One Week on the Big Island

Not long enough, but quite wonderful...

Coconut Island- immediately after they landed in Hilo

Akaka Falls on a very warm morning

Jams at Mr. Ed's in Honomu

Hakalau- This bridge was originally the train trestle.

Mango daiquiris with our own mango purée 

Early morning on the Kona side-as seen from the chartered fishing boat we were on

Another sunrise shot on the boat

The first Ono/Wahoo he caught-about 20 pounds

His second catch-A 48 pound Ono!

The deck hand swiftly cut up our 70 or so pounds of fish

It was both adventurous and relaxing...

Besides catching it, he made the best sashimi ever-so incredibly fresh

He also dipped some in rice flour and fried it in coconut oil-my most favorite cooking oil

Daughter had to have a visit to Ken's House of Pancakes, of course.

Then a great walk at Carlsmith Beach Park, just past Richardson's.

It was gorgeous out there.

Another fine feast prepared entirely by our sweet guests.

Ready for grilling...

Ono in teriyaki marinade

Saying goodbye is so hard...

But they had a great visit.

Words on a Wordless Wednesday

I joined Instagram recently, and am enjoying the all-images format.  We'll see how it goes.  Like Facebook, my children use it, so that is my excuse for opting in. 

My friend arrives from Polynesia in a few days.  Looking forward to sharing my little world with her. The seasons are changing here. We now get less than 12 hours of daylight, not 13.  The mandarin orange tree is producing like mad , and our navel orange and lime trees are as well.  Looking forward to another round of Surinam cherries, and still picking tomatoes and green beans.

We are now into the second season of Breaking Bad.  Yeah, it is definitely deep and dark at times.  I think they do a brilliant job of revealing what speed does to everyone it sinks it's rotten teeth into.  Since I watched a dear friend succumb to it's ravages before he even reached 40 years of age, I know only too well.  I will stick with ganja, thank you. We do break from the intensity with comedies, cartoons, and even the original Dragnet series.  (Which we also consider to be great comedy!) Tonight's comedic feature: This Is The End, a movie that was just released on Netflix, and recommended by my offspring. We love to laugh!

I am disgusted with politics and most of the news.  I still read plenty online, but am SO appreciating that we don't have television access to any of it right now.  I'd be throwing heavy objects at the screen if we did. 

One may gather, based on my recent viewing habits, that a show about the madness of crystal meth is preferable to what passes for news reporting these days. Which would be a correct assumption.

Salad Days

Dinner: Three kinds of lettuce-from friends,blanched fiddlehead ferns-from neighbor,baby broccoli,chives, and tomatoes- from the greenhouse at my employers place,green olives,Japanese cucumber,and my daughter's red wine vinaigrette dressing. Oh, and shredded Parmesan cheese. 

Once in a while

...you can get shown the light.

Older daughter caught this beauty from her apartment in the city.

That Kim Jong Un is some kidder. Do they recognize All Fools Day in North Korea? At least we will have a good seat for the big show.

The Merrie Monarch Festival is happening in Hilo this week. This year marks the 50th anniversary, but we can't go.. Luckily for us, it is all broadcast live. http://www.merriemonarch.com/

We celebrated Easter Sunday by eating tasty black bean burritos and watching The Hangover 2. I love to laugh. It's a requirement I take seriously!

Cabbages At Twilight

Perks of the job, thanks to my hard-working man. He is interning at an organic farm nearby, and brought home all of this very large-sized cabbage. No shortage of healthy food here on the Big Island! I see lots of tasty cole slaw in our future, and will juice some of it too. Will bring at least one to share with my coworker at the library today.

The Stackmeister

That tall stack is just his reggae. Some hobbies become habits. Know what I'm saying?

Speaking of habits, my time to blog and internet has been vastly reduced of late. Poor me! Having more work means some adjustment around here. Even so, I am quite thankful to have found my latest job. Feeling really good about it. I did, however, enjoy the last two years of working only sporadically. Not gonna to lie to you. Adjusting to my new schedule has back-burnered any other outside activity--at least for now.

Today is a break day, which I'm thankful for. Feeding a longtime fixation and watching a couple of my preferred cooking shows, and then it's outside to plant bougainvilleas, French lavender, Song of India, Ti plants, and some coffee cherries, which were picked near my employer's place... From some abandoned 80 year old Waipunalei coffee trees. Spring is in the air. My (lucky) new employers are away for the weekend, seeing Bonnie Raitt on Maui!


On Tuesday night, we watched a Bill Murray movie that I somehow managed to miss. (Bill Murray is another of my fixations. I do love a man, or a woman that makes me laugh!). We both liked it a lot. "Broken Flowers"-- Directed by Jim Jarmusch. Released in 2005. Yet another ideal role for Bill, and his co-stars were well cast. Jessica Lange, Sharon Stone, Tilda Swanton...He plays an aging, selfish dude who is pushed into looking up several women from his past, and quickly learns that age-old adage--that you can't go home again. A fun and poignant film, in my unsolicited opinion.

Anything but 24/7 papal updates! Same as it ever was and will forever be. A-men. There I go with more opinions, yikes! As the man and I like to say, we can be good and kind humans even without religion. And we do try.

Oh! Also needing to bake some Okinawan purple sweet potato biscuits for the man to take to share with his farm class tomorrow. And a few extras, naturally.

Aloha...

Louie Louie

Crab Louie

Recipe courtesy of Swan Oyster Depot, San Francisco

Louie Dressing:
1 pint mayonnaise
1/2 pint tomato ketchup
1/2 cup sweet relish
1/2 cup chopped black olives
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped

Crab Louie Salad:
1 head iceberg lettuce, chopped
8 to 12 ounces fresh picked Dungeness crab meat
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced lengthwise thinly
3 tomatoes, quartered
1/2 pound asparagus spears, cooked.

Directions:
To make dressing, mix together mayonnaise, ketchup, relish, olives, and eggs.

Make a bed of iceberg lettuce on a large plate. Top with crab, avocado, tomatoes, and asparagus. Drizzle with Louie dressing

Okie Dokie

We grew it. Then we ate it all up!

Solstice Weekend

There was plenty of grillin' ...

And of course some chillin'
(Older daughter in at SNWMF in Boonville yesterday)

We had a great weekend right around here, in our own back yard. How many 22 1/2 year old kids want to go to a reggae fest with their parents? She did and we all had a splendid day together, here in Mendonesia.

I Chase The Devil - Max Romeo

Recipe Sunday Redux

This is a picture of our inaugural brunch/gorge. Scary, yes? A few years back, I came across a very interesting recipe on a Big Island food blog. I had seen this dish on menus when we were in Hilo, and was curious, as I often am when it comes to regional favorites.

It's what we cooked and devoured (slowly) when we stayed home and partied for Obama last month. Had it with mimosas made of Piper Sonoma champagne/Odwalla orange juice. Definitely over-the-top, in terms of excess and sloth-like. But hey, we were really, really happy.

Since then, things are shifting. My beloved has given up his occasional Sherman cigarette habit. He started that particular nasty habit right around the time the Iraq war began. (Enough said) He has been telling me for the last 2 years that if Obama won, he would stop cigs cold turkey. He has. Very proud of his follow through.

We both enjoy good food. Probably a bit too much, so we have been scaling back on the consumption since our death-by-brunch almost a month ago. Oh! And I am finally getting my bicycle.

The celebratory ( and insane) recipe, from Big Island Grinds blog...

Ingredients for 2 big servings:

(Actually, you could feed 4 with this amount of food, but what the heck, right?)

• Hamburger Patties
  • 1lb Hamburger (not lean)
  • 1/4 cup grated onions (optional)
  • salt/pepper to taste
• Gravy
  • 1 can good beef broth
  • flour for thickening
  • 1 tb butter
  • couple dashes of Worcestershire sauce
• 4 eggs
• hot cooked white rice

Burgers:
1. Gently mix the hamburger, grated onions and salt/pepper. Form either 2 big patties or 4 smaller size patties.
2. Heat frying pan until very hot.
3. Place hamburger patties on the pan/grill and let sear just until juices start appearing on the top. Flip over and cook for a couple more minutes. You will want the burger slightly charred but still tender on the inside.
4. Place burgers on the side.

Gravy:
1. Pour a little broth into the same pan and incorporate the yum yums, then pour in the rest of the broth.
2. Bring to a boil and let reduce for about 3-5 minutes or so, depending on taste, for a more potent gravy.
3. Turn down heat to a simmer.
4. Add couple dashes of worcestershire sauce.
5. In a separate bowl, mix flour with some water.
6. Using a whisk, slowly whisk in the flour/water mixture until gravy is nicely thick & smooth.
7. Turn off heat and mix in the butter until well blended.

Eggs:
Traditionally, the eggs should be sunny-side up. The secret to a good fried egg is to fry the egg slowly on low heat until it’s cooked… just don’t overcook it! It also helps to have the eggs thawed to room temperature before cooking them.

Rice:
Use regular medium grain white rice… like 3 scoops worth per plate.

Assembly (bottom -> top):
Rice -> Burger -> Egg -> Gravy all over

Optional condiments:
Shoyu, ketchup, tabasco

No caloric or nutritional info with this baby... you do the math.

Rainforest Man

Here's my buddy at his workplace on Friday. It makes sense that he works at the Academy of Sciences. Click to see the detail. Much less gory than my daughter's look below, eh? Halloween was jumpin'. We had lots of adorable trick or treaters, now that we are 'townies' again.

I am attempting Nanowrimo for the first time. We'll see how that shakes down. The man and I saw 'Religulous' yesterday. I thought it was really well done, and I got to watch Bill smoke a joint on the big screen. Simple pleasures, I know.

Later, I made mushroom bolognese sauce with fresh oyster mushrooms foraged by a work chum. Mushrooms, onion, garlic, celery, carrots, red wine, fresh thyme, and rosemary. Like that.

One more day! We await vindication, after our involuntary eight year exile.

In Case You Missed It

On Countdown With Keith Olbermann last night... a look back at this historic, maddening primary season. It's hilarious! In my opinion, Mr. Olbermann is the best thing on T.V. right now. No, I don't watch American Idol. Or So You Think You Can Dance. Or any of the shows many seem to watch these days. Here's an idea: Watch more shows like Olbermann's and less mindless crap. Wait, that was mean. I do have my own mindless crap shows...mostly on Food Network. That's my guilty television secret. Anyway, enjoy...

Another Time's Forgotten Space

Happy Fucking New Year, Kids. It's bound to be better. Unless it gets worse. Anyway, Much Love to All.

I think this was the New Year's Eve Show that we saw Larry Bird and Kevin McHale backstage with Bill Walton. (C.B.? Was it the 1987 show?) Of course it was. That year marked the end of my marriage and the beginning of an excruciatingly harsh lesson I had yet to grasp. I learned it alright. Major collateral damage came with it. Damage that will not be denied it's right to stick around. A pricey lesson.


New Year's Eve is my favorite holiday. The whole out with the old, in with the new ritual just works for me. A yearly purge. Even if N.Y.E. Shows ceased long ago. We've adapted and grown (somewhat) accustomed to hanging around the shack, celebrating in a more subdued manner. Settled? Check. Boring? Check again. Well on our way to old. Our New Year's Eve supper: Black-Eyed Pea and Spinach Salad & Curried Red Snapper. Later on, we'll sip Lambic and bid good riddance to a fairly shitty year. Cheers!

Thankful

My Fair City, Again

Another beauty-of-a-shot, courtesy of Aiko Jim. He got to go on a boat trip to the Farallon Islands last week with the California Academy Of Sciences. Lucky! The building at the edge of the water with the reddish roof is the St. Francis Yacht Club, where I once celebrated my 16th birthday. Fort Mason is in the far left of the photo---those beige buildings. That's where Greens is. This has been your San Francisco nostalgia moment of the week.

Built To Last

I loved this building, which was directly across from the hotel. Especially the top-floor apartment. San Francisco was exhaustingly fun. We made it to Yank Sing for dim sum as well as Zuni Cafe for dinner, where my older daughter joined us. Walked everywhere.

amelia

on this date in 1937, amelia earhart vanished from the sky. when we discussed that fact today, i was reminded that her navigator was a man. (maybe he wouldn't ask for directions?) i love joni's song, "amelia", and it has been in my head all day, appropriately. as usual, the lyrics are there to read if you so desire.

the days and nights are full of familial fun. my son is a joy to spend time with again. i admit to unabashed pride where he is concerned. to see a child from birth to adulthood is one of life's most generous gifts.

my podcast interview was posted yesterday... http://www.closetdeadhead.com is the web address, and then just click on the "listen" button for podcast # 35. (my 15 minutes of *streaming* fame?)

other thoughts-a-swirling in my head today... the future of the supreme court, karl rove/valerie plame, salmon filets and broiled portabella mushrooms. and better days.

freaking freely

tuna was HOT last weekend. had "modern thai" for dinner pre-show, at a little place called ~sea~. i had red pumpkin curry, with a martini cucumber salad for starters. tasty, tasteful food. when we walked into the mystic and settled in, i felt a massive wave of comfort immediately roll over me. it felt like "here is my tribe-- here they all are!" it was a joy to be around the freaks for an evening. saw a few familiar faces, then proceeded to soak up the sound i'd been craving. the 1st set was acoustic and the 2nd set was rip-roaring electric. "i wish you would" tore the roof off the place. we loved it. being away was great fun for the man and i. it was even more fun getting back home the next day. we watched our girl sing that night, in her last choral concert of the 7th grade. beautiful.

the next night, i was interviewed by phone for a "podcast" on closet deadhead. it is to be broadcast in the next month. too funny! apparently the gentleman who runs the site, sam whitmore found my blog entry about "the birth of the aiko's", liked it, and asked me if i wanted to be a part of a future podcast. i was surprised and flattered. the interview was lots of fun. we just yakked, and he asked me questions about the story on my blog. he does a fine job of it. the whole idea/concept of "closet deadhead" is perfect. because really, we all are. it's not for everyone, never tried to be, and being a deadhead is often a sadly misunderstood thing. i gave up trying to "explain" it a long time ago. or as jerry once said... "it's like black licorice. some people don't like black licorice, but those that do REALLY REALLY like it!"... or something like that. anyway, i will post a link to it when the show is up on the closet deadhead page. it feels good to acknowledge and be true to who and what you are, even when much of mainstream society doesn't understand it or like it.

"there is a road, no simple highway, between the dawn and the dark of night. and if you go, no one may follow. that path is for your steps alone."