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Before Social Networks….

….there were social clubs.

Way back in high school, guys and girls used to form their own clubs and attend “socials” on weekends. Socials were like small parties at people’s homes. Each club would create cards and hand them out to other clubs. If you had a good reputation, they would pass on your card to their friends. This is how you got invited to more socials. Here’s what our card looked like….

Please don’t call the numbers (unless of course, you’re inviting us to a social.)

So here’s what a typical social was like. First you would pile in as many guys into one car. Us McKinley boys would be looking spiffy in Angels Flight pants, and reeking Jovan Musk Oil. Then we would drive down to Pearl City McDonald’s to meet the girls. We would have a mixtape of Journey and REO Speedwagon blasting on the Pioneer tape deck. Then we would follow the girls’ car to somebody’s house.

First we would start with introductions, usually some kind of name game where you whack each other with rolled-up newspaper. Then we would have refreshments. For some reason, the socials that we thought wouldn’t be so good, always had the best food. After that, we would play these icebreakers and party games. The girls enjoyed planning them, and we absolutely hated playing them.

Then it was time to dance. Slow dance. One guy would hold onto a teddy bear, and he would cut-in by giving it to another guy. If no one cut-in on you, you could be dancing all night with the same girl. Did you know that “Reasons” by Earth, Wind & Fire (live version) is 8:23? That’s a long song….

Finally, we would close the evening in a “friendship circle,” the kind where you can twist somebody’s arm.

After the social, we would go cruising down Magic Island, Point Panics, and Diamond Head. We would always end up at McCully Zippy’s. Remember the “gravy rice” for 35¢? I remember carnivals, Kalapana, proms, middle-comb, Morgan’s Corner, puka shells, and baby Löwenbräus.

I love social networks like Facebook and Twitter, but ya can’t beat the social clubs of the good ol’ days. We were Pure Energy….

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Small Kid Time….

“I remember days when we were younger….”

Singing the song, “Ku’u Home ‘O Kahalu’u” this past weekend at Kualoa Beach Park made me reflect. Growing up in McCully was special. Those were the good ol’ days. Those were my “hanabata days.”

I remember….

• going to the Islanders’ baseball games at the old Honolulu Stadium. The S&S saimin on a cold, rainy night hit the spot.

• eating shave ice at Alice’s Market (the current Waiola Shave Ice Store.) They had pickled mango, baseball cards, cone sushi, and slingshots.

• riding bike through people’s yards. I had a yellow Schwinn Stingray with a banana seat.

• catching crayfish & guppies at “Duck Pond” (the stream on Date Street.)

• mom’s fried kamaboko & mayonnaise sandwiches. So ono….

• dad driving us to school in the morning, listening to “Aku” on the radio. (Remember the “Coconut Wireless?”)

• me & my friends playing Kikaida and roller derby against my sister & her friends.

• Obaachan picking pikake flowers in the backyard for her tea.

• walking our dog Sparky around the block and getting dragged on the sidewalk.

• picnics and parties with the relatives and cousins. My job was to fan the hibachi and fetch Primo beers.

• “Jeremiah was a bullfrog….”

• Checkers & Pogo, Flintstones, and Gilligan’s Island. Must see TV….

• getting stuck in the elevator at Wigwam Store (the current Longs Drugs on King Street.)

• the only phrase I learned at Japanese School, “Sensei, osokunatte sumimasen.” (Sorry I’m late.)

• going to Keiki Land at the Ala Moana Shopping Center.

• eating at the Flamingo Restaurant, Cha-cha Tei & Edo Shokudo Restaurants, Golden Duck Chop Suey, and Chunky’s Drive In.

“I remember days when we were smiling
When we laughed and sang the whole night long….”

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Glory Days….

“Glory days well they’ll pass you by
Glory days in the wink of a young girl’s eye
Glory days, glory days”
– Bruce Springsteen

Those were the good ol’ days. Derek Tatsuno, Deitre Collins, and Bob Nash of the “Fabulous five.” I remember Niko Noga, Yuval Katz, Mario Monico, Natasha Kai, and Pono Ma’a.

And of course, Colt….

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Cool Story, Bro….

While strumming the guitar tonight, I reminisced about the good ol’ days. And then I thought about the “curse.” Yup. Every establishment that I ever played at closed down. Literally.

My “world premiere” took place at the old Monterey Bay Canners at the Ward Centre. My friend Garrett had a gig there. One quiet evening, he let me play. There were about five people in the audience. One week later, they went bankrupt. Swear to God.

Garrett’s next gig was at Randy’s in Kahala Mall. The place was actually crowded. He called me up. I had enough “liquid courage” to stink-up the place. Randy’s went bankrupt in two weeks.

I was teaching at Kapolei Elementary when I had the opportunity to back up our children’s choir at the Aloha Tower’s Pier Bar. It was Christmas. They went bankrupt in a month and later became Kapono’s.

Years later, I played at the Tropiccino’s coffee shop in the Kapolei Marketplace. Nothing happened. A year later, I played there again. Soon after, they went bankrupt. Shucks….

A short time after that, my friend Garrett asked me to play at the Mai Tai Bar at Ala Moana. This time I refused. Til this day, the Mai Tai Bar is one of the most popular spots in town.

So…. if you’re open for business, don’t ask. True story, bro….

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Nonstop Kaka’ako….

Attended the first Nonstop Kaka’ako event, “an urban food, retail, and entertainment experience.” It’s a pop-up block party. It was fun, and the weather was perfect. It’s a really neat concept, and I hope they do more events like this. I guess the goal is to promote Kaka’ako as the “hub” of Honolulu.

The variety of food was impressive. It was like an Eat the Street event on steroids. I had my first Chicago Dog at Hank’s Haute Dogs. There were shopping tents filled with fashion items from some of the hottest boutiques in town. There was even a cigar bar, a beer garden, and the UH football game on a large inflatable screen. They even had free wi-fi set up for this event.

The highlight for me was running into former students at the Anuhea concert at the main stage. It was a fun night….