Tours And Events | GRRRL TRAVELER

REVIEW: Where to get your screams in Hawaii this Halloween

Filed under Hawaii, Tours and Events by Christine Ka'aloa on October 28, 2011 at 8:47 pm {no comments}

haunted lagoon hawaii halloween

It’s fright week weekend and I’m in Hawaii to relive my nightmare with Boo! This year’s Halloween buzz highlights two première fright night events, where you’ll get the biggest scream. Who will the Hawaiian masters of terror be? My Grrrl Traveler Scream Award goes to the Haunted Lagoon and Hawaii’s Haunted Plantation. I’m going to let you in on a little secret; I’ve already had a head jump on both!
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Haunted Lagoon

The Lady of Laie is back and she’s still haunting the Polynesian Cultural Center‘s lagoon!

Haunted Lagoon is one of the biggest productions I’ve seen next to a theme park. Pirates, ghouls, killer clowns, headless ghosts, screamer zombies, (more…)

Review: Daegu Biennale 2010

Filed under Daegu, Festivals by Christine Ka'aloa on November 14, 2010 at 9:14 am {4 comments}

Daegu Photo Biennale 2010 (website)

Crunchy art. It’s the last thing I expected Daegu to produce.

To me, crunchy art is very satisfying- a tasty and thought-provoking bit, that you must chew on in order to appreciate it’s flavored variety and texture.

When I first heard Daegu was having a Biennale, my first impulse was to dismiss it. I’m glad I didn’t. The exhibition blew me away international works that were witty, gravity-defying, wicked, romantic and… crunchy.

The Daegu Photo Biennale 2010 showcased the works of international photographers, who (more…)

Hi Seoul Festival and Media City Seoul 2010

Filed under Festivals, Reviews by Christine Ka'aloa on November 13, 2010 at 8:09 pm {2 comments}

Does Korea have a pulse on art? Maybe.

October appeared to be the month for festivals and surprisingly scintillating art. Korea and art? Perhaps this country isn’t just all world heritage sites, bundegi (my silkworm arch nemesis) and traditional crafts. Maybe it can swing with the likes of New York City, Los Angeles, Venice Biennale and Art Basel, jet-setting continents to bring together brow-raising shows.

If last month was a sample of the future, then Korea might be on the rookie list of international contenders. I took in three world-class international art and performance exhibitions; one of them was even in.. (gasp) Daegu! (more…)

Secrets to Finding Great Budget Tours in Vietnam

Filed under SOLO TRAVEL, Tours and Events by Christine Ka'aloa on August 21, 2010 at 5:07 am {15 comments}

Tourists rest at a roadside cafe

For the female solo traveler, Vietnam shouldn’t be an intimidating or scary country to travel. Though still developing, it’s no longer as ‘off-the-beaten path’ as one might like to romanticize; and while large, Vietnam strives to make transportation easy and cheap for the tourist. For every main attraction, you can bet there’s probably a budget tour for it, as tour operators are everywhere, vying for your business and ready to aid your travel needs.

Tours however, are not for everyone. Some travelers prefer for a more personal and off-off-road experience to (more…)

Review:”Bollywood Heats up at the Basement Bhangra in NYC”

Filed under Cool/Veg Restaurants & Bars, New York by Christine Ka'aloa on March 9, 2009 at 11:29 am {no comments}

by Christine Ka’aloa

Tonight the humidity at SOBs is as thick as monsoon season, the dhol beats are pounding and you can smell faint traces of fennel and anise in the crowd. ” Any Punjabis in the house?”…. An ocean of hands go up, but not because the entire crowd here is Punjabi but because tonight I’m at Basement Bhangra, an event held the first Thursday of every month at SOB’s located North of Houston.

Try to explain Bhangra to any non-Indian person and you’ll find yourself scraping barrel, especially when you’re one of those non-Indians yourself. Put simply, Bhangra has to be experienced! Bhangra is a style of Indian music and dance but originates from the heart of Punjabi Sikh celebrations more than it does booty calls and when practiced in intense fun, fervor and shouts of ecstasy, can get your heart rate up into a healthy and sweaty workout. This this the first event I’ve been to where most of the crowd is not only on the dance floor but whose most passionate dancers are men! (Single ladies….ahem, possibly the only place in NYC where the guy to girl ratio stands in our favor)

(more…)