ASD Staff

Adopt a Pet

"Nyla is a 40-pound, 1-year-old American Pit Bull Terrier mix, found as a stray in Kahaluʻu and brought to our Mōʻiliʻili Campus," says Hawaiian Humane Society. She has been patiently waiting for an ʻohana of her own since March 2025.  

"A favorite among volunteers, Nyla is known for her spunky, goofy personality and infectious charm. Sheʻs a smart girl, who loves showing off her favorite skills and is always eager, especially when treats are involved. 

"Her playful energy and affectionate nature make her the perfect match for active individuals or families looking for a fun-loving companion." 

Meet Nyla at the Hawaiian Humane Society’s Mōʻiliʻili Campus, open daily from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. More adoptable pets can be found 

5 13 2025 Nyla

The Hawaiian Humane Society said, "Snuggles is a recipient of the Reid Krucky Memorial Fund, which means his adoption fee is waived and he will be going home with a special adoption package filled with goodies to help him settle in with his new ʻohana."

5 12 2025 Snuggles

Adopt-a-Pet May 13, 2025: Meet Snuggles, an affectionate pooch that loves to play fetch

This "tri-pawd" pooch is a joy on leash walks and can't wait to find a peaceful home where she can receive the love and attention she deserves, the Hawaiian Humane Society said.

Willow 5 9 2025

Adopt-a-Pet May 12, 2025: Graceful Willow wants to flourish

<title>Adopt-a-Pet May 14: Nyla, a goofy gal who loves a good treat</title>

"Her playful energy and affectionate nature make her the perfect match for active individuals or families looking for a fun-loving companion," says the Hawaiian Humane Society.

Adopt-a-Pet May 14: Nyla, a goofy gal who loves a good treat

"Nyla is a 40-pound, 1-year-old American Pit Bull Terrier mix, found as a stray in Kahaluʻu and brought to our Mōʻiliʻili Campus," says Hawaiian Humane Society. She has been patiently waiting for an ʻohana of her own since March 2025.   "A favorite among volunteers, Nyla is known for her spunky, goofy personality and infectious charm. Sheʻs a smart girl, who loves showing off her favorite skills and is always eager, especially when treats are involved.  "Her playful energy and affectionate nature make her the perfect match for active individuals or families looking for a fun-loving companion."  Meet Nyla at the Hawaiian Humane Society’s Mōʻiliʻili Campus, open daily from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. More adoptable pets can be found here.

Christian Shimabuku Headshot

Christian Shimabuku

Sports

Aloha Spirit

Under head coach Rich Hill, the University of Hawai‘i plays some of its best baseball on Sundays. 

The Rainbow Warriors are 7-1 on Sunday contests at Les Murakami Stadium in 2025. Wins include a 

series clincher against then-No. 15 UC Santa Barbara

 on March 16 and a 5-0 shutout over then-No. 7 Oregon State on May 4. UH's lone Sunday home loss was a 5-4 setback against Long Beach State on April 6, a result that has the 'Bows (31-18, 14-13 Big West Conference) 

 for a spot in the inaugural Big West Tournament ahead of its final regular season series against UC San Diego. 

Following Sunday home games, select members of the team participate in the 'Bow Buddy program, which pairs a UH player with a child from 

Never Quit Dreaming, a local program that is "dedicated to fostering growth and confidence in special needs children through the power of sports," 

. Members of the UH baseball team are paired with a player from Never Quit Dreaming's Firebirds baseball team. 

When Hill was at San Diego, his program collaborated with the Autism Tree Foundation. One of his first orders of business upon landing the Hawai‘i job in 2021 was to find a similar organization on O‘ahu. The 'Bow Buddy program wrapped up its third season after the Oregon State win, with plans to continue for the foreseeable future. 

"We jumped through the hoops to get it done," Hill said. "For these kids to come out here and be at Les Murakami Stadium and be with their 'Bow Buddy, it's a lifetime experience. It's extremely rewarding."

Regardless of the result, Hawai‘i baseball players will stick around after the game for up to an hour, at times even longer, playing catch on the field, running the bases, or simply talking story with their 'Bow Buddy. 

"The majority of our population comes off the autism spectrum. I would say about 85% of our individuals are autistic in nature," Never Quit Dreaming founder and director Kris Dung told Aloha State Daily. "We also have individuals that have Down syndrome, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, so as an organization, we encourage all of these individuals to come through and play the game of baseball, and then through that, they're able to meet some great mentors throughout the way.

"Not only are [the Rainbow Warriors] great on the field, but having the time to release everything that went into playing this game and then having the capacity to then engage with these individuals every Sunday is is extraordinarily special."

UH fan Marc Harada has two boys that are in the 'Bow Buddy program: Troy, 13, is partnered with Ben Zeigler-Namoa, while star pitcher Isaiah Magdaleno's 'Bow Buddy is 6-year-old Dakota. 

"It gives some of these kids a lot of inclusion, where they can do stuff where they might not be able to do. It gives them a chance to have fun, enjoy it, despite their special needs and stuff like that," Harada said. 

In recent seasons, Harada's boys were partnered with Kyson Donahue and Sean Rimmer, and the relationship extends beyond the season. Harada said his family saw Donahue at a recent game, and he was able to catch up with his former 'Bow Buddy. 

Harada wants the UH players partnered up with his sons to feel like family, especially if they are not from O‘ahu and do not have family in the Islands. Magdaleno is from California, while Zeigler-Namoa hails from Lahaina. 

"We try to show them that we're there for them," Harada said. "Isaiah, from the Mainland, not too much family here. We try to be that ‘ohana for him here, away from family and stuff like that. Try to be that local family for him to show them we're here for him no matter what, good game, bad game, always show support."

Members of the Rainbow Warrior baseball team that have opted in to the program and experienced it firsthand share the sentiment that the players themselves gain as much from the program as the children in Never Quit Dreaming. 

"It's honestly just a burst of positivity," Magdaleno said. "Even if we have a bad outing or a bad game, it's just good to get out here and just have that support with you. It's like another family out here. The families bring so much love and positivity towards our lives. It's a good program. I'm glad that I'm part of it."

Added Zeigler-Namoa: "It's a privilege. As a team, we love to do stuff in the community. Whether we win or lose, they put a smile on our face, and we have something to look forward to after a game no matter what. I think it kind of helps you flip the page a little bit in reality, how grateful we are just to have the opportunity to do something as cool as this."

At the end of the 2024 'Bow Buddy program, UH players were given customized Funko Pop! collectibles of themselves. In 2025, players wore T-shirt jerseys of their 'Bow Buddy. Magdaleno and Zeigler-Namoa even got customized license plates from the Harada family. 

Perspective is key for the Rainbow Warriors, who will fight to keep their 2025 season alive this weekend. 

"If our players learn one thing coming out of this program, it's not how to drag bunt, hit the cutoff man, steal a base, be quick to home. It's the ability to really buy into service to others and impact our community and impact other people for the rest of our lives," Hill said. 

Sebastian Gonzalez Bow Buddy 051325

<title>'Bow Buddy program brings positivity and perspective to Hawai‘i baseball team</title>

After each Sunday home game, select UH baseball players participate in the 'Bow Buddy program.

'Bow Buddy program brings positivity and perspective to Hawai‘i baseball team

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

If you’ve missed seeing the Sakura in Japan this past spring, you can still enjoy this cherry blossom-themed experience throughout all of May.

House of Sakura, a themed pop-up bar partnered with Beam Suntory at Prince Waikīkī, is now open until May 31. The pop-up was supposed to conclude on May 11, but was extended, due to popular demand.

House of Sakura is currently open from 5 to 10 p.m. (last call 9:30 p.m.) on Thursdays to Sundays. It’s first-come, first-served and reservations can be made for parties of eight or more (email 

The pop-up features a variety of pūpū designed to share. The picnic sampler for two ($48) is the most popular dish so far. The shareable item includes miso butterfish, soy-marinated salmon collar, Sakura onigiri, ‘ahi and charred salmon sashimi, pickled farm vegetables, tsukemono, chicken karaage and truffle tamagoyaki.

[{"type":"text","text":"The dishes included in the picnic basket are also available a la carte."}]

The buttery salmon collar and flavorful miso butterfish were my favorite bites, but this assortment is sure to please any seafood lover.

Other dishes available for purchase include truffle popcorn ($5), mini beef fat rice ($12), rice crackers and arare ($5) and Sakura cheesecake with white chocolate and feuilletine crunch ($5). The petite cheesecake is light and creamy — the perfect finish after a savory meal.

House of Sakura drink specials ($15 each) include Toki High-ball — Suntory Toki, Fever Tree club soda and lemon — Cherry Blossom Dream (Suntory Roku gin, St. Germain elderflower, Maui hibiscus and Fever Tree tonic) and Shadow Ube. The latter features Cruzan white rum, Cruzan dark rum, Hamakua Coast premium ube, macadamia nut orgeat, dry curacao and lime.

“Beam Suntory made a custom highball machine, which combines the flavor of Suntory Toki, designed to be served as a highball, and purified water to create the perfect balance of flavor and carbonation,” says Deon Togami, beverage manager at Prince Waikīkī. “The extra carbonation — compared to mixing the whiskey and club soda — opens your palate to experience more flavors.”

The outdoor space features multiple photo opportunities, including an umbrella wall, Sakura tree and Sakura entrance.

When visiting the pop-up, guests can enjoy two and a half hours of validated self-parking; valet is a $10 flat rate with validation.

Open 5-10 p.m. Thursdays-Sundays (last call 9:30 p.m.)

House of Sakura entrance 051225

<title>Enjoy this House of Sakura experience for a limited time</title>

This themed pop-up bar at Prince Waikīkī is now open until the end of May.

Enjoy this House of Sakura experience for a limited time

 just celebrated its one-year anniversary. Boasting picturesque views of Kahana Bay, the eatery offers modern Hawaiian cuisine and dishes with Korean-inspired flavors.

If the one-year anniversary seems confusing, that’s because the original Crouching Lion was in business for more than 60 years (it’s been open since the 1950s). The building was initially a private residence, but was eventually sold and converted into an inn. 

Through an online search, I learned that the eatery’s earlier menus featured dishes like mahimahi, teriyaki steak, lobster salad and club sandwiches. There's one menu 

 right now, going for $80. The mahimahi lunch entree was $1.95 back then! Don't get too excited, though, that's about $23 in today's dollars.

The restaurant changed hands throughout the years and was temporarily closed, but reopened last year under new owner Eddie Kim.

The restaurant now focuses on modern Hawaiian cuisine with Korean-inspired flavors.The open-air eatery is visually appealing, with lots of photo opportunities throughout. It’s a nice spot to take a break during an around-the-island drive.

I went to the eatery last year for dinner, and since then, the restaurant has added several new dishes to its menu.

The Asian bruschetta ($26) features crispy rice topped with spicy ‘ahi, hamachi, salmon and ikura. Of the dishes we tried, this was probably my favorite. The crispy rice base featured a spongier texture than I was anticipating, and the fresh seafood on top were delicious one-bite wonders.

The rose tteokbokki carbonara ($28) is a true fusion dish. The typical carbonara gets a Korean twist with chewy rice pasta, smoked bacon, heavy cream, an egg, shallots, Gochugaru chili flakes, house mushroom stock and Parmesan.

The Crouching Lion also offers a variety of dishes that are cooked on its robata grill. Choose from options like scallops ($24), grilled shrimp ($18), lamb lollipops ($26) and kalbi ($24). The grilled avocado topped with basil vinaigrette and shichimi ($10) is one of the newest options. 

The Gochujang musubi roll ($18) — comprising Gochujang-flavored Spam, daikon, egg, Gochujang aioli, rice and sesame seeds — is another new dish, but was not available during our visit. However, the snow crab reverse roll ($32) is a popular option that did not disappoint, thanks to the generous amount of crab and tobiko.

Prime brisket tacos ($26) and wagyu sliders ($26) continue to be some of the eatery’s most popular dishes. The tacos are massive — these aren’t petite street tacos — meaty, and filled with pickled slaw, cilantro, fresno chili and shichimi aioli. Each slider ($26 for three) comprises white cheddar, tomato jam, shichimi aioli and pickled onions.

Besides the eatery’s newer dishes, our server encourages us to try the fries — which I probably would have overlooked if it weren’t for her recommendation. They’re cooked to a perfect golden brown and served with a honey miso aioli that boasted the perfect balance of sweet and savory.

While the eatery can be crowded during dinner because of its sunset, if you go during lunch, you can enjoy sunny views of Kahana Bay.

Crouching Lion group of food 050825

<title>This scenic restaurant in Kaʻaʻawa just celebrated its one-year anniversary</title>

The Crouching Lion Restaurant & Bar is worth a stop during any around-the-island drive. Read on for more about how this legendary restaurant is celebrating its first anniversary.

This scenic restaurant in Kaʻaʻawa just celebrated its one-year anniversary

Lopaka and Tanya Kapanui

Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya Kapanui

Hawaii History

Columnists

In September 2020, during the COVID-19 era, after the state had just started allowing a small number of people to gather for outdoor events, our company decided to bring a virtual tour to Fort Street Mall. A few people were able to join us in person, while over a hundred guests from the continental U.S., Canada, England, Germany, and New Zealand signed on to tour with us via Zoom.

Our meeting place and the start of the tour was Walker Park, the triangular park at the bottom of Fort Street Mall, where Queen Street meets Nimitz Highway. My wife and I got there an hour early, looked around a bit, and began to discuss some of the area’s history with some friends who showed up early.

According to old maps, Walker Park and the Topa Financial Center building adjacent to the park are standing upon land that used to be Fort Kekuanohu, also known as the Old Fort or Honolulu Fort. 

In the early 1800s, Hawai‘i was a key stop for ships making their way across the Pacific. In 1815, King Kamehameha I granted permission for a group of Russian traders to build a storehouse near Honolulu Harbor. However, they decided to construct a fort instead and even raised the Russian flag. Once Kamehameha got wind of their deception, he sent several ali‘i to have them removed. 

The governor of O‘ahu at that time was John Adams Kuakini, who rebuilt the fort and extended the walls. It enclosed about two acres and was the largest structure in Hawai‘i at the time. It was meant to defend Honolulu Harbor, and accounts say it had 52 canons mounted upon its high walls. The heavy wooden gate of the stronghold faced what is now called Fort Street, right along the Queen Street crosswalk.

In addition to protecting Honolulu Harbor, the fort was also the administrative center of the kingdom, housing the governor’s office and residence, a barracks, a guard house, a prison, and a gallows. 

The first two hangings in Hawai‘i were Kamanawa, a high-ranking ali‘i and the grandfather of King Kalākaua and Queen Lili‘uokalani, along with his accomplice Lonopuakau. In 1840, they were tried and found guilty of the murder of Kamanawa’s wife, Kamokuiki. The gallows were erected above the gate of the Old Fort to be easily seen from a distance. There are old newspaper references to other hangings conducted over the gate of the fort until an 1856 reference describes the gallows being erected within the fort’s walls. Old paintings from around the same time show the gallows inside the fort between two buildings along the southeast wall, right around where the northern Topa Financial Center building, aptly named the Fort Street Tower, is now. 

We finished the conversation on that note and started to prepare for the tour when I suddenly realized I had to use the restroom, and it couldn’t wait til after. I walked into the Topa building, turned toward the elevators, and a curious thing happened. Somehow, I got lost in the building. 

I walked around and around, but all the doors and walls looked the same. I began to get stressed because I was in a hurry to get back and prepare for the tour. I realized there was a humming sound that I couldn’t place. I didn’t think it was there before, but I told myself that I could be mistaken. It had been too long already. I walked faster, past doors, past dark windows, past empty hallways. I felt my heartbeat quicken a bit. After sitting at home at my desk these past several months, I wasn’t used to this much exercise. I was confused and worried that I would be late for the tour, but I continued to wander as the minutes ticked by. 

After about a half hour, I reached into my pocket for my phone. I had to call my wife to let her know what was happening. Then, I turned a corner that I passed through at least a dozen times, and my wife was right there. I was in the lobby near the doors where I entered the building. I paused for a second, just staring at my wife.

[{"text":"“Are you ready?” she asked.","type":"text"}]

I was flustered, “What happened? Are we late? Did you check on the group?”

Her brow furrowed, and she looked at me as if I had lost my mind. I explained what happened, still wondering why she wasn’t rushing me out the door. I told her I had to have been gone at least half an hour. She shook her head and said that I was hardly even gone a few minutes.

[{"text":"“We still have twenty minutes before we start,” she said.","type":"text"}]

We walked out the doors, got set up, and completed the tour. By all accounts, it went well. The live Zoom experience was successful, and people from all over signed in for a virtual tour of Fort Street Mall. It was definitely a fun evening, but what happened earlier was still on my mind.

One year later, almost to the week, a man contacted me about something that had happened to him. He asked if I ever told this story, I would leave his name out.

In a fit of frustration at four o’clock in the morning, my friend found himself sitting on a concrete bench at Walker Park, at the foot of Fort Street Mall. He was there to clear his head because he couldn’t sleep. As he described it, the night was at its darkest; the streets were empty, and the sounds of the city had fallen asleep. 

Suddenly, there was a humming sound, and then it seemed like all the elements, dark and light, male and female, past and present, intersected to become one. He said he witnessed Hawaiians dressed in ancient garb moving about their day while cars from the 1950s or ’60s made their way along Nimitz Highway. The people saw him and began to approach, so he stood and turned to leave, but what he witnessed was disconcerting. 

The buildings around him weren’t the same. They were newer, taller. Different. Everything was different, as if he was seeing a Downtown Honolulu that didn’t yet exist. Fort Street Mall was now a two-way street. Stores were converted to apartments. The houseless people camping in the dark corners were gone, and the area was bright and shiny like a new Waikīkī. Then, it was gone in a flash, and the silence returned. 

The man ran to get out of there as quickly as he could, but what he witnessed stayed with him. He said he couldn’t shake the overwhelming feeling of wanting to return. He told me that he’d let me know what he found, but I haven’t heard from him.

There’s something strange about that park and that building. Maybe it’s haunted, maybe not. But it’s definitely strange. 

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Government & Politics

Crime & Courts

Sports

Business & Tourism

Real Estate

Food & Dining

Entertainment

Arts & Culture

Aloha Spirit

Hawaii History

Opinion

Daily Features

Adopt-a-Pet May 14: Nyla, a goofy gal who loves a good treat

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Adopt-a-Pet May 14: Nyla, a goofy gal who loves a good treat

In case you missed it

Authors

ASD Staff

More in Adopt a Pet

Adopt-a-Pet May, 9, 2025: Meet Toni, a cute couch potato who loves a good adventure

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