Aussie monument joins stunning sweet display

Creating the gingerbread village on display at the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani is backbreaking work for executive chef Ralf Bauer. Yet he has done it annually for the last 17 years.

Bauer rebuilds every piece from scratch each year, and is still surprised by the end result when all the elements come together.

"I wanted to create something that nobody else had," said Bauer of the initial idea. "Something special."

What started out as five simple buildings has grown into an elaborate, international village that gets bigger every year.

The village is on display in the hotel’s lobby until the first week of January. Although the chef hopes to continue the tradition next year, because of the Princess Kaiulani’s renovations, the location of the village is uncertain.

The display is a sweet journey around the world with highlights including a Swiss chalet, ski run and gondola in the Swiss Alps, a German castle, the Tower Bridge of London, the Eiffel Tower, the Washington Monument and a Japanese pagoda. Local landmarks created from gingerbread and icing include the Moana Surfrider, Aloha Tower and Kawaiaha’o Church. Everything is dusted with a little glitter.

Each year the chef re-creates all the structures of the previous year and adds one more — this year it’s the Sydney Opera House, complete with vaulted roof shells made of sugar paste, glassy windows and a surrounding harbor.

The buildings are set against a backdrop of cotton clouds and under a sky of twinkling holiday lights.

Mount Isabelle, the highest cookie mountain in Bauer’s version of the Alps, is named after his daughter Isabelle, 13, who helped decorate the landscape of the village.

Logan’s Run, a ski and snowboard park, is named after his son Logan, 5.

At Logan’s request, Bauer added a toy dolphin and sharks to the blue waters surrounding the Sydney Opera House, as well as kangaroos to the shoreline.

Two trains race through the display on chocolate tracks past spinning carousels, a turning Ferris wheel and tiny, moving ice skaters. The village’s roadways and train tracks all lead back to Honolulu Station.

Look for Santa Claus, who makes an appearance somewhere in the village, whether posing for pet photos in the Old-Town America sectionor perched atop Aloha Tower.

The medieval-style train station features thoughtful mason work (with hand-built gingerbread bricks) and stained-glass windows made from gelatin leaves.

Bauer was assisted by pantry chef Amie Tungpalan and sous-chef John Hightower in the four-month endeavor, which used 320 gallons of icing, 150 pounds of dark chocolate, 50 pounds of white chocolate and 100 sheets of gingerbread.

The chefs use Internet research and Styrofoam bases to build each structure that goes into the village, which stands at more than 14 1/2 feet high and stretches more than 28 feet long. The village is not edible and is only for display.

Bauer said his favorite part is seeing the excitement of the children who visit as they explore all the details the chef embeds, such as tiny cakes visible behind the window of Amie’s Sweet Shop.

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Nina Wu, Star-Advertiser

Add Filipino flair to holiday fun

Maligayang Pasko!

In celebration of the holidays, the Filipino Community Center in Wai?pahu will host a free festival, “Pasko sa FilCom” (“Christmas at FilCom”) Sunday.

The event, scheduled for 3:30 to 7:30 p.m., includes traditional Fili?pino foods like bibingka, turon and suman sa ibos; cooking and escrima (martial arts) demonstrations; Filipino and Christmas music and dance; and a bazaar.

Brothers Lanai and Adam Tabura, co-winners of Food Network’s reality competition “The Great Food Truck Race,” will be on hand to meet fans and sign autographs. Lanai will also emcee the event.

Kids can enjoy a wide range of activities, including the chance to make their own parol (star-shaped Christmas lantern). Members of the University of the Philippines Alumni Association will teach children how to make parols using recycled items, while a group from the University of Hawaii will demonstrate how to make traditional bamboo parols.

“Aloha” T-shirts will also be on sale, with proceeds to benefit Typhoon Yolanda/Hai?yan relief efforts.

For more information, call the FilCom Center at 680-0451 or email filcom@filcom.org.

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Stefanie Nakasone, Star-Advertiser

Celebrate Discovery Center’s 15th year

Happy 15th birthday, Hawaii Childrens Discovery Center!

Stop by for a celebration featuring complimentary cake and ice cream as the Hawaii Childrens Discovery Center celebrates its birthday Dec. 21 in the museums lobby.

The celebration will include carnival games with prizes and balloon creations by Dr. Ks Magic School. Partygoers can meet Lani Moo from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Ronald McDonald from 1:30 to 3 p.m.

Keiki can purchase game tickets for 50 cents each for the 10 games available Dec. 21. Proceeds benefit the centers educational programs.

The center has served 1.5 million visitors since it found its new home in Kakaako Waterfront Park.

Loretta Yajima, chairwoman of the board of directors at the center, remembers the $15 million transformation of the Kakaako incinerator into a place of exploration for children and their families.

The first time I set foot into the old city incinerator, I was overwhelmed by the enormity of the task before us, Yajima said. I knew this would be a legacy for our children and theirs, so we rolled up our sleeves and never looked back.

The center now boasts a facility with two floors of permanent exhibits, a snack bar, party facilities and space for a traveling exhibit.

The Monkey King is on display through Jan. 31. The next traveling exhibit is Run! Jump! Fly!  a setup that inspires kids to get physically active. (An opening date has not yet been set.)

Now the center is looking to help others by sharing its experience with the staffs building childrens museums in Beijing and Hohhot in Inner Mongolia.

Im humbled to be a part of a movement that will provide new educational opportunities for the children beyond our island shores, she said.

Its been an amazing journey, said Liane Usher, the centers president. Although challenges have arisen, she said the reward of being able to serve the thousands of families who visit the center makes everything worthwhile.

Museum admission, which allows access to the exhibits, is $10, $8 kamaaina and military, and $6 for seniors over age 62. Call 524-5437.

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Nancy Arcayna, Star-Advertiser