Hawaii Day 11 (Honolulu, HI): The last day

 Today was our last full day in Hawaii.

We booked a tour around Oahu that was pretty fun. My sister and I have already been to a few of these places but my mom hasn't and there's a few places that I feel should have been on the itinerary. It was an all day tour that started at 7:20 in the morning and ended at about 3:45 with a short lunch break

Most of the tour was spent on the north shore. On the way out we stopped at a few sightseeing spots and snack spots. Lunch was at a shrimp stand and we stopped by a few dessert places and the tour ended at the Dole Plantation. We were given a narrative and some history but this tour seemed more "shopping" focused that other tours we've been on. 

We're going to spend the rest of the day packing and getting dinner. I have a gig to head to tomorrow night as soon as I get off the plane. I still have to figure out a way to make that work. 

This trip has been a lot of fun and a trip that I look forward to every year. Hopefully I'll be able to come back again and again. I got to go to a lot of places on the North Shore that I haven't been to yet and there's a whole lot more of this island to explore.

Until next time Hawaii, 

A hui hou

Hawaii Day 10 (Honolulu, HI): Another shopping day again

Today we went out to check out the Costco then Chinatown and stopped at a few spots along the way. We've found a few Japanese thrift stores out here. They're pretty cool, have some interesting things and tend to be a bit higher end. There prices are a bit expensive so it wouldn't be beneficial to buy things there unless it's a rare or generally hard to find. Not everything there is worth the premium. 

The Costco out here is just like any other Costco so there isn't much to report there.

Last time we went to Chinatown there wasn't much going on because we got there pretty late. This time we also went a little further in. There's a lot of grocery stores and herb shops like San Francisco's Chinatown but not a lot of gift shops. It seems like the only spot to get asian food out there is a food hall. Most of the restaurants seem to be pubs and american food.

We're going to a 7-11 and the Ala Moana mall later.

Tomorrow's our last day out here. we'll be going on a tour around Oahu.

Hawaii Day 9 (Honolulu, HI): Another shopping day

Today we started out at 1-2 Buy, a store that imports Asian snacks, then we went to T&L Muumuu Factory and H Mart because they were in the area. It's easy to get sidetracked and go off to another store because it's close and end up somewhere far away not knowing what time it was because you lost track of time and you forgotten how far you walked. This area has a midtown feel about it. H Mart was a big deal when it opened in the bay area and I think we found the snack shop on Tik Tok. The H Mart cafe is amazing! They have a Giovanni's Shrimp spot!

We made our way to Don Quijote and grabbed a few groceries and things for lunch, went back to the hotel to drop our groceries off and back out to Ross. My mom takes forever at Ross.

After Ross we did a little shopping and decided to grab a haupia pie from the McDonalds. The pie's out here are fried and so much better than the ones back home. The first McDonald's only had apple pies so we walked to the other McDonald's down the street. All they had were apple pies too so we settled for the fried apple pies and headed back to the hotel.

I'm going to go out for a couple drinks in a bit so we'll end things here.

I think tomorrow is going to be another shopping day

Hawaii Day 8 (Honolulu, HI): Shopping day

Today was a shopping day. We headed out to the Ala Moana mall and went to the Long's, Walmart, Sam's Club out there

The Coach store out here lets you buy the tags that they put on their bags and customise them. Some of the characters that are available to put on the tags are only available out here. My mom and I got one and I put my name on mine. They weren't as expensive as I thought they'd be. They wrapped the tags in tissue paper, boxed and bagged them. That must have cost more than the product itself. 

Getting around those stores took up most of our day. We could barely fit what we bought in our bags. 

The stores out here have items that are unique to Hawaii. The Sam's Club has Hawaiian snacks, the Walmart has a "gift shop" section with Hawaiian souvenirs and snacks and the Long's has Hawaiian snacks too. 

It's getting pretty late out here so we'll probably grab dinner at Marugame and head to bed. 

We don't have anything planned for tomorrow

Hawaii Day 7 (Honolulu, HI): Performance Day

Today was a performance day for the halau they had rehearsal in the morning and a performance at the workshop later that day.

Rehearsal was at a hotel garden. It was pretty cool. A lot of people watched and cheered from the balconies. A group also came down to watch but we were already packing up.

The performance was absolutely gorgeous and the food was good. the sun was setting as the event was wrapping up and it was a perfect ending to a series of workshops. This was a ticketed event and a lot of people came to watch. 

After we got back my mom and a couple of her hula sisters grabbed their lei and scrap foliage to release back to the ocean. On our way out we passed by a rock formation, Kapaemahu. Kapaemahu is a four rock formation that pays tribute to the four Mahu that brought the healing arts to Hawaii from Tahiti. 

Tomorrow we're switching hotels again. After that, it's practically a free day

Hawaii Day 6 (Honolulu, HI): More workshops, food and exploring

Today was another workshop day for my mom's halau so our itinerary was very similar. It felt like we did a lot of driving and eating today. I felt like I was eating all day!

We hung out at Kako'o Oiwi, the workshop site, until everyone was settled in just in case they needed anything and headed out to explore the area around the north shore. 

Our first stop was 7/11 for snacks. I got more than I needed and it through my whole food schedule off.

Before lunch we did a little sightseeing and walked out on a sandbar and took some pictures. We also drove around BYU's Hawaii campus. It was pretty!

After exploring for a little bit we went to the food trucks on the North Shore. There's a bunch of food trucks and shops out here. I wasn't hungry at all because of the snacks so I shopped around the area for a bit but didn't find anything. I got garlic shrimp even though I wasn't hungry and it's been one of the best things I've had on the island! It's a buttery garlicy shrimp scampi and rice topped with garlic. I'm so glad I had breath strips.

We considered getting haupia ice cream on the way back but I feel like I've been eating all day! We made a stop at 7/11 and got a couple of things to snack on for dinner. 

When we got back to the workshop site everyone was on a break so we explored the property. This place is mostly a farm that hosts educational workshops and sells produce on the side.

At the end of the day the workshop participants did another mini Hoike.

We got back to the hotel late but I went out and did a little shopping before heading to bed.

It's been a long day

 

Hawaii Day 5 (Honolulu, HI): Kako'o Oiwi, Safeway and Waiahole Poi Factory

 Today was a workshop day at Kako'o Oiwi for my mom's halau which means an early day. We headed out to the workshop site then out to Safeway to grab a couple of things and poke for breakfast. This Safeway has a poke bar! We ran into a couple of other people from the halau and heckled them for a bit. This occurrence has to be explained in person to be conveyed correctly. Ask me about it later.

Waiahole Poi Factory is another one of my favorite spots out here. They're known for their haupia ice cream and hawaiian plates. I got a sweet lady of waiahole and it was really good! It's warm kulolo and haupia ice cream.

On our way back we grabbed some stuff from 7-11 for dinner. The 7-11's out here are so much better than the 7-11's back home. The food here isn't your average corner store food. They're patterned after japanese combinis and adapted for hawaii. They have hawaiian hot foods and bentos. These are full grab and go meals!

After the workshops the halau's that participated did a mini hoike. There were halaus that came as far as Japan to participate.

Tomorrow is another workshop day. We might head to a mall while the workshops are going on. 

Hawaii Day 4 (Honolulu, HI): Hoʻomaluhia Botanical Garden, Leonards and an upscale Zippy's

Today was a very long day. We had to pack and transfer hotels to meet up with the rest of my mom's hula sisters before we head out to a botanical garden. The group decided to grab lunch before they headed out which pushed our schedule up half an hour. We were able to get a ride so that saved a lot of walking time. We cut it close. We ended up getting food at Masa & Joyce Okazuya for lunch on the way out. I got a katsu bento and spicy tuna inari. That was the most chaotic part of the trip so far.

After all of our errands we arrived at Hoʻomaluhia botanical garden. The garden was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to control floods and protect Kaneohe. This rainforest garden has plantings from all over the world and is organized by region. We hiked to the lake on the property and a couple of the trails. We ate lunch at a picnic spot in the garden. 

Before rehearsal we hung out at the beach as a group and the haumana made lei. They didn't have time to finish because of rehearsal.

On the way back to the hotel we made an impromptu stop at Leonards, my favorite dessert shop. I got a regular malasada and tried a guava malasada for the first time. The guava malasada was really good but not my favorite, the haupia one is still my favorite.

Rehearsal was at a high school today. I attended so I could join them for dinner at Zippy's.

The Zippy's we went to was the fanciest Zippy's I've ever been to! All of the Zippy's I've been to have been walk up, fast food type places. This one was a sit down restaurant. It wasn't fine dining but still nicer than I'd expect it to be. It was like a Denny's, Ihop or Mel's Diner. The menu was the same as every other Zippy's.

Now that we're back at the hotel, I'm going to unpack a little and head to bed.

Tomorrow is a workshop day.

Hawaii Day 3 (Honolulu, HI): Aloha Stadium Swap Meet, Waimea Falls and the Forty Niner Restaurant

Today was an exhausting day. We walked way to much and I think I've been eating way to much, 

We woke up early today to head to the Aloha Stadium Swap Meet. Not much has changed since the last time we were there. It was a weekday so only the core group of vendors were there. This year we walked the full market. Normally we do that in two separate days. Since everyone in my mom's halau arrived at different times and they didn't rent a van this year it kinda served as the meeting place. 

After the swap meet we went to the forty niner restaurant. The forty niner restaurant is a mom and pop Hawaiian restaurant. Their menu is very similar to places like Zippy's and Rainbow.

Our next stop was the Waimea Waterfall. The trail leading up to the falls isn't a hard one but there's so much to do that you can spend hours getting there. There was also a snack shack.

On the way back we stopped at Matsumoto Shave Ice and it seems to be a favorite dessert spot of the group. The shaved ice is ground down to a really fine powder. It was good

Today was exhausting so I'm going to stop things here for now. Maybe I'll elaborate on some of these things in tomorrow's blog. 

Hawaii Day 2 (Honolulu, HI): Bishop Museum, Zippy's and The Ala Moana Mall

 Today we went to Bishop Museum

My mom's hula sister was nice enough to give us a ride out to the museum today she took us around the area she lived in and showed us where she lived before she left for California. 

Bishop's Museum is absolutely huge and there was soo much to look at! There were 3 buildings, and each was filled with artifacts and trinkets. I think I mentioned that Hawaiian's perceive clutter as wealth during my last trip here. Well, there was definitely a lot of "clutter" but it was interesting, historically significant clutter. There was a lot of art, sculptures, weapons, clothes, musical instruments, historical documents and even a whale skeleton. Each floor and room of this building had a different theme. The most significant items in this museum was a feather cloak worn by Captain Cook, a stone statue of a god that could not be moved, a canoe and that whale skeleton

The second building on the property was closed for renovation so we moved onto the third

The last building on the property was a contemporary "hands on" museum. It taught a lot about Hawaii's wildlife and volcanos. 

We could've easily spent the whole day there

On our way back we went to Zippy's and met up with some of my mom's hula sisters at the Ala Moana mall

Tomorrow we go to the Aloha Stadium swap meet and hike to a waterfall.

Hawaii Day 1 (Honolulu, HI): Aloha!

Today we headed back to Hawaii!

It was a pretty smooth travel day. Not a lot of hiccups or complications at all. Sometimes we arrive at the airport super early and lounge around the airport but this time we timed it just right.

This plane ride seemed a lot longer than normal but our itinerary said it was about a 5 hour flight... just like it always is. We also gained a few hours on the way out here so it felt like we had a whole day left. The first hotel that we're staying at is at the edge of everything that happens in Waikiki so a lot of our time was spent walking so there won't be much to report other than walking. It's warm and rainy here right now and I don't mind it at all.

After we unpacked at a leisurely pace we headed out to some of the mini markets that are placed in the alley ways around here and did some shopping. Not much has changed around here since we were here last. Somehow we ended up at the other end of town and the high end shops.

We went to one of our favorite spots out here for dinner, Marugame Udon. It looks like they added a few new things to the menu but I got the same thing that I always do. 

We have a few things planned but I'm not quite sure what we're actually going to do. I guess we'll find out at the same time.

We have an early day tomorrow so I'm probably going to head to bed early.