More Flora from the Yard....

Another pleasant day somewhere under the rainbow.Plumerias are in full bloom......as is the bird-of-paradise plant.Part of the overgrown aloe patch:Fruits are beginning to ripen, like the strawberry guavas......and the bizarre-looking soursop.Young orchids almost ready to burst open.Ciao4Now.

Congratulations, Kaiju* High School Class of '08!

This year, only a select 224 completed the challenging & rigorous curriculum to become bona fide superbeings...hats off to all of you!

(Actually, this is my collection of Japanese action figures that I used to play with as a kid - no wonder I'm warped! Evidently, these are now collector's items. But instead of selling them off for profit, I thought it might be kinda cool to feature a few of them every now & then...after all, a blog cannot survive on food alone! I posted a mega-megapixeled pic, so if you click on it, you may be able to see the figures a little better...some of 'em are downright freaky-looking.)


*kaiju = Japanese word meaning "strange beast," but often translated in English as "monster."

Ciao4Now.

Boyhowdy's Hawaii Foodie Excursions - Episode #3

One of Hawaii's Korean restaurant pioneers, Jin Joo has been serving up the spice to hungry Islanders for over 30 years. Modestly tucked in between an impressive row of eateries at the old Waimalu Shopping Center, its no-frills atmosphere (about seven plain booths & a lunch counter) suggests that your purpose there is solely to chow down without looking up from your plate of food. And that's exactly what we did....
Like most Korean restaurants, an array of side dishes is served with all meals. My fave is the kimchi tofu (top right).My friend ordered bibimbap, a fairly popular dish consisting of beef and sauteed & pickled vegetables served over a bowl of rice topped with a fried egg. Gochujang, or chili pepper paste, accompanied the entree.I went with the mandoo (deep-fried pork dumplings)/meat chun (marinated bulkoki beef pan-fried in a light egg batter) combination served with rice, sauteed bean sprouts and greens.SLAMMIN'...all that great food for under $17 (not including tip)! No alcohol, but huge glasses of ice water (and tea) available, always important with spicy Korean fare. I give it a solid 4 poi bowls out of five!
Next time on the Leeward side of the Island, check out Jin Joo Korean Restaurant, 98-020 Kamehameha Hwy, Aiea, Oahu, HI 96701, 808.488.3355.
Ciao4Now.