Waikiki Swimming Along

"To see what is in front of one's nose needs a constant struggle." - George Orwell

"With the gift of listening comes the gift of healing."
- Catherine de Hueck

"Do not be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experience."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

(click on photos to enlarge!)

Walking in Waikiki. . . “Kitty Takes a Dip”
Our third mate, Miss Kitty, is very adept at boat life and usually leaps to the dock with all the aplomb of a life-long sailor. But something must have gone terribly wrong the other day. Perhaps a juicy bird or captivating fish distracted her at just the crucial moment, a sudden breeze, or a feline brainfart. . . I’ll never know for sure, but from below decks I could hear the pitiful, guttural yowling of a deeply discomfited kitty! There on the shore rocks sat a VERY bedraggled and miserable creature resembling a water rat. I wanted to rinse the muck and who-knows-what out of her fur before she could ingest it with that busy little tongue of hers, but she must have thought I was trying to finish her off when I rinsed her in warm water. Being swaddled in a towel, rubbed, loved-up, and spoken to reassuringly was more to her taste, and she endured an unprecedented amount of it. In fact she didn’t leave my side for the rest of the day and night, though I’m proud to report that she is back to her old flair acrobatics. She does continue to spend more time with me than she used to, but I guess she’s simply learned a new appreciation for a warm lap in this sometimes wet and yucky world. . . A tip or two for human swimmers: For the past 20 years, Waikiki has seen a regular influx of jellyfish 10 days AFTER the full moon. So if you are planning a water-sports vacation here you may want to take this into consideration; of course, I like to dip a toe in the surf. . . and then lie in the shade of a palm tree (of which the neighboring lagoon has several wonderful examples). . . Ah the moon! There may be moon over Miami, honeymoons, and moon pies, but there is NO moon like the moon sailing over Waikiki! See for yourself. There’s another trip planning tip: be here for the whole lunar pie-in-the-sky if you can; you may decide to stay for the next one, and the next one, and. . . The Beach Walk project on Lewers Street has a new, classy Italian restaurant at the corner of Don Ho lane. I love Italian food, but can’t help comparing new places with the authentic South Philly parlors of my youth. Being taken to Dante & Luigi’s on it’s narrow city street, with it’s hundred year old waiters, and that unforgettable scent of red tomato “gravy” that has been percolating in the same seasoned pots for decades, was an authentic experience that newer places will simply take time to develop. I wish them Buena Fortuna! And speaking of Don Ho, local funny man Andy Bumatai tells about the time he and Don were driving down Kalakaua, when Don leaned over and tooted Andy’s car horn at a red light. The driver ahead of them climbed down from his giant pickup looking furious and walked back to their car. He was all ready to “beef” until he saw Mr. Waikiki in the passenger’s seat! “Hey Brah, that’s a ‘howzit horn’ no need to get all huhu about it!” said Don, in that unique ultra-relaxed way that he had. Needless to say, the guy was “shame” but he walked back to his truck with a great story to tell about the day Don Ho tooted “howzit” at him. . . “Honolulu” literally means: “Sheltered Bay.” The old folks say that we should call our town “Honolulu Town” or we’re just referring to the downtown harbor itself. OK! Honolulu Town it is. And remember: Manoa, Mo`ili`ili, and Kaimuki were all little towns of their own before the incorporation of the City and County of Honolulu. Today’s C&C covers not only the entire isle of O`ahu, but some surrounding islands and waters, making mayor Mufi the leader of quite a little empire. Take that mayor Bloomberg! (New York City). . . Walking in Waikiki, I feel as if I’m on the visitors’ turf, but when I stroll the other direction to Ala Moana Shopping Center, I feel that the visitors are on our turf (and they are most welcome!) Best international people watching in the world, they should charge admission. Here’s a secret: if you crave a quick, affordable lunch in Japan, simply ascend to the second floor of our own (now locally owned) Shirokiya Japanese-style Department Store. There you will find a delightful confusion of traditional Japanese prepared foods like you might buy and eat on the streets on Tokyo or Osaka. New visiting vendors celebrating regions or seasons rotate through all the time, so check it out. . . Ah! That snap in the air, the hint of Alaska snow in the trade winds, sleeping with a light blanket (and without “below decks sweat”) the hot weather is finally and truly passed. Now comes the good stuff! The hot fudge sundae of cool breezy temps and warm, healing sun that kicks Waikiki a few levels up the heavenly scale are just beginning for "the season." Soon the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center will complete its major re-imagining, complementing and adjoining Beach Walk. The former cement bunker between Kalakaua Avenue and the beach has been opened up and modernized. A festival of Hawaiian culture and entertainment is unfolding, i8ncluding todays 177th birthday for a princess! (Pictures tomorrow, OK?) Even the venerable pink lady, The Royal Hawaiian Hotel, is so impressed that she will turn around and place her grand entrance to meet the party when she completes her renovations, and has her grand reopening in just a few days. Instead of cement and shop windows we now see palm groves, sky and the pink Grande Dame too. . . just the thing. . . when you are walking in Waikiki. . . ALOHA! Cloudia