Hawaii Mom Blog: July 2013

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July 31, 2013

The Smurfs 2 - In Theaters Now!

Disclosure: Our family receive complimentary tickets to the screening.

The Smurfs 2 (Rated PG) is now in theaters, and our family recently attended an advance screening of the movie.


Synopsis:
In this sequel to the hybrid live action/animated family blockbuster comedy The Smurfs, the evil wizard Gargamel creates a couple of mischievous Smurf-like creatures called the Naughties that he hopes will let him harness the all-powerful, magical Smurf-essence. But when he discovers that only a real Smurf can give him what he wants — and only a secret spell that Smurfette knows can turn the Naughties into real Smurfs — Gargamel kidnaps Smurfette and brings her to Paris, where he has been winning the adoration of millions as the world’s greatest sorcerer. It's up to Papa, Clumsy, Grouchy, and Vanity to return to our world, reunite with their human friends Patrick and Grace Winslow, and rescue her! Will Smurfette, who has always felt different from the other Smurfs, find a new connection with the Naughties Vexy and Hackus – or will the Smurfs convince her that their love for her is True Blue?

The Smurfs 2 focused on Smurfette, who would get a horrible nightmare each year near her birthday about where she came from.

After she is Smurf-napped to Paris, where Gargamel resides and performs as a world-famous sorcerer, she starts to rethink her place in the world as a Smurf.  She slowly begins believing that her real family consists of the Naughties, which Gargamel created to help him with his evil plan  - a plan to get the secret formula for turning into a blue Smurf in order to capture more Smurf-essence, and eventually rule the world.  

Meanwhile, Papa Clumsy, Grouchy, and Vanity Smurfs, along with Patrick, Grace and Patrick's stepdad, Victor, try to rescue Smurfette before it's too late.

I thought the story of The Smurfs 2 was interesting.  There were a few clever and funny moments throughout the movie, and Hackus brought a lot of comic relief whenever he was on screen, but overall it seemed as if the laughs were a bit too predictable.

I also thought the story was drawn out a little too long, but my kids seemed to be entertained throughout the film.

There was a lot of fun special effects and crazy hijinks in The Smurfs 2.  My youngest (2-year old) loved all of Gargamel's tricks and thought it was hilarious when Azrael turned into a gigantic cat, or when Patrick's stepdad turned into a duck.  My older kids thought a scene in a candy store was very funny, and they also thought the Big Wheel rolling throughout Paris was pretty cool.

Overall, I really liked the moral of the story - about how "it doesn't matter where you came from...what matters is who you choose to be."  And although I expected the movie to be funnier, my kids enjoyed watching the Smurfs on their adventure in The Smurfs 2.
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July 23, 2013

FunFlicks Hawaii Kam Drive-In Movie Night

I recently attended a fundraiser at Kam Drive-In, and it was almost like the good 'ol days!

FunFlicks Hawaii was the company responsible for setting up a 40-foot Inflatable movie screen, along with all of the audio and visual equipment, in order to show a pretty large audience two movies - Monsters, Inc. and Pitch Perfect. 
The screen was a lot smaller than I expected, but we had a front row parking space, so we had a good view.

However, even from the back the screen was still quite visible.
Our kids got to experience a drive-in movie for the first time, and it was neat to see all the other families with their blankets, pillows, and canopies enjoying the movies.

The folks behind FunFlicks Hawaii were friendly and informative, and the group behind the fundraiser did a great job.

I hope there are more Kam Drive-In movie nights.  It sure was a lot of fun!


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July 22, 2013

Hong Kong Noodle House

My friend and I were in Chinatown and craving noodles, so we went to Hong Kong Noodle House for lunch.  At Hong Kong Noodle House, you can have your noodles in one of two ways - in soup or tossed (soup is served separately).  I opted for the noodles in soup and my friend tried the tossed noodles.  The noodles were fresh and chewy, and the soup was nicely flavored with shrimp - no condiments (e.g. shoyu) needed.  The staff was friendly and the restaurant was exceptionally clean (esp. for Chinatown).  This is a great place to get a meal for two for under $15.


Char Siu Noodle

Homemade Hong Kong style noodles

Tossed Noodle with Roast Duck
Hong Kong Noodle House
100 N. Beretania Street
Honolulu, HI 96817
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July 18, 2013

Happy Hour at Ichiriki Japanese Nabe Restaurant - Aiea

Even though I don't eat a lot of Nabe, I love going to Ichiriki Japanese Nabe Restaurant, and so do many of my friends.

We dined their recently to celebrate a friend's birthday and we took advantage of some of their Happy Hour specials.
Tofu Salad
5 oz. Kobe Shabu Shabu, Chicken Karaage, Vanilla Ice Cream

For the month of July, the Shabu Shabu is just $16.95 (you can get a broth upgrade for $2) during Happy Hour (for Aiea location - 11a-3p, 4p-6p, 9:30pm-close).

I had the Chicken Karaage (a Happy Hour special for $4), Tofu Salad, and Vanilla Ice Cream.  Everything was delicious!

Service was great, as usual, and I can't wait to go back again!

Ichiriki Japanese Nabe Restaurant
 98-150 Kaonohi St, Ste C-216
Aiea, HI 96701
808-484-2222
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July 16, 2013

Sapporo King of Ramen

One of my all time favorite ramen houses is a place called Rai Rai.  They were originally located next to City Mill in Kaimuki (it is now occupied by The Fat Greek), and then they moved to a small location on Kapahulu Avenue, and also opened a second location in Kailua.

Then one day a few months ago, I drove down Kapahulu and noticed that the sign for Rai Rai was gone and was replaced with "Sapporo King of Ramen".  My heart sank, as my favorite ramen house was replaced by another ramen house.

I went on Yelp to read the reviews on Sapporo King of Ramen, and one of the reviewers stated that according to one of the customers they talked to in the restaurant, the same people are still running the place, but they just gave up the name Rai Rai.  I wanted to see for myself if the food was the same, so the hubby and I went to go check it out.  The verdict?  In my opinion, nothing has changed.  They still make their shoyu ramen with a cloudy broth that is so tasty and satisfying.  And their gyoza, while not the best on the island, is better than many other ramen houses on the island.







Sapporo King of Ramen
760 Kapahulu Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96816
(808) 737-3877
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July 15, 2013

Underdogs Sports Bar & Grill

Some of our classmates recently met up at Underdogs Sports Bar & Grill.

Nachos

Pork & Tots

Furikake Garlic Chicken

Grilled Kalbi Short Ribs

Fried Rice
Kalua Pork Quesadilla
I tried everything except for the Kalbi, and EVERYthing that I did try was delicious!  Everyone commented how good the food was.

Not only does Underdogs offer a lot of good food (and drinks), but they also have darts, a pool table, and karaoke.

Service was great, the atmosphere was fun, and the food was delicious.

It was a great place to hang out with friends.


Underdogs Sports Bar & Grill
508 Waiakamilo St
Honolulu, HI 96817
Neighborhood: Kalihi
(808) 888-2873
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July 13, 2013

Don't Miss Sesame Street Live "Can't Stop Singing" - in Honolulu and Maui!

Disclosure: I received complimentary tickets to Sesame Street Live.

Our entire family has always enjoyed the Sesame Street Live shows, and Sesame Street Live: Can't Stop Singing was no exception.

Synopsis:
When Elmo gets his furry fingers on Abby Cadabby’s magic wand, there’s something in the air - and Sesame Street becomes a nonstop, all-singing, all-dancing musical montage! Grover and Baby Bear sing their highs and lows, Cookie Monster sings fast and slow, Bert and Ernie converse in song and Murray makes mouth music for all to sing along! Learn why it feels good to sing a song, but why it feels good to stop, too! What will Elmo learn about the power of musical magic? Join the conga line of fun to find out!

It doesn't matter how old you are - if you're watching a Sesame Street Live show, the excitement expressed by all the kids as soon as they see Elmo, Big Bird, Cookie Monster, and the rest of the Sesame Street gang in person and larger-than-life is contagious.

From the opening number to the finale, Can't Stop Singing thrilled kids and kids at heart, as they watched Elmo work a magic singing spell on his friends with Abby Cadabby's magic wand.

The kids thought it was funny how so many of the characters just couldn't stop singing and dancing to the point of exhaustion.

The various musical numbers were a lot of fun to watch, and I liked the adaptions of popular songs, such as Cookie's Monsters "It's Raining Cookies" ("It's Raining Men"), and Murray's Mouth Music performance was another hit for both kids and adults.

My kids were engaged throughout the entire show.  Not only were their favorite Sesame Street characters fun to watch, but they thought the lighting and effects were cool too (especially when it was "raining cookies" during Cookie Monster's performance), and their favorite parts were whenever they saw sheep or penguins performing on stage.  

I enjoyed the interaction between the characters and the audience. Kids eagerly shouted answers whenever Murray asked questions or Abby Cadabby needed help finding her magic wand.

I also thought the story itself was great.  Not only did it give examples of various types of singing (high, low, fast, slow, opera, disco, etc.),but it also taught important lessons about believing in yourself and not giving up.

Although my kids did miss the "Elmo's World" segment as we've seen in other Sesame Street Live shows, they still had a blast - screaming whenever they saw Elmo, dancing along with the characters (my oldest son got up to dance A LOT!), and laughing at their silly antics.


Can't Stop Singing is yet another Sesame Street Live hit, perfect for the entire family!
Sesame Street Live: Can't Stop Singing continues through July 21 in Honolulu and continues the following weekend in Maui.

See below for more information.

What: Sesame Street Live "Can’t Stop Singing" HONOLULU, HI

Sunday July 14 10:30 a.m. & 2 p.m. Thursday July 18 10:30 a.m. & 7 p.m.
Friday July 19 10:30 a.m. & 7 p.m.
Saturday July 20 10:30 a.m., 2 p.m. & 5:30 p.m.
Sunday July 21 10:30 a.m., 2 p.m. & 5:30 p.m.

Where:
Blaisdell Concert Hall
777 Ward Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96814

Tickets: $12, $19 and $28. A limited number of $40 Gold Circle seats and $70 Sunny Seats** are also available. *Opening Night, all seats (excluding Gold Circle and Sunny Seats) are $12. Service fees apply to all tickets purchased. Special offers may apply.

**Special $70 Sunny Seat packages are available at all shows. Sunny Seats feature VIP seating and a pre-show Meet & Greet with two Sesame Street Live friends.

For more information, call 768-5252. Tickets can be purchased at the Blaisdell box office, all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.com or by phone at 1-800-745-3000.

What: Sesame Street Live "Can’t Stop Singing" MAUI, HI

When:
Friday July 26 7:00 p.m. (*Opening Night Offer)
Saturday July 27 10:30 a.m., 2:00 p.m. & 5:30 p.m.
Sunday July 28 1 p.m. & 4:30 p.m.

Where:
Maui Arts & Cultural Center – Castle Theater
1 Cameron Way
Kahului, HI, 96732

Tickets: $10, $20 and $33. A limited number of $48 Gold Circle seats and $75 Sunny Seats** are also available. *Opening Night, all seats (excluding Gold Circle and Sunny Seats) are $10. Additional fees and special offers may apply.

**Special $75 Sunny Seat packages are available at all shows. Sunny Seats feature VIP seating and a pre-show Meet & Greet with two Sesame Street Live friends.

The show is approximately 1 1/2 hours long, including intermission; sound and video recording are prohibited.

For more information, or to charge tickets by phone call 808-242-SHOW (7469). Tickets may also be purchased online at www.mauiarts,.org. For information online, please visit www.sesamestreetlive.com. Become a fan of Sesame Street Live on Facebook.


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July 11, 2013

Mountain Magic Shave Ice

After a nice day at the park with friends on the 4th of July, we headed down to Mountain Magic Shave Ice in Waikele for a cool treat.

We ordered two smalls with ice cream - one strawberry and one rainbow - for only $3.75 each.  The small size is actually very large and was more than enough for our family of 5 to share.

Fortunately the line wasn't very long when we arrived, but the line did move quickly, so don't get discouraged if there is a long line.

The shave ice is well worth the wait, especially on a hot summer day.

Mountain Magic Shave Ice
Waikele Shopping Center
94 Lumiaina St
Waipahu, HI 96797
(808) 384-1998

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July 9, 2013

Flutter: A Green Experience at Pearlridge Center through July 14

Pearlridge Center always has such cool exhibits and activities for kids, and over the weekend we visited Flutter: A Green Experience, which features a live butterfly pavilion!

Admission is $3 per person, but children under eight years of age are free with a paying adult (limit one free child per paying adult).

There are also some craft stations and educational workshops in the area that are free of charge.

Even though guests only get to spend about 10 minutes in the butterfly pavilion, and the pavilion itself is quite tiny, our guide was great and we learned so much while getting an up-close look at butterflies.
Mashed up apples + bananas in hosiery = butterfly feeder.


Possibly the only White Monarch in captivity in the entire world.

My boys checking out a catepillar.

We learned about the butterfly's life cycle.
Inside the pavilion it was a little warm (butterflies like warm environments of around 85 degrees), but it was so neat to see butterflies in various stages of their life cycle.  Butterflies were fluttering all around us and it was such a fun experience.

You have until July 14 to check out Flutter!

Flutter at Pearlridge Uptown 

98-1005 Moanalua Rd #231 Aiea, HI 96701
(808) 488-0981

Mon - Sat: 10am-8pm
Sun: 10am-6pm

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July 8, 2013

Moena Cafe

We kicked off the 4th of July with breakfast at Moena Cafe in Hawaii Kai.  I had heard that their corned beef hash is to-die-for, and since the hubby loves corned beef hash, I told him that we must try this place.
 
The restaurant was spotless, the service was great, and the food was excellent.  The hubby's verdict on the corned beef hash - excellent and very filling.  He also liked their coffee which is made-to-order.  I enjoyed their fried rice and Belgian waffle very much.    
 
Side Order Fried Rice 

Belgian Waffle (comes with choice of fruit and whipped cream)
Fresh Homemade Corned Beef Hash and 2 Eggs
Moena Cafe
7102 Kalanianaole Highway (Koko Marina Shopping Center next to Zippy's)
Honolulu, HI 96825
(808) 888-7716
Open Daily: 6:30 am - 3:00 pm
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July 5, 2013

Snow Factory - Mililani

After my kids worked up a sweat on the playground one weekend, we decided to take them to Snow Factory in Mililani for a cool treat.

Passion Fruit & Orange with Mochi, Condensed Milk, Passion Jelly, Orange Pop

Strawberry with Mochi, Condensed Milk, and Strawberry Pop

Of the two flavors, I liked the strawberry the best, but they were both delicious and refreshing.

With every dessert purchase, they give you a cute little cell phone charm, and they also have a small table of several toppings (gummy bears, Oreos, etc.) and you're allowed one free topping!

We'll definitely be back again soon to try out some different flavors.
 

Snow Factory
95-221 Kipapa Dr, Ste C20
Mililani, HI 96789
(808) 625-2737

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July 3, 2013

Shiro's Saimin

Last Saturday, we were running some errands in the Aiea/Pearl City area, and I was craving saimin for lunch, so we stopped at Shiro's Saimin in Waimalu Shopping Center.  Shiro's takes saimin to a whole new level by adding lots of options and garnishes to its saimin bowls.  They also have a lot of combos, in case you want to eat more than just saimin.  And if you don't feel like saimin, you can order one of their many ala carte items such as mochiko chicken, chicken katsu, hamburger steak, etc.




This is the wun tun min that is part of the "Ron Mizutani Special".  Not pictured is the hamburger that also comes with it.


We ordered a side of french fries, since you can't eat a burger without french fries.


Country Fried Noodles with Mochiko Chicken


Shiro's Saimin
98-020 Kamehameha Highway
Aiea, HI 96701
(808) 488-8824
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July 2, 2013

Thai Village - Waipahu

Thai food is one of my faves, and we recently picked up dinner from Thai Village in Waipahu.

Basil (Pad Phet) with Chicken

Look Fun Pad Thai with Chicken

Spring Rolls
The last time I went to Thai Village was in 2009, and I thought the food was just as good as it was then.

Although I usually eat Chicken Pad Thai whenever I go to a Thai restaurant, I decided to try something new - the Look Fun Pad Thai, and it was quite tasty!

Thai Village definitely satisfied my Thai food craving!


Thai Village 
94-1040 Waipio Uka St # 13
Waipahu, HI 96797, 678-2878 Thai Village on Urbanspoon
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