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Kady Pascual

Today’s social media find comes from @IslandMagicMike, who has a hidden talent.

IslandMagicMike

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Dreams do come true

Today’s social media find comes from @__CocoBoy_, who took a big jump.

__CocoBoy_

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Going big

Today’s social media find comes from @Local_Eats, who had a great time in Hawai‘i.

Local_Eats

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Take a trip

Today’s social media find comes from @MrLovahBoy, who just needs some good sounds to have a good time.

MrLovahBoy

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Too busy vibing

Today’s social media find comes from @Ekahi808, with a horror story.

EKAHI808

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: It’s October 1st

Today’s social media find comes from @KookSlams, who is definitely taking advantage of Costco’s return policy.

Kook Slams SML

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Costco policy

Today’s social media find comes from @InstaMauiMatt, showing us what Maui means to him.

InstaMauiMatt

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: When in Maui

Today’s social media find comes from @76.Strokes, who’s stuck in the tee box.

76.strokes

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Teed up

Today’s social media find comes from @Morris_Lures_Hawaii, with an important life lesson.

Morris_Lures_Hawaii

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Daddy Day Care

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Michael Brestovansky

Government & Politics

Business & Tourism

More than 250 Hawai‘i healthcare workers will strike next week amid a multi-state picket of Kaiser Permanente facilities.

The United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals represents more than 40,000 health care workers in Hawai‘i and California.

On Tuesday, more than 31,000 of those workers — some 250 of whom are in Hawai‘i — will join picket lines calling for fair wages at Kaiser Permanente, which provides health care coverage for more than 270,000 Hawai‘i residents. The strike is touted as the largest in the unions’ 50-year history, and will include registered nurses, anesthetists, nurse practitioners, therapists, dietitians and other professionals.

 by the unions announcing the strike said union negotiations for new contracts have been unsuccessful for months, with Kaiser executives allegedly refusing the unions’ demands for better pay and improved staffing. The unions criticized Kaiser for keeping wages stagnant amid inflation and rising costs of living, cutting retirement benefits and understaffing facilities, despite Kaiser holding more than $64 billion in reserves and investing heavily in expansions to other states, according to the unions’ statement.

These policies especially hurt workers in Hawai‘i, union member Rachel Stone told Aloha State Daily.

“I was doing the same job as a clinical pharmacist for Kaiser in California,” Stone said. “But when I wanted to move back to Hawai‘i, to be back home, I took a 20% pay cut to do the same job … It was a sacrifice I was willing to make, but I don’t think everyone should have to make it.”

Stone, who grew up on O‘ahu, said thousands of residents are leaving Hawai‘i every year because their pay can’t keep up with the rising cost of living. Other union members, she said, have to work multiple jobs to make ends meet, and while her pay is enough to get by, she’s uncertain if she could afford to start a family.

Stone said she has heard for decades that “the price of paradise” means that prices in Hawai‘i are high and pay is low “and that’s just the way it is.”

“But I work just as hard here as I did in California, doing pretty much the same thing, and I’m getting paid less,” Stone said. “The price of paradise doesn’t mean that this has to be the way it is.”

While the strike is intended to fight for workers, Stone said she believes patients will benefit in the long term: “people who live here should be served by people who are also from here,” she said.

The strike will last from 7 a.m. Tuesday until 7 a.m. Oct. 19, with UNAC/UHCP picket 

 indicating that the Kaiser Honolulu Medical Office and the Maui Lani Medical Office will be picketed from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. each day, while the Moanalua Medical Center will be picketed from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.  Stone suggested that Kaiser likely has contingency plans to prevent interruptions in medical services during the strike — and added that not all of Kaiser’s employees are in a union — but what those contingencies might be, she could not say.

 on Kaiser's website advises that the company has "

put strong plans in place to minimize interruption to [patients'] care," and recommends that patients not reschedule appointments that were set for next week. Moanalua Medical Center's Emergency Department, along with urgent cares at other offices, will remain open, while prescriptions can be filled or refilled via Kaiser's mail-order delivery service.

However, most laboratory locations will be closed during the strike.

“As a medical professional, it’s not an easy choice to decide to go on strike,” Stone said. “But we’re doing this for future generations on medical professionals in the state.”

[{"type":"text","text":"Aloha State Daily reached out to Kaiser for comment."}]

Kaiser 16x9

<title>250+ Kaiser employees to strike next week</title>

Unions to picket Kaiser over stagnant wages, cut benefits, and more across multiple states.

250+ Kaiser employees to strike next week

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Real Estate

 has acquired three contiguous properties along the Kapi‘olani corridor for a combined price of $36 million.

The parcels, which total about 1.3 acres, are located at 1322, 1338 and 1356 Kapi‘olani Boulevard.

“This acquisition reflects our long-term vision for the Kapi‘olani corridor as a vibrant, high-density neighborhood within the Ala Moana neighborhood,” Tim Lee, CEO of JL Capital said in an announcement Friday. “With this site, we’re excited to continue shaping and improving the existing corridor with a thoughtfully planned and connected project that will elevate the experience of living in urban Honolulu.”

Details on a project scope and timeline will be announced as plans progress, the announcement noted.

Lee told Aloha State Daily via email that the parcels "presented a rare opportunity to secure a sizable, contiguous footprint in one of Honolulu’s most well-connected and visible urban corridors."

Their location makes the properties "exceptionally well-suited for a future project that supports the area’s evolving mix of residential, commercial and transit-oriented uses," he says.

"Another advantage of the Kapi’olani corridor is the potential for excellent ocean views due to the open sightlines over Ala Moana Center and surrounding mid-rise structures."

 last sold in August 2022 for $6.85 million. Meanwhile, 

 sold for a bit more than $10.7 million in September of that same year — a total sale price of nearly $38 million. Hoaka Heights, LLC was the fee holder for all three parcels, according to the records, which don't appear to have been updated since the JL Capital acquisition.

"We see the Kapi‘olani corridor as one of Honolulu’s most dynamic areas of growth, connecting Ala Moana, Waikīkī and Downtown with access to retail, recreation and emerging transit infrastructure," Lee told ASD when asked about the developer's focus on the area. "It's a natural location for thoughtfully designed projects that align with the city’s long-term vision for a walkable, connected urban core. Our investments here are part of a long-term vision." 

JL Capital, a real estate and private equity firm founded in 2017, has completed or initiated a number of major projects in Honolulu's Ala Moana neighborhood and along the Kapi‘olani corridor in recent years, Lee says.

, a $507 million mixed-use twin tower condominium and hotel at 1388 Kapi‘olani Blvd. 

Renaissance Honolulu Hotel & Spa, a Marriott brand

, the developer's planned luxury high-rise at 1538 Kapi‘olani Blvd. 

. Lee says construction on this project is slated to start in 2026.

, an adaptive reuse project that will convert a five-story former office building at 

 into affordable rental apartments. A ground-up project at 

 will create another 37 affordable units.

"Each project serves a different market need — ranging from affordable rentals to hospitality and market-rate ownership — and collectively, they contribute to the emergence of a 'neighborhood within the neighborhood,'" Lee says.

In June, it also was announced that JL Capital 

 in Tournet Hawai‘i Inc., a travel and transportation agency focused on the Korea-Hawai‘i market.

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Kapiolani jl capital 101025

<title>JL Capital buys Kapi‘olani Boulevard properties</title>

The three parcels, which total about 1.3 acres, are located at 1322, 1338 and 1356 Kapi‘olani Boulevard.

JL Capital buys Kapi‘olani Boulevard properties

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

[{"type":"text","text":"A new food court just opened in the Liliha neighborhood."}]

Liliha Food Court recently opened in the former space of Foodland Liliha on School Street. Right now, the food court is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays to Fridays. Hours will be extended in November.

The space — which includes seating for customers — currently features five local food vendors, but we’re told more (a bakery and a sushi spot) will be coming soon.

[{"type":"text","text":"Here’s what you can find:"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Desserts from Tiny Pyramid Express"}]

Tiny Pyramid is known for its French pastries; this express location features some of the shop’s most popular desserts, including chocolate peanut butter ($6.50), citrus tart ($6.95) and, of course, its chocolate pyramid ($7.85).

This express location also offers sandwiches ($9.99), pizzas ($8.99-$12.99), and pastas ($12.99).

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Build-your-own poke bowls from Mermaid Poke"}]

Mermaid Poke comes from the team behind Osoyami Grill and Bar and Noods Ramen Bar. The biz offers build-your-own poke bowls and poke nachos (called ‘ahi pokechos).

Poke bowls feature white rice topped with one ($15) or two ($18) poke flavors. Both include two sides.

Choose from unique poke flavors like yellow curry aioli ‘ahi poke, kimchi ‘ahi poke, truffle ponzu ‘ahi poke and more. Sides include crab salad, cucumber, seaweed salad, takuan, pickled ginger and more. You can also add free toppings like furikake, garlic chips, fried onions and masago arare.

The business’s ‘ahi pokechos ($18), or poke nachos, feature spicy or shoyu ‘ahi and kabayaki glaze, furikake and green onions.

Burritos, bowls, tacos and more from Jalapeno’s Authentic Mexican Food

Jalapeno’s Authentic Mexican Food — which has a storefront in Kailua — offers burritos, bowls, tortas, tacos and quesadillas with a variety of proteins. Meats range from chicken and carnitas to asada (steak) and shredded beef birria.

The three quesabirria tacos and consommé ($21.75) is one of the most popular options. You can add cilantro, onions and lime to the consommé to enhance its flavor. You can also opt for additional toppings on your tacos, ranging from lettuce and cheese to corn and jalapenos.

The biz also offers guacamole and chips ($10.50), nachos ($18.50) and loaded fiesta fries ($19.50).

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Homemade Italian dishes from Nonnas Hawaiʻi"}]

Family-owned and -operated Nonnas Hawaiʻi features homemade Italian dishes. Its Italian cocktails will be available soon; the business is still waiting to receive its liquor license.

Right now, a limited menu is available, including ballconi ($13) and mini minestrone shooters ($6). The eatery will eventually offer Mediterranean salads ($9) and build-your-own charcuterie boards ($25).

The ballconi ($13) is a unique option, as it features beef meatballs in a crispy parmesan cone. It’s topped with housemade sauce and Pecorino Romano.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Local favorites from Dave’s Ice Cream"}]

This location is operated by Dave’s Ice Cream Waipio. Choose from a variety of desserts, ranging from ice cream scoops ($4.99-$8.99) and soda floats ($5.99) to milkshakes and ($8.99-$10.49) and sundaes. Sundaes run the gamut from single scoop options ($7.49) to brownie sundaes ($10.99) and strawberry shortcake sundaes ($14).

This location also features a Dubai-inspired menu with treats like Dubai cheesecakes ($15) and Dubai sundaes ($15). 

Liliha Food Court spread 100925

<title>New Liliha Food Court is now open</title>

The food court, located in the former space of Foodland Liliha, features a variety of local vendors. Food options range from poke bowls and ice cream to quesabirria tacos, and Italian meatballs.

New Liliha Food Court is now open

Katie Helland Headshot

Katie Helland

Arts & Entertainment

Aloha Spirit

, is an ʻukulele virtouso who started her career entertaining tourists on the streets of Waikīkī. Today, she is known for her bold performances which meld together classical music, flamenco, metal and rock in ways that are sometimes meditative and other times sultry. Her instruments are the ʻukulele and her ethereal voice. And now, the Nā Hōkū Hanohano-award-winning musician — whose name means “diamond” in Samoan — is releasing new music.

“I'm coming out with a new song called ʻP

kake Princess,’ coming out October 10, and this song was inspired by Princess Kaʻiulani and our similarities,” she told Aloha State Daily.

On Thursday, Oct. 16, Gardner will perform the song, which was commissioned by Outrigger Waikīkī Paradise Hotel, as part of a celebration of Princess Kaʻiulani’s 150th birthday, honoring the place she called home, ‘Āinahau, in Waikīkī. 

 starts at 5 p.m. and features a lei draping ceremony, performances from 

, flowers by Ocean Dreamer Floral Artistry Hawaiʻi and a market featuring local vendors from Art + Flea.

, including ones for entertainer of the year, instrumental composition of the year and instrumental album of the year. She also performed for National Public Radio’s series Tiny Desk Concert, and the video has 1.7 million views. Recently, she was an artist-in-residence at 

Shangri La Museum of Islamic Art, Culture & Design

She can play classical favorites such as “Carmen” with the 

 at Hawaiʻi Theatre and the national anthem at a men’s volleyball game at the University of Hawaiʻi. Sometimes, she even combines genres in a single song.

“What inspires my mash-up medleys with the classical music and the metal and the classic rock is I love listening to those types of music,” she said. “The ʻukulele would just so happen to be the instrument that I use to express myself, which makes it even more cool and unique.”

After getting the request to write a song for Princess Kaʻiulani, Gardner “immediately went into research mode,” she wrote on social media.

“They asked me to create a song for her, but if she were Gen Z, if she were Millennial,” Gardner said. “I thought that concept was so cool, so I created the song ʻPīkake Princess.’ But I also wanted it to be about the similarities between us, because I didn't want to try and pretend to be her, because I'm not her. I found similarities that were true about both of us. And that's how the song ʻPikake Princess’ came about.”

Gardner went to the Bishop Museum, which features some of Princess Kaʻiulani’s things, to get inspiration.

“I really wanted to get a feel for her and her story,” she said. “And then as I was writing and researching, I realized how many similarities that we had. She was a world traveler. She spent a lot of time in Europe. She played music. And she also was half caucasian, half Polynesian, and so I really connected with that. And I think the most important thing that was important to both of us, is really just to make Hawaiʻi proud. We're just local girls. There’s one little lyric that I love. It's: ʻWe're women of the world, but we're also coconut girls.’ ’’

 recently returned from an approximately month-long tour in Europe, where she completed 12 concerts in 

 Italy, Czech Republic, Poland, Germany, Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

“The thing that I love about performing live in different areas of the world is their reactions are very different,” she said. “For example, in America, they love covers. They love music that they already know, and they can hear it in a fresh way. Europe loves originals. They love to hear the artist's heart, which is a really refreshing and great feeling too.”

 also wrote the music for the independent movie 

 which was filmed in Hilo and named the best breakout feature at the 

 in 2024. In September, that movie screened in theaters on Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi Island and Maui. To write the soundtrack, she watched the visuals and created the score to go with it, she said.

“I perform live which is very extroverted, but then I also do music for films, as well, which is very introverted,” she said. “Being in the recording studio, it's very intimate, quiet, sterile, compared to a loud event.”

Gardner got her start performing on the streets of Waikīkī, which taught her how to respond to crowds. She was mentored by Don Ho and took ʻukulele lessons from 

“I think I was around 12 years old, back in the day, and that was a really good way for me to hone my skills — to see what people liked,” she said. “Because you got to remember, these people are walking. They're going somewhere. So what captures their attention? It's a great way to practice.”

While she may appear extroverted on stage, Gardner is not.

“Secretly, I'm an introvert,” she said. “There's an aspect of performing, which I love, but I definitely feel like I need to reset my batteries after. It's a lot of energy out, and I am an introvert, so my way to refresh my batteries is actually I take a bath, and it’s kind of weird, but I turn the lights off, and I just like to be in my little bathtub.”

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Her love of music came early."}]

“My dad gave me my very first ʻukulele when I was five, and I pretended to be a rock star, j

ust playing in front of the mirror until I broke a string,

” Gardner said. “My dad got me into some classes, and from then on, I just loved performing.”

Taimane Gardner

<title>Taimane Gardner releases new song, “Pīkake Princess”</title>

As a kid, she got an ʻukulele and pretended to be a rock star. Today, she actually is one. The ʻukulele virtuoso who hails from ʻĀina Haina can play classics from the opera “Carmen” and rock music by Led Zeppelin. She also writes her own music inspired by the Islands she calls home. Her newest song, “Pīkake Princess” releases today.

Taimane Gardner releases new song, “Pīkake Princess”

Lopaka and Tanya Kapanui

Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya Kapanui

Hawaii History

We met a young woman on our downtown walking tour a few years ago. She looked to be in her mid-twenties and had a no-nonsense air about her. Toward the end of our tour, as we walked along Richards Street, she caught up to me and asked about the history of the Aloha Tower area, where she worked, and, more specifically, Pier 11.

I answered her with a question of my own, “Did something happen there that you’re concerned about?”

She explained that she’d thought ghosts and spirits only came out at night, but something strange happened during a shift in the middle of the day. The woman said that part of her job was to walk through each building to ensure everything was in order. It was all pretty routine for her, something she did every day. 

After entering the building a little after 1:00 p.m., she noticed a few people walking about. People were speaking softly, going about their day. No one seemed to be loitering unnecessarily. No problems or issues were waiting for her, which was just how she liked it. 

Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain on the side of her head. It felt like someone yanked the short hairs near her ear. Hard. Before she could make sense of what happened, she felt the sensation again, and yet again within seconds. She let out a loud scream and ran.

“Where was I running to? I don’t know,” she said quietly, “I just had to get out of there.”

The woman’s experience wasn’t the first time someone claimed to have felt an invisible presence at Pier 11 and the attached Harbors Division building. Some people have shared that they heard voices when the building was empty, and others have said they saw moving shadows at night. But this young woman is the only one we’ve known to have had such a physical encounter with something unseen there. As strange as her experience may be, it seems more unsettling when we consider what stood upon that parcel of land more than a hundred years ago. 

A short walk from Pier 11 is the heart of Downtown Honolulu, a city layered with centuries of royal history, sacred sites, and long-forgotten memories. Before the cruise ships and concrete buildings, this stretch of shoreline was home to Pakaka Heiau, a sacred place that once observed secret rituals and royal power.

In Kamehameha’s day, Pakaka was already ancient, built before the time of the great warrior ali‘i, Kakuhihewa. For centuries, this heiau was a gathering place for kāhuna to learn and train in their respective arts. In one particular description, it is said that the walls of the heiau were adorned all around with the heads of men offered in sacrifice.

Having already secured the islands of Hawai‘i and Maui and then conquering O‘ahu, Kamehameha I made the seat of his kingdom in Honolulu and his personal home at Pakaka. In 1810, he met with King Kaumuali‘i of Kaua‘i at Pakaka to finalize negotiations for unifying the Hawaiian Islands under a single rule. In exchange for his loyalty, Kamehameha promised Kaumuali‘i that he would never invade Kaua‘i or Ni‘ihau and would do all in his power to help maintain the two islands. From this meeting, a unified Hawai‘i was born.

Progress dramatically reshaped Honolulu’s original shoreline around the turn of the 20th century. The natural coastline was gradually filled in with crushed coral and dredged materials from the harbor floor, extending the land outward into the harbor and creating space to accommodate Honolulu’s growing needs. 

In 1926, construction of the iconic Aloha Tower began on this newly formed land, and by 1927, Piers 10 and 11 were completed just alongside it. During the construction of Nimitz Highway in the 1950s, part of Pier 11 was torn down and the Harbors Division building, now known as the Hale Awa Ku Moku building was then erected perpendicular to Pier 11 and along the shoreline.

As we know, the changing landscape doesn’t always erase history. Sometimes, remnants of the past appear as shadows and whispers, and apparently, even hair pulls.

The woman never told me whether she quit her job as a security guard or whether she remained employed. After my brief explanation of the history of Pier 11 and Pakaka heiau, she let out a heavy sigh.

The woman smiled and said with a bit of sarcasm and a quiet laugh, “Thanks, I really needed to know that.”

DOT Harbors Division

<title>A Hair Pulling Ghost at the Pier</title>

Honolulu's waterfront changed dramatically 100 years ago, but the presence of an even older past did not.

A Hair Pulling Ghost at the Pier

Columnists

Kamapuaʻa, the wild and rebellious demigod, is usually found in Hawai‘i’s lush, rain-drenched forests and valleys. Part man and part pig, Kamapua‘a is a shape-shifter whose most common form is that of a large wild hog. His restless spirit drew the fury and disdain of Pele, the fiery goddess of the volcano, but he pursued her relentlessly.

With his boundless passion, the nature of the pig god’s affinity for cooling rains and verdant lands countered Pele’s tempestuous fire and her lava’s destructive creation. The relationship between the two was filled first with anger and violence and then with wild desire. Eventually, Kamapua‘a could never tame the goddess’ flames, and Pele could not cage the demigod.

In their final epic battle, the pair realized it was impossible to destroy one another. Kamapua‘a proposed a truce, and the pair agreed that Pele would remain on her side of the island where it is hot and arid, and Kamapua‘a would remain on his side, where it is cool and lush, and none shall trespass into the other’s domain. From this ancient feud comes the superstition of carrying pork from one side of the island to the other.

Locals on O‘ahu will be quick to tell you, “Don’t bring pork over the Pali!”

This is a warning that if you should bring pork from Kailua over the Nu‘uanu Pali, you are carrying the kinolau (the embodiment) of Kamapua‘a into Pele’s territory, angering her. Personal stories of car trouble, strange occurrences, and even ghostly encounters from people who had pork in their cars reinforced this belief, with the scary events only ceasing once the pork was removed.

The story of bringing pork over the Pali is just one layer of the complex and spiritual history surrounding this place. If you ask different people why the Pali is haunted, you’ll likely get several vastly different answers, and most of those answers might be true. This haunting, spiritually powerful place has a long and violent history. It’s not just one thing that haunts the Pali; it’s many. 

In 1947, ten years before the first Pali tunnel was completed, a group of young men and women had been discussing the supernatural and learned that, under certain conditions, “spooks” could be seen at the Nu‘uanu Pali. They initially took this information as a joke and decided to test the theory just after midnight. Upon the advice of their Hawaiian friends, they brought with them some raw pork and fish. The night was very dark, and there was no moon.

Just around midnight, they drove up to the lookout, parked their car facing the plaque dedicated to King Kamehameha I, and sat there in the dark, waiting for something to happen. After a short while, one woman alerted the group to a large figure that looked like a man sitting on the side of the hill with his arms locked over his knees.

The driver turned on the car’s headlights, and the figure moved. When the lights were turned off, it suddenly reappeared in a different place. Although the night was dark, the figure was clearly visible, and the group watched in horror as the ghostly man changed his shape to that of an animal. The group tossed the pork out of the car, and in that instant, the awful odor of death and decomposition enveloped them. 

Around 12:45 am, this group of young men and women entered the police station and excitedly shared their terrifying experience with the police lieutenant on the midnight watch. Although the story may have impressed the Lieutenant, his only comment to the newspaper was, “They threw away pork at $1 a pound!”

What or who did these five young adults encounter? Could the strange figure have been the demigod, Kamapua‘a? What is your experience in bringing pork over the Pali?