Week of Friday, April 14, 2017 | Vol. 5, No. 15
Grinds & Da Kines For Your Weekend
Check da Scene
B R AV O !
Pietro’s Pizza celebrates!
www.facebook.com/KauaiCountyFarmBureau
Hawaii Tropical Flowers & Foliage Association presents
HOW TO GROW YOUR OWN LEI GARDEN SATURDAY, APRIL 15TH
Lei Making Demonstrations • Fresh Easter Leis and Starter Plants for sale • SATURDAYS 9:30am –1pm From Farmers Market to Farm Fair The Kauai County Farm Bureau Supports Agriculture
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OUT & ABOUT: TOP PICKS FOR THE WEEK FRIDAY
‘THE SAVANNAH SIPPING SOCIETY’ 7 p.m., Puhi Theatrical Warehouse Tickets: www.kauaicommunityplayers.org. CROSS WALK 6 p.m., Lihue Civic Center to Kauai War Memorial Convention Hall. Good Friday service at 7 p.m. SPRING FLING DANCE PARTY 7 p.m. Church of the Pacific, Princeville
Swing, Latin, ballroom dancing. All levels welcome. No partner necessary. $5.
NORDIC WALKING COURSE FOR SENIORS: 8:30 to 10 a.m. Lihue Neighborhood Center. Walking sticks for class are provided. Free for seniors 55 and up. Info: 822-4599 BOOK SIGNING 5 p.m. The Bookstore in Hanapepe Stacy Davidowitz is the author of “Camp Rolling Hill,� a four-book, middle-grade series.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Bill Buley | bbuley@thegardenisland.com | 245-0457 ADVERTISING: displayads@thegardenisland.com | 245-0425 CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING: tgiclassified@thegardenisland.com | 246-0325
BAMBOO GRILL & SUSHI “Local Food at Its Best�
Breakfast is served from 7 a.m.-2 p.m., Lunch is from 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m., and Dinner is from 5:30-9:30 p.m. Wi-Fi available, and they can also cater any occasion. Bamboo Grill & Sushi, formerly Richie’s Restaurant 2978, is located in the Anchor Cove Shopping Center next to ABC Store. Dining can be done inside, or on one of the patio dining tables which has a view of the Kalapaki Bay.
HAPPY HOUR SPECIAL
1/2 off Sushi Rolls, Pupus, Drinks TUES & WED 5:30 - 6:30 P.M.
10% Kama‘aina Discount
For more information, call 245-6886.
EGG HUNT KING’S CHAPEL KAUAI: Friday, 10 a.m., Hanapepe Stadium, and 3 p.m. North Vidinha soccer fields. Hunts provide a fun and safe time for the entire family. Over 10,000 candy-filled eggs, games, prizes, food booth, unique show including live puppets. Register your children at www.kckauai. com to get a fast-pass. SATURDAY
West Kauai Lions: 8:30 a.m., H.P. Faye Park, Kekaha. 1,800 eggs will be colored and ready for the keiki Kauai Christian Fellowship North Campus, 4000 Kilauea Road. Keiki Easter egg hunt after Sunday worship service (about 10:50 a.m.), for children toddlers to 6th grade. Potluck Easter meal after the hunt.
‘THE SAVANNAH SIPPING SOCIETY’ 7 p.m., Puhi Theatrical Warehouse Tickets: www.kauaicommunityplayers.org.
KEKAHA RESIDENTS COMMUNITY MEETING 6:15 p.m., Kekaha Neighorhood Center. Discussions on funds received from hosting the Kekaha landfill that can be used for community projects. Info: 645-1185
WALK MS SUNSET STROLL Registration at 3:15 p.m., Kapaa Beach Park. Walk starts at 4 p.m., 1.5 miles, totally accessible route, snacks and water provided, dinner at the park by Duke’s Canoe Club after walk, with games, silent auction, and more before and after event. To donate and for more information and registration: 855-372-1331. WORKSHOP ON CREATING VOLCANIC ART 3 to 5 p.m. at the Arius Hopman Gallery, Hanapepe Learn to hunt for, field test, gather, refine and paint with Kauai earthtones. Create original art. Free. Donations welcome. Info: 335-0227. SUNDAY ‘THE SAVANNAH SIPPING SOCIETY’ 4 p.m., Puhi Theatrical Warehouse Tickets: www.kauaicommunityplayers.org. PARADISE PALETTE PAINTING 6-8 p.m. Ha Coffee Bar, Rice Street, Lihue. EASTER EGG HUNTS Koloa Missionary Church: 7:30 a.m. breakfast, 8 a.m. egg hunt. New Hope Lihue: 9 a.m., Kauai Veterans Center. Fun, food and fellowship, Easter egg hunt to follow service. New Hope Kauai: 9:30 a.m. Kauai War Memorial Convention Center. Free Easter egg hunt and luau. All ages welcome.
HANALEI TO HAENA COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION MEETING 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Hanalei School. State representatives will discuss the state’s proposed bridge over the Hanakapi‘ai Stream and the proposed master plan for Haena State Park. Brief updates will also be provided on the new proposal for a hotel above the Hanalei River ridge, and the state’s proposed rules to expand commercial activities at Black Pot Beach Park.
NORDIC WALKING COURSE FOR SENIORS 8:30 to 10 a.m. Kapaa Neighborhood Center. Walking sticks for class are provided. Free for seniors 55 and up. Info: 822-4599, esti@bobstropicals.com. APRIL 22 EARTH DAY COMMUNITY WORKDAY 7:30 a.m. to noon, Lydgate Beach Park Projects include painting Kamalani Kai Bridge, and beach, heaiu and Morgan’s Ponds cleanup. Lunch and treats will be served. Bring your own water bottles, work gloves, sunscreen and appropriate footwear. MINI SPRINT TRIATHLON 8 a.m. Pacific Missile Range Facility $10. Info: www.active.com, 335-4379
Enjoy a complimentary basket of fresh hot chips and a cup of salsa per table.
Happy Hour Daily 2 - 5 p.m.
In addition to Authentic Mexican Cuisine our menu also features Omelettes, Pancakes, and French Toasts as well as Club and Santa Fe Sandwiches, Vegetarian Burger and Mahi Mahi Sandwich.
TUESDAY
two locations!
MONDAY
Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner
www.mariachishawaii.com
Kapaa 4-1387 Kuhio Hwy.
Lihue Harbor Mall, 3501 Rice St.
808-822-1612
808-246-1570
Open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Daily (Friday and Saturday til 10 p.m. at Harbor Mall location)
TGIFR!DAY | April 14, 2017 | 3 Tom and D’Lissa Iannucci share the spotlight as they talk to guests during a celebration at Pietro’s Pizza Kauai on Saturday.
BILLBULEY TGIFR!DAY
Bill Buley/ The Garden Island
T
Tom Iannucci’s Italian pizzeria becomes first in state to be certified by Verace Pizza Napoletana
he certificate stating Pietro’s Pizza Kauai is a member of the Verace Pizza Napoletana Association is just that, a piece of paper, said Peppe Miele. Which might be a strange description, since Miele is VPN’s president of Canada and U.S. operations. But he explained. A piece of paper doesn’t make pizza. It doesn’t make friends. “This guy right here,” Miele said, turning to Tom Iannucci and tapping his shoulder. “He does.” Pietro’s Pizza Kauai is VPN’s 633rd member worldwide, one of about 100 in the U.S. and the first in Hawaii. Those members have something in com-
mon, Miele said. Yes, they went through extensive training and purchased the necessary equipment, including a wood-fired brick oven, and ingredients. They practiced and learned how to make a consistent product to VPN standards. “We want to preserve the tradition and the heart and the culture of our product,” Miele said. But there’s more, he added. The intangibles, something you can’t teach. “Like Thomaso, they have a strong will and passion and commitment,” Miele said in his Italian accent. SEE PIZZA, PAGE 4
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Shops, Restaurants & Services at Ching Young Village: Aloha from Hanalei
Hanalei Strings
Na Pali Properties
Aloha Juice Bar
Honua Engineering
Ohana Shop
Banandi Creperie
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Pedal and Paddle
Bouchons
Jo-Jo Shave Ice
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Blue Tiki Tattoo
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Kauai Nut Roasters
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DeCamp Construction
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Styles Studio Hanalei
Divine Planet
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Chicken in a Barrel BBQ
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Hanalei Bay Pizzeria
Kokonut Kids
Timeshare Resales
Hanalei River Healing
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Village Snack & Bakery
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Lee Acupuncture
Village Variety
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You’ll find us in the Heart of Hanalei... Jane F. Abramo
Phone: 808-320-8035
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4 | TGIFR!DAY | April 14, 2017
Chaysen Medina surveys the crowd after making more pizzas at Pietro’s Pizza Kauai on Saturday during a celebration of its Verace Pizza Napoletana certification.
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Pizza Continued from 3
“I’m very proud to have a new friend,” he added. “The right guy is representing us.” The crowd of about 40 people applauded and cheered as Iannucci smiled during a spirited celebration Saturday night at Pietro’s Pizza Kauai, which opened last year at Harbor Mall in Lihue.
“We’re really blessed,” Iannucci said. The party with friends and family was to honor the restaurant’s VPN recognition. Iannucci, who referred to himself as an Italian boy from New York, moved to Kauai 30 years ago. He served in the Marines and was a police commissioner on Kauai. His wife, D’Lissa, is from Kauai. They raised three children here and Tom still leads Breath of Life ministries in Lihue. Pizza has been a longtime love of
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TGIFR!DAY | April 14, 2017 | 5
Iannucci’s and opening his own restaurant was a goal. He went to Naples, Italy, considered the birthplace of pizza, for four weeks to study and practice the craft of traditional Neapolitan brick oven pizza. He has a brick oven in the driveway of his Eleele home. Thanks to the support of investors Dave and Sue Erickson, his family and church congregation, a vision was fulfilled. “This is a chance to introduce the island to something of my culture, my Italian culture, and something I really enjoy and love,” he said. Since opening Pietro’s, business has been better than Iannucci expected. Locals are getting turned on to Neopolitan pizza, which essential goes on the theory that less is more — a little cheese, a little sauce, a little basil — so you can taste everything.
Neapolitan pizza, Iannucci said, is an art. It’s all about quality, freshness, taste and attention to detail. Start to finish, it’s a precise process. The wood-fired brick oven, handmade in Italy, cooks pizzas at 850 to 1,000 degrees in about 90 seconds. There’s no leaving in the oven and walking away. It must be watched. Timing is everything to achieve the right freshness and flavor. Fifteen seconds too long, that pizza is toast. Iannucci said he was curious as to how it would be received, “because nobody has been doing it.” Would local families embrace it? Their goal was to create a pizzeria so that when tourists ask, “Where do the locals eat pizza?” the answer is, “Pietro’s.” Such has turned out to be the case. Iannucci said pizza brings people together. He considers those who visit
Pietro’s part of an extended family. The name Pietro, by the way, is after Iannucci’s grandfather, his father and his brother. “When something is from your heart, you hope people will like it,” Iannucci said. “It’s been better than I could hope for.” Councilman Mel Rapozo praised Iannucci and his family,. “We really appreciate what they’ve done for this community,” he said. Pietro’s employs 30 and is a family business. Tom’s wife and grown children Thomas and Dondi work there. Tom, a talkative sort described by some as “strong willed,” loves making the rounds to chat with customers to see how they liked their visit and their food. It’s a bit of a throwback to olden times of when a restaurant owner actually mingled with customers nightly. “I’m giving them something of quality
and culture, and they’re happy,” he said. “That’s like the best reward.” He considers the pizzeria an extension of his ministry and work as pastor at Breath of Life. He is proud of being known as the pizza pastor. “Everything plays hand in hand for a reason,” he said. “The Lord is the wind in the sail of everything.” Miele said Iannucci is doing an excellent job. People are recognizing and respecting Iannucci’s dedication to and love for his craft. “I’m so proud of him and I’m so happy this island is so embracing Thomaso and his product,” Miele said. He liked what he saw and what he felt at Pietro’s Pizza Kauai during Saturday’s party. “This place is special,” Miele said. “I’m going to leave tomorrow and my heart is going to be nice and fat.”
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Sueoka’s Snack Shop Now Open Tuesday to Friday - 8:30am to 2:00pm Saturday & Sunday - 9:00am to 3:00pm
Where The Locals Eat STEVENSON’S SUSHI & SPIRITS Poipu’s luxury nightspot offers sweeping views, scrumptious sushi, inventive cocktails, tropical drinks, aged whiskies. Live contemporary Island music nightly. Free valet parking for diners. Kamaaina discount on sushi. Open 5:30pm-12am. Sushi rolled 5:30-9:30pm. Music 8:30-11pm. Call 808 240 6456 or book online at opentable.com. GRAND HYAT T KAUA‘I R ES O RT & S PA | 1571 P OIP U ROA D | KOLOA , HI 96756 | KAUAI.HYATT.COM
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6 | TGIFR!DAY | April 14, 2017
COME SAIL AWAY
character inspired the creation of Star Trek’s “Captain Kirk,� we found ourselves immediately absorbed in Forester’s naturally flowing ability to tell a story. The Hornblower stories take place at the turn of the 19th century, just at the beginning of the Napoleonic era, when England was constantly at sea attempting to prevent neighboring nations from invading, and much of Europe was soon to be conquered by CYNTHIA & ED JUSTUS Napoleon. SPECIAL TO TGIFR!DAY “Mr. Midshipman Hornblower� introduces us to young Horatio Hornblower, who joins the Royhoy! Ready for adventure on the high seas? There is perhaps al Navy at the age of 17, with no wealth or associations to bring him no better start than with the to any high standing immediately. Horatio Hornblower books by C. S. Although wary and hesitant to speak Forester, a classic series first penned in the 1930s and concluding with its his mind, he does however possess an excellent intellect and keen sense 11th volume in the 1960s. For numerous readers and writers, of observation, far above his fellow the character of Horatio Hornblower midshipmen. Chronicling his multi-year advenwas/is an inspiration, a person who made/makes an indelible impression tures aboard the HMS Justinian and the HMS Indefatigable, we watch on their minds for the rest of their the meek Hornblower as he grows lives. Having read the series a few years back, curious to learn how this into his abilities, facing sea-battles,
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Alden Alayvilla/The Garden Island
Sunni Hew hands popcorn with arare to Puni Patrick at the Waimea Theater.
raging storms, the beginnings of the French Revolution, plague-ships, and a prolonged capture by the Spanish, where he makes a daring attempt to rescue stranded survivors of a shipwreck. Why did we choose this classic series? Because it is just great and is still one of our best sellers! Never read it? Now’s the time! Or read it again and remember why you loved it! ••• Ed and Cynthia Justus are owners of The Bookstore in Hanapepe.
DEMO DAY 3ATURDAY !PRIL TH s AM PM 6%.$/2 #/"2! '/,&
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WAIMEA — A week after its digital film projector crashed, the only theater in Waimea expects to reopen today. “We’re here to service the Westside community and I know it’s a definite fixture. I’ve had a 100-plus phone calls asking me what is wrong,� said Thomas Nizo, general manager for Waimea Theater. “We want everyone to know that we’re working diligently in getting back up.� For the past few days, Waimea Theater officials attempted to change and update the projector’s firmware and was able to isolate the the part that caused the crash. Nizo said an order to
replace the part was made Tuesday. The prices for the part range from $1,800 to $4,000, he said. “On Thursday, we have a special event at Kekaha School, so we do have a secondary projector,� Nizo said. “We can’t play Hollywood movies, but we can play DVDs and Blu Rays to support Kekaha School on Thursday.� With six employees, Waimea Theater opened in 1998 and is home of the Waimea Film Festival’s Hawaii International Film Festival Hana Hou event.
ALDEN ALAYVILLA TGIFR!DAY
Carrying Rain Cha Now Creating that ins
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CHECK DA SCENE Tiffany Keanini, Kelsey Brock
TGIFR!DAY | JANUARY XX, 2014 | TGIFR!DAY TGIFR!DAY || Sept. April 30, 14, 2016 2017 | 7 7
DENNIS FUJIMOTO TGIFR!DAY
Dr. Melinda Menezes, Lauren Montemarano, Kaila Hall
Ed Kawamura
GARDEN FAIR FUN
E Skylar, Aria Adams - Minnesota
Anna Planas, Maybeline Planas, Casley Noda
Susie Heitmann
Kiara Ruiz, Arianna Bukoski, Chase Orsatelli, Chantal Rusaw, Rayven Orsatelli
Arianna Bukoski, Kiaree Pereira, Storm Orsatelli
Jim, KC, Janice, Bella, April Palaracion
ggplant is the special prize category when the Fruit and Vegetable Show opens at the Kauai County Farm Bureau Fair later this summer. This is the time to start eggplants in time for the farm fair, and eggplant seeds were available for free at the Garden Fair presented by the Kauai County Farm Bureau, and the University of Hawaii at Manoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources. Information on growing as well as care for small animals joined the weekly offerings at the Kauai Community Market. “The Island Homestead� themed event was spiced up with a scattering of local crafters as well as the Boy Scouts of America Aloha Council Makahiki.
Darlene Gonzalez - Honolulu, Mary Pigao
8 | TGIFR!DAY | April 14, 2017
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