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Daily Smile

[{"type":"text","text":"Golden retriever and baby have a cry-off..."}]

Smile 26 5 29

<title>Daily Smile: Friday, May 29, 2026</title>

Golden retriever and baby have a cry-off...

Daily Smile: Friday, May 29, 2026

 Golden retriever and baby have a cry-off...

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Business & Tourism

Food & Dining

[{"type":"text","text":"Hawaiian Airlines is taking a taste of Hawai‘i to the skies."}]

The airline is doing away with complimentary meals in the main cabin of most domestic flights. Instead, starting July 1, those passengers will be able to pre-order food from a Hawai‘i-inspired menu curated by Maui-based chef Sheldon Simeon.

According to a Thursday announcement from Hawaiian, his menu offers "elevated takes on local favorites and comfort foods," with many items highlighting signature flavors from his restaurants.

Simeon, who's known for his Valley Isle eateries Tin Roof and Tiffany's Restaurant & Bar, has received several James Beard Award nominations and was a 

 for Best Chef: Northwest & Pacific this year.

"Already offered in first class, the pre-order model puts guests in control of their onboard dining experience throughout the cabin, with first class guests now benefiting from an expanded selection of menu options," the announcement notes.

"We're excited because this is really about a transformation across our entire in-flight experience from a food and beverage perspective," Alisa Onishi, managing director of Hawai‘i marketing for Hawaiian Airlines, told Aloha State Daily. 

It's the first time Hawaiian has offered a chef-curated menu in the main cabin, she says. The curated pre-order menu will be available on all domestic flights between Hawai‘i and the Mainland, except for those to JFK International Airport in New York City, which will continue to receive a complimentary meal.

Other buy-on-board products will remain the same, Onishi says, and the airline will continue to offer free snacks from local partners on board.

"Our most frequent flyers have given us feedback over the years that they've been wanting more choice and higher-quality meal options, so we are exited to provide more selection," Onishi says, noting that gluten-free and vegan options have been requested by guests throughout the years, "and we are now able to provide for them. We're really excited about giving our guests more choice and better quality option for food in-flight."

Onishi says that the airline began to work toward this before its integration with Alaska Airlines, and always had Simeon, one of Hawaiian's featured chefs in 2015, "in our hearts and minds."

"He had done one of our first class menus back then and [was] just such a great chef to work with," she told ASD. " ... He understood how to make food on an airplane taste really good. He understands the restrictions ... we have in the aircraft, so he was really able to create this menu that was island-inspired, using local resources, making sure that there's a story behind each of the menu items. So, we knew from the beginning that Chef Sheldon was one of our first choices. We knew he was the right [person] to partner with for this program because it is the first time for doing this in our main cabin and we wanted to make sure that we had a chef who understood the assignment and knew how to make something beautiful and successful and taste really great from kitchen into the airplane."

During a tasting of the menu Wednesday, Simeon said it's been nearly a year since discussions first began.

"There have been so many ideas, even prior to our first meeting and our first tasting, that we did internally with my chefs at the restaurant," he says. "It was just such a cool opportunity. ... Hawai‘i has some of the best cuisines, some [of the] best restaurants and best flavors that there is, and we have to continue to celebrate that. This is a huge, huge win for Hawai‘i culinary that Hawaiian has given us the opportunity to share these flavors."

Here's what you'll be able to grab from the 

The morning menu, available for flights that depart between 6 and 9:59 a.m., includes corned beef hash and poached eggs; french toast or banana pancakes with scrambled eggs and Portuguese sausage (don't skip the the spicy-K mayo or banana bread syrup); coconut overnight oats, a vegan and gluten-free option; and a cheesy omelet with chicken sausage and roasted potatoes, which is coming this fall.

Meanwhile, the afternoon and evening menu, available for flights departing between 10 a.m. and 8:29 p.m., includes crispy mochiko chicken and garlic noodles, which comes with mac salad and bag of crispy toppings; a bento that includes grilled teriyaki chicken, tamagoyaki, kamaboko and a shoyu hotdog; teriyaki cheeseburger; grilled chicken bahn mi sandwich; a salad with li hing mango, baby kale, almonds, edamame, grape tomato and quinoa, along with a li hing balsamic vinaigrette; Italian sub; and cheeseburger mac and cheese, which is coming this fall.

Prices for each meal range from about $11 to $17. According to the announcement, the meals will be prepared with fresh ingredients no more than 12 hours before each flight.

You can order through the Alaska Hawaiian mobile app or website two weeks in advance and as close as 20 hours before departure.

Hawaiian and Simeon will introduce new dishes and rotate items throughout the year, the announcement notes.

Residents who are Huaka‘i by Hawaiian members, or who become members by June 24, will get two free meals starting July 1.

In March, Hawaiian welcomed Chef Dell Valdez as its new executive chef. Read 

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Sheldon simeon hawaiian airlines 052826

<title>Hawaiian Airlines moving to pre-paid meals in main cabin for most Mainland flights</title>

Travelers will be able to pre-order from a menu curated by Maui-based chef Sheldon Simeon starting July 1.

Hawaiian Airlines moving to pre-paid meals in main cabin for most Mainland flights

Katie Helland Headshot

Katie Helland

Arts & Entertainment

Playwright and retired public school teacher Diane Aoki once wrote a scene about a person losing their hearing as part of a challenge for a festival that asked playwrights to share a local social issue in just one minute.

“I was just thinking about: what is an issue that a lot of people are dealing with?” 

 told Aloha State Daily. “It was about aging and taking care of your elders as they age.”

Today, that scene is part of the play, “Memory Beads,” which premiers Thursday, May 28, at Kumu Kahua Theatre. Directed by Liza Sanchez and Julia Gilman, the show runs now through June 28.

“Writing this play was a real challenge for me because it's nonlinear,” Aoki said. “Not only does it go back and forth in time, but there are also two story lines, and both storylines are broken up. What I would like to share is that if people are used to seeing that traditional narrative format to not get freaked out. ... Just take each scene one at a time, and then hopefully in the end, it'll all come together.”

One of the storylines is a fairytale, which is popular in a number of Asian countries, she noted

“The celestial maiden — she comes down from heaven, and she’s bathing in a stream, and then a farmer sees her and steals her robe, and without her robe she can't go back to her home,” 

 said. “She stays, and she has children with the farmer, so there's different scenes about that whole interaction. That's woven in with the story of the main character, Joni, and her dealing with her memory issues and taking care of her mother and also her relationship with her daughter.”

The play draws inspiration from Aoki’s own life experience.

“The inspiration was my own experience dealing with my mother as she reached her final stages,” Aoki said.

The main character is a woman named Joni —  played by actress Denise Aiko Chinen — who knows Alzheimer’s disease runs in the family and sees signs of it in her mother. The play explores Joni's fears that she may also have 

 and will one day leave her own daughter caring for her. 

Joni begins collecting memory beads to preserve fragments of her family’s story including their immigration from Okinawa and her own memories of growing up in Hilo.

“It's also an exploration of Okinawan identity,” Aoki said. “In writing you have to base it in real experience because if you don't identify their ethnic background, it kind of loses something.”

Aoki wrote her first play, “Wind Dances” in college. It was staged by the East West Players in Los Angeles. Eventually she moved back to Guam, where she wrote a children’s musical play, “Pulani.”

Kumu Kahua Theatre is hosting several special events, which expand on themes in “Memory Beads,” including:

The Hawaiʻi-based band Maajiru, which blends Okinawan and Hawaiian music, will be playing before the show and during intermission. Maajiru will start performing at 6:30 p.m. just before the 7 p.m. show.

 The theaterʻs book club will explore wartime Okinawa this month with the memoir “The Girl with the White Flag,”

by Tomiko Higa. Limited copies of the book are available to borrow from the box office or local public libraries. 

 Aoki and members of the cast and crew will gather after the 7 p.m. performance to talk story with the audience. There will also be a performance by Maajiru before the show and during intermission.

Buy-one, get-one tickets are available on this date if women — or men — mention the word “LADIES” at the box office. Audience members can also catch up at the nearby Black Shamrock Tavern, which will offer drink specials starting at 5:30 p.m. just before the evening show.

Tickets for “Memory Beads” are $28, plus fees, with discounts for kūpuna and students. There is also a 20% discount available for at-home caregivers or care professionals who wish to see the show. Call the box office for details at 808-536-4441. 

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

“Memory Beads”

<title>'Memory Beads' premieres at Kumu Kahua Theatre</title>

Memory, aging and identity are at the heart of this play from retired public school teacher Diane Aoki. A story that came out of a challenge at a festival for playwrights is now finding its way to the stage for the first time in its entirety at Kumu Kahua Theatre.

'Memory Beads' premieres at Kumu Kahua Theatre

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

 recently opened its second location. The business’s original location is close to Hilton Hawaiian Village; Goofy Café & Dine – Waikīkī Beach is on the first floor of The Twin Fin Hotel on Kalākaua Avenue. Its grand opening is Friday, May 29.

While the original Goofy’s Café offers dinner, it focuses on brunch. The new restaurant, which is in the former spot of Wolfgang Puck Express, features an all-day dining experience with menus for breakfast, lunch, happy hour and dinner.

The breakfast menu is offered from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., according to general manager Michael Tabarejo. The menu features customer favorites like smoked salmon eggs Benedict ($24.50), lemon butter garlic shrimp omelet ($21), avocado toast ($18), and the Big Island beef loco moco ($24). However, the Waikīkī Beach café offers buttermilk pancakes with a variety of toppings.

“Pancakes are only at this location,” general manager Michael Tabarejo confirms. “They (the other location) do French toasts. For our eggs Benedicts, we use sourdough bread instead of English muffins.”

The fluffy buttermilk pancakes come with toppings like fresh berries ($20), Hawaiian tropical fruits ($20), brown sugar mascarpone cream ($18) and bacon mac and cheese ($20). The latter features a sweet-and-savory combo, thanks to the melted cheese topping with maple syrup on the side.

The brown sugar mascarpone cream features a velvety mascarpone whipped with brown butter and rich brown sugar.

The eatery’s popular acai bowls are still available at this location. Choose from the fresh berries bowl ($18), Hawaiian tropical fruit bowl ($18) or niu acai bowl ($19). Tabarejo recommends the latter, which includes papaya, strawberries, banana, coconut mousse, chia seeds and coconut flakes.

The eatery’s lunch menu is served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Options range from local corn fried rice ($20) and the Goofy cheeseburger ($21) to fish and chips ($23 lunch, $20 happy hour).

“For lunch, the corn fried rice is amazing,” Tabarejo says. “It’s got some protein (pork belly), vegetables and rice. Our fish and chips are also good; they’re light and crispy. We use Swai (for the fish).”

The fish and chips are served with fries and tartar sauce. The Goofy cheeseburger features a brioche bun filled with a double 4-ounce beef patty, Swiss cheese, American cheese, caramelized onions and house sauce, with fries on the side.

The eatery’s happy hour, available daily from 2 to 5 p.m., is exclusive to this location (the eatery’s Village location doesn’t have a happy hour). Customers can enjoy pūpū-style dishes — like ‘ulu hummus and tortilla chips ($12), truffle fries ($12), spicy ‘ahi nachos ($18) and the Goofy spread board ($15) — along with larger plates like the spicy crispy chicken sandwich ($20) and clubhouse sandwich ($20).

The Island-grown breadfruit hummus comes with local tortilla chips. The Goofy spread board ($15) is anticipated to be a signature option. Pick any three house spreads — fresh guacamole, kalua pork rillettes, ricotta honey pepper whip or truffle local mushroom pate — served with toasted sourdough.

The restaurant’s dinner menu, served from 5 to closing, features heartier options like steak and fries ($48), creamy Tuscan salmon ($35), chicken Parmigiano ($26), confit Branzino ($69) and surf and turf ($120). The latter is designed to serve two people, and includes a 1-pound rib-eye steak, lobster tail and Kauai shrimp. The confit Branzino is a Mediterranean sea bass that features a whole fish served with pistachio caper salsa and roasted potatoes.

Customers can also enjoy a variety of beverages, ranging from beers and wines by the glass or bottle to house cocktails and “Goofy Flow” drinks. The latter are frozen cocktails and come in flavors like liliko

i, peach and starburst ($18 each), which features a mango strawberry syrup. "Goofy Flow" drinks are usually made with rum, but non-alcoholic versions are also available. 

Goofy Café & Dine – Waikīkī Beach also features a takeout window with a separate grab-and-go menu. The takeout window is open from noon to 5 p.m. and features options like furikake fries ($6), volcano loaded fries ($9), volcano chili cheese hot dogs ($13) and more.

[{"type":"text","text":"The eatery offers a 5% kamaʻāina discount. "}]

[{"type":"text","text":"Validated valet parking is available (three-hour validation for $8)."}]

Open daily starting Friday, May 29, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Valet parking available (three-hour validation for $8)

Goofy Cafe Waikiki brunch spread 052626

<title>Goofy Café & Dine opens second location</title>

This popular brunch spot — whose original location is near Hilton Hawaiian Village — opened a second location at The Twin Fin Hotel. This new location features brunch, lunch, happy hour and an expanded dinner menu. The café’s grand opening is Friday, May 29.

Goofy Café & Dine opens second location

Square Kady Pascual Headshot RGZ5762

Kady Pascual

Hawaiʻi Scene on Social

[{"type":"text","text":"From the ground:"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"From the sky:"}]

Circular rainbow

<title>Hawai‘i Scene on Social meets Hawai‘i Skies</title>

Did you know that rainbows are circular? A rare sighting of a full circular rainbow was spotted in Hawaiʻi — the rainbow state. #ThrowbackThursday

Hawai‘i Scene on Social meets Hawai‘i Skies

Square Mike Brestovansky Headshot RGZ3736 Large

Michael Brestovansky

Crime & Courts

Igor Lytvynchuk, the Washington man charged with throwing a rock at an endangered Hawaiian monk seal, had his first court appearance in Honolulu on Wednesday.

Lytvynchuk, 38, appeared in U.S. District Court to plead "not guilty" to two charges of illegal taking of an endangered marine mammal. Those charges stem from 

 on May 5 when a man — later identified by investigators as Lytvynchuk — was recorded on video hurling a rock at a monk seal on a Maui beach, seemingly only narrowly missing the animal’s head.

As any form of harassment of an endangered seal violates both the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act, that single rock incurred two charges. Both charges are misdemeanor offenses, carrying a maximum possible sentence of one year in prison each, although Magistrate Judge Rom Trader told Lytvynchuk Wednesday that there is no guarantee, if he is found guilty, that he will face the full maximum sentence.

Lytvynchuk was arrested May 13 near Seattle by special agents of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Following an initial court appearance in Washington, the case was transferred to the District of Hawai‘i.

Lytvynchuk had little opportunity to speak at Wednesday’s hearing, confirming in one or two words that he understood Trader’s description of the legal process ahead of him. While his “not guilty” plea drew murmurs from the several dozen people in the gallery, he made no statement about his actions during or after the hearing.

However, a lawyer for Lytvynchuk had previously told media that Lytvynchuk had supposedly believed the seal to be a sea lion threatening sea turtles.

Trader ordered Lytvynchuk to be released on an unsecured $25,000 bond with several conditions, including that Lytvynchuk surrender his passport and all travel documents, that he not change addresses without approval from his pretrial officer, and that his travel is restricted to the Western District of Washington — a U.S. court district covering the state west of the Cascade Mountains — and O‘ahu for court purposes only.

Furthermore, when on O‘ahu, Lytvynchuk is prohibited from accessing any beaches or approaching any marine wildlife, Trader said.

“I think that’s an appropriately tailored restriction, given the circumstances,” Trader said.

Failing to comply with these conditions could result in a warrant for Lytvynchuk’s arrest and put him in jail until trial.

Lytvynchuk is also required to be present at future court hearings. However, Trader said he is inclined to waive that requirement for certain minor hearings and allow Lytvynchuk to appear remotely.

For example, the next hearing date is scheduled for June 9, where attorneys for both sides will set a mutually agreeable trial date and other deadlines. Trader agreed with Lytvynchuk’s attorney Sean Fitzsimmons that Lytvynchuk’s physical presence at that hearing will not be necessary.

Screenshot 2026 05 27 at 3 58 24 PM 16x9

<title>Lytvynchuk pleads 'not guilty' in monk seal case</title>

Igor Lytvynchuk will be barred from O‘ahu beaches as his court case over an alleged attack on a Hawaiian monk seal continues.

Lytvynchuk pleads 'not guilty' in monk seal case

The Hawaiʻi Food and Wine Festival is set to return this fall with this theme: traditions and heritage. Last week, the festival announced 11 events, including ones on Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi Island and Maui, as part of a launch event held at the Prince Waikīkī.

This year, the festival’s theme reflects on the cultural roots of Hawaiʻi’s culinary and agricultural communities and celebrates local farmers, ranchers, fishers and chefs.

Denise Yamaguchi, the chief executive officer of Hawai‘i Food and Wine Festival and the Hawai‘i Ag & Culinary Alliance, is looking forward to the evolution of the Feast Summit. 

The conversations that began during our inaugural Feast Summit last year were so impactful that they led to the creation of Feast: Dish & Dialogue, our podcast series that extended those discussions far beyond the conference itself," she told ASD via email after the May 22 launch event. "Through conversations with chefs, educators, farmers, hospitality leaders and innovators, the podcast reinforced something we deeply believe — that food and culinary belong at the center of the plate when we talk about Hawai‘i’s future."

Proceeds from tickets support culinary education and workforce development, as well as local agriculture and sustainability initiatives. To date, the festival has raised more than $5.2 million for these causes.

Now in its 16th year, the festival originally started with a three-day culinary event co-founded by James Beard Award-winning chefs 

“When Roy and I first started the festival, we wanted to create opportunities for the next generation coming up behind us,” Wong told attendees at the launch event. “One of the most meaningful things we've seen is the impact of the festival on culinary students here in Hawaiʻi. This past year, students had the opportunity to work side-by-side with world-renowned chefs, asking questions, observing technique, helping execute events, and building relationships that can shape the course of their careers. I wish I had that opportunity when I was going to school. What makes the festival special is that students aren't just watching from the sidelines, they're interacting directly with mentors and industry leaders from around the world.”

The festival is a program of the Hawaiʻi Ag & Culinary Alliance, a nonprofit that spotlights Hawaiʻi as a world-class culinary destination and supports the farmers, chefs and students who call Hawaiʻi home.

Here are the upcoming events, listed by island:

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Hawai‘i Island"}]

Second Annual Cuisines of the Sun Golf Classic

Hosted by Alan Wong; Presented by HPM Design Centers

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Friday, Oct. 16"}]

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[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Thursday, Nov. 5"}]

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Speakers and session topics will be announced in June

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Sheraton Waikīkī Beach Resort"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Culture in AgriCULTURE"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Presented by Kamehameha Schools"}]

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[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"6 p.m. – 9 p.m."}]

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[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Sunday, Nov. 8"}]

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Hyatt Regency Waikīkī Beach Resort and Spa 

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[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"5 p.m. – 9 p.m."}]

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[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Sunday, Oct. 25"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows"}]

Hawaiʻi Food and Wine Festival

<title>Hawaiʻi Food and Wine Festival announces line-up</title>

The festival features renowned chefs across three Islands this year. Learn about the 11 events the festival announced on Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi Island and Maui.

Daily Smile: Friday, May 29, 2026

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Daily Smile: Friday, May 29, 2026

Authors

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