Monday, March 28, 2005

The Garden

In Shangri La June 2004
It's not my garden, just that of the late Doris Duke the late tobacco heiress who lived an unhappy life, but knew so many people; people like Duke Kahanamoku. Just goes to show that money doesn't gaurantee happiness. Lauren Bacall portrayed Ms. Duke in a TV movie, some years back.

Miss Duke was best known for designing her house to reflect "Islamic" Art. The docents (guides) explained much of the intricate art pieces coming from all over the world from Arabia to North Africa, Spain, Asia, India and more. Miss Duke travelled everywhere to collect these pieces. She even had whole walls imported into the once humble house by the sea.

Dwane and I knew Bernard, (played by Richard Chamberlain in that same TV movie) her butler of ill fame. We didn't know Bernard that well to be invited to the mansion, but we spoke with him on occassion at the bars. He seemed a very private person. Some people intimated that he killed the heiress, but I think that was hogwash and lots of Hollywood hype. If anything, I think it was the step-daughter who caused a lot of the hoohaa.

Sunday, March 27, 2005

Creation of Polynesia

Jen got us some tickets to see the Creation of Polynesia and wow, what a show! I liked the part, where one of the dancers lost his lava lava while engaging in a particularly vigorous dance. The rest of the dancers held their own, in spite of the loss of clothing! As you can see, Doris is still stunned. hahaha.



If you're on the low carb diet, forget it. Lots of starch in their buffet selection. The chicken was mediocre, at best, and the food got cold quickly. The air con. You'd think with all the fresh air here on the island, the developers would have built open-air buildings . . . hmmmmfph, go figure.

Thursday, March 24, 2005

First Entry

Aloha nui loa! I'm just a guy living in Hawai`i (yes, there IS an accent mark between the i's), and enjoying the fact that I am back on my home island of O`ahu since July 4, 1990. I was born here in 1950 and left the islands when I was sixteen. Mom and Dad called it quits and Mom toted herself and us four kids with her to San Diego. Now that's a town! Though I loved it there, I must admit I missed Hawai`i with a passion. And why not? It was always home.

I finally returned to paradise after seeing most of the "Mainland" having had my fill of the big world beyond the sea. It was exciting until the bullets started flying through my picture window in Santa Ana, California. Drivebys were popular back then. People were getting too strange just prior to the riots later on.

I'm fifty-four at this writing and I look a thousand. Hopefully, the facelift will help (haha).

Just kidding about the facelift.