Ward Village

Ward Village Pub Crawl

Article Originally Published on the Ward Village Blog. Images by Haren Soril.

A Pau Hana Pub Crawl in Ward Village

A key player in pau hana is what you’ve got in your hand after you’ve clocked out for the day. We checked out three key spots in Ward Village for getting that pau hana drink, whether you’re looking for food and a view to accompany; a rich and rare beer in a cozy pub; or a blended margarita and a side of fun. Below, get the scoop on what we tried and the times that these spots offer a happy hour to boot.

RYAN’S GRILL

Happy hour every day from 3 to 7 p.m., 9 p.m. to close

The number one bestseller for Ryan’s happy hour is the hot crab and artichoke dip. And they do it like we’ve never seen. The dish arrives accompanied by a fragrant whirlwind of crab, cheese, and fresh focaccia bread. Separating the stringy melted cheese from its dish and spreading it onto the soft bread is a task of its own. We order the li hing margarita to contrast savory with sweet and tangy. A blended fusion of red and orange, the margarita tastes exactly like its candy counterpart. With indoor and outdoor seating available, Ryan’s is the perfect place to enjoy pau hana while watching the waves break just off Ala Moana Beach Park.

REAL A GASTROPUB

Happy hour every day from 2 to 6 p.m. (closed Sundays)

Whether you’re a beer savant or not, Real has something for everyone. Once you’ve stepped through the door, time and space seem to cease, thanks to a dark and cozy atmosphere and a friendly and attentive staff. The smells wafting out of the kitchen are like a combination between carnival fare and grandma’s house. During happy hour, tall cans of beer are $5 and 12 oz. cans are $4. We highly suggest ordering the tall can of Young’s Double Chocolate Stout, paired with duck confit corndogs. Chocolate may not be your style, but the flavors in the beer are deep, rich, and don’t overpower the palate.

DAVE AND BUSTER’S

Happy hour Monday through Friday, 4:30 to 7 p.m.; Sunday through Thursday, 9 to 11 p.m.

Our suggestion? Order the fanciest drinks on the menu, since every drink is half off, after all! Our drink of choice is an Original Coronarita, which is a refreshing margarita with a 7-ounce Corona sticking out of the top. We also order a Miami Ice Snow Cone, which is a beautiful red ombré hue and tastes of coconut thanks to flavored vodka and rum. We take refuge in an airy, family-friendly dining room separated from the chaos unfolding at the bar, where huge television screens broadcast the football game to people enjoying flasks of beer and spicy wings. The decor and ambiance at Dave and Buster’s creates an exciting, open, and relaxed atmosphere that pairs well with the arcade games just upstairs, if you want to embrace your inner child after a pau hana drink or two.

Designer Kaypee Soh Boogies His Way Into Honolulu Fashion Week

Article Originally Published on the Ward Village Website. Photos by Tommy Shih. 

Groovy-meets-aloha décor designer Kaypee Soh greets me with familiarity and graciousness as I enter his showroom in Ward Village, despite having never met me before. It is a warm and humbling welcome into his vibrant world—surrounding us are the keiki of his creative mind; tropical colors and prints adorn every crevasse of the store, from pillowcases to wall adornments. The branches of the hibiscus transcend outward from showroom decor to textiles. The bookshelves are not home to their usual suspects—in their places are candles and teeny ocean trinkets that beckon to be touched. 

 “The thing about creativity is that you can do anything that you want, as long as you know how,” says Kaypee. He disengages me from the nautical enchantments of his showroom and beckons me upstairs for a peek at his most recent creations, a collection of womenswear pieces that he defines as “modern Pacific” (a fusion of island fashion and modern design), which he will be debuting at Honolulu Fashion Week in the first week of November. The graphics are breathtaking. Tropical sun-kissed colors mix with Japanese origami textiles to form a silhouette reminiscent of flower-child-inspired fashions. Red leather trim and dainty gold buckles are the staples that tie the collection together. The only thing these flirty cape and mini-skirt triplets require is a pixie cut and some knee-high boots. 

 Kaypee remains down to earth about his design process. For him, inspiration is nature. Coming from New York, Kaypee fell in love with Hawaii. It reminded him of home in Malaysia. He loved the nature, the ocean, the sky. With him, he brought an arsenal of contacts from his graphic design days working with Tom Ford and Stella McCartney in New York and Paris. Every Monday, Kaypee checks in with his friends around the world. As pictures from Paris and London Fashion weeks filtered through his inbox, Kaypee recognized that all of the models were dressed like airline attendants from the 1960s. When the team behind Honolulu Fashion Week contacted him about an exclusive opportunity to design his own collection, he already had a muse in mind.  

November 6th, the first day of Honolulu Fashion Week, marks the debut of Kaypee’s Modern Pacific collection, when models will boogie down the runway in it at the opening-day, invite-only runway show. It will be on view alongside other Hawaii fashions through November 9th at the Hawaii Convention Center. Then, in spring 2015, it will be available for purchase at his showroom and in select stores! Plus, Kaypee is already plugging away on Modern Pacific caftan dresses, mens shirts, and select accessories to add to the mix. 

To shop some of his other creations for fashion week, visit the Honolulu Fashion Week Pop-Up Boutique, where he will have an exclusive selection of textile-designed scarves and clutches adorned with pineapple zippers available, brand new keiki he has added to the family. Friends near and far are eagerly anticipating the launch of his new creative expression, and island fashionistas are going to be just as esctatic that he decided to add his designs to the exciting mix of Hawaii fashion today. 

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