Walking In Waikiki with Cloudia Charters -"Waikiki Yesterday & Tomorrow"

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Walking In Waikiki with Cloudia Charters -"Waikiki Yesterday & Tomorrow"
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Courtesy of Cloudia Charters Author of Aloha Where You Like To Go?

Walking in Waikiki
with Cloudia Charters
Waikiki Yesterday & Tomorrow

Perhaps I should run around in circles yelling like a 5 year old on a sugar rush: The Pink Palace a.k.a. The Royal Hawaiian Hotel stages it's beyond-grand opening on Saturday March 7th. All was orchestrated by event planning wizard David Beahm (a reformed High School drum major) credited with making Catherine Zeta-Jones & Michael Douglas' nuptials the “wedding of the century.” Saturday’s gala is a benefit for the excellent Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific – so let the excess pour like it’s 1999! For a mere $5,000 USD you and three of your pals can repair to your own private poolside cabana for concierge pampering plus a personal bartender. Multiple venues will offer entertainment and atmosphere to suit any well heeled demographic: Chris Botti holding court in the Monarch Room with his band, local jazz chanteuse Ginai scatting on the lawn, and slack key guitar wonder Makana will initiate the new oceanside restaurant, Azure. 101-year-old Bill Tapia who played at the Royal’s FIRST opening bash, the first of February 1927, will beguile a new generation with his ukulele in the Coconut Grove. And yes, he still “gigs” regularly with real virtuosity! No word on whether Oprah will attend. I’ll be peering from behind the beach hedges. . .

. . . Did you know that our Hawaii State Archives contains several letters signed by President Abraham Lincoln? In one dated February 2, 1864 the US president offers condolences to Kamehameha V from “Your Majesties Good Friend.” (This year we celebrated Lincoln’s 200th birthday.) What would the “Great Emancipator” think of a Hawaii-born man of color ascending to his office, being sworn in on Lincoln’s own bible, and the Kingdom of Hawaii a US state? It boggles my mind! Incidentally, when Hawaii became a U.S. Territory the grand pooh bahs in Washington passed along a seemingly innocuous order that our archives be sent east immediately. Fortunately, quiet resistance garbed in governmental inertia prevailed so scholars and nosey types can read, touch, and smell such unique historical documents and objects right here in our Honolulu. Throw in all the historical buildings (including America’s only Royal Palace and oldest Chinatown) and it’s easy to see why Congress may name Downtown Honolulu a National Heritage Area later this year. The nation’s 41st such designation might even be announced in time for the 50th observance of Hawaii statehood on August 21st. In my dear downtown, ancient shades of Hawaiians and their gods prowl the shadows of night alongside gallery hoppers and chic nightlife habitues. Sacred rocks (Pohaku) lie beside ballast stones that traveled here in the hulls of sailing ships that carried away the last of our sandalwood trees. (Though Chinese immigrants continued to call our islands the “Sandalwood Mountain.” America: the “Gold Mountain.”). A king’s carriage way is now a high tech fiber optic channel. Torches have morphed into streetlights, and Kahuna Kapu (taboos) are superceded by the Hawaii Revised Statutes. But still, on moonlit nights the old power and perfumes still linger. The chiefs and chiefesses of old still love to laugh beneath the huddled mountains. Can you hear them whispering?

Travel Tip: When driving over the famous Pali Highway from Honolulu to windward Kailua Town, through lovely Nu`uanu, and up into the lush Ko`olau Mountains, be sure to take the OLD ORIGINAL PORTION of the road. It’s called Nu`uanu Pali Drive and it’s well worth a “detour!” After separating from the main road (and the modern world) you will pass by lovely, flower-strewn ponds on your left. Then the trees join their hands above your head as you drive into a cool, hushed trail of shadows and smells. The narrow, twisty lane always makes me feel as if I’ve entered a timeless, magical realm, leaving me refreshed and rejuvenated as I rejoin the rushing highway at last. Of course, a stop at the Pali Lookout is MANDATORY! The winds, the view of the island’s windward shores, the waterfalls curving upward to oblivion, will etch themselves on your permanent record. Here too the magic sings, remembers and laments. Many are the wandering spirits of defeated warriors – so it’s just as well to leave before the foxy dusk. . .

World class Wolfgang’s Steakhouse has opened in the Royal Hawaiian Center overlooking the tourist parade on Kalakaua Avenue. Everyone from Mayor Mufi Hanneman, to Dog the Bounty Hunter, was mingling and nibbling at the airy, beautiful restaurant’s recent launching. Here’s a tip: you can also enjoy a Luxe lunch or Sunday brunch!

Whales gone wild! Our visiting cetaceans have been flipping, flapping and slapping the waters close to shore this season. Visitors to the Diamond Head Lookout, or the Lanai Lookout beside the Blow Hole by Sandy’s Beach, have been treated to some extra exuberant displays lately. Glad they are enjoying their Hawaii winter sojourn! If you want to participate in the next Official Humpback Count, be here on February 28th or March 28th. After that, you can join us in waving them goodbye. The little girl in the picture was too busy running around Oahu to notice. . .

Parrot Heads are invading! Jimmy Buffet will be playing the Waikiki Shell this weekend, and possibly pay a visit to his recently opened Margarita Ville restaurant in Don Ho’s old showroom. It always fascinates me to see his fans layer their own version of paradise on top of the one they find waiting for them here! Those folks could make Lake Erie in February seem like a tropical fever dream. Play on, Jimmy!

The Honolulu Festival will take over on the weekend of the 13th. Cultural events will culminate in an amazing Japanese parade through Waikiki featuring ornate carts, drums, and costumed dancers. Best as I can tell, the festival is an excuse for our Japanese friends to fly into town and have a BIG PARTY! Nothing wrong with that!

Hawaiian Superman: The Big Man, Gabe, has vacated his usual place of honor at the Harbor Pub to live with his grandchildren and family in Georgia. This full-blooded Hawaiian gentleman leaves a giant empty space in the lives of his many friends around the island. Grown men wiped away tears the other eve as everybody’s favorite band, Simplicity played his Aloha Party. “This pure Hawaiian, not too many left, is leaving us to move away to Georgia – where he will instantly become. . . MEXICAN!” teased Andy the lead singer before launching into ‘Maui the Hawaiian Superman.’” “Gaaaabe, the Hawaiian superman.” They sang. Next verse: “Gaaaabe, the Mexican superman.” One time Gabe told us the story of his first childhood visit to downtown Honolulu. Young Gabe, a boy from the country of maybe 5 or 6, watched as the double doors inside da department store opened to admit the people. When the door opened again – the people were gone! “Don’t make me go in there! I don’t want to disappear!” He wailed. Gabe was walking history, a lot of mine included, come to think of it. Aloha, Big Man, Aloha `Oe. Parting is bitter; but you’ve always been really sweet. . . . You see Hawaii is not paradise because it is perfect. Rather, it is a paradise because we choose to greet life’s changes not with regret or despair, but with deep appreciation, acceptance, and aloha. . . Paradise is what you make of it, and where you find it. . . when you’re walking in Waikiki . . . . A L O H A! Cloudia

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Kaimuki, Hawaii News Item

Kaimuki, Hawaii
News Item