October 2018 Journal Photos

Lunch with Mom at Mama Pho's

Andrea took Mom for an optometric appointment at Kaiser on Wednesday morning, October 3, and then met me at Mama Pho's in
Aina Haina Shopping Center for lunch.

Mom ordered the summer rolls, Andrea the vegetarian pho bowl, and I had the chicken rice plate.

ABCs of Bonsai Class

I once again helped with the weekly Hawaii Bonsai Association class on Thursday evening, October 4, while Andrea helped at a Manoa Heritage Center event.

I went to the beach in the afternoon while Andrea went to the Manoa Heritage Center. Guy Hagi later said it was breaking 15 feet.

Sans Souci Beach was completely overwashed during the high tide an hour earlier.

Erosion at the Sans Souci Apartment steps.

View from the Sans Souci Apartment steps.

Tonight's lesson was kengai (cascade style) by George Matsumoto, introduced by Warren Yamamoto.

Warren helps a student create a kengai.

Date Night in Waikiki

Andrea and I went to the beach for a swim Friday afternoon, October 5, and then walked to the Moana Hotel for cocktails and ahi poke nachos at the Banyan Court Beach Bar. Then we walked to the Royal Hawiian Hotel and had cocktails and fries at the Mai Tai Bar on the beach.

Andrea had a planter's punch and I had a Blue Hawaii.

The mai tai was invented at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel by Harry Owens, according to his autobiography.

As the sun went down three planets became visible, Venus, Mars, and Jupiter. Photo by Andrea.

On Saturday Andrea and I went to the noontime meeting of the Hawaii Bonsai Association in Kalihi, but took no photos.

On Sunday Andrea and I walked to visit Dr. Norma Carr in her house on Hao Street, but took no photos.

After lunch we drove down to Foodland to go shopping. Rain was predicted and Koko Crater in the distance seemed to get clouded up.
We did get seven hundredths of an inch in the rain gage Monday morning.

The Hawaiian Room: Impact Hub HNL Hawaii Filmmaker Showcase

Andrea and I went to see the documentary film The Hawaiian Room in Kakaako on Monday evening, October 8, after a swim at the beach.

After lunch Andrea pruned the bauhinia in front of the house, grown from seed planted eight years ago.

We went for a swim before heading to the Impact Hub and saw Kaiwi resting by the Sans Souci Apartments.

We stopped at the new Whole Foods in Kakaako to eat and then walked across the street to the Impact Hub. I had fish tacos and Andrea had
the bratwurst.

Inside the Impact Hub, a co-op workspace, waiting for the film screening. Bill and Carolyn came later and we talked for a while.

Japanese temple across King Street from the UH Credit Union where Andrea and I went to deposit a check after Leaf sevice at New City Nissan
Wednesday morning.

ABCs of Bonsai Class

I again helped with the weekly Hawaii Bonsai Association class on Thursday evening, October 11, while Andrea stayed home and helped plan Becky's wedding.

This night's lesson was on potting.

Alvin talks about pot selection.

Tree Pruning

Quentin and his crew came Friday at noon to prune our podocarpus, fiddle tree, tecoma, and lychee.

They started on the podocarpus in the front.

The lychee tree in work.

On Friday afternoon I gave a tour at the Manoa Heritage Center.

Rainbow Bonsai Club Meeting

Andrea and I attended the Rainbow Bonsai Club October meeting on Sunday, October 14, at 9:00 AM.

After the business meeting we showed some of our trees in preparation for the December show. Duane talked about his semi-cascade prostrata.

George talked about three of his trees.

On the way back home we went through Hawaii Kai which got three inches of rain the previous day. Waterfalls on Koko Crater on a sunny day!
Click the image to see the full resolution version.

Romeo and Juliet at the Blaisdell Concert Hall

Andrea and I attended Hawaii Opera Theater's Romeo and Juliet at the Blaisdell Concert Hall on Sunday, October 14, at 4:00 PM. We arrived early and listened to Dr. Lynn Johnson's 3:00 PM pre-show talk on the composer and opera.

In the concert hall lobby. Even though we knew it would end with both of them dead, on stage, it was incredibly romantic.

We went to Cafe Sistina for dinner afterward. The waiter took our picture for us with the Creation of Adam reproduction.

Landscape view.

Sans Souci Beach

Andrea and I went to the beach for a swim on Monday afternoon, October 15, and saw two monk seals sleeping on the sand.

Cinema production was underway when we arrived. A security person told me it was Hawaii Five-O. Air conditioning ducts keep the cast cool
on the second floor of the Kaimana Hotel. Cast and crew take a break on the lanai.

Andrea walked with me for my arbor exercises and we saw a monk seal sleeping behind the aquarium.

Kaiwi was sleeping at the Natatorium end of Sans Souci Beach.

Tuesday morning I downloaded a NASA-JPL poster (https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/visions-of-the-future/). Click the image to see the full resolution version.

Grateful Dead Mars Hotel album cover front, by Grateful Dead on Facebook. I used to have the album back in Sacramento in the early 70s.
Can you read the Martian writing?

Tuesday afternoon there was no seal on the beach, but on Wednesday we had two to make up for it. Ka'iwi and unnamed pup born on Rabbit Island.

Meet the Candidates Dinner

Andrea and I went to the Meet the Candidates event at Aina Haina Elementary School on Wednesday evening, October 17.

The chili and rice dinner event was held in the Aina Haina Elementary School cafeteria from 6:00 to 8:00 PM.

The chili and rice with macaroni salad and frankfurter dinner was from Zippy's and was completely edible. Mark Hashem smiles for the camera.

Governor Ige arrived about 7:00 PM and was greeted by Representative Mark standing next to him.

Tommy Waters in red lei is challenging City Councilmember Trevor Ozawa. Governor Ige chats with a constituent under the exit sign.

ABCs of Bonsai Final Class

Andrea and I went to the final class of the ABCs of Bonsai course on Thursday evening, October 18.

Thursday morning Andrea helped with a school tour at Manoa Heritage Center. Photo by Jennifer Crites via Facebook.

Instructors for the final class (on potting) get underway.

Everyone gets to work.

Andrea helps set up the food table.

I help Chris pot his han kengai (half cascade). Photo by Andrea.

Friday morning I photographed our front yard Halloween decorations.

Cake Tasting at Kahala Mall

Andrea and I went to Kahala Mall to meet Beth for cake tasting on Sunday afternoon, October 21.

Sunday morning I photographed the Hawaii part of Mom's matchbook collection. Click the image to see the full resolution photo.

We went to Long's first and got more Halloween decorations and then waited at Starbucks in the mall center.

We met Beth with her cake samples outside near Starbucks.

Beth had prepared a sketch of the heart balloon cake theme.

CPR Training at Wailupe Valley Community Center

Andrea and I attended the cardio-pulmonary resuscitation class, put on by Aina Haina Prepared, at Wailupe Valley Community Center on Tuesday evening, October 23.

Danny, president of Aina Haina Prepared, introduces instructor David from AED.com.

Everyone got a turn practicing shake (the subject), call (911), push (center of chest), and respond (with AED).

Wednesday afternoon after our swim Andrea and I saw a school of fish at the Diamond Head end of Sans Souci Beach.

Date Night at Chef Mavro Restaurant

Andrea and I had dinner at Chef Mavro restaurant on King Street on Thursday evening, October 25. Anthony Bourdain in his first book, Kitchen Confidential, suggested that one ought never eat in a restaurant with the Chef's name over the door. But we were intrigued by reviews and the restaurant's Website, so I made a reservation.

We arrived 15 minutes early for our 6:15 reservation so we walked around the block and saw this interesting mural next to the
University of Hawaii Credit Union. Photo by Andrea.

We were the second table of the night. The restaurant opens at 6:00 PM. Photo by Andrea.

I think it's fair to say that Chef Mavro's is the most expensive restaurant in which I have ever eaten. But nowhere else have we had
such food. I asked permission to photograph the art glass display.

Torch ginger in tall vases watch as I butter some bread. We started with French sparkling water and French champagne. Photo by Andrea.

First course: Big Island ahi poke with a French white wine. We ordered the wine pairing option, hence all the glasses on the table.

Dessert course: malasadas and ice cream with a sweet German white wine. Photo by Andrea.

Hanai Halloween "Spooktacular"

Andrea and I attended the Hanai Halloween "Spooktacular" at the Campus Center Executive Dining Room at the University of Hawaii at Manoa on Friday evening, October 26, at 4:30 PM. Our Hanai students, Carla and Emily, met us there for pupu, prizes, and fun.

We parked in Varney Circle and walked past the art building. This is the baobab tree it was built around.

The Executive Dining Room was walled off from the main cafeteria seating some time after I graduated. I used to like to sit by
these windows when I ate lunch here.

Enjoying the food.

Building towers out of marshmallows and spaghetti.

Afterward Andrea and I went to the bar at the Kaimana Hotel and had Wild Turkey Manhattans.

Halloween

Halloween fell on a Wednesday this year.

There was a monk seal on the beach Monday afternoon. Heavy rain is forecast for tonight.

Over two inches of rain fell overnight. Tuesday morning I took this photo of Bill Johnson's framed art photos.
Click the image to see the full resolution version.

It rained most of the day on Tuesday and I carved the jack-o-lanterns in the afternoon. I didn't really use the hand saw.

Photo by Andrea.

Malia and grandkids ready for trick or treat in Virginia.

All ready for Halloween trick-or-treats.

Some interesting chess games I played against the computer this month.

Email Richard dot J dot Wagner at gmail dot com