From “small kid time,” Ala Moana Beach was always my second playground. It was a quick trip from McCully, where I grew up. We would have family picnics there on weekends. During summer vacation, dad would take us there almost everyday (he worked the graveyard shift.) We would all turn “black” by August….

In high school, Ala Mo’s was the place to cruz’, day or night. We’d drive in from the Magic Island side, then slowly make our way out the Kewalo end going 5 mph. It’s about a one mile stretch of beach.

My dream was to someday live near Ala Moana Beach. Today, I am truly blessed to be living at 909. I am about 30 seconds away! When moving in this past July, my intention was to live on the makai side of the building with an ocean view. In fact, the ocean view is of Ala Moana Beach. Unfortunately, this wasn’t meant to be…. Still, I am extremely happy and grateful to be where I am.

One day while walking around Ward Center, I walked by “The Gallery at Ward Centre.” There in the window hung a huge painting of three surfers on a wave. “Woh! My ocean view,” I thought to myself. I went inside the gallery and picked up the artist’s business card. The artist’s name is Doug Young. I went to his website and found a painting that totally caught my eye. I emailed him and ordered that painting.

Well, today was the day that he finally completed it (a repainted archival print on stretched canvas.) He was cool enough to deliver it and “install” it.

Here is artist Doug Young hanging the painting in my living room. (I know, it’s a painting of Queen’s Beach in Waikiki and not Ala Mo’s….) Still, today marks a special day for me. I finally got my “ocean view.” Cheeeeeee……