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.

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.

Sample Them Uncooked

In Kahaluu near Kualoa Ranch, there is a macadamia nut farm tucked to the left headed north. With garden tours, jams, jellies, sauces, and of course macadamia nut products for sale at the gift shop, people stop in for a look-see. There are thousands of nuts still in their shell in a container where visitors may crack them upon a log with a rock to sample them uncooked. They have a hint of coconut flavor when eaten raw. Click here to see another image of all the mac nuts.

University of Hawaii Lo'i (taro farm)

 

Driving down Dole Street next to the University of Hawaii, a lo'i (kalo/taro farm) at the Center for Hawaiian Studies was tucked away and nestled on the right hand side heading eastbound. It is named Ka Papa Lo'i O Kanewai, and it is a learning center and also a sanctuary. I appreciated that they gave me permission to walk around, take a few photos, check out the lo'i, and was invited to a Hawaiian cultural gathering tomorrow from 10a.m. until 2p.m. to take more photos. Above are young taro plants that was planted in one of the revived irrigation ditches. Click here to see more photos of the Kanewai lo'i.

Searching for Poi

Happy Black Friday! Since everyone was at the malls on this first day of Christmas shopping, I was hoping to get a Hawaiian plate with fresh poi at the Waiahole Poi Factory and avoid the mad rush. Unfortunately, the crew was probably at the malls too so I'll have to make another trip there the next Friday that I have off. We ended up at Ono's Hawaiian Foods on Kapahulu to satisfy my palate for some laulau, kalua pig, lomilomi salmon, chicken long rice, pipi kaula, and of course poi.

Murphy's Bar and Grill

I wanted to be the first to wish everyone happy holidays. Today's photo of the day is the follow up for my November 17, 2011 post with the lucky clovers. As mentioned then, I was treated to lunch at Murphy's Bar and Grill on Merchant Street and I thought that for those who have read the post you may be wondering what it looks like. So, here it is.

UPW Mural- Jean Charlot

The tile murals on the wall of the United Public Workers (UPW) Union's building is a creation by Jean Charlot the famous french painter. Although at first glance, I once thought it was created by Mexican painter Diego Rivera. Located in Kalihi on School Street, it is another one of Honolulu's little treasures for all to freely enjoy. It worth seeking out since it is a block or two and walking distance from the Bishop Museum. The art depicts hard labor as it recognizes blue collar workers who are usually the unsung heroes of the community. A bunch of young volunteers were laboring in the area by picking up trash, and they walked in between the mural and my shutter for this picture.

Waianae McDonald's

The Waianae McDonald's was just renovated a few months ago. I always admired the mountain range in the backdrop and the vibrant colors of the American flag, Hawaiian flag, and the McDonald's waving proudly. There is also the word, "Aloha" right above the new entrance on the left that may be unique to this one shop.

Original Petroglyphs

A friend and I hiked into the hills of an undisclosed place on Oahu to seek out the original petroglyphs of the ancient Hawaiians and we found a few of them. Here is a photo of three dogs engraved into a giant boulder that has survived over a century of weathering. It was on my bucket list to see them in their original form and environment and they were breathtaking. Click here to see more photos on facebook.

"White Sandy Beach"

Israel Kamakawiwo'ole or Bruddah Iz's statue is located outside of the Waianae Neighborhood Community Center on the west side of the island. He was one big Hawaiian with a gentle and kind spirit who was able to transcend his aloha in his music. My favorite Iz song is White Sandy Beach, click on the link to hear it on Youtube. His songs still give me goose bumps as if I'm hearing him sing live. Although he passed away in 1997, he remains in many of our hearts through his music and this statue can be seen on the right hand side while driving out to Makaha Valley. Click here to see the outtake photos.

Between Sears and Woolworths

Perhaps no one would associate that brass fish with one of the biggest and most profitable outdoor shopping center in the nation but it is a sculpture at the Ala Moana Shopping center since the 1960's. It was located at one end of the mall between Sears and Woolworths and when the mall was remodeled in the early 90's this fish was placed in the middle of the mall. It was once a fountain that showered water out of it's mouth but ever since the remodeling it's been dry. This fish is an icon of Ala Moana Shopping Center and has seen several generations of families grow up in Hawaii since the mall was created. Click here to see an overhead view of the iconic brass fish.

Hawaii, the Only State that was Once a Kingdom

Behind me is the Hawaii Supreme Court where the justices of Hawaii contemplate the law and make their ruling. The famous King Kamehameha Statute is situated right out front of the court as a reminder that Hawaii is the only state in the U.S. that was once a kingdom. With his arm raised out, all are welcome as tourists from around the world point their camera at the statue to capture the image of Hawaii's king. In the distance is Iolani Palace where Queen Liliuokalani once resided. It was drizzling and a rainbow emerged over the palace creating the beauty of this moment.

Riding Off Into the Sunset and Eating at Dots

Taking care of business today in Central Oahu in Wahiawa I passed by Dots, a local restaurant which has a  1960's - 1970's pulse. It's an old time local favorite restaurant that still serve some of the best plate lunches such as their hamburger steak with sauteed onions. It reminds me of the late King's Bakery or  Liliha Bakery on Kuakini Street. I'm glad that they are still in business since I ate there frequently after rough riding horses at Hoku ranch at Helemano Plantation years ago. It was one of the most exciting and happiest time in my life when I could be carefree and ride off into the sunset, then enjoy a tasty meal with good company at Dots to end the day.

A Fire Spread Across the Entire Town

Honolulu Chinatown 2011

Honolulu's Chinatown is colorful in more ways than one. The historical buildings were probably built in the early 1900's after it was burnt down starting at the boarder of Iolani Palace on King Street all the way to City Mill in Iwilei. Many of the people who lived in the area were infected with the Bubonic plague. Doctors and politicians believed that it was a disease of poor people and their remedy for it was to burn down the buildings that they thought carried the disease. Little did they know, people were infected with the disease by means of flea bites and because the lower class lived in highly soiled and littered areas (manily in Chinatown) where the fleas thrived, they were targeted as the inferior who were susceptible to the disease. There were high winds on that day that it was decided to set some of the buildings on fire for cleansing and unexpectedly the fire went out of control and it spread across the entire town. This same remedy was also used in Maui's Chinatown and in South East Asia. Click here to view a local vendor in Chinatown.

Art and Flea

Every Thursday evening in the heart of the industrial district in downtown Honolulu off of Queen Street, there is Art and Flea. Vendors selling vintage items, collectibles, handcrafted items, and interesting knick knacks gather to fill the parking lot and the entire space of a local coffee house/cafe', Fresh Cafe'. Twirlers twirl their LED hula hoops, the DJ spins his records, and the people gather to be a part of an exciting and hip mini-market. A youthful and energetic crowd 20's and 30's roam the market in search for unique items. I purchased a domino set that was handcrafted out walnut wood with gold metal inlay for $8. Click here to see today's outtake on facebook.

The Grand Dunk

Fall festival at an elementary school consisted of so many fun events. The grandest one was this dunking booth where the children could splash their teachers. They ran pumpkin carving classes, had a coloring area, there was doughnut on a string eating contest, mask painting, and a lot of sweets. After having a couple of cupcakes, a few cookies, and a doughnut, I was doing jumping jacks and running around.

A Handsome Two and a Quarter Pounder

This handsome two and a quarter pound Kona crab was caught off the waters of Molokai. Big on the shell he was skinny on the meat. I wish I knew how to tell if a crab is meaty or not inside or if it is all armor. Boiled in coconut milk, basil, onions, and some seasoning, the flesh was sweet and it left me wanting to eat another. Click here for another image of this Kona crab.

The People of the Neighborhood Gather

Click here to see other photos from the Makiki farmer's market on facebook

The farmer's market in Makiki gathers every Thursday evening at St. Clement's church on the corner of Makiki and Wilder street. Small in size but big on prepared foods, there are booths that sell Thai dishes, kettle corn, stews, crepes, etc. . . Of course a farmer's market wouldn't be much without fruits and vegetables so with fresh papayas, pineapples, melons, lettuce, onion, and other produce, the people of the neighborhood gather to have dinner, buy produce, and to socialize.

Korean Style Short Ribs

Korean Kal Bi or marinated short ribs is a local favorite dish. Soaked in soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, sesame seeds, minced garlic, a bit of hot sauce, and freshly chopped green onions, this dish is a winner. Served in Korean restaurants as well as plate lunch restaurants, there is a variety of ways to make it but in general it is seasoned to taste a bit salty and a bit sweet.

Sweaty, Hot-Pink, Sling-a-ma-thing

There were other bodacious undies that hung freely in Papakolea next to this pair of sweaty, hot-pink, sling-a-ma-thing. The weather is warm, the moon was out, and so were the animals!