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.

Lions and Tigers and Tots, Oh My!

Way down deep in the jungle of the Honolulu Zoo, there are wild animals peering at lions, tigers, and alligators. They have beady little eyes, sharp ears pinned back to the sides of their heads, and short incisors for chomping and tearing their prey. They swarm around like busy bees buzzing about aimlessly. The tigers protect themselves from the beasts of the wilderness that roam outside their cage.  Their paw prints are imprinted outside of their door where the frightful creatures with their terribly wet noses, their germy saliva, and sweaty hands leave streaks across the cold and thick glass. When it was time for them to go, the preschoolers were rounded up for lunch time and it was safe again for the tigers.

A Double Hibiscus

Hibiscus are recognized as the State's flower and they blossom in colors red, yellow, white, and pink. This version of the flower is a double hibiscus. Usually with only five petals, this one has double the petals which makes it much fuller and robust looking.

"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.

Red Flyer

This retro Red Flyer tricycle was part of bulk pick up and grouped with a bunch of trash. Granted that parts of it was rusted and in pretty bad shape it might have been able to be restored by the right person with the time and tools. It was a heavy tricycle made of steel. The bell didn't work and the wheels didn't turn very freely. This tricycle marks a period when toys were solidly made with metal in the U.S.

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.

I'm a Kid Again!

Candy shops at the mall are an attraction for both the young and the old. The treats at Carousel Candyland are as sweet as they look!  I'm a kid again needing a dose of Jelly Belly's and Gummy Bears whenever I pass this store at Kahala Mall.

Sun Disc

The sculpture outside of the downtown Bank of Hawaii titled, "Sun Disc" was created by Bernard Rosenthal of New York. Click here to see another view on facebook.

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.

Public Art?

What to make of this? I really couldn't figure it out but it's an interesting couple of shopping carts with hay parked by the side of a building in Waianae. I could only speculate that someone used them to wheel away cut grass. The palate added to the mystery! What the heck is this all about? Is this public art in it's raw from? What do you think? Your guess is as good as mine!

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.

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween everyone! As I walked through my day today, I noticed several pumpkin carving competitions. I thought that this pumpkin was by far the best one out of about two dozen.

The Miss Hawaii Building

I was at the Mcully Zippy's Restaurant ordering their famous chili and a side of macaroni salad when I noticed that there were a few bikers that rode pass every couple minutes. I observed that in the distance was the Miss Hawaii Building where Kaimuki Typewriter Services is located. I believe that they are probably still fixing typewriters that are surviving the digital age so I snapped a shot of the this interesting building, the business, and biker in this intersection for the photo of the day.

Rabbit or Fish Island?

As a young boy, my dad used to tell me that that that island in the distant was called Rabbit Island. I looked at it from every angle and all I saw was a fish. Then one day I saw the rabbit. Can you see it? Click here to see the rabbit on fb.

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.

Night Market Hero

One movie that was selected for the 2011 Hawaii International Film Festival was a Taiwanese film about a community of food vendors at 888 Market. The film, Night Market Hero carried a simple plot with a political overtone, a boy meets girl undertone, and food were mere symbols of their relationships. It left me hanging because the food was not the primary subject and I expected to more shots of exotic dishes thus I was inspired to check out Honolulu's very own 888 Market in Chinatown. Click here to see my dish that I had for lunch for $3.50 no tax on facebook.

Sichigosan

Seven, five, and three or Sichigosan in Japanese are the ages that a blessing ceremony is done. Offering thanks and asking for good fortune is what parents have the Japanese priests bless their children with. The girls and boys all dress up in the traditional kimono outfits. I especially like the bright colors and the ornate designs of the outfits.

The Saturday Greeter

This friendly little fella is a greeter at the Contemporary Museum of Arts every Saturday. To my guess, he's on payroll, has full coverage health insurance, and will collect Social Security.

Red Rain

It began to drizzle, then rain, then heavily, and then it stopped. It then began to drizzle again, then the sun came out, then it rained again. This was the kind of weather we had today.

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.

"It's a Chopper Baby!"

Butch - "It's not a motorcycle. . . it's a chopper baby!"
When I saw this bike, the memorable quote from the movie Pulp Fiction popped into my mind.