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Diane's Top Ten

1. Sit and watch the sunset at Sans Souci beach
2. Eat at Ono Hawaiian Foods
3. Get Coco Puffs from Liliha Bakery
4. Have a drink at the House without a Key in the Halekulani Hotel [paid for by your boss]
5. Have a loooooooong lunch of just pupus at Longhi's at the Ala Moana Center - they have really good Deep Fried Calamari - its to die for
6. Listen to Hawaiian music at Sam's Breakfast Lunch & Crab
7. Get your New Year's fortune at Daijingu Temple
8. Watch the fireworks on Friday night at the Hilton Hawaiian Village
9. Go for a walk along Magic Island and watch the sailboats come in
10. Eat dim sum at Fook Lam in Chinatown and have a competition to see who can spend the least for the most things bought.

Mabel's Top Four

1. Watch the sunset from the Banyan Court bar at the historic (built in 1901) Moana Hotel
2. Watch the moon rise from the Plumeria Beach House at the Kahala Hotel & Resort
3. Watch anything at all from Kailua Beach with a cup of coffee from the Kalapawai Market in my hand
4. Have lunch with friends at the Honolulu Academy of Arts Pavilion Cafe

Walter's Top Ten

1. Go to 7-11 and eat spam musubi the State meat.
2. Ride The BUS to the Aloha Stadium Swap-meet.
3. Eat local malasadas (Portuguese donuts) at Leonard's Bakery.
4. Order the Spam, eggs and rice breakfast at McDonald's.
5. Pour whole packet of shoyu over spam eggs and rice.
6. Feed fishes malasadas (see Walter's Top Ten #3) for free at Waikiki breakers.
7. Go to Zippys for local food and eat loco moco plate lunch.
8. Go to the Kingdom of Hawaii's palace (also known as the Iolani Palace) in downtown.
9. Eat saimin at McDonald's downtown.
10. Wear rubber slippers everywhere.

Pam's Top Nine

1. Spend a day geocaching. If there are any geocachers out there, maybe we can get a group together and find some caches in Waikiki.
2. There'll be a full moon the night of May 20th (last night of the conference). I love to hike up to Makap'u Lighthouse just before sunset and watch the moon come up over the ocean.
3. Waikiki Aquarium program "Aquarium After Dark." It's amazing to see what types of creatures come out at night and have knowledgable guides to tell you about them. You must sign up for this and pay in advance.
4. If its Saturday morning, go to the Kapi'olani Farmer's Market (7:30am - 11:30am - but go as early as possible - things sell out). Listen to live local music while you browse around - fresh-brewed locally grown coffee, fresh grilled Kahua meat, fresh beignets with lilikoi (passion fruit) sauce, mmmmm, Island ginger ale (made with freshly-ground ginger), grilled pizza with pesto, soft mozarella, and fresh basil. The delights are endless.
5. Boogie boarding where ever the waves are. My favorites place is Chun's Reef on the North Shore.
6. Ride a bike around downtown on Sundays and look at the old architecture (and look for geocaches :)
7. Hiking - whenever I can, wherever I can.
8. I'm not a shopper, but if I go shopping at Ala Moana, the place is SOOOO huge that I am quickly exhausted. A treat to myself is to go to the Mai Tai Bar on the third floor, kick back in a nice comfortable chair, have a Mojito and some Ceviche & just RELAX!!
9. Go downtown on Friday night and have some wine and .

Ginny's Top Ten

1. From many vantage points get a panoramic view of the mountains and the ocean at the same time!! (Something we take for granted while living here.)
2. Eating out with friends and family and sharing dishes (i.e. eating family style)--many different ethnic restaurants at relatively inexpensive prices.
3. Walking along Diamond Head Road starting at Kapiolani Park...an incredible view of the shoreline--and blue, blue ocean.
4. Breathtaking view of the East Hawaii coastline beyond Diamond Head--Haunauma Bay to Makapuu Beach.
5. Looking up at the sky on a beautiful sunny day and seeing the fluffy white clouds and when there is "liquid sunshine"--combination of rain and sun--the beautiful rainbows.
6. Honolulu Academy of Arts--a gem of a museum with an elegant indoor/outdoor cafe
7. The hustle and bustle of Chinatown and eating dim sum at Mai Sum or Legends.
8. Ala Moana Shopping Center Makai Market (Food Court) for cheap and diverse eats--satisfy everyone's taste. (Also a wide array of Japanese food on the 2nd floor of Shirokiya Department Store in the same shopping center.
9. Eating freshly made soba (buckwheat noodles) and sitting at the counter table for a good view of the noodlemaker at Mitsugen right in Waikiki on Beachwalk.
10. Visiting the State Art Museum in downtown Honolulu right near the State Capitol building and eating or doing take-out at the restaurant called Downtown@HISAM

Lee's Top Ten

1. Surf! Catch a wave on the south shore (eg Waikiki, Diamondhead).
2. Drive around the island (Oahu). I prefer going counter-clockwise, because you get the pretty, rural part first, and then take the highway back to town. Be sure to time it, so that you lunch at one of the shrimp trucks up around Kahuku (Giovanni's is the best)! The BUS also has an Circle Island Tour - but this will take a LONG time.
3. Dress up and have a pre-dinner cocktail at the House without a Key at the Halekulani Hotel. Watch the sunset and hula while sipping a lychee martini.
4. Dress up and have a post-dinner cocktail at the Lewers Lounge at the Halekulani Hotel while listening to smooth jazz.
5. Hike up to the Makapuu lighthouse for a beautiful view of the windward coast (and stop at the Halona Blowhole on the drive over).
6. Take the first tour of the day of Doris Duke's Shangri La, then have lunch at the Honolulu Academy of Art afterwards. Be sure to make reservations well in advance for both the tour and lunch!
7. Swim in the gentle Waikiki waves.
8. Go to Bubbies ice cream shop (near the University of Hawaii at Manoa) for some ice cream mochi or a scoop of any delicious island flavor, such as macadamia nut or lychee.
9. Take the Iolani Palace Tour - the only royal palace in the United States!
10. Visit Pearl Harbor and the Arizona Memorial. The National Park Service has done a wonderful job in making this important part of US history accessible. It is a moving experience.
    

Linda's Top Ten

1. Explore Hyatt Regency Waikiki Resort and Spa in Waikiki.
2. Look for fabrics at Kaimuki Dry Goods.
3. Eat brunch at Boots and Kimo's in Kailua-town...great local atmosphere with huge portions and original macadamia nut syrup with banana pancakes....go early, especially on weekends 'cause you may have to wait for more than 45 minutes for a table, especially if everyone for your table isn't there...but, well worth the wait.
4. Have lunch hour at Kin Wah Chinese Restaurant restaurant in Kaneohe.
5. Enjoy Waikiki's Sunset on the Beach...fun to eat dinner there from local vendors and then watch a free movie in the beautiful Hawaiian evening.
6. Relax in Waikiki strolling through Moana Hotel and Halekulani Hotel hotels.
7. Eat a meal at Zippy's Koko Marina Shopping Center , Hawaii Kai. Get a table by the marina overlooking the marina.
8. Swim and picnic at lagoons by Ihilani Hotel, west-Oahu.
9. Have a superb Japanese meal at Gaku Sushi Izakaya.....mmmm, delicious food and wonderful atmosphere and service!
10. Swim at Waimanalo Beach Park.

Luree's Top Ten

1. Drink, not just sample, Hawaii brewed beer. Kona Brewing Company's Fire Rock Pale Ale or Pipeline Porter (my all time FAVORITE!) made with Kona coffee (i personally only like the beer and would not suggest eating at the brewery in hawaii kai's marina. The Fire Rock is available at a bunch of restaurants including Yardhouse on Waikiki Beachwalk but the Pipeline is harder to find since it is seasonal, although I have had it at Ala Moana's Island's restaurant). Sam Choy's Breakfast, Lunch, and Crab & Big Aloha Brewery -- the porter is good but the ale is not too bad either
2. Young's Fish Market laulau and don't forget the kulolo for dessert!
3. Royal Garden's dim sum at the Ala Moana Hotel. Try the seafood tofu wrap, my favorite, but i like them potstickers too!
   
4. Green tea cannoli-like cookies from Satura Cakes. Their coffee drinks aren't too bad either. I like them better than starbucks.
5. Golden Coin Restaurant for a plate lunch of laing, kare kare, pancit miki and taho for dessert
6. Support the Honolulu Zoo and see Hawaii's real state animal, the mongoose (just joking, but the real Hawaii's state bird, the nene is there too).
   
7. Hurry on over to Shirokiya in Ala Moana for a snack of takoyaki balls, made fresh! oh no, i'm back to food again...
8. Ward Center's Goma Tei ramen shop for the best wakame tan tan ramen!
9. Wear lots of sunscreen! Wear eye protection!
   
10. Enjoy the free vitamin D and delicious Hawaii tap water! (and those are free).

Chris' Top Ten for those who have to leave their pets at home

1. Visit the Hawaiian Humane Society to see the adoptable dogs, rabbits, cats (a walk-in cat house). Adjacent is the McInerny Dog Park, an off-leash dog park.
2. Take home a toy or treat for that special 'kid' of yours! Pet's Discount store has several locations, the closest one is next door to the Ala Moana Shopping Center. Some stores have dogs, birds, rabbits, fishes for sale. Or maybe a dog bakery for specialty Hawaiian treats.
3. Visit other dog parks.
4. Select Hawaiian wear and products from CocoJor.
5. More Hawaiian wear at Pet Gear Hawaii.
6. The Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve and the Waikiki Aquarium are a must see for Hawaii's marine life.
7. Tour the Honolulu Zoo , located in Waikiki.
8. See the dolphins play at Sea Life Park, located in Waimanalo. Dolphins also perform at the Kahala Hotel & Resort.
9. Explore the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel, stroll the grounds and gardens to see the exotic wildlife.
10. Get a close up of Pacific ocean life by viewing the 280,000 gallon acquarium at the Pacific Beach Hotel, Waikiki.

Lisa's Top Ten

1. Ring the Peace Bell at the Byodo-In Temple in Kaneohe.
2. Enjoy the view of the Koolau Mountains from the Windward side.
3. Browse the Aloha Yarn store to get ideas for my third knitting project.
4. Pack the family and a picnic brunch/lunch in the car and drive to the Lagoons near the Ihilani Hotel for the day.
5. Recreational fishing on the weekend at Hoomaluhia Botanical Gardens with the kids.
6. Visit the Honolulu Zoo with the kids in tow.
7. Go on a shopping spree with friends. Usually, starting out at the Waikele Premium Outlet stores, sometimes stopping off at Pearlridge Shopping Center, or Ward Center shops, and eventually ending up at Ala Moana Shopping Center.
8. Cloud watching during sunset.
9. Help my kids choose a few books to check out from the Public Library, as well as borrow some myself.
10. Fly a kite at Kualoa Park, located on the Windward side.

Julie's Top Ten + 1(my favorite things as an annual visitor to HPCMLA!)

1. Bring your SPF 50 sunscreen and a sun visor. You will need them!
2. Eat all of your fresh produce on the plane before you touch down. Otherwise you'll have to throw it away when you enter the airport. Your will not be able to keep it.
3. Find the closest ABC store to your hotel (there is one in the Hilton Hawaiian Village). ABC stores have everything. If you are on an extraordinarily tight budget, you could probably eat all week from the refrigerated section in the store; there's nothing like grabbing some fresh pineapple to eat as you enjoy a light evening breeze on your face. You can buy sunscreen if you forgot it, chocolates, souvenirs, puka shell necklaces -- just about anything.
4. Find an $8 pareo in a fabulous Hawaiian print. If you see something you like, don't think twice -- just get it. You may have brought a perfectly planned wardrobe, but in your hotel room I bet you'll be happiest with your new pareo wrapped around you. They are also great coverups for the beach. Here's what they look like.
5. Several months before your trip, start exploring the Maui Divers web sites. They have exquisite jewelry. Even though they have stores on the mainland, you can't beat Hawaii's tax rate. I'm already planning which black coral ring I want to buy.
6. Buy lots of cookies at Honolulu Cookie Company in the Hilton Hawaiian Village and send them to family and friends. The more you buy, the more freebies you'll get to savor yourself!
7. If you get a lei, put it in the refrigerator to keep it fresh and wear it to dinner. Try to find a lei favored by the locals -- not a tourist lei. The restaurant staff will think you are very important.
8. If you are lucky enough to get a morning rain, grab your camera and head for the beach. You may get a rainbow picture that you will treasure forever (as I did the last time MLA was in Hawaii in 1979).
9. Enjoy a true Japanese breakfast at Hatsuhana in the Hilton Hawaiian Village. This is very authentic -- it's where the Japanese tourists eat.
10. Have breakfast on the beach at the Tropics Bar and Beach Cafe in the Hilton Hawaiian Village. Pick a chair under an umbrella just in case there is a quick morning shower (and I trust you have your camera!).
11. Visit the Arizona Memorial. Learn about our history.

Carolyn's Top Ten

1. Watch the sunset and surfers at Ala Moana Beach Park.
2. Hike up Diamond Head to get a view of Waikiki and Kahala.
3. Lunch at Pavilion Cafe at the Honolulu Academy of Arts.
4. Have dim sum at Legends in Chinatown. It is crowded and noisy! Don't be shy when waving down the carts. Ask for chicken feet if you dare. While you are there, take a walk around Oahu Market to check out some exotic cuts of meat, like pig's head and pig's feet.
5. Visit a local craft store, like Ben Franklin or Craft Supply, for Hawaii-themed die cuts and paper to use when you scrapbook this year's MLA annual meeting.
6. Watch the Friday night fireworks display at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. Fireworks are also visible from the deck areas on the makai (i.e., ocean) side of Ala Moana Shopping Center.
7. Visit Bishop Museum or Iolani Palace to learn about Hawaiian history and culture.
8. Visit the Contemporary Museum. Great place for lunch and a view of the city. Continue up Tantalus Drive to get even better view of the city.
9. Visit the USS Missouri while you are out at Pearl Harbor visitng theUSS Arizona Memorial.
10. Go to the top of Aloha Tower.
    

Jane's Top Four

1. If you are an MLA member who is also a devoted soccer mom (like me!), you can catch some great local action at matches held on the weekend at the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Complex. The setting is gorgeous, the fields are beautiful, there are some shade trees, and usually a breeze. You could finish up the day by shopping the outlet mall just up the highway: Waikele Premium Outlets.
2. Or, go shopping at Costco...what? I am in Hawaii! Why would I go shopping at Costco? OK, My list is unorthodox, but you can get fun aloha wear you won't find at your local Costco, mega packages of macnuts and other local food goodies to bring home with you. There is a Costco near the soccer fields, or you could hit the ones closer to Waikiki, in Iwelei or Hawaii Kai.
3. Visit Lyon Arboretum in Manoa, take an early morning hike to the nearby waterfall, then have lunch at the Waioli Tea Room. You will be amazed at the dramatic change from Waikiki...cool. lush Manoa is a welcome respite from the glare of sun and concrete!!
4. Visit the Manoa Heritage Center to learn about Hawaiian history, culture, and native plants.Reserve a tour reservation (be sure to request Margo) ahead of time! You will walk along stone paths surrounding a historic home, in a quiet lush Manoa neighborhood setting. I highly recommend this outing...an easy bus ride from Waikiki, and close to the Waioli Tea Room so you can enjoy island iced tea after your short easy walk through the center grounds.

Laura's Top Ten

1. Snorkeling at Hanauma Bay.
2. Folk Dancing at Moilili Rec Center on Sunday evenings.
3. Eating Thai food.
4. See Jane's #3.
5. Snorkeling at Hanauma Bay (oh, did I mention that?)
6. New exhibits at the Honolulu Art Academy.
7. Eating anywhere there's a view of the ocean.
8. Driving to the North Shore along the coast.
9. Snorkeling at the North Shore.
10. Snorkeling at Makua..

Fran's Top Ten

[Here are various resources to exercise, fitness and martial art resources that can be found in Hawaii.Also
a healthy eating resource.]

1. If you're into Tai Chi use the Tai Chi Network to find listings in Hawaii.
2. One stop Yoga Directory http://www.yogafinder.com/ . Use the Yoga Event Finder to find a Yoga event by type of yoga and date or the "Find a Yoga Class" anywhere in the state.
   
3. Hawaii's Martial Art Oahu http://www.onzuka.com/oahu.html
4. Exercise Directory of Hawaii http://hawaii.uscity.net/Exercise/
5. Walking, Jogging, Enjoying Ala Moana Beach Park http://hawaiianwebmaster.com/beachpark/alamoana.html
6. Jogging Paths http://www.co.honolulu.hi.us/parks/programs/activities/jgpth.htm
7. There's a YMCA about a block down from the Convention Center check is out - Oahu - Honolulu Group Exercise Classes YMCA of Honolulu http://www.ymcahonolulu.org/health/group_exercise
8. 101 Things To Do – Oahu - Walk the Fascinating History of Honolulu http://www.101thingstodo.com/hawaii/oahu/tours/honoluluwalkingtours/index.php
9. Oahu Fitness & Recreation Centers - http://www.oahu.worldweb.com/SightsAttractions/FitnessRecreationCentres/
10. Oahu Health Food & Restaurants http://www.oahuhealthguide.com/directory/

about MLA09, post a thread or email mlahi09@gmail.com.