december • 2017 keiki cover model

Mahalo to ‘Aukai Thomas Walsh’s family for sharing his smile for our cover this month!

‘Aukai Thomas Walsh is six years old, and attends Papa Malaao Hawaiian Immersion kindergarten in Pa‘ia.

He enjoys wrestling for 808 Wrestling, and went to O’ahu for the state tournament and won his division!

He also likes studying Jiu Jitsu in Ha’iku. His favorite activities with his family are fishing, camping, and hunting on the weekends.

Mom shared, “In any hard situations, I can see the struggle in his eyes. But he is the one who never gives up, and he pushes on until he conquers it!”

 

sip me: brewing up success one cup at a time

At fifteen years old, Sip Me owner Laura Wentworth knew that someday she would open a coffee shop. At the time, she didn’t know when or where it would be, but she did know how she would operate it. “When I was a little girl growing up in Montana, my grandfather used to take me to a coffee shop called Clyde’s,” she recalls. “They knew all their customers, and treated them like members of the family. It really made an impression on me. So when I imagined what my coffee shop might be like, I knew it needed to have that same feeling.”

It took some 18 years for Laura’s dream to come true when, in June of 2015, she and then-partner Shannon Murphy opened Sip Me, a neighborhood coffee shop in historic Makawao. It had been a long and challenging 16-month journey for the pair of would-be entrepreneurs. “I’d never worked a day in the service industry, and neither had Shannon, before we opened Sip Me,” Laura says. “The bank people just laughed at us. Imagine two girls with no service experience, and no real business experience, wanting to open a coffee shop in Makawao, at the end of the street, no less!”

let it snow! returns to maui; grammy winner kalani pe‘a performs

Back by popular demand, Queen Ka‘ahumanu Center will again transform into a giant snow globe with its award-winning “Let it Snow!” snowfall experience. Let it Snow! Returns on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from December 2 through 23, with a special live performance on December 5 by Grammy winner, Kalani Pe‘a who will debut his new holiday song to the Maui community. Let it Snow! will also serve as a fundraising backdrop for several non-profit organizations.

“We were amazed by the incredible support and tremendously positive response we received from the community with our ‘Let it Snow!’ show last year, and to have Kalani Pe‘a honor us with his beautiful voice,” said Toni Rojas, director of marketing for Queen Ka‘ahumanu Center. “Our goal is to help families and friends create heart-warming memories and traditions they will cherish and talk about. We are doing just that and giving back to our local community.”

celebrate the holidays at hui no‘eau visual arts center

Hui Holidays 2017
November 20 – December 24, 2017
Open Daily 9am – 4pm; FREE
Shop late on December 6, 13 & 20 / 4 – 7pm

Hui Holidays artisan showcase returns with a winter wonderland of local and handmade items for everyone on your list! During this magical season, the Hui gift shop expands to include even more one-of-a-kind handmade gifts by local artists and crafters like paintings, ceramic pieces, hand-blown glass work, locally made beauty products, holiday ornaments and more! Visit http://www.huinoeau.com for more information.

HANDMADE HOLIDAYS WORKSHOPS:

Blow Your Own Maui Glass Ornament

Available on Wednesdays from 10am – 1pm by reservation. Experience some holiday magic and create a beautiful glass ball ornament! Each participant will walk away with an incredible personalized glass ornament—ready to give as a gift or to display in your home. Over approximately 30 minutes, you will choose the colors for your unique glass ball, learn about basic tools and techniques, and even try your hand at some of the process! No experience is required and you’ll have lots of help and guidance from Teaching Artist Stephen Fellerman. Note: Pieces will be available for pick up 24-48 hours after class; flat rate shipping is also available on request at an additional charge.

Tuition & Supply Fee: $95 per person