The Big Job Update!

We have had a couple of much needed minor miracles happen to us in the last week.  First of all, after over a year of prolonged unemployment  I have been offered a job!  It is with a non-profit company here in Oahu which services the homeless by helping them find employment and housing.  It is miraculous primarily because I finally have a job, but also because it has been a long time dream of mine to work toward helping the homeless in some way. 

The second big news, because I need transportation for a job which requires me to make monthly visits all over the island, is that we finally have our own car!  After nearly three months without one, I cannot tell you the amazing feeling of freedom we have from once again owning our own car.  We are now the proud owners of a Honda Fit Sport model, a car I had been thinking of buying ever since it came out.

Oh yes, ours is purple (blackberry pearl), just like this one!

Our previous car, the one we had to give up, was a Scion XB.  I enjoyed this car primarily for its larger size and fun styling.  But the clunk XB could never beat a Honda in a road test.  This Fit practically jumps off the line and begs to be driven!  It's handing is superb, and it is extremely fun to drive.  Not to mention that it has a funky style all its own.  And hey, it's a Honda!  Is there any better economy car on the road these days?  Not really.

Truth be told, when it comes to buying a car I am extremely anal.  I spent hours and hours online, like I always do, comparing prices and reviews.  I looked at similar sized cars like the Kia Soul, the Scion XD, the Ford Fiesta and the Nissan Cube.  The Fit is by far the most expensive car in it's class, but it has extremely good reliability ratings--the kind the others simply cannot touch.  It is built to last.  Like I said before, it's a Honda.

Anyway, it has definitely been a week of big changes and good news for us!  Something we have needed to happen for quite a long time now.

Window Painting

So I did my very first window painting ever for the family health food store.  I tried to do my best with an unfamiliar medium on an unfamiliar surface, but of course I always think that I could have done better:

We are working on turning the front of the store into a tea shop with tables and chairs.  This is the the mural that greats you.  For locals, the store is located at 1541 Beretania St, corner of Beretania and Kalakaua, just east of the Foodland.  Lot's of great herbal and flavored teas as well as natural ingredient pastries, yum!

Come visit us at House of Health!!

Week 11: visit to Dole Plantation

The maze at Dole Plantation, tauted as the largest in the world.

Another weekend, another long day entertaining our resident five year old.  Since we moved to Oahu about 11 weeks ago, LK had been asking to visit the Dole Plantation.  He loves to run through the maze which has  eight locations to find where you rub a small picture onto a card.  Fortunately, they give you a small map.  Thus, it doesn't turn into an all day affair.  Truth is, this time it was pretty hot, and I wanted to get out of the maze as quickly as possible. 

Besides, there are plenty of other fun things to see and do.  The train ride for one.  This was our first time, and we did it after lunch when LK was pretty well tuckered out from running the maze.

It takes you on a short tour of the pineapple fields.  The most striking part of the tour is when you reach the edge of the property beyond which lies pristine Hawaiian wilderness.  Absolutely breathtaking.  Unfortunately I did not think to take a picture...

But before the train ride, we stopped for lunch--which was surprisingly awesome.

Don't let the plastic tray fool you, this teriyaki chicken was the bomb.  Very tender, very subtle.  I hate teriyaki that is sickeningly sweet, and this was just right in balancing smokey with sweet.  And the portion was way more than enough for both LK and me!  Who knew you could find such great stuff in a plantation store cafeteria.  I love when something totally surprises you like that.

For me, the most interesting aspect of our visit was the small garden showcasing various types of pineapple.  The kind we all eat (the kind made popular by Dole) is called the cayenne variety.  Sort of funny if you know anything about peppers, but of course the pineapple and the pepper are in no way related.  Anyway, it turns out there are a number of varieties of the fruit.  I did not have the patience (or rather LK did not have the patience) to write all of their names down, but here are a few I took pictures of growing in the garden.

I am pretty sure the last is the standard cayenne, but if anyone has any idea what the first two are I would really appreciate the info!

Lappert's Ice Cream---taste of the islands in a cone!

Kauai pie--one of the most awesome ice cream flavors ever!

Just for a moment please indulge me and let me talk one of my favorite things--ice cream!  Hawaii happens to be the home of one my favorite premium hand made ice cream makers (ice cream you can pretty much only get in Hawaii), Lappert's.  As you can see above, my favorite Lappert's flavor is Kauai pie.  It consists of  Kona coffee ice cream, toasted coconut, chocolate fudge, and toasted macadamia nuts.

Pure heavenly mana!  With flavors like Heavenly Hana, Big Island Inspiration, Auntie Lilikoi's Passion Fruit, Luau Delight, Kona Lava Java, Maui Mango Madness, and Mauna Kea's Secret it's easy to see that Lappert's gets great inspiration from their island home.


Hanapepe Kauai, site of the very first Lappert's ice cream shop.



I first tried Lappert's in 1997 on my second honeymoon to Kauai.  The above unassuming shop was sort of an afterthough as we were making our way from one side of the island to the other.  Little did we know the deliciousness we would find behind those doors.  For the rest of our trip, we eagerly sought out Lappert's where ever we went.  Sadly, we would find after our trip that there was no way to get it on the mainland.  Thankfully we can now get it anytime we want!

Lappert's was created in 1983 in Kauai when Walter and Mary Lappert decided to take a leap of faith and bring premium ice cream to Hawaii.  They started with vanilla and macadamia nut, eventually expanding to over 200 flavors.  In 1986, after building a roasting room in the back of their ice cream shop, they added coffee to the menu.  Bakery items were also added, turning Lappert's into a Hawaiian institution.

I do love ice cream, but I am extremely picky in the type of ice cream I will eat.  Sorry folks, but corporate junk like Baskin Robbins just doesn't cut it for me.  In Southern California, we have very few hand made premium ice cream shops.  Among the most outstanding for me was a tiny shop in Upland called Handel's.  It was a great place to get a scoop, especially on dollar scoop night.  But let me tell you, as good as Handel's might be, it does not hold a candle (bad pun) to Lappert's.

Week 10: a lil' back ground info

The two biggest questions I get these days are 1) Where are you from? and 2) Why did you move to Hawaii?

Both my wife and I were born and raised in California.  I lived, was educated and worked there for the first 40 years of my life.  In fact, I worked constantly at some sort of job since I was about 15 years old.  My jobs were extremely diverse:  food server, delivery driver, retail manager, substitute teacher, security guard, janitor, counselor, case manager.  The longest I have ever worked at one job site was approximately four years. 

My 25 year work streak unceremoniously came to an idea when I lost my most recent job.  After a year of fruitlessly searching for a new one, my family and I were forced to make a difficult decision.  It seemed one of the primary reasons for my inability to find a new job in California was the ever burgeoning unemployment problem.  Statistically, California is 3-4 percent higher in unemployment than the national average.  It is double the percentage of states like Hawaii.  Because of California's relatively high population, these percentage differences translate to competition in the millions as opposed to the thousands in a state like Hawaii.  Of course, a state like Hawaii has less jobs to offer, but competition in the thousands instead of millions translates to a much higher probability of finding work in Hawaii.  And so we chose to try to find work here.

It definitely helps that Hawaii is one of the states where we have family.  My parents semi-retired here 12 years ago.  My father recently retired from work completely.  And my mother, who runs a small business, often contemplates joining him.  One of the conditions of residing with them has been for me to help her run her small business.  We are also fully aware of the reality that they eventually will need some sort of assistance as they grow into old age.  Another reason for us to come here.

I continue always to search for jobs and to attend interviews.  I am also seriously contemplating, but deeply dreading, a return to academic life.  My field is mental health, which has taken a severe hit during this seemingly endless recession. 

There you have it.  A little background info on my situation.  I am here partly to work on rebuilding my life, and partly to contribute to the well-being of my aging parents.  There is much at stake in my being here.  Primarily the welfare of my own family and my future work situation.  I am open to what may come, but also quite anxious about what I might find.

Waikiki Aquarium and Honolulu Zoo Pix

Some great pictures we recently took at the Waikiki Aquarium and the Honolulu Zoo:

Jellyfish are LK's absolute favorite.  He eagerly seeks them out whenever we are anywhere near the Ala Wai canal.

Yes, LK got to see Nemo!  Sometimes called a clownfish.

Pufferfish, another LK favorite.

No idea what this guy is called, but he looks AWESOME!  All purple with tiny neon orange fangs sticking out of his mouth.

Who doesn't like the ringtailed lemurs?



I don't remember this guy's name, relative of the crocodile obviously.

Nene, state bird of Hawaii.



Local Restaurant Review: an OUTSTANDING burger joint!

If you have never had it, believe me when I tell you that it is worth the trip to California just to try this most heavenly of delights--the In-n-Out double double animal style (cue the Hallelujah chorus).

I have a confession to make...  My name is Coconut Dave and I am a foodie...  So much so, that if I allowed myself to eat all of the food I wanted all of the time (instead of limiting it to the food I need when I am hungry) I could easy weigh 700 pounds right now.  I LOVE food!  And I especially love great fast food.

I know my SoCal peeps can totally feel me when I say that one of the most difficult things for me to leave behind was my beloved In-n-Out...  Up until the very last day, I was trying to find ways to sneak a double double animal style before I had to say good-bye.  I have to tell you, I had no real hopes of ever finding anything that comes close to the awesome deliciousness of that singular burger. 

Well, I am here to tell you that I may not have found a replacement but I have found something that is definitely just as good.  Do not get me wrong, I am more surprised than anyone by this glorious happenstance. 

Teddy's Bigger Burger is not only an incredible burger but also a great dining experience.  The choices are numerous and all extremely appealing.  (Unfortunately I was disappointed to find that they no longer carried jalapeno poppers--one of my favorite heart attack snacks.  But it's hard to be upset when there are so many other fabulous options to be enjoyed.)

Teddy's Bigger Burger:  This is not the bacado burger, but this one looks damn good too!

For my first visit, I opted for the bacado burger--a burger patty with cheddar cheese, avacado and bacon; with all the fixin's of course.  Not only do the burgers come in three sizes, but they pile on the toppings!  I had so much sliced avacodo on my burger that it was falling out all over the places.  The secret sauces is very good too, although too much of it might make a burger a bit too sweat.  Fresh lettuce and tomato.  Onions grilled or not.  I usually forsake onions, but these are sliced so thin that you hardly notice they are there.  They simply add to the flavors as opposed to overwhelming them.  It's topped with a nice bun that is just the right consistency.  And the burger patty, you ask...  Oh man, how do I put this?...?  It literally tastes like that best backyard barbecue burger that you remember from way back when that you always thought you would never ever get to have again.  I have no idea how they do it, but that really is the only way to describe it.  Purely amazing indeed. 

I could go on and on with the choices.  They have grilled chicken is three flavors.  They serve a fish sandwich.  You can get any of the proteins on a giant salad.  The onion rings are fantastic, as well as the fries.  They have all these sandwich combinations that I just can't wait to try.  All in all, hands down one of THE best burgers I have ever eaten.  I will be returning to try some more of these great choices.

A flower I just HAD to share...

Absolutely amazing hibiscus flower growing outside the Denny's in Waikiki.  You just never know what you will find around here...

Weeks 8 & 9: a long couple of weeks! (and the search for decent Hawaiian shirts...)

Well, it's been a couple of week since I have written--with good reason.  We have all been extremely busy here on the island.  LK (Lil Kahuna--our beloved five year old) has just learned to read several words, and we couldn't be prouder.  He had intersession this past week, which means he was home from school.  The bulk of my spare time has been spent entertaining him with trips to the library, zoo, aquarium, and feeding the fishies in Ala Wai canal. 

As for me, I still do not have a full time job.  I continue to work in the family store several days a week while attending numerous interviews at everything from the a gig housing the homeless to working for the humane society.  HH (Hula Honey) has also been on a bunch of interviews for school jobs.  Needless to say, we are both eagerly awaiting word of the outcome of said interviews. 

We've also done a lot of fun stuff!

A couple of weekends ago, we happened to catch a special ceremony honoring Gandhi on his birthday.  It was inspiring to hear local spiritual leaders from just about every imaginable religion speak about how Gandhi has effected their lives and work.  The best part for LK were the lion dancers.

Lion dancer soliciting tips.

Basically, it is two or three people manipulating a large, beautiful puppet.  They dance around the audience tickling you with their mouths and eyelashes in the hopes of generating tips.  I am not sure of the significance of the dance or how it relates to Gandhi, but maybe one day I will have the time to do some research to find out.  If any readers know, I would very much appreciate you giving us all an education in the comments section.

And last weekend, there was this huge children and family celebration in downtown Honolulu.  A few dozen organizations had booths where they hosted games with free prizes for kids.  I can't stress this enough (namely because I come from California where EVERYTHING cost money, and a lot of money at that) the whole thing was pretty much free!  Well, not the food--but at least that was cheap.  The most notable attraction was where they allowed children to decorate their own pumpkins (something LK the little artist thoroughly enjoyed.)

LK's pumpkin.

There was also a McDonald's tent (another LK favorite) were they gave away toys and apple dippers.  And kids could have their picture taken with the man himself.

LK and HH with ol' Ronald McDonald (I am not much of a fan, but he had LK cracking up so he gets a big thumbs up from me.)

I could go on with more and more activities, but I wouldn't want to bore anyone.  I thought I would end with a uniquely Hawaiian problem:  Hawaiian shirts as business attire.

Back in college days, in other words pre-history, my buddies and I use to try to outdo each other with severely ostentatious Hawaiian shirts.  The only rule was:  the gaudier and more outlandish, the better.  I recall, rather embarrassingly, wearing a shirt with half naked girls, and another with assorted multi-color cocktails.  Let's just say that both of them made me look like a big idiot. 

After I was married, and partly because of my wife's interest in all things Hawaiian, Hawaiian shirts became a staple in my wardrobe.  I had dozens in just about every color and fabric you can imagine.  Then, one day, for no real reason, I completely stopped wearing Hawaiian shirts.  Maybe I got bored of being stared at in that funny way that says:  "why is that dude wearing a Hawaiian shirt?"  I didn't really wear a Hawaiian shirt for about ten years. 

Well, next thing I know, I am living in Hawaii where just about everyone wears them at one time or another.  In fact, a decent Hawaiian shirt with slacks is considered acceptable business attire in most situations.  So, here I am stuck with having to buy a bunch of new Hawaiian shirts...

Lucky for me, there are more brands and styles then ever before.  And I no longer have to settle for naked hula girls or neon flowers. 

In my search I have whittled my favorite brands down to Hilo Hattie (which can sometimes be decent but are usually somewhat touristy and overpriced), Quicksilver (which seem to be consistently good), Kahala (which seem to be often very good, and sometimes like "what?") and Tori Richards (which are excellent but WAY overpriced).

Here's the one Kahala shirt I bought:

Algae green with moorish idol print.

And here are a few of the Quicksilver shirts:

I have two like this;  the other is in light browns and blues.

I'm told this is a Tahitian pattern.

This seemed to be everyone's favorite.  Sort of a leaf or feather pattern.

The good news is,  A) I can get Hawaiian shirts that are not ugly!  B) That I have narrowed down my choice of brands; this way when I need more I know exactly where to go and don't have to waste my time searching searching searching.

Aloha for now from paradise!