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[{"type":"text","text":"My dog with zero spatial awareness..."}]

Smile 26 8 20

<title>Daily Smile: Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026</title>

My dog with zero spatial awareness...

Daily Smile: Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026

WEB square crop Hayley Lehman Headshot RGZ1636

Haley Lehman

Government & Politics

Aloha Spirit

John Berry says he loves his job, and it shows. He walks around the zoo greeting visitors, the 90-person staff and the 992 animals with a big smile.

Berry enjoys introducing visitors to Pono, the 5-year-old laid back Linnaeus’s two-toed sloth. Pono sleeps for about 20 hours a day and loves apple, sweet potato and pear.

“He’s the most mellow animal in the zoo. He takes everyone to a zen place,” Berry said. “If there’s a surfer dude in the collection, it’s Pono.”

Berry said that each animal at the zoo has its own personality.

Berry fell in love with wildlife at the Smithsonian National Zoological Park in Washington, D.C. He remembers the Asian elephant Ambika, who came to the National Zoo in 1961 and said that it was like they grew up together.

“I have a special place in my heart for the elephants because of that,” he said.

Carmen Turner, former general manager of the Washington Metro, mentored Berry when he worked as a legislative director for Congressman Steny Hoyer in his 20s, and when she asked what Berry's dream job would be, he said that it would be to serve as director of the National Zoo. Turner told him to hold on to that dream, “because life has a real funny way of taking you places.”

In 2005, the National Zoo was in hot water over animal deaths and alleged mismanagement. Berry had been leading the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and because he had an image of a "fixer" in his career, he got his dream job leading the National Zoo. Berry left the National Zoo in 2009 when then President Barack Obama tapped him to lead the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

Berry’s father was a U.S. Marine who taught his kids to polish their shoes. When Berry was the director of the National Zoo, the elephant Ambika loved his shoe polish.

“She would run across the yard, and put her trunk through the bars and slobber all over my shoes. It was so funny,” he said.

Berry took the lead of the Honolulu Zoo as director in July.

“To get to do your dream job twice is a real special thing," he said.

Berry told Aloha State Daily on Tuesday that the best parts of his job are the animals at the zoo and the passionate employees.

"[The zoo staff] really care deeply about the animals. They’re passionate about conservation," he said. "It’s magical when you get to work amongst passionate people because it doesn’t feel like work anymore, it feels like you’re getting to live the dream and participating in an important cause."

Berry has big goals for the zoo. He wants to make it the top tourist destination in Honolulu, increase the number of visitors from 550,000 to 1 million annually, turn the zoo into a botanical garden and bring new animals to the zoo, on top of its missions of conservation and education.

First things first, one of Berry's top priorities is addressing deferred maintenance, which he said has been overlooked.

The zoo recently replaced the hippo water filtration system, a project started by former Director Linda Santos, and is in the process of updating the water filtration in the elephant exhibit. The zoo installed aluminum fencing around the giraffe exhibit to give them the option to safely leave their barn at night.

However, Berry said that financing maintenance will be a challenge and he will be looking to donors for support.

According to the City and County of Honolulu charter, 0.5% of estimated real property tax revenues are deposited into the Honolulu Zoo Fund annually. The City and County of Honolulu appropriated $9.2 million to the Honolulu Zoo in 2026. According to the budget, the main expenses are utilities, solid waste disposal, animal food and veterinary services. According to Berry, about half of the zoo’s funding comes from the City of Honolulu. The zoo also receives funding from admission fees, memberships and the nonprofit Honolulu Zoo Society.

“The city residents of Honolulu, God bless them, have given a very firm foundation to protect the zoo, which is something I take very seriously, so we want to make sure we’re spending every penny of that wisely,” he said.

Conservation is one of the zoo’s most important mission, according to Berry. 

“I even put conservation ahead of education, because I believe in our current time, so many things are under stress that we’re not thinking about how we’re actually conserving them and helping them then we’re not doing our job," he said. We want to inspire another generation of conservationists.”

Berry introduced Aloha State Daily to two of the zoo’s oldest residents: Galápagos Giant Tortoises named Jaws and Charlotte who landed in Hawaiʻi in 1929 through the Charles Townsend expedition to save the tortoise from extinction.

Honolulu Zoo, alongside the San Diego Zoo, became the first two zoos to breed the Galápagos tortoise in captivity. Honolulu Zoo is currently home to nine Galápagos Giant Tortoises.

Kauaʻi is witnessing a dramatic decline in ʻanianiau, and Honolulu Zoo has brought in nine ʻanianiau in an off-exhibit conservation breeding initiative. ʻAnianiau are the smallest living native Hawaiian bird, measuring approximately four inches long and weighing around 10 grams.

Berry also hopes to bring some new animals to the zoo. Sandi, the zoo’s female giraffe, will come off birth control in the near future and Berry hopes that there will be a third giraffe at the zoo.

“Only an hour into the day you will end up talking about poop and sex, everyday,” he said.

Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi traveled to the People’s Republic of China in April and explored the potential of bringing giant pandas to the Honolulu Zoo.

Berry oversaw three giant pandas during his tenure at the National Zoo, and said the Honolulu Zoo would provide an air conditioned space, chilled pools and cooled rocks for the pandas.

Berry wants the zoo to focus on the interconnectivity of plants and animals, rather than the traditional method of geography.

“Our species has gone everywhere, from pole to pole, and we have put our mark everywhere, both for good and for bad,” Berry said. “What we need now to learn is enough humility to share the planet with plants and animals, and if we don’t learn that we will be taught that lesson at our own peril, because if they go, we go. The message I want to communicate is that all life has value, all life has meaning.”

“I’m going to argue that aloha will save all of us, and if we can extend aloha to our animals and plants, all will be well.”

Berry moved to Hawaiʻi with his partner of 29 years, Curtis Yee, to be closer to Yee’s family. Yee grew up in Hawaiʻi and is related to one of Hawaiʻis first senators, Hiram Fong.

John Berry and Neelix

<title>John Berry is living his dream, again</title>

The new Honolulu Zoo Director John Berry took the role in July and said he is living his dream. Aloha State Daily caught up with Berry and some of his favorite zoo residents on Tuesday at the zoo.

John Berry is living his dream, again

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

Business & Tourism

, 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.

Tali’s Bagels & Schmear is reopening in Honolulu

, known for its affordable bentos, just opened its third location on Young Street. This store is in the former space of J-Shop.

U-Kitchen offers a variety of musubi, bentos, bowls and curry. The menu is the same here as its downtown Honolulu store, according to business owner Yudai Fukuda.

Popular bentos include butterfish ($13.99), mochiko chicken ($10.99) and chicken katsu ($10.99). The musubi selection ranges from salmon ($2.99) and spicy tuna ($3.19) to unagi ($4.79) and mentai mayo ($3.29).

U-Kitchen’s original location is in Kalihi; its downtown Honolulu store, which is in Topa Financial Center, is currently closed due a power outage in the building, according to Fukuda. He says the downtown Honolulu store — 

“Our peak time (at that location) was from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.,” he says, nothing the shop’s popularity with the downtown Honolulu lunch crowd.

He says that Topa Financial Center was supposed to reopen on Aug. 24, but says the re-opening was delayed further after Hurricane Lala.

U-Kitchen’s Young Street store is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays. Customer parking is available in the shop's lot.  

Open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays, closed Sundays

U Kitchen Young Street worker 081826

<title>U-Kitchen opens a new bento and musubi cafe</title>

The business, whose original location is in Kalihi, just opened a third location on Young Street in the former J-Shop space. The business’s Downtown Honolulu store has been temporarily closed since July 23, according to U-Kitchen owner Yudai Fukuda.

U-Kitchen opens a new bento and musubi cafe

 just opened today in Waimalu Shopping Center. This is the business’s third and newest location. It features a full-service, sit-down dine-in experience, along with a takeout window. 

The biz is celebrating its grand opening tomorrow, Aug. 15, with a lion dance at 11:30 a.m.

Customers can expect a variety of manapua, along with dim sum, peking duck and plate lunches; this location features an expanded menu.

The business’s Hong Kong-style dim sum selection was crafted in partnership with its sister restaurant, Mei Sum Dim Sum. The dim sum menu comprises spring rolls ($4.95), potstickers ($6.35), shrimp pork hash ($6.35), half moon dumplings ($6.35), shrimp dumplings ($6.35) and more.

[{"type":"text","text":"The business’s classic char siu manapua is a bestseller."}]

Besides manapua and dim sum, customers can choose from a variety of local-style plate lunches. Entrees include ginger fried chicken, kalbi ribs, garlic butter shrimp, hamburger steak and more. Seafood and steak combo plates are also available. 

Island Manapua is re-branding its other two locations in Mānoa and Waipahu as Aloha Manapua.

“Over the years, we’ve grown from being a neighborhood manapua counter into a gathering place for families, friends and our community,” states Christy Tong, owner of Aloha Manapua. “Rebranding as Aloha Manapua celebrates our local roots, our commitment to serving our community, and the relationships we’ve built with our customers. While our name is changing, our dedication to the food and service our customers know and love remains the same.”

The ‘Aiea store will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. For the rest of August, customers can take advantage of a 10% discount.

Aloha Manapua shrimp dim sum 081426

<title>Aloha Manapua is open in Waimalu Shopping Center</title>

This is the business’s third and newest location; it’s celebrating its grand opening Aug. 15. Customers can enjoy its signature manapua, along with dim sum and plate lunches. The business is featuring a 10% discount for the rest of the month.

Daily Smile: Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026

ASD Staff

Reporter

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Daily Smile: Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026

Authors

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