Seeing Jack Sparrow, AKA Johnny Depp

This is old news now, but based on the interest in my post about the pirate ship in Kaneohe Bay, I think people will enjoy hearing about this celebrity sighting so I'm going to share even though it's a bit after the fact.

A friend of mine took her kids to see the Queen Anne's Revenge when it was at He'eia Pier for the filming of Pirates of the Caribbean 4.  She chatted with a security guard who told her they were filming at night and Johnny Depp usually stopped to greet fans on his way out to the ship, in his full Jack Sparrow costume.  She decided to go down the next evening to see if she could see him and when she told me about it I invited myself along.  We weren't the only ones with this bright idea.

We got there around 8 and waited about an hour and a half before Johnny Depp/Jack Sparrow showed up.  The energy in the crowd was high, but it got much higher when a black SUV stopped and out jumped Jack Sparrow/Johnny Depp.  He went right over to the pedestrian gates and started working his way down the line, shaking hands and signing a few autographs.  He took extra time to chat with kids.  We had left ours at home so we didn't have that draw, but I got some good pictures and my friend got to shake his hand.

The guy with Johnny Depp kept moving him along and apologizing that there wasn't more time and they couldn't do autographs.  It made Johnny Depp look like the nicest guy who really wanted to stop and chat with everyone and meet every request but wasn't allowed.  A brilliant PR move, as was the idea of stopping in the first place.  I guess the rest of the actors just drove from make-up out to the ship, but Johnny Depp chose to stop and see his fans every night.

I'm not usually a celebrity stalker, but it was pretty cool to be right up at the rope line and see Jack Sparrow in all his piratey (a word I just made up) glory.  

One last picture.  Can you find the pirate in this photo?  He's there!

Do it yourself on Oahu:

Unfortunately, you'll have to wait for the next movie.  Johnny Depp only filmed at He'eia Pier a couple more nights after we were there and I hear Hawaii filming for Pirates 4 wrapped in the middle of August.

Scenic Sunday: Rainbow

I've decided to start doing "Scenic Sunday" on my blog where I share a picture I've taken here in Hawaii.  I never cease to be amazed by the beauty of these islands!

Rainbow out my window.

To see other beautiful photos from around the world, check out Delicious Baby.

Judd Memorial Trail

My boy is wrapping up his third week of Kindergarten and we are back from a long-weekend trip to CA, so things should start getting into a routine around here again.  (Fingers crossed!)  Seems like if it's not one thing disrupting our schedule it's a million others.  But while we're having a brief lull I'll catch you up on the fun we had over the summer.

We did a couple middle of the week hikes with friends, including one on the Judd Trail.  The Judd Trail is a one mile loop hike (my favorite) that goes through bamboo, eucalyptus, and Norfolk pine trees - a surprising amount of variety on this short Oahu hike!

We parked along Nu'uanu Pali Drive, covered ourselves with bug spray and headed out.  The hike begins with a stream crossing which my boy enjoyed so much he did it a couple extra times for good measure.  Some of the rocks tipped a bit and others were slippery, but our group made it across with only a couple wet feet.

The bamboo forest came first.  I love bamboo - as long as it's not trying to invade my yard and/or garden, but that's another story.  Back to our hike.  The bamboo forest:

You'll have to do the hike yourself to see the eucalyptus trees, but here are the Norfolk pines.  Cool looking trunks!

The trail changes elevation a bit (200 feet according to one trail description I found), and it intersects other trails along the way, but there are signs posted at most of the junctions so if you just pay a bit of attention you'll manage to stay on the loop trail.  My girl rode in the backpack but my boy hiked the whole thing on his own in his favorite footwear - island style slippers (aka flip-flops for my Mainland readers).  Most of the hike is in the shade which was nice on a hot summer day.

The last part of the hike (or first, if you decide to do the loop the other way) goes along this stream.  So pretty!

I plan to do this hike again and I'd definitely recommend it to hikers of all ages!

Do it yourself on Oahu:

Getting there:  Located off of the Nu'uanu Pali Drive, with the trailhead on the east side of a cement bridge.  Here's a link with driving directions.

Parking:  Parking can be a little tricky, but is doable.  There are a number of small pull-outs along the road as well as some neighborhood parking a little bit below the trailhead.  Don't leave valuables in your car!

Misc:  Take water and bug spray.  There are no restrooms at the trailhead or along the trail.

Brunch at Duke's in Waikiki

Looking for something to do this weekend?  How about brunch?  My favorite spot for brunch is Duke's in Waikiki.  We went there earlier this summer with my parents when they were visiting.  It's usually on their list of things to do when they are on Oahu.

When it comes to restaurants, I'm all about the ambiance.  I love eating outside, weather permitting, and thankfully here in Hawaii the weather almost always permits outdoor dining.  Duke's is an open-aired restaurant right along Waikiki beach with a great view.  The water is too pretty to put into words and it's fun to watch the surfers, the outriggers and the catamarans come and go.  This picture gives you a tiny glimpse but really doesn't do it justice.

The breakfast buffet includes different types of breads and muffins, fresh fruit, yogurt, dry cereal and hot items like eggs, potatoes and breakfast sausages.  There's also a made-to-order omelet station.

If you're looking for cream filled puff pastries or layered jello then this isn't the brunch for you, but if you want a good meal, stunning view and affordable price I bet you'll really like Duke's.  For $14.95 ($7.95 for children 11 and under) it's a great deal!  

Do it yourself on Oahu:

Here's a link to Duke's website.

Hours:  They're open all day I believe and their brunch is served everyday, not just on weekends, but they change to a lunch menu at 10 or 10:30.  

Location:  Duke's is located in the Outrigger Waikiki hotel at 2335 Kalakaua Ave.

Parking:  Duke's validates parking at Ohana East.  To get there, go down Kalakaua Avenue.  After you pass the International Marketplace on your left and the Outrigger Waikiki on your right, take a left on Kaiulani Ave., another left on Kuhio Ave. and a left into the first parking garage you come to.

Disclaimer:  I know this post sounds like a commercial, but I have no affiliation with Duke's and didn't strike a deal with them to put them on my blog, honest!  I just like brunch there so much that I had to share!

The Black Pearl* in Kaneohe Bay

'Thar be pirates in the land, me mateys!  Saturday afternoon we drove over to Heeia Boat Harbor to see the Black Pearl* herself.  Yes, there is going to be a Pirates of the Caribbean 4 and they're filming it here in Hawaii!  So we know one thing about the movie for sure, the scenery will be stunning.

Access to the boat harbor was limited to turning around in the parking lot so we drove to the nearby Heeia State Park and got a great view of the pirate ship from there.  It really is a neat looking ship, at least from a distance.  My favorite is the lantern that hangs off the back.  It would have been neat to see it all with binoculars but we hadn't thought to take any.

Here is one more photo.  They were very considerate and moved the Pearl off the end of the dock and spun her around for us to get a good view.  

Enjoy this post? You might also be interested in my post about seeing Jack Sparrow, a.k.a. Johnny Depp.

Do it Yourself on Oahu:

• The temporary 'no parking' signs along the road were from now through Aug. 14, so if you want to see the Black Pearl yourself it's likely that it will be there a week or two.  The staging area across the street is also kinda neat to check out as you drive by.

• I'd definitely recommend the view from Heeia State Park.  Here's a map.  Take binoculars and maybe you'll see a famous pirate or two.  When we were at the park a lot of people were stopping in to take pictures but there was always plenty of parking.

*UPDATE:  I've been hearing that this is the Queen Anne's Revenge, not the Black Pearl.  A cool looking pirate ship, no matter the name.