Saturday, April 29, 2023

Where's Matt? No. 5

I’m not lost for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost. - Pooh



Waddya doin', Matt?

Umm... Ya see... What I like best. Just doing nothing.

Time for swim. Water good - whee!

Oh, yahh!







Sun bathing now with my pals, Big Blob and Seal.



Big Blob (center) is a squishy bday gift from Second Daughter. Seal (right) is a hand-me-up stuffie from First Granddaughter.





And to end a lazy afternoon, watching da sun go down.

Where am I?




Photo: VEV, Jan 2023




Waikiki Beach, just behind the Colony Surf condo 



What better way to end the day and this series? 


P.S. Chanel is jealous.

She wants to come along in the next travel blog. Someday, Chanel...

Saturday, April 22, 2023

Where's Matt? No. 4

 

Me supposed to go humpback counting today.

But, holy cow! No bathwums close by, we were told. So, cancel that.

Goin' somewhere close by.



Dis somethin' ya may wannna try.

'Njoy kul waters under the stars.

Certainly fun!

Can you guess where dis is?



Photo: VEV, March 2023


KAPIOLANI FOUNTAIN in Waikiki, kitty-corner from condo

 A regular backdrop for wedding photos and in scenes in Hawaii 5-0 episodes

Certainly a cool 'sperience!

(To be continued)

Monday, April 17, 2023

Just An Ordinary Day

I hadn't planned on writing anything today. It's an ordinary day, anyway, in Waikiki. Nothing much to write about.

Errant Orchid.
Photo: VEV. Waikiki: 2023


In the early morning, a white orchid has peeped out, sitting atop a tall, leafless stalk hidden behind the grayish-green leaves of a sick-looking tree along the condo's perimeter. 

It looks like papery tissue. 

A spineless moth.





Three-day pup seal swims with Mum.
Photo: VEV. Waikiki: April 17, 2023




Kaiwi, a Hawaiian monk seal, has come back to give birth to her second pup on Kaimana Beach.



On the beach front, under the towering mangled branches and roots of the banyan trees, chattering rock doves and a flock of pigeons peck away to get at grubs or larvae underneath. 

Harbingers of optimism!



Web pic, not actual person in blog


A homeless regular who sits by his spot where beach volleyball players hit, dig and block accosted us with a toothy grin as we handed him a McDonald's egg Mcmuffin and a coke. 

(Yes, we're cheap. We used a breakfast bogo coupon.)



On the way up the condo driveway, someone scrounging for food in the trash bin eyed us with suspicion as we handed him the other breakfast muffin and coke. 




In the early afternoon, we thought, Let's see what's at the lanai on Roy's Happy Hour special.

Wash it all down with Hawaiian martini...



Clockwise: Crispy spicy ahi maki, Mongolian BBQ baby back ribs, and chicken spring rolls









... then finish off with ube panna cotta dessert. 









And BTW, why not end the ho-hum day cruising Waikiki beach on an open-air, three-wheeled red roadster Slingshot?  








All so dull and tiring.

Oh, well.. such are most of our days in Waikiki. 




Saturday, April 15, 2023

Where's Matt? No. 3

What could be more important than a little something to eat? - Anonymous

I'm so rumbly in my tumbly. Better go eat.

Umm... long line. This place must be spectacular. Wow! Early-bird special with 50% off almost all menu items.

Yay... finally!


Chow is worth da wait. 
My manatee fins up for the fresh Hawaiian ahi carpaccio.

One slice for me, one for ya.

Umm... Mango crab salad hand roll. Gimme!

Lobster ravioli. Hope I don't get fat. And chicken misoyaki.

Holy cow. It's good!

Guess where I am?

Okay, give up? You may not know where dis is , so let me tell ya. Walk down Kalakaua Avenue to...

Sansei Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Bar.




The food is to die for!

(To be continued)


Saturday, April 8, 2023

Where's Matt? No. 2






Jes chillin'. Plenny cute company here.

Cozy.

Ken ya' spot where I am?





 


Uh-oh... there a menacing sign on door. What it sez? 'Beware of fish.'

But me not afraid. I'm a manatee, 'member?

Where am I?




First Granddaughter's bedroom


 A creative mess. Me gives it five stars.

(To be continued)


Friday, April 7, 2023

AVS: Art On The Virtual Fence

Sometimes, a combination of things conspire toward the creation of an unscheduled blog. 

When Second Granddaughter emailed me, In your next blog, can u pls put my Picture in there next to one of my drawings, I first thought, Okay, on my back-burner.

But later that morning, passing by Waikiki Zoo during our daily walk, I spotted the advertisement for Art on the Zoo Fence in which local artists display their work in the splendor of an outdoor setting - and I thought, Perfect! There's my blog inspo.

*****************************************************************************

So, ladies and gents', let me take you through my beloved cutie-pie Second Granddaughter's gallery of artwork through the years...

       AVS: Art on the Virtual Fence

Exhibit 1 (left): DOG IN SWEATER | Right: Making a YouTube short on Minnie? There are only two things I can't resist. My cat and my other two cats.

First off, just look at this rendition she drew in kindergarten of a black dog, fancifully garbed in a blue sweater adorned with pink hearts and stars. This young artist now cuddles with three rescue kitties.

Left: Enjoying the scent of a magnolia flower | Exhibit 2 (right): Monet Garden

Her love for flowers has been evident early on in this Monet-like impressionist floral garden, also an art project in kindergarten. OMG, one of my favorites!

ICYMI, I'd like to draw your attention to the hidden creatures in there. Can you spot them?




Oh-oh... a  tinge of the dark side in this next piece. 

Dismal trees in silhouette are haunted by three ominous bats.

JMO, but perhaps it was a Halloween project in her first grade class.


Exhibit 3 (left): SILHOUETTE TREE



Winged creatures dominate the next couple of sketches.

Exhibit 4 (left): BALD EAGLE  | Exhibit 5 (right): AUDUBON BIRD 

In a drawing made in first grade, a bald eagle pouts as if to say, I'm not going bald. I'm just getting more head.

And in a sketch of a hummingbird made in third grade, the pastel colored hummer is probably cracking a joke. Did you know? Hummingbirds hum because they don't know the lyrics. LOL!

Exhibit 6 (left): CIRCLE WEAVING | Exhibit 7 (right): KALEIDOSCOPE

Fourth grade must be the year for mosaics and kaleidoscopes, evident in these couple of drawings - both VN and complex. 

Circle Weaving reminds me of a native American weaving, the so-called Eye of God. Different shades of blue used with contrasting black and white colors create a calming tone to the work.

Kaleidoscope is intricately symmetrical, using gradient colors. Looks like a maze? Or an Irish knot? What do you think?

Exhibit 8 (left): BRAILLE NAME  | Right: Apple-picking, or shall I say, apple tree-climbing? Lynd's Fruit Farm, Ohio, 2022 

Finally, capping this short art exhibit is Braille Name, a personal favorite of mine. This project made in third grade is actually a rendering of the person's name in braille using pompoms, set against a chosen background, Mondrian in this case.

Awesome! First time I've seen braille so creatively rendered. 

P.S. We were gifted with this canvas rendition, now a special-occasion topper on our dining table. 




My congratulations to the young artist!

Wasn't this virtual art tour GR8? 


I hope you had a great time - TTFN!




I couldn't help including this adorable photo for a final bio-pic of the artist.




*************************************************************
Text message abbreviations used (in case you're a senior, as First Granddaughter would say, and don't know):

OMG - oh, my goodness                        VN - very nice 
JMO - just my opinion                           GR8 - great                     
ICYMI - in case you missed it                TTFN - ta-ta for now
LOL - laughing out loud




Saturday, April 1, 2023

Where's Matt? No. 1

Remember Where's Waldo?

It's a British series of children's puzzle books with depictions of people doing a variety of amusing things at a given location. Readers are challenged to find a character named Waldo hidden in the group.

I thought it might be fun to emulate the series by placing Matt, my own loved character, in some of my favorite places in Honolulu and for you to guess where that might be.

Are you game?

But first of all, who's Matt?


Matt the Manatee is an 8" original Squishmallows soft plush made by Kelleytoy. He's a vacationing-in-Hawaii gift from Second Granddaughter.

Just look how cute he is! His creamy white snout resembles an upside-down, rounded heart. His snout is spotted with black and he has small nostrils the same color.

Soft, pudgy, and great for cuddling, what's not to love?

He has tagged along with us to Hawaii, living it up like a tourist, so let's get started. Try to guess his whereabouts, as he shares with you his random thoughts and exclusive reviews.

***



Me luv it here. Any day spent here is my fav day.

Like sniffing the island's favorite flavors and fragrances. 

Lookin' at Hawaiian-print tees. Can't be walkin' 'round nakid.Hmm... will this make me look fat? (Pleeze, don't anser.)

Luv it here. Shopper's paradise.

Where am I?

Scroll down for the answer.




Only four stars cuz no seagrass musubi!

(To be continued)