By Nancy Daniels
Arts with Aloha is a local marketing group made up of more than a dozen Honolulu arts and cultural institutions that work together to promote the outstanding offerings of art, music, theater, history, and culture available to residents and guests on the island of Oahu. From December 2-7, the Outrigger Reef on the Beach partnered with Arts with Aloha and the Oahu Visitors Bureau to host a group of travel journalists to showcase the many opportunities visitors have to experience the arts and culture of Hawaii when visiting Oahu.
Gay Shinbara, Nancy Daniels, and Robin Robinson, travel editor for the Toronto Sun
Journalists representing publications such as The Toronto Sun, AAA Westways, Away.com, Advocate.com, Zoomer magazine, Lipstickpowdernpaint.com, and more enjoyed five days looking, listening, touching, and learning about an island enriched by the arts and steeped in culture.
Places visited included ‘Iolani Palace, Queen Emma Summer Palace, The Contemporary Museum, Manoa Heritage Center, the University of Hawai‘i Art Gallery, Hawai‘i Theatre Center, Mission Houses Museum, Hawai‘i State Art Museum, Honolulu Academy of Arts, Tinney Theatre at St. Andrew’s Cathedral, and of course, Bishop Museum.
Additionally, writers dined at a variety of Oahu eateries, including Hula Grill at the Outrigger Waikiki, Taormina Restaurant at Waikiki Beach Walk®, and many of the wonderful museum restaurants, such as Downtown @ the HiSAM and The Pavilion Café at The Honolulu Academy of Arts.
Journalists were also able to get out on their own to experience some of Oahu’s great outdoors with visits to the North Shore, Waikiki Aquarium, the Farmers’ Market at Kapi‘olani Community College, the Polynesian Cultural Center, and canoe riding and stand-up paddling at Waikiki.
Cyril Pahinui and David “Kawika” Kahiapo with Beth D’Addondo, a freelance writer from Philadelphia
The busy itinerary concluded with a relaxing farewell dinner at Kani Ka Pila Grille at the Outrigger Reef, where musicians Cyril Pahinui and David “Kawika” Kahiapo joined the group to share their love of island music with the writers. Performing that night was Brother Noland, who also stopped by on his break to chat with the writers.
Each of the writers were thrilled with their adventure and eager to go home and write about what they saw and experienced. They also had nothing but good comments to say about their stay at the Outrigger Reef on the Beach and the exquisite transformation the hotel has gone through.
A big mahalo to Arts with Aloha and the Oahu Visitors Bureau for allowing the Outrigger Reef on the Beach to be part of such an important media visit. And special thanks to everyone at the Outrigger Reef on the Beach for doing what they do best – being true Na Mea Ho`okipa, “welcoming and entertaining our guests and friends with warmth and generosity.”
