W E A LT H

1. The Marvelous

Microbiome

A healthy gut is the core of good health.

HO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT

a word like “microbiome” would become so buzzy? But as researchers continue to connect the gut to the functioning of the entire body, nurturing a healthy gut microbiome has become a coveted pursuit. Anyone who’s stayed abreast of health news knows the gut is far more than just an organ for digestion. It’s now deemed the body’s second brain, affecting everything from the immune system, skin, mental health and more. Medical researchers have linked it to diabetes, various cancers and autoimmune diseases, anxiety and depression, and most recently, Parkinson’s disease. “The gut is an incredibly important gateway that’s exposed to what’s outside us, the environment,” says Dr. Scott Kuwada, chief of gastroenterology at The Queen’s Medical Center and chair of medicine at the John A. Burns School of Medicine. The gut microbiome comprises trillions of microorganisms, namely bacteria, fungi and viruses. Scientists have learned it includes both harmful and beneficial microbes and bacteria, and that cultivating a healthy microbiome with so-called good bacteria is critical. “They play a very vital role, especially in regulating our immune responses to the environment,” Kuwada says.

HONOLULU MAGAZINE

BY DIANE SEO

PROFILE

GUT INSTINCTS Adds Sara Chong, a functional medicine chiropractor in Honolulu who specializes in gut health: “I always tell my patients that once we understand what their microbiome looks like through gut testing, we can see whether there are too many bacteria and microbes that are toxic and causing inflammation. We then work with them to nourish the beneficial kinds that keep everything in check.” The Mission: A Healthy Gut As findings from microbiome research continue to make headlines, many people have embarked on gut-healing quests. After all, nearly two out of three adults are burdened by GI symptoms, according to a National Institutes of Health study. Some are visiting medical doctors like Kuwada, while others are seeking out functional medicine specialists like Chong. Still others are doing their own research, changing their diets, taking supplements and more. As such, there are countless gut-enhancing products available, making it difficult to discern which ones may be helpful and which to avoid. I’m personally targeted for all this. Perhaps, my own mission to fix my gut embodies what others might be facing on their wellness journeys. My Father’s Gut Woes My father died of Stage 4 gastric cancer in 2011. He also had colon cancer at the time. When I was growing up, he battled a separate case of gastric cancer that had been deemed terminal. Although he defied the prognosis and survived, he struggled for the rest of his life with stomach issues, including ulcers, intestinal blockages, you name it. He popped antacids like they were mints. And although he was not a complainer, I could tell he suffered—a lot. When I reached middle age, I started hav-

Poni Askew’s wellness journey began with weight loss, then veered to focus on her gut health. BY DIANE SEO

ONI ASKEW AND HER FAMILY WENT VEGAN

seven years ago, after her son saw a documentary touting its merits. She was 360 pounds at the time, running the successful, yet draining, event company Street Grindz, organizer of Eat the Street. After shedding 50 pounds, Askew decided to undergo bariatric surgery to help further her weight loss. However, while undergoing pre-surgery screenings, she learned she’s severely anemic, so much so she needs monthly iron infusions that continue today. She also went back to eating meat. “Becoming vegan was an important shift, but if I look back and make any changes, it would be to just do it for a short period,” she says. That unexpected diagnosis led Askew to lean into functional medicine and functional nutrition. In both areas, nutritious eating to improve the microbiome is seen as a key component of enhanced health. And Askew says she’s now “signed, sealed and delivered” on the importance of it. “For me, my red flag is my mental health, and my gut really affects it,” she says. Askew and her husband, Brandon, now run the Wahiawābased Hawaiian Vinegar Co., which sells locally produced vinegars and shrubs. Ironically, the couple didn’t start the business because of the benefits of consuming fermented foods. Rather, they wanted to help reduce local food waste and assist farmers. But as their business ramped up since the pandemic, the focus on gut health exploded globally. It’s now widely known that fermented foods can improve the gut microbiome, adding so-called good bacteria that’s necessary for well-being. “I’m not just promoting it because we’re a vinegar company—it’s really an important component to digestion,” Askew says. “We’ve benefited from the fact that more people are paying attention to the foods they eat and how it impacts their health and community.” Along with eating probiotic foods like yogurt, kim chee and sauerkraut, the Askews eat locally sourced, grass-fed meats and high fiber whole foods. Weight loss is no longer Poni Askew’s concern. “It’s much more important to have clarity and the ability to move and function your body,

C O N T I N U ED O N PAG E 2 8

NOVEMBER 2024

FEATURE H E A LT H I S W E A LT H

Gut Instincts

C O N T I N U ED F R O M PAG E 2 7

Continued

regardless of what the number on the scale is,” she says. Since COVID, she’s noticed more people in Hawai‘i educating themselves on gut health—a trend she believes is being driven by millennials and Gen Zers. “Back when Street Grindz first started, the thinking was the more crap and sauces you could pile on french fries the better,” Askew says. “I don’t think that that’s the value system anymore. Millennials and Gen Z are looking for more than just indulgences. They feel more responsibility to buy local and they also care about their health. There’s so much more emphasis and focus on gut health these days, and it’s easier to find information. I love this integration of functional nutrition and functional medicine into everyday practices.”

ing gut-related issues of my own, which resulted in frequent stomachaches, constipation, bloating, feeling unwell after meals, hives, overall fatigue and malaise. My doctor was concerned because of the hereditary links of gastric cancer and advised me to undergo both a colonoscopy and stomach scope while in my 40s. Although both were clear, with the exception of gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining), I didn’t feel well. As years went on and my symptoms persisted, I finally got serious about repairing my gut. I dug into the research, reading scientific studies, books and articles. I watched Netflix documentaries and even took an online class on MasterClass, lured by its teaser: “Your gut is the gateway to great health. The world’s leading gut health experts teach how to boost well-being, starting with what’s inside you.” Although I’ve never done microbiome testing, I leaned into suggested recommendations to improve it—taking probiotics and prebiotics, eating fermented foods, avoiding antibiotics when possible and more. I didn’t see marked improvements until this year, when I radically changed my diet. I stopped drinking alcohol, cut out red meat and all processed meats along with sugary sodas and artificial sweeteners. I now eat fresh vegetables, fruits and other whole foods at almost every meal and avoid ultra-processed foods and foods that are too spicy, as best I can. The result: No more digestive issues, tiredness or hives—or any debilitating symptoms at all. I’ve become a true believer that good nutrition— along with other healthy habits—can heal, and that having a healthy microbiome is vital. Until recently, it seemed weird to tell others about my experiences. I still get blank stares when I do, but after interviewing Kuwada, one of our state’s leading gastroenterologists, and Chong, I’m convinced balancing the microbiome is not just a health fad—it’s one of the pillars of health.

HONOLULU MAGAZINE

OLIVIER KONING

Fecal Transplants May Sound Weird As more is discovered about the microbiome, innovative treatments continue to roll out, including in Hawai‘i. Kuwada says one of the relatively newer treatments involves a fecal transplant. “The million-dollar question is if you change somebody’s microbiome to look more like a healthy patient’s microbiome, what improvements in health do you get from that?” he says. “There are examples where manipulating the microbiome can solve human diseases.”

Fecal transplants have proven to be particularly beneficial for those with Clostridioides difficile—bacteria that Kuwada describes as “opportunists that can take over when they start multiplying,” causing severe intestinal inflammation when they’re not kept in check by other parts of the microbiome. “C. diff,” as it’s commonly called, can be found in feces and be contracted by coming into contact with contaminated surfaces. In the past, patients were treated with antibiotics, but sometimes the infection returned, he adds. “We’ve now learned that the fecal microbe mycobacterial transplant, which is taking stool from a healthy donor, encapsulating it and having the patient swallow the capsules, has more than a 90% success rate in treating this condition. It may sound disgusting, but it’s been very successful.” There are other examples where manipulating the microbiome is proving effective, including for ulcerative colitis, Kuwada says. In fact, he believes altering a patient’s microbiome could potentially address a lot of health conditions, including severe diseases. He cites the link between the common bacteria Helicobacter pylori and cancer, for example. Helicobacter pylori is often caused by ingesting contaminated food or water. Those living in crowded areas with poor sanitation are more likely to get infected. “It’s probably what caused your father’s stomach cancer,” Kuwada tells me of my dad, originally from North Korea. “I got into this field because one of my grandfathers had gastric cancer, and the other had colon cancer. With gastric cancer, there’s no question Helicobacter pylori is a major risk factor. The World Health Organization lists it as a group one carcinogen now. And we know immigrants coming to Hawai‘i from East Asia and the South Pacific have a much higher infection rate of Helicobacter pylori, and that we see a lot more gastric cancer in Hawai‘i than in other states. This research has changed our practices as gastroenterologists here—we now look for that infection.” As research deepens, we’ll learn more about which bacteria are beneficial, and how our microbiomes could be altered to include these types of bacteria to halt or prevent diseases, Kuwada says. “Again, those are $10 million questions that are still being discovered.”

10 TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR MICROBIOME Courtesy of Sara Chong, a functional medicine chiropractor specializing in gut health. •

Eat a diverse range of foods full of colorful fibrous veggies/fruits.

•

Add fermented foods: kim chee, yogurt, sauerkraut, pickles, miso, etc.

•

Take quality probiotics to improve digestion, lower inflammation and support immune health.

•

Drink plenty of water to increase the protective mucosal gut lining and benefit healthy gut bacteria.

•

Eat fiber rich foods like garlic, asparagus, leeks and bananas.

•

Eat polyphenol-rich foods, including dark chocolate, berries and olives, and drink green tea, also rich in polyphenols.

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Avoid antibiotics, alcohol and processed foods, all of which directly damage/destroy gut bacteria.

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Manage stress, which increases inflammatory gut bacteria.

•

Get quality sleep. Studies show that even one sleepless night can change the quality of gut bacteria. That bacteria can go from healthy and beneficial to the kind that increases inflammation and obesity overnight.

•

Exercise regularly. Moderate exercise improves gut microbiome diversity.

NOVEMBER 2024

FEATURE H E A LT H I S W E A LT H

NoBrainer

Whether you’re young or old, taking care of your brain is key.

R. KAZUMA NAKAGAWA KNOWS

how far medicine has come to help those with serious neurological disorders. As chief of The Queen’s Medical Center’s Neuroscience Institute and medical director of the Comprehensive Stroke Center, he also knows medicine has limits— and that healthy choices are vital to stave off problems in the brain. It’s why he’s launching the Brain Health Applied Research Institute, an innovative hub, whose motto is “one habit at a time.” After a stroke, for instance, the brain has potential to “rewire” and restore lost function with therapeutic activities, but patients aren’t always educated on self-care. Roughly 40% of dementia cases are preventable with healthy choices, like exercising regularly, Nakagawa says. Many don’t realize this, so he wants to create a place to help people nurture their brains. People should embrace healthy activities they love, such as surfing, dancing and art, which benefit the brain, he adds. The institute has tapped an eclectic group of experts, including a chef, oceanographer and musicians, to drive those points as it moves forward with a Waipahu campus. “It’s not just a dream—it’s in the works,” Nakagawa says. As AARP Hawai‘i’s community outreach director, Jackie Boland also talks about brain health—what’s good for it, what’s not, and lifestyle tweaks to help it function. At 54, she’s noticed changes in her own brain. It’s harder to remember things on lists, she says, and like many of her friends, she’s walked into a room to do something, then forgotten what it is. Boland wants to bust myths about the aging brain, chiefly that people should give up on learning new things in their 60s, 70s and beyond. In fact, the opposite is true. “You can

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BY MARY VORSINO

PROFILE

continue to generate new brain cells as an older person,” she says. “Simply, the more you exercise the brain, the more brain cells you have.” The brain’s importance, and its significance on our overall health, has made headlines in recent years. And while the brain still remains a mystery, scientific advances have offered new techniques for treating brain injuries and stroke, as well as new medications for age-related brain disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Huidy Shu, Hawai‘i Pacific Health’s chief of medical subspecialties and a neurologist at Pali Momi Medical Center, is particularly excited about an emerging class of drugs for Alzheimer’s. FDAapproved drug treatments for the disease have been around for more than two decades, and he says they work by helping manage symptoms, but without treating underlying causes of the progressive disorder, which in Hawai‘i afflicts about 1 in 10 people over 65. But a monoclonal antibody medication approved last year, called Lecanemab, actually removes protein believed to cause Alzheimer’s. Shu says over about 18 months, Lecanemab can reduce the toxic protein beta-amyloid by more than 60% in patients treated early enough. Donanemab, an even newer drug that works much the same way, can reduce it by 90%. The treatments, Shu says, are a breakthrough but not a cure. He cautions that monoclonal antibody medications aren’t appropriate for those who have suffered moderate or severe irreversible brain damage from the disease. And Shu also points out that Alzheimer’s disease only accounts for about 50% of all dementia cases. “It’s the most common by far, but it’s not the only thing,” he says. At clinics on O‘ahu, Brain Health Hawai‘i is also offering a cutting-edge treatment—designed to help alleviate the symptoms of everything from concussions to depression to migraines. It’s called transcranial magnetic stimulation, and it works by stimulating the brain’s nerve cells, says Angela Keen, who took a job as Brain Health Hawai‘i’s communications and marketing director after treatments there helped her overcome long COVID. The noninvasive procedure isn’t recommended as the first option for patients with major depression, but it may be the C O N T I N U ED O N PAG E 3 2

A RESET AND RESYNC Angela Keen overcame a debilitating bout of long COVID through innovative brain treatments. BY MARY VORSINO

ORMER TV NEWS ANCHOR Angela Keen was accustomed to sharing stories about other people. Then COVID-19 hit and Keen, always passionate about medical reporting, started talking on social media about her own early case of the virus. Then came her long COVID saga.

After suffering her first bout of the virus in March 2020, shortly before the state’s first COVID lockdown, she became the public face of a group calling for tougher COVID regulations—and calling out those residents and tourists who broke them. In the months after, she didn’t know anything about long COVID—it wasn’t even part of the national conversation at the time. Yet, for eight weeks, she had trouble breathing, trying various medications with no relief. Then something else took its place: depression. “I couldn’t leave my bed. I didn’t bathe for days at a time,” she says, adding that she would hastily apply makeup for TV interviews outside her apartment and then drop into bed when they were done. In an Instagram post, she shared a past video of herself looking depleted; along with it, she messaged her mom, telling her that she was worried she wouldn’t make it through the night. Eventually, she reached out to her therapist, who said she had major depressive disorder. In the months that followed, Keen was prescribed a long list of medications, but the symptoms persisted. At one point, she told her psychiatrist she thought she might have Alzheimer’s disease because of her brain fog, memory problems and other cognitive issues. Her brain was out of sync. Turns out, Keen was on to something. After research and conversations with doctors, she sought help from Brain Health Hawai‘i and the transcranial magnetic stimulation procedure offered there. On her first visit, she says, she saw a constructed “map” of her brain that displayed how long COVID appeared to have “smashed” her frontal lobe just like a brain injury or disNOVEMBER 2024

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MONICAL LAU PHOTOGRAPHY

fourth or fifth—after traditional medications have failed. Keen notes that 65% of the company’s patients are active-duty military or veterans. Many are seeking care for traumatic brain injuries or post-traumatic stress disorder. Shu says that while new treatments for brain disorders are promising—and continuously coming to market—they “are almost never the answer alone.” Even when a pill or a procedure works, patients should be assessing their diet and activity levels, he says.    For Shu, that advice has become personal. He recently was diagnosed with diabetes, something of a wake-up call for a doctor who knows how important a healthy diet is to a healthy brain. Shu often reminds his patients to be careful about putting the right type of fuel in their cars. “What I tell them is when you celebrate, celebrate. But for most everyday meals,” he says, “you should be eating the best fuel for your brain.” He also believes it’s not just older people who should be concerned about brain health. While you may a regular at the gym, Shu says keeping your brain healthy for as long as possible is just as important, maybe more so. After all, you aren’t you without your brain. “The brain is the seat of human consciousness. You can’t replace the brain,” he says. “You get one chance.”   The good news is that common healthy habits, such as eating healthy and exercising regularly, can keep our brains sharp. When it comes to protecting your brain over a lifetime, three things are essential: Use your brain by learning new things; do what you can to avoid brain injuries, including taking precautions when playing sports; and try to avoid so-called “toxic injury” to your brain, including from harmful chemicals found in cigarettes, drugs and pollution, Shu says. And if you think there might be a problem, seek medical help—early.

HOW TO KEEP YOUR BRAIN HEALTHY •

Socialize: Loneliness can increase your risk of getting dementia.

•

Keep your brain active and don’t be afraid to learn (or try) new things.

•

Manage stress, which can negatively impact memory and cognition.

•

Exercise regularly for a healthier body—and brain.

•

Eating healthy is also key to brain health. Even small changes can help.

•

And get those eight hours. Your brain needs restorative sleep.

Source: AARP

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Reset and Resync Continued

order. “It looked like I had been in a car accident,” she says. She then went on social media to detail the treatment, a noninvasive procedure that works by stimulating neurons in the brain to “wake up.” Keen continued the treatments and says that after about two weeks, “It was kind of like being in a block of ice and the water drips had been melting away.” She was seeing the world in a new way, her depressive symptoms had eased and she felt like her old self. “I had this awakening,” she says. Keen says she underwent 40 treatments, the standard protocol that her health insurance covered. She had to get additional treatments after a second bout with COVID but says she was able to do so before experiencing major depression. Keen became such a strong proponent of transcranial magnetic stimulation that she went on to work as Brain Health Hawai‘i’s director of communications. While she acknowledges that everyone’s journey is unique, and that not everyone will benefit from the same treatment, her goal is simple: “I just want to help.”

Sleep On It

Getting enough quality sleep is fundamental to overall health, and not getting it will put you at higher risk for serious diseases and a shorter life. BY DIANE SEO

“

RINK COFFEE.” “Just power through it.”

That’s how people in the past might have responded to a person’s complaints of a poor night’s sleep, or even multiple sleepless nights. Today, consistently falling short of the recommended seven to eight hours or not having quality sleep raises far more concerns, with studies linking sleep problems to an array of conditions, including heart disease, hypertension, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, migraines and depression. “It’s no longer about just feeling tired and sleepy or being forgetful—it’s about diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke and a shorter lifespan,” says Dr. Ronson Sato, a pulmonologist specializing in sleep disorders at Straub Benioff Medical Center. “Sleep connects to our overall well-being and health.” About one in three adults in the U.S. reported not getting enough rest or sleep every day, with an estimated 50 to 70 million Americans experiencing chronic or ongoing sleep disorders, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This is concerning since sleep seeps into everything we do physically and mentally, says Dr. Shanon Makekau, a pulmonologist and sleep medicine physician who also serves as medical director of the Kaiser Permanente Hawai‘i Sleep Lab. “It supports our immunity, metabolism, heart health and mental health. It affects our mood, energy, motivation and ability to cope with stress. It also plays an important role in our thinking, memory, concentration and attention.” A 2022 Sleep Foundation study, released last year, found that Hawai‘i was at the top of the list of U.S. states when it comes to insufficient sleep, which is defined as having less than seven hours of sleep a day. “The national average is about 35% who get enough sleep, but the survey showed that about 45% of people in

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FEATURE H E A LT H I S W E A LT H

Hawai‘i get less than seven hours,” Sato says. He attributes the high percentage partly to our state’s high cost of living, which requires people to work multiple jobs and chips away at how much sleep they get. “You would think in Hawai‘i, everybody should be happy. We have great weather and people can be active,” Sato says. “But we lead the country on having insufficient sleepers.” Exacerbating this is the shortage of local doctors specializing in sleep medicine, Sato says. Makekau says when she decided to pursue sleep medicine years ago, people questioned her choice of specialty. That doesn’t happen anymore. “There is more local and global awareness about the importance of sleep, and now sleep is a common dinnertime discussion with friends,” Makekau says, adding that her practice is growing exponentially. “People understand it’s a pillar of health and want to evaluate it and optimize it.” Sleep apnea, which leads people to stop breathing while asleep, is by far the most prevalent disorder that Makekau and Sato address. Makekau also sees many suffering from chronic insomnia. For sleep apnea, patients frequently find relief with a CPAP machine, which involves wearing a mask while sleeping to deliver continuous airflow. While the CPAP is an effective treatment for many people, it may not work for everyone, especially those who are claustrophobic. “People don’t want to wear it, especially younger people. It’s tedious and sometimes hard to use,” Sato says. In the past decade, innovations have rolled out, providing alternative ways to treat sleep apnea, in-

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cluding a device called a hypoglossal nerve stimulator that’s surgically implanted under the skin of the neck and chest. It’s designed to help synchronize breathing. “It’s ideal for people wanting something more convenient than wearing the CPAP mask,” Sato says. “It’s been FDA-approved for about 10 years, but we never had a surgeon in Hawai‘i who performed [implanting] them until a couple years ago. Now, there are a couple of surgeons who have been trained to be able to do this.” For insomnia, Makekau says many patients are taking advantage of countless consumer products to help track their sleep and get more quality sleep. These include wearing tracking devices like Fitbits, sleep apps, eye masks, ambient sound machines, blackout curtains, adjustable pillows, weighted blankets and more. Makekau also addresses underlying health issues that might be disrupting her patients’ sleep. “As we age, there are many things that intrude in our ability to sleep enough and to sleep well,” Makekau says. “Menopause absolutely can degrade sleep, and we know postmenopausal women have a higher rate of insomnia or difficulty falling or staying asleep because of hormonal changes.” For kūpuna, sleep is often more fragmented, broken up and restless, she adds. There’s an increasing need to wake up in the middle of the night, sometimes because of underlying medical issues, sometimes for other reasons. “For so many reasons, sleep is an increasingly difficult thing to preserve as we age.” Seven to eight hours of sleep is still the gold standard for daily sleep, and most studies show a clear cutoff in terms of cognition and memory at the four-hour mark, Sato says. But when tracking hours, you should include napping time. “If patients are napping two hours, but only sleeping four overnight, that’s six hours total,” he says. Naps, however, can’t fully compensate for chronic sleep deprivation or consistently poor sleep. In terms of quality, most adults need about two hours of REM sleep, a stage characterized by rapid eye movement, increased brain activity and vivid dreams. REM is the final stage of sleep, and plays a role in memory consolidation, emotional processing, brain development and dreaming. Even with all the attention now on sleep, Makekau believes sleep medicine is still in its infancy. “It’s still somewhat new, but very aggressively growing,” she says. “The area of sleep that’s really taking off is looking at how we mitigate heart disease by addressing sleep. The other area experiencing similar growth is linking sleep and obesity. It’s such an exciting field with lots of active research.”

11 TIPS TO IMPROVE SLEEP From Matthew Walker, one of the world’s leading sleep experts and author of the book Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams. These tips are excerpted from Walker’s class on MasterClass, The Science of Better Sleep.

Check your devices at the door: Charge your phone in another room; get rid of electronics that cause noise; and ditch the alarm clock, which makes you hyperaware of every passing minute. Load up on vitamin D: Exposing yourself to natural sunlight for at least 30 minutes a day can help regulate your sleep patterns.

5. Leave time to unwind: Create a relaxing routine before bed—like reading, listening to music or doing light stretching.

Baths are best: It sounds paradoxical, but taking a hot bath before bed can actually drop your body temperature once you’re in bed.

6. Find a routine: Your body’s internal clock likes to keep a specific schedule. Going to bed late one night and early the next throws your circadian rhythm off balance. Playing catch-up on sleep over the weekend doesn’t work as well as you might think.

Cut the late-night cardio: If you’re feeling sluggish in the morning, your treadmill could be to blame. Aim to finish heavy exercise two to three hours before hitting the sack.

7. Don’t just lie there: Lying in bed for prolonged periods, hoping you’ll finally nod off, isn’t an effective strategy; it can actually be counterproductive, making you anxious and frustrated. After about 25 to 30 minutes, get up and do a relaxing activity until you start feeling sleepy.

8. Tamp down on alcohol: Alcohol before bed may help you relax, but too much of it robs you of REM sleep. Heavy alcohol can also impair your breathing at night, and the stuff isn’t good for staying asleep, either. 9. Eat light at night: When it comes to latenight eating, small snacks are preferable to heavy meals, which can cause indigestion that interferes with your sleep. Don’t drink too many fluids, either, or you may find yourself in the bathroom when you could be fast asleep. 10. Reduce your overall caffeine and nicotine: Caffeine temporarily blocks brain signals from adenosine, a sleep chemical, which nonetheless continues to accumulate. Nicotine, another stimulant, can lead to very light sleep, too. 11. Reevaluate your pill regimen: Some heart and lung medications (and over-the-counter cold and allergy drugs) can disrupt sleep patterns. If you have trouble sleeping, ask your pharmacist or health care provider if meds could be the culprit—and whether you might be able to take them earlier in the day.

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FEATURE H E A LT H I S W E A LT H

One Step at a Time Even just a little movement can increase your health and wellness dramatically. BY K AT R I N A VA LCO U RT

HONOLULU MAGAZINE

PROFILE

T MIGHT SOUND TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, but

a walk a day can save your life. Along with helping you maintain a healthy weight, exercise can lower your blood pressure and reduce the risk of many chronic diseases and cancers, according to recent studies. National Cancer Institute studies, for example, show that physical activity is linked to a 23% reduced risk of kidney (renal cell) cancer, one of the 10 most common cancers in Hawai‘i. “Exercise is not just to burn calories,” says Dr. Jenny Satterberg, a family medicine physician and chief of the Straub Benioff Medical Center Mililani Town Center Clinic. When you exercise, “there’s a reduction in the risk of breast and colon cancer—that’s been well validated. But there’s also more evidence now that there’s a reduction of bladder cancer; endometrial cancer; esophageal cancer; and kidney, lung and stomach cancer. It’s pretty dramatic.” For older adults especially, even small amounts of regular exercise can help prevent falls, the leading cause of injury and injury death among those over age 65. A Little Goes a Long Way It’s recommended for adults to get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week, 75 minutes of vigorous activity, or an equivalent combination of both, according to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services guidelines. Muscle-strengthening activities should also be performed at least two days a week. Yet in 2019, only about a quarter of Hawai‘i’s adults were active to that extent, with 55-to-64-year-olds exercising the least. (Only 22% of people in that age group exercised to that extent.) For those not exercising enough, “there’s no step that’s too small,” says Satterberg, who is also certified in obesity medicine. Even 10 minutes of exercise a day is enough to make a noticeable difference, especially if you use the time strategically. For instance, if you take a short walk after dinner, it can help regulate blood sugar levels, which along with lowering blood pressure are two of the biggest benefits that Satterberg says she’s seen among patients who start exercising. She also points to increases in energy and decreases in pain. “Going from zero to 10 minutes a week is still beneficial for your health. I usually mention the recommendation of 150 minutes, but then meet the patient where they are, because if they’re not exercising at all, it can seem really overwhelming to go from nothing to 150 minutes.” A lot of people may not know where to start, which is why personal training can be a boon—especially as a preventive health measure. Jon Nakasone, who co-founded Aloha Personal Training in 2018 with his wife, Candace, likens what they do to being swim coaches rather than life-

A TURNAROUND Cory Kubota was overweight, overworked and experiencing health problems when he decided to make a change. BY K ATRINA VALCOURT

VERWEIGHT AND BURDENED with hypertension, bad cholesterol and a stressful job, 45-yearold Cory Kubota received a dire warning from his doctor. “If you keep going down this path, you’re probably going to die young,” the doctor said. As a CPA, Kubota spent most of his time behind a desk. “I had all the bad habits—ate poorly, didn’t really exercise enough. And I had all the health issues that go along with being overweight,” he says. At 5-foot-10 and more than 260 pounds, Kubota realized he had to make a change if he wanted to be around for his two teenage kids. Through Aloha Personal Training, which helps clients achieve goals at its Hawai‘i Kai fitness facility, he took up Olympic lifting. “I had never really done that type of lifting before,” he says. “I had never understood the concepts behind high-intensity interval training and incorporating that with weightlifting to essentially turn weightlifting into cardio type workouts. It was kind of life changing for me.” Though the workouts were humbling at first, Kubota also found them fun. Soon, he was hooked, showing up for 4 a.m. training sessions a few times a week. “I wouldn’t even characterize myself as a morning person, but I found that it was worth it to wake up early and get those workouts in. I just felt so much better,” he says. That was in 2019. After eight to ten months of consistent exercise, however, Kubota found himself getting lightheaded. He went back to his doctor and found that his blood pressure was now too low, a result of his hypertension medicine combined with his early morning workouts. “I was basically overmedicating, even though I was taking the same dose.” Now 50, Kubota has dropped more than 50 pounds and continues with his training three

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A Turnaround Continued

times a week. On Saturdays, he exercises with his kids, who are working on their own health goals. His son wants to build strength while his daughter is focusing on her lower body to help with dance, gymnastics and cheerleading. Kubota also makes a point of walking around his neighborhood more often, now that he has the energy for it. In addition to losing weight, lowering his blood pressure and improving his cholesterol, he finds he has better clarity, sleeps better and is motivated to eat healthier. At one point he was down to 205 pounds; he’s gained some weight back, but now it’s muscle. “I’m still just as busy. I still have just as much stress at work, but this has really been my therapy,” he says. “I’ll tell people, I go and do Olympic lifting at 4 a.m. on Mondays and Thursdays, and they just think I’m crazy. But it is important to me, because I’ve seen the tangible and intangible benefits of it. It’s part of my life now.”

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guards. “If you’re in the water and you’re drowning, obviously you need a lifeguard. But if you take swim lessons and you learn how to swim, then the chances of you drowning are a lot less,” he says. The folks at Aloha Personal Training’s Hawai‘i Kai studio usually see clients once or twice a week for 50-minute sessions, coaching them on not just physical fitness, but proper nutrition and sleep habits. Clients range from age 9 to 95, and many of them have been able to reduce medications that control blood pressure, bone density, blood sugar and cholesterol. One client who was on seven different medications saw her health improve within days. Eventually, her doctors were able to eliminate five medications that she was taking for weight loss and the dosages on the other two were reduced, Nakasone says. “Pharmaceuticals are a powerful way to save your life. But as far as curing and preventing, I think holistic means of using natural foods and exercise and looking at your vitamin D through sun exposure and circadian rhythms—all the little intangibles—are far more effective than Western medicine counterparts.” To achieve their health goals, Nakasone and Satterberg say that people should do things that make them happy. “I try to talk about it in the sense of just moving your body in a way that feels good to you and is enjoyable and fun for you,” Satterberg says. The Mind-Body Connection Making exercise fun can be motivating, and you’ll receive science-backed benefits thanks to the neurotransmitters and hormones that are released, research shows. Experts suggest 20 minutes of moderate activity to activate your endocannabinoid system, which works as a mood booster.

Resources Once you’ve established a consistent workout routine over a few weeks, exercise will feel rewarding, they say, thanks to dopamine. And if you exercise with others, you’ll get a boost of oxytocin, which promotes positive feelings, according to a Harvard Health review. At Aloha Personal Training, Nakasone utilizes an app called Dōse Fitness, which stands for dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins and suggests activities you can do daily to reap rewards. “When clients hit those four happy hormones, they just feel better. And when you feel better, you’re less stressed,” he says. “When we focus on that, then everything else kind of falls into place.” Clients who are happier also are more confident and have an easier time sticking to the program, he adds. Satterberg sees the connection between movement and mood, too. “There’s really clear evidence that it decreases anxiety and depression,” she says. And certain types of movement can alter your brain in other ways: A recent UCLA Health study focused on postmenopausal women found that Kundalini yoga, which incorporates poses, breathwork and meditation, can help those at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by restoring neural pathways, preventing brain matter decline, and reversing aging and inflammation-associated biomarkers. “There’s really strong evidence that a greater amount of physical activity reduces the risk of cognitive issues like dementia,” Satterberg says, adding that even if you don’t have dementia, exercise can improve your overall cognitive function.

Kundalini O‘ahu opened on the second floor of Puck’s Alley in February, offering yoga, meditation, sound healing and ecstatic dance classes. kundalinioahu.com, @kundalinioahu You can also find classes taught by the Kundalini Collective at Blue Lotus Kailua. bluelotuskailua.com, @bluelotuskailua There are plenty of free or low-cost ways to change up your fitness journey: The City and County of Honolulu offers classes and activities such as pickleball, archery, volleyball, walking clubs and more. pros4.hnl.info Most gyms have free trial periods. Try something new, like a Pilates Reformer class at Body Balance Hawai‘i, with no commitment (other than purchasing grippy socks). bodybalancehi.com, @bodybalancehawaii Find out if your employer offers discounted fitness memberships such as through Active & Fit, where you pay one monthly price to get access to multiple gyms. activeandfit.com Join a run club! Low-barrier ones like the Kaka‘ako Run Club (@kakaakorunclub) and O‘ahu Run Club (@oahu.runclub) are free to join, and they post updates on Instagram. Download the Dōse Fitness app.

A Personal Journey Satterberg says it’s important for people to embrace physical activity not just as a necessary task or to lose weight. “I think if they adopt it as just a nonnegotiable kind of part of their life … it’s easier to incorporate.” She herself participated in sports growing up, but after medical school, she says she didn’t feel like doing anything. She says she tried CrossFit but it wasn’t right for her. In the past five years or so, she started doing yoga. “I really started appreciating it more because my body just feels so much better, and then I feel mentally so much better. Just the overall [aspect of ] wellness is just like night and day; it’s so much better with exercise.” Now she’s training for a marathon.

Truly anything goes: • • • • • •

Gardening outside Playing with your kids Cleaning and housework Parking farther away or taking the stairs TikTok dances or just dancing to your favorite song The New York Times published an eight-minute “Joy Workout” video that incorporates movements inspired by joy that have also been shown to elicit joy in return, such as swaying and jumping, like at a concert.

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SPECIAL SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION SECTION

IN PARTNE RSHIP WITH

SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION

Our annual guide to giving highlights Hawai‘i’s nonprofit organizations dedicated to serving our community in a variety of essential ways. In this year’s issue, along with featuring five notable organizations, we provide an update on how donations targeted for Maui after last year’s wildfires are being directed and spent by four of the state’s largest nonprofits. Mahalo for reading!

SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION

WHO WE ARE Give Big Hawai‘i celebrates the spirit of philanthropy in our Islands. There are so many nonprofits across the state doing exceptional work to make Hawai‘i a better place. Yet, many organizations have limited resources to meet the diverse needs, and depend on the generosity of donors, as well as the hard work of volunteers, to fulfill their missions. To support the wide range of services and programs offered by nonprofits, we hope you’ll join us in supporting organizations who are pushing forward with their visions for a better Hawai‘i. VISIT GIVEBIGHAWAII.COM TO MAKE AN IMPACT STARTING NOV. 25 THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR.

CONTENTS 43 A LETTER FROM

SOUTHWEST AIRLINES

48 WHERE THE MONEY WENT More than a year after the devastating Maui wildfires, we tracked the latest distribution of relief funds.

DONNA KODAMA-YEE Publisher donnaky@honolulumagazine.com | (808) 534-7501 MICHELLE STOFLE Strategic Partnerships michelles@honolulumagazine.com | (808) 534-7532 DONNIE FORD Account Executive donnief@honolulumagazine.com | (808) 534-7131 MICHELLE OKADA Client Relationship Specialist michelleo@honolulumagazine.com | (808) 534-7533 CHRISTY DAVIS Marketing Director MARISA HEUNG Branded Content Creation Manager

A BOUT TH E COVE R A RTI ST

Kailah Ogawa is a graphic designer and illustrator who enjoys working with her hands. After working for fashion and creative agencies across California, she opened her own studio in her hometown of Hilo. Her work distills themes of curiosity, humor and honesty. She has been commissioned by clients such as Google, YouTube, Hawaiian Airlines, UCLA, and Hydro Flask. kailahogawashop.bigcartel.com, @kailahogawa

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JAMES NAKAMURA Creative Director jnakamura@honolulumagazine.com | (808) 534-7151 CHRISTINE LABRADOR Senior Art Director ASHLEY PROBST Project Writer

Written, designed and published by:

PHOTO AND ILLUSTRATION: COURTESY OF K AILAH OGAWA; OPPOSITE PAGE: COURTESY OF SOUTHWEST AIRLINES

46 YOUR SUPPORT MATTERS! Last year, Give Big Hawai‘i raised more than $200,000 for 93 local organizations. Here is how some of those dollars went to work.

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A LETTER FROM

Southwest Airlines

ALOHA AND THANK YOU for taking the time to read this special section of HONOLULU Magazine. By simply picking up this month’s publication, you’re showing support for the nonprofit organizations and community leaders dedicated to making Hawai‘i more resilient, healthier, and beautiful for generations to come. This year marks a huge milestone in Southwest’s history as we celebrate our fifth anniversary of service to the Hawaiian Islands. What started as one flight a day between Honolulu and Oakland has since grown to serving five Hawai‘i airports, eight mainland gateways providing connecting service across our vast route network, interisland service and more than 700 employees who call Hawai‘i home. At Southwest Airlines, our approach to community is centered around loving people, building resilience, and living responsibly. These pillars show up differently around the country as we champion the unique causes most important to each community we serve. In Hawai‘i, it looks like giving complimentary flights to students to go on neighbor island field trips or college visits to ensure educational attainment for all; or partnering with hospitals to ensure patients are able to receive life-changing care; or providing resources to organizations that aid in the rescue, recovery, and restoration of human trafficking survivors; or our employees volunteering their time and talents to give back to the land. Making Hawai‘i a better place is not done by one company, industry, or individual. It’s through collaboration and everyone’s commitment to putting service above self. It’s been our pleasure to live and work alongside you all, in good times and in the times that test our resilience. Because in our heart, we’re more than an airline, we’re your neighbor.

Kelly Knox Corporate Responsibility Advisor southwest.com

HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM N O V E MNovember B E R 2 0 2023 24 443 3

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Heart for Hawai‘i

HAWAI‘I MEALS ON WHEELS is dedicated to helping O‘ahu’s elders and individuals with disabilities preserve their independence at home. They do this primarily by providing hot and frozen nutritious meals and regular personal interaction with those they serve.

Southwest Airlines, the airline with Heart, has proudly served the Hawaiian Islands for more than five years. You’ll see the Heart symbol on our planes, incorporated in our uniforms and throughout our marketing efforts. While it’s a beautiful part of our logo, it’s so much more than just a symbol to the more than 74,000 employees who serve our customers and communities with heart every day.

Since moving here in 2019, I wanted to find something that would be dear to my heart and that I could continue for the long haul. Hawai‘i Meals on Wheels was a perfect fit! I volunteer every week on my day off and really enjoy the brief visit with every delivery, every person, mostly kūpuna (elderly) or those who may be limited in mobility. I started volunteering during the pandemic, at a time when many were afraid of exposure. Hawai‘i Meals on Wheels never stopped their meal deliveries and always had everyone’s safety in mind. What touches me is knowing that a simple smile, a good morning greeting and asking how someone is feeling, can go a long way. Some people may not get that small gesture during their day.

More than 700 employees call Hawai‘i home. While our primary focus is transporting customers safely to their destination, some of our best work happens on the ground. In honor of our fifth anniversary, our employees wanted to share some of the organizations near and dear to their hearts where they love to volunteer.

HONOLULU MAGAZINE

- Michelle Herrera, Customer Service Agent, HNL

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HOPE SERVICES works to make homelessness on Hawai‘i Island rare, brief, and nonrecurring. The impact Hope Services has on the community is far reaching. They assist homeless with accessing healthcare, housing and social services. Due to inflation, there is more homelessness on the Islands and because of that, there are families who have fulltime jobs but are still not be able to keep a roof over their heads. Hope Services recently did a contest where businesses could furnish 12 new units built for kūpuna in need of housing. From young to old, Hope Services is here to help out and go out on the streets seeking out the homeless to offer assistance and check back up with them. It also helps the community to know that Southwest is here and wants to help out. We are the LUV airline and LUV to help out! - Yvonne Oliver, Operations Agent, ITO

HIKI OLA is a nonprofit organization that works in the Kealakekua Mountain Reserve to restore, preserve, protect and reforest our land.

It’s always an honor to surrender my heart to volunteer for a greater cause outside myself. And it’s a greater honor to be able to represent our company. This year, our station had the opportunity to volunteer in support of Hiki Ola. We learned that reforestation needs to be done in layers and takes time. We learned our native language throughout the day. We planted māmaki on the day we volunteered and learned that reforestation goes beyond its roots. I could feel the gentleness of the forest and hear the sweet music from the birds singing. To volunteer is not only a time to give, but it’s also a time to reflect and lay your heart in to the simplicity of life itself. To volunteer means to be part of a beautiful world. - Sante Cantor & Kaohulani Montgomery, Operations Agents, KOA

NĀ PALI COAST ‘OHANA is a grassroots nonprofit foundation dedicated to the preservation of the natural and cultural resources of the Nā Pali Coast State Park, Kaua‘i, Hawai‘i.

The organizations that I mostly volunteer for are in my ancestral homeland. My ‘ohana on my mother’s side came from Nā Pali. My great grandfather met my great grandmother in a valley on Nā Pali coast called Nu‘alolo ‘Āina. He was a kumu hula (hula teacher) and she was one of his students. Because of this connection and the many generations of family raised here, one of the organizations that I volunteer the most for is Nā Pali Coast ‘Ohana. This organization is deeply connected with the community and bringing people back to the land. Reconnecting and restoring the balance that has been disrupted over time with the displacement of the Hawaiian people in their native lands, global warming and the increase of visitors coming to the island. Giving back is very important to me and should be important to everyone. I grew up being taught that whenever you enter a space—any space—and use it, you want to leave it better than you found it. That is a lesson that has helped me many times in my life. In that same sense volunteering is like giving back to the spaces you used. And in doing that you build good solid relationships with people in the community. - Nohili Doria, Ramp Agent, LIH

SCOUTING AMERICA programs invite every youth to a safe, fun place to learn, explore and grow. With two children who have been scouting since 2015, I spend the majority of my volunteer hours planning and participating in numerous scouting activities. Over the years, my son and daughter have built wonderful friendships, enjoyed the outdoors and served our community. The longer we invest in scouting, the more we find we are a part of something bigger than just ourselves, a support system that lifts each other up in good and tough times. Last fall, in the aftermath of the Maui fires, everyone came together to help in any way they could, Scouts were no exception. It was at this time, with only a year under my belt at Southwest, that this company and its local leaders came through and supported my Troop in a way that I will forever be grateful for. When Troop 310G and Aunty Maile’s Restaurant (both from Torrance, CA) collected relief items from their communities, Troop 180 from Makawao, Maui, flew Southwest Airlines to Long Beach and brought back 50 boxes which were distributed to displaced families. Southwest Airlines is a proud sponsor of doing good at a local level. - Shari de Jesus, Operations Agent, OGG

NOVEMBER 2024

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Your Support Matters! Every donation is important. Here’s how some of them were used to better Hawai‘i. BY MARISA HEUNG

I L LU S T R AT I O N S BY K A I L A H O G AWA

F YOU THINK YOUR DONATION DOESN’T MATTER, just ask the 93 nonprofits that participated in the 2023 Give Big Hawai‘i campaign. Last year, more than 1,800 generous individuals jumped online to givebighawaii.com, donating more than $200,000 to local causes close to their hearts. It’s proof that the spirit of giving is alive and well here in the Islands.

Whether you give $1 or $1,000, your gift makes a difference. Here’s a look at how five nonprofits used their Give Big donations to build a better community.

FUR-ANGEL FOUNDATION

COURTESY: EPIC ‘OHANA

Established in 2014, the Fur-Angel Foundation is a beacon of hope for O‘ahu’s less fortunate four-legged friends still in search of their forever homes. The nonprofit aids in finding people to temporarily house, socialize, train and care for abandoned dogs. Dogs are then connected with people and families looking to adopt. Last year’s donations went directly to medical care for the 153 dogs that were taken into the FurAngel Foundation, including sterilization, vaccines, medications, microchips, tests and more. furangelfoundation.org

A strong community begins with a strong ‘ohana. EPIC ‘Ohana’s work is centered around offering services that nurture Hawai‘i’s foster kids, giving them encouragement, guidance and relationships they need as they navigate the path to adulthood. Last year, EPIC, which stands for Effective Planning and Innovative Communication, used its Give Big donations to uplift the voices of those who have received foster care or have experience with the foster care system. EPIC’s HI HOPES, or Hawai‘i Helping Our People Envision Success, Initiative includes youth advocacy boards statewide and financial literacy education for foster youth. Both of those programs, and more, benefited from EPIC’s generous donors. epicohana.org 46

HONOLULU MAGAZINE

COURTESY: FUR-ANGEL FOUNDATION

EPIC ‘OHANA

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COURTESY: HAWAIIAN HUMANE SOCIET Y

HOMEAID HAWAI‘I With Hawai‘i having one of the highest costs of living in the nation, it’s not surprising that many people are just one disaster away from homelessness. When the tragic wildfires shook Maui last year, leaving thousands of Lahaina residents without a home, HomeAid Hawai‘i, a nonprofit dedicated to those who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness, stepped up to offer its kōkua. Ka La‘i Ola, an interim housing site built using donations from Give Big Hawai‘i, opened its doors on Aug. 9, 2024, to 38 residents displaced by the wildfires. Once fully occupied in March 2025, the new project will house up to 1,500 Maui residents for up to five years.

HAWAIIAN HUMANE SOCIETY

homeaidhawaii.org

hawaiianhumane.org

COURTESY: HOMEAID HAWAI‘I

Imagine a society where every pet feels safe, loved and cared for. Since 1883, the Hawaiian Humane Society has been a leader in advocating for animal welfare and building a community with compassion for all creatures. Donations from the 2023 campaign supported its lifesaving programs and services to ensure O‘ahu’s most vulnerable animals receive the veterinary attention, shelter and care they need before being reunited with their families or finding new homes through adoption.

COURTESY: K AUA‘I FOREST BIRD RECOVERY PROJECT

K AUA‘I FOREST BIRD RECOVERY PROJECT UH Mānoa, in association with the Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Forestry and Wildlife, launched the Kaua‘i Forest Bird Recovery Project in 2003 to pull Hawai‘i’s treasured endemic birds from the brink of extinction. The project focuses on four species: the threatened ‘i‘iwi, and the critically endangered puaiohi, ‘akikiki and ‘akeke‘e. Last year’s Give Big donations went toward supporting field crews that spend up to 10 days at a time in the remote areas of the Alaka‘i Wilderness Preserve conducting valuable research, as well as Makahiki o Nā Manu Nahele: Year of the Forest Birds, a statewide outreach campaign that celebrates the jewels of our Hawaiian forests. kauaiforestbirds.org

NOVEMBER 2024

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WHERE THE MONEY WENT More than a year after the devastating Maui wildfires, we tracked the latest distribution of relief funds. BY ASHLEY PROBST ORIGINAL PHOTOS BY AARON K. YOSHINO I L LU S T R AT I O N S BY K AIL AH OG AWA

48 48

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A year after the 2023 Maui wildfires, Lahaina is still trying to recover.

NOVEMBER 2024

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In response to immediate needs, temporary housing for those who lost their homes was prioritized. HCF has allocated more than $110 million on Maui wildfire relief so far. Of that, HCF committed $67.2 million to housing initiatives, including $2.8 million to nonprofits providing emergency housing support; $14.4 million for direct financial assistance to subsidize housing costs; and $50 million to the Hawai‘i Interim Housing Program, an initiative involving federal, state and Maui governments, the American Red Cross and the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement. HCF is in phase three of its fourphase disaster response plan, which prioritizes recovery and stabilization. Kāne says the organization is still considering whether to ramp up funding for the short term, or whether to preserve resources and make distributions on a longer timeline. It’s currently estimated that the Maui Strong Fund will be fully distributed by 2026. For its part, the CNHA alone raised more than $40 million for Maui, with 70% going to individuals to help with housing and other needs. The rest went to nonprofit support, local business assistance and CNHA’s direct services, such as its workforce programs, staffing and operations. Of the $21 million it raised, Maui United Way distributed $11.3 million to mental health programs and for emergency fi nancial aid. Of that total, $7.8 million was delivered as immediate, direct payments to nearly 8,000 affected residents. The rest went to local nonprofits or other in-house programs like the Sentry Mālama Nā Keiki Initiative and stop-gap emergency food assistance. Similarly, The Salvation Army raised $11.6 million and so far, has directed $4.5 million to long-term stability programs, including emotional and spiritual care for Maui residents to support community healing. Several other projects are in the works, including property surveys and help with rent, utilities, food and clothing. “Focusing resources where we can address individual cases in a personalized way is a guiding priority for this phase of recovery funding,” says Maj. Troy Trimmer, divisional commander of the organization in Hawai‘i. Turn to page 58 for a closer look at how these organizations are distributing funds and collaborating with smaller nonprofits.

FTER LAST YEAR’S DEVASTATING WILDFIRES,

which reduced Lahaina to ashes, destroying more than 2,200 homes there and 19 in Kula, support poured in from around the world to mālama the Valley Isle. To date, the federal government has allocated nearly $3 billion in support, including more than $500 million for emergency measures, debris removal and infrastructure repair, and $300 million for temporary housing. Another $385 million has been distributed to households through FEMA assistance programs. State agencies, nonprofit organizations and private fundraising efforts including GoFundMe campaigns collectively raised at least another $1 billion for Maui’s recovery. Four local nonprofits—the Hawai‘i Community Foundation, Maui United Way, the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement and The Salvation Army—spearheaded the biggest local fundraisers, raising some $272.6 million. However, with such substantial sums being accumulated, questions began to arise in the months after the fires about the funds, such as where the money was going and whether it was truly being directed to help the people of Maui. For its Maui Strong Fund, which by September 2024 had amassed more than $200 million for relief efforts, the Hawai‘i Community Foundation established an oversight committee and tapped global auditing and consulting firm Moss Adams to keep track of the money. Looking ahead, executive director Micah Kāne says the organization’s focus will be to help Maui reestablish its economy and address housing issues worsened by the fires. “The cost burden of housing on Maui is the highest in the state of Hawai‘i. The fires exacerbated that,” he says. “I strongly believe that there’s a solution that can come out of this recovery that proves we can make homes affordable.”

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I need help with addiction support resources

YOUR DONATION IS A LIFELINE FOR HAWAI‘I

I need help with childcare in Wai‘anae

Support the AUW 211 Helpline. Your Donation Makes the Difference. Aloha United Way’s 211 Resource Helpline connects Hawai‘i residents to vital services, from food and housing to mental health care. Your donation keeps this lifeline open from 7:00am-10:00pm, ensuring no one faces challenges alone. Without adequate funding, 211 may need to shorten its operating hours, limiting access to critical support when people need it most. Crisis and Essential Services:

During crises like mental health emergencies or natural disasters, 211 provides immediate, compassionate care. The helpline connects callers to over 1,300 agencies and 4,000 programs, including help with utilities, childcare, job training, and more.

Language and Local Support:

211 serves residents, by residents, and offers interpretation in over 180 languages, ensuring everyone in our diverse community can get help.

VISIT: AUW211.ORG/DONATE Donate now to keep 211 ready to help our neighbors in need. Together, we can build a stronger, more resilient Hawai‘i.

I need help paying for my utilities

I need help finding a food bank on Maui NOVEMBER 2024

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Catholic Charities Hawai‘i Catholic Charities Hawai‘i (CCH) provides a wide range of social services for the people of Hawai‘i, regardless of their faith or culture. We are a community of hope providing services with dignity, compassion, social justice and a commitment to excellence. EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES

• Make a donation online, by mail or by phone • Make a Tribute/ Memorial Gift • Matching Gift to Double Your Donation • Gifts of Appreciated Securities, Property or Life Insurance • Planned Giving

KEY SERVICES PROVIDED

In the wake of the Maui wildfires, CCH immediately mobilized by working with the local community, partner nonprofit organizations and diocesan partners. Our team continues to assist with the critical needs of those impacted through housing and financial assistance, everyday essential needs and counseling to help in rebuilding lives and the community. We are committed to supporting Maui recovery efforts through the long journey.

Join our team at catholiccharitieshawaii.org/ careers/

In 2024, CCH provided help and hope to over 100,000 individuals through over 40 programs and services offered statewide including: • Assisting homeless and at-risk families, individuals, veterans and seniors with supportive and financial services to obtain/maintain stable housing • Keeping our kūpuna active and healthy • Offering outreach and counseling services for families, children and individuals • Empowering immigrants seeking a better life

catholiccharitieshawaii.org (808) 524-4673

LEADERSHIP BOARD OF DIRECTORS Vernon Wong, Board Chair

Shannon Alivado, Board Vice Chair

David M. Kostecki, Board Treasurer

Michelle Bartell, Board Secretary

Mary Batten Jeff Callangan Greg Dinges Patrick Guzman 52

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1822 Ke‘eaumoku Street Honolulu, HI 96822

Keone Hurdle Alan Ito Sr. Bitrina Kirway Rev. Stephen A. Macedo Diane Murakami Eddie Ontai Greg Peros Leah Ragsac Very Rev. Msgr. Gary Secor Most Rev. Clarence Silva, ex-officio Ryan Tanaka

E X ECU TIVE S TAFF Robert Van Tassell

Chief Executive Officer & President

Tina Andrade

Chief Operating Officer

Stella M.Q. Wong

Vice President – Programs

Be-Jay Kodama

Vice President – Philanthropy

Paul Y. Kobayashi, Jr.

Vice President – Finance

GENERAL INQUIRIES

info@catholiccharitieshawaii.org DEVELOPMENT OFFICE

development@catholiccharitieshawaii.org FACEBOOK

@catholiccharitiesHI INSTAGRAM

@catholiccharitieshawaii LINKED IN

@catholic-charities-hawaii

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PROVIDING HELP, CREATING HOPE Since 1947, Catholic Charities Hawai‘i serves as a community of hope, working to uphold the dignity of each person by helping them empower themselves. Our commitment is to serve our community Since 1947, Catholic Charities Hawai‘i serves as a community of hope, with compassion, social justice and excellence, especially to those working to uphold the dignity of each person by helping them with the greatest need.

PROVIDING HELP, CREATING HOPE

empower themselves. Our commitment is to serve our community with compassion, social justice and excellence, especially to those ADVANCING HOUSING STABILITY STABILITY with the greatest need.

Catholic Charities Hawaii’s Hawai‘i’shousing housingand andhomeless homelessassistance assistance programs provide support and resources for individuals ADVANCING HOUSING STABILITY andCatholic familiesCharities facing housing or homelessness. Hawaii’sinstability housing and homeless assistance These programs may offer various services, including programs provide support and resources for individuals rental management, and resources to help andassistance, families facing housing instability or homelessness. Thesestability programs may offer various services, including achieve and self-sufficiency. rental assistance, management, and resources to help

achieve stability self-sufficiency. CARING FOR OUR and KUPUNA KŪPUNA Lanakila Multi-Purpose Senior Center, the largest senior CARING OUR KUPUNA state, provides recreation, education, center in theFOR Lanakila Multi-Purpose Senior Center, the largest senior aged 60 and and social interaction for seniors center in the state, provides recreation, education, above. Our senior services programs support the and social interaction for seniors aged 60 and well-being, and quality of life for older adults above. Our senior services programs support the including transportation assistance, education, well-being, and quality of life for older adults and socialization opportunities to advocacy, including transportation assistance, education, promote independence. advocacy, and socialization opportunities to promote independence.

STRENGTHENING FAMILIES OurSTRENGTHENING family and youthFAMILIES programs provide vital support and resources ensure their wellOur family and youthto programs provide vital These being and promote positive development. support and resources to ensure their wellbeingfocus and promote positive development. These services on building resilience, enhancing focus on building resilience, enhancing life services skills and creating pathways to stability for life skillsfamilies. and creating pathways to stability for vulnerable vulnerable families.

NURTURING EMOTIONAL WELLNESS NURTURING EMOTIONAL WELLNESS Professional therapists help address issues Professional therapists help address issues such as depression, anxiety, stress, grief, such as depression, anxiety, stress, grief, abuse, trauma, family issues, and relationship abuse, trauma, family issues, and relationship challenges. Together, we empower individuals challenges. Together, we empower individuals to heal and overcome obstacles. to heal and overcome obstacles.

To make makeaadonation donationororlearn learn more gogo toto more about aboutour ourprograms, programs, catholiccharitieshawaii.org catholiccharitieshawaii.org or or call call (808) (808)524-4673 524-4673 NOVEMBER 2024

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Hawaiian Humane Society The Hawaiian Humane Society is dedicated to promoting the human-animal bond and the humane treatment of all animals.

EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES

Join our cause by adopting; volunteering; fostering; being a Couch or Lap Crasher foster for dogs or cats; participating in our ‘Īlio Explorers field trip program for shelter dogs; advocating for stronger animal welfare laws; making in-kind or monetary donations; or sponsoring or attending our signature community fundraising event, PetWalk, which takes place every October at Kapi‘olani Regional Park. KEY SERVICES PROVIDED

The Hawaiian Humane Society is a nonprofit education and advocacy organization that shelters, protects, rescues, reunites and rehomes animals. Established in 1883, it is O‘ahu’s largest animal welfare organization helping local pets and people in need.

Join our team at HawaiianHumane.org/ join-our-team

The Hawaiian Humane Society is committed to being the animal welfare organization O‘ahu’s animals need and deserve by embracing an animal sheltering model called Socially Conscious Sheltering. With the eight tenets of Socially Conscious Sheltering as a compass, Hawaiian Humane is dedicated to fostering a culture of transparency, ethical decision making, mutual respect, continual learning and collaboration. Between June 2023 and July 2024, the Hawaiian Humane Society’s 30+ programs and services helped tens of thousands of animals. This included finding new homes for 7,843 pets, fostering 3,604 animals, and providing 13,195 spay/neuter surgeries to help curb pet overpopulation. Hawaiian Humane’s Pet Food Bank also distributed 47,239 pounds of pet food to families in need.

LEADERSHIP BOARD OF DIRECTORS David Okabe Chair

Gina Woo Anonuevo Vice Chair

Ernest H. Fukeda, Jr. Treasurer

Rebecca “Becki” Ward Secretary

M EM B ER S O F TH E B OARD Eric Ako, DVM Robert H. Armstrong Tim Brauer Leslie Campaniano Mike Ching Shelley Cramer Elisia Flores Dede Guss Nathaniel Lam, DVM, DACVS Sherry Menor-McNamara Melissa Teves Pavlicek Lawrence D. Rodriguez Patsy K. Saiki Ginny Tiu Tracy Tonaki Rick Zwern Robert R. Bean, Director Emeritus

1 4 HH 5 OO NN OO LU LU LU L UMM AA GG AA Z IZNI N EE

E X ECU TIVE TE A M Anna Neubauer, MPA, CNP, CAWA President & CEO

Natalie Spencer

Director of Operations

Stephanie Kendrick

Director of Community Engagement

Michael Williams Director of Finance

Meredith Forbes

Director of Development

Tim Casey, SHRM-SCP

Director of Human Resources

Michelle Garcia

Associate Director of the Kosasa Family Campus at Ho‘opili

Hawaiian Humane Society Mō‘ili‘ili Campus 2700 Wai‘alae Avenue Honolulu, HI 96826 Hawaiian Humane Society Kosasa Family Campus at Ho‘opili 91-1945 Fort Weaver Road ‘Ewa Beach, HI 96706 HawaiianHumane.org (808) 356-2200 info@hawaiianhumane.org facebook.com/hawaiianhumanesociety instagram.com/hawaiianhumane tiktok.com/@hawaiianhumane youtube.com/hawaiianhumane

We touch the lives of thousands of animals. But to us, they’re all one-of-a-kind. Every year, we help more than 13,000 animals on O‘ahu.

MO‘ILI‘ILI

You can impact a pet’s life by adopting, volunteering

‘EWA BEACH

and donating.

HawaiianHumane.org

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Shriners Children’s Hawai‘i Transforming the lives of keiki by providing exceptional specialty care for all bone, muscle and joint issues in a family-centered and collaborative environment, regardless of a family’s insurance status or ability to pay. EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES

Community Outreach: • Outreach clinic visits on Kaua‘i, Maui and Hawai‘i Island • Satellite clinic visits throughout the Pacific Basin • Hawai‘i research symposiums • Community educational sessions H OW YO U C A N H E LP

KEY SERVICES PROVIDED

Shriners Children’s Hawai‘i is a modern, state-of-the-art, keiki-friendly hospital offering specialized pediatric care for routine to rare orthopedic conditions. Since 1923, our team of specialists have cared for more than 57,000 keiki with routine sports and play injuries, scoliosis, clubfoot, cerebral palsy, and other complex or rare neuromusculoskeletal conditions. Almost 80% of our patients are from Hawai‘i, and our board-certified orthopedic surgeons offer outreach services throughout the Neighbor Islands and in Pacific Basin countries and U.S. territories.

When it comes to fundraising, the possibilities are endless! Whether you attend a community event or host a fundraiser of your own, every dollar you raise helps make an immediate and memorable impact on keiki and their ‘ohana. Volunteer opportunities are also available. For ways to participate, contact (808) 941-4466.

In-house services include: • Prosthetics and orthotics lab (POPS) for creation and custom fitting of artificial limbs or devices including bracing • Physical and occupational therapy with gym equipment, assistive device assessments and an indoor therapy pool • Hawai‘i’s fi rst EOS X-Ray system, delivering quality imaging at a fraction of the radiation dose of standard

x-ray imaging, delivering on our commitment to keeping keiki safe • Recreation therapy providing adaptive sports and expressive arts to enhance recovery • 17-room Family Center for out-oftown families needing a place to stay during treatment of their keiki

Shriners Children’s™ is a registered name under which Shriners Hospitals for Children conducts activities.

• Convenient telehealth options • Dental under sedation program

LEADERSHIP Drew Graul

Administrator, Hawai‘i

Jennifer Weiss, M.D. Chief of Staff

Richelle Asselstine, PhD, RN

Nurse Executive, Director of Patient Care Services

Francel Visini, MBA Director of Fiscal Services

HONOLULU MAGAZINE

B OARD O F GOVERN O R S E X ECU TIVE CO M M IT TEE Mark Leo, Chairman Joseph Ernst, Vice Chairman Anthony Escasa, Secretary Dustin Verity, Treasurer

1310 Punahou Street Honolulu, HI 96826 shrinerschildrens.org/hawaii (808) 941-4466 Facebook @ShrinersHawaii Instagram @ShrinersHawaii

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THE MOST

AMAZING CARE

FOR ROUTINE TO RARE ORTHOPEDIC CONDITIONS From pediatric orthopedic conditions such as routine sports and play injuries to scoliosis and osteogenesis imperfecta, Shriners Childrenʻs Hawaiʻi provides compassionate patient- and family-centered care to keiki regardless of insurance status or a familyʻs ability to pay. Our specialized team of orthopedic surgeons, nurses, physical and occupational therapists, orthotists, technicians and advanced practice clinicians work together to provide wraparound care, ensuring that keiki and their ʻohana have what they need to live their best lives.

(808) 941-4466

1310 Punahou Street Honolulu, Hawaiʻi 96826 www.shrinerschildrens.org/hawaii

Adonai Shriners Children’s Hawaiʻi Patient Ambassador

NOVEMBER 2024

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Four of the major nonprofits are in the process of distributing funds to help rebuild Maui after the wildfires.

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NOVEMBER 2024

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HAWAI‘I COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

COUNCIL FOR NATIVE HAWAIIAN ADVANCEMENT

FUNDR AISER: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Maui Strong Fund

FUNDR AISER: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Kāko‘o Maui Fund

TOTAL DONATIONS RECEIVED: . . . . . . . . . . . . $200 million

TOTAL DONATIONS RECEIVED: . . . . . . . . . . $40.05 million

TOTAL SPENT ON MAUI RELIEF: . . . . . . . . . . $110.6 million

TOTAL SPENT ON MAUI RELIEF: . . . . . . . . . . . $29.3 million

HIGHLIGHTED BENEFICIARY: . . . . . . Hawai‘i Community

HIGHLIGHTED BENEFICIARY: . . . . . . . Pu‘uhonua Society

Lending AMOUNT: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $5.4 million

AMOUNT:

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $25,000

*Amounts as of Sept. 9, 2024

*Amounts as of Sept. 20, 2024

ROM FINDING TEMPORARY SHELTER

to the complex rebuilding process, housing remains one of the most pressing issues fire survivors face today. Funds from various nonprofits have allowed Hawai‘i Community Lending to help local families build and buy homes and save properties from foreclosure. Backed with $5.4 million from the Hawai‘i Community Foundation and $100,000 from the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, the finance-focused nonprofit was able to hire staff members, most of whom are Maui residents, including many from Lahaina. These employees work one-on-one with owner-occupants affected by the fires to help them rebuild, according to executive director Jeff Gilbreath. Hawai‘i Community Lending intends to serve 500 homeowners affected by the fires over a three-year period. As an example of the kind of help provided, Gilbreath points to a homeowner whose house was contaminated by smoke and ash, making it uninhabitable. The owner’s insurance company refused to issue a standard hygienist test and offered just $17,000 as compensation for the home. Hawai‘i Community Lending stepped up to pay for the test, which confirmed the home was a total loss. The insurance company has now offered $1.2 million in compensation, plus loss-ofuse funds while the homeowner awaits a settlement. “We’re helping folks to navigate a really complex process,” Gilbreath says. “What they need to know is that they’re not alone. It’s going to take time, but at least they have someone on their team that can help them walk through those steps.”

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HE HONOLULU-BASED PU‘UHONUA SOCIETY connects traditional Hawaiian

cultural practices with contemporary art, environmental stewardship and education. Its Keanahala hala weaving initiative, one of the group’s six main programs, was launched to help the Maui community grieve its losses. “Part of our lau hala practice is to weave hīna‘i (baskets), which are typically woven for iwi kūpuna (ancestral bones) or for those who have passed,” executive director Emma Broderick says. “Historically, it would be for bones, but is now sometimes used for ash as a way to give people a communal and a cultural space to release loved ones.” During an event last year in Kā‘anapali, the nonprofit provided hīna‘i kits and instruction to participants. Its CNHA grant provided funding to support the lau hala harvest, as well as the monthlong preparation, the assembly of kits and the group’s travel to Maui. Group members also left behind additional kits and trained others in the weaving process, ensuring that the workshops could continue. “It was such an intense time for so many people, and that feeling of wanting to support in some way was very present with our hui,” Broderick says. “One of the phrases we brought with us was he pū‘olo waimaka (an offering of tears). In this case, it’s speaking to the importance of grieving, and not grieving alone.”

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Waikīkī Health Waikīkī Health’s mission is to provide quality medical and social services that are accessible and affordable for everyone, regardless of ability to pay. Waikīkī Health places special emphasis on assisting underserved populations, including those who are homeless, living at or below poverty level, uninsured or underinsured. EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES

In celebration of National Health Center Week, Waikīkī Health hosted a Health Fair in August 2024 at our Keauhou Shelter, which focused on improving the health and well-being of houseless persons. This event featured interactive and educational booths, welcoming both unsheltered and Keauhou-sheltered individuals. H OW YO U C A N H E LP KEY SERVICES PROVIDED

Waikīkī Health is in its 57 year of serving our community. Our PatientCentered Medical Home offers primary and preventive medical care fully integrated with behavioral health and Native Hawaiian Healing; dental care, optometry, tobacco treatment, HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C services, gender affirming care, obstetrics/gynecology, pediatric care, medical nutrition therapy, chronic disease management, care coordination, pharmacy services. th

Service sites include Ohua Clinic in Waikīkī, Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Makahiki Clinic in McCully-Mō‘ili‘ili, PATH Clinic in Kaimukī, Youth Outreach (YO!) Drop-in Center & Clinic in Waikīkī, Keauhou Shelter in Mō‘ili‘ili, and Jarrett Middle School Clinic in Pālolo. Outreach initiatives: Pu‘uhonua Prison Program helps incarcerated men and women reenter the community; Emergency Department Diversion Program reduces emergency department overcrowding; and our Medical Mobile Clinic increases acccess to care. In CY 2023, Waikīkī Health provided 63,768 visits (58,642 in-clinic and 5,126 telehealth) to 10,271 patients; 67.5% were covered by Medicaid and/ or Medicare; 48.5% were living at or below poverty level, and 14% were homeless.

Waikīkī Health appreciates monetary donations in any amount to sustain our services to the community; and in-kind contributions to assist our homeless clients (gently used clothing, backbacks, hygiene products, canned and packaged food, and store gift cards).

WAIKĪKĪ HEALTH

277 Ohua Avenue Honolulu, HI 96815

LEADERSHIP BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ashley Noji President/Chair, Finance Committee

James J. Nelson

Vice President/Chair, Marketing and Development Committee

Sarah Kapisi Treasurer

Nola A. Nahulu Secretary

Leon Williams Chair, Governance Committee

Ed Springer

Chair, Quality Assurance Committee

Thomas Namiki, MD

Chair, Compensation and Succession Planning Committee

EXECUTIVE STAFF Alexis Charpentier, MPH Chief Executive Officer, Waikīkī Health

waikikihealth.org (808) 537-8400 fax (808) 922-6454 EMAIL

Elliot J. Kalauawa, MD

mlohman@waikikihealth.org

Yumiko Molden

Facebook.com/waikikihealth

Chief Medical Officer, Waikīkī Health

Chief Financial Officer, Waikīkī Health

FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM & X

@waikikihealth NOVEMBER 2024

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 60

MAUI UNITED WAY

THE SALVATION ARMY

FUNDR AISER: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Maui Fire Disaster Relief

TOTAL DONATIONS RECEIVED: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $11.6 million

TOTAL DONATIONS RECEIVED: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $21 million TOTAL SPENT ON MAUI RELIEF: . . . . . . . . . . . .$11.3 million HIGHLIGHTED BENEFICIARY: . . . . . Boys & Girls Clubs of AMOUNT:

Maui . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $110,000

*Amounts as of Aug. 19, 2024

FTER LOSING ITS LAHAINA CLUBHOUSE and a company van in the fires,

the Boys & Girls Clubs of Maui sprang into action to support displaced keiki and their families. “We always say we do whatever it takes,” director of operations Thomas “TJ” Daya says. The outreach began at Nāpili Park to give Lahaina youths a place to reconvene and participate in activities. Boys & Girls Clubs of Maui CEO Kelly Maluo-Pearson recalls a conversation with Lahaina clubhouse director Aaron Naea. “I texted him and I said, ‘How are things going?’ And he said, ‘You know, the best part is just hearing the laughter of the kids,’” Maluo-Pearson says. The organization recently set up at Lahaina Intermediate School, after operating its clubhouse temporarily from the Hyatt Regency in Kā‘anapali. “We just moved into [modular buildings] this week because we have a lot of youth in the program right now, so we needed more space and wanted to make it feel more like a clubhouse,” Daya says, noting that membership has actually increased since the fires. The Maui United Way grant pays for the addition of a mental wellness coordinator who will run programs out of all Boys & Girls Clubs of Maui locations. Other funds have been used to purchase two vans— one to replace the vehicle that was destroyed in the fire and another to accommodate the new outreach programs, and some of it will go toward repairing the Lahaina clubhouse. Donations totaling $1.5 million have been used for programming, summer camps, field trips, school supplies, laptops, grocery gift cards, scholarships for graduating seniors from Lahaina and Upcountry schools, and more. “Out of that, we have expensed over $1 million in grants to families [and] grants to youth organizations,” says Susan Ellingwood, the organization’s director of finance.

HONOLULU MAGAZINE

TOTAL SPENT ON MAUI RELIEF: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $4.5 million *Amounts as of Sept. 11, 2024

HILE OTHER MAJOR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS are focused on dis-

tributing funds to other groups, all money raised by The Salvation Army stays within the company for direct distribution to impacted communities. “Our investment in the community’s recovery is in both immediate and longer term support needs for fuller healing,” says divisional director of development Charmaine Hauanio-Kuewa. As of Sept. 11, 2024, more than $4.5 million in direct financial assistance has been provided to help Maui wildfire survivors get back on their feet. More than 3,000 fire survivors have received financial assistance, and 680,000 meals have been distributed across 35 shelters, Hauanio-Kuewa says. “As we now move into meeting necessities for longer term stability, the most pressing needs shift from high-volume emergency meals toward ensuring food is on the family table, and to creating the financial and emotional foundations for a sustainable place to call home.” Some of the greatest needs at present are helping with everyday necessities like groceries, rent and clothing. “Gift cards that empower families to get the specifics they need will continue to be crucial to filling these gaps,” Hauanio-Kuewa explains. “To date, nearly $250,000 in clothing vouchers have been provided to help survivors return to normalcy.” The Salvation Army is also providing rehabilitation services for substance abuse and mental health crises— which can spike during times of communal stress—as well as emotional and spiritual care programs, which include opportunities for worship and fellowship, pastoral counseling, spiritual support and social development activities. Moving forward, The Salvation Army plans to focus its resources on such things as housing transition programs, smoke remediation, and property surveys and certifications. “Next year marks 130 years that The Salvation Army has been blessed to be a part of the Maui community, and we are here to help our Maui ‘ohana at every step of the way on this road to recovery,” Hauanio-Kuewa says.

SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION

Child & Family Service Celebrating 125 years of strengthening families and fostering the healthy development of children. We provide support at various stages of life through a broad range of programmatic services focused on prevention, intervention, and advocacy. H OW YO U C A N H E LP

• Family Giving Hub

Strengthening families for 125 years

Designate gifts by island or statewide to address the most pressing needs and respond to community crisis.

• Corporate Philanthropy

Consider CFS as a beneficiary of your employee giving or community support program.

• CFS Stronger Families Fund® Strategically invest in the transformational work of CFS.

• 1899 Society

Leave a legacy with a planned gift through your retirement account, insurance policy, or estate.

KEY SERVICES PROVIDED

Child & Family Service (CFS) is a Hawai‘i-born, impact-driven, communitybased organization providing hope for the entire ‘ohana and creating opportunities to thrive. Our statewide support includes preschool education, guidance to heal from trauma, prevention of child abuse and neglect, programs for atrisk youth, therapeutic counseling, employment assistance, services for military families, and services for domestic violence crises, prevention, and intervention.

100% of donations help strengthen Hawai‘i families.

Childandfamilyservice.org/givebig

Last year, CFS provided direct services to 15,630 individuals and an additional 116,000 lives were touched through phone calls, educational presentations, and walk-ins who received support at our family centers.

childandfamilyservice.org (808) 543-8413

LEADERSHIP BOARD OF DIRECTORS Glen Kaneshige

E X ECU TIVE S TAFF Amanda Pump, MS, CSAC, ICADC

Beth Whitehead

Dr. Linda Fox, PhD

Chair

First Vice Chair

Erin Kirihara Second Vice Chair

President & CEO

Chief Program Officer

Anne Marie Rizzo

Chief Advancement Officer

Michael Young

Kainalu Severson

Rob Nelson

Heather Schwarm, MBA

Louise Ing

To Be Announced

Secretary Treasurer

Past Chair

Chief Risk & Operating Officer Chief Strategy Officer

Chief Financial Officer

cfsadvancement@cfs-hawaii.org LINKEDIN

child-&-family-service FACEBOOK

@ChildandFamilyService INSTAGRAM

@cfshawaii X

@cfshawaii NOVEMBER 2024

Give Big Hawai‘i | SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION SPECIALPROMOTIONAL PROMOTIONALSECTION SECTION SPECIAL

After-School All-Stars Hawaii Mission: After-School All-Stars Hawaii provides comprehensive after-school programs that keep children safe and help them succeed in school and life.

After-School All-Stars Hawai‘i After-School All-Stars Hawai‘i provides comprehensive after-school programs that keep children safe and help them succeed in school and life.

EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES

Visit asashawaii.org/get-involved to learn E V E Nhow T S you A N can D be part of our AllStar or provide O P Pʻohana O R T Uas N aI Tvolunteer IES opportunities for our students to learn as a corporate partner. Visit asashawaii.org/getDonate to to ourlearn programs online involved how you can at asashawaii.org/donate and help be part of our All-Star ‘ohana provide exciting as a volunteer orprograms, provide classes, field trips and experiences for our opportunities for our students to students. learn as a corporate partner. Sponsor a table at our annual Donate to our programs online All-Star Affair Gala that features performances from our All-Star at asashawaii.org/donate students. Contact exciting us at and help provide aloha@asashawaii.org secure programs, classes, field to trips and aexperiences table for our upcoming event. for our students.

Sponsor a table at our annual

All-Star airCGala H O W YAff OU A N that H E Lfeatures P performances from our All-Star

KE Y S E RVICE S PROVI DE D

After-School All-Stars Hawaii provides free after-school and summer programs for middle and intermediate school students. ASAS supports the social, emotional and intellectual development of underserved students KEY SERVICES PROVIDED by providing structured academic supports, health and fitness activities andAfter-School enrichmentAll-Stars programs. In addition, ASAS specialand programs Hawai‘i provides freeoffers after-school summer focused on service learning, youth leadership, exploration, sportsprograms for middle and intermediate school career students. ASAS supports the based youth development and high school transition. ASAS Hawaii serves social, emotional and intellectual development of underserved students by over 2,500 students at eight schools on Oʻahu and three schools on Hawaiʻi providing structured academic supports, health and fitness activities and Island every year. enrichment programs. In addition, ASAS offers special programs focused

ASAS Hawaii inspires students to students. ushigh at aloha@ be healthy,Contact graduate school asashawaii.org to secure a table and go to college, find a career for our August 15,back 2025toevent. they love and give their community. Donate to support our mission at asashawaii.org/ donate and help provide exciting programs, classes, field trips and experiences for our students.

on service learning, youth leadership, career exploration, sports-based youth development and high school transition. ASAS Hawai‘i serves over 2,700 students at eight schools on O‘ahu and five schools on Hawai‘i Island L Eevery A D E year. RSHIP Paula Fitzell, President & CEO B OA R D O F D I R EC TO R S

LEADERSHIP

A DV I S O RY B OA R D

Greg Dickhens Dawn M. Dunbar, Chair Bert A. Kobayashi Brett Brewer, Founding Paula Fitzell, President & CEO Chair Susan Kobayashi Richanne Lam, Vice Chair and Treasurer E X ECU TIVE S TAFF BOARD DIRECTORS Maya Soetoro-Ng Lori Abe, OF Secretary Greg Dickhens DawnCampbell M. Dunbar, Chair Jeff Watanabe Corey Bert A. Kobayashi Brewer, Founding Chair Lynn Watanabe AJ Brett Halagao Susan Kobayashi Richanne Lam, Vice Chair Brady Yee Lori Harrison Maya Soetoro-Ng Polk, Treasurer JimJim Polk Jeff Watanabe Corey Vara Campbell, Secretary Tiffany AJ Halagao Lori Harrison Tiffany Vara

Lynn Watanabe Brady Yee

1523 Kalākaua Avenue Suite 202 1523 Kalākaua Honolulu, HIAvenue 96826 Suite 202 Honolulu, HI 96826 asashawaii.org P: (808) 734-1314 asashawaii.org E: aloha@asashawaii.org (808) 734-1314 Facebook/Instagram/Twitter: EMAIL @allstarshawaii aloha@asashawaii.org Youtube: AfterSchoolAllStarsHawaii FACEBOOK/INSTAGRAM @allstarshawaii YOUTUBE

@AfterSchoolAllStarsHawaii

HONOLULU MAGAZINE

BY M A R I TA K E TA

FOOD AND DRINK

PHOTOS BY AARON K. YOSHINO

Where Plant-Based Goes Vogue

Even omnivores are opting for new meatless offerings at three spots in Kaka‘ako.

One of the plant-based offerings on the weekend brunch menu at Istanbul Hawai‘i

NOVEMBER 2024

Clockwise from top: plant-based steak and eggs, watermelon ‘ahi crudo, Çılbır at Istanbul in Kaka‘ako

AARON K. YOSHINO

‘ONO

HONOLULU MAGAZINE

‘ONO

N THE LAND OF K ATSU AND LOCO MOCO, I discover what a

hard sell meatless food can be when I offer to treat a friend to a plant-based lunch. “Thanks, but I think I’ll pass,” she texts. “I’d rather pay for red meat.” She’s not alone: While much of the country feasts on an explosion of plant-based options from comfort food to fine dining, the growth of Honolulu’s scene has been as laidback as the vibe at a vegan café. How laidback? Peace Café opened in 2010 and Juicy Brew 10 years ago, both now staples in a shifting scene of Asian vegan restaurants and casual eateries offering crunchy kale bowls, avocado toast, meatless Korean chicken and yes, loco mocos. A modest upscaling began with the arrivals of Tane Vegan Izakaya in Mō‘ili‘ili in 2019 and plant-based prix fixe at AV Restaurant in Kaimukī (closed since a fire in January) and Nature Waikīkī two years later. And that’s about it. So while plant eaters have more options these days, omnivores may not have noticed.

ISTANBUL HAWAI‘I ACROSS FROM WHOLE FOODS MARKET , dressed in cerulean blues

and old-world tapestries, Istanbul thrums. It’s the city’s only Turkish restaurant and it’s perpetually busy. Meatless dishes like imam bayildi, or tomato-stuffed eggplants, were already available before June, when chef and co-owner Ahu Hettema ramped up the options in a new Botanical Compositions section of the menu—because the volume of customer requests for animal-free substitutes was slowing operations, she says. Now plant-forward dishes drive 40% of Istanbul’s sales, half from the top-selling mezze platter. “In my restaurant I feel like plantbased dishes are ordered by younger people or older people,” Hettema says. Among these groups, “there’s two types. One type is people who quit eating meat because they have extraordinary love for animals, or they have health issues and they miss the meat texture, the meat look. Those guests adore our plant-based steak and eggs and our manti. They are so thankful.” The other type? “They don’t want anything that looks like meat. They want things to look like plants. We created dishes that look like meat, taste like meat, smell like meat, and

we also have dishes that are completely made out of plants, like our imam bayildi,” she says. “It is tricky to create a menu that will make everybody happy. But it is the creative process that is the most beautiful part of cooking. Especially with my ADHD, I get bored if things are not challenging.” On Istanbul’s regular menu, manti dumplings are made with A5 Miyazaki wagyu. The plant-based version uses Impossible Beef, which “doesn’t taste good,” Hettema says. So she and her mother, Nili Yildirim, tested the soy protein mixture with different spices before settling on a blend with allspice, cardamom, and toasted, ground karanfil cloves. Hettema claims even carnivores sometimes order it as a lighter alternative to rich wagyu. Not every substitution is as involved—like cashew cheese instead of ricotta on the manakeesh flatbreads, for instance. In the Delectable Çılbır, which the menu says was “eaten by Ottoman sultans since the 15th century,” OK Poultry eggs are replaced by soy-protein versions. When I slip my fork in, they release golden yolks onto a garlicky sea of cashew yogurt. Which is pretty mindbending, actually. What would the sultans think?

“It is tricky to create a menu that will make everybody happy. But it is the creative process that is the most beautiful part of cooking.” —Ahu Hettema, chef and co-owner, Istanbul Hawai‘i

1108 Auahi St., (808) 772-4440, istanbulhawaii.com, @istanbulhawaii NOVEMBER 2024

‘ONO

From top: Banana toast, coconut curry, curry ramen at Alo Café

HONOLULU MAGAZINE

ALO CAFÉ

IN THE SALT COMPLEX on the other

side of Ward Avenue, Alo Café exudes a beachy calm. A surfboard hangs on a wall, lau hala sun hats are for sale, and sofas invite lounging. The décor isn’t a trope, it’s a whole-life statement: Alo’s owners, Meiko and Ryoichi Fuchie, are surfers and vegans who came to Hawai‘i from Japan to balance their lives and reduce their carbon footprint. At Alo, the food looks like plants. Açaí bowls, nutty banana toast, spinach wraps with hummus and avocado, tantan ramen—all are made with no animal products, MSG, refined sugars or artificial additives. “I don’t want to lie to customers or to our heart or soul or to our children,” says Meiko Fuchie, who keeps snapshots of her son and daughter near the sun hats. “We want to show them that we are enjoying our lives doing what we want, and we believe in what we do.” Alo is actually a micro chain. The Fuchies opened smaller versions in Waikīkī in 2021 and Downtown last fall. The Kaka‘ako café, the only one with a full kitchen, joined Salt’s 18 other eateries including Arvo Café and Lanikai Juice in June. In late summer the couple added dinner hours and

wondered if bolstering the menu with meat, fish and egg dishes might draw more customers. “I hope adding meat options will bring people who were not even interested in vegan food,” Meiko Fuchie says. “We want them to come and experience [vegan food] once, and think, oh it’s so good, it doesn’t taste vegan.” That target audience includes me. Given the choice, I’ll opt for a lamb shank, pipi kaula or sashimi when eating out; I can eat vegetables at home. At Alo, hoping for something richer and heartier than a Buddha bowl, I order the coconut veggie curry. It takes a little while—dishes are made to order because “I believe people can put energy into food,” Fuchie says, “and energy level is important to health too.” Since “Get Relax. Eat” is one of the café’s taglines, I do my best to oblige until the curry arrives—a pretty mosaic of organic rice and lightly pickled red cabbage, garlicky asparagus, grape tomatoes and arugula in a steaming, turmeric-hued sauce. Notes of coconut and ginger segue to a nuanced tang that reminds me of tamarind. It’s lighter than the meaty curries I’m used to. And it is so good.

“I believe people can put energy into food, and energy level is important to health too.” —Meiko Fuchie, co-owner, Alo Café

691 Auahi St., (808) 798-7684, @alocafe_hawaii

PLANTED BY LA TOUR MY MEAT-LOVING FRIEND CONSENTS to a plant-based lunch af-

ter I send her a photo of Planted’s smash burgers. With its artichoke katsu sandwiches, Chick’n tenders, vegan macarons and kouign amanns, Planted draws a different demographic than Istanbul’s wellheeled patrons and Alo’s yoga and hipster crowd. Planted’s demo, in fact, looks a lot like Brandon and Trung Lam—co-founders of La Tour Café and sons of the couple who launched Ba-Le and La Tour Bakehouse. Planted is La Tour Café’s first offshoot. “Plant-based is definitely trending. We wanted to bring that to Hawai‘i in an approachable, fun way—unique and creative things where you’d want to try them anyway because it sounds good,” says Brandon Lam, 40, the CEO. Many items come with fresh breads from La Tour; Lam estimates that less than 10% of other ingredients are processed, like Impossible meats. “Everything else we try to do from scratch or an approach that is unique to us, whatever produces good results in the most natural way possible.” It seems to be working. After a slower trial period in ‘Āina Haina, Planted opened across from Rinka Restaurant to steady traffic in April. Amid a trickle of weekday afternoon customers, my friend stares at the menu, torn between the teri burger and the fried green tomato sandwich. Like many omnivores, she likes the idea of healthier eating but doesn’t want to feel deprived. She devours her teri burger before I can get a taste. It dripped with juicy sauces and the lettuce, tomato and onion were very fresh, she offers by way of apology. Her only complaint is that

NOVEMBER 2024

Corina Quach

‘ONO

Planted’s assortment with vegan macarons 70

HONOLULU MAGAZINE

‘ONO

“Plant-based is definitely trending. We wanted to bring that to Hawai‘i in an approachable, fun way—unique and creative things where you’d want to try them anyway because it sounds good.” —Brandon Lam, co-founder, La Tour Café

the patty was thin. It’s a smash burger, I remind her. Then they should make it a double, she says. My lunch is the Aloha Tamago Tartine, an open-face egg salad sandwich inspired by Japan’s cult-status kombini egg sandos, plus a cup of mushroomy Umami Broth and La Tour’s famous fries. The fries come with a ranch aioli that tastes like real mayonnaise. The egg salad, made with Aloha Tofu, kabocha and a Himalayan salt with an eerily yolk-like flavor, tastes like egg salad. My friend eats half of my food while texting her cousins. She’s inviting them to a plant-based lunch. 987 Queen St., (808) 200-5985, @planted.hi

Where Vegetables Are Indulgent These conventional restaurants give veggies a lotta love. AT SOME PLACES, THE ONLY VEGETABLE ON THE MENU IS THE LETTUCE ON YOUR BURGER . Other places serve zero animal products, not even honey or bee pol-

len. Is there a happy medium where carnivores and herbivores can get equal love? Increasingly, the answer is yes. These seven places showcase a simmering trend of conventional restaurants that are adding more choices for vegans, vegetarians and omnivores who like vegetables (raise your hands, people!). Far beyond salads and portobello sandwiches, these restaurants devote good portions of their menus to well-crafted, plant-forward dishes. None of them treat vegetables as afterthoughts.

ABURIYA IBUSHI Two menu sections at this meat-focused izakaya highlight vegetables—one with grilled options, the other with crunchy salads and traditional preparations like chilled okra in ume sauce, and chunky cabbage massaged with salt and sesame oil to soften. On the grilled menu, get the fluffy Yukon gold rounds topped with mentaiko, cheese and butter. 740 Kapahulu Ave., (808) 738-1038, @aburiya_ibushi ISLAND VINTAGE WINE BAR AND ISLAND VINTAGE COFFEE Counting fresh cheese and eggs, roughly half the pūpū and other dishes at Island Vintage’s wine bars are plant-forward,and full menu sections at the coffee shops are plant-based, with vegan items clearly marked. Like what? Deep-fried nori chips and crispy eggplants at the wine bars, and kakiage vegetable tempura with spicy tofu poke at the coffee shops. Multiple locations, islandvintagewinebar.com, @islandvintagewinebar, islandvintagecoffee.com, @islandvintagecoffee KAPA HALE “V Is for Vegetable” is one of three main sections on Keaka Lee’s menu, with an equal number of dishes as “Mauka & Makai,” which features local meats and seafood. Vegetable-forward choices change with the seasons, but the Haku Lei Po‘o is a constant—a glorious composition of delicate local greens, vegetables and fruits crowned with mint, Kona coffee crumble and a drizzle of cider vinaigrette. 4614 Kīlauea Ave., (808) 888-2060, kapahale.com, @4614kapahale NAMI KAZE Few places indulge plant eaters like Jason Peel’s izakaya at Pier 38. While brunch is more whimsically conventional (as in mentaiko omelets and honey walnut shrimp waffles), the izakaya menu puts locally sourced vegetables

first, in sections divided into hot and cold dishes. Cloudlike corn beignets, slow-roasted tomatoes with labneh in za’atar oil, and ‘ulu tots in barbecue marinara and a shower of shaved tomme are musts. 1135 N. Nimitz Highway, (808) 888-6264, namikaze.com, @namikazehawaii NATURE WAIKĪKĪ Nature reflects the seasonally changing menus of Nae Ogawa’s native Japan. A conventional prix fixe of locally sourced meats and seafoods is matched by a vegan version, both swapped out with new creations every three months. This is kaiseki-level vegan eating, locally sourced, with dishes like corn fritters with bechamel and truffle pâté. Those who don’t want the full six courses can opt for a three-course dinner, or order à la carte at the bar. 413 Seaside Ave., (808) 212-9282, naturewaikiki.com, @naturewaikiki NOODS RAMEN BAR The meat-averse are spoiled for choice at Noods, whose robust menu includes roughly a dozen vegan bowls. These range from the usual suspects (tan tan, s hio, miso) to black garlic miso, yuzu shio, spicy Thai curry and the coconutty creamy garlic shoyu ramen. Multiple locations, noodsramenbar808.com, @noodsramenbar808 O’KIMS KOREAN KITCHEN Of the 16 appetizers and entrées at Hyun Kim’s modern Korean eatery, about a third are plant-focused. The truffle m andoo, garbanzo curry and miso eggplant are vegan; Kim’s barley rice bibimbap, with plenty of seasoned mushrooms and veggies in an apple gojuchang, is vegetarian. A trio of new specials each month usually includes a vegan dish. 1028 Nu‘uanu Ave., (808) 537-3787, okimshawaii.com, @okims_honolulu

NOVEMBER 2024

AFTERTHOUGHTS

BY D ON WALL ACE

Winning the Bronze The four-year odyssey to earn our home a historic distinction.

the Hawai‘i Historic Places Review Board, she in an orange mu‘umu‘u, me in a seafoam green aloha shirt, both bought at Liberty House in 1950 by her grandmother. We were an hour late—what townies know their way around Kapolei?—but were graciously forgiven by Alan Downer and other members of the group’s review board. Soon, a photo of our Hibiscus Drive home appeared on the screen. One of Mindy’s first remarks drew smiles: “This is the house of the kim chee king of Hawai‘i.” To which I added: “And the house that VD built.” As in venereal disease. Having read our application, William Chapman, dean of the University of Hawai‘i’s School of Architecture, shot me a bemused look. “Not really,” he said. OK, but not wrong, either—the first owner was the late Dr. Samuel Allison, the former president of the Hawai‘i Medical Association and, during World War II, the man in charge of STIs, as we now call them. We settled in for an enjoyable conversation about our beloved Diamond Head home, after a four-year effort to have it listed on the Hawai‘i Register of Historic Places. The designation would earn us a bronze plaque for our gate, but more significantly, would cut our state property taxes to a low three-figures. Members of the review board, as well as the Historic Hawai‘i Foundation, already knew of our quest— we’d certainly pestered them enough. We and they wanted to prove that you don’t need to be rich, famous or well connected to get a historic designation. A little history on the home. We returned to Honolulu from New York in 2009 to save the house, which Mindy’s grandparents, Lawrence and Mary Kang, bought in 1951. In 1965, Lawrence bought modest Halm’s Kim Chee and turned it into Hawai‘i’s premier brand. After they passed, it went to Mindy’s mother, Dolly Kang Won, and her five children. It took six years to find jobs that would land a jumbo mortgage to buy out Mindy’s four brothers. Four years later, a bronze plaque showed up on the immaculate plantation bungalow of our

HONOLULU MAGAZINE

neighbor, Ellen, Mindy’s childhood friend. “You need to get one of these,” her husband, Russell, said. Indeed, we did. We could barely cover the mortgage on journalist salaries and a tax hike was in the offing. In January 2020, everything paused when a murderous recluse set off a blaze in our neighborhood. Seven houses were lost, including Ellen and Russell’s gem. Then came the pandemic. A year later, we resumed our mission after attending a Historic Hawai‘i Foundation seminar, where a National Park Service program manager told us that along with proving distinguished occupants and architecture, the NPS would look favorably on connections to underrepresented groups, especially Latinos and Asians. Our house was built in 1929, possibly by a Swedish architect, of whom there was no record. Samuel Allison sold the house to Mindy’s grandparents 22 years later, turning away other offers, to ensure an Asian family would move into the formerly all-white Diamond Head Terrace. Lawrence and Mary took a gamble in a life that began on Kohala plantations, followed by work at Dole Pineapple, then ownership of a Hotel Street bar during the war. Five years after buying Halm’s from the original owner’s widow, Lawrence was considered the kim chee king of Hawai‘i in articles and a book by newspaper columnist Bob Krauss. Further delving into our home’s origins, Mindy spent a week in the dusty Bureau of Conveyances tracking the house lot tract from King Lot, Kamehameha V, to Iona Pehu of Pālolo, to James Campbell, to Waterhouse Co. and finally in 1924 to builder Charles Ingvorsen—not Swedish, but a Danish immigrant whose houses grace our street and neighborhood. We learned ours is a rare stick Tudor, possibly the only one in Hawai‘i. A 65-page application lay ahead, along with two months of online glitches and fails, but Mindy is tenacious. Our plaque went up Feb. 4, 2024, right down the street from Ellen and Russell’s beautiful new, old house. For Lawrence and Mary the house was their gold medal; to honor them, we picked up the bronze. DIANE SEO

N MARCH 2023, MY WIFE MINDY AND I appeared before

2024 COLLEGE

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