Ar_home_b_search
 



hawaii: A Colorful Journey-春節-Kung Hee Fat Choi-Happy Chinese New Year-農曆新年 - 02/06/11 04:02 AM
農曆新年  春節   
Please enjoy this brief slide show of some of the New Year excitement. 
There is nothing quite as colorful as a Chinese New Year parade, and Honolulu's Chinatown hosts one of the most vibrant. The Agrarian Calender New Year 農曆新年 also known as the Spring Festival 春節 officially begins on the 2nd of February; culminating with the lively nighttime Lantern Festival. The Chinese New Year is usually celebrated on the 2nd new moon after the winter solstice and ends with the full moon 15 days later. Red symbolizes Happiness and Gold, wealth, may you have plenty of both in the coming year!
Happy Year 4709 
… (10 comments)

hawaii: I'm an Hawaiian Ask Me Anything About Hawaii! - 09/30/09 03:15 PM
Inspired by Active Rain Staffer Mike Judge's blog post challenge to ask him anything, I thought I would do the same; as my blog is titled Questions for Kimo, I think it would be apropos. So while I patiently wait for Mike to answer my Active Rain question posed to him I thought I would field a few from those who might be interested in learning more about my beautiful home, Hawaii.

JDS Consulting- Hawaii Home Staging and Decor Design. Providing Real Estate Merchandising services including: Home Staging, Interior Decor, Turn Key, Landscaping, Remodeling, & Open House Hosting. Diamond Head, Kahala, Waikiki, Kapahulu, Kailua, Makiki, Tantalus, Hawaii Kai, Manoa, Nu'uanu, Ala … (6 comments)

hawaii: 50 years of Hawaii Statehood: Fact or Fiction? - 08/18/09 06:45 PM
 
Monday, August 10, 2009  Some Hawaiian activists reject statehood, saying it's a 'crime' Activists point to illegal acts, starting with the overthrow By Michael TsaiAdvertiser Staff Writer  In 1959, what opposition there was to Hawai'i statehood was based on a variety of factors, from fears that communists had infiltrated the territory's labor unions to concerns that statehood would further disenfranchise its Native Hawaiian population. Fifty years later, Hawaiian activists are calling for an end to the statehood era, not as a goal unto itself but as a necessary step in remediating a series of illegal acts through which, they say, the United States robbed … (8 comments)

hawaii: Nu'uanu Hawaii, Virtual Master Suite Make Over Part II: The Master Bath - 08/10/09 05:09 PM
Virtual Master Suite Make Over Part II: The Master Bath 
Virtual Master Suite Make Over Part I

 
In continuation of our virtual master suite makeover we move to the bathroom of our Nu'uanu, Hawaii Condo project. Our clients have a tiled water closet in the master bath separating the bath and toilet from the vanity area which is carpeted. For this post and project we focused on the vanity area alone.
Renovating Kitchens and bathrooms traditionally returns the most money on your investment at the resale of the property. As Real Estate Merchandisers we advise are clients to maximize … (7 comments)

hawaii: Nu'uanu Hawaii, Virtual Master Suite Make Over: Breakfast in Bed at Tiffany's! - 08/04/09 05:23 PM
Part I: The Master Bedroom - A diamond in the rough.
 
 The heroine of this master suite makeovers name has been changed for dramatic purposes to "Tiffany"; whose family is in the process of remodeling their Nu'uanu Condo. Tiffany and Co. needed help with design choices and contacted JDS Consulting for some Do It Yourself advice. After our initial consultation we determined that the new diggs would have a Modern, Contemporary Asian design aesthetic with an earth tone color palette to compliment the view. We also needed the space to potentially function as both a second home and or rental, so stylish … (18 comments)

hawaii: The Devil wears Prada and makes one hell of a Real Estate Merchandiser. - 05/28/09 04:51 AM
There are many marketing and merchandising truths in the fashionably funny film "The Devil Wears Prada" based on the novel by Lauren Weisberger of the same name. When it comes to real estate merchandising, color selection is serious business and a priority in Real Estate Merchandising as well as in the Fashion World! The film clip below is one of my favorites.
 


There's an old adage about God and the devil being found in the details and when it comes to real estate merchandising there is a fine line between too little and too much color. So if … (35 comments)

hawaii: Questions for Kimo: I would like to use Hawaiian indigenous plants to spruce up my curb appeal... - 04/01/09 09:27 PM
 
Questions for Kimo: I would like to use Hawaiian indigenous plants to spruce up my curb appeal, where can I go to see them in a natural setting to get ideas?  



It's not easy to recognize plants that are indigenous to Hawaii from the multitudes of imported varieties. However, If you are in the Honolulu area, a convenient place to find indigenous plantings in a natural albeit planned garden is the Lili'uokalani Botanical Garden in Nu'uanu.
This startling oasis, just a few blocks from downtown Honolulu and it's towering skyscrapers, has a wonderful selection of native plants and trees … (7 comments)

hawaii: Knowing your Banana from your Lauhala: Not all tropical matting is created equal. - 03/18/09 07:33 PM



Knowing your Banana from your Lauhala: Not all tropical matting is created equal-

 
When it comes to Hawaiiana or tropical decor, natural matting (matting created from the weaving of palm or plant leaves) is a warm, eco friendly, and sustainable product found in many homes here in Hawaii.
From the multimillion dollar estates in Diamond Head and Kahala to the country cottages of Makaha this all natural matting can be utilized in many ways from flooring to veneers to wall coverings, to ceiling treatments.
 

 
www.choi-realty.com/  price $10,800,000  5857 Kalanianaole Hwy  


 

Before Western contact, Hawaiian homes typically … (18 comments)

hawaii: Kung Hee Fat Choy! Part III. China Town Renaissance. - 02/10/09 10:13 PM
 

Kung Hee Fat Choy! part III. China Town's Renaissance.  
Part I  -  Part II

In the last installment of my 3 part Blog series celebrating Chinese New Year in Hawaii we observe the revitalization of China Town in recent times and the many interesting places to see and visit.




Pictured Above- The Wo Fat building, a former Hotel on Honolulu's infamous Hotel Street, has become the iconic symbol of China Town today - New Year revelers pack the streets in Honolulu's Historic China Town neighborhood.
It was not too long ago in recent history … (2 comments)

hawaii: Sailing Aboard the Historic Hokule'a, Hawai'i's 'Bright Star'. - 01/21/09 08:42 PM
Sailing Aboard the Historic Hokule'a, Hawai'i's 'Bright Star'... 
In celebration of my 100th post I thought I would share one of my latest adventures this past Tuesday, aboard Hawaii's most famous vessel, the HOKULE'A. Polynesian navigators, using only celestial navigation and environmental observations managed to navigate and colonize the great breadth of the pacific ocean a millenium before Westerners discovered longitude and could accurately travel the world's oceans. In the long process of proving these skills to those Westerners who doubted such know how existed, the Hokule'a was lovingly created.
 
 
 
Incredulous to the idea that Polynesians were superior sailors and navigators, many Westerners believed that … (8 comments)

hawaii: Questions for Kimo: Where's the best place to learn about the Hawaiian culture...? - 01/08/09 04:27 PM
Questions for Kimo: Our family is re-locating to Hawaii and we are wondering where's the best place to learn about Hawaiian culture?
In my opinion the best and most family orientated place to learn about Hawaiian culture is the Bishop Museum, located at 1525 Bernice Street, Honolulu, Hawai'i 96817  Phone: 808.847.3511. The Museum is located in Palama just off the Like Like and H1 Highways. It's a little bit out of the way for tourists and new comers but it's well worth the trip for visitors and locals alike.   

"The Bishop Museum is the largest museum in the state and the premier natural and cultural history institution … (6 comments)

hawaii: Robbing Peter to pay Paul: The State of Hawaii's crusade to sell land it doesn't own. - 10/23/08 03:47 PM
Robbing Peter to pay Paul: The State of Hawaii's crusade to sell land it doesn't own.  
There has been much concern recently on the outcome of the Hawaii Supreme Court Ruling that prohibits the State of Hawaii from selling confiscated land that belonged to the Hawaiian Kingdom. Governor Linda Lingle and Attorney General Mark Bennett has appealed this decision to the US Supreme court which will review the case in 2009. 
As a native Hawaiian these lands represent more than just valuable land assets and potential state revenue. I believe these lands should not be left to the machinations of state government so … (8 comments)

hawaii: FIABCI's next Regional Congress, to be held at the Sheraton Waikiki in Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.A., from 23 to 25 October 2008. - 10/17/08 06:36 PM


The FIABCI Regional Congress of the Americas and Asia Pacific will be held from Thursday, 23 October to Saturday 25  2008 in Honolulu, Hawaii. The venue of the congress will be the Sheraton Waikiki.
FIABCI in an unprecedented move, will combine the Americas and Asia-Pacific regions, into a single Regional Congress. East will meet West as members from around the Pacific Rim and the world, will assemble in beautiful Hawaii.


FIABCI Hawaii Events Calender

Thursday, 23 October 2008Event: Business Contact LunchTime: 12:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Location: Kauai RoomReconnect with colleagues and meet new ones at FIABCI's expo … (4 comments)

hawaii: Inspired Color, Hawaiian Style: Natures Paint Swatches Vol IV - 09/23/08 06:05 PM
Here is volume IV of my blog series of nature inspired color. Both volume III and IV are featuring photos from the "Friendly Isle" of Moloka'i,  
The Photo He Manu or a bird, in this case a lovely female Hawaiian Cardinal who let me feed her by hand, gives a rich tonal palette of mauve, coffee, and coral. The white provides an excellent contrast to these deep earth tones and would make a great molding and trim color. If you were painting a living room for instance you could paint the walls sand with bright white trim, add dark coffee furniture with the coral and mauve as accent colors. If your … (11 comments)

hawaii: Inspired Color, Hawaiian Style: Natures Paint Swatches Vol III - 09/22/08 06:06 PM
To continue my blog series celebrating the colorful inspiration the natural world provides-I take you to the "Friendly Isle" of Moloka'i ,considered the least developed of the main Hawaiian Islands excluding Ni'ihau which is privately owned and Kaho'olawe which is riddled with unexploded ordinance (a result of years of military bombing practice and is not accessible to the general public).  
 
The photo Kaiapo is of the ocean at high tide and is an example of a monocromatic scheme of varying shades of blue. Monochromatic (single color) schemes are very calming to the eye and the use of blues offers a cool and relaxing … (7 comments)

hawaii: Harnessing the Mana o' Makani: Utilizing Hawaii's natural rescources - 09/16/08 07:22 PM

Ms. Noelani Kalipi, of First Wind, LLC. will be a featured speaker at the upcoming 7th Annual Native Hawaiian Convention on October 1, 2008 at 9:00 am. Kalipi will discuss how our community can reduce our dependence on fossil fuels with the hopes of achieving energy independence. As fuel costs and shipping costs rise, Hawaii's need to incorporate sustainable resource measures is more important then ever. Don't miss this opportunity to find out how wind energy can help meet Hawaii's energy needs. 
For additional information, contact 800.709.2642 or visit www.hawaiiancouncil.org.     
… (12 comments)

hawaii: A Night of GRAMMY Award Winning Music in Honolulu! - 09/16/08 07:17 PM

 
Great news for those of you who enjoy Hawaiian music. The nominees of the 2008 Best Hawaiian Music Album Category at the GRAMMY Awards will be performing along  with the featured performers on the Treasures of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar compilation at the opening night gala of the 7th Annual Native Hawaiian Convention on Sept. 30th 5:30 - 7:30 pm at the Hawaiian Convention Center. Featured performers will include: Keola Beamer, Raiatea Helm, Cyril Pahinui, and Tia Carrere, 
For more info call 800.709.2642 or visit www.hawaiiancouncil.org.
 
… (2 comments)

hawaii: Remembering past injustices, helps prevent them in the future: a memorial - 09/13/08 07:58 PM
 
In consideration of the current atmosphere of great political and social change here in the United States and in honor of the late Queen Lili'uokalani whose Birthday is celebrated this month, I have decided to post a memorial to our beloved queen and the last monarch of Hawaii nei, whose tribulations and abdication serve as a reminder that the machinations of certain American enterprises in the past and present are directly responsible for the distrust and contempt that some of the world has for this great nation we call the United States, today.
Although, we cannot undo the tragedy that was perpetrated upon the Hawaiian Kingdom and her native peoples; we … (3 comments)

hawaii: Selling an Unfinished Property and the Adventures of a Real Estate Investor! - 09/07/08 09:41 PM
Real Estate Merchandising, it's more than just staging?

The majority of my clients are Real Estate Investors, who for one reason or another want to sell their investment properties and need someone to prepare their properties for sale. Sometimes staging is involved, especially in turn key investments, but most of the time it is simply painting and replacing dated fixtures and carpet.
Sometimes investors have a small budget for improvements and they are anxious to sell but the property is unfinished or in very poor condition. The sellers agent knows it's going to be a difficult sell but with a … (18 comments)

hawaii: Questions for Kimo: Where's the best place to boogie board on Oahu? - 09/07/08 07:21 PM
Get Down and Boogie Oogie Oogie Board!
World famous Waikiki has many outdoor attractions to indulge in from surfing to shopping, sunbathing to snorkeling. One of Honolulu's premier boogie boarding breaks is located in Waikiki, at the Kuhio Beach Park pier just before Kapiolani Park.
 

The Pier at Kuhio Beach Park, Waikiki

Although, Oahu has some famous boogie boarding breaks like Sandy's, Makapu'u, and Pipeline to name few, these breaks can be very dangerous especially to tourists who are unfamiliar with the powerful rip tides and wave action that can pound Oahu's shoreline.
 
A view of … (1 comments)