Let’s Talk Food: Big Island Chocolate Festival
Make plans to attend the 11th annual Big Island Chocolate Festival held from April 25 to 27 at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort &Spa.
Nice: Laid-back capital of the French Riviera
Ahundred years ago, bigwigs from London to Moscow began flocking south to the French Riviera and the sun-drenched city of Nice. They came to socialize, gamble, and escape the dreary weather at home, and ended up creating Europe’s first tourist boom. Today, this classy resort town is a popular fun-in-the-sun destination that caters to everyone.
Volcano Watch: HVO and collaborators continue seismic surveys across the active volcanoes of Hawaii
The Island of Hawai‘i is one of the most seismically active regions in the world. In the last five years, an average of 600-1200 earthquakes per week have been detected by the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. This regular rumble of activity across the island can be used to our advantage to assess the hazards that Kilauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes represent.
Tropical Gardening: April showers to bring spring flowers
As the sun gets stronger, many shrubs, trees and especially vines can grow at a rapid pace. This makes vines great for covering unsightly fences like concrete or chain link. Good fences and hedges make good neighbors goes the old saying, and maybe in the old days it was the case. Stone walls are traditional and impressive, but expensive. Today, we have so many choices that an unattractive fence or hedge might create all kinds of neighbor problems depending on type of material used.
Diabetes Quick Fix: Hot Pepper Chicken with Sweet Pepper Potatoes
Hot pepper and honey make this a sweet and spicy, quick chicken dinner. Sweet potatoes cooked with fresh red bell peppers make an unusual and surprisingly quick side dish.
Let’s Talk Food: Let’s eat healthy
According to Conde Nast Traveler, the ten healthiest countries in the world are as follows:
Volcano Watch: STEM and suction solutions at HVO
STEM is an acronym that stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. In the educational system, encouraging STEM curriculum prepares students for future careers in STEM fields. In this “Volcano Watch” article, we’ll describe how aspects of STEM are applied at the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, using a specific example of field engineering work.
Tropical Gardening: Easter lilies may be saved for next year
Easter 2024 has passed but like the Easter lily you received, it may be resurrected after appearing dead. Easter reminds us that life is a cycle of what appears to be death and rebirth. In cooler climates, it is what we learn by observing plants that go dormant in the winter only to sprout anew in the spring. Bulbs like crocus and daffodils are examples.
Plant of the Month for April 2024: Pua Kenikeni
Seeing lots of beautiful pua kenikeni lei in Hilo for Merrie Monarch, is encouragement to grow my own. You too might want to consider growing this lovely, delicate and very fragrant flower in your garden.
A dozen ways to devil your eggs
Deviled eggs — the darlings of church suppers and potlucks — may sound retro, but when served at a fancy cocktail soiree, those eggs disappear long before the canapés. You’ll be hard-pressed to see a leftover deviled egg.
Let’s Talk Food: My favorite knives
Yes, I have a weakness for knives. When I see a knife that looks interesting, odds are that I will purchase it. I have been to many knife and sword shops in Japan, just intrigued at the craftsmanship in knife making. My son is the same way, so we have a collection of knives for every possible use: a sashimi, citrus, bread, several chef’s, several paring, a couple of bird beak, utility, boning, santoku and nakiri knives.
Add some interest to your walls
While white walls allow for the greatest amount of flexibility. There is still the desire to add both color and interest to help make a room finished with color and texture. Beyond the traditional accent wall there are some other options that include wallpaper and even wall stickers.
Tropical Gardening: Easter healing gardens create peace of mind
What has the Easter Bunny and eggs have to do with Easter? The return of Jesus after the crucifixion has little to do with bunnies and eggs. However, the concept of rebirth and resurrection was based on the pagan holiday of Eostra that celebrated new life and fertility. Early Christians connected the two events and thus we celebrate with joy rather than sorrow.
Gretchen’s table: Spicy lamb stir-fry makes for a quick and easy Ramadan meal
Lamb is a favorite seasonal dish in the early days of spring, often showing up on the table as a roast or chops with mint sauce at Easter.
Let’s Talk Food: Sweet bell peppers
Sweet bell peppers, or Capsicum annum, have a deceiving name because although they are peppers, they have zero SHU, or Scoville Heat Units.
Tropical Gardening: Many palms figure in human history for thousands of years
This Sunday is Palm Sunday and is celebrated by Christians world wide. It is said to be the day that Jesus entered Jerusalem riding a donkey to celebrate Passover. He was greeted by a great crowd acclaiming him by waving date palm branches and shouting ”Hosanna,” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”
Volcano Watch: Establishing a nascent monitoring program on Pico Basile Volcano, Equatorial Guinea
In 2012, steam began to rise from beneath the cracked concrete of a telecommunication station at the summit of Pico Basile volcano on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea, in western Africa. The steaming lasted several days and extended to two nearby summit craters.
Breadcrumbs (yes, breadcrumbs) are the star of this pasta dish
Leave it to the Italians to create spectacular dishes with the most ordinary staples.
Let’s Talk Food: First day of spring
Today is the first day of spring, marking the vernal equinox. The sun crosses the celestial equator going south to north. The Northern and Southern Hemispheres receive roughly equal amounts of sunlight; neither hemisphere is tilted more toward or away from the sun than the other.
Businesses are ready for April’s total solar eclipse with celestial-themed doughnuts and beer
NEW YORK — Eclipse-themed beer. Jewelry and ornaments. And doughnuts that capture the sun’s disappearing act with the help of buttercream frosting.