Hawaii in pictures

So got back last week from Jessica's wedding in Hawaii along with a a few extra vaca days that I took to hang with friends and family. And let me tell you, I need another week off! It was SO hard coming back and getting back into my old routine. I think I nodded off at work every day last week. In addition to just feeling tired all the time, I was just overcome with a feeling of laziness and lack of motivation to do anything. Sigh. Well, time to snap out of it! And time to get back to reality. (oh, and it's time to get back to running and eating well... Hawaii, as always, was a eat-or-be-eaten gorge fest!)

Here's another installment of Hawaii in Pictures. Enjoy!
oh, ps. hover over the images for captions. =)

Holes and Sandcastles

Kathy's family got a beach house the week after Christmas at Bellows Beach Park... Another perfect Hawaii day. Live Aloha.
We frolicked in the water (we were forced to toss around a football...!!!) and like any kid who's at the beach, tried to dig a big hole. When we got tired and couldn't get very deep, we decided to build up the walls and ended up with this Gothic masterpiece! (AND it was TOTALLY the envy of all the kids who only had stupid holes!)

for scale!

They were all totally jealous! you can even see them trying to make one of their very own.

many tired but no one succeeded!!!

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Happy New Year!

The firecracker were hung from the ladders with care...

For anyone who grew up in Hawaii, fireworks and firecrakers are a necessary part of New Year's Eve. In addition to the family garage parties and kids running around playing with fire, everyone sets up their own version of the contraption pictured above in their front yard from which to hang a long string of firecracker to light at midnight.

You had to be there in person!

Kaneohe looks to be extra smokey tonight since according to the ladies at Long's "dis is all we got lef dis year... we almost sold out! And we had some of da extras from da Waianae store sent ova!" And so much for the "illegal ban of aerials"... da sky was lit!

Some things just don't photograph well...

Although there's nothing "traditionally New Years" about tempura, that is what my dad made us for our annual family meal... SO delicious! and with veggies fresh from my brother's garden!

And later that night, we made sushi for the party that would be at our house the next day. And after the last strand of firecrackers were lit, we all returned to the kitchen to eat soba... fist meal of the year = noodles = long life! let's hope it works! la heim!

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Last lunch of the year

I think I might have posted about these before, but it's worth mentioning again. Chewy black Korean noodles in an icy broth with a side of kalbi... SO good!

The company was good too... Taryn joined but Lauren ditched us for Maui... Whatever, Lauren!
Yu Chun on Kapiolani, next to Mckinley Car Wash.

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Mmmm, malasadas!

A fried doughnut like no other! From Leonard's Bakery on Kapahulu Ave or from one of their many mobile malasadas trucks. Thankfully, one such truck parks at Windward Mall, near my house in Kaneohe, almost daily! I've searched for these gems from the gods in LA with no luck... But today heard a rumor the King's Hawaiian Bakery in Gardena has them on the weekends?!?
And introducing malasadas with li hing powder! They were pretty good! And apparently there is a new version made from taro that's purple on the inside and supposedly broke-da-mouth (aka delicious). I'm on the lookout!

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Kaneohe Christmas

Merry Christmas!
Here's our tree on Xmas eve with more presents than we've seen under it in years. I think it's because my bro and his new wife are spending the night and brought their gifts here to open together in the morning. He was up a 7:30 and like always did his best to ensure we were all up shortly thereafter. lots of loot! And Santa was good to all of us.
Here's our traditional Christmas morning brunch! My mom makes my grandma's recipie for "David Eyre's pancakes" (like moist pop-overs) eaten with syrup! (I prefer the coconut and passion fruit syrups, myslef.) And we had an array of fried breakfast meats - lil smokies, spam and 3 kinds of Portuguese sausage (regular, pineapple filled, and kim chee filled) yum! Now I'm ready for a nap!!

Hope you all are having a wonderful holiday!

Christmas Eve Hawaiian Style

The ulua head is defrosting in th kitchen sink (it will be grilled and the meat in the cheeks and the kama, neck area, is wonderful!) and so is the meat from costco (for tataki - seared rare beef).

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Finally heading home, quietly.

I was expecting mass chaos, but after an easy breezy check-in (where I'm convinced some of the angriest people in Lax are yelling and haggling with the agents cuz thier bags a too heavy... Don't you know to be nice to them and they usually let it slide? Be an ass and then your at their mercy) no line at the security check where I had to tear my goods off since there wasn't even waiting time to undo shoe laces, I strolled in a nearly silent terminal to get my dirty airport treat - mcdonalds.
So I'm totally hours early chowing down and da da da da da I'm lovin' it.
I even had time to order some soft tacos at Baja Fresh where this lady felt the need to order her's en gringo espanol... I was so embarrassed for her.
Ole mamasita.

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I've got a ticket to ride... Away

Well more like Flyaway.
So my secert parking spot that had day rates of only $6 is apparently no secret any more... They were all booked up for the holidays so I'm trying something new! Just recently in service is the LAX Flyaway bus from Irvine train staion (near the Irvine Spectrum Center). Its a meer 20 min from my house, which I cut close for my own good this time, and only $25 one way. I thought it was going to be jammed but there are only 4 people on this huge boat of a bus. AC, free Wifi... And yes your forced into their schedule, but so very convenient otherwise. It be PERFECT if only I didn't have to pee. 60 min and counting, more like holding.

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3660 on the Rise

If you asked me what I would like to eat for my last meal on earth, it would likely include the New York Steak Alaea from 3660 on the Rise in Honolulu, Hawaii. The menu describes it as "pan fried with butter, garlic, and sea salt," but in reality, it is so much more. The steak itself has a crispy salty and peppery crust, but is tender and juicy inside. There are no superfluous sauces (a good steak doesn't need sauce) to muck up the flavor of the meat and it is perfectly seasoned through and through. And, it is served with deep fried shoestring onions on top - which are perfect to soak up the excess steak juices and also to give a good bit of crunch with each bite of steak. Seriously, one of my favorite steaks on Earth!

tropical drink melting in your hand...

aaah! (excuse my hobbit feet and the poor cel phone cam)

Oh, hello dear friend. You are seriously the mst beautiful beach I've ever seen! Fine white sand, warm crystal blue water... you are the stuff dreams are made of.

Lanikai, Oahu

“maybe we can sleep in, i'll make you banana pancakes…”

breakfast of champions!

Many thanks to Yuki and Kumi for reminding us of Boots and Kimo’s Home Style Kitchen.

Our friends from Japan listed this local treat on their to-dos while visiting Hawaii. Tucked away on a small street in Kailua and decked out in sports memorabilia, one would never have guessed that it's home to one of best breakfasts... ever. Banana Pancakes with Macadamia Nut Sauce, Maui Portuguese Sausage Omelet, and a side of Polehu Ribs? Heaven. The pancakes are fluffy and moist and the sauce is a creamy sweet goodness (that my cousin suspects has melted vanilla ice cream as its base. Maybe?). The omelet was well packed with the spicy sausage, but the hash browns looked to be frozen Ore-Ida. But, that’s my bad since other than my family, what locals don't order rice? The morning we went there was a power outage, but despite a short wait, the staff made sure that we and the line that had gathered were well taken care of. And we were told that come fall, they would be moving to a bigger location a few blocks away. Go small business!

Boots and Kimo's Homestyle Kitchen
119 Kekili St.
Kailua, HI, (808)236-7929