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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
We played farkle after dinner. I won.
All together for a selfie.
Their friend Brandy joined us. Photo by Diane.
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.
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.
Maiapilo, a flower of a native bush, Thursday, April 13. Photo by 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.
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.
Close-up photo of the two hibiscus flowers by Andrea.
* 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
I was assigned to the print shop where I told about the translation and printing of the bible and demonstrated the printing press.
Email Richard dot J dot Wagner at gmail dot com