Therapy animals bring joy and comfort to Maui’s elderly and disabled

Shannon Dominguez works at least 70 hours per week at Upcountry Maui’s Haku Baldwin Center.She directs a popular community program called Animal-Assisted Therapy. Several times per week, she loads up her truck with a menagerie of well-trained animals–including dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, ducks & chickens–and visits people who are elderly, infirmed or disabled. Her therapy animals bring [...]

Chef Peter Merriman’s picks for handmade Hawaiian treats

Looking for unique gift ideas? Here are some lost-cost “locavore” treats made locally on Maui. Most are available for about $10-$20. Chef Peter Merriman’s picks for handmade Hawaiian treats.

Purely Hawaiian Liquor, ‘Okolehao

Native Hawaiians use taro root for more than making poi. They also make liquor, a potent distillation of ti called ‘Okolehao (prn OH-koh-lay-how). Haleakala Distillers, located Upcountry Maui, starting brewing their own 80-proof version in December 2009. It’s been described as a cross between rum and sipping tequila, with a hint of flavor unique to the islands. Here’s my favorite Okolehau drink recipe.

Poetic aerial fireworks warning labels

What to expect from aerial fireworks described in a poetic style on the warning and performance labels.

Kilauea volcano, fertility and miscarriage

In American culture, we have few words or concepts to help mothers grieve their lost children who were not fully formed. Perhaps we can adopt the concepts of mizuko and jizo, just as the Japanese women have adopted Pele.