Hemispheres Magazine

DAY THREE / This is the day for a decadent breakfast at Longhi’s, in the Ala Moana Shopping Center. Sip a double cappuccino while looking out to the ocean. Consider waffles with a touch of Grand Marnier, freshly baked cinnamon rolls, or crab cakes Benedict.

Meet artist Linda Kane across the street at Ala Moana Beach Park for a morning of plein-aire painting at Pineapple Painting Tours. Kane will bring out your hidden
Da Vinci. She supplies everything needed—easel, paper, brushes, and paints—and sets you up with a picture-perfect view of Diamond Head. Kane says, “Beginners worry they can’t draw, so I have a Diamond Head stencil if they want. It’s not cheating.” She hovers over each fledgling artist, advising, suggesting brushes and colors, illustrating how to glaze the paper. Everyone leaves clutching their own painting of Diamond Head.

Next, enjoy a place at the splendid (and air conditioned) buffet at the Prince Court of the Hawai‘i Prince Hotel Waikiki, a short walk from the park. Browse the array of salads, slurp Vietnamese Pho, try shabu shabu (like Japanese hot pot) or linguine, shrimp tempura, herb-roasted pork with chutney, and a staggering number of desserts including the signature bread pudding. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame the Ala Wai Yacht Basin.

You’ll need some major exercise to work off all that bread pudding, so drive to the leafy bowers of Manoa Valley. The Manoa Falls Trail begins across the footbridge just beyond the Lyon Arboretum entrance. This is an easy .75-mile hike (one-way) into pristine rain forest. Wear shoes you don’t mind wrecking, slather on mosquito repellent, and set out for the sylvan cascade. Smell the wild ginger and ferns.

Get back to Waikiki in time for a unique treatment at SpaHalekulani. Every therapy begins with the spa’s foot-smacking ritual. This may sound like an exquisite form of torture, but it’s perfect after a wilderness hike.

At sunset, float blissfully down Kalakaua Avenue to the big banyan tree by the beach and Waikiki Hula Mound, where free hula shows happen every evening. This is the real thing. Hula schools bring their best dancers; their tiniest, newest dancers just learning to swing their hula hips; and their grannies with mischief in their eyes. It’s a local treat.

Dinner is at Chai’s Island Bistro in the Aloha Tower Marketplace. The waterfront tower, once the tallest building on the island, is now the focal point of a shopping and restaurant complex. Chai’s is known as much for its excellent Island-style music as its fusion menu (see page 64). Begin with honey-hoisin back ribs and move on to a Pacific ciopino with coconut broth or grilled beef tenderloin served with mashed Hawaiian taro. For dessert, try a pyramid of chocolate mousse with fresh raspberry-guava purée and berries. Want more music? Stroll across the way to Don Ho’s Island Grill, where local entertainers still pay homage to the late great crooner. No one seems to be singing “Tiny Bubbles” anymore, but you can sing it to your sweetie as you stroll back along Waikiki Beach in the moonlight on your way to bed. — Rita Ariyoshi is HEMISPHERES
’ longtime island correspondent and a Honolulu resident. One of her award-winning Hawai‘i articles in HEMISPHERES
earned an accolade bestowed by Gov. Linda Lingle.

O‘ahu Weather

If O‘ahu isn’t paradise, it may be the closest thing to it—if you’re looking for a weather-friendly destination. October is warm with pleasant breezes. High temperatures average in the upper 80s, and lows generally remain above
70. Occasional showers in the Honolulu area are possible, but October rainfall averages only a shade above two inches. Look for somewhat higher rainfall amounts along the northeast-facing slopes of the mountain ranges.

The Weather Channel

Weather information is provided by The Weather Channel. For more O‘ahu climatological details, visit weather.com.

Getting Around

Grab a rental car and head to downtown Honolulu, the financial and governmental center of the Islands. Waikiki, O‘ahu’s main resort area, is a mere two miles long and a half-mile wide. Taxis are readily available; ask an attendant to call one. Shuttle vans operate 24 hours a day to major hotels in Waikiki. TheBus (thebus.org) runs from the airport to Waikiki (Nos. 19 and 20).

O‘ahu for Kids

A Sea Life Park (sealife parkhawaii.com) Ocean theme park with performing dolphins and whales
B Bishop Museum (bishopmuseum.org) Repository of Hawaiian culture with a new Science Adventure Center
C Waikiki Aquarium (waquarium.org) Hawaiian monk seals and the world’s only chambered nautilus born in captivity
D Dole Pineapple Plantation (dole-plantation.com) Fresh pineapple juice, a maze, and a ride on a single-engine diesel locomotive

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