July 4, 2008

4th of July on the Waianae Coast

I didn’t make any special plans for the Fourth this year. There’s been a carnival-type festival going on all day at Maili Beach Park. I tried to find a place to park so I could walk around, watch the kids on the rides and visit the food booths. Alas, the nearest spot to leave my car was much too far away. I did park at the other end of the beach, though.

Families get camping permits for long weekends and stake out their territory early - probably Thursday afternoon for most. There might be six or eight tents in a family gathering, with aunts and uncles, grandparents and cousins all enjoying the holiday together. It looks crowded in the photo above, but it really isn’t - just the angle of the photo, I guess. Groups are far enough apart to not intrude on each other and there’s plenty of open space left over. The park is probably about a mile long, and the festival area only takes up a stretch of a couple of hundred yards.

Maili Beach Park is the closest beach to my house. I have to pass it to go anywhere, so I stop by frequently. Sometimes there are hardly any people there, but on weekends it gets a lot of local traffic. On holiday weekends, everyone goes.

I was in street clothes when I stopped by. These kids were having so much fun I was tempted to strip down to my skivvies and join them! I don’t remember toys being this cool when I was a kid!

I always ask before I take photos with recognizable faces. This family group welcomed me warmly. There are several veterans in this group. The young man writing in the notebook is currently serving in the Navy. The fellow directly behind the blue bag was in Nam at the same time as my ex.

I was going to grill outside today and wanted a steak, so I stopped at the market while I was out. I did get a steak, but I’m saving it for tomorrow. There was a huli-huli chicken calling my name. I had some for lunch and will have some more for dinner. When a word is repeated in Hawaiian it means many or plural. Huli is turn. This is chicken that has been turned many times - you’d call it rotisserie chicken. Whenever I see huli-huli chicken I think “turn-turn” and start humming … “To everything, turn, turn, turn - there is a season, turn, turn, turn.”

I’ve been hearing a few fireworks intermittently all day. They’re getting more frequent as the sun is just going down. I might drag the ladder out in a little while and set it up so I can go sit on the carport roof. There will be a big, professional fireworks show at Maili Beach Park. My roof provides an almost-front-row seat.

Oh, my! They’ve started early! Here I go!

Technorati Tags: Fourth of July, Hawaii, July 4th, Maili, Maili Beach Park, Waianae Coast

June 30, 2008

Carnival of Aloha!

The Carnival of Aloha went live early this morning and I forgot to tell you! Oh, I’m so bad, but the posts will stay up, so get on over to Evelyn’s place. She’s directing traffic as we race around the islands, sharing stories about our beautiful paradise. Don’t you need a little tropical escape to help you ease into the week? Evelyn has hooked us up with eight great posts about life in Hawaii. All you have to do is kick your shoes off, imagine the warm sand between your toes, relax … and read. Aloha!

Technorati Tags: blog carnivals, Carnival of Aloha, Hawaii, Hawaii blogs, life in Hawaii

June 5, 2008

A visit to Waimanalo

I had an inspection in Waimanalo this morning. It’s on the far end of the island from me and I haven’t been there in a while. Listen to Country Comfort singing Waimanalo Blues in the video above while I tell you about it. You’ll hear a long instrumental interlude before the vocals start. Listen to the whole thing. Trust me.

Waimanalo is on the Windward side, as far as you can get from me without falling off the island. In geography it’s as different as anything on Oahu can get from my dry Leeward Coast. It’s cooler, damper, greener. The beaches are amazing. There are more trees growing close to the water than on my side, so there’s plenty of shade to sit in while you stop in for your lunch break.

Like the Waianae Coast, Waimanalo is far from the urban bustle, so there weren’t many people on the two beaches where I spent some time today. There were orange flags up and down the shore to warn of a rough surf, but that didn’t keep this group of kids from skipping school and enjoying some board time.

Waimanalo Bay Recreation Area has an obscure entrance attained by going through a residential neighborhood, much like my favorite Secret Cove, but at least this one is on the map. You can find it without much effort.

Waimanalo also has a high crime problem in common with Waianae. A home along the entrance path to the rec area carries a warning for the uninformed. Lock you car and take your camera with you, but I was perfectly comfortable mingling with Waimanalo folks today and certainly didn’t feel threatened.

This Hobie Cat is on the beach right behind the house with the warning posted on the fence. The homeowner must feel comfortable leaving it there, despite the dire message, don’t you think?

Waianae and Waimanalo are both considerd “country” by folks who don’t live on the ends of the island. Yeah, they pretty much are. I passed riding stables, dog kennels and orchid farms all along Kalanianaole Highway as I meandered around. Bellows Airfield (USAF) is there and takes up a lot of space, but it’s a mostly rural setting. There are also some charming businesses. I saw the handsome fellows above as I drove past and just had to turn around and go back. How could I not?

The horses drew me in, the art nearly made me late for appointment to meet a realtor for a termite inspection. Oops! Time well spent, though. This is Patrick Ching’s Naturally Hawaiian Gallery. Patrick is an amazing artist, a former forest ranger and a paniolo - a Hawaiian cowboy. A visit to his website is almost as fascinating as seeing his work in person. Spend an hour or two or ten over there. Some more great Hawaiian music will sooth your soul while you enjoy his art, his philosophy and a lot of Hawaiiana. Make sure you check out the Naturally Hawaiian Rodeo page. Patrick is wearing #587 in the Cowboy Poker photo poster. I’ve been assured that no bulls or poker-playing paniolo were killed in the mishap!

Sam Cruz is in training for his first 8-second ride on a bull himself. He took good care of me while I was at the gallery, enthusiastically supplying history of the shop and some biographical info on Patrick. If you’re reading this Patrick, keep the horses, the Falcon and Sam. They’re all doing a great job of selling your business.

I’m not sure why it’s been so long since I’ve been to Waimanalo. My bad! I’ll be making another trip out there soon, with no work agenda pressing me to hurry along. I definitely want to add a couple of Patrick’s prints to my small collection of Hawaiian art (sorry Patrick - I can’t afford the big stuff!) I want to spend some time browsing the orchids and other tropicals and checking out some more local businesses, too. Waimanalo probably won’t be on the itenerary that your travel agent helps you prepare if you ever make it to Oahu. That’s okay - you’ve got me to tell you about the places you really should visit. Get out in the country and see the real Hawaii!

Technorati Tags: art, beaches, Hawaii, Patrick Chinng’s Naturally Hawaiian Gallery, photos, Waimanalo

June 1, 2008

Maile Pink Market

The Maile Pink Market is an instituion on the Waianae Coast. Ask most anyone how long it’s been there and they’ll say “fo’evah.” Ask someone for directions to any place between Nanakuli and the Waianae Mall and they’ll probably use the Pink Market in their directions. You can’t miss it if you’re driving along Farrington Highway, the highway that you have to use to get to anywhere or from anywhere out here. It’s very, very pink.

Being right across the highway from Maile Beach Park, the Pink Market carries all the stuff you might have forgotten or run out of when you’ve having a luau or grad party. They’re a small store, maybe a little smaller than the average convenince store, but they manage to pack a lot of variety into the space they have available. I don’t think I can buy extra computer memory at the Pink Market, but they’ve got almost everything else you might need in an emergency, or when you don’t want to drive forever just to get some baby powder or roasting pan for your turkey.

Forgot to get a gift for the birhtday party? Maile Pink Market’s got you covered! I usually go there when it’s nine o’clock in the evening and I’ve just realized there is no chocolate in house. Or ice. Or ciggies.

Susan takes care of cutomers with a radiant personality and, for today, a shirt that matches the store. Her hubby is around somewhere. He’s always there lending a hand when it’s her shift. She tells me that Maile Pink Market has been around for “about twenty years,” and that the man and woman I always see when she’s not there are her brother and his wife. I think they own the store, or maybe the whole family does. Whoever you meet when you go there, the folks at Maile Pink Market are always friendly, always welcoming, always helpful. It’s that kind of place.

Technorati Tags: convenience store, Hawaii, Maile Pink Market, photos, Waianae Coast

May 29, 2008

Helping displaced farm workers

Hawaii’s agricultural sector has fallen on hard times over the last few decades. Big growers have pulled out, one by one, and taken their business elsewhere. Sugar cane was once a major Hawaii crop. I don’t think it’s being grown anywhere in the islands now. Each closure brings heartache. Ag workers make a decent living, but most will never accumulate enough money to own a home or even to rent in our ridiculously high-priced housing market. Some of them live in plantation villages, owned by the growers. Many families have lived in the same plantation housing for several generations. When the job goes, so does the home. That’s how it usually works. Someone owns the land, maybe someone else buys it when the company moves on. That someone has a bottom line to be satisfied, a profit to be made. I’m not knocking that. I understand how business works. Sometimes, though, businesses recognize that they hold something precious in their hands and they do their best to protect it. The James Campbell Company is HUGE business in Hawaii. One of their assets is a plantation village in Kunia, not too far from me. The folks who live there either retired from Del Monte after long-term employment, or they were still working for the company when Fresh Del Monte Produce closed down in 2006. They were allowed to stay on while disposition of the land was decided. Now their fate has been determined, and the decision is a good one. Campbell has agreed to sell Kunia Plantation Village to nonprofit Hawaii Agriculture Research Center for $1. Yep, you read that right - one dollar. The village will be preserved as part of Hawaii’s historic agricultural heritage and most of the residents who live there will be able to stay in their homes. They pay rent, but at rates applied under an affordable housing agreement. Many of them would most likely have ended up homeless but for this arrangement.

I’m sick of seeing the homeless families on the beach every time I drive along the coast. I don’t mean that the folks who live on the beach make me sick. I mean that their situation makes me heartsick. Our homelsss population continues to grow and the programs that are supposed to be helping them are inadequate and slow, most of them hopelessly tangled up in red tape. All of us working together - government, charities, citizens and businesses - can solve these problems if we put our hearts, our minds and our money to the task. Mahalo, James Campbell Company, for doing your part. You could have sold that land for millions. You could have done that and turned a hundred or so families into the next wave of homeless. Oh, I’m sure it was a sound business decision on your behalf, but it’s probably not the most profitable thing you could have done. You made the right choice. Mahalo nui loa.

Technorati Tags: Hawaii, housing, James Campbell Company, Kunia Plantation Village

May 27, 2008

Memorial Day 2008

Hawaii knows how to do Memorial Day. I bought my poppy from a US Veteran outside the grocery store on Sunday. While I was doing that, Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts from all over Oahu were gathering in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl. They were perpetuating a long tradition by placing American flags and lei on each of the 33,000 service member graves. The photo at left is a screen capture from video on KHNL 8. Take a moment to watch the whole story. A small boy saluting a grave after placing the lei moved me to tears.

Another moving ceremony took place at Ala Moana Beach Park at sunset. More than 1600 memorial lanterns were released into the ocean, each carrying a prayer or sentiment dedicated to the memory of one individual. Springing from Buddhist roots, the event now draws people of all faiths. Lantern Floating Hawaii has co-ordinated this lovely tradition for the last ten years. The photo is theirs. The photo gallery on their website will take your breath away.

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

I spent part of Memorial Day at Pokai Bay Beach Park here on the Waianae Coast. Pokai Bay holds a special place in my heart. It’s where I first learned not to fear the ocean, where I first donned a snorkel and began to discover the wonders of the underwater world. The park is a very “local” gathering place. Almost everyone who goes there lives on the Waianae Coast. There is always someone there, no matter what time of the day or night you visit. A few homeless still live there, but most of the folks enjoying the beach or the relaxing with friends are there just taking a break. It can be a scary place when the sun goes down, with drug dealers and gamblers not wanting an audience. It’s pretty wholesome while the sun shines, though. Canoe clubs practice their paddling at Pokai Bay, families picnic and parents teach their keiki to swim and respect the ocean. The breakwater, badly damaged in Hurricane Iniki in 1992, is still a favorite opihi-picking spot and jumping-off point for bold little boys. Their big brothers stroll around strumming on ukeleles while little sisters learn all about rock climbing. Dads shout instructions to keiki washing away the salt - “Stick you head in dere. Get dat sand out da ears!” The lifeguard keeps her eyes on on the water while Tui takes a break from Park Service duties. On this crowded day the fisherfolks moved outside the breakwater to avoid the masses, as did a few teens escaping parental scrutiny. I made a few new friends as was invited to “make plate” by strangers who liked the idea that their photos might appear on skeet’s stuff. It was a fine day to be on the Waianae Coast.

Technorati Tags: beach, families, Hawaii, Memorial Day, Pokai Bay

April 5, 2008

The Merrie Monarch Hula Festival

I started this post last night as I was watching the live broadcast of the Merrie Monarch Hula Festival. Trying to write while watching was making me miss too much, so I had to wait until this morning to finish my post. I hope I haven’t lost the intensity of feeling that watching hula invokes. I wish I had known earlier that there’s a link where you all can watch it live, but I didn’t, so you’ve missed the solo competitions for Miss Aloha Hula and the kahiko (ancient) presentations. You can still watch the auana (modern) competitions tonight. The broadcast begins at 6 p.m. Hawaii time (GMT-10) and will last up to six hours, so I hope you can watch at least some of it. I don’t think have the words to describe what an overwhelmingly emotional experience it is. The commentary that accompanies the broadcast will help you get a sense of what I mean.

Hula is a celebration of the history and culture of the Hawaiian people, and it is so much more. Every dance you’ve ever done, every song you’ve ever heard, every story ever told, goes back to the common human experience: ancient peoples preserving their heritages, remembering their ancestral history, celebrating life and paying homage to their gods. The ballroom dancers and hip-hop artists, the gospel choirs and craft-makers - all of us, when we express ourselves creatively, are connecting through the mists of time with the ancients who spawned us. Hula, while uniquely Hawaiian, speaks to and for all of us, regardless of cultural roots. Merrie Monarch is a competition among the best of the best and sweeps us up in the passion of the halaus (schools, dance groups) as they bring that connection to life. Warriors re-enact battles, Pele and her sister engage in a fiery war of wills, vouyagers eloquently describe the wonders of their journey through movement and gesture. I was struck, as always, with the wisdom of the Hawaiian people who have kept their cultural ties with the past alive, and who pass it on to each new generation through meles (songs and chants) and hula. I don’t know how my own ancient ancestors celebrated their lives and preserved their history - the details have been lost. Shards of pottery and scrawled bits of art tells us so little about them. Their songs, dances and stories must surely have been similar to the vibrant example that hula has kept alive. What a shame we’ve lost so much, and what a blessing that na kanaka (the Hawaiian people) invite us to witness their living history through hula. I am humbled.

Graphic from : KITV.com

Technorati Tags: Hawaii, Hawaiian culture, hula, hula competition, KITV, Merrie Monarch Hula Festival

April 1, 2008

Convenience store bento

When I reviewed my friend Jennifer’s cooking blog a while back I discussed her bento box posts. Val thought bentos were leftovers and I told her I’d show her what they look like some day. We eat them here pretty much like fast food anywhere - a meal on the go. It’s also pretty common for people to buy bentos in bulk for gatherings. I’ve been to two funerals that were catered with bentos - well, not the funerals, but the gatherings of family and friends that followed. Today I was really hungry while I was driving home from work. I’d already passed all of the restaurants and grocery stores along my way before I remembered that I was out of sandwich supplies. I knew I’d be too hungry to wait for something to cook by the time I got home, so I chose the last option I had left: the 7 Eleven on the highway right before the turn to my home. I got home with my lunch and pulled the wrapping off before I remembered that y’all wanted to see what a typical Hawaii bento in a disposable bento box looks like, so here you have it. I selected meat jun (seasoned, teriyaki-style beef dipped in egg and fried) and some chunks of spicy fried chicken. It comes with rice, of course, and chopsticks. Like many local favorites, no veggies - just meat and rice. When I first moved here the bentos and some other local foods usually sat on the counter near the cash registers in many stores. The safe-food people objected, so now they have to be kept either hot or cold. The one I bought today was displayed in a heated glass cabinet, so I didn’t even have to heat it up when I got it home. It was as yummy as it looks, and with a little over a pound of food for $4.99, not a bad price.

Technorati Tags: bento, bento box, fast food, food, Hawaii

March 31, 2008

Carnival of Aloha

Aloha and welcome to the 8th Edition of the Carnival of Aloha! I don’t have any fancy transportation like Evelyn has provided for past carnivals, but the regulars on the beach are always willing to share their boogie boards. The surf has been a little sloppy lately, so who knows where it will carry us!

Angie presents Time for Hawaii Geocaches… posted at True Aloha. She’s included a link for beginners who want to learn about the fun of geocaching.

Pua presents Kayaking in Hawaii posted at Best Hawaii Vacation with Hawaii Vacation Blog, saying, “Kayaking the Hawaiian Islands goes back to the ancient tradition of the Hawaiians using Outrigger canoes.”

christa cw is a first-timer to the Carnival of Aloha, so make sure you show her a warm welcome. She makes me feel old by sharing the clubbing scene in [pics] secret society, Social Club, Party Shuffle, Incubus, Pancho’s Art, Hawaiian Paris Hilton, Living Room posted at Honolulu’s Nightlife Diaries.

Evelyn Hunter doesn’t cruise the club scene, but she went to sea just so she could get you a great story. Check out Smooth Sailing on the Star of Honolulu posted at Homespun Honolulu.

mel presents QE2 Stops in Hawaii for the Last Time posted at Mel’s Internet Universe Weblog, saying, “QE2 made her last port of call to Hawaii ever. She will be retired at the end of the year and sold to a firm in Dubai where she will become a floating luxury hotel, museum, retail complex and entertainment destination.”

Lynn Vasquez is on top of the world (well, at least on top of Tantalus Drive) as she presents some scenic photos in Lynn’s Lair II Aloha from Oahu! posted at Auntie Pupule.

j blu presents Aloha Friday Pictures of Hawaii | The Shops of Lanai posted at Local Kine Hawaii, saying, “Take a tour of the quaint, little shops of Lana’i town.”

Sheila presents Advice for Viewing the Big Island Lava Flow posted at Hawaii Vacation Blog - GoVisitHawaii.com, saying, “Getting to see the active lava flow into the ocean was a highlight of my recent trip to the Big Island. Calling it an amazing experience is an understatement. I put together these tips to help anyone wanting to go see the lava. This post includes everything from when is the best time to view the lava to tips for being safe.”

Finally, we’re back where we started, and I present Serene Interlude here at skeet’s stuff, sharing a quiet day in a country retreat.

Mahalo for riding the waves with us. Don’t forget to return your boggies boards to the boys as you tumble back onto the beach! Submit your blog article to the next edition of the Carnival of Aloha using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Technorati Tags: aloha, blog carnivals, Carnival of Aloha, Hawaii, Hawaii blogs

March 25, 2008

Mixed plate

Kalbi ribs (on top,) teri beef (middle) and teri chicken (peeking out from under the beef at left and top) on four scoops of rice (because I worry about food poisoning with the two scoops of mayonaise-laden mac salad the drive-ins usually serve.)

I was up too late last night, so I slept late this morning. Getting a late start on my day meant I wasn’t hungry at lunchtime. As I was driving to the grocery store around one o’clock I was suddenly so hungry I felt like I might collapse. I dashed through Tamura’s grabbing milk, bread and a few other things and was in and out of there within ten minutes. Barbecue Kai, my favorite Waianae Coast drive-in, is just around the corner from Tamura. I made it there in record time, too. My stomach was making rude noises by then and my knees were feeling shaky as I stood in line, resenting the one person in front of me. It felt like it took forever for the girl at the window to deliver my mixed plate, but in reality it was probably about three minutes. The sidewalk tables were all taken, so I sat in my car and wolfed down half a piece of chicken and a goodly amount of rice to rebuild my strength for the drive home. I ate some more once I got the groceries put away, but the servings are much too generous for me to consume in one sitting. I have a piece and a half of chicken, most of the teri beef and plenty opf rice left over for my dinner tonight. Ahhhhhhhhhh! Life is good!

Technorati Tags: drive-ins, food, Hawaii foods, Hawaii drive-ins, mixed plate