School's Out...

Only three more weeks of holiday left before Tammy and I are back to work in the Middle East.  We are trying not to waste any time in Hawaii, so there is plenty to post about.

We started the week hiking Koko Head with our cousins and taking a dip at Queen's Bath to cool off.  Koko Head is always a good gauge of how in/out of shape you are and I definitely failed the test.  Tammy beat all of us to the top by at least five minutes.  Also happy to report that even though the telephone pole at Queen's Bath is gone, someone has replaced it with a long board in the same place.  A little slick, but it does the trick.

I also took Tammy on a date to Eat the Street Kakaako.  I haven't been down to that area in a long time and it has really changed.  There is a growing art scene that is really exciting right now.  Walking from Ward towards Kakaako there are plenty of murals (and even some world famous street artists contributing) to liven up the industrial vibe.  

There was even a dragon dance at Eat the Street to entertain everyone.  They entered the beer tent and took turns enjoying some offerings from the bartender.  

Tammy, my mom, and I also managed to catch Kama'aina Day at the Honolulu Museum of Art.  They were featuring works by Ansel Adams and Georgia O'Keefe when they spent time in Hawaii.  The O'Keefe's were predictable and Adams admittedly struggled shooting here, but Tammy and I really enjoyed the Samurai exhibit currently showing.  Centuries old armor and swords are on display right now.  

There was also a small display of tihu in one of the corridors of the museum.  These are wooden dolls representing Hopi kachinas, supernatural beings that live in Arizona's San Francisco Mountains.  They are used for religious training to educate children about the 300+ kachinas that exist in Hopi culture.  

I also really dug these Indonesian theatrical masks.  

After the museum my mom introduced us to a raw restaurant in Honolulu called Greens & Vines.  Everything is vegan and delicious.  I was apprehensive about raw food, but their zucchini fettucini with cashew alfredo sauce made me a believer.  

When Tammy and I are in town we always try to catch First Fridays in Chinatown before we have to leave.  We made it down there a few days ago to see what's new in the local art scene.  My mom and dad joined us for dinner at Little Village Noodle House before walking around.  If you haven't been to the Noodle House, it is always packed and keep in mind it is BYOB.  While walking around, Tammy managed to catch a picture of these guys making fresh leis down at Maunakea Street Florist.  

Only three more weeks, but we are definitely going to make the most of it.  A kayak trip out to the Mokes, some more golf, and hiking trips are in the works.