Kauai Info Blog
For those of you who don’t know, E Kanikapila Kakou is the “Legacy of Hawaiian Music,” and 12-week program in Hawaiian music taught by some of the best composers and musicians to ever grace our island. If you are planning a vacation on Kauai during the time of this amazing program, you simply have to plan on stopping by to see these musicians play.
Starting on January 29th, there will be concerts and classes taking place at the Jasmine Ballroom (located inside the Kauai Beach Resort). The first day, Dennis Kamakahi and Stephen Inglis will be in concert at the Ballroom. Tickets will cost $20 in advance or $30 at the door, but the music will likely be unforgettable.
After this opening concert, many more “Donation at the Door” concerts will take place over the next few days and weeks, culminating in another $20-$30 concert given by Nathan Aweau and Jeff Peterson on March 31st at 7pm. Each concert, other than the first and last, will take place on a Monday night from 6-9pm, and an assortment of artists will be performing. But if you aren’t quite sure what to expect, it’s better I tell you now.
This music program has been an ongoing event for over 30 years. And those of us who call Kauai our home get pretty excited about the music and the opportunities to play along. (That’s right; I said play along.) So when you come, if you see most of the audience singing and playing along (or dancing in the aisles as we are known to do), please don’t be alarmed. This is perfectly normal. You can simple sit and enjoy the show or you can get up and join us. Your choice.
Have you heard of Duffy Bishop? Well, if you are a fan of the Blues, then you should have. She is in the Blues Hall of Fame, after all, and will be here on Kauai on Friday, January 27th, for a show!
Starting at 8pm, Duffy Bishop will be playing at the Tahiti Nui Luau room in Hanalei!! While many artists, local and otherwise, often come through Kauai on a tour or just to visit, I think I am the most excited about hearing her. After all, she is a woman with such amazing talent that she has been nominated for a Grammy. Plus, she’s just plain fun to watch.
Her music is a combination of Blues, R&B, and Rock, and everything she does has this dynamic quality that is so rare amongst artists today. So if you’re staying on the North side of the island on the 27th, come to Hanalei for an awesome concert. Seats are only $20 a person and, believe me, the price is SO worth it.
Maybe it’s something about living on an island that brings my mind and spirit so much closer to the lives around me. Or maybe it’s just the fact that I have grown up watching the wonders of nature. But whatever it is, I have a special place in my heart for watching the majestic whales travel along their watery paths to unknown quests.
Each year, starting in December, the Humpback whales of the region flow past my island home on their way to bringing their young into the world. They travel from Alaska so many miles away into the warm waters surrounding Hawaii, intent on creating new life. And watching their enjoyment of the water, their larger-than-life frolicking, and their congregation into family groups gives me a sense of peace, like the world is larger and more wonderful than I had ever imagined and the plans of men cannot stop the rhythms of nature.
And I know it’s not just me. Every year, hundreds of tourists come to our island to watch the whales make their journeys home. There are whale watching locations scattered all over our highest ocean cliffs and restaurants near the water that seat guests outside during the height of the whale watching season. And, as always, there are multiple rental and tour companies, offering whale watching expeditions to those who desire to see a few of these marvelous creatures up close. (Well, as up close as we can get without disturbing them.) During the months of December-April, our island becomes one of the best places on the planet to enjoy a whale migration.
So do you love watching the whales like I do? If you do, you should come and visit. The Humpbacks are starting to increase in number, and sightings are must more common now than they were last month. It’s a great time to see some of the world’s largest and most loving creatures up close and personal.
Want to be a record holder? Well, to do so would normally involve a lot of hard work and patience…
OR you could simply join us at 9am on Saturday (January 21st) for Zumba!
Never heard of Zumba? Well, it’s one of the best ways to work out. (And this is coming from a girl who typically hates to work out.) Zumba is just like dancing, though some aerobic elements are thrown into the mix as well. Invented by a dancer, this Latin dance/fitness program is so much fun, if you like to dance. Combining moves from the merengue, the mambo, the salsa, the samba, and much more, you can dance away the pounds.
I know; I’m starting to sound like an infomercial, right?
But the point is that it’s a healthy and fun way to get fit. AND we are planning to break some world records in the process, just to make it more fun.
Zumba Fitness Fest will be held at the Vidinha Soccer Stadium in Lihue and will start at 9:00. Anna Velasco will lead the first session, from 9-9:50am, and Troy and the Rockstars will lead from 10-10:50am. Then a lunch, that you would have to purchase, is available starting at 11am. So where does the record breaking come in? Let me tell you.
At 9:30 sharp, a count will be taken of the participants. While a general head count will probably be taken as well, mostly they will go off of ticket sales. (Tickets are $10 a person by the way and all proceeds will go toward supporting the Halau and getting them to the Merrie Monarch Hula Competition in April and the Queen Liliuokalani Keiki Hula Competition in July.)
The current world record for a Zumba class is 1,223 people (or 1,401 unrecorded people). The goal for this event is to hit 1,500 people! So come and join us. We’ll need all the help we can get!
I can’t remember if I’ve ever written about the Waipa Foundation before, which is reason enough to write about it now. After all, this is an important part of living on Kauai and truly understanding our island and our traditions.
The Waipa Foundation is a non-profit organization whose goal is to restore Waipa. They have been working toward that goal for over 20 years. So what is Waipa? Well, it is a 1,600 acre watershed area that foundation members and volunteers have been restoring.
Why are they restoring it? That is a good question. (Yes, I’m answering myself, but I’m guessing you all were thinking it.) You see, many years ago in the times of Hawaiian kings, the people of each island had a tie to the land and its resources. They lived off the land and trusted it for their livelihood. They worked hard, sharing with others, developing the cultural ways we see even today, and flourishing in the balance of their lives.
Of course, with trade, ships, flights, the internet, and a world-wide economy, many of those early traditions have been left in the past and forgotten by the newer generations. The Waipa Foundation wants to bring part of Kauai’s history back into relevance, creating an area where community can be developed, traditions can be kept, and culturally relevant teaching can be received.
How are they doing this? To begin with, the Foundation built a community center and learning center, designed to bring people together and teach them about the times when we were tied directly to the land and its resources. And of course they work hard to make sure there are activities, curriculums, and programs for all age groups, maintaining their learning sites for the community around them and the island as a whole.
If you are planning a visit to Kauai or if you are a resident who has never looked into the Waipa Foundation, I encourage you to visit one of their learning centers. You will probably learn a lot, just as I have.
Do you love your dog? Do you enjoy taking your pooch on long walks? Would you like to help the Kauai Humane Society and Malama Pono Health Services save lives? Are you and your dog going to be on Kauai Saturday the 21st?
Then I have an event for you.
On January 21st at 11am, there will be a Doggie Walk to Save Lives. Each doggie/human pair will be charged $25 to raise money for the above listed services. What do you get in return? Well, how about a great 1-2 mile walk with your best animal friend? There will also be free hot dogs and refreshments for lunch, prizes, and the beautiful Kauai sunshine to enjoy.
It’s going to be a great event.
Now, I’ll admit that I don’t have a dog. BUT my fiancée does, so a dog is in my near future. And I’m excited about it. I haven’t had a dog since I was a little girl, and taking a long walk with this little guy sounds like a wonderful day.
So come and join us for a day of doggies! You can have some fun, raise some money, and enjoy the company of other dog owners like yourself.
If you love music like I do, then this Sunday on Kauai is the place to be. There will be two wonderful musical opportunities to visitors and residents alike: “From These Roots” and Brunch at the Garden Café.
“From These Roots” is going to be, according to their posters, “an evening of Spiritual Jazz and R&B featuring Gabrielle Goodman with special guest Matthew Truss.” Sound interesting? Well then be at the KCC Performing Arts Center in Puhi at 3pm for the show. Tickets are $15/person and you can find out more information at the Kauai Concert Association.
But what will you do with your day before 3pm? How about more music! From 9am until 2pm, come to The Garden Café in Kilauea for brunch with a live performance from Domonic James. The Garden Café has a wonderful assortment of organic foods that are downright scrumptious to the palette. PLUS, you’ll get to listen to some of Domonic’s best music. (If you want to listen to a bit of his music before making the effort to visit Kilauea, click here.)
What better way to spend a Sunday than listening to some amazingly talented musicians here on Kauai. So if you will be visit this weekend, please check out one of these venues. I think you’ll be glad that you did.
Looking for an indoor event to attend this Saturday with your family? Well, I know of a great way to spend the day. Not only will you have fun, dance, eat, and see great costumes, but you will also learn a lot about Filipino Culture. That’s right – It’s Ohana Day!
The Kauai Museum in Lihue is hosting this fun family event on Saturday, January 7th, from 10am until 1pm. If you come, you can shop inside the museum gift shop as well as several booths that will be set up. You can also eat at one of the food booths, do crafts or purchase crafts at one of the crafting booths, and walk around the museum.
And of course no day is complete without some music and dancing! There will be live entertainment and dancing for all, plus a few cultural displays for those interested. Residents of the island get into this event free, so you can bet I’ll make an appearance. Visitors to our island will be charged a small fee, though that price has also been severely discounted.
So come and join us for a day of learning about Filipino culture. It should be fun and educational. And join us each month at the museum for similar cultural events, celebrating our multicultural heritage.
2012 – How I’ve looked forward to your arrival!
This year, there is a lot planned here on Kauai. For one thing, I’m getting married. So forgive me if some of my blogs are posted in advance so I can take my honeymoon. Also, there are festivals, parties, concerts, holidays, art shows, beach adventures, things to learn, things to do, and places to go! This is going to be a good year.
To start it all off, how about a concert? St. Michael’s Church in Lihue is hosting an evening of Harold Arlen’s music on Wednesday, January 4th, and 7pm. There will be several different performers taking these beloved songs and singing them for your hearing pleasure. And all proceeds go to fighting Parkinson’s Disease! Talk about a worthy cause, right?
Ah yes, 2012 is on a roll already. I can’t wait to see what else this year has in store for us!
Fireworks are great and they are family friendly. But if you are over 21 and you want to have a bit more fun on New Years Eve, why not go to a party?
This year, Kilohana’s Luau Pavillion in Lihue is hosting an indoor celebration, complete with live music and a lot of dancing! The purpose of the celebration is to honor Kilohana’s 25 Years of Tradition, to benefit the YMCA, and to let us have a bunch of fun. The night will start off with some tunes by Kawili, the opening band. Then will come the awesomeness of MAKANA.
Will there be alcohol? Yes. Does this mean that no one under 21 can be admitted? Yes. So if you are looking for a family event to attend, this isn’t it. However, if you want to party, dance, drink, and kiss someone at midnight, this is your event.
The party will go from 7pm New Years Eve until 1am New Years Day. The price of admission is $35 at the door or $30 if you buy your ticket in advance. So come to Lihue and dance the night away with us. I can practically guarantee a great time!
See you in 2012!
Wasn’t Christmas wonderful? Seriously, I love spending time with my family and friends, decorating the tree, singing carols, eating until I burst, enjoying the spirit of the season, and generally having a great time. And when it’s over, I’m sad a little. It’s like riding a high of happiness and then having your wave fizzle out.
But that’s why we celebrate New Years.
Okay, that isn’t why we celebrate exactly, but it sure helps. After Christmas, we know that we can look forward and ahead to New Years and all of the refreshing change that a new year brings. Resolutions get written, fresh starts are made, and 2012 is about to begin.
If you are on Kauai, you can come out and celebrate this wonderful changing with us. Saturday, December 31st at Poipu Beach Park, there will be a fireworks display to ring in the New Year. This high-flying, brightly-colored, evening event will take place at 9:30pm, so you’ll want to be in position to watch the fun.
Usually, I head down to the beach with a towel, find a sandy spot, and cuddle up under a blanket for a fireworks event. Then I can watch the whole sky filled with lights. You can do the same. Simply drive to Poipu and find a good spot. Bring some friends or your loved ones, and enjoy your last evening of 2011.
Okay, maybe you just made plans to come to Kauai for the end of the year. Maybe you decided last minute and are now trying to find a nice hotel in your price range? Maybe you went to the hotel you had booked and realized just how expensive it was? Maybe your wall-mates in the room next to yours are extremely loud every night? Whatever the reason, you need to find a nice condo on Kauai to use during your stay. So have you considered Hanalei Bay Villa 15?
You know what? You probably haven’t! But you should. If you are going to be staying on the island with your small family or a couple friends, this is the place for you. Why? Well, let me list the reasons for you.
Comfort – This place is cozy. The furniture is all comfortable and nice. The style is island and the colors are fun and warm. And if you care nothing about the look, how about the fact that you get two bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms, a living room, a full kitchen, a lanai, and a backyard to use. MUCH better than a hotel room, yes?
Cost – A hotel on Kauai around the holidays is expensive. Okay, it’s more than expensive; it’s like buying a car expensive. So if you want to be able to afford your vacation, a condo or vacation home is much better for you. Hanalei Bay Villa 15 is actually a cottage, so it has that homey quality that is so lack in many places. Plus, it’s only $1,330 a week! Seriously, that’s each week, not each night! Price some hotels and you’ll see how good a deal this place is.
Amenities – A hotel room will give you a mini bar (which costs money), a television (that can be heard through the walls), and a downstairs lobby and restaurant (which will be filled with the hundreds of other guests and will typically cost you money). With #15, you get views of Hanalei Bay and the mountains, a fully equipped kitchen, 2 TVs, a DVD player, a washer/dryer in your cottage, free wireless internet, and enough room to stretch out in. And the best part: you won’t have to do anything in front of a bunch of strangers.
Wouldn’t this be a great place to bring your family? Wouldn’t this be a great place for you to stay this holiday season? Don’t you want to call and book it now?
Have you ever wanted to hear some really fabulous music by a Hawaiian resident? Have you heard of John Cruz? If you have, I have the event for you!
Right after Christmas on December 28th, John Cruz will be here on Kauai for a benefit concert at the Princeville St. Regis!!! (That’s a local resort for those of you who aren’t from around here.) I’m so excited for this concert. This is an amazing musician who truly understands Aloha. Plus, my fiancée already bought the tickets. 
He will be raising money for the Hanalei School and the price of admission is $50 a person. If you want to come, you can find the tickets for sale at several different locations all around Kauai: Magic Dragon Toy and Art Supply (in Princeville), Kauai Music and Sound (in Kapaa), Hanalei Surf Co. (in Hanalei), and Hanalei Strings and Things (also in Hanalei). I will be there. You should come too. And it’s for a great cause! Who wouldn’t want to support our schools?
If you haven’t heard of John Cruz, you either are not from Kauai or you have been living under a rock. But that’s okay! I can fix that. You can find a lot of his music on iTunes or YouTube. In fact, here is a link to one of his famous songs: Island Style. If you like what you hear, come and join us on the 28th at the St. Regis in Princeville.
Well, today I discovered an activity here on Kauai that I have never done before: the annual Christmas Bird Count. A friend was telling me about this little event. Let me relay what I have learned.
Each year, a group of Kokee Museum workers and volunteers join together to trek into the wild unknowns on Kauai and count birds. According to my friend, this is a fun day of bird watching and hiking, perfect for the outdoory type. She is a birdwatcher, so this event is perfect for her each year. She also takes her brother with her, who doesn’t care about birds but loves exercise. It’s a great bonding day for them.
So, if you are a birdwatcher or a hiker and you are going to be on Kauai on Saturday, December 17th, head to the Kokee Museum! You’ll have a great time and meet some new friends.
Want to vacation in style for Christmas? Then you should come and stay at Hale Ola Guest House for the holidays and enjoy the luxurious comfort that a private home can provide.
Most people think that vacationing on Kauai is expensive. But honestly, you can save a fortune if you simply rent a vacation home instead of purchasing a hotel room for the week. Instead of paying $1,000 a night for a nice room, why not pay $2,400 for an entire week and enjoy the privacy and comfort of your own home-away-from-home?
The Hale Ola Guest House is a lovely house in Hanalei with a close proximity to the ocean and a scenic view from each window. We are talking historic beachfront property here people, and it could be all yours during your winter vacation. Amenities for this property include cable TV, DVD/VCR, CD player, beach access, a private lanai, and nearness to Hanalei Town and all it has to offer. Plus, you won’t have to worry about the neighbors in the hotel room next to yours keeping you up all night.
This is a nice vacation home with historic significance, but don’t worry – it is up to date and ready for a resident or two. With two bedrooms, one bathroom, and a complete kitchen, any small family or set of couples would enjoy spending their time here. But spending time indoors isn’t what Kauai is all about. That’s why you can walk a short pathway down to the beach and spend the day soaking up the sun and playing in the water.
You can learn to surf, get a tan, go out to eat every night, and enjoy a private breakfast in your own living room the next morning. Thus is the wonder of a vacation home. So if you plan to visit Kauai, consider this beautiful Guest House for your lodging needs.
If you are planning to be on Kauai around the 8th through the 11th or any day in between, there is an event coming up that you just have to see. Koloa Union Church will be performing a family musical for the season every night at 7pm: SCROOGE.
Now, I’m going to say right off the bat that I don’t know how good it will be. This isn’t a play that they put on every year and I’ve never been to a play in their church before. But I’m expecting great things.
First of all, this is a free event with a free will offering taken after the play (as far as I know). So, if you hate it, you don’t have to pay for it. And if you want to support their efforts, you can give what you can.
From what I’ve heard, this musical will be based on the writings of Charles Dickens and will be a family-friendly event. Church and community members will be working together to show you the spirit of Christmas, and who would want to pass up the chance to see a live play?
I’m going to see it this year, and I hope that you’ll swing by the Koloa Union Chuch on Poipu Road and see it with me.
So what are you doing tonight? Are you sitting at home with no where to go? Do you want to do something fun and family oriented to do? Do you like Christmas lights?
Today kicks off another season of the Festival of Lights, every Friday–Sunday evening at 6PM until Christmas. I think I probably wrote about this festival last year, because I always go at least one night of the month. But I’m going to write about it again for those of you who might not have read this blog a year ago.
The Festival of Lights on Kauai is a wonderful tradition on Kauai of fun, family, lights, Santa, art, and awesome! Held in Kauai’s Historic County Building, come and watch as the entire area is decked in lights and comes alive with Christmas spirit. The interior of the building will be ready for Christmas with large and small decorations to grab the imagination of your whole family. Plus, with a theme like “Santa’s Gone Kauaiian,” it should be a ton of fun.
First of all, this festival celebrates the beautiful Christmas Folk Art of Auntie Josie Chansky. So you can walk around and see her creations: a true Kauaiian national treasure. You can also wander amongst our own special island Christmas touches, like Christmas waterfalls and scenes cut into ice. Santa will surf into the party on a sleigh pulled by roosters (and for those of you who missed my posts about chickens, let me just tell you that the roosters will fit the theme nicely). And each Christmas tree will be decorated with a different theme.
And don’t worry – you won’t be bored. I’ve been to lighting ceremonies at Christmas that completely wasted my time. We stood around forever, Santa came, he flipped a switch, lights came on, and Santa wished everyone a Merry Christmas. That was it. Then everyone went home. This is not like that. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be around to greet everyone, there will be celebrating and maybe even a little performance by Santa, and the night will stick in your memories as one to remember.
Want to learn more about this festival? Well, you can visit the official website for more information.
Can you believe it? Christmas is just around the corner! It’s December here on the island of Kauai and already there are more Christmas decorations and fewer frowns. It’s a magical time of the year, especially when you live in a place where the weather stays beautiful.
Have you considered coming to Kauai this Christmas?
I’ll let you in on a little secret here: Kauai is perfect for a holiday trip. While the novelty of snow is fun once in a while, I remember visiting my brother for Christmas and freezing to death one year. The snow was pretty, but I was COLD. I ended up stuck in the house the entire visit, and I am not a “sit around and do nothing” type of person.
On Kauai, however, the weather is perfect. (This is a tropical island after all.) The sun comes out and activities commence as normal. When my brother comes to visit me for Christmas, we snorkel, play some golf, hang out on the beach, go out to dinner once or twice, and celebrate in style. Of course, we have traditions too.
In my family, it is tradition to put up a Christmas tree, open presents at midnight on Christmas morning, and to stay in pjs all day long. I usually deck out the entire lanai with twinkle lights so it’s like entering an enchanted Christmas fairy-tale at night. And with the weather a beautiful 70 degrees, sitting on the lanai and enjoying the feeling of Christmas is easy as pie.
So if you want a change this Christmas season, visit Kauai for Christmas. We have lots of fun Christmas things to do here on the island, plus you can vacation in style on our warm sunny beaches. Believe me – this is the only way to relax.
If you are planning on visiting Kauai over the holidays and need a nice vacation rental home for your whole family, I have a recommendation for you. Consider staying at Anahola Aloha Beach House on the East side of the island. You will only be a short jaunt from the North side of the island where all of the fun happens. Plus, you will absolutely LOVE this rental. Let me tell you about it.
To start off with, this rental has 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, and a pull-out couch for extra guests. This means that this rental can sleep 11 people comfortably, and there is plenty of space if you want to bring the kids and place sleeping bags on the floor.
Speaking of space, this place truly is spacious, and I’m not just referring to the vaulted ceilings! There are two master suites and a media room downstairs, each having its own TV with DVD player for late night movies and group hangouts. And then upstairs has the fully equipped kitchen, living room, and dining room, each with a view of the beautiful Anahola Bay! In fact, if you are up for a walk, you are just a short hike from the bay itself. So you can spend your days combing the sand and spend your evenings watching the bay from your lanai.
Don’t want to simply lounge on a chair to watch the ocean? Well, that’s fine. This rental has a hot tub, allowing you to sip a cool drink while sitting in hot, moving water while you enjoy the view. After you finish with the hot tub, you can come inside and sit down to dinner, a dinner you can make yourself in the large kitchen complete with every appliance you will need to make a spectacular meal. (And if you are the type of cook who loves counter space, you will simply drool over this kitchen.)
Need table linens and dinnerware? They’re provided. Need a washer and dryer to clean sandy clothes? They’re provided. Need a vacation home that sleeps 11+, is a short drive to Kilauea and Kapaa, is a short walk to the beach, and that starts at only $3000/week? Well, this house provides that. All you have to do is rent it.
There is an activity here on Kauai that we do the first Saturday of every month starting at 9am. It’s something that most residents of Hanalei look forward with anticipation and something that I’ve decided to share with all of you.
It’s a swap meet!
Okay, that sounded a bit “little old lady” of me to insist that an entire town would love swap meets. But honestly, you would love them too if you were in the market for a nice longboard or some snorkeling gear. The first Saturday of each month is the Water Sports Swapmeet and residents from all over the island come to buy and sell their used equipment.
Now if you are a tourist reading this, don’t think that this will be a waste of your time. You can find some amazing deals at this swap meet and locate surfboards in mint condition. Owning your own gear is a great way to save some money on rentals and truly be a part of the water riding community. Plus, you can always check your new gear as baggage on the plane home.
So are you planning a trip to Kauai around the first weekend of December, January, February, March, etc? Well, then visit 5-5161 Kuhio Hwy in Hanalei. Come rain or shine, we’ll be here from 9-noon.
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