On a whim I decided to walk the entire length of the Nimitz Underpass by the Airport, starting from Valkenburgh. Didn’t think it would take that much time, but that stretch is deceptively long, and by the time I got to the end at Lagoon Drive, the sun was going down!
As the shadows got dark, the Aloha KIA took on a foreboding tone and even the inflatable tube man at JN Auto looked ominously menacing….

I realized I’d better grab the next bus that came so I could get outta there!

Here's a classic: Upstairs at the old UPSTART CROW & CO. Bookstore in Ward Warehouse! The Sci-Fi /Fantasy Section was there so we spent a lot of time there!

Hakabundo Making New Ground

Ever since Shirokiya's closed its doors on so many years ago at its' "Uptown" Phase, Pearlridge Shopping Center has been severely lacking in any stores selling Japanese goods, so it was great to see during my last visit, that a Hakabundo will be opening up there!
With Goma Tei Ramen Restaurant downstairs and Genki Sushi across the way, it looks like this end of Pearlridge will be a real "Nihongo" avenue!
Once upon a time, there was but one Hakabundo (located in the Chinese Cultural Plaza) and it's pretty exciting to know that there will be at least THREE outlets in the coming months! (Well, three until the one in Ward Warehouse closes, anyway!)

Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com

 Sand Island Beach at Dusk with showers approaching

Cafe in the Contemporary Museum (Honolulu Museum of Art Spalding House)

My friend Cassie says: "The thing that makes sunsets look good is the clouds". 

Dunno if that's true, but this spectacular view up at Tantalus Lookout makes a good case!

Eliot checking out the Koi Pond at Ala Moana Shopping Center

So many different Sushi choices you could choose from...But Alina knows what she wants...(the cupcake, of course, LOL)

At the old Kapahulu Genki Sushi before the move across the street.

The Old Harry's Music Store in Kaimuki

Book Off's New Home Update

Though I reported awhile ago that it seemed like most of Shirokiya's Book Off inventory went to a new home at Ward Warehouse, I DID notice that the new store was strangely void of the Japanese related Books, Movies and CDs that used to be sold in the back part of Book Off:

The "Japanese" Section of Book Off

Well, come to find out, THAT part of Book Off has found a new home of its own for now, and it is in the back corner of the town Don Quijote just past the Central Pacific Bank kiosk!

Kind of cool to see this location selling J-pop CDs and such since once upon a time it was the town Daiei where I purchased many of my childhood tokusatsu stuff, Kikaider, Kamen Rider and even Robocon! Almost like a link back in time!

Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com

Shirokiya’s Restaurant Town Food Court Opens!

Went to Shirokiya’s new “Japan Village Walk” in Ala Moana Shopping Center along with my friends and half the entire island population or at least it SEEMED that way! The Restaurant village had its Grand Opening this weekend and the air was full of excitement with giveaways and lots of loud taiko-drum infused entertainment as the masses perused the new shops and stores!

The new place seems to have it all: restaurants from Japanese to Vietnamese to traditional and even American stuff of the Cheeseburger variety, Bakeries and pastry shops and even gift stores welling Japanese wares that reminded me not a little of good old Iida’s back in the day!

One of the perks of dropping in on opening day was that they were giving out free gifts for the first 12,000 visitors: cute little amulets with your “Guardian Spirit” animal which you received and then were invited to read up on what your character meant in the neighboring exhibit!

And after spending the day having lunch and drinks, we couldn’t leave without topping it off with an assortment of those famous Hello Kitty Waffles for dessert! Mmmm...Got the custard, chocolate and regular ones, maybe next time we’ll get the Cream Cheese, Strawberry and Red Bean ones!

So much to see and I’m still not sure we saw all of it- we kept walking past alleys that we’d missed in the initial walkabout, but we’ll definitely be coming back for more! I gotta say, when we first showed up, the line to get in was so long and had snaked from Shirokiya around the corner and almost all the way back to Old Navy, and I thought we'd perhaps made a mistake coming so early, but one inside it was all worth it!
Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com

The old Shirokiya Food Court, before the move to the new Village Walk

Book Off’s New Home

A few months back I mentioned that the “media” side of Shirokiya “Book-Off” had relocated to Ward Warehouse under the name “Connect”…Well, I happened to stride on by this weekend, and I found that since Shirokiya’s big move to the Food Court Side of Ala Moana Shopping Center, The Ward Connect had officially become a Book Off, complete with signage and banners! Very Cool! Time to shop for some movies!

Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com