Kimono Samba sounds like a culture clash. The mind conjures a picture of a pretty Japanese girl in a kimono and obi, undulating to the Latin sounds of samba. Actually, however, it’s far more harmonious.

The State Foundation on Culture and the Arts and Honolulu Theater for Youth have announced the winners of the state finals for Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest.

Mele means song in Hawaiian. If you’re interested in Hawaiian Music and island artists, check out mele.com. They have over 1200 titles in stock and you can browse sound clips right on the website. Another source for local style music is www.mountainapplecompany.com. You can get 20% off purchases until April 30th, 2008 with the coupon code HIMAG08.

If you just to stream some Hawaiian music over your computer, check out northshoreradiohawaii.com.

We all know about L&L around the islands, but the chain just keeps expanding on the mainland. There are new L&L’s popping up all over the place, including Portland, Oregon, Reno and Las Vegas, Nevada and even more. Check out their locations here.