Kailua Magazine 2009 Edition - Get it Before it's Gone!

One of the things I look forward to the most with my annual subscription to Honolulu Magazine is the Kailua edition that comes out every April.

Last year, I was fortunate enough to be interviewed for the magazine’s article, “Wanted: Kailua” by Catherine Toth, on Kailua real estate. They even featured a home that I sold and my clients in the article.

This year, the Kailua section featured the history of three very different Kailua families and 13 fun new things to do in Kailua. In the article “Kailua Generations,” by Jenny Quill told stories of the Kanentake, Rodrigues-Pope and Peters families of Kailua. I found intriguing the historic photos, including a 1952 picture of Mount Olomana, and wonder what it must have been like here, in the “old days.”

In the article on new things to do in Kailua, the writer, Ashley Hamershock, featured several new restaurants, merchants and activity providers, under the headings drink, eat, move and shop. I have tried several of the new places first-hand and found them to be quite good. In particular, Bob’s Pizzeria, Crepes No Ka Oi, and Kailua Town Pub and Grill, all casual eateries, with pretty good prices. Of the merchants, I’d recommend Little Sprouts, the new Eco-boutique for kids, featuring green clothing and products, and the Sweet Paradise Chocolatier, with delicious and beautiful chocolate treats, even some handpainted tropical delights.

The last Kailua article in the magazine was my favorite, however, because it so distinctly depicts much of my experience living in Kailua. Entitled “New Year’s Day,” the writer, Rachel Ross, describes what makes Kailua so special. Stranded o New Year’s Day with a flat tire, she hangs out for a while at the historical Kalapawai Market, just Mauka of the kitesurfing part of Kailua Beach, while the owner rides his bike home to get a pump to help fix her tire. She people watches (looking for Obama), interacts, and lives, even if for a brief moment in a “small town meets cosmopolitan” experience, which I completely understood. This is this specific location where I have my coffee almost every morning, so perhaps gives part an explanation of why I am so in love with Kailua.