Weekend Events: April 2 and 3, 2011

I just posted a list of family friendly events happening here on Oahu this weekend.  All the details can be found on my Weekend Events page.  As always, if you have any to add, please share them with others in the comments section of this post.

Have a great weekend!

Ali'i Tour at the Mac Nut Farm

I really enjoyed the Ali'i Tour at Tropical Farms and so did the rest of the family, visiting grandparents included.  In trying to decide how to blog about this adventure I've decided against the blow by blow description and instead will give you some highlights and share some pictures.

The tour had a very relaxed and personable feel to it.  The guys who led the tour all seemed to be laid back and have a great sense of humor.  (Not enough seats on the bus?  No worries!  We'll just grab a folding chair and put it in the aisle.  Problem solved!)

They made sure everyone got a chance to see, taste or touch whatever they were highlighting during the tour.

They took the time to take group pictures with everyone both at the end of the amphitheater program and during the boat tour.  (They offered the amphitheater photo for sale at the end of the tour, but were happy to also take it with our cameras.)  That was my favorite part of the tour, the unhurried pace and relaxed attitude that prevailed.  Well, that and the view of the mountains.  Tropical Farms just happens to be next to my favorite section of the Ko'olaus, and even on a cloudy day the view was spectacular.

Our boy's favorite part of the tour was the boat ride, and he's been asking to go on it again.

I thought our girl's favorite part of the tour was going to be the many chickens wandering around at the amphitheater, but in the end the fire dance won out and was her overall favorite.

My husband said his favorite part was watching the guy make fire in a matter of minutes just by rubbing to sticks together.  He'd have done well on Survivor!

You also get the chance to see the setting, and in some cases the sets, for a number of movies and TV shows.  The boat and the bus go by these places so you get a good view of them.  ER, Off the Map and 50 First Dates are some of the shows that have been filmed here.

Definitely a fun tour - one I'd recommend and one we will take again!

Do it yourself on Oahu

Location:  Tropical Farms: the Macadamia Nut Farm Outlet, 49-227 Kamehameha Hwy #A, Kaneohe, HI  96744

Directions:  

• From Kaneohe, head NW on the Kahekili Hwy.  After the juncture with the 830 (where the Hygenic Market is on the corner) this will become the Kamehameha Hwy. and you will continue on it for just under 5 miles.  The turn for Tropical Farms will be on your right.  It is tucked in the trees and is off the road a little bit but is marked with a sign.  If by chance you get to Kualoa Regional Park or Kualoa Ranch you have gone too far. 

• If you are coming SE on the Kamehameha Hwy from the north shore, Tropical Farms will be on your left, shortly after you pass Kualoa Ranch and Kualoa Regional Park.

Parking:  Free parking right out front in their parking lot.

Hours:  Closed Sundays.  Only one tour on Tuesdays and Thursdays and it is at 11.  Tours from 11-4 on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.  I think the tours begin on the hour, but when I called them it sounded kind of like it depended on when people sign up and how many are signed up and...like I said, it's a laid back pace but relax and go with the flow and you'll have a good time.  Our tour was scheduled for 11 but there were enough people to fill two buses so they divided everyone up and some headed out at 11 and others at 11:30.  

Cost:  $20 for adults, $15 for military and kama'aina with ID, $10 for children ages 6-12, free for children 5 and under.

Other:  

To purchase tickets for the tour, go through the gift shop at Tropical Farms to a separate building in the back where there's a sign and counter for the Ali'i Tour.  

I didn't see any restrooms during the tour, so visit the nice ones in the gift shop before you get on the bus.  

For more info:  The best way to find out more about the tour is to call them directly at 808-589-7411.  They have a webpage but they said it is outdated so I'm not going to link to it.

Scenic Sunday: Na Mokulua

Scenic Sunday...because I never get over the beauty of these islands.

Na Mokulua

The Mokulua Islands, commonly called 'The Moks.'  

Viewed from Bellows Beach on Windward Oahu, and unusually green because of the winter rains.

Check out Delicious Baby's Photo Friday to see lots of great photos from around the world.  

Weekend Events: March 26 & 27, 2011

After taking a couple weeks off, I've updated the Weekend Events page for this weekend.  You can attend a parade, be part of a rubber duckie race, buy handmade crafts or go to a drive-in movie this weekend with your family.  Check out the Weekend Events Page for all the details.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Scenic Sunday: Clouds

Scenic Sunday...because I never get over the beauty of these islands.

There's nothing quite as relaxing as lying on your back and watching the clouds drift by.

March 11 Tsunami in Hawaii - Video Links

Compared to Japan, last week's tsunami was a non-event here in Hawaii.  There was no loss of life and I haven't heard of any injuries either.  However, there was some damage on several of the islands and a few houses and businesses were destroyed and/or damaged.  Here's a list of links about the tsunami in Hawaii.  All but the last one link to videos.  Keep in mind that the largest surges happened before the sun came up, so the ones captured on video were not the biggest.

Tsunami wave hitting Kona

Tsunami surge in canal in Kailua

Tsunami surge in Keauhou Bay

News report on Damage in Kona

Video of Damage in Kona

Damaged boat harbor on Oahu

Estimates of the monetary value of the damage in Hawaii

Tropical Farms: The Macadamia Nut Farm Outlet

After driving by it many times over the years we finally visited Tropical Farms, the Macadamia Nut Farm Outlet near the town of Ka'a'awa.  It's a beautiful spot with lots of trees and a country feel.  There were chickens wandering around behind the store and our girl loved running around with them.

There was also a basket of macadamia nuts still in their shell that you could crack open yourself using a stump and rock there.  That was a hit with the kids, and we all enjoyed eating the opened nuts.

Inside they have free coffee and lots of samples of macadamia nuts, both plain and flavored.  They have a nice selection of edible and non-edible souvenirs for sale, and we bought a few things to send to friends and a few to eat ourselves.

Tour buses stop here so it can get a little crowded inside when a couple buses are there at the same time, but that didn't bother us.  The shop has an open air feel to it and you can tell they've put time and energy into decorating and maintaining it.

To see the rest of the grounds, including a fish pond and several movie sets, we went on the Ali'i Tour they offer, but that deserves its own blog post, so check back later for that.  UPDATE: Here's the link to my Ali'i Tour blog post.

Do it yourself on Oahu
Location:  49-227 Kamehameha Hwy #A, Kaneohe, HI  96744
Directions:
• From Kaneohe, head NW on the Kahekili Hwy.  After the juncture with the 830 (where the Hygenic Market is on the corner) this will become the Kamehameha Hwy. and you will continue on it for just under 5 miles.  The turn for Tropical Farms will be on your right.  It is tucked in the trees and is off the road a little bit but is marked with a sign.  If by chance you get to Kualoa Regional Park or Kualoa Ranch you have gone too far.
• If you are coming SE on the Kamehameha Hwy from the north shore, Tropical Farms will be on your left, shortly after you pass Kualoa Ranch and Kualoa Regional Park.
Parking:  Free parking right out front in their parking lot.
Hours:  9:30am to 5pm daily
Cost:  Free entrance, free coffee and free macadamia nut samples.  Numerous items available for purchase.  The Ali'i Tour (which I will be blogging about soon) has a separate fee.
Other:  This makes a great pit stop for kids since you can get snacks and they have nice clean bathrooms too.
On the web:  Tropical Farms of Hawaii, A.K.A. The Mac Nut Farm

Scenic Sunday: Reflecting on the Ocean

Scenic Sunday...because I never get over the beauty of these islands.

We've spent a lot of time around the ocean this weekend.  Thanks to visiting family who pulled us away from our chores and routines we got to spend time at the beach on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  

As I looked at the ocean and the waves along the shoreline I couldn't help but think about how this beautiful body of water has the potential to change so quickly and unexpectedly.  The video images coming out of Japan make that abundantly clear.  I have always had great respect for the ocean and its power and now when I look at it I am aware that the ocean could turn on us at any time.  I don't love it any less because of that.  In fact, I think that realization helps me appreciate its calm and beautiful days that much more.

Please continue to pray for those affected by last week's tsunami and earthquake.  

Tsunami Warning - March 2011

Well it was a short night for us as I know it was for many people here in Hawaii.  We aren't in an evacuation zone, but I couldn't pull myself away from the news for the longest time and when I did the sirens woke me back up at 2:30am.  I stayed awake to see what the news would be around 3 when the waves were expected to arrive, then went back to sleep around 4 after watching the water surges online for awhile.  Of course the kids slept just fine so now they are full of energy and I am exhausted.  Such is life.

When I woke up this morning I was glad to hear that there have been no reports of injuries here in Hawaii and it sounds like damage was minimal.  Wish the same was true for Japan.  Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

UPDATE:  Click here to view my list of links showing the tsunami surge and some of the resulting damage here in Hawaii.  

Leonard's Bakery Malasadamobile

One weekend morning recently I discovered these sitting on our table.  Not one, but two boxes of malasadas from Leonard's Bakery.  My husband had taken our early-rising boy for a bike ride and then they picked these up on their way back home.  Mmm, mmm good!

If you are new to Hawai'i and don't know what a malasada is, get yourself to a bakery and find out!  By definition they are Portuguese donuts, brought to Hawaii by Portuguese immigrants who came to work on the plantations back in the day.  But to really KNOW what a malasada is you need to taste one...or two, or three...why keep count, really?

You can purchase Leonard's malasadas from one of their bakeries, or from their Malasadamobiles (their term not mine, but I like it).  Ours came from the Malasadamobile that is often parked in the corner of Windward Mall's parking lot, on the corner of Kamehameha Highway and Haiku Drive.  The red and white stripes make it pretty easy to spot no matter where it is parked.

As luck would have it (and truly it's by luck, not advanced planning, that this happened) I'm posting this at the end of Malasada Day.  According to Wikipedia, on the Portuguese island of Madeira they would make Malasadas on Shrove Tuesday/Fat Tuesday to use up their lard and sugar before Lent so they called that Tuesday 'Malasada Day' and brought that tradition with them to Hawaii.  But don't wait for Malasada Day to roll around again before you get some of these tasty treats.


Do it yourself on Oahu
Location:  Leonard's Bakery is at 933 Kapahulu Avenue, Honolulu, Hawaii  96816; Leonard Jr.'s is in the Waimalu Shopping Center at 98-042 Kamehameha Hwy #3, Aiea, Hawaii 96701; there is a Malasadamobile at the Waikele Shopping Center at 94-894 Lumiaina Street, Waipahu, Hawaii, 96797.  At the time of this post there is also a Malasadamobile at Hilo Hattie's.  It's posted on their webpage but I'm not sure if it will be a permanent spot or not.  Check their webpage.  And although not listed on their webpage, there is usually one at Windward Mall on the corner of Kam Hwy. and Haiku Dr.
Hours:  For the bakeries: 5:30am to 9pm Sunday through Thursday; 6am to 10pm Friday and Saturday
Other:  Malasadas definitely taste best fresh, so eat as many as you can the first day you get them.  :)  Their website says that the Malasadamobiles are available for private parties and events.  So if you're planning a big party, give them a call!
More on the web:  Learn more about the bakery and it's history at Leonard's Bakery Homepage.  Founded in 1952 it is still family owned and operated.

Scenic Sunday: Cloudy at Bellows Beach

Scenic Sunday...because I never get over the beauty of these islands.

Bellows Beach, Oahu

I think even the cloudy days in Hawaii are beautiful.  And the rain makes everything so green!

This post is linked to Photo Friday over at Delicious Baby.  Head over there to see wonderful photos from around the world.

Weekend Events: March 5 & 6, 2011

Sorry it has been so quiet on my blog.  My kids used up all my energy this week and there was little left for anything else.  I'm sure many of you have had weeks like that before.

It's a little later than usual, but my list of weekend activities and events for the whole family is now up for this weekend.  The Dinosaur exhibit at the Bishop Museum opens tomorrow, there are a couple of chances to hear The Royal Hawaiian Band, there is a fun sounding activity at Hawaii Nature Center, a few chances to buy used books and a couple of other events as well.  For all the details, check out the Weekend Events Page through the tab at the top of the page or through this Weekend Events Link.  If you know of any events I didn't include, please share them with others in the comments on this post.  Mahalo!

Have a great weekend and I'll be back next week, starting with a beautiful picture on Sunday.