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Bon Dance Season is Here!
In
the Buddhist tradition, during the summer months, Japanese
residents welcome back the spirits of departed loved ones at
lively and festive dance events called o-bon (most in Hawaii
shorten the word to bon). There are numerous o-bon dances at
venues around the island of Hawaii set for this summer
season between June and August.
In Japan, the summer o-bon
festivals date back to more than 500 years. In Hawaii,
Buddhist temples take turns hosting the festivals and these
dances have become as much social affairs as religious
observances.
Everyone is welcome at the
Hawaiian festivals, regardless of religious background or
ethnicity making the temple festivals well-attended.
What can I expect to see at
an o-bon festival?
- Dances that participants
can engage in (called bon-odori). These generally involve
people circling and dancing around a high wooden scaffold
called a yagura (wooden musicians’ tower). Flutes
and gongs may accompany singers and taiko drums.
- A variety of foods for
sale, including musubi (rice balls wrapped in
dried seaweed), stir fried noodles, andagi (sweet
fried dough), barbeque sticks, stew & rice, chirashi
sushi, bentos, Spam musubis, shave ice cones and
more.
- Some dressed in a
yukata (summer cotton kimono) or a hapi
coat.
- Plenty of colorful
chockin hanging lights. O-bon translates to “lantern
festival” and the lanterns are believed to light the way
for ancestral spirits, who are then greeted with offerings
of flowers, food and incense.
Here is the Big Island O-Bon
Festival Schedule ...
CONTINUED >>> |
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Mortgage Rates
U.S. averages as of May 27, 2010:
30 yr. fixed: 4.78%
15 yr. fixed: 4.21%
1 yr. adj: 3.95%
View current rates
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View All Featured Listings Here
Featured
Listing
Alae
Point Classic
Mid-century modern
single level home with spectacular in-ground pool in
a highly-desired Hilo neighborhood. Steps away from
Honolii swimming & surfing beach park, this home is
immaculately kept and ready for anyone who
appreciates living the island lifestyle.
The exterior is
landscaped with red ceiling wax palms, and a covered
port cochere in the circular driveway. The pristine
swimming pool is surrounded by an entertaining deck,
with an island bar. An outdoor bathroom and shower
open directly to the pool deck to minimize wet
footprints in the house. This area is so inviting
that you may find it hard to go inside!
Click
Here for More Info
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Hilo Brokers iPhone Real
Estate Search Application
- By
Kelly H. Moran
We’ve
created a customized, FREE, iPhone application that
allows you to search hawaii real estate from your iPhone.
Read More or Download Here
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 Hilo's
Farmer's Market is a Must-See Experience While You're On the Big
Island
Over 200 local farmers
and crafters sell their produce, crafts, gift items and
tropical flowers in a festive outdoor atmosphere that
recalls back to the old "plantation" days of early Hilo.
Located at the corner of Mamo
Street and Kamehameha Avenue in historic downtown Hilo, it's
open all year round.
Big Days are:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday:
7:00am - 4:00pm
Wednesday and Saturday:
6:00am - 4:00pm
Need directions?
Click here for a map!
The Hilo Farmers Market has a
large variety of tropical fruits and vegetables grown right
here in the Hawaiian Islands. There are several vendors with
certified organic produce, too. The newest vendor is 7th
Sister located inside the building.
The list of vendors is always
changing, but here are some of the products you can find at
the Market this month:
Fruits
Jack Fruit - Longan - Mango - Papaya - Pineapple - Rambutan
- Strawberries - White Pineapple
Vegetables
Baby Ginger - Bitter Melon - Bok Choy - Eggplant -
Hydroponic Lettuce - Organic Spinach - Sweet Corn - Warabi
Flowers and Plants
Anthuriums - Bonsai Plants - Herbs - Orchids - Protea -
Tropical Flowers
Specialty Food Items
Awa Juice/Powder/Root - Coconut Pastries - Fresh Fruit
Popsicles - Jelly (Ohia, Lemon) - Peruvian Tamales -
Portugese Bread - Local Seafood Delights including ahi,
opihi, uhu, dried fish, fish sausage
Crafts and Gift Items
Beads - Bongo Drums - Clothing - Jewelry - Pareos - Puka
Shell Anklets - T-shirts - Woodworks
Farmers Market Links of
Interest:
 In
Season at the Farmers Market - Soursop!
This fruit is native to Mexico,
Central America, and the countries that lie within the
tropics. No need to go far to find this fruit. You can find
them now and within the next 3 – 4 months at the Hilo
Farmers Market.
The flavor is described as a
combination of citrus with pineapple and strawberry and a
touch of creamy flavor of coconut. The ever green tree is
grown to about 15 feet tall. The fruit can weight up to 6 or
7 pounds.
The flesh of the fruit consists
of an edible white pulp and the indigestible black seeds.
The sweet pulp is great for eating fresh when soft and also
good for making juice as well as candies, sorbets, and ice
cream flavorings. According to the Wikipedia, this fruit is
nutritionally high in carbohydrates, vitamin C, vitamin B1,
and vitamin B2.
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~ Hawaii Fast
Fact ~
Hawaii doesn't
participate in Daylight Savings Time.
So, for 1/2 the year,
Hawaii is 2 hours behind California, and for the other 1/2
(like now, when it's Daylight Savings for most states)
Hawaii is 3 hours behind California.
Wondering what time it
is in Hilo right now?
-
Click Here -
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Enroll Today!
Kelly's Blog
is now available.
Read online, RSS feed, or receive easy email notifications of
new posts. Just use the handy Subscribe links in the
blog's right hand column.
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Appealing Your Property Tax Bill (and saving money)
I
f your property tax is aligned with or assessed based on the value
of your home, a swing in property values could warrant close
scrutiny of your property tax bill.
Some more progressive tax jurisdictions
will make the adjustment for you -- up or down -- but most only move
your rate up or they'll wait for the property to change hands before
adjusting the tax.
Even where adjustments are automatic,
you still may not be satisfied and will need to appeal the deal.
Over valued or over assessed property is
perhaps the most common and successful grounds for challenging your
tax bill.
When the economy is faltering and
spawning foreclosures, short sales and homeowners otherwise bailing
out of homeownership, consider it a red flag -- it's time to
scrutinize your property tax bill.
Many homeowners bailout, accept the
foreclosure or take the short sale way out because their mortgage is
more than the value of the home, which may have fallen for a variety
of reasons. The incidence of incorrectly calculated property tax
bills may also warrant a close inspection of your property tax bill
or an appeal.
The incidence of incorrectly calculated
property tax bills may also warrant a close inspection of your
property tax bill or an appeal.
Many errors in calculating your property
tax bill also stem from clerical mistakes according to the American
Homeowners Association (AHA) which, along with the National
Taxpayers Union, offers a low-cost kit to help you check our
property tax's accuracy and, if necessary, attempt to lower your
levy.
Visit the Federation of Tax
Administrators (www.ntanet.org)
to pinpoint your property tax jurisdiction, records and procedures.
Tell-tale signs your property tax could
warrant an adjustment include:
- Errors in the
description of your property on the tax bill.
- Compatible homes in the
area that have sold for less than your appraised value.
- Neighbors with lower
assessments on similar houses. Keep in mind some homes retain the
same assessed value for years and assessed values often don't rise
or fall in step with market values or home sale prices.
CONTINUED >>>
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What
Your Home is Worth?
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of the top experts in Real Estate. Updated each weekday.
Market Snapshots Are Here
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O-BON
DANCES
HAWAII
NEI 2010 ART EXHIBIT
UKULELE
JAZZ FESTIVAL
