9/27/25 Went to the Young at Heart Expo today and I cannot even remember the last time I was here…read moreat the Blaisdell Exhibition Hall. It was my first time attending this event and it was also the last day of a 2-day expo. Event parking was $8 and they take take cash or BC. It is a little confusing at first entering the parking lot because there is a small automated kiosk where you pay for your parking and as I was reading the instructions, a nice young lady in the booth past the kiosk waved me over. She processed payment in a timely and friendly manner. The parking structure is a 3-story just across from the Blaisdell complex. It was full on the first floor with still plenty of available parking spaces. I was fortunate to find one just across from the exhibition hall. Nice to have covered parking! Leaving the structure can be a bit of a challenge if you're trying to leave to the King Street exit. If you take a wrong turn in the structure, you have to go completely around again to get to the correct lane and it's a very long parking structure. The event was free to attend and you can pre-register online & emailed a QR code. What's funny is, as I walked in with my QR code ready, there is no one scanning it, just greeters at the door. So QR code wasn't needed or required to enter. The expo was pretty full with all kinds of vendors. Flu shots were available thru some of the major health companies here like Kaiser, HMSA, Longs, etc. Some vendors had plinko you play for a prize, which was fun. Some were high pressured sales people which I did not care for. There were a couple areas set up for scheduled activities (I.e. pickleball, zumba, tennis), some vendors, and a stage. Jordan Segundo was the emcee and I had just missed the pet fashion show and caught the last 2 songs of Jordan. The facility was pretty clean, bathrooms were ok. The restrooms near the entrance is small, not too clean, and was out of toilet paper. The restrooms in the back by the stage are much bigger and cleaner. Besides the chairs surrounding the stage, there were also a few tables with table cloths for dining. The setting for the facility is nicely landscaped with the fish ponds by the hall and arena. I opted on a wagyu hot dog on a Hawaiian roll from Aloha Wagyu Hot Dogs booth. First time having a wagyu dog & it was ono! It was only $6, good sized, about 1/4 lb that came with mustard and crispy fried onions. They are not the same company in Waikiki called Aloha Hot Dog & Banh Mi. Overall, it was a good experience & look forward to returning for other events.

Checked out the Food and Product show at the Neal Blaisdell Exhibition hall Sunday …read more I haven't come here for a while so i decided to check out their fish pond around the entrance of the Arena and the Exhibition hall. By in the day or ever since I can remember must be long time ago the fishes were more like small guppies and Talapia fish . To my surprise wow there's now Papio and my wife spotted a big Barracuda. Hmmm I think I will go late at night with my fishing pole and do some fishing LOL JK. It was a good turn out at the Food and Product Shows lots of people. Parking was $8 and Entry fee was $6 adult . I dropped a lot of money this weekend but that's ok to support local businesses is a must .

I remember reading Yelp Reviews for The Pineapple Patio and thought what a trendy idea. I wanted to…read morecheck out the Pineapple Patio and had this place bookmarked. This was a year ago, I didn't get a chance to until recently. I wanted to check out Sweet Mango's showroom which happens to be at The Pineapple Patio. From what I read, they do pop up events at The Pineapple Patio. The location of The Pineapple Patio is on South King St. right after the pet hospital and Central Pacific Bank. Stay on your far left lane as South King St. is one way. Make a left when you see State Farm Insurance. What I dislike about this place is the parking lot. Parking is very limited and very tight. I had a hard time parking my vehicle and hard time getting out. Once you find parking, you hit the buzzer for your pop up business and someone will come down to open the glass door for you. Walk up the stairs and you will see all the different vendors. During my visit to The Pineapple Patio, I had to pick up my son and was in a rush. I didn't get to browse around to the other vendors. What caught my eyes were all the plant and succulent across of the Sweet Mango's showroom, I wanted to check it out but had to leave right after. I will check it out when I have more time. Sweet Mango's products and showroom is so neat and organized. I loved the pineapple design prints on most of the merchandise, it is so nice and colorful. I had to get a pineapple print Turkish towel in green for me and a towel for my mom for Mother's day. Besides Sweet Mango Hawaii, some of the Vendors at the event were Tidepool Love, Kahulale'a, Aloha Dreamboard, and The Writing Desk. I read that it is best to check Instagram/social media's Pineapple Patio page for the upcoming events. What a great idea and great place to get your shopping done!

Checked out the Pineapple Patio at a Wedding Cafe workshop and it was impressive! Used to be the…read moreKupono learning center but now transformed into something modern and fresh. Look for the pineapple sign on the left side of King Street. There are about 10 parking stalls underneath the patio and street parking on King Street. This place is used for small start up businesses such as clothing and jewelry. It's a good place to have pop up events on the open patio or in their room. Another thing that I'm thinking about is possibly holding a bridal shower here in the future. Looks like a perfect venue to rent out and cater food at. (Not necessary to get catering, but definitely an option) They also rent out their furniture and plants that they have showcased around the patio. Super cute place and hope to be back soon!

Great place to watch a game! Great drinks and great service! Food trucks just outside and they…read moreallow you to bring your food in! Plenty of space for large parties and dancing and renting out rooms for private parties or meetings! There's also an upper level with outdoor seating!

Great new bar on the west end of Waikiki beach! Great drinks and drink specials. They're part of…read morethe food truck park next door, so you're encouraged to bring in food and sit in the cool, inviting space to eat and drink. It has a super mellow vibe so it's a great place to come in and relax for a bit. The clean, modern interior has couches, tables and bar seating. We're definitely coming back! Pro tip: sit at the bar and chat up the proprietor. He likes to talk story.

McCoy Pavilion was a significant landmark and the location of annual celebrations. I wish I could…read moreat least report that the contractor (DieDie Construction) had provided some temporary access to the beach so that disabled persons would be able to cross the Queen Street bridge and access the beach. Alas, they have not. Vines which grew thick over the barrier fence for the project have been recently removed so perhaps there is some hope. In the last few days a late model pickup truck with the DieDie Construction logo has been arriving with a crew of one man. Progress continues to be very slow. The large sign posted proudly announcing the 3.6 million dollar project has been graffiti covered which speaks to the lack of progress. However, that one gentleman arriving the last few days in a truck gives us some hope!!!

Shoots...as of today's drive-by, the Pavilion is still "closed for repairs/renovations". Such a…read moregreat beach park venue for all kinds of public & private events. Hope it reopens before the end of the year.

THE SENERIO: The Cupola Theatre is located on the second…read morefloor of The Design Center. The Design Center is located on Kapiolani Blvd. I rented The Cupola Theatre for a Christmas Function and my rental here was for a short 2 hours, I had additional plans with my guests elsewhere so my entire event was very time sensitive. I have worked with Joett in the past, and she is wonderful, but this time I had a different Event Coordinator. I stressed to the Event Coordinator (I want to spare her name) about the food needing to be out at or prior to 5:00 pm as I will be having my guests eat upon arrival. THE BAD: -Food was 20 minutes late. During the planning of this event, having the food out by 5:00 pm was an important factor. -The Event Coordinator; She was bad at communicating, forget calling her, she won't answer her telephone. Email responses took a few days if any. During the event, I had to ask for her twice, of which both times, she was gone again in a flash. -The first bartender was away from the bar a bunch of times, I had to look for him while trying to greet my guests. -The workers were un-attentive to my party, terrible at refilling the food trays, unable to approach, and un-friendly. -The food set up was unappealing and seemed rushed. -The room layout was a bit different than what was discussed previously. THE GOOD: -Food was absolutely delicious, so flavorful and the perfect bite size for socializing and drinking. My guests were raving about how good the cupcakes were. -The room had an assortment of sofa's, bar tables, and round tables. Loved the mixed match, loved the room, beautiful environment for socializing. -We had our own personal bar set up since we were pressed for time. The second bartender was very friendly and paid attention to our party in every aspect of the event. -Lots of parking in their private parking structure. -Despite the Event Coordinator being as she was, she is sweet and friendly. -I was given a credit and an apology for the mishaps, but preferred better service at full price.

This is one of the best places to have small company party or a mixer. Cupola Theatre is located…read moreon the second floor of the Honolulu Design Center, next to Stage Restaurant and Amuse Wine Bar. I love the decorations and the atmosphere in the theater. There's a huge circular couch with some tables in the middle that front a large theater screen and the walls are covered with some pretty legit artwork, mostly pictures and a few paintings. The artwork is for sale. Don't ask me about the price, I only checked the price of one of the paintings and it hurt my eyes! Not only is this theater beautiful, but it would be an awesome venue to have an event at because of the food too! They serve some really awesome finger foods, wait, why did I just say "finger foods?" Let's be real, I was born and raised in Hawaii...They serve some really awesome pupu's! They have the infamous grilled cheese sandwiches from Amuse and some bruschetta, sliders, mini manapua, and so much more. Not to mention, customer service is great and parking is free so you can't really go wrong at Cupola Theatre!

I came here for some continuing education classes and a beginner's class on cryptocurrencies, and…read morethe experience was excellent. The facility itself is beautiful. Modern design, high ceilings, open layout, and plenty of natural light streaming in. The common areas feel welcoming, with a nice balance between quiet spots for focused work and communal spaces where you can connect with other entrepreneurs, freelancers, and creatives. There are also individual booths for working in solitude, as well as conference rooms for group sessions. The classroom was well lit and the sound system worked perfectly, which made following along easy and enjoyable. If you're interested in coworking or booking space, check out their website for rates: sandboxhawaii.org. The only challenge I had was finding the building the first time since it blends in with the rest of the John A. Burns School of Medicine complex. Tip: it's the first building on the right facing the road as you're heading Diamond Head. Parking is plentiful right out front, which makes it super convenient. Overall, a fantastic place for learning, networking, and working in a comfortable and inspiring environment.

Cool idea…read more.. Entrepreneur Sandbox is located right in Kaka'ako right beside UH on Ilalo St and with lots of parking available makes is a great spot to spark that imagination and on this night they had Clothing Swap Party which is a simple concept of bringing clothes, accessories, totes to swap as they provided tables to place your items and search. Community gathering to swap unwanted items going instantly to homes is nothing more than a great way to support those that are looking for items as well as I've overheard folks saying that that don't have much is so unfortunate and there nothing more that makes me happy than to see my items snatched which I did and it felt great. Love the loft vibe they have here and the location as it offers very easy parking and hope that they continue to have events like this as everyone had a great time finding new items to their wardrobe which they also provide fitting room as well. Awesome spot for all to enjoy as I was really surprised how many showed up and embraced it all. Thank you!

Making ideas come alive and get things happen is so inspiring!…read more A life long crafter everything sparks my brains and gets sparks my creativity, Hub Coworking Hawaii is just a lovely place to keep that passion flowing. What got me super excited for this event they have called "Clothing Swap Party" how cool is that! Just bring your unneeded clothing, shoes and purses and who doesn't have that what they do is have these tables and racks to hang and layout your clothing where we are allowed to browse and see the potential item you like to add to your wardrobe. Also there is The Skin Institute with students ready to provide a consultation on your skin condition and products they'd recommend to treat it. I had a delightful student Esthetician named Sstarr and went over my skin which I assumed and the course of products she recommend, along with a coupon for 10% off facial is a great start to a glowing complexion. I did find a shirt but wasn't really looking for a swap like so many here were delightfully enthusiastic just to see it going somewhere that will be loved and appreciated than the trash or lost in the donation bin, which isn't where what's left is going to a non-profit...fabulous! Once the swap was basically done I did get to browse around the area which looked like a fun lofty vibe with different pods and seating area and kitchen is super cute! Follow them on Instagram @hubcoworkinghi as the members aren't the only one with plans as they have calendar filled with events supporting local is just beautiful. Sometimes it takes a village and collaboration makes working together a great community support. Thank you!

A free pop-up movie in Honolulu...at Impact Hub!…read more Amy found a free movie through Eventbrite and I was so excited to go! I've always wanted to see "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" and this was it! Yay! Thanks, Amy! I actually parked for free right across the street at Whole Foods. Impact Hub does have it's own parking lot, and you can get validation. Inside, the workspace (available for rent) is clean, colorful, and spacious. There are restrooms, showers, telephone booths, desks, chairs, tables, a kitchen with microwave, and a plain white wall for projections... This is where we gathered and watched the story of Fred Rogers of the television show, "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood". This venue was perfect for a casual get together. Tonight's event was sponsored by PBS. There was a good variety of snacks - and water was available in reusable cups. Afterwards, I realized that I had been here before. My friend's wife graduated from esthetician school at this place! Wow...it's a versatile space!

Great venue and staff all around! Came for a public community event and it is a beautiful space…read morewith great natural lighting with modern designs. Really appreciate the mission of empowering women entrepreneurs through their oak+pine community. Would recommend this space for hosting an event or co-working space. There's ample parking, staff are responsive, and amazing organization all around.

The Perfect Venue for Our Manager's Conference…read more We came back for our annual Manager's Conference at Savon and absolutely loved our experience. Melissa, her husband, and their dog Chief are so warm and welcoming. The panoramic oceanfront views are stunning. The workspace is spacious enough to comfortably host large groups. We had 45 attendees. There are also smaller office spaces available for breakout sessions or more intimate meetings. The kitchen setup, complete with a full-sized fridge, was incredibly convenient for our needs. Melissa is a master of her craft. With her event planning background, she brings professionalism, intuition, and exceptional service to everything she does. She was so accommodating throughout our event. We cannot wait to return next year.