June 2010 E-Newsletter

David's Blog - Aloha Kokua - Doing Good for Others
This month, thanks to All World Travel and Trinity Valley Community College Cardettes, we were honored to be able to do something good for others. The Cardettes not only wanted to visit Hawaii but to give back and boy did they ever. Not only did they adopt our Pearl Harbor Survivor Grandpa, Allen Bodenlos, but they also visited other veterans at Tripler Army Medical's Center for Aging. The smiles generated from their generosity will be remembered by all for a really long time.

I would also like to send a BIG MAHALO (Thank You) to all of our tour operator partners that allow us the privilege of working with your groups to our Island Paradise. We have successfully sent home some very happy travelers and enjoyed plenty of smiles by doing good for others. Now that we are finished with our spring/summer group season, I think I'll sit back, relax and enjoy celebrating the 4th of July on the beach with some big boomers, burgers & dogs and a frosty cold pop.

Aloha!

Everyone is a minority in Hawaii
Many first-time visitors to Hawaii are surprised by the multi-cultural make-up of Hawaii's people, and I've been asked many times, "Who is the majority race in Hawaii?" The short answer is "Everyone is a minority in Hawaii," and the long answer is how Hawaii came to be the Pacific Melting Pot that we are.

As early as 1835, agriculture in Hawaii became the number one economic driving force, and quickly became the cultural driving force as well. Sugar was king in Hawaii's agriculture until the late 1980s. Sugar plantations are labor-intensive, and the plantation owners continually looked for laborers throughout the Pacific and the world.

The first contract laborers were the Chinese, then the Japanese, the Filipinos, the Okinawans, and the Koreans, as well as laborers from Portugal and Puerto Rico. Each group brought their rich cultures and traditions with them, and while each group has maintained their unique cultures and traditions, every group has blended together to create the rich, cosmopolitan blend that is Hawaii. It's like the local dialect, called Pidgin, which is a blend of Hawaiian, English, Chinese, Japanese and Filipino words, which helped the plantation workers to communicate effectively with each other, while working side by side on the plantations.

On Oahu, there is a plantation village that you can visit to get a better understanding of plantation life and the many cultures that came together in Hawaii: Hawaii's Plantation Village Museum in Waipahu. There's also a great movie that was filmed here on Oahu in 1994 called Picture Bride, about a young Japanese woman who comes to Oahu to be the bride of a Japanese plantation worker. And one of the best ways to experience the multi-cultural facets of Hawaii is in the many wonderful ethnic restaurants we have: Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Filipino, Thai, or enjoy a Mixed Plate Lunch from L&L Drive-In!

Activity - Pan Pacific Festival
In Japanese the word "Matsuri" translated to English is "Festival".

With the vision of a small group, the Pan Pacific Festival was born. The group envisioned a festival to enrich the lives of both participating artists and audiences. Now over thirty years later, it has become one of Hawaii's premier cultural events.

The festival brings together performing groups from all over the globe to share and celebrate their cultures. There is a Performing Arts Showcase that allows for stage performances, Ho'olaule'a, which is a supersized street festival showcasing a variety of cuisine and, to top it off, an enormous Parade through the streets of Waikiki.

We highly recommend the Pan Pacific Festival as experience of a lifetime for performing groups or groups looking for free value added entertainment.

For more information contact EMI Hawaii or visit their website at www.pan-pacific-festival.com

Hotel - Ohana East Hotel
The Ohana East Hotel offers your group Aloha service with a smile in a central Waikiki location, just steps to Waikiki Beach, International Market Place, and Kalakaua Avenue. And it's a pleasant 20-minute walk to Kapiolani Park, Honolulu Zoo, and Waikiki Aquarium. The Bus and Waikiki Trolley stops are conveniently located near the hotel to facilitate visits to shopping, dining, and entertainment attractions around the city of Honolulu.

The hotel has many amenities, including three restaurants, an espresso cafe, swimming pool, fitness room, high-speed Internet access in all guest rooms, self-service laundry, rental car desk, and video arcade. The hotel is well suited for adult travelers, as well as student groups.

When your group is requesting a moderately priced, centrally located hotel for their Hawaiian Trip of a Lifetime, the Ohana East Hotel is where they want to be!

Restaurant - Tanaka of Tokyo
You've just had another great day in Hawaii, but at day's end that age-old, eternal question raises its head: "what's for dinner?" With the many choices of world-class, fine dining here in Waikiki, why not make tonight more than just a great dining experience? Let's add world class entertainment along with our fine dining!

At Tanaka of Tokyo Japanese Seafood and Steakhouse, vivacious chefs gesticulate wildly and sling food from the spatula to the grill to the plate. With Nick Narimatsu, the Food Network's Flying Knives Champion raising the bar for all of the chefs at Tanaka's, you can expect to be entertained by some of the most highly skilled Teppanyaki chefs found anywhere. These chefs make everything dance through the air as though it's a group of orchestrated performers on the trapeze. The more everyone cheers and applauds, the faster the knives and everything else flies through the air including spatulas, seasoning shakers and fine cuisine!

Tanaka's has something for everyone, even that most discerning food critic in your group. They offer a full array of seafood, steak and fresh garden vegetables, and specialize in Certified Black Angus sirloin, imported lobster tails, shrimp and scallops. King salmon, filet mignon and teriyaki chicken along with a special keiki (children's) menu are also available. All meals are presented as a feast for the eyes as well as for the palate, and all entrées include the following; pickled vegetables, tossed green salad, grilled shrimp appetizer, teppanyaki vegetables, steamed rice or optional fried rice (recommended), miso soup, Japanese green tea and dessert. Tanaka's is great for accommodating everyone from couples to families to groups of all sizes.

Another great night of fine dining here in Waikiki, with entertainment to boot! We look forward to seeing you here soon, and remember: to make your Hawaiian adventure complete, include a dinner at Tanaka of Tokyo!