Midlife Crisis Hawaii

MLC Friday5 time.  Football season is here!  Cut and paste the questions and answers them or just answer them by number – or order.  Feel free to add comments to your answers or additional comments relating to football.

1. Who is your favorite NFL team and why?
2. Did you play football – Pop Warner, high school, college, pro?
3. Have you ever been to an NFL football game?
4. Do you think an NFL team would be successful in Hawaii?
5. Remember any small kid time neighborhood football memories?

Bonus question: Other than pass interference, how many yards is the longest penalty? *No “googling” allowed.

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Here’s my replies:

1. Who is your favorite NFL team and why?
   Oakland Raiders.  Yup, I bleed the Silver and Black.  Either you love ‘um or you hate ‘um.  I’ve been a Raiders fan from a long time ago when the Raiders were known to play dirty.  All the misfits of the NFL that couldn’t get along with their teammates seemed to end up on the Raiders.  This pretty much sums up the Raiders:
   
   
2. Did you play football – Pop Warner, high school, college, pro?
   Nope, nope, nope, and nope.  Although I did play on the Kalaheo Intermediate School flag football team when I was in the 9th grade.  We actually went to Kawananakoa Intermediate during class time to play them.   I don’t remember the outcome, though.
   
3. Have you ever been to an NFL football game?
   I wish.  Maybe someday if Las Vegas ever gets an NFL team.  LOL
   
4. Do you think an NFL team would be successful in Hawaii?
   Yes, I think so.  Of course first we’d need a new stadium.  But since NFL teams play only once a week, that gives them a lot of time to travel to Hawaii.
   
5. Remember any small kid time neighborhood football memories?
   I remember playing “2 hand touch” football on the street and the empty lot on the corner.  Or we’d go down to the schoolyard, rip strips from rags and play flag football.  We used to just tuck the strips of rag into the sides of our shorts and we were good to go.  And when we were desperate (like after at a church potluck), we’d take a paper cup, stuff crushed paper cups into it and shape it like a football and use that to play.

Remember when we used to play neighborhood football?  Of course we were all barefoot and there was a special technique to hold the ball for kick-offs.  Instead of the holder just holding the ball with it’s point on the ground, we used to have the holder use one foot, stand it up with his heel to the ground, then balance the point of the football on his big toe while holding the other point with his finger.  Remember that?  Could get a lot more air-time on the ball that way!

And here’s a story I posted on a previous MLC blog:

Let’s wrap up this week of nightclubbing leading up to the 70′s Nightclub Reunion VIII – happening this Saturday at the Ala Moana Hotel with Greenwood, Asian Blend, Glass Candle, Power Point, and Golden Throat featuring Nohelani Cypriano – with an MLC Friday 5.

Cut and paste the questions of just answer them by number.

1. What was your favorite nightclub(s)?
2. What was your drink of choice?
3. Were you a dancer or a wallflower?
4. How many people did you usually hit the clubs with?
5. What was your favorite night to hit the clubs?

Here’s my replies:

1. What was your favorite nightclub(s)?
   When I first started hitting the nightclubs, Hula Hut was the place to be.  That was back in ’76.
   Then later  in the early 80′s – when I was without a girlfriend – it was La Mancha for the punk rock hour then on to The Point After to close the night.
2. What was your drink of choice?
   I wasn’t much of a drinker so Vodka Gimlets was my drink of choice.  Shot drinks were Slammers.  I remember one of the first times we went to Hula Hut, one of my friends ordered a Blue Hawaii.  He gets this huge glass with a wedge of pineapple and paper umbrella in it.  Ho, make A.
3. Were you a dancer or a wallflower?
   In the beginning, I was a wallflower.  Just scoping out the scenery.  But later when we got to know a big bunch of people at The Point, I blossomed into a dancer.  I think it had to do with the fact that we mostly asked our friends to dance and they always said “sure!”.  No like when we were noobs and had to chance ‘um walking up to some table of girls we didn’t know only to be told “No thanks, I resting”.  And enduring the walk of shame heading back to razzs from our friends.
4. How many people did you usually hit the clubs with?
   We usually went with either 2 or 3 of us.  Maybe 4 at the most.  For some reason, it seemed like the girls liked to go in big groups – like 6 or 8 of them.
5. What was your favorite night to hit the clubs?
   Saturday night.  Once in awhile we’d hit the clubs on a Friday night, but Saturday night was when it was happening.  I remember some of the regulars liked to go on Thursday nights to avoid the crowds.  Don’t know how they woke up for work/school on Friday mornings.  Didn’t some clubs even have “Ladies Night” like on Tuesday nights?

Okay, now it’s your turn.  And don’t hesitate to leave additional comments.  Maybe a story or two of a “good” night at the nightclub, IYKWIM   Or something funny that you might remember.

And if you’re not doing anything on Saturday night – join us at the 70′s Nightclub Reunion VIII.  I’ll be at table 10 so stop by and say Hi.

* If you want a sneak preview, Glass Candle will be playing on Friday night at Gordon Biersch.

This Saturday is the 9th annual Korean Festival at Kapiolani park so I thought I’d come up with some Korean Friday5 questions.

Cut and paste the questions then answer them or just answer them by number.  And don’t hesitate to leave additional comments.  Here we go:

1. What is your favorite Korean dish?
2. What is your favorite Korean side dish?
3. Are you hooked on Korean Dramas?  If so, which one(s)?
4. Have you ever been to Korea?  If not, would you like to visit Korea?
5. Korean Bar memories…

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Here’s my replies:

1. What is your favorite Korean dish?
   What can I say, Kal-bi.  Although I hardly order it because (1) it’s expensive and (2) there’s never enough of it to satisfy my hunger for it.
2. What is your favorite Korean side dish?
   Dong Chimi or turnip kim-chee.
3. Are you hooked on Korean Dramas?  If so, which one(s)?
   I only watched one K-Drama.  I don’t even remember the name of it but it was about a wedding planning business.  It was comical on one side, yet dramatic on the other.  Paula has watched a few series with my daughter, but I didn’t want to get hooked.
4. Have you ever been to Korea?  If not, would you like to visit Korea?
   Never been there although I wouldn’t mind checking it out.  Did you know that there is no such thing as meat-jhun in Korea?  Must be a local thing because it’s sure a big seller here.
5. Korean Bar memories…
   Arirang.  ‘nough said.

I remember my mom used to make the best bulgogi.  I think she used to pound the meat to make it tender, then let it soak in all the ono Korean sauce.  And when she was done cooking up all the meat in the iron skillet, she’d throw in some rice to make Bulgogi flavored fried rice.  Ho, broke da mout’.  I should go hunt down that recipe.

Have a good weekend and maybe I’ll see you at the Korean Festival on Saturday!

Friday5 – Breakfast: courtesy of Friday5.org (scrivener on Twitter).

Cut and paste the questions, then answer them or just answer them by number.  Don’t hesitate to leave additional comments.

1. Oh my goodness! You have to run out the door right now and you haven’t eaten! Before dashing out, what do you grab to wolf down on your way?
2. What’s a popular breakfast you dislike?
3. You’re going out for breakfast anywhere you want, and someone else is treating! Where do you go and what do you order?
4. What do you have when you need a simple, healthy (or healthy-ish, for those of you who just don’t do healthy!) breakfast?
5. You’ve been invited to a breakfast potluck. What are you most likely to bring?

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Here’s my replies:

1. Oh my goodness! You have to run out the door right now and you haven’t eaten! Before dashing out, what do you grab to wolf down on your way?
   Candy!  Actually, I’d just skip breakfast – which I normally do.  Gotta have my coffee though.
2. What’s a popular breakfast you dislike?
   Oatmeal.  It looks so bland.  I can only imagine that it tastes bland too.  Although Paula likes it.
3. You’re going out for breakfast anywhere you want, and someone else is treating! Where do you go and what do you order?
   I want to go to Market Street Cafe and order the Sweet Bread French Toast.  Mostly, I want to be at The Cal.  LOL  Actually, I’d like to head to Times Coffee Shop in Kailua or Kaneohe and order their fried rice.
4. What do you have when you need a simple, healthy (or healthy-ish, for those of you who just don’t do healthy!) breakfast?
   I make cinnamon toast for myself.  I really shoudn’t slather on so much butter, but butter makes it better, right?  Goes good with coffee!
5. You’ve been invited to a breakfast potluck. What are you most likely to bring?
   Pastries.  I’m not very good at cooking.

For the longest time, I thought cake and pie were breakfast items.  My thinking was that breakfast food is bought at a bakery, right?  And since bakeries sell cake and pies, I figured it must be breakfast food.  In fact, if there is cake or pie in the refrigerator, I’ll still eat it for breakfast.

When we’re at The Cal, I used to order the NY steak and eggs for breakfast – since it’s covered with the meal coupons.  But I noticed that it weighed me down and I felt pretty sluggish all day long.  Plus, I wasn’t too hungry when we stopped in at In-n-Out burger.  So now I just eat the Sweet Bread French Toast.  After that meal, I’ll be hungry in a couple of hours – just in time for lunch.

I never was a breakfast eater.  Mostly because I was never a morning person.  When I was a little kid, my mom used to wake me up at 7:00 am on school days.  I’d drag myself out to the parlor and plop back down on the couch.
She’d then ask “What do you want for breakfast?”
And I’d mumble “I don’t know.”
She’d say “Do you want eggs?”
And I’d say “No.”
Then she’d ask “Do you want cereal?”
And I’d answer “No.”
Then she’d say “Do you want toast?”
And I’d answer “No.”
And she’d finally reply with “I’m sorry boy-san.  I don’t know what you want.”
And I’d say “I want breakfast.”

What a rotten kid, yeah?  (I’m sorry, mom)

What are your Friday5 – Breakfast replies?  Again, don’t hesitate to make additional comments or share some of your breakfast stories.  For example, what is your breakfast specialty?  Or do you even bother to eat breakfast?

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This Saturday, Moonlight Kiss and Funkshun will be rockin’ the house at Hawaiian Brian’s Lounge.  It’s going to be packed!  If you’re in the Kapiolani area, pop on in.  We’ll find you a place to hang out with us.  Bands play from 7:00 to 10:00.  After that, FREE KARAOKE!  Listen to sally sing!

In honor of Kamehameha day, I thought I’d do a MLC Friday 5 – All Things Hawaiian.

Feel free to cut and paste the 5 questions and answer them or just answer them from 1 to 5.  And don’t hesitate to leave additional comments.

Hope everyone has a safe and fun 3 day Hawaiian weekend!

1. What is your favorite Hawaiian food?
2. What is your favorite Hawaiian island to visit?  (Vegas no count!)
3. What was your favorite shot-in-Hawaii TV show?
4. What is your favorite Hawaiian flower?
5. What is your favorite Hawaiian song?

1. What is your favorite Hawaiian food?
   I’d have to say, Kalua pig.  Not the kine stripped pork with smoke flavoring added, but real – cooked in da imu – kine Kalua pig.  With little bits of Hawaiian salt here and there and some fat still attached to the meat.  Brok’ da mout.  Then Lomi-lomi salmon comes in a close second along with lau-lau and haupia.  You hungry yet?
2. What is your favorite Hawaiian island to visit?  (Vegas no count!)
   I would have to say Maui (you’re welcome Uncle Rod’s Niece).  I especially love upcountry Maui.  The cool fresh air with clouds rolling by.  I heard that Upcountry Maui has a high count of negative ions which is why everything grows so well up there and people are always relaxed and happy.
   I haven’t been to Waimea on the Big Island, but I heard over there is pretty nice too.  I remember seeing a picture of an old style home with a nice porch in the front.  And clouds rolling by.  It was so serene.
3. What was your favorite shot-in-Hawaii TV show?
   Who remembers The Little People?  I’m not talking about TLC’s show Little People, Big World.  I’m talking about the Brian Keith show that aired back in the 70′s (after all, this is MLC).  IIRC, he was a doctor and I thought his Chinese/Hawaiian nurse, Nurse Puni, was soooo cute!  Turns out she was his real life wife – Victoria Young.
4. What is your favorite Hawaiian flower?
   Okay, maile is not a flower, but I going say that anyway.  The smell of maile reminds me of proms and high school banquets.  Along with maile goes pikake.  Paula’s favorite.  If I could, I’d grow a hedge of pikake plants.  Later on, I’m going to ask you folks about the secrets to growing pikake.  Later on, okay?
5. What is your favorite Hawaiian song?
   Pua ‘Olena by The Lim Family
   

Ho, can’t wait for the MLC blog 1 year old luau already.