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.

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.

Horse and Carriage

Although nothing like the long rows of countless horse and carriages in New York City Central Park, Honolulu City Lights has two, and they circle around City Hall for Christmas entertainment. As you can see, there is no line to get on.

Passing Shower

Happy Monday! The sun went down and the city lit up. There was a passing shower this evening and the air is cool, perfect for deep sleep. Goodnight!

Ilikai 7:45p.m.

Every Friday evening at 7:45p.m. for the past many years, the Ilikai hotel in Waikiki faithfully launches a firework show. In the summer, the beach is packed with families, children, tourists, and surfers who become mesmerized by the booms and the bangs of the rockets that illuminate the sky and  cityscape. The smell of bar-b-que linger and groups of beachgoers bond with food. Tonight, the crowd was sparse and the weather was cool. Perhaps most were indoors at the malls.

An Isolated Blizzard

The temperature dropped today and winter came a knocking. Followed by the chilly air was weird weather that came out from nowhere. Perhaps it's from the greenhouse effect or maybe it is global warming but whatever it was there we were in the middle of an isolated blizzard. I was just as surprised by it all as much as those who were around me. Everyone gazed at one another in disbelief and those of us who had cameras began snapping away to record the bubbly soap suds that fell from the roof of the mall.

Tonight

Happy Sunday! Tonight was a clear evening without a cloud in the sky. It was a perfectly cool and still evening during the sunset. The ducks, fish, and turtles were not quite ready to close their eyes yet although they were visibly slowing down.

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.

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!

It's Built Backwards

Tripler Hospital is the military hospital that stands at the top of Moanaloa/Saltlake district. The architectural plans were read backwards and thus the building is built backwards according to an urban legend. Furthermore, the architect that drafted the plans was ill during the construction of the hospital in 1907 and when he recovered and saw that it was built backwards, he was so ashamed that he committed suicide. Another rumor about Tripler is that it was painted coral pink because they ordered the wrong color paint. The reality is that the hospital was built correctly according to plans so that the they could harness the wind as it flowed down the mountain. Lastly, the coral pink color was picked out by General Richardson to match the Royal Hawaiian Hotel and to mask the red dirt.

H-1 Freeway

Click here to see the outtake of the day on facebook

The not so free H-1 freeway is usually packed with too many drivers and too few roadway. Taken during dinner time, the traffic was kind of thin. It was an opportunity to capture streaks from passing vehicles especially since there was enough bumper room.

"This is Not a Stone, He is a Man."

Click here to see the other side of Pohaku-Loa of Punahou

The late Glen Grant, Hawaiian historian, author, and folklorist, wrote the Obake Files, Ghostly Encounters in Supernatural Hawaii. In it he tells a story of Pohaku-Loa of Punahou, a "tall, sacred rock nearly five feet tall that stands at the corner of Punahou and Wilder Avenues." When Punahou lands was first given to the missionaries for a school an overseer and his men attempted to dislodge Pohaku-Loa of Punahou to move it to it's proper area but the harder they worked the more it planted itself into the ground. A kahuna was consulted and it was believed that there was a demigod that was living in the stone. The kahuna stated, "This is not a stone, it is a man. He is not to be forced, but coax him and he will go." They prepared an elaborate luau feast for him and everyone was invited. The next day it was asked to move and a very large and powerful chief Paki, wrapped his arms around the stone and lifted it, and to everyone's amazement, the rock moved itself to it's current location. Some years later, Pohaku-Loa was split into two and the other half was taken to Kapi'olani Maternity Home then located on Beratania Street. It then became the property of the Japanese consulate for a few years when the maternity home left. When the Japanese consulate left Beratania Street, that other half was missing." What is left is the above image of the stone with the plaque of Punahou School embedded in it.

Come Pau Hana with Me

So it's not a Friday evening yet but Pau Hana or after work get together can begin a day early. Click on Honolulu Photo of the Day's Facebook page to see the outtakes.

Honolulu Cityscape

It was a challenge choosing the photo of the day today because as it turns out there were several images that could have been selected. Today's photo was selected because of the color and it was the most dramatic image making it the strongest photo out of the group. Please check out Honolulu Photo of the Day on Facebook where a few outtakes have been posted and feel free to join this blog as well as "Like It" on Facebook.

A Hawaiian Full Moon

The moon at its fullest during a still twilight -- its candle power illuminates the Hawaiian night sky. In the same breath, this is the very first post for "Honolulu Photo of the Day" and this image marks this blog's official premiere launch.