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One night after my wife and I had watched a show at Windward Community College, we were driving around Kaneohe and thinking about getting some dinner. We saw El Mariachi and decided to give it a try. This restaurant has some great authentic Mexican food, just like the sign says! That night we had chicken burritos and tacos. They tasted great, along with the home made chips and salsa. Last month I was looking at homes in Kaneohe with a couple that's planning a move to Hawaii. I asked if they'd... Read Full Post

In late February, Costco opened its doors in Kapolei. The store's address is 4589 Kapolei Parkway, near Home Depot. This is Oahu's fourth Costco location (or fifth, if we count the first store at Salt Lake that closed and moved to Iwilei). The store covers about 160,000 square feet - add in the parking lot and Costco Kapolei covers about 17 acres. The response from the community was enthusiastic! As Kapolei moves closer to being Oahu's Second City as envisioned years ago, area residents are g... Read Full Post

We recently looked at this house in Kaimuki. It was built in 1939 on a large 8,570 square foot lot. The house appears to have been expanded at some point and now has 1,832 square feet interior area within its four bedrooms with one and a half baths. There's also a separate carport with a bathroom and laundry room. The yard has a tropical look with a mango tree, laua'e, crotons and ti plants surrounding the home. The front side has double-entry doors. The living room is carpeted and the kitche... Read Full Post

Many have wondered when and if Oahu's housing market would be hit the way mainland markets have been crushed. In the fourth quarter of 2008 Hawaii had a significant decline and some neighborhoods lost value. In January we saw many new prospective buyers enter the market, lured by weak sales and low interest rates. Some have made offers on properties and others are watching to see what happens with an eye on 30-year mortgage rates. Meanwhile, sales in January tanked. These closings probably re... Read Full Post

Last week I spent time looking at properties with a hui of motivated buyers. We looked at a variety of residential properties to determine what would best fit their intended use as a vacation retreat in Hawaii. Moana Vista is currently under construction at 1015 Kapiolani Boulevard. It's convenient location in town and elegant design caught the interest of these buyers. We stopped by the project and checked it out. Honolulu condo construction is winding down Honolulu residents witnessed a boo... Read Full Post

I first heard about RV's Surf Shop from my brother. He told me how he had some dings on his surfboard repaired and the price was very reasonable. At that time I was mainly surfing Canoes (a surf break) in Waikiki. It's a crowded surf spot with a mix of beginners and experienced regulars - the kind of place where boards get dinged. I decided to have my dings repaired at RV's. I took my board to RV's and an employee carefully noted every ding that could potentially let water in. About a week la... Read Full Post

The Shanghai Circus returned to Oahu this past weekend. We were there to see their stunning show for the third year in a row. The Hawaii Theatre The Circus' venue in Honolulu is the Hawaii Theatre, located downtown. It's a beautiful theatre, which first opened in 1922. Originally used for silent movies, vaudeville shows and plays, the theatre suffered from deferred maintenance as the years passed. In 1984, Consolidated Amusement, the theatre's operator, terminated its lease of the property. T... Read Full Post

This year's Sony Open got started at 8 a.m. this morning. This year's contestants get to start off with strong winds, whipped up from the south. Friday is expected to have more heavy winds, which should taper off on Saturday and Sunday. Some of the world's top golfers will be in attendance. Ernie Els, Paul Azinger, Davis Love III, Brad Faxon, Corey Pavin to name a few. Last year's defending champion, K.J. Choi is back too. Oahu newspapers are focusing on one of Hawaii's rising stars, Parker M... Read Full Post

Town Restaurant, at the corner of Waialae and 9th Avenues is a great place for dinner and drinks in Kaimuki. This kamaaina owned business serves delicious food and strives to use locally grown produce whenever possible. The photo above was taken in the morning, before the restaurant opened. Evening photos do not show the establishment well because it does not have a lighted sign. Town has indoor and outdoor seating. Outdoor tables start near the entrance (under the "Town" sign) and proceed to... Read Full Post

The last month of 2008 was surprisingly steady for homeowners on Oahu. Sales volume of homes and condos was way down from 2007. Oahu's median sales prices held steady though. It seems like prices throughout the U.S. have plunged, how can Hawaii's prices be holding steady? Part of the answer is- location, location, location. Affluent people are still buying homes, resulting in price stability and even price increases in certain neighborhoods! Yes, the number of properties sold has decreased si... Read Full Post