Hawaii Day 3 (Honolulu, HI): Workshop Day

Workshops were held at Kako'o Oiwi again this year. I spent most of the morning with the halau and headed out with one of the hula parents to get lunch and saw a couple of sights. 

Kako'o Oiwi is a non profit that's goal is to restore agricultural and ecological productivity through cultural, educational and ecosystem restoration programs. They grow crops like ʻulu (breadfruit), kalo (taro). They also mill poi, make kulolo, and steam luau leaves.

For lunch we grabbed food from the food court at the near by mall. My mom got beef luau Waiahole Poi Factory and I got garlic shrimp and steak at Blazin Steaks. It wasn't too bad for mall food. Nothing to write home about but good enough for a mention. 

While the halau was rehearsing we went out to the Nu‘uanu Pali look out. The Pali Lookout is where the Battle of Nuʻuanu happened King Kamehameha I won the battle and united Oʻahu under his rule. During the battle, many solders were shoved off of Pali’s cliffs.

Before everyone left the rehearsal site the halau's set up for the party tomorrow. Oh yeah, tomorrow we're going to a birthday party!

Hawaii Day 2 (Honolulu, HI): Bishop Mueseum

We're going to the Bishop Museum today!

We had most of the morning to ourselves so we went to the Forty Niner walk up counter for breakfast. There's 2 Forty-Niner restaurants out here, a stand alone walk up counter and a walk up counter at the Island Colony Hotel. The stand alone cafe has a full menu and the walk up counter has breakfast items and closes at 2pm. My mom and I split a loco moco and an uncle boy waffle. The loco moco was really good and the uncle boy waffle had bananas, berries, and macadamia nuts, a haupia sauce. The waffle was good too.

The Bishop Museum is Hawaii's museum of natural history, built by Charles Reed Bishop in honor of Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop. This museum was built on the original Kamehameha School that was built by Bernice Bishop for native Hawaiian children. This museum has one of the most extensive collections of Hawaiian books, periodicals, newspapers, scientific papers, genealogical records, and memorabilia. Some papers were written and donated by Hawaiian royalty and also has papers written by Bernice Bishop herself. The museum also houses an active entomology research facility, Pauahi Hall, which houses the third largest entomology collection in the nation and the eighth-largest in the world.

There's also a hands on science center on campus and right now there's an Aloha Bricks exhibit that features the people, places, plants, animals, and stories of Hawaii.

After the Bishop Museum we had dinner at Marugame Udon again, I went back to the room and my mom made lei and had rehearsal with the halau.

Tomorrow is a workshop day!

Hawaii Day 1 (Honolulu, HI): Aloha!

Today we headed back out to Hawaii. We arrived earlier than we normally do so we had a lot of time to explore. 
After we settled in we went straight to my mom's favorite spot on the island, Marugame Udon. It was just as good as it always was. Can't go wrong!

After we ate I feel like we walked every square inch of Waikiki. I even found a few streets that I haven't been down. Who would've thought I would've found something new after all these years?

Before we headed back we had to hit the beach so we went to the beach near Fort Durussy. Apparently my mom hasn't been that far down the beach before.

Tomorrow we head to one of my favorite museums, The Bishop Museum. Last time we went only two of the buildings were open. Hopefully I'll be able to explore the third building and have something interesting to report.  
 

Hawaii Day 9 (Honolulu, HI): The Last Day

Today was our last full day out here.

We started out with breakfast at the hotel and then we went out to the Aloha Stadium Swap Meet one last time.

After spending most of the morning at the swap meet we went to went back to the hotel to drop some things off and went back out to Maragume Udon.

We wondered around Waikiki for a bit after that and went to that hotel market again. It was the same as when we went a couple of days ago.

I feel like I’ve done a lot more running around this trip than I have on other trips out here. We didn’t do any museums, exploring or tours this time. Hopefully we can do more of those next time we’re out here.

Tomorrow we head back home.

This trip has been so much fun and I really enjoy every minute on the island.

Welp, it’s getting late and I still have to pack.

Until next time Hawaii,

A hui hou

Hawaii Day 8 (Honolulu, HI): A Fabric Supply Store, Costco, and Back to the Mall

Today we went to a fabric supply store near the Dole Cannery, Costco, China town and the Ala Moana Mall.

After breakfast at the hotel we headed out to Pearl City. Today’s breakfast was a lot better than yesterdays. Today they had actual food— bacon, eggs, pancakes and fruit. Yesterday it was just pre made jimmy dean sandwiches. Not a fan of those at all.

On our way to the fabric store we went to a high end thrift store. They had a lot of premium stuff there. Some of it was a bit over priced but it’s it was there and available. There’s another one of these second hand stores at the Ala Moana Mall.

Last year there was a cute, yappy dog named MoChiChi at the fabric store. She had the day off today. I didn’t have much interest in this store so there’s not much to report. My mom and her hula sister got a few things.

After the fabric store we went out to Costco. I wondered around for a bit and got a hot dog. Little did I know this hot dog would throw my eating schedule off for the rest of the day. There are a few snacks that are unique to Hawaii at this Costco but that’s about it.

There was a store that we was highly recommended to us but was closed last time we were in China town so back to China town we went. We didn’t spend much time here this time. I swear I’ve been up and down all of China town but I find a new street that I haven’t been to each time I go.

Before we headed back to the hotel we went back to the Ala Moana Mall. This time it was mostly to kill time but everyone was exhausted. We got some food at the Foodland here. Word on the street is they have the best poke on the island. It was pretty good.

It’s been quite a trip, tomorrow is our last full day before we go home

Hawaii Day 7 (Honolulu, HI): Don Quijote, Ala Moana Mall and a Night Market

After breakfast at the hotel we headed out to Don Quijote, Ala Moana Mall and a market at a hotel.

Don Quijote is one of our favorite spots out here. It’s a Japanese market with a catchy theme song. Look it up if you’re bored, thank me later. It’s a pretty big store with anything and everything Asian- food, toys, appliances, etc.

I spent so much time at Ala Moana the first time I came out here that I thought I could go the rest of my life without going there again. I was wrong. I made a few short stops into a few of the stores that turned into more than a few stops. Long story short I spent most of the day there with out knowing it. Welp… Back to the hotel we go.

After we got back we dropped off our stuff and headed out to a market at a hotel we stayed at a few times before. It was the same as every other time we’ve been here so there isn’t too much to report on that.


Tomorrow we’re heading out for more shopping.

Hawaii Day 6 (Honolulu, HI): Forty Niner Walk Up Counter, Kahala Mall and Marukai

Today we got breakfast at the forty niner walk up counter again. This time we got a loco moco. I really liked the patty.

We left one hotel for another, dropped our stuff off at our new hotel and headed out to Kahala Mall. My mom’s hula sister likes this mall better than the Ala Moana Mall. It’s a lot smaller, less crowded. I like Ala Moana better.

For lunch we went to Marukai. I think this grocery store is part of the same chain as Don Quijote. I feel like Marukai is focused more on the local market— simple, functional, no frills, and Don Quijote is focused more on the tourist market. It has a lot of the same products, design and signage. I even saw a couple of product bins with the Don Quijote penguin on it hidden away behind some shelves.

After we got back we unpacked at our new hotel, lounged around for a bit and headed out to the strip. On our way back we grabbed Marugame Udon for dinner. It’s one of our favorite spots out here.

I felt like I walked a lot today. Tomorrow we’re planning on doing more shopping.

Hawaii Day 5 (Honolulu, HI): The Polynesian Cultural Center, An Amazing Buffet and A Couple of Hula Festivals

We spent the day at the Polynesian Cultural Center for the Moanikeala festival today. 

Before we went to the center we went to the forty niner diner with the rest of the group. Not the actual diner but a walk up counter at one of the hotels near by. We got a big boy plate- three eggs, two scoops of fried rice, 2 bacons, 2 spams and 2 Portuguese sausages. It doesn't look like the full menu is available at the walk up counter, just the breakfast stuff.

Our halau is performing at the Polynesian Cultural Center later this afternoon. This place is huge and I could probably spend the whole day here but there wasn’t a lot going on when we got there. I walked past a lagoon show which was pretty cool. Each Polynesian Island has it’s on little section here. I spent some time wondering around and ended up heading to the Hawaii area to meet up with everyone else.

The Moanikeala festival celebrates Sally Moanikeala, The Polynesian Cultural Center’s first Kumu, with hula performances, live music, cultural demonstrations, poi tasting, hula lessons, and craft and food vendors.

After the performance we headed to the buffet at the center and it was amazing! There was so much food laid out. My favorite stations were the seafood station and the pork and beef station. I had so much poke, brisket and finished off with a dole whip. The garlic noodles were pretty good too!

After the buffet the halau participated in another hula festival at the Marriott Courtyard North Shore. The halau has performed here once before and it’s now turned into a festival. This year there were vendors in the pool area. This performance was a little more intimate than the performance at the center.

Today was the last day with the halau and a few of the haumana are leaving tomorrow morning. We’re staying a bit longer but moving to another hotel tomorrow.

Now that all the halau activities are over for the trip it’s all free time from here on out.

Hawaii Day 4 (Honolulu, HI): Set up, Party, Tear Down

Today we started out at the workshop venue to prepare for a party. It was super early and there was a lot of running around.

The party was a lot of fun but the set up and clean up was exhausting. There was good food and good music. I only get this stuff once a year, when we come out here. After clean up the haumana were supposed to have another rehearsal at the hotel but it was canceled.

I don’t have much more to report. Tomorrow the halau has a couple more performances.

Hawaii Day 3 (Honolulu, HI): Practice, Practice, Practice

Today was a workshop day so nothing really interesting happened for me. Today was focused on teaching, rehearsal and coordinating for the performances later on this trip. I mostly ran around to make sure everyone had everything they needed. I had a lot of down time but it was still exhausting. There was only one day of workshops this year an there were a lot more participants.

When we got back to the hotel the halau practiced for a bit before bed.

Today was exhausting! Tomorrow’s going to be another busy day

Hawaii Day 2 (Honolulu, HI): Aloha Stadium Swap Meet, A Memorial and Time At The Beach

Today started out at the Aloha Stadium Swap Meet. This is a must visit for us every time we come out here. We were there super early because we had early afternoon plans. A lot of the vendors weren’t set up yet and the swap meet staff were still setting up some of the stalls. It’s crazy how fast they set these up. It’s mostly gazebos and tables. They have a group that drives around in a utility van and drop off whatever the vendor requests and another group that follows and sets up almost as fast as the drop off happens. I hear the Stadium is going to be demolished and the swap meet is moving somewhere else. I have no idea when this is going to happen or where it's going to relocate to but I did get this information from TikTok and everone knows that everything on TikTok is true.

After the swap meet we were supposed to meet up for a memorial for a very close friend of the Halau but there was a little bit of trouble trying to establish a place and time to make it happen. While the parties involved were organizing we grabbed a quick lunch at ABC and met up with the rest of the group.

This was the first time I’ve attended a memorial like this and it was beautiful.

After the memorial we went to the beach so the haumana could make lei for the festival that they’re performing at later this trip. I was able to play in the water and relax for a bit.

We did a quick dinner before picking up one of the last members to arrive and headed back to the hotel so everyone could finish their lei.

Today was a very long day. Tomorrow is a workshop day for the the group. Workshop days are intense.

Hawaii Day 1 (Honolulu, HI): Aloha!

Today we arrived in Hawaii! This is the annual trip that I take with my mom's Halau every year, Normally my sister joins us but this year she didn't.

Today has been a smooth travel day like most of our other travel days. On our way to the airport we picked up one of my mom's hula sisters and we got some snacks at a Chinese bakery.

Once we landed we squeezed me and 4 other Halau members and all their oversized luggage in a mid size SUV. It was tough but we made it happen. We had luggage in places luggage shouldn't be. We were crammed in there so tight that if we were to get into a minor fender bender we'd all be ok because nobody was moving anywhere.

After we settled in we met up with the Halau members that were already here and headed to Liliha Bakery. The food here was pretty good. We stopped here a few times on a search for long johns-- the pastry, not the garment. This is the first time I've sat down and ate here.

Tomorrow's going to be a busy day so I went to the ABC Store, grabbed a poke bowl for breakfast, took a shower and went streight to bed.

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.