Ko Olina Beachfront Penthouse

HawaiiSlam’s First Thursday Poetry Slam will take place next Thursday, October 8, at 8:30 pm.  The event will be hosted at the Fresh Cafe Warehouse on Queen Street, about 30 minutes from Ko Olina.  In addition to local poets, performers will include national touring poets, painters, and musicians.

Admission costs $3 before 8:30 pm and $5 after, and the event is open to people of all ages.  Food and drinks will be available from the cafe.  For more information, check out hawaiislam.com.

Rated number one on Trip Advisor, Uncle Bryan’s Sunset Surf School offers surfing lessons on Oahu’s North Shore for students of all experience levels.  Whether you’ve surfed for years and are looking to perfect your technique or you’re interested in testing the water for the first time, this surf academy has qualified instructors eager to share tips and tricks.  Group and individual lessons are available.

For more information or to make an online booking, check out http://surfnorthshore.com/.

Criterion, an exhibition produced by artist Calvin Collins, is currently hosted by the Gallery of Hawaiian Artists (GoHA).  Honolulu-based Collins has gained much of his inspiration from observations of the life around him as well as the film “Criterion”.  His exhibit explores psychology, imagery, and emotion through many different artistic media.

The gallery is located on Kalakaua Avenue, about 30 minutes from Ko Olina.  For more information, visit http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gallery-of-Hawaii-Artists-GoHA/90290688897.

Chef Russell Siu, head chef of 3660 on the Rise, says the restaurant’s award winning streak can be credited to its creative, casual approach.  Winner of the ‘llima People’s Choice Award 3 years in a row, 3660 on the Rise is best known for fusion cuisine that merges island, European, and Asian flavors.  Some favorite dishes include the pan seared hatcho miso glazed scallop appetizers and tempura farm raised catfish.

For more information or to check out a menu, visit www.3660.com.   Call (808) 737-1177 to make a reservation.

Kualoa Ranch, located just beside Kualoa Regional Park on Oahu’s Windward Coast, about 50 minutes from Ko Olina, is a sacred historical site.  In addition to the beach views, movie sites, and jungle expeditions, visitors to Kualoa Ranch can take a horseback riding tour that explores the Ka’a’awa Valley, the site where Jurassic Park and several other Hollywood successes were filmed.

One and two hour horseback tours are available, as well as a 5 minute introduction for children too young to participate in the general tours.  The one hour tour costs $69, and the two hour tour costs $99.  For more information, visit www.kualoa.com.

The Broadway production of Young Frankenstein is playing now at the Manoa Valley Theatre, about 30 minutes from Ko Olina.  Based on the 1818 novel written by Mary Shelley, the play explores the implications of a scientist successfully bringing a corpse to life.  The play itself is set in the format of a musical comedy.

The show begins at 7:30 pm on Thursdays, 8 pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and 4 pm on Sundays.  Tickets cost $35 for adults, $30 for military and seniors, and $20 for youth.  For more information, check out manoavalleytheatre.com.

Part of the Alan Wong restaurant series, the Pineapple Room is located in downtown Honolulu, just 30 minutes from Ko Olina.  Restauranteur and culinary innovator, Alan Wong manages several restaurants around the world and acts as a driving force behind the annual Hawaii Food and Wine Festival.

The Pineapple Room is designed to combine plantation elegance with ethnic Hawaiian flavors.  Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, favorites on the menu include the Kiawe Grilled Kalbi Short Ribs and the Pineapple Room Burger, featuring a unique avocado salsa.

For more information or to check out the menu, visit http://www.alanwongs.com/node/175.

The second annual Hawaii Food and Wine Festival will take place this weekend at the Modern Hawaiian, Halekulani (Hilton Hawaiian Village Resort and Spa), just 30 minutes from Ko Olina.  The festival will feature world-renowned chefs, culinary personalities, and spirit producers for a weekend filled with good food, good wine, and good conversation.  Many of the dishes featured will emphasize fresh, local ingredients ranging from fruits and vegetables to meat to seafood.

Events will begin on Thursday, September 6 and last until September 9.  For more information or to purchase tickets, check out www.hawaiifoodandwinefestival.com.

Rainforest to the Reef, a tour led by Oahu Tour group, is a bike, hike, sail, and snorkel adventure that takes you across Oahu.  The tour begins in a tropical rainforest in Manoa Valley, about 30 minutes from Ko Olina.  A narrated nature hike is designed to introduce you to the flora and fauna characteristic of Hawaii.  Afterwards, the tour takes a brief mountain bike ride and a sail off Waikiki and Diamond Head.  Depending on the weather conditions, guests have the option to snorkel and swim.

Tours begin at 9 am.  Tickets cost $159.95 for adults and $99.95 for children and can be purchased online at http://www.oahutours.net or by phone at (888) 848-0733.

Pearl Harbor, the site of the infamous attacks by Japanese military in 1941, is a large US naval base located in Oahu.  Just thirty minutes from Ko Olina, visitors typically begin at the Pearl Harbor Visitor’s Center before taking a guided tour or solo visit to the USS Arizona Memorial, USS Bowfin Submarine, USS Missouri Battleship, and Pacific Aviation Museum.  The somber memorials stand as a testament to the 2400 American troops killed and 1200 wounded.

Ferries to the USS Arizona leave regularly from 8 am to 3 pm daily.  Tickets are limited, so check out www.pearlharboroahu.com if you’re interested in making a reservation.  Guided tours generally range in price from $69.99 to $119.99 per person.