Movement By Lydia

Every year on Memorial Day, Lantern Floating Hawaii is a ceremony that is held to remember and honor loved ones who are no longer here with us. Nearly 50,000 people make their way to Ala Moana to observe and participate in the ceremony, with many more watching on TV or live stream from home. In addition to the sending and floating lanterns, there is a beautiful ceremony featuring prayers and Hawaiian chants, hula, community leaders coming together, Buddhist and Western sounds, and other traditions. These all create a loving, supportive, and harmonious environment. Reporters from Japan There are countless lantern festivals that take place around the world. I had always wanted to attend one, so when I heard of the Lantern Floating Hawaii Ceremony, I knew I had to go. I had only been in Hawaii for about a week and was eager to experience everything Oahu had to offer. Some of my coworkers shared a similar mindset, so we decided to go down to Ala Moana on Memorial Day. Many ...

"Taste of Hawaii" is a new series of blog posts highlighting some of my favorite places to eat/drink in Oahu. To read more posts from my "Taste of Hawaii" series, please click here. ITCHY BUTT The name of this restaurant immediately catches your attention. Whether or not the words "itchy butt" make you hungry, they certainly pique your interest when seen as a restaurant name. If I had to take a guess, that's what the owners of Itchy Butt were going for. The name is definitely what drew me in... but I stayed for the food. Located across from Cartwright Neighborhood Park on the corner of Keeaumoku and Kinau, Itchy Butt is a hole in the wall place that serves Korean fried chicken in the Makiki area of Honolulu. When I say it's a hole in the wall place, I'm not kidding. Itchy Butt is super tiny and take-out only. You walk up to the little window to order, and everything is made-to-order. While you do have to wait (and there is no seating un...

One of the coolest parts about living on Oahu is the wide array of activities the island offers. Most people think of the beautiful beaches when they picture Hawaii, but one of my favorite things to do in Hawaii is hike! There are so many mountains with beautiful trails and views of the island. During my time in Hawaii, I plan to hike as a much as possible and document those hikes here on this blog. P.S. I apologize ahead of time for the low quality iPhone photos. It is hard to capture the beauty with a camera phone, and for me, it's more about being present in the moment and enjoying all the scenery around me. Hike 1: Kuli'ou'ou Ridge Trail  Recently, my coworkers and I hiked the Kuli'ou'ou Ridge Trail. The location of this trail is designated by the red pin on Google Maps in the photos. As you can see, it is located on the eastern side of Oahu. This hike offers an incredible view of Waimanalo, Hawaii Kai, and the windward side of Oahu.     Fast Fa...