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Josiah's Hawaii Travelogue 6
July 2014 - June 2015
Hawaii Travelogue 5
Late July - Mid August: Living in Hawaii
At this point, it's been several weeks since I left Florida and moved to Hawaii. So what's it like living in Hawaii as opposed to just visiting? Honestly, I'm still figuring that out. Mainly because, for the most part, I still feel like I'm in vacation mode. Part of it is that I haven't been able to move into my new place yet (though I did find one). Instead, I've been staying at my parents' condo, just like I have during most of my vacations here. And, while I've been fairly busy with work related tasks for the past week, most of my work has been done from the condo (and working out of here is something I've also done a lot of on previous trips). So when is it going to feel like I actually live here? Well, from this week on my job officially starts (meetings and more prep stuff this week, classes next week), so that'll help. Though it'll be another 2 - 3 weeks until I can move into my own place, at which point it should finally sink in.
So what have I noticed about living in Hawaii? Finding a decent place to live here is tough. I paid $800 a month for my apartment in Florida. An equivalent place here was around $2,000, and that was outside of Honolulu. You also don't have a lot of nice apartment complexes around, especially outside of Honolulu. Most rental places are privately owned, which is more of a hassle and offers no real guarantees on how long you'll be able to stay.
Those are the reasons I ended up buying a place. Though houses here are similarly more expensive than back in Florida, Colorado, or Arizona. The nicer places that aren't overly expensive sell really fast (often within days of being listed), and competition can be fierce. Back on the mainland, if you want to buy a house, you never offer to pay the price it's listed for. House buying is a bargaining thing. Here, you can offer full list price for a house and still not get it (like I did on the first place I tried to buy). The market does get a bit less crazy, with longer listing times and more room for bargaining, but not until you hit the $600,000+ range. And, just to make things a bit more expensive, it seems just like about every house and condo is part of a development with high monthly HOA fees (several hundred dollars, at least). Some places actually give you nice amenities, services, and/or free utilities, which balances it out a bit. Others seem to just take your money because they can and don't offer much of anything in return.
So yeah. While my salary here is a nice step up over what I was making, I'm probably not going to be banking any more money than I was before. Quite possibly less. Though I will have a nicer place to live, which will hopefully rise steadily in value, so that's a plus.
But anyway, just know that if you plan to live in Hawaii, especially on Oahu, you're going to get a lot less for your money than you would in most other parts of the US.

Mid August: Eating Out

Between my new job and move related stuff, I haven't had a lot of time for touring, hiking, or the like. About the closest thing was walking around the Made in Hawaii festival one weekend, which involved a whole lot of booths selling locally made clothes, jewelry, food, and the like. Most it wasn't the kind of stuff I'm especially interested in, but it was a nice break from work. The one thing I've been doing is eating out, probably a bit more than I should be. Since I don't have my stuff or my own place yet, I have a had time getting myself in the cooking mood. Besides, I won't have such easy access to all these restaurants once I'm no longer living in Honolulu. Anyway, here's a few reviews.

Restaurant Review: YogurStory
Type: Fusion
Location: Honolulu, Keeaumoku St. (near Walmart)
Just hearing the name, you'd assume YogurStory is a frozen yogurt place but yogurt actually doesn't figure much into the menu . Breakfast is a number of fairly standard items (pancakes, omelettes, loco mocos, etc.), but mostly with some kind of twist such as the very purple ube pancakes. The sauce is a mix of coconut and Okinawan purple sweet potatoes and the pancakes themselves are purple as well (also because of the sweet potatoes). The pancakes aren't especially sweet, but the sauce makes up for it. They taste great and don't give you the sugar overload that some pancakes do. They definitely live up to their reputation.
The dinner menu is even more interesting, featuring some very unique Asian / Italian fusion dishes. I ended up with kalbi over kimchee risotto. The kalbi was great but then kalbi almost always is no matter where I get it. It was the kimchee risotto that surprised me. Despite the extremely weird combination, it worked. It's like kimchee and rice, only a whole lot cheesier (literally). While I never quite got over the inherent strangeness, I loved it.
The restaurant itself has a nice if somewhat eclectic interior complete with a large fake tree. Sort of a half indoor and half outdoor forest cottage look. The service has been excellent on my visits, though he place can get pretty busy at times, which naturally slows things down a bit. Prices mostly range from the low teens to mid twenties for an entree so it's not the cheapest place around for breakfast or dinner, but it's not horribly expensive either.
Over all, YogurStory is a fun place to eat due to both the decor and the excellent (if a little strange) menu. I'll certainly be going again, and I recommend giving it a try if you're ever in the area.

Restaurant Review: Maui Kitchen
Type: Hawaiian
Location: McCully Shopping Center
The McCully Shopping Center is a great place for all sorts of Asian restaurants but, if you're looking for something different, Maui Kitchen offers a diverse selection of what I guess you can call Hawaiian "comfort food". Loco mocos, ahi sandwiches, garlic chicken, and the like, along with some daily specials, often involving Hawaiian grass fed beef.
I've had both the loco moco and the potato chip crusted ahi. They're both good, and the portion sizes are generous, but the food lacks that "wow" factor that pushes it from good to great. But you can choose between brown and white rice, which is nice, and most things come with a free side (generally fries or a salad of some kind).
The lady running the counter is friendly, but this is essentially a fast food place so don't expect much in the way of service. It's food in take-out containers, minimal décor, and no table service. Of course, that means the prices are below what you'd pay in a nicer restaurant, though a bit above those of a normal fast food chain.
Overall, Aloha Kitchen isn't anything fancy, and the place could use some redecorating, but the food is pretty good and reasonably priced so, if you're in the McCully area and aren't in the mood for Asian food, you may want to give it a try.

August 24th (Sunday): Honolulu Greek Festival

Honolulu has all sorts of festivals throughout the year. When it comes to cultural celebrations, Asian and Hawaiian are the most common but that doesn't mean you won't find events for other countries and cultures. For example, the Greek Festival. I found out about it from some ads and figured it would be a nice way to get out and take a break from work and moving stuff.
It actually took me a while to find the place. When it said the festival was in Ala Moana beach park, I forgot how large that park is. I also didn't realize that, rather than out in the park, the festival was inside a special events building they have there. Anyway, I had to walk all the way from one end of the park to the other, but I did find it. And I have to admit, having it set apart like that was a good idea, and the courtyard even sported a slightly Greek look, adding to the atmosphere.
One of the main draws at most cultural festivals is the food, and the Greek Festival didn't disappoint. All of your more well known Greek food were there (Greek salads, gyros, spanicopita, etc.) and a number of less common ones as well, though the longest line was for the coffee and tea stand. I spent a couple of hours there, snacking throughout, and have absolutely no complaints about the food. There were also some stalls selling Greek music, Greek cooking supplies (oils, cheeses, olives, etc.), and various things related to the Greek Orthodox Church (which was one of the festival sponsors).
There was a Greek band playing in the courtyard throughout the day. I really don't know much about Greek music (traditional or not), but it was a nice addition. There were also a few performances indoors. I hung around long enough (snacking and listening to the band) to check out a local Greek dance troupe's performance. Never would have thought there'd be a traditional Greek dance troupe on Oahu, but it goes to show just how multi-cultural this island is. The dancers were good, though I wouldn't say that Greece has one of the more interesting dance styles I've seen. All in all though, the festival was fun and worth the visit.

Random Hawaii Comment: Social Security Numbers
If you're a US citizen, you should know what I social security number is. If you're an adult, you probably have yours memorized or written down to dredge up every once in a while to register for a utility or some such. But here's a question. Do you have a social security card? It's an official government card with your social security number on it. To be perfectly honest, despite living and working in several states and even another country, I had never heard of a social security card until my new employer requested a copy of mine along with the usual HR paperwork. Apparently, they couldn't finish processing my contract without it. I had no idea where or even what it was but I called my parents and they were able to track it down and send me a scan, which was good enough. I thought that was a bit strange since I'd never needed the card before in my life, but it all worked out.
Coming up to the present though, I learned that I can't switch my Florida driver's license to a Hawaiian one without presenting my original social security card (or a couple of substitutes) Never mind that I had my current FL license, passport, birth certificate, and a zillion other forms of identification. Without that, it was a no-go. Why? I have no idea. I didn't need it (or half the other documents I do here) when I got my Colorado or Florida licenses. What is it about Hawaii that makes them require it? Why can't they just take my word on what my social security number is like everyone else does? For that matter, the DMV is a branch of the government, couldn't they just enter my name and address into their computer and pull up my social security number? There's gotta be a database like that. Anyway, if you ever find yourself moving to and/or working in Hawaii, make sure to have your social security card handy, you're going to need it (for once).

Early September: Living in Hawaii - The Annoying Stuff
While I may be living in "paradise", for the past week and a half I've been too busy focusing on work on moving related stuff to really take advantage of that. Now I've talked a lot about all the cool stuff here in the past, and I'll doubtless be saying more about it in the future. For today though, I'm going to complain a bit.
So what are some of the downsides of living in Hawaii? Well, I previously mentioned that social security number thing and it's not the only bit of annoying red tape I've run into. Getting a driver's license, setting up bill payment for my utilities and HOA fees, and even arranging for my paycheck to be deposited into my bank account have all been far more complicated than anywhere else I've lived (well, a couple things in Japan were just as bad, but only a couple). Why? I have no idea.
As a side note, when you have a car here you have to get a yearly safety check. Basically, it's you paying $20 for someone to make sure your lights, turn signals, and windshield wipers work. Once again, I have no idea why it's like that. Seems like a waste of time and money for the most part.
Another annoying thing I've run up against lately is ordering stuff online. The first thing I learned is that when many sites advertise free shipping, they don't include Hawaii in that (Target, for example), and shipping to Hawaii can be expensive. Or, they keep the shipping "free" but add a large Hawaii surcharge (Walmart). And those sites like Target and Walmart that normally allow you to order something online and pick it up in the store (to avoid shipping costs)... Yeah, they don't do that here either, at least with stuff not normally stocked in the store (they don't even tell you until your order is almost complete). Though I do have to give a shout-out to Amazon. When they say free shipping, they give you free shipping, even when it's on larger items (just make sure you're ordering from Amazon and not one of their sellers, who have their own policies).
Shipping fees aren't the only issue with online orders though. Multiple times on multiple sites, I've been told that they can't ship the item I want to Hawaii due to some sort of agreement with the manufacturer. Yes, seriously. It isn't like I'm trying to important something from another country and I really can't think of any good reason for why the manufacturer won't let Walmart or Bed Bath and Beyond sell me the patio chairs I wanted (to give one example). Even stranger, it's inconsistent. I was finally able to get those chairs off of Amazon. They, however, couldn't sell me a desk that I was able to get from Walmart (with a hefty Hawaii surcharge added to the "free" shipping). Just to make things more annoying, you don't find out if your item won't ship until you're halfway though checkout, which is extremely frustrating if you just spent ages choosing the perfect whatever only to have your order blocked.
So yeah, living in Hawaii has its issues aside from the super high housing prices. Is it worth it? I'll revisit that in a year or two...

Restaurant Review: Nico's Pier 38
Type: Seafood
Location: Pier 38
Nico's is half restaurant and half fish market right on the pier so, with fresh fish and an attractive setting, there's a lot going for it. Lunch is pretty casual with take-out boxes and a free for all when it comes to seating while dinner is more formal (though you can still order as take-out). They look to have a fairly nice bar too, though I'm not really the right person to comment on that
Regardless of which meal you go for, expect a crowd. Nico's is a popular place and rightly so. The service is quick and the food is good. The furikake ahi is pretty awesome all around and the fish and chips are good too. On the downside, the prices are a little high for the portion sizes (especially the aforementioned fish and chips). But overall Nico's is a fun place to eat and take advantage of the local seafood.

September 13th (Saturday): Hawaii 5-0 Season Premiere
If you're not familiar with Hawaii 5-0 (pronounced five-oh) it's a cop show set on the island of Oahu (and a remake of an old show of the same name). While it's not one of my favorite TV shows, it's entertaining and it's fun seeing a lot of recognizable locations (they film most of it here on the island). Anyway, they have a tradition of premiering each season on Waikiki beach. Now that I live here, I had a chance to check out this year's festivities.
Something to keep in mind if you plan to attend... It gets really crowded. I brought a book and towel and got there in the early afternoon to grab a spot. At that point, there was still plenty of space left on the beach and I was able to get a pretty good location. Of course, it ended up being the hottest day all week with almost no breeze. Next time, I should get a beach umbrella.
They gave out a few t-shirts here and there, but not much happened until evening when the cast began to show up. They started out in a press tent then walked around the fence separating the VIP area from the rest of the beach, signing autographs and taking photos. Next year, I should also bring something to get signed. Nearly all the major actors were there, along with the mayor and some of the bigwigs from CBS. There were a few speeches and a hula troop before the episode eventually started (as a note, it doesn't premiere on TV until the 26th). Gotta say, they went all out, getting about as epic as you can get in a cop show. I could point out a couple logic problems in the plot, but it was an entertaining episode.
That actually wasn't the end of the event. They followed the episode with a short concert by Bush, a fairly famous band that I'd never heard of before (not saying much though, since I don't really keep up with modern music). It wasn't bad, but I'm not going to be buying a CD anytime soon either. And they finished with the premiere of a new CBS show called </scorpion>, which is about a group of super geniuses who work as trouble shooters for some government agency. Not a bad premise, but I can't say that any of the characters got my attention and, speaking as a tech guy, the plot of the first episode was utterly ridiculous.
Anyway, it was a fun night and, assuming they keep the tradition going, I plan to return next year.

Mid September: Eating Out:

I spent the first half of the month running back and forth between my parents' condo in Honolulu and my new place out west setting things up, unpacking, and the like. All that work continued for the better part of a week after I moved in (right after that Hawaii 5-0 event). Because of all that, I didn't really spare much time to cook, or even go to the grocery store, so I ended up eating out way more than I probably should have. So here's some reviews.

Restaurant Review: Rico Rico Chicken
Type: Peruvian Chicken
Location: Honolulu, King Street
Rico Rico is one of those place I walk past all the time, so it was inevitable that I try it out eventually. The first thing you should know is they really only serve one thing, chicken. Unless you go on Sundays, when they have an awesome ceviche. As for the chicken, you can get a whole one or just a part. It's good quality chicken and they certainly know how to roast it. But whether or not you like Rico's will really come down to what you think of their spice mix. It's a little hard to describe, with a bit more of an herb taste than most. I like it anyway, though I can't say it's my favorite.
A chicken plate comes with rice (with its own unusual spice mix) and for a bit extra you add on sweet and salty fries, which are pretty great. If you want some dessert, they've got some good homemade ice cream as well. The flavors vary by day, most are typical, a few are pretty unusual.
On a side note, most of their business is takeout. They do have a dining room, but it's paper plates and self service, nothing fancy. It does keep prices low though.
Overall, if you like roast chicken, Rico Rico is worth a try, though the spice mix isn't for everyone. Personally, I like the ceviche even better. Too bad it's only available on Sundays.

Restaurant Review: Iyo Udon
Type: Japanese Udon
Location: Honolulu, Ala Moana Mall
Iyo Udon is a sanuki udon restaurant, much like Waikiki's awesome Marukame Udon. In fact, it was probably Marukame's success that encouraged them to open Iyo here. Anyway, Iyo is pretty typical sanuki udon, which is a good thing. If you've been to Marukame or another sanuki udon restaurant you know what to expect. Watch them make the noodles while you wait in line, choose between several different udon dishes (including zaru, niku, kamaage, and bukakke), grab some tempura or rice balls to go with them, pay, and enjoy. The food is excellent, very authentic (just like in Japan), and really cheap (expect to spend $3 - $5 for your noodles and a dollar and change for each side).
The real question is how Iyo compares with Marukame. While both have all the standard udon dishes and tempura items, they each have a couple of menu items the other doesn't. Prices are nearly identical, so it'll mostly come down to personal preference. I give Iyo a slight edge for making grated ginger one of their standard add-ins (along with green onions and tempura flakes). Plus the lines aren't as long as at Marukame (yet). Really, though, I love them both and we'll happily eat at either (defaulting to whichever is closest at the time).

Restaurant Review: Russo's Coal Fired Italian Kitchen
Type: Pizza
Location: Ewa Beach
My dad is from New York and he taught me what makes a good pizza. So, every time I move to a new area, I make a point of finding the best pizza. Russo's is the closest to my new house, so it's the first place I tried.
First, the basics. Russo's is a pretty nice restaurant and has a full range of Italian food in addition to the pizza (though I can't comment on it). It can get pretty busy around dinner time though, so don't be too surprised if you have to wait a bit.
Now for the important part, the pizza. It comes in three sizes. Medium (12"), large (16"), and XL (28"). I find the lack of an 18" slightly annoying, and it's too bad they don't have Sicilian pizzas as well, but that's just nitpicking. Russo's makes a pretty good pizza. I wouldn't put it in my top five, but it is the best pizza I've found in the area so far. The highlight is definitely the sauce (slightly sweet, with a bit of basil). No complaints about the crust or cheese either (no specific high points though). It's a good, if not amazing, pizza at a price that, while a bit more than I'm used to paying, is actually pretty good for the area.
So, overall, Russo is currently my top choice for pizza in the Ewa / Kapolei area. It doesn't compare with my favorite places back on the mainland, but they don't deliver across the ocean so I'll take what I can get.

Restaurant Review: Brick Oven Pizza
Type: Pizza
Location: Kapolei
As part of my quest to find the best pizza place in the Ewa / Kapolei area, I decided to give Brick Oven a try. To start off, they've got a nice interior and a large selection of sandwiches if you're not in the mood for pizza. But why would I not be in the mood for pizza?
Speaking of the pizza, they've got an excellent crust and will brush it with garlic butter for a nice extra touch. Unfortunately, the crust is really the only high point. The sauce and cheese, while not bad, are decidedly average. And then there's the cost. Any way you look at it, their pizzas are on the expensive side. Which wouldn't be so bad if they also weren't so small. They have three sizes but their "large" (at somewhere around 14") would barely qualifies as a medium anywhere else. So, while I didn't dislike Brick Oven Pizza, I can't really recommend it when there are other places nearby with bigger and better pizzas for less money.

Restaurant Review: Cafe Maharani
Type: Indian
Location: Honolulu, King St.
The selection of Indian restaurants in Honolulu doesn't really compare to that of Japanese or Chinese. Fortunately, there's still some great places around and Cafe Maharani is one of them.
First, a bit of advice. Being on King, there isn't a lot of parking so, if you're in the area, you may just want to walk. Also, Maharani is very popular but not especially large. So, unless you get there right around opening time, expect a long wait.
Although small, the place is nicely decorated (if a bit old) and the food is top notch. There's a wide selection of dishes, especially chicken and lamb. The majority are standard Indian fare, but they have some more unusual curries as well. Both are delicious and the portions are huge. Though, as with so many places around here, rice isn't included. The naan (a vital part of any Indian meal) is just as good as the curries and there's a pretty large variety to choose from. I'd also recommend the lassis. They're a little on the mild side and have some little chunks of ice inside (something I don't usually see), but still a great addition if you want a cold drink.
It's too bad Maharani doesn't do the usual Indian restaurant thing and have a lunch buffet (or even a lunch) but, if you can get there early enough to avoid the lines, or just have some time to kill, it's certainly one of the best Indian places around.

Restaurant Review: Royal Thai Garden
Type: Thai
Location: Ewa Beach
While Honolulu has a ton of good Thai places, the selection in the Ewa and Kapolei area is much more limited. But it is one of my favorite cuisines so I was pleased to spot Royal Thai Garden not far from where I live. It's nothing fancy and the place is a bit old (apparently they took over for another Thai restaurant that used to be there), but it works. No complaints about the service either, the waitress has always been prompt and friendly.
All your standard Thai curries, soups, noodles are on the menu. You won't see any particularly unique items, but they do a very good job with what they have. I've tried several of their curries and they've been great. Not the best I've ever had, but good enough to keep me coming back regularly. They've got great (and reasonable priced) Thai tea too. Just don't forget to order some rice to go with your meal since it's not included.
I could go into more detail about the food but if you know Thai restaurants you know what to expect. You won't find any surprises at Royal Thai Garden but if you're on this side of the island and want some good Thai food without having to drive to Honolulu, it's worth a visit.


September 29th (Monday): My New House
At this point I can finally say that I'm just about done with everything related to my move (still a handful of odds and ends though). To commemorate the occasion, here's a few photos of my new house. The kitchen is pretty nice and roomy compared to my past apartments, though the fridge isn't magnetic, which is kind of odd (and just a little annoying). The kitchen connects right to the dining and living rooms. I did buy a coffee table and end table...but the store apparently didn't have any instock and the next shipment is taking longer than they thought (probably because, you know, it actually has to come here on a ship). There's a loft area upstairs which I've turned into an office and lounge, though the lounge part is pretty incomplete. At some point I want to get a TV and a good chair or two up there and hook up all my old game systems (probably move the dance pad there too). I should also get some more shelves and set up a library in the third bedroom (as you can see in that last photo, my books are already overflowing). But furniture is expensive, especially over here, and I'd rather not drain all the money in bank account, especially now that I have a mortgage (better deal than renting here thought). It's nice having a bit of money for other things when I want it.
Not pictured, the bedrooms (master and guest), said third bedroom (currently empty), bathrooms, laundry room, garage, etc. For Oahu, it's a fairly big place. I've got own lawn now too, complete with a plumeria tree. Speaking of the tree, while it both looks and smells nice, it "sheds" like crazy. See all those flowers and leaves on the ground? Well, I cleaned that entire patch of lawn on Friday and took the photo on Monday, meaning all that fell in just three days.
Other than the things I already mentioned, I could use a few more wallscrolls and/or photos on canvas to hang (some of the walls are very bare) and I need to either get my water filter fixed (it leaks) or count it as a lost cause (and a bunch of lost money) and buy another one. But anyway, it's a nice place and I'm starting to feel at home here. Having all my stuff (well, the half that was with me in Florida and not back at my parents' place anyway) certainly helps.

October 1st - 14th: Connie's Visit

If you read my China Travelogue from this past summer, you may remember that I visited a couple of friends while I was there. One of them was Connie and she recently came to visit me here in Hawaii for a couple of weeks, becoming my first house guest (both at my new house and ever). So, while I naturally kept up with my teaching work, I took a break from my various side projects for a couple of weeks to hang out and play tour guide. It was a lot of fun and we did all sorts of different things here on the island. Most of the places we went and things we did are ones I've covered before, and not too long ago at that, such as Diamond Head and the Polynesian Cultural Center, so I'm not going to write about them again. But there were a few things that were either new to me, or have changed a bit since last time, so I'll be doing write-ups for them.

October 2nd (Thursday): Hilton Starlight Luau
A luau is one of those quintessential Hawaiian tourist experiences but, despite that, I've never been to one before. But I've been wanting to check one out, and Connie's visit made for a good opportunity. There are a number of luaus on Oahu, but choosing which one to attend wasn't easy. I found some reviews online (mostly on Yelp and Tripadvisor) but for all of the luaus, the reviews seemed pretty evenly divided between people who totally loved them, and people who utterly hated them. But, in the end, I settled on the Hilton Starlight Luau.
The Starlight Luau is at the Hilton Hawaiian Village on Waikiki. That makes for a really convenient location, though a hotel rooftop (even at a really nice hotel) is a bit lacking in ambiance compared to some of the other luaus I read about, which are in more natural settings. After arriving at the luau and checking in (you need to make reservations in advance), Connie and I were given shell leis (necklaces) and shown to our seats (as a note, you can pay more to get flower leis and better seats, though all the seats are pretty good). There was a band paying Hawaiian music and a bit of other early entertainment to start things off (including a little hula lesson for the audience and a conch shell blowing contest).
After that, it was time for the meal. One of the reasons I chose the Hilton's luau is because it was supposed to have some of the best food and it didn't disappoint. They had large buffet covered with a diverse mix of Hawaiian and Asian foods, from meats, to seafood, to salads, and everything I tried was excellent. They called people up by tables the first time around, but after that we were free to return for more. As a note, they also had a full bar and admission came with two drink tickets each, good for any cocktail or an alcohol free tropical punch.
As the sun sank below the horizon and the meal wound down, the main show began. It was made up of a series of traditional dances from Hawaii and other Polynesian islands, with appropriate musical accompaniment. The dancers were very skilled and there was a good mix of different styles. The most impressive was the finale, featuring four fire dancers.
All in all, it was an enjoyable night. A little touristy maybe, but Connie and I had a lot of fun, and both the food and show were excellent. At this point, I can't say how the Hilton Starlight Luau compares to the other major luaus on the island, but if you're looking for one in Waikiki, I'd certainly recommend it.

October 6th (Monday): Iolani Palace
As the only palace in the US, Iolani Palace is a monument to an interesting part of history when the state of Hawaii was a sovereign kingdom, rather than part of the United States. Aside from a good history lesson, it's also a pretty cool building, so I decided to take Connie there for a look. As a note, I wrote about Iolani Palace back when I first visited it (see the entry for Wednesday, December 21), so you can see that entry if you want to read a bit more about the history of the place. The reason I'm writing about it again now is that, since I last visited, they decided to allow photographs inside.
Now you probably wouldn't think a Hawaiian palace would be all that fancy but the royal family drew quite a lot of inspiration from Europe, creating a palace that, while a little on the small side, it's just as grand and opulent as the title implies. There's a throne room (complete with crowns and scepters), sitting rooms, bedrooms so fancy you'd wonder how people lived in them, and even a music room (complete with elephant tusks, for some reason). While it's fun to look around (and the palace has a good audio tour), I have a hard time imagining living in a place like that. Even if I somehow became rich enough to do so, I really doubt I'd want to...
Anyway, Connie and I spent a fun and interesting couple of hours there between the audio tour of the main palace area and the historical displays in the basement. If you like history and/or fancy old buildings, Iolani Palace is worth a visit.

October 12th (Sunday): Snorkeling Off the West Coast
I wanted to take Connie on a good snorkeling trip while she was here and, since my family and I had such a great time on Ko' Olina Ocean Adventures' snorkeling tour a couple years back (see the entry for Thursday, December 20th), I decided to give them another go. The basics of the tour haven't really changed since then. They still had a great crew and Connie and I got some excellent views of the coast from the boat. So why am I writing about it again? Well, as part of some promo deal I got a free underwater camera. Just a cheap disposable one though, so the pictures aren't that great (I'd love to get a GoPro sometime so I can take some good underwater photos), but I thought you may like to see them. Like before, we went to three different places. The first and third were reefs with lots of coral, colorful fish, and some sea turtles. And the second was a spot where spinner dolphins were hanging out. We didn't see any whales this time, but it's not the right season yet.
That aside, the weather was great, the water was clear, and we had an all around great time. While there are some pretty good snorkeling spots you can get to without a boat, I have to say that, if you really want the best snorkeling experience you can get, Ko' Olina Ocean Adventures is pretty hard to beat.
So, that's a few highlights of Connie's visit. Like I said before, we did a lot of other things but nothing I really need to write about again. It was a lot of fun though, and I'm looking forward to more visits from her and/or other friends of mine in the future.

November 2nd (Sunday): The Splendor of China Festival

The Hawaii International Film Festival just started a couple days ago and I already had plans today to go see one of the movies today when I heard that there was also going to be a Chinese Festival taking place. Fortunately, I had time to do both. I'll write about the film festival either later this week or early next week, once I've seen more of the movies on my list. So for now, I'll focus on the Chinese festival.
The Splendor of China is a yearly festival / exhibition sponsored by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce. Naturally, there were a lot of vendor booths, though only a handful were actually selling anything. Many of them were more about showing off the activities of various Chinese clubs, cultural groups, and businesses in the area, along with some travel companies advertising their China tours. Some or the booths were kind of interesting, but overall they didn't hold my attention for too long. There was also a display of photos from various parts of China, which was cool. Gave me a few ideas for a future trip (or trips) there.
Anyway, the best part, at least in my opinion, was the performances. I fortunately arrived just in time to see the face changer, a traditional Chinese performance art that I'd never seen before. Now, in that video pay close attention to the man's face. You'll notice he somehow manages to change masks several times, seemingly by magic. While that video is only a clip, he ended up changing about a dozen times over the course of several minutes, even removing the mask entirely at one point, only to suddenly get it back later. I suppose it's all slight of hand, but he was really good and I could never tell how exactly he did it. Then there was the lion dance. Now I've seen Chinese lion dancers before, but I've never seen them do things like this.
So, while I didn't find the booths all that impressive, the performances were more than worth the visit and the price of admission, making my visit to The Splendor of China a fun part of a thoroughly enjoyable day.

Restaurant Review: Wahoo's Fish Taco
Type: Mexican
Location: Ward Center, Honolulu
Mexican food just hasn't caught on in Hawaii nearly as much as it has in the mainland US, but there is one Mexican dish that has proven really popular here. Namely, the fish taco. Though Wahoo's isn't a strictly Hawaiian restaurant (there's a few scattered around the western US).
Anyway, while fish tacos are the main attraction, they've also got burritos, enchiladas, several different meats, and a few other assorted menu items if you want to mix things up. I got a taco platter, which also came with beans and rice. Everything was cooked perfectly, not dry or mushy, with a nice fresh taste. The fish was good and both the salsa and green sauce (whatever it was called) were nice additions. While they weren't the best fish tacos I've ever had, they were good and I don't have any complaints. Friendly service and reasonable prices too.
If you're looking for really authentic Mexican food or a big burrito bar, Wahoo's may not be your type of place. But if you want a good fish taco and don't have the time to drive up to the north shore, it's worth a visit.

November 2nd - 9th (Sunday - Sunday): The Hawaii International Film Festival

The Hawaii International Film Festival is an annual event here on Oahu. While I've know about it for a while, I could never attend in the past due to my work. But, now that I live here, things are a lot simpler. The festival had some pretty cool Japanese movies last year (my parents had asked me to look over the schedule and make some recommendations), so I'd been looking forward to it.
About a week or so before it began, I decided to it was time to make a plan. With nearly 200 films from all over the world, I had my work cut out for me. Quite a lot of the films were what I'd call the indie and/or artsy type. You know, the kind that, due to content, style, or sheer strangeness would never make it into a regular theater. There were also a lot of more normal movies, the catch being that they were from other countries and unlikely to ever see any sort of major release in the US. An initial look through the list left me with 15 movies that seemed interesting. Well, I didn't have time for quite that many so I took a closer look. I dropped a few because the trailers and/or reviews didn't look all that great, a few more because they didn't fit my schedule, and a final two because they were playing at the same time as other movies I wanted to see so I had to pick one or the other. In the end, I had five movies left (all Japanese live action), spread over the course of a week.
On a side note, most of the movies (and all the ones I saw) were at the Dole Cannery theater. I'd never been there before since it's not the closest to either my house or my parents' condo. I wasn't expecting much, but it's actually a really nice movie theater, with a surprisingly nice concession stand. I mean, how many movies theaters have a gelato bar?
Anyway, here's a some short reviews of the films I saw (in the order I watched them).

Little Forest: Summer & Fall
This was actually the first two parts of a four part mini-series based on a manga of the same name. There's a little bit of a story about a young woman (Ichiko) who, having broken up with her boyfriend, returns to her childhood home in a tiny farming town way out in the Japanese countryside (which reminded me of a couple such places I've visited on my travels). There's a bit about her past and relationship with her estranged mother (who has been MIA for the past few years)...but none of that really matters much. Most of the movie focuses on the different things Ichiko grows on her farm and the variety of dishes she cooks with them. If you're a cook, it's bound to give you some ideas. You'll even learn a bit about traditional Japanese farming (though the movie doesn't focus too much on the sheet amount of work involved). Great scenery too. If you're looking for fast pace, humor, or a gripping plot, you'll be disappointed. But if you have an interest in food, farming, or just country life in general, it's an enjoyable look at a simpler (though certainly strenuous) way of life that can still be found in rural Japan. I really liked it, and I'll be sure to watch the upcoming sequel (Winter & Spring) if I ever get the chance.

Uzumasa Limelight
Back during the heyday of Japanese samurai movies, there were a large number of actors known are kirare yaku who specialized in putting up a short fight and then getting cut down by the hero. But as time passed and the popularity of the genre faded, the need for such actors dwindled, as did their numbers. The film centers on Kamiyama, an aging kirare yaku who has spent decades mastering the craft, and how he adapts as changing times and new studio management slowly force him out of the job he dedicated his life to. The traditional master and apprentice story also plays a large roll, as Kamiyama takes on an aspiring young actress who dreams of fighting on screen. You also get a bit of a behind the scenes look at the Japanese film industry to round things out. It's a moving story, combining melancholy and nostalgia for a fading era and hope for the future with great characters and all around good film making. It's one of those stories that manages to be both sad and inspirational. And the fact that it features some excellent sword fights certainly doesn't hurt. Honestly, I'm surprised at just how much I liked Uzumasa Limelight. Of all the movies I saw at the festival, it was the best.

Wood Job
When a young man from Tokyo fails his university entrance exams, he finds himself unsure of what to do with his life. In the end, he settles on forestry, solely because there's a cute girl on the recruitment flier. And so beings a romantic comedy where our underachieving hero ends up working in a tiny mountain town, which just happens to be home to that same girl. Naturally, they don't hit it off especially well and the hero has a hard time coming to grips with living in a town so small and isolated that it doesn't even have cell phone service (though with Japan's cell network, I'm not entirely sure a place like that exists). Anyway, other than the Japanese elements, Wood Job is a pretty typical romantic comedy. There's a very predictable romance, a cast of mostly archetypical characters, and a few laughs here and there. So yeah, the plot isn't anything special but you do get to learn a little bit about forestry and life in tiny Japanese country towns along the way. All in all, Wood Job isn't bad, but neither the characters, romance, or humor are good enough to make it more than "ok". I don't regret watching it, and I enjoyed it more than most of the American romantic comedies I've seen, but there just wasn't anything especially great or memorable about it either. If you just want a light romantic comedy, it's a decent choice, but there are plenty of better movies out there.

Kumiko the Treasure Hunter
Despite the title, the Japanese main character, and the fact that the first part of the movie takes place in Japan, it's actually American made, making it the only non-Japanese movie I saw at the festival. It was also the only one that I didn't like. But anyway, Kumiko is a 29 year old Japanese woman whose life is, to put it bluntly, a mess. Her relationships with family and friends are strained at best and she's barely holding on to a dead end job. Instead of trying to improve her situation, she becomes fixated on the movie Fargo (a black humor classic apparently, though I've never seen it). She becomes convinced that it's a true story and that she's figured out the location of the money which one of the characters buried. When the opportunity presents itself, she heads to the US, determined to find and claim the nonexistent treasure. Now, that kind of set up could be the start of a zany comedy or a story of self discovery and improvement...but that's not what Kumiko is about. There are a few amusing parts, but mostly it's just depressing all the way through. Kumiko begins her treasure hunt with no plan and virtually no English skills. What's worse is that she's entirely lacking in both common sense and basic survival instincts. Every time she encounters a problem on her journey, she makes what is probably the worst decision possible. And she never seems to learn from her mistakes, if anything she gets worse. You basically spend the entire movie watching her destroy herself. Maybe some people might think it's funny or moving in a twisted black humor sort of way. I'm not one of those people. The only thing I got out of Kumiko the Treasure Hunter is a reminder that I shouldn't really trust what film critics say (Kumiko does have some good reviews).

Neko Samurai
Set in the Edo period (generally considered to be imperial Japan's golden age), this is a movie filled with swords, samurai...and cats. Yes, you heard that right. Kyutaro Madarame is a master samurai who, after losing his last position, has moved to the capital in hopes of finding a new master to take him on. However, he ends up caught between two feuding clans, one of dog lovers and one of cat lovers. A series of strange events ends up with Madarame, who knows nothing about cats, in possession of the cat clan's prize pet. Add in a couple of sub-plots and some sword fights and you have a comedy that's part classic samurai flick and part funny cat video. It's goofy fun and thoroughly enjoyable.

The Tale of Princess Kaguya
I actually didn't see this at the film festival (though it probably should have been in it). Anyway, it's the latest movie by the legendary Studio Ghibli. Kaguya is based on an old Japanese fairy tale about a bamboo cutter who finds a baby inside a stalk of bamboo. He and his wife decide to raise the girl as their own, eventually leaving the country to raise her as a princess in the capital. Fair warning though, the original story (The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter), while not a Brother's Grimm story, isn't really the "happily ever after" type of fairy tale either and the Ghibli version sticks fairly close to the original, without "Disneyfying" things. On the art side, instead of going with their usual style, Ghibli decide to do something different, drawing Kaguya in the style of old Japanese screen paintings. It's beautiful and well suited for a classic Japanese tale, though the animation itself can be a bit rough in spots. All in all, it's another great movie from Ghibli, though the not exactly happy ending and a few other elements carried over from the original story hold it back a little (at least in my opinion) and mean that it may not be the best choice for kids.

November: More Restaurants

Restaurant Review: Pizza Corner
Type: Pizza
Location: Ko'Olina
Pizza corner advertises traditional New York style pizza. While I don't think they quite pull it off (not as well as my favorite New York pizza places on the mainland anyway), their pizza narrowly edges out Russo's, making it my favorite on this side of the island. The crust, sauce, and cheese are all very good, though it lacks that super cheesy oily quality that marks the perfect New York pizza.
Onto the details. Other than a few sides (garlic knots, salad, etc.), pizza is all they serve and they've only got one size (16"), so don't go expecting a lot of options. Most of the pizza toppings are pretty typical, though they have a couple of odd Hawaiian inspired ones too (sooner or later, I'll probably have to try the poke pizza just for the heck of it). Prices are pretty good for Oahu, but the restaurant is entirely lacking in ambiance so you'll probably want take out. One other thing I should mention is their speed. They're fast. Maybe a little too fast for me, since my pizza always seems to have had time to cool a bit by the time I make it from my house to the restaurant...
Anyway, being in Ko'Olina, Pizza Corner isn't in the most convenient location unless you live right there but, if you're not too far away, the pizza may be worth the drive. It's not quite real New York style, but it's still pretty good.
As an update, I did try a piece of the poke pizza. I wouldn't really call it pizza since there's no sauce or cheese (it's basically ahi poke on pizza crust). But that said, it's good poke and makes for a nice alterative to the usual poke on rice bowl.

Restaurant Review: Inferno's Wood Fire Pizza @ The Lounge
Type: Pizza
Location: Honolulu, Ala Moana
I tried this place on a whim thanks to a Groupon. Apparently Inferno's took over for a place called V-Lounge, but I never went there in the past so I can't compare. Anyway, the place is a hole in the wall tucked away behind Ala Moana mall. If you're not looking for it, you'll probably never see it. The interior isn't any more impressive. The Lounge is a small and rather old bar and lounge and that's exactly what it looks like, complete with a couple dart boards.
Fortunately, I went for the pizza, not the ambiance. Inferno's pizzas are all 12 inches, a little bigger than your typical personal pizza but too small to feed two people unless they're really light eaters. I went with my mom and we got a Margarita pizza and a white truffle pizza to split between us, which worked out pretty nicely. Gotta say, the pizza really impressed me. They've got a good thin crust and very melty cheese. The white truffle was the standout, combining garlic and mushrooms to great effect. Service was good too, though we were there early when the place was pretty empty. Our order was taken shortly after we entered, the pizza came quickly, and our waters never got too low.
If you can get past the limited menu and hole in the wall vibe, give Inferno's a chance. While the place may not look like much, the pizza is some of the best I've had on the island.

Restaurant Review: Thai Lao
Type: Thai
Location: Kapolei
I love Thai food (especially the curries) and heard good things about Thai Lao so I decided to give it a try. A couple of visits later and I'm definitely a fan. The menu is large and varied, including all the most popular Thai dishes, and even has some Laotian entrees as well, though at first glance you may have trouble differentiating them from the Thai. So far, I've stuck to the curries, though I'll certainly get to other things eventually. Anyway, the curry is very good. The flavor is great and the meat and vegetables aren't over or under cooked. Though be careful what level of spiciness you ask for, as their "medium" is is hotter than most. And, like most Thai restaurants around here, rice is extra (though it's nice that they offer brown Jasmine is addition to white and sticky).
Add in good service and the best Thai tea I've had in a while, and you've got an all around excellent Thai restaurant. It's not especially large or fancy, but it's neat and clean so there's nothing to complain about in that department.
I don't know if Thai Lao is worth driving over to this side of the island for (Honolulu has a lot of great Thai places of its own), but if you're in the area you should definitely give it a try.


Random Hawaii Comment: Bubble Tea
If you're looking for a non-alcoholic drink in Hawaii (or at least on Oahu), you've got a few options. Naturally, there's plenty of Starbucks around (along with a couple of similar chains), as well as Jamba Juice and a few local smoothie places. But there's another type of drink that's just as popular, bubble tea.
If you're not familiar with bubble tea, it's tea (usually black, but there are plenty of other kinds as well) with boba (chewy little tapioca balls or bubbles) inside. The most common kind is milk tea (think an ice tea latte), often with some kind of add-in such as coconut or strawberry flavor. But, if you don't want milk, fruit teas are pretty common as well. And, just to mix things up a bit more, some bubble tea shops also offer smoothies (though I'd recommend getting them without the boba) and/or frappuccino style teas.
Outside of a few staples, menus vary wildly from place to place. Also, some tea shops let you customize your drink, offering different kinds of bubbles (small boba, large boba, flavored jelly, no bubbles, etc.), letting you choose how much ice and sugar you want, and the like.
So, why is bubble tea so popular here? While I've seen the odd shop here and there around the mainland US, it certainly hasn't caught on there in any big way. In fact, I bet this is the first a lot of you are hearing about it. But there's one thing Oahu has that most of the US doesn't, an extremely strong Asian influence. Now, I've never seen bubble tea in Japan, but there were a lot of bubble tea places in China. At least around the Shanghai and Nanjing areas, they were rather uncommon in Beijing. So, for the time being, I'm assuming bubble tea was brought over here from China. To further support that theory, quite a lot of the tea places around here are run by Chinese people (or maybe Taiwanese). Though I suppose it could have come to China from another area (Thailand maybe?)...

UPDATE: Connie told me that bubble tea originated in Taiwan (in the 1980's) before making its way over to mainland China. So there you have it.

Now, to finish up the topic, here's a little bit about my favorite bubble team places in the area.

First up, we have Coffee or Tea in McCully Plaza, which I did a full review for a while back. It's not the cheapest place around, and they don't let you choose how much ice or sweetener you want. But they do have a pretty large menu, including some things that I haven't seen anywhere else, such as the ginger milk tea (a personal favorite). Plus it's right near my parents' place, so there's the convenience factor.
Next is Taste Tea, which is on Kapiolani Blvd just past Ala Moana mall. It's my favorite bubble tea place overall. They've got a huge menu, good prices, and,most importantly, great tea. You can also choose you sweetener and ice levels, and even sample your chosen tea before committing.
Finally, there's China Mix, which is beneath the Safeway on Beretania. Their menu isn't that big, and you can't customize anything, but they have the best straight up milk bubble tea that I've had so far.
There are a number of other bubble tea places I've tried here on Oahu, but those three are the ones that stick out the most so far.


Late December: Christmas Cheer
Being the holiday season, there's naturally a lot of Christmas stuff around. For example, here's a Christmas twist on the daily hula show at the mail. Not shown, the extreme crowds and horrible parking at said mall. Yay Christmas season...
And here we have this year's gingerbread village at the Sheraton hotel by Waikiki. It's a good bit smaller than last year's (see the December 24th entry), but still pretty cool.
Getting out of Honolulu, the newspaper listed the best Christmas light displays on different parts of the island last week, so Connie and I went to check out the ones near me. This place was really impressive. Aside from the sheer number of lights, it was hooked up to a computer system and all the lights were choreographed to music. Definitely one of the more impressive home displays I've ever come across. There were some other nice houses nearby too. The newspaper also led us to this place. The whole thing was kind of crazy, with a diverse mishmash of displays from Santas to licensed characters, mostly hand made. Everywhere you looked there was something else to see. It seems that, despite the lack of snow, Hawaii certainly isn't lacking in Christmas spirit.

December 31st - January 1st (Wed - Thur): New Year's
In the end, Connie and I decided to skip the big New Year's Eve party and just watch the fireworks on Waikiki Beach. But we did head into the city a bit early to walk around. We also went out to eat with my parents. Not sure if it really counted as a birthday dinner or not, but it was fun (see the review later in this entry). The fireworks on the beach were great. Connie and I had a really good spot...except when it came time to leave, anyway. The crowds made it hard to get back to the road. I think the show itself was even better than last year (the only other time I've watched it). There was a steady stream of fireworks, a lot of which had pretty interesting shapes and colors (unfortunately, I didn't get many good pictures this time around).
Due to our plans for the next day, we ended up staying at my parents' place that night. In the morning, we got a late brunch at a nearby restaurant we'd been meaning to try (once again, see the review later in this entry) then headed to the movie museum. Aside from all the regular movie theaters here on Oahu, there's a couple of special ones, which play mostly indie and/or foreign films. I've been to a few movies at the art museum before, since they do anime from time to time, but I'd never visited the movie museum before (as a note, it's note a museum, just a theater). It's outside of the usual tourist haunts (though near a lot of good looking restaurants) and not your typical theater. It's cheap (only $5 per person, cash only), though there's only around 20 seats so you should probably either arrive early or get your tickets in advance (like we did). The reason there's so few seats is that they're all recliners (albeit rather old ones), making for a very relaxed and casual movie watching experience. As a note, it looked like the majority of people there were regulars. Anyway, the movie we saw was a Japanese film called Ramen Samurai (no actual samurai involved), and was about a young man who takes over his father's ramen restaurant (though the majority of it consists of flashbacks from his childhood). It was very well done, and I'd recommend it. Could make you hungry though (too bad I can't eat ramen very often, since it's usually pork based).
All in all, it was a enjoyable holiday and birthday, and quite a nice change from my past few birthdays, which I mostly spent on airplanes.

Restaurant Review: Himalayan Kitchen
Type: Indian
Location: Honolulu (Kaimuki area)
If you're not familiar with the Kaimuki section of Honolulu, it has a lot of neat restaurants, but is far enough removed from the tourist sections of the city that it mostly caters to locals. Himalayan Kitchen is slightly off the main road, and you have to make your way to the second floor, but when you get up there you'll find a nice and spacious indoor and outdoor dining area.
My parents, girlfriend, and I went fairly early on New Year's Eve, so it wasn't very busy. Can't say what it's like during peak hours, but we had an excellent waiter and fast service. Now for the food. The majority of the (rather large) menu is standard Indian food, though you'll find some Himalayan dishes as well. Between the four of us, we were able to get a pretty good sample. The naan was excellent and I had a good mango lassi. As for the rest of the food, while nothing blew me away, I don't have any complaints either. I love Indian food and had a very enjoyable dinner. While Cafe Maharani still remains my favorite Indian restaurant in Honolulu, I'd definitely go back to Himalayan Kitchen, especially if I didn't want to deal with Maharani's tight spaces and long lines.

Restaurant Review: Aloha Kitchen
Type: Breakfast
Location: Honolulu (not far from the Hilton)
After walking past this place a few times, my mom and I looked at the menu and decided we should come back some time for a meal. Glad we did! While the menu boasts a number of pastas (along with a loco moco and a few other things) my group went there for breakfast. The star of the show is the souffle pancakes and waffles. You only get one per order, but they're large, thick, and airy (more souffle than pancake). More importantly, they taste great, whether you're going with the simple fruit topped variety, or a fancier topping like coconut cream. I also got to taste the salmon eggs Benedict. I don't get eggs Benedict very often, but after trying Aloha Kitchen's, I may have to change that.
The prices are reasonable, though a bit more expensive than some of the other breakfast places in the area. Still, Aloha Kitchen has great food, including some unique spins on classic dishes. So while it's not my top breakfast destination in the Waikiki area, I can still see myself going back from time to time.


January 10th (Saturday): Elton John Concert
If you've been reading my travelogues for a while, you probably know that I like oldies rock from the 60's and 70's. I've gotten to see a number of groups in concert over the years, and when I saw that Elton John would be performing in Honolulu, I decided to add another one to my list. So my parents, Connie, and I headed out to see the concert. Which, surprisingly, only started 9 minutes late (if you haven't been to a big concert before, that's actually really good).
Gotta say, Elton John puts on a really good show. While he doesn't do the really high notes anymore, his voice is still pretty good and he's a great piano player. You know, I forgot just how many hit songs he's had. There were several during the concert that I was familiar with, but didn't realize that he was the one who did them. The concert went for nearly 2 1/2 hours, so he was able to fit in quite a lot of songs, including all of my favorites. All in all, it was a really good concert. If you like his music, I'd definitely recommend seeing him live if you get the chance.

January 11th (Sunday): The Ohana Festival
With such a large Japanese presence here on Oahu, it's only natural that there's some Japanese festivals scattered throughout the year. I've been to some of them in the past but, since this is the first time I've been here in mid January, this was my first chance to go to the Japanese Cultural Center's annual Ohana Festival. So Connie dressed for the occasion, and we headed over. The festival occupied the cultural center itself, and the park across the street. There were a lot of food stalls and a large room full of vendors (crafts and accessories, mostly). There were also several stages featuring Japanese music, dance, and martial arts demonstrations. And, being a sort of late New Year's / early spring festival, there was mochi pounding too. While it's not quite the same as going to a matsuri (festival) in Japan, Connie and I spent a fun couple of hours there. I'd say it's worth a visit if you're in Honolulu at the right time of year, though nothing I'd plan a trip around (if you really want to come to Hawaii specifically for festivals, there are better ones in the summer).

January 18th (Sunday): Manoa Cliff and the Shanghai Circus
Connie and I had tickets to see the Shanghai Circus with my parents in the evening, but we decided to head into Honolulu early and do a little hiking.
We took the Manoa Cliff trail, which is right across from the Moilili bamboo hike I've done a few times before. Ida (a friend of mine from Japan, who is here on vacation) joined us as well. Here's everyone (except me) a little ways up the trail. While most of the hike is along a cliff about halfway up a mountain, the foliage is thick enough that you often can't really tell. There's some regular trees, bamboo, and a lot of strawberry guava trees. It's kinda between seasons for the guavas, but we managed to find a few ripe ones, which was cool because they taste great and you can't buy strawberry guavas in stores (I do, however, plan to get a tree for my yard). It's was a nice hike, and not very strenuous, though there's no real end to it (it's part of a big connected set of trails) and, while the forests are pretty, they really limit the viewpoints. Though, if you want a view, there are some really nice ones you can drive to nearby.
Later that evening, it was off to the circus. The Shanghai Circus isn't the classic circus with tents, elephants, and all that (if it was, they probably wouldn't come to Hawaii). Instead, it's a series of acts on stage, a bit like Cirque du Soliel. They don't have Cirque's presentation (the music, costumes, narrative, etc.), but they do have a group of very talented young Chinese acrobats. The acts included diabolos, hula hoops, contortion, slack rope, bike riding, and plate spinning, to name a few. They were all good (a couple even measured up to Cirque in terms of pure skill), despite the occasional mistake.
Sorry for all the Cirque comparisons, by the way. But to me they're really what every other circus or acrobatic performance has to measure up to. Anyway... The Shanghai Circus isn't on the level of Cirque du Soliel, but it's still a really good show and the tickets are a whole lot cheaper. So, if it's in your area, I'd recommend going.

January: Life in Hawaii
Random Hawaii Comment: The Weather
I sort of figured this out while vacationing in the past, but living here has really confirmed it. The weather here on Oahu is rather unpredictable. First off, never look very far ahead in the weather forecast. It changes frequently, making any forecast more than a couple of days ahead highly unreliable. Even that can be iffy, I've seen a forecast change completely overnight. And when you know the forecast, you have to keep in mind that the weather can and often will completely change (going from sun to rain, or vice versa) over the course of a day (hourly forecasts help a bit). And, even if the chances of rain are low, it may still rain a little. Really, there's never any day when you can be absolutely sure it won't rain. It's also important to note that, despite being a relatively small island, the weather varies considerably from area to area. So just because the weather is good (or bad) whereever you are doesn't necessarily mean it'll be that way elsewhere. The diverse climates and rapidly changing weather helps make Oahu a vibrant and diverse island...but it also makes it a real pain to plan outdoor activities sometimes.

January 30th (Friday): Early Chinese New Year
With the large Chinese population on Oahu, it's only natural that Chinese New Year is a big deal here. On a side note, Connie informed me that in China they tend to follow the regular January 1st New Year these days, with Chinese New Year being celebrated under the generic name "Spring Festival".
Anyway, Chinese New Year is still a couple of weeks off, but China Town is kicking things off a bit early here with weekend celebrations. My mom, Connie, and I went down for a while to check it out. They filled a large plaza with booths containing a mix of Chinese knickknacks (mostly related to the year of the ram (or sheep)) and food. While we didn't buy any souvenirs, there was a nice selection of good and cheap food, so that was fun. The booths were open for most of the day, but the entertainment didn't start until evening so were were only there long enough to take in the first performance, the lion dance. While they didn't do any fancy tricks like the one I saw at that Chinese event a couple months back, it was fun and they had quite a lot of lions running around. Rather ironically, it was also the first lion dance Connie had seen since she was a kid. She said they're not all that common in China any more, or at least not where she lives. But back on topic, the early New Year celebration was fun, and there's still the real one to look forward to later in the month.

February 14th (Saturday): Chinese New Year Parade
As I said in my last travelogue entry, Chinese New Year is a fairly big deal here. And, with the actual date approaching, the amount of related events has increased. This weekend there was an all day party in China Town, complete with booths (food, Year of the Ram/Sheep/Goat (they can't seem to make up their mind) souvenirs, etc.) music, and a big parade. Connie and I were at my parents' place that day, so we walked over to check it out. Gotta say, I've never seen China Town so crowded. The parade was one of the better ones I've watched here, with dragon dancers, lion dancers, martial artists, beauty queens, and one really long dragon. We had dinner plans so we didn't stay too late, but it was a cool event, with pretty much everything from the early Chinese New Year's party we were at a couple of weeks back and a lot more besides.

February 15th (Sunday): Mini-Golf

I keep meaning to write a travelogue entry for the Wet 'n Wild water park in Kapolei, but I never remember to bring my camera when I go. Next time for sure... Anyway, one of the perks that comes with my Gold Card membership there is free mini-golf at the course they have. As a kid, I used to play mini-golf with my grandparents. Later on, I'd occasionally play with my parents, brother, or friends. But, at this point, I think it's been at least a couple of years since I last played (a little odd considering how many course there are in Florida).
Anyway, Connie had never played mini-golf before and I'd been wanting to try out the course so we headed over there for a quick game. It's not a bad course. Nothing too fancy, but it has a suitable tropical island vibe. I was definitely out of practice, but I didn't do too badly. Neither did Connie, though she got stuck on a couple holes, which kept me in the lead. It was fun and, with it being free and all, I really should go play a game every now and then. Maybe try out the other mini-golf place on the island too...

Random Hawaii Comment: Vog
No, that isn't a typo, vog is the name given to the volcanic smoke which sometimes drifts over the islands, causing a haze (or fog; vog = volcanic fog). While Oahu doesn't have any active volcanos, the big island does and the vog gets blown over here at times, with varying degrees of thickness. It's mostly harmless, other than obstructing the views a bit. Though, like with smog and other heavy pollution, it does give some people allergic reactions of sorts. So, if you're sensitive to things like that, you may want to keep an eye on the vog forecasts if you're coming here on vacation.

February 16th (Monday): Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden
Connie and I had originally planned on going hiking, but the hike was overcrowded (probably because of the holiday) so they wouldn't let us in. Now that's not normal for hiking trails, but the start of this one is in a gated housing development. Said development is required by law to let people through to access the trail, but they seem rather grudging about it and close it off as soon as the tiny parking lot fills up. Normally it's not a problem but, like I said, it was a holiday, which means more hikers.
Anyway, in the end we decided to visit a botanical garden with my parents. I've written about a couple of different gardens on this island before, but this was my first time visiting Ho'omaluhia, which is on the Windward (Eastern) side of the island. It's got a nice setting by the mountains and is divided up into a number of different sections, most of which are themed after different geographic areas (Polynesia, Africa, etc.). While the individual areas aren't huge, the garden as a whole is, so it's best to drive between the sections (all of which have their own parking lots).
There were some neat plants there, including a variety of flowering trees that I hadn't seen before. Some rather dangerous looking ones too. And hey, I think the entire trip was worth it just for this picture (Connie wants it to be named The Legend of Miss Red Mustache).
Anyway though, if you want to visit a botanical garden on Oahu, I'd recommend Foster or Waimea Valley (both of which I've written about in the past) over Ho'omaluhia. It's nice (and free), but the others have a better layout and more to see over all. Still, if you happen to be in the area, or really like plants and want to visit several botanical gardens, it may be worth a look.
And hey, if you're going from Honolulu you can stop at the Pali Lookout on the way and get a nice view of Oahu's Windward side. Or just get your picture taken there, like Connie and I did, and check out the wild chickens living in the area.

February 19th (Thursday): Lions on Poles
Apparently we still weren't quite done with Chinese New Year events. Thursday evening saw my mom, Connie, and I at Ala Moana to watch another lion dance. Though this one was done on poles. I'd only seen a lion pole dance once before at the Fantastic China expo a few months back. It was cool then and this one was even better. The combination of balance and coordination is really impressive.
On an unrelated note, we swung by the Honolulu Collectors' Expo over the weekend, which was surprisingly cool. There was a very wide variety of items, including a lot of old Japanese stuff. It was part antique shop and part that big flea market I like in Tokyo. There was even an anime/manga section with a much better selection of figurines than I would have expected. While I didn't buy much, it was a fun way to spend an hour or so.

Restaurant Review: Island Vintage Shave Ice
Type: Shave Ice
Location: Kalakaua Ave., By The Royal Hawaiian Mall
To be honest, I'm usually not a big fan of shave ice. Namely due to the syrups, which tend to be little more than sugar, water, and food coloring. Island Vintage, however, is one of the rare places that makes theirs out of real fruit (right down to bits of pulp and the occasional little seed) and the difference is enormous. You pay a little bit of a premium compared to run of the mill shave ice places, but it's worth every penny. Add in organic ice cream, fresh fruit, and other great toppings and you have what could very well be the best shave ice on the island. Naturally, you can make your own combination, but they also have several great signature combinations. The keiki size is good for a normal snack, while the regular is easily big enough for two (unless you're really hungry).
Personally, ice cream is still my top choice for a cool treats but shave ice is pretty great too, at least when you get it at Island Vintage. If you're anywhere near Honolulu, it really is the place to go for shave ice.

March 6th (Friday): Manoa Chocolate
A while back I got a Groupon for a chocolate factory tour, figuring it would be a fun thing to do with Connie. I was planning to use it back in January but the timing never worked out. Finally, I found a day it would work and the two of use headed to Kailua.
Manoa Chocolate is a small operation, but I've seen their bars in various stores around the island. They're what's called a "craft chocolate company", like craft coffee and craft beer. Basically it means that their chocolate is custom made in house in small batches, leading to better quality, more unique flavors, and a higher price. The tour started with a talk about the chocolate industry and how chocolate beans are grown, fermented, and dried before being shipped to chocolate makers. While I'm not a big chocolate fan myself, it was pretty interesting. Despite taking a couple short chocolate tours in other places, I didn't know about the fermentation process, for example. Anyway, Manoa Chocolate doesn't grow their own beans so their job begins after the drying process. Next stop was the roasting. To give an example of what chocolate is like unprocessed, they gave us some plain dried cocoa beans and some roasted ones to try. The roasting made for a big improvement but, either way, I can't imagine why anyone thought they'd make a good sweet. After that was the process of separating the nibs (pieces of bean) from the shells, then combining them with sugar and spinning them around in a mixer for days on end (surprisingly, no liquid is added, it's just cocoa nibs and sugar; milk chocolate uses powdered milk). Finally, the mixture (which has become a paste thanks to the oil content of the cocoa) is made into bars.
After the tour, there was a chocolate tasting, where we got to try out all of the different chocolate bars they make. It started out with several different dark chocolates, nothing but chocolate and sugar, each using beans grown in a different location. It was surprising how different they all tasted. As a side note, dark chocolate is chocolate with a minimum 55% cocoa content. The ones we had were 72%...which means that 28% was sugar. The rest were milk chocolate (with one being goat milk), many of which had additional flavors such as lavender, coffee, sea salt, and ghost pepper. Yes, ghost pepper. It was hot enough that I wouldn't want to take a big bite out of one of those bars. And they only put one tablespoon of the stuff into 55 pounds of chocolate... There was tea too, made from cocoa nibs.
All in all, it was a fun and interesting tour, even for a non-cholocate lover like me. If you're interested though, keep in mind that the tour isn't free and you have to book in advance (it's also only run at 3:00 on several days each week).
Later that day, Connie and I ended up watching the sunset at Waikiki Beach. It was a bit cloudy, but still pretty.

March 8th (Sunday): The Honolulu Festival
The Honolulu Festival is an annual event, though this is the first time I've been on Oahu at the right time of year. While the festival stretched out over two days, the main events were on Sunday so that's when Connie and I went. As a note, despite the name, it's more of a Japanese festival than anything else.
During the day, there were a lot of performances spread between the convention center, the mall, and a stage near Waikiki Beach. Connie and I spent our time in the convention center. There were two stages, with new shows starting every 20 minutes or so. There was a pretty wide variety. Being a mostly Japanese festival, there was naturally taiko drumming, modern and traditional Japanese dance (and combinations of the two), cheerleading, singing (including students from a Japanese music school doing a song from The Sound of Music (in Japanese)), and more, most of which were really well done. There were a couple non-Japanese performances, including traditional Alaskan dance for some reason, but only a couple. The convention center also had a display of mikoshi (portable shrines used in Japanese parades), though some were decidedly non-traditional, and an expo with a number of booths. Some were stores, some were promoting different parts of Japan, and others were about local groups. Little bit of food too, though not a lot, and a collection of Japanese carnival games for the kids. To round things out, there was a bon dance and some Japanese movie screenings.
About an hour after the performances wrapped up, the parade started down along Waikiki Beach. A lot of the groups who had put on performances were there, along with many others. Bands, dancers, school groups, beauty queens, mikoshi, Chinese dragon dancers, other dragons... Once again, most were Japanese, though there were a few groups from Hawaii and other parts of the world. Kumamon was even there. Remember him? Kumamon is the mascot of Kumamoto Japan (which I visited and wrote about this past summer), probably the most popular of the country's regional mascots. A couple other standouts included this seemingly endless group of high schoolers and the Getappers (a Japanese dance group that tap dances while wearing geta (traditional Japanese sandals)). But that's only a sampling. On the whole, it was one of the most entertaining parades I've seen outside of Disney. Though it was also one of the longest, taking more than 2 1/2 hours to pass. The last float was pretty cool though.
Later that night, Connie and I ended up on the beach to watch the big fireworks show which ended the festival. It was put on by the Japanese city of Nagaoka, which is known for their fireworks festival. And I can see why. It was an excellent show with a wide variety of fireworks, many with interesting shapes and colors. Definitely a great way to wrap up a fun day, and the last big event Connie and I had planned for her time here.

March 10th (Tuesday): Connie's Last Day

Connie and I had our last big outing a couple days back at the Honolulu Festival, but we did end up checking out Tropics Mini-Gold before she left. You might remember that I wrote about our visit to the mini-golf course at Wet 'n Wild a little while back. Well, as far I know, Tropics is the only other one on the island. It used to go by a different name, but recently got new owners, a new name, and a general revamp. Anyway, it's out by Pearl Ridge (by the Toys R Us, specifically) and doesn't open until mid-afternoon (so don't arrive too early). As for the golf itself, they only have one course but it's in excellent condition and has a pretty good variety of holes (nothing nearly as fancy as I've seen in Florida, but still good). The little patch of land they have is really long and thin, so you work your way down for the first half and back up for the second. A little odd but, with the thick foliage, it worked pretty well. I personally liked it better than the Wet 'n Wild course (it's better maintained and I liked the clever used of space). Connie disagreed (she preferred the other course's larger and more varied area) but either way, we had a good time.

Restaurant Review: Roy's
Type: Hawaiian
Location: Ko Olina (also Waikiki and elsewhere)
I've seen Roy's here on Oahu a number of times, and even back in Phoenix, but this was the first time I've eaten in one. This particular one is in the Ko Olina golf club. It's a really nice restaurant with great decor and ambiance, perfect for a date or other classy meal. On that note, it's also a bit on the expensive side, expect to spend at least $40 per person, probably more. That's higher than I usually go for a meal, but it was Connie's last day here (sorry for the blurry photo), so I figured it was a good time to splurge. And hey, it's one of the few restaurants I've visited on the island that doesn't charge extra for a side of rice.
Connie got the blackened ahi and I got the misoyaki butterfish. Both were perfectly done. The butterfish was especially excellent and just melted in your mouth. They both came with a selection of Japanese vegetables in a soy sauce, which made for a nice accompaniment. Portions aren't huge, but they're big enough to fill you up, and you get a free bowl of spiced edamame. Really, the food couldn't have been any better.
While Roy's isn't a place I'd eat at very often, due to the price, I'd certainly be up for a return trip next time I'm in need of a higher class restaurant.

March 24 (Tuesday): Hawaii Loa Ridge Hike
I'd already planned to be in Honolulu Tuesday evening for game night at the comic book store, so I decided to go in early and do a hike. Of course, there are lots of hikes closer to my part of the island, but this is one I've been wanting to do for a while. Why? Mainly because I've failed to twice before. The first time was with my parents way back before I moved to Hawaii, but the trail was prety muddy so we didn't go very far. The second time was with Connie not all that long ago, but it was a holiday and the parking lot was full. And, as the start of the hike is in the back of a ritzy gated community, they don't let many people in at a time. You do get to see some pretty fancy houses on the drive up though.
Anyway, it actually reminded me quite a lot of the Wililinui Ridge hike (see the entry for Saturday, December 28th). I looked it up and it turns out both ridges are right across from each other. The trail starts out pretty high up and alternates between walking through the brush on top of the ridge and passing through the occasional patch of trees. There's some short acents and decents, but it's fairly flat. At least for a while. Eventually it transitions from trees and brush to tons of ferns. And then you hit the stairs. Lots of and lots of steep stairs. The view was nice, but I hadn't been expecting all the steps and, after climbing most of the way up, it was starting to look like rain so I skipped the final hill. I normally hate quitting before reaching the end of a trail, but I was close enough, and I had to get back in time for game night anyway.
All in all, it's a pretty hike and the majority of it is fairly easy and relaxing. Though if you want to go all the way to the end, prepare for some serious climbing. And, as previously mentioned, keep in mind that it may be closed during peak times if it gets busy. Though, if that happens, you could always try Wililinui Ridge nearby for a similar hike and view.

March 27th - 29th (Friday - Sunday): Kawaii Kon
I enjoy going to anime conventions, though it's been a while since I've lived in the right place at the right time to attend one. I did manage to go to Otakon in 2013 (which was awesome), but I just got lucky that it coincided with a trip to visit some relatives. And that was still a year and a half ago, so I'd been looking forward to attending Kawaii Kon, the convention here on Oahu. In the past I've been to small cons (such as Anizona) with barely over 1,000 people, and giants cons (namely Otakon) with over 30,000. But this was my first time attending a medium sized con (I'm estimating 8,000 - 10,000 people). Gotta say, it does strike a nice balance between the two extremes, though all sizes have their good and bad points.
Anyway, like all good cons, there were lots of panels, game rooms (video games, table top, etc.), screening rooms, a dealer hall, and artists' alley. Lots of good cosplayers too (though not all were from anime and games). One cool thing about Kawaii Kon is that, despite not being one of the biggest cons in the country, it still manages to get some really great special guests (probably helps that it's relatively close to Japan).
All in all, it was a well done con that had pretty much everything I'd want to see in a convention. Some of my favorite events include the Eir Aoi concert (I got her autograph too), getting Toru Furuya's autograph (he's the Japanese voice actor who did Yamcha and Tuxedo Mask, among many others), and competing in a Smash Bros. tournament (I didn't win, though I did fairly well). Actually, there were multiple concerts. Akira (the one who did some music for Black Butler) opened for Eir Aoi (videos weren't allowed in either of those concerts, unfortunately) and then EMKE had a concert too. I actually wrote about them once before a few years ago when I saw them at a Independence Day celebration (see the July 3rd entry), but they're a local band that mostly does covers (though they've been doing some original music as well). I was impressed with them back then and they're still really good. They added some anime songs to their set list too, which was fun.
I don't know if Kawaii Kon is worth flying all the way to Hawaii for (Otakon and Anime Expo are a lot bigger and probably much cheaper flights or most people), but it's a pretty awesome con all around and I'm already looking forward to next year's.

Restaurant Review: Siam Garden Cafe
Type: Thai
Location: Honolulu (off of Nimitz Highway near Best Buy)
I'm a huge fan of Thai food so when I needed something to eat after a late game night, I was pleased to see that Siam Garden was both nearby and still open. It's a nice restaurant and service has been good on all my visits.
Now for the food. They've got pretty much all the usual Thai dishes (noodles, curries, soups, etc.). I didn't see anything particular special or unexpected on the menu, but they have pretty much every dish I'd want, and all at pretty reasonable prices. The curries are excellent and the drunkard's noodles are pretty great too. Be carefully though, as their "medium" is on the spicy side. They've also got a good Thai tea and I was pleased to notice that their brown rice is actually more of a red rice (which I love, but rarely see in restaurants).
I wouldn't say that it quite hits the level of my favorite Thai restaurants, but not many place do. Really though, I can't complain about Siam Garden. I may have originally gone mainly because they're open late, but I'd be glad to return at any time of day.

April 11th (Saturday): Pu'u o Hulu Hike with My New Camera
I've driven past the start of this trail many times when going to services on Saturdays. Well, this Saturday afternoon I had some free time so I looked it up in a hiking book and decided to give it a try. I figured it would also give me a chance to start playing with my new camera. Speaking of which...
So, since late 2012 I've been using a Canon Powershot sx260. Which was a replacement for my Powershot sx100, which was in turn a replacement for my original digital camera (another Canon). Unfortunately, my sx260 got a bit banged up while I was in China last summer (never was quite sure how it happened though). It's been a bit glitchy since then, with the largest problem being the way the lens periodically skips up and down. When taking photos it's mostly just an annoyance (though I have missed a few shots as a result), but it really screws with video, as you likely noticed if you've watched any of the videos I've posted since then.
I thought about replacing it last fall with a new Powershot but decided to put up with my damaged camera for a little while longer and wait for the 2015 model in hopes it would make a couple improvements and add a feature or two I'd be wanting. Unfortunately, I was disappointed to see that, not only did the newest Powershot lack the features I'd been wanting, the general consensus was that it was actually inferior to the 2014 model (though still a good camera overall). So, as much as I've loved my Canons, I decided to look at some different brands.
In the end, I decided to try the new Nikon Coolpix S9900. It's a super zoom, like my last two Canons, which means that you get a good bit of power and a really long zoom in a pocket sized camera. That said, the S9900 is a decent bit thicker than my sx260 so it's a little tight in my pocket. Not nearly as bad as my old sx100 though. And the reason for the S9900's extra size and weight is its neat fold out display screen, which makes it much easier to compose shots when holding the camera at an odd angle or to take selfies (which I've never been especially fond of, but still). It's also got a 30x zoom (standard now, but up from the 20x on my sx260), a true panorama mode (Canon used to include a pseudo version which relied on computer software and tended to leave visible seams, but eventually dropped it entirely), and some other nifty features (like a photo pre-cache mode). On the down side, some of those special shooting modes only operate at lower image quality settings, which kinda discourages me from using them. And Nikon's menu system, while functional, really isn't very good. Too many common features are buried in screen covering menus. It also lacks some features I've gotten really used to in my Canons, such as the ability to set the time limit and display settings for image review after I take a shot. The flash, which lacks multiple strengths and requires manual release and return, isn't especially great either. As for image quality... I'll have to use it for a bit longer before I have a definitive opinion there. On that note, I'm still figuring out the best way to set up different types of photos on tit, so some of my photos in the next few travelogue entries may be a bit off in one way or another.
But anyway, on to the hike. Pu'u o Hulu is in Wai'anae out on the Leeward (West) side of the island. The trailhead is right across the street from a housing development. It isn't marked, but it's obvious enough if you're looking and, at least on weekends, there will usually be a few cars parked nearby by other hikers. While it's not an area of the island I'd want to live on, they have some great mountain views and the trail zigzags right up the side of one of those mountains. As such, it's only about a mile each way. But, since it zigzags, it's not as steep or strenuous as those "staircase straight up the mountain" hikes like Koko Head. Heck, I'd say it's easier than Diamond Head. At least if you stick to the zigzag path. There's one point where the trail splits for a while. One path zigzags and the other goes pretty much straight up. It's shorter, but requires climbing over a bunch of loose rock. I tried it on my way up. The rocks aren't that bad, but it requires decent balance and foot and is extremely overgrown so I don't recommend it. Though I did run across this bird on the way, which was cool. Whatever path you take, you'll end up at a few old military bunkers at the top of the mountain which offer excellent views. Now this isn't one of my best ocean rock photos, but would you believe I took this from the exactly same place as the last photo? Yay for 30x zoom! And remember that panorama mode I mentioned? That's just about a 360 view. Really makes it clear that this is an island, huh?
So, still figuring out the camera, but I'm pretty happy with some of the photos I took (much less so with others, but I'll work all the settings out sooner or later). As for the hike, it's not very long or difficult and the views are great, though it's also really short so don't expect to spend all that much time on it. Not sure if it's worth driving all the way across the island for if you're in Honolulu, but if you're in the area and have an hour to kill (30 or 40 minutes if you're quick and don't spend too much time admiring the view) it's worth a stop.

April 12th (Sunday): Scottish Festival
The Honolulu Greek Festival last fall came as a bit of a surprise, but not nearly as much as when I heard about the Scottish Festival. Of course, I had to check it out. It was actually at the same place as the Greek Festival was, the pavilion at the far end of Ala Moana Beach Park. Personally, I think the design of the place suited Greek culture a little better, but anyway... There were a few booths selling assorted Scottish items, a room with tables for various Scottish clans (who knew there were so many people of Scottish descent in Hawaii?), and some food, of course. I was a bit disappointed to see that the majority of the food wasn't Scottish, but I did get bridie, which is a sort of puff pasty with ground beef inside. Could have bought canned haggis too, but even if it wasn't $14 a can, I kinda of doubt I would have (maybe I'd try it in a good restaurant, but not canned). Inside the pavilion they had a highland dance competition going all day (for young girls and teens, from the look of it) and plenty of Scottish music. Speaking of music, here's something a little different. It's a kind old attempt at a Scottish Hawaiian song. Kinda weird, but amusing. Right outside the pavilion they were running a series of Scottish games. They included hammer throwing, weight tossing, and the famous caber toss. They had a few events for women too, like throwing frying pans and rolling pins (on that note, I wouldn't recommend angering a Scottish woman). Is it just me, or does every traditional Scottish sport seem to involve throwing heavy objects around? That weight tossing one especially looked dangerous since the goal is to toss it almost straight up and over the bar above your head. If it were me, I'd probably take off running the moment I threw the weight... The Society for Creative Anachronism had some fighting demos too, though that's not strictly Scottish.
In the end, I spent a fun two or three hours there. It's not one of the biggest festivals, but there's some good entertainment and it's definite change of pace from the usual Hawaiian and Asian style festivals they have around here.

Restaurant Review: Gyu-Kaku
Type: Yakiniku
Location: Honolulu (Waikiki, Kapiolani, etc.)
The last time I got yakiniku was in Osaka. But it was only a matter of time before I tried out one of the places here on Oahu. For those not familiar with the term, yakiniku is the Japanese take on Korean BBQ. You order an assortment of meat and/or veggies and grill them at your table. As a note, if you haven't done it before, I'd recommend going with someone who has. If that's not an option, just keep a close eye on your grill to avoid burning anything.
Anyway, Gyu-Kaku is a fairly typical yakiniku place I went to the Kapiolani location, which is very nice restaurant with a clear Japanese vibe. The menu consists of a bunch of Japanese and Korean appetizers and a wide variety of veggies and thinly sliced meats to grill. They recommend 3 - 5 items per person, which sounds about right depending on the items and person in question. I got kalbi (Korean style beef ribs), harami (skirt steak), beef bacon, and some shiitake mushrooms, along with a plate of assorted kimchi. Some of the meats come already marinated, but they've got a selection of sauces on the side (with recommend pairings on the menu) as well. Both the meats and sauces were excellent. Though, as I mentioned, it's at least somewhat dependant on your own grilling skills. I was able to grill my own taiyaki for dessert too, which was a pleasant surprise.
I really have no complaints about Gyu-Kaku. Nice atmosphere, good food, and reasonable prices for yakiniku (though keep in mind that yakiniku is a little on the expensive side to begin with). Service was good too and I managed to get there are just the right time to avoid a wait (though I got lucky, it tends to get long lines during dinner time). I'm sure I'll be back again sooner or later.

April 12th - 19th (Sunday - Sunday): HIFF Spring Showcase

HIFF stands for the Hawaii International Film Festival, which I attended back in November (see the entry for November 2nd). Well, while the main festival is in November, they have a small version in the spring. Much smaller (30 movies vs. around 200), but I still found a few things I wanted to see. So, like last time, here's short reviews of the movies I saw (all of which were Japanese).

Unsung Hero
Are you familiar with tokusatsu? It's a Japanese film genre. Specifically, the one where heroes in colorful body suits fight monsters (guys in big rubber suits). Ultra Man, Kamen Rider, and Power Ranger (well, sorta, but that's another subject) are all examples. That explanation out of the way, Unsung Hero isn't a tokusatsu movie. It's actually about a stunt man from a (fictional) tokusatsu series. See, the heroes of those shows often have two actors. The regular actor who plays the hero in his or her normal form, and the stunt man who plays their masked hero persona (hidden behind the suit and mask). The story follows a veteran stunt man who loves his job but always longed for a role where he could actually show his face on screen. Though that actually takes a backseat for the majority of the movie, which focuses on him training a talented by arrogant young actor. The story is fairly predictable, but it was fun to watch and offered a bit of a behind the scenes look at stunts and tokusatsu.

Midnight Diner
Based on a TV drama which was in turn based on a manga (neither of which I'm familiar with), Midnight Diner is about a small restaurant in Tokyo that doesn't open until midnight. It's a slice of life drama about the diner's customers and how, with the help of its owner, they work through different problems in their lives. The manga and TV influence is obvious, as the movie is broken up into several mostly independent stories. Some of those stories are better than others but, as a whole, it's a fairly enjoyable look at ordinary people helping each other with ordinary problems. Little bit of food mixed in there as well, though it's not really the focus (as opposed to, say, Little Forest). On a side note, as the entire movie takes place in Tokyo, I had fun trying to identify all the different shooting locations (I think I got most of them right).

Hello Junichi
The description called this a musical, which it really isn't (there's just one song and, aside from a few snippets, it isn't played until the end). That aside though, it's a cute comedy about a group of nine year olds. Junichi is the most timid member of his group of friends and can't seem to muster up the courage to return an eraser to the girl he likes. The others are dealing with various issues of their own but a new student teacher sets in motion a series of events which helps them become more confident and solve their problems. A couple of the problems are actually very serious but the movie never gets stays that way for long, always going back to an upbeat and light hearted tone. All the characters have overly extreme personalities, it tosses in some odd one-off scenes here and there, and I can honestly never quite buy the whole little kids in love thing (not just in this movie, but in general). But, that aside, it's a fun and moderately amusing movie.

When Marnie Was There
Marnie is the newest Ghibli movie. It's also the first one they made after Hayao Miyazaki's retirement and, possibly because of that, didn't do especially well in the Japanese box office (at least for a Ghibli movie). So I wasn't sure what to expect going in. Really though, I'm not sure why it didn't do better. The art and music are beautiful, as expected from a Ghibli movie, and, unlike Ghibli's rare past missteps, has a good story as well. Anna is a introverted and rather anti-social girl living in Tokyo. After a particularly bad asthma attack, she's sent to live with relatives in the country in hopes that the clean air will help her condition. While there, she meets and befriends Marnie, a mysterious foreign girl living in an equally mysterious mansion. Not to spoil much (you'll figure this out pretty early on), but When Marnie Was There is a ghost story, though not dark or sinister one. A little mysterious and melancholy, but touching as well. Honestly, I'd say it's one of the better non-Miyazaki Ghibli movies. I believe it will be getting a wider US release later in the year, and I recommend checking it out when it does.

Restaurant Review: Kaka'ako Kitchen
Restaurant Type: Hawaiian
Location: Ward Center
Kaka'ako Kitchen has been on my list of restaurants to try for ages, ever since I read some favorable reviews in the paper, but for months I never got around to going. Finally, it all worked out so I dropped in. First off, it's a very casual plate lunch type of place (though they're also open for dinner most days). Paper plates, plastic utensils, and most of the seating is outside. So don't go looking for something fancy or atmospheric. The prices aren't bad though and the menu is a diverse mix of Hawaiian, Japanese, and a little Italian. I had the combo plate with mahi mahi and shoyu chicken. Both the fish and the chicken were well cooked (the mahi mahi especially had a much better texture than I expected) and the sauces had quite a nice flavor to them.
All in all, I'd say Kaka'ako Kitchen is one of the better plate lunch restaurants I've tried here on the island. Add in the diverse menu, and it's a good choice if you need a quick meal while at Ward.

May 2nd (Saturday): Spam Jam
I may have mentioned it before, but SPAM really caught on in Hawaii decades ago. And, unlike the rest of the country, it hasn't really lost any popularity here. There's even an annual festival, the SPAM Jam. As a note, I don't eat SPAM. Actually, I don't eat pork at all but, even if I did, I think I still might steer clear of SPAM. But anyway, I decided to go down and take a look, just out of curiosity.
Turns out, it's a pretty big event, taking over multiple blocks of Waikiki. There were booths selling SPAM merchandise, booths featuring SPAM focused photo ops, and, of course, lots of and lots of food. Most were fairly traditional things with a SPAM twist like SPAM burgers, SPAM fries, etc. The weirdest one? Probably the candied SPAM cupcakes. Though the ice cream sandwich with SPAM sprinkles was up there too. That said, the regular SPAM free ice cream sandwiches were pretty great. There was entertainment too (they should have had Weird Al singing his SPAM song, but they didn't). I hung around to watch the EMKE concert. On a side note, is there anyone in the US who doesn't know the words to Don't Stop Believin'? Seems like that's the one song everyone sings along to... On another side note, there was an announcer calling out SPAM trivia between the concerts. At one point he asked if anyone had traveled here from the mainland just for the SPAM Jam. And yeah, some people actually did raise their hands...
While I was there, I took a break to try some sunset photos with my new camera. I think they came out pretty well. Snapped a nice shot of the full (or nearly full) moon as well.
So, despite not being a SPAM fan, it was still an enjoyable night.
As an addendum, I went to a couple of events the following day. Neither one was really worth writing about, but I did try this. Not the greatest photo, but yes that popcorn really is steaming. Actually, not steam. Mist. There's a trend in high end cuisine lately of flash freezing food using liquid nitrogen. Well, a place here decided to try it with popcorn. While it's a little strange to be eating chilled popcorn, its not bad. The puffier pieces release a blast of cold air in your mouth, letting you see your breath. Pretty expensive for popcorn ($4 for that little cup), but kinda fun.

Restaurant Review: Shingen
Restaurant Type: Japanese
Location: Waikiki
When I first went here years back it was called Matsugen and was a pretty great soba restaurant. I was disappointed to see that Matsugen had closed. Fortunately, Shingen stepped in and, aside from some redecorating, is pretty much the same restaurant.
I think the menu has expanded a bit, but the main focus is still the soba (Japanese buckwheat noodles). They've got pretty much every soba dish I've seen in Japan and then some, including numerous variations on cold, hot, in broth, and with dipping sauce. I even got one with duck. No complaints about the noodles (I think they make their own) and the dashi broth was fantastic. If you're not in a soba mood, they have other dishes as well including tempura (I got a side of the uncommon but good ginger tempura). I was also pleased to see a full oden selection, which I'm definitely going to be trying on my next visit. Needless to say, it's all very authentic Japanese. Actually, I think I was the only American there.
The restaurant is small (I could easily see it filling up at peak times) but the decor is nice and the service was great. The prices... Well, it's a bit expensive for soba, but pretty reasonable for a good meal in the Waikiki area. Really, if you like soba you can't go wrong at Shingen. I'll certainly be back.

May 10th (Sunday): Shen Yun
I first saw ads for Shen Yun (a touring Chinese culture / dance show) a couple years back in Florida but never went. Well, they'd been advertising their latest Honolulu show for months and, now that I have a Chinese girlfriend and all, I figured I really should check it out. Unfortunately, photos and videos weren't allowed so you'll have to search Youtube if you want to see what it looks like. Anyway, Shen Yun consists of a large number of scenes drawn from a mixture of Chinese history and mythology (various dynasties, the Mongols, the Journey to the West story, etc.). Each scene is comprised of a music and dance number. The music is a mixture of traditional Chinese and classical Western, both in composition and instruments. They had a live orchestra, which added a nice extra touch. Of course, the main focus is on the dance. They have a large team of dancers decked out in bright period appropriate (at least I think so) costumes for each scene. The dances were varied and I think they were traditional, though I really don't know enough about the subject to tell. There were quite a lot of twirls, jumps, and flips involved in some of them, giving a very gymnastic feel. Others were closer to ballet and then there were others (like the handkerchief dance) which were different from anything I've seen. All in all, it was very graceful, pretty, and well choreographed. Wouldn't say I learned much about Chinese history or anything (the only explanation of the scenes is a few lines in the program and from the hosts who introduce them), but it's a fun cultural experience. There were a couple of ballads (in Chinese, of course) as well, just to mix things up.
So, over all Shen Yun is a little expensive, and a couple of the scenes are dedicated to promoting a specific sect of Buddhism (one that's currently banned in China) and, as such, get a bit preachy. But that aside, it's a beautiful and interesting performance. It's not an absolute must see (like, say, a Cirque du Soleil show) but, if it's in your area, you may want to give it a look.

Restaurant Review: Little Sheep
Type: Hot Pot
Location: Ward Center
There are a lot of hot pot places in Honolulu, but while all the others are based on Japanese shabu shabu and nabe, Little Sheep has a Mongolian and Chinese influence. So what's that mean? Well, first off, their broth selection is a bit lacking compared to many of the Japanese hot pot restaurants. They have two main broths (original and spicy) and a vegetarian mushroom. The original broth is chicken based, very mild, and contains a rather unique mix of spices and other flavoring ingredients. I've really never had anything quite like it. The spicy broth is pretty much the exact same thing but with a ton (almost literally) of hot peppers. Ingredients to go in the broth are ordered ala cart (though they also have lunch combos). They have most of the usual items, but there's some items you won't see at other places including some unusual greens, whole bamboo shoots, winter melon, and several different types of tofu. Of course, they have meat as well, with the highlight being their grass fed New Zealand lamb. Most items can be ordered as half or full servings and prices are reasonable for hot pot. Aside from the usual thin slices, you can also get dumplings (really good) and meat balls. So far, everything I've tried has been fresh and good quality. There's also a sauce bar, featuring a number of different dipping sauces (I prefer the sweet garlic).
If all that isn't enough, they've got side dishes as well. The puffy sesame bread is popular, but I haven't tried it yet. The skewers are good though, and the Mongolian beef pie is fantastic.
I've read some reviews which complain about the service, but I've had no problems so far. They'll even refill your broth for free and give you containers if you want to take the left over back home. No complaints about the restaurant either. It's clean, modern, and has some nice views if you can get a window seat.
If I had to choose, I'd say I personally like Japanese style hot pot a little better (just due to personal preferences, mostly in regards to the broth), but I like Little Sheep a lot as well. The Chinese / Mongolian style is a fun and welcome change from all the other hot pot places and it's just a great restaurant all around.

June 11th (Thursday): Enjoying Honolulu

I had to go into Honolulu for a couple of things so I decided to make day of it. Most of what I did isn't worth writing about, but my mom and I met up for lunch. I'll get to the restaurant review in a sec, but first here's a few photos. We walked around a little after lunch and spotted a bunch of fish, including an angel fish, squid, and a big puffer fish in the water near the harbor. The squid was really a surprise, I haven't even seen many of them when snorkeling. And here's a panorama of the Hilton, which has its own little salt water lagoon. Just a reminder that, despite some issues, it really is nice over here.

Restaurant Review: Prince Court
Type: Buffet
Location: Prince Hotel, Waikiki
There actually aren't all that many buffet restaurants in Honolulu but Prince Court is one of the more famous ones. It's won best buffet in a lot of local restaurant ratings. Well, I ended up getting a really good coupon so my mom and I gave it a try. The first thing you notice is the view. It's on the third floor of the hotel and overlooks the harbor. I bet it would have a really great sunset view as well. Anyway, it's a nice place.
Now for the buffet (this picture only shows about half of it). They change up the dishes fairly often (you can find a current list on the web site), but that day there was a wide variety of salads, along with a regular salad bar so you could build your own. There was also cold soba, lettuce wraps, a sushi bar (with a chef who rolled them when you ordered), shabu shabu, tempura, a number of hot items (pad Thai, Chinese fish, steamed vegetables, etc.), and, of course, a dessert section. There was a really diverse selection and everything was high quality and tasted great. Some particular highlights included the chicken pad Thai (and I usually don't like pad Thai), the beef chicken wraps, and the macadamia nut flan. Definitely one of the best buffets I've been to outside of a Disney park.
While I had a coupon, the base price (about $30 per person for lunch) really wasn't that bad considering the view and the quality of the food. I can see myself going back every now and then when I want to splurge a little. If you're in the area, I recommend giving it a try sometime. Though you should probably call ahead and make a reservation.

June 13th (Saturday): Diana Ross in Concert
I actually saw Diana Ross a few years back at Universal Studios (see the ) but that was no reason not to see her again, especially since this is her first time doing concerts in Hawaii. My parents are big fans of hers so we all went together. The concert hall was packed and Diana still looked and sounded great. You wouldn't think that she's 71. I know the songs she did with The Supremes much better than her solo career stuff (which was about half the concert). But anyway, she did most of her big hits so I can't complain. It was a fun concert and I'd recommend seeing her if you get the chance.

June 12th - 14th (Friday - Sunday): Pan-Pacific Festival
I first attended the Pan-Pacific Festival several years back when I spent half the summer in Honolulu (see the entries for June 8 - 10). But this is the first time since then that I've been here at the right time of year. While the name doesn't make it obvious, it's an Asian (well, 95% Japanese) festival comprised of three days of performances (on three separate stages), a block party, and a parade. Since I've been busy trying to get a lot done before my upcoming China trip, I wasn't able to spend quite as much time at the festival as I would have liked, and I missed the block party entirely, but I was still able to take in some of it.
Naturally, being a Japanese festival, there were a lot of taiko performances. This group stood out for combining taiko drums with Japanese flutes, which is something I haven't seen all hat often. I also watched a form of Japanese dance based on sword forms and other martial arts, and Youth Theater Japan, a special kids' school with a focus on song and dance. The kids were cute and, while you can't tell from that video, I was really impressed with their English pronunciation, which avoided all the typical problems Japanese people usually have when trying to speak English.
Saturday morning, I caught the tail end of the King Kamehameha parade (which, though separate, happens in the middle of the Pan-Pacific Festival). Like the last time I saw it, there were princesses from each island and lots of beauty queens in fancy cars. Unlike last time though, the parade either moved a lot faster or was a lot smaller, which is why I only caught the end of it.
I did, however, see the entire Pan-Pacific Festival parade Sunday evening. There were lots of hula groups (hula is fairly popular in Japan and Japanese hula groups make up a large part of the festival) and various performing groups from the rest of the festival. There were a couple of groups representing non-Japanese countries as well, such as these Korean drummers.
While I was too busy to see everything I wanted, it's still a fun festival with a lot of things to see. Though the groups of performers that participate vary, so some years have a better mix than others.

June 15th (Monday): Wet n Wild Hawaii
This entry is long overdue. You may remember that I first visited Wet n Wild not that long after I moved to Hawaii and that wasn't my only visit. Thing is, I never did take my camera with me and I didn't really want to do a travelogue entry until I had the pictures to go with it. Well, my mom and I went for a couple of hours (I live nearby and have an annual pass, so there's no need to spend all day there, and I had a lot of work to do back at home) so I finally decided to get that done.
Anyway, if the name Wet n Wild rings a bell, there's a reason. There's another Wet n Wild in Orlando, which I wrote about as part of my Florida travelogue. Anyway, Wet n Wild Hawaii is in Kapolei (around 25 minutes outside of Honolulu) and it's the only water park on the island. Let's start with the basics. There's a the standard (and very generic) wave pool, kiddie areas, and lazy river, and a decent assortment of water slides including a vertical funnel (new this year), sideways funnel, half pipe, toboggan race, and a bunch of different tube slides. All in all, it's a solid selection, though I could name a few things I'd love to see added (more tubeless slides, a speed slide, etc.). There is one slide I've never seen at any other water park, the Flyin' Hawaiian. As you can see, it's a pretty short and straight forward slide, except that it spits you out about five feet above the water for a sudden drop into a deep pool. Simple, but fun (just make sure to hold your breath). There's also a flume or wave rider or whatever those things are called, though that costs extra. Some time, I'm planning to spend a day (or at least a few hours) practicing on that thing and see how good I can get. It'd probably be great surfing practice.
And that about sums up the park, there's some very average concessions and a mini-golf course (which I wrote about earlier in the year when I went with Connie (see the February 15th entry). All in all, it's a pretty good water park and, if you go on a weekday, the lines are usually minimal. That said, it doesn't really stick out either. It lacks the elaborate themes and awesome wave pools of the Disney water parks, the sheer size of Water World in Denver, and the more unique and elaborate rides I've seen in Denver and the various Orlando parks. So, it's good, but not amazing. As such, it's not a must if you're on the island (at least if you've been to top notch water parks in the past), but it still makes for a fun half day or so.

Hawaii Travelogue 5




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