Idea Engineers used to rely on meteorological towers to measure wind speed. But “met towers” only give you data for one location; they don’t tell you anything about wind velocities around a valley or along a ridge. Wind 3D, a…
For many locals, a movie or a sporting event wouldn’t be complete without Hurricane Popcorn. The combination of nori, liquid butter, arare and popcorn has been a local favorite ever since the Hawaii Popcorn Co. began as a pushcart in…
What’s It Worth? $1,150 What is it? Travel humidor cigar case made by German luggage maker Rimowa. Why so special? Only 35 pieces are available in the U.S.; fewer than 500 were made for the global market. Why so VALUABLE?…
I’ve always wondered how a place can charge much less for plate lunches than its competitors. Yum Yum Thai, a downtown hole-in-the-wall, either has an incredibly low overhead or is doing something I don’t want to know about. Prices start…
LeeAnn Crabbe is vice president of the Queen Liliuokalani Trust, which cares for orphaned and destitute children. She is also the proud adoptive mother of two children. Food Pre-kids, she and her husband would splurge at Chef Mavro’s. “Now, we’re…
After working in Russia, Japan, England, Argentina and the U.S., Daniel Leuck fulfilled his childhood prophecy by choosing the Islands to start Ikayzo Inc., an IT company that specializes in enterprise software development, offshore outsourcing and iPhone applications. HB: What’s…
SDC Hawaii wants to make it easier to organize and manage your social media life with a new Web site called chi.mp. It created the software for its client Saipan DataCom, which manages the .mp domain of the Northern Mariana…
Chuck Sted’s “prioritization” management style has helped keep Hawaii Pacific Health on an even keel while other companies have faltered. The same approach can keep families on track. Prioritization management means taking one thing at a time, not everything at…
The Web site Play@SavvyCircle helps local restaurants and other businesses attract new customers in a fresh way. What customers get: The site offers people exclusive deals and discounts from businesses, which have included Hy’s Steak House, Tango Contemporary Café, Heaven on Earth…
More than 50 percent of marriages in the United States end in divorce and Hawaii accounts for about 5,000 of those breakups every year. Of those who remain married, true love is not always the reason. That’s why relationship experts…
Bettina Mehnert, COO of Architects Hawaii Ltd., is a well-traveled adrenaline junkie. She surfs, snowboards and runs trails, but also reads and spends time with her adopted daughter, Anna, a pet duck and a pit bull. Photography A third-generation architect, Mehnert says…
There’s a place in Honolulu so out of place and time that it is hard to believe it is just a few miles from busy downtown. If you need a break at lunchtime and you or your colleague have wheels,…
WHAT IS IT? A Takamine EN-10C acoustic-electric cutaway guitar played by renowned slack key artist Makana. “As a professional musician, many people ask why I don’t play a more expensive guitar. It’s about the connection to the guitar, not the…
With Valentine’s Day a heartbeat away, candy and flowers are no match for good communication with your mate. When done right, it improves and restores family life and intimate relationships, says licensed clinical social worker Renee Rokero. Rokero teaches “assertive…
Experience the taste of the Islands instantly from wherever you are with Hawaii Plantation coffee and tea sticks. Place the stick in a cup with boiling water; allow the tea to steep for two to three minutes; the coffee crystals…
When Jmi Bassett opened her dental office in August, she wanted to distinguish her practice with high-tech tools like the Gendex CB-500, a $200,000 machine that takes digital 3-D x-rays. What’s more, she wanted a computer in each room so…
What’s Your Beef? The Corner Office Curmudgeon offers advice about life on the job My boss is an extremely nice person. With Valentine’s Day coming up, would it be appropriate to bring her flowers or is that too personal? How…
Neil Rose went from standout athlete at UH Lab School to football captain and quarterback at Harvard. He’s now chief investment officer for Cadinha and Co., with two children under the age of 2 – all before his 30th birthday.…
What’s It Worth? $$$$4,500 WHAT IS IT? A Frank MacIntosh-designed, Pikaki-label aloha shirt, used as a uniform by the crew of Matson’s SS Mariposa. Why so special? Produced in the late 1940s or early 1950s, this shirt replicates images made…
There’s a reason some people are wealthy: they learn to manage their time, resources and passions. Leading financial adviser Diane Kimura of Merrill Lynch shows how you can get your life in order, financially and emotionally, so you can make…
BY LEN FUKUSHIMA FINANCIAL ADVISER, UBS FINANCIAL SERVICES I own a successful architectural firm in Honolulu. I’d like to expand my business but am having difficulty finding a lender. I have capital assets, including real estate and a portfolio of…
Andy Friedlander, principal broker at Colliers Monroe Friedlander, admits his two greatest passions are really causes. Hobby Friedlander likes playing golf with his buddies. “We play every Saturday and I’m generally the large loser. Then, we have lunch and cocktails…
Need another reason not to eat lunch at your desk? Here’s one: According to researchers at the University of Arizona, the average office desk has 100 times more bacteria on it than the average kitchen table. Here’s another reason: A…
One stamp for $8, two for $15 What is it? Collectors’ first-day cover of the 50th anniversary of Hawaii statehood commemorative stamp. Who designed it? Herb Kawainui Kane painted the surfer and paddlers depicted on the stamp. Kane is an…