ASD icon blue inverse lighter

ASD Staff

Daily Smile

[{"type":"text","text":"He's living his best life......"}]

Smile 1 2 26

<title>Daily Smile: Friday, January 2, 2026</title>

He's living his best life......

Daily Smile: Friday, January 2, 2026

Katie Helland Headshot

Katie Helland

Arts & Entertainment

Aloha Spirit

With New Year’s and other holidays in the rear view mirror, you might be recovering from parties. Looking for things to do this weekend on Friday, Saturday or Sunday? Aloha State Daily has you covered:

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Friday, Jan. 9"}]

Listen to The Green at the Blue Note Hawaiʻi. 

Catch The Green, a cornerstone of the reggae music scene, with special guest DJ Hapa Boy at the Blue Note Hawaiʻi on Jan. 9 and Jan. 10 or Jan. 23 and 24. Each night has two shows. The event is being presented by Island 98.5. The Green opened for Grammy-winning superstar Bruno Mars at his sold-out shows at Blaisdell Arena in 2014 and Aloha Stadium in 2018. Tickets for the upcoming Blue Note Hawaiʻi shows are $65-$85. 

Starting Jan. 9, Kapono’s at The Lounge in Hawaiʻi Kai will be open Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

 includes three performance spaces: The Lounge, The Velvet Monkey and Studio B. Friday, Jan. 9, is the start of a new series, Aloha Fridays, which is a pau hana experience, with live music presented by the Henry Kapono Foundation. There is no cover charge. On Jan. 10, the space will launch its ticketed Saturday Live weekly concert series with performances from Johnny Valentine at The Velvet Monkey and 3 Little Birds, produced by Henry Kapono, at The Lounge. Sunday brunches will also feature live music.  

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Saturday, Jan. 10"}]

This visiting special exhibit, which opened Jan. 2 at Capitol Modern, the Hawaiʻi State Art Museum, in Downtown Honolulu, includes a selection of 40 portraits from artists living on five islands: Maui, Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi Island, Kauaʻi and Lānaʻi. Called the Schaefer Portrait Challenge, this statewide juried exhibit has been held every three years at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center, since 2003. The portraits will be on display through July at Capitol Modern, which is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Sunday, Jan. 11"}]

The Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaiʻi is hosting its 33rd annual New Year’s ʻOhana Festival from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at its campus in Mōʻiliʻili. Enjoy snacks, food and drinks from 14 local vendors, as well as crafts and merchandise from 25 local businesses. Receive a New Year’s blessing and pruchase omamori, or amulets, from Shinto shrines. There will be taiko, hula, sumo, kendo and more. Family friendly cultural activity booths will teach the art of calligraphy, mini-ikebana, Japanese enameling, origami and other activities. Inside the cultural centerʻs gift shop, attendees can purchase 

, and a 2026 Year of the Horse t-shirt designed by Sumofish. 

 Do you have a New Year’s resolution to be more active in 2026? Hawaiʻi Running Lab is hosting its fifth year of challenges. Participants can sign up to complete 250, 500, 750 or 1,000 miles in 2026. 

 If you complete one of the four challenges, take home a $50 gift card from Kalapawai Market and $30 gift card to Off The Wall Craft Beer & Wine, as well as 

other gifts and discounts from local partners

. Participants get a challenge shirt or other swag for signing up. Each challenge is $60. 

Want to know what is coming up in Hawaiʻi sports? Check out this 

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Portrait

<title>Your guide to the weekend: Friday, Jan. 9, to Sunday, Jan. 11</title>

Dreaming of weekend plans? Aloha State Daily can help. We did the research and compiled a list events happening this Friday, Saturday and Sunday, which range from live music featuring The Green, Johnny Valentine and 3 Little Birds, to a new exhibit at Capitol Modern, the Hawaiʻi State Art Museum.

Your guide to the weekend: Friday, Jan. 9, to Sunday, Jan. 11

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Business & Tourism

Diana Birkett Rakow has been at the helm of Hawaiian Airlines for just over two months.

Formerly the senior vice president of public affairs and sustainability at Alaska Airlines

 of Hawaiian in September and stepped into the role in late October.

Alaska Air Group Inc. and Hawaiian Holdings Inc. 

 that Alaska Airlines would acquire Hawaiian Airlines in a deal that was valued at approximately $1.9 billion, including $900 million of Hawaiian’s net debt, according to an announcement at that time. The acquisition was 

 of Hawaiian Airlines at that time, part of an interim Honolulu leadership team that would help guide the airlines through the process of obtaining a single operating certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration.

Birkett Rakow became CEO on Oct. 29, the same day that Alaska Airlines received that 

 from the FAA, a major milestone in the efforts to integrate the operations of the two airlines. 

Both airlines, though, will maintain their individual brands.

During a Jan. 5 press conference at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, she announced the 

, Hawaiian Airline’s new five-year, $600 million investment that she said aims to modernize its airport spaces, aircraft cabins and technology; expand loyalty benefits for Hawai‘i residents; and support community and sustainability efforts statewide.

Aloha State Daily caught up with Birkett Rakow briefly after Monday’s press conference.

How are things going two months on the job?

“Great,” she says. “The people are incredible. The team members are amazing and I’ve had the great opportunity to get out and work with some of them in maintenance, on the ramp and at the gate, and will continue to do that. It’s a great way to learn. And we’ve got a lot of change going on. We pushed a lot of change through the system with guests and employees and our technology all at the same time. It's not all easy, but I think we’re heading into a place where we can stabilize, we can work on these investments, we can bring our ticketing systems together, which is going to make life better for everybody.”

When asked about her goals in this role, Birkett Rakow says she’s been working on "this combination since the beginning." She was responsible for Alaska’s business in Hawai‘i, “so I’ve cared a lot about this going well,” she told ASD. “My goal is that we successfully bring this combination together and do it in a way that is positive for Hawai‘i.”

As for the newly announced Kahu‘ewai plan, Birkett Rakow says it’s been in the works for nearly a year.

“We started to build the idea as we’ve been getting feedback from employees and guests, and then started to put a more structured plan together over the last probably six, nine months.”

These investments, she says, are good for both the business and the state.

“We rely so much on transportation here, we want to make sure that our guests have a great experience, local guests as well as visitors, and that we’re continuing to invest in a sustainable business.”

 has a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Harvard University and master's degree in public health and public administration from the University of Washington, and had been with Alaska for eight years.

She previously held senior executive roles at Group Health and Kaiser Permanente, and was a health policy adviser for the U.S. Senate Finance Committee.

, Alaska and Hawaiian carried more than 55 million passengers on more than 486,000 flights across their combined global network, and carried more than 40,000 tons of cargo to and from communities across Alaska, Hawai‘i and the Pacific.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Also in 2025:"}]

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Hawaiian airlines

<title>Hawaiian Airlines CEO Diana Birkett Rakow on her new role</title>

Formerly the senior vice president of public affairs and sustainability at Alaska Airlines, Birkett Rakow was named CEO of Hawaiian in September and stepped into the position in late October. Aloha State Daily recently asked about her professional goals and the newly announced Kahu‘ewai investment plan.

Hawaiian Airlines CEO Diana Birkett Rakow on her new role

Lopaka and Tanya Kapanui

Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya Kapanui

Hawaii History

Columnists

This 30-story building that rises above Bishop Street is First Hawaiian Center, the corporate home of First Hawaiian Bank and other high-end professional offices. Its dual-toned facade, meant to reflect the ocean on one side and echo the mountains on the other, sits behind an open plaza, creating a sense of space in Honolulu’s dense financial district. A replacement for earlier structures, the building’s design blends commerce and cultural presence, including rotating art exhibits in its lobby.

Before this modern tower, the block looked very different. The earlier buildings, a 1962, 18-story bank tower considered Hawaii’s first modern skyscraper, and the 1925 S.M. Damon Building, symbolized financial growth and the progress of Honolulu.

The history goes back further. Just after the turn of the century, Honolulu had three high-class hotels, the Hawaiian Hotel on Hotel Street, the Moana Hotel in Waikīkī, and the Arlington Hotel on King Street. At this time, Bishop Street did not yet exist.

The Arlington Hotel was later dismantled, and the roads reconfigured. Bishop Street was built across the large property, cutting in half what had previously been part of a private estate. But the Arlington had not always been a hotel. It began as Haleʻākalā, the coral-block home of high chief Abner Pākī.

Built in the mid-1800s, Haleʻākalā was the residence of Pākī, his wife Kōnia, their daughter, Bernice Pauahi, and their hanai (adopted) daughter, Lydia Liliʻu Kamakaʻeha, who later became Queen Liliʻuokalani. In those days, this part of Honolulu was not yet a commercial center. Instead, the area held landscaped yards, long driveways, and the early outlines of what would eventually become downtown’s street network.

Queen Lili‘uokalani described the place as “one of the most beautiful and central of the mansions in Honolulu.”

Lili‘uokalani and John Dominis were married at Haleʻākalā, and the estate was a gathering place for high society in Hawai‘i. The son of Princess Ruth Ke‘elikolani was baptised there in 1863, and Duke Kahanamoku was born there in 1890.

Just a few years later, on January 16, 1893, Haleʻākalā, the property at which Princess Pauahi and Queen Lili‘uokalani were raised, became ‘Camp Boston.’ This was the headquarters for the USS Boston’s landing force as 162 sailors and Marines came ashore and stood ready to support the American businessmen during the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy on January 17, 1893.

The home served as a boarding house for a time before operating as the Arlington Hotel. But its history lingered in the heart of Hawai‘i’s Queen as she lamented the loss of the property after it was willed to Pauahi’s husband, Charles Reed Bishop.

“This wish of my heart was not gratified,” she wrote, “And at the present day strangers stroll through the grounds or lounge on the piazzas of that home once so dear to me.”

Even earlier than Haleʻākalā, the land belonged to the district known as Kou, in the heart of early Honolulu. On the Diamond Head half of this block stood Kauanono‘ula, a loku site, where men and women of every kind gathered in the evenings to enjoy themselves. Some of the amusements indulged in there were hula, chants, the recitation of narratives in chant form, and the telling of legends. Such places were known from the distant past, and it wasn’t just the living that gathered there. Ghosts and spirits of all kinds, including the legendary night marchers, are said to visit this space. Kauanono‘ula means “the dark red rain.”

W.D. Westervelt confirms this gathering spot for wailua, or ghosts, in his book 

, and adds that the ghosts in these places made night a source of dread for all people. Several employees who work in this building say it is indeed haunted, and nights when they have to work late are especially creepy. 

About 10 years ago, I was asked by a law firm on one of the upper floors to share ghost stories as part of their team-building day. The gathering carried on the tradition of storytelling at this site, and the people in attendance were very affable and receptive to what I had to share. Although I could feel a literal “buzz” in the air, no one else seemed to notice. 

I already knew the history of this place. Stories of otherworldly encounters with ancient Hawaiian spirits in several Downtown buildings have circulated for years. So I tried to ignore the strange feeling that settled over me. However, I was still quite surprised to learn that there might be a night marcher procession passing through the firm’s offices.

A series of security videos showed an unusual column of mist that appeared at the outer wall, facing mauka, or toward the mountains. It drifted through the lobby and office partitions, and seemed to flow out through the makai (ocean facing) wall at the other end. For a while, no one had a clear idea of what they were looking at until the Hawaiian woman who cleaned the office after hours saw the videos.

Without hesitation, the woman nodded and said, “Oh yeah, huaka‘i pō. Night marchers.”

Looking back, perhaps nothing about that moment should have surprised any of us. This land has borne witness to royalty, celebration, progress, upheaval, and sorrow, and those memories do not simply vanish beneath the concrete and glass. Whether one accepts the explanation of the night marchers or views the strange mist as a trick of light, the effect remains the same: the past continues to move through the present.

The First Hawaiian Center stands today as a symbol of progress and commerce, yet beneath its polished floors rests an older story that refuses to fade. Long before office buildings and parking lots, people gathered on this ground to chant, to dance, to remember. And if the accounts of those security cameras are to be believed, they may still be gathering here.

First Hawaiian Center

<title>Huaka‘i Pō at First Hawaiian Center</title>

First Hawaiian Center remains the tallest building in Downtown Honolulu. The property on which is stands is home to an amazing — and sometimes frightening — history. Long before there was a bank, a house stood on the property, known as Haleʻākalā. Bernice Pauahi lived there, as did the future Queen Liliʻuokalani. Duke Kahanamoku was born there. And some say Huaka‘i Pō, the Night Marchers, still make their presence known there.

Huaka‘i Pō at First Hawaiian Center

Hawaiian Airlines and Honolulu Community College are teaming up to train the next generation of aircraft mechanics, expanding their workforce development partnership with the launch of the Maintenance Technician Development Program.

MTDP offers "significant financial and professional support" for selected students enrolled in the school's Aeronautics Maintenance Technology Program, or AERO, an announcement from Honolulu CC noted. 

The aspiring aircraft technicians who apply and are selected for the program will receive a $10,500 stipend and up to $1,800 reimbursement for airframe and power plant certificate exam fees, as well as mentorship from Hawaiian Airlines mechanics, according to the announcement.

Graduates also will be given "a contingent job offer with Hawaiian Airlines, securing a clear path to employment," Honolulu CC says.

MTDP began accepting applications on Sept. 3. The program is just the latest collaboration between the airline and the college.

According to Honolulu CC, the two organizations developed the Aircraft Mechanic Apprenticeship Program, or AMAP, in 2016. As part of that program, students take classes during the day and work part-time at Hawaiian's maintenance hangar, "gaining hands-on experience and getting paid to perform maintenance and repairs," the announcement noted.

“The need is significant now in part in our case, because Hawaiian Airlines is growing and in our combination with Alaska Airlines, we're adding a number of new aircraft maintenance technician positions in Honolulu and throughout our system, but there are also many retirements happening,” 

Hawaiian Airlines spokesperson Alex Da Silva told Aloha State Daily in an email that the airline currently has 570 airline mechanics — or aviation maintenance technicians — and continues to "hire regularly to meet demand as we grow our business through our Alaska Airlines combination and also to account for retirement."

[{"type":"text","text":"That number includes more than 50 AMAP grads, HCC says."}]

So far this year, Da Silva says the airline has hired 58 aircraft mechanics across its system and is projected to fill more than 600 Hawai‘i-based frontline positions by the end of 2025, including pilots, flight attendants and airport operations teams. Looking for a new gig? You can 

Starting pay is about $75,000 a year, with the potential to earn $113,000 or more, according to Da Silva. 

"These are specialized, highly skilled jobs and increasing access and opportunities to training and certification is a big challenge — which is why our Honolulu Community College partnership is so critical," Da Silva says. "We know that many Hawai‘i students would prefer to build a career right here [in] the Islands, and as Hawai‘i's airline, we want young people to stay and see a path to join our company, where they get the best of both worlds in a large, Hawai‘i-based company that is also global."

“Hawaiian Airlines has been such a great partner to us and our AERO maintenance program. And the fact that they've come to us and they said that they're going to provide this scholarship and work opportunity — we are very grateful to them for this,” Honolulu CC Chancellor Karen Lee said in a provided video clip.

According to the announcement, Students can apply for both the 

 programs, but they will need to choose one to participate in, if selected. More information is available by emailing 

Alaska Air Group, Inc. and Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. 

 that Alaska Airlines would acquire Hawaiian Airlines in a deal that was valued at approximately $1.9 billion, including $900 million of Hawaiian’s net debt, according to an announcement at that time. The acquisition was 

The distinct Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines brands will be maintained but a singular loyalty program, 

HCC Hawaiian airlines

<title>Hawaiian Airlines, Honolulu Community College and the next generation of aircraft…</title>

A newly launched Maintenance Technician Development Program offers "significant financial and professional support" for selected students enrolled in the school's Aeronautics Maintenance Technology Program.

Hawaiian Airlines, Honolulu Community College and the next generation of aircraft mechanics

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

The Taste of New York ($83.95) is one of my favorite indulgences from the happy hour menu at 

, the famed steakhouse by Wolfgang Zwiener that is located in Royal Hawaiian Center.

This popular selection is now also available at the open-air terrace located right outside of steakhouse called The W Lanai by Wolfgang Zwiener. It’s designed to offer customers the same premium quality and service the steakhouse is known for, but at a lower price point and in a more casual ambiance.

“In the face of rising dining costs due to inflation and currency fluctuations, we created The W Lanai to provide a more accessible dining option in Hawaiʻi,” states Masahiro Kido, general manager of Wolfgang’s Steakhouse Waikīkī.

The W Lanai by Wolfgang Zwiener soft opened in June, but celebrated its grand opening on July 1. We were invited to check out the new space during a recent media event.

Besides a luxury drink collaboration with LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy), W Lanai’s beverage menu includes sparkling wines and premium champagnes by the glass (ranging from $10 to $65), along with original cocktails made with locally produced spirits like Ocean Organic Vodka and Kō Hana Rum. Choose from cocktails ($14 each) like Road to Hana with Ocean Vodka, pineapple, liliko

i and lychee; Papa Hemingway with Kō Hana Kea rum, grapefruit, lime, simple syrup and club soda; and Liliko

i Mo He Toe with Kō Hana Kea rum, tropical gomme, lime, mint and club soda.

The W Lanai’s food menu includes a few exclusive dishes. The venue’s fish ceviche ($18), cheese board ($26), USDA prime beef and fish tacos ($18), jumbo garlic shrimp ($24) and Wolfgang’s meatball ($18) are all exclusive items that you can’t get in steakhouse. We especially enjoyed the refreshing ceviche’s bright flavors; the succulent, tender garlic shrimp; and flavorful, juicy meatball.

While it’s not a W Lanai exclusive, the seafood combo ($26) is one of my favorite dishes (it’s also available during the steakhouse’s happy hour). It features six crostini topped with ‘ahi tartare, lobster and a lump crab mix. It’s the perfect indulgence for any seafood fanatic, since you get a sampling of spreads and the eatery doesn’t skimp on the lump crab.

As mentioned before, diners can still enjoy the Taste of New York ($83.95), which is a popular choice from the steakhouse’s happy hour menu. It includes a 12-ounce, bone-in, dry-aged New York sirloin, sides of creamed spinach and mashed potatoes, and a New York-style cheesecake for dessert.

If you order the Taste of New York, remember that the steak is still cooking slightly on the sizzling hot plate when it’s delivered to your table. Keep that in mind when choosing your desired level of preparation.

Customers who dine at The W Lanai by Wolfgang Zwiener can receive validated parking at the Royal Hawaiian Center parking garage. The first hour is free with restaurant validation; parking costs $3 per hour thereafter.

Open 3-10 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays, 3-10:30 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays

Validated parking is available at the Royal Hawaiian Center parking garage.

W Lanai food spread 070825

<title>The W Lanai by Wolfgang Zwiener just opened in Waikīkī</title>

Wolfgang Steakhouse’s new concept features an approachable menu with reasonable prices in a more casual environment.

The W Lanai by Wolfgang Zwiener just opened in Waikīkī

Hundreds of items from a California ranch and horse farm belonging to the late Princess 

 — a Native Hawaiian heiress, philanthropist and equestrian — and 

Veronica Kawānanakoa, and from the Abigail 

Hosted by O‘ahu Auctions, you can find furniture, artwork, leather goods, rugs, carved wooden bowls and chairs, saddles and other riding gear, and more, the auction notes.

 benefit Native Hawaiian culture initiatives, according to the auction listing.

The auction ends beginning at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 26, with pickup in Honolulu on June 27 and 28.

A descendent of Hawaiian royalty and the great-granddaughter of James Campbell, a businessman who became one of Hawai‘i's largest landowners in the 19th century, Kawānanakoa was 96 when she 

Auction saddle

<title>Items that once belonged to Abigail Kawānanakoa available at auction</title>

You'll find furniture, artwork, leather goods, rugs, carved wooden bowls and chairs, saddles and other riding gear, and more available in the sale, hosted by O‘ahu Auctions.

Daily Smile: Friday, January 2, 2026

ASD Staff

More in Daily Smile

Daily Smile: Thursday, January 8, 2026

Daily Smile: Wednesday, January, 7, 2026

Daily Smile: Tuesday, January 6, 2026

Daily Smile: Monday, January 5, 2026

Most read

Daily Smile: Friday, January 2, 2026

Authors

ASD Staff

More in Daily Smile

Daily Smile: Thursday, January 8, 2026

Daily Smile: Wednesday, January, 7, 2026

Daily Smile: Tuesday, January 6, 2026

Daily Smile: Monday, January 5, 2026

Most read