North Shore Alarm Clock...

Seriously,  these guys are the worst!

We've got three on our street now and they're so annoying, I've

about had it with them.

One of them can't seem to figure out what time it is...12, 1 or 2, he starts

right outside our house.

There are a couple of neighbors on our street that leave for work

a little after 4 am...I can't imagine what time they go to bed.

I've figured out that if I go to bed early, I can actually get some uninterrupted sleep

before the roosters start.

We had had this big of a problem before, until our crazy

neighbors started FEEDING the crazy things!  

So now when anyone (local boys) try to catch them, they run right

under the "crazies" house.  

I've tried to explain to some of the new people...DO NOT FEED THEM.

They're dirty and carry diseases.  We've always had a few hens

running around, but once you have roosters that stay, you end up with

all (24 last count) chicks.

I loved it the other morning when it was raining because, no roosters !

They were silent...

the perfect morning to stay in bed!

Thanksgiving Science...

Yesterday in A9 we did a little science experiment on

"states of matter", liquid to a solid. When we were doing our

hypothesis, none of them had any idea what would happen.

 The kids really liked doing this

and during the 10 minutes it took to shake the jars

to make butter, there were lots of giggles.

 Every one of them liked the taste of the "real butter".

The connection to Thanksgiving was that the Pilgrims

weren't able to run to the store to buy their butter...

they had to make it like we did.

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"

Haleiwa Town...

well the biggest change in Haleiwa is

about to open.

There's still caution tape and barriers around it, but I noticed

that some of the shops were getting ready to open.

We didn't like the idea of the whole thing...too many people,

take away the look of Haleiwa, nothing for local people...

Have to admit, they did something very right...

the look of these brand new buildings seem to capture the

charm of Haleiwa.

Love the different colors and look of each individual shop even though

they are connected.

so glad they left the huge tree.  They're adding lots of additional plants and trees...

those coconut palms weren't there before.

there's now a sidewalk right along Kam Hiway...

maybe this will keep people from walking into the street.

There are going to be some new restaurants that should be

fun.  A few more choice of places to eat is always good.

As time goes on and the wind blows the red dirt onto the paint

and stains it, these places with start to look like the real Haleiwa.

Thankful Thursday...

I'm thankful for these 4 miracles...our legacy and our gifts.

There is nothing more wonderful than grandchildren.

Lauren who made us grandparents.

Jack our first grandson.

Greyson will carry on the name.

Emme the light that never goes out.

We love them dearly.

Pasta Bella...

I'm not a big fan of Italian food as much as I am of Mexican or

local food.  Arlette and I had been planning on going out to dinner

when she had a free night.  She suggested Assaggio in Mililani.

I'd never been there before (just the whole Italian food thing) and

it was well worth the wait...

the menu had pages and pages of things that sounded so wonderful.

So I finally settled on something that had some ingredients that I truly love...

roasted peppers, portabella mushrooms,  basil and balsamic.

Oh My Goodness

it was so good! The chicken was so tender it melted.

I should have taken a picture before I started eating it, but the smell was heaven 

for starters we ordered one of my very favorite salads...

caprese

I could have just had that and nothing else.

Arlette had something that was chicken and shrimp.

I loved mine too much to even try hers.

so good!

so much food, probably lunch and dinner tonight.

The lycée sorbet and canal were the perfect ending.

Nice to actually talk about something other than A9, especially

after her big observation that morning.

I'm glad I finally got to try Assaggios, it was well worth it.

Just Around the Corner...

you know the holidays are just around the corner when

the HUGE Santa appears at Ala Moana Center 

(I liked him more when he wore a lei)

and the craft fairs are finally here

after seeing the signs for what seems like months.

Last Saturday the freeway offramp was backed up

with shoppers.

and downtown is getting all lit up

I saw something the other day that said that there were only 39 days until Christmas...

YIKES!

Koa'e Kea Reunion...

we;d 

We'd been invited to a reunion of the flight attendants (DC-3) for Hawaiian

Airlines.  Our dear friend, Te Moana, is an "ex Lexie" and 

the aunties were going to be part of a "recreation of the

Hawaiian Room show".

cute little centerpieces

every place setting had a sheet of Hawaiian Airlines stickers.

Hawaiian is celebrating their 85th year this year, so there

was a slide show showing the early years.

 Got to see friends that I don't get to see very often...Roy!

they held a drawing for all kinds of door prizes.  

They announced the last one and it was a coffee table book

about the history of Hawaiian Airlines and it was signed by Hawaiian

Airlines president, Mark Dunkerley.

I said that I'd love to win that (especially for Terry)...

 well I did!!  There was also a dvd of the interviews that were used 

in writing the book!  So excited.

Te Moana re-created a mini "show" like in the Lexington Hotel.

The girls from Aunty Lei's studio were the dancers...they even brought

up some of the pilots from the audience to learn a hula.

our dear friend, Te Moana looking as beautiful as ever.

A short clip of the "Ex Lexes" dancing the finale "To You Sweetheart Aloha".

The clip is from Hula Preservation Society.  Maile has worked so hard to bring

the story of the Hawaiian Room to the public.  

Half Circle Island Tour...

hubby took Tuesday off from work (the French don't do American holidays normally)

So we had breakfast in Laie at Hukilau Cafe and just started driving.

I snapped a quick picture of that (scary ) "Chinamans Hat" over Terry's shoulder

The Koolaus were beautiful! No waterfall, but so green against the blue

sky...breathtaking

took a detour to Lanikai.  I couldn't handle that traffic out there.

It's nice that all of those boat/bike/paddleboard rental places are gone

drove out to Portlock Point and came across this...

really? talk about advertising where you live.

since we (I) were craving pumpkin yogurt, we went to Yogurtland in Waikiki...

crazy with the parking, etc...but we got it figured out and will do it again.  

So worth it.  Found some shade in the park and enjoyed it.

got on the H3 and doubled back around because we wanted to

see if the surf had come up.  We'd been getting the "high surf advisory" warnings

all morning

It didn't dissapoint that's for sure.  We sat at "rock piles" for a long time and

watched it.  

We hadn't done the whole drive thing for a long time and it was nice.

Because theres been so much rain, everything on the East side is so green an lush.

It was nice to spend a whole day with the hubby just taking a long Sunday drive on a Tuesday.

Thankful Thursday...

So thankful for this sweet little family.

The sacrifices that they've made in the last few years have only made them stronger.

Geoff & Bri are such good parents to Grey & Emme.

Geoff has learned that when things are hard, you just keep going forward.

We're so proud that he's been able to go through such "life-changing" events

and still provide for his little family

Bri is probably the most selfless person I know.  The gift she gave

her cousin & his wife is something that is indescribable and priceless.

we are so proud of both of them and love them immensely 

Kawailoa Dump Residents...

sometimes when hubby goes to the dump,

I go along for the ride.

We usually go early evening and we've seen this group

of pigs that come out to eat.

The first time we saw them, they were really small.

Now this one is close to 100 pounds it seems.

we think that somebody (probably the dump security guard) is 

putting some extra fat on them for a special occasion.

Only in Hawaii...

Veterans Day...

Thank You to all who have served and to those that are serving now.

You help protect our most precious gift...

freedom.

Mahalo

Ex-Lexes and the Hawaiian Room...

 last Saturday night we went to the Premier showing of a documentary film 

by Hawaii film maker, Anne Maire Kirk, called "The Hawaiian Room"...

it was shown as part of the Oiwi Film Festival at the Honolulu Academy of Arts,

Doris Duke Theater

the film had been in the works for many years and with the 

help and archives of Maile Loo and 

the Hula Preservation Society and many others the story has finally come out

And it's a wonderful story!

During the 1940's, 1950's and 1960's

in the famous Lexington Hotel in New York they had a

nightclub called "The Hawaiian Room".

The film is about the young girls who went all the way to New York

(some of them didn't even know where that was) to dance in the show.

This is their story told by them.

A few months ago a group of them traveled back to

the Lexington Hotel for a reunion and showing of the movie

On Saturday, the theater was full of friends and family.

Our dear friend, TeMoana (Marcie)

there were hula dancers from Auntie Lei's studio that recreated some of the hapa haole 

songs that the Aunties had danced

we were treated with short performances by the 'ex-lexes" themselves

their finale was "To You Sweetheart Aloha"

it was truly a magical night and so glad that we were able experience it.