March 31, 2010
March 30, 2010
Waikiki Aquarium
On my other blog, Sage and Savvy, I've posted about how Tropicana recently launched Tropicana Juicy Rewards, and how I'm fortunate to be a Tropicana Juicy Insider Ambassador.
We recently took advantage of one of the rewards--for just one point, I was able to print out a coupon for one free adult admission at the Waikiki Aquarium with the purchase of one adult admission, which resulted in a $9.00 savings! (Kama`aina price for adults is $6.00; youth admission kids 13-17 $4; junior admission kids 5-12 $2; children 4 and under are free).
We had a great time at the Waikiki Aquarium. Little Music Man has already been to the aquarium several times, but this was Smiley Boy's first visit.
Although the Waikiki Aquarium is quite small compared to many others that we've been too, there were still many interesting things to see, such as the following exhibits:
We recently took advantage of one of the rewards--for just one point, I was able to print out a coupon for one free adult admission at the Waikiki Aquarium with the purchase of one adult admission, which resulted in a $9.00 savings! (Kama`aina price for adults is $6.00; youth admission kids 13-17 $4; junior admission kids 5-12 $2; children 4 and under are free).
We had a great time at the Waikiki Aquarium. Little Music Man has already been to the aquarium several times, but this was Smiley Boy's first visit.
Although the Waikiki Aquarium is quite small compared to many others that we've been too, there were still many interesting things to see, such as the following exhibits:
Giant Clam
Spotted Seahorse
Moon Jelly
Hawaiian Day Octopus
Seadragon
Tidepool Hermit Crab
Hawaiian Monk Seals
And at the end of our visit, our boys enjoyed roaming the grounds.
It was a nice day at the Waikiki Aquarium, and it was great that we saved money thanks to Tropicana Juicy Rewards!
Waikiki Aquarium: 2777 Kalakaua Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96815-4027, (808)923-9741
Thank you to Mom Central and Tropicana Juicy Rewards for providing the Juicy Rewards points and a gift card to use toward redemption.
March 28, 2010
Zippy's
After spending the morning at the Ko Olina Lagoons, we headed to Zippy's in Kapolei, my favorite spot to hit after a morning at Ko Olina!
DH ordered the Chili Spaghetti with Garlic Bread.
DS2 ordered a keiki pizza.
I ordered a Wun Tun Min...
and a side of fries with a side of gravy for all of us to share.
I always enjoy the food at Zippy's, and the next time I go I'll probably order the same thing...and I'm already craving more fries and gravy...YUM!
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DH ordered the Chili Spaghetti with Garlic Bread.
DS2 ordered a keiki pizza.
I ordered a Wun Tun Min...and a side of fries with a side of gravy for all of us to share.
All of the food was delicious, and the service was really good. I love dining in at the Kapolei Zippy's--the servers are always super nice!
I always enjoy the food at Zippy's, and the next time I go I'll probably order the same thing...and I'm already craving more fries and gravy...YUM!
Zippy's: 950 Kamokila Blvd, Kapolei, HI 96707, (808)674-1773
March 26, 2010
Keiko and Louie: Best Best Friends (Mostly)
We recently took the boys to Honolulu Theater for Youth's (HTY) Keiko and Louie: Best Best Friends (Mostly) after DH won tickets through a radio station.
Davies Hall is right behind this statue of St. Andrew.
Fortunately there were signs all over the place directing everyone to the new venue.
Because the show started at 11:30am, close to both DS2's and DS1's naptime, Ds2 ended up falling asleep after about 20 minutes.
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Louie needs a friend. Keiko loves to make friends. When Louie and Keiko find each other, they also discover the ups and downs, the fun and trouble of friendship. This interactive play uses humor, movement and participation to engage young audiences directly in the performance.
We went to see the opening (March 13th). Normally prices for openings are $20/adults; $10 kids and seniors, otherwise general performance tickets are $10/adults; $8 kids/seniors.
Originally to be held at Tenney Theatre on the grounds of the Cathedral Church of St. Andrew, the location had to be changed to Davies Hall (also on the grounds of the Cathedral Church of St. Andrew) due to prepping of the Tenney Theatre for another play.
Originally to be held at Tenney Theatre on the grounds of the Cathedral Church of St. Andrew, the location had to be changed to Davies Hall (also on the grounds of the Cathedral Church of St. Andrew) due to prepping of the Tenney Theatre for another play.
Davies Hall is right behind this statue of St. Andrew.Fortunately there were signs all over the place directing everyone to the new venue.
Although the new venue was not nearly as nice as Tenney Theatre, and it was very far from the restrooms, it didn't really matter once Keiko and Louie entered the room.
They arrived about 10 or so minutes before the play was to start, and they said hello to all of the kids (most of whom were sitting on a blanket on the ground in the front of the hall) and engaged in some small talk.
Once the show started, the kids, averaging in age from infancy to middle school, all seemed to enjoy themselves.
Keiko and Louie started playing a hilarious game of peekaboo. Kids were screaming, trying to help Louie find Keiko, and DS2 would cover his eyes, pretending to play peekaboo with them.
Eventually Keiko and Louie told stories and continued to engage and interact with the kids.
Because the show started at 11:30am, close to both DS2's and DS1's naptime, Ds2 ended up falling asleep after about 20 minutes.
DS1 laughed at a few parts of the play and participated in others, but for some reason (probably because it was near his naptime too), he just didn't seem that interested.
However, I know majority of the kids loved the show. It was obvious by all of their screaming and laughter (lots of laughter from some adults too).
It was a cute show, and I thought the actors did a nice job keeping the kids entertained.
For openings, after the show guests are able to meet and get autographs, take photos (no photos are allowed during the show), meet the performers, as well as enjoy snacks and beverages provided by HTY.
The next time we go to an HTY play, hopefully it'll be in the Tenney Theatre, and we will definitely try to go to an earlier performance instead of one close to naptime (DS1 fell asleep on the way home and DS2 remained asleep until we got home).
If you have kids ages 2-5 and you're interested in seeing a fun play, there's two more performances on March 27th at 9:30am and 11:30am.
Honolulu Theater for Youth: 808-839-9885
March 24, 2010
Sushi Spot
My friend wanted me to try Sushi Spot, which is located on Moanalua Road in Aiea. I'm always game when it comes to sushi.
Sushi Spot is a new concept, but the owners are no strangers to the area. I believe they owned the restaurant that was there before Sushi Spot, and decided to open a new restaurant in its place.
The menu is big, and it was so hard to decide what to order.
I wanted to try some sushi, so I ordered an order of sake (salmon) nigiri and unagi (eel) nigiri. One order comes with (3) pieces, which was nice. Normally you only get (2) pieces in an order of nigiri sushi.
It was a cold evening, so I ordered the udon. It was good enough to satisfy my desire for something warm and comforting.
My friend ordered the mandoo soup. As you can tell, it comes with a lot of stuff in there besides just mandoo. Looks tasty. I think the owners are Korean, which would explain the existence of mandoo soup on the menu.
The mandoos must be homemade - they were soft and filled with a lot of pork and veggies.
I forgot to mention that we also tried the hamachi (yellow tail tuna) nigiri. I love the size of the chunks of fish that they put on the rice. You are definitely getting your money's worth here.
Sushi Spot is the place to go if you're in the neighborhood of Aiea and you've got the craving for Japanese food (or mandoo soup!). The staff is friendly and the smallness of the restaurant makes you feel right at home.
Sushi Spot
99-209 Moanalua Road
(808) 485-2255
March 22, 2010
Big City Diner
Not too long ago I met one of my girlfriends, J, for lunch at Big City Diner in Aiea.
It was the first time I went to this location, and it was quite crowded!
J ordered the soup of the day, which was Chicken Noodle...
and also Uncle Danny's Fried Rice.
It sure was a lot of fried rice! When she put her leftovers in a takeout box it looked like she didn't even eat anything!
I ordered the Malibu Chicken Sandwich with Garlic Fries.
It was really good (although I think it would have been better with some bacon--bacon makes everything better!), and I'm sure I'll order it again on a future visit.
The service was good, the food was great, but the best part of the lunch was catching up with J!
Big City Diner: 98-211 Pali Momi Street, Aiea, HI 96701-4314, (808) 487-8588
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It was the first time I went to this location, and it was quite crowded!
J ordered the soup of the day, which was Chicken Noodle...
and also Uncle Danny's Fried Rice.
It sure was a lot of fried rice! When she put her leftovers in a takeout box it looked like she didn't even eat anything!I ordered the Malibu Chicken Sandwich with Garlic Fries.
It was really good (although I think it would have been better with some bacon--bacon makes everything better!), and I'm sure I'll order it again on a future visit.
The service was good, the food was great, but the best part of the lunch was catching up with J!
Big City Diner: 98-211 Pali Momi Street, Aiea, HI 96701-4314, (808) 487-8588
March 20, 2010
Kohola Lagoon at Ko Olina Resort & Marina
Recently we took DS2 to the Kohola (Whale) Lagoon 1-B at the Ko Olina Resort & Marina.
There are four lagoons, but we usually end up going to this lagoon. Parking at all lagoons is limited, and on holidays or other busy periods (e.g. spring break), you may be refused entry (this happened to us once during spring break last year).
We love going to the lagoons. It's usually not too crowded, and the water is usually calm.
It is, however, quite noisy because of the ongoing construction of the Aulani the Disney Resort & Spa.
There's also a Wedding Chapel.
We usually see Japanese tourists get married at the chapel (sometimes 4-5 weddings in a couple of hours!), but on this most recent visit we didn't see any weddings. I'm not sure if the nearby construction and noise had anything to do with it.
We saw lots of planes and helicopters fly by, and here is DS2 saying "bye-bye boat."
Tourists and locals alike also run/walk the numerous paths throughout the property.
It was a gorgeous day, and already I can't wait to go back!
Ko Olina Resort & Marina: 92-1480 Aliinui Drive, Kapolei, HI 96707, 808-680-7680
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There are four lagoons, but we usually end up going to this lagoon. Parking at all lagoons is limited, and on holidays or other busy periods (e.g. spring break), you may be refused entry (this happened to us once during spring break last year).We love going to the lagoons. It's usually not too crowded, and the water is usually calm.
It is, however, quite noisy because of the ongoing construction of the Aulani the Disney Resort & Spa.
There's also a Wedding Chapel.
We usually see Japanese tourists get married at the chapel (sometimes 4-5 weddings in a couple of hours!), but on this most recent visit we didn't see any weddings. I'm not sure if the nearby construction and noise had anything to do with it.We saw lots of planes and helicopters fly by, and here is DS2 saying "bye-bye boat."
Tourists and locals alike also run/walk the numerous paths throughout the property.
It was a gorgeous day, and already I can't wait to go back!
Ko Olina Resort & Marina: 92-1480 Aliinui Drive, Kapolei, HI 96707, 808-680-7680
March 18, 2010
Alonzo's at the Mililani Golf Club Restaurant
We recently dined at Alonzo's at The Mililani Golf Club Restaurant.
DH ordered the Mixed Plate-Mahi Mahi with Teriyaki Chicken. He enjoyed his meal, and said the Teriyaki Chicken was really tasty.
I ordered the Garlic Chicken. This was really, really good.
The boys ordered the Keiki Hot Dog with Fries and Fruit Cup.
The restaurant was fairly empty, only 3 other tables with guests, but it took a really, really long time for us to get our food--about 30 minutes. What was even worse was that only DH and I got our food--it took an extra 10 minutes for the boys to get their hot dog!
40 minutes for a hot dog!
That, combined with other service errors, resulted in a dissatisfying experience.
However, our server was very friendly.
It's unfortunate the overall service was lacking, because the food was very good.
***Update***
After emailing a complaint to the owner about the unacceptable wait time for the hot dog, and the errors made by the server, we received a response that because hot dogs are not on the menu, and are frozen, it takes an extra long time to make. We were offered a free soda at our next visit.
My response back was that the hot dog was indeed on the kids menu (how would we know otherwise??), and we would not be returning.
Alonzo's at the Mililani Golf Club Restaurant, 95-176 Kuahelani Ave, Mililani, HI 96789, 808-625-2256
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DH ordered the Mixed Plate-Mahi Mahi with Teriyaki Chicken. He enjoyed his meal, and said the Teriyaki Chicken was really tasty.
I ordered the Garlic Chicken. This was really, really good.
The boys ordered the Keiki Hot Dog with Fries and Fruit Cup.
The restaurant was fairly empty, only 3 other tables with guests, but it took a really, really long time for us to get our food--about 30 minutes. What was even worse was that only DH and I got our food--it took an extra 10 minutes for the boys to get their hot dog!40 minutes for a hot dog!
That, combined with other service errors, resulted in a dissatisfying experience.
However, our server was very friendly.
It's unfortunate the overall service was lacking, because the food was very good.
***Update***
After emailing a complaint to the owner about the unacceptable wait time for the hot dog, and the errors made by the server, we received a response that because hot dogs are not on the menu, and are frozen, it takes an extra long time to make. We were offered a free soda at our next visit.
My response back was that the hot dog was indeed on the kids menu (how would we know otherwise??), and we would not be returning.
Alonzo's at the Mililani Golf Club Restaurant, 95-176 Kuahelani Ave, Mililani, HI 96789, 808-625-2256
March 17, 2010
March 14, 2010
Art at the Zoo Fence (or Plywood Walls)
I've passed the Art at the Zoo Fence many times, and now some of the artists are now displaying their talents on the plywood walls at the Honolulu Zoo that have been erected due to the construction of a new zoo entrance.
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There are several more sheets of plywood filled with art--most zoo- or Hawaii-themed, and I think they're a fun way to display an artist's work, and they're definitely much nicer to look at than ordinary pieces of plywood!
March 12, 2010
Henry Loui's Restaurant
Since we were in the area, we decided to have lunch at Henry Loui's.
They're known for their ribs, so of course DH had to try some.
He ordered the Half Rack Ribs, and he said it was good! I wish I had tried some. I've never had ribs before, and they looked really good.
I ordered the Clubhouse Sandwich.
It was really good, and so were the fries.
They don't have a kids menu, so I shared my fries and sandwich with DS2 (DS1 was in school).
Our server was really nice--before we got our food she gave DS2 a couple packages of crackers for a snack!
This was only my second visit to Henry Loui's, but I'm sure I'll be back again!
Henry Loui's Restaurant: 2850 Paa St in Mapunapuna, Honolulu, HI 96819, (808) 833-3728
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They're known for their ribs, so of course DH had to try some.
He ordered the Half Rack Ribs, and he said it was good! I wish I had tried some. I've never had ribs before, and they looked really good.I ordered the Clubhouse Sandwich.
It was really good, and so were the fries.They don't have a kids menu, so I shared my fries and sandwich with DS2 (DS1 was in school).
Our server was really nice--before we got our food she gave DS2 a couple packages of crackers for a snack!
This was only my second visit to Henry Loui's, but I'm sure I'll be back again!
Henry Loui's Restaurant: 2850 Paa St in Mapunapuna, Honolulu, HI 96819, (808) 833-3728
March 10, 2010
Photos taken at the Honolulu Zoo.March 9, 2010
Honolulu Zoo
DS2's first trip to the Honolulu Zoo was when he was 6 months old, and he really wasn't too interested in the animals, so we decided to take him again.
Admission to the zoo for ages 13+ is $12, or $6 Kama`aina (ages 4-12 $3; 3 and under free).
Our first stop was to the Keiki Zoo.
We were really looking forward to seeing the cow since DS2 loves cows, but today there was no cow (and a lot of other animals were missing throughout the zoo due to renovations or other reasons).
Then we explored the rest of the zoo.
Here are Rusti and Violet.
Here are a few more of the many animals (and reptiles, etc.) we saw.
DS2 really enjoyed seeing all of the animals, and it was a beautiful day at the Honolulu Zoo.
Honolulu Zoo: 151 Kapahulu Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96815, (808) 971-7171
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Admission to the zoo for ages 13+ is $12, or $6 Kama`aina (ages 4-12 $3; 3 and under free).
Our first stop was to the Keiki Zoo.
We were really looking forward to seeing the cow since DS2 loves cows, but today there was no cow (and a lot of other animals were missing throughout the zoo due to renovations or other reasons).
Here are Rusti and Violet.
One of the new features I noticed from the last time we visited the Zoo were the Zookeper Notes which tells visitors information on the animals or upcoming activities featuring the animals.
Here are a few more of the many animals (and reptiles, etc.) we saw.
DS2 really enjoyed seeing all of the animals, and it was a beautiful day at the Honolulu Zoo.Honolulu Zoo: 151 Kapahulu Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96815, (808) 971-7171
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