What to Shop

Kong Lung Trading-  This is the most original store on Kauai or in the world for that matter.  It’s the gem of the Kong Lung Historic Center which at one time was the Old Kilauea Sugar Plantation company store.  The historic center features several stores and restaurants and is worth a stop on the way to Princeville.  The store is curated by owner Patty Ewing, with an ever changing selections of gifts, décorative items for the home, accessories and apparel.  The product mix assures that you’ll find a gift for everyone in your family.  Kong Lung Trading is located in Kilauea, Kauai, 808-828-1822  www.konglung.com

To read the entire story on Kauai by James A. Barraclough click here.

Saturday, October 15 •3-7PM

Entry $30 adults/$10 Keiki

Common Ground Kaua’i (outdoor stage area)

An outdoor concert featuring Led Kaapana and Mike Kaawa (Led just received the Nation’s highest honor in Traditional and Folk Arts, a NEA Heritage Fellowship)

• Opening artists Burning Bush and Iris Downey
• Hula with Ka Ipu Ha’a o Kekau’ilani Na Pua Hala o Kau’ai with Kumu Hula, Puna Kalama Dawson
• Closing artists Children of the Land with drumming and fire dancing

ALL PROCEEDS GO TO NATURAL BRIDGES SCHOOL FOR YOUNG CHILDREN
we are an all parent operation.

Tom Pickett is always giving back to his beloved Kilauea Town. His “Kilauea Book Shelf” alone has raised enough funds to re-hire the part time reading teacher that had recently been laid off from Kilauea School. Tom has also installed an energy efficient solar hot water heater and replaced all of his bulbs with LED bulbs—both at great cost to him—to ease the need for power and the stress of producing that power here on Kauai.

Matt Ernsdorf of the Lighthouse Bistro has stopped using any sort of take-away containers even for doggy bags for dine-in customers. “It is such a huge burden on the landfill and such an unnecessary waste of resources to create these containers. Even if you use recyclable containers, the energy needed to produce and ship them is overwhelming. So we aren’t gonna do it. People can bring in Tupperware, whatever. We just need to stop wasting so much.” Additionally Matt has taken used liquor and wine bottles and created candle holders. Of course he only uses the really cool looking ones, the rest go to recycling.

Matt and Tom are leading by example and making a difference. To that we all say MAHALO.

October 9, 2011 @ 5 pm
At the Kilohana Plantation Luau Pavilion

A beneift concert for Kauai Ocean Safety featuring:

Taj Mahal & The Hula Blues Band
Donavon Frankenreiter
John Cruz
Augie T & Frank De Lima
Andy Bumatai
Master Hypnotist Tina Marie

Donation Drawing • Live/Silent Auction • 21 years old+

Tickets are $65 available at Times Markets, Big Save Markets or at KauaiFirstWave.org

The Lighthouse Bistro in the Historic Kong Lung Market Center presents the Desperado Orchestra.  This duo consisting of J Lawson and Elizabeth Fong. The two joined forces to bring together an eclectic blend of diverse sounds. Both J and Elizabeth show their proficiency (J Lawson as a percussionist/guitarist and Elizabeth Fong as a string player) as performers, composers and generators of new thought through a collaborative effort to create a balance of melody and rhythm. They draw a clear path of inspiration from popular American music and World music influences.

Live music starts at 6:30 p.m. inside the Lighthouse Bistro.

For more info on the Desperado Orchestra visit their Facebook page or their web site.

For more information on the Lighthouse Bistro please visit lighthousebistro.com, Historic Kong Lung Market Center’s site, or call the Bistro at 808-828-0480

Farmers from the north shore of Kauai bring food and plants for the Church of the Pacific food pantry.

Volunteers at this Kauai food pantry give away a healthy dose of aloha with every basket of food.

by Dr. Colleen Carroll/naturetalks.net | photography by Kenny Gibbs/happyhourdesign.com

For one day every week an incredible abundance of food and good people come together to be sure that their community on the north shore of Kauai is fed. For this group it’s not important who you are, how much or how little money you have. No one is standing there to check your credentials and decide if you need food. All you need to do is show up and share in the generosity and hospitality of the Church of the Pacific Food Pantry.

Church of the Pacific expands Community Garden with the help of the Kauai North Shore Lyons Club.

It’s been just six months since I last visited Pooku Community Garden (see story here) and the garden has grown up to match the vision of its hardest workers, Gabrielle Pla and John Burkhouse. Several fantastic boons have fallen in the path of the garden–garden angels they might be called. The first is Kevin, a former participant in the pantry who now dedicates his time to creating an organic garden filled with abundant, sustainable produce. Kevin takes the Kauai Community College Growing Food Seminar Series and uses the Pooku Community Garden to employ new ideas from the class topped with his own gardening know how. He is a big advocate of companion planting and uses plants to help each other out to get the nutrition they need. For example, he grew corn for the pantry and planted pole beans at the end of the season allowing them to ramble over the dying stalks and use the old corn as a prop while they decompose. Corn is a heavy nitrogen user and beans will put nitrogen right back in the soil.

Strawberries and chocolate mint. What a delicious sounding combination. Well, it’s not only delicious to the palate but the mint Kevin says, “especially chocolate mint–deters ants and of course ants love strawberries.” Basil and oregano intercropped with kale and leafy greens helps keep some of the nibblers away. And so it goes.

The garden is based on permaculture methods, and organic practices with the goal of all organic. They don’t use chemical pesticides or herbicides — only natural methods are employed. A gift of synthetic fertilizer was donated to the garden and they use that sparingly. Once it is gone they will use only organic. They also rely on crop rotation; if they plant a heavy feeder directly after that they will plant a heavy depositor or nitrogen fixer such as cowpeas or another legume.

Another big boon to the garden was the selection by the North Shore Lyons Club as the recipient of a Weinberg Foundation Grant and 100 volunteer hours. At the end of June over 60 people joined together to create the expanded garden, with irrigation. The group plowed and tilled and planted the rows of crops. In just three weeks they are already harvesting from the new area.
Volunteers talk about the garden saying the best thing is, “we feed a lot of people.” Currently 230 to 250 people participate in the food pantry every week. The lead team believes that if you don’t have the basics of good nutrition and health then how can you get a car, a phone, a home or a job? They offer a helping hand along with a basket of nutrient packed foods.

John talks about his philosophy on volunteering and the intention of creating a place filled with the spirit of giving. “Be here if you want to. Come and join us in doing something good for the community. It’s not about money; it’s not about the church it’s not even about food. It is about sharing from the heart.” Volunteers interested in doing some Good Samaritan work are always welcome. Call Gabrielle at 808-639-2146 to join in on pantry day or to help in the gardens…all produce is grown for the giveaway programs.

NatureTalks offers presentations perfect for community gardeners and membership drives. See the power of plants to transform communities to learn more!

The Historic Kong Lung Market Center has yet another reason to stop by—SHAVE ICE!

The shave ice stand is currently open Wed. -Sunday from 12-4 and is closed on Mondays and Tues.

Taste of Hawaii Voting Results, 2011

Favorites:

SEAFOOD

Lighthouse Bistro

Chef Joseph Caulfield

Ginger-crusted fish on sweet potato round

And the rest of the winners:

VEGETARIAN

Sukhothai

Chef Jintana Roberts

Thai summer roll

MEAT & POULTRY

Tiano’s Restaurant & Bakery

Chef Joel Navasca

Prime Rib, Short Ribs and dessert

DESSERT

Lappert’s Aloha Ice Cream

Brad Chikahiro, Gelato Master

PEOPLES CHOICE

Casa di Amici

Chef Randall Yates

FAVORITE NEW DISCOVERY

Passion Bakery Cafe

Michael Sterioff, Baker/Owner

BEST PRESENTATION

The Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui

Tylun Pang, Executive Chef

BEST ALOHA SPIRIT

Party Sushi

Chef Ed “Scooby” Coloma

BEST DECORATED

The Eastside Restaurant

Chef Jonathan Pflueger

BEER

Kona Brewing

WINE

Barefoot Wines

NON-ALCOHOLIC

Jamba Juice

Kilauea Bakery & Pau Hana Pizza is celebrating their 20th year in business.

There was a big celebration Saturday July 9. A couple musicians—The Mango Brothers and Allan Thomas—played on the Lanai, the bakery was decorated and the crew gave away cookies all day. (Now you are bummed you missed it, right?

For more info on Kilauea Bakery & Pau Hana Pizza visit their page on the Historic Kong Lung Market Center’s site: konglungkauai.com/shops-kilauea-bakery-and-pau-hana-pizza.html
or visit their blog: kilaueabakery.wordpress.com

Wine blog thebestofwines.com did a nice write up on Kauai. In their post they mention Ant Hill Pinot Noir, which of course is a big draw among wine-heads, reinforcing that owner Pam Saindon knows her stuff.

Read More…

http://thebestofwines.com/wine-grapes/pinot-noir/hawaiian-wine-country-thats-right-making-wine-in-kauai-1979#more-1979