By blending various ethnic cooking techniques with the best quality island-grown ingredients, Chef Alan Wong sky-rocketed his name to international fame, creating a concoction of local cuisine and adding a contemporary twist.  As one of the founders of the Hawaii Regional Cuisine Chefs, Chef Ala Wong was able to acquire the James Beard award for Best Chef-Northwest which was given to him in 1996.  Also in the same year, he was included in the Wedgewood Awards list of 10 chef nominees vying for the title of World Master of Culinary Arts, as well as having his restaurant inducted in the Restaurant News Hall of Fame.

Chef Wong has been part of Bon Appetit Magazine’s culinary legends, being tagged as the “Master of Hawaii Regional Cuisine.”  His restaurant has been featured two times already in Gourmet Magazine’s rankings as the only restaurant in Honolulu to be classified as the top ten among the 50 best restaurants in the USA.

It was also Chef Wong, who authored the book New Wave Luau, who received numerous awards such as the Hale ‘Aina (10 times), and the Llima Awards in Hawaii, including “Best Restaurant” and “Restaurant of the Year”.  Being the owner and chef of both Alan Wong’s Restaurant and Honolulu’s Pineapple Room, he also managed to open up a branch in Disneyland, Tokyo, Japan.

It was Sam Choy’s parents who introduced him, along with his siblings, to a great array of foods while they were young.  Each member of the family was assigned their own cooking tasks, both in their home and in their restaurant, which was owned and managed by his father.  During weekends, all of us are very busy in preparation of traditional Hawaiian luaus, for tourists that can easily accumulate to 800!

Sam Choy, who born by a Hawaiian-German mother named Clairemoana, was sent to the local Kapiolani Community College in the hopes of getting him jive with books and ultimately finding something that suits his interests.  It was not too long when Sam realized that it was with culinary arts that his heart belongs, that it was while cooking that he was at his happiest.  .

Sam initially worked in many establishments, particularly in kitchens of premier Hawaiian hotels.  After earning enough capital, he was able to open his debut restaurant in 1981, which was located on the big island of Hawaii.  He is now operating 2 restaurants in Honolulu, with 1 branch each on Japan and Guam.  Sam knows that with the achievements he reached in his life, his dad Hung Sam Choy would have been really proud of him.

Sam quotes that his success can be attributed to the variety of flavours and cultures that is uniquely Hawaii.  The old saying that “Lucky you live in Hawaii” has really lived up to the hype.

Besides this, Sam also notes that there aren’t many places in the world which is comparable to the beauty that is Hawaii.  It is here that you can find seemingly endless supply of fresh cuisine – be it seafood, fruits and vegetables, beef and poultry.  The way people cook their food in Hawaii is truly one of a kind, something that has made it truly distinct and renowned not only in the region, but also around the globe.  This is the meaning of Island Cuisine…Sam Choy style.

As the only island state, Hawaii real estate has for many years commanded some of the highest prices in the country, as sellers compete for the coveted oceanfront island property. Since the changes in the U.S. housing market took effect after the fallout from the greater recession, Hawaii has seen a struggling market. Housing prices plummeted in some areas and foreclosures also skyrocketed in some areas.

Though the market has seen some real struggles over the past couple of years, signs of optimism seem to be just beyond the horizon. According to a March article in the Honolulu Star Bulletin, there were 972 foreclosure filings in the month of February, a more than 25% drop from January and an improvement of 81% year-over-year.

The Hawaii foreclosure average bested the national rate as well: In Hawaii, the average accounted for one foreclosure for every 528 properties; the national average was one foreclosure for every 418 homes.

Hawaii homes for sale show a general trend of rising as well. The Star Bulletin reported that prices for single-family homes rose almost 22% year-over-year on Oahu, with condo sales up 0.3% from the same time last year but up in volume by nearly 50%. And according to Hawaii News Now, the most recent Case-Schiller home prices report showed that median prices in most American cities have risen year-over-year but are still below their highest medians; In Honolulu, on the contrary, prices are stronger, economist Paul Brewbaker said.

NCL America, Norwegian Cruise Line’s American brand operates a single ship, the Pride of America, exclusively on inter-island cruises.  The brand was created in 2005 to provide 7-day cruises that start in Honolulu and visit Nawiliwili, Kauai; Kahului, Maui; Hilo, Hawaii; and Kona, Hawaii.  To this day, the Pride of America is the only ship offering 7-day cruises in Hawaii without a foreign port of call, a large competitive advantage over other cruise lines that begin voyages in California and include Mexico in the itinerary.  For travelers with only a short time in Hawaii, the inter-island cruise is perhaps the best way to be exposed to all of the state’s major islands.

Not only will tourists be able to travel by night and sightsee by day, they will also be able to experience the extraordinary food, delectable food, and exquisite pampering the cruise ship passengers have come to expect.  The cruise line also operates several shore excursions while in port.  These trips, while sometimes a bit pricey, are pre-planned half- or day-long journeys throughout the island’ spectacular sights and attractions.  Travelers who go on an excursion in each port will surely get a flavor of all Hawaii has to offer.