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Mathew Hoffmann

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Rick Hamada

Government & Politics

The late, great Rush Limbaugh oftentimes said on his immensely popular radio program that, "Words mean something." 

[{"type":"text","text":"Love him or hate him he's absolutely correct."}]

I don't want to swim in the pool of Captain Obvious but in the era of social media, instantaneous news coverage, smart phones, Chat GPT and more, we are treated to more access and exchanges than ever before. Along with this incredible inventory of expressions anything you say, write, reel or sing will potentially reach, literally, the entire globe.

[{"type":"text","text":"Let's talk about reach."}]

The most viewed (most liked) on Instagram is the photo of soccer star Lionel Messi holding the 2022 World Cup in victory. The number is 75.6 million.

The most subscribers on YouTube belongs to Mr. Beast who boasts 452 million.

[{"type":"text","text":"The most viewed on YouTube is \"Baby Shark Dance\" with over 16 billion."}]

[{"type":"text","text":"Admit it ... you're singing it in your head right now."}]

So, yes, I would say that words and more mean something in just the way it's unprecedently omnipresent.

Inevitably, the conversation about conversation leads us back to the one element that touches all our lives everyday whether we like it or not and that's politics and the co-mingling with entertainment and beyond.

The recent tragic death of actor, producer, director and writer, Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele, may serve as an exemplary story of how words truly mean something. Especially from the President of the United States.

[{"type":"text","text":"Yes, Donald J. Trump."}]

Los Angeles authorities confirmed that the Reiner's were found dead in their Brentwood home on Sunday, December 14

 and their son, Nick, has been arrested and charged with their murders. The graphic descriptions of the assault are deeply disturbing and not appropriate for this space. As of this writing there is no motive and the son is being held without bail.

Rob Reiner is known to be the son of television legend Carl Reiner and found initial fame portraying the character "Meathead" on the provocative and groundbreaking sitcom, "All in the Family." His career brought himself legendary status with productions such as "This Is Spinal Tap," "Stand By Me," "When Harry Met Sally," "A Few Good Men," "Sleepless in Seattle," "The Wolf of Wall Street," and many more.

It's inarguable that Reiner has had a great impact on not only the entertainment industry but with equally great cultural influences, too. I mean, "I'll have what she's having." Drop mic.

However, with fame and success comes a powerful platform with access to so, so many. And your words precede you with an instant validation leading to substantial influence. 

Reiner was a sharp critic of the right over the years. However, his rhetoric regarding President Trump could be considered the most incendiary.

“Donald Trump is the single-most unqualified human-being to ever assume the Presidency of the United States. He is mentally unfit. Not only does he not understand how government works, he has no interest in trying to find out how it works,” Reiner said. (2017 - Variety)

"You have one candidate, Trump, who actually tells you he's going to govern like an authoritarian," Reiner told MS Now (formerly 

"Do we want fascism or do we want to continue the 248 years of self-rule?" he asked during the interview. "Do we want to continue democracy or do we want to slip into fascism?"

"He wants to destroy the Constitution, go after his political enemies and turn America into an autocracy? We see autocracy making its move around the world. And so if we crumble, there's a danger that democracy crumbles around the world." (The Guardian, 2024)

, Reiner called on Americans to speak out against the Trump administration.

"It's really gotten to a very, very scary place in this country, and we're going to have to figure out how to dig ourselves out of this before it's too long. But we have got to keep speaking out. Everybody has to keep speaking out," Reiner told 

Yes, pointed, aggressive, and harsh. And with Reiner's notoriety, considered truthful by some and plausible by many. 

Regardless, this is America and we have the freedom of speech. We live in a globally communicative time and unless you're calling for the physical harm, economic ruin or any other violation of statutory laws against your target then you have the absolute right to express your opinion.

[{"type":"text","text":"However, said target has the same latitude when and if they reply."}]

President Trump issued the following statement upon learning of Rob and Michele Reiner's death:

"A very sad thing happened last night in Hollywood. Rob Reiner, a tortured and struggling, but once very talented movie director and comedy star has passed away, together with his wife, Michele, 

reportedly due to the anger he caused others through his massive, unyielding and uncurable affliction with a mind crippling disease known as TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME, sometimes referred to as TDS.

 He was known to have driven people CRAZY by his raging obsession of President Donald J. Trump, 

with his obvious paranoia reaching new heights as the Trump Administration surpassed all goals and expectations of greatness, and with the Golden Age of America upon us, perhaps like never before.

[{"type":"text","text":"I am a supporter of President Trump. I voted for him three times."}]

I am not a supporter of the increasing number of times he says inappropriate things such as this public and viral insensitive statement on this universally agreed upon tragic event.

The Reiners were murdered by their own son in their own home. The violence that caused their deaths is literally horrific. I pray that no family ever, ever has to experience this and we, as a nation, grieve.

Does the president have a right to speak his mind, to express his thoughts and reactions?

[{"type":"text","text":"But the Commander-in-Chief is also the Comforter-in-Chief."}]

Any president or leader should know there is a time and a place. Read the room.

Rob Reiner may not have supported or liked the president, but many supported and liked Rob Reiner.

Making political and critical statements of a murder victim while the bodies may have still been at the crime scene reveals a disconnection with the emotional side of America. The criticism being levied by those of the MAGA community is justified and shared by both sides of the proverbial aisle.

President Trump's accomplishments in critical areas are laudatory. But the office demands the total package. I am hopeful that in the future the president will set aside personal agendas, forego political opportunism and simply deliver an ecumenically respectful and compassionate message representing all of America.

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Rob and Michele Reiner Getty Images 2234622529

<title>Hamada: Trump steps in it over Reiner</title>

The late director Rob Reiner was a harsh and dramatic critic of the president, but Trump's statement on the murder of Reiner and his wife, Michele, allegedly by their own son, was completely unnecessary.

Hamada: Trump steps in it over Reiner

Katie Helland Headshot

Katie Helland

Arts & Entertainment

Aloha Spirit

 a new talent competition launched by Hawaiian Council, has a winner: 

. The finale of the show brought contestants from four islands together to compete for the grand prize: $10,000. A fan favorite, chosen by popular vote, also received a cash prize.

The finale aired after Friday Night Football on Sunday, Dec. 14, on Hawaiʻi News Now, simulcast on K5 and KHNL.

In the finale, Tario, who represented Oʻahu, competed against four other contestants: Kaua‘i’s two finalists, 

Kumu Hula Troy Allen Lazaro with Hālau Ka Pā Hula o Hīnano

; Maui’s finalist, the Island/reggae band, 

; and Hawaiʻi Island’s finalist, singer and songwriter, 

Patrick Makuakāne; Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, also known as Kumu Hina; and Lehua Kalima

 and a special guest judge. The show was hosted by McKenna Maduli with Shawn Kekoa Pimental as music producer.

During an earlier episode where artists competed to represent Oʻahu, Tario as Laritza wowed judges with a performance of “Oli Aloha” and excerpts from Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor. The pianist won that competition, earning a spot in the finale.

Tario is a cultural practioner and a graduate of Kamehameha Schools and The Juilliard School in New York City. The classically trained pianist is also a drag queen. The artist’s film credits include “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and HBO Max’s “Generations,” as well as an appearance as a model for a national commerical of Ulta Beauty, among other projects. Tario has also performed as a guest artist for 

Tario started studying at The Julliard School as a teenager. At the time, the pianist was the only Hawaiian admitted into the pre-college division, Tario told Aloha State Daily.

, is a conservatory-style music program for students between the ages of 8 and 18 who work with faculty, many of whom are part of The Juilliard School.

“During my time in New York, it was mostly classical music that I learned up there,” Tario said. “Just having your culture always kind of there with you, but also because I'm studying all of this western music, I kind of had to —  not suppress it — but it wasn't very prevalent in my life then. I've always wanted to mix my culture — and also my passion and music.”

In the finale, Tario as Laritza performed an excerpt of the score for the documentary film, 

 which focuses on Pua Case and her daughters as they protest the construction of telescopes at Mauna Kea. Tario performed the track "Haʻina ʻia mai ana ka puana" with an oli chanted over it that shares the birth of the Hawaiian Islands.

“That particular piece, it came from the documentary, but also the vinyl album that I released along with it, through Lōʻihi Records,” Tario said. “A lot of my music, I would say, it stems from place — and especially with having it be tied to such an important movement within our culture and people — I definitely wanted to showcase a little bit of that. And just emphasize the fight to protect sacred wahi pana, like Mauna Kea — it's not over yet. And what better way to show it then on television?”

The pianist just released a second album, “He Kaikamahine O Kekahi Moku.”

What does Tario want listeners to take away from performances? 

“Especially for the young māhū community, I would love to just be an inspiration and just say that whatever art form that they do: just bring yourself in it, bring our culture, and just lead with an open heart,” Tario said.

T.J. Keanu Tario

<title>“Hawaiʻi to the World” has a winner</title>

The winner of “Hawaiʻi to the World” is an Oʻahu-based artist, who is also a cultural practioner and a graduate of Kamehameha Schools and The Juilliard School. Learn more about the winner of this new talent competition.

“Hawaiʻi to the World” has a winner

Christian Shimabuku Headshot

Christian Shimabuku

Sports

HONOLULU — Eretria's Tsegay Weldlibanos and Great Britain's Calli Hauger-Thackery were the big winners at the 2025 Honolulu Marathon on Sunday morning, crossing the finish line at a wet Kapi‘olani Park first in their respective divisions. 

Of all 28,756 marathon entrants, Weldlibanos was the first runner to finish, zooming through the 26.2 miles with a time of 2:13.41. He overtook defending champion and fellow Eritrean Yemane Haileselassie, who finished as the runner-up less than a minute later at 2:14:30.

Meanwhile, Hauger-Thackery claimed victory in the women's division in 2:30.44. Kenya's Cynthia Limo, who entered as the two-time defending women's champion, finished in second at 2:31:35. 

When Weldlibanos and Hauger-Thackery both completed their victories, both showed signs of visible fatigue. Weldlibanos limped after the race, while Hauger-Thackery briefly got on her knees and vomited. 

"I put a lot on myself this year," Hauger-Thackery said. "There's been so many races, like the Boston Marathon, world championships, running in Chicago ... it was really hard. My only aim for today was just getting my confidence back, and then to win it was just big."

Hauger-Thackery, who calls Yorkshire her hometown, became the first British competitor to win the Honolulu Marathon in either division on Sunday. 

Despite not being training partners, Weldlibanos and Hauger-Thackery coincidentally both live in Flagstaff, Ariz. So, too, does Haileselassie, who embraced Weldlibanos after the race. The two both train under coach James McCirdy. 

"Training together, me and Yemane, it's good training with my team," Weldlibanos said. 

Added McCirdy: "They're part of our family. My wife and I have worked really hard to cultivate a really good environment in Flagstaff, and we're honored to be with these men and the women we serve. These guys are working really hard to provide for their families, to provide for their people."

Back in Flagstaff, Weldlibanos is a delivery driver for Amazon. He also has experience as a ride-share driver. 

"There's always challenges, but these men have been very patient and waiting and working really hard, working their full-time jobs on top of training full-time. They're not fully funded," McCirdy said.

Both champions on Sunday will receive a prize of $25,000, along with a solid gold medal that has significant cash value. Second-place finishers in each division will receive $10,000, while both third-place finishers won $5,000. 

Additionally, Weldibanos received a cash incentive prize of $1,500 for finishing under 2:14.00, while Hauger-Thackery also got a $1,500 bonus for crossing the finish line under 2:14.00. 

With the race beginning at 5 a.m. Sunday, both winners said they will take the time to enjoy O‘ahu before heading home. 

[{"type":"text","text":"\"Very nice blessing, good times in Hawai‘i, Weldlibanos said. "}]

Added Calli Hauger-Thackery: "It was an incredible, amazing experience. It's just so different. It's tropical. It feels like a holiday, so I wasn't nervous leading up to this race. Am I actually doing a marathon today? It felt like I was on holiday. I was loving the chill, the great vibes every day. Poke bowls every day. That's my favorite meal ever. I could live off poke bowls for the rest of my life."

Tsegay Weldlibanos 121425

<title>First-time winners take the throne at 2025 Honolulu Marathon</title>

Tsegay Weldlibanos of Eretria and Calli Hauger-Thackery of Great Britain won their respective divisions on Sunday, both finishing ahead of the defending champion for each gender.

First-time winners take the throne at 2025 Honolulu Marathon

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

The holidays are in full swing. Whether you’re looking for dine-in or takeout experiences — or seasonal holiday treats — we’ve got you covered.

[{"type":"text","text":"Check out the following:"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"100 Sails Restaurant & Bar"}]

: 100 Sails Restaurant & Bar’s Christmas dinner buffet ($117 per adult, $58.50 for children ages 6 to 10 years old) includes options like snow crab legs, ‘ahi poke, sashimi, crab tartlets, lobster campanelle, temaki sushi, slow-roasted prime rib, rack of lamb, Prince bread pudding, Lāʻie vanilla custard pie, kahlua yule log, peppermint white chocolate brulee with candy cane crumble, gingersnap cookies and more.

The Christmas Day brunch buffet ($109 per adult, $54.50 for children ages 6 to 10 years old) includes many similar offerings, along with breakfast faves like kalua Benedict, bacon and sausage, an omelet station and more. 

: Christmas dinner buffet: 5-9:30 p.m. Dec. 24-28; Christmas brunch buffet 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Dec. 25

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Arden Waikīkī"}]

: Lotus Honolulu Hotel, 2885 Kalākaua Ave., Honolulu

: Arden’s holiday menu ($109 per person, optional wine pairing for $40 per person) includes roasted carrot soup with curry crème fraiche, roasted butternut squash salad (cranberries, walnuts, chevre, apple-honey mustard vinaigrette), braised short rib (with mashed potatoes and mushroom medley), and apple-cinnamon bread pudding with sea salt caramel gelato. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Artizen by MW"}]

: Artizen by MW is offering a variety of seasonal treats that are perfect for stocking stuffers. Choose from fudge brownie cookies (three for $9), gingerbread snowflake cookies (three for $10), banana bread with almond streusel ($9), chocolate-covered toffee macadamia nuts ($11), Christmas macarons ($12), snowball cookies ($9), holiday sweet and salty snack mix ($10), holiday-decorated shortbread cookies ($10) and more. 

: Preorders now available; treats are available from Dec. 9 to 23

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Hau Tree"}]

: Hau Tree will offer a special holiday dining experience on Dec. 24 and 25. The four-course holiday dinner ($155 per person) will include falafel with sambol lebna and scallop crudo, squash agnolotti with focaccia, choice of entrée (opah belly, soubise, brussels and roasted fennel or honey glazed pork chop, citrus pork jus, asparagus, bacon marmalade and charred onion) and desserts (Coquito cheesecake with butter rum sauce and candied pecans; chocolate cake, coffee, orange). 

: The four-course holiday dinner is available from 4 p.m. Dec. 24 and 25 

: Hilton Waikoloa Village is offering festive dining experiences at Nui Italian and Big Island Breakfast. Nui Italian will feature a coastal-inspired Feast of the Seven Fishes. The dining experience will include dishes like Hokkaido scallop crudo, grilled octopus with gigande beans and Calabrian chili aioli, cioppino with cold water lobster tail, local prawns, Littleneck clams and the local fish of the day, and Panettone bread pudding with rum-raisin caramel sauce, dried fruit and vanilla gelato for dessert.

Big Island Breakfast will feature a Christmas brunch buffet that includes housemade cinnamon roll pudding, traditional eggs Benedict, brown sugar pineapple bacon, eggnog French toast, waffle bar with holiday toppings, carving station with guava glazed ham with mashed potatoes and honey mustard seed sauce, garlic fried rice and more. 

: Dec. 25; 7-11 a.m. Christmas brunch at Big Island Breakfast 

: Hammond’s Gourmet Ice Cream recently turned its shop into a holiday wonderland. Enjoy seasonal flavors like eggnog (with or without Jack Daniels), caramel praline rum raisin and chocolate peppermint bark. Holiday toppings (holly and ivy or candy cane sprinkles) are also available. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Hy’s Steak House"}]

: The Hy’s Christmas Experience ($251 per guest) is available for parties of two to four. It includes a luxe prix fixe dinner paired with fine wines.

[{"type":"text","text":"The prix fixe menu includes:"}]

Hy’s Steak House also offers ‘Ohana Feasts to-go ($585) for Dec. 24 and 25. It’s designed to serve eight to 10 people and include: focaccia rolls, shrimp cocktail, Christmas salad (feta cheese, raspberries, strawberries and balsamic vinaigrette), 2.5-3 pounds honey glazed ham, 4.5-5 pound slow-roasted prime rib (with au jus and creamed horseradish), butternut squash mashed potatoes, Ratatouille (with eggplant, yellow squash and zucchini), truffled mac and cheese, and eggnog cheesecake for dessert.

: Seatings from 4 to 8 p.m., Dec. 21 to Jan. 1, 2026; ‘Ohana Feast to-go pick-up from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Dec. 24 and 25

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Kaimana Beach Hotel"}]

: Kaimana Beach Hotel’s Mele & Mimosas: Makahiki Edition ($65 per person) features a Gold Coast holiday tea party. This seasonal edition features Hobbs Tea Hawai

i; housemade pumpkin parmesan scones; your choice of an Island mimosa, specialty mocktail or iced tea; assorted sweets (gingerbread, peppermint macarons with dark chocolate filling and almonds, matcha mont blanc and eggnog panna cotta); savory bites (chicken and cranberry sandwich, prosciutto and brie tarts, goat cheese puffs with balsamic reduction and fig jam, and ham and cheese croissants). 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Merriman’s Honolulu"}]

: The Christmas prix fixe menu ($135 per person, $45 for children ages 12 years and younger) includes:

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Plumeria Beach House"}]

: The Christmas Eve lunch buffet ($135 per adult, $55 for children ages 6 to 12 years old) includes a variety of salads (Hawaiian-style potato and macaroni, salmon tofu watercress, Chinese chicken salad and more); snow crab; fresh ‘ahi poke; ‘ahi and salmon sashimi; ‘ahi nigiri with truffle soy and kabayaki; breakfast specialties (classic eggs Benedict with Hollandaise, mochi waffles, thin pancakes with maple or coconut syrup); a create-your-own omelet station; carving station (Kāhala signature rib roast of beef, Mountain View Farms suckling pig and bao bun, roasted leg of lamb with mint jelly); hot selections (Plumeria Beach House signature misoyaki butterfish); and desserts like coconut haupia cake, mango cobbler, caramel cream puffs, Kāhala signature bread pudding with crème anglaise, chocolate yule log and more. The Christmas Day buffet ($135 per adult, $55 for children ages 6 to 12 years) includes similar offerings.

Plumeria Beach House is also offering a limited-edition Christmas cookie box ($28) from Dec. 15 to 23, as well as The Kāhala's fresh-baked Christmas Stollen ($43) from Dec. 1 to 23. 

: Christmas Eve lunch buffet: 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.; Christmas Day buffet: 6:30-9:30 a.m., 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m., 3-8 p.m. 

kahalaresort.com/dining/plumeria-beach-house/

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Quiora"}]

: The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikīkī Beach, 

: Quiora’s Christmas Feast ($120 per adult, $60 for children ages 6 to 12 years) features a family-style menu. It includes:

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Zippy’s"}]

: Zippy’s Christmas luau package ($159.95 online, $179.95 in-store and via phone) is designed to serve six to eight people. It includes eight pieces of lau lau, 2 pounds of kalua pig, 3.5 pounds of chicken long rice, eight pieces of haupia and 2 pounds of lomi salmon.

Zippy’s is also offering roast turkey plates ($18.15 in Honolulu) and roast turkey and ham combo plates ($17.35), available on Christmas Eve and Day.

Customers can also find desserts like Christmas donuts ($2.80 in Honolulu) and Christmas dream cakes ($29.95 in Honolulu), available on Dec. 24 and 25 at all Zippy’s locations, while supplies last. 

Christmas roundup part 1 Zippys 112625

<title>Where to eat on Christmas 2025 and seasonal holiday treats – part 1</title>

Whether you’re looking for dine-in or takeout experiences — or seasonal holiday treats — we’ve got you covered.

Where to eat on Christmas 2025 and seasonal holiday treats – part 1

Lopaka and Tanya Kapanui

Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya Kapanui

Hawaii History

The “Pink Palace of the Pacific” has stood on the shores of Waikīkī since 1927, welcoming presidents, royalty, and Hollywood stars since opening its doors. Today, it serves as a symbol of luxury. But long before Waikīkī became an international travel destination, it was once the royal seat of O‘ahu. As such, the grounds and the surf here were off-limits to anyone who was not of ali‘i status.

In the 1600s, during the time of Ali‘i Kakuhihewa, there was a champion fighting rooster that lived in Ka‘au, a large crater in the Pālolo district above Waikīkī. This was no ordinary rooster, however. People said this rooster was a half-man, half-chicken supernatural being often referred to as Ka‘auhelumoa.

According to oral tradition, Ka‘auhelumoa flew down from his home one day and landed in Waikīkī. Furiously scratching the earth, he caught the attention of Kakuhihewa, and then he suddenly vanished. Kakuhihewa took this as an omen and planted niu (coconuts) where the rooster was digging.

The planting proved transformative. Coconut trees were essential to Hawaiians due to their versatility and abundance. Used for food and drink, fiber for ropes, and material for building, the niu appears in numerous chants and legends. Even the water in a young coconut is used for special blessings and ceremonies.

From Kakuhihewa’s initial planting, more than 10,000 coconut trees filled the area, and this grove became known as “Helumoa.”

By the end of the 19th century, Waikīkī no longer served as a center of chiefly power. Its shoreline drew recreation-seekers instead. In March 1898, Colonel George Macfarlane leased a portion of Helumoa to establish a seaside annex to Downtown Honolulu’s Hawaiian Hotel.

He hired laborers to clear and level the land and remove the coconut trees. The workers spent the morning cutting the roots around the trees, then went to lunch. As they were returning from their break, a strong gust of wind shook the trees, which began to sway dangerously. Without roots to stabilize them, the trees were bound to topple over. The men started running when the unthinkable happened.

Flung high into the air by the catapultic motion of the roots of the falling trees was a mass of human bones. As ribs, femurs, and vertebrae flew through the air, something struck one worker in the back with a hard thud. When he turned to see what hit him, he nearly died of fright as an ancient skull stared back at him!

The newspaper reported that there was no way to get the men back to work that day. The only one who returned was the foreman who found an entire skeleton in a sitting position with its arms extended over its head, and another disassembled skeleton nearby.  

An elderly woman named Kaohi, a former retainer of Princess Pauahi, said she was born there and still lived nearby. She explained that there used to be a heiau on that spot, and the bodies of Hawaiians slain in battle were buried within its walls.

This information isn’t in their welcome packet. Beneath the bright sun and the gentle sway of palm trees, the 

 hides its spooky shadows well. Hotel staff are professional and discreet, but some admit there have been more than a few strange reports. Quite often, these odd events center around a particular room on the third floor.

Guests have called down to the front desk, confused and frustrated, saying they’re locked out of their room. But when hotel maintenance arrives to assist, the door opens without issue.

Inside, the room looks like every other, immaculate and welcoming, cooled by central air. However, some guests have noted a single cold spot in the room that isn’t near any vents. Even in the warmest months, the chill lingers in that one exact place, as though something cold and invisible is standing there. But the most disturbing reports have nothing to do with malfunctioning doors or strange temperatures. They happen in the dead of night.

Richard and Alice arrived on their first evening in Hawai‘i, eager for rest after a long flight, but by midnight, neither of them could settle enough to fall into a deep sleep. They shifted and turned all night, waking at odd intervals, assuming it was nothing more than travel fatigue.

Alice began to doze off again, only to feel Richard sit up beside her. When she opened her eyes to ask if he was okay, she saw him staring at the foot of the bed. Following his gaze, her breath caught in her throat.

A tall figure stood near the bed, motionless. Although it seemed like a person, its outline was too smooth. There were no facial features or clothing details; it was just a tall person-shaped shadow. Alice squeezed her eyes shut and opened them again. At that exact moment, Richard reached over and clicked on the lamp.

[{"type":"text","text":"There was no one else in the room."}]

Their disbelief came first, then the instinct to check the room. The doors, closets, bathroom, and behind the curtains; no one was hiding, and nothing was disturbed. When Richard called security, two guards arrived, scanning for signs of an intruder, but they didn’t find anything either. They suggested the couple just needed rest, that jet lag could play tricks on the mind. But as the guards left, the uneasy memory of a shadowy figure remained.

Richard and Alice aren’t the only people to report strange feelings in their third-floor room. Other guests have described restless nights, tossing, turning, and waking from vivid nightmares. At first, they, too, chalk it up to jet lag. But when they roll over and open their eyes, they find a dark silhouette standing next to the bed. Always the same description: a tall, unmoving shadow person. A figure without features, standing just a little too close.

The Royal Hawaiian is one of the oldest hotels in Hawai‘i still in operation. Its walls have seen celebrations, heartbreak, war, and wealth. Some wonder if this shadow belongs to someone from the hotel’s early days who never checked out. Others think it belongs to someone who was there long before the hotel was built.

In Hawai‘i, not all ghosts are vengeful or malevolent. Some are simply lost. Some are protectors. Others are bound to a place, unable — or unwilling — to leave. Whatever presence resides in that room at the Royal Hawaiian, it doesn’t appear to mean harm. But it does want to be noticed.

The next time you stroll past the Pink Palace, stop for a minute to admire its elegance and take in its history. And if you ever stay there… don’t forget to leave the light on.

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Royal Hawaiian Hotel

<title>Spooky shadows at the Pink Palace</title>

The Royal Hawaiian Resort Waikīkī is nearly a century old, and at least three centuries of history and legends predate it at its seaside location. Is it any wonder guests have reported otherworldly experiences?

Spooky shadows at the Pink Palace

. One of Asia’s largest convenience store chains, CU’s first location in Hawai

i commemorates its debut in the United States.

 is located in downtown Honolulu at 1088 Bishop Street. The brand has more than 18,500 stores across South Korea and 730 locations globally.

The Honolulu store is open daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Here’s what you’ll find:

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"A gourmet line of grab-and-go dishes"}]

i partnered with local celebrity chef Sheldon Simeon to create a gourmet line of hot entrees. Its Ho‘ina line features popular grab-and-go items, ranging from kalbi and smoked ‘ahi onigiri to Simeon’s famous garlic noodles.

CU, one of Asia’s largest convenience store chains, recently celebrated the grand opening of its downtown Honolulu store. Here’s everything you’ll find, from a ramyun wall and Korean street food to exclusive snacks and Sig Zane x CU Hawaiʻi merchandise.

Michèle McCoy

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