Rating: All-Star

We stopped at KOA Pancake House near the Honolulu airport (HNL) for a family breakfast, and it hit the spot perfectly. This place is old-school local, with friendly service, hearty plates, and the kind of comfort food that feels like home.

Rating: Role Player

We sampled a handful of spots here on our visit, and overall it gave us a good variety of Asian flavors under one roof.

Rating: Role Player

Tried Raising Cane’s at Ala Moana recently, and while the food itself was decent, the overall digital and pickup experience has a long way to go.

Rating: Role Player

I took my son one afternoon and we ended up going “reverse mode” — snuck in to see the otters first to dodge the crowds.

Rating: Role Player

Our family had a good time at Camp Montecito Sequoia Lodge. It’s a unique blend of “luxury camping” and traditional family camp fun. We stayed in a room with a large bed and a bunk bed, perfect for our family of four, and even had our own private bath and shower—a big step up from roughing it.

Rating: All-Star

Most people think getting in shape after 40 means pounding pavement for hours or grinding away on a treadmill. I’ve found the opposite to be true. With a simple 20-minute swim workout—paired with a few minutes of sauna, some walking, and core work—I’ve reached cardio levels that shocked even my doctor.

My daughter had a dentist appointment. I could’ve passed it off to my wife, but something in me said, no, this one’s mine.

Some days are for catching up on rest. Others are for the kind of work that never shows up on a performance review but builds something deeper—family, community, legacy. This weekend was the latter.

Rating: Role-Player

For us, the mess always seemed to collect at the stairway entry. Shoes, backpacks, toys, jackets—it was the first impression of our home and also the most chaotic corner of it.

Rating: All-Star

Sometimes the best thing you can do is scoop up your toddler, step away from the noise, and head out for a one-on-one adventure. That’s exactly what we did with a trip to the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park—a day full of dinosaurs, snacks, and lessons in rolling with whatever family outings throw your way.

Rating: All-Star

A dull knife makes everything harder. A sharp knife makes everything smoother. And in some ways, that principle applies beyond the kitchen.

Rating: All-Star

There are some parenting battles that repeat themselves daily. One of ours? Sunscreen.

Rating: All-Star

Flying to Honolulu with kids can feel like a test of endurance. Long lines, cranky passengers, and the constant worry that your toddler might melt down at 30,000 feet. But our recent trip from Oakland (OAK) to Honolulu (HNL) with Southwest Airlines turned out to be the opposite—it was one of the smoothest, most family-friendly flights we’ve ever taken.

Rating: All-Star

When our toddler’s dentist pulled us aside and casually mentioned that constant sippy cup use could affect tooth alignment, my first thought was: Really? Even this? Parenting already feels like a minefield of small choices with long-term consequences—sleep routines, screen time, snacks—and now sippy cups were on the list.

Rating: All-Star

I used to think of snacks as fillers—something you grab when you’re hungry between meals, usually whatever’s easy and within arm’s reach. Chips. Crackers. A bar with more sugar than substance. But then I realized those “snacks” weren’t doing me or my family any favors. I’d get the short burst, the quick fix, and then the crash.

Rating: Role Player

I remember when our toddler was barely steady on his feet, wobbling from couch to coffee table like a pint-sized tightrope walker. Now, he’s scaling playground equipment and charging across open fields like he’s training for his own action movie.

Rating: All-Star

I remember holding my baby girl in one hand in the classic “football hold” designed to keep a newborn secure in your arm. She’s in elementary school now, playing sports afterschool, and growing faster than the Millennium Falcon in the Kessel Run.