Kalani Pe‘a’s May Day Is Lei Day Concert Saturday, May 4, 7 p.m. Enjoy an evening of top-class Hawaiian music with three-time Grammy winner & five-time Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award winner Kalani Pe‘a and a roster of award-winning hālau and entertainers.   BUY TICKETS   $45–$250, Hawai‘i Theatre, 1130 Bethel St., hawaiitheatre.com, @hawaiitheatre   SEE ALSO: Beautiful Winning Lei From the Lei Day Celebration Contest 2024   Trivia Night at Wang Chung’s Karaoke Bar Monday, May 6, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Time to flex all that trivia you’ve accumulated over the years! Enter for ..read more

  Photo: Aaron K. Yoshino   Any day where lei is involved is a good day in our books. But none celebrate the beloved symbol of aloha with more gusto than May 1, a.k.a. May Day or Lei Day as we know it in Hawai‘i.   And by far, the biggest celebration is the annual Lei Day Celebration, hosted at the Kapi‘olani Park bandstand by the Department of Parks and Recreation. We stopped by to check out the festival’s popular lei contest, which usually draws a massive number of entries (sometimes up to 200!) that are displayed for the public to enjoy.   SEE ALSO: Get an Early Look ..read more

  Assortment of dishes from the upcoming Nami Kaze okazuya. Photo: Martha Cheng   Nami Kaze started out as a modern okazuya pop-up. Now the 2023 Hale ‘Aina Best New Restaurant winner and James Beard Award nominee is coming full circle: The eatery is launching Okazuma, a new okazuya concept by chef-owner Jason Peel. Frolic readers can preview a generous assortment of dishes at an exclusive tasting at Frolic’s Okazuma Okazuya Dinner at Nami Kaze on Sunday, May 19.   At the heart of the evening will be a parade of old-school and updated comfort foods served family-style in a sit ..read more

  Photo: Courtesy of the Filipino Community Center   The Flores de Mayo Filipino Fiesta is the largest Filipino celebration in the Islands, drawing 8,000 to 10,000 people every year. Over 70 organizations, community groups and vendors will bring food, performances, entertainment and more to the Filipino Community Center in Waipahu. There’ll be park-and-ride stations along the Skyline rail, live music by Eli-Mac, an adobo cook-off, balut-eating contest and a Santacruzan procession of Filipiniana attire. The daylong event is a cultural staple for the community and coincides with Flo ..read more

  With Mother’s Day right around the corner on Sunday, May 12, it’s time to treat all the mamas, grandmothers, aunties and mother figures in your life. We’ve gathered a list of ways to celebrate and spend quality time together. She deserves it!   SEE ALSO: Dine-In and Takeout Menus for Mother’s Day on O‘ahu   Photo: Courtesy of Josh Tatofi   Brunch and Show With Josh Tatofi Saturday, May 11, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Grammy nominee and Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award winner Josh Tatofi is back for his second annual Mother’s Day Weekend Brunch and Show at the Hawai‘i Convention Center. Di ..read more

  I have never been to the Crouching Lion. As a townie, it’s rare for me to even get to Windward O‘ahu. But when the news comes that the landmark restaurant is reopening after a long closure, I’m curious enough to make the drive out.   SEE ALSO: Hawai‘i’s Oldest Restaurants Are Still ‘Ono After All These Years   The History Since I don’t know anyone who’s been to the Crouching Lion, I talk to Ian Lind, investigative reporter and son of the restaurant’s original operator, John M. Lind. It was John Lind who in 1952 convinced Reginald Faithful to convert his Ka‘a‘awa home into an ..read more

  Photo: Thomas Obungen   Spaghetti Vietnam-atriciana and plates of​​ fresh ​crudi​ 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. &nb ..read more

  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     Photo: Credit Abe McAulton, Courtesy of Hana Kitchens   Hana Kitchens Hana Kitchens, a hub for makers and tast ..read more

  Pardon 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 ..read more

  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. Photo: Aaron K. Yoshino   Ahu 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 acclaime ..read more