Island Writer

Duke Kahanamoku & Babe Ruth ca 1930's (below)

If you want to be a writer, you should "go down" to London, move to New York, or "do" the workshops and postgraduate program at Iowa. . . the last thing you want to do is move to the outskirts of "civilization." Of course if you are FROM a culture far from the center, well then you are a multi-cultural treasure to be discovered, like the magical-realists of Latin America. But nice light-skinned middle aged ladies who report on "exotics," like Isabella Bird, are SOOO last century (or before!). I have never learned the knack of succeeding "conventionally" and so have all the advantages of absolute freedom. I write what I am moved to write. My "fish out of the East Coast" literary love affair with Hawaii has not been a matter of choice or calculation; it has been a compulsion. I write because I am. My little novel: "Aloha Where You Like Go?" demanded to be written. People NEEDED to see the REAL treasure of Hawaii and her people BEHIND the paradise illusions; I didn't know HOW, only that I MUST. I sure learned a lot! Now I have the pleasure of being a sort of literary duck-billed platypus: not a New York writer, not exactly a Pacific writer. But YOU don't care about labels, do you? I have discovered READERS and friends. There you are!

People who READ blogs are often writers themselves. So the friends my book has made, those of YOU who visit Comfort Spiral, who become "followers," and who comment, you have all given me a wonderful gift. I appreciate your attention, and the lessons I learn reading all of your words. Thanks for strolling along with me through my Waikiki and my life. Here are some quotes that I think express some "truth" about being a writer. Hope you enjoy them. Sales and ranking are not the measure of an author, I've learned. Hearts touched & friends made are a humbling gift indeed! Every reader is a living treasure. These days I feel very wealthy indeed. Mahalo!

"When I glance back at my prose, the quality I admire and fear to have lost is its exuberant air of slight excess." - John Updike

"A slender poetry volume selling less than a thousand copies and receiving a handful of admiring reviews can give its author a pride and sense of achievement denied more mercenary producers of the written word. As for bad reviews and poor sales, they can be dismissed on the irrefutable hypothesis that reviewers and book buyers are too obtuse to appreciate true excellence. Over time many books quickly bloom and then vanish; a precious few unfold, petal by petal, and become classics." - John Updike

"Don't worry about people stealing your ideas. If your ideas are any good you'll have to ram them down people's throats." - Howard Aiken

Sniffle

"Happiness is not a station you arrive at, but a manner of traveling."

- Margaret Lee Runbeck

"A writer is a person for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people."

- Thomas Mann (1875 - 1955)

"He who has much to proclaim one day, stays silently much immersed within himself: he who has to kindle the lightning one day, must for a long time--be a cloud."
- Friedrich Nietzsche

This Cloudia has been much immersed in a bad cold.

Cozy, at first, to lie beneath magazines, gentle handling, and irresponsibility.

Maddening, at last, to be buried in tissues, honking like a goose, unable to concentrate on . . . now what was that I just. . . huh?

Today a Saturday dawned. My motorcycle pawed the turf outside. Dare I? *Sneeze* What the hell!

Together we escaped the surly bonds of home. Back into the world: so rich! So Varied! "Hello everyone." (The throttle feels good)

For a while we can fly and see EVERYTHING. A McMuffin might be nice.

The world is still there: Diamond Head, the gladding crowd, the crowded shopping mall (ride on!). Till Circling home. Fulfilled and smelling of fresh gasoline. God bless motorcycles, and a post (a blog-post!) to chain them to at last. Amen!

Hope you enjoy these disjointed images of my fevered ride . . . . . and my disjointed exclamations. . . Huh? (Sniffle) A L O H A ! Cloudia

Dynamic Waikiki

"one generation plants the trees, another enjoys the shade."
- Chinese Proverb


"The longer I live the more beautiful life becomes"
- Frank Loyd Wright



"I have been through some terrible things in my life, some of which actually happened."
- Mark Twain

Walking in Waikiki
With Cloudia

Diamond Head, surf on the beach, delicious evening breezes at the end of another perfect day; Waikiki seems eternal – but it is not unchanging, and it’s never monotonous! Hawaii people love to try new things, but we also cherish our memories. Thing is, we do it with joy – not sadness, but with celebration. Complaining is just a waste of time when there is so much here to enjoy. In that spirit, Saturday marked my last visit to Ebisu Catering, a sweet little walk-up window on King Street just before McCully, where tempura by-the-piece, noodles, hot dog and fish cake have satisfied local palates for many many years. Ebisu is just the sort of place that we locals like to say exists nowhere else in the world, like the saimin fountains, crack seed shops, and mom & pop shave ice places in our Honolulu neighborhoods. Standing in line with the other folks was all about paying our respects and saying “thanks” to the family. It felt a little bit like a party, and that last shrimp tempura tasted delicious out there on the sidewalk. After wiping my greasy fingertips on my jeans, I bid my happily munching new “line friends” a satisfied “Aloha,” climbed back on my bike, and headed down to University Avenue to say “So long” to another old friend, the Varsity Theater, one of our last, classic movie palaces. In recent years the Varsity (built 1939) has been an “Art House” showing all those little films that couldn’t be seen anywhere else in town. No plans have been announced for the location, but I do know I’ll miss the neon sign above the marquee, the smell of popcorn, and even the sticky floors and rickety old seats. Fortunately, Consolidated Theaters promises to continue showing “smaller” films at one of their modern theaters, perhaps my favorite Ward 16 at Queen & Kamake`e. Like I said, we celebrate the passing of the old, but we don’t get all moody about it; life is just too short for long faces! Besides, you’ve got to LOVE that modern stadium seating! Been bowling lately? It’s becoming a rarer pleasure as, one by one, our local bowling alleys turn out the lights. The seniors who play at Kam Bowl on North School Street in Kalihi had one last blow out on Friday and the place was really rocking! Those loyal bowlers, many in their 80’s and even their 90’s, showed great form bowling those last frames. Don’t worry though. Plans to carpool and bus it out to Aiea Bowl, or Pali Lanes have been made, and the league games will continue. Honolulu’s City Council is even looking into sponsoring a new Bowling Emporium on City property! I’m happy to report that the attached Kapiolani Coffee Shop has already found a new spot at City Square in Kapalama, and we can all look forward to satisfying our oxtail soup fix there. But I for one will miss the atmosphere and the sounds of the old bowling alley as I slurp… Improvements continue at the Outrigger Reef Hotel but the Shore Bird restaurant remains open and popular. Incidentally, this spot originally opened as the Ocean Showroom in June 1979. (Thanks, Uncle Tom Moffat for that before-my-time fact ;-) By any name, the place is a wonderful spot to take in a meal or show anytime. Servers tell me that the monthly KINE FM Aloha Friday Luncheon Show is flourishing there. I jumped at the chance to make my reservation for the next show this Friday, confident that the best local musicians will perform their greatest hits live for the radio listeners as we in the restaurant audience stuff our faces, applaud, and have way too much fun for sober adults. Across Kalia Road from the Reef and the Hale Kulani, where McDonalds used to be, a brand new Roy’s Restaurant is packing them in. I don’t know how Local Culinary Hero Roy does it, but with over a dozen restaurants on multiple continents, his folks still make each visit an occasion; this is NO chain restaurant, just a formula that works. Enjoying a fine meal there recently with my Favorite Husband and our best buds, the Waimanalo Gunthers (Hi, Anissa & Greg!) I reflected on all the exciting new experiences to be found in our refurbished and improved Waikiki. By my calculations we were dining on Roy’s world-class food just where the Mickey D fryers used to be. Sometimes change is good! . . . Exciting young surfer Carissa Moore 14 is a Punahou student just like Michelle Wie (ouch) and Barack Obama (interesting guy!). Last week she won a majort surfing competition on the north shore! Well Done, Carissa. . . . . There has definitely been a revival of Beach Boy Surfing, which means standing on the board and using a long paddle. The legendary Duke Kahanamoku loved to do it, but the current resurgence is credited (by those in the know) to the recently passed and well-loved Waikiki Beach Boy, Bobby Ah Choy. What a wonderful legacy, and so nice to see an old local custom returning. . . . . Futurists predict that as we age (and wise up) more of us will want to live in physically lovely neighborhoods with lots of services, amenities, and activities all within walking distance. Sound familiar? To my mind, I already live in such a place, and living without a car doesn’t seem like such bad thing. Why fight traffic, when everything you might want is a healthy, invigorating stroll away? Walking fights Alzheimer’s, maintains fitness, and keeps you young and beautiful (like me!). . . Especially when you are walking…in Waikiki!
Be sure to check out my Hawaii Novel “Aloha Where You Like Go?” at Amazon.com or isle bookstores!

Walking to Bombay

"Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana."
- Groucho Marx

click on photos to enlarge!
Hey! There's a samurai castle in your back yard! (Below)



Italian Proverb:
"One kind word can warm three winter months."


Japanese proverb:
" The reverse side also has a reverse side."

"I dream a lot. I do more painting when I'm not painting, It's in the subconscious."

- Andrew Wyeth

Harbor Dawn

Walking In Waikiki
With Cloudia

Walking to Bombay

Walking in Waikiki is even better now that we can all walk to Bombay. Bombay Indian Restaurant at Discovery Bay, that is! Every neighborhood needs folks like Ashwani “Ash” Ahuja who take the financial risk to live their dreams and who create these unique, one-of-a-kind places for us, places where neighbors and visitors always feel truly welcome and happily satisfied. The people, the space, and especially the food, will make you feel lucky that you walked in! Too often, busy restaurant workers say the right things, but do it without eye contact or any genuine sincerity. But at Bombay, everyone is living the Aloha Spirit indeed! Getting off the plane in Honolulu for his first time, Ash knew that this is where he wanted to raise his family. Smart man. Lots of restaurants are too busy, too loud and too bright. Some others are like deprivation chambers that bore you the minute you enter; but here the intelligence and sincerity of your hosts, the lovely natural colors, and especially the enticing smells of quality North Indian food, carefully prepared, tell you that you’ve made a happy choice! A pleasant buzz of excitement bubbles up whenever I walk into Bombay. Remember when going out to eat was special? Well, it is again! I like to eat outside on the terrace and watch the evening begin. See you there!
The triangle park at Kalakaua & Beach walk is now Don Ho Park. Word is that a statue of Don is to be erected there. Fitting for the man who sang: “I’ll Remember You”. . . While you are there, be sure to stroll down Kalakaua and check out the art of Bill McQuistin the caricaturist in front of The International Marketplace. Lately the head sketcher at Universal City Walk LA, Bill couldn’t stay away from Waikiki for long! You will love his take on your favorite Hollywood Stars (yes, they are for sale) and even better – he will make YOU A STAR too. An original 1970’s Puka Shell Tour Guide, Bill has a million great stories about our beach town and all the changes he’s seen here, and about his travels all around the world, producing art that people love. Bill is a great sailor too. Ask him about the time his sailboat sank under him mid-ocean, and he was rescued by a cruise ship! He even made headlines on CNN that time. My Mom still displays a caricature of herself from her modeling days circa 1960, and that lovely image remains a beloved family treasure almost fifty years later (sorry, Mom). Next time you’re on Ohua Street come upstairs and ask to see it, Ruth loves the attention, and she’s still gorgeous! A picture of YOU by Bill is probably the best value on the avenue! You too will relive your vacation (and your youthful beauty!) for years to come! . . . Speaking of Stars (hams?) our Mayor Mufi sang a few numbers at this week’s Honolulu City Lights kick-off, receiving enthusiastic applause, and Hana Hou (One more time!) from the happy crowd. Sure they were happy! All the excellent free Hawaiian Entertainment, christmas tree lighting, and electric light parade, friendly faces, and amazing weather: what’s not to like? Won’t you join us for the Honolulu Marathon, christmas buzz, or many cultural extravaganzas later this winter? Chinese New Year (my personal favorite) will be an amazing kalidascope of people, food, fireworks, lion dances, food, and MORE! Be sure to see the comprehensive Calendar of Events at www.waikikinews.com for details. . . Congratulations to the crew of Boomerang for bringing the Thomas Lipton Cup to Waikiki. . . Which reminds me: this Month will see the Toys For Tots Christmas Boat Parade wind up at Ala Wai Harbor. It’s thrilling to be here as supporters welcome the entries with food, music, and excitement. . . . I can't help noticing all the folks here in Waikiki who are walking along and talking into their cell phones? It seems that they are usually heard saying things like: “Yeah, I can see Diamond Head right now,” to the same people that they talk with everyday. It’s nice to stay in touch, but I remember when travel meant going to new places and meeting new people. Hang up and meet someone new today! Be here now and enjoy the memories you’ll discover! . . . Winter is here! To mainland visitors “winter” in Waikiki is a relative term, but we locals can feel the difference! North Shore “Town” Surf is UP! Competitive Big Wave Surfing Season is here! The Hawaiians of old observed 13 seasons here in paradise, and after you have lived here for a while you too may notice and appreciate the cycles of weather, of the sea, and of the creatures. Personally, I sometimes miss the winter snow and pewter skies, but then I enjoy our sparkling, sunny winters just as much! Wherever you are right now; just stop for a minute. Look around you. Close your eyes and breathe fully for a moment or two. Be here now. Slow down and your sanity will catch up to you. Take the time this buys season to celebrate your private holiday of satisfaction. Gratitude is a great place to begin, and it starts with noticing all the little but precious things we have to be grateful for. Thanks for coming by the Comfort Spiral for a visit. I’ll look for you at Bombay, Don Ho Park, Bill McQuistin’s Art Stand, the Friday Sail Races, or. . . just Walking in Waikiki. . . ALOHA! Cloudia

Fountain of Youth

top: a Ted Trimmer Sunset

"Haku" Lei (on the head)

Boundary. See it?

Strutting Egret (at the busy Hilton beachfront)

"I have the world's largest collection of seashells. I keep it on all the beaches of the world... perhaps you've seen it." - Steven Wright

"He who knows best knows how little he knows." - Thomas Jefferson

"I hold this to be the highest task for a bond between two people: that each protects the solitude of the other." - Rainer Maria Rilke

• • •
CHILDLIKE TRAITS ARE THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH!

Here are the "childlike" traits that the late anthropologist Ashley Montagu claimed would preserve youthfulness in adults:

· The need for love
· Friendship
· Sensitivity
· The need to think soundly
· The need to know
· The need to learn
· The need to work
· The need to organize
· Curiosity
· A sense of wonder
· Playfulness
· Imagination
· Creativity
· Open-mindedness
· Flexibility
· Experimental-mindedness
· Explorativeness
· Resiliency
· A sense of humor
· Joyfulness
· Laughter and tears
· Optimism
· Honesty and trust
· Compassionate intelligence
· Dance
· Song
Source: "Growing Young" by Ashley Montagu (Bergin & Garvey, 1988).

Around the Next Corner

Top: A Ted Trimmer Beauty













Christmas Tree & Palm

It's called 'fishing' not 'catching.' Why isn't it 'taxi waiting' rather than 'taxi driving?'

Street Hula!

"Everything is blooming most recklessly; if it were voices instead of colors, there would be an unbelievable shrieking into the heart of the night."

- Rainer Maria Rilke

"No place is boring, if you've had a good night's sleep and have a pocket full of unexposed film."

- Robert Adams

"Some people have too much uniqueness to be properly expressed by a merely pretty face."

- Anonymous

Everywhere we walk in Waikiki there are flowers, smiles, hidden patches of green, and quiet gardens to discover. Blossoms drift down on the trade wind breezes, I call it Hawaiian Snow; beguiling to the eye. Thought's train pulls once again into a beautifully peaceful station. . . The song of birds plays filigree, an arabesque, a siren's call. . . All punctuated by the normal sounds of today, rolling in from the boulevard. But look! Around this corner is a trio of living treasure; their music acoustic, burnished, simple, & true. . . . . . so linger beneath the tropical Christmas tree, as Palm looks on bemused, chuckling softly to herself, and dances . . . dances an unconscious hula of her own . . . . .

A L O H A! Cloudia

Brooklyn Bridge & Diamond Head

Top: Ted Trimmer Photo





















Da Big Pineapple Water Tower over the old cannery. RIP


















"A concept is stronger than a fact." - Charlotte P. Gilman



"No man remains quite what he was when he recognizes himself."
- Thomas Mann


“Tell me and I'll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I'll understand.”
-Chinese Proverb

After a rainy Saturday, the sun smiled out again on Sunday. A one day winter, huddling cozy indoors is fun and restorative. Then Spring and Summer return to Waikiki - it's a day at the beach! So before I go out to play, I'll leave you with a little poem called:

Landmarks

Brooklyn Bridge

and

Diamond Head

are friends.

Ships look to them

so do birds and clouds.

Both remember horses fondly,

as jets fly

overhead.

A L O H A ! Cloudia