Iroquois Point Beach

 

Dinner at Hokkaido Ramen Santouka in the Mitsuwa Japanese Market in the International Marketplace in Waikiki

 Sunset at the Salt Lake Target

and the view from the 7-Eleven while getting gas...

Walking around the old King's Village in Waikiki. Surprised to see it was practically empty...Man, I remember when it was just CRAMMED with people, it was a really happenin' place!!

Never forget my first time here- was on an elementary school field trip and me and my fellow students just ran LOOSE through the place, was like a magical kingdom!

Though in disrepair, you can still feel the magic of its heyday within the architecture of the place, the winding steps, secret passageways and multiple floors...

A nostalgia-filled visit!

A Trip To Eco Town

Just checked out the new reuse shop ECO TOWN (a subsidiary of a Japanese chain) over the weekend, and what an interesting visit it was! With shelves full of preowned electronics, cookware, toys, DVDs, collectibles and more, it was fun browsing around to see what goodies lay in store...

My musician friend Jason discovered it because of Eco Town's huge section of collectible guitars, but when he saw all the other things the store offered, told me I'd enjoy checking it out and he was right!

He spent the trip looking over the guitars and equipment, but I stayed most of the time in the Record , CD and DVD section. Lots of old alums there, and i was surprised to find lot of Japanese LPs, including a HUGE collection of old PINK LADY records that someone gave up! I told Jas, "I gotta take a pic of this!" so he held 'em in place for me, but even after I took the picture I found a few more under the bottom shelf!

At a mere three dollars I should have picked a few of them up, but decided to hold out for some Momoe Yamaguchi, LOL! I DID end up picking up an old keyboard for my older mac as I spilled honey chamomile tea all over my last one. Gotta visit this place again soon!

Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com

Hakubundo Is Alive and Well At Pearlridge

If you recall, I mentioned a few months back that a Hakubundo was going to open up at Pearlridge "Uptown", and during this weekend's visit I was happy to see the shop was open and ready for business!

The original Hakubundo back when it was in the Chinese Cultural Plaza had whole bunch of Japanese related goods: Books, CDs, Singles, Videos, Laserdiscs, Magazines, Stationary, and Cultural Items, but over time they've cut back most of the stuff. When they moved to Ward Warehouse, they got rid of the CDs and Videos, and this latest move has eliminated the magazines as well.Today the shop serves mostly as a stationary store, books, origami, pens, stamps and stickers.
Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com

That weird bird always hanging out at the end of the Ala Wai Canal

 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!