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POW! WOW! Hawaiʻi 2020

“POW! WOW! HAWAIʻI IS A GATHERING OF CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS THAT ENGAGES WITH THE BROADER COMMUNITY IN THE PROCESS AND CREATION OF ART.”

Been a big fan of POW WOW since the beginning when it was held at Fresh Café + Loft in Space. Every February, all eyes are upon Kakaʻako. The art, vibe, and energy are all incredible. Knowing cofounder Kamea Hadar made it personal. And now, having a friend who paints at POW WOW takes it to another level.

Derick, a.k.a. @7sketches, just painted his 3rd POW WOW mural, Pineapple Totoro! (こんにちは Anna!) It was a huge hit, especially with our Japanese visitors.

What was so cool was that he let his friends paint. Being unartistic, I volunteered to touch up any of the splatters. I also got to practice 日本語 with some of the visitors. And we had dinner together from Pioneer Saloon. Too fun!

Got to see the final product at the POW! WOW! Hawaiʻi Finale Block Party @ HNL Night Market. Mahalo Derick for allowing us to take part. どうもありがとうございました。This was my best POW WOW ever…

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My Anime List

kiminonawa.fandom.com

A lot of people learn Japanese, because they love anime. I was the reverse. Because I love learning Japanese, I started watching anime. And then I got hooked. What I once thought were “cartoons for teenagers” became a legitimate medium for art, creativity, and storytelling.

The website that I use is DaiWEEB. It’s ad-free. You can toggle on-and-off English & Japanese subs. It even gives you the furigana for kanji. I’ve also discovered that I’m a binge-watcher. If the first episode hooks me, I’ll keep watching until I pass out…

So far, my fave anime movie is Kimi no Na wa and my fave series are Anohana and Kimetsu no Yaiba. To document what I’ve watched, I use MyAnimeList. It allows me to give ratings and helps me to remember which titles I can recommend to friends.

Hmm… wonder if I’m turning into an otaku?　おれは、おたくかなー

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New Year’s Resolution Reimagined v.2020

Background: After reposting the same New Year’s Resolution from 2008-2012 without success,  I had to rethink it. I replaced my resolution with a bucket list in 2013. I went from incremental goals (i.e. lose 10 pounds) to life-changing goals.

Preface: At 12:05am on January 1st, 2013, I was lying face down in a cul-de-sac in Mililani Mauka after a fireworks accident (don’t ask.) I was thinking, sheesh, can 2013 be over with already? Unlikely as it seemed then, I was blessed to meet up with my Compassion sponsored child in the Philippines and walk across the Great Wall of China by year’s end. All things are possible.

I believe that there is intentionality in writing things down. And in putting it out there…

Life Goals:

• Seek after God’s heart
• Learn to speak Japanese
• Appear in a TV commercial
• Go snowboarding
• Own my dream car, a vintage VW bus
• Change the world

School Goals:

• Tie a kihei
• Run an international TED-Ed student speaking event

Ministry Goals:

• Go on a missions trip to Japan
• Start up a friendship ministry in Kakaʻako

Travel Goals:

• Visit Kumamoto
• Dim sum in Hong Kong
• Attend Taikai in Okinawa
• Eat phở on a plastic stool in Vietnam
• Sunday roast in London
• Get lost in Istanbul
• Travel to Angkor Wat in Cambodia
• See the Taj Mahal
• Witness the Aurora Borealis
• Attend a World Cup Soccer match

Completed Goals:

√ Visit my sponsored child in the Philippines
√ Travel to Machu Picchu
√ Walk across the Great Wall of China
√ See Gaudí’s work in Barcelona
√ Pasta at a sidewalk café in Rome
√ Ride the trains in Tokyo
√ Hold up the Leaning Tower of Pisa
√ Visit koalas in Australia
√ Witness the haka in Aotearoa (NZ)
√ Enjoy the busking in the streets of Seoul
√ Learn to surf
√ Ride an elephant in Thailand
√ Learn to skateboard
√ Take a solo (YOLO) trip to Paris
√ Visit my “homeland” of Okinawa
√ Find the best bowl of ramen in Hawaiʻi
√ Launch a homeless outreach ministry in Chinatown
√ Run a TEDxYouth event at school
√ Play guitar in a café
√ Talk on the TED stage in New York City
√ Own a condo near Ala Moana Beach (lifelong dream)

I am so grateful that I have been blessed with things that I never even imagined.

あけましておめでとう ㊗️ & God Bless 🙏

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Poke Bowls: My Top 5

Poke (pronounced poké) is one of my absolute favorite foods. Fresh, flavorful, and photogenic, i.e., Instagram worthy. A beloved local pupu (appetizer) when served over rice transforms into one of the best lunches you could possibly have. Here are my Top 5 fave poke bowls…

1 Ahi Assassins
If you’re lucky enough to find parking (located across from Puck’s Alley,) make your way up to the 2nd floor. This is the freshest, top grade ahi that I’ve ever had in poke. I like the Hawaiian style variety. Old-school. Inamona. Melt-in-your-mouth goodness…

2 Kahiau Jerky Poke & Provisions
New shop located in Chinatown. Always fresh, never frozen. Go for the Cold Ginger Ahi or Kahiau Special… or both. They even feature a Poke-of-the-Day. Poke Bombs are inari sushi cones topped with Spicy Ahi. Sells out fast.

3 Off the Hook
Poke Market is across from the Manoa Valley Shopping Center (and next to Starbucks.) Fresh fish, great toppings, and seating. Really like their Cold Ginger and Shoyu flavors…

4 Tanioka’s
While living in Waikele, this was my go-to place. Great quality fish and a ton of great menu items (fried chicken, salmon patties, tofu patties, etc.) I like their Onion Limu Poke. Check out their pop-up at Ala Moana Center for a limited time.

5 Maguro Brothers
Find them in Chinatown inside the Kekaulike Market. Fresh fish, Kaisen-don, even King Salmon here. I really like their Hamachi Poke Bowl, flavored with soy and wasabi. Winnahs…

Also a big fan of Tamura’s, but I’ve never had a poke bowl there.

If you’ve only had poke bowls from Foodland, please try these suggestions. And lemme know if you have any recommendations. Always eager to expand my poke horizons…