Maria Kanai

Freelance Writer

United States

I'm a writer based in Honolulu, Hawaii specializing in travel, culture and food pieces.

Portfolio
Honolulu Magazine
10/25/2017
Forget "Having it All"-Here's How You Can Overcome Superwoman Syndrome

Ever felt like you're facing constant pressure to juggle work, family, friends and everything in between-and to do it well? Experts say that unrealistically high standards can lead to greater stress and more health problems. Y ou've seen her around. She's the one with a beautiful family and an enviable career; the woman who always seems put together on Instagram.

Land & People Magazine
08/01/2022
Making Waves

How Trust for Public Land preserved 5 miles of irreplaceable coastline for North Shore recreationists and residents in Hawai‘i.

Dining Out
01/29/2018
Eatery dishes out classic recipes | Shiro's Saimin Haven | Dining Out

It's clear that family-owned restaurant Shiro's Saimin Haven doesn't cut corners with its food. This local staple has served its classic Hawaiian dishes with the same care and attention to detail since it first opened in 1969. Bryce Fujimoto, vice president of Shiro's, shares a few customer favorites, like Oxtail Soup ($15.50).

Hawaii Magazine
05/05/2017
Growing Future Leaders in Agriculture - Hawaii Magazine

The Agricultural Leadership Program graduates its 15th class For Jacob Tavares, the livestock project manager at Hawaiian Commercial and Sugar (HC&S), it was the perfect time to be in the Agricultural Leadership Program (ALP), a 16 month training program that brings together leaders in the Hawaii agricultural and natural resources management community.

Salon
01/14/2018
"This is not a drill": My 38 minutes of terror in Hawaii

My husband and I had just finished eating breakfast, and our 18-month-old daughter Anna was quietly playing with Lego bricks on our living room floor. My phone buzzes first. The ringtone is set on silent, but the long, violent buzzing is familiar: an emergency alert. A couple seconds later, my husband's does the same.

Honolulu Magazine
10/14/2015
What Do the "Hawai'i Five-0" Stars and Other Film Crews Eat on Set?

Three local food businesses dish out the inside scoop on feeding hungry cast and crew members shooting in Hawai'i. Learn some do's and don'ts of film food etiquette. It's my first day as Extra #56, call time 5:30 a.m. I'm raring to go, albeit in dire need of caffeine.

Honolulu Magazine
05/10/2021
How Did Thousands of Students Vanish-And Can We Get Them Back?

O n days when the internet is slow at 'Ilima Intermediate School, Sarah "Mili" Milianta-Laffin says it's like she's teaching STEM to blank squares on a screen. "Poor internet connection is one of our biggest hurdles as a Title I school," she says, referring to its high number of low-income families.

Hawaii Business Magazine
01/10/2018
West Oahu Magazine 2018 - Page 8 of 14 - Hawaii Business Magazine

An alternative leadership program at Kapolei High School forges their own path. By Maria Kanai Nicholas Makinano, a junior at Kapolei High School, never thought that he would ever enjoy growing vegetables until he actually got his hands dirty, working in a taro patch at school.