Red

Happy Tuesday!

Bowl-O-Drome

When the days of bowling was in and hip, there were a couple dozen bowling alleys in Honolulu. To name a few, Kam Bowl, Kalihi Bowl, Waialae Bowl, Kapiolani Bowl, Aiea Bowl, Leeward Bowl, and of course Bow-O-Drome. Bowl-O-Drome, now a desolate building next to the Old Stadium Mall is just a reminder of the past. Homeless individuals park their belongings and shopping carts on the property and nearby as it has become a place for them to lay down in peace away from the rest of society where they can hear the pins of a different kind drop. Perhaps this building will be demolished one day or even better, perhaps it will be revived to a modern place where the community may gather.

Fish

  

The benefits of having a friend whose dad is a sushi chef is of course the best sashimi fish for dinner. Pictured is a beautiful onaga, salmon cuts, fresh ahi, a tray of uni, and abalone. Other dishes served were rib eye, sauteed clams, and a variety of sushi. Thanks for the invite!

A Stroll for Lunch

Coming up with a photo of the day can sometimes be a challenge. When faced with a blank canvass for ideas I sometimes resort to street photography to capture an image for the day. Today, I caught this image of a business woman taking a stroll for lunch. On the top-left corner is the Alexander and Baldwin building, which is one of my favorite buildings architecturally in downtown Honolulu.

Waianae Basil Farm

Across the way is a basil farm in the heart of Kahumana in Waianae. Over the last few months they grew and grew and perhaps they'll be ready for harvesting soon. The aroma of basil makes my mouth water for fresh pesto pasta.

FHB Axe Head

In a post some time ago, it described the feng shui of First Hawaiian Bank and how it was built in the shape of an axe head to chop out it's competitor across the street. Here is another view with FHB in the background and BOH behind the red double deck bus.

A Popular Drive Inn

This is the very first L &L Drive Inn in that was started on Liliha Street. It hasn't been renovated and it retains it's original retro look. Before becoming a nationwide franchise, this was one of the first drive-inn that made plate lunches popular in Honolulu next to Rainbow Drive Inn. Some popular local favorites are that can be found on the menu here are Bbq chicken,  hamburger steaks with gravy and macaroni salad, chicken katsu, lemon chicken, and teriyaki short ribs.

Hawaiian Ulu

Ulu otherwise known as breadfruit is the staple food of many Polynesians. They are beautiful trees with big green leaves and an abundance of fruits. If left to over ripen the fruits become soft but they are still edible. They are like exotic potatoes of the tropics providing starch for the meals. The way I prepare them is cutting them in half, baking them for about 20 minutes at 325 degrees, then putting melted butter, honey, and cinnamon on them to taste. Simple, fast, and yummy!

Originally from Haleiwa

Just a local favorite for yummy burgers at the Ward Center in Kakaako. Originally Kua'aina Burger began in Haleiwa.

An Off-the-Hook Performance

Chinese New Year is always very festive and celebratory. Tonight was action packed with martial arts, dragon and lion dances, crafts, and a variety of food vendors at the Chinese Cultural Plaza. The Wah Ngai Lion Dance Association showed off their lion pole dancing skills with their off the hook performance. They hopped and skipped to the beat of the drums and cymbals and moved so smoothly over the poles that it appeared as if the lion had no fear of falling. They had the crowd in the palm of their hands with each movement that the lion made. They cheered, whistled, and at times even cringed for the performers when the lion hit each daring step with perilous precision.

Ramen Nakamura

Ramen Nakamura on Kalakaua Ave. is known for their oxtail ramen. Ramen shops in Honolulu have recently become popular and each noodle shop has it's own special soup base. Although oxtail ramen is popular here, I'd recommend the miso ramen any day! Click here to see other photos on facebook.

Amuse

Chocolate pudding cake at Amuse at Honolulu Design Center wine bar. It was complex tasting with berries, chocolate cake, nuts, whipped cream, and drizzled with it's own unique sauce. Mixing fashionable furniture with fine foods, this wine bar sits between Stages restaurant and the concept furniture design center.

88 Tees

One hip little t-shirt shops in town is located in Waikiki called 88 Tees. Tucked upstairs off of Kalakaua Avenue, their designs are new, fresh, and unique. Locally made with interesting graphics and reasonably priced, their is a steady stream of foot traffic and buyers. Click here to see other photos of this shop.

In the Light of Dawn

The urban texture in the industrial district between Kaihi and Mapunapuna, making interesting patterns in the light of dawn like these warehouses.

My Magic Crystal Ball

I took this picture at Punahou pond of my magic crystal ball just for fun.

He'eia Pier in Kaneohe

A handful of people were fishing off of He'eia Pier in Kaneohe waiting for a fresh catch of the day. To the right of this photo is the He'eia general store and Deli. Chef Mark makes delicious loco mocos (burger patty, over easy egg, and brown gravy). A we'ke (veke)/goatfish that was caught off this pier and served to us for lunch. It was perfectly cooked and was surprisingly spiced just right. Click here to see other photos of this wonderful local spot.

Year of the Dragon

This weekend in Honolulu Chinatown were the new year celebrations with food booths, vendors, and martial arts performers who filled the streets and stages. This little girl was in the spirit of giving a dollar the Chinese lion for a year of good luck. It's the year of the dragon in 2012 which is the end of a lunar cycle. 

Royal Hawaiian Band Started in 1836

Every Friday at noon the Royal Hawaiian Band plays at Iolani Palace to the public. It was started by King Kamehameha the Third and over 175 years old. The Royal Hawaiian Band is now a part of a department in the city of Honolulu and it is the only municipal band in the United States. It is always a treat to hear them play on a sunny Friday during lunch hour.

I asked the woman behind this gentleman if I could take a photo of the two of them painting the Wo Fat building in Chinatown and she gestured, "go ahead." They were completely focused on their work and couldn't be bothered. The reflection off the store front window shows the building across the street that they both were painting.

Art or Not?

There is a documentary about graffiti and the hip hop culture which I can't remember the title to that I had watched recently. According to the film, graffiti originated with individuals that "tagged" their signs on railroad carts so that many people could see them as they rolled  throughout the country from state to state. One of the more famous international tags was, "Kilroy was here". Other individuals would paint over the tags to show off their painting skills as gang rivalries. Graffiti was meant to be temporary as they faded with time or was painted over by others, until some rich guys decided to buy and sell them as art on canvasses and to hang them in museums and indoor spaces. In Hawaii, the graffiti are usually just scribbles although I can't take anything away from self expression. My question is, is it art or not?

Beauty in the Eye of a Beholder

A short-horned grasshopper was admiring itself on this afternoon. I personally find it creepy but beauty is in the eye of the beholder!

Hanauma Bay Series by Masami Teraoka

There are many Japanese American artists that I am fond of and one of my favorite is painter, Masami Teraoka. I met him several years back at the U.H. art gallery at his Acending Chaos opening show. We also saw his opening show at the Catherine Art Gallery in San Francisco. I am especially moved by his Hanauma Bay series that wason display at the Robin Buntin Art Gallery along with the Ice Cream invading Japan series. His works have political undertones depicting current events from corruption in the Catholic Church, gay marriage, toxic foods, and fast foods becoming mainstream in Japan. The above Hanauma Bay print can be seen at the Hawaii State Art Museum as part of it's permanent collection. His art style follows the Ukiyo-e' Japanese woodblock prints. Classic Ukiyo-e' woodblock prints by masters such as Hokusai, Kuniyoshi, and Yoshitoshi, depict ordinary and fleeting moments. Teraoka is a modern day master using this style in his earlier paintings.

Cracked Seed Mural

On the backside of Keller Hall at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, there was this beautiful mural of cracked seeds in jars. With further observation, it was created by art students from 1981. Click here to see a close up of the signatures of those who have contributed to the painting.

Fish and Ducks

Feeding the fish, turtles, and ducks with the kids.

Gummy Candies and Salted Plum

One of the few cracked seed stores that sell dried fruits, gummy candies, salted plums, etc... in old fashioned glass jars is located in Honolulu Chinatown. It's a nostalgic Hawaii that reminds some of us of another time when society moved slower, things were handmade, and people appreciated snacks didn't come in wrapper.

On the Twelfth Day of Christmas

On the twelfth day of Christmas my tutu give to me, twelve television, eleven missionaries, ten cans of beer, nine pounds of poi, eight ukuleles, seven shrimps "wuz" swimming, six hula lessons, five big fat pigs, four flower leis, three dried squids, two coconuts, and one mynah bird in one papaya tree. 
 It's finally the twelfth day of Christmas so happy Epiphany. Coming up with photos for this project everyday was sometimes challenging. I hoped to find few real missionaries but no luck so I had to get creative by taking images of Mission Houses Museum. I had also merged two photos together for the first day of Christmas to get the bird and the tree to match the lyrics of the song. All in all I hoped that you enjoyed the photos.

On the Eleventh Day of Christmas

Click here to see more photos of the Mission Houses Museum on Facebook.

The Mission houses was communal living for many of the missionaries to Hawaii in the early 1800's. It is the oldest wooden structure still standing in Hawaii that was originally shipped from Boston.

On the eleventh day of Christmas my tutu give to me, eleven missionaries,

On the Tenth Day of Christmas

 On the tenth day of Christmas my tutu gave to me, ten cans of beer,

On the Ninth Day of Christmas

 

On the ninth day of Chrismas my tutu give to me, nine pounds of poi,

On the Eighth Day of Christmas

 On the eighth day of Christmas my tutu give to me, eight ukuleles,