Halloween-Aloha dog, Moku

Happy Halloween.  Groan.
Penny is not a clothes person, um, dog.
She doesn't like anything on her body but she's going to Aloha Dog's Costume party so she very sulkily put on last year's skeleton outfit.

Halloween Zumba in the morning.                                                     At the lobby of Koolani, where our gym is located.  Luckily I just put on the ears, flower and collar I used for the recital.

The Halloween costume party at Aloha Dog was at one p.m.

Needless to say , it was mass CUTENESS~(unless you are not a dog person).
These dogs are cute without any clothes on.  How do they keep them on.
Penny lost her skull head as soon as she entered, and tried desperately to scrape off her body suit.  She got her hind legs out somehow, but her front legs kept the costume firmly stuck to her.

We needed  something bracing, so we went to Moku, which, luckily is nearby and open all day.

The artist was finishing up his wall art.

There was a witch behind the bar and the servers were dressed for Halloween, so it was a fun holiday atmosphere.

Now to pick up Penny.
She sees us from the window, loses her manners, and runs barking to the exit door.

Big, gentle Standard Poodle, who is Penny's friend, tries to say goodbye, but Penny only thinks of home.
Thank you for the party, ladies.

Ok, let's put away the costume until next year.

"Gaku" Sushi, HULAWEEN Dance exhibit

"Gaku"

We were lucky to get a seating since we arrived early, but the rest of the tables were all reserved.

Tofu and Uni Shooter.
Home made tofu covered with flavored gelatin and topped with sea urchin and wasabi.  Umm.

Oh so good Hamachi and Maguro Nigiri Sushi.

Sweet and melting Uni Nigiri.

R's "mixed plate" Nigiri

HULAWEEN,
Dance exhibitions and open dancing presented by Kesler and Company at the Pacific Beach Hotel Grand Ballroom last night.

Beautifully decorated with the spirit of Halloween.

Mr. Doug Kessler and Wolfgang.

Our friend Claire who did two presentation dances - a Rhumba and a Waltz 

There were some very beautiful costumes.

Presentation of awards

Dance instructors and really nice people at our table.

Thank you for showing us some basic steps and even taking me out to the dance floor (that was a really kind gesture)

Claire, who is also a student of Craig Shimizu of Shimizu Voice sang "Non Ti Scordar Di Me" beautifully.
Lovely? Energetic?Talented? 80 yrs old?
All of the above.

Halloween Recital, Moku Kitchen, Buddy

Penny's latest Aloha Dog Grooming Photo.
Like Hawaiian Halloween in New Orleans!
Well, that's the fun of Halloween.

Speaking of the season,  we just had our Halloween Recital from Shimizu Voice on Sunday.
Craig Shimizu, our very knowledgable and imaginative instructor (who has a series of free lessons on Shimizu Voice YouTube Channel) puts on two or three recitals a year.  This one, especially, is for us to
try other methods of entertaining like dancing, comedy, costuming, while singing.
So many talented students did such fun vocal and visual presentations, dressing up as ghosts, witches, mermaids, foxes, and even a burlesque queen--so much fun!

I, not being so gifted in the singing before an audience category, tried to prepare by reading
"Do One Thing Every Day That Scares You", a journal book filled with encouraging sayings and quotes compiled by Dian G. Smith and Robie Rogge.
An example: "Think you can, think you can't; either way, you'll be right", by Henry Ford

Well, it was hard work trying to think "I can", but performing was my scary thing for the day!

Here I am trying to be a black cat doing the tango while singing to  "Kuroneko no Tango" (Black Cat Tango).
It was fun planning what to wear, though.

So, today we decided to toast our participation in yesterday's recital at the Moku Kitchen, newly opened a week ago  in Kakaako's Salt, a block of interesting coffee shops, bars and restaurants.
A part of Peter Merriman's group of restaurants, it prides itself on it's sustainable, largely organic and very fresh local ingredients.

There is a long bar, with indoor seating on either side of it, plus outdoor terrace seating, so it's quite spacious and at 5 pm, not yet filled with customers.

There was also live entertainment.

  The bar has cocktails and craft beers and keg wine.   No Grey Goose for my Martini - only Ketel One or Belvedere, so I tried the later.

The Kale Salad was a great way to eat raw kale.  So delicious with golden raisings and chopped macadamia nuts and oranges in a tasty dressing.  The onion added a nice bite.  We were told the lightly salted pita bread was made this morning.
The Squash Ravioli with spinach and goat cheese was also wonderful.   The dough was freshly pulled this morning and you could actually see and taste the squash inside.

R's main course was the Pulled Pork Sandwich, with cole slaw and crispy fried onions.  Very good!

My  Mahimahi was freshly caught this morning, according to the server.  The cook makes sure of this when he goes to auction every morning.
The fresh fish with the crispy cucumber was sooo good, and the buns were also baked this morning.

R liked that there were no curtains, but planks at the windows, made of barn lumber from Oregon.

The server told us the tables were of used oak from Oregon also.

I usually don't care for cheesecake or desserts with too much cream cheese in it, but this Strawberry Pie was so light.  The shortbread crust was a bit tough, though.
Their coffee is a large, strong espresso so I ordered tea instead so I could sleep tonight.

And when we returned to our condo's parking, there was Penny's friend, Buddy!! who we haven't seen in quite a while.  He ran to our car, but Penny wasn't there.

Why exercise?

Last night I went to a very vigorous Zumba class that left me pleasantly exhausted, but hot and sweaty.   Unfortunately, Shirokiya is very near to our gym, so we had to go to Zunda Saryo and have their Edamame kakikori (shaved ice with ice cream and a soybean and condensed milk sauce) to cool off.
Does this make sense?

No, unless you want to have a plump bottom like Penelope's. 

Then, after my Zumba Gold class this morning, we had a delicious grilled cheese sandwich and a very delicious dessert with apricots at the coffee bar in Inspiration Furniture.

So for dinner we shared a light Poke and meatball appetizer dinner at Habitant in Nordstrom.

Ricotta meatballs in a tomato sauce and Hawaiian Ahi Poke which we shared.    

We tried their dessert for the first time.   The Bread pudding (shared) was awfully good - old fashioned style, according to the server.

Isn't that what makes exercising worth it?

A beautiful evening at Harbor Restaurant on Sunday.

Hurry up with the photos, already!
We're ready to enjoy the appetizers!
Wonderful couple, Jay and Denise with the Brasa Mushrooms with Crostini, and the delicious Escargots, which were specials of the evening, thanks to Denise.  They're not on the menu, but she had had them previously and asked for them.
Umm.  Different taste from Michel's, but soo good with the creamy spinach.
I usually have to smother my imagination of what they are, but it's worth it to taste their mushroomy flavor and texture.
Beauty, and flavor, are in the eyes of the beholder and partaker,  after all.

The guys had the Pork Chops, and we had the Shortribs.
All done in the restaurant's pride, the Brasa oven.

Jay's lovely shot of the harbor.

And for dessert, I had to have the Afogatto.
I manage to sleep at night by just pouring in half of the two shot cup of Espresso.

Spacious Harbor at Pier 38.