Posted on

A Valentine’s Day Gift

Buying a Valentine’s gift is an annual tradition for me. Unfortunately (or fortunately,) the gift is almost always for myself! One year it was a guitar, another year it was golf clubs…. This year, it’s a suitcase.

This is the Tumi T-Tech. I was set on purchasing the Tumi Vapor, which is the absolute coolest and sexiest luggage ever made. However, logic and common sense prevailed. The T-Tech is expandable and has external pockets. It is definitely more functional. Also, the Tumi store at the Waikele Premium Outlets had a big sale. I got this bag at half the price of a Vapor.

But really, this gift to myself is the gift of travel. I’ll be going to Australia this summer, and hopefully to Europe next Spring. My dream is to visit cool and interesting places, and this “gift” is the first step.

Happy Valentine’s Day to all! Cheers….

Posted on

Fresh New Find….

….in my neighborhood! I found this place by accident. I was filling gas at the Shell on Ward Ave. one afternoon. While pulling out, there was too much traffic on Queen to turn left, so I took a right. A few blocks down, I came across this cafe on the left side.

It’s called Fresh Cafe. I went home and Googled it. Their website is freshcafehi.com. They have the coolest concept….

“Founded in July of 2009, Fresh Cafe was born into the hip and up and coming industrial district of Kaka’ako. Fresh serves 100% Kona coffee, homemade cookies, bagel sandwiches, soups, salads, breakfast foods, deserts, and locally made product (also available for catering events). Fresh Cafe is a hidden oasis with an eclectic mix of artists, students, musicians, and entrepreneurs who need to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Open early mornings and late nights Fresh Cafe has the latest cafe hours in town. Soon to come the in January of 2010 Fresh Cafe will bring to you Fresh To-go Market which will carry all locally made product and feature YumYum Shave Ice. Also in January of 2010 Fresh Cafe brings to you FRESH which is a large warehouse space in back where you will often find live music, art and poetry. FRESH is now booking for innovative promotions or public/private seminars.”

The drawback is the limited seating area (only seven chairs indoors.) There are four outdoor cafe tables. The parking lot is kinda funky too.

But the food is really fresh, and really good. I had the Turkey Pesto Melt on a toasted bagel and the Ginger Wasabi Chicken Salad. It was excellent, and the workers were pretty cool too. This is probably the farthest that I would walk to from my condo. It’s another one of the “good things” about living at 909….

Posted on

Ring, Ring, Kalihi Ring….

Our Kamehameha Warriors football team won the state championship this past Friday night, defeating 5-time state champs, Kahuku High. Chee-hoo!! The game was fun & exciting (as is the case with all state championship victories.) But as good as it was, I enjoyed the atmosphere even more. (Thus, the pic of the tuba players….)

I went to the game with a bunch of co-workers (my buds, Darrin & Lynne.) We ate Zip Pacs in the back of my pick-up and met a friendly Kahuku supporter in the parking lot. We also bumped into a few of our middle school teachers. As we entered the stadium gate, we were greeted (mobbed) by two of our students who were selling souvenir programs (for their soccer team’s fundraiser.) We finally got in, and the place was packed! It was a sea of blue & white. So awesome! Everyone was decked out in Kamehameha t-shirts, holding homemade signs, and waving towels. There were students, alumni, grandmas & grandpas, and even babies. The cool part about being at a K-12 school is that we are one school and one campus. The cool part about being at Kamehameha is that we are one community. Unlike being at a UH game where you don’t know the people around you, you practically know everyone here. You even know the players and cheerleaders. And it was amazing to see our friend the band director (and biggest cheerleader) wearing eye-black!

But what I appreciated most was the sense of tradition. After a touchdown, the band plays “Imua Kamehameha.” After the first score, I had a flashback of the old Honolulu Stadium days. The band triggered a flood of memories from when I was a little kid. Following the final touchdown, our friend Nate was teaching his little boy the “Imua Kamehameha” song. I was witnessing tradition being passed on….

Posted on

“Ocean View”

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.

-1

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……