Crazy Country Corn...

there's something new in Haleiwa...

roasted corn!

We  love corn on the cob.  

This is the best...

sweet, perfected cooked and big!

We usually just cook our corn the regular way, by boiling it in water.

This corn is roasted

a whole new flavor.  I loved it.

Hubby and I have been known to just eat corn and fruit for dinner.

I can hardly wait for the next time to have this corn, it was that good!

Now I Get It...

I've been in Foodland and even Malama and seen

tourist standing in front of the shelves with looks of wonder

in their eyes.

I got that same feeling today when I went to Albertson's.

So many choices...

it's almost overwhelming.

I get it now.

Even at our little Foodland or even smaller Malama

more than a few choices in cereal can actually be overwhelming.

Pho Heaven...

I'm obsessed with Pho.

I'm willing to try a place if someone says it's the best.

I went to a new place on Sunday for lunch.

She'd been there before, but I never had.

I thought it couldn't beat out my all-time favorite...Pho King

in Wahiawa.

Saigon Noodle House#3

is. the. best!

pho, that Vietnamese soup that to me is pretty much heaven in a bowl.

it's not really about the chicken, noodles or veggies that are in there...

it's all about that savory deliciousness...the broth.

as soon as I took my first spoonful I knew I had finally found it.  This was

even before I added the plum/garlic/sirrachia to it.

(I think their sauce is homemade, it was that good)

We split an order of spring rolls, I love the way to eat these.

roll, noodles, lettuce, sauce all wrapped in a lettuce leaf.

The order was so big that there was plenty for today's lunch.

I'm craving it again as I write this.

Yes, Saigon Noodle #3 makers of heaven in a bowl.

Dole Whip...

yesterday coming back from running errands, hubby did a quick turn into

Dole Plantation...

we drive by there all the time if we go up Kam Hiway. Never stopping.

Figured it's just a tourist stop with the maze, shops and exhibits about pineapple.

A few months ago when we were driving home and stopped in front to let tour buses go

into the parking lot, we started talking about "Dole Whip".  

Years and years ago there used to be a little stand in the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center

in Waikiki at the Diamond Head end that sold "Dole Whip".  Dole Whip, isn't an ice cream or

a yogurt.  It's a soft serve wonder.

The kids loved going over to the stand and getting Dole Whip cones.  Maybe even

more than shave ice because it's not as sweet.

When we were having this little talk about it, hubby said "look it up on your phone".  Dole

Whip is actually considered a "Disney Thing".  I know that you can buy it at the

Enchanted Tiki Hut at Disneyland because that's Dole sponsored.

So yesterday when we did that quick turn into the plantation along with all the other tourist,

we saw some people carrying bowls of what we could only imagine was the wonderful

Dole Whip.

So excited when hubby came out with two bowls of it.  Even had chunks of pineapple

on it (we wondered if it was actually pineapple picked and canned from the 

fields across the street).

It was worth the $6.00 price to taste that tart, creamy delight again.

The Alley...

yesterday after a trip to Scholastic, we went to dinner

at "The Alley" in Aiea Bowl.

I foget how really, really good this place is.  

We were there at the perfect time, a little after 5, so the after work

crowd wasn't there yet.

I love their mixed plate...choose any two items.  So many choices, 

it's hard.  I had the furikake salmon, spicy shrimp, tossed salad & brown rice.

so, so good.

of course a shared slice of their famous "lemon crunch cake" was

the perfect ending.

It's still funny to me that such a famous (they've been on Diners, Dives & Drive-ins )

is tucked away in a bowling alley.

A real hidden treasure.

Konos & Surfing Chef...

last week I went to Konos for breakfast (the was a field trip)

At first I couldn't figure out what was going on...about 10 guys

with big cameras and film equipment.  The girl was taking orders, so I figured

they were still open.  It was so crowded in there, but I made it to

my favorite table in the back and watched what was going on.

We see a lot of filming going on in Haleiwa but I think mostly

Japanese filming travel stuff.

This was different for sure, and they weren't from here.

in my pics, can't see the guy that they were filming while 

"T" the mgr., was making a Kalua pig plate.  While this was going

on the guys that work there were trying to get orders out...

crazy for sure.

I had to laugh (to myself) about how many times the guy they 

were filming said ..."broke da mouth".  Really?

every time they ran through it, they had a plate of food that they gave away.

Jamie O'Brien, North Shore surfer, was there and I found out later that he's 

actually part of the whole show. Guess the chef is someone famous, but

I'd never seen him before.

I have no idea when or where this is shown.  Maybe it's an internet thing.

Very interesting concept for sure.

Konos is our favorite so we're glad they're getting some exposure.

Their food really is 

"broke da mouth"

Friendship and Eggs...

the other morning I got together with these two ladies ...

one of them is living in Utah and the other is just so busy,

we only get to talk at church.

we went to Pizza Bob's (would never go there for dinner I don't think)

and had there ok breakfast.  It's close, it's air-conditioned and there's

endless Diet Coke with lemon.

Coco and I had the omelet with avocado, mushrooms, onions and cheese,

Kay ordered the fish and eggs.  I'm pretty sure that this is a Hawaii thing, fish

on a breakfast menu.  It was actually very good.

We talked for hours.  Listening to each other.  Supporting each other and not judging each other.

It was so nice that each of us in our own time, had come to the same conclusion on

the answers/help we were seeking.  That's a good thing.

When one of us looked at the time finally we'd been there for 4 hours!

We laughed that maybe we should order lunch and keep talking.

Coco and Kay I love you two so much.

Since Being Home...

flying in on a sunny day is probably the best.

I usually fly in at night, but since we changed our tickets

we got to see home from the air.

we went to one of our favorites...

Kakaako Kitchen

for a mahi sandwich on a taro bun...yum

all of the shower trees are in full bloom, so theres lots 

of places to park in the shade

ate Kahuku corn and watermelon two nights

in a row for dinner.

had to finally go to the market

and had to go to Lowe's and buy a new dishwasher...

yes, we've been busy

Plenty Papaya...

my hubby has a very, very green thumb.

This is the second time that he's grown papayas

and each time they've grown to be HUGE.

He only has 1 tree.  If you get the right kind (I think it's luck)

you only need one and not the male/female deal.

these actually taste really, really good.
He doesn't use anything on them, just love.

He loves his yard and the satisfaction from it's beauty.  He's especially 

proud when people come and pick his flowers to be used at the church 

or in leis.

A Cool Escape...

we love fish tacos,

but haven't really found a good one close to home.  

For Mexican food in general, we always go to El Palenque, but they really don't do fish tacos.

our neighbor Billy, told us about the fish tacos at LuiBuenos in Haleiwa.  Since he's 

from San Diego, he knows fish tacos.  

LuiBuenos has been open for a couple of years in the same spot that the old "Rosies" was.

I'd been there once a long time ago, but hubby hadn't ever been.

A few weeks ago we decided to give them a try...

Billy was right.  These fish tacos a very good!  It's really about the sauce and theirs

is good.

One of the best things is that if you eat early, like we do, as part of a "Happy Hour", they

are only $3/each.  

Another plus is that they have good air conditioning...so when it's hot, no trades, so wind, yucky,

Lui Buenos is a very cool retreat with good chips and ok salsa.

Manapua Man...

love this video about "the manapua man" that comes to neighborhoods

to sell manapua.  Now he sells other things, but it used to only be manapua, 

pork hash, rice cake and half moons.

I remember a version of the manapua man in Hilo...do you remember Lee?

I've heard stories about the manapua man in Waialua.

Such a "Hawaii thing".

Wish he was still around and didn't have to go to 7/11 if you had a craving for manapua...

(I have to admit though, their lup chong manapua is pretty good).

Japanese Bread...

about a year ago we started seeing a different bread at Foodland.

Japanese style white bread.

Then I had a turkey sandwich made on this bread and fell in love.

It's not an "air bread" like Wonder or cheaper brands.  It's not

a sturdy-type of bread like a artisan.  It's just the perfect sandwich bread.

In Japan it's called "shokupan".  Which means milk bread or eat bread.

it's a square piece of bread, which I think is why it's the perfect

sandwich bread.

When I had my Downton Abbey party, this was the bread I used for 

the tea sandwiches.  It's very easy to cut off the crusts and then you

still have a perfect square.

There are only 15 slices to a loaf, which is perfect for us.  We don't eat a lot

of sandwiches or toast. Hubby loves having a regular peanut butter and jelly sandwich on this bread.

 I keep in in the refrigerator because of the humidity here,

and it still comes out perfectly.

It does come in a wheat, but the white is our very favorite.

Some Music At Aulani...

Saturday night I went with our friends the Iwanas and the Nitchmans

out to Aulani in Ko'olina to listen to some great Hawaiian music, Tony C.

I hadn't been out there since it opened and it's even more spectacular now that 

it's completed.

The music is outside at the "O'lelo Bar" and it was a perfect night to be sitting

outside.

Tony and his boys have been playing out there since it opened a few years ago.

I know him because he has played for us at Na Hula and has been long time friends with

Aunty Lei and Ms. Alama.   Every Saturday on his way to Aulani, he stops and

visits Aunty Lei in hospice.  I'd seen her earlier and we were talking about how

spunky she is.

They played from 6:30-10:00pm!

crazy good fun.

He played a mix of traditional Hawai'ian and Hapa Haole songs, so it

was fun.

Since we'd had such a big dinner at Highway Inn, we didn't order much food, only some

snacks.  The girls said we "had" to get the macaroon hamburger .

The "burger" was a chocolate macaroon, "fries" were sticks of shortbread cookie,

the "ketchup" was raspberry puree and the "shake" was some type of frothy

sweetness that you ate with a spoon with a chocolate "straw".

It was not only great to look at, but also very, very good to eat.

Only at Disney.

It was such a fun evening and we were saying that we'll have to do it again.

I commented to one of the guys in the band that "I guess they don't allow

bugs at Aulani because it's Disney".  There weren't any bugs flying around

even though there is a lot of water stuff there and no wind.  

I only wish they had better Kamaaina rates, I'd love to go out and stay there.

Big mahalo to our friends for including me in such a fun night.

Let's do it again!

Highway Inn...

Saturday night before going out to Aulani, went to dinner with Benita, Gary,

Iris and Dave.  They'd never been to Highway Inn in Waipahu so this was a good time

to try it.

I'd been there years ago and remembered how good the laulau was.

We all ordered the combo plates that are served on old-style school

cafeteria plates.  Everything there is so good.  The poi is fresh, the lomi is 

just right, the laulua done the way I like it and the haupia is

a nice touch.  The BEST thing that I just loved was the pipikaula.  It was

little pieces of steak cut up, not the usual tough kine beef jerky.

The original Highway Inn opened in 1946 and after moving several times, it's been at this

location for many years.  

I actually liked their food better than Ono's on Kapahulu.

Have to make a point of going there more often!

Pupus With Seriously Good Friends...

I got a text message from our friends, Tim & Donna, that they were taking a drive out to the

North Shore and did we want to meet them for pupus.  Since hubby is in Miami,

and they wanted to meet early, I suggested Haleiwa Joes.

My Favorite!

I love to go there and order all different things off the "Aloha Hour" menu.

sizzling mushrooms with melted cheese...

sticky ribs and coconut shrimp...

a Lava cake to share for dessert...

 we also had the ceviche (which even Tim liked!)

it was really nice to get together with some San Clemente

friends on the spur of the moment.

They're staying in Waikiki for a month.

We actually met them in Waikiki one year and our friend Noah

introduced us since we were all from San Clemente.

They come to Hawaii often, so they've gotten to see me dance 

at Na Hula and the big winter waves.

Seriously good friends…

are the best kind!

A Happy New Year...

last Saturday we had a bit of a New Year celebration with my

hula sisters from the class before ours.

There was so much yummy food!

I loved the tempura and sushi

I brought "snow puffies" from Paalaakai Bakery to share.

it was especially nice that Ms. Alama could be there to celebrate with us.

I must say it was hard to get up and dance after all the food.

Watercress Heaven...

I love watercress.

One of my very favorite salads is watercress & tofu with an oriental dressing.

In Aiea on Kam Hiway, is Sumida Farm  that has been growing watercress since 1928.

Right there next to the hiway with thousands of cars going by every single day.

This is probably the biggest watercress farm on Oahu.

As I understand it, since watercress doesn't grow in dirt, it loves 

the natural spring water that in this area comes from Pearl Harbor.

(thank you sweet Marisa for the photo)

I've tried several times to get a good photo of the farm, thanks to dear friends

for great photos that I couldn't get.

It's funny to drive by and see the scarecrows.

It seems like they are always harvesting watercress, I think because

it grows so fast.

I like that Sumida Farm is right there in the middle of a large population area,

but nothing has really changed for them.

Good To Be Home...

when I was sitting in the airport waiting for my flight, 

I got to talking to a family that had been to Disneyland and gone

for about 8 days.  We were talking about the cold weather

and lack of humidity in CA.

Then the food talk started…

the dad said "they eat so many potatoes!"  I never 

thought about it, but I guess that's true.  Not a lot of rice.

Arlette and I wanted to get together before Monday and talk about 

what I'd missed and the upcoming weeks.

We decided to meet at a local Hawaiian place after I was

finished with church.

We couldn't resist…

had to have "local" food…

loco moco!

After that and two diet cokes later…

no sign of jet-lag until about 6 o'clock when I really

wanted to go to bed!

Just about then was when the thunder, lightening and rain started.

Love my sweet family and friends in California, but

I'm so glad to be home!

Hula Sister Reunion At The Alley...

last week one of my hula sisters from Lani Ola, Arlene, came into town.

 Iris, Benita and I were in a different class than Arlene, but

we've been special friends for a long time.  

It was so nice for all of us to get together.  Too bad my hubby had to be on the

mainland.

We met at "the Alley" at Aiea Bowl.  It was so good!  I hadn't been there for awhile

and it was just as good as I remembered it.

Arlene-nie, we love you and were so happy to get together!