Honolulu City Lights Electric Parade

Sorry for the lack of activity on my blog lately.  I've been spending every spare moment working on photo books of the year for my kids for Christmas and pretty much everything else in my life has been neglected.  I completed and purchased the books today and now I'm trying to get back into the swing of things.

I plan to update the Weekend Events page sometime tomorrow (Thursday).  In the meantime, I'm reposting what I wrote about the Honolulu City Lights electric parade last year.  It's a fun parade with lots of bands, floats, and city vehicles covered in lights.  For my family it's a "not to be missed" holiday event and the 2011 version of the parade is happening this Saturday night.  

Reposted from December 2010

The Honolulu City Lights electric light parade has become an annual tradition for our family and we enjoyed it again this year.  It's always on a Saturday night, probably the first one in December but I'd have to check my calendars from previous years to be sure.  Lots of people go early and enjoy the rides and activities around Honolulu Hale but we prefer to watch the parade as it comes through Chinatown.  It's less crowded there and getting in and out and finding parking is pretty easy.

Our kids enjoyed dancing along to the Christmas music as various bands marched by and they loved getting candy that was passed out by parade participants.  Our son remembered this from last year and asked that we take a bag to put his stash in.  During the parade he decided the candy bag should sit back next to me rather than by him, so the people passing out the candy would think he didn't have any and would be sure to give him some.  As soon as he'd get a piece of candy he'd turn around and toss it to me for safe-keeping in his bag.  Our daughter's technique was to eat as much candy during the parade as she could and she may or may not have eaten candy stolen from the big kids she was sitting with in addition to her own.

There were some nice floats in the parade but my favorites were the utility vehicles bedecked in lights.  Have you ever seen such a nice looking dump truck?

And look at this fancy sewer pumping truck.  

I didn't get a picture of the Handi-Van that was tripped out to look like a low-rider, complete with a spoiler on the back, but it was one of my other favorites.

This parade is happening this Saturday, December 3, 2011 starting at 6pm in downtown Honolulu.  More details to come on the Weekend Events page.

Scenic Sunday: Sunset Over the Ko'olaus

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

Sunset over the Ko'olaus reflected in the Kawai'nui Marsh

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Turkey Day!

I am thankful for many things this year including each of you who visit this little corner of the internet and read my blog.  Thank you for your emails, your comments and your contributions to this space.  

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Swap Meet at the Aloha Stadium

Have you started Christmas shopping?  It's not quite Thanksgiving and usually I take one holiday at a time but this year I decided to get as much shopping out of the way in November as possible.

I always do some Christmas shopping at the Aloha Stadium.  I once overhead a vendor say people who live here go to the stadium when they have visitors from off-island and at Christmastime and I know that's true for me.

The term 'swap meet' makes me think of a community garage sale, but the vast majority of the items at this one are new.  There are a lot of different types of things available at the stadium swap meet and over the years I feel like I've bought at least one of every type of item they have.

This is the perfect place to shop to buy Hawaiiana type things for friends off-island and prices are better than in Waikiki.  But don't think it's only tourist stuff for sale here because there's a lot more to buy than that.  Items for sale include: Hawaii t-shirts, aloha wear, sunglasses, board shorts, hats, prints of photos and paintings, beach towels, luggage, bags of all sizes and styles, baskets, handicraft items, quilts, cheap plastic toys (my kids always want to spend their money on these), musical instruments, jewelry, hair accessories, and the list goes on.

For those of you who are more visual, here's a list in picture form:

And one last picture, the aloha wear outfits I got at the swap meet for my kids to wear for Christmas last year.

The vendors are positioned in a circle around the stadium so you get a bit of exercise while you shop.  I always take a stroller and I use it for keeping my wandering daughter with me and for giving my son a ride when he gets tired of walking.  

Speaking of kids, mine usually enjoy going to the swap meet.  It's a great place for them to spend their pocket money because a lot of things are available in their price range.  My son has bought toys, necklaces, wooden bookmarks and a bunch of other things there.  When they get tired I can motivate them to keep going with the promise of fresh sliced fruit or shave ice which are both available there.

Happy shopping!  Some of the vendors will bargain with you, so happy bargaining too!

Do it yourself on Oahu

Location:  Aloha Stadium, 99-500 Sale Lake Blvd, Honolulu, HI 96818

Hours:  Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 8am to 3pm  (They usually have extended days and/or hours during the holidays but I'm not finding those anywhere right now.)

Cost:  $1 admission for ages 11 and older

Parking:  After you come in the entrance there is a parking lot immediately to the left, there is parking all around the perimeter of the stadium, and there is a big parking lot near the front side of the stadium.

Facilities:  There are restrooms at a couple locations around the stadium.  

Other:  Although there is some food for sale there I always take snacks for my kids.  I would also recommend taking water bottles and an umbrella and wearing a hat and/or sunscreen, especially in the summer when it gets really hot there.

More info:  Official webpage for the Aloha Stadium Swap Meet and Marketplace

Scenic Sunday: Lanikai Beach

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

A birds-eye view of Lanikai Beach

November 18 & 20, 2011: Weekend Events

If you are ready to start planning your weekend, check out the Weekend Events page which I just updated.  Lots of family fun to be had here on Oahu!  It's a Bank of Hawaii free family Sunday at the Honolulu Academy of Arts, you can get lots of good food at Taste of Kalihi and Santa is coming to Windward Mall.  Seems he's about one weekend too early, but I'm listening to Christmas music as I type so I guess I'm in no position to judge.  :)

As always, if I missed something please feel free to share it with others in the comments to this post or on the Facebook page.  I appreciate it when you add events and I'm sure your fellow readers do too.

I hope you enjoy your weekend!

Puka Dog

Puka Dog is a fun little place to eat a hot dog in Waikiki.  They have a couple twists on the traditional hot dog that make for a fun and tasty experience.

When it comes to the bread, instead of regular hot dog buns they use a bigger bun that they make a hole (called a 'puka' in Hawaiian) through the middle of the bread and put the hot dog in this hole.  They have two choices of hot dogs - polish sausage or veggie.

The second twist on the traditional hot dog are their relishes.  They have a secret garlic lemon sauce they offer in various levels of spicy and a number of tropical relishes as well.  I wasn't sure about putting Mango Relish or Coconut Relish in my hot dog but at the urging of friends who'd eaten there I gave it a try and definitely enjoyed it!

For the less adventurous, like my kids, they also offer regular old ketchup, mustard and pickle relish.  Last time I was there I noticed they also have a children's size hot dog but it's not on the main menu and so I hadn't noticed it when we ordered.  Too bad because the regular puka dogs are too big for my kids to finish.  Next time we'll try the keiki option!

Last but not least, their fresh squeezed lemonade is delicious!

Do it yourself on Oahu
Location:  In the Waikiki Town Center at 2301 Kuhio Avenue #2, Honolulu, Hawaii  96815.  I think of them as being located at the back side of the International Marketplace and you can get there by walking through the International Marketplace to Kuhio Ave.
Hours:  Mon-Thurs, 10am to 10pm; Fri-Sat, 10am to 11:30pm
Parking:  They don't have their own parking so you have to find a parking garage or street parking.  You could also park on one end or the other of Waikiki where parking costs less and get in some exercise walking to and from Puka Dog.
Facilities:  There are restrooms located upstairs that are shared by businesses in the area.  They have a few tables in front of the restaurant.  They can fill up when it gets busy but we've gotten lucky and always gotten a place to sit.
More info:  808-924-7887

November 12 & 13, 2011: Weekend Events

I want to start by saying thank you to all who have served, all who serve and to all those who support them.  Happy Veteran's Day to you!

I have updated the Weekend Events Page with the family friendly activities and events I have come across that are happening this weekend here on Oahu.  If you know of others that I missed, please feel free to share them as a comment on this post.

Don't forget that the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings are continuing this weekend and will have an impact on access to areas of Waikiki and Ko Olina and will affect traffic between those two locations at various times.

Have a great weekend!

z pizza

Have you eaten at z pizza?  I've been to the Kailua location a couple times and the pizza is good and so are their salads!  They advertise that they use a lot of fresh and organic ingredients which is great, but what really sets them apart for me are the unique pizzas on their menu.

Thai pizza, Mexican pizza and Santa Fe pizza are just some of the regional options available with toppings ranging from spicy chicken to artichoke hearts to many things in between.  They also offer more traditional pizza toppings in case that's what you prefer.  Something for everyone!  And speaking of everyone, it's a fun place to go with a group because then you can order several pizzas and try some different ones.

I haven't tried their sandwiches or pastas so I can't speak to those, but they do have some of each on the menu.

The Kailua location has a restaurant feel with fast-food style ordering.  You order at the counter but then they bring your food to your table and clear your table for you.  Fountain drinks are available and are self-serve.  I'm sure wait times vary depending on how busy they are but we have had good service and very reasonable wait times when we've been.  We'll definitely be going back again and again!

Do it yourself on Oahu
Location:  Two locations on Oahu
151 Hekili Street, Kailua, HI 96734
Ward Centre Auahi Street Shops at 1200 Ala Moana Blvd, Honolulu, HI 96814
Hours:
Kailua: Sun-Thurs 10am to 9pm and Fri-Sat 10am to 9:30pm
Ward Centre: Sun-Thurs 10am to 9:30pm and Fri-Sat 10am to 10pm
Parking:  Both locations have free parking available.
More info:  Kailua location 808-230-8400; Ward Centre location 808-596-0066

Scenic Sunday: Kailua Bay

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

Kayaks leaving Kailua Beach

Urban Garden Center

The Urban Garden Center is visible from the H-1 in Pearl City.  I used to pass it daily on my commute to work and often wondered what it was and now I finally know!

We begin our visit with a stop at the main office where they requested we sign a safety waiver and they gave us a map of the gardens.  My daughter thought the map was awesome and referred to it often even though she doesn't have any map reading skills just yet.

We started our adventure at the Hedge Maze (small but the kids liked it) and then walked through the plumeria collection.  They have beautiful plumeria in a large variety of colors (I should do a Scenic Sunday post on them sometime) and I was tempted to break off branches to plant at home but I didn't.  I also checked out the Herb Garden and Idea Garden to see what I should/could be growing in my own garden at home.

The rest of our time was spent in the Children's Garden.  The favorite with the kids in our group was the Alika Rabbit Garden that follows a Hawaiian adaptation of the Peter Rabbit story.  There are plastic bins along the way with various activities in them for kids to do.  Gardening at the little house was such a big hit we had to go there twice.

We visited just about every sections in the children's garden including the Caterpillar Tunnel

 

 and the Pizza Garden where they grow things you would serve on pizza.

The entire complex covers 30 acres and obviously we only saw a small part of it.  I think a lot of the land we didn't visit is covered in fruit tree orchards.  

This was a fun place to visit and I'm sure we'll head back again.  It's a great place for kids to explore the great outdoors and gives everyone a chance to learn a bit about plants along the way.  

Do it yourself on Oahu
Location:  955 Kamehameha Highway, Pearl City, Hawaii 96782
Directions:  Turn into the Home Depot parking lot off of Kamehameha Hwy in Pearl City.  Take a left and drive towards the Public Storage building.  Just past the building you will see the entrance to the Urban Garden Center.
Hours:  Mon - Fri, 9am to 2pm (except holidays).  They also have a "Second Saturday at the Garden" program but it does not happen every month so call them to confirm dates for that.
Cost:  Free
Parking:  There is a parking area next to the road near the office.  Parking is free.
Facilities:  There are restrooms and a drinking fountain.
Other:  • There is a large gazebo in the children's garden that would be a perfect spot for a picnic.  • They recommend closed toed shoes and I put my daughter in tennis shoes but I just wore slippers - we were both fine.  • I would recommend wearing sunscreen and taking a water bottle.
More info:  808-453-6050

November 5 & 6, 2011: Weekend Events

Looking for family friendly activities to do with your kids this weekend?  The pumpkin patches have closed for the year and trick-or-treating is over so the list is a little shorter this weekend.  I think of this as the calm before the storm of Christmastime events that will be here before we know it.  But there are still a number of things happening including concerts, library programs, a book sale and free tours at the Queen Emma Summer Palace and last but not least, a chance to get a free bush or tree to celebrate Arbor Day.  Check out the Weekend Events Page for all the details.

If I missed an event that you know of, please feel free to share it with others as a comment to this post.  Readers also share events (thank you!) on the Oahu Mom Facebook page, so be sure to check in there as well.

My Halloween Cuties

This post is a little different from my usual, but I really want to share pictures of the cute animals I got to trick-or-treat with last night.  Since our kids were both going as animals my husband and I decided to dress up like zoo keepers, which is kind of what we feel like in real life some days.

I hope everyone had a safe and fun Halloween.  If you've posted photos of your own trick-or-treaters that you would like to share, please feel free to leave a link to your pictures in the comments.  I'd love to see them!