April 2023 Journal Photos

La Cage Aux Folles at Diamond Head Theatre

Saturday, April 1, we went to see the matinee show of La Cage Aux Folles at Diamond Head Theatre. We left before 2:00 PM for the 3:00 PM show and were the first to arrive. The auditorium was about 90% full when the curtain went up. Afterward, we had a 6:00 PM reservation at the Surfing Pig restaurant in Kaimuki. We got there at five 'til and were shown to a table for two upstairs.


This was our first play, a musical, at the new theater.


Some things are still under construction.


We waited on a bench in the outdoor lobby.


The main entrance is at the side of the auditorium.


I ordered a pair of Smoking Pig coctails, a variant of an Old Fashioned.


Happy to get my drink.


Andrea made a movie of the drink smoking process using kiawe wood chips.


A view toward the front of the restaurant.

Kama'aina Day at Iolani Palace

Friday morning, April 2, we went to kama'aina day at the Iolani Palace. Entertainment included hula and slack key guitar.


We parked on Punchbowl Street and walked mauka to the palace.


The view includes the Kawaiahao Church, the first on Oahu, and Honolulu Hale, the city hall. Photo by Andrea.


The statue of Kamehameha Nui in front of a state office building.


Counter-photo by Andrea of the Iolani Palace. Photo by Andrea.


At the gate. Photo by Andrea.


People gathering on the grounds for the event.


This is a video of the first hula of the first halau to perform. They were exceptionally good. I said, "That's how it's done."


We rested for a while on a bench around the kukui tree planted in 1934 by FDR. Photo by Andrea.


Iolani Palace with the capitol building in the background, taken from the bench we rested on.

When we got back, we ate the beef stew plate we brought home, took a nap, and then I worked on the monkeypod slab. I filled some holes with epoxy. Here's a how to on using epoxy in woodworking that Andrea had found for me.


On Monday the third, Andrea went to her afternoon hula lesson in Manoa and too this picture of the roof work on Kuali'i.


The monkeypod slab Kevin gave me is becoming a dai for bonsai. I have it leveled for making feet for it from the mahogany two by two.


Tuesday afternoon I epoxied four feet onto the slab.


Tuesday afternoon I also planted the thre scheflera on the rock and put the planting into a plastic bonsai pot. Masking tape holdes them with muck.


Andrea spent Tuesday afternoon with Joleen painting easter eggs. Photo by Joleen.

University of Hawaii at Manoa Scholarship Celebration Luncheon

Andrea and I were invited to the UH luncheon as sponsors of the Donald D. Johnson scholarship in the History Department on Wednesday, April 5.


We arrived early as usual and waited about 45 minutes for the ceremony to begin.


We were given these orchid lei and nametags upon arrival. Photo by Andrea.


After most had arrived, I climbed up on the stage and got this photo of the Campus Center Ballroom.

Citizen Patrol Walk

We joined Adele for the first Citizen Patrol walk on Thursday morning, April 6, at 7:00 AM at the Hind Drive bridge.

Because one family in the area habitually parks cars across the sidewalk, this is one ordinance I am interested in seeing enforced:

Revised Ordinances of Honolulu Sec. 15-14.2 Obstruction to sidewalk prohibited. No person shall stand or park a vehicle in such a manner that any portion of such vehicle obstructs a sidewalk or portion thereof.


We met at the bridge. Most people arrived on time.


We had about 20 people altogether.


Andrea went across the street to take the photo.


It was a beautiful morning for a walk. HPD Officers Iwamasa and Farley joined us.

Grilling Lamb and Playing Bocce

Paul and Faye joined us for dinner on Saturday evening, April 8.


The girls won the first round. Boys won the second.


We played farkle after dinner. I won.


All together for a selfie.

Easter Brunch

We joined Matt and Diane for Easter brunch, Sunday, April 9.


Matt made some special bloody Mary's with his pepper vodka.


Their friend Brandy joined us. Photo by Diane.

Morning Walk

We continued taking morning walks before breakfast.


Rainbow! Monday, April 10.

Manoa Heritage Center Tour

I gave a tour for six at MHC on Tuesday, April 11, at 1:30 PM. Two from Texas, two from Calgary, Canada, and two from Kaimuki.


The roofing work is nearly done.

Comedy Night at Hawaiian Brian's

Andrea and I took Joleen to Tuesday night comedy at Comedy U and Hawaiian Brian's social club in the evening of April 11.


The club is just off Kapiolani near the Convention Center. Lots of pool tables and darts. Not very busy at 7:30 PM on Tuesday night.


Inside the comedy room waiting for the show to start. We had tonic cocktails, gin for Andrea and me, vodka for Joleen.


Andrea's halau member Simone Park, internationally recognized comedienne.

The MC came on at about a quarter to eight (15 minutes late) and told a bunch of mostly funny jokes. He was a Filipino from Lana'i. Near the end of his set, he shaded his eyes and looked over at me and asked "Is that Neil Abercrombie in the audience?" I've been told before that I look somewhat like Neil. I know him. He's much shorter than I, so I stood up and raised my leveled hand to my height in front of me and slowly lowered it to Neil's height. The MC got the point.

Aina Haina Citizen's Patrol

Andrea and I joined Adele and neighbors for a Wednesday morning patrol walk up Kiholo street and around and over the Ani Street bridge.


We met on the Hind Drive bridge at 8:00 AM.


A good turnout once again.


Group photo by a resident by the bridge using Adele's phone.


Junk and equipment being stored on the street at 521 Kiholo Street.


In the evening I attended the Aina Haina Prepared monthly board meeting.

Morning Walk

We continued taking daily morning walks before breakfast.


Koki'o 'ula'ula (native red hibiscus), Thursday, April 13. Photo by Andrea.


Maiapilo, a flower of a native bush, Thursday, April 13. Photo by Andrea.

Tom and Amber Visit

On Thursday, April 13, cousin Tom and his friend Amber came by after a visit to Hanauma Bay for snorkeling.


We went to City Mill in the morning to get a board and other things and then I started work ona foot stool for Andrea.


Tom and Amber came by and I gave them a tour of the bonsai. Photo by Andrea.


Amber liked the seven tree milo forest, featured in my new book. Photo by Andrea.


Looking at the bonsai outside the kitchen.


Posing with Andrea.

Foot Stool Crafting

Friday, April 14, I got my monthly Xgeva shot in the morning at Straub outpatient clinic and then I came home and worked some more on the footstool which will double as a cat blocker for the TV electronics.


I epoxied the eight half inch dowel struts before I left for Straub in the morning. Overall dimensions are 0.5 x 1 x 2 feet.


Friday afternoon I drilled and pinned the struts and legs with 1/8 inch bamboo hibachi skewers. The board is pine and the legs are 1.25 in. dowel.


Andrea took this photo of the maiapilo blossoms on our before-breakfast walk Saturday morning.


Andrea also photographed these glorious clouds.


Saturday morning I cut the excess bamboo pins, power and hand sanded it, and put on the first coat of gloss spar varnish.


Photo by Andrea.


After the second coat of varnish had dried.


Painted the brown racing stripes.


Ta da!


The footstool is ready to use. I tested it by standing on it.

I made a separate page for the footstool production.

Red Hibiscus Bonsai

My kokio 'ula'ula (red native hibiscus) bonsai bloomed on Monday, April 17.


Those are maiapilo seedlings in the small plastic pots on the left. Click the image to see the full resolution version.


Close-up photo of the two hibiscus flowers by Andrea.

Kapiolani Park Preservation Society Annual Meeting

Andrea and I attended the Kapiolani Park Preservation Society annual meeting and "discussion by Patrick Henry of a long-lost luakini heiau at Kapiolani Park" (from the printed program) at the Outrigger Canoe Club on Monday evening, April 17. We eschewed the after-meeting buffet provided and went to the Kaimana Hotel (the one the beach is named after*), for cocktails and pupu. It became our dinner.

* I know, one ought not name beaches after hotels, but it's too late. It's a done deal. We come back after 30 years on the mainland and nobody calls it Sans Souci Beach anymore.


At the entry-way to the Outrigger Canoe Club.


Waiting for the meeting to start. All the chairs were filled eventually. Prof. Pat Henry, UH Astronomy Department, retired, gave an
interesting talk on the two heiau at Kapiolani park, both of which no longer exist. Both were luakini heiau where human sacrifices
were performed. He used three old maps to nail down their exact positions and orientations. The Pleiades, the seven daughters of the
Titan Atlas, rose over the back walls of the heiau at sunset, marking the beginning of the Makahiki (new year).


At the bar at the Kaimana. Photo by Andrea. That globular cluster, the Pleiades, actually contains over a hundred stars visible by telescope.


Dueling phone cameras. Photo by Andrea.


Getting just the right angle for the framing. Photo by Andrea.


Got it.


Andrea had an Old Fashioned and I had the Hurricane Hank (various fruit juices and Bourbon on crushed ice). Photo by Andrea.


Cheers!


Our last pupu of the evening was the crudite with sauces and flatbread. Photo without flash.


Photo with flash.

Dinner with Paul and Faye

Paul and Faye invited us to their apartment downtown for beef curry dinner on Tuesday evening, April 18.


The tree in the stream had been moved by the vegetation cutting crew, but not removed. Photo by Andrea on our Tuesday morning walk.


The view from the thirteenth floor revealed a storm approaching.


Faye ordered salad and pupu from Rangoon restaurant on Nuuanu Ave. Paul and I walked over to pick up the order. I was barefoot due to
zori (slipper) failure earlier. They had many interesting Burmese artifacts inside. Should be interesting to eat there sometime.


This is a wood carving about four feet wide at the back of the restaurant.


Interesting architecture on the walk back.


Curry cooking video.


A delicious dinner was fully consumed. Coconut cream pie with chocolate yogurt for dessert.

Dinner at Plumeria Beach House

Andrea and I went out for dinner to the Plumeria Beach House restaurant at the Kahala Hotel on Wednesday evening, April 19.


Andrea had made a reservation for six PM.


The weather had cleared up after the rains the previous night.


Kapena was playing lots of hapa music. Slack key guitar and bass.


Beautiful voices and gigantic repertoir.


The coconut cake was superb. Andrea and I split this slice and had Keoki coffees.


Andrea stopped at the bridge and photographed the destruction equipment in the stream Thursday morning on her way to the bank.

Rainbows and Flowers

Thursday evening, April 20, Andrea and I saw a magnificent rainbow and on our evening walk, we saw the lotus blooming from a neighbor's above ground pond. I don't usually photograph flowers and rainbows, but I made an exception on that day.


As we were having dinner, Joleen tipped us off via phone that there was a magnificent rainbow out our front door.


The rainbow persisted as we went on our walk. When we spotted the neighbor's rarely blooming lotus, I went back for our phones.


The lotus blossom.


Side view.


Metaphotography by Andrea.


Walking back home, the rainbow was barely there.


Sunday, April 23, Malia sent a photo of Lili on a rope swing.

Aina Haina Citizen's Patrol

Andrea and I walked once again with the group on Wednesday morning, April 26.


Walking on Oio Street.


Looking mauka when we got back to the 1949 bridge.


Group photo looking makai. Click the image to see the full resolution (uncropped) version.


I had wired a papaya for bonsai training on Tuesday. I photographed it on Wednesday. Click the image to see the full resolution version.

Debris Basin

Andrea went to Hula with Joleen in Manoa Valley on Wednesday morning, April 26, while I stayed home and read and worked a bit on bonsai. I fixed a meatball sandwich for lunch, took a nap, and after Andrea got home, we drove to Longs to get a sponge for her fan painting and some toiletries, paper plates, and things like that. On the way home, we stopped up at the Wailupe Valley Stream debris basin to take photographs.


There has been drizzle up at the top of the valley for two days so the water was flowing.


There's a waterfall off to the right.


Bonsai coffee in a Jackson Pollock growing container. Click the image to see the full resolution version.


We went for a walk after dinner. After a day in the sun, the maiapilo flower is fading.


The lotus up the street is blooming again.


The lotus the next morning, Thursday. Photo by Andrea.

Aina Haina Prepared Presentation

AHP member Richard Galope gave a presentation on go-bags and preparedness at the Wailupe Community Park library on Thursday evening, April 27.


The lotus later in the day on Thursday. Photo by Andrea.


I arrived early and brought carrot cake and cookies made by Andrea and some tangerines.


Joleen made a puakenikeni lei that Mary presented to Richard when Gavan introduced him.


Richard's wife Diana helped pass out prizes.


The food table with pizza boxes in the insulated bags.


We had salad, carrot cake and cookies, and brownies made by Adele.


After the presentation we ate and talked.

Bonsai

Bonsai activity continued on Thursday, April 27.


I created another, but smaller, bonsai coffee in a Jackson Pollock container. Click the image to see the full resolution version.


Friday morning, a view up the valley after half an inch of rain in the last 30 hours.


Carol Mandryk used my photo with permission again on the cover of the OLLI catalog for summer 2023.


Saturday morning, April 28, Andrea and I went to the Hawaii Bonsai Association annual meeting at the Suzannah Wesley recreation center in Kalihi.
I sold my first copy of Bonsai Hawaiian Style there for $70.

Family Day at the Mission Houses

After the HBA meeting, we drove to the HMH to volunteer for Family Day in the afternoon.


There was an event for missionary descendents going on when we arrived.


I was assigned to the print shop where I told about the translation and printing of the bible and demonstrated the printing press.

Gianni Schicchi at the Blaisdell Concert Hall

Hawaii Opera Theater presented i>Gianni Schicchi at the Blaisdell Concert Hall. Fun and well-performed with a famous aria by Gianni Schicchi's daughter. Lots of laughs in the one-act opera by Puccini.


Lynn Johnson gave the before show talk as usual.

Email Richard dot J dot Wagner at gmail dot com


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Last updated May 1, 2023 by Dr. Richard Jeffery Wagner. Text and images copyright © 2023, unless otherwise attributed, all rights reserved.