Colorful hula!

'Coconut Girl,' a sassy, colorful, lively hapa haole
hula.  So much fun to watch and undoubtedly dance.

'Ka Pilina', a graceful dance about birds who flit and gossip and chirp among the branches.

The ever languid and beautiful 'Waikiki'.
Makes you want to sit and listen to the wind and waves.

 

A beautiful and stirring dance to 'America'.
Red, white and blue pa'u skirts added to the beauty of the words.
It was a wonderful show by Denise's Hula school,  led by their Instructor, Candy( in the center of the group of dancers).
They perform every year for the Senior Fair at the Neal Blaisdel Auditorium.  

To celebrate a show well done, we headed over to Nico's for a drink and Uncle's after for dinner.
Downtown was empty on a Sunday afternoon as we passed by on the way to Pier 38.

Toasts to the drinks.
The cocktails were not chilled!

After dinner at Uncles, we stepped out into a powdery pink dusk-very balmy.
Carol and Denise - two graceful hula dancers.  Thanks for a wonderful show.

Penny and Spiderman

The reason for all this frenzy is....

...a bath.
The utility sink is now too small for Penny so she has to be shoved and manipulated under the water.
This results in a very wet shampooer ending up with soap in her mouth and soaking clothes.

Never know what you'll see.
Today passing Kapiolani Maternity and Children's Hospital we saw
Spiderman.

Was he doing early Trick or Treating, washing windows or robbing the building?

Most likely treating the children inside to a fun moment.

Naginata demo, Formaggio

Today, headed towards Byodoin in Kaneohe to do a Naginata demonstration at the temple.
Taking Likelike Highway is always beautiful  as we drive beneath the magnificent Koolau range.

This year, we had to enter from the back entrance driveway which is in a lovely cup de sac of a quiet neighborhood.
Luckily Lance was there to point out where to enter.

Down a narrow road into the temple grounds.

There was a beautiful bamboo grove near the parking lot.

Gerri, Denise and Steve were already there.

Denise helping Amala with her hakama.

The grounds are very beautiful and many tourists come to ring the  temple bell and walk the gardens.

The notice announcing and explaining our naginata school.

Here come sempai Nobu and daughter, the littlest student.
She did a great job fearlessly attacking Sensei's stick.

This year (we've been coming for 10 years) we performed on the gravel - ouch - right in front of the temple because recent rains had made the grassy area, where we usually do our demonstratioin,  muddy.

After the performance, our naginatas in their bags, Denise and I are feeling relieved and happy.

Goodbye fish, until next year.

In the evening R and I went to Formaggio Wine Bar for dinner.

We enjoy the dark, cozy atmosphere and  popular standard type music played in the background.
Good wines and light food.

Three types of Bruschetta

We both ordered the Short Ribs, which are tender and lightly seasoned.

West Oahu, Medici's, Vintage Cave Cafe, Kakaako

 Followed the rail past Pearl City yesterday.
It was a nice day for a drive and after RM took me to a  store I wanted to see in Harbor Center in Pearl Ridge, we drove further north into Waipahu and beyond.

The West Loch Station under construction. 

Stopped at Shakey's for lunch.
RM remembered that growing up in Tokyo, he always looked forward to going to the Shakey's in Tokyo.

His favorite was and is the fried potatoes.
I enjoyed the deep crust cheese slice from the buffet.

It was empty.  This is the only Shakey's left in Oahu, I think.

Onward, after lunch towards the hills of Makakilo.

Turned off into Kapolei.  I was surprised at all the development that has happened the past few years.

Kapolei High is the newest (opened 2000), and the largest high school in Hawaii with 2000 students.

Thursday evening, R and I went to Medici's to hear Randy Smith sing Frank Sinatra.

Manoa SC in the evening.

Medici's is an art school (piano, voice, tango, cooking) as well as a place to go to eat a killer salad bar and listen and dance to live music.

Up to the second floor...

...and you're in a space full of tables and a buffet.

One of the owners is the cook - and he always makes a wonderful salad bar - hot and cold- full of variety and tastes.
Twenty dollars for the buffet  and twenty or twenty five for the entertainment.

Randy Smith, who also served in Afghanistan,  entertained us with his wonderful personality and singing.

After the show, the mall was dark and lonely.

 
                                                                                 ****

Today we stopped at Vintage Cave Cafe in the Ala Moana Mall for a pasta lunch.

Again, we were amused by the decorations.
Our server told us the chandeliers are from France, the statues from Italy and the wall murals were painted by a local artist.

Nice Focaccia bread.

My cheese and tomato pasta with salsas verde was delicious.

But mainly, I came for the Affogato.   Not like the one in Harbor Restaurant, which  I also love, but delicious too.
Vanilla gelato with light crispy nuts, over which hot espresso is poured.   Heavenly!!

Driving in Kakaako, we are always surprised at how quickly the buildings rise.  The new Whole Foods Market will be done soon, and the Aieo Condominium behind it is swiftly rising also.