Went out to eat with the Osorios at a great Italian place called Sabrina’s. Shared two bottles of wine and got a little carried away with the ordering. Somehow, we couldn’t decide which dessert we wanted so ended up getting four out of five. The profiteroles came in a big pile and would have been enough!  So to add to the mix the proprietors ended up giving us the fifth dessert. Needless to say, we were more than stuffed.

The days have been flying by in a whirl of waves, reef, beaches, hiking, and local food. I’m so behind in this blog that I can’t quite remember the full story.

Mitch has been seeing all kinds of fish at Waikiki. Taking advantage of his prescription mask and snorkel, yesterday he found something he’s calling the Potato Head fish.

[Holding up a papaya he points to the top] “It’s got eyes right here on top and this big body and it’s got little excuses for fins on the side that looks like they’re good for nothing. Maybe the big head is its defense.” I didn’t draw this fish but here are some of the ones I did see.

 

Waikiki has really changed in the past 10 years. The Lewers side feels like Rodeo Drive with all those high end designer stores. Kinda nutso. It’s nice being on the Diamond Head side because it’s still got a little of that honky tonk feeling: old buildings, quieter streets. And of course, there are characters. I saw this Japanese lady on Ohua the other day. Man, she had this hair that just didn’t match–it was BIG and fluffy and red. I couldn’t get her image out of my mind.

For “First Friday” concert at the Art Museum this month, they had some of the Hawaiian Grammy nominees. Cyril Pahinui was there and Amy Hanaiali’i. Also Dennis Kamakahi, who I’ve never seen play before. He wrote some of my favorite Hawaiian songs, including Kokee and Wahine ‘Ilikea. And his middle name is Kahekilimamaoi-kalanikeha which you just gotta love. His rendition of Kokee, about one of my favorite places in the World, brought me to tears.