After a busy week of school work, it's definitely time to recap the beginning of what has traditionally been a very fun month. That includes an obligatory trip back home for Punahou Carnival! This could be the last one for a while and it also happens to be my brother's last year there (and subsequently his Variety Show). Let's run through a few of the memorable photos from this annual event!
We start with a look at the Middle Field/parking lot towards the cafeteria (Hawaiian plate) on a beautiful Hawaiian afternoon. It sure felt good to be back! Dedicated blog visitors may be able to see my mum's car's prime parking spot in the front row.
Gotta have a Hawaiian plate everytime I come back!!!
Here's a closer look at all the awesome food that comes in the Hawaiian Plate: Rice, Lau lau, Okinawan sweet potato, lomi salmon, haupia and Maui pineapple (sans poi since I'm not a big fan). Can't really get this food on the mainland outside of some special occasions (e.g. Luau).
Those first couple pics were from Day 1, which was fairly quiet since most everyone was busy and I spent a good portion of the day helping my mum with Variety Show bag check-in and also seeing the Variety Show (I'd rate the show pretty well and just a bit less awesome than the legendary Variety Show of '02). Anyhow, I digress. Here's a pic of me on Day 2 digging into some fried noodles in front of the ferris wheel on another beautiful day.
A trip to the White Elephant produced one of the most shocking moments of recent carnival memory. Hey Brent...what's with the heart?
I cruised around with Kevin, Kurt, Scot, Chelsea & Jade for most of the day eating and trying our luck at some difficult (read: rigged) skill games. Here's Kevin getting disrespected in the "dime toss."
The Prize Champion of the day was Kurt. He walked away with a black light-sensitive turtle, blow up bat (cuz they ran out of blow up boxing gloves) and a inflatable hammer that says "Get Hammered" (this prize was won in Kiddie land...and you wonder why our youth are so troubled).
More food: a gyro. I'm guessing nothing like the real deal that you had in Athens last year Kim.
Not the best lighting for this particular picture, but here we've got a World Famous (in Hawaii) Punahou Carnival Malasada on the left and a popular+expensive berry smoothie on the right. Mmmmm.
And here we have the Portuguese Bean Soup (not shown is the accompanying 45 min wait). It was worth it...
So that's pretty much it folks. Another great side trip (there's always something special about going home) and it was great to meet up with so many friends who had previously been away. This year's 5th year reunion should be very interesting. On that note, let me just finish with a couple of unrelated bonus pictures. I hope you all take care of yourselves and have a brilliant February!
Peach+strawberry frozen yoghurt with fresh blueberries & blackberries courtesy of 21 Choices in Pasadena. Meera, Nick, Kevin, Travis, Brandon & friends, essentially a good number of BME Grad student folk, headed up to Pasadena last night after class for some end of the week celebration (it felt that good to have turned in HW assignment #2). Those of you who haven't had 21 Choices, please come to Pasadena and I will enlighten you.
Last but not least, here's a shout out to the Punahou Boys Varsity Soccer team for a great effort this season. They headed into the final game of the regular season poised for a shot at the ILH title and they actually beat Iolani 2-0 to earn a tie-break against Kamehameha before discovering that Kamehameha's loss to St. Louis was being reversed because of a rules violation. Thus, Kamehameha finishes first (technically) and Punahou second. The team must now travel to Maui this weekend to face Baldwin for the right to enter the State Tournament and a chance to defend the State Championship that they won last year. Best of luck to the bro & his teammates (pictured: Dad, Deryck & Mum @ Kapiolani park after the victory over Iolani). Have a great trip to the Kamehameha-Maui campus.
Happy (Belated) Birthday to my cousins Brittany & Caitlin! I really wish I could've been there for the celebrations (especially since it's summer time in NZ at the moment and Rugby season is about to start). In any case, it's quite late here in Pasadena so I best be off to bed. Take care all!
Hi everyone. Apologies for the lack of posts. I really haven't been any good at keeping you all up to date recently. One of my New Year's Resolutions definitely is to be much better at updating (hopefully I'll get a new digi cam to help facilitate that goal). In any case, I've had a pretty eventful past month or so. Finals were ridiculously stressful and I'm extremely grateful not only for surviving, but doing much better than could've been expected! Apple Pasadena then let me go home for Christmas so I went back for 10 awesome days (technically 8 since two were spent in Osaka, Japan). After some valuable family time and getting to see many old friends, I'm now back in Pasadena (and subsequently the good, old Apple store) just in time for the New Year! I'm also here in time for tomorrow's Rose Parade (hopefully I can catch the Punahou Marching Band in action). Enough talk, here are some pics from the aforementioned activities:
Let's start things off during Finals. Darren got commissioned as a 2/LT in the Air Force and, fortunately for us all, will be stationed right here in LA! Hopefully he enjoys training and makes it back intact (and with a new tC in tow). After getting worked by the BME 513 final, I made my way to Darren's commissioning ceremony. Although I missed the main program, I got there for cake and champagne (as shown in the pic). Oddly, Darren's last name was still left on one of the slices so I got a hold of that piece (woo hoo). How exciting!
After finals, Darren, Priscilla, Brandon & I celebrated by going down to Bar Celona in Pasadena. For those of you who missed seeing some food pictures, here you are! The Salmon & Broccolini dish was quite tasty even if it wasn't all that filling.
Dessert from Bar Celona was a strawberry & banana crepe with chocolate hazelnut sauce. Also tasty.
Back in warm Honolulu, I had the privelege of hanging out with everyone's favorite East Coast Corporate Banker: Phil. We (L->R: Phil, Traci, Noelle, Me - Part of Brandon's head can be seen peeking out behind Noelle's) walked around Waikiki one night and here's the pic to prove it. We were feeling particularly Christmas-y so we caught this pic outside the Sheraton Moana Surfrider (where, by the way, the Tiffany's has not been for many years...apparently).
I'm quite pleased that I also managed to visit the beach. Here we are at Makapu'u (Phil, Kevin, Traci, Noelle & myself). Kevin might look a little sad because he just got disrespected in a round of beach football. Your's truly - "Ocho Cinco" - apologizes for any long term psychological damage which might've occurred.
Finally, here's a pic from Xmas Day (after an awesome buffet at Sam Choy's Breakfast, Lunch & Crab). I found this little license plate thing in the wondrous aisles of the Iwilei K-Mart.
So, I'm not really one for lists but I feel somewhat inspired to put up a few more New Year's resolutions. We'll see in a year's time if any progress was made. Here goes:
1)More frequent blogging (+more pics)
2)More trips: Hawaii or International (wishful thinking?)
3)Become a better rock climber (new hobby)
4)See my friends/family more often (that means YOU)
5)Graduate & get a job I don't hate! (it's time)
So, there you have it. I know there are tons more pics that I'll eventually post, once I actually get a hold of them, so just sit tight. Have a Happy New Year (in other words, Gung Hee Fat Choy), take care (don't let your leg get hit by fireworks) and see you in 2007!
Hey folks. Just a quick update since it's exam season. I went to the car show this evening w/Darren, Priscilla & Josh and had an awesome time. I even met a Kiwi mechanic who was at the show with Morgan Motor Cars (http://www.morgan-motor.co.uk). Anyhow, I thought I'd let you all know that no updates will be on the way till after all my work is done (Dec 12 to be precise). Please accept this single picture of me behind the wheel of a 2007 Porsche Boxster S (yes, those are my jeans in the bottom of the pic) as a bit of a preview of things to come (also expect higher quality pics since I'll be leaching them off of Josh from his digi cam). Take care everyone and best of luck to those of you who are still in school!
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