There’s a whole complicated process around making mochi that I can’t explain properly. I remember something about a mallet and a lot of pounding, and how it’s some unfortunate person’s role to flip the mochi between swings of the mallet. There’s a lot of pounding and the end result is something that’s a lot like playdough only much more edible. That stuff, the result of the pounding and flipping, is the actual mochi (rice paste?), the wrapper, the last layer of this traditional Japanese treat.… continued…
What is as sad as leaving Hawaii? A few places in the world, they call to you, they crawl up your sleeve and slip right between your ribs close to your heart. For me, Hawaii is one of those places. And when I must pack to leave, the weight of that is impossible.
This evening, after a lovely show at the Royal Hawaiian — that’s the grand pink place on the beach at Waikiki — I slipped out without saying a lot of goodbyes because I didn’t want to break the spell.… continued…
In order to meet Brooks Takenaka at 5am, I fall out of bed at 430, groggy, dizzy, and luckily, jet lagged enough so that it’s not too much of a shock. I’m happy not to be driving, it’s hard enough to navigate Honolulu by day, all those street names made up of Ks and Ls and Is all run together. Luckily, I’ve overlapped in Hawaii with photographer and travel buddy Peter Carey and he’s psyched to tag along, even at 5am.… continued…
I’ve been skipping out on a lot of the nightlife while I’m here in Waikiki. I am, unashamedly, a morning person and while I am not really anti-social, I do enjoy good company, I’m not much of a drinker anymore and I don’t particularly enjoy group events in loud places. I’d much rather share a table with you at dinner; that’s more my style. I may indeed be missing out on a Good Time, but I’m okay with that because I can get up early and go to the beach.… continued…
Here is the thing a taking a tour: You are able to see a lot of places that you might not otherwise get to — especially if you do not have a car.
Here is another thing about taking a tour: You will be pelted with facts, maybe relentlessly, all of them somewhat filtered through the lens of the guide’s own interests. Some of the facts will stick to you — like the tragic idea that birds are too stupid to tell a plastic bag from a squid so they will stuff them into the bellies of their young thinking they are feeding them when really, oh, it is very sad.… continued…
