Honolulu Occidental Life...

I've seen this building hundreds of times and wondered about it.

It really is the Occidental Life Insurance building.  The original

building was built in 1950 and the cantilevered addition added 

several years later.

Some people have wondered if it was a left-over airport control tower of

some sort or a look-out.

Interesting that it's still used by the company today and not replaced by a high-rise.

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!

France Comes to Haleiwa?...

another addition to the crazy Haleiwa food scene…

a VW bus selling crepes in the 

Cafe Haleiwa parking lot.

as an owner of a Bus, I know how tight the space is in there

so if they can make it work…

Just when we thought we'd seen it all in the ever-changing Haleiwa.

Wonder how long it will last?

Surfing, A Sad Fact...

it can be very dangerous.

Yesterday we had the first really BIG swell come through.  

They didn't run the contest because this side was too blown out.

Farther east of Haleiwa the big wave surfers were out.

Right before noon, one of them didn't surface.

a full on search was going on in the water and

the air.

they were out again at day break searching again.

As of now, they still haven't found him.

He was someone that I didn't know personally, but had seen around.

It's a sad fact that something so awe-inspiring can also be so dangerous.

Even as I write this, I can still hear the helicopters.

Storm...

we had a big storm that came through Saturday and into Sunday.

At one point I got an alert on my phone about Kam Hiway being closed in 

Haleiwa.  Later found out that it was a downed power pole.  

Went by there today and saw that even though they got the road opened and 

power back on…the wires were still drooping.

                     you can see the broken pole leaning.  Not sure when they'll get the new pole in, but

it's amazing what lightening will do.

Linger Longer...

Sunday was another "Linger Longer" after church.  We've done four times

this year.  I love it.  It's a chance to have lunch together, chat and get caught up

after our meetings.  

the best part is trying all of the different types of food…

Moroccan, Hawaiian, Mexican, Samoan

it's all there.

 I'm so Thankful for Waialua Ward and all of it's members.

Crack Seed Store...

for over 70 years this little, tiny store has been open in Kaimuki.

Last week there was a story on the news about it and the man that has

owned it for 35 years.  So at school we made a list for me to 

pickup after hula.  Since I go to Kaimuki once a week this 

was easy.

Everyone had their favorite.  My hula sisters told me the best parking, so

I went the couple of blocks and felt like I was stepping back in time...

my favorite…rock salt plum!

it really was the best I'd ever had…the perfect combo of sweet, salty, wet…

as I waited in line (it was out the door by the time I left) I took a look around.

I'm sure 70 years ago they didn't have Icees or Diet Coke dispensers, but everything

else seemed the same.

The owner (only one working) thanked me for coming all the way from Waialua, but

I felt I should be thanking him for this yummy, so Hawaii, step back in time.