My Out of Office Message is On…

Day 2

Woke up today at 5am wide awake! Incredulous? Well I suppose I would be too if it weren’t for the fact that Hawai’i is 5 hours behind Chicago. So I’m really waking up at 10am. I can get used to this! After a quick shower and getting ready, we both shuffled downstairs to find a place to eat. We had seen a breakfast place called Wailani’s Coffee House at the corner kitty corner from our hotel so we planned on going there. As we walked I struck up a conversation with the valet person at the front of our hotel and asked him where to go. As he moved luggage to and from a van he had been loading, an elderly lady approached us both and mentioned going to Egg’s and Things, a small breakfast place down the street that had reasonable prices. She was a cute old lady that lamented the fact that they had been in Oahu for 2 weeks and had only found the place yesterday, and they were flying home today. We thanked her and decided that this old lady looked like she knew what she was doing and we headed over.

As we rounded the bend we almost passed by it, since it is located in a building sort of. If it wasn’t for the large amount of people waiting outside we probably wouldn’t have found it. Needless to say we walked in, and we were told it would be a 15 minute wait. They have a few benches outside so the wait is comfortable. Couple that with the nice weather and even this type of wait time is cake. I would learn later on that you either come here early (before 7am) or later (after 9am) to avoid the crowds.

Once inside, we were seated and handed menus that were taped onto pieces of wood. Pretty cool, and our waitress was originally from Chicago! She recommended some items on the menu and was off as the place was full and definitely busy. Overall the service was great. My coffee (which was delicious) was kept full, although if you’re like me, that likes my coffee a certain way with the right amount of sugar and milk, that’s not necessarily a good thing. Although I acknowlege that I’m being nitpicky because really I have no problems at all with this place. The dishes range from 10-14 dollars and you get huuuge helpings along with 3 buttermilk pancakes. Now here’s the thing. I’m sure you’re saying, well Mr. Traveler person, I can have pancakes back here on the mainland. Well, I agree. But the awesome awesome thing about this place is that they have several syrups to accompany your pancakes: Guava, Boysenberry, Fruit Marmalade, Maple, and the perennial favorite, Cocunut. I guarantee that you’ll love one of these syrups. Excellent! I ended up ordering Spam and eggs (yep Spam, its a delicacy here) and it came with the pancakes. Rose ordered the portugese sausage and eggs, and that too came with pancakes. As we walked home, we decided that this was the official breakfast place for the trip. Awesome.

We stopped by our hotel grabbed some towels and walked over to the beach by our hotel. I had been to Waikiki before and I must say that the sand around our hotel had bigger grains of sand than those found closer to Diamond Head. Take it as you will but that was our experience. After an hour of laying out, and jumping into the water (which was a little cold but very clear), we headed back and got ready for what we had come on this trip mainly for: the Kokua Festival concert!

This is a festival held by Jack Johnson and all proceeds go to the Kokua Hawai’i Foundation. Their mission:

The Kokua Hawai’i Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that supports environmental education in the schools and communities of Hawai’i.

If you would like to learn more about the Kokua Hawai’i Foundation mission and programs please peruse our site. You can also view a slideshow featuring our recent projects and the many faces that have made them possible.

Our mission is to provide students with exciting and interactive encounters that will enhance their appreciation for and understanding of their environment so that they will be lifelong stewards of the earth.

We support hands-on learning activities that engage their senses and make lasting impressions on children’s minds. We believe our keiki are the seeds of change to preserving and protecting our beautiful islands.

Our goals this year are to support and expand our recycling program in the schools, to sponsor environmental education field trips and curriculum development, as well as to develop the ‘AINA In Schools program to 5 pilot schools.

This was actually one of the main reasons we came to Hawai’i this year. Not only is this a great concert with many amazing bands (this year, history in the making, Jack Johnson and Dave Matthews together first time playing in this state), but its a great cause as well.

We got to the concert at about 2pm even though the festival began at 4pm. Already there was a line forming. Its a good idea to come early, especially if you have lawn seats so that you can lay your blanket out at a prime spot. Also, it allows you a chance to check out the many booths set up around the Waikiki Shell Ampitheatre as well as to get some food. I don’t know if this food vendor will be here next year, but I highly highly recommend BC Burrito. The burrito’s from this place are AMAZING. If you love Chipotle, or better yet love yourself good Mexican food, this is the place for you. Also, definitely try the Hawai’an shave ice to quench your thirst under the tropical sun.

The festival lasted a good 6 hours and it was definitely worth the show. Go Jimmy Go (a ska reggae band from Honolulu) opened up the festival, followed up by Mason Jennings (folksy blues singer with a definite Dylanesque sound, I’m now a fan), and Paula Fuga a native of Hawai’i. Then it was Tim Reynolds and Dave Matthews who are incredible live and funny as well. This was topped off with a great set from Jack Johnson. Dave, Tim and Jack even came back out and sang Jimmy Buffet’s A Pirate Looks at Forty which was INCREDIBLE.

All in all, incredible, and highly recommended. We took a cab back to the hotel and grabbed some spam musubi’s (Japanese style sushi snack made with rice, seaweed, and a sliver of Spam) as snacks and turned it for the night with Juno playing on TV.

Traveler Tips:

• For excellent hearty breakfasts definitely check out Egg’s and Things found at 1911 Kalakaua Ave # B. Make sure you look out for it or you might just walk by it! Definitely check out their specials written on the black boards. Also, make sure to get pancakes at least once and try that guava or coconut syrup! As a word of warning however, if you are looking to bring some of this goodness home so that you can pour it on some pancakes away from the islands, make sure you check prices. They usually sell the syrup here at $5 per bottle, while you can find the same brand syrup at any ABC store for $3-$4. Get in early or later to avoid the crowds.
  
• This goes without saying, but going out whether walking or going to the beach, remember to put on sunblock or after sun lotion when you have returned back to your hotel. Your skin will thank you later.
• If you like good music and a great time for the entire family, be sure to try and get tickets to the Kokua Festival. As I’ve said, great music, kid friendly, and also a great cause. Make sure to get your tickets early, as in the day they come out on Ticketmaster. As the year progresses the tickets rise in price. If you are out of luck try craigslist, ebay or if you want to risk it, there are people willing to sell tickets at the door. To give you an idea, while we were waiting, I know that there were lawn tickets face value $40 selling for $150. Either way, whatever price you pay, its well worth it.
• If you have kids, they have a kid section as well for music, games, and seats!
• Come to the venue early, especially if you have lawn seats. Seating on the lawn is first come first serve so you can get excellent seats on the lawn if you come early enough. We got there about 2 hours early and we were able to score excellent seats although as the night wears on, more and more people come. Be prepared to share your space!
• If you are going early, make sure to bring water, a blanket and shade if you can bring it such as an umbrella. Also bring snacks. Two hours doesn’t seem like much but it is tough under the sunlight. Also bring something to do, like a deck of playing cards. Thank me later.
• BC Burrito is an excellent Mexican food joint found here in Hawai’i, located on 3607 Waialae Ave should the craving ever strike for food made south of the border. They are open early and serve breakfast burritos as well. These burritos are huge so make sure to bring your apetite!
• For a quick snack, definitely try some Spam Musubi found at any ABC store. These are sushi style snacks that are made up of spam, sauce, seaweed and rice. Excellent and hits the spot, enjoy!