Aloha from Hawaii again! Ten days of warm weather and sunshine. I have been “commuting” from Washington to Hawaii for eight years. I’ve racked up plenty of airline miles at which I never redeemed any of it. When I fly to Hawaii I just want to start work and unlike the past just get the tour over with. When I board the plane for Seattle, just get me home because I know I will be heading back to the Aloha State in eight weeks. Since I have been coming here for so long, the novelty of the beaches (which I am not a surfer or swimmer) has worn off. The Japanese presence has decline considerably due to its waning economy and decreased status in the world arena so I do not see them as often. Eating Saimin isn’t uniqueness anymore. I go to Taiyo Ramen so much that the waiting crew knows me as a regular customer and can guess when my ship is in port.
I do not view this as being negative as Hawaii has now become my home. I rarely venture to Waikiki as the same tourist merchandise sold in the stores there I can find at Aloha Stadium swap meet for nearly 60% less! Whenever I yearn for Samoan food I drive to Waipahu to the three Polynesian grocery stores and of course I know many of the locals living here, mostly “L”s relatives. The biggest difference in feel is I am now married and time in Hawaii would be more enjoyable if the family was here. The separation from them unfortunately feels like the norm too and the condo in Edmonds is just a transient quarters until my next rotation.
I did submit a letter of interest to relocate to Hawaii. I am keeping my fingers crossed that I am one of the selected. Of course everyone knows by now my reasons for wanting to move to the Aloha State. I went to dinner the other night at Waimalu Shopping Plaza in Aiea. It is a small strip mall of stores catering to the Polynesian and Asian communities. Oh yes, there is a Zippy’s as well as a Jamaican Rastafarian store. These are all mom and pop shops with the exception of Zippy’s which is a Hawaiian chain. This small 60’s style shopping plaza of multicultural and ethnic enclave is what we would miss and feel isolated from if we were to move to and live in Newport, Oregon.
At Waimalu, there is Ezogiku Sapporo Ramen where a bowl of mini ramen with mini fried rice goes for $6.75. The staff is all Chinese and I felt transplanted back to Tokyo stopping to eat at a noodle shop after leaving the train station to walk home on a Japanese wintry night. Or if you want something that is unique to Hawaii, try Shiro’s Saimin Haven, one of the original Saimin restaurants on the island. I was there Wednesday night for dinner and with all the Samoans as staff and customers, I felt I was back in Apia or Pago Pago. This is the part of Hawaii I stay and live in. No fancy Mickey D’s or Burger King and fast foods consist of sushi or noodle shops. A deli is where I can buy onigiri or inarizushi as well as sandwiches and potato chips if I want a tuna or veggie sandwich.
On occasion when I want something different I do go to Island Burgers in Ale Moana Center with endless fries and any burger can be substituted with a veggie patty and drink cold beer. Large slices of pizza at Boston Pizza in Aiea or Spaghetti Factory at Wards that seems different than its counterparts on the mainland. I do not yearn too much for Hawaii when I am in Seattle because many of these I described are available in the Emerald City though not in large quantities or located conveniently down the street.
However I will miss Ivar’s Seafood down the street and my favorite watering hole in Edmonds, A Very Taki Tiki Bar and Grill. Ironically a pub I enjoy with its “tacky” Hawaiian décor as vision through the eyes of tourists. It isn’t the Hawaii I am familiar with but it is good enough for me to provide me with a good time and relieve me of my thoughts pertaining to daily profession for a few hours. I feel comfortable there.
I should know any day now whether I will be going to Hawaii or moving to Newport. I hope and pray that it is the former and not the latter.
Mahalo for reading this and Aloha from the Hawaiian Islands!
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