Back when there was competition between airlines for interisland flights, we used to see airfare wars like this one between Go! and Hawaiian:
Between today and September 30th, 2009, travelers can fly interisland on Hawaiian for $25 each way. The price of a one-way fare hasn’t been thus low since Go! entered and undercut the market in 2006.
The catch is that you have to be a member of their loyalty program.
Today a similar airfare sells for over $200. Hmph. I miss those days.
Owning a cat or dog improves people’s health, according to decades of research. The major benefits include lower stress and better cardiovascular health (at least for dog walkers). Almost half the population in the US receives these benefits: 39% of households have at least one dog and 33% of households have at least one cat, reports US Pet Statistics, a site run by the Humane Society.
On O’ahu pet ownership is higher than the Mainland, with at least 60% of households owning a dog or cat (not counting the strays that people feed), says Jacque LeBlanc, community relations director at the Hawaii Humane Society. Survey data for the other islands is not currently available, but estimates suggest pet ownership rates are comparable.
Those of us lucky to live in Hawaii already expect longer, healthier lives than our Mainland counterparts by as much as three years. Compared to the rest of the world, Hawaii ranks fifth for longest life expectancy (averaging 80.8 years; it’s a coincidence that 808 is also our area code). Higher rates of pet ownership might contribute.
Native Hawaiians use ti plants for more than scaring away evil spirits. They also make a potent spirit of their own, a distillation of ti root called ‘Okolehao (prn OH-koh-lay-how). Haleakala Distillers, located Upcountry Maui, starting brewing their own 80-proof version in December 2009. The formula calls for a mash of roughly 25 percent ti root, 20 percent rice and 55 percent cane sugar, all grown in Hawai’i, according the the company’s website. The flavor has been described as a cross between rum and sipping tequila, with a hint of coconut and florals unique to the islands.
There’s been a lot of coverage in the news about this local liquor (see links below), but the real proof is in the drinking. Here’s a recipe for an ‘okolehau cocktail perfect for a hot summer afternoon that I’ve adapted from another regional liquor, pisco:
‘Okolehao Sour
1 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
1 cup confectioners (powdered) sugar
2 shots ‘Okolehao
Shake over ice and serve with a dollop of whipped egg white and a sprinkling of li hin mui powder
Makes 2-4 drinks, depending how strong you like it
Roundup of news coverage of ‘Okolehao liquor:
http://mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/527105.html
http://www.honolulumagazine.com/Honolulu-Magazine/June-2010/In-High-Spirits/
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2003/Jun/01/ln/ln05a.html
