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Hawaiʻi Scene on Social

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Shoyu pack

<title>Hawai‘i Scene on Social: The shoyu hack</title>

Culinary advice from the world of local social media.

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: The shoyu hack

Brevenchym shows the way — but the mist, brevenchym! The mist! 

Daily Smile

“Yeah, that’s fine, you can borrow the snowblower, but take Bingo with you, she likes to play in the snow.”

Smile 26 3 8

<title>Daily Smile: Sunday, March 8, 2026</title>

Daily Smile: Sunday, March 8, 2026

Christian Shimabuku Headshot

Christian Shimabuku

Sports

MĀNOA — Each 3-pointer by Long Beach State star freshman guard Gavin Sykes brought the University of Hawai‘i men's basketball team further away from their goals. By the time his barrage in the closing minutes of an 84-75 Beach victory ended, a Stan Sheriff crowd of 5,468 was left stunned. 

The day had clearly not gone to plan for a UH team that entered Saturday needing a victory to clinch a share of the Big West Conference regular season title. All that stood between the Rainbow Warriors and a tie for the conference title was a game against the Beach, who entered the contest as one of the Big West's bottom dwellers. 

With eight teams making the conference tournament, the Beach (10-23, 6-14 Big West Conference) played for pride on Saturday knowing their season wouldn't continue beyond the week. Coached by former UH assistants Chris Acker and John Montgomery, LBSU played like it had nothing to lose on Saturday. No player symbolized that on Saturday more than Skyes, who made three 3-pointers in as many possessions to give the Beach a 77-64 lead with 2:04 left to seal the game. 

Hours before tipoff, the Rainbow Warriors watched from afar as UC Irvine rallied from a 14-point deficit to defeat UC Davis in overtime at home. A UC Irvine loss combined with a UH win on Saturday would have given the 'Bows the outright regular season title in their 

. The Rainbow Warriors came out flat on Saturday, trailing 44-34 at halftime despite Hunter Erickson's 18 points at the break. 

Despite the loss, the Rainbow Warriors (22-8, 14-6 Big West) will enter next week's conference tournament with an automatic double bye to the semifinals. The 'Bows will play at 5:30 p.m. HST against an opponent to be determined. 

"We got use this as a learning opportunity, and use it as fuel," senior 

 said following the loss. "I think at the very least, we need to make sure that it gives us a little bit of a propulsion going forward, because we can't afford to take anybody lightly. I think we did that a little bit tonight, so we got to just be full steam ahead moving forward."

Following the contest, the Rainbow Warriors honored their six seniors in Johnson, 

Gytis Nemeikša, Hunter Erickson, Dre Bullock, Yacine Toumi and captain 

Harry Rouhliadeff. Johnson and Rouhliadeff were visibly emotional during their senior goodbyes. 

"I've had the most incredible four years of my life here, and these are the best fans in the world. There's no doubt about that," said Rouhliadeff, a native of Australia. "They know how to cheer for us, and it's such a joy, such a privilege, to play in front of all these fans every single week. I just want to say I love the support, love the fans and love the community."

Added Ganot, who will have no years remaining on his contract after the season:  "I spoke to the team near the end, like, let it go right now, because senior night here is as good as it gets. I want to give Long Beach credit. We didn't deserve to win. They outplayed us.

"But this group, it hurts right now in the moment, but the good thing is, we do get to do something about it."

In the women's Big West tournament, the Hawai‘i women's basketball team will receive a bye to Thursday's quarterfinals, where it will play an opponent to be determined at 9 a.m. HST. 

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

UH men's basketball 030726

<title>Hawai‘i men's basketball stunned on senior night against Long Beach State</title>

The Rainbow Warriors will be the 2 seed during next week's Big West tournament in Henderson, Nev.

Hawai‘i men's basketball stunned on senior night against Long Beach State

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

Located in the former space of Nami Kaze, 

Thirty Eight restaurant opened for dinner at Pier 38

The eatery just launched its new lunch menu, and the restaurant is now open from Monday to Saturday.

According to chef de cuisine Daysen Masuda, the lunch menu is inspired by familiar flavors and plate lunch fare.

“I wanted to do something different from your normal plate lunch,” he says. “I feel like this menu is familiar to everyone — misoyaki butterfish, ‘ahi belly, Korean fried chicken and loco moco are staples here in Hawaiʻi — but we’re putting our own spin on it here. Here at Thirty Eight, how could we make it a little more elevated?”

Appetizers include popular selections from the eatery’s dinner menu, including maguro cabbage ($21), poke crackers ($12), calamari katsu ($17) and cabbage Caesar ($16).

The mix plate ($26) is not only aesthetically pleasing, but equally tasty. It includes a daily catch — in our case, guava chili ‘ahi — short ribs, spicy ‘ahi, watercress salad, potato salad and Spam fried rice.

“When you go out and eat a plate lunch, you want to have a little bit of everything,” Masuda says. “Especially here at Thirty Eight, we’re using really good seafood and fresh ‘ahi, so we wanted to highlight it. It’s just a mixture of flavors.

“The Spam fried rice is actually my mom’s Spam rice,” he adds. “(When I was) growing up, she made that for potlucks. I’m also a big fan of potato salad, so you gotta have potato salad. The potato salad is dusted with chermoula (a blend of spices); that’s paying homage to chef Mourad and (previously) working with him.” 

The black cod ($28) is served with shredded cabbage, potato salad and white rice. Meanwhile, the Korean fried chicken plate ($20) features a generous portion of chicken.

“We’re using the chicken quarter at dinner for the huli huli chicken, so I wanted to cross utilize that as well, but who doesn’t want a nice, big portion of chicken for lunch?” says Masuda, who notes this is one of his favorite dishes.

“It’s kind of inspired by my mom’s Korean fried chicken, but we do add a little bit of guava jelly in there,” he says. “It’s a little sweet and a little spicy.”

The eatery’s loco moco ($24) is expected to be a local favorite. The beef patty is topped with two sunny side up eggs, brown gravy and Hamakua mushrooms, and is served with rice.

“Everything starts with good quality,” Masuda says. “We’re using Prime ground beef topped with local eggs; we make grown gravy from scratch.”

The ‘ahi belly plate ($22) features local big-eye ‘ahi with ponzu butter, potato salad, watercress and white rice.

For dessert, diners can enjoy scoops ($9 each) from ice cream business Please Come Again, located in Kailua. Choose from shiso mint chip — topped with freeze-dried strawberries — and Vietnamese iced coffee, which is topped with condensed milk and cocoa nibs. Masuda notes that the restaurant is currently working on a dessert program.

“I’m excited (for this menu); for lunch down here at the pier, there’s a lot of guys that work around here, but a lot of tourists and locals. as well,” he says. “Lunch is always a little more casual; this is what I think people will like.

“That’s the cool thing about this project — we have a blank slate,” he adds. “Hawai

i is such a big melting pot of diverse cultures, so that’s why you’ll get some Korean, Japanese and Vietnamese flavors here, but it all works because that’s Hawai

Open 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for lunch, 5 to 9 p.m. for dinner Mondays to Saturdays

Thirty Eight Honolulu lunch spread 030626

<title>Thirty Eight Honolulu launches lunch service</title>

The new eatery, which recently opened for dinner at Pier 38, just debuted its new lunch menu. The menu features some of the most popular pūpū from the dinner menu, along with elevated plate lunches like a mix plate, Korean fried chicken, loco moco and more.

Thirty Eight Honolulu launches lunch service

[{"type":"text","text":"The real reason we have security cams..."}]

Smile 26 3 4

<title>Daily Smile: Wednesday, March 4, 2026</title>

The real reason we have security cams...

Daily Smile: Wednesday, March 4, 2026

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Business & Tourism

Architect Francis Oda, one of the founders of G70, died Feb. 14 surrounded by family, including wife Caroline and children Reid and Nalani. He was 84.

Francis was more than one of our founders — he was a mentor, spiritual father and source of inspiration for everyone who had the privilege of working with him,” G70 CEO Linda Miki said in an announcement of his passing on Wednesday. “His legacy lives on in our G70 ‘ohana, our projects and our commitment to serving Hawai‘i and beyond with integrity and car

[{"type":"text","text":"Oda led the firm, founded in 1971, for more than 50 years."}]

His work helped shape Hawai‘i’s built environment and reflected his deep respect for culture, community and place,” G70 says. “Over the course of his career, he mentored generations of professionals whose work continues to reflect his values of excellence, humility and service.”

Born and raised in Hawai‘i, Oda made his first trip to the Mainland in 1959 to study architecture at Cornell University, according to the university’s 

“At the time, no one in his family had ever visited the contiguous U.S. and jetliner travel wasn’t available,” the write-up notes. “It took Oda five days just to reach the Cornell campus.”

He received a Bachelor of Architecture from Cornell and a Doctor of Architecture from the University of Hawai‘i, where he was a “distinguished alumnus” and helped develop the Doctor of Architecture program, G70 noted.

Oda also was an adjunct associate professor at the UH School of Architecture.

According to G70, Oda received more than 50 design awards throughout his career, including the American Institute of Architects Honor Award for Our Divine Savior Church in Chico, California.

 His award-winning projects include the Four Seasons Lodge at Koele, the Four Seasons Mānele Bay Hotel, Hanauma Bay Nature Center and the Nanea Golf Clubhouse

He also helped envision master plans and design guidelines for the city of Kapolei, the UH Long Range Development Program, Kanu o ka ‘Āina and Kamehameha Schools Kaiaulu o Kaka’ako Masterplan

, and designed several international projects in French Polynesia, Mauritius and Canada, the firm noted.

Oda was a fellow of the American Institute of Architects, a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners, designated a Mānoa Forum Fellow by UH, received the 

 and was inducted into the Hawai‘i Business Hall of Fame.

, the 2026 president of AIA Honolulu, the Honolulu chapter of the American Institute for Architects, and an associate principal at G70, told Aloha State Daily in an email that Hawai‘i has lost "one of its most influential voices in Francis Oda."

"I remember sitting with Francis a few years ago — he asked us what we were dreaming about. Not what we were working on. Not what our goals were. What we were dreaming. Then he asked about our reality. He understood that balance — between the possible and the present — and that is what stays with me," Hirai says.

"For Hawaiʻi's architectural community, he was one of a kind. He identified early on that our profession carries a unique responsibility — to place, to culture, to the people who experience what we design. You see it in the buildings he left behind across these Islands and beyond. You see it in the culture he built at G70. And you see it in the people he mentored — who are now doing the same for others.

"As AIA Honolulu president, that question still challenges me — what are we dreaming about? What could our profession look like if the next generation had people willing to push their thinking the way Francis pushed ours?"

 of what was then called The Hawai‘i Society, the American Institute of Architects. You can read a 1982 interview with Oda in 

Recently, though, the architect was featured in newest episode of AIA Honolulu’s Let’s Talk Story series, a video and podcast highlighting conversations between an emerging and experienced architect. You can watch the video and listen to the podcast, 

[{"type":"text","text":"Hirai encourages those who didn't know Oda personally to take a listen."}]

"I'll be honest — hearing his voice again is not easy," Hirai says. "But it's an incredible way to experience who he was, and to celebrate everything he gave this profession and the community he loved."

"The Hawaii Architectural Foundation mourns the passing of Francis Oda, FAIA, whose career reflected an exemplary commitment to architecture and a deep devotion to the community he served," HAF President Katherine MacNeil told ASD in an email. "A recipient of the Foundation’s Gordon W. Bradley Humanitarian Award, Francis was recognized for his far-reaching leadership and enduring contributions to Hawaiʻi’s civic and cultural life. Elevated to Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, he embodied professional excellence and principled leadership. Through award-winning architecture, visionary master planning, and dedication to architectural education, he strengthened Hawaiʻi’s built environment and the profession. His legacy will continue to inspire future generations."

In addition to his work, Oda was also a senior pastor and board chair of New Life Church Honolulu and served as global chair of Transform Our World.

A celebration of life service is set for Saturday, April 25, at First Assembly of God — Red Hill, Moanalua.

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

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