It occurred to me that like in the lesson of the molinetes - safe, safe, unsafe, unsafe... it is in the unsafe places where there is an entrance into the new and enthralling; where the ganchos, enganchos, and fancy schmancy leg lifts live. I have this feeling that it will be a good week and will continue to work on "indicating precisely what I want to say and in this vein have begun going "confidently in the direction of my dreams" - by submitting some freelance writings for publication perusal. Ay Nako, What about my life isn't freelance? Where are the roots to this monkey pod tree? Contemplating this I couldn't really wrap my head around it so I went to the farmer's market.
At the farmers market today there was a woman who bought lemongrass... lemongrass!? Come on, what is that exactly? So i stopped and listened. Apparently it is excellent for tea, or as a marinade with teriyaki, finely ground, embellish as you will. muy interesante! I'll buy that for a dolla, how charming as that's exactly what it cost. I have as well picked up some eggplants, ono and indigenous apple bananas, fresh edamame and 3 day papayas. Final total: $11.50. Gosh, I love the farmer's market. This was the conundrum, 2 day or 3 day papayas? I knew I would probably not have the appetite to eat them today but at 89 cents each, and with the friendly, tooth-less Uncle smiling expectantly it was my fiscal and moral responsibility to buy. On the way home I looked for Guido but couldn't find him, instead I ran into the cute Oklahoman, Japanese, Mormon boy I'd seen twice before on the bus to Bikram. Do you have to be Mormon to date a Mormon? This is probably not a PC question, so I digress. But as a sidenote: THE most stunning men in the Pacific, in my opinion, possibly the world are all sequestered in Lā'ʻie, Mormon-ville to the layman, at the Polynesian Cultural Center. I don't know, maybe it's because they practice hour after hour to WoW the tourists with fire-dancing and climbing palm trees... maybe it's just in the Aotearoa/New Zealand genes (yes! yes! my brain screams) but whatever it is, they are more than probably off-limits to a little New York, Filipina Catholic girl. (Mom, please don't comment) ;) So tonight I will attempt to make Lemongrass chicken, and lemongrass tea (Sweet Jessica Tandy, please let me not burn down the house!), while thinking of dancing, fire-spinning off-limits men. Maybe for right now a little lemongrass is root enough for me.
On August 21, 5-0 turns 5-0 yahooo!! At least in the American sense of the word, and now that Argentine Tango boot camp is over it is time to seek other outlets for energy. Maybe parasailing, getting my skydiver's licence, learning how to shortboard or maybe, just maybe, in reverence for Hawai'i nee's Golden Anniversary, attempting to climb Ka'ala (the highest mauna on O'ahu). Tune in soon folks, Aloha til then =)
Wednesday
Tuesday
Sunday
Que Sera Sera
When Doris Day sang,
"Que Sera, Sera,
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours, to see
Que Sera, Sera
What will be, will be."
In 6 short verses she allowed the world the possibility of realizing that it's ok, life's ok, that it's more than ok, it's good. No matter what the future holds, that we can simply keep going, because "what will be, will be" and for the most part it happens in the way it's meant to happen. Sunday is one of my favorite days here in Hawai'i. The children are out in full force "sponging" at the wall. Families are walking the beach together and Diamond Head Grill makes their "only-on-weekends" banana scones.
These little suckers are a little bit of heaven and exactly what a Sunday should taste like. An explosion of tasty banana fruit, embraced with suprising bits of cream cheese and a crust kissed with diamond-like sugar so perfect to the bite even Mt. Tantalus would be tantalized. Diamond Head Grill is on the left side of the road on the way to Diamond Head at 3158 Monsarrat Ave. Their "real food" is quite tasty as well.
Four hours of bootcamp later I finally have a video to share with the viral universe of me fulfilling one of my bucket list to-dos. I keep telling myself I'd better get on it since the bucket is more like a 55 gallon drum like an all too familiar Godfather. Please comment and enjoy! I know I did. ;)
"Que Sera, Sera,
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours, to see
Que Sera, Sera
What will be, will be."
In 6 short verses she allowed the world the possibility of realizing that it's ok, life's ok, that it's more than ok, it's good. No matter what the future holds, that we can simply keep going, because "what will be, will be" and for the most part it happens in the way it's meant to happen. Sunday is one of my favorite days here in Hawai'i. The children are out in full force "sponging" at the wall. Families are walking the beach together and Diamond Head Grill makes their "only-on-weekends" banana scones.
These little suckers are a little bit of heaven and exactly what a Sunday should taste like. An explosion of tasty banana fruit, embraced with suprising bits of cream cheese and a crust kissed with diamond-like sugar so perfect to the bite even Mt. Tantalus would be tantalized. Diamond Head Grill is on the left side of the road on the way to Diamond Head at 3158 Monsarrat Ave. Their "real food" is quite tasty as well.
Four hours of bootcamp later I finally have a video to share with the viral universe of me fulfilling one of my bucket list to-dos. I keep telling myself I'd better get on it since the bucket is more like a 55 gallon drum like an all too familiar Godfather. Please comment and enjoy! I know I did. ;)
Saturday
Math or English
Cliffs @ Diamond HeadFriday
*Amore more ore re*
Tonight is the last night of booty camp and I feel at once wistfully nostalgic and bright excitement for the adventures to come. This experience has been painful on the feet, enriching on the soul, and greatly broadening on the psyche. I've made new friends, missed old ones and am happy to be able to cross off this item on my bucket list to, I am now certain, be revisited other points in life. It has helped me to see that if it were an easy thing I would not be learning it. What good is it if everybody can do it? we want to do the difficult, do the special. Last night was the night we all were waiting for, the night of the ganchos - the leg hooks, that the tango argentine is so famous for. Bemusingly, because of the vertical challenge of my legs, it was a fairly daunting challenge, but after practice and enchantment I couldn't get enough. We were indulged by George and Elizabeth and it left a lingering longing. Whenever I hear a tango beat I will inexorably be tempted, and if lucky enough to be cabaceo-ed will look adoringly into my partner's eyes and get swept away.
On the southern front, the dollar theater will be no more in about a week when it's doors will close for good. What for years has incorrigibly flouted the $8, then $9, then $10 movie prices and was a comfort to all the struggling artists nee college students will say aloha on Aug. 9 according to Kapio.net.
In cooking adventures, Thursday marked my third attempt at cooking adobo, and each time i'm more pleased by the result. Cooking Filipino food is teaching me a lot. The comforting familiarity of aromas from home, how you need way less flame when you cook in a smaller pot, to heat things up (in life too yeah?) and reminded me of a saying i once read, 'There's a lid for every pot' in "The Real Rules For Girls" by Mindy Morgenstern. In a world that is a melting pot of people why do we settle for a lid that sometimes doesn't fit, a makeshift campsite cooking utensil instead of the one that will keep all the delicious flavors in, trapping the happy nostalgia that really good food brings? I've been exploring this concept with friends, about '9s and 10s', especially here in Hawai'i when what sometimes looks like a 10 at first glance, after all factors calculated becomes a lot more like a 5 or 6, even if the hotness factor is an 11. What do you guys think? Well, it's 6:27pm and I'm off to class. Talk to you all tomorrow!
bvw.
In cooking adventures, Thursday marked my third attempt at cooking adobo, and each time i'm more pleased by the result. Cooking Filipino food is teaching me a lot. The comforting familiarity of aromas from home, how you need way less flame when you cook in a smaller pot, to heat things up (in life too yeah?) and reminded me of a saying i once read, 'There's a lid for every pot' in "The Real Rules For Girls" by Mindy Morgenstern. In a world that is a melting pot of people why do we settle for a lid that sometimes doesn't fit, a makeshift campsite cooking utensil instead of the one that will keep all the delicious flavors in, trapping the happy nostalgia that really good food brings? I've been exploring this concept with friends, about '9s and 10s', especially here in Hawai'i when what sometimes looks like a 10 at first glance, after all factors calculated becomes a lot more like a 5 or 6, even if the hotness factor is an 11. What do you guys think? Well, it's 6:27pm and I'm off to class. Talk to you all tomorrow!
bvw.
Wednesday
Audio, video, disco - I hear, I see, I learn
Money does grow on trees... in the form of mangoes =)I suppose I've always been a bit complicated. Lately though I've looked at the idea of being complicated in another light. Maybe instead of thinking of myself as complicated I can focus on the positive and think instead of being intricate. Lots of moving parts, life on heavy rotation, not easily defined. Hey, whatever makes things easier, right?
Today started off with a visit to the hour long Farmer's Market in Diamond Head. Fresh fruits and vegetables are sold well below supermarket prices by smiling locals from all over the island. The Wednesday market is one of the smaller ones and travels, different location at different times for people without cars to buy their weekly need. Everything from bananas to mangoes to obscure asian vegetables and edamame are on sale. I've never been too big on cooking, at least I wasn't when I was in New York, but with the burstingly bright and tantalizingly juicy produce here it is hard not to be inspired into trying a family recipe ;) I have also observed that buying and eating local organic food is less of a fad than it was in Manhattan and more of a way of life, a way of sustAINAbility. In Hawai'i, ʻāina means land; nothing like a literal reminder to take care and thank Mother Earth, yeah?
While walking back home from the FM I pass the Honolulu zoo and often find myself looking over the ornamental horticulture to find the giraffe. He's almost always there, just chillin' and I swear he looked me in the eye today and smiled. Can giraffes smile? I'm not sure but have decided to name him Guido in honor of the word Giraffe deriving from Italian. The Italian name Guido means "life" and today I learned that Guido d'Arezzo perfected a system for notating musical pitch on paper and was the first to name musical notes. kewl beanz.
Monday
UP and Far Away
In class George described the walking step in terms of ice cream. How ono! (Ono=delicious in Hawaiian, it is also da bomb diggity restaurant for a traditional Hawaiian taste experience, more on this later) Strawberry, vanilla, chocolate. All of a sudden his thoughts are crystal clear to me! Haha, Any step that puts you on your balance or has a decadent ending is chocolate. Vanilla is a baby step, something that whets your appetite and prepares you for chocolate and strawberry, sweet strawberry - is the luscious and juicy beginning that ripens into the fruition of the tango.
We practiced 4 hours on Saturday. My baby toes were blistered and my calves burned. It was worth it. What had been awkward at times is beginning to look more like art than construction.
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FF to Tuesday:
best. teachers. ever.
Milonga #2 was excellent. There are actually 3 different types of music played at milonga, tango valse, argentine tango, and milonga (not to be confused with the name of the get-together) which in basic form is a 6 step walk. Super fun to dance!
Prior to dance Sadie and I went on a hike date and explored Maunawili Falls aka Twisting Mountain Falls. woot woot! Good times were had by all. After a wind through ginger and mountain apple and a fun singsong hike up the mount we were rewarded with a party waterfall. Seems like much of O'ahu was sitting there watching as children young and old did backflips off the falls. A teenage-ette said to her boyfriend, "Hurry up! We have to get home by 3pm, I'm grounded!" Where I come from being grounded means you have to sit in your room, no TV, no games. Here...it means, play in a waterfall. I kinda felt gypped right then. ;) Oh, well, gotta say - childhood number 2 is pretty awesome so far.
'til next time my friends. aloha;)---------------------------------------------
bonvivantwahine.
maluhia☮ hoku☆ aloha♥
follow your peace, your dreams & your heart.
Salubrious Sunday
Barber's Point
An ex-roommate of mine lives his life well. He eats well, he drinks well, he loves life well, and he had a snake named "Boot" (Bry, one day you'll have to tell me the story of how he got that name.) One of his favorite quotes is:
"Now and then it's good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy." Guillaume Apollinaire
and while he is off on his Thai Adventure it makes me smile to think at least one other is out there in this world just being happy. ;)
-----------------------------------------
I sit in our kick-ass new/inherited-from-neighbor-who-lived-here-a-week forest green recliner and ponder... when adventures come about organically it just makes them that much more charming. Argentinian booty camp was scheduled for 3 hours of afternoon goodness yesterday. It was about noon when Chris said, "want to go to a luau?" LUAU... the word strikes fear in my heart.. tourists galore, kitsch and *gulp* an all-you-can-eat buffet. However, I feel I would not be a true bon vivant without this experience. I've managed to live in Hawai'i for 6 months without going to one but a friend of a friend is the fire dancer and so we get good price, plus there's an opportunity to catch some surf at Barber's. Game on! Ordinarily, when in something like a boot camp a detour to a West Side luau isn't in the cards, but since it's Hawai'i and I'm exploring the idea of "do what you want, when you want" we go and it was good fun.
Now some photos:
Natsuko facing a fundamental life question.
always use chopsticks.
if you were there you'd have heard me grrrr audibly.
how apropos.
sistas;)before we get to the beach we run into the oscar meyer mobile.
my whole life in ny and i've never seen this before. come to the remotest place on earth,
whomp, there it is!
bruddahs rippin' some wave action
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Made it - - Sweet seats!
Made it - - Sweet seats!
but not before the infamous tahitian dance on stage.........those three drink tickets went a long way! Met a girl from the apple - washington heights to be exact and we attempted the ʻōteʻa together.
So, to sum up - today, do something, find something, discover something new... even if it's not on the agenda.
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There are two things to aim at in life: first, to get what you want; and after that, to enjoy it. Only the wisest of mankind achieve the second. ~Logan Pearsall Smith, Afterthoughts, 1931
Let's call it Hawai'i Blue
Lookin' for some fun? Lookin' for some fun on a boat!? Here we go!
Booze cruise on the Outrigger Cat last week. Awesome snorkeling in the morning, to open bar sunset cruise at sunset, woot woot! We took the 11am cruise around to Turtle Cave and around Diamond Head. The blue of the ocean was unreal!
http://www.outriggercatamaranhawaii.com/
cruisin' with the roomie.
ocean of hawai'i blue.
me, rotea and jersey girl
finally got to drive da boat.
Booze cruise on the Outrigger Cat last week. Awesome snorkeling in the morning, to open bar sunset cruise at sunset, woot woot! We took the 11am cruise around to Turtle Cave and around Diamond Head. The blue of the ocean was unreal!
http://www.outriggercatamaranhawaii.com/
cruisin' with the roomie.
ocean of hawai'i blue.
me, rotea and jersey girl
finally got to drive da boat.
Thursday
Just Be
uesday marked my 6th month in these islands. A man I knew in another life once told me, “to really move to a place you have to give it 6 months, before you draw conclusions. “ Well, Happy Anniversary to me. When I tell people I’m a writer who just moved here they ask one of 3 things, “Did you know anyone before you got here?” No. “Don’t you miss New York?” Yes: the people, my family and friends. Or “How long will you stay in Hawai’i?” Where my answer has always been – As long as I’m happy here. For this post please be patient with me as it is a reflection on what it means to me to have made the 6 month mark while going confidently in the direction of my dreams.
I reaize I live an unconventional life. That the world isn’t all cotton candy and kittens, but also that it is our choice what we put in our heads. The positive over the negative; who we surround ourselves with, hopefully, the people who bolster our dreams and root for our success; & having the courage to ‘get furious at each attempt to hold you down’. (cole porter rocks) But also that life is not black or white, it is in the nuances of gray that most people find themselves, but you know what… there is always a choice.
I dare you to ask yourself, What do you choose?
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Aloha - the word synonymous with Hawai’i has different meanings. It is most commonly used as a greeting, but is in fact a compound of two words “alo” meaning presence and “hā” meaning breath – therefore “the presence of (divine) breath,” and like kaona [pronounced: kao' nah] of Hawaiian songs, can have veiled meaning. It can mean love, such as the Māori word “aroha” or welcome, or I care for you, or I remember you though we have not yet met. It, like saying “I love ketchup” is an enigma, sometimes undefined but always clearly positive. To me it embodies the spirit of these islands; it is the breath and the essence of life. While meandering I’ve asked those along the way what it means to them and each person I ask has told me something different, it is indeed true – variety is the spice of life!
It’s important to attempt to define this word for you as I was intimidated by it before coming here, before I knew, experienced and practiced it's use. This one little word has infinite power to make people smile when said with conviction. Here in this remotest of spots on earth (I think it’s something like 2600 miles to the closest land mass), one has to ask themselves, “If it's in the middle of nowhere, why does everyone come here? Why has everyone heard of it or at the very least smile, once they do hear of it? What is so fascinating about “island style”?
I present this to you from a still developing mind, someone who has sat around for a while doing nothing, really doing nothing. Coming from New York, the epicenter of being busy, or at least looking busy, Hawai’i is a 180° difference. The polestar here is family. However, it is also a nexus, much like New York, a melting pot of different people offering different forms of attraction, like attracting like. Waikiki is tropical Manhattan. You want nightlife, take your pick: Level 4, the Shack, Tiki's; You want exercise: surfing surrounds you, mountains rise above you - no gym membership required; You want music, just stand still: the trees sing, the ocean is the rhythm section crashing steadily on the shore, birds comprise the orchestra and the people are the band. People here work hard, sometimes at two or three jobs, so when it’s 'Pau Hana' (done working) time they can play harder, and Hawaiians – they know how to play and as the saying goes, it is never too late to have a happy childhood.
There’s a certain stigma with not being a local here… that people like me – migrants to these islands, wish to overcome. Nevertheless, the perspective that comes with not being from here, “born and raised,” helps in the appreciation of what this place has to offer [what’s the opposite of being jaded? This place is like finding a crisp five dollar bill when the coconuts are free.] It’s not just coordinates on a map. Its maybe, just maybe, the closest thing to the feeling that home should radiate, the feeling of belonging.
Life often gives us what we need. It just so happens that sometimes we aren’t ready to receive what it’s giving us. I've come to accept this fact, to accept that not everyone is cut out for Hawai'i and that's ok. People are put into our lives as catalysts and when received readily can make life deeper, richer and fuller - even if its not everlasting.
This might seem funny to some of my new friends from Hawai’I, but I’ve only heard about John Cruz for about a month and up until yesterday at Zippy’s didn’t know what saimin was. Isn’t it cool how you learn something new every day? *sigh* I’m in a mutually committed love affair with paradise.
Now back to the boot camp. To say that this class is a revelation in the way I look at relationships is a gross understatement. Studying this dance is better than any self-help/relationship book I have ever read, and I dare say, better than half of my romantic relationships. Shoots! Have you ever heard the expression, “dance around the issue?”
The Living Room
Picture if you will, dancing with the sun setting through these windows. Surreal.
This is not that. It is complete non-verbal communication of what the man hears in the music, interprets and sings through the woman. In the last three days, I have come to appreciate when a man opens the door for me. To be honest, I am a traditionalist at heart. Just look at the world around us, we have to be able to transform. Women are so strong, self-sufficient and more likely to take the lead in their own lives than wait around for a man to do it for them. I grew up with this mentality, surrounded by legions of women going to work in suits while raising a family. It has taken quite a bit for me to loosen up enough to simply follow, especially after being surrounded by Aphrodites rising from the waves who can carry their nine-oh long boards in under one arm and a baby in the other.
In tango class last night, George taught us about “molinetes,” the windmill in Spanish. This is the quintessential step for the woman, the follower, and once understood unlocks the secrets of tango, the language of feelings. All at once Marvin Gaye’s signature song, “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” took on new meaning. The molinete is the door or the gate step, and like life, the door has to be open enough to let the person through. The highest form of the dance is when a couple can walk their tango without effort, communicating, eyes-closed and without words. If that is the case, right now I am running, eyes-wide and arms flailing. But I know, things are gonna get easier eventually.
At the milonga Tuesday night, George did a demonstration with Elizabeth. The class and party were held at Fisherman’s Wharf, upstairs in a space called Living Room, don’t you just ♥ that? So as the sun set into twilight we tangoed. Chee! Keep in mind it was the second night in and I was as close to clueless as one can get. Anyway, we make it to the end of class and the milonga begins. There is all this innuendo and rules with the dance party. A man doesn’t ask a lady verbally, instead two people look around the room and do the “three second stare” when they find someone they’d like to dance with. Sweet. Jessica.Tandy. Thankfully, Jim came to my rescue and took me for my first spin around the floor and explained “The Code”. There are two holds or ‘embraces’ in tango, the more formal, open embrace where you are at arms length and the close embrace (just like it sounds kiddies) which is how it’s done in Buenos Aires. Ladies choice. Woman determines the embrace and the man maintains it. Word, I can dig it – we’re dancing in hugs.
My job was to NOT THINK. Excuse me? That’s right. For an over analytical mind this is preposterous. But it’s just how it has to be. Ladies, we are in high heels dancing backwards, so you just have to go with the flow. All I’m asking is for a dude to have his sh*% together. I dance with one guy, kept stepping on me, song ends, “Thank you,” I say. (that’s code for more practice, Next!) I dance with another guy, won’t shut up but gets me around the floor pretty well, we dance two songs, “Thank you,” he smiles. (This time it was me that needed more practice) I take my shoes off, Universal Code for “Thanks, but no thanks.” After rubbing my ‘haven’t-been-in proper-shoes-for-6-months feet’ for 10 minutes I put my shoes back on. Some Japanese man asks me to dance, I tell him politely, “This is my second night.” He nods. What happens next can only be likened to a train wreck.
We’re dancing along at a frenzied pace (I don’t even have TIME to think) and next thing I know I’m bloody doing the tango, he’s making me do that funny leg thing and extensions and little hip swishys, it was awesome!! I tell myself, “Please God, don’t let him say thank you.” It’s not often that I invoke the Lord, but it seems this time it worked! And he doesn’t say thank you, we dance another song, better than the first. Then one more song comes on and he must have thought to himself, “this chick lied, she obviously hasn’t only done this once before, jokes on her! Time to turn up the fuego!” Oh Sweet Mother. He’s doing this funky chicken foot thing and I’m trying to keep up when next thing I know, PLOP! I’m on the floor, on my a$$, in a dress. Touchdown! I am mortified, but somehow he gets me back up on my feet and we’re flying again, song ends. We made it through an entire Cortina – 3 songs, and I have the bruise to prove it. Later on in the evening I find out that this man doesn’t speak English. He didn’t even know what I was saying to him before we started to dance. Brilliant. I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything in the world and it taught me not to take myself so seriously & if you fall down, have a laugh, pick yourself up and keep on going.
I leave you with this thought and much aloha, my friends. Check ya on the flip side.
bonvivantwahine.
maluhia☮ hoku☆ aloha♥
follow your peace, your dreams & your heart.
Tuesday
Argentine Tango: Bootcamp Edition with a tropical twist ;)
Prime Perceptions
For the next 2 weeks I'll be attending an Argentine Tango Boot Camp here in Honolulu. It's one of those things that has been on my bucket list that I didn't get to in New York. What better way to immerse yourself in something than a good old fashioned boot camp. My roommate Chris, while in one of his infinite teasing moods told me to ask the instructor, "Ohhh.. I thought it was a booty camp, when will I get an Argentinian booty?" Oh Chris, you so funny.
There is a local school here called "Isla Tango" that has milongas (the word itself refers to the music that predates the tango that inspired the dance) which in effect are dance parties. Dance party!? Sweeeet - Sign me up! ;) In class, our teacher George is one local uncle with the savoir faire of a man raised on the proprieties of dance. I'm sure that in some tucked away part of my brain I knew that this life experience would be more similar to "Shall We Dance," where I'd play the awkwardly charming part of Richard Gere but secretly hoped for something like "Scent of a Woman" where tall dark and handsome would sweep me off my feet (blind, not blind, it's all sensual anyway).
Registration was promptly at 7:30pm. Since I'm a fan of mass transit, choke it up to years of the E, V and 6 getting into Manhattan from Astoria, I left the house early in a feign attempt at punctuality. It was 7:16pm and it was just little old me... and George. All this time spent in Hawai'i nei and I still have yet to grasp the concept of "Hawaii Time." Where else in the world can you go and be in your own time zone, not experience DST and constantly be behind by 5 or 6 hours. Lateness is a staple, gotta learn to slow my roll.
Like the good girl (heh heh) that I am and after a quick intro to Mr. Teacher, I take my info packet and clinging to it for dear life, take a seat. "What the hell am I doing here?" I scream into my cranium. I haven't taken a formal dance class in ballroom since college, however I love to dance, a. after a particularly stoke-inducing surf session, b. in the privacy of my bedroom or in the kitchen, living room and lanai when Chris is off doing one of his Japanese North Shore tours, or c. while listening to some tunes on a mid-day cruise around the island with friends in tow. In front of a bunch of strangers however, especially considering the close proximity that it entails, I am less than stoked.
Then, slowly, my classmates trickle into class. Late 50's, uncle-type - - Fairy. Chick, neurotic, wearing same color from head to toe, PURPLE. W-O-W. Old haole uncle, plump. Hmm... I'm beginning to sense a pattern. I panic at the disco. It's not like I was expecting a good, old fashioned New York meatpacking district clubbing night at Tenjune or Cielo; but I *was* expecting at least one person, preferably of the opposite gender, who knows what NKotB is, or at the very least, could sing and or rap the opening song to "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air."
*sigh* work it Will.
What could I expect? I've already stated that this is a "Bucket List" endeavor, and the people in class are a reflection of that, in the autumns and winters of life. {aside: it was pretty kick-ass seeing this one lady with salt-n-pepa hair put on her 3 inch heels.} After what feels like a lifetime in doggie years 2 then 3 than 4 mildly attractive dudes enter the dancespace joined by some couples who look like they're practicing for an upcoming wedding or who just want to make a "vertical expression of a horizontal desire" blah blah blah. George invites us onto the dance floor.
At this point I should mention the little social experiment that I tried. Around me, save for Purple Patty, the studio is dressed in black or shades thereof, with sensible shoes. Me? Multi-colored surf shorts, cerulean top and, wait for it, flip-flops. =o) Ahhh... delightful. To this date I have attempted to get away with wearing flips in a myriad of should-be-sensible situations: a hot new dance club, a job interview (joke lang), or climbing some mountain; with varied results. Ladies and gentlemen, the stink eye was akin to a kook's first session at Queens. Meow-zers. Needless to say, I will be wearing heels and some form of feminine-type apparel to my sophmore trial. Don't need grandpa stepping on my piggies or losing my flip-flops in Mr. Engineer/Physicist's embrace. That is if he ever stops analyzing the science behind the dance enough to properly embrace me. ;)
Tonight will be my first milonga. Although I am still somewhat nervous I will try to live by the saying, “leap and the net will appear!” Check in soon kiddies, hopefully I'll be able to sneak some pics tonight since our teacher is a Picture Nazi in class. Over and Out.
bonvivantwahine.
maluhia☮ hoku☆ aloha♥
follow your peace, your dreams & your heart.
Midsummer Delight
A friend of mine recently suggested that I start a blog. "What will you write about?" I contemplated and have come to rest on the concept of sharing with you my journey of living vicariously through myself. Six months ago I moved to Hawai'i from New York with dreams of writing a book, learning to surf and opening up my world to simple pleasures and new experiences. An American lady author once wrote,"Adventure can be an end in itself. Self-discovery is the secret ingredient that fuels daring" and I figure, no time like the present so, here we go!
One of my North Shore girlfriends threw a party on Friday night in celebration of "accomplishment" which Merriam-Webster defines as : a quality or ability equipping one for society and which I like to define as "awesomeness." She just scored her first "real job" in the big bad world and it seemed fitting for friends to come together and rock out. Driving up from Waikiki was surreal. It was the night of the latest sunset here in Hawai'i, 7:18pm, Friday July 10, 2009 and brought to mind the many moments fleeting that this world offers and how if fully savored can become beautiful memories.
Our original intent was to catch sunset at Sunset Beach, cliche I know, but cute yeah? Of course we were running late and ended up watching the sky catch fire from the middle of the island, around Wahiawa. There was something about being up on this higher ground that made the view come alive, the ambers and pinks and blues all together in a graceful embrace in the sky began the evening with a nice gift and foretold of good things to come.
Somewhere between Hour 1 and Hour 4 we paused for a dance break, in the kitchen.
After dinner we moved the party to the beach where ninja rain soaked us, shadow voices serenaded and moonbows peeked under a blanket of stars with Venus. As this blog becomes more sophisticated I'll be able to add some night shots. But in all seriousness no photograph will do a North Shore night sky justice.
In the morning Bridge and I made a quick stop in Waimea Valley on the way back to town and discovered some peacocks enjoying their own lazy Saturday.
After an afternoon of hilarity aka "Bruno," I went to check out Anuhea perform at Border's Ward. This young artist is a breath of fresh air. Performing solo, with her Pono acoustic she lauds first encounters, the enchantment of love and displays how effortless it is to get your message across when you're true to your heart. Anu's dad and bro were there to cheer her on. If you're interested in more of her music check her out on Itunes and at her page: Anuhea Fan Page on Facebook.
The last 5 or six days in O'ahu have been "drizzly" not a word I would commonly use to describe this magical place but without it we would not have seen the glorious and elusive moonbow or this beauty at sunset.
Manzoku! As the Japanese say. After the last 24 hours, I am Satisfied. =)
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Summer Lease
One of my North Shore girlfriends threw a party on Friday night in celebration of "accomplishment" which Merriam-Webster defines as : a quality or ability equipping one for society and which I like to define as "awesomeness." She just scored her first "real job" in the big bad world and it seemed fitting for friends to come together and rock out. Driving up from Waikiki was surreal. It was the night of the latest sunset here in Hawai'i, 7:18pm, Friday July 10, 2009 and brought to mind the many moments fleeting that this world offers and how if fully savored can become beautiful memories.
Our original intent was to catch sunset at Sunset Beach, cliche I know, but cute yeah? Of course we were running late and ended up watching the sky catch fire from the middle of the island, around Wahiawa. There was something about being up on this higher ground that made the view come alive, the ambers and pinks and blues all together in a graceful embrace in the sky began the evening with a nice gift and foretold of good things to come.
Chef 1 called en route and asked us to pick up some ingredients for sangria, so we stopped at Foodland (no really, it's called Foodland) and picked up some Malbec and sodas to bring to the fiesta/luau. Limes and other citrus did not need to be bought as they were free for the taking in the back yard. By the time we got up country the chefs were cooking up a storm. Without further ado let me introduce:
New friends, major snackage and several delightful beverage later dinner was almost ready. and as we learned quickly witing for dinner to be ready one reaches different shades of inebriation.
Hour 1: a beer or two
Hour 2: glass of wine, et al
Hour 3: all the makings for sangria have arrived! SANGRIA!
Hour 4: Dinner is served =)
Hour 3: Chef and Entertainment
Hour 4: Enchilada Extravaganza!!
Fireman with the Firesauce. Excellent.
Chef 1 and Chef 2
Here in Hawai'i it is customary to bring something with you when going to have dinner at someone's place. Jenna brought lipgloss for all the ladies and lemme tell you, her lipgloss is poppin'!
New friends, major snackage and several delightful beverage later dinner was almost ready. and as we learned quickly witing for dinner to be ready one reaches different shades of inebriation.
Hour 1: a beer or two
Hour 2: glass of wine, et al
Hour 3: all the makings for sangria have arrived! SANGRIA!
Hour 4: Dinner is served =)
Here we are lounging at or about Hour 2.
Hour 3: Chef and Entertainment
Hour 4: Enchilada Extravaganza!!
Fireman with the Firesauce. Excellent.
Somewhere between Hour 1 and Hour 4 we paused for a dance break, in the kitchen.
After dinner we moved the party to the beach where ninja rain soaked us, shadow voices serenaded and moonbows peeked under a blanket of stars with Venus. As this blog becomes more sophisticated I'll be able to add some night shots. But in all seriousness no photograph will do a North Shore night sky justice.
In the morning Bridge and I made a quick stop in Waimea Valley on the way back to town and discovered some peacocks enjoying their own lazy Saturday.After an afternoon of hilarity aka "Bruno," I went to check out Anuhea perform at Border's Ward. This young artist is a breath of fresh air. Performing solo, with her Pono acoustic she lauds first encounters, the enchantment of love and displays how effortless it is to get your message across when you're true to your heart. Anu's dad and bro were there to cheer her on. If you're interested in more of her music check her out on Itunes and at her page: Anuhea Fan Page on Facebook.
The last 5 or six days in O'ahu have been "drizzly" not a word I would commonly use to describe this magical place but without it we would not have seen the glorious and elusive moonbow or this beauty at sunset.
Manzoku! As the Japanese say. After the last 24 hours, I am Satisfied. =)
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