July 2012 Journal Photos

Koko Head Ridge Hike

Andrea and I went hiking Sunday morning, July 1st, at Koko Head Ridge with Annette and Jim.


Annette, Andrea, Jim, and I set off after parking near Kalanianaole Highway.


We take an obscure trail to the ridge road with Hawaii Kai in the background.


We get a good view of Hanauma Bay.


We also have a great view of Molokai and Maui on the horizon. Photo by Andrea.


We pause for a photograph about half way up with Diamond Head in the background.


Jim took this picture.


Andrea took this great photo of a cactus flower.


Onward to the cellphone towers on the first rise. Photo by Andrea.


At the end of the trail.


On the way back. If I had to guess I would say it's a U.S. Navy microwave repeater.


Nearly back down. Photo by Andrea.

Here are some videos by Jim:

We all went to Costco after the hike for hot dogs.

Becky's Visit

Becky flew in from New York Monday afternoon on direct flight HA51, July 2nd, to stay for a week's visit.


Andrea and I met Becky with a lei at HNL interisland terminal baggage claim C3.


Becky was pleased with the lei we made for her.


We stopped at Foodland Farms in Aina Haina on the way home.


Andrea let Becky harvest the ripe pineapple.


We barbecued chicken for dinner.


The next morning (Tuesday) we walked to breakfast at Jack's Restaurant in the Aina Haina Shopping Center. Lenore drove and met us there.


Andrea took Becky and Lenore for a walk at Queen's Beach near Makapuu.


I went to the beach by myself Tuesday afternoon and saw two photographers doing a photoshoot with a model in the banyan tree at the
Natatorium.


Here's the back view from the Natatorium.


Becky and Andrea hard at work on the landscaping effort.

Fourth of July

Estelle invited us over for a barbecue on July 4th. Estelle's son Drew did the barbecueing. We brought some hotdogs and buns, and Becky made a very good jello cake with fruit starbursts on top. Everyone had a good time.


In the morning of the 4th Becky shows off the abalone shell stepping stone she helped make.


Becky and Andrea in the upper garden at Estelle's house.


Doug and Bob on the lanai.


Doug's wife Chris with Andrea and Becky in the back yard.


The ladies on the lanai.


Drew (left) and Estelle (right) with the food preparations.

Bluwater Grill

Becky treated us to dinner at Bluwater Grill on Thursday, July 5th.


Becky, Andrea, and Lenore drove up to the north shore to get Cackle Fresh eggs and stopped for lunch at L&L diner.


Lenore tastes the wine at Bluwater Grill with Koko Crater in the background.


And the waitress pours the pinot grigio for Becky.


I attack my pineapple banana split.

First Friday

The First Friday is a special night in Chinatown. Andrea and I took Becky there on Friday, July 6th.


In the morning Andrea and Becky worked on the landscaping project in the front yard. Here's the Earthmoving Movie.


Andrea and Becky went for massages in the afternoon and then we drove to Chinatown and had dinner at Epic restaurant.


We stopped by the ceramics studio to see this large ceramic sculpture in production with live Hawaiian music.


Green glaze is applied.


We listended to jazz musicians at the Dragon Upstairs.


A customer offered to take our photograph at the Dragon Upstairs.


The ceramic sculpture became a group participation project.

Here's a 64 megabyte video I took of the sculpture-making: FirstFridaySculpture.wmv.


The next day Andrea and Becky got laulau for lunch at Foodland in Aina Haina. Becky took this picture of her plate.

Becky's Visit Continues

We continued to do things with Becky.


On Saturday, July 7th, we walked to Uncle Clay's House of Pure Aloha (HOPA) for shave ice.


Uncle Clay chats with customers while Becky and Andrea eat their shave ice.


That evening we barbecued shrimp.


The next morning, Sunday, we got into the car to have breakfast at Longhi's in Ala Moana Shopping Center.


I know what I want for breakfast at Longhi's.


Lots of good food at Longhi's.


We drove home through Waikiki and stopped at the zoo fence to see Paul Forney and his wife.


As usual, Paul had a number of new paintings.


Sunday evening we went to Waikiki to walk around and have dinner. We parked at Kapiloani Park and walked across it toward Kalakaua Avenue.


We stopped at the Mohandas Ghandi statue at the front of the Zoo.


At Kuhio Beach.


We stopped at one of Andrea's favorite stores, Sand People.


We got a snack at Panda Express.


Becky enjoyed a spring roll.


We saw the back side of a hula show in the courtyard of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel.


We enjoyed music, hula, Lahaina punches, and pupus at the Banyan Court at the Moana Hotel.


We all had Lahaina punches, which are similar to mai tais, but a bit stronger.


Becky went onto the beach after sunset to take pictures.


Monday the 9th we drove over the Pali to go see Claude and Suzi in Kaneohe. We stopped to enjoy the wind at the Pali Lookout.


No hats at the Pali lookout!


We had breakfast at Cinnamon's in Kailua.


Yum! Cinnamon in the honey butter.


We enjoyed some bloody Marys at Claude and Suzi's house.


Suzi fixed lunch of hot dogs and I made some more bloody Marys. Claude listens while Suzi tells a story about a friend. His T-shirt
says "hand wash, blow dry."


Becky played with Dutchy.


Later we said goodbye.


The First Hawaiian Bank building in Kaneohe is in the palm tree style.


Andrea and Becky hiked the Koko Head ridge trail on Tuesday morning.


We went to the beach on Tueday the 10th.


Lenore treated us to dinner at Roy's in Hawaii Kai that evening.


Becky and I shared the canoe for two, which she enjoyed very much.


Wednesday morning we got into the car for a trip to the Aquarium.


We looked at lots of fish and other sea creatures.


Becky enjoyed looking at lots of fish and other exhibits.


We had lunch at Sam Choy's. The car valet offered to take this picture.


We ate at a table below a photograph of Sam with Emeril Lagasse.


Getting the luggage out of the back of the car at Hawaiian Airlines departures.

Ke Kani O Ke Kai

We went to the second concert at the Aquarium on Thursday, July 12th.


Dinner was provided by Hasr Bistro.


Jake Shimabukuro performed on the ukulele.


These are some of the stepping stones Becky made when she was here.


These are some more of the stepping stones.

Friday the Thirteenth Fireworks

Andrea and I met Claude and Suzi at the Charthouse restaurant and saw the fireworks show Friday evening. We had cocktails and pupus and the fireworks at the Hilton Hawaiian Village started at 7:45 PM. Later we went up to their condo at the Ilikai Marina. Suzi and Claude gave me the T-shirt I had admired when we were at their house in Kaneohe last Monday. We brought them a potted lilikoi.


The fireworks were just Diamond Head of the Charthouse.


Andrea and Suzi look at the menu.


We talked a while upstairs while Claude slept.

Here's a (no sound) video of the fireworks (10 megabytes): IlikaiMarinaFireworks.wmv

Koko Crater Hike

Andrea and I picked up Ron and Simina and their son Kai at their condo in Waikiki and took a little trip over the Pali and drove via Kailua and Makapuu to Koko Crater for a hike through the botanical garden on Saturday, July 14th.


Kai gives thumbs up in the plumeria section at the start of the trail.


Kai did a little "mountain" climbing.


Semina and Kai lead the way while Andrea shoots pictures.


Half way around the loop trail we stop for a snack.


Ron photographs a dragon tree.

Kalani Robotics Academy

Andrea and I supported the students at the Kalani Robotics Adademy for elementary and middle school students at the library at Kalani High School on Monday, July 16th.


On the way over to Kalani High School we stopped for lunch at the first McDonald's in Hawaii (Aina Haina, since rebuilt).


Madi led the elementary school session.


All the students got T-shirts and name tags.


Vex session students are hard at work.


The Lego kids build their tribots.


The robotic truck session.

Visit with Mary in Kailua

Andrea, Lenore, and I drove to Kailua on Wednesday, July 18th, to visit Mary in her apartment for lunch with two of her friends Jim and Pat.


We talked while waiting for Jim and Pat to arrive.


Then we took Jim and Pat down to see the apartment building garden.


Mary and Andrea.

The Global Conference on Educational Robotics

I attended the Global Conference on Educational Robotics (GCER) at the Convention Center to support the Kalani High School Botball team on Thursday, July 19th.


Student competitiors only are allowed in the Botball pits. One of the teams had a Big Bang Theory Bazinga poster.


Harry (green shirt, center) and Khoi at work on software.


Khoi and Harry at the competition table.

Andrea and I attended on Saturday and Sunday to support the team.


Harry and Khoi being interviewed on camera after a match on Saturday, July 21st.


Khoi and Harry with Mark Leon (the guy with the blue hair) during eliminations.


Andrea with Gift of Water statue in the front of the Convention Center.


Sunday morning we had breakfast at the Kaimana Beach Hotel at Sans Souci Beach.


We then walked over to the Ukulele Festival in Kapiolani Park.


Danny Kaleikini, master of ceremonies, welcomed the people and gave an invocation before the music started.


When we got back to Wailupe Valley we walked up Ailuna Street and saw this well drilling equipment in one of the slide areas.


We went back to the Botball competition at GCER Sunday afternoon for the alliance matches. Here Khoi shows the robot to six year old Kai.

Ke Kani O Ke Kai

We went to the third concert at the Waikiki Aquarium on Thursday, July 26th.


We had dinner from Big City Diner. Andrea and I had the barbecued chicken plate (with salad and rice) while Lenore had the
portabello mushroom salad.


Goofing around before Ledward Kaapana took the stage. He's an amazing guitar player.


Ledward Kaapana playing slack key guitar accompanied by his bassist.


Hapa (Nathan Aweau and Barry Flanagan) played for the second hour with a bassist from Maui, later inviting Ledward on stage
to play the last two numbers.

Singin' in the Rain at Diamond Head Theater

We went to Diamond Head Theater on Sunday, July 29th, to see the stage production of Singin' in the Rain. Andrea and I took Lenore, and we picked up Estelle and her granddaughter Maile on the way. Afterward we met Carol and her daughter Julie and her two children, and Flo and Lynn at the Golden Duck restaurant for dinner.


The front of the theater from across the street at Kapiolani Community College. The play was quite good.

Email Richard dot J dot Wagner at gmail dot com


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Last updated July 31, 2012, by Rick Wagner. Copyright © 2012, all rights reserved.