B on Hawaii

Roller Derby is back! On the heels of Drew Barrymore's feature film, Whip It, and a resurgence in all-things-retro, womens roller derby season hit Honolulu hard on March 6th at the outdoor roller hockey rink at Kamiloiki Community Park at the corner of Hawaii Kai Drive and Lunalillo Home Road. The event is free to the public, although donations are greatly appreciated.

Executive director Chuck Boller and the organizers for this year's 30th Annual Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF) will get the ball rolling with the 13th year of "Spring Showcase"—20 films that will screen at Regal Dole Cannery Stadium theaters, April 16 – 22, 2010.

As most retailers strive to remain open during these waning "hunker down" months, Michael Zhang has taken Blue Hawaii LifeStyle Café to unprecedented heights. This month, he opens a second location, at 1111 Bishop Street in downtown Honolulu, while plans for a third store, to open in San Francisco—are slated for May 2010.

Once in a great while you'll catch wind of a truly fascinating story. As a journalist, I often hope it's one that's both true, and one I can track down the characters of. The story you're about to read came to us through a screening of the film Surfwise, at the Maui Film Festival a few years back.

Restaurateur Wes Zane is at it again. The Hawaii-based restaurateur is expanding his culinary empire, this time with an "Asian-style Formaggio" on Kapahulu Avenue, set to open later this month.

Nobu enthusiasts rejoice: The man himself will be on O`ahu from February 9 – 12, 2010, to eat, drink and prepare his signature fare just for you. The global restaurateur will also work closely with MA`O Organic Farms to design an omakase menu inspired by the harvest of produce from the Waianae-based outfit.

How many times have you said in conversation: "Man, I totally need to get out to Makaha." Well, here's the perfect opportunity. The Buffalo Big Board Surfing Classic will be held this coming weekend, February 13 – 15, on Makaha Beach.

A last-minute "Island to Island for Haiti" benefit concert and food event has been organized for his Friday, February 12, to raise money for the victims of the earthquake there. Cecilio & Kapono will headline the concert, to be held on the lagoon-fronting Great Lawn at O`ahu's Hilton Hawaiian Village.

Finally. How many times have you heard that word in the last two weeks. "Finally, a new year."

It seems that across the board, 2009 was a transitional time for local businesses—especially those in the travel, restaurant and hospitality industries. We certainly don't need to bore you with statistics: The challenges were many. And they're still sorting themselves out.

Palo Alto native Richard Bernstein, or, "Yogi Rick", is one of those easily recognizable characters who has become a mainstay in the lives of everyone that has come in to contact with him, let alone taken one of his Saturday morning classes in Nu`uanu Valley.