Now That’s a Ride!
Hawaii’s filled with sunshine and its damaging UV rays. What are exposed moped drivers to do to protect themselves? They use some ingenuity and innovation to cover up while driving.
Passion
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
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.
Layers
Two halves
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.
Where Is Pier 1 at Ward Moving to?
Passed by the Pier 1 Imports location at Ward and saw they are moving. Where is this long time location moving to?
To ease with the move, everything is on sale although most of the good stuff is already gone. Or quantities are limited. I did see brand new items on sale.
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.
Girl Scouts Are Not Natural Bliss
Did you see Coffee-mate’s new creamer called Caramel & Coconut? This new flavor is a collaboration with the Girls Scouts, but odds are you probably overlooked this new creamer thinking it’s part of the Natural Bliss line.
Just look at the packaging, and you’ll understand how you can easily mistake this creamer. And if like me, you had a unflavorable run in with these natural creamers, like me, you now tune them out.
But the Girl Scout flavors are not Natural Bliss as visually indicated by the red cap (and lack of Natural Bliss labeling). I found this at Target by the way.
Similar Reactions to iOS7 and the Air Jordan 11
The love it or hate it reactions to Apple’s newly released iOS7 mobile operating system remind me of the Air Jordan 11 when it launched. There is no middle ground with both iOS7 and the AJ11 polarizing its audience.
Too shiny, too unconventional, too flashy, too bold – the naysayers described the XI, initially including myself. When I first saw these Jordans, I was so confused. I really hated them, two tone black and white, and the leather, the shiny patent leather that no kicks used. But then, look at them, watch them move, look at the simplicity yet sophistication of the design, notice the elements combining together, see the possibilities, truly see the Air Jordan 11. Then love them. Love the most iconic design of the Air Jordan line. Watch it endure over the decades with retro after retro, colorway after colorway.
Now look at iOS7. Tinker Hatfield meet Jony Ive. iOS7 is definitely bold and bright, the apps fly around the screen, its flat UI is unconventional (no buttons?), but yet it all works. It just works. Maybe this isn’t the pinnacle of iOS, but it just may endure the test of time as users learn to love it.
