Hawaiian Sunrise Waimanalo

Gordon Biersch at Aloha Tower

2012-02-23T15:45:00.001-08:00

Gordon Biersch at Aloha Tower is located on the waterfront of Honolulu Harbor. The brewpub features great views, pua hana deals, and island music.

Seared Tuna

Puu Ualakaa Park

2012-02-22T22:01:00.001-08:00

Puu Ualakaa Park has some of the best views from Mount Tantalus. It was in a scene of Blue Hawaii with Elvis Presley, where Elvis and his girlfriend share a meal.

Hamburger Steak

2012-02-18T10:43:00.001-08:00

Hamburger Steak at Zippy's

In Hawaii, the hamburger steak consists of burger patty with brown gravy. It is usually served with macaroni salad and rice in a plate lunch.

Waimanalo morning sunrise

2012-02-17T10:31:00.000-08:00

A breath taking sunrise in Waimanalo, Hawaii.

Foster Botanical Garden

2012-02-15T12:10:00.001-08:00

Foster Botanical Garden, measuring 13.5 acres (5.5 ha), is one of three botanical gardens located at 50 North Vineyard Boulevard, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA (nearChinatown at the intersection of Nu'uanu avenue and Vineyard Boulevard). Foster is unique in that it is in a highly urban area with strip malls, schools, and bothBuddhist and Methodist religious facilities nearby.

The Garden is the oldest botanical garden in Hawaii, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

History

In 1853, Queen Kalama leased 4.6 acres (1.9 ha) of land to William Hillebrand, a German physician and botanist who built his home and planted trees on the site. During his stay, he introduced a number of plants to Hawaii, as well as deer and mynah birds. Many of the large trees growing today on the Upper Terrace were Hillebrand's plantings. After 20 years Hillebrand returned to Germany, where he published Flora of the Hawaiian Islands in 1888. In 1884 the property was sold toThomas R. Foster and his wife Mary E. Foster (née Robinson), who continued to develop the garden as their homesite. Upon her death in 1930, Mary Foster bequeathed the land and her home to the City and County of Honolulu, with the provision that the city accept and forever keep and properly maintain the (gardens) as a public and tropical park to be known and called Foster Park. At the time, the gardens were roughly 5.5 acres (2 ha).

Dr. Harold Lyon, the first director of Foster Garden, introduced thousands of new plants and trees to Hawaii, and started its famous orchid collection. Paul Weissich, director from 1957 to 1989, expanded Foster Garden to 14 acres (5.7 ha) of native plants and introduced plants in the heart of bustling downtown Honolulu, and developed four additional sites on Oahu Island to create the 650 acre (260 ha) Honolulu Botanical Gardens system. Taken as a whole, these five gardens feature rare species from tropical environments ranging from desert to rainforest, comprising the largest and most diverse tropical plant collection in the United States.

Foster Botanical Garden today

Today the garden consists of the Upper Terrace (the oldest part of the garden); Middle Terraces (palms, aroids, heliconias, gingers); Economic Garden (herbs, spices,dyes, poisons); Prehistoric Glen (primitive plants planted in 1965); Lyon Orchid Garden; and Hybrid Orchid Display. It also contains a number of exceptional trees, including a Sacred Fig which is a clone descendant of the Bodhi tree that Buddha sat under for inspiration. All told, it contains 25 of about 100 Oahu trees designated as exceptional.

The garden also contains several memorials and sculptures:

A small replica of the Daibutsu of Kamakura commemorates 100 years of Japanese immigration to Hawaii
A memorial stone on the site of the first Japanese language school on Oahu, where an anti-aircraft shell exploded into an auditorium full of children during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
The 1977 abstract ceramic sculpture 'Sandwich Isle' by artist Bob Flint
The 1974 sculpture Tree by Charles W. Watson

The Garden is the inspiration for a line in Joni Mitchell's 1970 folk song "Big Yellow Taxi": "Took all the trees, put 'em in a tree museum / Then charge people a dollar and a half just to see 'em.". As of 2011, the current admission price for visitors to Hawaii is $5.

Keli`iponi - The Coronation Pavilion

2012-02-06T22:25:00.001-08:00

Keli`iponi - The Coronation Pavilion

The Coronation Pavilion was built for the February 12, 1883 coronation of King Kalakaua and Queen Kapi`olani. It was moved from its original site near the King Street steps.

The Royal Hawaiian Band regularly gives concerts near the Coronation Pavilion, which has also been used for the inauguration of the Governors of the State of Hawai`i.

Humpback Whale Sighting in Honolulu Harbor

2012-02-04T00:55:00.001-08:00

Humpback whale wonder into Honolulu Harbor on January 5, 2012 and enjoy a nice swim.

Whale watchers delight in the sights and sounds of Humpback whales swimming.

Serg's Mexican Kitchen Waimanalo

2012-01-30T12:54:00.001-08:00

Serg's Mexican Kitchen Waimanalo located at 41-865 Kalanianaole Highway

Waimanalo, HI 96795

(808) 259-7374

Falls of Clyde: Hawaii's Maritime Treasure

2012-01-18T21:12:00.000-08:00

Video detailing the history of the sailing ship Falls of Clyde and its importance to Hawaii.

The Contemporary Museum at First Hawaiian Center

2012-01-17T11:56:00.001-08:00

The Contemporary Museum at First Hawaiian Center, originally uploaded by Eric Broder Van Dyke.

A satellite facility located in downtown Honolulu in the First Hawaiian Center, the corporate headquarters of First Hawaiian Bank, opened in 1996. The exhibits focus on Hawaiian art and are underwritten by First Hawaiian Bank.

Hawaii Kai Costco

2012-01-17T11:38:00.001-08:00

In the shadow of Koko Head Crater Costco Wholesale Hawaii Kai is located at 333 Keahole Street in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Taro

2012-01-11T12:21:00.001-08:00

Taro grows in the water, by Eric Broder Van Dyke

Taro in Hawaii - Taro is usually grown in pondfields known as loʻi in Hawaiian. Cool, flowing water yields the best crop. The Taro is then made into Poi.

Chinamens Hat

2012-01-11T11:57:00.001-08:00

Mokoliʻi or Chinamens Hat is a 12.5-acre (5.1 ha), 206-foot-tall (63 m) basalt island 1⁄3 miles (0.54 km) offshore of Kualoa Point, Oahu, in Kāne'ohe Bay, Hawaii, at 21.5092°N 157.8297°WCoordinates: 21.5092°N 157.8297°W. Geologically, it used to be connected to Oahu before erosion cut it off. It is also known as "Chinaman's Hat" for its likeness to the straw hats Chinese immigrants wore. Wedge-tailed Shearwaters are the only species of bird that nests here; previously there were a few.

Mokoliʻi is open to the public from dawn to dusk. On weekends it is somewhat a popular secret with tourists and locals. It can be accessed by kayak, boat, surfboard, or by swimming; depth soundings are only four feet on its west side. This may be dangerous during any other time or inclement weather. The area is home to stonefish and sharks are often seen around the island, often in early mornings.

Waimanalo Library

2011-12-26T17:25:00.001-08:00

Waimanalo Library, located at 41-1320 Kalanianaole Hwy, Waimanalo, HI 9679.

Dave and Busters, Hawaii

2011-12-24T19:29:00.001-08:00

Dave & Buster's features a unique mix of entertainment and dining that's the first of its kind in Hawaii.

Leonard's Bakery

2011-12-22T20:58:00.001-08:00

Leonard's Bakery - Landmark Neon Sign
Since 1952, based in Honolulu, Hawaii, Leonard's Bakery has been delighting the world with original creations like the Malasada Puffs, the Malasadamobile, Malasada.

Poi

2011-12-22T17:43:00.001-08:00

Poi is a Hawaiian word for the primary Polynesian staple food made from the corm of the taro plant (known in Hawaiian as kalo). Poi is produced by mashing the cooked corm (baked or steamed) until it is a highly viscous fluid. Water is added during mashing and again just before eating, to achieve a desired consistency, which can range from liquid to dough-like (poi can be known as two-finger or three-finger, alluding to how many fingers you would have to use to eat it, depending on its consistency).

Bobby's Market Waimanalo

2011-12-22T17:37:00.001-08:00

Bobby's Market Waimanalo is a great place to get crack seed, cold beer, fresh poke, and ice.

International Market Place

2011-12-22T16:02:00.001-08:00

The International Market Place features over 130 carts, shops and artisan stands in an open-air setting under the banyan trees in the heart of Waikiki.

Manta Ray

2011-12-16T20:59:00.001-08:00

Manta ray swims in bay, originally uploaded by Eric Broder Van Dyke.

Manta rays are the largest species of ray in the world. They have broad mouths with distinctive extensions on either side that help them direct large amounts of plankton towards their mouths. Their back is typically dark brownish-black with white undersides that show dark markings. They can have "wingspans" up to 29 feet and can weigh up to 3000 lbs. Manta rays are found throughout the world and can sometimes be seen congregating in groups of up to 50 individuals where there are large concentrations of zooplankton.

The Honolulu Advertiser

2011-11-25T22:25:00.001-08:00

The Honolulu Advertiser was a daily newspaper published in Honolulu, Hawaii. At the time publication ceased on June 6, 2010, it was the largest daily newspaper in the American state of Hawaiʻi. It published daily with special Sunday and Internet editions. The Honolulu Advertiser is the parent publisher of Island Weekly, Navy News, Army Weekly, Ka Nupepa People, West Oahu People, Leeward People, East Oahu People, Windward People, Metro Honolulu People, and Honolulu People small, community-based newspapers for the public.

The Honolulu Advertiser has had a succession of owners since it began publishing in 1856. On February 25, 2010, Black Press, which owned the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, purchased The Honolulu Advertiser from Gannett Pacific Corporation, which acquired the Advertiser in 1992 after it had sold the Star-Bulletin to another publisher that later sold it to Black Press in 2000. On May 3, 2010, a new company set up by Black Press, HA Management, took over operations of Advertiser and merged it with the Star-Bulletin on June 7, 2010, to form the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.

Naupaka

2011-11-18T20:18:00.001-08:00

The Hawaiian name naupaka kahakai means "naupaka of the seashore."

The pulpy fruits tolerate salt water and float on the ocean currents for dispersal to other islands, unlike the dark purple fruits of the other native naupaka species which are eaten and dispersed by birds.

Pearl Harbor Bike Path

2011-11-14T08:20:00.001-08:00

The bike path starts just beyond the Arizona Memorial parking lot and Pearl Harbor Marina. A new extension has been constructed, and the trail now crosses Waimano Home Road and ends at Waipi'o Point Access Road. This is an interesting, fun ride that crosses wooden bridges and has some long, straight stretches. The path is in an unmarked dirt lot at Waimano Home Road or under trees at the Arizona Memorial end.

NASA Surfs the Skies Above Oahu, Hawaii

2011-11-13T22:30:00.000-08:00

Halona Cove

2011-10-30T10:35:00.000-07:00

Halona Cove is the small pit of sand just to the left of Halona Blowhole where tourists and locals can also enjoy a small beach while visiting the blowhole attraction and it is great for swimming when the surf is very calm.^[10] Access to the beach is very difficult and is warned not to swim while the surf is rough considering there are no lifeguards on duty here.^[11] At this particular location is where the kiss of Deborah Kerr and Burt Lancaster took place in the film From Here to Eternity.^[12]
Not only did these two actors share a kiss in 1953, but also Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler too shared a romantic first kiss in the movie 50 First Dates.^[13]