Ohana Music Together

My girls have always had a love for music. Whether it be on television, on the radio, or a CD in the car. Once they hear the music they can’t help but sing and dance along. That’s why we were very interested when we learned about a company called Music Together which has a local location right in Pearl City – Ohana Music Together.

Music Together is an internationally recognized early childhood music program for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, kindergarteners, and the adults who love them. First offered to the public in 1987, it pioneered the concept of a research-based, developmentally appropriate early childhood music curriculum that strongly emphasizes and facilitates adult involvement. – courtesy of Music Together

Ohana Music Together recently invited Kaila and I to participate in their music class with the school’s owner Becky Andrew. From the moment Becky contacted me I was very impressed with her warmness. When you walk into her class she is all smiles and very inviting which I really appreciated since Kaila and I were sitting in with a group that had already been together for 5 weeks. We were kind of like the new kids in school. And the fact that I had to wake Kaila up from her nap when we got there didn’t make things any easier on me.

The Music & Movement Class lasts for 45 minutes which I thought was the perfect amount of time since it takes Kaila a little while to warm up to people she doesn’t know. The classroom itself is a square carpeted room which allows for intimacy and security knowing that if your child got restless he/she can’t get very far. There’s also a “potty” room conveniently located.

During the class we were introduced to various types of music including one in Spanish. Each song was accompanied by body movements or props like scarves, balls, toy instruments, and stretchy bands. Kiana’s favorite activity was playing with the musical instruments. When Becky dumped out the box Kiana made a beeline for her favorite – the drums.

I was impressed by how many instruments there were to choose from with duplicates of most of them. I thought this was great since we all know how children this age can sometimes be very selective about which toy they’d like to play with. Having multiples of the same instrument ensures that there are no conflicts.

What I also noticed was that every single minute was used to it’s full advantage whether it was humming musical tones while cleaning up the toys or “blowing” the lights on and off during the wind-down time. In this class you pay for a full 45-minute class. Not a moment is wasted.

However, what I liked best about Ohana Music Together is their flexibility. They understand that not every child will engage with the songs in the same way and they are very open to letting kids play and learn at their own pace. The only thing that they ask is that the parent participate to show their children how much fun music and learning can be.

In the end, Kaila & I had a great time! Ohana Music Together gave us a new appreciation of music, tones, and melodies as well as an opportunity to get out of the house and participate in a playgroup like environment. It’s just what we needed to spend some quality time together!

Kaila & Becky Andrew

Ohana Music Together
941 Kamehameha Highway, Pearl City
2051 Young Street, Honolulu
$225 for (10) 45-minute classes
FREE trial class available

This post was written for Ohana Music Together who provided the complimentary class.

Local Living– Even if You’re A Visitor

Living in the islands, it’s easy to forget about the mainland sometimes. That is, until you start thinking about how dependent we are on the rest of the country and world for so many things.  The cost of living is extremely high here due to the high volume of imported goods, sky-high rent and expensive utility costs. Of course, we stay here because of all the wondrous benefits it offers us: gorgeous natural setting, the sparkling ocean, wonderful local produce and a welcoming spirit. To preserve what’s great about Hawaii, I’ve been on a mission to live as locally as possible. From frequenting farmer’s markets to buying locally made products like clothing and furniture, it’s all about making a lower impact globally while directly affecting your local economy.

Of course, many people only experience Hawaii as a visitor. This can mean getting swayed by tourist traps and chain restaurants out of convenience and familiarity are often the case. Experiencing a true taste of the islands is best achieved through visiting smaller towns, local organizations and family-owned restaurants.

Stay Local, Shop Local

Posting up in Honolulu is a natural choice for many. The large selection of Waikiki hotels, numerous beaches, shopping and nightlife make it a go-to spot for many travelers. Within the chain stores and imported goods vendors, there are many local spots to give your business. One of my favorite ways to do this is by visiting the three main farmer’s markets of Oahu – the Ala Moana market, Hale’iwa market and Hawaii Kai market.

The network of the markets makes creating a meeting place for the community its main priority, as well as becoming Oahu’s premiere green market. Along with locally grown, sustainably farmed produce, the markets boast zero waste stations and ask that all vendors use only bio-compostable utensils and plates. Produce from the mainland, China or anywhere else are strictly prohibited at the market.  Vendors are scoped out well before being allowed to sell at the market, so locality of the produce is ensured. Experience the literal fruits of their labor and help benefit the entire island! And it’s not just fruits and vegetables, either. Numerous artists and musicians display their work here, offering a well-rounded, original experience.

Visit a Local Farm

The locavore movement heated up along the coasts of the United States, and it’s never been more popular in Hawaii. Oahu’s climate is great year-round for producing a variety of fruits and vegetables including Kahuku corn, mangoes, papayas, pineapple and Waimanalo greens. Not only are farmers markets popping up in all neighborhoods, you can also follow the entire farm to table process by taking a farm tour.

Throughout the islands, farms support a wide range of renowned restaurants with local produce. Top Hawaiian chefs are an integral part of this partnership and have gotten behind the Hawaii Regional Cuisine movement in earnest.  Many Oahu hotels feature local cuisine that can make your stay an exercise in local investment.

Courtesy of Leslie To of Aqua Resorts

The Dole Plantation

This past weekend the girls and I decided to take a drive to Central Oahu to a little town called Wahiawa. If you travel north of this town you’ll come across the famous Dole Plantation which “originally operated as a fruit stand in 1950. Dole Plantation opened to the public as Hawaii’s “Pineapple Experience” in 1989 and today they welcome more than one million visitors a year.”

It started out as a beautiful sunny day and the girls were thrilled to be out of the house. When we got to the plantation we decided to first take a stroll through the Plantation Garden which is divided into 8 different areas – North Shore, Hibiscus, Lei, Native Species, Bromeliads, Irrigation, Ti Leaf, & Life on the Plantation. Here we saw some beautiful flowers and landscaping.

Dole Plantation is also home to the World’s Largest Maze according to the Guinness Book of World Records.

It usually takes 45 – 60 minutes to complete the entire thing and Kacie was determined to give it a try. However, going through the graveled maze with a stroller was not really my idea of fun so I gave Kacie 30 minutes to go through as much as she could. Luckily, they give you a little map (and I mean little) in case you get lost.

photo courtesy of Dole Plantation

Then we were off to ride the Pineapple Express. This 20-minute 2 mile ride takes you along actual pineapple fields as well as other fields like mango, papaya, sugar cane, and lychee. You’ll also see the actual equipment that was used during harvest season. There is a recorded narrative tour that explained the history of farming in Hawaii as well as some great tunes from Manoa DNA.

And what would a visit to Dole Plantation be without some Dole Whip with fresh pineapples?

You can also browse through the gift shop where you’ll find Hawaiian souvenirs, local food items, gift ideas, and more.

Kiana decided to get a bracelet with her name engraved on it.

Kacie wanted her name painted into a sign.

Kaila got a smiley-faced stuffed Pineapple.

It was a long day filled with rich Hawaiian history, good food (the teri-burgers were awesome!), beautiful scenery, and lots of fun for the girls. It’s a great place for the whole family!

Here: The Luxury Collection

Before I became a flight attendant I used to work for the Sheraton Hotels in Waikiki which included the beautiful Royal Hawaiian Hotel. Also known as The Pink Palace, The Royal Hawaiian Hotel has been holding court on the shores of Waikiki Beach for 85 years. It’s one of the most beautiful and historic hotels I’ve ever stayed in and it’s currently being featured in the new film entitled Here.

Here has reunited Waris Ahluwalia with Luca Guadagnino, the director of their Golden Globe-nominated film, I Am Love, to create a cinematic experience that offers a glimpse into the hidden treasures of some of America’s favorite destinations. The short film, starring Agyness Deyn, co-written by Tilda Swinton with music by Jason Schwartzman, was shot at three of The Luxury Collection’s most iconic properties across the United States, aiming to inspire global travelers to explore and discover destinations in a unique and authentic way.

This haunting indie film is about a woman who is sent to three of the most beautiful resorts in the United States through mysterious notes and clues and arrives at her final destination in beautiful Hawaii. From the first note to the last scene, I was hooked. I couldn’t wait to see what the next property would look like or how it would all end. See it for yourself!

Stop by the Here website to find out more about these featured properties. You can even book the entire Here experience and visit these Luxury Collection hotels in person! What an experience of a lifetime!

Courtesy of The Luxury Collection

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