October 2017 Journal Photos

Lunch at Gyotaku

We started off October by taking Lenore to lunch at Gyotaku in Niu Valley and meeting cousin Lynn there on Sunday, October 1.

Andrea and I both had the senior tenpura.

Manoa Heritage Center Interview and Tour

Andrea and I went to the Manoa Heritage Center to conduct a tour on Monday, October 2.

Mary Cooke with Japanese guests on the lanai outside the dining room. The following interview lasted about 20 minutes.

Andrea led the outdoor tour, starting off on the back lawn overlooking the heiau.

Andrea talked about native plants before heading down through the Menehune wall.

Lynn Forney's Photos

Artist Paul Forney's wife Lynn Forney sent us copies of some photos she took in our yard at our July summer party, on Tuesday, October 3.

Wood carving by Prof. Johnson. Photo by Lynne Forney.

Ceramic faces by Andrea wagner. Photo by Lynne Forney.

Black dragon hibiscus. Photo by Lynne Forney.

Plumeria blossom. Photo by Lynne Forney.

Salinas High School Class of '67 Reunion

Andrea and I traveled to California, flying out of Honoluu on Wednesday, October 4.

Thursday

We spent Wednesday night at the Vagabond Inn near the Airport in San jose, and left for Salinas around 9:00 AM.

We met Mark Humphries and his friend Debbie and went to see the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas.

Looking down Main Street from the National Steinbeck Center.

Inside the National Steinbeck Center.

Andrea with John Steinbeck in the gift shop.

We walked to Steinbeck's childhood home on Central Avenue and had lunch there. There's smoke in the distance from a controlled burn
at Fort Ord.

We walked up the steps to the entrance to the Steinbeck house restaurant. Photo by Andrea.

After we checked in to the Casa Munras in Monterey we took a walk north to El Estero park and the Dennis the Menace Playground.
Photo by Andrea.

The Dennis the Menace playground was designed by Hank Ketcham. My parents took us kids there in the 1950s. Photo by Andrea.

We walked back along the shore to Fisherman's Wharf and made a reservation for dinner. Photo by Andrea.

We had dinner at Domenico's on the wharf.

I got to wear a bib for eating my prawns in the shell. Photo by Andrea.

Friday

After breakfast at the Casa Munras Esteban restaurant we walked toward the wharf and I took this photo looking back at the hotel.

Walking a bit further I took this picture of a nice big old Monterey Cypress tree across the street.

We walked by the Monterey art museum, but it wasn't open.

We stopped later at Trader Joe's; why go to any "otter" place?

Show me the way to the next wine bar, with apologies to Jim Morrison. Photo by Andrea.

We went to the wine tasting event at Tarpy's Roadhouse. Talked with lots of old friends and acquaintances.

Enjoying some chardonnay. Photo by Robert Whitley.

We had wine glasses etched with the winery name. Puma Road on mine. Excellent chardonnay. Photo by Andrea.

We walked to the wharf for dinner. This is the plaza by the Customs House.

Inside the Big Fish Grill at the end of the wharf. That's Mark's sloop in the water behind Andrea.

A calm and peaceful bay. The ambience was delightful. The crab salad was almost too much to eat. Photo by Andrea.

Saturday

Salinas High School Tour

Saturday morning we met alumni at the Salinas High clock tower for a school tour.

I sat on the steps where I used to eat lunch most days during my senior year and took this photo of the gathering class of '67.

We started the tour with a group photo by the clock tower. The chimes haven't worked since 1986, but there are plans to repair them.
Photo by Andrea.

Inside the courtyard.

The CAD room. I have mentored robotics teams at Redondo Beach High School in Southern California and at Kalani High School in
Honolulu. These facilities are better by far. I'm lucky to have gone to such a fine public school. Photo by Andrea.

A quite large woodshop has been added.

Also a welding shop.

There is a ceramics lab with a kiln indoors and a larger one outside.

This is the art room.

We all headed to the football stadium.

We went in through the tunnel where the band was practicing marching on the field.

Inside the stadium.

Inside the new gym (17 years old).

After the school tour we drove back to Monterey and had lunch at the Frutti De Mar Grill on Tyler Street.

After lunch we stopped and bought some books at the Old Monterey Book Company on Bonifacio Place.

On the way to lunch we had stopped at the Verizon store on Fremont Street to get Andrea a new Google Pixel phone. Her old
HTC phone had developed battery swelling. In this photo she tested the camera after picking it up after lunch. Jiff image (*.gif).

Reunion Celebration at the Spreckels Veterans Memorial Building

Andrea and I were well impressed by the quality and effort put into the celebration. Everyone seemed genuinely friendly and happy to link up with people they hadn't seen in years. A glorious event! Thank you to the committee and everyone who participated.

Quite an impressive smoking, grilling, and roasting trailer setup.

An automated corn on the cob roaster. It was delicious.

The hall filled with alumni and the band began to play memorable oldies from the era.

We were all herded outside for a group photo by the Whitleys.

We squeezed in as best we could. Photo by Andrea.

Taking in the nostalgic display. Photo by Andrea.

This event featured some stunningly beautiful custom artwork commissioned for the occasion.

The spectacularly decorated entryway.

The band receiving a request. Banner artwork for the occasion by Andrea Winton.

We were framed! The hall's mural depicted scenes of old Spreckels. I particularly remember the sugar mill.

The Reunion committee. Photo by Robert Whitley.

We enjoyed our meal immesnsely.

Lively conversations were the rule at our table.

Getting reacquainted.

Friends from long ago. This is the first time in 50 years that I have seen my classmates! The Vietnam war carried me away.

Sunday

Sunday morning we had breakfast at the Old Monterey Cafe. I liked the celebrity pictures on the wall.

A customer eating at the counter offered to take our photo. Many thanks.

After breakfast we walked to Cannery Row. I couldn't resist taking pictures along the way.

This area by the breakwater and wharf is so picturesque.

Every view here is compelling.

Everything is photogenic!

We returned to the hotel and later walked down to visit the Salvador Dali permanent exhibition at Custom House Plaza.

We saw hundreds of Dali artworks. Dali and his wife Gala lived in Monterey for ten years after fleeing European right wingers in 1941.

Kurt Vonnegut once said that one doesn't know anything about art until he has seen a million paintings. I'm 600 closer to my million.
Photo by Andrea. Photo by Andrea.

"Dali's Inferno" is the painting on the left.

After the Dali museum we had lunch on the wharf at the Paluca Trattoria. We had clam chowder and salad.

Dinner and dessert at Scales restaurant on the wharf. Recommended.

The chocolate cake was rich and delicious, balanced with keoki coffee.

Monday

Monday morning we again had breakfast at the Old Monterey Cafe before driving to San Jose via the 101 to Gilroy.

From Gilroy we took Old Monterey Road to San Jose, stopping at the Odeum restaurant in Morgan Hill.

We stayed at the Vagabond Inn in San Jose again and had dinner at Genji restaurant.

One of our table-mates graciously offered to take this photo of us.

The chef prepared our dinners and put on a bit of a show too.

A good time was had by all. Photo by Andrea.

Tuesday

We got up early on Tuesday morning and returned the rental car at the San Jose Airport and flew Hawaiian Airlines back to Honolulu. We arrived safely home around 1:00 PM on Tuesday, October 10. The parking bill at the Honolulu airport was $150, but because we have an electric car, it was free.

We went to the beach in the afternoon and Faye came with us. Andrea and Faye changed in the ladies room at the Natatorium afterward.

Then we went to the Kaimana Hotel for cocktails and pupu.

I created a separate page for my Salinas High reunion trip photos.

Sans Souci Beach

Some people, including newspaper and TV reporters who ought to know better, erroneously call Sans Souci Beach "Kaimana Beach." Just on general principle, we don't name beaches after hotels. Beaches, at least in theory, ought to last longer. Andrea took Lenore to the dentist in the afternoon after leading a tour as docent at Manoa Heritage Center in the morning, so I went to the beach alone on Wednesday, October 11.

I was surprised to see a large fishing boat on the reef, so I snapped a picture. Jay, having finished his daily swim, was walking toward
me at the time, so the boat looks like it's a hat on Jay's head. That's the Kaimana Hotel on the left.

The view from the Natatorium.

The view from the steps of the Sans Souci apartments at 8X optical zoom on my Samsung S7. The 79 foot Pacific Paradise stuck on the reef.
The Sans Souci apartment building was named after the beach.

Ham Radio License Exam

Andrea and I took the ham radio license exam on Thursday evening, October 12.

Andrea enters the Manoa Innovation Center for the exam in the "ideation" room. We have studied for six weeks.

Andrea awaits the results of the test. We both passed the amateur technician level exam.

Kalani Robotics Academy (KRA)

Andrea volunteered to assist Team Magma (FRC 3008) at the KRA, a recruiting and fundraising series of events, at Kalan High School, on Friday morning, October 13.

Students at work. GIF movie by Andrea.

Photo by Andrea.

Kristina and Michelle led the session. Photo by Andrea.

Photo by Andrea.

Pacific Paradise on fire on Saturday. Photo by Stephany Sofos.

Carmen at Blaisdell Concert Hall

Andrea and I met Faye at Hawaii Opera Theater's (HOT) Carmen at Blaisdell Concert Hall for the performance on Sunday afternoon, October 15.

Sunday morning Andrea and I went to City Mill to get stone spray paint for my repaired concrete pot and then Andrea took Mom
for a drive to Makapuu and then to Waimalo to get ice cream at Dave's. Photo by Andrea.

We arrived early at the opera and still had trouble parking because the Harlem Globetrotters were at the Blaisdell Arena. But we made
it to Dr. Lynne Johnson's pre-show talke at 3:00 PM. She always gives a good lecture before the opera. She gave background on Bizet,
his times, the original production of Carmen, and a synopsis of the plot.

There was a three piece jazz combo playing while the crowd waited to enter. Guitar, violin, and six tring solid body bass.

Faye met us out front before the opera began. After the opera we drove to Cafe Sistina for dinner. Photo by Andrea.

Andrea at Cafe Sistina. Photo by Faye Zasada.

Studying the menu. I wanted fish salad but they were out of fish. I had the boar sausage instead. Photo by Andrea.

We shared a bottle of soave. The former owner of Cafe Sistina painted all the walls and ceiling himself.

On Monday we went to the beach in the afternoon and saw that the Coast Guard had set up a mobile command post to keep an eye
on the fishing boat that ran aground. They will try to tow it off the reef in three days with the peak tide.

The Pacific Paradise. Perhaps it will become a permanant feature of Sans Souci Beach Park. Photo by Andrea.

Archaeology Class at Osher Lifelong Learning Institute

Andrea and I attended our first archaeology class at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at UH on Tuesday morning, October 17.

Looking at the kiawe tree in front of OLLI. We had stopped at the farmers' market in the student center.

The lesson today was about a British fort on Bermuda.

Introduction to Programming at Kalani Robotics

Andrea and I attended the Tuesday meeting of Kalani Robotics (Team Magma, FRC 3008) where I again gave a course on introduction to programming, on Tuesday evening, October 17.

At the team meeting. Dinner of chili, rice, and hot dogs was served at 7:00 PM.

Leaf Service at New City Nissan

Andrea and I took our Leaf in for its six month servicing at New City Nissan on Wednesday morning, October 18.

After dropping off the car we walked across the street to check out a food place for breakfast. I liked the look of this church building.

We walked to Jack in the Box for breakfast, and on the way back I took this photo of New City Nissan.

In the afternoon I went to Sans Souci Beach while Andrea went to an ukulele lesson.

Learning from Dr. Mitsuo Aoki

Andrea and I attended this first of a series of classes called Learning from Dr. Mitsuo Aoki, presented by Alan and Ana Gamble at the Wesley United Church in Kahala, on Wednesday evening, October 18.

People began arriving for the 5:30-7:30 PM class.

Ana let me in the sanctuary to photograph the stained glass. This is the main door from the inside.

The sanctuary window is the Tree of Life.

Today I found that the Carbon Neutrality Challenge used a photo with Andrea and me in it, from a few months ago at the tree project we volunteered for at UH.

On Friday, October 20, I created a blog at Wordpress.com.

Backyard Barbecue

Andrea and I barbecued steaks in the back yard, on Saturday evening, October 21. We invited our friend Faye and sister Jan who is visiting from the mainland.

Saturday morning I took this photo of some of my larger bonsai to be the header image for my new Wordpress blog.

Saturday afternoon Andrea helped Team Magma with fundraising at the crafts fair at the Blaisdell Exhibition Hall.

I didn't get any photos of the barbecue event, but the steaks were delicious! We also had ratatouille and boiled potatoes. Faye brought a bottle of Spanish red wine.

Sunday Picnic

Jan drove her rented navy blue Buick and picked up Mom from the residence in Kuliouou and met us at Puuikena beach park. Andrea and I drove separately in the Leaf and got there before 11:00 AM.

As Jan and Andrea were helping mom from the Buick, two free divers with octopi were heading up to the parking lot.

Jan and Andrea pushed Mom down the walkway in the wheelchair.

Andrea had made oven fried chicken and potato salad. Both were delicious. The mauna lua (two mountains) for which the bay is named
are in the distance, across Manualua Bay.

A photographer captured images of newlyweds framed between to kiawe trees.

We saw a fisherman on a longboard.

We had a nice table in the shade. Photo by Andrea.

We watched surfers and boats on the water. Photo by Andrea.

Sans Souci Beach

Rain was forecast for Monday afternoon, October 23, so after I finished my morning exercises, I decided to go for a swim before the rain started. Andrea had gone down for a mani-pedi (purple for Halloween) and I stopped on the way to the beach to fill up the Toyota. My timing was good: I finished my swim, walked to the Aquarium end of the Natatorium for my pull-ups and bar dips, and when I got back to my towel on the beach, it started raining.

This is the sight that greets us every time we go to the beach now. If they filled it with concrete, it couldn't work loose and
present a hazard to navigation. However, I suspect the hull is breached by now and it would sink if it got free.

Storm coming!

I noticed two storage pods in the front yard of the Aquarium.

Archaeology Class at Osher Lifelong Learning Institute

Andrea and I attended our second archaeology class at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at UH on Tuesday morning, October 24.

The rain last night filled up the duck pond, taken during break at 11:00 AM.

Underwater archaeology on the North Carolina in Bermuda. The shipwreck occurred on New Year's Day, 1880.

We went to the beach in the afternoon after receiving our ham licenses. My call sign is WH6FPI. Andrea's is wH6FPJ. Andrea had an
idea for salvaging that ship. Giantess Andrea is amazing!

Thursday morning I took this photo of Napoleon on the rug that Faye gave us. Click the image to see a cropped image of Napoleon.

ABCs of Bonsai Final Class

Andrea and I attended the final class of the Hawaii Bonsai Association's course ABCs of Bonsai to recruit members to Rainbow Bonsai Club on Thursday evening, October 26.

As part of the final exam, students had to identify bonsai styles from examples brought by the instructors.

Bonsai sensei Alvin hands out the certificates of graduation.

Friday afternoon Andrea and I went to the beach and I took this 8X optical zoom photo of the stranded boat.

Sunday in Aina Haina

Andrea and I had breakfast and then she went for a walk around the neighborhood. Later in the morning she took Mom for a drive.

Fantastic sky on Andrea's morning walk. Photo by Andrea.

The view from Makapuu lookout. Photo by Andrea.

I had repaired my zoris with RTV. All ready for a road test. Photo by Andrea.

In the afternoon Andrea went with Faye to look at apartments and in the evening we had cocktails under the lychee tree.

Four times zoomed in view of the mountains.

On Monday afternoon we went to the beach with a clear blue sky.

Halloween

Andrea and I had a busy day on Halloween, Tuesday, October 31.

I prepared the jack-o-lantern pumpkins in the morning. Photo by Andrea.

In the morning we had our final archaeology class. This one was about aircraft archaeology. That B17 was recovered from New Guinea.

Then we went to the Manoa Heritage Center for their docent pot luck.

Jessica and Jenny spoke about plans for the future.

We all went down for a tour of the new visitor center, nearly finished.

It looks fabulous.

A tile installation thanks contributors.

Andrea dropped me off at the beach for a swim while she went to Whole Foods.

Facebook video by Carrol Cox of the Pacific Paradise wreck at Sans Souci. The diesel fuel leaking is apparent. I could smell it from shore.

Andrea carved this jack-o-lantern. I lit the candles before dark. Photo by Andrea.

The Halloween decorations looked nice. Photo by Andrea.

Email Richard dot J dot Wagner at gmail dot com