HONOLULU Magazine April 2023

P.67

LOCALLY OWNED SINCE 1888

CELEBRATE NATIVE PLANTS / PROTECTING THE ‘ĀINA / WHAT DO DO WITH YOUR FAMILY THIS SUMMER

Gov. Josh Green arrived with momentum and is pushing change at a pace Hawai‘i hasn’t seen in decades, but can he overcome early stumbles?

HONOLULU | $1,180,000 FS This turn-key 3br/2ba home features tasteful renovations with an Island Modern design. Enjoy indoor-outdoor living with an outdoor deck and a large open patio boasting valley and ocean views!

WAIANAE | $1,000,000 FS 5br/3ba brand new construction completed in 2023 with full kitchen, uncovered lanai with beautiful Waianae mountains, wet bar & fire sprinkler system.

Jonathan J. Kam (R) 808.554.7078 jon.kam@cbrealty.com | RB-23369

Shawn He (RA) 808.784.8428 shawnhe2018@gmail.com | RS-77387

HONOLULU | $1,850,000 FS 3br/2ba classic Kama’aina single-level home in Triangle Koko Kai. Located near some of the most beautiful beaches on the East side.

WAIPAHU | $1,488,000 FS Renovated 2-story home 8br/6.5ba all legally permitted. Main house renovated with new kitchen & LVP flooring. Seller Owned Solar!

Christy Aiwohi (RA) 808.551.6364 christy.aiwohi@cbpacific.com | RS-67380

Cora Agliam (RA) 808.780.7226 coraa@cbrealty.com | RS-71106

KAPOLEI | $1,080,000 FS 3br/2ba well-maintained corner unit w/open space, central A/C, plantation shutters, long driveway, covered lanai and much more!

KAPOLEI | $925,000 FS 3br/2ba single family home w/open floorplan, large yard, newer kitchen appliances, owned solar w/2 Tesla batteries & EV charging.

Stephanie K. Chan (RA) 808.219.5840 | RS-81212 Cherie H. Dang (RA) 808.225.0865 | RS-69600

Fran Magbual (RA) 808.368.7386 franm@cbrealty.com | RS-78148

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

ColdwellBankerHomes.com

guiding you home since 1906

WAIPAHU | $882,000 FS Move-in ready 4 bedroom home w/4 car parking & a large backyard!

EWA BEACH | Price Upon Request FS 3br/2.5ba immaculate home in desirable Ewa Gentry – Seabridge community. Contemporary, open floor plan w/LVP floors & large windows.

Sherrie Kuroda (R) 808.255.3074 sherrie.kuroda@cbrealty.com | RB-20353

Sandy Duong (RA) 808.398.3830 sandy.duong@cbrealty.com | RS-75113

WAIANAE | $780,000 FS Beautifully renovated Multi-Family Home in Ma`ili. Offering 5BR, 2.5 baths Downstairs & 3BR, 1.5 baths Upstairs.

KAPOLEI | $730,000 FS 3br/2.5ba w/2 parking stalls, split ac in each bedroom & living room, plantation shutters & enclosed patio. Near shopping, golf, pet park & more.

Shelly M. Freitas (R) 808.226.8522 shelly.freitas@cbrealty.com | RB-17772

Lanie Liquie (RA) 808.349.2770 lanie.liquie@cbrealty.com | RS-82024

KAILUA | $585,000 FS Windward Passage Kailua 1br/1ba, expanded living area, ceramic tile flooring, A/C, granite counters & oak cabinets. Convenient assigned parking.

Mark Pillori (RA) 808.721.1810 | RS-56590 Kathie Wells (R) 808.225.2621 | RB-16168

EWA BEACH | $819,000 FS Move-in ready 4br/2.5ba home w/parking for 4 cars! Upgraded quartz counters, carpeting, tile & 11 owned photovoltaic panels.

HONOLULU | $759,000 FS 2br/2ba rarely available floorplan w/option of a 3rd bedroom, office or den. End-unit w/ tranquil garden, treetop & mountain views.

Sherrie Kuroda (R) 808.255.3074 | sherrie.kuroda@cbrealty.com RB-20353

Mary Browne-Burris (R) 808.285.6642 | mburris@cbrealty.com RB-18601

WAIPAHU | Price Upon Request FS Make an upgrade & own this remodeled home in Hoomaka Village with chic open living space & views from your private yard.

HONOLULU | $600,000 FS 1br/1ba rarely available Penthouse unit on the 28th floor at the Pavilion at Waikiki offering spectacular ocean views.

HONOLULU | $349,000 FS Aloha Lani is close to Hawaii's most iconic spots and offers an array of amenities including a pool, sundeck, gym and much more.

EWA BEACH | $2,300 FS/MO 1br/1ba condo located at the main entrance of the Hoopili community, with a private lanai facing the Ko’olau mountains.

Hazel Unciano (R) 808.206.0799 | hazel.unciano@cbrealty.com RB-22922

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

Ken K. Kawamoto (RA) 808.230.7295 Steve Kennett (RA) 808.551.5515 RS-74928 | RS-82074

Sam Paltikian (RA) 808.265.1450 | sam.paltikian@cbrealty.com RS-79996

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

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WE ASKED OUR STAFF The biggest switch I’ve made is with singleuse plastics. I make sure to tote around one of the countless eco-bags I own, along with mesh produce bags.

I also opt to use sustainably sourced wood or ceramic dishes and bowls in lieu of single-use paper plates, utensils and napkins.

Everything else is recycled or used as many times as possible.

“What have you done to be more earth-friendly?”

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

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

editorial Editorial Director

Diane Seo

Executive Editor

Katrina Valcourt Editor at Large

Robbie Dingeman Food & Culture Editor

design Creative Director

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

Christine Labrador

My shoes are vegan, organic, recycled and compostable for the lightest carbon footprint.

Good for the conscience, but bad for the sole.

Man, my feet hurt!

Art Director

Kayla Rivera

Martha Cheng

Food & Dining Managing Editor

Mari Taketa

Contributing Dining Editor

Thomas Obungen

Managing Style Editor

I swapped paper napkins for fabric ones with home meals and switched from single-use food storage bags to reusable silicone ones— small changes but they cut down on waste big time!

marketing Marketing Director

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

Brie Thalmann

Branded Content Creation Manager

Senior Style Editor

marisah@honolulumagazine.com

Stacey Makiya

Senior Editor

Jasmine Chagnon

Marisa Heung | (808) 534-7152 Special Projects Coordinator

Chloe Tomomi

Digital Editor

Contributing Editor

Don Wallace

advertising representative

Copy Editor

East Coast

Contributors

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

Elroy Garcia James Charisma Sean Marrs Editorial Intern

Jeff Greif (212) 213-1155

Julie Stanley

There is always a reusable bag in my purse and my car. It’s both earth-friendly and fun to have a cute tote bag to carry around!

advertising Strategic Partnerships

Michelle Stofle | (808) 534-7532

michelles@honolulumagazine.com Client Relationship Specialist

Janelle You | (808) 534-7533

janelley@honolulumagazine.com

Advertising Executive

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

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

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Audience Development Director

Circulation Manager

Audience Development Manager

IT & Infrastructure Manager

Chuck Tindle

Gaylyn Laikona

Kim Koki

Wes Funai

Staff Photographer

Duane Kurisu

President and Chief Operating Officer

Susan Eichor

Aaron K. Yoshino

We drive our EV car more often; we generate all of our electricity from the sun!

Chief Financial and Administrative Officer

Ken Miyasato

Chief Revenue Officer City & Regional Magazine Association

Hawai‘i Publishers Association

Circulation Vertification Council

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

4 HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM April 2023

I walk practically everywhere.

Sure, it takes me five times longer to go from A to B and everyone knows me as “the sweaty one,” but it’s good for the planet, great for my mental health and even better for my body.

Patrick Klein

photo: getty images; illustration; james nakamura via midjourney

Meghan Thibault

We Are Pleased To Announce Kukui Claydon As Director

Duane R. Fisher As Firm President

KUKUI CLAYDON

DUANE R. FISHER

Director Commercial Litigation Real Estate Litigation

President

DIRECTORS Terence J. O’Toole • Kenneth B. Marcus • Duane R. Fisher Sharon V. Lovejoy • Trevor A. Brown • Ivan M. Lui-Kwan • Norman H.Y. Cheng Andrew J. Lautenbach • Doug Chin • Christina N. Ohira • Lindsay E. Orman Stephanie E.W. Thompson • Maile S. Miller • Sara S.T. Strona • A. Bernard Bays • Kukui Claydon

OF COUNSEL Judith Ann Pavey • Paul H. Sato

ASSOCIATES John W. Kelly • Robert J. Brown • Lauren K.O. Kagawa • Eric S. Robinson Cori J. Grunenwald • Kari K. Noborikawa • Nicole H. Kim FIERCE WARRIORS INNOVATIVE DEALMAKERS

CHOOSE BOTH.

REAL ESTATE & BUSINESS LAW • COMMERCIAL LITIGATION PACIFIC GUARDIAN CENTER, MAKAI TOWER | 733 BISHOP STREET, SUITE 1900 HONOLULU, HAWAII | 808.537.6100 | WWW.STARNLAW.COM

APRIL 2023 | VOL . LVII NO. 8

Emma Yuen, native ecosystems program manager for the Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources, works to preserve native forests at Pu‘u ‘Ōhia and across the state. Learn more about what she does starting on page 26.

DEPARTMENTS

18 Green Day After an Eddie-sized electoral victory, can Gov. Josh Green overcome early stumbles and win over the Legislature? by don wallace

vital earth-focused issues: our push to grow more of our own food, and the extinction of our native species. by robbie dingeman

26 Mālama ‘Āina: Caring for the Land Our series on Preserving the Elements continues.

Here’s how climate change is complicating two

55 HONOLULU Family’s Summer Programs Guide Make the most of summer with more than 30 academic, enriching and inspiring options for your keiki.

7 Editor’s Page Aloha, Scott Longtime HONOLULU publisher and president of aio Media Group Scott Schumaker trades in magazines for fishing poles and grill gear.

9 Calabash 10 April Picks 11 An interview with composer MichaelThomas Foumai 13 Knife sharpening in City Square 14 From Our Files

15 Style LA favorite Ron Herman opens its first Honolulu boutique, plus chic home décor, fashions and accessories inspired by native flora and fauna. by stacey makiya and brie thalmann 67 ‘Ono Beverly Luk of Nami Kaze and Michael Moorhouse of the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel have been

baking some of Hawai‘i’s best desserts for years. by martha cheng 72 Afterthoughts Hold the Phone Dear Hawai‘i pay phone: Keep on keeping on. by james charisma

Special Promotional Section Faces of Hawai‘i page 43 HONOLULU Magazine celebrates some of Hawai‘i’s prominent leaders and businesses who are making waves in their industries.

On the Cover: Photo: Aaron K. Yoshino

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

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

6 HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM April 2023

photos: sean marrs; opposite page: aaron k. yoshino

FEATURES

editor’s page

Aloha, Scott Scott Schumaker, longtime HONOLULU publisher and president of aio Media Group, is trading in magazines for fishing poles and grill gear.

HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM April 2023 7

photo: aaron k. yoshino

I

F YOU’VE PICKED UP A COPY OF HONOLULU in the past 27 years, you’ve seen the name Scott Schumaker on the masthead—first as an advertising executive, then as the advertising director, then publisher. A few years after that promotion, Scott was named president of HONOLULU’s parent company, PacificBasin Communications (now known as aio Media Group). This is the first issue without him, and while that’s a great loss for us, we’re happy to congratulate him on his retirement after 40 years in the journalism industry.

Some members of our staff weren’t even born when Scott started his career at Pacific Stars & Stripes in Tokyo. He moved to Honolulu a decade later, in 1995, taking a sales position at Trade Publishing for one year before moving over to Honolulu Publishing. Scott held the role of HONOLULU publisher from 2004 until he was named president in 2010, then again from 2020 until he announced his retirement at the end of 2022. He’s also served as publisher of other aio Media Group titles, including Mana Magazine and Hawai‘i Home + Remodeling.

Longtime readers may remember his honolulumagazine.com blog about Japan’s 2011 earthquake, which his wife, Yasue, experienced in Sendai. More recently, he shared his Fired Up Friday barbecue tips on hawaiihomemag.com, with such nuggets of wisdom as: “When it comes to cooking on the Coyote, if the bird is the word then the cow is the wow,” and “Done right, grilled zucchini has a delicate, sweet flavor. It’s one of my favorite vegetables to do on the grill. I know that, technically, zucchini is a fruit, but, barbecue is not the right time to get into technicalities. So, let’s just agree to call it a vegefruitable.”

If you’ve been to any of our events, you may have seen him mingling or, more likely, helping out wherever extra hands were needed. Scott was someone everyone could count on and he wasn’t afraid to roll up his sleeves to help take out trash, stuff goodie bags, pass out name tags and anything else anyone needed help with. And if you’re in the magazine world yourself, you may have gotten to know him at City and Regional Magazine Association events across the country. In February, Scott was presented with the prestigious CRMA Lifetime Achievement Award, which will be announced at the association’s annual conference in June. It will mark only the second time that the award is presented to a Hawai‘i publisher. It’s fitting and full circle that the former owner/publisher of HONOLULU Magazine, Dave Pellegrin, was the first publisher to receive this award.

You may still see Scott around town, at many of our events, playing pickleball, fishing, running marathons or taking long walks on the beach.

Mahalo, Scott, for all that you’ve done. Aloha and a hui hou!

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34 S’ GUI DEKOREAMOKU FOR HOM EBU YER LEI | WHAT’S NEXT | NEW WAYS TO GIVE

| REIMAGINING ALBIZIA

THE WOMEN’S ISSUE

D SINCE

TOP RS DOCTO

1888

SINCE 1888

Meet

15

inspiring wāhine who are moving Honolulu forward.

SINCE 1888

PLUS

Find out who makes these avocado noodles on page 26

What Is Hula and What Is Not? Art Classes Are Back at HoMA Hot Accessories for Fall Hokkaido scallops,

green apple, pistachio nuts, calamansi and wasabi from Bar Maze

Chinatown’s Latest Revival

P.14 Gift Ideas for Dad

274 PICKS

Edward Halealoha Ayau: Hero or Thief?

JUNE 2022

places for everything We found the best to banh mi. Here from beach blankets fitness, shopping, are the best food, picks in services and family-friendly Honolulu.

P.26

| VOLUME LVI NO.

WHO GETS ILY THE FAM HOME?

10 |

PLUS:

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APRIL 2022 | VOLUME

$1 million, for many prices topping But With O‘ahu home is to inherit one. way to own a place and ugly. locals the only complicated— things can get without a plan,

happen next.

LVI NO. 8 | $5.99

P.67

// SASHIMI’S NEXT

BEST OF THE WORST

// BREAKTHROUGH

FOR HAWAI‘I ACTOR

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PLUS : DANCERS

SHAKE IT UP IN VEGAS

P16

◆

NEW LIFE FOR OLD

BUILDINGS P18

OUR FAVORITE MUSUBI

SHOPS P53

THE ‘ĀINA / WHAT

DO DO WITH YOUR

FAMILY THIS SUMMER

LOCALLY OWNED

P.50

WAVE

SINCE 1888

THEATER BEGINS

PLANTS / PROTECTING

LOCALLY OWNED

NEW ERA FOR

LOCALLY OWNED

SINCE 1888 LOCALLY OWNED

SINCE 1888

ELEMENTS: WATER

LOCALLY OWNED

GIFT IDEAS //

SINCE 1888

120-PLUS HOLIDAY

ALFRESCO COMIC | MOVIES

YERS

2023 BEST LAW

STARS

INSPIRING WOMEN

LOCAL STYLE

RESTAURANTS

PRESERVING THE

PRESERVING

LOV E

TRUCKS | SPOTTED:

NOTABLE NEW

BIG LOCAL BARS | NEXT

| TRENDY MICRO

SAVING CHINATOWN

BELOVED DIVE

SEEKING HAPPINESS

HONOLULU’S

HAWAI‘I BOOKS

RUNNING START

SOUR POI: THE

9 BAK ERIE S WE

OMEN’s Issue WO he W Th T ◆

SINCE 1888

CELEBRATE NATIVE

P.28

134 ESSENTIAL

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P.24

women's health and domestic

LABELS | FAVORITE DIM

Dr. Cass Nakasone, at orthopedic surgeon Straub Medical Center

S YSICIAN 636 PH TIES IAL 63 SPEC

violence: Hawai‘i women talk about what needs to

YEAR | COOL LOCAL BEER

SINCE 1888

LOCALLY OWNED

LY OWNE

RESTAURATEURS OF THE

LOCALLY OWNED

WAY

LOCAL

LOCALLY OWNED

INCUBATOR COMMUNITY

+ Our

TOP DOCTORS

3 PRIVATE CHEFS DOING IT THEIR

The queen of pizzas

ROADMAP

E EN’S ISSU THE WOM // 5 WAYS TO TRY PANDAN // GET TO KNOW OUR COVER ARTIST

AUTHOR | A CULINARY

Good Dishes 44 Insanely RESTAURANT GUIDEgo-to brunch dish + The Best Cubano on O‘ahu

PAGE

YOUR MENTAL HEALTH

Access HONOLULU’s best dining, entertainment, culture and feature stories anytime, everywhere. 

Gov. Josh Green arrived with is momentum and pushing change at a pace Hawai‘i hasn’t seen in decades, but can he overcome early

THE ELEMENTS

stumbles?

block Nearly every Downtown revamped of being shows promise Honolulu’s urban amid the grit. Can core make a comeback?

WHO MAKE HAWAI‘I

A BETTER PLACE

P28

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8 HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM April 2023

➸ APRIL’S TOP EVENTS p. 10 // HITTING THE RIGHT NOTES p. 11 // A CUT ABOVE p. 13

Calabash

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

PHOTO: AARON K. YOSHINO

C U L T U R E

Circle of Love

➸ “THIS IS A COLLECTIVE EFFORT of many amazing lei makers and cultural practitioners who shared their time and stories to create something that celebrates lei,” designer Meleana Estes says of the new book Lei Aloha: Celebrating the Vibrant Flowers and Lei of Hawai‘i, which she penned with Hale‘iwa writer Jennifer Fiedler. In it, we get a look into the world of lei through gorgeous images by photographer Tara Rock and personal storytelling from Estes, touching on topics such as the significance of flora in the hula community, how the land and sea inspire and provide, and the bonds that form among those who participate in an art that touches many hearts and hands. It’s out through Ten Speed Press on April 25. meleana.com, @meleana_hawaii HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM April 2023 9

Celebrate Earth Month with the Sustainable Coastlines Hawai‘i Earth Day Festival on April 23. sustainablecoastlineshawaii.org

calabash | THINGS TO DO

Groove to bossa nova, sample Spam dishes on Kalākaua Avenue, or spend an afternoon tailgating and watching polo.

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

BY J U L I E S TA N L E Y

FESTIVAL

‘Iolani Fair April 21–22 / noon to 10 p.m.

‘Iolani School / free admission This year’s fair, with the theme ’70s Sensation, is sure to be a colorful delight for the whole family. Make sure you bring cash to buy scrips so you can enjoy the family-friendly rides, games and grinds, all while supporting ‘Iolani’s travel programs, performing arts and science teams. iolanifair.org

SPORTS

Hawai‘i Polo Club 60th Anniversary April 9 / Gates open at 11:30 a.m.; matches start at 2 p.m., band at 5 p.m.

68-411 Farrington Highway, Waialua / $25–$350

You can bring your picnic baskets and parasols, or simply tailgate from your car. Either way, with this all-day event the fun begins even before the matches and ends with live music until sunset. hawaii-polo.org CONCERT

Sergio Mendes April 21–22 / 6:30 and 9 p.m.

Blue Note Hawai‘i / $65–$115

This Grammy Award-winning musician—known for his fusion of bossa nova with jazz and funk— will have you dancing in your seats. bluenotehawaii.com

CONCERT

Pitbull

April 14–15 / 8 p.m.

Blaisdell Arena / Tickets from $49.50

COMEDY

Mr. Worldwide himself is crossing the Pacific for two concerts as part of his “Can’t Stop Us Now” tour. The rap, reggaeton and hip-hop artist has been topping the charts for more than two decades. Don’t miss this high-energy night full of memorable hits, and here’s hoping “Gasolina” and “Timber” are among them. blaisdellcenter.com

Tumua Tuinei April 22 / 7 and 9:30 p.m.

Hawai‘i Theatre / $35–$100

Join this hilariously relatable local comedian for the filming of his first full-length comedy special.

This is the last stop before he takes his “Not Even Joking” tour nationwide. hawaiitheatre.com FESTIVAL FESTIVAL

“I Love Kailua” Town Party

April 29 / 4 to 10 p.m.

April 23 / 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Kalākaua Avenue / free admission

Kailua Road / free admission

Celebrate Hawai‘i’s beloved pantry staple at this street festival in Waikīkī with live entertainment and vendors selling creative Spam dishes. Proceeds go to organizations such as Hawai‘i Foodbank. spamjamhawaii.com

Kailua’s annual community block party is back after a three-year break. Stop by for live entertainment, food booths, and a wide array of works from Windward artisans. Proceeds will go toward tree planting by the Lani-Kailua Outdoor Circle in the neighborhood.

LKOC.org

10 HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM April 2023

Waikīkī Spam Jam

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

Email info@honolulumagazine.com.

photos: courtesy of bamp project, courtesy of ‘iolani school, courtesy of lani-kailua outdoor circle; opposite page: aaron k yoshino

April Picks

His hobby is collecting physical media, such as CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray Discs.

He started with VHS tapes.

calabash | ARTS

Culture Connector His music lauded on the global stage as “vibrant and cinematic,” Michael-Thomas Foumai returns home to serve as the Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra’s composer in residence, the first person to hold that post.

AS TOLD TO ROBBIE DINGEMAN

Michael-Thomas Foumai looks over his sheet music.

C

OMPOSER MICHAEL-THOMAS FOUMAI SPENDS HIS DAYS AND NIGHTS IMMERSED IN MUSIC,

composing, arranging and teaching. This month, the Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra concludes a five-concert series he’s leading at the Hawai‘i Theatre that explores the intersection of Hawaiian culture and symphonic music with the Honolulu Jazz Quartet (April 15) and Raiatea Helm (April 29). Foumai, 35, who left Hawai‘i in 2009 for graduate school and work, then returned to the Islands in 2015, also teaches at UH West O‘ahu. He’s written music celebrating Polynesian voyaging as well as calling attention to climate change. We grabbed coffee with him to learn more.

Composing is what I do the most of, it’s what I get the greatest joy out of. Much of my work with the symphony is also to engage the community, to open up the mysteries of music to our community, at large, but also at the university where I teach students.

I had gotten a lot of success with many performances and orchestras wanting to perform my music, asking me to write music. But the music that I was writing was, I felt, not authentic to who I was, because I was always writing about music from another culture. I asked myself, is this all a musical career is, studying, writing music, going through performances, entertaining people and going home? And repeat. I slowly began to realize that there was a purpose for me here at home. There were stories that I could tell that were not being told in the symphonic realm of my Polynesian heritage, of Hawai‘i. My return home has been one of finding purpose in my music identity.

I’m generally writing a lot of music every day, both for our guest artists with the HapaSymphony series, listening to music and finding ways, how the orchestra could fit into, say, the music of Raiatea Helm.

But I’m also working on things far into the future, next season or next year. Basically, brainstorming ideas of what the orchestra can do.

The biggest highlight was the Hōkūle‘a premiere of Raise Hawaiki, which was for choir and orchestra, that premiered in 2019. It was quite a spectacular show. We had projections, we had almost 200 people on the stage. It was a very inspirational blending of music, and other differ-

HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM April 2023 11

calabash | ARTS

“ I’m kind of the wizard behind the scene. I don’t have to be in front of everybody.”

–MICHAEL-THOMAS FOUMAI

ent things around our community coming together, which I’ve never really seen done with orchestral music. I realized that it was a tool that can bring people together that have never talked to each other, to make something very beautiful to bring awareness. And it was also something that I could finally share with my family here.

I grew up on O‘ahu, mostly Makiki, went to Roosevelt High School. Before that I was at Kawānanakoa Middle School. That’s ac-

12 HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM April 2023

tually where I started music.

They had an exploratory program that included orchestra and band. So I signed up for band because my sister was a clarinet player. And she said, “you got to go to band. Don’t go into string instruments.

You don’t want to be with the dorks.” For some reason I got placed into orchestra. That kind of set me off to learning the violin, taking lessons, and it led me to compose. …

I’m kind of the wizard behind the scene. I don’t have to be in front of everybody.

If we can really embody the idea of pono, of living righteously, to ourselves and to our environment, that is just one way I am using music to shine the light. Think about the ancient Hawaiians and that they sustained themselves precontact. So, it can be done. We can live simply again.

I love film music. The music of John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, James Horner, but also the Golden Age composers Miklós Rózsa, Bernard Herrmann, Alex North.

For the concert music folks. I really love Stravinsky, the music of Samuel Barber— his “Knoxville” is something that always speaks to me.

At West O‘ahu I teach for the Academy of Creative Media. It’s a course called Music, Sound & Media. It basically is a survey of the basic music elements: How to work with sound in all kinds of different media, so podcasts, movies, creating all the sound effects, the Foley sound design in addition to the music.

I love watching movies, being swept up by the story. I used to love going into a Blockbuster just to be able to physically touch the movie.

I guess for me, it’s kind of like recreating that experience by having my own library, my own Blockbuster.

Be humble about what you do. But also take pride in the work that you put out and do your best. Be humble and have patience.

Read more of our interview at bit.ly/hn-michael-thomas-foumai

photos: aaron k. yoshino

Foumai playing the piano at the Moanalua Performing Arts Center

calabash | FOOD

Aoki’s first memory of a knife is from age 4: Too impatient to wait for a grown-up, he sliced his finger trying to peel an apple. He still has the scar.

Life on the Edge Find this off-the-beaten-path knife sharpener amid the fish and produce stalls of City Square’s open market.

BY M A R I TA K E TA

M

Y KNIFE IS EMBARRASSING.

I’ve brought an old one from my mother’s kitchen to Aframes Tokyo, Takeshi Aoki’s knife shop and sharpening service inside the open market at City Square. Amid produce and fish stalls, with the market’s fluorescent lights glinting off hundreds of razor-sharp knives in display cases, Aoki examines the flat sheen on my knife’s faded handle—and reaches for dish soap. “Knife, most people scared to clean,” he says, scrubbing at decades of residue with a rubber block. “You can cut yourself, yeah?

But I’m not scared.”

Everyday knives, steak knives, cleavers.

Pocket knives and hunting blades. Long sashimi swords. Soba knives, blocky with puzzle-piece-shaped indentations. All types crowd the displays at Aframes, as do whetstones and razor strops. Most of the wares are from Japan, including blades made with various grades of steel, some forged by craftsmen like Genkai Masakuni and Masashi Yamamoto. Many, like my mother’s, are Mac knives, factory-made and popular among home cooks in Hawai‘i. Aoki likes them because “every time I sharpen, nice edge comes back.” There are even knives for left-handed cooks, and those with smaller hands. If you’re just looking for a touchup, Aoki charges $15 to sharpen most chef knives.

He eyes a barely noticeable smidge of rust where my knife’s blade meets the handle and sprinkles on Comet. “This place, butchers come in, hunters come in, divers come in,” he says. He’s sharpening my knife on a 200-grit grinding wheel, water dripping on the blade to keep it from overheating. “I sharpen a lot of haircutting scissors. After that, dog groom-

“ This place, butchers come in, hunters come in, divers come in.”

ers started coming. All kine people come.” This window on –TAKESHI AOKI a cross-section of the chopping, slicing, scissoring world is why Aframes, which Aoki opened in 2006, has become the endpoint of a roundabout résumé that includes soba maker, cabinetmaker, sushi chef and seller of vintage Coleman lanterns. Customers stay and talk story, like the sushi wholesaler in line in front of me today. The story I get is about the $1,000 blade of a famous sushi chef—how Aoki, too scared to press it to his grinding machine, spent two days sharpening it by hand with 800grit paper. My mother’s knife, now being finished on a whetstone, is one of 3,000 he’ll restore this year. So is my most treasured one, a gift from my family. I’m bringing it next time.

1199 Dillingham Blvd., aframestokyo.com

HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM April 2023 13

calabash | FROM OUR FILES

Remember McInerny? 1948 was also the year that the retailer opened its dazzling downtown location on Fort and King streets.

April HONOLULU Magazine emerged from Paradise of the Pacific, a publication commissioned by King Kalākaua that began in 1888, making it the oldest continuously published magazine west of the Mississippi. Each month we take advantage of its enviable archive with a nostalgic dive into the past.

For this issue, we flipped back 75 years to see what the city was buzzing about in April 1948.

BY BRIE THALMANN

fundraiser’s early years (the first took place in 1936), showcasing oldschool rides and attractions, along with the decade’s saddle shoes, Peter Pan collars and slicked-back hairstyles.

Into the Sea

Snap Happy

I

N T H E S P R I N G O F ’4 8 , a new film photography

course at Punahou School piqued the interest of Paradise of the Pacific. Budding shutterbugs, under the tutelage of Bob Ebert, the chief photographer of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin newspaper, developed their skills by capturing scenes from that year’s carnival. The resulting shots snagged a two-page spread in the issue titled “Carnival Thrills Seen thru Cameras at Punahou School” and offer a fun look at the annual

14 HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM April 2023

The issue’s cover featured an image of “Old Whaling Days in Honolulu,” an oil painting by American artist Lionel Walden, chosen to reflect the “vivid contrast between overseas transportation of a hundred years ago and modern luxury liners such as the renovated Matson ‘queen’ S. S. Lurline—returning to the Hawaiian run this month.” Walden was known for his moody, active seascapes, including many depicting Hawai‘i shores.

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

APRIL 2023

N A T I V E S P E C I E S - I N S P I R E D S T Y L E S P.1 6 / / A L O H A W E A R M O T I V A T E D B Y C O N S E R V A T I O N P.1 7

photos: courtesy of ron herman

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

Melrose to Moana Ron Herman brings its elevated LA aesthetic to Waikīkī.

C

OOL CALIFORNIANS HAVE BEEN TURNING TO RON HERMAN FOR LUXURY AND EMERGING LABELS ever since the brand opened its first boutique in 1976 in the iconic ivy-covered storefront on Melrose Avenue, formerly occupied by Fred Segal. (Fun fact: Herman is actually Segal’s nephew.) Even Japanese audiences have been getting in on its SoCal aesthetic—the retailer currently boasts a whopping 24 stores in Japan.

Now, its newest location, fronting Kalākaua Avenue in the Moana Surfrider hotel, serves as a chic stopping point between the two. Locals will appreciate the access it brings to a slew of covetable labels hard to find anywhere else on-island, including Dries Van Noten, Paco Rabanne, JW Anderson and Missoni. Los Angeles staples such as Apothia candles, Spinelli Kilcollin fine jewelry (designed by Yves Spinelli, who was born and raised on O‘ahu) and Ron Herman’s private labels are on hand. And the brand is big on collaborating with local talents. Keep an eye out for vintage chore jackets customized with Oliver Men’s Shop, exclusive Salvage Public sweats, and tees hand-dyed by OK Bet using native Hawaiian plants. –BT  Moana Surfrider, 2365 Kalākaua Ave., Tower Wing Shop #1, (808) 638-3140, ronherman.com, @ronhermanstore Clockwise, from top right: RH Vintage dress, M. Cohen necklaces, Salvage Public sweats, Ron Herman California bags, Ciao Lucia set.

HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM April 2023 15

style | FRESH FINDS

Into the Wild Laulima’s nature-inspired designs are a call to protect endangered native Hawaiian flora and fauna.

the pines and straining against the silence to hear the distinct calls of endangered birds, Danya Weber found her calling. It was 2017 and the conservation biologist, who had just graduated from college, had immersed herself in the island’s pristine forests on behalf of a local wildlife research project. The thrill she felt in those remote lands, surrounded by rare flora and fauna untouched by civilization, cemented it: She would dedicate her life to protecting native Hawaiian ecosystems.

It was also around then that Weber linked her passion for preservation with her love of drawing. “It was an aha! mo-

Right: fabulous green sphinx moth pin, below: Mauka tee, Makai tee, Nā Pūpū Kuahiwi tote, field guide

Above: Weber studies an ‘i‘iwi, right: Hawaiian Flowers blanket, Pulelehua pin

ment,” she says, of the art show she put on with a fellow conservationist.

“We realized that this was a way to share vital information about endangered species with the public.” The support it received was overwhelming, spurring Weber to create Laulima, which donates 10% of profits to local conservation efforts.

The line started off small with patches, stickers and enamel pins; her latest pin set stars a trio of delicate sphinx months. It has since grown to include apparel featuring illustrations of endemic land snails, insects, fungi and plants.

Laulima’s cool shell and bird skull tees take inspiration from Bishop Museum’s specimen collection. And Weber collaborated with renowned bird conservationist and artist H. Douglas Pratt on a lovely honeycreeper tee. Most are printed in Hawai‘i and all are made in the U.S. using nontoxic ink and 100% cotton fabrics. Recently, Weber’s even branched out into aloha shirts.

Laulima also created a beautiful field guide with artist Nicole Nakata, printed on tear- and water-resistant paper, for identifying native Hawaiian plants and flowers. And we’re quite taken with its home items, which include gorgeous pillowcases, tea towels, journals and show-stopping woven blankets.

Though she grew up in San Francisco, Weber’s childhood involved many summers with family on O‘ahu and Hawai‘i Island, and she now lives in Hilo. All the while her ‘ohana raised Below: Hawaiian her to appreciate its special enviHoneycreeper aloha shirt, right: ronment. “Hawai‘i is the extinction Kāhuli snail pin capital of the world. The situation is dire, but also, these species are part of what makes Hawai‘i so unique.

They’re so isolated from the rest of the world. Hawai‘i is just this little hotspot of [bio]diversity. There’s just nothing else like it and its living creatures.” –BT laulima.store, @laulimahawaii

16 HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM April 2023

photos: aaron k. yoshino, courtesy of bret nainoa mossman, jelani rice, dominique kahale-webster; opposite page: cody ketchum, courtesy of david shepard

A

WEEK’S TREK DEEP INTO THE WILDS OF KAUA‘I, alone among

ONE TO WATCH | style

Plant-y of Purpose He’s a self-taught fashion designer who launched his brand right before the pandemic, a Floridian who rooted himself here to pursue a career in tropical botanical work and later survived a terrifying health scare.

Clearly, David Shepard rises to all occasions.

“H

E WROTE ONE LINE IN THE NEW YORK TIMES, AND IT CHANGED MY CAREER, MY LIFE,” says Da-

vid Shepard. He’s referring to writer Guy Trebay’s 2020 article on face masks, which talked about how multinational luxury goods labels and tailors began making personal protective equipment, “and so, too, did a young surfer botanist in Hawai‘i, David Shepard, whose lacy line drawings of native flora transform a public health necessity into a paean to a biosphere that now feels more menacing than friendly.”

That pocket-sized exposure was huge for a fresh-to-the-scene designer. Orders for his masks started pouring in; Shepard’s finances, and confidence, received a boost. From there, he steadily built David Shepard Hawai‘i—a fashion line of aloha shirts and womenswear with prints inspired by native Hawaiian flora and fauna.

“My childhood home [in Florida] was surrounded by pastureland; I would play in the stream, bike around, and I started a garden at 13 years old,” says the seasoned horticulturist. “I would disappear for hours and hours.”

That joyful, freeing feeling of exploring nature never left him. He graduated with a degree in tropical plant and soil sciences from the University of Hawai‘i; worked at various botanical gardens on Maui, Kaua‘i, Moloka‘i and O‘ahu; and even tended a nursery in Kalaupapa. “I got to know the few leprosy survivors, the aunties and uncles. They shared stories with me, and I learned more about native plants in the area.”

Having a background in charcoal drawing and line art, Shepard fi lled his

weekends there by sketching the island’s surroundings. Clothing became a vehicle for him to tell stories about Hawai‘i. His fi rst print depicted pua kala, “a native plant that thrives in the harshest environments. Like the leprosy survivors, they face adversity beautifully and are truly resilient in uncontrollable circumstances,” he says.

In November 2021, Shepard had to deal with his own hard time. Once again, a single sentence altered his journey. “You have a brain tumor,” his doctor said.

Prior to his diagnosis, Shepard experienced headaches, nausea and sleepless nights. “It hurt to laugh, watch a movie and be with friends,” he says. His coping mechanism? Work. “The brand was gaining momentum. At the time, it was housed in eight shops, a portion of every sale was donated to conservation-focused nonprofits, and I was sustaining myself. I didn’t have time to feel bad.”

He had the tumor removed. Thankfully, it wasn’t cancerous. After six months of recovery—much of his time spent in  his sister’s living room in Arizona ‘Ōhai, an drawing new patterns—Shepard is endemic endangered coas doing amazingly well, both physin Hawa tal species ically and with his business. His inspirati i‘i, was the on for S line is now in 15 shops, he’ll be a latest pa hepard’s vendor at this year’s Merrie Monttern. arch Craft Fair and he’s supported by a full in-house team.

As he knows, life can change instantly (sometimes with just a few words). But he believes there’s power in perseverance.

“I don’t dwell, I keep things moving. But when tough times hit, the love from people around me becomes very visible.” –SM davidshepardhawaii.com, @davidshepardhawaii

HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM April 2023 17

DAY After

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bles and win ov m u er st th y eL l r eg a e isla e ture ? m o

With an endless slate of troubles and a rare budget surplus, the governor talks with HONOLULU about his incongruous journey, openaccess style of governing and unwavering mission.

B Y D O N WA L L A C E P H O T O S : A A R O N K . YO S H I N O

H

E’S SMART, QUICK-WITTED AND COMPASSIONATE from years of serv-

ing as a doctor at a rural Ka‘ū clinic on Hawai‘i Island. He’s also decisive and unafraid to break ranks if he thinks the public interest is at stake, even if it means incurring the wrath of the powerful. This is the image of Gov. Josh Green to a large majority of voters who gave him a landslide victory last November. To the third who voted against him, however, as well as some former fellow legislators in the state House and Senate, he’s just a guy who got incredibly lucky thanks to the conjunction of a pandemic and a dithering executive branch. And to some of his fellow progressives, he’s morphed into a question mark, and a possible Trojan horse, after accepting controversial construction union backing.

So, which is it? Did Green change his spots to win the state’s highest political office? Is it possible for a little-known country doctor-slash-legislator to emerge as the undisputed front-runner without yielding to the machinations of a slick cabal? Can a man play both sides of the political equation and stay true? Or is he about to receive his comeuppance?

Only time will tell. But what we know at the moment is he’s made a hell of an entrance, even while encountering serious early opposition.

“I think it’s one of the strongest starts by any governor,” says

Colin Moore, director of the Center for Public Policy at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa.

Former Gov. David Ige was “almost an accidental governor,” Moore adds. “His focus was developed on the fly, and it never really took. I think you can compare Green to Neil Abercrombie, who started out with great ambitions but got mired in controversy.”

Buzzkill noted. To the public, Green has read the room. “There are some big issues that people want to address once and for all,” Green says in our one-hour chat fueled by Diet Pepsi.

“And we get to take them up. And that includes, just to run the list: the stadium, reforming tourism and management of tourism, addressing homelessness definitely, building houses for 30,000 to 50,000 of our relatives, and resolving the Red Hill crisis. Those are just the ones that come to mind without even diving into health care, justice reform, the prison.”

There’s an oft-smudged whiteboard in Green’s office, and he carries a well-worn red Moleskine notebook everywhere, filled with his handwritten COVID-19 numbers, updat-

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time; this i s t life a he or f n bigg o est ho job e th

ed daily, and a list of priorities and to-dos, also updated daily. “These fundamentals help me to not have mission drift,” he says. Given his prolific social media output, this is a governor who won’t be caught like his predecessor in a crisis not knowing his Twitter login.

Green credits the people from his staff for his smooth transition and is proud that “100% of them came over with me,” forming a critical core to interface with a gubernatorial staff that, Green says, “is 500% larger.”

He’s made drop-by visits with legislators a daily practice, heading downstairs most mornings from his Capitol office, whiteboard in tow.

With 18 new legislators to win over, Green isn’t wasting any time, and they in turn get to show up on social media with him and his deputies, often taking part in PSA-style whiteboard chats.

“This is the job of a lifetime; this is the biggest honor I could ever get,” Green says.

“So, I just want to be sure we get some results. I’m open to any idea that the Leg has, that the people in the street have, that past governors have, that people in Washington have—any idea that will result in more housing, make it more affordable to live here, make sure there’s some equity as far as human rights go. Any idea will be embraced by us.”

Only two days after the election, Green caught people off guard, in a good way, by holding a joint press conference about homelessness with Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi. “We have more than a partnership; it’s a friendship,” the governor says.

“I really appreciate him. No matter what he asks, as long as it helps people, I will approve. No matter whatever I ask, as long as it seems to help people, he seems willing to support. That means we don’t compete, and we don’t get in each other’s way. And we avoid the duplication of resources.”

In conversation, Green is open and sensitive to anything that might be interpreted as hubris or bigfooting. On his spotlight-grabbing turn as COVID explainer on daily television, he says: “I’ll give you a provocative comment, which is, people criticized me for being so out there as a lieutenant governor. But what do you expect if you don’t give someone a job to do? They’re going to speak their mind, and probably from that perspective, cause some mischief.”

With his lieutenant governor, Sylvia Luke, you can be sure Green won’t repeat what he sees as Ige’s mistake. Instead, he’s given her a prominent role unrolling a statewide preschool program, a goal of previous administrations that never got past

20

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Among the photos on the shelf in his office is one of Pittsburgh Steelers halfback Franco Harris, the epitome of a blue-collar lunchpail football player. A fan, Green grew up in Pittsburgh.

the talking stages. “I think it’s better to employ people at their best,” Green says. “And that’s what I hope to do with my lieutenant governor because she is terrific. She has the capacity to build the pre-K education program, which is the best possible thing one can do for society. If we do a good job, we’ll have many years to craft it, to perfect it, and see a generational change.”

It’s hard to believe this is the same legislator who, by his own admission, was “something of a backbencher” during his years at the Legislature. These days, he says, “We use the word huliau,” which translates to “turning point” or “time of change.” For Green, it means a “rebirth.”

Who Was Josh Green?

As we all know, but often forget, a TV persona is just that, an image. Given the stakes in Hawai‘i, it’s not impolite or unfair to question whether Green is really a competent politician who’s getting his shot, or someone who was in the right place at the right time by dint of grasping the spotlight offered by a crisis.

Green and I begin by exchanging coordinates: My mom was a politician. His was an organizer for the National Organization for Women. His grandmother was a regional president of Planned Parenthood. And he’s a Woodstock baby, born in nearby Kingston, New York, in 1970.

“I was in utero at the concert,” he reveals.

His family moved to Pittsburgh, where Green took cues from the “very strong woman figures in my life,” attending Swarthmore College, medical school at Penn State, and doing his residency at the University of Pittsburgh’s Shadyside. Then, he joined the National Health Service and was sent to Hawai‘i Island. “Shadyside focused on rural health. I was a family practitioner, and the assignment in Ka‘ū was utterly rural,” he says. “I mean, I became the doctor for 8,000 patients, which is far more than normal, but it was great. And this was important, because this was my immersion in the culture.”

Green estimates he had more than 4,000 Native Hawaiian patients in Ka‘ū.

He also was asked to take

HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM April 2023 21

“ I’m open to any idea that the Leg has, that the people in the street have, that past governors have, that people in Washington have.”

over a Salvation Army clinic. “I started doing two half-days a week just to support them, right down in the middle of Kona,” he says.

The success of the Salvation Army clinic inspired the formation of the West Hawai‘i Community Health Center, which recently merged with the Bay Clinic and now employs 200 people, Green says. It also expanded his future base.

“I cared for probably a third to a half of all the families on the Big Island in 16 years.”

He first decided to run for the Legislature in 2003, after a conversation with a lifelong friend about how best to help the underserved. “I just wanted to make a point that people deserve more access to health care, especially in our rural parts of the state,” Green says. “To be honest I didn’t have much expectation that I would win, but I did want to be able to express myself.”

In the previous election, the Democratic candidate had lost by a large margin to the Re-

22 HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM April 2023

publican. The future governor’s newly apportioned district was “written off,” Green says, but he won in 2004 anyway, by a margin of 8% of the vote. “I don’t wear party politics on my sleeve. I’m left of center without a doubt, especially because of my positions on health care and homelessness, but I’m more a doctor in people’s eyes, especially then, because I wasn’t in office. Going door to door in my scrubs, like I do, left an impression on people.”

During his second week on O‘ahu, he met his future wife, Jaime. “She was working as a committee clerk for Sen. Susie Chun Oakland,” he recalls. “I saw her—and hit on her—and was able to succeed over time and demonstrated some success in marriage since.” (Loud laughter rings through his office as he relays the story.)

The first of their two children, Maia, now 15, was born on the second anniversary of their first date, which, of course, Green recites off the top of his head: Jan. 11. Their son, Sam, is 11.

Who Owns Josh Green?

In early 2018, after four years as a state representative and 10 as a senator, he had a discussion about homelessness with Blangiardi (then general manager at Hawai‘i News Now) in the Queen’s Medical Center parking lot. “We discussed whether one or two of us, or which one, would run for higher office and when,” Green says. “We believed the same thing,

photos: office of the governor, state of hawai‘i, opposite page: governor josh green, m.d.

Gov. Green speaking to reporters after the State of the State address on Jan. 23.

that if you provided care for individuals that were struggling on the streets,” the city and state would ultimately benefit.

But Blangiardi decided not to run for governor that year, “and I decided to run for lieutenant governor.”

Green was initially regarded as an afterthought to fellow Democrat Jill Tokuda. The game-changer was the Hawai‘i Regional Council of Carpenters lobbying PAC, Be Change Now, which endorsed him and infused his campaign with money. An earlier iteration of the council’s PAC, Pacific Resources Partnership, was notorious for spending heavily on a 2012 smear campaign against Ben Cayetano to stop his anti-rail Honolulu mayoral race versus then-interim Mayor Kirk Caldwell. (Cayetano sued for defamation and PRP settled, giving a public apology and charitable donations of $125,000.)

“What Green did right from a political stance was connect with Pacific Resources Partnership,” says former state Sen. Gary Hooser. As a progressive representing Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau from 2002 until 2010, Hooser didn’t take developer money when he ran for lieutenant governor. He lost. “They (PRP) were looking for someone to beat Tokuda,” Hooser adds, “and their support contributed greatly to the perception that Green was a front-runner, that he could raise the money, and he could win. This carried forward into fundraising and later carried over to the governor’s race.” Later, Green accepted now-U.S. Sen. Tokuda’s invitation to sit with her during President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address.

Be Change Now supported Green in 2022. It also supported Ikaika Anderson for lieutenant governor—and mounted a smear campaign against his rival, Luke. Green’s nomination of Anderson to head the Department of Hawaiian Homelands met with a stinging rejection. “Green clearly underestimated the opposition,” including to Be Change Now, Moore says. “Politics ain’t beanbags.”

Green perhaps “thought he could persuade senators to get on board. He must have received some bad intelligence somewhere along the line, because governors rarely forward names if they don’t believe the nominee has the votes.”

Suspicions over Green’s pro-building backing perhaps accelerated a controversy over his first act as governor regarding housing—the moment when he paused his State of the State address to sign a homeless emergency proclamation that, he said, “streamlines the construction process for housing, removing unnecessary red tape.” Environmentalists and Native Hawaiians immediately pushed back, saying it gave developers carte blanche. A full release of the resolution the next day clarified that it only pertained to the kauhale homeless villages championed by Green while lieutenant governor. “Only 25 acres,” he says.

We can expect more dust-ups, because in Green’s world, perfection is the enemy of the good.

“I’m guessing that four out of five times, I’m going to get it right,” he explains. “One out of five times we’ll miss the mark a bit, and I’m happy to correct it the next day, or to clarify it. That’s what we did with the homelessness proclamation, but there’ll be more. In order to get this giant list of things done, I can’t sit back and wait. So, if I miss it, really miss the mark, I have every expectation that people will speak up and we’ll fix that.”

To cement public trust, Hooser says Green must embrace the reform agenda put forth by the Foley commission, on corruption and government transparency, spurred by the federal bribery convictions of former Senate Majority Leader J. Kalani English and state Rep. Ty Cullen. “I think if Gov. Green can demonstrate he supports adding transparency, the regulation of lobbyists and the banning of fundraising during election cycles, he can position himself as a true independent leader above and beyond the PRP and big money connection,” Hooser says.

Green poses with President Joe Biden at the Governors Ball Dinner in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 11.

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The red Moleskine notebook on Green’s desk goes with him everywhere. It’s filled with his handwritten hospital statistics, updated daily and going back two years, as well as a constantly refreshed list of administration priorities. “It enables me to do a quick survey of where we are,” he says.

24 HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM April 2023

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The Tasks at Hand Hawai‘i tends to give its governors very short honeymoons, Moore says. House and Senate leaders interviewed shortly after Green was elected said that if Green wanted to get anything done, he’d have to go through them. After Green’s State of the State address, House Speaker Scott Saiki and Senate Majority Leader Glenn Wakai were calm, collegial and full of assurances that everybody was onboard and rarin’ to work together. Then came the Anderson fracas.

What happened? “They’re looking for opportunities to cut him down to size, and the Senate confirmation hearings provide some very public opportunities to assert their power and independence,” Moore says. “If he gets credit for these big initiatives and they go well, his honeymoon period will continue. And that will make him politically unbeatable. The pressure legislators receive from their constituents and supporters will make them likely to help him get what he wants.”

And what does Green want?

“There are a lot of tasks in front of me,” he says. “One is restoring trust, which I think I have a fair reservoir of, based on COVID. And we have to transform the justice economy, which means making things fair for people so if they’re working hard, they can survive.”

Green continues to reel off a laundry list of crises, well exceeding the pre-slotted 40 minutes for our interview. Green’s communications director, Makana McClellan, subtly indicates it’s time to wrap up, but he waves her off with a “one more, just one more thing.” He continues to pile up detail upon anecdote upon data point as we walk outside his offices, where our photographer and art director have set up for a shoot. Finally, out of consideration for time, I back away.

But I do not turn off my recorder. Not with Green sitting on a record $1.9 billion surplus and a chance to boldly turn Hawai‘i around—because you never know when he’ll say something. And with Josh Green as governor, it seems that words will be turning into action much more quickly than we’ve been used to.

How can Green still win over the Leg? “He’s the governor—and in Hawai‘i the governor holds most of the cards,” Moore says. And “unlike Gov. Ige, Green is very good at taking the fight directly to the people. The Legislature knows that, so it’s

“ In order to get this giant list of things done, I can’t sit back and wait. So, if I miss it, really miss the mark, I have every expectation that people will speak up and we’ll fix that.”

a credible threat. Second, he can threaten to veto bills that are near and dear to certain legislators. Third, and to the extent that Sylvia Luke remains an ally, he can dispatch her to make some deals. Green was never a particularly influential member of the Senate, but Luke still commands a lot of respect and power.”

The Legislature knows the public is angered by “public spats,” Moore says. “And they need Green to drive the state in the direction they all want to move.”

For an edited transcript of HONOLULU’s interview with Gov. Josh Green go to bit.ly/hn-josh-green.

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PA R T T W O O F A M U LT I PA R T S ER I E S O N P R E S ER V I N G T H E EL EM EN T S

BY ROBBIE DINGEMAN | PHOTOS BY A ARON K. YOSHINO AND SEAN MARRS

The concept of land as life has long served as a central cultural connection in Hawai‘i. From a Native Hawaiian worldview, ‘āina provides everything people need to survive, and people honor and nurture the land as a respected relative. In part two of our climate series (our first focused on water), we bring attention to two vital ‘āina or earth-focused issues: how climate change is complicating our community’s push to grow more of our own food and hastening the extinction of our native species.

HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM April 2023 27

The story of Hāloa The Native Hawaiian origin story tells of Wākea and Ho‘ohōkūkalani mourning the death of their stillborn son, whom they named Hāloa. After they buried their child, Ho‘ohōkūkalani watered the grave with her tears

28 HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM April 2023

and from that site the first kalo plant began to grow. They later welcomed a healthy son, whom they also named Hāloa. He became the first Hawaiian, so kalo is considered the older brother of the Hawaiian people and kalo has become a modern symbol of mālama ‘āina.

The lo‘i kalo of Hakipu‘u

at Kualoa Ranch April 2023 29 HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM photo: aaron k. yoshino

PR E SE RV I N G T HE E L E M E NT S : E ART H

TH E H E A R T- S H A PE D K A LO leaves dance

in the Hakipu‘u taro field at Kualoa Ranch, farmer Anthony Mau sees progress in the struggle to prevent the extreme heat of climate change from devastating the crop.

This land has nurtured kalo for many generations, but in recent years, the plant growth slowed, some to a third of their normal size. Intense heat wasn’t allowing the taro to breathe, Mau says. “Essentially, we were cooking the kalo underground.” With a doctorate in aquaculture and knowledge gleaned from mo‘olelo, Kualoa’s diversified agriculture manager, like other growers across the Islands, has been forced to adapt traditional farming methods to respond to the erratic temperatures and unpredictable weather patterns brought on by climate change.

What’s working now, Mau says, is a Native Hawaiian planting technique using long mounds that allow the plants to rise out of the wet ground, informed by techniques applied successfully elsewhere by other growers: from Tahiti, layering banana and coconut leaves in the lo‘i; from Japan, using newspaper instead of banana leaves; and his most recent update, using rolls of ink-free newsprint. “There’s a mix of traditional wisdom, Hawaiian science, coupled with more of a modern twist and innovation,” Mau says. “We grew our best taro this year because we perfected our strategy.” And, it’s working, which means bigger, healthier kalo. Still, he’s focused on what’s ahead, knowing future erratic weather conditions will require new strat-

30 HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM April 2023

Flooding Affects Local Food A F E W M I LE S AWAY, Paul Reppun has worked the family’s 10-acre farm in Waiāhole Valley for 48 years, along with his brother, Charlie. “Floods that should be happening every 20 years seem to be happening every couple years,” Reppun says. Intense flooding can wipe out an entire crop in a few hours. “The pattern of the seasons has changed. We don’t have a regular rainy season like we always did,” he says.

Beyond Waianu Farm’s primary crop of taro, Reppun says the family added different varieties of banana, sweet potato, ‘ulu, coffee, cacao, fruits and vegetables, some raised in greenhouses. The more diverse the crops, the better the odds that some of them will withstand the unreliable weather, he says. “Farming is always a risk, but it’s becoming less predictable for risk.”

Locally Produced Foods Essential for Sustainability H AWA I ‘ I I M P O R T S M O S T O F W H AT W E E AT . A 2013

report by state agriculture officials calculated that figure at roughly 85% based on available data, although the state no longer tracks the percentage of what’s grown locally versus what’s imported. “We import over 99% of our staples,” says Dana Shapiro, general manager and co-founder of the Hawai‘i ‘Ulu Cooperative. The limited data available indicates we import about 40% of fresh fruits and vegetables, and 70% of protein consumed here (that includes meat and seafood). Shapiro is working to grow more breadfruit, taro and sweet potato as locally grown staples that can displace imported rice, the most popular staple crop here. (Hawai‘i eats more rice than any other state, roughly 100 pounds per person each year, according to federal statisticians.) Historically, rice was grown in the Islands since the 1860s but slowly the crop disappeared. At Kualoa, Mau has planted a swath of rice near the kalo to determine how resilient it may be as a potential food crop.

Kualoa is part of a local sustainability push to grow and produce more of our food in the Islands. But along with such obstacles as scarcity and expense of farmland and the Anthony Mau, high cost of importing feed and diversified agriculture fertilizer, climate change presmanager, at Hakipu‘u, ents additional hurdles to local Kualoa Ranch farmers and food producers.

At Honolulu’s Office of Cli-

photo: aaron k. yoshino

A S

egies. “The concern is that climate now is going to be super variable, and there’s no predictability.”

“There’s a mix of traditional wisdom, Hawaiian science, coupled with more of a modern twist and innovation.”

— Andrew Mau

mate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency, Dexter Kishida sees the effects of escalating climate change, with farmers changing the way they grow such crops as leafy greens. With erratic weather, they’re moving crops from the ground to greenhouses, or to hydroponic or aquaponic systems to protect them, he says. “I find our farmers being some of the most vocal about climate change because they see it every day. They see the changing weather patterns, the yield effect of the rain bomb— professionally and personally—the drought conditions and just how things are changing, how even gradually hotter summers affect what and how they grow.”

Many are hopeful that Gov. Josh Green will carry through with his promise to aggressively move forward with climate repair. Shortly after being sworn in as governor, he committed $100 million of the state’s $1.9 billion budget surplus to fight climate change. Exactly how those funds will be spent has yet to be decided, but food growers say the battle is vital to their longterm survival.

In hot, sunny Wai‘anae, beekeeper Ken Harmeyer peers into his hives. He says climate change has upended the life cycle of pollinating insects, which, in turn, makes it harder for nearby farmers to grow their crops.

Harmeyer says he first noticed the impact of climate change on the bee population about six years ago, with the sudden deaths of hives, and queen bees that were living half as long as they had before. “Normally, a beehive will have between 30,000 and 60,000 bees, and the bees will fly up to 5 miles, pollinating nearby flowers,” Harmeyer says. “If you lose half the hives, you’ve got half of the population.” That hit hardest on small basil farms nearby. “If there’s no bees to pollinate the basil … production goes down,” he says.

Harmeyer has tended beehives across –Anthony Mau O‘ahu for more than 20 years, and runs the Hawai‘i Bee Hotline to relocate unwanted bees. His concerns resonate at Kahumana Organic Farms on the Wai‘anae Coast, where Harmeyer manages the hives. “Climate change affects us all, and farmers are especially susceptible as they depend on

“We grew our best taro this year because we perfected our strategy

CONTINUED ON PAGE 34 HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM April 2023 31

Cl i m

i

Pl e d

WE PLEDGE TO ACT ON CLIMATE

Coal

on

a

te

ge

Climate Coalition

ti

Hawai‘i Executive Collaborative

By signing the Climate Coalition Pledge, we are demonstrating an ongoing commitment to meaningful climate and resiliency action. We commit to take actions within our organization to reduce emissions and increase our resiliency, and to leverage our collective capacities to support an equitable transition to a climate resilient economy, society, and environment for all Hawai‘i’s people.

 Climate Pledge Signatories as of 2/8/23.

32 HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM April 2023

We’re all-in on climate solutions, and you can be, too.

Commit to Act ✔

Commit to Collaborate ✔

Commit to Empower ✔

We commit to act with the speed, scale, and ambition necessary to solve our urgent climate crisis during this pivotal moment in our planet’s history.

We commit to multi-sector collaboration on climate and resiliency initiatives, leveraging our collective political and community influence to spread awareness and understanding, support climate and resiliency actions, and normalize pro-climate behavior.

We commit to support efforts to identify and organize funds to create transformational changes for Hawai‘i’s climate future, such as helping to channel federal funding for resiliency and renewable energy efforts, developing novel approaches to financing clean energy initiatives, and investing in climate resilient development.

Commit to Measure ✔ We commit to inventory and track our organization’s carbon emissions annually, beginning no later than 2023, and continue to do so on an annual basis.

Commit to Reduce ✔ We commit to set time-bound goals to incrementally reduce our organization’s carbon emissions— ideally to net zero—with the objective of supporting the achievement of a safe, livable climate that limits global warming to 1.5° Celsius.

Commit to Achieve ✔ We commit to act on meaningful and robust solutions to achieve our carbon emissions reduction goals and increase our organization’s resiliency against climate change.

Commit to Share ✔ We commit to share our progress on our climate initiatives and be transparent about our actions that impact the climate.

Commit to Enable ✔ We commit to helping enable the adoption of equitable, science-based climate and resiliency policies by creating space for honest and open dialog between members, constructively working to remove barriers to such policy, and supporting meaningful policies that are beneficial for climate adaptation and mitigation.

Commit to Equity ✔ We commit to support and advance audacious, breakthrough solutions to our climate crisis, particularly those that enhance equity and those connected to the Hawai‘i Community Foundation’s CHANGE Framework and the work of successful community organizations working on climate change and resiliency today.

Commit to Partner ✔ We commit to partner to remove barriers to permitting and approving clean energy, efficiency, and resiliency projects, and to support actions that will maintain and expand Hawai‘i’s climate leadership, clean energy related businesses, and investment opportunities in Hawai‘i.

Join us in pledging:

If your company is ready to take the Climate Coalition Pledge, contact HEC today. hec.org/climate

About Hawai‘i Executive Collaborative Hawai‘i Executive Collaborative (HEC) serves as a convener and provides backbone support to advance the collaborative work of CEOs and top decision makers from different sectors to help build a more resilient economy and state. Every HEC member is actively engaged and focuses their collective energy and resources where immediate and systemic changes will benefit Hawai‘i and the world.

Climate Coalition

For more information on our real-world, high-impact solutions, visit hec.org/climate HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM April 2023 33

PR E S E RV I N G T H E E L E M E NT S : WAT E R

Reducing the impact of climate on the ‘āina “Ola ka ‘āina, ola ke kānaka, ola ka lāhui: The health of the land is the health of the people is the health of the nation.”—the late Dr. Noa Emmett Aluli, physician Local farmers and food advocates have long urged people to “vote with your fork,” to help Hawai‘i’s economic sustainability. But by growing and eating more locally produced foods, we can also help off set the detrimental effects of climate change, says Dexter Kishida of Honolulu’s Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency.

Eating local reduces our carbon footprint: Food that’s produced here doesn’t need to travel 2,500 miles or more by air, boat, truck and other fossil-fuel-burning means. So, when we eat from a garden at our house, in our community or from a local farm, we help eliminate emissions that can harm the environment. Here are some tips for eating local.

• • •

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stable environmental factors to grow food consistently,” says Tom McDonald, Kahumana’s executive director.

Although Kahumana hasn’t experienced a sharp drop in its production, McDonald says the threat looms. “Climate change is subtle,” he says.

Last year, the farm felt the effects of climate change with the decline in rain. The dry weather wilted crops, followed by sporadic downpours that damaged some crops and prompted others to blossom more often.

“It affected the flowering plants and then it affected the bee population,” McDonald says. And while unpredictable weather has plagued farms throughout history, McDonald says, “this man-made effect of global warming has a more intensive effect on all aspects of the environment, and of course, our food system.”

Endangered Species Capital R I S I N G TE M P E R AT U R E S and other impacts of climate change have

also increased the threat of extinction of Hawai‘i’s native species. While some species in the Islands began declining as soon as outsiders arrived with their own animals and diseases, environmental specialists say invasive plants are flourishing amid today’s unpredictable rainfall patterns, which can yo-yo from drought to flooding to long spells of dry, hot weather. Those flourishing invaders include Miconia, a highly invasive plant, nicknamed “the green cancer of the Pacific” because of its ability CONTINUED ON PAGE 36

34 HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM April 2023

Kahumana Executive Director Tom McDonald sums it up this way: “Buy an electric car, buy more local food, support more local farmers,” he says.

Get Involved •

•

• •

Honolulu’s Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency updates an extensive list of ways to volunteer, learn about workshops and find resources at resilientoahu. org/volunteer-today.

Join a food garden movement. The Hawai‘i Fund for Food Gardens is working to build 1,000 food gardens across the state, providing resources that support individuals, nonprofits and community groups.

Visit foodgardenhui.com.

Submit legislative testimony online to support local food initiatives.

Volunteer at a local farm.

photo: aaron k. yoshino

◄

Kalo farmer Nalani Kaio planting in the lo‘i at Hakipu‘u, Kualoa Ranch

Buy from farmers markets that label local food, such as hfbf.org/farmersmarkets/.

Look for local labels in stores.

Buy direct. For example, Kualoa Ranch sells its own crops and those of other local producers in its store. (Learn more at kualoa.com/ kualoagrown.)

Shop from hubs that sell fresh local foods from an online network of farmers and producers, including Farm Link Hawai‘i, farmlinkhawaii. com, and Kahumana Organic Farms, kahumana.org.

The companies of HEI are united by a common purpose — to create a better Hawai‘i.

One that thrives economically, environmentally, culturally, and socially, and where all in our community have access to resources and opportunities to attain their dreams.

But, this cannot be accomplished alone.

Join us as we work with the larger community to create positive change together.

Many hands working together.

HEI.com

READ OUR LATEST ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL & GOVERNANCE REPORT TO LEARN MORE

PR E S E RV I N G T H E E L E M E NT S : WAT E R

Plant a tree!

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The endangered ‘i‘iwi, or scarlet honeycreeper, once common in the Islands’ forests, now struggles to survive loss of its native habitat.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 34

to spread fast and squeeze out native species unable to tolerate the heavy shade canopy it creates.

Hotter temperatures and a lush but vulnerable island environment also allow invasive animals to thrive, such as axis deer, which have been destroying the native forest. Last November, the state declared an axis deer overpopulation crisis as a result of the devastation. More destructive storms as well as invasive damage intensify the threat to the native forest, says Emma Yuen, native ecosystems program manager for the Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources. “Climate change is a huge threat for many reasons to our native species,” she says.

Each year, the agency seeks funding for fencing to reach its goals to protect native forests and species.

The request to the Legislature for the next two-year budget cycle is $5 million per year. In 2011, only about 10% of the state’s priority native forests

were fenced. That’s increased to 21% since, and the state now has a goal to protect 30% of those priority forests by 2030, Yuen says. “What is happening to those native forests every second of every day is that they’re being eaten by hoofed animals—pigs, goats, wild cattle, sheep, deer—and basically being reduced to bare ground.” That destruction from hoofed animals and other human-caused threats has taken a huge toll. “Over 200 native species of Hawaiian plants and animals are believed to have gone extinct in the last 200 years, and over 500 Hawaiian species are listed as threatened or endangered by the federal and state government.”

Rising temperatures brought by climate change have also allowed mosquitoes to thrive in more places, another deadly threat to oncepristine areas at high elevations.

Mosquitoes are now decimating species they never would have encountered in the past, Yuen says. “They’re CONTINUED ON PAGE 40

36 HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM April 2023

Honolulu needs to be greener, experts say. While the national average of canopy cover (the overall leaf surface area) stands at close to 30% in major U.S. cities, our city lags behind at 20%. Having more trees would reduce temperatures, provide shade and lead to more environment-friendly green spaces.

Some cities, such as Pittsburgh, have boosted their canopy cover to more than 40%. By 2015, Washington, D.C. had achieved a 38.7% tree canopy, according to a study by PlanIT Geo. Organizations have to unite to combat climate change through such community efforts as treeplanting projects, says Hailey Campbell, a climate adaptation specialist with the Honolulu Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency. Besides providing shade and cooler temperatures, those new trees will eventually help to reduce stormwater runoff by capturing and retaining water.

“The city is committed to increasing the urban tree canopy to 35% by 2035,” Campbell says. In 2019, the city announced a plan to plant 100,000 trees across O‘ahu by 2025. And in 2021, residents and the city collectively recorded the planting of 4,927 trees, which brought the total of new trees planted islandwide since 2018 to 50,599.

In September 2021, then-Gov. David Ige pledged that the state would conserve, restore or grow 100 million trees by 2030 as part of a nationwide effort calling for the planting and protection of a trillion trees. Alexander Yee, also at the Honolulu resiliency office, says planting trees or caring for existing ones are things anyone can do. “And hopefully that comes with a sense of empowering the community and making them feel like the solutions are at hand,” he says. “I think trees are a really tangible way for people to be able to see the immediate benefits.”

photo: ludovic hirlimann, getty images

Trees help keep us cool—in the forest, in neighborhoods and urban cores.

Ko Kākou Kuleana Our Shared Responsibility

In partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Kuahiwi a Kai, a ridge to reef restoration project, will be a key turning point in healing Lāna‘i’s windward side from decades of degradation. Together, we can regrow a thriving forest, increase our island’s water supply, save our native birds and plants, and stop the decimation of our coral reef.

W W W.NFWF.ORG/L ANAI

“Protecting our native forests that are still remaining is just this enormous need.”

photos: sean marrs

— Emma Yuen

38 HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM April 2023

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Emma Yuen, left, pauses under towering native trees of koa and ‘ōhi‘a lehua in the Pu‘u Ōhi‘a forest; above, she points to a tiny snail on the back of a leaf of a hāhā, Cyanea grimesiana endangered Hawaiian plant.

HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM April 2023 39

PR E SE RV I N G T HE E L E M E NT S : E ART H

creeping higher and higher up the mountain past 4,500 feet. And even just one bite can be fatal if the mosquito is transmitting avian malaria. So, we’re quickly losing our forest birds and have a few species that, if we don’t do anything, will go extinct in probably the next five years.” She says the akeke‘e, ‘akikiki, and the kiwikiu or Maui parrotbill are likely the most threatened with immediate extinction.

In December, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced a plan to designate more than 275,000 acres on Maui, Kaua‘i

and Hawai‘i Island as critical habitat to protect the iconic ‘i‘iwi, which is declining due to habitat loss. The imperiled honeycreeper was once among the Islands’ most plentiful forest birds, known for its bright red plumage, black wings and distinctive salmon-colored, curved bill, but is struggling to survive. Where there were once 50 honeycreeper species, recent surveys show that only 17 remain, some with only a few hundred birds left. The plan came after the nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity sued the Fish and Wildlife Ser-

vice for failing to protect Hawaiian forest birds from extinction in 2021, pointing to eight Hawai‘i birds that are likely extinct— the Kaua‘i ‘akialoa, Kaua‘i nukupu‘u, Kaua‘i ‘ō‘ō, kāma‘o, Maui ‘ākepa, Maui nukupu‘u, kākāwahie and po‘ouli—as well as a plant from the mint family that is found only in Hawai‘i. Hawai‘i was once home to more than 750 species of land snails but scientists estimate 90% are gone.

Emma Yuen walks with us along the Pu‘u ‘Ōhi‘a trail, high above urban Honolulu where volunteers are restoring the CONTINUED ON PAGE 42

THE U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE IS PROPOSING CRITICAL HABITAT FOR ‘I‘IWI (SCARLET HONEYCREEPER, DREPANIS COCCINEA) ON ISLANDS OF KAUA‘I, MAUI AND HAWAI‘I.

Kaua‘i Alaka‘i Plateau

Maui East Haleakalā

North Kona Kula

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Hawai‘i Island Windward Hawai‘i

South Kona

Ka‘ū

photo: sean marrs

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Emma Yuen helps release endangered Hawaiian picturewinged flies on an ‘ōhā wai plant to help restore balance to the natural ecoystem of the native forest.

PA RTN E R C ON TE N T

STEPPING UP FOR A SUSTAINABLE HAWAI‘I

W

ITH ALL ITS OPERATIONS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN, Hawaiian Electric Industries (HEI) understands that its long-term health is inextricably linked to the strength of the economy, communities and environment of our island home. Thus, the HEI family of companies, which includes Hawaiian Electric and American Savings Bank, is guided by one common purpose: To create a better Hawai‘i, one that’s thriving economically, environmentally, culturally and socially, where everyone in our community enjoys an abundance of resources and opportunities that enable them to achieve their hopes and dreams.

HEI understands that to succeed in the long-term, a business must be sustainable for those who depend on and are impacted by it. This is one reason why, over the past three years, it has significantly increased its reporting on environmental, social and governance (ESG) activities: Since 2020, it has produced three consolidated ESG Reports, with its fourth newly released this month.

These reports are all part of its commitment to transparency and providing information to allow customers, community leaders, employees, investors and others to understand how its strategies and operations advance its ESG objectives and help create long-term value for all of its stakeholders.

Building a future for Hawai‘i that is economically, environmentally and socially sustainable will require teamwork, discipline, imagination and thoughtful action as we meet the challenges ahead.

And HEI is stepping up to do its part in shaping a bigger, brighter future: One that puts Hawai‘i at the forefront of clean energy, create a sustainable and growing local economy, and empower our families and communities to flourish for generations to come.

LEARN MORE AT HEI.COM/ESG

PR E S E RV I N G T H E E L E M E NT S : E A RT H

Watch video that shows how Hawai‘i is fighting climate change.

bit.ly/hn-malama-aina CONTINUED FROM PAGE 40

native forest at the Mānoa Cliff Restoration site. Kelli Konicek, an entomological research technician with the Hawai‘i Invertebrate Program, invites us to help release tiny endangered Hawaiian picture-winged flies that have been nurtured in the UH lab. She explains these flies and other microfauna play an important role in restoring native ecosystems. The flies slowly crawl from the glass tubes onto the ‘ōhā wai branch, shaded by tall native trees of koa and ‘ōhi‘a lehua.

“Protecting our native forests that are still remaining is just this enormous need,” says Yuen, a 15-year DLNR veteran who grew up in Hāmākua on Hawai‘i Island. She points to Native Hawaiian ‘āina awareness that dates back centuries. Ancient Hawaiians identified the vital link between the forests, water supply and thriving natural species “and even King Kalākaua in 1876 passed an act for the protection and preservation of woods and forests.”

As director of natural and cultural resources at Kamehameha Schools, Jason Jeremiah works with community partners to address climate change while honoring Native Hawaiians’ deep cultural ties to the ‘āina. “We think about our native species as those who are the first inhabitants before Hawaiians,” Jeremiah says. “In essence, they are our kūpuna.”

He emphasizes the Native Hawaiian ethos of being connected Jason Jeremiah to the ‘āina, the community you belong to, knowing its history and committing to helping it thrive as the path to climate change repair. “Where do you fit within this whole ecosystem of Hawai‘i? Are you taking? Are you giving? What kind of reciprocal relationship do you have?” he asks. “We talk a lot about knowing your place, your ‘āina, your ahupua‘a.”

An endangered Hawaiian picture-winged fly Drosophila hemipeza, grown in a UH lab, just after release in the Mānoa Cliff Restoration area of the Pu‘u Ōhi‘a forest

A Glimmer of Hope Alliance announced the discovery of a small population of a rare plant believed to be extinct. Conservationists found several Delissea argutidentata growing on a dead māmane stump in the Keauhou area of Hawai‘i Island. Since then, the plants have been fenced for protection, more than 30 of the keiki have been planted in the wild and others are being propagated in nurseries.

The plant, which has a long, palmlike trunk topped by a round cluster of leaves, once grew abundantly under the shade of giant koa trees and in old volcanic craters. But for 20 years there had been no recorded sightings of them in the wild.

While so much of the work in this field has focused on what’s been lost—native species, forests, sacred places—Jeremiah sees this plant’s rediscovery as a sign of hope for environmental, cultural and community resilience. “Our ‘āina is still resilient, and it’s only a small glimpse of it in one area, but I think it kind of brings you that hope that others can be found.”

42 HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM April 2023

A plant once thought extinct in the wild, Delissea argutidentata, growing in Keauhou after being rediscovered last year

photos: sean marrs, courtesy of kamehameha schools

L A S T Y E A R , Kamehameha Schools, DLNR and Three Mountain

SPE C I A L P R O M O T I O N A L S E C T I O N

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FACES OF HAWAI‘I P H OTO G R A P H Y BY A A RO N K . YO S H I N O

HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM April 2023 43

L to R: Shelee Kimura, Scott Seu, Ann Teranishi

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T H E FAC E O F

Catalyzing a Better Hawai‘i HEI 1001 BISHOP STREET, SUITE 2900, (808) 543-5662 | HEI.COM

T

he HEI family of companies is guided by a common purpose: to create a better Hawai‘i — one that is thriving economically, environmentally, culturally and socially — where everyone in our community enjoys an abundance of resources and opportunities that enables them to achieve their hopes and dreams.

American Savings Bank has been helping Hawai‘i’s families achieve their dreams and investing in our communities for nearly a century. Hawaiian Electric has provided the energy that fueled our islands’

L to R: Paul Ito, Kurt Murao

growth and prosperity for more than 130 years, and they have ambitious goals of reaching 100% renewable energy and net zero carbon emissions from power generation by 2045.

HEI’s top leaders each call Hawai‘i home. HEI president and CEO Scott Seu grew up in Makiki. Shelee Kimura, Hawaiian Electric president and CEO, and Ann Teranishi, American Savings Bank president and CEO, were both raised in Aiea. HEI’s executive vice presidents, Paul Ito and Kurt Murao, grew up in Kaneohe and Mililani, respectively. It’s no wonder this leadership team strives every day to make a positive impact and create a more sustainable future for all Hawai‘i.

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T H E FAC E O F

Food Distribution in Hawai‘i SYSCO HAWAI‘I 716 UMI STREET, HONOLULU (808) 843-3200 HAWAII.SYSCO.COM

S

ysco, a Fortune 100 company, is the global leader in selling, marketing, and distributing food and non-food products to restaurants, healthcare, and educational facilities, lodging establishments, the military, and other customers around the world. The largest foodservice distributor in the state, Sysco Hawai‘i employs over three hundred local associates, spanning five distribution centers across Hawai‘i and Guam. For over 50 years, the Sysco Hawai‘i ‘Ohana has been offering exceptional produce, custom cut meats, high-quality seafood, and global flavors to match the diverse cultures of Hawai‘i. We love living our purpose every day, “Connecting the World to Share Food and Care for One Another.”

First Row, L-R: Maria Leiataua, Eric Colon-Butler, Janice Vierra, Karen Howard, Gail Tachibana, Lyn Gojobori, Cheryl Almeida, Sherie Lee, Russell Ige, Charlie McNicoll, Adell Flourry Second Row, L-R: Kahealani Alohikea-Betham, Peter Cheng, Joel Abille, Gavin Kunimoto, Kris Fleming, Sara Shimada, James Kanda, Derek Woodruff, Corey Strickland, Jeremy Kiaha, Jim Sherman, Nofo Lilo Driver: Jimmy DeMello

Back row left to right: Cyrus Ikegami SA, Amy Dang RN, Jay Ann Kau RN; Front row left to right: Darin Awaya MD, Nadine Ayson MA, Cherry Bonilla MA, Sally Retuta RN

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T H E FAC E O F

Spine Surgery DARIN AWAYA MD, INC. 405 N. KUAKINI ST. STE 1105, HONOLULU | (808) 532-2056 DARINAWAYAMD.COM

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born and raised Kailua boy, Dr. Awaya is an Orthopedic Spine surgeon committed to treating diseases of the spine to ensure his patients can enjoy the best mobility possible. After completing his medical school education at the University of Hawai‘i at John A Burns School of Medicine, he finished his residency in Orthopedics at UC Davis in Sacramento, CA. He also completed a fellowship in spine surgery at UC Davis before returning home to Hawai‘i. Dr. Awaya specializes in all areas of spine surgery from minimally invasive decompressions to adult deformity. Practice locations and participation include Hawaii Pacific Health, Queen’s Health System, and Kuakini Hospital.

(L-R) Dr. Andrew Inaba Dr. Adam Inaba Dr. Craig Haga Dr. Wade Nobuhara

20 23 T H E FAC E O F

Endodontics ENDODONTIC ASSOCIATES, LLC HONOLULU | ALA MOANA BUILDING 1441 KAPI‘OLANI BOULEVARD, SUITE 208 | (808) 591-1515 ‘AIEA | MARY SAVIO MEDICAL PLAZA 98-1247 KA‘AHUMANU STREET SUITE 218, ‘AIEA | (808) 455-9051 ENDODONTICASSOCIATESLLC.COM

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s a local, three generational family practice, we take the extra steps to treat every patient like family, and to ensure they receive comfortable, patient-centered and the most up-todate care,” says Dr. Craig Haga.

Founded in 1966 by Dr. Carl Haga, Hawai‘i’s first dentist trained in endodontics, Endodontic Associates, LLC uses state-of-the-art facilities and cutting-edge technology, including a microscope and a brand new laser, in a stress-free environment.

2023 Best Dentists Dr. Craig Haga (son of Dr. Carl Haga), nephews Dr. Adam Inaba and Dr. Andrew Inaba, and associate, Dr. Wade Nobuhara (who joined the practice in 2020 with more than 25 years of endodontic experience) are committed to staying at the forefront of the industry to provide you with the personalized treatment and excellent customer service you deserve.

Endodontic Associates, LLC serves patients at two convenient locations: the Ala Moana Building and the Mary Savio Medical Plaza in Aiea.

Todd K. Haruki, DDS, MD, left.

Neil Oishi, DDS, MD, right.

20 23 T H E FAC E O F

Wisdom Teeth Removal PACIFIC MAXILLOFACIAL CENTER LLC HONOLULU | 1060 YOUNG STREET, SUITE 312, HONOLULU | (808) 585-8455 WAIPI‘O | 94-1221 KA UKA BOULEVARD, SUITE B204, WAIPAHU | (808) 676-9560 PACIFICMAXCENTER.COM

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or most people, the removal of third molars (“wisdom teeth”) is necessary for the proper alignment and long-term health of their remaining teeth. This is ideally done in the teenage years to minimize the risks and discomfort associated with the procedure. While most patients request to be asleep for their procedure, several anesthetic options are available based on each patient’s needs and desires. As oral and maxillofacial surgeons, Dr. Todd Haruki and Dr. Neil Oishi are uniquely qualified in treating wisdom teeth. The latest digital technology enables them to provide exceptional care in a safe and comfortable environment.

(L-R) Thomas S. Kosasa, M.D. Celia Dominguez, M.D. Thomas Huang, Ph.D., HCLD, ELD

20 23 T H E FAC E O F

In Vitro Fertilization PACIFIC IN VITRO FERTILIZATION INSTITUTE KAPI‘OLANI MEDICAL CENTER FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN 1319 PUNAHOU STREET, SUITE 980 HONOLULU | (808) 946-2226 PACIFICINVITRO.COM

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s Hawai‘i’s first in vitro clinic, Pacific In Vitro Fertilization Institute has helped thousands of people realize their dream of starting a family. Led by a team of board-certified physicians with decades of experience in IVF, obstetrics and gynecology and reproductive endocrinology, as well as an on-site Ph.D. embryologist, Pacific In Vitro Fertilization Institute is committed to providing the highest level of care for patients.

The clinic is open seven days a week to be accessible and responsive to patients’ needs. Free monthly Zoom seminars are held for those with questions about the in vitro fertilization process and other alternatives for couples and individuals with fertility concerns.

Dr. Campbell and Dr. Patel

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T H E FAC E O F

General, Cosmetic and Special Needs Dentistry

D HAWAII PACIFIC DENTAL GROUP 6700 KALANIANA‘OLE HWY STE 216 HONOLULU, HI 96825

rs. Patel and Campbell began their joint practice over 13 years ago, offering complete sedation/ sleep dentistry for the special needs and elderly populations, as well as sleep dentistry for patients of all ages. Their approach is the first of its kind in Hawai‘i and done in a safe, controlled environment where patients are closely monitored. They have mastered their techniques and have helped hundreds of patients successfully over the years with a nonjudgmental, caring and compassionate approach. Dr. Patel teaches on the Faculty at the University of Hawai‘i, School of Medicine and Boston University, School of Dental Medicine, and is the Hawai‘i President of Dental Lifeline. Dr. Campbell MD safely and compassionately cares for all his patients requiring or desiring full and complete sleep dentistry with state of the art and hospital quality anesthesia equipment.

photo: jonathan you

RevoluSun executive team (L-R) Eric Carlson, Chief Innovation Officer David Gorman, President & General Manager Josh Powell, Chief Executive Officer

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T H E FAC E O F

Solar and Smart Home Improvement

L REVOLUSUN 660 ALA MOANA BOULEVARD, SUITE 220A, HONOLULU (808) 748-8888 | REVOLUSUN.COM

ocally owned and operated, RevoluSun is Hawai‘i’s most trusted solar provider. Since 2009, RevoluSun has been the solar contractor of choice for nearly 10,000 homeowners, and hundreds of Hawai‘i’s most loved and respected businesses. What’s next for the team? RevoluSun is collaborating with the utility to bring the grid of the future to your neighborhood. “We’re educating our clients about Virtual Power Plants (VPP) in Hawai‘i,” says Eric Carlson. Many homeowners are choosing to enroll into VPP programs to help support O‘ahu’s grid. In return, they’re compensated on their electric bill. “We couldn’t be more proud of the work our team has done for over 14 years and the important role our systems play in the future of VPPs on O‘ahu’s grid,” Carlson added. For more information, visit revolusun.com

Partners (L-R) Randall M.L. Yee and Jared N. Kawashima

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T H E FA C E O F

Trusts and Estates YEE & KAWASHIMA, LLLP 1000 BISHOP STREET, SUITE 908, HONOLULU (808) 524-4501 | YKLAWHAWAII.COM

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hen it comes to planning your future, expertise and reliability are of paramount importance. Unlike larger, general practice law firms, Yee & Kawashima, LLLP concentrates in estate, trust and probate law. Yee & Kawashima, LLLP takes pride in its many long-term client relationships with individual clients and family owned businesses. The firm’s commitment to this practice area offers the assurance that the firm will continue to provide the highest level of service for future generations.

2023

photo and illustrations: aaron k. yoshino, getty images

Summer Programs Guide

30+ academic,

enriching and inspiring options for your keiki.

Emma of Punahou School

2023 SUMMER PROGRAMS 2022

Summer Programs Guide ACADEMIC & SUPPORT Math/Reading/Tutoring

CHILD CARE Newborn to PreK

SUMMER SCHOOL Month-long/Multiple consecutive weeks

YEAR-ROUND ENRICHMENT Sports/Dance/Music/etc.

SUMMER PROGRAM/DAY CAMP Daily/Week-to-week/Hourly enrollment

BEST OF HONOLULU FAMILY

CONTACT / PHONE EMAIL WEB

SCHOOL/PROGRAM ADDRESS

ASSETS SUMMER SCHOOL AND SUMMER CAMP

PROGRAM DATES

Grades K–12 Coed

Grades K–8 Summer School and Grades 4–8 Art Academy: 6/13–7/18 Summer Camp: 6/5–7/21 High School: 6/5–6/16; 6/19–6/30 High School Aviation and Fitness and Weight Training: 6/5–6/30

SEE AD ON PAGE 59

K–8 Campus: 1 ‘Ohana Nui Way, Honolulu, 96818 High School Campus: 913 ‘Ālewa Drive, Honolulu, 96817

Cindy Herndon / (808) 440-3601 cherndon@assets-school.org assets-school.org

GRADES GENDER

TUITION DEADLINE $200–$1,475 Register by May 15.

HOURS

FOCUS

K E Y : S C H O O L F O C US & O F F E R I N G S

Grades K–8 Summer School and Specialty Classes: 7:40 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

Summer Camp: 9 a.m.–4 p.m.

High School: 8 a.m.–noon High School Enrichments: 12:30–2 p.m.

At Assets, students are recognized and celebrated in a nurturing and caring environment. Summer programs feature integrated curriculum much like Assets’ regular school program, and enrichments offer students the opportunity to learn new skills or pursue a passion such as robotics, jewelry making, art and more. Camp Ke Kula Pa‘ani promises a fun-filled time focusing on sports, games, art, sciences and experiments. Assets School provides premier educational services to gifted and dyslexic children by offering model, integrated learning environments and professional outreach programs.

CRDG SUMMER PROGRAMS AT UH MĀNOA

1776 University Ave., CMA 101, Honolulu, 96822

Alycia Fujii / (808) 956-8176 crdgsum@hawaii.edu crdg.hawaii.edu/summerprograms

Grades 1-12 Coed

6/5–7/21

Varies Register by May 31.

Morning: 8–11:45 a.m.

Afternoon: 12:30–3:15 p.m.

Full Day: 8 a.m.–3:15 p.m.

After School: 3:15–6:30 p.m.

CRDG Summer Programs at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa is an internationally recognized program for students entering grades 1–12. Curious students experience hands-on STEAM activities, from building and programming LEGO robots to designing roller coasters from recyclables. Student scientists build research techniques with field trips to university science labs and other sites. Animation, drama, and journalism courses spark students’ imaginations. Join us in fun-filled learning!

CITY & COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PARKS & RECREATION SUMMER FUN

Shana Macadangdang / (808) 768-3041 s.macadangdang@honolulu.gov honolulu.gov/parks/program/ summer-fun-program

Grades K–12 Coed

6/13–7/28, except Independence Day holiday

Up to $125 Register by June 20.

Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–2 p.m.

Before care: 6–8:30 a.m.

After care: 2–5:30 p.m., offered at select sites by an independent contractor.

Call individual parks for more information.

CITY & COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PARKS & RECREATION JUNIOR LEADER PROGRAM

Shana Macadangdang / (808) 768-3041 s.macadangdang@honolulu.gov honolulu.gov/parks/program/ summer-fun-program

Grades 7-12 Coed

6/13–7/28, except Independence Day holiday

Free Register by June 13.

Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–2 p.m.

Hours subject to change based on park/program.

HANALANI SCHOOLS KA IMI LOA SUMMER PROGRAM

Justin Hirai / (808) 625-0737 jhirai@hanalani.org hanalani.org

Grades PreK–12 Boys

6/5–7/14

$690–$1,490+ Register by May 29.

Varies

1000 Ulu‘ōhi‘a St., #309, Kapolei, 96707

94-294 Anania Drive, Mililani, 96789

56 HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM April 2023

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1000 Ulu‘ōhi‘a St., #309, Kapolei, 96707

SCHOOL/PROGRAM ADDRESS

HAWAI‘I BAPTIST ACADEMY 21 Bates St., Honolulu, 96817

CONTACT / PHONE EMAIL WEB Emmett Winters / (808) 545-4485 supplemental_programs@hba.net hba.net/summerschool

PROGRAM DATES

Grades K–12 Coed

Junior Kindergarten and Elementary: 6/7–7/9 Middle and High School: 6/13–7/5

TUITION DEADLINE Varies Register by May 31.

HOURS

Elementary Summer School: 7 a.m.–5 p.m.

Middle/High Summer School: Various class times

Hawaii Baptist Academy is a top Christian school serving students from junior kindergarten through high school. We offer a wide variety of summer school options, including STEM, robotics, entrepreneurship, coding, reading, writing, and more. A selection of enrichment classes are also available to nurture personal growth, from sports and music to life skills and art. We welcome students from all schools to join our summer program. Visit www.hba.net/summerschool for more information.

HAWAI‘I CHILDREN’S DISCOVERY CENTER DISCOVERY CAMP

Kyra Mirikidani / (808) 524-5437 info@discoverycenterhawaii.org discoverycenterhawaii.org

Grades PreK–4 Coed

5/30–8/12

Varies Register by May 19.

8:30 a.m.–4 p.m.

HAWAI‘I PREPARATORY ACADEMY

Heidi Emmons / (808) 881-4019 summer@hpa.edu hpa.edu/academics/summer-at-hpa

Grades K-12 Coed

Ka Makani Keiki Camp: 6/5–7/28 (weekly sessions) Summer Academies: 6/26–7/21

Keiki Camp: $475 per week. Boarding (ages 11–17): $5,700 Day tuition (ages 11–17): $1,800 Register by May 15.

8 a.m.–4 p.m. daily; boarding also available for grades 6–12.

SEE AD ON PAGE 61

GRADES GENDER

FOCUS

2023 SUMMER PROGRAMS

111 Ohe St., Honolulu, 96813

65-1692 Kohala Mountain Road, Kamuela, 96743

Summer at HPA is open to all and offers a great introduction to the K–12 HPA experience. Students come from Hawai‘i Island and around the world to expand their academic potential and discover learning adventures within our extraordinary ecosystems, landscapes and culture. Our full-day Academies for ages 11–17 are designed for day and boarding middle/high school students, focusing on an area of passion while working with experts in the field.

HAWAI‘I YOUTH SYMPHONY 1350 S. King St., Suite 201, Honolulu, 96814

Hannah Watanabe / (808) 941-9706 admin@hiyouthsymphony.org hiyouthsymphony.org/summer

Grades 3–12 Coed

Summer Strings: 6/5–7/7 Super Strings: 6/12–7/14 Pacific Music Institute: 7/8–7/16

Summer Strings and Super Strings: $550.

Pacific Music Institute: Varies Summer Strings and Super Strings: Register

by May 26. Pacific Music Institute: Register by May 31.

Summer Strings: Beginning, 2:45–3:45 p.m.

Intermediate, 4–5 p.m.

Super Strings: Beginning, 3:15–4:15 p.m.

Intermediate, 4:30–5:30 p.m.

Pacific Music Institute: Varies

Hawaii Youth Symphony offers three exciting programs for summer learners! Summer Strings and Super Strings, in partnership with Boys and Girls Club of Hawaii, offer beginning and intermediate classes for students to experience the joy of playing music through the violin.

For over 30 years, Pacific Music Institute has defined the musical experience for aspiring young musicians as Hawaii’s ultimate summer music camp, with opportunities for students to make new friends and learn from celebrated world-class faculty.

HOLY NATIVITY SCHOOL

5286 Kalaniana‘ole Highway, Honolulu, 96821

Jeanne Wilks / (808) 373-3232 summer@holynativityschool.org holynativityschool.org

Grades PreK–4 Coed

Varies Register by April 30.

Half day: 8 a.m. to noon Full day: 8 a.m to 3 p.m.

After school care: 3 to 5 p.m.

Join us for a summer of excitement as we learn about the world and our place in it. At Holy Nativity School’s 2023 Summer Program, The World and My Place In It, students will enjoy academic enrichment as well as structured and free play with a low student to teacher ratio. Enrollment for HNS families begins on March 3 and registration is open to the public on March 13, 2023. Space is limited.

HONGWANJI MISSION SCHOOL 1728 Pali Highway, Honolulu, 96813

Denalee Vasconcellos / (808) 532-0522 connectwithhms@hongwanji.us hongwanjimissionschool.org

Grades 1–8 Coed

Recess Care Session 1: 5/30–7/14 Summer School: 6/5–7/14 Recess Care Session 2: 7/17–7/28

Varies Register by April 14.

7 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

Hongwanji’s six-week program runs June 5 through July 14 and is open to students entering grades 1–8 this fall. A balanced program of academics in the morning and enrichment programs in the afternoon is offered. The morning subjects include STEM-based classes, language arts, mathematics through pre-algebra, sports, and Japanese language. In the afternoon, students will enjoy classes in multicultural activities, art, swimming, basketball, martial arts, yoga and more.

HONOLULU WALDORF SCHOOL SUMMER FUN PROGRAM

PreK– Grade 4 Coed

6/12–7/19, no program 6/19 or 7/4 holidays

$415/week*, $2,158 for all 5 1/2 weeks, early bird discount until 4/15. $440/week*, $2,288 for all weeks after 4/15.

Before care: $50/week* *Prorated for shortened weeks Register by June 9.

8:30 a.m.–3 p.m.

Before care: 7:30–8:30 a.m.

350 Ulua St., Honolulu, 96821

Stacey Collins / (808) 377-5471 summer@honoluluwaldorf.org honoluluwaldorf.org/summer-funprogram

INTERNATIONAL HOSPITALITY CENTER ENGLISH LANGUAGE STUDY PROGRAM

Barbara Bancel / (808) 521-3554 ihc@priorypride.net standrewsschools.org/extendedlearning/international-hospitalitycenter

Grades K–12 Coed

Junior Division: Session 1: 7/2–7/14 Session 2: 7/16–8/12

$2,395 Register by June 30.

8 a.m.–12:15 p.m.

224 Queen Emma Square, Honolulu, 96813

Senior Division: 7/16–8/12

HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM April 2023 57

SEE AD ON PAGE 64

Session I: 6/5 to 6/30 Session II: 7/3 to 7/28

SCHOOL/PROGRAM ADDRESS

CONTACT / PHONE EMAIL WEB

ISLAND PACIFIC ACADEMY SUMMER SCHOOL ENRICHMENT

Zach Grant / (808) 674-3523 zgrant@ipahawaii.org islandpacificacademy.org/summer

GRADES GENDER

PROGRAM DATES

Grades K–12 Coed

Summer Fun: 6/5–7/21 Session 1: 6/12–6/30 (no class 6/12 and 6/19) Session 2: 7/5–7/21

909 Haumea St., Kapolei, 96707

TUITION DEADLINE $150–$600 Register by April 17.

HOURS

FOCUS

2023 SUMMER PROGRAMS 2022

Summer Fun: 8 a.m.–5 p.m.

Summer Classes: 7:45 a.m.–11:45 p.m.

Island Pacific Academy Summer School offers a variety of programs to help your child grow over the summer and develop a design thinking mindset. Our programs include a wonderful Summer Fun, Summer Enrichment Classes, Art and Theatre Workshops. We also have new offerings such as The Art of Entrepreneurship and Inspirit AI Adventures Classes. We welcome you to come join us over the Summer in a place where values matter.

KAIMUKĪ CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

Kara Takata / (808) 732-1781 ktakata@kaimukichristian.org kaimukichristianschool.org

Younger than PreK– Grade 8 Coed

6/12–7/21

Varies Register by April 10.

7 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

LA PIETRA HAWAI‘I SCHOOL FOR GIRLS ALAKA‘I SUMMER WORKSHOP

Kaile Berlenbach / (808) 922-2744 kberlenbach@lapietra.edu lapietra.edu/academics/la-pietrasummer-programs

Grade 7 Girls

6/13–7/7

$1,000 Register by March 31.

8:30 a.m.–3 p.m.

LE JARDIN ACADEMY

Katy Nakayama / (808) 261-0707 ext. 7005 katy.nakayama@lejardinacademy.org lejardinacademy.org/enrichment/ summer-school

Grades K–11 Coed

6/13–7/14

Varies, average $540/ class Register by May 15.

Two-hour sessions, 8 a.m., 10:10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Students can take one, two or three classes. Extended hours available.

1117 Koko Head Ave., Honolulu, 96816

2933 Poni Moi Road, Honolulu, 96815

SEE AD ON PAGE 62

917 Kalaniana‘ole Highway, Kailua, 96734

Le Jardin Academy Summer School provides opportunities for creative, active, inventive and engaged learning. Choose from visual and performing arts, robotics, coding, cooking, knitting and so much more! Sports courses, immersive outdoor experiences and small group swimming instruction keep keiki moving and enjoying our expansive outdoor surroundings. We offer a course to quench every curiosity.

Join us for an action-packed summer of learning and fun!

LITTLE AMBASSADORS LANGUAGE IMMERSION

725 Kapi‘olani Blvd., C106, Honolulu, 96813

Kimberly Funasaki / (808) 256-4861 info@littleambassadors.com littleambassadors.com

PreK– Grade 2 Coed

Year–round.

Summer session runs mid-June to late August.

$240–$450 Register by June 30.

9 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

MUSIKGARTEN HAWAI‘I

94-547 Uke‘e St., Suite 207, Waipahu, 96797

Aki Miyashiro / (808) 388-4838 info@musikgartenhawaii.com musikgartenhawaii.com

Younger than PreK– Grade 12 Coed

Monday through Saturday

Varies Register by May 25.

Monday–Friday, 2–9 p.m.

Saturday, 8 a.m.–7 p.m.

NORTHSTAR

Violet Shimoko / (808) 721-7030 vshimoko@gmail.com

Grades 6–12 Coed

6/6–7/14

Six Private Sessions: $500/student (twohour session includes snack) Six Group Sessions: $750/two students (two-hour session includes snack) Six Group Sessions: $1,050/three students (two-hour session includes snack) Register by April 30.

One day a week for six weeks, two-hour sessions between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Drop off is at O‘ahu Country Club, 150 Country Club Road, Honolulu, 96817

K

S

K–

NorthStar provides life skills awareness to prepare your child beyond school through self study, mission/life purpose, strategic life planning and the “how tos” of career selection. Programs also include social/dining etiquette and the power of gratitude. NorthStar instills ideas of personal responsibility and the power of designing one’s own life. Powered by love and in alignment with parents, NorthStar provides a rock solid foundation for children’s future.

Laurie Rubin / (808) 424-3919 laurie@ohanaarts.org ohanaarts.org

Grades K–12 Coed

6/5–7/23 (one-, three-, four-, sixand seven-week options)

$750–$2,750 Register by May 12.

Varies

PUNAHOU SCHOOL

Denise Harris / (808) 944-5737 summerschool@punahou.edu punahou.edu/extended-learning/ summer-school

Grades K–12 Coed

6/13–7/28

Varies Register by April 17.

Varies

1770 East-West Road, Honolulu, 96822

1601 Punahou St., Honolulu, 96822

58 HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM April 2023

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‘OHANA ARTS SUMMER FESTIVAL & SCHOOL

V

High School Summer Sessions Featuring two-week long courses in Math, Science History, Visual Arts, and Photography. Afternoon enrichments include Engineering Challenge, Arts and Crafts, Crochet for Beginners and Fitness Camp!

June 5–16 and/or June 19 –30 8am–12pm and 12:30–2pm

High School Summer Fitness and Weight Training The Fitness and Weight Training course is designed for students to develop and practice skills that will help them maintain fitness throughout their lives. During the summer course, students will set and monitor personal fitness goals in order to develop a personal fitness plan.

June 5–30, 8am–12pm

High School Aviation Summer School This structured academic course is the best way for teens to learn about thepotential of an aviation career. Students gain academic insight into the mysteries of engines, aerodynamics, airspace and mission planning.

June 5–30, 8am–12pm

K–8 Academic Summer School The academic program features an integrated curriculum much like our regular school program.

June 13–July 18, 7:40am–12:30pm

Grades 4–8 Art Academy

K-12 SUMMER PROGRAMS We affirm, celebrate and teach - Gifted Students - Creative Minds

- Self-Advocacy - Students with Learning Differences

SUMMER SESSIONS START IN JUNE K–8 Academic Summer School and Grades 4–8 Art Academy have early morning care starting at 6:30 am

Visit us at assets-school.org and apply online

Art Academy focuses on fun, explorative, hands-on skill building projects that celebrate all forms of student creativity! Students will create artwork in a variety of materials including sculpture, painting, mixed media, ceramics, drawing, and Printmaking.

June 13–July 18, 7:40am–12:30pm

K–8 Ke Kula Pa‘ani Summer Camp Offering fun-filled programs focusing on sports, games, art classes, hands-on projects, science activities and experiments, plus much more! This camp is offered as a half-day or full-day program. Before school and after school care is available.

June 5–July 21, 9am–4pm

K–8 Campus

One Ohana Nui Way, Honolulu 96818

High School Campus

913 Alewa Drive, Honolulu 96817

Contact Us (808) 423-1356 don’t

Great minds think alike or learn

SCHOOL/PROGRAM SCHOOL/PROGRAM ADDRESS

CONTACT/PHONE CONTACT / PHONE EMAIL EMAIL WEB WEB

QUICK STARS TUTORING

Tracy Lee / (808) 375-5244 quickstarstutoring@gmail.com quickstarstutoring.com

Grades PreK–12 Coed

Ongoing

Varies Ongoing registration.

Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.– 8 p.m. Saturday–Sunday, 9 a.m.–3 p.m.

SACRED HEARTS ACADEMY

Melanie Ah Soon / (808) 734-5058 summerprograms@sacredhearts.org sacredhearts.org/summer-programs

Grades 1–12 Coed

6/13–7/14

Grades 1–7: Morning program, $750 plus fees Afternoon extended program, $750 plus fees Grades 8–12: credit/ noncredit from $495, camps from $295 Register by June 7.

Grades 1–7: Morning program, 8–11:45 a.m.

Afternoon extended program, 11:45 a.m.–5 p.m.

Grades 8–12: Varies

94-1024 Waipi‘o Uka St., #201A, Waipahu, 96797

SACRED HEARTS ACADEMY EARLY LEARNING CENTER 3253 Wai‘alae Ave., Honolulu, 96816

ST. ANDREW’S SCHOOLS SUMMER ADVENTURE CAMP

SEE AD ON PAGE 66

224 Queen Emma Square, Honolulu, 96813

PROGRAM DATES

TUITION DEADLINE

HOURS

Sacred Hearts Academy offers a vast array of quality options for boys and girls in grades one to 12 to try something new or build existing skills. Students in grades one to seven make explorations in the morning with an afternoon option to extend the exciting experience.

Credit and non-credit courses in on-campus, online and hybrid formats are available for those in grades eight to 12. Special camps offer more focused activities.

Sandra Arnobit / (808) 734-5058, ext. 251 summerprograms@sacredhearts.org sacredhearts.org

PreK–K Coed

Session I: 6/13–6/30 Session II: 7/3–7/21

Morning program, $450. Afternoon extended program/full day, $900.

Register by June 7.

Morning program: 8–11:45 a.m.

Afternoon program: 11:45 a.m.–5 p.m.

Summer means sun and having fun! The youngsters in the Academy’s Early Learning Center (ELC) will do just that! They will make exciting discoveries by exploring, will construct fabulous creations by doing and will inspire and constructively collaborate by sharing.

Through hands-on, engaging activities, the ELC learners—boys and girls ages three to five—grow their knowledge and build key foundational skills in reading, mathematics, science and more. A myriad of summer treats and adventures are also on the fascinating agenda.

Randi Yamauchi / (808) 532-2464 programs@standrewsschools.org standrewsschools.org/ adventurecamps

Grades K–8 Coed

7/17–8/11

$120–$2,100 Register by July 14.

7 a.m.–4 p.m.

St. Andrew’s Schools Summer Adventure Camp is accredited by the American Camp Association and is a fun-filled camp located in Downtown Honolulu. Adventure Camp teaches STEAM subjects (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) through fun and exciting activities where, each week, your child will explore a different theme in a fun and engaging way. You have the option to join us for one, two, or all four weeks of camp.

ST. ANDREW’S SCHOOLS SUMMER SCHOOL

224 Queen Emma Square, Honolulu, 96813

Randi Yamauchi / (808) 532-2464 programs@standrewsschools.org standrewsschools.org/extendedlearning

Grades K–12 Coed

6/5–7/14 for K-8 (in person) 6/5–8/9 for 9–12 (online only)

$700–$1,600 Register by May 31.

7 a.m.–4 p.m.

St. Andrew’s Schools Summer School programs offer a variety of hands-on learning experiences that are engaging and fun. The K-8 program is available for boys and girls and offers a diverse selection of courses ranging from three to six weeks. Our course offerings for students entering grades 9-12 will be taught online and are open to all high school students. We provide academically challenging, college-preparatory courses from our iPriory and Arizona State University Prep Digital offerings.

SYLVAN LEARNING OF MILILANI

95-1249 Meheula Parkway, #198, Mililani, 96789

Kai Lee Awaya / (808) 623-0808 kailee@sylvanmililani.com locations.sylvanlearning.com/us/ mililani-hi

PreK– Grade 12 Coed

Year-round programs. Half-day programs available during the summer.

Create your own schedule.

Varies Ongoing registration.

Monday–Thursday, 9 a.m.–7 p.m., Saturday, 9 a.m.–2:30 p.m.

For 40 years, Sylvan Mililani has provided the highest quality education. Conveniently located in the Town Center of Mililani, we also offer remote sessions for busy families to work with live online tutors. Half-day programs and one-hour sessions are available during the summer. Individualized instruction is provided through a maximum of 3:1 with each student working on a personalized program. As Hawai‘i’s premier provider of supplemental education, we offer instruction in math, reading, writing, test prep, study skills and college prep.

THERAPEUTIC HORSEMANSHIP OF HAWAI‘I SUMMER HORSE CAMP

Dana Vennen / (808) 342-9036 dana@thhwaimanalo.org thhwaimanalo.org

Grades K–6 Coed

5/29–8/4 (weekly sessions)

$400/week Register by July 10.

8:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.

TUTOR DOCTOR HAWAI‘I

Georgia Goodell / (808) 439-6777 info-tdhawaii@tutordoctor.com tutordoctorhawaii.com

Grades 1–6 Coed

Grades 1–6 Summer STEAM Camps: weekly 5/30–8/11

STEAM Camp: $470 per week. Visit the website for package pricing.

Ongoing registration.

Grades 1–6 Summer STEAM Camp: 8 a.m.–2 p.m.

Optional extended day activities: 2–5:30 p.m.

YMCA OF HONOLULU

Wendy Tupper / (808) 678-4296 wtupper@ymcahonolulu.org ymcahonolulu.org

Younger than PreK– Grade 12 Coed

5/28–8/5

Varies by program.

Save 20% with YMCA Family Membership.

Financial assistance available.

Register by Aug 4.

Varies

41-1062 Kalaniana‘ole Highway, Waimānalo, 96795

2752 Woodlawn Drive, Suite 5-204A, Honolulu, 96822

1441 Pali Highway, Honolulu, 96813

Adventure, discovery, fun and more await your child at the YMCA this summer! From day camps and swimming to exploring the great outdoors with weekly and mini overnight camps at Camp Erdman, your child will thrive while learning new skills, making friends and discovering their own unique interests and talents. Financial assistance and payment plans are available. Y Family Memberships save 20% on most programs. Register online or at any YMCA Branch.

60 HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM April 2023

illustrations: getty images

SEE AD ON PAGE 65

3253 Wai‘alae Ave., Honolulu, 96816

GRADES GENDER

FOCUS

2023 SUMMER PROGRAMS 2022

SCHOOL/PROGRAM ADDRESS

CONTACT / PHONE EMAIL WEB

YMCA OF HONOLULU: CAMP ERDMAN

Andrew Markey / (808) 637-4615 amarkey@ymcahonolulu.org camperdman.org

Grades 2–12 Coed

5/28–8/5

$715/week for overnight camp. Additional $375– add on surf and horse specialties. Military and YMCA family membership discounts available. $250/week for day camp. Multiweek and YMCA family membership discounts available.

Register by Aug 5.

Day camps run Monday– Friday, 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Overnight programs run Monday–Saturday.

YMCA OF HONOLULU: KAIMUKĪ-WAI‘ALAE

Wendy Tupper / (808) 737-5544 wtupper@ymcahonolulu.org ymcahonolulu.org

Younger than PreK– Grade 12 Coed

5/30–8/4

Varies by program.

Save 20% with YMCA Family Membership.

Financial assistance available.

Register by Aug 4.

Varies

YMCA OF HONOLULU: KALIHI

Wendy Tupper / (808) 848-2494 wtupper@ymcahonolulu.org ymcahonolulu.org

Younger than PreK– Grade 12 Coed

5/30–8/4

Varies by program.

Save 20% with YMCA Family Membership.

Financial assistance available.

Register by Aug 4.

Varies

69-385 Farrington Highway, Waialua, 96791

TUITION DEADLINE

HOURS

HAWAII BAPTIST ACADEMY

Summer School 2023 Register Online .

1335 Kalihi St., Honolulu, 96819

PROGRAM DATES

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4835 Kīlauea Ave., Honolulu, 96816

GRADES GENDER

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A O S

Program Dates

Jr. Kindergarten and Elementary: June 7–July 7 Middle and High School: June 13–July 5

Visit: HBA.net/summerschool

FOCUS

2023 2022 SUMMER PROGRAMS

CONTACT / PHONE EMAIL WEB

YMCA OF HONOLULU: LEEWARD

Wendy Tupper / (808) 671-6495 wtupper@ymcahonolulu.org ymcahonolulu.org

Younger than PreK– Grade 12 Coed

5/30–8/4

Varies by program.

Save 20% with YMCA Family Membership.

Financial assistance available.

Register by Aug 4.

Varies

YMCA OF HONOLULU: MILILANI

Wendy Tupper / (808) 625-1040 wtupper@ymcahonolulu.org ymcahonolulu.org

Younger than PreK– Grade 12 Coed

5/30–8/4

Varies by program.

Save 20% with YMCA Family Membership.

Financial assistance available.

Register by Aug 4.

Varies

YMCA OF HONOLULU: NU‘UANU

Wendy Tupper / (808) 536-3556 wtupper@ymcahonolulu.org ymcahonolulu.org

Younger than PreK– Grade 12 Coed

5/30–8/4

Varies by program.

Save 20% with YMCA Family Membership.

Financial assistance available.

Register by Aug 4.

Varies

YMCA OF HONOLULU: WINDWARD

Wendy Tupper / (808) 261-0808 wtupper@ymcahonolulu.org ymcahonolulu.org

Younger than PreK– Grade 12 Coed

5/30–8/4

Varies by program.

Save 20% with YMCA Family Membership.

Financial assistance available.

Register by Aug 4.

Varies

94-440 Mokuola St., Waipahu, 96797

95-1190 Hikikaulia St., Mililani, 96789

1441 Pali Highway, Honolulu, 96813

1200 Kailua Road, Kailua, 96734

GRADES GENDER

SUMMER SCHOOL

Summer Shines at LJA! June 13 - July 14, 2023 For students ages 5-17 Register now at www.lejardinacademy.org/ enrichment/summer-school

917 Kalaniana'ole Highway, Kailua HI 96734

62 HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM April 2023

PROGRAM DATES

TUITION DEADLINE

HOURS

illustrations: getty images

SCHOOL/PROGRAM ADDRESS

FOCUS

2023 SUMMER PROGRAMS 2022

e m r t m i m u e S Magic With more hours of daylight and less time in school, summer is the perfect time to make special memories. Outside of 30-plus summer programs across the state, here are a few ideas to keep you and your keiki active, excited and entertained this summer and beyond.

GNON E CHA N I M S

BY JA BY RAPHY G O T O PH HINO K . YO S N O R A A

2022 SUMMER PROGRAMS

Explore new and renovated playgrounds around the island! Tennis and volleyball are awesome family-friendly sports, and if your neighborhood doesn’t have a court, there’s bound to be at least one nearby (see our playground guides at bit.ly/hfour-guide). Plus, the City and County of Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation has repurposed existing volleyball and tennis courts for pickleball. You’ll have to BYO paddles/rackets and balls, and maybe even a net—the Diamond Head Tennis Center, Mother Waldron Park in Kaka‘ako and Mānana Neighborhood Park in Pearl City all have courts with nets, but others don’t. honolulu.gov/parks

64 HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM April 2023

photos and illustrations: aaron k. yoshino, getty images

Play ether Tog

2022 SUMMER PROGRAMS

e r o l p x E More Koko Crater Botanical Garden’s 60-acre setting has plumeria groves, baobab trees from Madagascar, myriad cacti and agave from South America, and so much more. You can even turn your trip into a little self-guided scavenger hunt before settling down at one of the tables for a picnic. Or make a reservation (it’s required) to visit Lyon Arboretum, where you can wander trails and admire native plants, tropical trees and even a waterfall.

Koko Crater Botanical Garden: 7491 Kokonani St., honolulu.gov; Lyon Arboretum: 3860 Mānoa Road, manoa.hawaii.edu/lyon

d a e r p S Aloha Have fun and feel good knowing you and your child are supporting the community.

From participating in beach cleanups and removing invasive algae to fundraising for shelter animals, we encourage you to reach out and help others in any way you can. HONOLULU Family’s sixth annual Volunteer Day is April 1, but there are a variety of opportunities with nonprofits throughout the year, and plenty of teachable moments, too, while you’re getting your hands dirty. Look to the Children’s Discovery Forest, Hawaiian Humane Society, Ho‘oulu ‘Āina, Kōkua Hawai‘i Foundation, Mālama Maunalua, Waimea Valley, Hawai‘i Foodbank and Sustainable Coastlines Hawai‘i— to name just a few—for year-round volunteer opportunities.

HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM April 2023 65

2022 SUMMER PROGRAMS

e h t t i H each B

photos and illustrations: getty images

The beach is a no-brainer for those sweltering summer days. Lucky for us, there are dozens of familyfriendly beaches along O‘ahu’s 112 miles of coastline, many with a variety of things to do for kids of all ages. Think surf lessons in Waikīkī, camping at Waimānalo Beach Park, snorkeling at Hanauma Bay or exploring tidepools at Makapu‘u.

Some of our other favorite familyfriendly beaches include the Ko ‘Olina Lagoons, Kualoa Regional Park, Kuilima Cove, Keawa‘ula Beach (aka Yokohama) and Pūpūkea Beach Park. Before you head out, visit hawaiibeachsafety. com/oahu for current wind, surf and ocean conditions.

Join us for

SUMMER!!

SUMMER SUMMER SCHOOL GRADES K–12 JUNE 5–JULY 14

SUMMER ADVENTURE CAMP GRADES K–8 JULY 17–AUG 11

REGISTER TODAY! standrewsschools.org/summer

ono

APRIL

Food and Drink in Hawai‘i

2023

BY MARTHA CHENG | PHOTOS BY AARON K. YOSHINO



Right: Pastry chef Beverly Luk’s tropical rum baba, soaked with coconut and dark rum and served with coconut tapioca, pineapple and vanilla chantilly Below: Her lemon meringue pie in a jar, topped with Swiss meringue and pâte brisée 

PROFILES

photo: tktk

Under the Radar Pastry Chefs Beverly Luk of Nami Kaze and Michael Moorhouse of the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel have been baking some of Hawai‘i’s best desserts for years.

Here’s why you should know them.

HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM April 2023 67

‘ono | PROFILES

Beverly Luk Nami Kaze

“T

HIS IS NOT HOW IT’S SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN,” BEVERLY LUK SAYS, THINKING BACK. It was her first culi-

nary competition at Kapi‘olani Community College and her team had lost. “I get very upset, because the team is not the everybody-wantsto-win kind.” They were not, in other words, like Luk, so driven to win that she enrolled at KCC for another degree just so she could compete again. The second time, she had a more motivated team and led as captain. But they still lost, by a few points. You can sense her frustration, even seven years later.

Luk emanates a frenetic intensity and brims over with ideas and ideals. After service at Nami Kaze, she sets her version of a lemon meringue pie in front me—a jar of tart semifreddo paved with meringue and spiked with shards of crisp pastry—and, later, a plate of soft sesame cacao nib cookies as she tells me of the Asian bake shop she hopes to open within a year. She started her culinary career later than many, at age 28, so she says she needs to make up for lost time. Since graduating from KCC in 2016, she has been a line cook and pastry cook at MW Restaurant, the pastry chef at Chef Mavro, and the opening pastry chef of Miro Kaimukī and the revamped Kaimana Beach Hotel. Last year, she opened Nami Kaze with her husband, Jason Peel.

She started on the savory side of the kitchen, but found pastry is “what I want to drill into; I want to dig a hole into it,” she says.

“Cooking is cooking is cooking but the precise part of pastry, the chemistry part just makes sense when I do it. Pastry is something that is ridiculous when you think about it because it’s always the same thing—it’s egg, flour, dairy.

68 HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM April 2023

 Beverly Luk, pastry chef for Nami Kaze

But making this”—gesturing at the lemon meringue pie—requires “the same ingredients as bread. It’s just a different ratio of everything. And that’s what gets me—the possibility of something so humble. I don’t have to bring in truffles to make it better. I don’t have to bring in uni to make it beautiful.” All the ingredients, she says, can be found in most home pantries.

Luk was born in Hong Kong and grew up in a family where “food is something that needs to be good.” She left the metropolis at 17 to stay with relatives in Blaine, Minnesota, where classmates would ask her if she had a TV back home, if she had ever had soda.

She wanted out after a year, and following a connection to Honolulu, enrolled at Hawai‘i Pacific University and then KCC. “I have a very weird way of looking at college,” she says. For her, it wasn’t simply the path to a degree, but an opportunity to explore. She took classes in business, finance and marketing, but also French, music and calligraphy.

After years of searching for the “uniqueness that is me,” she says, “I think cooking is something that is me because the skill and knowledge is something that you cannot take away. It’s not something that everybody can do even if you have a degree.” In a previous job involving paperwork and computer work, she says she felt “like anybody can replace me. But cooking, and eventually, pastry—this is what only I can do.” Case in point, the coconut cake she created for Hau Tree—an elegant affair of whipped white chocolate ganache and soft vanilla chiffon soaked with dark rum syrup—hasn’t quite been the same since she left.

PROFILES | ‘ono

Now, at Nami Kaze, she bakes the bread for the burgers (“because one thing I really hate is when I have a burger, the bottom bun is always,” she motions with her hands everything falling apart), and the bread for the French toast and the house bread at night. Because of a shortage of workers, she’s had to fill in on the hot line, too, so she hasn’t been able to expand the dessert menu the way she’s wanted to. But in  the coming weeks, she plans on debutTropical rum baba ing desserts like a Kaua‘i mud pie with kūlolo caramel and an opera cake lightened with hojicha and kinako. “I want to make something that people want to eat every week,” she says. To do so, she blends creativity with nostalgia—nostalgia is the base that piques people’s interest, and creativity is what holds it. But ultimately, “the food I like to make is simple. You don’t have to bring a dictionary with you to understand the food that we present.” She says that’s probably why the dining room is full of more “aunties, uncles and grandmas” than tourists, even as Nami Kaze gains national attention.

“I want to be in the community, be part of the community,” she says. She’s referring to the diners as well as the employees:

Lemon meringue pie in a jar 

She and Peel, a former culinary instructor, have set up Nami Kaze as a teaching kitchen.

The community also includes their suppliers. “I’m not from here, so I’m not attached to local just because it’s local,” she says. “To me, helping local is good people helping good people to bring good quality products. If we don’t support them, they cannot support you.

They’re gonna give up and we won’t have fun stuff anymore.” Fun stuff like roselle from Ahiki Acres that Luk turns into preserves for desserts and drinks.

We’ve been talking for more than two hours, but it feels like Luk could keep going.

For one, there’s the Asian-style bakery she wants to open, with offerings like a laksa or beef stew pan, takes on the curry pan, and shokupan filled with coconut custard. She’s yet to finalize a space for the bakery, and despite all the delays with Nami Kaze, she’s confident that she can open it within a year. And she’s constantly turning over in her head what things could look like. She wants everything to be better, whether it’s work ethic, how people are treated, how restaurants are run, the texture of the cookies in front of her. “People will say you’re dreaming too big. But if I don’t dream big, I cannot go big.”

1135 N. NIMITZ HIGHWAY, (808) 888-6264, NAMIKAZE.COM, @NAMIKAZE.HI

HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM April 2023 69

‘ono | PROFILES

Michael Moorhouse Mauna Kea Beach Hotel

He insists the ramekins are filled with custard all the way to the brim.

“Nothing makes me more crazy than ordering crème brûlée and it’s not filled to the top and you get that ledge of burnt sugar,” he says. He tells his pastry team: “Let’s show good pastry work—we have something really simple here, and you can’t really hide anything. Do it well and people will be impressed. Or I would. I would be able to sleep at night.”

When he joined the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel in 2021 as the executive pastry chef, the crème brûlée was flavored with māmaki and it was just “all right.” He brought it back to

70 HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM April 2023

Michael Moorhouse, the basics, infusing it with vanilla beans resort executive grown nearby and serving it with prepastry chef of Mauna Kea Beach Hotel and serves of local fruit—when we talk, it’s the Westin Hapuna blackberries grown in Volcano.

Beach Resort A classicism marks Moorhouse’s work. When he first started working with desserts—filling in for a pastry chef on vacation in a restaurant in suburban Philadelphia—he was drawn to the “tradition of classic pastry work,” he says. “It’s rich and it speaks to me. It’s really cool to be part of that, to be able to make a really good pâte à choux or crème brûlée.”

He’s followed the tradition for more than three decades, through some of New York City’s most celebrated kitchens, including Aquavit, TabBombe Alaska with toasted la, and Alison on Dominick Street, meringue, caramel ice cream, macadamia nut where he stayed for six years, the loncrumble, and liliko‘i syrup gest single stretch at any one place in  his itinerant career. He garnered the attention of Dan Barber, who tapped him for the opening team of Blue Hill at Stone Barns.

While he spent the first part of his career in restaurant pastry kitchens in New York, upon moving to Hawai‘i, where the best-paid pastry jobs are in hotels, he worked as the pastry chef at The Kāhala Hotel & Resort and the Halekūlani.

In some ways, working in hotels— with their emphasis on delivering luxury and comfort—aligns

photos: courtesy of mauna kea beach hotel

M

ICHAEL MOORHOUSE IS VERY PARTICULAR ABOUT CRÈME BRÛLÉE.

PROFILES | ‘ono

 Manta chocolate soufflé served with Kona coffee ice cream and vanilla crème anglaise

with his style of exacting simplicity. You can see it most clearly on Manta’s menu at the Mauna Kea, with its chocolate soufflé, a Joël Robuchon recipe made of just chocolate, sugar and egg whites, delivering a clear, clean chocolate flavor; a Japanesestyle rare cheesecake made with local goat cheese, set on a spiced cookie disk, and with a bit of strawberry jelly and reduced balsamic vinegar.

In 2018, he and his partner moved to Hawai‘i Island thinking they might open a bakery in Hilo. But short on funds, Moorhouse began baking for the farmers market at Cooper Center in Volcano.

He started out with fruit tarts and cookies and brownies. Someone asked him to make cannoli. He didn’t have a mold for them, he replied. The customer brought them to Moorhouse. So he started making cannoli. And then croissants, rolling out the dough by hand before investing in a manual sheeter. That opened the door to all kinds of laminated doughs—puff pastry crusts cradling flans and quiches, butter and chocolate croissants, and savory and sweet Danishes. He rolled the scraps to make cinnamon rolls. “All of that on a folding table in our living room,” he says. Oh, and bread, too.

He bought a double deck pizza oven and powered it with propane tanks in the yard, producing French bread, semolina bread with olives, rye bread, focaccia, ciabatta. At the height of his farmers market stand, he made 30 different items a week. It was proof of what drew him to pastry in the first place: “the alchemy of making something really tasty and beautiful and that you can take the same ingredients in different proportions and different [techniques] and have something different.”

Of his farmers market time, he says, “It was a total hustle, it was great—it was some of the best work that I’ve done.” But in the midst of the pandemic, he needed some stability. So when Mauna Kea came calling, Moorhouse said yes. The work is still diverse—hotel work often maximizes a pastry chef’s breadth of skills. Desserts

that fall into Moorhouse’s purview: the petite welcome loaf of banana bread for guests, the recipe dating back to the hotel’s opening in 1965; the dessert buffet table at the resort’s lū‘au that feeds up to 350 people; the soufflé and crème brûlée and other desserts at the fine dining restaurant Manta; popovers for the restaurant by the golf course and bread pudding katsu for the casual beachside restaurant, which require faster pickups; catering oneoffs that might include chocolate sculptures.

All this with a team of just six. It means not everything can be made from scratch, like the breakfast pastries for the breakfast buffet, but in areas where he can, such as with Manta, he digs in. He buys fruit when it’s in season: 50 pounds of Keitt mangoes at a time, 100 pounds of lychee, a couple of hundred pounds of white pineapple. Soursop, tangerines, grapefruit, blackberries, all grown on Hawai‘i Island. A lot of it goes into sorbets and ice creams and fresh fruit tarts. Sharwil avocados just came into season and he’s still mulling how to use them in desserts. “All that’s exciting to me,” he says. “We have all this amazing stuff—let’s treat it with the respect that it deserves.”

62-100 MAUNA KEA BEACH DRIVE, WAIMEA, HAWAI‘I ISLAND, (808) 882-7222, MAUNAKEARESORT.COM

HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM April 2023 71

afterthoughts

BY JAMES CHAR ISMA

contributor

Hold the Phone

I

SAW SOMETHING STRANGE the other day in Mō‘ili‘ili: a

pay phone that looked to be in pretty good shape. That it was there wasn’t unusual—even though everyone has a cell phone nowadays, you still see quite a few public phones around town. The strange part was its condition. Most pay phones in Hawai‘i are in depressing shape: receivers missing, plastic shattered. They’re generally ruined beyond repair. But aside from some light graffiti, this one looked almost new, like it had been sent here from 2003.

When Honolulu’s pay phones are damaged or destroyed—sometimes literally collapsing through rusted legs—they aren’t replaced. A company called Viiz Communications, with its U.S. headquarters in Alabama, bought Hawai‘i’s pay phones from Hawaiian Telcom in 2017. As part of the sale, Viiz agreed to rebrand all of Hawai‘i’s pay phones and signage, which could have meant no more iconic blue boxes. But the company didn’t do that. In fact, it doesn’t look like the company’s done anything at all with the phones.

When I was younger, I never paid attention to public phones, until my high school friends and I realized you could call one for free if you knew the number. My buddies found it endlessly amusing to call the phone next to the bus stop in front of the McCully-Mō‘ili‘ili library at 6:30 a.m. That’s when they knew I’d be there, waiting for the No. 6 bus to Mānoa to get to school. They finally quit when another bus stop regular picked up the ringing phone one day and told them to get a life (which I found endlessly amusing). Later, we figured out that an electrical outlet, used to power the lightbulb that lit up the phones at night, was hidden behind the plastic cover directly above the phone. Whenever we needed power to recharge our cell phones, ironically, we would look for the nearest pay phone.

72 HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM April 2023

It wasn’t until I saw the movie Punch Drunk Love that I started appreciating Hawai‘i’s pay phones, especially compared to the drab silver and black boxes you see in other cities. In the film, Adam Sandler is making a call at the corner of Seaside and Kalākaua avenues in Waikīkī. It’s a frantic situation. Sandler’s character is yelling into the phone at his sister, while at the same time being crowded by onlookers as the Honolulu Festival parade goes by. The pay phone acts as an anchor, tethering our emotionally unstable protagonist to reality. With bright blue sides adorned in pink hibiscuses and green leaves, the phone is striking and almost looks like it was custom-built by the movie’s prop department.

Soon after I watched it in 2008, I began noticing these beauties all over the city. At the time, there were slightly more than 5,700 pay phones in Hawai‘i, according to the FCC. By 2016, that number was down to 3,615. That still placed Hawai‘i among the top five U.S. states for number of pay phones, behind New York, California, Texas and Pennsylvania. One reason we have so many could be the tourists— not all foreign travelers have cell phones with international data plans. Though how many pay phones actually work seems like anyone’s guess (my calls and emails to Viiz over a three-week period went unanswered). Maybe it’s too expensive to remove them. Or maybe Viiz just forgot about us out here.

The only thing I care about is that the phones are still around.

For lack of a better term, they are aging in place. Even if most of our pay phones look way worse than the ones in Mō‘ili‘ili and Punch Drunk Love, and even if they don’t work at all, I think pay phones deserve space on our streets. Consider them public works of modern art or revered survivors of the Great Phone Wars. We’re already losing rainbow license plates. Leave us the hibiscus pay phones, please.

photo: james charisma

Dear Hawai‘i pay phone: Keep on keeping on.

PRESENTS

Come celebrate Hawai‘i’s iconic dish at Frolic’s sixth annual Poke Fest presented by Fresh Island Fish!

Feast on a lineup of dozens of poke creations from the island’s favorite poke shops, then cast your ballot for whose poke reigns supreme!

MAY 20, 2023 FROM 4–8 P.M. w w w. f r o l i c h a w a i i . c o m

|

M A H A LO TO

@frolichawaii

CO OL O CEAN BRE E ZE A ND LU S H PA L M T R E E S

THE ALLEY | THE ESCAPE GAME | IT’SUGAR | MADEWELL | SUNRISE SHACK | UNIQLO

S H O P P I N G & D I N I N G AT T H E H E A R T O F T H E PA C I F I C ALAMOANACENTER.COM