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Throughout November, many of Hawaii’s pandemic-related restrictions were lifted, signifying a return to normalcy just in time for the holiday season. With Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up, it makes us think of the things we didn’t know we’d miss last year while celebrating a safe distance apart — like stumbling on the slippers and shoes spread across the porch as the whole family piles into one house or getting friends together for games, gift exchanges, and a good old-fashioned potluck.

While we should continue to be cautious about the spread of COVID, there are many things to feel grateful for, especially now that cases are more contained. In fact, we’ve had our share of good tidings at Waikiki Beach Walk over the last month as well.

Ruth’s Chris Steak House Savors the Season with a Thanksgiving Feast

Ruth’s Chris Steak House will be open for dine-in on Thanksgiving Day with all the traditional favorites available. Whether you’re in need of a home away from home or just don’t want to deal with the food prep, let the Waikiki restaurant take care of whipping up a delicious meal for you and your loved ones. It is a holiday after all, so sit back and relax!

Thanksgiving at Ruth’s Menu

For more information, call 808-440-7910 or visit https://www.ruthschris.com/restaurant-locations/waikiki-oahu.

Live Music Returns to the Plaza Stage

At the beginning of this month, our weekly Hawaiian music and hula dance concert, Kū Ha'aheo, returned to Waikiki Beach Walk for in-person performances. The free event is scheduled every Tuesday from 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. and features live music by Blaine Kia and Kalei Kahalewai, an award-winning duo known as KAMANAWA. Blaine’s family and the hula group, Hālau Ka Waikahe Lani Mālie, also dance along to the tunes, putting on a show that can only be described as being full of aloha spirit.
  That’s not all. Waikiki Beach Walk’s Mele Hali‘a, finally makes its way back to the stage after a long hiatus due to the pandemic. Meaning “to recall fondly” in Hawaiian, Mele Hali‘a invites guests to recall the brilliant music of Hawaii by featuring some of the island’s finest local performers to share the stories and traditions of their ancestors through unique sounds and harmonies.

The highly popular monthly showcase takes place on one special Sunday each month from 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. This past Sunday, “Sistah” Robi Kahakalau & Friends kicked off the first Mele Hali‘a of 2021 with a fun set. Here’s who we have lined up next:

• Sunday, December 12: Ledward Kaapana & Jesse Gregorio
• Sunday, January 16 (2022): Nathan Aweau

To view all our current shopping center events, please visit the Entertainment & Activities page.

Park West Gallery Announces the Winner of its “Made in Hawaii” Artist Competition

As part of its inaugural Made in Hawaii competition, the Park West Fine Art Museum & Gallery has been on the search for a talented local artist to feature at its Waikiki Beach Walk location, which opened this past May. The competition invited legal Hawaii residents (aged 18 and older) to submit images of three original works of art for consideration. After sorting through hundreds of submissions, 10 semi-finalists were chosen to move on to the next stage, which involved in-person public voting at the gallery in Waikiki. The top three artists with the most votes were then evaluated by a panel of judges to select the grand prize winner.

After a nearly two-month-long process, Park West announced Chris Sebo as the Made in Hawaii winner. This not only secures him a year-long contract with the world’s largest art dealer, but also the opportunity to showcase his work alongside legends like Picasso, Rembrandt, and Renoir during a 3-month exhibition.
 

“This is truly an honor! Thanks to Park West Hawaii, I have been given a wonderful opportunity to live my dream,” Sebo says. “I love sharing my imagination, and I hope my art will be seen as both an inspiration and a blessing to all.”

Hawaii’s scenic views are big sources of inspiration for Sebo, who often depicts fantasy, outer space, landscapes, seascapes, and wildlife. A gifted natural artist, he first started painting graffiti at age 13 and eventually developed his own unique style, where he begins with spray paint and rubs, scrapes, and blends it out to create his art. Chris Sebo’s artwork can now be viewed on display at Park West Hawaii on the first floor of Waikiki Beach Walk.
 

New Stores Joining the Beach Walk Family

Keep It Simple Honolulu

We’re excited to announce that Keep It Simple Honolulu recently opened a second location at Waikiki Beach Walk. The eco-friendly store encourages a zero-waste lifestyle by offering everyday health, kitchen, and beauty products that are sustainable, reusable, and locally made by small Hawaii businesses.

One of its most interesting concepts is the Refill Station, which allows customers to buy only what they need with reusable containers. The sheer selection of “refillables” is quite impressive with various types of soap, cleaning liquids/powders, body care, and food items (like rice, quinoa, oats, nuts, pasta, and spices).

Owners Hunter and Jill expanded to Waikiki because they felt that both the community and tourists can benefit from having access to more vegan, cruelty-free, non-toxic, and reef-safe products, which all support local businesses at the same time. If you're interested in further reducing your carbon footprint while traveling, be sure to read our blog on 5 Ways to be a More Sustainable Traveler.
 

KaiAloha Supply

 
Founded on the island of Maui, KaiAloha Supply is the perfect place for people who love and respect the beauty, power, and energy of the ocean. In fact, the “Kai” in its name comes from the Hawaiian word for sea. Here, you’ll find fashionable apparel and beach essentials, such as towels, tote bags, and different types of hats to shield you from the sun.
 
Visit them on the Diamond Head side (east side) of Lewers Street and check them out on Instagram: @kaialohasupply.
 

Park West Fine Art Museum & Gallery

 
While not exactly new to the shopping center (having opened about 6 months ago), Park West Hawaii recently completed an expansion into the neighboring space, nearly doubling its size to 3,000 square feet. Now that the entire museum and gallery is ready, Park West is celebrating its official grand opening with special offers for customers until November 28th.
 
During this time, gallery visitors will receive a free unframed artwork, a complimentary cocktail (ID required), a free Park West Gallery beach bag, and a 10% discount on art purchases for the week.