Sundays are my lazy days.  They’re the days I sleep in until 10, then roll out of bed, drag myself to the living room, and plop down on the floor to catch up on my guilty pleasures – trashy reality shows and fun Food Network shows that make my mouth water.  Somewhere between “Keeping Up with The Kardashians” and watching “The Real Housewives” duke it out, I always make time for my favorite Food Network show, “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.” 

If you’ve never seen the show, “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” (DDD) is hosted by Guy Fieri, a bleached blonde, spiky haired California dude with a laid back attitude and rock star style and energy, who travels the country in search of the best local favorite restaurants.  The show is captivating, addictive and introduces its audience to great eats that don’t usually receive a lot of national attention.  Don’t watch on an empty stomach!  If you do, be forewarned that for the rest of the day all you’ll want is to eat a big, juicy, sauce-dripping-down-your-face cheeseburger and other deliciously dangerous foods.

While spending a Sunday afternoon watching DDD, thinking of all the yummy food I could eat at home on Oahu – boneless chicken plate from Rainbow Drive In, pork chops and sizzling rib eye at Side Street Inn, fried rice and Nalo greens house salad with seared ahi from Kanpai Bar & Grill, a SPAM musubi from Fukuya – I realized that Oahu has some really great diners, drive-ins and dives.  Plate lunch-type food is one of many things that makes Hawaii special and is a part of our culture that should be shared with the world. 

Keeping this in mind, I returned to work on Monday with a new goal – bring “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” to Oahu!  The OVB team worked together to pitch the show’s production company, Page Productions, on filming a few segments on Oahu.  We thought it would be an easy sell – why wouldn’t a crew from frigid Minnesota and a character like Guy want to visit Oahu?!  It turned out to be a lot tougher than we thought.  While the producers loved the idea of filming DDD in Hawaii, they were reluctant because of the costs and transport difficulties, the biggest of which was figuring out how to ship Guy’s Camaro.   

In addition, the show had a long list of specific criteria that each restaurant had to meet in order to even be considered for the show.  Criteria included food made with fresh (not frozen) ingredients and made from scratch, a historical or intriguing aspect about the establishment, and a camera-friendly character who is excited and capable to appear on TV.  This was more difficult than we expected!  We researched dozens of restaurants on the island, doing everything from trying their most popular menu items (it was a very caloric but delicious few weeks!) and speaking with their owners and reading online reviews, in order to compile a list of the best restaurants on the island that fit the show’s criteria.

Our PR team spent countless hours researching, planning and finding some creative solutions, and after almost two years and many, many emails and phone calls… mission accomplished!  “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” came to Hawaii in October 2009 to film an all-Oahu episode and additional segments to be used in other episodes during the show’s eighth and ninth seasons.

The DDD/Page Production crew films at the Honolulu Fish Auction.

On Oahu, Guy visited Hank’s Haute Dogs, Highway Inn, Murphy’s Bar & Grill, Nico’s at Pier 38, Poke Stop, Rainbow Drive In, and attended a luau.  From what we saw during filming, Guy really hammed it up with the restaurant owners and chefs.  At the fish auction, Guy was caught playing with leftover fish fins and playfully throwing fish guts at his camera man.  He was so much fun to be around and genuinely as nice as he seems on TV.  He and the Page Productions crewmembers made the entire filming experience great for everyone involved. We loved working with them!

Guy Fieri and Nico Chaize, owner/chef of Nico’s Pier 38, inspect an Opah at the Honolulu Fish Auction. Guy called the Honolulu Fish Auction the equivalent of shopping on Rodeo Drive for chefs.

So what kind of car did Guy drive around Oahu?  What dishes did he eat at each location?  What goofy things did Guy do on air?  Some of you may know, but to those who don’t, you’ll just have to tune in to DDD to find out!

For more information about the show's filming on Oahu and a schedule of when the all-Oahu and additional segments will air, check out HawaiiMagazine.com. 

Make sure to watch these Oahu “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” take the spotlight on the Food Network this Spring and Summer!  We’ll be tuning in too with the Oahu Visitors Bureau, and watching our hard work pay off.

-- MLT

When Ala Moana Center first opened on Aug. 13, 1959, it consisted of 80 stores and was the largest shopping mall in the world. Over the last 50 years, it has increased in size by almost 2 1/2 times and now houses 290 merchants, including 70 restaurants. The mall has served as a leader in Hawaii fashion and a favorite place for residents and visitors to shop, dine, and be entertained.

It's hard to imagine that at one time, nary a soul thought the land that Ala Moana Center now occupies would someday be of any value. In 1912, Walter F. Dillingham purchased the 50-acre site, deemed unusable swampland, for a mere $25,000. Today, Ala Moana Center is one of the top grossing malls in the U.S. and welcomes 42 million shopping visits per year. At least 1 million of those visits are guaranteed to be from yours truly. I always seem to find myself at Ala Moana, whether it be to catch up with girlfriends at Panya Bistro, shoe shop at Nordstrom, pick up groceries at Foodland, or imbibe in happy hour at Pearl or Mai Tai Bar. 

The center celebrated its birthday with a bang. Hundreds of people lined up to see the center's 11 original retailers (Sears, Shirokiya, Crack Seed Center, Dairy Queen, Foodland, Longs Drugs, Reyn's, Territorial Savings Bank, The Slipper House, US Post Office, and Watumull's) honored by the current GM and mayor's office, as well as witness taiko drumming, Chinese lion dancing, hula dancing, and music by The Brothers Cazimero. In Willy Wonka-like fashion, the mall handed out 1,959 chocolate bars, five of which contained a golden ticket redeemable for a $250 gift card. 

Chinese lion dancers and a few thousand customers helped Ala Moana Center celebrate its 50th birthday on Aug. 13, 2009.


The Brothers Cazimero serenades Hauoli La Hauau ("Happy Birthday" in Hawaiian) to Ala Moana Center customers, dignitaries, and owners from the 11 stores that have been at the center since 1959. One of the mall's original developers, Donald Graham, was in attendance at 95 years old. When I met him, he simply stated, "I built this place," and could still sketch the mall's blueprint by memory.

As part of the birthday, the mall will host "Fifty Years of Fashion in Hawaii," a free exhibit showcasing Hawaii fashions over the last five decades, with the help of the University of Hawaii at Manoa Costume Collection and Hawaii Fashion Incubator. 

From muumuu to Miu Miu, everything from aloha attire, swimwear, and eveningwear is on display from Aug. 13-31, 2009. Old advertisements and photos complete the eye-catching exhibit.

In addition to the fashion exhibit, Ala Moana Center will offer a slew of 50th anniversary themed products, gift with purchases, and special sales. Centerstage will host performances from 50+ acts that have performed over the decades. Even the post office is getting in on the action with an Ala Moana Center cancellation stamp. Consult Ala Moana's 50th anniversary homepage for the full rundown.

Happy birthday Ala Moana, and thanks for all of the memories! 

--RAP 

As a HUGE sports fan, I try to attend as many of the sporting events that come to Oahu as possible.  Visitors might be surprised to know that Oahu offers several large-scale sports venues, including Aloha Stadium - home to the University of Hawaii Warrior football team and NFL Pro Bowl, Blaisdell Arena, University of Hawaii at Manoa's Les Murakami Stadium, Hans L'Orange Park, Waipio Soccer Complex, and of course our renowned surf breaks that challenge the world's best surfers in Winter contests.

In 2006, the Cheesburger Island Style PBR Hawaii All-Star Challenge brought the best professional bull riders to Blaisdell Arena for an exhibition.  As soon as the event was announced, I knew it was something I had to attend.  (I know it's not a common sport for a local girl to be interested in, but I watched Professional Bull Riding events when I lived in Washington State and found it very exciting).  It was amazing to see Blaisdell Arena transformed into a rodeo arena, and I was impressed by the number of people who turned out for the two-day competition.

In addition to the PBR All-Star Challenge, Blaisdell Arena also hosts exhibitions, concerts and other sporting events, including MMA (mixed martial arts) fights.  When local-favorite Jason "Mayhem" Miller was in town to fight Hector Urbina in ICON Sport's Epic, my friends and I made sure we had front row seats.  The card was actually incredible overall with the main event being a bout between "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler and Frank Trigg.  However, the best part of the night was an appearance by Hawaii's own UFC superstar, BJ Penn, and fellow UFC fighters, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Dan "Hendo" Henderson - three of my favorite fighters.

Another one of Oahu's great sports venues is Aloha Stadium.  Located in Halawa, about 20 minutes from Waikiki, Aloha Stadium is the home of the University of Hawaii Warrior football team, the annual NFL Pro Bowl and other sporting events, concerts and weekly swap meet.  In 2007, my friends and I bought tickets to the NFL Pro Bowl.  Probably the most watched and attended sporting event on Oahu, the NFL Pro Bowl happens every year on the Sunday following the Super Bowl.  Football fans from all over, including some celebrities like pop star (and Tony Romo's girlfriend) Jessica Simpson and UFC fighter Chuck "the Iceman" Lidell, visit the island to watch the NFL's best players battle it out for conference bragging rights.  Being a diehard Seattle Seahawks fan, I wanted to see Lofa Tatupu, Julian Peterson, Mack Strong, and my other favorite Hawks in action.  The NFC (the Seahawks' conference) didn't win, but it was still fun to tailgate and enjoy the Pro Bowl festivities and game.

Aloha Stadium also played host to the inaugural Pan-Pacific Championship in 2008.  The soccer tournament brought the best teams from Major League Soccer (MLS), Japan's J-League and Australia's Hyundai A-League to Oahu to see which team is the best in the Pacific.  In addition to the return of Oahu's Brian Ching of MLS's Houston Dynamo, international sports superstar and pop celebrity David Beckham also played in the tournament with his team, the Los Angeles Galaxy.  The exciting two-day tournament ended with Gamba Osaka of Japan besting the Houston Dynamo for the championship win.

I can't wait for more sporting events like these to come to Oahu.  As you can see, Oahu is definitely a great destination for sports lovers!

-- MLT

Local music sensation Jack Johnson hosted his annual Kokua Festival over Earth Day weekend in April at the Waikiki Shell.  This year's festival featured an incredible lineup--Dave Matthews, Tim Reynolds, Mason Jenning, Paula Fuga and other local island favorites.  Tickets sold out in a matter of minutes for both Saturday and Sunday shows, with Jack fans eagerly anticipating his annual hometown performance and DMB fans flocking to see Dave play for the first time in Hawaii.

Held in one of the most intimate and scenic outdoor venues ever, the extremely popular event benefits the Kokua Hawaii foundation and promotes eco-friendly living.  Food booths, products and services from green companies, alternative energy demonstrations, interactive games and crafts for kids, and information from local environmental groups were also featured.

The festival continues to wow year after year, having featured past guest performers such as G Love, Ben Harper, Damian Marley, Eddie Vedder, and Mason Jennings, to name a few.  The countdown has officially begun for the highly-anticipated 2009 Kokua Festival!

For more information on Kokua Festival, visit www.kokuafestival.org.  Live performances from the show are available at music.msn.com/JackJohnson.

                     Tim Reynolds and Dave Matthews jam on stage at the Waikiki Shell

--RDP

On Memorial Day, May 26, over 1,600 illuminated lanterns were set afloat at Magic Island.  The lanterns floated to honor and remember those who have sacrificed their lives for the country, loved ones who have passed away, and victims of natural disasters, war and famine.  The lanterns also float in hope of a peaceful and harmonious future.  It sounds a bit cheesy, but once you experience the event in person you realize why thousands of people gather each year to watch this beautiful, poignant ceremony.  There are even visitors from the mainland, Japan, Europe, Australia, and elsewhere who return to Oahu specifically for Lantern Floating Hawaii.

Photo by Shinnyo-en

Lantern Floating Hawaii is a definite Memorial Day must-do for Oahu residents and visitors. For more information, visit http://www.lanternfloatinghawaii.com/.