Walked into the Waipahu Festival Marketplace to check out all the fresh produce vendors here…read more Nice cool air conditioning is a welcoming experience from the hot and humid Hawaiian summer temperatures outside. As I walked through the marketplace, I came upon Sonia's Market. The fresh green long beans caught my attention. I enjoy fresh long green beans with a little pork or chicken stir fry and black bean sauce. I grabbed a bag at $1.00 a bag! Reasonably priced and great friendly service too! Support our local markets!

Looking to shop, grab a bite, get your car serviced, inquire on your cellular needs, do banking…read moreerrands, get lab work done or need to attend to your pets on the Windward side? Head over to Kaneohe Bay Shopping Center (KBSC). Established in 1971, KBSC has been serving the Kamaaina and visitors on the Windward side. It houses big name tenants of Safeway, Goodyear, Long's, Starbucks, Panda Express, L&L Hawaiian BBQ, Central Pacific Bank, First Hawaiian Bank, Hawaii State Federal Credit Union, Petco, 7-11, and Diagnostic Laboratory Services. A lot can be accomplished at KBSC and can get good deals on $5 Fridays at Safeway or grabbing a massive plate lunch from L&L or create your own Chinese plate from Panda's, which makes a popular restaurant for grab and go. The closure of Kaneohe Bakery and Deluxe Pastry Shop in recent years had residents of 96744 yearning for breakfast treats but step in Donut King, which opened earlier this year in KBSC. You can also fill up gas at Kaneohe Bay 76 (Union 76) and grab a Musubi and a slurpee from 7-11 that's conveniently located. You also have a Starbucks and Jamba Juice on property as well. There's lots of parking in this structure which makes it ideal to run errands here but why not 5-stars? Couple years ago they repainted the parking stall lines and decided to make the stall narrower which makes it frustrating at times to park. You will need to pay extra attention, especially when a large number of patrons come to KBSC with trucks and vans. This makes it challenging to park here and many times will witness cars either hugging the lines or clearly pass the borders. KBSC is still going strong with so many options to shop and run errands with lots of parking which makes it a great place for locals and visitors.

TBH, because I'm a Kaneohe girl... BORN & RAISED I might sound a bit BIAS, but I promise IM…read moreNOT! (Most times... ) Anywho, we went here for dinner and I LOVED IT because we could choose from 4 different restaurants AND a grocery store to eat at. PLUS TOO, they stayed open til 9/10pm. Most places like these are closed by 7/8pm because of location or they're in the mall. But here it was really good too because they have other stores nearby. Like LONGS OR WALMART & there was a burger joint on the other side. Even a Jamba Juice. Not sure how long that stays open but, they have a variety of places to eat here! I went to eat at SUMO RAMEN. Dad & the kids went to L&L's and Pandas. Typical LOCALS! I'm the ONLY ONE in the family that LOVES TO EAT AUTHENTIC FOODS! I'm NOT spoiled or ritzy! I was just taught well by an aunty on where to eat and HOW to eat well. My husband on the other hand, was taught how I just EAT! Although my kids DO eat what I enjoy, they will always pick local style foods over ethnic or authentic. But YES! This place is DEFINITELY WORTH THE LOOK! Oh! They also have a GOODYEAR HERE TOO! So if you ever need your tires fixed, go here so you have options to shop around at. And if you're there during the morning or afternoon, well you're in luck cause, they're literally right across the street is the MALL! So you have so much options just stopping off here. Hope you enjoy the food! Or shopping! Thanks for reading. Have a good one!

Shopping in Pearlridge Center, Aiea, O'ahu, Hawai'i…read more.. Strolling around the Kawaii Friends Fair on the upper level of the mall, along the Dunkin Donuts and Planet Fitness wing (Downtown Pearlridge), we came across: kj's kreations There were so many bins of cute things! I thought that I should get some for party favors for a lunch next week with my female cousins. There were Hello Kitty keyrings, Stitch notebooks, hand sanitizer holders ($8), Labubu topped pens ($2), and more! I liked the items that were priced 4 for $10. What a deal! Service was very friendly and helpful. The sweet gal was just laughing along as I added more items to my bill. She offered me another stamp card - one stamp per vendor per $10 spent - for the Kawaii Friends Fair. I'll be back!

Really cute and durable LeSportsac bags. I really like the selection. My first LeSportsac bag was…read morea gold shiny parachute material tote. Good value as the bags last forever when taken care of. My mom used hers in a Miami , Florida shopping mall. A group of kids came by and tried to steal her bag. Security chased them away. When she got back to the hotel she noticed a slice mark that was only halfway through the bag. It seems like those punks were trying to slice my moms bag so they could pick up items that spilled from my moms bag. LeSportsac saved my mom from what could have been a horrible experience. Always helpful service from the staff

Originally ,my wife wanted to go to the Waikele Outlets…read more Well we did and there was no LeSportsac store there. Two days later we ended up at the Ala Moana location. She found a bag that she liked. The prices are higher than that of the Waikele Outlet store. The sales person was helpful and pleasant. Enjoy

What are you celebrating…read more.. Chances are they have the perfect card for you for all occasions and holidays to give for all ages and what I do love about it is it's unique. These days a typical card is quite pricey so rather than getting a card I've been going quite off the usual yet still nothing beads a handwritten card and thanks to Decowoods you can find that here. It's not just cards but gift cards and gift sets as well and as school starts there were gifts for teachers which makes it easy as many are shopping it's all put together for you. The lady working it is so friendly and helpful to find what we would need and at such great prices for something hand made is special and why I keep browsing over her selections. Thank you!

Shopping in Aiea, O'ahu, Hawai'i…read more.. While at the Kawaii Friends Fair at Pearlridge Center on 7.26.26, Irene pointed out DECOWOODS, a vendor that specialized in homemade greeting cards. This vendor's products are very neat, kawaii, and affordable. I got to mix and match 4 handmade cards for $5. I selected 8 cute cards to make it an even $10 so that I could get a stamp on the Loyalty Card! The nice lady running the booth was very pleasant and friendly! I look forward to seeing her again in a few months. I'll check her Instagram for her next location and dates.

Aloha Island Mart is the convenience store that is part of the Shell Gas Station next to Jack in…read morethe Box. You would pay here for gas and for the car wash. There is all types of convenience food, drinks and beer to purchase. Car wash is $11 for the premium service. You would pay inside if your using a card since the machine next to the car wash does not take card. There is a long wait on a Saturday afternoon.

Kalakaua Avenue is to Honolulu as The Strip is to Las…read moreVegas... Agree? Located in Waikiki, Kalakaua Avenue is a busy place where most of the hotels and tourists are. That's why (I think) residents avoid this area... because of the traffic, expensive parking, and crowded sidewalks. My local friend, Ray, checks in on his Yelp app often. He's the Duke of Kalakaua Avenue. He probably likes the action - people watching, high-end shopping, and fine dining are plentiful here. There are some spots with free parking with purchase - like Royal Hawaiian Center, Ross, and International Marketplace - and if you're early enough or lucky, there's free parking by the zoo, the Natatorium. the Aquarium, and along the Ala Wai Canal. There's free fireworks on Friday evenings behind the Hilton Hawaiian Village and free hula lessons and craft classes (such as lei making) at various hotels. Some of my friends like to go to the block parties on Kalakaua Avenue. For example, the street will be blocked off for the popular SPAM Jam... and Aloha Festivals held the annual floral parade on September 28, 2024. Did you see it on television? Look for it on social media! Kalakaua Avenue is a popular, happening tourist destination!

Kalakaua Avenue is the main street in Waikiki where all of the action is. It's a long street that…read morestretches from the Waikiki beaches past the Hawaii Convention Center. This means there are a lot of restaurants, bars, malls, and hotels which of course also means there are a lot of people. Whether you're people-watching, doing the exploring yourself, or just taking in the sights, if you're visiting Honolulu you'll find yourself on this street.

My daily commute from Wahiawa to Ko Olina to Kapolei to Wahiawa is a lengthy one, and honestly, it…read morefeels like a mini road trip every single day. Sometimes you just need to make a quick pit stop, and this is the perfect place to do it. Whether you're craving something to eat, want to do a little shopping, or just need a restroom break, this shopping center has you covered. I love that I can stretch my legs, grab a snack or drink, browse a few stores, and then get right back on the road. It's one of those places you don't think much about until you need it, and then you're so thankful it's there. For my daily commute, it's become one of those reliable stops that makes the drive just a little bit easier. If you need to use the bathroom, just ask the employees at the Island Country Marketplace and they will give you the code.