Voice lesson, La Mariana Tiki style

Our voice instructor, Craig,  at Shimizu Voice has so many ways of approaching the various problems that pop up in our singing journey.   

It's challenging, but always interesting and fun, even for an average voice like mine.

After our lesson, we sought out La Mariana on Sand Island nearby.

On Keehi Lagoon and attached to a sailing club, this restaurant was started in the 50s.

It's very atmospheric, having kept the era's Tiki ambience.

Of course, the Queen of Tiki restaurants would be Mama's on Maui.

There is a large sign at the entrance to the road leading to the restaurant.  Even at about 1:25 there were many cars parked on the roadway in front.

A gift shop that sells their Tiki cups and glasses and t-shirts is to the right of the walkway.

On a table by the Hostess stand are photos of the founder, Annette La Mariana Nahinu.

The hand battered Mahimahi burger was delicious.

The Mahimahi was fresh and the crust was crunchy.

The Hawaiian style Chicken Curry was tasty , according to R, but not spicy.

The interior is colorful and a bit dark.
It must be very lively at night.

The Marina is right outside with slips for sailboats only.
As we left, we were given a printed history of how this sailing club and restaurant came to be.
Amazing to read how it survived hurricanes and Japanese buyers and different owners of the Keehi Dry Dock.

Outside is a collection of posters from various old bars and restaurants that closed in the 60's.

Later, since it was so hot again, we went for shaved ice at Ailana on Kona Street after picking up Penny from Doggie Care.

Good Penny never begs or fusses when we eat out.
She's too engrossed by what's happening around her.

This morning

Penny, all set up for a belly rub.

Hey, where is everyone.

Penny hears something coming...

A pig!  Sniff the ears.

Sniff the nose..

Taste the snout..

Better the pig than me.

Waikele, Kunio's, Tokoname's calories

Penny's October grooming photo

Lovely Maidenhair ferns and water lilies in Janie's garden.
Maidenhairs were popular when we were young because they're so delicate and go well in corsages and leis.

 Today, we decided to drive out to Waikele and see the outlet stores.
It has become an outdoor shopping area and many tourists from China, Korea, Japan, Australia were there. 
    I had heard that some Japanese tourists go directly from the airport to Waikele to shop.

Tommy Bahama was having a 50% off sale, and Crocs was great at "buy one get the second one half off" sale.   Looked at Ralph Lauren but didn't have time to go into other stores because it was time for lunch at...

Luckily, friend Denise had told us to go early because it filled up quickly.

R's Maguro bowl.

The broiled Hamachi negi roll was good.  Like tuna, green onion and mayonnaise rolled in rice.

It was fun to walk around here, but there are great sales at the Ala Moana Mall stores also.

On the way back to Honolulu, we passed under the Monorail construction site (I think) that we hear so much about.

Our Condo's lobby is beginning to take on Autumn colors.

At Tokoname, I had the Mu Sake sampler again with sushi.
The Nigori, Snow Maiden, is quite good, like an alcoholic dessert.

Daiginjo Mu was as smooth as ever, and Ginjo Katana was good too, but  just a tad harsher.

R had sashimi again because it goes well with his beer.

Uh oh.   Tempura ice cream.
In order not to have to work too hard at the gym,
we each ate only one quarter of the ball.  The tempura covering was extra crispy tonight and the pound cake like lining beneath it was thicker too.
And then the cold ice cream in the center...
Tuesdays are "25% off "days.

Penny ok, Raintree Cafe, long lunch

After another night of being monitered at the Veterinary Hospital, Penny is ok'd and can come home!

She's alert and energetic again...so different from monday evening when we brought her in.
I'm still feeling the effects of that sleepless  night !

A patient comes to say goodbye to Penny.

Tried a new bakery and loved it!
They bake their goods in new, clean ovens in the store.

Very pretty interior of the Raintree Bakery and Coffee House.

So tempting with the morning light coming throught the windows from Piikoi St, to have a pumpkin walnut muffin (full of chunky walnuts) and coffee.
Hmm they also serve sandwiches.

What an enjoyable day.   Lunch with Melissa and Cathy at Jimbo's and dessert at MacDonalds!
And Penny is safe at home again.

Penny's Peril

Yesterday in the evening Penny started showing digestive
distress.  The bloody stools and spittle scared me.  Our Vet refers patients to the Veterinary Emergency Referral Center after 8 pm, so we took her to the nearest, on Kapiolani Blvd.

There was a Vet there, with techs and a receptionist, who quickly checked her in.
Like in a human emergency room, we had to wait for what seemed like hours while they did tests and made her comfortable.

People kept bringing their pets in and we talked to a few until finally at around 11 pm the Vet explained that they had her on an IV for dehydration, but she was still drooling and showing blood.
X rays showed no foreign objects, just  pockets of inflammation in her intestines.

They wanted to do more testing so she spent the night there.
At 6 a.m. the Vet called to say everything seemed normal (no Parvo, parasites, e coli, foreign bodies),  so she could go home.

But a while later, we got another call to say she showed blood again, and she wouldn't eat so it would be better if they observed her for another day.

We wanted to take her familiar food so we went to Happy Paws, next to Aloha Dog Day Care.

The goods are mostly from Japan.  Cute doggie items and food.

Picky eater Penny seems to like this so far so we brought it to the Pet Hospital, but didn't see her.

At the Mall we shared a grilled cheese sandwich at Blue Hawaii, thinking of poor Penny in a crate and suffering from indigestion.

The center walkway of the new Ewa Wing of the Mall should be ready for Christmas.

Relaxing after singing and dancing.

After an interesting but tough vocal lesson with Craig Sensei (we're going deeper into deep breathing), we had to
have a drink and dinner at Assaggio's.

The water plants and red stemmed palms were
green and flourishing next to the entrance.

Sunday we went to see Denise and her hula sisters dance at the Neal Blaisdell Center's Senior Fair.
Has it already been a year since we last were  here for this event?

Graceful skirts  for "La Vaquero"

Hula about love for a child.

And Kalua, the dance taught in most PE classes when we were young.

After the performance, we met up at Kincaid's for drinks and dinner.
We don't know how much longer this old restaurant will be there or when Ward's Warehouse will become the site of a new luxury Kakaako condominium.

Before Kincaid's it was Horatio's (famous for its Pimm's Cup and Creme Brûlée)

Not only is Jay an ex-Marine, but he's a gentleman too.

Denise's hula sister, Johnette, who told us such interesting things about Hawaiian customs and Hula.

On the way home we saw the moon that is ushering autumn in.