Passion
Reading “10 cars Americans don’t want to buy”
Saw this article titled “10 cars Americans don’t want to buy” and I had to read it. I gotta agree with the article since I don’t see very many of these vehicles driving in Hawaii.
At #5, the Infiniti EX is fun to drive, but it is small. And how about #7, the Nissan Murano. How this model has fallen from grace. When it first debuted, it definitely made a visual impact, especially that electric sunburnt orange. Over the years, the Murano has shrunk and is now barely recognizable, looking more akin to a Toyota RAV4.
Did you find any surprises on this list? Makes me reminisce about my all-time “favorite” car, the Pontiac Aztek.
The Real Reason I Love Kicks
What’s the real reason why I love kicks? It’s for the boxes.

They really come in handy when organizing and storing stuff. The boxes come in different colors too for even more organization. You believe me, right? That it’s all about the boxes.
To Match Your Gold iPhone 5s
If you’re a coffee lover who happens to have the new gold colored iPhone 5s then you definitely need this. It’s the Zojirushi Stainless Steel Mug which comes in champagne gold (there’s also black and smoky blue), and it happens to have been selected as the best travel mug by The Sweethome.
A Voodoo Doughnut Surprise
What a surprise! I saw this box and knew something special was in store because you know that good things come in pink boxes.

This a box of goodies from Voodoo Doughnuts homed in Portland, Oregon and recently handcarried and flown to Hawaii. I had heard about this place and its crazy creations, but this was my first encounter. Although not bakery-fresh and dried out from the flight, the colors and variety was all there (sorry no pics). I went with the Voodoo Doll doughnut, but didn’t know I was supposed to use the pretzel “stake” to pierce the doughnut body and make the jelly ooze out. Yes, the doughnut looked freaky, but it was nevertheless yummy.

After recently overdosing on cronut-like hybrids, it was a relief to get back to the (sorta) basics. Gotta add Voodoo Doughnuts to my list of places to visit when going to the northwest. And just remember, “the magic is in the hole.”
Rainbow Warriors Wear Roses
So it seems some signature style is coming to the kicks of the UH Men’s Basketball team. The Adidas-affiliated Rainbow Warriors are wearing Derrick Rose’s 773 sneakers in the upcoming season. This team shoe comes in a multitude of colors including the Warrior-matching forest/running white.

Former Bow Rod Flemings would be proud.
Remembering Dunkin Donuts
First of all, I don’t recall Kailua having a Dunkin’ Donuts, but seemingly there was one that closed in 2005. Anyways, while stuck in traffic on Kamehameha Highway in Pearl City, I remembered that previous Dunkin’ Donuts location.

Hey wait, was the Kailua Dunkin’ Donuts in the Foodland complex shared with Big City Diner?
Dou’ssants Are Pretty Darn Delicious
Let’s start with some basic admissions.
- I’ll probably never try an authentic cronut from Chef Dominique Ansel.
- There’s an unspoken hierarchy of bakeries and the sophistication level of their pastries.
- Safeway (and Vons) is not in the upper tier of this bakery hierarchy.
With that out of the way, what would you expect when you see that neighborhood grocery, Safeway, now sells donut croissants, branded as Dou’ssants. I didn’t expect a whole lot. Funny thing though. With these low expectations, I bought a four set and was darn impressed with this fluffy goodness. That’s to say the Dou’ssants were delicious.

From the outside, the Dou’ssants look like husky donuts. The outer layer has a little more texture, and they’re densely heavy. On the inside, you can see some layering, but like the Croissant Donut from Saint-Germain Bakery, the construction of the Dou’ssant is like two halves melded into one. The taste reminds me of malasadas, buttery, glazed malasadas. After eating one, that glaze around your lips is hard to wash off.
So here’s my personal take. Of all the cronut variations in Hawaii, the Dou’ssants are your best overall pick. What? Why? Like I said, I’ve never sampled the original cronut so I don’t have a basis for comparison. But the Dou’ssants are very yummy. The price is right at four for $6. Availability is good if every Safeway sells them. I don’t have to go to a Waikiki hotel, I don’t have to go to specific locations downtown or in Ala Moana, and I don’t have to search out a mobile location. Inexpensive, yummy, and widely available – that’s a recipe for success.
Darn You DWTS Mirrorball!
Darn you Dancing with the Stars!! After staying away for the last season, I made the mistake of taking a peek at Season 17. One unbelievable dance lead to another, and now I’m hooked once again. Week 1 was indescribable. Each performance got better and better. I was waiting for the first to fall or taper off the progression. Due to their “experience,” I didn’t expect much from Bill Nye and Valerie Harper, but they definitely entertained.
Okay, there seems to be some unfair advantages with performers in the mix but still, dancer for dancer, this is a talented season. With the stiff competition and the sentimental vote for the elder dancers, you cannot predict who’s going home each week or who’s going to win the DWTS mirrorball.
Skipping ahead to Week 2, here’s my favorite with Jessie Spano aka Elizabeth Berkley dancing samba.
My Largest Social Network Is…
Surprisingly, Pinterest. Yes, Pinterest. That Pinterest, the visual bookmarking site that had its start with crafters. I joined in April of 2011 and not finding pins that strongly piqued my interests, I started pinning stuff that I was attracted to, namely kicks. Of my various Pinterest boards, my Kicks Pinboard is the most active with 573 pins and over 2600 followers.
That amount of followers easily eclipses any of my other social networks, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, and even Plurk (my favorite social networking underdog). So whatever magic and mojo Pinterest possess, I can attest to it.


