BOAT FLOTILLA IN HAWAII KAI, HONOLULU, MAUNALUABAY
Driving over Kalanianaole Highway into Hawaii Kai the day before Memorial Day, one can’t help but notice the island of boats and bright colors of floating devices with people bouncing on them. Welcome to Hawaii Kai’s boat tie-up party. Cool waters, good food and drink(bring your own), and Koko Head and Diamond Head views provide a great way to spend the day with friends and family. Anyone up to boating, paddling or swimming out to the event is welcome.
You can tie up and tie one on around the island throughout the year: watch for flotilla boat tie-up parties off of Waikiki and at the KaneohoeBay sandbar on the Windward side of the island.
Cost: Free
Do's and Don'ts: Bring food and drink to share, a designated driver, a swim suit, and good balance to get you from boat to boat. Don't break up the tie-up by leaving in the middle of the day.
Honolulu's premiere French restaurant, Le Guignol, serves French cuisine in a comfortable, contemporary setting across the street from Thomas Square and cattycorner from NeilS.BlasdellCenter. It’s the perfect place to start the evening before a concert or symphony.
Chef/Owner Travis "Ala" Sutton starts his days at 7 a.m. preparing lunch fare on Wednesdays and Saturdays and dinner on Tuesdays through Sundays. Sutton cooks everything that ends up on the table, including such classic French dishes as baked burgundy escargot with roasted garlic and parsley butter, cumin roasted leg of lamb with curry demi glaze and Serbian flageolet beans and caramelized onions, as well as a local favorite, pan-roasted Opakapaka fillet with anchovy and artichoke green puy lentils and Beurre Noisette.
The restaurant has an intimate bistro feel with only 12 tables inside and three on the lanai. Leilani (Travis' mom) greets you and, along with other wait staff, provides attentive service. Dress ranges from casual to dressy—whatever you plan to wear to the concert.
Cost: Roasted Opakapaka $28.95, Escargot $8.95
Do's and Don'ts: Don't forget your bottle of wine; it's BYOB. Do call early to make reservations to avoid settling for fast food before a concert.
HAWAII POLO CLUB @ MOKULEIA FIELD ON OAHU'S NORTH SHORE
Mokuleia on Hawaii’s NorthShore is home to The Hawaii Polo Club, which holds matches at the Hawaii Polo Field on most Sundays during the six-month polo season beginning in May. The Club celebrated its 43rd anniversary in 2008 and is part of a nearly 140-year history of polo in Hawaii. Visiting polo teams come from as far away as England and Argentina. And the club has coined its matches, Polo by the Sea, hosting spectators to exciting matches with rolling surf and white sand beaches as a backdrop.
Open to the public, the polo matches are a great excuse to drive to the “country” and relax near the ocean while enjoying the matches and other opening, half-time, and post game activities, including hang gliding demonstrations, food, drink, and bands. Our visit featured the band Green Eggs n' Sam, dancing and dining. Bring your kids or date and check it out this Sunday!
Cost: $8 entry fee
Do's and Don'ts: Get there early for seating with umbrellas; Games start at 2 p.m. (gates open at 11 a.m.). Although food and drinks can be purchased, we recommend bringing a cooler with food and drink. Beach chairs and an umbrella or small tent for shade are good ideas as well. Don’t run across the field during a match!!!
NU’UANU JUDD MEMORIAL TRAIL TO JACKASS GINGER SWIMMING HOLE
Looking for a quick stroll in the forest or for a refreshing swim? This is the ticket. Right off the Pali Highway, just outside of Downtown Honolulu, the Judd Trail is an easy hike that runs along Nu'uanu Stream to Jackass Ginger Pond and then continues in a 1 mile loop, with minimal elevation gain. Jackass Ginger Pond is a great swimming hole with a 10 foot waterfall into the pond and a rope swing to jump from into the water, which is up to 8 feet deep in some places. Be warned that this pond is surrounded by boulders, which means there might be boulders in the water. Remember, "sticks and stone can break my bones," so jumping is at your own risk.
Those looking for more of a workout can take an alternative path to a higher elevation, Pauoa Flats, and finally Nu'uanu Valley Overlook (1600 feet) which has views of the Pali, higher peaks in the Ko'olau Range, the Wai'anae Range, Nu'uanu Valley, and Punchbowl.
Cost: Free
Do's and don'ts: Do consider mosquito repellent or walk fast. Don't try anything fancy off the rope.
Need for speed? Sail on a Hawaiian Outrigger Sailing Canoe. SeaBreeze Watersports in Hawaii Kai is the only outfitter in Hawaii offering ocean speed sailing. Na'ilima, a former Hokulea crew member who sailed between Hawaii and Rapanui using Hawaiian sailing methods, will take you on a sailing canoe for an invigorating site seeing adventure on Maunalua Bay. The sailing canoes seat up to six passengers, who will get views of East Honolulu's coastline and, if lucky, views of marine life including seals, turtles, and whales. Follow up your date with an early dinner at the Bluwater Grill, The Shack, or Cha-Cha-Cha Salsaria after you are done for the day. These are all located in Hawaii Kai Shopping Center right next to SeaBreeze.
Cost of Date: Speed Sailing $45
Do's and Don'ts: Do consider a Day on the Bay Package to fill the day out. Call before and get a free ride from Waikiki. Don't forget to bring a camera and a change of clothes for dinner afterwards.
Hidden in the now blossoming Kaimuki in Honolulu is the Japanese Garlic Restaurant, Ninniku-ya, which means Garlic House in Japanese. Owner Chef Eiyuki Endo uses 5-10 pounds of garlic per day creating just about everything garlic: whole roasted Garlic Cloves, Garlic Spinach Salad, Garlic Soup, Garlic Avocado Ahi appetizer, Escargot, Ahi in a Garlic-Ginger sauce, Pasta with creamy Garlic-tomato sauce spiked with king crab, and Angus steaks served on a sizzling hot stone with Garlic Mashed Potatoes. Finish it off with Sorbet with light Garlic sauce. Anything without garlic? The Blueberry Martini, ahhhh.... Open since 1976 on Waialae Ave near Chaminade University, this little gem features indoor and outside seating, and casual dress code (where do you have to dress up in Honolulu, anyway?). We split the filet, escargot, spinach salad, avocado ahi pupu with a side of roasted garlic and were pleasantly stuffed.
Cost of Date: Most appetizers $12-16; Filet $38; Roasted Garlic $8; Blueberry Martini $8
Do's and Don'ts on the date: Do get there early to find parking. Don't expect anyone down wind (for the next 2 days) to not wonder where you've been.
Big applause to the Honolulu Academy of Arts PR folks; they sure know how to put on a good event. ARTafterDARK, a premier event happening from 6 to 9 p.m. on most last Friday’s of the month draws attention to the Academy and its featured exhibits. We’ve never not had a good time at ARTafterDARK.
Show up, get food, get drink, see the exhibit and usually a lot of friends, and wander the beautiful grounds to see what is set up in every corner to entertain you. Then, dance to popular music in the open air courtyard at the Academy. The strict ending time of 9 p.m. is perfect—time to go off and hit the town, or, if you’re tired after a work day, head home.
This particular ARTafterDARK, entitled Dragon Thunder, featured the HimalayanKingdom of Bhutanand exhibits from the region. The monks, in colorful robes, helped out with the event—painting surfboards with regional designs, demonstrating Mandala sand painting, and ancient Buddhist dances.
Cost of date: $10 cover charge (free for members), $4-7 per plate of food, $4-6 drinks
Do’s and Don’ts on this date: Plan to be surprised and entertained. Stay near the main courtyard at the start of the event if you want a good view of the entertainment. Or—hit the food booths while everyone else crowds to see the entertainment. Don’t fret the early closing time; this is a great ice breaker for the start of your evening.
Get Fit! Have Fun!
DATE MORE IN ‘08.
Whether you’re trying to woo that special person, re-discover the meaning of “marital bliss” –or just looking for fun in and about Honolulu, here are some date menus. Follow your hosts on a few outings for some dating ideas, do’s and don’ts, and unique perspectives. Photos and video feeds, frequent updates show local highlights and hang outs.
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Kai the day before Memorial Day, one can’t help but notice the island of boats and bright colors of floating devices with people bouncing on them. Welcome to Hawaii Kai’s boat tie-up party. Cool waters, good food and drink 
(bring your own), and Koko Head and 
