the gaymazing race

as a devoted amazing race fangirl, i could not let ravenchase's recent announcement pass by without a mention. the cleverly titled gaymazing race takes place in waikiki next weekend with an open invitation to use your beauty, brawns and brains plus a little ooh la la to break down clues and race to the finish line for a chance to compete for the top prize.

• when: sat, jun 27th - 5p
• tix: $25 per player

p.s. big island and maui readers can also join the fun with upcoming races scheduled in hilo and lahaina (click the above link for more details).

st. paddy's ravenchase

hilary from ravenchase recently sent word that oahu readers are invited to test their skills during the st. patrick's day race taking place this weekend.

grab up to five of your best code breakers, human navigators, and treasure hunters and your team just may find a virtual pot o' gold waiting at the end of the rainbow.

• when: sat, mar 14th - 7p
• where: tba
• tix: $35 per person
• fyi: after party to follow

chinatown chase 2009

the economy's continuing decline is certainly not making it easy on non-profits who rely on the kindness of others to fund their bottom line. the hawaii theatre has come up with a novel fundraiser (ticket sales, surprisingly, only account for 40% of operating costs) with its second annual chinatown chase.

teams of 10 race around the historic district deciphering clues in hopes of crossing the finish line first culminating in a celebration complete with dancing in the streets, eats, silent auction, and an after-party (if you pony up to be a kung fu fighter or barefoot buddha).

the price tag ranges from $150 to $500 per person but once you tally up the cost of a night on the town with friends combined with the warm fuzzy feeling of doing good, well, you just may consider it a worthwhile expense.

registration can be done online or in person (download entry forms on the website).

• race date: sat, feb 28th - 5:30p
• where: 1130 bethel street

p.s. take a peek at last year's race festivities here.

historic honolulu architecture tour

washington place

one of my favorite walks growing up was the one that took me from my mom's bishop square boutique to the state library along the pathway sandwiched between the capitol and iolani palace. i always stopped to say hello to the queen lili'uokalani statue and fought the urge to swing from the tendrils of the many banyan trees dotting the palace's backyard.

those saturday mornings spent in town gifted me with an appreciation of the graceful buildings that take you back to an earlier time, and, while doing a little research for a reader who inquired about mid-century modern homes on oahu (which i think would make a fabulous tour just in case an architecturally savvy reader is up to it), i recently discovered that the honolulu chapter of the american institute of architects (aia) offers kama'aina and visitors a walking tour of historic honolulu from an architect's perspective.

you'll wander the streets of town from the hawaii theatre to kawaiaha'o church picking up insights and anecdotes about the buildings along the way (juicy tidbit: the ywca building was designed by julia morgan, the country's preeminent female architect who squeezed in the project while working on hearst castle).

a map and bottled water are provided (but i say byo reusable bottle) so all you need to bring are comfy shoes made for walking and an enthusiasm for design. reservations are a must or, if a saturday tour doesn't fit into your schedule, self-guided tour booklets ($5) are available at aia's office. a custom tour may also be arranged for your group with advance notice.

• when: saturdays - 9a to 11:30a
• where: aia, 119 merchant street, suite 402
• tix: $10
• fyi: minimum four people

meet one of the aia's top guides over at the star-bulletin.

native guide hawaii

[the past few days have been a whirlwind so please forgive my very tardy saturday weekend travel post]

when most of us think of taking a tour around the islands, those big buses packed with tourists are probably the first thing that comes to mind. if the thought of hitting the highlights with 100-plus strangers makes you cringe, the next time you are big island bound remember to click over to native guide hawaii which offers small eco-tours exploring the volcano, coast and everything in between.

warren costa, the hilo-born proprietor, shares the inside scoop on his island the way only someone who has been both a former park ranger and schoolteacher can. (he also has a background in archeology & naturalism, natch). tours are described as an educational journey giving you the 411 on island history and local legends with a dash of science and native habitat identification thrown in.

daylong tours start at $300 for up to two people (extra fee per additional person; six people max) and include transportation, lunch, walking sticks & daypacks. custom, off the beaten path adventures can also be organized (contact warren for more details).

take a peek at the faq before you book.