Hawaii 2025, Day 5

The wind calmed down and we were able to truly swim at Sea Bear Beach. I walked out of the water so deeply relaxed.

We ate lunch at the museum. The Satoru Abe exhibition was completely satisfying.

And I got to visit my favorite Lee Bontecou, which was not being exhibited last time:

After happy hour at the hotel restaurant, we ate the rest of yesterday's burrito and watched Storage Wars. Funny.

Hawaii 2025, Day 4

In the morning got to see mrguy swimming in the surf, rocking his Powerport! It was too windy for me so I just watched from the shore. 

We went over to Manoa, where I was going to have a haircut later. Mrguy found us the most beautiful mall. The parking lot was beautiful. My blood pressure immediately reduced.

We ate many Japanese baked goods and I am now a fan of coffee milk jelly.

Before the trip I decided to get a haircut in Honolulu. I finally settled on getting a curly bob, not knowing if my hair would do the thing it needed to, but knowing that my hair had gotten lots more wavy over the past few years. I found a stylist on Instagram who did great curly cuts and made an appointment. Turns out the salon is right across from the Mexican restaurant where on our last trip we heard a bunch of old ladies laughing about their vibrators. Burned into my memory...

You can just make out the restaurant across the street. We went there on our way home and had a delicious and comforting dinner.

Bye hair! On the day of my haircut my hair reached down to my back pockets. Now it's above my shoulders, but not a pixie. Who knew it could be so curly?

We wound up the day eating Mexican food on the lanai and reflecting on the crazy year we've been through since mrguy's diagnosis. 

Also, the haircut is slammin'.

Hawaii 2025, Day 3

Day 3 was Kaimuki Day.

Kaimuki is awesome. In my mind it has been the Brooklyn to Honolulu's Manhattan. A little funky, with some remnants of 60s businesses and street profiles. I will try to see if I can find out the name of the artist who made this tile mural that appears on the Kaimuki Professional Building. It appears over two different entrances. Edward Sullam was the architect. He also designed the Diamond Head Apartments, close to our hotel, where our friends used to live.

We ate at the Koko Head Cafe, which has moved from its original location to what seems to have been a bank. I'm sure it's a more pleasant place to work now, but the makeover left its spirit behind. Verner Panton-style pinecone pendants, tall booths that isolate you from the other diners, less Hawaiiana...it lacks. Also my favorite dish, Eggs Hāloa, is no longer on the menu.

Mrguy wanted to eat at Koa Pancake House, and we shoulda.

The Goodwill is still there in Kaimuki. Many a treasured item has been procured there. I got a big old scarf, in dark purples and bright pinks, and tied it in a bow on my head. Made me very happy.

The Okumura Building is hanging in there. I've been photographing it for years. It is now building full of local craft stores and a fabric store. The car that matches it is a super bonus.

Back to the car. Couldn't resist taking a picture of mrguy in his Reyn Spooner shirt as he passed by this vibrant bus shelter.

Then we went to Kaka'ako, to Hungry Ear. It did not disappoint. I bought some Japanese records and a record by Leon and Malia. I can't resist a 70s-era record with lots of inserts. Plus they said it was their most important record, and who am I to dispute this fact? Haven't listened to it yet.

We visited Arden Restaurant for happy hour and dinner. It was the easy thing to do, and it was delicious. The leftovers kept us going at a few points later on. I engaged mrguy in an exercise of "Where would you have a time machine take you if you could?" and when I said I'd like to go to Grossingers in the 50s, he said "You wouldn't want to be Hitler's girlfriend so you could off him?"

Why do I have to do the hard stuff?

Gladrackets

 Curiosity has become my favorite trait. To put it another way, the realization that curiosity is so fundamental to my being gives me joy.

A man flips a postcard onto the table at a restaurant where I had only moments before leaned over to pet a dog, only to have him nip my face. I grab the postcard, rush to the curb and hand the postcard to the taxi driver, my dinner mates barely jumping in behind me. In half an hour I am cage dancing in a club on the Reeperbahn. A girl steals my purse. My friend finds her in the parking lot and steals it back. I apologize over dinner the next night, and my friend replies “That was GREAT”! 

I step into Beauty 4 You, even though it appears to be for someone else. But how can you know if there’s something you never knew you needed in there, if you’ve never seen it? And surely they have a wide-toothed comb for my  new hairdo and some stuff for curls, right? I am now the happy owner of some African Pride curl mousse. 

My notebook and phone retain curiosities of the now, in trust for the future pleasure. Edward Sullam, who designed the Kaimuki Professional Building also designed the small Diamond Head Apartments, where my friends used to live. Hon Chew Hee designed the cement facade of Holiday Apartments, and now his etching, Wash Day, hangs in our laundry room, which thrills us (and possibly not him).

Curiosity is hope. Recognition of how much I enjoy the pursuit helps me know that I will be ok, no matter what life serves me.

I look up the hill from Beauty 4 You and Annapurna Mart, toward home, where I will enjoy my new purchases.

Note: no photos of the club -- pre-iPhone, and I lost my camera in the taxi.