Chinatown lounges range from wine bars and Irish pubs to holes-in-the-wall that even look scary from the outside. Chinatown has everything any college student might look for. Any night of the week, and most afternoons, you can be assured that you can find great happy hour specials and live entertainment in some of the different Chinatown venues. On holidays such as St. Patrick’s Day, Mardi Gras, Halloween, or Chinese New Year, Chinatown streets fill up with thousands of people, all celebrating in the friendly, diverse atmosphere. On other nights, at these venues, you will find live local bands and DJs for your enjoyment until 2 a.m. The night life isn’t the only attraction of Chinatown. Food selection is another great incentive to visit. Chinatown offers a variety of different cuisines such as Cuban, Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, American, Italian, and more, plus the food is cheaper downtown than food vendors found in Waikiki. "I love the fact that Chinatown offers such a wide variety of options," said Tom Peluso a junior at HPU majoring in biology. "Not to mention great happy hour specials," he added. Chinatown understands that the typical college student needs to keep expenses down, so most Chinatown bars do not charge covers and live bands can be enjoyed without even a traditional two-drink minimum. In addition, open-mic nights and poetry slams offer entertainment as well as opportunities for creative expression. "I also like the fact that I don’t have to drive all the way across town to have a drink and hang out with friends after a long week," said Peluso. If bars are not really your scene, Chinatown also offers art galleries, museums, and theatres for a more culturally uplifting experience that is also easy on the wallet. These galleries offer artwork for viewing and/or purchasing, and to get you in the mood, they often serve free wine and cheese, especially on the first Friday of every month. Chinatown provides several different museums, including the Hawai‘i State Art Museum, although it’s a few blocks away at Hotel and Richards streets. The First Hawaiian Bank Center and the Ramsay Museum can also be found in the Chinatown area. These museums offer pieces of Chinatown’s history along with information about the history of the island. Those who are looking to enjoy musical, comical, and theatrical performances, will find opportunities to explore these arts all around Chinatown too, mainly in the local Chinatown theatres. There’s no need to drive to Waikiki during heavy traffic hours. Chinatown has everything a hungry/thirsty/culturally diverse person needs. One of many bars and restaurants in Chinatown.
Hawai‘i residents get city discountsBy Virginia George, student writerI have never been a tourist, not in the true since of the word. Growing up our family did not travel out of our home state of California, and I never boarded a plane until I was in my 20s. I identified with movies such as Vacation, where Clark Griswald and his family went on road trips and stayed with relatives, more than I identified with families that took plane trips and stayed in hotels. During my college years, I finally had the opportunity to travel, but I was also able to experience many places like a local. I visited many Caribbean islands, and finally settled in Hawai‘i permanently. Being a tourist can be fun, but being a local in a tourist destination can be even better. A resident can experience the best Hawai‘i has to offer, but at half the price. With Hawai‘i ID, discounts, referred to as a Kama‘aina rate, are available on many otherwise pricey activities. Kama‘aina means child of the land, referring to a Hawai‘i born person, now, the term Kama‘aina just means Hawai‘i resident. Here is a short list of O‘ahu Attractions with some of the best local discounts available: Turtle Bay resort, operated by the Hilton Hotels is on the windward coast almost as far north as you can get on O‘ahu, near the country town of Kahuku. This 880-acre property is very remote but has all the benefits of a mega-resort. Locals can join the "Escape Club": a yearly membership fee of $219 includes a one night stay and discounts on food and activities as well as cheaper room rates and discounts. It is great if you just want to spend a relaxing day by the beach or take advantage of hiking trails, golf, tennis, or horseback riding. Waimea Valley Audubon Center, otherwise known as Waimea Falls, is located west of Turtle Bay, across from famous Waimea Bay on the North Shore. Admission here, is only $6 dollars for Kama‘aina, and it is worth the trip. Upon entering the park, there are roaming peacocks and a paved path which leads to a beautiful waterfall. The hike is lined with educational signs and historical Hawaiian demonstrations. It takes less than 30 minutes to reach the waterfall. There is a lifeguard on duty, who provides life vests to inexperienced swimmers, and the water is surprisingly clean. Don’t forget to bring your swimsuit, like I did! Dole plantation is further westward then south to the center of the island, located in Wahiawa on Kamehameha Hwy. It has the largest maze in the world, according to the Guinness book of World Records. The maze entrance fee is only $5 for Kama‘aina. The Pineapple Express train winds its way through the pineapple fields, while a guide narrates the history of pineapple plantations on O‘ahu. The train ride is only $7 dollars for Kama‘aina and departs every 30 minutes. Pineapple ice cream completes the journey. Kids, especially my daughter, love it. Self-proclaimed Hawai‘i’s No.1 local attraction on the island, is the Wet ‘n’ Wild Water Park located in Kapolei on O‘ahu’s west side. The water park, the only one in Hawai‘i, offers more than 25 rides. On Wednesdays, locals can take advantage of the Kama‘aina rate of $19.99, a 50 percent discount from the regular $39.99. If you’re a local, Kama‘aina discounts make sense.
TECH TIME: "Buying a digital camera"by Thomas Obungen, staff writer
The first term you will hear when describing a digital camera is its number of "megapixels." These numbers are an easy alternative to refer to the resolution of any given digital camera. A camera with a higher megapixel number such as 10 or 12 will give you the ability to print larger images while keeping the its integrity intact. However, a camera with a higher resolution is not always the better camera. The sensor of a camera, or the part that replaces film used in a traditional camera, is responsible for producing high-quality pictures. The next most referred to term is the optical zoom of a camera’s lens. This enables you to shoot pictures at a distance and in much high quality than if shot with a digitally enhanced zoom. The higher the zoom rating, the farther the lens is able to zoom. Other features such as various flash settings, timers, smile detection, and auto scene recognition are what set different cameras apart. Popular camera manufacturers include Sony, Canon, Nikon, Fujifilm, Pentax, and Olympus. Chances are if you own a 35mm film camera, they would have come from one of these companies as well. One of the determining factors of buying a digital camera is its brand, and if you automatically are drawn to one over another, then you are probably going to buy one made by them. Sony is popular because they make relatively affordable cameras that are easy to use and of course carry the well-known Sony moniker. Canon is known for it’s excellent pro-level cameras and so their consumer is usually someone who has owned a Canon before or has had some experience with the company in the past. The same goes for Nikon. Fujifilm produces very intuitive cameras that are easy for people of all ages to use. The company has roots in the film-producing industry and still makes the film used in the creation of movies. Knowing how much you’re willing to spend on a digital camera will put you ahead of the pack because you have eliminated cameras above and below your price point. $230 to $280 is a good range to start at because cameras at that level have many popular features, are of good quality, and usually are normally in stock everywhere. For about $280 you can get a Sony Cyber-shot T90 in a choice of 5 different colors online. It features 12.1 megapixels, 3x optical zoom, a 3.0" touch screen, and records 720p HD videos; all in a slim form factor. For $250, you can pick up a Canon PowerShot SD780 IS. It also features a 12.1 megapixel rating, 3x optical zoom, and 720p HD video recording. And for a cool $230 the Fujifilm F70EXR can be yours. It features a 10 megapixel highly sensitive sensor for low light shooting, 10x optical zoom, and an easy to use auto setting.
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Mainstream digital cameras have only been around for the past decade and are already evolving into one of the largest segments on the electronics market. This is because they have been able to become affordable and widely available for everyone quite quickly. But with a wide variety of brands and models out there, it’s hard to find what you really need in a camera for the right price. I will go over some terms used with digital cameras, popular brands, and some examples of reasonably priced, well-rounded cameras. |
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