Last Friday marked May 1st and the beloved Hawaiian holiday, Lei Day. I had plans to attend the Lei Day celebration in Waikiki, but when it finally rolled around I was in a little bit of a funk. The last thing I felt like doing on this beautiful spring day was celebrating, but I made a plan and I was going to stick to it. When I arrived at the festivities on Waikiki Beach in front of the Royal Hawaiian and Outrigger hotels, I was greeted by a scene of smiling faces, as elegant women danced hula and a soft tropical breeze carried the scent of fresh plumerias. The charmed voices of Danny Kaleikini, Anuhea and other local musicians filled the air, as we paid tribute to the admired beach boys of Waikiki, past and present. I love these guys and girls; their warm grins and genuine salutations of "Aloha" make my day when I'm walking the beach in the 96815. Despite feeling a little down in the dumps, May 1st in my favorite place was turning out to be absolutely lovely. It was really hard to not be hopeful in this setting, no matter what I was going through. When a helicopter flew overhead and dropped hundreds of orchids on the crowd, I knew everything was going to be ok and not just on Lei Day.
The Zimmermanns
It is almost impossible to live in Hawaii and not maintain an active lifestyle. Ever stop and really take a look around? It seems like everyone is either running, biking, surfing, swimming, hiking, on their way to or just finishing up some sort of workout. Maybe that's why the people of Hawaii are known for their friendly, easygoing demeanor; we spend a lot of time working out the kinks and increasing our dopamine! When I moved back to the 96815 after a few sluggish years in NYC, I was looking for a new perspective for my mind, body and soul, which led me to the Zimmermanns. I'm not really one for indoor gyms with fancy equipment, so the HI Life Athletics outdoor workouts, led by the fit power couple, Marc and Sara Zimmermann, seemed like my perfect get-in-shape match. On any given day, alternating between Kapiolani Park or Ala Moana Beach Park, in the company of swaying palm trees and ocean views, you can find one of their total body workout classes taking place.
Marc, a former professional soccer player from Germany, has years of educational fitness experience and an extensive list of certifications, from nutrition to sports rehabilitation. Boot camp with Marc can be pretty intense, but, in the end, rewarding. Attend a few classes a week and you'll be looking svelte and feeling strong in no time, not to mention positively improving your mind and body. When he isn't leading a group of sweaty, happy participants, Marc provides private personal training sessions to select clientele in their homes and in the beautiful Hawaiian outdoors.
Between all the burpees, push ups, and squats in boot camp, strengthen your body's foundation, increase flexibility and relieve stress with yoga, core and yogalates with Marc's better half, Sara. Her lifelong passion for health and well being comes through with every movement. Sara recently and officially launched "Kova Yoga," her own brand of Vinyasa-based practice, that uniquely combines a fluid, fast-paced style, while focusing on alignment. Kova Yoga also provides teacher trainings, where aspiring yogis can choose from two different class structures to gain the knowledge, confidence and certification they need to begin leading on their own. Sara describes her practice as being for EVERYBODY and EVERY BODY. According to Sara, "you don't have to be flexible or a Buddhist to practice Kova Yoga, nor do you have to study Sanskrit names for hundreds of poses. Yoga doesn’t have to be a way of life, it can just be something good you do for your mind and body; but if you keep practicing, it WILL change your life."
It is Sara and Marc's shared enthusiasm for healthy living that led them to each other. They were part of the same social circle during a stint in LA. Sara says, "we probably passed each other on runs before and thought, 'hmm that person is cute.'" It wasn't until a year or so down the road, when Marc was working as a National Fitness Manager for SportsFit World by MS Dhoni in India that he offered Sara a teaching opportunity half a world away. She accepted and today they reside together with their beautiful daughter, Zoey, and adorable kitten, Ipo, in the heart of the 96815, a place they previously and presently both hold dear. When they aren't encouraging you to hold that pose for 30 seconds longer or to complete one more set of sit ups, they can be found at home, picking fruits and veggies from the yard, mastering new workouts and being a perfectly fit, healthy family.
The 96815 Tip: Looking to get in shape with Sara and Marc? Visit www.hilifeathletics.com and sign up for their monthly unlimited group class membership for only $39! If you are just visiting the 96815 and want to check it out, drop into a class for $10.
For all the info on Kova Yoga, including teacher training, visit www.kovayoga.com.
Photography of Sara and Marc at home by Jessica Tronoski
Newt
Tucked away in the Coconut Grove of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel is the prestigious international hatter, Newt. Inside this famous, hidden gem you will find the most gorgeous Panama Hats this side of the Pacific and perhaps the entire world. Handmade in Ecuador near the town of Montecristi, artisans spend months tightly weaving together the shredded dried toquilla plant stems to produce the silky, linen like finished sombrero. I know what you are thinking: a Panama hat made in Ecuador? Turns out, the famed hat was incorrectly named in a headline describing a photograph of President Teddy Roosevelt: "President Wears Panama Hat at Panama Canal Opening." And so, The owners of Newt, Jim and Lee, make the trip a few times per year to Ecuador, not Panama, to hand select a limited collection of fine headwear. From South America they are shipped off to Chicago, where they are formed by a master blocker into a variety of styles available at the shop in Waikiki.
On our trip to Newt, Ron, the friendly hat connoisseur, perfectly fitted me with each style. I fell in love with the playful French Press and the classic Fedora. I am still not settled on if I prefer to wear my Fedora European or American style. European is placed lower on the brow, rising slightly up towards the back. For American, the brim sits a touch higher, slightly titled to the side. Either way, I have never worn something that not only instantly upgraded my outfit, but completely changed my world and perspective. Life under this hat was divine and glamorous. It is no wonder that the polariods adorning the walls of Newt include famous clientele like Pierce Brosnan and Patty Labelle. While we were visiting the 29 year old shop, a customer from a quarter century ago stopped in to try on the latest styles. She found there weren't any. Seems her hat, still in perfect, wearable condition, stood the fashion test of time. Newt - a true classic.
The 96815 Favorite - If I had to pick just one, my favorite is the Fedora with feather hat band. The peacock feathers are sewn by hand on the friendly island of Molokai by an expert, local craftswoman. Newt hat prices range from $200 to $15,000 depending on style and weave.
Newt, 9am to 9pm Daily, ph. 808-922-0062, The Royal Hawaiian Hotel, 2259 Kalakaua Ave, the 96815.
Photography by Ijfke Ridgley
Waikiki Wandering
It's the candid, less planned days wandering around the 96815 that I enjoy the most. I'm never really sure what I'll discover or what beautiful moment I might be lucky enough to capture. On this day back in March, I walked into Waikiki to check out the Honolulu Festival Parade. During the annual three day festival, artisans from Japan, Australia, Tahiti, Philippines, Taiwan, Korea and Hawaii gather in Honolulu to celebrate the rich, diverse cultures of the Pacific Rim through art and dance. On Sunday, the last day, thousands of locals and travelers lined Kalakaua Ave to watch the magnificent parade of performers and colorful floats dance their way through Waikiki. I was taking in the sights near Beach Walk and happened to pop into Henry's Place to try their famous homemade ice cream. This spot doesn't look like much - it resembles a little bodega, the kind found on almost every street corner in New York City. Inside they offer freshly cut tropical fruits, sandwiches and those famous white styrofoam cups with handwritten labels filled with not-too-sweet, and absolutely delicious ice cream. The incognito dessert has become a favorite for sun baked beach goers looking to cool down on those hot, sunny south shore days. While they have a million flavors to choose from, including Avocado and Ube Yam, I enjoyed the Pineapple Coconut flavor. Lump the pup agreed - it was pretty tasty. After our ice cream, we took in a little more of the parade before heading home. I wish we could have stayed longer to see the lanterns and floats light up the night sky. Back at my apartment, I heard the bang of a spectacular fireworks show, marking the end of yet another Honolulu Festival. Next year, I won't be watching with envy from my window.
Henry's Place, 7am to 10pm Daily, 234 Beach Walk, the 96815.
