Beach bars we're dreaming of

Can your favorite bar do this? With unobstructed views of Diamond Head and Waikiki Beach, Sheraton's Edge of Waikiki bar sits on the edge of an infinity pool.

At the Four Seasons Maui's Serenity Pool Bar, mai tais are served inside of pineapples on request. Purple things with mint leaves are good, too.

At Beach Tree Bar on Hawaii's Big Island, sunset cocktails sometimes mix with turtle watching. Best viewed with a signature limoncello-pear cocktail in hand.

At Kauai's St. Regis Princeville Resort's Nalu Kai, drinks are made with fresh juice from local fruit like lilikoi and lychee.

Bumbye Beach Bar is mere steps from Mokapu Beach on Maui's southwest coast. A crowd favorite, the Honua'ula cocktail is a mix of amaro, tequila, rum pineapple and lime.

Don't let the Maui sunset distract you from a more pressing concern -- last call for happy hour. From 3 p.m. until sundown, drinks at Ohia Bar at Duke's Beach House are half price.

Views overlooking Waipouli Beach on Kauai's Kapa'a coast are fantastic. Drinks at Oasis on the Beach are even more so, including homemade macadamia hot-buttered rum with cloves.

On Oahu, House Without a Key feels tucked away despite its Waikiki Beach address. Former Miss Hawaii winners hula dance each night on the oceanfront stage.

Tiki torches, swaying palms, hula and a live band -- the Big Island's Lava Lava is textbook Hawaiian beach bar.

Heather Graham and Ellen DeGeneres have been spotted at Waikiki's Mai Tai Bar. No doubt, they enjoyed the contemporary Hawaiian musical trio that plays six nights a week.

• Edge of Waikiki borders the Sheraton hotel's infinity pool


• Live music and hula performed by former Miss Hawaii winners are featured at Honolulu's House Without a Key


• Maui's Serenity Pool Bar is a swim-up on the edge of a 120-foot infinity pool overlooking Wailea Beach

(CNN) -- We all know what makes a great beach bar.

Killer ocean views, sunset exposure and a creative menu from which, for once, you don't have to feel ashamed about drinks that come in coconut shells garnished with pink umbrellas.

In Hawaii, though, perfect beach drinkeries also have to be imbued with that distinctive mahalo spirit.

These 10 waterfront watering holes have all that, and then some.

MORE: World's 50 best beach bars

The Edge of Waikiki (Oahu)

The Edge of Waikiki almost seems too obvious, with its prime Waikiki Beach location and unobstructed views of Diamond Head.

As the name suggests, it sits right on the edge of the Sheraton Waikiki's infinity pool -- happy souls occasionally float past you on orange bean bags.

Every morning between 10 a.m. and noon, bartenders serve $3 draft beers and $7 cocktails; in the afternoon, there's live acoustic music and umbrella-topped pina coladas.

For all the cliches, the bar remains quintessentially Waikiki, frequented by visitors and locals alike.

The Edge of Waikiki , 2255 Kalakaua Ave. on Waikiki Beach, Honolulu; +1 808 922 4422

Lava Lava: Proof there's no such thing as too much Hawaiian kitsch.

Lava Lava Beach Club (Big Island)

Lava Lava might be your textbook Hawaiian beach bar -- tiki torches, swaying palms, hula dancing and a live band -- but its kitschy charm works.

The location helps -- it's on quiet Anaeho'omalu Bay on the Big Island's northwestern coast.

Though its decor can be described as casual, at best -- basic rattan chairs and tables on the sand -- the drinks are strong and cheap, with $5 cocktails during happy hour, and service is attentive and energetic.

Lava Lava Beach Club , 69-1081 Ku'uali'i Place on Anaeho'omalu Bay, Waikoloa Village, Big Island; +1 808 769 5282

MORE: 9 of the world's best city beaches

Bumbye Beach Bar (Maui)

Though Bumbye is located just steps from low-key Mokapu Beach on Maui's southwest coast, it's not exactly what you'd call low key.

Its beechwood exteriors, surf-inspired art and artisan cocktails attract a largely young clientele, mainly guests at the Andaz Wailea.

But there's no attitude here: bartenders are chatty and easygoing and there's a solid local presence, particularly during football season when drinks are half-price during games.

The signature Honua'ula cocktail, a mix of Amaro, tequila, rum, pineapple and lime, is a crowd favorite.

Bumbye Beach Bar , 3550 Wailea Alanui Drive on Mokapu Beach, Wailea, Maui; +1 808 573 1234

House Without a Key (Oahu)

Sheltered beneath the sprawling branches of a century-old kiawe tree behind the Halekulani's orchid pool, House Without a Key feels tucked away despite its central Waikiki Beach address.

Each night on a small, oceanfront stage, live Hawaiian music is paired with traditional hula dancing performed by former Miss Hawaii winners as the sun sets over Waikiki.

The signature cocktail is a mai tai -- more than one call it the best on the island -- served over crushed ice and a sugarcane stick, and garnished with a mint leaf and a Vanda orchid.

House Without a Key , 2199 Kalia Road on Waikiki Beach, Honolulu; +1 808 923 2311

Nalu Kai always looks pretty good.

Nalu Kai (Kauai)

Quite possibly the only true beach bar on Kauai's north shore, Nalu Kai pairs barefoot appeal with strong drinks and views over Hanalei Bay, Pu'u Poa Beach and Bali Hai.

Though the bar is part of the St. Regis Princeville Resort, it's more minimalist than posh.

Its clientele skews young and moneyed.

Drinks are typically priced for a five-star resort bar -- $10 for a local beer, $16 for a margarita -- but cocktails are served with flair and made with the fresh juice of local fruit like lilikoi and lychee.

Nalu Kai ; 5520 Ka Haku Road on Pu'u Poa Beach, Princeville, Kauai; +1 808 826 9644

MORE: 9 great new U.S. beach hotels

Serenity Pool Bar (Maui)

Though the Serenity Pool Bar at the Four Seasons Maui is known more for its swim-up appeal -- it's on the edge of a 120-foot infinity pool -- it's also located beachfront, directly overlooking Wailea Beach.

An ocean-facing terrace with lounge chairs offers views over the West Maui mountain range and the island of Lanai.

The bar offers a substantial selection of local and organic beer and 18 cocktails, the most popular being the mai tai, which can be served in a pineapple upon request.

Serenity Pool Bar at Four Seasons Maui , 3900 Wailea Alanui Drive, Wailea, Maui; +1 808 874 8000

Mai Tai Bar (Oahu)

Heather Graham and Ellen DeGeneres (for whom a cocktail has been named) are said to frequent the Waikiki Beach institution that is the Mai Tai Bar.

Though the outdoor bar is encircled by a low barricade, the separation of bar and beach feels imperceptible thanks to the proximity of the sand -- you can reach over in your seat and grab a handful.

A contemporary Hawaiian musical trio plays six nights a week. Their sunset rendition of Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's "Over the Rainbow" is predictable but never tired.

Mai Tai Bar ; 2259 Kalakaua Ave. on Waikiki Beach, Honolulu; +1 808 923 7311

Ohia Bar: "Anybody got the time? My watch keeps stopping at 5 o' clock."

Ohia Bar at Duke's Beach House (Maui)

Located on North Ka'anapali Beach, the lower-key Maui outpost of Duke's Waikiki is an easy stroll from Black Rock, but far enough away from the Whaler's Village beach bar crowds to feel somewhat secluded.

Its thatched umbrellas and tiki torches are proudly kitsch -- this is Duke's, after all.

Half-price happy hour kicks off at 3 p.m. and ends at sunset.

Local crooners hop on the mic shortly after to set the aloha vibe in full swing with renditions of "Aloha Oe" and "White Sandy Beach."

Ohia Bar at Duke's Beach House , 130 Kai Malina Parkway on North Ka'anapali Beach, Lahaina, Maui; +1 808 662 2900

Oasis on the Beach (Kauai)

Just 15 minutes from Lihue Airport, this Kapa'a coast bar is perfectly situated for a pre- or post-flight drink.

Its outdoor dining deck overlooks the long expanse of Waipouli Beach, and the bar menu is large and interesting.

Popular drinks include macadamia hot-buttered rum with cloves, and the spicy Thai martini.

On Wednesday evenings the entire bar menu is half price.

The small plates are made with 90% local ingredients.

Oasis on the Beach ; 4820 Kuhio Highway at Waipouli Beach, Kapaa, Kauai; +1 808 822 9332

Beach Tree Bar (Big Island)

Located on the sands of Kumukea Beach on the Big Island's Kona-Kohala coast, the Beach Tree Bar is good for sunset cocktails and turtle-spotting -- sometimes simultaneously.

Though the thatched-roof bar has an informal vibe, it's got a sophisticated beer and wine menu (more than 60 wines by the glass) and 19 cocktails, including the popular limoncello-pear concoction that's the signature Beach Tree Smash.

Bartenders and wait staff avoid cheesy aloha shirts for casual blue tees and share local knowledge freely.

Beach Tree Bar at Four Seasons Resort Hualalai , 72-100 Kaupulehu Drive, Kaupulehu-Kona; +1 808 325 8000

Who's killing homeless men in Atlanta?

• Detective: "I don't know why someone would shoot two defenseless men"


• Shootings happened within 3 miles of each other


• The bullets used are fairly distinctive

Atlanta (CNN) -- Atlanta police are calling the shootings "sinister" because whoever pulled the trigger wasn't expecting to gain from them monetarily.

These were two homeless men, shot to death as they slept. And police aren't convinced the threat is over.

"A lot of our shootings involve robbery. A lot of our shootings involve someone making good on an old debt or some kind of revenge factor," Atlanta police Detective David Quinn told reporters Wednesday.

"I don't know why someone would shoot two defenseless men."

The shootings happened over the Thanksgiving week within three days of each other. The killer, or killers, haven't struck since, but police are asking the city's homeless to remain vigilant.

"We have the Christmas holidays coming up. We're asking for anyone's help," Quinn said.

Three days, three miles apart

The first shooting took place November 23.

Dorian Jenkins was fatally shot five times as he slept, wrapped in a blanket, on a sidewalk in downtown Atlanta.

Less than three days later, Tommy Mims didn't show up as normal at a recycling center where he took cans and other scrap metals to sell.

Mims, known locally as "Can Man" was found dead under a bridge where he usually slept. His body, also wrapped in a blanket, was riddled with seven bullets. He was killed less than three miles from Jenkins.

"They never came out of the sleep they were already in," Quinn said. "They weren't fleeing, running. They were asleep when they took these rounds."

Tellings details

Here's why police think the killings are related.

The rounds used in both shootings are fairly distinctive: .45-caliber bullets that, according to Quinn, haven't been made since 2010.

They were fired from revolvers, either a Taurus "Judge" or a Smith & Wesson "Governor." That reveals another troubling fact.

"These guns have a capacity of five or six rounds," Quinn said. But Mims, the second victim, had been shot seven times.

"Someone had to reload the gun in order to get seven rounds in him."

No suspect, motive

Police have no suspect nor a motive. Two witnesses offered detectives similar descriptions: someone dressed in dark clothing.

Police are asking "homeless brothers and sisters to look out for one another."

They're urging them to "use the buddy system" and bed down together with "someone that can actually watch their backs."

Quinn said on Thanksgiving evening, he went to Mims' family home to break the news of his death.

"His family never sees him until Thanksgiving Day," he said. "They were waiting on him to show up."

Rare condition puts teen in burn unit

• An allergic reaction to an antibiotic sent Yaasmeen Castanada to a hospital burn unit


• "It has just spiraled into a nightmare," her aunt told CNN affiliate KABC


• A doctor says the teen's prognosis is good, but she's in critical condition

(CNN) -- It started with a sore throat on Thanksgiving and an antibiotic from a friend who wanted to help.

Now 19-year-old Yaasmeen Castanada is fighting for her life inside a California hospital's burn unit, suffering from an allergic reaction that's so severe she has large open wounds all over her body.

"It is heartbreaking, every day is a different look. Every day, she's like, shedding away. ... Overnight, it's a whole different person that you're looking at," Martha Hughes, Castanada's aunt, told CNN affiliate KABC.

Doctors diagnosed Castanada with Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, a rare disease that can be triggered by antibiotics or other medications.

"When she took the medication, she started having a hard time breathing, and she told her mom that her lips were burning, her throat, her eyes, they got so red that she couldn't talk. So she rushed her to the ER, and that's when they diagnosed her with the disease. And from there it has just spiraled to a nightmare," Hughes said.

Now Castanada, the mother of a 4-month-old, is in critical condition at the University of California, Irvine, burn center.

Her prognosis is good, even though the disease has a high mortality rate, according to Dr. Victor Joe, the center's director.

But the situation, Castanada's family says, has been devastating.

"Just unreal, just watching your daughter burn in front of you, literally, burn in front of you," her mother, Laura Corona, told KABC. "Every day, a new blister, a new burn, a new scar. And she's just, 'Mommy, I want to go home.' And I can't take her home. I can't put water on her lips."

Mom: 'Don't share medication'

On a website created to raise funds for Castanada's care, her mother said the harrowing ordeal began soon after her daughter took the medicine.

"A friend offered her an antibiotic pill that she had from a previous illness," Corona wrote. "She was thinking that it would help her. This would be the biggest mistake of her life."

Now, Corona says she's hoping to spread the word so others don't make the same mistake.

"Don't share medication. Don't give someone else your medication. Don't offer medication," she said.

She also advises parents to find out what their children are allergic to -- before it's too late.

Doctor: Reaction causing skin to separate

At first, doctors diagnosed Castanada with Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, which refers to a condition where between 10% and 30% of the skin on the body is affected, Joe said. Now she's experiencing Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis, the diagnosis when more than 30% of the body is affected. Joe estimates that 65% of Castaneda's skin and mucus membranes have been affected.

The allergic reaction is causing layers of Castaneda's skin to separate, Joe said, creating lesions that grow into large open wounds.

"Patients can experience problems with taste, swallowing, eyesight and sexual functions can be affected. In Yaasmeen's case, we are particularly concerned because her eyes have been affected. This can cause scarring of the corneas, which could lead to permanent blindness," he said. "We are trying to prevent that from happening."

Photos on the fundraising website show Castanada lying in a hospital bed, with openings for her eyes cut from the bandages that cover her.

As part of her treatment for the disease, doctors have wrapped her body in a special dressing, Joe said.

"We have chosen to place a dressing that adheres to the open wound, which allows her skin to heal without having to remove the bandages to wash the wounds," he said.

Mortality for those suffering from Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis can be as high as 25% in adults, but tends to be lower with early treatment, according to the Merck Manual.

Though it's uncommon, Joe said his hospital has treated around six cases in the past year, because the burn center has experience treating open wounds.

"This is very sobering. The fact that you can get a life-threatening situation from taking a medication. It can happen, and most people don't think twice about taking pills for things," Joe said. "In fact, most of the time you do have some sort of side reaction to medication, just not this severe."

After recovering from Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, patients usually only have minor issues with their skin, such as dryness, Joe said.

"Hopefully new skin will come in," Corona told KABC. "I'm just there watching. All I can tell her is, "Hang on, hang on. It's almost over.'"

CNN's Joseph Netto and Debra Goldschmidt contributed to this report.

Beverly Johnson says Cosby drugged her

For more than 50 years, Bill Cosby has been one of America's leading entertainers: a noted comedian, an Emmy-winning actor and an innovative producer. However, his reputation has been tarnished by allegations of rape. Here's a look at how Cosby, shown here in 2013, has changed through the years:

Cosby, shown here in 1969, began his career in the nightclubs of Greenwich Village as a standup comedian. His clean-cut style became a career mainstay.

Cosby first made his name with his comedic storytelling, often based on his childhood experiences. In 2011, SPIN magazine put "To Russell, My Brother, Whom I Slept With" at the top of its "40 Greatest Comedy Albums of All Time" list. Here, Cosby feeds one of his children in the mid-1960s.

Cosby won three Emmys for his portrayal of Alexander Scott, an Oxford-educated spy who travels undercover as a trainer with his tennis-playing partner, Kelly Robinson (Robert Culp) in "I Spy," which aired on NBC from 1965 to 1968. Cosby was the first African-American to star in an American dramatic series.

In 1972, Cosby starred in "The New Bill Cosby Show," a variety program. Among his guests was Ray Charles, whose version of "Night Time Is the Right Time" would play such a standout role on "The Cosby Show" years later.

In 1972, Cosby helped create "Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids," a Saturday morning TV series that ran for more than a decade. It later became a 2004 live-action film starring Kenan Thompson as Fat Albert.

Cosby's biggest TV hit, premiered in 1984. Phylicia Rashad played his wife, Clair Huxtable.

After "The Cosby Show," the star cast about for other projects. Among them was another sitcom, "Cosby," which aired from 1996 to 2000. Cosby played retired airline agent Hilton Lucas. The show also starred T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh.

President Bill Clinton chats with Cosby and TV correspondent Linda Ellerbee at a 1996 conference on children's television. Cosby, who has a doctorate in education, is a strong believer in using television to send educational messages.

In 1997, Cosby suffered the loss of his son, Ennis, who was killed on the side of an Los Angeles freeway. Cosby's series' "Little Bill" used the phrase "Hello, friend" -- Ennis' regular greeting -- in tribute to his son.

Cosby shares a laugh with baseball great Hank Aaron after they both received the Presidential Medal of Freedom during a 2002 ceremony. The medal is America's highest civilian award.

Comedian Jerry Seinfeld and Cosby embrace at the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at Washington's Kennedy Center in 2009. Cosby declined the prize twice before accepting. His mother read Twain to him as a child -- a huge influence on his storytelling.

Cosby accepts the Marian Anderson Award in 2010 at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia.

Cosby speaks at the 20th anniversary of Rev. Al Sharpton's organization, the National Action Network, in 2011. In recent years, Cosby has been outspoken on the subjects of poverty, family and responsibility in the black community, which have earned him both praise and criticism.

Cosby speaks onstage during the 100th anniversary celebration of the Beverly Hills Hotel & Bungalows supporting the Motion Picture & Television Fund and the American Comedy Fund. The comedian is active in several charitable causes.

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• Beverly Johnson says Bill Cosby drugged her in 1980s


• Johnson, a famed model, was doing acting exercises at Cosby's residence


• Johnson says she shouted an epithet at Cosby, who finally sent her away


• Johnson says she was afraid to tell her story before recent allegations

(CNN) -- In an essay for Vanity Fair, famed model Beverly Johnson accuses Bill Cosby of drugging her in a meeting at his Manhattan residence in the 1980s -- adding herself to the list of women who have made accusations against the comedian in recent weeks.

"For a long time I thought it was something that only happened to me, and that I was somehow responsible. So I kept my secret to myself, believing this truth needed to remain in the darkness," she writes. "Now that other women have come forward with their nightmare stories, I join them."

Bill Cosby facing litany of allegations

CNN has reached out to Cosby's attorney, Martin Singer, but has not heard back yet.

Johnson, a noted model in the '70s and the first black woman to appear on the cover of American Vogue, says the alleged incident, which did not involve sexual assault, happened in the mid-1980s when Cosby was starring on "The Cosby Show." She was offered an audition for a small role on the hit program.

"I was in the midst of an ugly custody battle for my only child. I needed a big break badly and appearing on 'The Cosby Show' seemed like an excellent way of getting Hollywood's attention," she writes.

After some initial meetings, including one in which Johnson took her child to Cosby's brownstone, she was invited back to Cosby's residence. She was working through acting exercises -- including one in which she acted drunk -- in front of the comedian when he asked her to have a drink from his cappuccino machine, she recalls.

"I knew by the second sip of the drink Cosby had given me that I'd been drugged -- and drugged good," she writes.

Cosby then asked her to approach him.

"He put his hands around my waist, and I managed to put my hand on his shoulder in order to steady myself. As I felt my body go completely limp, my brain switched into automatic-survival mode," she writes. "That meant making sure Cosby understood that I knew exactly what was happening at that very moment."

Johnson then repeatedly called Cosby a "motherf*****."

"By the fifth (epithet), I could tell that I was really pissing him off," she writes.

Cosby yanked her down some stairs "as my high heels clicked and clacked on every step. I feared my neck was going to break with the force he was using to pull me down those stairs," she writes. He then hailed a taxi and deposited her inside.

There was a short postscript to the story. A few days later, she writes, she tried to call Cosby on a private number so he could "come clean and explain why he'd done what he had."

Cosby's wife, Camille, answered the phone. When Johnson asked to speak to Cosby, Camille told her it was late and they were in bed. Johnson said she'd call back, but never did.

"In the end, just like the other women, I had too much to lose to go after Bill Cosby," she writes, adding that she was worried what telling the story would do to her career at a time when she was financially stretched because of her divorce.

Johnson says she has wrestled with herself for years. She left the story out of her 2013 memoir because she "didn't want to get involved in a he-said, she-said situation," she writes.

But after hearing other women tell their stories -- including Barbara Bowman (who wrote an essay for the Washington Post) and Johnson's friend Janice Dickinson (who says Cosby sexually assaulted her in 1982, a claim attorney Singer has called "a fabricated lie") -- Johnson says it was time to talk.

"It's not easy doing the right thing sometimes!!! Thank you for your love & support Break the Silence of Sexual Abuse!

— Beverly Johnson (@BeverlyJohnson1) December 11, 2014

"It's not easy doing the right thing sometimes!!! Thank you for your love & support Break the Silence of Sexual Abuse!" she tweeted.

Officer: I never used chokehold

• Officer Daniel Pantaleo tells investigators he didn't use a chokehold


• Lawyer: "He used a takedown technique he was taught" in the police academy


• The New York Police Department prohibits the use of chokeholds

New York (CNN) -- Daniel Pantaleo, the police officer who a New York grand jury decided not to indict in the death of Eric Garner, spoke with internal affairs investigators about the case this week.

"He indicated he never used a chokehold," said Stuart London, Pantaleo's attorney. "He used a takedown technique he was taught in the academy. He said he never exerted any pressure on the windpipe and never intended to injure Mr. Garner."

London said Pantaleo had been trying to arrest "someone who was noncompliant." Speaking to investigators about the case on Monday, "he was confident and related the facts in an accurate and professional manner," London said.

Garner died in July after Pantaleo and other officers tried to arrest Garner, who they said was suspected of illegally selling cigarettes.

Lynch: A chokehold is not illegal

NY police officer: We are all saddened

Demonstrating a banned chokehold

A cell phone video of the arrest shows Pantaleo wrapping his arm around Garner's neck. A medical examiner ruled the death a homicide. New York's police commissioner announced shortly afterward that officers would undergo a three-day retraining period on the proper use of force when engaging a suspect.

The controversial case has ignited protests across the country after the grand jury decided not to indict Pantaleo last week. Garner's last words, "I can't breathe," have become a rallying cry during demonstrations. Critics say Pantaleo should have been indicted and say the case highlights problems in the criminal justice system.

The police internal affairs investigation aims to determine whether Pantaleo violated department policy. The New York Police Department prohibits use of chokeholds

New York Police Commissioner William Bratton has said the investigation, which had been on hold during the criminal investigation, is expected to take at least three months.

Investigators started interviewing other officers who witnessed the incident on Friday.

CNN's Jason Carroll and Catherine E. Shoichet contributed to this report.