HONOLULU Magazine May 2024

LOCALLY OWNED SINCE 1888

5 Home Trends in Honolulu

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

publisher

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

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.

editorial design Editorial Director

Diane Seo | (808) 534-7105

dianes@honolulumagazine.com

jnakamura@honolulumagazine.com Senior Art Director

Dining Editor

photography

Mari Taketa

Managing Style Editor

Brie Thalmann

Associate Editor

Thomas Obungen Digital Editor

Andrea Lee

Christine Labrador Staff Photographer

Aaron K. Yoshino

marketing Marketing Director

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

Contributing Editor

Branded Content Creation Manager

Copy Editor

marisah@honolulumagazine.com

Don Wallace

Elroy Garcia Editorial Interns

Julia de Oliveira Vanessa Hathaway

Send us your comments and/or feedback: HONOLULU Magazine 1088 Bishop St., Suite LL2 Honolulu, HI 96813 Email: letters@honolulumagazine.com

James Nakamura | (808) 534-7151

Executive Editor

Katrina Valcourt

FEEDBACK

Creative Director

Marisa Heung | (808) 534-7152 Marketing & Events Coordinator

Janelle You | (808) 534-7533 janelley@honolulumagazine.com

contributors advertising Martha Cheng Kawehi Haug Francis Joy Jeff Sanner

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Michelle Stofle | (808) 534-7532 michelles@honolulumagazine.com Advertising Executive

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EVENTS CALENDAR

Chairman

Duane Kurisu

Chief Executive Officer

Susan Eichor

Chief Operating Officer

Brandon Kurisu

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Jeffrey Tsutsuse

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(ISSN 0441-2044) © 2024 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.

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HONOLULU MAGAZINE

apthawaii.com

Furniture and décor for urban island living conveniently located in the heart of Kaka ako.

Let us help you elevate your way of living.

455 Ward Ave Honolulu, HI 96814 (808) 791-3300 Follow us on Instagram @apthawaii

JAMES NAKAMURA /JEFF SANNER

C E L E B R A T I N G H AWA I ‘ I ’ S S O U L M AY 2 0 2 4 | V O L . LV I I I N O. 9

Aaron Ackerman takes living green to the next level. Read about his home on page 37.

FEATURES 22 Hawai‘i’s Endangered and Threatened Species A look at some of the plants and animals in danger of disappearing from our Islands, with the long-term consequences still unclear.

BY MARTHA CHENG

PROMOTIONS

DEPARTMENTS 32 The Way We Live Now For this year’s real estate-focused issue, we look at five home trends happening in Honolulu.

BY DIANE SEO AND BRIE THALMANN

6 Editor’s Page

19 YEARS BACK HOME

I returned to Honolulu in May 2005, thinking it would be a temporary stay.

BY DIANE SEO

7 Currents Pick up a book by a Hawai‘i Olympian, make afternoon tea reservations, tour the Charlot House and find out who’s taking over the former Encore space.

57 ‘Ono Tadka chef Ganesh Shrestha’s dishes are steeped in tradition— even when he tweaks them to suit local palates.

BY K AWEHI HAUG

64 Afterthoughts

49 Drive Green Electric vehicles are popular in Hawai‘i and help with the state’s environmental goals, but now we need the infrastructure to support them.

54 We Are Windward O‘ahu From breezy, beachready shopping to local-style eats, there’s plenty to see and do on this side of the island.

TOO ASIAN, YET NOT ASIAN ENOUGH

A Honolulu intern shares her journey.

BY VANESSA HATHAWAY

ON THE COVER:

Illustration by James Nakamura

E D I TO R’ S PAG E

Photo TK

19 Years Back Home I returned to Honolulu in May 2005, thinking it would be a temporary stay.

P

ARDON IF I DEVIATE this month from the typical Editor’s Page, where we usually preview the stories in each issue. Something else is on my mind that I’m more compelled to write about. This month, I’ll be celebrating my 19th year back home. I’ve been in Hawai‘i, Honolulu specifically, for 35 total years—16 years as a child/teen​ager, and now for almost two decades as an adult.

When I was in high school, like many kids in Hawai‘i, I was adamant about going away to college. The farther the better, I thought. I remember looking out at the ocean as a kid and feeling the distance, how far and separated I was from a more exciting life. I ended up more than 4,000 miles away in Evanston, Illinois. During my time in college studying journalism, I vowed not to go home after graduating. Peter Gabriel’s 1986 song “Big Time” spoke to me:

The place where I come from is a small town They think so small, they use small words But not me—I’m smarter than that, I worked it out I’ve been stretching my mouth To let those big words come right out I’ve had enough, I’m getting out To the city, the big, big city I cringe now at those lyrics, and my youthful attachment to them.

I did end up living in big cities—Chicago, Los Angeles, New York—and smaller ones like Fort Worth, Jacksonville and Kansas City. At the time, there was a path in print journalism. You start out at small newspapers, then go to medium ones, then if you’re lucky, you get tapped for the big leagues. In my case, the “majors” was the Los Angeles Times, where I hustled as a staff writer for several years.

I returned to Hawai‘i in 2005, 20 years later, six months pregnant, and on the verge ​of ​divorce. Life ​had​humbled me. I had been living in New York City, but with the realization that it was too much for me. Too fast, too money-centered, too competitive both in the workplace and​​even in snagging a pole to hold onto on a crowded subway. In fact, that was what convinced me to leave: being visibly pregnant yet unable to secure a seat or a pole to balance against on a packed subway. Bewildered at the thought of raising my child there, I came home.

My mother, sister and ex-husband helped care for my daughter. But mostly, I was a single parent, raising my girl and working as an editor for one of the local newspapers and at my own startup while freelancing and working other jobs. During that first decade of my daughter’s life, I was convinced my time in Hawai‘i would be temporary. I would stay until

she got older, then return to LA and resume my life and bigger-time media career. I would eventually get back on track.

The years passed, then a decade and more.

Not only have I not left, I’m ​​ living steps from my childhood home. Every day, I drive by​​ Waikīkī Elementary School, and aside from some new playground equipment, it looks exactly the same as when I went there. What’s changed is me. I’m grateful, and not because anything particularly great has happened, but because I have everything I need here—or anywhere. I’ve quelled the discontent and striving that used to jostle within me, replacing it with much-needed perspective. I no longer look externally for circumstances, people or things to make life better. And this happened in a place I vowed to disavow.

So, as I celebrate my 19th year back, I want to say thank you, Honolulu, for welcoming me back, for allowing me to grow, and for helping me to understand, finally, the privilege of being home.

DIANE SEO EDITORIAL DIRECTOR DIANES@HONOLULUMAGAZINE.COM

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LIFE

IN

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STYLE

Grand Strands ➸ IN CELEBRATION OF LEI DAY, MAY 1 , we thought it fitting

to share this stunning image of lei art created by floral designer Kim Scott, of Kamailelauli‘ili‘i Co., for a recent Aloha de Mele campaign.

Inspired by opulent jewelry, the piece took nearly 12 hours to make and comprises more than 1,000 pua kalaunu (crown flowers), a favorite of Queen Lili‘uokalani. Designed to showcase Aloha de Mele’s lovely pareos, the project drew inspiration from mana wāhine and their relationship with the ‘āina—model Maluhia Kinimaka is a pro surfer, an advocate of Hawaiian cultural practices and is dedicated to preserving Hawai‘i’s marine ecosystem. And like the regal pua kalaunu, the resulting photo conveys both beauty and boldness, softness and strength.

—Brie Thalmann, photo courtesy of Aloha de Mele/Serulatta Studios alohademele.com, @alohademele, @kamailelauliiliico

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CURRENTS

HAPPENINGS

May Picks Top events this month.

BY K AT R I N A VA LC O U RT

Concert An Evening with James Taylor May 4 / 8 p.m.

Blaisdell Arena / $69.50 and up

Food & Drink Sip+Shop May 11 / 5 to 7 p.m.

Kāhala Mall / $40 to $45

One of the bestselling musicians of all time thanks to hits like “Fire and Rain” and “You’ve Got a Friend,” James Taylor has been performing since the 1960s. Expect to hear songs from his latest Grammy Award-winning album, American Standard.

Whether you’re shopping for or with Mom ahead of Mother’s Day, visit more than 10 mall merchants offering small wine pours and light bites, plus exclusive discounts and a special tote available exclusively to ticket holders. hnltix.com, @honolulumag, @frolichawaii

bampproject.com, @bampproject

Fundraiser Inspo! 2024 May 11 / 5 to 9 p.m.

Bishop Museum’s Great Lawn / $10 to $50

Night at the Museum Gaze at stars and explore Bishop Museum After Hours.

B

ISHOP MUSEUM’S MONTHLY EVENT, AF TER HOURS,

THOMAS OBUNGEN

unfolds every second Friday from 5 to 9 p.m. with Hawaiian Hall tours, keiki activities, planetarium shows (for an additional fee), live music, and food and drink for sale by local vendors. Attendees are invited to explore the museum’s various cultural exhibitions or just spend the evening gazing at stars from the Great Lawn.

Lanakila Pacific, a nonprofit organization empowering those with disabilities, celebrates 85 years of service with an art-themed fundraiser.

Check out work from local artists, crafters and entrepreneurs, plus food and entertainment. lanakilapacific.org, @lanakilapacific

Comedy Sheng Wang May 24 and 25 / 7 p.m.

Hawai‘i Theatre / $39.50 and up Move fast if you want to snag a seat to see comedian Sheng Wang—Friday’s show sold out, prompting a second one the following night.

Otherwise, you can always catch his stand-up special, Sweet and Juicy, on Netflix. hawaiitheatre.com, @shengwangtime

$10 presale, $15 at the door (Bishop Museum members get in free); 1525 Bernice St., bishopmuseum.org, @bishopmuseum

NEW IN TOWN A few places that have opened recently.

PHOTOS: MARI TAKETA , COURTESY OF BODY BALANCE, COURTESY OF ALOHA BALLROOM CO., DIANE SEO

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HONOLULU MAGAZINE

Onda Pasta & Provisions An Italian market with fresh pasta dinner kits and imported specialty items opened in March in Kaimukī between Brick Fire Tavern and the new Fusion Café + Wine. ondapastahi.com, @ondapastaprovisions

Body Balance The 25-year-old fitness studio moved to its new Ala Moana Center location in February, offering more than 100 classes including cycling and Pilates. bodybalancehi.com, @bodybalancehawaii

Aloha Ballroom Co. Try your hand at ballroom or Latin dance in this Kapi‘olani studio recently opened by choreographer Tony Meredith. A grand opening will be held this summer. alohaballroom company.com, @alohaballroomco

El Azul From the team behind Castro’s in Waikīkī comes a taqueria in Pālolo, open for dinner Tuesdays through Saturdays. Get the grilled chicken tacos. taqueriaelazulhawaii. com, @elazulpalolo

CURRENTS

SPOTTED

New Wave

A Helping Wing

Carissa Moore’s newly released book is a love letter to the Islands told through the lens of surfing.

BY BRIE THALMANN

COURTESY: RIZZOLI

MUST READ

Native feathered (and furred) patients are on the rise at this unique rehab.

S

OON, SURF FANS will be seeing a lot less of Carissa Moore out in

COURTESY: EMILEE GOO

the water, at least in the professional sense. In January, the five-time world champion announced that she’ll be retiring from competitive surfing after this summer’s Paris Olympic Games to pursue other passions and start a family. But fans can still get their Riss fix by snagging a copy of Moore’s new book Carissa Moore: Hawai‘i Gold, which offers a personal, behind-the-scenes look at the 31-year-old’s celebrated career and upbringing in the Islands.

From her very first paddle out as a keiki on O‘ahu’s south shore to winning the first-ever Olympic gold medal in surfing in 2020, Moore reflects on the rich lineage, cultural traditions, people and breaks that shaped her along the way.

Much like the work she does through her charitable foundation, Moore Aloha, the book is intended to inspire the next generation of Hawaiian wave riders. “It has always been a dream to use my experiences to help girls and women create a life of positivity, passion and purpose,” Moore said at a recent event. “I hope young female surfers, especially from Hawai‘i, feel a sense of connection, purpose and belonging to this place and our past. By understanding where we come from and all those who have paved the way, we can be empowered to move forward and chase our wildest dreams.”

The book also features a slew of contributions from members of Moore’s hui, including several members of her family and big names in the surfing world, such as Tom Pōhaku Stone, Kelia Moniz, Clyde Aikau, Keala Kennelly, Kai Lenny and John John Florence, who offer unique takes on what Hawai‘i means to them and how surfing has impacted their lives.

And the book’s lineup of photographers is equally impressive.

Thrilling action shots, dreamy oceanscapes and snippets of Island life captured by Zak Noyle, John Hook, Keith Kandell and more pull you right into Moore’s sun-drenched, salt air world. $57.50, rizzoliusa.com

COURTESY: HAWAI‘I WILDLIFE CENTER

BY M A R I TA K E TA

Y

OU MIGHT HAVE SEEN

the Native Bird and Bat Rehabilitation and Hospital Care van on O‘ahu’s roadways. It belongs to the Hawai‘i Wildlife Center, a North Kohala-based nonprofit that rescues and rehabilitates winged species across the state. Since 2023, its first O‘ahu satellite has been giving short-term care to native birds and bats on this island.

That’s a lot to tweet about: Last year’s 1,016 winged patients were a record for the center. Most were ‘ua‘u kani or wedge-tailed shearwater fledglings blinded by artificial lights as they made their first flights toward the night sea. A good number are manu-oKū chicks that fall out of trees in urban and suburban Honolulu. Once in a while, there’s a tiny ‘ōpe‘ape‘a—a thumb-size Hawaiian hoary bat, the state’s only native land mammal.

“There’s such great wildlife to be seen on O‘ahu. People don’t realize,” says Linda Elliott, who opened the center in 2012. Back then, she expected a couple of hundred patients a year. “They think everything’s gone from O‘ahu and it’s a lost cause, and that’s absolutely not true.”

For native bird rescue tips or ways to volunteer, contact the Hawai‘i Wildlife Center at (808) 884-5000, hawaiiwildlifecenter.org, @hawaiiwildlifecenter.

M AY 2 0 2 4

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CURRENTS

Dean & DeLuca Bite after intricate bite, this afternoon tea is worth the price, with 15 dishes including pork rillette, truffle asparagus terrine and mentaiko potato salad on shokupan.

INDULGENCES

Par-Tea Time

$54, reservation required, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., The RitzCarlton Residences, Waikīkī Beach, 383 Kalaimoku St., deandeluca-hawaii.com, @deandelucahawaii

New afternoon tea options in Waikīkī for those looking to treat Mom on Mother’s Day.

BY ANDREA LEE

Makana Lani Start with Hawai‘i-grown tea or coffee, then dig into sandwiches: a hearty truffle lobster roll, a prime rib slider, a light egg salad sando, and a smoked salmon, cucumber and cream cheese sandwich, all on house-made bread. Round out the set with haupia muffins and scones with salted sweet cream butter.

JON DUARTE DESIGN GROUP, INC. / DUARTE STUDIOS

$60, 10% kama‘āina discount, reservation required, weekends 2:15 to 5 p.m., ‘Alohilani Resort, 2490 Kalākaua Ave., makanalanihawaii.com, @makanalanihawaii

◄ Espacio This luxe afternoon tea includes a glass of rosé and your choice of exclusive teas brewed in a unique teapot. The menu’s delicacies include a spiny lobster roll with smoked trout caviar and black truffle pearls, an apple tarte Tatin and black currant scones with clotted cream and house preserves. $120, reservation required, Saturdays 1 p.m., Espacio, The Jewel of Waikīkī, 2452 Kalākaua Ave., espaciowaikiki.com, @espaciowaikiki

THINGS TO DO

M I D C E N T U RY M A S T E R P I E C E

A

RC H I T ECT U R E E N T H U S I ASTS can now tour the lush,

asymmetrical ranch-style home of the late French American painter and illustrator Jean Charlot and his wife, Zohmah. Architect Graham Hart leads the intimate monthly tours ($50 cash) of the historic Kāhala residence. Between the Vladimir Ossipoff kitchen and Pete Wimberly cantilever dining table, the artist’s ​​soul is imbued throughout the 10

HONOLULU MAGAZINE

2,800-square-foot property, which was completed in 1958. Hart’s tours help ​​fund the restoration of the m ​​ idcentury modern home, which combines the openness of indoor-outdoor Island living with French and Mexican elements. A light brunch for attendees prepared by co-host Kristine Pontecha pays homage to Charlot’s French and Aztec heritage. Contact Hart on Instagram @grmhrt to reserve a spot.

—Thomas Obungen

THOMAS OBUNGEN

The private home of Jean and Zohmah ​Charlot​is now open for tours.

CURRENTS

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

“They Are Our Angels” The first of our recurring series about our intimate connection with animals.

A

Ahu and Brandon Hettema with three of their eight cats (the others were hiding) inside their Kaka‘ako apartment. The Hettemas plan to move to a home in Hawai‘i Kai to give the kitties, all of whom are fixed, more space to roam.

HU AND BRANDON HETTEMA DIDN’T INTEND TO ADOPT EIGHT CATS, but as life typically goes, their feline “angels,”

as Ahu calls them, found their way to them. Aslan was the first. They met the rescued kitty in 2014 during an adoption event at Petco Kapolei. “He hugged me and wouldn’t let me go,” recalls Ahu, the chef-owner of acclaimed restaurant Istanbul. At the time, the couple didn’t have (or want) a pet. But the day after that memorable encounter, Brandon went back for the loving orange tabby. Then came Alice, adopted to be Aslan’s friend. Then Titania and Totoro, a fixed male who befriended a pregnant stray; once the stray had kittens, all of them went to live at the Hettemas’ then-home in Kapolei. Initially, Ahu and Brandon planned to put the kittens up for adoption. “But once you have this, you have this,” Ahu says. “And the idea of letting them go is not possible.”

—Diane Seo, photo by Aaron K. Yoshino M AY 2 0 2 4

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ENRICHMENT

What’s Cooking?

These expert-led classes for home cooks will expand your culinary horizons.

Beachhouse at the Moana The Moana Masters cooking series highlights different parts of the culinary experience at the historic Moana Surfrider. A recent class led by pastry chef Carmen Montejo included a demonstration on preparing the blueberry scones and a mixed berry jam that accompanies the hotel’s signature afternoon tea service (also included in the experience) at ​Beachhouse​. $135, 2365 Kalākaua Ave., ​ beachhousewaikiki​.com, @beachhousemoana

Hana Kitchens Hana Kitchens, a hub for makers and tasters, incubates talent like no other. And sharing knowledge with foodies who enjoy cooking at home is a big part of what it does. Hana Kitchens’ chef-led classes encompass a world of cuisines,​from Italian street food to sushi and falafel. The handson sessions are suitable for both novices and experienced home 12

HONOLULU MAGAZINE

ABE MCAULTON, HANA KITCHENS

BY THOMAS OBUNGEN

cooks—and often sell out fast.

Sign up for Hana Kitchens’ email newsletter for the scoop on registration. $120–$220, 55 Merchant St., hanakitchens.com, @hanakitchens

Hau Tree This pasta-making tour of Italy takes place in the comfort of an oceanfront private dining room at Kaimana Beach Hotel’s Hau Tree restaurant. Learn the basics of mixing and rolling fresh pasta from chef John Taube IV, whose experience in Michelin-star kitchens will help you add a gourmet twist to home-cooked meals. The class includes dinner, wine pairings and gifts to bring home. $225, 2863 Kalākaua Ave., exploretock.com/hautree/ event/432278, @thehautree

Hawaiian-Style Cooking Classes Chef Linda Gehring invites attendees to her Kāhala home kitchen to learn how to prepare Hawaiian food or other types of cuisine. The session ends with a communal meal. $149–$169, 4078 Kulamanu St., hawaiianstylecookingclass.com, @histylecooking

Culinary Institute of the Pacific Set in the modern food labs of the Culinary Institute of the Pacific, the n ​ oncredit​courses at Kapi‘olani Community College offer one of the best values for classes. This month, learn about local Chinese classics like minute chicken on cake noodle and beef chow fun from chef instructor Grant Sato. Past classes have covered local Japanese dishes, artisanal breads and more. $130, 4303 Diamond Head Road, ce.uhcc.hawaii.edu, @kccculinary

Wellness Kitchen Registered dietitian Lisa Matsunaga brings a dash of insight and a huge scoop of health to her intimate cooking classes in her home kitchen in East O‘ahu.

Her most popular class covers the basics of a Japanese-style ​ teishoku​lunch, including a daikon salad, misoyaki fish, chawanmushi, soup and brown rice. Other classes cover special occasion meals, gyoza dumplings, vegan dishes and more. $425 for two people (minimum), wellnesskitchenhi.com, @wellnesskitchenhi

Fishschool Although you won’t learn how to cook, ceramicist Allison Arakawa’s classes at Fishschool involve baking … in a kiln! From Fridge Friends to Delicious Dishes, many of Arakawa’s ceramics classes revolve around food themes. And they book up fast. $40–$60, 307c Kamani St., fishcake.us, @fishschoolhawaii

CURRENTS

W H E R E T O E AT

Giovedi Comes to Chinatown The Italian and pan-Asian pop-up finds a permanent space on Hotel Street.

BY THOMAS OBUNGEN

S

PAGHETTI VIETNAM-ATRICIANA and plates of​​fresh c ​ rudi​

THOMAS OBUNGEN

topped with Calabrian chile crisp have arrived in Chinatown.

Giovedi, the inventive pop-up restaurant formerly in Kaka‘ako, has moved to a permanent space on Hotel Street, next to Fête, bringing to the neighborhood a fusion of classic Italian dishes and flavors from Asia courtesy of chefs Bao Tran and Jake Saito, and Jennifer Akiyoshi. No longer limited to a prix fixe menu, Giovedi will offer an à la carte dinner menu and a new cocktail and wine program. It’s expected to open early this summer.

10 N. Hotel St., (808) 723-9049, giovedihawaii.com, @giovedirestaurant

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P

BREAKTHROUGH

Pashyn Play Honolulu comedian Pashyn Santos has attracted followers well beyond Hawai‘i with her skits making fun of local life.

DAVID CROXFORD

BY VA N E S S A H AT H AWAY

ASHYN SANTOS STARTED OUT PERFORMING

hilarious six-second skits about local life on the nowdefunct Vine app. “Hanging out with aunties and uncles, relatable stuff,” she says. After moving on to Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube, her sketches—like her famous “Pidgin Siri” series—caught on first with Hawai‘i folks, then went viral well beyond the Islands. Today, the Kahuku High graduate has 265,000 Instagram followers, 439,000 TikTok followers, 167,000 followers on Facebook and 22,000 YouTube subscribers, making her a bona fide social media star.

Last year, the 37-year-old comedian appeared as a contestant on the Netflix reality show Squid Games: The Challenge, which was shot in London.

While it was stressful to be disconnected from her family—she had to be phone-free during the shoot—and exposed to London’s chilly temperatures, Santos describes the experience as “one of the coolest things.”

She also was tapped for TV commercials for Zippy’s and First Insurance Co. of Hawai‘i. And she wrote and self-published two children’s books, My Mom and I in 2018, and Jr Boy in 2022, which tells the story of a boy trying to get out of school, only to learn there’s no school because it’s the start of makahiki. She’s now at work on a screenplay and will be appearing in a local feature film, to be shot this summer. She says she’s doing “a little bit of everything” and that she hopes to write more children’s books and appear “in some really fun, awesome, heartfelt

comedy movies and possibly even TV shows.”

“I always dreamed of being an entertainer, but I never imagined it would lead me from posting on social media to appearing on TV and reaching a global audience.”

As a child, Santos spent much of her time traveling between islands, saying she “went to more high schools, or schools in general, than there are grade levels.” She eventually settled in Kahuku and worked as a dancer for both a Polynesian cruise ship and the Polynesian Cultural Center. But she always hoped to eventually pursue acting—and social media provided the perfect outlet to showcase her talents.

Vine’s format gave her what she called a “crash course” on how to quickly grab someone’s attention, then get instant feedback. One of her earliest “Pidgin Siri” videos shows her asking for directions to Ala Moana.

“Shoots, Auntie take care of you,” Siri says. “Turn left on da next street right aftah da mango tree.” This video was an instant hit, receiving 100,000 views on Facebook 15 minutes after it was posted.

Although Santos has moved beyond her Siri series, she’s still making fun of local life in short videos that people around the world can relate to, even if they’ve never been to Hawai‘i.

“I want to put Hawai‘i on the map, although I think Hawai‘i is already on the map,” she says. “There are so many talented people here. And I hope that with everything I do, I’m elevating everyone else alongside pursuing my passions.”

ENRICHMENT

PUSHING AHEAD A new AI hub has opened in Kaka‘ako.

T

ILLUSTRATION: JAMES NAK AMURA

HOSE INTERESTED IN EXPLORING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE can attend free workshops organized by the new Hawai‘i Center for AI. The nonprofit, operating out of the Entrepreneurs Sandbox, was launched to help Hawai‘i residents and businesses learn how to leverage AI ethically and effectively. The group has been hosting meetups, some of them highly technical for developers, and others for people who simply want to use AI. “Community volunteers are leading the sessions. For instance, we had someone discussing AI and grantmaking, and someone else talking about AI and education,” says Peter Dressler, the center’s executive director and co-founder. While Hawai‘i is often seen as a laggard in technology adoption, we can push forward in AI and create work opportunities, says fellow co-founder Nam Vu. “A wave is coming, and we don’t want to turn our backs. AI is going to affect all services, and we need to know more about it and what responsible AI means.” —Diane Seo

643 Ilalo St., hawaiiai.org 14

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PURSUITS

Dream Colors It’s all about precision and details for hairstylist Jamie Keiko, who owns the Mika Haus salon on South King Street. Clients like Chanel ShigetaEngleman (below) turn to her to transform their locks with dramatic, head-turning colors. And what they’re asking for has changed a lot since Mika Haus first opened in the middle of the pandemic. “During COVID, [clients wanted] natural colors—nothing really crazy,” Keiko says. “I was doing some really low-maintenance browns, and women that I hadn’t seen in a while wanted to become all gray and let it be all natural.” But with the lockdowns behind us, her customers are now opting for vivid shades. It took six hours for Shigeta-Engleman’s hair to go from jet black to a brilliant fuchsia using techniques Keiko acquired in Japan. “It’s a very intimate and rewarding experience. I see such a change in their posture and demeanor,” Keiko says, “a confidence that maybe wasn’t there from when they first came in. It’s the most rewarding and gratifying feeling.”

—James Nakamura, photo by Aaron K. Yoshino

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SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION

A Museum and More for Our Community Shangri La Museum of Islamic Art, Culture & Design, a center of the Doris Duke Foundation, is transforming passion into purpose through its exhibitions, residencies, and events in Honolulu.

Shangri La’s 8x8:Source exhibition brings contemporary artists across Hawai‘i into dialogue with the center’s historic collection and location in Kūpikipiki‘ō, on the other side of Lē‘ahi (Diamond Head). Sparking a generative force to this year’s exhibition, the theme, “source,” has been interpreted by 16 artists to produce commentaries on topics ranging from sustainability and ancestry to rising and return. In celebration of Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Shangri La is highlighting the works and artists in 8x8: Source through HONOLULU Magazine. The works of these incredibly inspiring artists help us to imagine a more creative, equitable and sustainable vision for our islands in the Pacific.

This fourth installment of 8x8 brings together eight visual artists and eight performing artists, all based in Hawai‘i, to create new work inspired by their encounters with Shangri La. View the entire 8x8: Source exhibition and learn more about the artists at www.shangrilahawaii.org.

Paula Fuga Heaven and Earth. Photograph: Elyse Butler, 2023.

SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION

8x8: Source artist Sean Choo. Photograph: Wakeful State, 2024.

Abigail Romanchak in front of Pilina (woodblock, sekishu paper, kō (sugarcane) ash, ‘alae, etching ink, graphite powder, shellac), on view in the Shangri La dining room.

Photograph: Wakeful State, 2024.

“Native cultures are jeopardized once they stop speaking to people in present day. The expressive freedom of printmaking allows me to communicate my deep personal feelings about rapidly changing cultural and natural landscapes. After experiencing the recent devastating fires on my home island Maui, I have been thinking more about traditional land tenure and the importance of ecological interdependence in Hawai‘i. ‘Pilina‘ honors the traditional land divisions, moku of pre-contact Hawaiians. The natural contours of the Hawaiian Islands along with specific resources located within these moku remind us of the importance of Indigenous resource management practices necessary to protect the land and its people.

When asked to respond to the theme ‘source,’ ‘ola i ka wai’—’water is life’—is what comes to mind for me.”

— Abigail Romanchak

Lehuauakea, E Hele I Ka Pō Mālie, earth pigments on hand-beaten kapa. Photograph: Elyse Butler, 2023.

Learn more about 8x8: Source

SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION

David Shepard in front of his 8x8 artwork, Manu-o-kū & Flowering Hau Tree. Photograph: Wakeful State, 2024.

Laritza Labouche (T.J. Keanu Tario) performing Finding Ku‘u Home.

Photograph: Elyse Butler, 2023.

8x8: Source artist Amelia Samari viewing Maika‘i Tubbs’ work, Not Your Garden Variety, inkjet on wood on view in the Ottoman Gallery. Photograph: Wakeful State, 2024.

8x8 Source Artists: Sean-Joseph Takeo Kahāokalani Choo | Ryan Kamakakēhau Fernandez | Paula Fuga | Noah Harders | Nick Kurosawa | Lehuauakea | Kenny WaiFu Lui | Punahele | No‘u Revilla | Abigail Romanchak | Amelia Samari | Michelle Schwengel-Regala | David Shepard | Laritza Labouche (T.J. Keanu Tario) | Maika‘i Tubbs | I Made Widana

While 8x8: Source has been on view, Shangri La, a center of the Doris Duke Foundation, is growing its transformative experiences in 2024. This creative campus and former home of Doris Duke has been expanding how it champions the arts and voices from Hawai‘i and across the globe. Shangri La has held a series of transformative programs, convenings and events that activated dynamic discussions for the community.

A.I. in the Open Panel Discussion at Shangri La (left to right): Dr. Alondra Nelson, Deep Ganguli, Gabriel Yanagihara, Helen Toner, Lance Askildson, and Marietje Schaake.

Photograph: Wakeful State, 2024.

SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION

Doris Duke’s Visionary Voices: Women, Creativity, & Power event featuring Carissa Moore in conversation with Meredith Artley, Executive-in-Residence, Shangri La. Photograph: Wakeful State, 2024.

Doris Duke’s Visionary Voices: Women, Creativity, & Power panel featuring the women of impact from HONOLULU Magazine’s March issue! Photograph: Wakeful State, 2024.

A few highlights so far in 2024 include: Doris Duke Foundation’s Child Wellbeing Program and Shangri La held a welcome pau hana for Hawai‘i-based ‘ohana and keiki wellness-centered initiatives; Shangri La partnered with the Institute for Advanced Study to host a community conversation panel around the benefits and challenges of artificial intelligence; celebrated women of impact in our community with Doris Duke Visionary Voices: Women, Creativity & Power, an event featuring the women of HONOLULU Magazine’s March issue and World Surfing Champion, Olympic Gold Medalist and founder of Moore Aloha, Carissa Moore; brought community together to celebrate Nowruz (Persian New Year).

About the Doris Duke Foundation: The mission of the Doris Duke Foundation (DDF) is to build a more creative, equitable and sustainable future by investing in artists and the performing arts, environmental conservation, medical research, child well-being and greater mutual understanding among diverse communities.

For more information, please visit @dorisdukefdn and www.dorisduke.org

About Shangri La:

Nowruz spring celebration at Shangri La. Photograph: Wakeful State, 2024.

Itself a work of art, Shangri La is a center of the Doris Duke Foundation that convenes conversations of local and global significance through its residencies, exhibitions, and community programs.

Shangri La’s approach to art reflects the Doris Duke Foundation’s commitment to the values of diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice as ongoing active engagements represented in all that we do.

For more information, please visit @hi_shangrila and www.shangrilahawaii.org

Come celebrate Hawai‘i’s iconic dish at Frolic’s seventh annual Poke Fest at Ka Makana Ali‘i. 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!

For more information: honolulumagazine.com

Hawai‘i’s

ENDANGERED and THREATENED SPECIES

22 A look at some of the plants and animals in danger of disappearing from our Islands, with the long-term consequences still unclear.

BY MARTHA CHENG

MAY 17 ENDANGERED SPECIES DAY

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Every year on the third Friday in May, people across the globe take part in various programs and events that bring attention to endangered and threatened species. The day was founded by the Endangered Species Coalition in 2006.

DOUG PERRINE

HAWAI‘I HAS MORE threat-

False killer whales, Pseudorca crassidens, off the North Kona Coast of Hawai‘i Island

ened and endangered species than any other state in the country. Of the approximately 1,670 endangered plants and animals listed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, almost a third are found in Hawai‘i. This has led the Islands to be described in apocalyptic terms: “ground zero” for the planet’s extinction crisis and the “extinction capital of the world.”

But how do we decide what to save? The answer, it turns out, is as difficult for biologists to answer as it is for philosophers. I asked conservationists: Of Hawai‘i’s threatened species, which, if they were to disappear completely, would have the most widespread or catastrophic effects? We talk of so many losses in Hawai‘i, and while some are intangible, I was hoping for a scientific model for concrete answers. But there is none.

“We are thinking about this whole thing as a forest ecosystem,” says Julia Diegmann, a planner at the Kaua‘i Forest Bird Recovery Project. “​​The analogy I always use is that it’s like a Jenga game. You have this tower and it’s a solid tower if all the parts are there, but then you start removing pieces. And it becomes more and more unstable, but you don’t really know which one is going to be the piece that brings this whole tower to collapse. We don’t have enough knowledge to determine which is the species that we should save.”

And just as the forest ecosystem is interconnected, so too are physical and cultural worlds. Hawai‘i is one of the most ecologically diverse regions in the world, “and it’s that ecological richness that created the biological richness that created the cultural richness of Hawai‘i,” says Sam

‘Ohu Gon III, scientist and cultural adviser at The Nature Conservancy of Hawai‘i. In addition to the utility provided by Hawai‘i’s endemic plants and animals—for example, the wood of lama trees was used to build temples, and the leaves and berries of pōpolo plants to treat illnesses—there are also the “intellectual and spiritual values” associated with them, Gon says. “Whenever you look at an ancient chant, more often than not there will be mention of native plants and animals for emotions, for love.”

He points to ‘Ōlelo No‘eau, a book of Hawaiian proverbs and sayings compiled by Mary Kawena Pukui, which contains separate indexes for birds, marine life and plants, “because plants and animals were so important in the metaphors that were being used by Hawaiians and are still being used

by Hawaiians to describe everyday things,” Gon says.

It’s not a coincidence that a place with such ecological diversity is also the place with the most extinctions: The more you have, the more you have to lose. Over the 40 years Gon has worked in conservation, he says he’s seen five species native to Hawai‘i go extinct. “I’ve seen them, heard their songs and seen their beauty in the forest. And … it’s a horrible thing [when they go extinct].

When I was young, I used to see the ‘alalā, the Hawaiian crow, in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, sitting on the fence posts, and now they’re extinct in the wild and only being raised in captivity. Or you can remember walking on a trail that was completely filled with native plants. And then now when you walk on that same trail, it’s filled with invasive weeds from all over the world. That changes the whole cultural background of what you’re walking through.”

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AMONG THE CHARACTERISTICS that make false killer

whales unique: They share their food, not only with their companions, but even with humans—in Hawai‘i, they’ve been known to offer their fish to snorkelers and divers. And like humans, they go through menopause. False killer whales live in warm oceans around the world, but of the insular population that lives around the main Hawaiian Islands, there are only about 140 left, making them the rarest of the 18 species of toothed whales and dolphins in Hawai‘i’s waters. Their numbers have plummeted since the 1980s. Factors contributing to their decline include slow reproductive rates (they have just one calf every six or seven years).

Also, because they’re top predators and can live into their 60s, they accumulate high levels of toxic pollutants over the years. And they’re at risk from human fisheries because they go after fish on hooks.

It’s unclear how losing false killers would affect our ecosystem, “but we have a lot of examples within different ecosystems that show what happens when you lose a top predator,” says Jeannine Rossa, acting lead for the state’s Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Protected Species Program. The classic example she cites is of the wolves in Yellowstone.

They were hunted to near extinction by 1930, and their prey, the elk and deer, ballooned in numbers​.​Grazing by the elk and deer decimated the streamside vegetation, destroying bird habitats and eroding the stream banks.

When wolves were reintroduced to the park in 1995, plant life returned to the stream banks, as did birds, fish and other animals. “There are similar cascading effects with losing a species within the marine ecosystems as well,” Rossa says.

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‘I‘iwi OF THE 50 OR SO SPECIES of Hawai-

ian honeycreepers, less than half remain. The brilliantly red ‘i‘iwi, an important ‘ōhi‘a pollinator, is vulnerable to ​​the same threats that wiped out other forest birds: habitat loss, predation by non-native mammals, and avian malaria. Gon says, “Of the birds that provided for all of the Native Hawaiian featherwork, the beautiful, brilliant capes and helmets that we can see in the Bishop Museum and other museums worldwide, only the ‘i‘iwi still exists, and it is on the verge of endangerment.” The bird’s cultural significance is huge, and so would be its loss, he says.

Gon notes that the ‘i‘iwi is also “symbolic of a beloved person”: The bird features in “Ipo Lei Manu,” the love song that Queen Kapi‘olani ​​wrote for her husband King David Kalākaua when he traveled to San Francisco, but became a mourning song when he died there.

He mana‘o healoha No ka ipo lei manu He manu ku‘u hoa Noho mai i ka nahele ‘I‘iwi o uka I have a feeling of love For my cherished sweetheart My companion is a bird Who dwells in the forest The ‘i‘iwi bird of the uplands

FRANCIS JOY

False Killer Whales

‘I‘iwi at Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge on Hawai‘i Island

2024 IS K A MAK AHIKI O NĀ MANU NAHELE: THE YEAR OF THE FOREST BIRDS Hawai‘i’s native forest birds exist only in the Islands. These birds have critical ecological roles as pollinators, seed dispersers and insect managers of Hawai‘i’s forests and are an inextricable part of Native Hawaiian culture as ‘aumakua (family deities) and messengers between akua (gods) and kānaka (people). The forest birds, or nā manu nahele in Hawaiian, are celebrated in mele (songs), mo‘olelo (stories), ‘ōlelo no‘eau (proverbs), ka‘ao (legends), and in the creation of feather adornments, including lei hulu.

Our manu nahele are at risk: Of 84 forest bird species known from either the fossil record or human observation, 58 have gone extinct. Of the 26 species that remain, 24 are listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as vulnerable, near-threatened, threatened, endangered or critically endangered. To hear the bird songs and learn more about forest birds and efforts to prevent their extinction, visit dlnr.hawaii.gov/dofaw/manu/.

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Native Yellow-Faced Bees “THE NATIVE YELLOW-FACED BEES” —of which

FRANCIS JOY

there are 63 species, seven of them listed as endangered—“are an important part of maintaining the whole ecosystem,” entomologist Karl Magnacc​a says.

“The bees are key pollinators of many of the common native plants that make up intact native landscapes, like ‘ōlapa, ‘a‘ali‘i, pūkiawe, māmane, naupaka, etc. A big problem that native forests face is low reproduction of native plants in the face of invasive ones, so the more native seeds produced the better.”

Some of these solitary, native bees have adapted alongside the plants.

“We think about pollen as being just small, but it varies a lot in size,” Magnacca says. Unlike honeybees, which carry pollen on their legs, the yellow-faced bees bring pollen back to their nests by swallowing it. “So, if you think of a typical size of a native bee, swallowing some of these pollen would be like swallowing an aspirin. Trying to swallow one of these ‘ilima would be like trying to swallow a baseball. And so, these ones that specialize on ‘ilima are much bigger.”

Yellow-faced bee, Ka‘iwi coastline

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‘Ōhi‘a Lehua “IT’S REALLY DIFFICULT to talk about any

single plant as being vitally important, but ‘ōhi‘a comes pretty close,” Gon says.

While ‘ōhi‘a is not listed as endangered, it is under threat by the fungus Rapid ‘Ōhi‘a Death, which has already killed thousands of the trees and has the potential to wipe them out across Hawai‘i. And that’s a problem because ‘ōhi‘a is a keystone species, one that holds an entire ecosystem together. ​​If we lose ‘ōhi‘a, we lose not only food and habitat for native birds, as well as the layers of plants that have coexisted under ‘ōhi‘a’s canopy, we also lose our water. “‘Ōhi‘a are enormously important for our water system,” DLNR’s Rossa says. Everything about the tree functions to hold onto water, from its rough bark to the fuzzy leaves that resemble “the potato chips that are like little cups for you to scoop stuff with,” she says. The effect is a slow release of water into the soil and into our aquifer, our source for fresh water. Contrast the ‘ōhi‘a with introduced species like the strawberry guava or eucalyptus, with smooth bark and slick leaves. Without ‘ōhi‘a, water would rush down the mountains, “take mud and silt and destroy the reefs and not go into our underground aquifers and we would all be in a lot of trouble,” ​​Gon says.​​​

The Endangered Species Act of 1973 provides a framework to conserve and protect endangered and threatened species and their habitats. Congress passed the act with the understanding that without protection, many of our nation’s native plants and animals would become extinct. “Nothing is more priceless and more worthy of preservation than the rich array of animal life with which our country has been blessed,” President Richard Nixon said upon signing the act.

Both the U.S. government and the state of Hawai‘i have endangered species laws. Hawai‘i’s list includes all species listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, but also the pueo (Hawai‘i’s endemic owl) and ​ manu-o-Kū (white tern) on O‘ahu. The state’s list also includes some endangered plants on private lands that are not on the federal list.

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FRANCIS JOY

ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT

‘Ōhi‘a lehua on the Palikea peak of the Wai‘anae Range

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HOW DOES THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT WORK? The law allows individuals and organizations to petition to have a species listed as endangered or threatened. These petitions undergo rigorous scientific evaluation and public review before a decision is made on whether a species should be protected. The law requires protection for critical habitat areas and the development and implementation of recovery plans for listed species. Viewed as the gold standard for conservation legislation, the Endangered Species Act is one of the world’s most effective laws for preventing and reversing the decline of endangered and threatened wildlife.

DAVID FLEETHAM

Source: World Wildlife Fund (worldwildlife.org)

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Porites Coral IN THE KUMULIPO, or

Hawaiian creation chant, the ko‘a, or coral polyp, is the first organism born.

It’s the foundation of life in Hawai‘i.

Hanau ka ‘Uku-ko‘ako‘a, hanau kana, he ‘Ako‘ako‘a, puka Born was the coral polyp, born was the coral, came forth In particular, two varieties—finger corals and mound corals, both of the genus Porites— are the slowest growing and make up the bulk of our reefs. They are the equivalent of the old-growth redwood trees in California and ‘ōhi‘a in Hawai‘i: They provide the main structure and habitats of entire ecosystems. These corals are not listed as endangered, but they are currently under stress from rising ocean temperatures: “In 2015 around Maui, the temperature threshold was exceeded dramatically, and we had large 400-year-old lobe coral colonies die. Just completely die,” says Russell Sparks, a Maui district aquatic biologist at the DLNR.​“​Corals that had survived all kinds of stresses and events over the last 400 years just couldn’t handle that. The forecast is that the temperature threshold will be exceeded every year from 2030 on. So that’s a dire forecast for our corals.” Other threats include overfishing, which decreases the fish populations that help manage seaweed around the corals—without parrotfish and other species, coral growth is smothered.

If Hawai‘i loses its Porites coral, it loses “the dominant reef-building coral,” Sparks says, and “over time, the reefs would start to erode and become flat and featureless, and you have a flat pavement with a layer of sand that comes and goes. Not even other corals can really grow because there’s not enough vertical relief above the sand. If you don’t have coral reefs actively growing, then they’re gonna be eroding.” And if Hawai‘i doesn’t have its reefs, its coasts are also more vulnerable to erosion.

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THE WAY WE LIVE NOW For this year’s real estate-focused issue, we look at five home trends happening in Honolulu.

BY DIANE SEO AND BRIE THALMANN PHOTOGRAPHY BY AARON K. YOSHINO

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Like many of the newer condos, Kō‘ula at Ward Village offers its residents a luxurious entertainment space to host parties. Read more about the enhanced amenities at the city’s new condos on page 38.

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T H E WA Y W E L I V E N O W

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hether we’re in a house, condo or apartment, we’re living differently than before. Changes have come with the rising cost of living, the pandemic, endless advances in technology and adjusted sensibilities of what’s important and what’s not. While some trends are happening nationwide, even globally, others are more specific to Hawai‘i. We spoke with local homeowners, Realtors, architects, interior designers and others about five ways we’re living today and why.

TREND 1

GREEN LIVING TO SAVE THE PLANET— AND MONEY

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REEN LIVING, long part of our city’s social con-

science, had been regarded by many as too costly to embrace. But that sentiment has shifted in recent years with the increased availability of sustainable materials and products and more competitive pricing. Homeowners and developers are seeing that going green ultimately saves money, while also helping to preserve the planet.

With Hawai‘i’s soaring energy costs (electricity here costs more than anywhere in the country), more people are adding photovoltaics, or PV, to cut electric bills. Last year, Hawaiian Electric reported approximately 45% of O‘ahu’s single-family homes had rooftop solar, an increase from 33% in 2019. Honolulu leads the country for solar power among surveyed cities, earning it a distinction as a “solar superpower,” according to a 2021 report by Environment America Research & Policy Center.

During the pandemic, with people spending more time

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Pālolo home Haleola‘ili‘āinapono sits deep in the valley, with the upper deck offering an amazing view of the Honolulu city skyline.

at home, there was a big spike in PV installations as energy costs rose. Homeowners likewise are opting for energy-efficient appliances and LED lights, as well as solar water heaters and low-flow faucets to lower their utility bills. “Electricity costs are high here, and they’re going to get much higher in coming years because of what’s going on in Maui and with Hawaiian Electric,” Honolulu Realtor Jaymes Song says. “During COVID, we all saw our electricity bills go up. People are being forced to make more sustainable decisions because there’s a big cost not to do so.”

In Wailuku Heights in 2008, Shane and Michelle Jackson built Maui’s first Gold LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) home. They also renovated their current Kailua home in 2010 with sustainability as a core goal, adding PV, solar heating, low-flow water fixtures and energy-efficient appliances. And they chose green products and materials at an added expense.

T H E WA Y W E L I V E N O W

A curtain of Spanish moss shades the koa front door.

“We wanted to do our part out of concern for the environment and for a better future for our children,” Shane Jackson says. Back then, their “green build” was considered somewhat cutting edge; now it’s common. Jackson calls it progress.

Four years ago, Gary Hogan built an energyefficient home in East O‘ahu that earned him a Platinum LEED certification, including installing solar features and foam insulation in the walls to cool the home naturally. “Prices have come down,” Hogan says. “You don’t have to escalate your budget to build this way—it’s more affordable now.”

CONDOS ALSO GOING GREEN Like homeowners, condo developers with environmental and economic concerns are leaning into eco-friendly builds. New developments are under pressure to keep maintenance fees as low as possible amid dramatically rising insurance costs and a real estate market hindered by high mortgage rates.

Going green from the beginning is no longer just a noble environmental consideration, but a way to make condos economically viable for buyers.

Some of the nation’s top sustainability-focused architects, designers and environmental consultants were brought in by the Kobayashi Group to construct Ālia in Kaka‘ako, one of the city’s most environmentally mindful high-rises to date.

To start, the tower was intentionally positioned for maximum airflow and trade winds so units would rely less on air conditioning. To cut the building’s water costs, Ālia will recycle water from washing machines, showers and bathroom sinks, otherwise known as gray water. The water will then be processed through a sophisticated treatment system and used for central AC throughout the property. It’s estimated that this will save 8 million gallons of water annually, and lower overall homeowner maintenance fees. The building, with 411 units, also will have extensive photovoltaics to reduce electricity consumption, producing the same amount of energy to power 110 Hawai‘i homes annually. —DS

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A recently built chicken coop sits a few yards away from the main dwelling at Haleola‘ili‘āinapono.

Architect Aaron Ackerman sourced many of Haleola‘ili‘āinapono’s building materials from Re-use Hawai‘i.

MORE WILLING TO REUSE Instead of rushing out to buy new furniture or building materials, more people are looking for reused or recycled products. Re-use Hawai‘i, which sells sustainably sourced building materials and furniture at its Kaka‘ako and Hawai‘i Island redistribution centers, has seen a boom in business, particularly since the pandemic.

2023 2022 2021 2020

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TOTAL SHOPPERS

ESTIMATED COMMUNITY SAVINGS

21,881 20,279 23,442 18,657

$571,091 $534,074 $558,273 $442,889

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LIVING PROOF Aaron Ackerman is reaching new heights of sustainable living with his Pālolo home.

generate net positive impacts on the environment.

Only a handful of buildings in the world (none in Hawai‘i) have met all 20 of the program’s imperatives; Ackerman has completed 19, with the 20th in the works. “Impossible ideas need to be demonstrated with real-life examples that people can see, touch and experience to help inspire them to think outside the box,” Ackerman says. “Haleola‘ili‘āinapono is a demonstration project intended to inspire and educate others on how buildings can play a role in regenerating people and the planet.”

Ackerman is well qualified for the task. He’s logged 20-plus years with local architectural/engineering firm Bowers + Kubota, specializing in sustainable architecture and spearheading Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, projects for the Hawai‘i government. “Haleola‘ili‘āinapono has truly been the most challenging endeavor I have ever taken on, requiring me to utilize every skill set I

“Impossible ideas need to be demonstrated with real-life examples that people can see, touch and experience to help inspire them to think outside the box.”

Architect Aaron Ackerman

Deep in Pālolo Valley, hugging the rugged mountainside and ensconced in a tangle of jungle so thick that it’s obscured from the main road, sits Haleola‘ili‘āinapono, the single-family home of Hawai‘i architect Aaron Ackerman, his wife, Jess, and their three young children. The dwelling is decidedly beautiful—its modern lines and rustic redwood facade at once in concert and contrast with the wilderness that envelops it—but what really makes it unique is the incredible level of environmental consideration that went into its design and build.

Ackerman embarked on the passion project in 2011 after learning about the Living Building Challenge, a green building program administered by the International Living Future Institute. Widely acknowledged as one of the world’s most rigorous sustainability programs, the goal of the challenge is to spur transformative design and the creation of buildings that

possess,” he says. “The commitment that went and continues to go into the education, research, design, marketing, fundraising, permitting, construction, operations, maintenance and documentation efforts of this project have shaped who I am today and given me the confidence to take on incredible challenges otherwise deemed impossible.”

In Hawaiian, the home’s name brings together hale (house), ‘ili‘āina (a portion of land managed for the better of the ahupua‘a) and pono (righteousness, proper procedure), elements exemplified at every turn. Ackerman salvaged 75% of the materials for the home locally. He grows 26 types of plants, including fruit trees and vegetative roof gardens. He’s also installed a catchment system that collectively holds 6,000 gallons of water.

“Energy is emanating here,” he says. “I feel very connected to this land and have my hands and feet connected to literally every square inch of our property—every tree, plant, animal and drop of rain that falls on it.” —BT livingbuildingchallengehawaii.com

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TREND 2

THE CITY’S NEW CONDOS: AMENITIES GALORE Kevin Ota in a private dining suite that residents at his condo, Kō‘ula in Ward Village, can reserve

While Ālia is a luxury development, with available units starting in the $1.4 million range, even the Kobayashi Group’s less pricey development, Kuilei Place—opening in 2026 on Kapi‘olani near ‘Iolani School—is chock-full of amenities. Expect multiple gyms, dog parks, a karaoke lounge and multiple entertaining spaces, including reservable penthouse suites. Available units start at $661,500.

Meanwhile, Howard Hughes has five new amenity-rich condos in the works: Victoria Place, Ulana Ward Village, The Park Ward Village, Kalae and The Launiu Ward Village. “We are observing a trend at our properties toward expanded amenities. For example, at Kō‘ula, homeowners are using the expansive great room for entertaining but also as a coworking space. It’s a real benefit and allows for great flexibility,” says Bonnie Wedemeyer,

Residents can reserve Kuilei Place’s penthouse suites.

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RENDERINGS: KOBAYASHI GROUP

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HETHER YOU LIKE OR LOATHE IT, Honolulu increasingly is becoming a vertical city, with new condos rising across Kaka‘ako, the Ala Moana and Ke‘eaumoku areas and other Honolulu neighborhoods.

While the city’s condos have long had pools, gyms and rec rooms, shared amenities at some properties are now the main attraction—next level, actually—rivaling the Islands’ most luxurious resorts. “They’re truly world-class,” Realtor Song says.

For example, the former Davies Pacific Center in Downtown Honolulu is undergoing a major renovation, spearheaded by the Avalon Group, to create Modea, a mixed-use residential, retail and commercial high-rise with 352 condo units. Modea is scheduled to launch in late 2025, with studios starting in the $400,000 range, and two- and three-bedrooms starting around $1 million. In a press release announcing the development, Avalon highlighted Modea’s amenities, including expansive indoor and outdoor gathering spaces and barbecue areas, a coworking hub, club room, 3,000-square-foot fitness center, yoga/dance studio, music rooms, hobby/crafting workshop, gaming spaces, two dog parks and a pet washing station.

The amenities at Kobayashi Group’s Ālia condo, scheduled to open along Ala Moana Boulevard in 2026, are even more jaw dropping. They include a theater, bocce ball court, bowling alley, men and women’s locker rooms, a children’s playground, pickleball court, soundproof karaoke space, private dining room, professional chef’s kitchen, library, game room, various pools (including an infinity pool and lap pool), a cold plunge, sauna, reservable cabanas, multimedia and art rooms, a dog park and a pet washing station.

T H E WA Y W E L I V E N O W

Kō‘ula’s grand lānai, another shared space for residents

Howard Hughes Corp.’s executive vice president of national condominium sales and strategy. “Across all our properties, regardless of size, we’re observing a preference for shared amenities that focus on wellness and entertainment.”

SMALLER UNITS = LOWER HOA FEES These newer condos and their many attractive shared features are fueling another trend: a willingness to live in smaller spaces. It’s now common for units to start in the 400- or 500-square-foot range. Such “micro units” are common in cities like Singapore, Hong Kong and Tokyo, where space is limited.

Kevin Ota lives at Kō‘ula and owns other condos around the city as investment properties. He says living in a smaller unit means you pay less in monthly homeowner fees, since those fees are typically calculated by a unit’s square footage. “You pay more when your unit is larger,” he says. “People now are accepting of a little smaller square footage when they can use all these amenities in the building, whether it’s to work, socialize or host parties.

People are buying in for a lifestyle.”

This is even the case among renters. “Once property managers take a potential tenant to see things like the grand dining area, pool, children’s playground, various barbecue stations and gym with really nice equipment, people get mesmerized by the lifestyle,” Ota adds. —DS

The shared kitchen and entertainment space at Kō‘ula

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TREND 3

HOT IN HONOLULU: ADUs

W

E ALL KNOW THE COST of living is ridiculously high

in Hawai‘i, where home prices are exorbitant and affordable housing is a dire need.

So, what’s a homeowner or prospective homeowner to do?

Consider the ADU or accessory dwelling unit, an attached or detached living space that can be rented out for added income or serve as home for extended family members. When a home on the market has an ADU or the capacity to add one, it gets snatched up immediately, local Realtors say.

ADUs have been increasingly popular on O‘ahu since 2015, when former Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell signed an ordinance approving them (units up to 400 square feet for lots of 3,500 to 4,999 square feet; and 800 square feet for lots of 5,000 square feet or larger). The measure, designed to address the state’s affordable housing crisis, allows for ADUs to be equipped with kitchens and a bathroom, and to be built in many (but not all) residential neighborhoods on the island. They are legally distinguished from ‘ohana units, which are restricted to family members, have no size limitations, are attached to the home, and have at least two parking spaces on the property. ADUs can be rented to non-family members, require only one parking space on the property, and are limited in size.

There are now some 1,100 ADUs on O‘ahu, according to the city, with several hundred more applications under review. State officials have been advocating for ADUs as a way to ease our city’s growing houseless problem.

John Mizuno, the state’s new homeless coordinator, says people who are against ADUs point to crowded neighborhoods and reduced street parking. But he believes they’re needed to alleviate the housing shortage. “Unless we have more affordable housing, we’re going to see more homeless and more people leaving the Islands for the mainland,” he says.

While ADUs are subject to what can be an aggravating permitting process, there are ways to speed up the building process, including opting for “packaged” or prefabricated homes so “you don’t have to start from scratch since all the design work is there,” says Makoto Nakamura, Hardware Hawai‘i’s packaged house specialist.

Since 2015, Nakamura says more people have been buying ADUs and packaged homes. He cites three reasons for that: “Some people want to have their parents living with them, while others are older couples looking to downsize on the same property and give their primary residence to their kids. Other people want ADUs for rental units,” especially with the current high mortgage rates and escalating home prices. —DS

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HONOLULU MAGAZINE

The SwindollRivera ADU was perched poolside for optimal views of the water.

STAY AWHILE This Kailua ADU is a cozy home away from home.

When Drs. Timothy Swindoll and Steve Rivera remodeled their Kailua home in 2018, the couple set out to create an idyllic island escape for their frequent out-of-town guests. “Almost one week a month we have family or friends visiting,” Swindoll says. With its waterfall-fed pool, throngs of tropical plants and surrounding swaying areca palms that provide privacy on all sides, the backyard offered the ideal locale for an ADU. “It’s this little oasis that we wanted to share,” Rivera says.

Enter local firm Graham Builders, which dreamt up a cozy 460-square-foot studio that seamlessly blends the couple’s relaxed, coastal aesthetic with modern design elements, including nods to architect Vladimir Ossipoff. Note the minimal, sunbleached look of the cabinets in the open kitchen, the natural woven pendant light over the dining space, and the calming ocean hues and pebblelike mosaic tile in the full bathroom. Instead of walling off the sleeping nook, exposed-wood beams were used to delineate the space and add warmth. Soaring ceilings create an airy, spacious feel, while the structure itself is oriented for optimal viewing of the lush landscape and pool. —BT

“It’s this little oasis that we wanted to share.”

The open-concept main living area was thoughtfully planned to maximize space.

ASK AN EXPERT

Chuen Yee, interior designer and principal-founder of award-winning firm MCYIA, offers tips on how to select furnishings that maximize space.

• Look for seating options

PLUS ONE

Did you know that several local companies offer pre-designed ADUs? Check out the two smallest options from Hardware Hawai‘i and HPM Building Supply.

HPM Building Supply

Hardware Hawai‘i Offers five ADU models that range from 400 to 800 square feet.

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Offers two ADU models that are pre-approved for permits, ranging in size from 528 to 700 square feet.

HALE LI‘I: 400 square feet, one bedroom/one bath, living room, kitchendining room, enclosed laundry

PILIKAI COTTAGE: 528 (living area)/658 (total) square feet, one bedroom/one bath, living room, kitchen-dining room, external laundry, covered lānai, option for standalone garage or carport

hardwarehawaii.com, @hardwarehawaii

hpmhawaii.com, @hpmhawaii.com

HONOLULU MAGAZINE

with low backs. They take up less space and add visual height to a room.

• Be mindful of rug sizes.

Rugs that are too small can make furniture, and in turn a room, feel cramped, while larger rugs that allow spaces to breathe can make a room feel bigger.

• The more continuous

flooring appears, the roomier a space feels.

So, skip furniture with bulky solid bases in favor of pieces with legs.

In bathrooms, opt for floating vanities.

• Rounded tables are great

for maximizing seating.

Also consider convertible styles that extend in length or change in height from a coffee table to a dining table.

mcyia.com, @mcyia

COURTESY: HARDWARE HAWAI‘I, HPM BUILDING SUPPLY, CHUEN YEE, MCYIA

Soothing hues and a floating vanity are featured in the Swindoll-Rivera ADU bathroom.

THE LAUNIU WARD VILLAGE RESIDENCE 00 LIVING ROOM

Living Well by Design Residences offer a unique blend of contemporary design and classic style, setting the tone for beautiful island living.

Studio, One, Two, and Three Bedroom Residences

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liveatlauniu.com | 808 556 2801

Offered by Ward Village Properties, LLC RB-21701

THE PROJECT IS LOCATED IN WARD VILLAGE, A MASTER PLANNED DEVELOPMENT IN HONOLULU, HAWAII, WHICH IS STILL BEING CONSTRUCTED. ANY VISUAL REPRESENTATIONS OF WARD VILLAGE, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, RETAIL ESTABLISHMENTS, PARKS, AMENITIES, OTHER FACILITIES AND THE CONDOMINIUM PROJECTS THEREIN, INCLUDING THEIR LOCATION, UNITS, VIEWS, FURNISHINGS, DESIGN, COMMON ELEMENTS AND AMENITIES, DO NOT ACCURATELY PORTRAY THE CONDOMINIUM PROJECTS OR THE MASTER PLANNED DEVELOPMENT. ALL VISUAL DEPICTIONS AND DESCRIPTIONS IN THIS ADVERTISEMENT ARE FOR ILLUSTRATIVE PURPOSES ONLY. THE DEVELOPER MAKES NO GUARANTEE, REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY WHATSOEVER THAT THE DEVELOPMENTS, FACILITIES OR IMPROVEMENTS OR FURNISHINGS AND APPLIANCES DEPICTED WILL ULTIMATELY APPEAR AS SHOWN OR EVEN BE INCLUDED AS A PART OF WARD VILLAGE OR ANY CONDOMINIUM PROJECT THEREIN. EXCLUSIVE PROJECT BROKER WARD VILLAGE PROPERTIES, LLC, RB-21701. COPYRIGHT ©2024.

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY.

WARNING: THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF REAL ESTATE HAS NOT INSPECTED, EXAMINED OR QUALIFIED THIS OFFERING. THIS IS NOT INTENDED TO BE AN OFFERING OR SOLICITATION OF SALE IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE THE PROJECT IS NOT REGISTERED IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAW OR WHERE SUCH OFFERING OR SOLICITATION WOULD OTHERWISE BE PROHIBITED BY LAW. NOTICE TO NEW YORK RESIDENTS: THE DEVELOPER OF THE LAUNIU WARD VILLAGE AND ITS PRINCIPALS ARE NOT INCORPORATED IN, LOCATED IN, OR RESIDENT IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK. NO OFFERING IS BEING MADE IN OR DIRECTED TO ANY PERSON OR ENTITY IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK OR TO NEW YORK RESIDENTS BY OR ON BEHALF OF THE DEVELOPER/OFFEROR OR ANYONE ACTING WITH THE DEVELOPER/OFFEROR’S KNOWLEDGE. NO SUCH OFFERING, OR PURCHASE OR SALE OF REAL ESTATE BY OR TO RESIDENTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, SHALL TAKE PLACE UNTIL ALL REGISTRATION AND FILING REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE MARTIN ACT AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S REGULATIONS ARE COMPLIED WITH, A WRITTEN EXEMPTION IS OBTAINED PURSUANT TO AN APPLICATION IS GRANTED PURSUANT TO AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH COOPERATIVE POLICY STATEMENTS #1 OR #7, OR A “NO-ACTION” REQUEST IS GRANTED.

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T H E WA Y W E L I V E N O W

TREND 4

OUR NOW NORMAL: WORKING FROM HOME

L

AURA AYERS, principal of WhiteSpace Ar-

chitects in Honolulu, says home offices and remote workspaces are among the biggest trends in home design.

Working from home is how many of us live now—and that’s not likely to change going forward. About 10% of our country’s workers between the ages of 18 and 64 do their jobs entirely remotely, while another 10% are hybrid, according to a 2023 U.S. Census Bureau survey.

The percentages are higher among those who’ve gone to college.

The pandemic paved the way for many people, especially those who normally worked in offices, to go remote. And while a good number have either returned to their workplaces full time or on a hybrid basis, many have not. “A lot of folks in a hybrid work situation or working exclusively from home are requesting space for this,” Ayers says. “An office has become critical space, especially when renovating. The space doesn’t have to be large. People usually want a large desk surface and minimal storage or drawers—somewhere you

can close doors to do Zoom calls.”

To create these work areas, she says people have been willing to give up other things, like formal dining rooms and closets. “It’s become a big priority,” Ayers says, adding that some families even need multiple home offices now.

Condo and apartment dwellers also want space to work, and developers are creating office nooks in some of the city’s newer properties.

Howard Hughes’ Wedemeyer says her company has explored including home offices at two properties under development now, Kalae and The Park Ward Village. “It’s primarily driven by customer demand,” she says. “Having a beautiful yet efficient home office space makes a lot of sense for work, kitchen-related tasks or even homework. We’ve received very positive feedback regarding this addition.”

Laura Albano, a professional permanent makeup artist, works from her Lanikai home in a space created in 2019 by interior designer Jenn Johnson, owner of Indigo Republic House of Design. “I told her my needs, and she nailed it. She gave me a beautiful office,” Albano says. “One of my greatest pleasures, honestly, is when people come here and feel comfortable. They love it.” —DS

Laura Albano’s home office was designed

by Jenn Johnson.

Laura Albano, a professional permanent makeup artist, with her dogs in her home office in Lanikai

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YOU BETTER WORK!

Ideas for turning your home office into the most stylish room in the house.

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1. Upgrade your Zoom background with Hawai‘i-inspired wallpaper from HNL Designs, featuring artist Lora Gallagher’s hand-drawn artwork.

Some even come in a peel-and-stick style that’s easy to install and remove.

Large Maui Aster wallpaper, spoonflower.com, @spoonflower, hnldesign.com, @hnldesign

2. Look outside the office realm for stylish storage: This albizia console with cane panels from local furniture label The Splinter Concept is perfect for keeping supplies out of sight.

3. If sterile metal sit-stand desks make your design senses shudder, consider this gorgeous upgrade from Geiger that’s minimal yet warm, with motors discreetly concealed in its legs and luxe leather-wrapped wood.

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4. Measuring 10 to 16 feet long and a slim 21 inches deep, Herman Miller’s OE1 Communal Table is ideal for a shared home office, providing a ton of linear space without a huge footprint.

5. Form meets function in Herman Miller’s mid-century modern Zeph Chair, which boasts an ergonomic shell that can be customized with ultra-cool knit seat covers.

Office Pavilion Hawai‘i, 50 S. Beretania St., (808) 599-2411, op-hawaii.com, @officepavilionhawaii

COURTESY: SPOONFLOWER, THE SPLINTER CONCEPT, OFFICE PAVILION HAWAI‘I

@thesplinterconcept

DOWNTOWN REIMAGINED E L E VA T E D U R B A N L I V I N G

168 QUEEN STREET

vibrant stylish effortless and pet friendly.

Modern Fee Simple Condominiums

modealiving.com MODEA SALES GALLERY 841 Bishop Street, Lobby Honolulu, HI 96813 (808) 460-7710 info@modealiving.com Open Mon-Fri 10am - 6pm, Sat 10am - 2pm Another Quality Development by

Exclusive Project Broker RB-21863

T H E WA Y W E L I V E N O W

TREND 5

SMART LIVING

W

E ARE INCREASINGLY LIVING “SMART” LIVES, controlled by smartphones. For

homeowners, this means Ring doorbells with home security cameras, lights and door locks that can be adjusted through apps, music that plays on voice command, and appliances controlled by iPhone or Android devices.

Homes integrated with such technology, known as “smart homes,” are becoming more common globally as innovations flourish, the costs of integration come down, and people become more

comfortable using smart products. The widespread usage of voice-activated devices, such as Alexa and Siri, also has paved a path to adoption.

Scott Startsman, a Honolulu Realtor with List Sotheby’s International, operates a small residential development company, and for one project, he installed a garage door, front door, locks, lights and sprinkler system—all controlled by a smartphone. He sees this trend becoming more popular with clients. “The Ring doorbell blew up and is pretty common these days,” he says. “Everybody pretty much has it in some way, shape or form.”

At his own home, he can open his garage door from wherever he may be or turn on his lawn sprinklers through apps.

“Even air conditioners can be controlled by a smartphone,” he says. “They even have devices to assess what’s in your refrigerator to help you create a grocery list. Electric shades are also common. You could go with super high-end stuff, but there’s definitely more affordable lines. You have lots of options now; it’s for people of all budgets.” —DS

NO KEY, NO PROBLEM The latest smart deadbolt locks can be unlocked by fingerprint, code or voice command, by tapping a fob or phone, or remotely via an app. You can even use geofencing to disengage locks once you get within a set distance. Some, like the Yale Assure Lock 2 Touch model with wi-fi, boast a status sensor that alerts you of comings and goings. Lowe’s, multiple locations, lowes.com

SMARTEN UP

Check out the lastest high-tech home accessories.

HOW COOL Samsung’s Family Hub refrigerators feature large touchscreens to control several compatible devices, including Alexa, Ring doorbells and Nest thermostats.

You can also stream music and TV, check social media, access recipes, and share photos and videos.

A camera inside the fridge helps with remote meal planning and direct-to-Amazon grocery lists. Best Buy, multiple locations, bestbuy.com 48

HONOLULU MAGAZINE

If you’re looking to try smart light switches, you might consider some easy-to-use starter models with voice control, gentle fade, advanced scheduling and timed lighting. The TP-Link Kasa Smart dimmers, for example, use wi-fi so they don’t require a hub and are compatible with Siri, Alexa, Google Home and Apple Home Kit. The Home Depot, multiple locations, homedepot.com

BRIGHT IDEAS There are also advanced light systems that sync your entire home. Lutron’s Caseta system can randomly turn select lights on and off to give the illusion that you’re home while away, adjust multiple lights to set scenes and use geofencing to turn lights on and off right before you arrive and after you leave.

Lowe’s, multiple locations, lowes.com

COURTESY: SAMSUNG, YALE, TP-LINK, LUTRON

MAKE THE SWITCH

SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION

Drive Green Electric vehicles are popular in Hawai‘i and help with the state’s environmental goals, but now we need the infrastructure to support them.

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By Maria Kanai

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CHARGING HERO WITH OVER 30,000 EVS ON THE ROAD H AWA I ‘ I H A S F E W E R T H A N 5 0 0 P U B L I C C H A R G I N G S TAT I O N S .

OVER

$500,000 I N AVA I L A B L E R E B AT E S

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NOW IS THE TIME TO LEVEL UP EV CHARGING FOR YOUR BUSINESS! H A W A I I E N E R G Y. C O M / E V C S

Install charging stations for your customers or building with rebates up to $4500 per Level 2 Charger and $35,000 per DC Fast Charger.

Apply statewide by June 30, 2024.

SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION

O

VER THE PAST DECADE, Hawai‘i has seen an influx of electric vehicles on the road, with charging stations appearing at shopping malls and in home garages across the Islands. In fact, our state ranks ​​10th in the nation for electric vehicle sales, and ​​third ​​​in EV registrations (​ after California and Washington​,​D.C.). “Hawai‘i is a leader in electric vehicles,” says Nicole Cernohorsky, ​​transportation energy specialist at the Hawai‘i State Energy Office.

The Evolution of Hawai‘i’s EV Landscape

T

O C U R B the effects of climate change, the state ​L​egislature has implemented various decarbonization measures. In 2015, then​-​Gov. David Ige signed a groundbreaking bill requiring 100% of ​Hawai​​​‘​​​i’s​ electricity to come from renewable sources by 2045. Three ​​ years later, he signed another bill to sequester (the process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide) more greenhouse gases than emitted by 2045.

With the deadline looming, Hawai‘i has been on a mission to reduce greenhouse​ gases​, 21% of which come from ground transportation. Along with encouraging people to carpool, use public transportation, and walk or bike, the state is strongly encouraging EV adoption. “There’s a big appetite for EVs in Hawai‘i, and one of the reasons is likely the island​’​s shorter distances compared to the mainland. You’re limited in how far you can travel on the island, so we don’t have as much range anxiety,” Nicole Cernohorsky​says, ​referring to fears some drivers​​have ​of running out of battery power. “Our trips are shorter—you typically don’t need to travel further than your full battery.”

Pros and Cons of EV Ownership

T

H E R E A R E , of course, significant environmental benefits of driving an EV. The efficiency of battery-powered electric vehicles is significantly higher than internal combustion engines. And along with emitting fewer pollutants than vehicles with internal combustion engines,

electric vehicles tend to be quieter.

Financially, the most obvious benefit of owning an EV is lower fuel costs. For Keane Kitagawa, ​rising gas prices convinced him to purchase an all-electric Nissan ​Leaf​in 2018.

“Even with a car that had 40 miles per gallon, we were spending $400 a month just for gas,” Kitagawa says. “That’s when we decided to sell our car and go for a Nissan L ​ eaf​instead.”

At the time, ​purchasers could get​federal tax credit​s of​up to $7,500 and state tax credit​s of $2,500​t​ o help​lower the initial cost​s​of ​EVs​. The state tax credit is no longer available, and the federal credit i​ s now dependent o ​ n the EV p ​ urchased​, including where it was manufactured.

Kitagawa installed a level two charger at home and has since purchased other electric vehicles, including an ​​Audi e-tron, a Kia Sorento and a Tesla Model Y (which qualifies for a generous federal tax credit). “Every car was different, but I think the Audi was my favorite to drive,” he says. “The Tesla is great, too, with good upgrades to it and with the battery, I don’t have to worry about not having range. If people have the option to charge for free at home with solar panels, it can offset the initial cost. Many people think EVs are much more expensive than regular cars, which they are, but if you do the math, your monthly fee will make up for what you pay upfront in the long run. I also think people automatically think EVs are good for the environment, but it’s important to remember that ​​if you​’​re not charging during the day, then you’re actually using fuels generated from the power plant. If environmental benefits really matter to you, when you charge is really important.”

Another EV owner, Danny Tan, owned a 2016 Nissan Leaf for many years. “Initially, the EVs had a lot of incentives. On top of the tax credits, you’d get free parking in state-owned lots and even at UH, which was a huge help for me because I had free parking at UH, ​​which is typically hundreds of dollars. We also saved so much on gas,” Tan says.

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He recalls a time w ​ hen his ​​Leaf​almost ran out of battery​power​. “I took it out to the North Shore, and it started to die in Mililani,” he says. “​Leaf​s have something called ‘turtle mode,’ w ​ here if the battery is under 5%, it would go down to driving 10 miles an hour. I eventually rolled into the Nissan dealership in Waipi​‘​o. Since then, I got a better gauge of it quickly and it never happened again.”

He used to charge his car at his family’s home, where he and his wife, Niki, lived until 2023. They​’ve since​ moved​ to​ a ​​townhome in Kāhala, with no charging station​. Now, to charge their vehicle, they have to​go to a public charging station at the nearby Kū‘ono Marketplace or head back to their family’s home. “At a public charging station like Kū‘ono Marketplace, it’s just first come, first serve​d,​” Tan says. “The stations are typically taken unless you go during off hours. And​ sometimes, ​​​he says, drivers use the EV station as a parking stall instead of a charging station, which,​​“​can be really annoying.”

The hassle of public charging is one reason ​​the Tans sold their Leaf in 2024 and​ replaced it with​a Tesla Model Y. “The Tesla has a longer range, so we don’t have to charge as often,” ​Danny ​Tan says. “We were charging the ​Leaf​every other day. Now we charge every seven to ​10​​​days.”

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“We need significant investment in charging infrastructure to maintain our leadership in EV adoption.”

— Nicole Cernohorsky

Tan s​ ays H ​ awai‘i should do more to support EV owners, including​ adding more public chargers. “My wife and I would plan everything around charging,” he says. “We’re grateful because we have our grandma and aunt​ie​who lets us charge at their house, but I think more public chargers is critical in getting more EV adoption, especially because there are more people living in condos and ​​townhouses.”

Cernohorsky acknowledges the challenges o ​ f​EV owners living in condos, apartments and townhomes without access to chargers.

“These are the residents and EV owners who will be dependent on public charging, so it’s important for Hawai‘i to really invest in charging infrastructure. Increasing availability of public chargers will allow for further adoption of EVs. More chargers means more accessibility and improving accessibility is important in order to achieve a more equitable transportation system.”

Although Hawai‘i has high EV adoption, the state ranks second-worst in terms of public chargers. There are now 359 public charging stations in the Islands, and 800 EV charging ports, according to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Alternative Fueling Station Locator. The California Energy Commission says there should be about seven chargers per EV,​ for efficiency​. ​Hawai‘i ​​has 38 EVs per charger.

“We need significant investment in charging infrastructure to maintain our leadership in EV adoption,” Cernohorsky says.

One solution is to convince employers to install charging stations at workplaces so employees can charge their cars while at work.

Cernohorsky says federal funding is available to help reduce the cost of such charging stations, and that the state is pursuing grants available through the federal Charging and Fueling Infrastructure program, which has about $1.8 billion to award to states over the next three years along highways, but also smaller public roads, schools, parks and in publicly accessible parking facilities. The state also provides financial assistance/rebates for companies to do this through Hawai‘i Energy.

In 2022, Hawai‘i was approved by the Federal Highway Administration to receive $17.7 million over the next five years from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program

Did You Know?

When you purchase an EV, you don’t need a charging station. You can plug into your 120-volt outlet at home—the same one that you might use for your lamp or laptop—​and slowly charge your car.

As of 2020, ​​BEV and plug-in hybrid drivers can make use of high-occupancy vehicle lanes on the freeway.

Between the end of 2020 and September 2023, the number of battery electric vehicles in Hawai‘i grew from 10,743 to 23,564. Plug-in hybrids, meanwhile, increased from 3,294 to 5,725, and hybrid electric vehicles grew from 28,989 to 37,166.

Your Guide to EVs Battery Electric Vehicles: Powered solely by electricity through an electric outlet or charging station, ​a BEV does not ​​​have an internal combustion engine or produce emissions. Examples of BEVs: the Tesla Model S, Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Bolt.

Danny and Niki Tan Photo: Aaron K. Yoshino

to install high-powered (150-kW) chargers throughout the state. The first opened on Maui in February 2024, and 10 additional fast-chargers are planned for the state; the next one will be installed this year at Aloha Tower on O‘ahu.

“EV adoption is a critical aspect of the state’s decarbonization, resilience and energy independence goals,” says state Rep. Nicole Lowen, who serves as the chair of the Committee on Energy and Environment.

“With EV ownership rapidly increasing, it’s important to put policies in place to support the deployment of EV charging infrastructure and to ensure that the clean transportation transition is equitable, with charging options that are available to renters, condo​​dwellers and others who might not have easy options to charge at home.”

Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles: ​ These vehicles have​internal combustion engine​s​ with electric motor​s​ and batter​ies​. They are charged using outlet​s​ or charging station​s​, ​and​ ​their​​ ​ internal combustion engine​s​(gasoline engines) ​allow ​for extended range.

Popular PHEVs: Toyota Prius Prime and Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Hybrid Electric Vehicles: ​ These vehicles use​a combination of internal combustion engine​s​and electric motor​s​to improve fuel efficiency. Unlike PHEVs, they rely solely on regenerative braking and the internal combustion engine to recharge the battery and cannot be recharged from an external source of electricity like a charging station. Examples of HEVs: Toyota Prius and Honda Insight.

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We Are Windward O‘ahu From breezy, beach-ready shopping to local-style eats, there’s plenty to see and do on this side of the island.

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Kailua Town

From on-trend shopping to special events, there is plenty to love about Kailua Town. Dive into summer with warm weather offerings found only on this side of the Ko‘olaus.

Merchants Row

Kailua Beach Center

An eclectic collection of locally owned businesses makes this Hekili Street destination as fun as the playful, multicolored storefronts it houses. Shop a curated collection of handmade home décor in a rainbow of hues and shapes at WOVEN by Shaolin or stop by Lauren Roth Art Boutique for gorgeous prints, original pieces and more in joyful pastels and vibrant tropical colors. For breezy, beach-ready style, look no further than women-owned boutiques Bikinibird, Gillia and Splash! Hawaii.

Just a five-minute stroll from one of Hawai‘i’s loveliest ocean playgrounds, the beach-centric Kailua Beach Center lives up to its name. Gear up at Kailua Beach Adventures for a day on the water, then head to local icons Island Snow and San Lorenzo Bikinis to shop for bikinis, boardshorts, tees and other casual apparel to go from beach to boardwalk with ease.

Then, enjoy a lineup of local restaurants that showcase Hawai‘i’s range of flavors.

Satisfy post-surf appetites with awardwinning breakfast and plate lunches at Kono’s Northshore, fuel up on fresh organic wraps, salads and acai bowls at Nalu Health Bar, try Argentinian-style empanadas at the newly opened 10 Empanadas and more.

Drop into one of Kailua Beach Center’s casual eateries for some ‘ono grinds, including local-style plate lunches from K&K’s BBQ, fresh-from-the-oven Boston-style pizzas, available by the slice or as a whole pie, at Bob’s Pizzeria and more. Plus, stop by the bright and cheery Sunrise Shack Hawaii x Twin Islands collab store to grab a colorful smoothie bowl and unique Kailua Town merch.

Kailua Town Summer Sip + Shop Ready, Set, Summer! Mark your calendars for Thursday, May 23, 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. for a festive night filled with summer treats and sips, exclusive event pricing, live music and more with your favorite Kailua Town merchants! For details, visit kailuatownhi.com.

KAILUATOWNHI

KAILUATOWNHI

SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION

Celebrating 62 Years of Island Legacy WHEN BUZZ AND BOBBY LOU first opened

Buzz’s Steak ’n’ Lobster in an old beach house in Waikīkī, they didn’t know what was to come. All they had was an idea, and the gumption chase it.

Buzz’s soon became a gathering place for a loyal crowd of diners who found comfort in good food, warm waitstaff and a space that felt like home away from home. After moving to its trademark location in Lanikai, it grew into a Kailua icon as beloved as the beaches that surround it. At that point the pair knew they had something special.

Today, with more than six decades under its belt, Buzz’s Original Steak House celebrates a legacy built on grit, gratitude and giving back. It’s still a family business, one that keeps its heart close to the community that has made it a success. Throughout its lifetime, Buzz’s has supported nonprofits such as The Boys & Girls Club of Hawai‘i and Ka‘ōhao School. And for the past three decades, it has raised funds through sales of its annual lunar calendar, with all proceeds going to the Hawai‘i Foodbank and its mission to feed hungry families, seniors and keiki. After 62 years, our ‘ohana is grateful to still be in business.

The Buzz’s family legacy is proudly rooted in Lāhainā. And as Maui continues its upward climb to recovery, the places and people lost from last year’s devastating wildfires remain close to our hearts. To those who must now bravely rebuild, we stand with you. Together—through courage, hope and many, many helping hands—we will restore the place so many of us call home. buzzsoriginalsteakhouse.com

Tadka chef Ganesh Shrestha

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PROFILE

Where Indian Food Comes Alive Tadka chef Ganesh Shrestha’s dishes are steeped in tradition— even when he tweaks them to suit local palates.

BY K AWEHI H AUG PHOTOGRAPHY BY AARON K. YOSHINO

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“I’m so happy, the happiest, when I’m in the kitchen making food that I know my customers will like.”

—GANESH SHRESTHA

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ORE THAN OCCASIONALLY, I have

wondered why Honolulu seems to lack good Indian food.

Sure, there’s passable stuff, enough to sate the yearning for a heat-spiked curry swooped up with a puffy round of naan-something. It’s almost … just right. After our first lunch at Tadka Indian Cuisine, my family and I looked at each other and nodded: Finally! A place to get good Indian food that really is just right.

If your experience with Indian cuisine is limited to saag paneer, butter chicken, chicken tikka masala and naan, the menu at Tadka will be a revelation. Ganesh Shrestha opened the restaurant at McCully Shopping Center last October. The former chef and partner in Spice Up House of Indian Cuisine ventured out on his own with a self-written playbook of what he wanted to add to the limited local Indian foodscape. His well-rounded menu showcases his Nepalese heritage and the vastness of Indian and South Asian flavors and techniques. More than that, he knows his customers. “At Spice Up I learned what people really want from my food,” Shrestha, 40, says.

“I would get requests from my customers to modify the dishes to be less spicy or nondairy or to use less oil.” So, he tweaks and reworks his recipes, making subtle adjustments to the classic tome of Indian restaurant dishes to suit the palates of local eaters.

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Limiting the use of ghee, if that’s what someone wants, or replacing the cream in the saag curry with almond or coconut milk, isn’t selling out or being inauthentic, he says. Quite the opposite. His willingness to adapt to customers’ tastes is Shrestha’s way of being his most authentic self. He’s a hospitalitarian as much as a culinarian, and if you want zero spice in your lamb korma, just say the word. He’ll even cool the famously and intensely spicy vindaloo (which packs what he calls a 360-heat—you can’t escape when it’s slamming into you from all sides) if you really want him to. You shouldn’t if you want the real vindaloo experience. But that’s not the point. “I’m so happy, the happiest, when I’m in the kitchen making food that I know my customers will like,” he says. “That’s why I cook. I don’t cook for myself. I cook for my guests.”

He’s sitting at an empty table in Tadka on a Monday, when the restaurant is closed. Mondays are for shopping and prepping and, in theory, resting up for the next six days when his place is wall-to-wall with diners at both lunch and dinner, with a line of people waiting to be seated. The resting part eludes him still. He knows that cutting corners will compromise his food, and so, like many chef-owners, he works from before sunrise until after midnight every day. His chef brain is in overdrive almost all the time; it’s how he creates dishes that stray just a tiny bit from traditional preparations to accommodate preferences that aren’t so traditional, without actually sacrificing tradition.

In Indian and South Asian cooking, the Hindi word “tadka” means to temper and bloom spices over heat. This technique allows the spices to reach their full potential before they’re added to recipes, imparting intense and deep flavors. It’s what I like to call a “mother technique”—a fundamental practice upon which a cuisine is built. Shrestha depends enormously on tadka’s reliable delivery of flavor when he leaves out things like ghee, cream and chiles. In a side-by-side comparison, I tasted his traditional saag curry with cream, and the dairy-free version with its coconut milk substitution. Both are lush, full-bodied and warm with intensely rich spice, neither one better than the other.

Shrestha doesn’t claim to be a Nepalese chef.

Clockwise He trained for 20 years under his mentor, a Punjabi from top left: chicken jhol chef in New York City. Since relocating to Hawai‘i momo in broth, about five years ago, he has been cooking mostly steamed chicken Indian food. At Tadka and Spice Up, he added a momo, sizzling chicken momo selection of momo, Nepalese street food dump-

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W H AT T O O R D E R

Eat Like a Chef lings that draw from his childhood. Filled with curryscented chicken or vegetables that are steamed until they’re just on the sturdier side of al dente, the delicate dumplings are tossed on a sizzling platter until the bottoms are brown and crisp; then they’re smothered in a tangy tomato and onion chutney, or a deep yellow ‘ōlenarich broth that’s earthy and slightly bitter with mustardy ripples of ginger and pepper.

Momo are one of the best things I’ve eaten in a very long time. It’s not restaurant food, but it belongs on restaurant menus. If Tadka were open late—it closes at 9 p.m.—inebriated and exhausted customers would order platters of momo and pani puri (deepfried hollowed spheres filled with potato, onion and chickpeas, topped with a sweet and sour tamarind sauce and popped whole into your mouth) and be halfway to sober and lively by the time they left.

When I tell Shrestha I haven’t stopped thinking about the momo, he laughs quietly.

His mom used to make them for him when he was a child in the south of Nepal. When I tell him that I especially love the brothy jhol momo, he seems moved. I recognize the look.

It’s the one you get when you realize that your history, your own collection of life-worn memories, is telling the story you’ve been dying to tell. And it’s just right.

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We asked Ganesh Shrestha what he would order at his own restaurant, then ordered everything he recommended. It was one of our best meals in Honolulu.

Chicken Malai Tikka, $19.19 Boneless tandoori chicken tikka— one of the best tandoori chicken dishes we’ve ever had.

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Pani Puri, $8.31 These one-bite street food favorites are the most popular items on the menu. In India, servers prepare one then feed it to you.

That’s how it’s done.

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Garlic Sweet Govi, $7.27 Battered cauliflower that gives fried ‘ulu vibes.

Insider secret: Ask for it to be tossed in the house spicy sauce.

Tadka Wings, $10.39

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We’d never think to order chicken wings at an Indian restaurant, but now we’ll get them every time.

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Garlic Naan, $4.42 Tadka makes eight kinds of Indian flatbread. All of them should be ordered, but if you have to choose just one, choose this one.

And the onion kulcha ($5.46).

Goan Chicken Curry, $18.71

A slightly tangy tamarind curry traditional to the former Portuguese colony of Goa in southwestern India.

Vegetable Biryani, $16.63

Tadka’s biryani rice (India’s take on fried rice) dishes are the only dishes on the menu made with ghee.

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Lamb Kadai, $20.12 An umami-rich, jewelhued tomato and onion curry that is our current constant craving.

1960 Kapi‘olani Blvd., (808) 941-0414, @tadkaindiancuisine808

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AFTERTHOUGHTS

Too Asian, Yet Not Asian Enough

BY VANE SSA HATHAWAY

A HONOLULU intern shares her journey.

“B

UT WHERE ARE YOU REALLY FROM?” kids in middle

COURTESY: VANESSA HATHAWAY

school would ask me. I reeled at the question, but later realized they were just curious because I look Asian but have a last name that suggests otherwise.

I was born 21 years ago in Guangzhou, during China’s single-child policy. According to my parents, who arrived from Reston, Virginia, to adopt me before my first birthday, I was much loved and the giggliest of the babies at the orphanage.

My mom is Spanish; my dad English. And while we have different biological parents, my older sister, Olivia, had also been adopted from China.

As a young child, I had a strong sense of who I was, which I attribute to my parents, whose love for me I never questioned.

My mom always tried to incorporate Chinese culture into our lives, celebrating Lunar New Year and filling our home with items from China. Reston, a suburb of Washington​,​D.C., is a diverse place and home to many other adopted children from other countries.

It wasn’t until my dad retired in 2015 and we moved to Las Vegas​ that I started feeling ashamed of being Chinese. Most of my middle school classmates were white and Mormon, and they quickly pointed out how small my eyes were, how flat my face was, and how my fishcake​ ​​ noodle lunches smelled bad. I stopped bringing home lunch and dyed my hair lighter, neither of which made me feel less singled out.

During my junior year of high school, I enrolled in the College of Southern Nevada, where much of the student body was Filipino, Hawaiian, Vietnamese or Chinese. Although it was just a half hour from my previous school, it was a completely different environment—and I embraced it. However, it didn’t alleviate the dichotomy I still felt of being Asian but with caveats. This became painfully evident after I went on a few fun dates with a Vietnamese classmate, then met his parents. I hadn’t brought anything for them, then rejected his mother’s offer to make me

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dinner—a double faux pas. After awkward small talk, he told his parents I was adopted. “Oh, that makes sense,” his mother said.

Needless to say, the relationship didn’t last. His parents didn’t hate me for being adopted, he told me. They just didn’t think I was the kind of girl they wanted for him.

I was heartbroken, but not because of him. It was the otherness I couldn’t escape—too Chinese for white kids, and too white for Asians.

After graduating from high school, I moved to Hawai‘i for college. I quickly made friends with local classmates, who assumed I also grew up in the Islands.

I was relieved that I didn’t have ​​to explain myself, and it helped that they all had diverse backgrounds and family stories too.

During my freshman year, I took a 23andMe test and was shocked to learn that I’m not even ethnically Chinese. I’m part Vietnamese and part Dai,​ an ethnic group related​ to the Shan, Lao and Thai people ​w ho​ lived along China’s Yangtze River until they were pushed south. I couldn’t help but laugh. All my life I felt I had to explain my ethnic background, and as it turns out, it wasn’t even accurate.

In the fall of 2022, I met my current boyfriend, who is HawaiianJapanese, and from Hawai‘i. We’ve spent many hours talking about our backgrounds. He knows about the isolation I felt growing up in Nevada.

When it was time to meet his family, he told me what to expect, yet there was nothing to prepare for—they were welcoming from the start.

These days, I don’t dwell on being adopted or agonize over not fitting in. And as far as finding my biological parents, I’m not particularly interested. While some adopted children may question the motives of their biological parents, I don’t resent mine in the slightest for giving me up. I know they must have had good reasons, and I’m completely grateful for the life my adoptive parents gave me. Although I can’t say I’m 100% confident in my identity, I’ve stopped hating things about myself—my eyes, my preference for Asian foods—and I don’t hesitate to tell my story.

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