aloha...

((R)) There's just something wonderful about the memorial of leis on Duke Kahanamoku & Princess Ka'iulani's bronze statues... and also the lei's at the Arizona Memorial... very moving.

I'm so glad I'm not alone. I love Oahu. On some boards you get tarred and feathered at the mere mention of Waikiki. LOL I have been to all the islands and really like them all with the exception of Kauai and that is NOT a put down of those who love it there..it just isn't my cup of tea. it's a big wide wonderful world and there will always be something for everyone.

I lived on Oahu for three years and visited the other islands many times. Oahu remains my favorite. You can do everything on Oahu, be in the city or in the middle of nowhere within 30 minutes, take the bus anywhere and everywhere, eat fantastic food... I have to stop, my mouth is watering.

By the way, I really loved the local comedians. Is Andy Bumatai still performing?

Ya know, I thought Andy had left the comedy scene for software development (seriously). But if you go to andybumatai.com, you'll see that he performs every Friday & Saturday night at the Palace Showroom with another classic Hawaii comedian, Frank Delima.

Another popular duo is Augie T. & Lanai, who perform on Fridays at Dave & Busters.

I'm not super sure about Booga Booga, the grand-daddies of local comedy. James Grant Benton passed away last year, leaving Ed Kahapea and Dave Lancaster. Ed and Dave do a lot of fun commercials and we've hired them to do skits for our company functions, but I have never asked if they actually perform anywhere in Honolulu on a regular basis.

Great thread!! I just got home from Oahu last night. Sighhhhh.....it's my most favorite of the 3 Hawaiian islands I have been to. Oahu has it all!

1. Ko'Olina lagoons on the west side

2. The many gorgeous shades of the ocean

3. The hum and energy of Waikiki, watching all the happy people strolling by

4. Watching a movie on the beach at Sunset on the Beach, while munching on kalua pork and banana lumpia

5. LAVA FLOWS!! (not the real ones, the cocktail!)

6. Snorkeling at Hanauma Bay

7. Giovanni's White Shrimp Truck on the North Shore for the most delicious, garlicky shrimp scampi over rice (don't be scared by the dilapitated truck!)

8. Taking a sunset cruise with a pod of dolphins swimming and jumping and twirling next to us

9. Drinking a tropical cocktail out of a pineapple while sitting under the banyan tree at the Ala Moana Surfrider

10. LAVA FLOWS!! LOL

BTW, tanman10, I LOVE your #14!!!

Floating in the waves waiting for the sun to set with Diamond Head at your back.

Windward side with all the cute giggling local children

Beautiful view looking out toward Chinaman's Hat.

Pineapple whips and fresh pineapple juice.

Plate lunches and Korean BBQ

Ack! I almost forgot one of my most favorite things on Oahu:

11. Beautiful Turtle Beach on the North Shore, where you can swim with huge sea turtles, and the come up onto the sand to sun themselves next to you...

MelissaHI: Thanks! I liked Frank DeLima a lot, too!!! I remember Andy tried to make it on the mainland, but they just didn't get stuff like "you know when you go out to your cars and you hear the radio shut off because the cockroaches have been in there listening to it." Nothing like those 747 cockroaches!

Great thread - thank you. I agree with everyone. I have been to the islands several times and have always loved Oahu. I just went with my husband of 2 years and we went to Waikiki for our first 4 days. It was just not his thing. I had to rethink why I love it so much and this thread really nailed it for me. I've seen a few snippets that seem right to me on this site:

Las Vegas with a beach
New York with palm trees

But there is something else:

Waikiki is modern, glitzy, and touristy but also, like Las Vegas, unapologetic. But if you listen, it has echos of a past that is still so close you can hear the big bands of the 30's and smell the ginger. You can step out onto the edge of the surf in Waikiki and be transported back to another time. There are still surfers, outrigger canoes, sailboats and swimmers. The beautiful ladies of the beach can help you get there. The Moana Surfrider and the Royal Hawaiian are a step back in time. I took the historical tours of both and they made me look at the area with new eyes. I could imagine what it was like before the travel boom of hotel building.

There isn't much left but the gentle age of travel is still there and alive in Waikiki. The days when you had to sail over on the Matson Line in your best dress and would attend grand parties under the banyon tree.

Somewhere... Hawaii Calls

"Waikiki....My whole life is empty without you..."

I first heard that wonderful song back in 1965 when I was living on the Windward Side and I have never forgotten it. In those days when there was, reportedly, only one traffic light on the island of Kauai, K-Blvd was full of T-shirt shops (no golf stores, no "upscale shopping" and the old Biltmore was still doing business)...you could watch the "clouds" on the ceiling at the Waikiki theatre and on and on and on...

Oahu..the "gathering place" and for oh so many GOOD reasons..wish I were there right NOW!

TopMan: Thanks for bringing back a wonderful memory....I haven't thought about the clouds on the ceiling in years and years.

ttt
I needed a Waikiki fix...

Snorkeling at Shark's Cove on the north shore (summer only)

Patti's Chinese Kitchen at Ala Moana Mall (better vefore they renovated the mall, when it wasn't in a food court!)

Fort DeRussy Park

Kapiolani Park

Bishop Museum

Riding a motorcycle thru the tunnel from the windward side to Honolulu

Eating at a local place in Wahiawa

Huli-huli chicken

Aaaaaalohhhhhaaaa all you O'ahu lovers!

Kamahinaohoku, I love you for topping this thread... just what I needed after a very long day of work on a COLD day in Chicago.

Aaaaaahhhhhh! ((R)) ((R)) ((R))

It's cold here in Honolulu, too! Dipped to 60 degrees the last couple of nights....what we call a "double blanket night."

Hey Makai1- I know it's a little early, but Mele Kalikimaka me ka Haouli Makahiki Hou.

You want to get really depressed? Check out the Honolulu lights downtown.
http://www.melekalikimaka.com/

Actually, Mele Kalikimaka me ka Hauoli Makahiki Hou to everyone. ((g))

((s)) ((*))

Aloha!

Topping for cak01...

Hey Melissa, what's the weather today?? ;;D Any ((R))??