When a non-nightclub establishment enters the nightlife scene it can be a risky proposition. Especially these days, due to the economy and overall promotional clutter, what was once a surefire way for promoters to bring the party people in has become a much more hit-and-miss… [»Read]
“How often do you guys get to hear steel guitar in Chinatown,” asks Buck Giles from the makeshift stage at thirtyninehotel on a Wednesday evening. Umm. “Right now,” somebody shouts back, and that just about sums it up, not just for the endangered… [»Read]
One way to give directions to Cabanas: Head down Kuhio Avenue until you get to the Food Pantry, take a left, take another left and park in the (expensive) private lot, then walk ‘ewa across the street and enter the lobby of the ‘Ohana Waikiki… [»Read]
During its first six months of operation, Hush Boutique Nightclub and Lounge has made quite an impression on clubgoers in search of a nightlife experience they can call their own. If there is such a thing as upscale casual, Hush is the place. You can expect a level of comfort… [»Read]
Once upon a time, the Ocean Club ruled Saturday nights in Honolulu. New owners ran the place into the ground and, before you knew it, the Restaurant Row hot spot closed down leaving loyalists scrambling for alternatives. Then, unlike the fate of most closed clubs, the beloved… [»Read]
Hype it up and they will come. The question is: When the hype is dead and gone, will they keep coming? So far, Level 4 Nightclub and Ultra Lounge has survived the initial hype phase and kept the crowds-a-coming. It’s no secret that early claims of upscale elegance… [»Read]
The Hideaway may not have been the first bar I went to when I first returned to the Islands after being on the mainland for two decades, but it was close. My roommates, knowing I was low on funds and still struggling for cash despite working four jobs, introduced me to… [»Read]
MTV and I have never really had a good relationship, though in truth, we’ve barely had contact with each other. That’s by design. Once the network switched formats to reality programming, the allure of seeing rock stars playing commercially viable material lost… [»Read]
If you’re looking for evidence of tough economic times, Ward Centre as of late seems to be the epicenter. Talk abounds of the loss of the three anchor restaurants in a six-month period, but there have been others (wherefore art thou, Black Angus? And don’t say… [»Read]
Despite the proliferation of Will Ferrell in sports comedies, the one genre that shall probably remain unsullied is bowling, and that’s thanks to the Coen brothers 1998 film The Big Lebowski. Bowling as a sport is ripe for parody, and indeed has been used,… [»Read]
Jazz night at the Lotus at Diamond Head hotel runs from 6:30–9:30pm, but don’t think of it as a pau hana happy hour beer bust—you’re not going to get tequila poppers and Pabst Blue Ribbon here. That’s perfect, because honestly, sometimes… [»Read]
Friends. Family. Both are important and sometimes (but not always) they intertwine. That’s probably part of the reason why Uncle Bo’s comes up in conversation more than any other place. Like the favorite uncle who knows the best jokes, slips you drinks… [»Read]
The NFL Pro Bowl is probably the biggest non-event in the sporting world. Every year, the most overpaid and overpraised football athletes take a paid vacation in Hawaii, doing interviews with fawning reporters, and playing a little football with the clear understanding… [»Read]
“I got a date,” said the fellow at the bar, who had been working up some liquid courage for at least a few hours. “Where should I take her?” I made my usual suggestions, with the admission that I’m probably not the best person to ask for romantic… [»Read]
This wasn’t set up to be a two part-series. Hell, it probably wasn’t worth one article. But after the paper hit the streets, I was besieged by people who wanted the rest of the story. “And hey, where’d you park today?” they’d ask, laughing…. [»Read]
