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[{"type":"text","text":"Stairs can be intimidating..."}]

Smile 26 5 24

<title>Daily Smile: Sunday, May 24, 2026</title>

Stairs can be intimidating...

Daily Smile: Sunday, May 24, 2026

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Business & Tourism

Arts & Entertainment

[{"type":"text","text":"The weekend of shopping local is getting bigger."}]

While the 32nd annual Made in Hawai‘i Festival 

 at the Hawai‘i Convention Center, across town, the Best of Hawai‘i Mākeke returns to the Neal S. Blaisdell Exhibition hall today through Aug. 23. Presented by Hawai‘i's Finest, the mākeke brings together more than 300 local businesses.

According to a recent announcement from the Native Hawaiian-owned lifestyle and apparel company, the market offers "an accessible platform for emerging entrepreneurs and established brands alike."

"Many participating businesses are home-based and have built their business through social media, online sales or at community pop-up events, and do not yet have traditional storefronts or widespread retail distribution," the announcement notes.

“I know firsthand how hard it is to build a business in Hawaiʻi. We started small, worked hard, learned plenty lessons along the way and just kept going,” Paulele Alcon, owner and founder of Hawai‘i's Finest, said in the announcement. “Now we’re in a position to help open doors for other local entrepreneurs who are trying to make it too. This mākeke is our way of giving back, giving them a place to get noticed, connect with customers and grow, while creating a fun, affordable weekend our local families can enjoy.”

Hawai‘i's Finest got its start as a small T-shirt business on Molokai in 2009; today, the brand has eight retail locations across Hawai‘i and Las Vegas, and has expanded into concerts, collaborations and major community events.

With the mākeke, Alcon told Aloha State Daily in an emailed response to questions that the company is trying to elevate local businesses and entrepreneurs.

We have been blessed with a platform and the ability to do amazing things, and we believe that in order to keep the locals local and home, we must buy local, support local, promote local and be together."

When asked about the expected turnout this weekend, Alcon says, "The buzz is out there. This is the biggest shopping weekend of the year — two massive events with the purpose to service our people! We are excited."

"Our goal is to provide Hawai‘i with a place to flourish and with the Best of Hawai‘i we have done that — to get eyes on our locals in order to support our locals. "

Best of Hawai‘i Mākeke is open until 6 p.m. today, Friday, Aug. 21; from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 22; and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 23. Admission is free and on-site parking is available for $8 per day.

Special VIP Experience tickets are available for purchase that includes early VIP shopping hours from 9 a.m., an exclusive HI Finest Momona Bag, access to the HIFI VIP Lounge, and special offers from 150 vendors. Cost is $70 presale per day and can be found online at 

More information and a list of vendors can be 

Meanwhile, a separately ticketed, all-ages Best of Hawai‘i's Finest Music Festival will be held at the Blaisdell Area on Saturday, with a lineup that includes High Watah, Ooklah the Moc, Three Plus, Johnny Suite, Likkle Jordee, Small Axe, Kapu System, Mauloa Music and Miah Music.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and music starts at 6:30 p.m. Costs start at $20, not including fees.

Blaisdell aerial provided 082126

<title>Best of Hawai‘i Mākeke offers more ways to shop local</title>

The three-day mākeke, presented by Hawai‘i's Finest, returns to the Neal S. Blaisdell Exhibition Hall this weekend with more than 300 local businesses.

Best of Hawai‘i Mākeke offers more ways to shop local

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

Located between “Pauoa Valley, Papakōlea and Punchbowl” — according to its 

 — Hopohni opened a few weeks ago. The biz, designed to be a casual, neighborhood spot, offers whole pizzas, along with grab-and-go slices.

We stopped by when the business had only been open for two weeks. It’s in the former space of a bakery on Lusitana Street, and is located by a laundromat.

The shop offers slices and whole pizza pies, which are 18 inches. A variety of slices are in the pizza warmer, but if you want a specific flavor, ask about it.

So far, the mushroom pizza ($5.50 slice, $27 whole pie) has been a customer favorite. It features tomato, mozzarella, Parmesan, chopped cremini mushrooms, garlic, Italian parsley, white onions, lemon zest and chives.

The pig pizza ($6 slice, $29 whole pie) has been another popular choice. It features a crème fraiche base, and is topped with mozzarella, Pecorino Romano, kalua pig, lomi medley and chives.

Other unique flavors include chimichurri ($5.50 slice, $27 whole pizza) — a crème fraiche base with mozzarella, chimichurri and extra-virgin olive oil — and pina ($6 slice, $29 whole pie). The latter is tomato-based with mozzarella, chopped pineapple, pickled red onions, jalapeno, chorizo and cilantro.

The biz also offers staples like tomato, cheese and pepperoni. Some flavors, like pepperoni, can be ordered with optional toppings like sweet peppers and date syrup, and hot peppers with Hawaiian chili-infused extra-virgin olive oil.

Hopohni’s cheese pizza — which comprises mozzarella, fontina, Pecorino Romano and Parmesan — can also be ordered with ricotta.

Customers can look forward to rotating weekly specials; for updates, follow the biz on Instagram. 

Street parking is available. So far, Hopohni has been open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays to Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays, but hours are subject to change. 

Hopohni kalua pork pizza 081226

<title>Hopohni is a new neighborhood pizza spot in Honolulu</title>

The pizza biz opened a few weeks ago in the former space of a gluten-free bakery. Customers can find thin-crust pizzas with unique toppings, including chimichurri, kalua pig, and chopped pickled red onions.

Hopohni is a new neighborhood pizza spot in Honolulu

 — located in luxury boutique hotel ESPACIO, The Jewel of Waikīkī — recently launched an elevated breakfast menu. Breakfast is served daily from 7 to 10 a.m.

“If breakfast is the most important meal of the day, the dishes enjoyed should be eventful,” states Executive Chef Colin Sato. “We curated this menu that delivers the assurance of comforting flavors and nutritious ingredients, but with a touch of elevation aligned with Mugen’s standard of excellence.”

The breakfast menu features lighter fare like coconut chia seed pudding ($15) and steel cut oats with honey and seasonal berries ($15), along with signature creations like lemon ricotta pancakes ($24) and wagyu short rib loco moco ($36).

“Of course we wanted to have some kind of loco moco on the menu, but we didn’t want to do the traditional hamburger patty with brown gravy,” Sato says. “We tried to elevate it, so we have truffle fried rice, smoked soy peppercorn sauce, wagyu braised short ribs, crispy shallots, crispy maitake mushrooms and an onsen egg on top of that.”

Mugen’s Japanese breakfast ($40) — comprising broiled ora King salmon, a poached egg, miso soup, assorted pickled vegetables and daikon — has been a customer favorite so far.

“The Japanese breakfast sells a lot; I’d say that’s our number one seller,” Sato says.

Other entrees include smoked salmon avocado toast ($25) — sourdough topped with smoked salmon, avocado, sea asparagus, Ho Farms tomato, pickled onion relish and Kupu Place microgreens — and coconut French toast ($24). The latter features sourdough with macadamia nuts, berries and a ginger scented haupia sauce.

“We brulee it (the housemade sourdough) with turbinado sugar,” explains Sato, who says the French toast is topped with coconut powder and candied mac nuts.

Those who enjoy sweeter breakfast entrees can opt for the lemon ricotta pancakes ($24), which are topped with lilikoʻi butter and compressed pineapple.

The eatery has several different options for its eggs Benedicts. Diners can opt for the classic Benedict with Kurobuta ham ($28), smoked salmon Florentine Benedict ($32), seafood cake Benedict ($38) or wagyu bacon Benedict ($45).

The latter features a luxe, house-cured wagyu bacon. The A5 wagyu bacon is also available as a side dish ($40).

“We wanted to do this really upscale version of bacon,” Sato explains. “We have a dry ager in house, so we cure it (the A5 Miyazaki wagyu) for two weeks and then we house smoke it downstairs, and we slice it like bacon and cook it like bacon.”

[{"type":"text","text":"Sato says the restaurant’s breakfast menu will eventually expand."}]

“To start, we wanted to provide this elevated breakfast and we try to keep it somewhat affordable,” he says. “We wanted to give the public a chance to come and see what we do in the restaurant. It’s still the same service (as dinner); we still have high standards for all the food we put out for breakfast." 

[{"type":"text","text":"Complimentary valet parking is available at the hotel entrance. "}]

Complimentary valet parking is available at the hotel entrance

Mugen chef Colin Sato 081726

<title>Mugen offers an elevated breakfast in Waikīkī</title>

The eatery — located in luxury boutique hotel ESPACIO, The Jewel of Waikīkī — is open to the public for breakfast and dinner. The new menu features an elevated twist on breakfast classics, including a wagyu short rib loco moco, smoked salmon avocado toast, Japanese breakfast and A-5 wagyu bacon.

Mugen offers an elevated breakfast in Waikīkī

Christian Shimabuku Headshot

Christian Shimabuku

Sports

Less than two weeks after winning the 2026 Senior League World Series in Easley, S.C., the victory tour for Pearl City Little League is far from over. 

After a 5-0 victory over Curacao on Aug. 8, Pearl City returned home to an impromptu celebration at the airport. Even Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi made an appearance. 

On Saturday, the 15- and 16-year-olds will be celebrated with a championship parade through Pearl City that begins at 4 p.m. The trip starts at Momilani Elementary School, then ends at Pacheco Park. 

Aloha State Daily caught up with Pearl City Little League manager Ty Takahashi, a 2003 Leilehua alumnus that has coached Pearl City All-Star teams for years, including a trip to the 2023 50/70 Intermediate World Series in Livermore, Calif. That year, Pearl City lost in the United States championship game to a team from Florida. 

Three years later, the core of that team, which included Tytan Takahashi, Ty's son, returned to the big stage, determined to finish the job. Pearl City won the West Region tournament in Oakland, Calif. on July 28, despite losing its first game on July 22. They also dropped their opener at the World Series, but strung together five consecutive wins in six days to take home the world title. 

Upon returning home, Ty Takahashi's job as a substation electrician for Hawaiian Electric has certainly kept him busy, but he still took the time to answer a few questions.  

Nearly two weeks after the World Series title, has it sunk in yet?

It's still sinking in because we have a lot of stuff that we're still doing, so I didn't really have a break to let it sink in, I guess. Plus, with all this bad weather and trying to get acclimated back to the time zone, it's been a little tough.

How much did you enjoy the summer of baseball with your team? Other than winning, you guys got to see some different parts of the country. 

 It was a very awesome experience. We were really excited to go again because we went (to the Intermediate 50/70 World Series) three years ago. I want to say about half of the boys were on that team too, so we were really excited. At the same time, we just had to get one game at a time, because it's such a long road. It was fun and a little nerve-wracking because we lost our first game in both tournaments. We lost our first game in the regional and made it all the way through, and then we lost our first game in World Series and made it all the way through. It was fun and crazy at the same time.

 Like you mentioned, you lost your opening game at regionals and during the World Series. How much were both titles a testament to the resilience of the group? 

It says a lot. We work really hard. I push the boys to always work hard and always be positive and believe that anything is possible, right? I think it all paid off. We had our own struggles and sat some starters, which is a big reason why I feel we lost the first game. I felt we still could win, but I had to for disciplinary reasons, and I had to just stick to it, and I believe it made us stronger.

I always liked working with kids from when I was younger. I've taught martial arts for kids and adults from when I was in high school, so I've enjoyed it from back then. I just enjoy coaching and helping others, and I love baseball and martial arts. My kids were growing up, and it was a passion for me to want to help the kids in baseball. So then I started doing that and less martial arts.

The main one that my family does is escrima. But I did jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai, boxing. I've trained in all of it, but I just didn't go deep into it like I did for escrima. I wanted to do MMA, so that's why I did all the different stuff. But, the one that I was in the longest is escrima. My family had our own school (Pedoy's School of Escrima). We had our own school and gym for a long time, and it's not open now. But we want to open it again one day.

In your baseball team's travels this summer, was there a favorite activity among the team? 

They like to play kendama. ... The way I teach the kids and coach them is at practice, we take it serious and just stay focused for those two or three hours. When we go on these trips, it's for baseball, we don't really go out. We eat, we practice or we have the game, and then I take them to go stretch or have a light recovery at night before bed.

 How did coaching this group for years help you earlier this month at the World Series?

At least half the team that I brought to the World Series, I knew them all since tee ball. I feel that that's big because Little League is more community-based, right? For us, Pearl City is a small community. Even though our pool of players are smaller, I think our bond is a lot stronger.

What's been the coolest part of the victory tour? 

I don't know which stands out the most, but I don't really care for publicity, honestly (laughs). I'm just happy for the boys. It just keeps kind of getting crazier because being welcomed home by all your friends and family is so awesome, right? And then the mayor was there, and then we're going to meet council members. It gets kind of crazy.

What's your job title, and how long have you been doing it? 

 I'm a substation electrician. I've done different jobs here, but I've been at HECO for 15 years. 

 Very busy. Working a lot. ... It's been tough, but it's been rewarding knowing that we're helping keep the lights on, and at the same time, it can be tough because we can't sometimes. When the weather is bad, it's not like at a snap of our finger. I know it can be frustrating, but we're just doing what we can and trying our best.

Shoot. ... I guess if I was talking to my family, it would be to try to get a generator and be prepared with all your necessities. I hope that the power stays on, but with bad weather comes a lot of outages, too.

Ty Takahashi 2 082026

<title>Q&A: Pearl City Little League manager Ty Takahashi</title>

Takahashi coached Pearl City to the Senior League World Series championship on Aug. 8. He's been a busy man lately, and it has little to do with baseball.

Q&A: Pearl City Little League manager Ty Takahashi

Square Mike Brestovansky Headshot RGZ3736 Large

Michael Brestovansky

Government & Politics

As the state picks up the pieces after Hurricane Lala, residents are once again advised to prepare for another storm this weekend.

Tropical Depression Two-C — which is expected to evolve into Tropical Storm Moke by the end of the week — is approaching the state, and is forecasted to dump several more inches of rain onto places already waterlogged after Lala.

National Weather Service meteorologist John Bravender said the storm will pass south of the Islands, and shouldn’t have as large of a wind field as Lala, so the storm shouldn’t be as damaging as Lala was. Nonetheless, it is expected to bring 10-15 inches of rain to the windward and southeast portions of Hawai‘i Island, the place hardest hit by Lala.

Elsewhere in the state, the NWS is forecasting that windward Maui will receive six to 10 inches of rain, and two to four inches will fall on the rest of the islands. The first rains are anticipated to reach the Big Island late Saturday night, and spread to the rest of the state through Sunday into Monday.

Bravender said that, with the ground already saturated following Lala, floods will come on much faster. Furthermore, land has been destabilized already — some houses in Na‘alehu on the Big Island were buried in feet of mud, Green said — which elevates the risk for more landslides.

“Take this storm very seriously,” said Maj. Gen. Stephen Logan, Adjutant General of the State of Hawai‘i Department of Defense. “If you used up some of the supplies that you already had for Hurricane Lala, go back to the store and get everything together, about 14 days of medicine, food, pet food.”

Residents should consider their potential evacuation routes, particularly now that some roads may be blocked or closed following Lala, Green said.

Logan said about 136 National Guard personnel are deploying throughout the state, primarily working on clearing debris from roads. However, he added that some teams and high water vehicles will be stationed near the Wahiawā Reservoir, which came close to overflowing during the Kona Low storms in March.

As of Thursday, Green said, the water level at the Wahiawā Reservoir was at 78 feet; it overflows at 90 feet. Green said the reservoir widens as it gets higher, so each successive foot takes substantially more water.

Green said the state will issue warnings if the reservoir reaches dangerous levels, but added that “we’re not in that circumstance right now.”

Once again, residents are urged to sign up for alerts for updates about the storm as it progresses.

In the meantime, recovery work for Lala continues. Hawaiian Electric announced that “essentially all” customers on Maui and O‘ahu have had power restored, leaving about 13,380 still without power on the Big Island.

Green said HECO is bringing extra personnel and equipment from the Mainland to assist in restoring power.

However, Green added that the state’s power grids are in serious need for upgrades. He said some rural areas will probably need “microgrids” — a small localized power grid that can operate independently of the greater grid — to improve their power resilience, and said he expects “a lot of energy overhaul” in the next decade.

Green said he hopes the Federal Emergency Management Agency will issue a formal disaster declaration by next week, which will allow the state to procure additional federal funds for the recovery effort. He added that, in conversation with FEMA representatives, the scope of Hurricane Lala is generally expected to meet federal thresholds for federal assistance.

In addition, the state Legislature made about $100 million available this year for storm responses, in anticipation of a strong hurricane season this year.

Green also highlighted recovery efforts by the Hawai‘i Foodservice Alliance — which donated thousands of units of water, milk, eggs, diapers, rice and other supplies to Hawai‘i Island — as well as philanthropic donations. Tadashi Yanai, founder of UNIQLO, will donate $3 million, while UNIQLO itself will donate 50,000 items of clothing.

Dell Technologies founder Michael Dell and Salesforce co-founder Marc Benioff will both donate $1 million each, as well, Green said.

, using its Stronger Hawai‘i fund, has issued more than $700,000 in grants to various organizations providing recovery support, including to Hilo-based nonprofit Vibrant Hawai‘i, which helps to directly connect supplies to people impacted by the storm.

Green said he believes the state is better prepared for this year’s storm season than it might have been five years ago. Nonetheless, he added, Lala’s rainfall was at the high end of what was predicted, and if more storms like it come — the NWS predicted between five and 13 storms in the Eastern and Central Pacific this year — then additional assistance might be necessary.

The next of those storms might already be in sight. Green warned of another tropical depression forming in the Pacific, which he said could approach the state by the beginning of September, although he added that there is currently no way to predict its course or strength.

Currently, the National Hurricane Center reports a depression forming several hundred miles south of the Baja Peninsula, with a 60% chance of developing into a storm within the next week.

PXL 20260821 001633089 TS 000 16x9

<title>State warns: take new storm seriously</title>

Another storm approaches, even as Lala recovery continues.

State warns: take new storm seriously

, according to business owner Talia Bongolan-Schwartz. While the business's Kailua store has remained open, the bagel biz is soft opening another Honolulu location in a spot that's close to Ward Village.

Tali’s Bagels & Schmear is opening on Friday, Aug. 21, on Waimanu Street, at the new artist co-working/gallery venue called OurSpace. While the new space is conducive to takeout, customer seating is also available. 

“A bunch of the folks who started OurSpace came from BoxJelly,” Bongolan-Schwartz explains. “They asked us if we would be interested (in coming here) when we were still open at Ward.

“OurSpace is quite new; they’ve got an artist co-working space and they do a bunch of events, too,” Bongolan-Schwartz adds.

During the business’s soft opening, only in-person ordering will be available. The biz still features its most popular menu items, including the b.e.c. ($13.99) — crispy bacon, scrambled eggs, cheddar and muenster — and the OG NYC ($17.99), which features premium lox, classic schmear, local dill, capers, tomato and red onion.

Newer menu items feature turkey, ham and pastrami bagel sandwiches, according to Bongolan-Schwartz.

“We decided to step up the lunch game,” she says. “The biggest difference you’re going to see on the menu is a whole line of Boar’s Head meats and a bunch of homemade sauces — we’re making a horseradish Russian dressing, lemon caper remoulade and spicy brown mustard. We’re slicing the meat fresh, too; none of it’s pre-sliced.”

New options include the deli ($15.99) — Mesquite-smoked turkey, black forest ham, housemade lemon-caper remoulade, cheddar, Swiss, local lettuce, tomato and sprouts — and the Jewish deli ($16.99), which comprises fresh-sliced pastrami, Swiss, housemade spicy brown mustard and house pickles.

Bongolan-Schwartz expects the business’s hot pastrami ($18.99) — fresh-sliced pastrami, housemade Russian dressing, Swiss, sauerkraut and a side of house pickles — to become a customer favorite.

“That is a New York classic, kind of going for the Katz’s Deli (vibe),” she says. “We’re basically going from a bagel shop to slowly expanding into a delicatessen.”

All sandwiches are served on the customers’ bagel of choice; the Everything bagel is the most popular flavor, according to Bongolan-Schwartz.

“We’ll normally have our full assortment of bagels,” she says. “I really like the onion (bagel); it’s a good complementary flavor. I would add onion onto any sandwich anyway, so it kind of cuts out the need for that.”

The biz also features an expanded drink selection at this location. Besides sparkling water and soft drinks, customers can opt for Israeli iced coffee ($7.99) — a cold brew slushie with oat milk, local mac nut syrup and a honey-tahini drizzle — and Shaloha slush ($6.50), which is made with local liliko

Tali’s Bagels & Schmear will be open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesdays to Mondays (closed Tuesdays). The biz has extended its hours compared to its previous location, which was closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

“We’re definitely excited to see our old customers,” Bongolan-Schwartz says. “That was important to us — to stay close enough by that people who have been loyal to us for three years at Ward Centre would be able to hopefully just walk over here. We’re excited to see how the new menu does.

“We were nervous about the new menu because we made a lot of cuts,” she adds. “We cut a lot of things off the old menu that are pretty traditional, like our white fish salad, which is a New York deli staple. But I think this menu is going to suit the needs and desires of the people here.”

The biz will eventually do a grand opening. For updates, follow Tali’s Bagels & Schmear on 

Open 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesdays to Mondays (closed Tuesdays)

Talis Bagels owner 081926

<title>Tali’s Bagels & Schmear is reopening in Honolulu</title>

The bagel shop, which used to be located in Ward Centre, is soft opening in its new location on Waimanu Street on Friday, Aug. 21. The business features bestselling dishes like the OG NYC bagel, along with new deli-style creations like the hot pastrami.

Daily Smile: Sunday, May 24, 2026

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