kaleimailealii.net

Once upon a time, when I was about 3 or 4 years old my mom and I were driving in the car. I was in the front seat, without my seat belt (because nobody in 1974 used seat belts and kids rode in the front seat all the time) rummaging around the stuff that was under the seat and on the floor. I found a medical book. It was some weird cartoon book of the female anatomy. It had cartoon diagrams of
Dancing Hula in the Sunset District

From Ancient to Modern. From kuahu to ʻauana. Here we go!

A. HULA PAHU

There are many excellent recordings to choose from. The CD Hawaiian Drum Dance Chants (Smithsonian Folkways SF-40015) makes available important historical recordings by chanters Kuluwaimaka, Pua Ha‘aheo, Katherine Kanahele, and Mary Kawena Pukui, recorded in the 1930s. The CD Ancient Hula Hawaiian Style (HanaOla HOCD 2010) adds mid-century recordings by Lokalia Montgomery and George Naope; hula pahu repertoire is also recorded by their contemporaries Tom Hiona on Hawaiian Chant, Hula and Music (Folkways FW-8750) and Henry Pa on Mele Inoa Vol. 2 (Noelani NRS-103)–two LPs not re-issued on CD or online. Maiki Aiu Lake, the teacher of teachers in the 1970s and 1980s, recorded the core “trilogy” of hula pahu repertoire on her CD Maiki (Hula HS-588). More contemporpary chanters who have recorded hula pahu repertoire in include Kaha‘i Topolinski on the LP Nou e Kawena (Pumehana PS-4926) and on the CD Nā Kumu Hula / Songs from the Source Vol. 1 (State Council on Hawaiian Heritage SCHH-1); Keith Kalanikau Awai on Hana Hou! (Do It Again) (Pan 2033), Noenoe Zuttermeister Lewis on Hawaiian Drum Dance Chants (Smithsonian Folkways SF-40015), the Brothers Kanilau (Randy and Keli‘i Chang) on Mele Oli (Sounds True M-007), Michael Pili Pang on Hawaii–Traditional Hula (Arc EUCD-1794), and Pekelo Day on Mai Nā Kūpuna Mai (Ululoa UL-106).

1. “Kaulilua i ke anu Wai‘ale‘ale.”  The Hawaiian Festival Contingent, Festival Music from Hawai‘i (Hibiscus HLS-71). The performance chosen for my class playlist is from a 1976 performance at the 2nd South Pacific Festival of Arts held in Rotorua, New Zealand. The chanter here is Hoakalei Kamau‘u, an important chanter, teacher, and advocate of traditional hula and whose recordings are too few and far between. Music from many of the delegations performing at the Festival were released by Hibiscus Records, a New Zealand label specializing in Pacific music.

.

2. ” ‘Au‘a ‘ia e Kama e kona moku.” This mele is symbolically charged for contemporary Hawaiians. It reports a prophecy of a poet and historian named Keaulumoku. He counsels performers and audiences to hold fast to lands and heritage, for great changes were about to engulf the Hawaiian people. While one source identifies the recipient of the prophecy as ‘Aikanaka, a chief who ruled several centuries before the arrival of Europeans, another source identifies the recipient as Nāmakahelu, a chief in the time of Kamehameha I. The version selected for this playlist is one of the most recently issued recordings of this mele by Maui-based kumu hula Pekelo Day. Mai Nā Kūpuna Mai (Ululoa UL-106).

.

B. Hula ‘Āla‘apapa

Mele hula with ipu accompaniment that predate the Kalākaua era do not possess the symmetrical patterning of stanzas that emerged in the later 19th century in the hula ku‘i and its chanted counterpart that came to be called hula ‘ōlapa. There may be refrains repeated in different sections of the mele, but there is no expectation of consistent line stanza lengths. The mele were as long or as short as needed.

3. “Hole Waimea,” performed by Lokalia Montgomery on Waikiki Records (45-532) and reissued on Ancient Hula Hawaiian Style (HanaOla HOCD-2010). What exquisite ipu playing by a master teacher whose students included Maiki Aiu Lake. The mele, associated with Kamehameha I, is found in manuscript and newspaper sources as dedicated to Kamehameha II.

.

4. “Holo Mai Pele,” on Uwōlani (Liko LR-2003). Hilo‘s Hālau o Kekuhi is acknowledged as the preeminent guardians of hula repertoire dedicated to the volcano goddess Pele. Moreover, much of the repertoire has a clear lineage dating back generations preceding the Kalākaua era in the late nineteenth century. Many newer  compositions by the most recent four generations of the Kanaka‘ole family are informed by the pre-19th century structures and sensibilities of the inherited repertoire.

C. HULA ‘ŌLAPA

5. “Aia lā ‘o Pele i Hawai‘i,” performed by Ka‘upena Wong, with kāhea by Pele Pukui Suganuma. Mele Inoa (Poki SP-9003) is an LP that has not yet been remastered onto CD. Although this mele is dedicated to Pele, its strophic structure and repeated tune point to late 19th- or early 20th-century composition, and prominent scholar Kīhei de Silva has suggested linking the vivid descriptions in this mele to eruptions in 1880 and 1881.

.

6. “Nani wale ku‘u ‘ike,” performed by Maiki Aiu Lake on Maiki (Hula HS-588). A late 19th- or early 20th-century mele, taught by Maiki Aiu Lake as taught to her by Lokalia Montgomery, using the feather-decorated ‘ulī‘ulī gourd rattle.

.

.

.

7. “He Lei No Kapi‘olani” [Aia i Haili kō lei nani] by Sonny Ching, on Ho‘oūlu i ka Na‘auao (Four Strings FSCD 7489). Sonny Ching is kumu hula of Nā Mamo o Pu‘uanahulu, which has won numerous awards in preeminent hula competition events.

.

.

8. “No ka Moku Kiakahi ke aloha” performed by Keali‘i Reichel on Melelana (Punahele PP-007). A recent composition by Keali‘i Reichel from within the past two decades, yet this mele is in the structure of its late 19th-century counterparts. This mele was reissued on the anthology Kamahiwa (Punahele PP-010).

.

.

.

“CROSSOVER” — what I call those mele that were handed down as both chanted hula ‘ōlapa and sung hula ‘ku‘i

9. “Lili‘u E” by Aloha Pumehana Serenaders on Hula Gems (Poki SP-9013). Kumu Hula Darrell Lupenui is the lead voice heard on this CD. This track is a wonderful teaching tool, for introducing the concept of “crossover”–what I call mele that were taught in both chanted hula ‘ōlapa and sung hula ku‘i modes. It is exactly the same mele poetic text, yet it takes on two completely different characters both musically and choreographically.

.

D. Hula Ku‘i

10. “Puamana” by Irmgard Aluli and Puamana. From Irmgard With Love (Mountain Apple MACD-2049). A classic hula ku‘i song, performed by the composer herself and her group consisting of two daughters and a niece. This song is a perennial favorite among hula students, and among novice musicians at kani ka pila.

.

.

.

11. “I Ali‘i No ‘Oe,” performed by Genoa Keawe. Luau Hulas (Hula HS-514). Genoa Keaweʻs album Luau Hulas and its predecessor Party Hulas (Hula HS-507 were both produced with use by hula dancers in mind. The arrangements are straightforward; the first and last stanzas are repeated while stanzas in between are sung only once, and there are no instrumental breaks inserted. These two recordings also represent Genoa Keawe‘s signature ha‘i most excellently.

.

.

12. “Ko‘ula” by Raiatea Helm with Robert Cazimero. Hawaiian Blossom (Raiatea Helm RHCD-8001). Raiatea Helm is one of a handful of singers hailed as successor to Genoa Keawe‘s signature ha‘i style of singing. The soaring vocal lines invite wide sweeping gestures in choreography.

.

.

.

And finally, wrapping up the listening excerpts for hula ku‘i are two compositions from recent recordings.

13. “Ku‘u Pua Lovely,” performed by Nā Kama. Kamakolu (Makani MR-003).

14. “Hanohano Helumoa,” performed by Ho‘okena. Nani Mau Loa (Ho‘omau HOCD-10xx).

Hawaiian Music for Listening Pleasure

Hawaiian hymns have their roots in the American psalmody brought to Hawai‘i by Calvini st missionaries. Members of the non-denominational American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM) evangelized by learning the Hawaiian language, then teaching Hawaiian people to read and write, so that Hawaiians would be able to read the Bible. Practically the first Hawaiian-language book produced by the mission press, however, a mere three years after their 1820 arrival in the islands, was a hymnal  with 47 hymns translated from English to Hawaiian. In 1834, a primer teaching the rudiments of reading western staff notation through Hawaiian language appeared. These and other volumes that went through multiple editions stand as evidence of the popularity of hymns, and the widespread ability among Hawaiians to read western staff notation. Why else, after all, would the missionaries have produced thousands of copies of each edition?

In an academic article published in 1996 titled “Beyond Bibliography: Interpreting Hawaiian Language Hymn Imprints,” I analyzed the corpus of hymns used by the ABCFM missionaries and their modern-day successors, the United Church of Christ. My analysis revealed that the hymns went through two different repertoires. The repertoire introduced by the very first parties of missionaries to arrive in the Hawaiian Islands were hymn and psalm texts that could be sung using a mix-and-match system of tunes. Through tunebooks published in 1834 and 1844, the names of tunes are key to identifying the specific musical repertoire that missionaries introduced.

Around mid-century, however, a new style of hymns came into vogue. These hymns, which were widely referred to as “gospel hymns,” used a format of multiple verses alternating with a chorus refrain.These hymns were gained popularity through their use in revival meetings across the United States continent, and came to Hawai‘i particularly through the championing of Reverend Lorenzo Lyons. This body of hymnody has virtually replaced the earlier hymns. In the 1970s Jack de Mello produced an LP of the earlier repertoire, sung by Nina Keali‘iwahamana and accompanied by light orchestration; other than that, listeners have had little opportunity to encounter the earlier repertoire, as the later repertoire has dominated the hymnals since.

To the playlist:

1. “Pohaku Kahiko.” This selection is representation of the earlier wave of hymnody introduced by the earliest parties of missionaries, beginning in 1820. There are three stanzas, each sung to the same tune. In the 1844 tunebook, this hymn text is paired with the tune “Zadoc.” The performance here is by The Rose Ensemble, a professional a capella vocal ensemble based in St. Paul, Minnesota. Extensive historical research was combined with close attention to linguistic elements of pronunciation.

.

2. “Nu ‘Oli / Glad Tidings.” Bishop Memorial Singers. Nā Leo Hawai‘i Kahiko / Voices of Old Hawai‘i. Bishop Museum Audio-Recording Collections ARCS-1; reissued on CD as The Master Chanters of Hawai‘i (Mountain Apple MACD-2043). In contrast to the first selection, this himeni alternates between a chorus with one tune, and multiple stanzas having a different tune. First published in the 1878 tunebook Ka Lei Alii, it has been included in every edition of the hymnal through the most recent, Nā Himeni o Ka Ekalesia (1999).

3. “Nu ‘Oli / Glad Tidings.” Eddie Kamae and the Sons of Hawaii, Christmas Time (Hawaii Sons HS-4004). This is an example of a Christian himeni moving into the guitar-based performance style associated with secular (non-Christian) Hawaiian songs. Is this an example of how Hawaiian people had embraced Christianity such that himeni could be sung outside of chuch as well as during worship? In other words, is this a case of himeni crossing the sacred/secular line? Or is this an example of Hawaiian musicians crossing the sacred/secular line, by taking himeni outside the church? Or is this an example where the analytical line between sacred and secular is not meaningful to musicians and audiences?

4. “Maika‘i e launa me ‘oe,” performed by Kawaiola. Ho‘oheno i ka Pu‘uwai (MDL 6429). Another example of a Christian himeni, published in 20th-century hymnals, appeared in the repertoire of a group of young adults in the 1980s.

.

.

.

5 and 6. “Hawai‘i Aloha,” performed by The Kawaiahao Church Choir. Hawaii Aloha (Mahalo MS-4008). This himeni was composed by Rev. Lorenzo Lyons, and has always been a longtime favorite among Hawaiian churches. In the 1970s, Hawaiian groups began singing this himeni publicly at the conclusion of public gatherings, and the himeni has since gathered the status of an anthem. The Kawaiahao Church Choir recorded the song as widely performed–verse one, chorus, and repeat chorus. Anyone who would like to learn to sing the second and third stanzas may refer to The Rose Ensemble, who recorded the himeni in its entirety.

Hawaiian Music for Listening Pleasure

First up for today’s edition of “Grindz of the Day”, we have a Strawberry Slush Float “Shake” from Byron’s Drive-In.  Another one of many signature items a coworker of mine absoluted RAVED about and insisted I try it.  Well, apparently they got my order wrong, as even though I specifically told the cashier at Byron’s I wanted a Slush Shake, it turns out I was given a Strawberry Slush Float.

Not knowing the difference or bothering to ponder it, and without anyone with  me to tell me otherwise, in retrospect, this is indeed a Slush Float and not a Slush Shake, as you see the Vanilla ice cream floating on top of the Strawberry Slush…

Hey, who am I to know? Looks close enough to be a shake to me. The ice cream was soft enough. Besides, what the heck does a Slush Shake look like? Well, after taking a minute or two to thoroughly stir it, THIS is what a Strawberry Slush Shake should look like…

This, as my coworker explained, the Strawberry Slush Float and Slush Shake are the same thing, save for the Shake being put under the mixer to combine it evenly.

So how is it? WAY TOO SWEET for me. The combination of the artificially-flavored strawberry syrup, even though diluted in the slush, when combined with the also-sweet Vanilla ice cream is like a one-two punch. My coworker confessed she has a major sweet-tooth, so that explains her deep affection for this concoction, yet for me, pass. I barely could finish half of it before tossing it. I gotta’ say though, the Strawberry Slush itself had a nice finely-crushed ice texture, kinda’ like a “Liquid Shave Ice”.

How’s that for a new concept, eh? “Liquid Shave Ice”! Take all of those exotic Shave Ice flavors like Li Hing Mui, Pistachio, Coconut, Bubble Gum, etc. and, instead of the “usual” Shave Ice (a solid state snow cone), offer Slush!

Speaking of Shave Ice, along with my sweeter-than-Willy Wonka Strawberry Float “Shake”, I ordered another Hawaii favorite, a Loco Moco…

Thankfully I went with the mini version, as I could barely even finish this.  Honestly, I haven’t had a Loco Moco for quite a while for the simple reason that’s it’s way too much indulgence that my dwindling metabolism and aging body can barely afford anymore, as really, lots of the foods I feature on this blog are. Yet for now we wont’ dwell on that, enjoy the moment, and live for today. Grindz of the Day that is.

But yeah, the classic “loosen the belt buckle” Loco Moco here from Byron’s, that begins with a bed of white rice, topped by a house-made beef burger patty, which is then topped with an egg (sunnyside-up always my choice) and then smothered with brown gravy, while being accompanied by a scoop of Mac’ Sal’.

As you can tell, the burger patty was griddled (fried), not char-grilled as I always prefer. Yet aside of that shortcoming, it was cooked to medium perfection, being very moist and nicely seasoned.

Of course the most crucial element of a Loco Moco is the gravy, and Byron’s pretty much nails it. Deep, rich, thick and beefy, although I must also note it did taste like it could be based on that packaged “just add water” McCormick’s stuff. Which I really don’t have a problem with, as I enjoy packaged gravies, even though one reader once said “you lose all credentials” when I once said that before. Whatevahz.You go spend 10 hours making stock to make gravy. I’ll be ready to eat in minutes.

One thing I really like as a finishing touch on my Loco Moco are sauteed onions, which obviously Bryon’s doesn’t do, but that would have been great.

One of the best  parts of eating any gravy-laden plate lunch is when the gravy “kisses” the mac salad…

You get that creamy, rich mayo’ combined with the beefy flavor of the thick gravy, put some of that on your fork and lick it like, oh never mind. Just, mmm-mmm-yum, so ono! I think this very notion is what inspired Zippy’s to add “Mac Salad Sauce” to their Chili Moco. Brilliant!

Summing it up, I give Byron’s Drive In Loco Moco a solid 3 SPAM Musubi, while their Slush Float “Shake” gets 1. Surely you sweet tooth’ers will think more highly of it.

Staying on topic with the theme of “indulgent and decadent”, moving on to our next “Grindz of the Day”, we have some plates Diner A and family enjoyed a few weeks ago at the new Pancakes & Waffles in City Square Shopping Center in Kapalama. First off we have a Fried Rice, Eggs and Breakfast Links plate…

Good to see they use round paper plates, and not them dreaded non-eco-friendly, sterile and unfashionable white styrofoam clamshell containers.

Next up, what? Hamburger patty, eggs and brown gravy over plain ‘old boring white rice not enough to excite that inner Loco Moco desire deep within you? Then you need to hook up with a Fried Rice Loco Moco…

Be still my beating heart! Insane.

Next up, the last time we visited Pancakes & Waffles, it seemed all the rage here wasn’t their Pancakes or their Waffles, but actually more people around us were eating their Fried Chicken. So Diner A satisfied all our curiosities by ordering that on this visit…

These are some substantially-sized clucker thighs, as you see compared in scale to Diner A’s hand here….

They be T-Rex thighs.

Instead of Honey Butter, he opted for Ranch dressing as a dipping sauce for the fried chicken…

I suppose one way to look at it is, well, at this point, no sense ordering a diet soda and tossed green salad to accompany this meal. lol

Look at how juicy and tender the meat is…

While the battered crust is super “crisp’ety-crunch’ety” and well-seasoned….

IIRC, Diner A commented that it reminded him of Woolworth’s famous fried chicken. Remember that? That was one of the best things about going to Woolworth’s. As soon as you walk in the store, the combined aroma of scented candles, new clothes, coffee, popcorn and fried chicken would almost literally smack you in the face. Loved that! RIP Woolworth’s.

Anyhow, like our experience at Pancakes & Waffles, Diner A’s weekend brunch there with the family also was a 3 SPAM Musubi affair. Oh, and not to fret. They went to the beach afterwards to swim it all off.

Moving on, we get some stuffs from L&L Drive In/Hawaiian BBQ/whatever they call it, starting with this bowl of Saimin…

That looks to me like Japanese style Ramen Chashu. Check it out..

Like seemingly 90% of Hawaii’s restaurant industry uses, I’m going to guess these noodles are sourced from Sun Noodle Factory…

I got a sip of the broth, which tasted like your standard Dashi and Shoyu broth, while not getting much added flavor from the Charsiu (roast pork).

Summing it up, Diner A gives L&L’s Saimin 2 SPAM Musubi. Cheap, decent and satisfying.

The classic accompaniment to Saimin is a Hamburger, which Diner A added to his L&L Drive In meal here…

Personally, I’d pay extra to make it a ‘Deluxe’, as my burger MUST have Lettuce, Tomato and Onion on it. Cheese too, of course! Plain like this just doesn’t work for me. Biting into it, not much excitement going on…

Pretty much a plain-old griddle-cooked hamburger that I’m putting way too much writing effort into. Sorry to waste your bandwidth and time having to download these last two pictures and read all this blabbering. lol

Nah, but at least he gave it 2 SPAM Musubi, as the burger patty was moist and well-seasoned,  and of course it went quite well with the decent Saimin from L&L.

Getting a little more “exotic”, Diner E tried L&L’s Fried Shrimp Sandwich…

I don’t know why, but of all the dishes featured so far on today’s edition of “Grindz of the Day”, this Shrimp Sandwich is the one I crave most right about now. I think because I haven’t had shrimp for a couple of weeks now and could really go for some at this moment. Besides, honestly I’ve never had a Shrimp in sandwich form before, which I’m sure some of you will blast me for that.

The bite shot doesn’t reveal much, as evidently the shrimp tails in here are very small…

What is this, an Opae Sandwich? lol  Still, Diner E actually really enjoyed it, giving it a very solid 2 SPAM Musubi, which is favorable by his super-critical standards.

Speaking of chain restaurants (L&L Drive In continues to expand all over the US and internationally), next we have a Tonkatsu Curry takeout plate from Coco Ichibanya Curry House…

This generous portion of Tonkatsu and beef-based spicy curry and tsukemono comes in at a wallet-friendly .75.

Their curry tastes similar to the store-bought S&B brand, with a subtle sweetness to it that is typical of Japanese curries. If you go to Tokyo, you’ll find curry houses all over the place. Even their “spicy” curry isn’t hot at all. Notice it doesn’t have any kinds of vegetables in it, but acts more like a gravy for the tonkatsu and rice than as a stew.

The tonkatsu itself was right on point. The panko was evenly coated and deep-fried to “GBD” perfection, while the boneless pork was flavorful, moist and tender.

What’s nice is the specially-made takeout container is partitioned to isolate the curry “gravy” so it doesn’t make the crunchy tonkatsu soggy while in transit.

Summing it up, a very solid 3 SPAM Musubi for Coco Ichibanya Curry House’ Tonkatsu Curry takeout plate.

One last note on this place, I noticed lots of folks in there ordering the curry that had fresh grated cheddar cheese sprinkled on it and melted over, which looked GOOD! I’m so going to try that next time!

Still on restaurant chains, now we’re back at zippity-zip-zip Zippy’s for one of their Facebook coupon specials, the Spaghetti Fried Chicken plate…

Zippy’s Spaghetti isn’t going to put Assagio’s out business anytime soon, but for what it’s worth, it works. You get that, plus fried chicken, plus mac salad, plus toasted french bread for just ? Can’t go wrong!

One more chain restaurant, we’re back at Yummy’s Korean BBQ, this time with a Kalbi & Chicken Katsu mixed plate…

Yummy’s is getting a bit pricey as far as plate lunch joints go, as this mixed plate rang up to almost . Still, I must say their 4-choice banchan is, well, YUMMY! I especially love their Korean Potatoes and Korean style Potato salad, which are two of the choices on this plate. They also do really good job at making Chicken Katsu. My only complaint is Yummy’s Worcesterhire-based katsu sauce. Pass. Not to worry, as I have lots of my own Japanese Tonkatsu sauce to use on it. Kalbi is solid. Char-grilled and smokey-tasting with a deeply-marinaded sauce. Overall a very solid 4 SPAM here. The banchan makes it.

Finally, we’re back at Kahai Street Kitchen, one of our all-time favorite haute plate lunch haunts, where today we have this delicious-looking plate…

This is Kahai Street Kitchen’s special of the day, Baked Chicken in a Boursin Cheese Cream Sauce and topped with Tomato Provencal. It’s served with a Tossed Green Salad with Kahai Street Kitchen’s EXCELLENT house dressing and steamed “Hapa” (brown and white) rice.

Price of admission? . Just seven bucks! You’d easily pay at least four times that price for a dish prepared exactly the same way at a white table cloth restaurant. Actually, the folks from our accounting department ordered this in bulk for a party they were throwing. Needless to say, everyone told me they LOVED it, which I’m not surprised, as Kahai Street Kitchen always delivers. Nao and the gang there REALLY know how to cook!

That’s all I’ve got for now. After posting this, it’s made me hungry, so I’m off right now for yet another “Grindz of the Day”!

The Tasty Island

An early post on this blog introduced the genre of mele Hawai‘i songs.

The term “mele Hawai‘i” invites pondering. Does it refer to any Hawaiian song? Mele = “poetic text;” Hawai‘i = Hawai‘i as in the place, or Hawaiian as in the people and/or culture. In the 1970s when the revival of Hawaiian culture was accelerating, many cultural leaders were using the label “mele Hawai‘i” as an equivalent for “Hawaiian music” generally.  But in the late 19th century, the term was for “Hawaiian Songs,” as shown on the cover of the Aloha Collection of Hawaiian Songs published by Wall, Nichols in 1899, and in the Royal Collection of Hawaiian Songs published by the Hawaiian News Co. in 1907, or even in the songbook titled Famous Hawaiian Songs published by Bergstrom Music in 1914 (which was an enlarged edition of the volume Songs of Hawaii published in 1902). These songs were Hawaiian songs. What were they not? They were not hymns / himeni, nor were they hula songs, which in early songbooks were clearly labelled “hula song” or some such designation. The covers reinforce a particular kind of song:  the “Mele Hawaii” sheet music series contains 30 song titles, and the Hawaiian News volume (lower left thumbnail) associates these songs with the ruling nobility of the Kalākaua Dynasty.

Here is the playlist I am using in my Hawaiian music course in Fall 2010 so students can make the connection between beloved songs, song structure, and the members of royalty associated with mele Hawai‘i.

1. “Aloha ʻOe,” performed by the Rose Ensemble. Nā Mele Hawai‘i (Rose Ensemble 00008). This recording includes all three verses plus the famed chorus, using the opening rhythm that Lili‘uokalani notated in the first published edition of the sheet music in 1884, namely

“A-lo-ha ‘o ——————e a-lo-ha o———–e” instead of the more common

“A———lo——–ha——‘oe——————–  A—–lo—–ha——“oe———–”

2. “Koni Au,” performed by Bill Kaiwa. Kama‘āina Songs (Hula HS-523). Songs on this LP have not yet been reissued on CD. A real shame, because this entire LP is a treasure trove of mele Hawai‘i sung with rhythmic guitar accompaniment. “Koni Au” was composed by King David Kalākaua.

.

.

.

3. “Huki March,” orchestrated, produced and directed by Jack de Mello. Music of Hawai Volume IV: The Story of the Royal Hawaiian Band (Music of Polynesia MOP 9000). Jack de Mello undertook extensive historical research in the 1960s that culminated in a four-volume overview of the history of Hawaiian music (and was the topic of a post on this blog on September 16, 2009). The production also represented an attempt to take Hawaiian music into the realm of light orchestra arrangements. The Royal Hawaiian Bandʻs repertoire included marches that incorporated mele Hawai‘i songs in the trio section of the composition.

4. “Malanai Anu Ka Makani.” Performed by Tandy MacKenzie. Tandy MacKenzie Sings (Island Heritage IH 101). Tandy MacKenzie was a native Hawaiian who left Hawai‘i in the 1920s and made a successful career in the United States and Europe as an opera singer. It is said that he always included at least one Hawaiian song in his recitals, and concert programs identify those songs as mele Hawai‘i songs. The presentation of mele Hawai‘i songs by classically trained vocalists placed these songs in the refined world of the concert hall, removed from the entertainment venues where hula songs circulated.

5. “Adios Ke Aloha,” performed by Kūpaoa. Pili o Ke Ao (Kūpaoa KL-8120). The gentle arrangement of guitar accompaniment and harmonizing in parallel thirds demonstrates that mele Hawai‘i songs remain viable for contemporary performers. This duo won the Nā Hōkū Hanohano award for Most Promising Artist when this LP was released in 2008. The incorporation of non-Hawaiian words was a popular practice among songwriters of mele Hawai‘i.

.

6. “Nani Haili Pō I Ka Makani,” performed by Nā Kama. Ke Ala Hou (Kipuka FEH-812). Another contemporary take on another song by Lili‘uokalani, this time combining strong rhythmic guitar strumming with choral-style 3-part harmonizing.

.

.

.

7. “Ua Like No A Like,” performed by Sunday Mānoa. Sunday Manoa 3 (Panini PS-1005). 8. “Old Plantation,” The Sandwich Isle Band (Seabird Sound SS-1003). Two performances by two different groups, both fronted by bandleader Peter Moon. The long phrases in “Ua Like No A Like” are examples of the breath control needed to perform this song correctly.

9. “Kamehameha Waltz,” performed by Emma Veary.  Emma (Music of Polynesia MOP-16000). 10. “Ku‘u ‘I‘ini,” performed by Nina Keali‘iwahamana, Iwalani Kahalewai, Mahi Beamer, and Gary Aiko. Both songs are composed by Charles E. King, a 20th-century composer and publisher whose songs are art songs that demand technical vocal proficiency, and make sense with piano and/or orchestral accompaniment.

Hawaiian Music for Listening Pleasure

I won an award! How cool is that? My very first award for my blog. I’ve always wanted one. Now I have one.

This was bestowed upon me by my friend and fellow blogger Anika. She has a few blogs that you should check out. One is Pasando - in which Anika shares her amazing photographs art. She also is quick to feature her favorite pieces from etsy and her favorite blogs / artists / stuff. Another
Dancing Hula in the Sunset District

Our mission is to help people bring their emotions into a state of Pono, harmony with all things.
Really Hawaiian

MCK Metal is the answer to many questions today. Including the big question we ask ourselves every year, “What do I want for my birthday?”

Really Hawaiian

It’s easy to figure out where to find business if you’re a lunch wagon owner. Among the obvious places like industrial areas (Campbell Industrial Park and Mapunapuna are “Lunch Wagon Heaven”), simply go where there’s a big construction project  under way. One of which now in its beginning phase is Lowe’s, who just started construction of their second store on Oahu in the Iwilei area, where they’ll be setting up shop next to, yup, you guessed it, Home Depot. Both of which will be/are also just a stone’s throw away from City Mill.

If not already, I suppose now we can officially call Iwilei “Big Box Alley”, as along with those three major retailers in this area of Honolulu, you’ll also find Costco, Best Buy, and coming soon, Party City, Ba-Le Bakery (a.k.a. Latour Bakehouse and Cafe) and a bunch of other smaller businesses that will share the former Wayerhaeuser building on the corner of Alakawa Street and Nimitz Highway.

So with all this construction now under way in Iwilei, of course there’s lots of hungry workers – mostly men with big appetites – who’ll be need to be fed. Where here we have this lunch wagon who recently set-up shop right in front of the Lowe’s Iwilei job site on Pacific Street…

Check out angle 2 and 3 of Sandy’s “Tsukenjo look-alike” Lunchwagon II at those links

Wait, wait, wait  a minute! That’s Tsukenjo’s! Tsukenjo’s Lunch Wagon! Tsukenjo’s is back! No, no, no, sorry to say, but the classic red (originally orange) Tsukenjo’s Lunch Wagon from Ward Avenue isn’t back.

This is actually another one of them “no name” lunch wagons, who I’m informally naming it “Sandy’s Lunch Wagon II” by the grace of the owner and operator, Milton Gainy, who told me his wife Sandy is the cook, and actually runs another lunch wagon at a different location under that name. He said they’ve been in business over 24 years running their lunchwagons, so I was certainly confident that the grub here would be good.

As for “chasing job sites”, Milton notes that before this chosen location, he was at the site of the Craigside retirement home complex, while past stints before that included the retirement home construction project near the grounds of St. Patrick’s School on the East side of Oahu.

Here’s their menu for the day…

Prices are right, that’s for sure. Most of the usual lunch wagon plate lunch suspects are there, while I might note, for you health-conscious folks (like me), this particular wagon doesn’t offer brown rice or tossed salad. Yet, willing to sacrifice and take in some empty calories of white rice and mac for a day, I went ahead and ordered a Meat Loaf and Roast Pork Mix Plate, cuz you know, gotta’ sample…

Sandy’s Lunch Wagon II – Roast Pork and Meat Loaf Mix Plate. .50

All that for just .50? I can feed myself TWICE with this! This will definitely be a “second-wind’er” for me to finish all of it.

Notice I’m a “pepper freak”, especially when an entree involves lots of gravy as it does here.

Here’s a closer, torn-apart view of the fork-tender, super-flavorful roasted pork and also the flavor-packed meat loaf…

The gravy itself, to be honest, tasted like store-bought just-add-water packaged Turkey Gravy, so that didn’t initially “wow” me. But once I took a bite of that roast pork and meat loaf I was like, “Yum!!!” Equally “yummers” was the Mac’ Sal’…

Super-duper simple, cool and creamy, with no odd tangy flavors. This tasted pretty much like our favorite Waianae Drive Inn Mac’ Salad.

Overall it was an “as good as mama’s home cookin’ can get”, really ono plate lunch that I easily give a solid 3 SPAM Musubi.

On another day in a spot just yards up the street in front of Lowe’s Iwilei construction site we found Food Trip Lunch Wagon…

Filipino food? Shoots, I’m so there! This lunch wagon (err, van) is one of three that are owned and operated by Alex Daquito, who we have here…

Alex says his other wagons operate in the downtown Honolulu area, with one by the post office. What’s nice about this particular wagon is the food is on display to the customers “Okazuya style”, so you can see what you’re choosing before committing to it…

Here’s Food Trip’s menu for the day…

The prices…

Alex was proud to point out that his ‘Food Trip’ Lunch Wagon was chosen as one of 12 “Best Lunch Wagons on Oahu” by the Honolulu Advertiser (RIP)…

Following are all the Filipino delicacies he had for sale on this particular day…

Food Trip Lunch Wagon – Pinakbet

Food Trip Lunch Wagon – Pork Apritada Stew (Mechado style)

Food Trip Lunch Wagon – Pork Pepper Steak

Food Trip Lunch Wagon – Chicken Papaya (Tinola)

Food Trip Lunch Wagon – Chicken Adobo

Food Trip Lunch Wagon – Pancit (Bihon)

Food Trip Lunch Wagon – Rice

Sometimes I wish I could walk into my kitchen and find a spread like this magically awaiting me. That’d be s’weet!

Well, maybe not that, but as the next best thing, Alex was kind enough to make me a Filipino grindz “Mega-Mix”, putting a little of EVERYTHING on one plate! Check it out…

Food Trip – “Mega-Mix” Plate: (clockwise from top left) Pork Apritada Stew, Chicken Adobo, Pancit Bihon, Tinola (Chicken Papaya soup), Pork Pepper Steak, Rice and Pinakbet.

Yes, a little of everything you seen in the previous food service pan photos is stuffed onto the plate here. Nice!

My favorite of all was the fork-tender Pork Apritada, which definitely had a Mechado-like flavor profile…

I give that alone a solid 4 SPAM Musubi, borderline 5. My second favorite was the Pinakbet…

You could taste the bitterness from the bitter melon, yet it wasn’t overwhelming, but just enough to separate it from the other entrees where you know you’re eating Pinakbet, and not, say, Pork Guisantes.

The Tinola (Chicken Papaya) was excellent as well…

Both the chicken and green papaya was fork tender and saturated  well with the chicken broth flavor, with my only gripe being that it wasn’t served separately in a bowl with all that glorious broth. I’d just as well bring my own Tupperware bowl and tell Alex to fill it up with Tinola. I LOVE this soup!

The Chicken Adobo had just the right blend of of shoyu and vinegar, with probably my only gripe on that one being it was the dry type, not the “soupy” adobo. Like Dinuguan, I like my adobo “soupy”. I also would prefer pork adobo over chicken adobo, as it has much better flavor in my opinion. Still, this is good.

The Pork Pepper Steak was a winner, being super soft and tender (it’s tenderized Chinese style), while the Pancit Bihon, along with just about everything else won a thumbs-up of approval from our resident Filipino food expert and Manila native, Diner C.

Here we have a few more plates from Food Trip Lunch Wagon that other folks in our office ordered…

Food Trip Lunch Wagon – Chicken Adobo, Pancit Bihon, Pork Pepper Steak and Pinakbet

Food Trip Lunch Wagon – Chicken Adobo, Pancit Bihon, Pork Pepper Steak, Pinakbet, Pork Apritada and Rice

Food Trip Lunch Wagon – Pancit Bihon

Food Trip Lunch Wagon – Pancit Bihon, Garlic Fried Chicken and Rice

To find out what the daily specials are and where the Food Trip Lunch Wagons is currently located, give Alex Daquito a call at (808) 341-8282.

It must have unofficially been “Filipino Food Day”, because ironically the same day we had all this for lunch, Diner C brought a bowl of her Dinengdeng to share with us…

Dinengdeng

Diner C’s Dinengdeng is a Filipino soup made with Ocra, Alukon, Kalamungay, Cherry Tomatoes and Chicken Stock. It has an interesting and unusual, subtly “green” and “earthy” flavor, along with a gelatinous texture to the broth. All I can say other than that is it’s really delicious! Masarap-sarap! You gotta’ try it.

Last but DEFINITELY not least, while some lunch wagons may chase construction sites, it’s the other way around here, where men from construction sites end up chasing this, ehem, “lunch wagon” parked in front of Puuhale Market on the corner of Puuhale Road and Dillingham Boulevard…

Yes, you read right, this zebra-striped truck is named ‘Wild Bean Espresso‘. Where, no, you’re not going to find the likes of teriyaki beef, rice and mac’ salad plate lunches or garlic buttered shrimp. And no, the people that work in it aren’t the usual “mom ‘n pop” type of folks.

As the name implies (cough-cough, chuckle-chuckle), the gist of Wild Bean Espresso is fresh-made coffee lattes, mochas and smoothies served up by a crew of lingerie-clad Barista beauties. Once again, coffee lattes, mochas and smoothies served up by a crew of lingerie-clad Barista beauties. Got that? Well, apparently the rest of town has, as not surprisingly, a business like this is going to stir curiosity as well as controversy, as they’ve already made the local TV news… twice!

Part of the controversy, or should I say oddity of it, is that first of all it’s located right across the street from the Oahu Correctional Community Center prison…

Secondly, about a block up the street on Puuhale Road sits a church, while also nearby are a few schools.

Well, since I was in the area the other week running errands, upon a quick phone call of approval from my girlfriend, I decided to stop by and see for myself what all the fuss is about.

Sure enough, adorned in a pink and black two-piece g-string teddy, I was greeted by Roxy, a very friendly gal who was the only one working at the time of my visit….

Wild Bean Espresso Barista, Roxy

I can’t remember the last time I felt like I was blushing, but I definitely felt that way when I first walked up to the window here. It was just kinda’ like one of those, “Is that really what I’m looking at?” surreal kind of moments. Especially considering the aforementioned surrounding area.

Well it’s real alright, including the made-to-order lattes, mochas and smoothies they have to offer…

I should have asked what “Yummy Hot Links” are. Breakfast sausages perhaps? The only solid food items I noticed available for sale were fresh bananas.

I asked Roxy what the most popular drink was, which she quickly pointed me to the White Chocolate Mocha, so that’s what I got…

Wild Bean Espresso – White Chocolate Mocha. (plus tip)

I’m not a Starbucks regular (in fact, I hardly drink coffee anymore), so I can’t compare it with them, but for what it’s worth, this White Chocolate Mocha was great. It had good body and a robust-meets-creamy-sweet flavor (no pun intended). And since it’s been a while since I had a cup of coffee,  the caffeine really wound me up. Stress, the caffeine really wound me up. Ha ha!

Needless to say, there was a tip jar on the counter which was full of, you guessed it, dollar bills. lol

Apparently the “sex sells, and so does coffee too” business model is working for this operation, as Wild Bean Espresso will soon be expanding to a second location on Keawe Street in the Kaka’ako area.

What do you think of this business concept? Cast your vote!

The Tasty Island

Several weeks ago we threw a surprise baby shower at our office for one of the gals who is expecting very soon. For that we catered the lunch from Soon’s Korean BBQ in Salt Lake, while for dessert, our party coordinator hooked us all up with this here Coco Puff Cake from Liliha Bakery. Yes, a Coco Puff CAKE, which I was absolutely not aware they had such a thing until now. Learn something new every day.

Therefore I’m putting this Coco Puff Cake up in the spotlight today to get the word out, just in case you weren’t aware of it either and perhaps might be interested in ordering one for an upcoming celebration.

It’s basically their famous Coco Puff pastry arranged individually next to each other in rows, then topped with a thick layer of  their decadently-delicious Chantilly frosting, which blankets over the entire top of the pieced-together puff “cake”.  An even thicker decorative bead of Chantilly gives the edge that finishing touch. While you can order a custom message on it done in your frosting color(s) of choice.

Not surprisingly, the butter-based Chantilly frosting begins to “loosen” if kept out at room temperature for an extended period of time, as you can sort of see it beginning to collapse at the edges of this “cake”.

Serve ‘em up…

When I say thick layer of frosting, I mean “tick”! Like “do a couple laps around the block after eating this” thick.

Chocolate pudding fills the inside of each Coco Puff…

The current prices (as of 8/17/10) for Liliha Bakery’s Coco Puff Cake is as followed:

1/4-pan (20 pieces):
Coco Puff or Cream Puff Cake – .35
Green Tea Puff Cake – .75

1/2-pan (48 pieces):
Coco Puff or Cream Puff Cake – .30
Green Tea Puff Cake – .40

Full-pan (77 pieces):
Coco Puff or Cream Puff Cake –
Green Tea Puff Cake –

Custom frosting messages for all sizes is an additional .

Prices for individual puff pastries are as followed:

Cream Puff – .05 each
Coco Puff – .20 each
Green Tea Puff – .25 each

So next time you have a party planned and need a cake, yet want to try something a little different and TOTALLY onolicious, consider a Coco Puff Cake from Liliha Bakery! 4 SPAM Musubi!

What? Coco Puff Cake
Where did you buy it and how much did it cost? Liliha Bakery; .35 per 20-piece quarter-pan.
Big shaka to: A generous helping of their insanely onolicious Chantilly Frosting is slathered over the top. Cool, creamy and tasty chocolate pudding filling in each puff. Choux Creme pastry has great texture and baked flavor. A very unique “cake” that should “wow” your guests and guest of honor, especially once they bite into that “crazy tasty” Coco Puff.
No shaka to: Needs a little help in presentation (looks kinda’ amateurish, sloppy and bland).
The Tasty Island rating: 4 SPAM Musubi

Related links on The Tasty Island:
• Liliha Bakery’s Famous Coco Puffs
• Food, Fun & Games at Twins 3rd Birthday
• Ultimate Choux Creme
• 4th of July in Hawaii Kai
• Beard Papa’s Cream Puffs
• Beard Papa Goes Savory

The Tasty Island