Puck's Alley

Puck's Alley is a strip mall Honolulu-style as the businesses fill two levels with parking in back and on top. Both the Cocoichicbanya Curry House that I like to eat at and the Halloween Express store are located in Puck's Alley. The bus stop that I go to everyday to catch a bus to campus is right in front of the Curry House and Halloween Express. I try to get the #6 which takes me right to my building but sometimes I'll catch a 4 or the A Express.

More clouds and mountains

1) First Pic: Zach and I were standing at the bus stop on University and we noticed that the mountains were extremely visible so of course I had to take a picture. The building in the middle of the picture with the blue windows is the POST building where I work.

2) Second Pic: Zach caught a really good rainbow Friday evening from our lanai. The view from our apartment never ceases to amaze me which is one thing I like about being here. Compare this picture with the one from the Rain post where clouds completely blocked our view of the mountains.

HardRock Cafe Honolulu, Hawai'i

Zach and I went to a VWR vendor thank you party at the HardRock Cafe on Thursday (Oct. 27). We met up with Mingxiao (see first two pics) and chatted with one of the sales reps for Buchi a company that sells solvent separation systems. The finger food provided was good but the music was a little loud. Mostly we went to check out the HardRock here in Honolulu. Same as everywhere else though inside the restaurant the music was at a pleasant volume unlike other HardRock's where I felt that I was going to be deaf if I sat inside too long.

Pearl from Hilo Hattie's

Zach and I went to Hilo Hattie's to do some Christmas shopping and instead we wound up getting a pearl for me! One of the female associates gave Zach and I each a key to see if one or both of the keys would open up a box. Zach's key didn't work but mine did and I got to pick out a silk pouch containing a surprise. My surprise was a coupon for 50% off a "pick a pearl". The pick a pearl promotion allows you to pick your own oyster which is shucked right in front of you and if there is a pearl inside the pearl is yours for $13.95. Mine was only $7 and turned out to be a really pretty grey pearl. Zach wants to put it in a ring setting that I wanted for my engagement ring at a jewelry store in Athens.

Mushroom Soup and Tinker Bell

The first two pictures are of a dried mushroom soup mix that Zach and I bought at a local Japanese Wholesale Market (think Sam's club) known as Marukai Market. The only English on the package is on the while label. Unfortunately I didn't realize that the directions were not on the white label. They are in Japanese on the package itself. Does anyone know how to read Japanese?
The second image is my new t-shirt from the Disney Store. It was on sale ($9.50!) and they had my size! I had to get it as it had a nicely drawn mushroom on it.

On another note, my hat came from the CocoICHIBANYA Curry House in Hawaii. Good curry. The restaurant is a franchise from Japan and the only US sites are in Hawaii. The only bad thing is that the food is good, cheap and there is a restaurant in walking distance from the apartment. I have to watch my curry consumption.

The Beginning of the Mushroom Trail in Hawaii

Hawaii is home to a culturally diverse population with people from nearly all of the continents and many different ethnic groups. The diversity of cultures is reflected in the food. All different kinds of restaurants can be found around Honolulu and a wide variety of food can be bought at the many farmer's markets in the city. Many species and varieties of mushroom (i.e. fungi) can be bought and eaten more so than I've ever seen before. So being a mycologist and a person who likes to document things, I'm going to document all of my fungal encounters while in Hawaii. Some will be of the edible kind while others will be of the fungi found in the environment such as on a hike. Enjoy the trip!