The Ultimate Guide To The Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii always tops travelers’ lists, and the islands have become almost mythical in many would-be visitors’ eyes. But after deciding to visit America’s 50th state (which is always a good idea), where to go in Hawaii is the second most crucial step. There are a total of eight main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago in the North Pacific, though Niihau and Kahoolawe are forbidden to visitors. Of the remaining six—Hawaii Island, Kauai, Lanai, Maui, Molokai and Oahu—each island is unique in its ambiance and attractions, and all are perfect winter travel destinations.

Hawaii is renowned for its natural beauty, but the culture and heritage of the islands are equally enticing and waiting to be explored. We’ve categorized each island according to interests—whether you’re intrigued by tropical adventure, secluded luxury or cultural immersion, we have something for everyone in the list below. From the legendary surf of Oahu to the breathtaking mountains of Kauai, read on for your ultimate guide to the Hawaiian islands.

The Island of Hawaii is a must-visit for travelers yearning to reconnect with nature and experience what is known as the ‘old Hawaii’—as in, before the islands became as popular as they are today with tourists. The largest of the Hawaiian islands, the Island of Hawaii is nearly double the size of all the other islands combined, hence its nickname as the “Big Island.” Hawaii Island is also known as the Island of Discovery, and there’s much to explore in the island’s two distinct regions: the Kona and the Hilo areas of the island. Kona, located on the western side of the island, is sunnier and the volcanic landscape is home to coffee farms and breathtaking views of the Pacific—we recommend staying at Fairmont Orchid on the Kohala Coast, to maximize that tropical bliss. Explore the black sand coast of Punaluu Beach and visit the five-acre farm of Kona Natural Soap, located just south of Kona in the town of Holualoa, for a tour (and chocolate-tasting) with the charismatic owner, Greg Colden. King Kamehameha spent his last years in Kona, and you can get in touch with royalty yourself with a Hāloa ʻĀina Royal Hawaiian Sandalwood Tour  up in the highlands.

It rains more in Hilo, and travelers are advised to explore the waterfalls and tropical flowers that flourish on this lush part of the island. Check-in at the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel and explore the Haleolono fish pond before embarking on an ATV tour with the charismatic guides at The Umuama Experience. Afterward, head to the Temple Bar, the recently-opened craft beer & wine bar restaurant that’s a hit with visitors and locals alike. Additionally, the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, located 45 minutes to the south of Hilo, is a must-do for any traveler. Meanwhile, the Pōhāhā I Ka Lani Tour at Waipiʻo Valley Lookout is another can’t-miss activity (thanks to your fantastic hosts who share details about the island’s history and culture while you ascend to the overlook.) Finally, no matter where you are staying on the island, check out the schedule for Chef Brian Hirata’s pop-up dining experience, Na’au Hilo. The aim of the culinary project is “Ka ho’oilina malamalama,” which means enlightened through heritage. One meal will leave you with even more appreciative of the natural beauty of Hawaii Island—and how delicious its fruits can be. 

Fashion Books To Get You In The Fashion Week Mood

Fashion week, err, month is currently on its second half with the shows finishing in New York and London. Almost immediately Milan follows. Then culminating in Paris. While you may only be seeing the collections from your web browser, why not enhance the experience by adding these newly released fashion tomes to your library.

Before magazine circulation numbers started to decline resulting in the slashing of fashion editorial budgets, photoshoots to highlight the new fashions used to be lavish affairs. Some would take weeks to produce with a battalion of crew and trunks of clothes shipped to far-flung destinations to create what would become iconic visual memories. Vogue has contributed to many of these images and in this latest book, we get to see those pictures, which not only trace the evolution of fashion, but serve as a tourism commentary. There in the early years showed the advent of air travel, making it possible for editors to travel to exotic locales like Morocco, India and Turkey. There is Linda Evangelista doing tai chi in China just as the country was opening up to the rest of the world. See Christy Turlington show off a ruby red coat outside the Winter Palace before the USSR’s dissolution. And of course there’s Veruschka wearing a fur coat with a sumo wrestler in a snow covered Japanese landscape (A fashion sitting that would reportedly go down in the magazine’s history as the most expensive). Call this fashion escapism at its most fabulous.

                                                      Brudekjoler

The Best Back-To-College Women's Fashion and Accessories for 2019

Maybe your college countdown clock has been ticking since May, or perhaps it’s just begun. Either way, only a few weeks stand between you and another year of college life. With a future full of social events you may not even know about yet, and a closet lacking in space, you need to think carefully about what you pack for the next semester–or two.

You need maximum fashion and function with minimal cost. You need shoes that can carry you from the darty to the party, and accessories to make yesterday’s outfit seem ... not so yesterday.
                                                                   Evening Dresses

Meet Caroline Constas, A Female Founder In Fashion

It's the days leading up to Montréal Grand Prix and designer Caroline Constas is being fêted the by the luxury Canadian department store, Holt Renfrew, at their annual Grand Prix event.

She enters the party being held at the top floor of the Ritz Carlton, her statuesque framed draped in a long, white, strapless goddess-gown of her own design. Earlier in the day, she posted a photo of herself with her collection's display at the store with a caption that read, "Dreams to come true."

For Constas, this year's Grand Prix event is not only a dream come true, but it's also a homecoming of sorts. Being honored by the department store coincides with the Montréal native's 5th of year in business at the helm of her namesake label.

"I've been dreaming of working with them [Holt Renfrew] for years and years because growing up in Montréal, that was the place you aspired to shop," she says.

As a young fashion brand, to stay in business in a cutthroat industry after 5 years is, indeed, recognition-worthy. Constas, however, has done more than just stay in business—her brand is thriving, and the Holt Renfrew event is an acknowledgment of her success.

Her collection's whimsical-yet-elegant vibe is directly inspired by Constas' upbringing and globetrotting lifestyle, which is marked by life in New York, summers in Greece and inspiration trips to foreign countries.

"It started when I was 8 years old, and I was traveling to Greece every summer to visit family," she says. She is the daughter of a Greek-Lebanese father and an American mother who, through these visits, exposed her to the world from a very young age.

During her childhood travels, she found herself sketching the clothes she wanted to wear on her holidays, and over time she became aware of the keen eye she possessed for spotting trends that crossed borders.

"I was always very focused and aware of fashion and how fashion differed, and how it was similar across different cultures. I was able to see what was overlapping between different countries," she says.

A key factor to her success is that Constas herself is the ultimate muse for her brand—she knows her customer because she is her customer. "I start each season with the question: What do I want to wear that isn't in the market?" she says, admitting she is designing for herself first and foremost, knowing that women like herself will gravitate to what she's offering.

In addition, Constas is regularly featured on her company's social media in her designs and also posts pictures and musings from her personal travels. Images of her wearing her label bring the clothes to life in a way only she can, and the content, as a result, is a physical embodiment of the Caroline Constas brand story. She is undoubtedly one of her company's biggest assets.

In the beginning days of her label, it was this idea of creating clothes for her own personal lifestyle led to the creation of the Lou top, the design that put her name on the map.

Constas had always been searching for cotton shirting in feminine shapes and came up with an off the shoulder silhouette in a blue striped fabric traditionally used for dress shirts. An editor came in to view the collection, snapped a pic of the shirt and posted it to social media, which then led to Oprah's stylist pulling the shirt for a shoot. The next thing she knew, the Lou top was on the cover of O Magazine. "It was absolutely surreal," the designer says of the experience.

Engine flooded at the first Bedford Festival of Motoring

It's likely to have been the best Bedford Kite Festival yet, with much more on offer than previous years and thousands descending on Russell Park and the Embankment to enjoy the sunshine and attractions.

It was also the first Bedford Festival of Motoring, Canoe Trail were giving people a chance to try canoeing and kayaking and there's a dance tent live until 11pm tonight.

But it was a slip of a handbrake that appears to have caused the highlight for many.

As many cars and people started to head home, one Ford Focus RS owner moved his car to allow some flags anchored under his tyres to be removed.

He apparently said that he leant across to let the handbrake off and the slope was more than he expected.

Naturally gravity kicked in and the car sped down the bank and into the river opposite the Longholme Boat House.
It took a couple of hours for recovery vehicles to lift the customised car, said to be valued at £25,000, but a patient and eager crowd stayed on to watch it rise from the shallow River Great Ouse.

In a classic case of schadenfreude, one bystander, Tom, saw the unfortunate incident unfold: "I couldn't believe what was happening. It's the best entertainment we've ever had, and for free."

No one was said to have been hurt in the incident, although a couple of people on a park bench did have to get out of the way quite quickly.

The car owner also ended up in the river, but was helped out by some friendly kayakers.

The Kite Festival isn't over yet. The dance music tent will be entertaining people until 11pm and then it all starts again on Sunday at 11am with kite displays and activities in Russell Park and more cars along the Embankment.

Thousands tap into Powassan Maple Syrup Festival

You never know who or what you’ll see at the annual Powassan Maple Syrup Festival.

Chub Nadrofsky walked through the crowd dressed as Sappy, the festival mascot, encouraging people to head down to the Sportsplex to enjoy maple corn on the cob.

"We cook corn on the cob and then you can put maple syrup and butter on it," laughed Nadrofsky.

"I’ve been doing this for about 10 years on and off. You see the kids having fun, and I get to talk to a lot of people. With some people, it is the only time I get to see them."

That kind of good-natured, fun-filled attitude was evident at every turn at the 22nd annual festival.

Despite the early morning cold and flurries, people began arriving at 7 a.m. to enjoy a hearty pancake breakfast, a festival tradition.

By the end of the day, Powassan’s population of 3,200 was expected to swell to somewhere between 8,000 and 10,000.

"It is a great economic boost. It brings a lot of people from out of town and they get to see the great town of Powassan and what it has to offer. They check out the local stores and restaurants, so it is great for the community," explained festival chair Mike Odrowski.

The one-day festival draws people from as far away as London, Windsor, Timmins, and Sault Ste. Marie.

"We’re one of the largest one-day events here in Northern Ontario. Anything north of Barrie, we’re pretty much one of the largest ones," said Odrowski.


Over 150 vendors lined the main street and packed the Sportsplex.

"There is something here for all age groups. We have all kinds of fresh baked goods. Agriculture Canada is here with Maple the cow. Kids get to learn about dairy farming and how to milk a cow. We have the Great Canadian Lumberjack Show again this year, and there is great musical entertainment all day long. There are too many things going on to list," smiled Odrowski.   

Six of the vendors were local maple syrup producers.

Lori Costello co-owner of Bella Hill Maple Syrup has been bringing her tasty products to the festival for the past 11 years.

"It is the time of year when it is nice to get outside and usually the weather if fairly nice, although it is cold today. We even got snow this morning. But it is nice to get everyone together and celebrate," said Costello.

"The maple butter tarts are always a hit. We’ve had those for maybe the past five or six years. This year with our syrup, we have the Temagami tart master making maple butter tarts. There’s all different kinds, some with wild blueberries in them too."

For more than two decades the festival has become a spring ritual for families.

"I just like getting out and seeing what everyone has to offer, what they bring. It is just something I’ve done since I was a kid," said Powassan resident Ashley McLeod.

"It is always very friendly and there is always so many people, depending on the weather." 

Snow won't stop Stratford Garden Festival from sprouting

Even a significant amount of snowfall won't stop the Stratford Garden Festival from sprouting.

The 19th edition of the spring- and plant-themed event, presented by the Lung Association of Ontario, starts Thursday at the Rotary Complex and continues through the weekend. Despite several centimetres of precipitation falling Wednesday Janeen Collins-Dera, the lung association's community engagement co-ordinator for this region, said about 70 per cent of the gardens were already in place.

"It's all coming together beautifully," she said from the Rotary Complex with various vendors busy setting up in the background.

Tracy Brennan, the organization's manager of community engagement for this area, said the event serves as a reminder that "spring is just around the corner." The pair pointed out the festival appeals to gardening enthusiasts while also showcasing local talent.

"This is a very creative community and it's a chance for our landscapers to take a lead and work collaboratively together to create this festival," Brennan said. "We've got a wonderful array of gardening experts."

She added it offers a chance to glean some tips in a no-pressure environment.

"You get to dream a little bit," she said.

A long list of featured speakers is headlined by Mark Cullen and son Ben, who will be taking control of the podium Friday and Saturday at 12:30 p.m., respectively. They will both be speaking on their latest book Escape to Reality: How the World is Changing Gardening, and Gardening is Changing the World. Local speakers such as Jim Fitzgerald and Marty Klomp are also part of the 20-plus person lineup.

The event kicks off at noon Thursday and runs until 5 p.m. punctuated with an afternoon seniors' tea.

"A beloved community event," Brennan said. "When they come in and pay their admission they get a free coffee and a little biscuit."

It continues 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both Friday and Saturday and concludes 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

As for the lung aspect, Brennan said one in five Canadians have lung disease.

"And five out of five of us need to breathe," she said.

This local event has raised over $1 million for research and programs since its inception.

"It's pretty amazing," she said.

Local lung health support and exercise groups will be launched soon, Brennan said.

This year's theme is urban agriculture and small space gardening. Admission is $10 while children under age 12 get in free.

Welsh farmstead is rare medieval hall house, experts confirm

A Welsh farmhouse that was once in such poor condition that rainwater ran through its rooms is in fact an exceptionally rare 600-year-old medieval hall house, it has been confirmed, after conservation experts used a groundbreaking new dating technique originally developed by climate change scientists.

Llwyn Celyn, which lies in the Black Mountains on the border of England and Wales, was completed in 1420, an analysis of its timbers found, making it one of only a tiny number of domestic buildings to survive from one of the most destructive periods in Welsh history, immediately following the failed revolt of the Welsh prince Owain Glyndŵr.

Conservation experts from the Landmark Trust, who first encountered the building in a perilous state of disrepair but still inhabited by two farmers in 2007, initially believed it dated from much later in the 15th century. But repeated attempts to date its ancient timbers with tree ring analysis failed, in part because the technique is less effective on trees that have grown in a wet climate.

Instead, they turned to a technique developed in the geography department at Swansea University. Never before used on an undated historic building, it analyses the oxygen, hydrogen and carbon isotopes preserved within the cellulose of a tree’s rings to determine the climate conditions in which the tree grew.

Each ring has a distinctive isotope signal, which can be used to determine very precisely the age of the timber, even on samples that would be undateable by conventional methods.

The new technique will potentially be "transformative" for the dating of historic buildings and timbers back to the arrival of the Romans, and potentially into the Bronze Age, according to Neil Loader, a professor of geography at the university.