A few months ago, I had the opportunity to catch one of my favorite movies growing up on the big screen. Hawaii Theatre was showcasing The Princess Bride: An Inconceivable Evening with Cary Elwes. It was there that I discovered that my penchant for movie line banter was
a shared experience — at least it was for that night! It was quite endearing hearing such familiar lines being uttered in about a dozen other conversations. Lines like: My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die! or Sonny, true love is the greatest thing in the world... except for a nice MLT. And let’s not forget the perennial favorite, As you wish, spoken by the movie’s leading man, Westley. It was that breakthrough role that sealed Elwes’ permanent place in Hollywood, and he’s been there ever since. It was such a treat to hear his take on the film and the camaraderie he shared and still shares with his fellow actors.

In fact, for the past several years, Elwes has been touring the nation, giving fans a behind-the-scenes look at life on and off the set of the cult classic via his bestselling book, As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride. And while he’s been in countless movies and television shows since then, Elwes will always have a place in his heart for the timeless film. Find out more in “An Unlikely Story” on page 80.

Also in this issue, you’ll come across duos with fascinating stories to tell. First we have Heather Aiu and Rachael Leina‘ala Soares — the ladies behind ALOHA Collection. It’s incredible where a great idea can take you but for Aiu and Soares, hope and perseverance took them where they needed to be. Writer Allison Schaefers talks to the twosome who created those ever-popular splash-proof bags for “Packed and Ready to Grow” on page 40.

Plus, our very own Yu Shing Ting chats with Amy Choi and Rebecca Lehrer, co-founders of The Mash-Up Americans, a website and podcast that serve as a guide of sorts for the multicultural world we live in. It’s no wonder they both feel right at home when they pay Hawai‘i a visit — the term “multicultural” has been in our vocabulary from day one. For almost a decade, Choi and Lehrer have been telling stories to help others understand and connect with the different cultures that make up our communities. One of their most recent projects? A rom-com podcast called Love & Noraebang, starring Randall Park, Justin Min, Francia Raisa and Emily Tosta. Turn to “Mix Masters” on page 86 and learn more.

I hope you enjoy the issue as much as we loved putting it together.

Aloha!
Margie Jacinto, Publisher