storytelling:chapter 1 land of aloha~part 2

...continued from storytelling:land of aloha~part 1

We boarded our flight back to New Jersey, but we had a layover in Las Vegas. It was a pretty awful flight, to say the least. I was sneezing and blowing my nose through-out our overseas flight to Vegas. I couldn't breathe, my sinus' were congested and I had the drip, drip, drip thing going on. On top of that, I had an excruciating headache. Now, I know that most of you have had this condition at one time or another, but I swear, it was all I could do to not think about how much I wanted to simply get up, crawl down the aisle to the back of the plane, turn the handle and release the latch on the back door and do a back flip sans parachute...free-falling!

Over 6 grueling hours, 2 hours of pre-flight time pacing the airport, we had finally landed in Vegas. NOW we have 3 hours to kill, I fell like crap, PLUS I don't even gamble! All I wanted to do was check into a motel and crawl into bed. My loving "hubby", feeling ever so badly about my condition, said that we could spend the night and take a later flight. But I declined and said I'd stick it out and get the rest of our flight over with. So "hubby" suggested we go to the Hard Rock Cafe and grab a bite to eat. Sleep in the restaurant booth, if I wanted, I might feel better. Oh, what a guy! Well, at least I was off the plane, I could breathe a bit easier, but by now my nose was completely raw from blowing and wiping it so much and now I had an earache. The only thing I could think about was the next 5 hour flight to New Jersey. The temperature was going to be in the 40's and there would be snow on the ground. OMG!!!!

So we're back on the plane and I don't really know what happened after that because all of a sudden we've landed at Newark. It must have been shot of whiskey I had for lunch at The Hard Rock because I passed out as soon as I got back on the plane. I was completely shattered. 

It's 5:30 am on Friday, January 4th and I was watching the sun come up on the drive home from the airport. I remember the sky was a bright red orange and blue. It looked so beautiful. "Hold on a minute", I thought. "This is a trick. Who cares what the sky looks like. I am back in New Jersey!" As soon as we walked in the door to our freezing apartment I went straight to bed and slept for 20 hours.

to be continued...

gay pride parade 2009

What parade? Was that REALLY a parade?

"Auwe!" I can't even begin to tell you you what a big, no HUGE, disappointment that was for me today. And I can imagine how disappointed the gay community felt. Or did they feel the same as I did? First of all, where was Governor Linda Lingle? Mayor Mufi Hanneman or any public official? Didn't anyone of them think this was an important event in the City of Honolulu? The city took the time, effort AND the taxpayers money to put up the curb signage and have the police patrol the streets from Ala Moana Blvd. down Kalakaua, didn't they? That's a big deal when that happens. I don't get it. Strange, I didn't even see one tv camera crew there either. I read that the parade was from 9am til noon. By the time I got there it was over. It was only 10am! Second, why is the parade at 9am? I understand how hot it gets in the afternoon, but it seems like most of the parades that go down Kalakaua take place between 4-6pm. Someone told me that 9am was the only available time slot for the parade. WHAT? WHY? Because it was a "Gay Parade"? What kind of choice it that? What else was going on that day? I would be so peeved if this was the ONLY "choice" I had for something that is meaningful to me, the community and what I/we stand for! It's completely ridiculous!

This was my first Gay Pride Parade in Honolulu. I was looking forward to seeing creatively decorated floats with garlands of flowers, outlandish costumes, the gay and lesbian community and supporters by the hundreds. I wasn't expecting the Rose Parade, but I have to say, my husband included, we felt cheated! I've been to Gay Pride in West Hollywood and in NYC and their parades are so much more outrageous. And a larger outpouring of love and support from the community. It just took me by surprise. 

On the brighter side of things, it was a glorious day for a the Gay Pride Parade! Everyone was happy and in good spirits. Miss Gay Pride graciously let me take her photo. Thank you very much! And the brightly dressed man with the colorful headdress, who lead the trolley full of supporters, was as gay as gay can be. No pun intended! Next year, I want see more of the likes of him and his beautiful spirit.

I hope next year and the year after the Gay Pride Parade will be even bigger and better. I hope one day you get your "Equal Rights". Why shouldn't you? We are all one. Human beings, living, breathing and striving to become better people. A community of people coming together for peace, love, respect and understanding.

What color is your rainbow?

a rainbow for your day...

                                                      

kc original waffle hot dog

The last time I heard the name "KC Waffle Hot Dog"was back in the 80's, when I use to work at Masquerade Nightclub, then go party at the Wave or Pink Cadillac. So last week when I read in the paper that the "KC Original Waffle Hot Dog" was coming to Shirokiya (a Japanese department store) at Ala Moana Shopping Center, I was really excited. I got to meet Dayton Asato, third generation and then president, of the legendary family-owned,KC Drive Inn, famous for it's waffle hot dog and ono-ono shakes. Dayton is a kind, warm and friendly person. Very genuine. He told me original KC Drive Inn was on Kalakaua Ave. and Ala Wai Blvd., and then they moved to Kapahulu Ave. until 2005. Because of costs, competition and the unknown future of the business, KC Drive Inn closed its doors. What I was shocked to learn was that the family had been in business for over 70 years, 47 years in the Waikiki area! But thank goodness for Dayton, because he wanted to carry out a family tradition.... the KC Original Waffle Hot Dog!

The waffle batter is a family recipe with a sprinkling of Dayton's magic. I think it's something sweet, like Dayton! The batter is poured into a cast iron mold of six, the hot dog then placed in the center with a little more batter poured on top. Down comes the top part of the cast iron and the waffle hot dog cooks for several minutes. I was getting ready to take photos and was tapped on the shoulder, a finger waving at me and was told "no photos!" I felt my upper lip curl just like Lucille Ball, whenever she got into trouble! After the hot dog is cooked inside, it is then flipped onto a cooling rack and the edges slightly trimmed. Then a cute little old Japanese man slips the waffle hot dog into a foil like wrapper. Small packets of mustard and catsup are added if you wish. There's a limit of 3 waffle hot dogs per person at $3.50 each. I ordered 3 and immediately rushed to the cashier and out the door for a taste. I ate 2 waffle hot dogs, one with mustard and one without. I have to tell you...the waffle hot dog is really, really good even without the accoutrement's. A golden brown, soft and delicately sweet outside and a perfectly cooked hot dog on the inside. It was all that I thought it would be and remembered. I was in waffle hot dog heaven!

I think Dayton should open a small waffle hot dog shop and bring back memories of good eats, friends, families and fun!

www.kcwaffledog.com

lantern floating hawaii~memorial day 2009

Last evening I witnessed and participated in the 10 year anniversary of

"The Lantern Floating Hawaii Many Rivers One Ocean" at Ala Moana Beach Park. It was a spectacular event with over 40,000 people from all walks of life, coming together for a common reason: to pay their respects to the dead and a wish for peace and harmony in our world. At sunset, over 2,000 lanterns were set afloat with names, personal messages, lanterns adorned with leis and colorful drawings by little "keikis" to their grandma and grandpa.

There were thousands and thousands of people lined up along the shoreline of the beach. I don't think there was a part of the beach you couldn't see. The stretch of beach had 3 huge screens so you could watch the performances and rituals taking place on stage. At the beginning of the event, a camera suspended above the waters on cables took an unbelievable ariel shot sweeping across the crowded beach to the stage. The opening ceremony began with the Shinnyo Taiko drummers and followed by a Buddhist service by Her Holiness Shinso Ito from Japan.

For me, I think, one of the two most memorable parts of the evening was when the double hulled canoes paddled along the shore with the hundreds of lit wooden lanterns that were being placed on the waters. After those lanterns were afloat, you were then able to place your individual lantern on the waters. Everything became still and silent. It was quite an emotional and an incredible experience. Like being at a rock concert, but better! (Only a limited number of individual lanterns were given out in the afternoon. I was in line for almost 2 hours. I was one of the lucky ones!). The second most memorable part was just being there among the thousands of friends and families sharing the same experience, but each going away with something different. I'm not a religious person, but I do believe ...

storytelling:chapter 1 land of aloha~part 1

I, we...me, "hubby" and our two cats, have finally arrived in Paradise. No, not the town in California, which I never found California to be, not the island in the Bahamas, which I'm sure for many Paradise is there, but the Land of Aloha! You know, the "Big Kahuna", Duke Kahanamoku, luaus, poi, pineapples, hula girls and torch swinging polynesian boys, leis and getting "lei'd", "bookem' Danno!", plate lunch with two scoop "goop" (starch and more starch), half naked blinding "haoles" (whites/caucasians/foreigners) on the Waikiki Beaches, the North Shore, Elvis, President Obama, shave ice, spam, Mai Tai's and Blue Hawaii's, malasadas, names and places you can barely pronounce and the warm, wonderful people of Hawaii. A place I call "My Paradise: Land of Aloha".

It wasn't a difficult decision, at least on my part, to make the drastic and maybe an unrealistic move to Hawaii. I was living on the East Coast for 5 years now and I was just hating the bitter cold frigid winters. It wouldn't be so bad if the winters were 1 month instead of 3 or 4. But it just drags and it becomes quite depressing. The thought of layering clothes upon clothes so that now, you're not only are carrying 8 to 9 pounds of extra fabric on your body (wool no less), you have to schlep your humongous fashionable handbag containing all the "essentials" just in case you go to dinner or a night out on the town. Add your labtop that's inside another humongous fashionable shoulder bag and there you have it. Your the weightlifting champion for another winter season! Another variable was that I was getting sick and tired of people's "I see you, but don't give a shit about you and you can wait til I'm ready" attitude. Whatever happened to courtesy and customer service? And I don't want to hear "but, that's New York". No, it's not New York. It's not the New York that I knew. It's another New York; rude and self centered. 

I lived on the island of Oahu for 13 years. I knew the island. I lived in Kahala and then the North Shore. I went to Leeward Community College and the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Although I hadn't returned to Oahu in over 25 years, some things don't change. I'd say it all began with my mom asking me if we wanted to go to Maui for Christmas in 2007. She has a timeshare 2 weeks out of the year. The last time I was on Maui was when my mom and dad acquired the timeshare. They had retired and moved to Kauai from Los Angeles, right before Hurricane Iniki in 1992. It was the first and last time my parents and I shared a Christmas together as a family in 17 years. 

At first I told my mom that I didn't think "hubby" would be up for the idea. After my dad passed away (in Kauai) from a sudden heart attack 8 years ago, he had no intention of ever coming to Hawaii. There was no reason too. My dad was gone. What was the point?  But I asked him anyway and he said "yes, why not". I couldn't believe my ears..did he just say "yes"? So that was it. I phoned mom and immediately began booking and arranging our Christmas holiday on Maui, Kauai and Oahu. All I can say is that it's the best vacation we've ever taken! While on a 2 day visit to Oahu, "hubby" says to me that out of the 3 islands he's visited, he really liked Honolulu. It was a thriving city and big enough. He saw the possibility of living and working in Honolulu, becoming one of the "locals" (and I use that term loosely, as "hubby", being from the UK, has his own "pidgeon english"!). And that being said, that seed was forever planted in my brain. The point of inception! That was all I needed to hear.  And like my "hubby" says, once I get an idea or notion in my brainbox "fuggedabouit"!

to be continued...