North Shore Gloomday

Sunday January 30th.  This was chocolate day at the Farmers Market which meant that OnoPops was beefing up their chocolate selection.  I really hoped for something like dark chocolate gouda, something that Scoops on Heliotrope would do, but I ended up with mexican chocolate, and Joe got lilikoi 50/50.  I think they might be better than Viva Pops, but there isn't a watermelon cilantro lime pop.  OnoPops does have adorable little characters though, sort of like on the Otter Pops, but more detailed.

OnoPops at the North Shore Farmers Market

I feel as though it appears that we only eat frozen treats, but that truly is not the case.  Someday, I will prove it.  We did get some macadamia nut pesto,  asparagus and rosemary french bread at the market too.  This Sunday was gloomy and rainy.  Too rainy for the beach so we walked around town for a while.  It's strange, you forget that you are in the country, until a brood of chickens walks by.  

This week we decided to give Aoki's a try.  Basically shave ice is a big deal, especially on the North Shore.  Aoki's and Matsumoto's are the two big ones, but then everywhere else has it too.  I would venture that there are at least 15 places to get shave ice.  The rivalry stands between Aoki's and Matsumoto's (and then there is shave ice in town, but that's a whole other thing).  My take on it is this; Matsumoto's is the most popular, they have good shirt designs, lots of flavors and maybe a better location.  I think because of their popularity though, they aren't getting the perfect ice consistency.  (Is anybody still reading this?  I think I'm overly obsessed with shave ice.)  Aoki's makes their ice perfectly, but their flavors lack dimension and definition.  I got watermelon with pineapple, but I wouldn't have been able to tell what either flavor was if I hadn't ordered it.  Why is the pineapple blue?  Matsumoto's has way better flavors.  

Mango with Strawberry Cream and Pineapple with Watermelon.

Manoa Falls

Saturday January 29th.  Lately I've had a homesick feeling, and while I miss San Diego, much of the longing that I've felt has been for Utah.  I never felt at home when we lived there, but now when we go back there is the comfort of home, an embrace of the familiar.  Utah is absolutely beautiful in a way that I never expected to appreciate.  I had been to Park City and Salt Lake as a kid in the winter and those places are fine, but I've found that Southern Utah has me.  I've heard it said that when you go to national parks, you should go to Zion last, because after Zion nothing is ever as good.  I'll believe that.  All of this to say that I wonder if I will ever look back on this time in Hawaii with the same fondness of our time in Utah.  Will I have a deep need to hike these trails and absorb the land like I do in Utah?  I want to, so today we hiked.

This is a video that Joe made of a trip to Utah this time last year.

Manoa Falls Trail is a very easy hike, just a little bit muddy since it has been so rainy.  The trail is short, shady and gains very little elevation.  People run this trail for exercise.  This is a little of what they miss.  

The stream from off the trail head.

Moss growing on a log.

I hijacked a tour and asked the guide about these he said that they are weeds.  Disappointing.

Bamboo Forest.

Sun through the canopy.

Leaf bug.  (I think, anybody know what this is?)

The falls.

I think that this hike is more about the trail then the destination.  The fall is fine, a little lackluster for the amount of rain there has been.  The trail along the way is a tropical rainforest and is what makes the hike worth it.

Also, it's Chinese New Year.  Year of the rabbit, so we headed over to China Town and celebrated a little bit.  

Joe ate meat on a stick.

Somebody must have eaten these fried fish balls.

And these dragons danced so that we would feed them dollars.  

Just a few more photos from this week.

  

North Shore When Is There Going To Be Sun Day

Sunday January 23rd.  North Shore Sunday number three.  On the way out to Hale'iwa we stopped at a used furniture store and picked up a desk.  It needs a little bit of work, but soon it will be perfect, and right now, it's our only piece of furniture.  This week, we went back to Matsumoto's for Shave Ice and both decided to try a new flavor.  Raspberry is for sure my favorite flavor for shave ice.  Melon will not happen again and I'm not real sure about lilikoi either.  At least it isn't slimy like the fruit.  The green apple tasted like a jolly rancher and was a bit intense.

Raspberry, Melon, Lilikoi and Green Apple Lilikoi

1/23/11

We went to the farmers market.  Hawaii's answer to Viva Pops is the Ono Pop.  I would venture to say that Ono copied Viva, but who knows, maybe they both got the idea from someone else.  I haven't had one yet as I do believe that a popsicle and a shave ice is a little bit excessive within the same hour, but next week is chocolate appreciation week at the farmers market so I'm very excited to have my first Ono Pop.  Joe had strawberry goat cheese this week and was very happy with his choice, still ranting about it hours later.  

The new apartment

Some pictures of the new apartment, one illustrating why I can never go back to bed once I've gotten up in the morning.  

North Shore Move In Sunday

Sunday January 16th to Friday January 21st.

On Sunday we moved into our new apartment.  Easiest move ever and it only took two trips in my car.  I love my new home and feel so lucky to have it, but there have been a couple drawbacks.  First, no electricity until Wednesday.  Initially, not having electricity just feels a little bit like camping, but then you begin to realize everything that you are missing.  We couldn't cook, keep food cold, read after dark, or charge anything.  It was a lot like camping but without smores or a cooler.  There was a fire (just candles) and there is still a blow up mattress.  My wish list has turned from luxuries to necessities like a trash can, couch and working refrigerator.    

Being that we moved on a Sunday, once we were finished dropping off our things we headed off to the North Shore.  The weather turned gloomy as we approached.  We had coupons for shave ice at the Volcom store.  Their ice is a fantastic consistency, but their flavors lack authenticity.  

  

Lemon Watermelon and Strawberry Lemon

Hale'iwa

Sharks Cove

As we approached Waimea Bay the traffic got tight.  They waves were huge and there was speculation that the Eddie might happen.  It didn't happen, but people were still parked up and down the coast to get a glimpse of the waves.  As we left to go home, the rain started in and followed us all the way to the dark of our new apartment.  

A collection of photos from the week

Joe took most of these photos so check out his blog to see more and his view of the last week.

Good News Storm

Wednesday January 12th.  As we left the apartment to move the car the sky opened up and pelted us with warm rain.  We left the apartment completely dry and by the time that we got to the car we looked like this.

Joe needs a rain jacket.  We had to go back and change into dry clothes and wring our socks which had reached maximum capacity.  Notice though, happiness.  Why?  We got the apartment that we wanted!  It's a beautiful little apartment in Makiki with hardwood floors and a view of Diamond Head.  

We spent the night lounging by the pool, watching the lightning turn the black sky blue.  

The First Week

Friday January 7th to Sunday January 9th.  What do new residents to Hawaii do when they find themselves with ample time on a Friday night?  Well, they go to Puka Dog of course.  A Puka Dog is a Hawaiian hot dog, vegetarian or polish style, which uses a hollowed out mini bread loaf as a bun.  (Think Torpasta, but more tropical)  Toppings include the likes of pineapple relish, lilikoi mustard and garlic lemon sauce.  Overall evaluation, fair.

Joe at Puka Dog

In between searching for apartments on Saturday we found ourselves at Pali Lookout.  In 1795 King Kamehemeha I and his army, in an ultimately successful effort to unite the Hawaiian islands under one rule, trapped the defending army of Oahu up against these cliffs.  An epic battle ensued and many warriors fell to their deaths, their final view being this...

Pali Lookout

After the lookout we were both hungry.  We went to Zippy's, which is Hawaii's version of Denny's.  The menu is a quirky mix of Asian, American and strange. 

Lunch at Zippy's

As Saturday's typically do, this one gave way to Sunday, our first North Shore Sunday, an idea borrowed from the Mexico Gonzalez's Sayulita Sunday.  North Shore Sunday means shave ice.  This week from Matsumoto's.  I've been looking forward to this for years, literally.  

Raspberry, Cherry, Watermelon and Orange, Strawberry, Cherry

Going and Coming

Monday January 3rd to Thursday January 6th.  On Monday January 3rd we had dinner at Pizza Port with some friends.  It was a good time.  Sam cried.  It broke my heart a little.

Brandon, Becca, Joe and Emily

Aaron, Sam, Joe and Emily

Jose and Joe

We still had to finish packing which we barely did.  We went to bed at 5:30am and got up to go to the airport at 6:00am.  By 4:00pm we were in Honolulu, and after spending some time walking along the beach we were exhausted.  

The next day was spent looking for apartments (still looking) and exploring town.  I rode a bus for the first time.  The public transportation system on the island is very efficient and easy.  

Tomorrow we will be looking for a place to live, but Sunday is the first installment of North Shore Sunday.  I'm super excited!

 I like this plant

 The Bus

 We got my car

Olden Palace, A Food Restaurant

Last Night In Town

Monday January 3rd.  What we did in the last 26 weeks isn’t what mattered.  It wasn’t significant that we went to Mexico, countless dinners, or spent hours at work.  Camping, going to shows and spending time at the beach means little.  The things that made all of this important are the people that shared in it with us.  Relationships were formed and made stronger.  Sundays lasted a little longer.  The last of each time (for now) came closer and went just as quickly.

These people spent a cold last night of the year outside with us.

And then these ones danced.

Some played dominos.

I am confident that all of this is what matters.  Tonight, Pizza Port in OB, our last night in town.