Ukulele Steams Ahead with Train
One of Hawaii’s favorite instruments, the ukulele, has been making a more mainstream appearance outside of the Aloha State recently. With Jack Johnson and Jason Mraz strumming the ukulele along with their chart topping melodies, the ukulele has become an “it” sound in recent years. The ukulele’s most recent hit is Train’s “Hey, Soul Sister,” which has been climbing the Billboard charts since its debut last year. This week, it jumped from 23 to 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. Train’s Pat Monahan said that the ukulele “made the song sound right.  When it was written … it [had] all the traditional rock instruments. Then a ukulele was brought out and changed the environment completely. When Jimmy plays all instruments, it’s really easy for me to sing to, but man when he’s playing the ukulele, I melt. I do. I melt.”  Now, that’s how hot this Tropic Topic is!

Secret Engagements Abound
Celebrity news is buzzing with rumors that Alicia Keys is celebrating a secret engagement to beau Swizz Beatz right here in Hawaii.  Pictures have surfaced of the two on the beach with Alicia sporting a ring on her left ring finger. She also just celebrated her 29^th birthday on Jan. 25. Whether she’s engaged or not, we’re just happy that she chose Hawaii to vacay! We hope she has a great time and comes back very soon.

Lei Chic Adorns
We are so loving Lei Chic, a free, daily e-mail that tells you about new shops and boutiques, the best spas and salons, new restaurants, and cool services and events in Hawaii. We know that sometimes, a daily email can get annoying or content can get boring, but Lei Chic is consistent with truly hot, original finds. Topics include uniquely-Hawaii jewelry designs, denim line, and even the state’s first organic beer. And the fun doesn’t stop there. Lei Chic offers latest on island fitness, kids, pets, travel, and more.    

A Kiss Like Never Before
Did you know that Hershey Kisses makes a chocolate Kiss with macadamia nuts in them? Yes, and you can only find them in-store in Hawaii (there are some online retailers that sell them as well). The Kisses are made with Mauna Loa macadamia nuts from the Big Island and are wrapped in blue and yellow foil. Their signature white pull tabs say “Aloha” on them.  Locals give these as gifts to friends from afar and party favors, and of course, most simply enjoy them as a satisfying treat.  So, next time you’re in Hawaii and see them in the store, pick up a bag or two!

That’s it for now.  Check back soon for more Tropic Topics.  Until then, aloha and a hui hou!

Aloha, Johnny Depp!
Hollywood and Hawaii media have been a buzz announcing that the fourth installment of the major motion picture series “Pirates of the Caribbean” will be filmed on Oahu and Kauai this summer.  No word yet on if the film will be hiring Hawaii extras. But, you can be sure that we’ll be on the lookout for Johnny Depp, and we’ll let you know if we spot him.

The Kevin James in Town?
Chef Chai Chaowasaree of Oahu’s Chai’s Island Bistro and Singha Thai Cuisine tweeted on Jan. 14 “Thank You Kevin James for stopping by tonight!”  We don’t know for sure, but we think he’s talking about actor and comedian Kevin James, who starred in films such as “Paul Blart: Mall Cop,” “Hitch,” and the TV show “King of Queens.” We wonder what he dined on there?  You can find Chef Chai on Twitter as @ChaisIsland.

Disney Lands Name for Hawaii Resort
Disney has named it new resort on Oahu, Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, Koolina, Hawaii.  “The Honolulu Star Bulletin” reported that ”In Hawaiian, ‘aulani’ means ‘the place that speaks for the great ones” or “the place that speaks with deep messages.’” The resort, which is expected to open its first phase in fall 2011, encompasses 21-acres at Koolina Resort and will include 360 hotel rooms and 481 time share villas.  

Beach Premiere of Lost’s Final Season
As the hit TV series “Lost,” which films in the islands, heads into its last season, Hawaii fans will have the opportunity to watch the season premiere on Jan. 30, three days before it airs on TV.  And, they’ll get to see it on a a 30-foot screen on Wakiki ‘s Queen Surf Beach.  An epic start to a  much-awaited event!  “Lost” producers and stars are expected to be in attendance and walk the red carpet, according to the “Honolulu Advertiser.”

Check back periodically for more Tropic Topics.  Until then, aloha and a hui hou!

JOY: Alright, now, it’s time for us to talk about the last of our Hawaii holiday gift picks.

JENNY: And, the best part is that all of our gift picks can be purchased online, so it doesn’t matter where you live, you can give or get a gift straight from Hawaii!  And, we’ll be sure to link our gift picks on our blog, yourpubliciswaiting.com, Twitter, and on Facebook. Ok, our first gift pick is Banana Patch Studio’s Hand Painted Ceramic Tiles. They come in 4” and 6” sizes. The tiles are Hawaiian themed, in a variety of patterns all designed and made on Kauai by Banana Patch Studio.

They have all types of designs, such as a Hawaiian Quilt pattern, green sea turtles, the Hawaiian Islands, and more. Other tiles have cute sayings on them like “Mahalo, Please take off your shoes” or “Welcome, E Komo Mai” and of course both of these would be placed your front door. But, the one I like the best is a Hawaiian Blessing that reads: May there always be warmth in your Hale, fish in your net, and Aloha in your heart. I love that!

And, we got an email from them last week and learned that the tiles are fired in their kiln using solar power! So, this is also a very green gift too!

We also mentioned in a previous show that Banana Patch Studio owner Joanna Carolan and husband Dr. Carolan illustrated and wrote, respectively, the children’s book “The President from Hawaii.” The book was chosen to represent Hawaii at the Library of Congress Book Festival in Washington D.C., and that would make a wonderful gift as well.

JOY: Oh, those tiles are perfect for anyone, anywhere. What a lovely way to bring Hawaii to wherever you may be. And, I bought a few of “The President from Hawaii” for holiday gifts too. So, to order the tiles, books, and more go to www.bananapatchstudio.com.  Ok, I really love our next gift pick because not only would it make a great Christmas present, but it would be a wonderful New Year’s present too. It’s Nani Moon Mead’s Pineapple Guava Sunset Mead.

Nani Moon Mead is tropical honey wine and is the only Meadery in Hawaii, located in Kapaa, Kauai.

So, the Pineapple Guava Sunset Mean is a luscious blend of honey, guava, and pineapple from the Hawaiian Islands.  It’s a semi-dry honey wine crafted to be light bodied, with mild acidity and filled with pleasant flavors.  I tasted this recently and it was wonderful! First, the smell of this mead is so tropical, and then when you taste it…it’s really a great balance of flavors and tannins. Stephanie, the owner, told me that the tannins come from the tea, which was I thought was such a smart idea.

Oh, and one of the best things about the mead is that it’s made without sulfites or preservatives and are crafted to be enjoyed right off the shelf, no aging necessary.  So, Stephanie says enjoy the mead chilled, in the same style as a white wine, with pupus (appetizers), and fresh island cuisine or on it’s own while watching an island sunset or moonrise.  

Currently, Nani Moon Mead only ships to: California, Florida, Iowa, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York,  and Washington D.C. You can find out more information about the mead and purchase it at www.nanimoonmead.com.  

JENNY: Sounds delish! I have to try that soon.

Hawaii born, Filipino-American, Jasmine Trias rose to fame on season 3 of the hit TV talent show “American Idol,” as a top three finalist. Her single, Excuses, from her debut album, climbed to No. 1 on the urban, hip-hop and R&B Internet web radio station. Jasmine has garnered great success in the Philippines, and regularly stars on the Las Vegas Strip with the original Society of Seven. She is now recording her second album.

“Esquire Magazine” notes, “Makana is considered the greatest living player” of slack key guitar. With over 20 years concert experience and six albums to his credit, Makana most recently performed at the White House. This August, Makana concluded a successful two-month engagement reopening the renovated Royal Hawaiian Hotel’s Monarch Room. Makana has toured the world and received numerous musical accolades. His most recently released CD is entitled “Venus, and the Sky Turns to Clay.

To listen to the show and interviews, go to www.FromHawaiiWithLove.com or download our iTunes podcast for free.

JOY: Alright, now, it’s time for us to talk about some of our Hawaii holiday gift picks.

JENNY: And, the best part is that all of our gift picks can be purchased online, so it doesn’t matter where you live, you can give or get a gift straight from Hawaii!  And, we’ll be sure to link to our gift picks on our blog, yourpubliciswaiting.com, Twitter, and on Facebook.

JOY: So our first holiday gift pick is Malie Organics Holiday Gift Sets.

Malie’s products are all from Kaua’i.  They’re luxurious natural products for home, body and spirit. The gentle, soothing essences of their wild-crafted and organic ingredients flow through pure Hawaiian hydrosols, the therapeutic floral waters that infuse each product. They’ve got some great gift sets including:

Soy Candle & Luxe Cream Soap $40

Organic Body Cream and Body Wash $50

They’re beautifully gift wrapped and ready to give and available at malie.com. And, right now, they’re offering free shipping, so that’s a deal! Anywhere you can get free shipping is awesome, especially for us here in Hawaii.

JENNY: Alright that’s great and their right down the road from our studio.  Our second gift pick is brought to us by Dawn Sakamoto, Director of Sales & Marketing at Watermark Publishing and this is for a book called Kau Kau: Cuisine and Culture in the Hawaiian Islands. Kau Kau is Hawaiian pidgin word meaning to eat, food, or meal. In Kau Kau, author Arnold Hiura—a writer with roots in the plantation culture—explores the rich history and heritage of food in Hawai‘i, with little-known culinary tidbits, interviews with chefs and farmers, and a treasury of rare photos and illustrations.  Dawn says that Kau Kau is about the intertwined relationship between culture and cuisine here in Hawaii, and covers our food history going back to the first Hawaiians all the way to modern day Hawaii Regional Cuisine and the locavore movement.  “Kau Kau” will be in bookstores in January.  But, it’s currently available for advance purchase directly from the publisher, at bookshawaii.net.  You can learn more about the book at the Kau Kau Facebook Fan Page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kau-Kau-Cuisine-Culture-in-the-Hawaiian-Islands/191006435015 ). And, you can view a short book trailer on YouTube.( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Yo_pG3-wBw).

JOY: Last of all we’re picking books from the award winning Molokai-born author, Lois-Ann Yamanaka. Her books can be found on Amazon.com. (http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&keywords=lois-ann%20yamanaka&index=blended). Lois-Ann Yamanaka ia a Japanese-American poet and novelist. What’s unique about her is that many of her critically acclaimed literary works are written in Hawaiian Pidgin, and some of her writing has dealt with controversial ethnic issues. In particular, her works confront themes of Asian American families and the local culture of Hawaiʻi.  Her list of titles include Saturday Night at the Pahala Theatre, a book of poems written in Hawaiian Pidgin (1993), Wild Meat and the Bully Burgers (1996), Blu’s Hanging (1997), Heads by Harry (1998), Behold the Many (2006), and many more.  Any of these books would be terrific reads for people interested in real-life Hawai`i and the cultural intricacies here.  And while they’re profound, they’re also written with a lot of humor. What’s nice is that there are not too many novels out there written about real Hawaii life, and using pidgin. So that’s cool.

JENNY: Joy’s going to read an excerpt from Yamanaka’s book “Blu’s Hanging”. So, here’s the synopsis of the story. Joy and I have both read it.

On the Hawaiian island of Molokai, life goes on for the three young Ogata children after the death of their mother and subsequent emotional withdrawal of their grief and guilt-stricken “Poppy.” The eldest at 13, Ivah is now responsible for the safety and well-being of tiny Maisie, vulnerable and mute since their mother’s passing; and for Blu, her uncontainable brother whose desperate need for love has made him vulnerable to the most insidious of relationships. Ok, Joy, share the excerpt w/ our listeners.

JOY: Ok. Here it is:

Poppy tells me, “Ivah, I gotta work the graveyard shift at Del Monte from now on. Straight from the school, I coming home for bathe and eat, then I going to the truck barn. You going be in charge of dinner.”

The last things I bought on Poppy’s charge were a jar of Best Foods, a pint of Malolo strawberry syrup, which I diluted 7 to I instead of 5 to 1, and three cans of Spam.

“You heard me? You going be in charge of dinner.”

From now on.

Poppy shows me the fast way to make a hot dinner.

I cook a pot of hot rice, lots of rice. There are two things I can make from this: if the hen has laid eggs in the last three days that nobody ate, as soon as the button on the rice cooker pops I crack the three eggs right in the pot and stir it up with shoyu. Poppy says, “Just like the ole days, my madda made that for all us kids. Thass Japanee soul food, raw eggs on hot rice. Tamago meshi.”

The other thing I make is cream-of-mushroom soup on the hot rice. Don’t add any water. It tastes like gravy. I serve it right out of the rice pot with the soup ladle.

Poppy doesn’t care. He comes home from the school full of chalk dust and the fine dirt from the dust mop that he pushes across the gym floor at the end of the day. He smells like Pine-Sol all the time.

Poppy says I’m the best cook in the house.

Saturday morning, I saw my brother Blu gather eggs outside. He had two. I made them for him sunny-side up, and he licked the yolk off his plate.

Poppy brought home cases of dry saimin that somebody bought for him from the Swap Meet in Honolulu. So I got good at making fried noodles:

Boil the saimin and drain. Chop Spam, green onion, and fried egg and mix with the saimin. Sprinkle the soup stock over the fried noodles for flavoring.

I also make regular saimin. And one day, I come home from school and Blu and Maisie are eating dry saimin sprinkled with the soup stock. “Taste like potato chips,” Blu says, and Maisie nods.

It was getting pretty bad around the house. I saved a stick of Wrigley’s spearmint gum that Evangeline Reyes gave me on Monday until Saturday. I felt funny every day asking Evangeline to give me a stick of gum from the PlenTPak stash that she had in her patent-leather white bag.

I stuck my gum to the bureau at night, and after I brushed my teeth in the morning, popped it back into my mouth. I figured the plaque would stay out and the spearmint would taste fresher, longer. But the gum got so full of grit that it felt like fingernail crumbs until the gum and the grit stuck to my teeth like melted taffy. And that’s when I threw it away.

JENNY: Wow! I love listening to that. Thanks, Joy. So, that was an excerpt from Lois-Ann Yamanaka’s “Blu’s Hanging.” Ok, so we’ve got some excellent gift choices from Hawai`i! Remember to check on our blog, facebook, and Twitter for links to these products.

December 3, 2009

JOY: Mee too. Alright, now, it’s time for us to talk about some of our Hawaii holiday gift picks, which we’ll be doing for the next few weeks as we approach the holidays.

JENNY: And, the best part is that all of our gift picks can be purchased online, so it doesn’t matter where you live, you can give or get a gift straight from Hawaii!  And, we’ll be sure to link to our gift picks on our blog, Twitter, and on Facebook.

JOY: So our first holiday gift pick is the Alii Kula Lavendar’s lavender lilikoi jelly. I actually got this as a gift from my friend Miki last holiday season. The passion fruit used to make the jelly is grown on Maui and is infused with Alii Kula Lavender to create a tangy, sweet jelly. What I liked about the jelly is that the lavender was not too strong so that you don’t feel like you were eating some spa product…it’s just the perfect hint of lavender. I love it on scones. Alii Kula Lavendar’s website says you can even use it as a glaze over Cornish hens or ham or add two scoops in a pan when frying shrimp and to create your own version of sweet sour shrimp. 

JENNY: Mmm….sounds yummy.  Alii Kula Lavendar is a 10.5-acre lavender farm in the uplands of Maui nestled in the skirt of Haleakala.  In addition to the lavender lilikoi jelly, Alii Kula Lavendar sells all types of culinary products from lavender marinades to tea, chocolate, brownies and more, as well as apparel, aromatherapy, and bath and body products.

JOY: They really have a huge offering of products online! Visit and shop with them at www.aliikulalavendar.com, that’s a-l-i-i-k-u-l-a-lavender.com.  They even have a handy holiday shipping schedule on their site, so you’ll know when to order your gift to get it to the recipient on time. So Jenny, what’s your Hawaii holiday gift pick?

JENNY: My pick is the Island Soap and Candle Works Surfer’s Salve. I love to use it on my lips, but it’s excellent for sunburns, minor rashes, bug bites, chapped lips and dry skin.  I use it on my daughter all the time because she’s really prone to mosquito bites.

JOY: And how does it work?

JENNY: It definitely reduces the reaction from the bug bite. And, she doesn’t complain when I put it on because it doesn’t hurt.

JOY: Oh, good to know. The Surfer’s Salve is made in Hawaii using all-natural ingredients such as, olive oil, plantain leaf, comfrey leaf, beeswax, aloe, rosemary, lavender leaf, vitamin e, lavender essential oil, and tea tree oil. It comes in a 4 oz tin or as a stick. And you don’t have to be a surfer to use it!

JENNY: Right! Island Soap & Candle Works has 5 retail locations that are also working factories around Hawaii and uses the finest ingredients to craft handmade soaps, candles, and bath and body products.

JOY: And, I just have to mention that I LOVE their all-natural lip balm. I traveled to the mainland a few weeks back and when I returned, my lips were sooo chapped. I used the lip balm and in a few days, my lips were back, and even better, than normal! The balm comes in several tropical flavors, but the one I’m using now is called Island Passion that has a yummy passion fruit flavor to it. My friend really loves the Pineapple Paradise one. I really like how the lip balm is not heavy, it just glides on and feels so natural on my lips, and I even put it on under lip stick or lip gloss.

JENNY: That’s great! And you can buy these lip balm sticks separately or in a 4-pack.

JOY: Both the Surfers Salve and the lip balms are great stocking stuffers and easy to keep in your purse or pocket at all times, especially for those of you in the cold winter climates where your lips can get so dry.

JENNY: So, you can find those online at Island Soap and Candle Work’s website at islandsoap.com. And, we just wanted to remind you about something we talked about a few weeks ago: The Gilded Fork cookbook.  It’s not from Hawaii, but we think it’s such a perfect holiday gift.  If you’d like some really fresh and unique recipes and great holiday entertaining tips, get yourself a copy of Chef Mark Tafoya’s The Gilded Fork cookbook or buy it for someone else.  We’ll put a link to it on our Facebook page and in our blog, Yourpubiciswaiting.com.

Hawaii-born actor, musician, action star, gymnast, and world renowned champion martial artist, Mark Dacascos presently performs as the popular “Official Chairman” on the Food Network hit show “Iron Chef America.” Mark most recently competed on “Dancing with the Stars” and completed filming the documentary “Samurai” for The History Channel in which he takes viewers with him on a journey through Japan on his quest to learn about the life of samurai and writer of “The Book of Five Rings,” Miyamoto Musashi.  Among his many films, Dacascos starred in “Brotherhood of the Wolf,” “Crying Freeman,” and “Cradle To The Grave” with Jet Li, Cedric The Entertainer and Lucy Liu. He is a mix of Japanese, Filipino, Spanish, Irish, and Chinese heritages.  For more information on Mark, visit his website at www.dacascos.com.

To listen to his interview, go to www.FromHawaiiWithLove.com or download our iTunes podcast for free.

In this episode of From Hawaii With Love, you’ll meet New York City blogger Chef Mark Tafoya. Chef Mark has been featured in the New York Times, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, Bon Appetit, Fox Business Channel and more. He’s a personal chef in New York City, world traveler, self-taught gourmand, and author of The Gilded Fork: Entertaining at Home.  Tune in today at 1 p.m. (HST) or 3 p.m. (PST) on From Hawaii With Love to hear what this New Yorker says about Hawaii food. And, with the holidays right around the corner, The Gilded Fork: Entertaining at Home cookbook is the perfect party resource or gift for your fave party host. Check it out!  If you miss today’s live show, remember that you can subscribe to our From Hawaii With love podcast for free on iTunes or download past episodes at www.FromHawaiiWithLove.com.