I'm going to preface this review by sharing that I'm not a huge fan of watercress. At least, I…read morewasn't. After visiting Sumida Farm and tasting different watercress dishes, I can see myself picking up some watercress from the grocery store. For so many years, I've passed the beautiful green area along Kamehameha Highway in front of Pearlridge and next to Starbucks and thought what a breath of fresh air, compared to everything else in the area along Kam Highway. I was very fortunate to be a part of an exclusive tour of Sumida Farm. They do not do this regularly and it is not open to the general public. We got to meet Mr. David Sumida, the 3rd generation owner of the family-owned business graced us with his presence and gave a brief history lesson about their farm. His parents moved from Japan and began growing watercress. Fast forward to today, many developers have offered millions of dollars for the land in hopes of developing it into something else. Bravo to the Sumida Family for standing their ground and hanging onto the precious, watercress-bearing land that has fed Hawaii for years. We got to walk along the watercress field and even dip our feet in the cool water. Being there was so serene, and being down in the field, I almost forgot that we were surrounded by Kam Highway and Pearlridge Center. We were treated to a special lunch by a chef who whipped up recipes that contained watercress and let me tell you, some of the dishes didn't even taste like it contained watercress even if it was one of the main ingredients. The lunch gave us many new ideas on how to incorporate watercress into our meals. I have a whole new appreciation for this vegetable and for the beautiful farm along Kam Highway.

Sumida Farm is not just good at their job, they're outstanding in their field...of watercress!…read more Today I had the pleasure of taking a tour on their watercress farm! Did you know that we used to have dozens of watercress farms on island? Now there's just 2 farms left on Oahu. I've learnt that it takes about 6-8 weeks, till the watercress grows back. They call it "seasonal crops" with longer summers, and less cool nights in the summer. You're looking at a 30-40% production from July-January (depending on the weather). With a dozen of pure springs where the water flows, is what watercress needs to survive, along with sun, and not too much humidity. Here, you'll also find lots of fish, crayfish, and birds in this environment. You'll also notice the sprinkler system, which is a pest deterrent system, pulling from the spring water (fully sustainable). It was a totally beautiful (and hot) day today! Thank you Sumida Farms for the warm hospitality!

If you're looking to plant things in your yard that are low maintenance and need little watering…read morethis is your place. I've got a dozen large pots across the front of our property on the "fence" that I don't want to have to fuss with. I'm not that person who likes to stand there hose in hand watering even once a week. I came here with that in mind and they showed me all my options....a plethora of plants that care for themselves. Other than adding more soil every couple of years I've done not an ounce of work in the ten years since I first came here for advice. Since the pandemic they're only open on Wednesdays for four hours but you won't need more time than that to figure out what you require. Fun just to wander through and the volunteers are very helpful.

Cyndy's Bottom Line: A beautiful serene garden tucked away in Halawa Valley…read more *The garden is open on Wed & Sat, 9:00am - 3pm for visits and self guided tours. *Parking available on site *Visitors must sign in at the office *Big beautiful trees surround the garden. *Friendly knowledgeable staff on site. *A place to see xeriscaping in practice with drought tolerant plants and also native plants.

My Dad and I enjoy our little adventures every time I come home to visit. When I suggested a drive…read moreto Kualoa, my Dad was excited because we hadn't gone to that part of the island in many years. The drive really was very easy and picturesque. Going to the country is really relaxing and the drive reminded me of how beautiful Oahu is and how lucky I am to be from such a wonderful place. Kualoa Ranch has done a great job of marketing itself and expanding to include a market, Kualoa Grown, featuring locally grown produce, products. And meats. The market opens at 10a, 7 days a week. While it's not huge per se, I think it's a good enough size and has a decent variety featuring locally produced items. I ended up buying local chocolate, ulu chips, macadamia poi cookies, miso sausages, beautiful choi sum greens, star fruit, li hing dried apple bananas, kulolo (my favorite), cold coffee drinks, and Kualoa ranch branded merchandise. Admittedly I went a little overboard shopping but I am happy to support local. Prices are a bit steep but that seems to be the norm everywhere nowadays. The ladies working in the market were so sweet and helpful. The aloha was alive and well here! Parking is plentiful but it was full of cars. We did circle around a few times but found a spot. My Dad said this adventure to Kualoa Ranch was so fun and did not disappoint. We will be back! LOCATION: 4/5 FOOD: 4/5 SERVICE: 5/5 VALUE:3.5/5 AMBIANCE: 5/5 PET FRIENDLY: not sure CLEANLINESS: 4/5 PARKING: 4/5

Want to buy local? This is where to go!…read more Kualoa Grown is a little grocery store within Kualoa Ranch that's free to access and has its own parking stalls. It's to your left when you drive into Kualoa Ranch. Open from 10am to 5pm daily. As the name says, the products are either from the ranch itself or locally produced. It includes raw beef and pork, shrimp, fish, and fruits and vegetables. Prices are definitely reasonable for buying local. Compared to Whole Foods and Foodland, I'd rather buy local. I got pork belly, ground pork, and Portuguese sausage. So good! Next time I want to try its beef, which they don't have often I was told. Also, grabbed some taro, which was very good! Cashier was super nice. There were a lot of local baked goods at the front too. Wished I didn't live so far. I'd come in for groceries every week!

Owners Marcos and Michelle have something really special here at Sun Farm! I found this place…read moreaccidentally and contacted them on Instagram for an event venue. That was when I found out they offer a farm tour that includes a sampling of Plant Based food from their farm. I contacted them originally on Instagram and they were so responsive. A few days before they messaged me asking if I was still interested. I then communicated with Marcos about the tour. They accommodated us with a Sunday tour even though they don't usually do that on Sunday. I came with a group of 8 other ladies. The farm is tucked away in East Honolulu (Hawaii Kai). We received a tour that included information about different plants medicinal properties as well as info about different fruits and vegetables grown on the farm. We then went to have a drink of Noni, fruit plate with papaya and mango, pineapple mint juice, and fresh coconut water. We learned the correct way to drink Noni, and then drank it...well some of it. The mango and papaya were so fresh and delicious. The pineapple mint juice tasted amazing I'm going to try to make that myself. And the coconut water was very refreshing. We were then invited up to the table area for what I thought would be a small sampling of food. Instead we were treated to a plant based feast of salad, boiled cassava, fried cassava, coconut ceviche (a plant based version of ceviche), salsa verde, tortilla chips, roasted okra and eggplant, and more fresh papaya. We had a nice meal and passed around the trays of food family style. Marcos's wife Michelle came to talk to us and talked about their Full Moon events which sounds like something I definitely want to try. Also, the table was backing the most beautiful view of Diamond Head and the ocean. I am so appreciative to Sun Farm for hosting my group, this was such a memorable day. I can't say enough good things about this place, just go visit!

It's really cool. I think it's a very popular landmark. They really have taken care of this…read moregarden for years and it really shows at how it has been maintained well for so long. The cactus are finely curated and it's definitely something nice to walk through - especially if you're on a nice hot girl walk to KCC Farmer's Market. LOL

The Cactus Garden on the campus of KCC is remarkable. I stumbled upon the garden while visiting the…read moreFarmer's Market. The plants are huge and lush. The garden is the brainchild of Moriso Teraoka. Teraoka began planting the garden in 1988, starting many of the plants from seed. Many volunteers have joined the effort. The garden gives the campus a beautiful spot to explore and contemplate. A nice paved path runs through the garden. The garden is open to the pubic (free) and attracts many plant lovers. There is free parking near the garden. There is a public restroom not too far from the garden. Plan 30 minutes to an hour to walk through.

The staff there are amazing the answer all the questions that you have they make sure that you are…read morewell taken care of. They are fast fishing. I would recommend 10 out of 10 and I will be returning.

We have been purchasing 19 day old eggs from Asssgi hatchery for the past two decades, and we…read morehave never, ever been disappointed. Customer service is outstanding, extremely helpful and encouraging . Thank you so much Assagi!

I'd say, of any Orchid Society throughout the State, Windward Orchid Society is doing what I'd…read moreexpect a society to do - promote orchids and flowers, showcase rare and innovative species, and provide the public with education about how to grow and nurture plants properly. What I liked the best were low costs for quality orchids and other plants. My partner found some amazing, rare species worth triple the value. Also, it was just great to meet professional growers from nurseries throughout the State, including the neighbor islands. Apparently the best Orchid Show to visit is the Hilo Orchid show first week of August - so FYi and mark your calendars if you're interested and did not know.

The Windward Orchid Society Spring Show is the best and largest show on Oahu. Unfortunately because…read moreof the COVID-19 potential for infection it has been cancelled for 2020. Everyone is welcome to come to the monthly meeting in the King School cafeteria in Kaneohe. It is held at 7:30 pm on the first Wednesday of each month.

This summer was SO hot. The Bon Dances, even at night were also pretty hot. The Nichiren Mission…read moreBon Dance was tolerable in the summer heat because Nuuanu is cooler than other parts of the island. The lush green mountains that surround Nichiren make it very picturesque, too. This year was the first time I've been to this particular Bon Dance. It's the same turn as Oahu Country Club. Parking was pretty difficult, but they offered a shuttle to and from a parking lot somewhere else. We got there right as the dancing started, but we were hungry, so we decided to get food first. The food was pretty good. They had curry, edamame rice, shoyu pork, fried noodles and chili rice. They also had baked goods that sold out an hour and a half after the event started. The dancing was fun. They played mostly recordings and there were a lot of dances I've never done before. I'd come back to this bon dance in the future. It's smallish and the grounds are really pretty. There's a lotus pond in the back.

Who doesn't love Bon Dance Season? The food, games, dancing, culture, and near complete lack of…read moreneed to plan anything for a night out makes for an excellent time. The Nichiren Mission partakes in the July to September long series of bon dances statewide. The 2017 bon dance here are similar to the other dances with food, children's games (and prizes), dances, etc, but this location is much prettier, with more options than most bon dances. I say more options as they included lantern lighting in the koi pond, a large rummage sale, and extensive food and drink options. Most bon dances don't have a crepe station, or an entire tent dedicated to made to order fruity cold drinks. The Mission itself at the time is decorated with lights and hanging lanterns creating an enjoyable atmosphere with lots of options for photography. Parking is particularly bad on site as the lot is small and it's in residential area without much legal street parking. The Mission does host parking elsewhere in the valley and shuttle people to the site, but there is street parking in the residential areas across the Pali highway. Also, because it's in upper Nuuanu, the temperature is much cooler and enjoyable than the more urban bon dances. There are clean bathrooms on site. No idea if they're gender neutral, so call if that's important to you. The dance itself is standard with the regular same songs (I don't understand Japanese, but starting to memorize the beat and rhythms, I'm so going to get haunted by my Chinese grandmother for that I just know it) and mix of expert dances with novices. The food options for 2017 included braised Asian style pork, chicken curry, chicken yakiutori, the ubiquitous chili and rice, a sweet crepe, baked goods including cookies, fresh mochi, etc. Food options are script paid, where rummage sale accepts cash. I initially thought this was going to be one of the smaller ones with not much to do besides eat and dance, but I think it's been the most enjoyable bon dance out of the five I've been to this year as the location is temperate and beautiful, food is good and affordable, and decent parking is available in the area or via the shuttle service.