pho, chocolate , Manoa

Tod, our shiatsu friend, recommended Pho Thinh's pho, because it's soup is clear with hardly any fat or debris floating on the surface, and tasty.  The basil is always very fresh, and it's served with saw tooth coriander.
Well, of course we had to try it!

A small, but clean, little restauant on S. King St.  The pho was very good.   Now we're ready to try other items on the menu.

When we crave  a real chocolate drink - made with dark chocolate and milk and frosty cold, we go to the mall's chocolatier, Pierre Marcolini.   Tokyo,  fast with new things from Europe, has had many famous chocolate specialty stores and I'm glad we now have one too.

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 Penny's first romp in Manoa since her accident a few months ago.
The Tacoma trees along Manoa Road give color to our green valley.
  I remember when my parents planted so many of them in their yard  because of their sakura colors, but after so many years they were cut down.  The flowers, unlike sakura, fall heavily to the ground and become litter, not to mention soggy.  But they're pretty when in bloom.

Lazy Penny.
After running back and forth a couple of times, she headed for the car and refused to continue.

The impressive Monkey Pod trees with their beautiful umbrella shape.

Happy Day, Naginata test day, pastries

Happy Day restaurant in Kaimuki.
Delicious dim sum breakfast meeting Saturday morning.  Must come here again for more of their dim sums, especially the stuffed eggplant and shrimp!

Quite a large restaurant with private rooms.

 Keiko, Elsie and her husband  - so friendly and energetic!

Then off to our Naginata yearly testing at the Ala Wai Clubhouse.

High school student Marisa.  Good luck!!

Marisa, Koko, Gerri, Richard and Carol.  Hey where's no. 4?

There she is, seated with Sensei.

Sharon and Sensei.  We're so happy Sharon could make it.

Denise and Janie who were helpers to the students being tested.
Marie is not testing today, but she'll be here next year.
Nice of her to come out to be with us.

Picked up some pastries from the new Bakery and Table, a restaurant bakery from Japan.
It's a bakery, coffee shop during the day and a restaurant in the evening.

The anpan was very tasty.  These were sweet to go with our coffee in the morning, but the rest of the offerings were savory

Pooped Penny.

Happy Penny, Queen's, here and there

Joyful Penny, so free and happy !  She doesn't have to wear the collar of shame nor the bandages any longer.
Her burns have healed considerably, thanks to the great care at the Vets.

We visited a friend at Queen's Hospital the other day.
It has a lovely, peaceful entrance to the main building.

There was a photo in the lobby showing the entrance in 1875.

Looking out to the entry driveway from the lobby.

The lobby from the Starbucks stand where we had coffee.

Manuevering the hallways is always a challenge.

One of the artwork hanging on the walls, Kalawao Colors,  was so beautiful.

For Jane, her alma mater, McKinley High School.
The skyline in the background surely has changed.

But the plulmerias and red and yellow hibiscuses in this garden on Piikoi Street still remind us of old Hawaii.  What's missing are the mynah birds that used to strut around sidewalks and gardens.

Fresh vegetable sandwich at Kissaten, where some friends and I had lunch today.  I had the grilled cheese, bacon and apple sandwich and M had the pastrami.
And we had just finished exercising at the gym!

Happy to finally eat here.   Nice and relaxing.

This and that from the past week-Lanakila program, naginata

Driving through Waikiki, Kuhio Beach.

We've been having a dry spell, and it shows on Diamond Head's brown surface.

Trying to bring spring into the house with Safeway's daffodils.

Poor Penny has to still wear a collar of shame.  We are trying out the inflatable ring instead of the usual plastic cone.
Also the Halloween costume helps to keep her bandages in place.
She thinks it's a game to see if she can slip out of them.

Light supper at the Pineapple Room Bar in Macy's.
Terrific tomato, watermelon and goat cheese salad for me.. 

Happa poke, which means ahi sashimi cubes on a sizzling plate, for R.

Thursday, Shimizu Voice presented a program for the Lanakila
Senior Community Center.

The Okinawa Club of the Center was the very lively and appreciative audience.

Wonderful singers and entertainers Amy Katsumoto and Tevita Apina put on an amazing show of Japanese and English songs.  They are both Grand Champion Winners of the Kzoo Karaoke contest!

And I was lucky to be able to experience singing Ginza Kankan Musume before such a sweet audience.
I had a fun time!

Manoa SC.  I love how clean and sweet the air is in the Valley.
Even in usually rainy Manoa, some parts of the mountainsides were dry.

Maliki Christian Church, making this bit of Pensacola Street look like Japan.


At Naginata today.

Miura Sensei putting on  our littlest student's first hakama, while dad looks on.

Good to see Sharon back again.


We usually walk through Ala Moana SC for exercise and it is particularly pleasant in the evenings when it's cooler and less crowded.

Newly moved Nordstrom's at the Ewa end of the Mall.

Views from the second floor.