I loved these...

With hubby being gone, I took some time to see some movies with a friend. I had heard about "Departures" from a couple of different people and they all loved it. I have to say, it was probably one of the best all time movies I've seen. I would actually see it again. The sub-titles didn't bother me, they stayed on the screen long enough. A little bit of laughter, a little saddness, but a lot of fun! So, if you have a chance, see it. I think it might actually be on Netflix now. Well worth your time!

The second pick is good, as in the way "Juno" was good. A little off-beat, but still really good.

The whole story was billed as not being a love story, but I'd have to say it was. Pretty good.

The other movie I saw was "Time Travelers Wife"...don't waste your $$. They ruined a great book :(

Happy Birthday Uncle Billy!

Yesterday I stayed in Waikiki for a surprise birthday party for Billy Pa'a. Billy is a long-time beachboy and just an all around great guy! We've known him for years (hate to think how many), so it was fun to celebrate this special day with him. This is a look of true surprise! He's listening to someone from Dukes talk about him. I know he was just shocked!

That smile! A great picture of the Mr. and Mrs.!

the guys that work the beach at the stands all came up and had lunch with Billy to celebrate.

A blow-up of the picture in Dukes (pictures of all the beachboys over the years cover the walls).

Happy Birthday Billy!

50 Years!

Kaluakaua Ave. in front of the Moana. There isn't any traffic or hotels!

This is what the original pool deck and patio looked like at the Outrigger. Notice that there wasn't a place to get towels and umbrellas on the deck! That's the original Kepoikai on the left. The green "grass" was where they used to have the luau set up. Below the pool was "Davey Jones Locker".

50 years ago today, Hawaii became the 50th state in the Union! Today is a state, city, county holiday. We've been watching some of the specials that have been on television and reading the articles. Lots has changed in the last 50 years, some good, some bad...but still is the best place to live.

HAWAI'I NO KA OI

She Did It...

For a year now I've been following the painstaking road to recovery for Nie. Please, please look at her blog from my sidebar. It's true, a picture is worth a thousand words, these pictures speak volumes.

"All Is Well..."

Better Safe Than Sorry...

One thing that we learned living here is that it's "Better Safe Than Sorry". They take these weather things very seriously here. So do we. We have the emergency kit inside with fresh batteries, propane, candles, gas in the cars, phones charged,water, ran to Costco, etc.

It looks like Felicia has been downgraded, but it's still better to be safe than sorry.

Best Places To Get Out Of The Heat In Waialua...

When it's so hot and no wind, and even the beach doesn't sound good, we've got several choices. Rosie's (soon to close) is always good for fish taco night or any other night, might even need a sweater!

Waialua Library, good place to just hang out and read a book or talk to other people trying to escape the heat.

Malama, but let's face it, can only push the little cart around for so long dodging the tourtist.

Probably the best! Great food, televisions, locals, great staff and really does have the best air conditioning around.

We've been lucky not too many super hot days so far. Just keep the trades coming!

Mango Season

We've come to the end of another mango season here in Hawaii. I still see some "late bloomers" on trees around, but it's pretty much over. In the weeks leading up to the first mango dropping, I begin looking at recipes, my mouth starts watering, the mango uncle coming by and picking the green ones for his "pickled mango" and town friends start asking about the "country mangos". But as the weeks wear on and we go from the beauties hanging on the trees...to them dropping faster than they can be picked up, and the chickens eating them to the seed...

by the end of mango season this is the reality. Bags and bags full of rotting mangos.

Poor rubbish man who has to lift these things into the truck! Better than letting them rot on the street. Of course, all of this will be forgotten until next mango season.

Kanikapila

Kanikapila~To play music together in Hawaiian. Singing usually accompanied by ukulele and/or guitar. Very common anywhere in Hawaii.


The last week has been a whirlwind of activity. As mentioned in a previous couple of posts, 18 of my hula sisters from Hula Halau Lani Ola were on Oahu attending a hula conference. One night we all got together at a realives house up in Pacific Palisades area (above Aiea). Such good food everyone brought! I went to Ted's and got a coconut cake and the famous Chocolate Haupia Pie. It didn't take too long before someone brought out the musical instruments and the Kanikapila started! Ms. Alama started the dancing

The hostess, Nelson's sister (a hula dancer can never say no when asked to dance)
Nelson. He was our UPS guy (and Traci's) in SC. His wife and daughter both dance with Hula Halau Lani Ola.

Baby Pua's two daughters, Lei and Pua (Ms. Alama's granddaughters)

Kumu Puanani Jung (or Baby Pua as she's called here)

Some of the girls from Lani Ola Ms. Alama

Ms. Alama, Aunty Lei and Makaleka singing old Hawaiian songs.

Yes, and those of us from Puanani Alama's Hula Studio did get up and dance our finale song for Na Hula. Good Fun!

Happy Birthday Ms. Alama

On Friday night I went to a surprise b'day party for my hula teacher, Ms. Alama. She's like me and really doesn't like surprises, but as always, she was very gracious. It was held at a Japanese buffet restaurant in Ala Moana Center, so good! The orange plumeria lei that I made using the flowers from one of our trees.

Makaleka, Ms. Alama and Aunty. Aunty has been taking hula from Ms. Alama for the longest, almost since she opened her first studio. Aunty's daughter and granddaughters also take hula Mrs. Ms. Alama.

The super yummy pistachio cake that our hula sister Marge (who bakes professionally) made. It was so good!

Ms. Alama, her sister, Aunty Lei and Ms. Alama's grandchildren, Kalani, Pua and Lei. So proud!

Truly a Hawaiian Treasure! Puanani Alama, hula kumu for over 50+ years. Love you, Ms. Alama!

Mele On The Lawn

Last week was the second "Mele On The Lawn" a summer concert series held on the big lawn at the Bishop Museum. I invited one of my hula friends from CA (since hubby wasn't home), we met up with some other friends there. It was the perfect night: no rain, but a rainbow, good food, great music and good friends.
Looking towards Ewa at the end of the sunset.

Sold out crowd they said

Friends from here and CA.

Darrin Benitez and group

Maybe what made it extra special was the above! Before the show one of the docents from the museum announced that some special would be happening. Both the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station would be flying over! Sure enough, at exactly the time he said...the Space Shuttle went over and (bright light that moves really fast) and five minutes later an even BRIGHTER and FASTER light went over, that was the Space Station. That's what the above picture is of. Looks like a little dot, but really strange to think that there are actually people so many miles above us!


Hoku Zuttermeister had people on their feet.

So much fun and a typical Hawaiian thing to do.