FUUD with foodies at Side Street Inn

By March 18, 2011 Food, Musings, The Daily Dish

The other day I got an e-mail from tech-geek extraordinaire Ryan Ozawa, asking if I’d like to attend a foodie meet-up at Side Street Inn.

He said one of the hosts of the wildly popular podcast “The Sporkful” — Mark Garrison — was coming through Honolulu from a food adventure in Japan and wanted to check out some local cuisine — with some local foodies.

He got me at “Side Street.”

So a bunch of us — including Nonstop’s Mari Taketa — met at the beloved dive on Hopaka Street to nosh on fried pork chops, fried rice, fried chicken — you get the idea.

Here’s what we ate:

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ASK DR. DISH: Drinking etiquette

By March 16, 2011 Musings, The Daily Dish


Question: Dr. Dish, my company has a policy that we cannot drink while at work events. But what about at networking mixers at bars and nightclubs? Technically it is not a work event.

Answer: Thanks for the question! It’s a good one, too, so this recently happened to me.

I was at “An Evening of Sustainable Cuisine” at the Halekulani to support the efforts to raise money for the Culinary Institute of the Pacific at Kapiolani Community College, where I work as a journalism instructor. My chancellor and dean were in attendance, noshing on the “green” cuisine from Roy’s, town and the hotel.

But master mixologist Julie Reiner was there, too, serving up specialty cocktails that were hard to resist.

So what did I do?

Nothing. Until my dean walked over with a ginger beer drink and told me to try it. How could I not?

The rule of thumb is this: don’t get drunk. Don’t even get close.

Here’s the deal: even though it’s not technically a work event, you’re still representing your company (and your industry) at these mixers. You’re handing out your business card, right? Then people know who you are and where you work. And you don’t want to embarrass yourself or your company by downing six shots and licking the dance floor.

Be smart. Have a beer or nurse a cocktail. But don’t go overboard.

Anyone else got advice to dish? Or better yet — got a story to share?

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Help Japan, help yourself

By March 14, 2011 Musings, The Daily Dish

I couldn’t stop watching CNN and checking online blogs on Thursday, the day a 8.9-magnitude earthquake rocked Tokyo and caused a deadly 13-foot tsunami that destroyed coastal cities in Northern Japan.

We didn’t know the impact of both disasters until the next morning, when daylight revealed the devastation. Entire cities were destroyed. Homes were flattened. Thousands of bodies washed ashore along the coastline. And hundreds of thousands of people were missing or living in evacuation shelters.

We watched the massive wave push through towns and farmlands with such fierceness it didn’t seem real. And now there’s fear of a nuclear disaster.

This is so much bigger than anyone had anticipated. (See before and after scenes on CNN.)

There has been some discussion online about the world’s response to helping Japan, comparing it to the relief effort for Hurricane Katrina-stricken areas in Louisiana and Mississippi and the catastrophic earthquake that hit impoverished Haiti last year.

But the need to help — in whatever way, for whatever personal reason — is imperative. And while you may wonder how your $10 donation to the American Red Cross through its text-messaging campaign can help, consider this: more than $1 million has already been collected through this program for the relief effort in Japan. In just a few days. That’s how every dollar can add up.

We were lucky in Hawaii. Yes, there were lost homes, sunken boats and damaged piers caused by the tsunami that hit the state on Friday morning — totaling millions of dollars in damage — but that’s nothing compared to the devastation in Japan.

So there’s no reason why we can’t help.

I spent Thursday night packing my most important belongings in a small suitcase as we evacuated to my parents’ house in Kalihi. It was a bit unnerving trying to decide what in this two-bedroom rental was worth keeping. Passports, family photos, external hard drives, my favorite surfboard. But what about the ceramic pot my sister made for me when she was in preschool? Or the boxes of letters I have from my pen pal in Colorado who’s been writing to me since we were in second grade? Or the shelves of my favorite books?

Thankfully, nothing happened to the stuff I had left behind. But I think about the families who lost everything — including daughters, sons, grandmothers, fathers, mothers, uncles, friends, neighbors, beloved pets. How could I compare people to books and ceramic pots?

You can help. You should help. Because one day we might be the ones who need it.

***

WAYS YOU CAN HELP

• Text REDCROSS to 90999 to give $10 to Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami to help the American Red Cross relief efforts. You can also drop off monetary donations at the Hawaii chapter office at 4155 Diamond Head Rd.

Purchase an Aloha for Japan T-shirt from Butigroove with proceeds supporting the American Red Cross’ relief effort. Cost is $20. The fundraiser is led by comedian Lanai Tabura and designers from HI Life Clothing, Fitted, In4mation, Butigroove, Barefoot League and Aloha Army. Also available at Butigroove Hawaii (500 Piikoi St.), Fitted Hawaii (1438 Kona St.), In4mation (Ward Warehouse), Barefoot League (880 Kapahulu Ave.)

• Give to Global Giving, which is raising money that will be given to a variety of relief organizations helping victims of the earthquake. It has already raised more than $100,000. Give online or text JAPAN to 50555 and give $10.

• Help the Salvation Army organize efforts to help and distribute basic necessities to Sendai by donating online or texting JAPAN to 80888 and giving $10.

• The International Fund for Animal Welfare have mobilized to assist with animal rescue efforts. Donate online to help.

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Did this: An Evening of Sustainable Cuisine

By March 12, 2011 #CatTravels, Food, Musings, The Daily Dish

Last night folks lined up for eco-friendly dishes created by some of Hawaii’s top chefs at an event promoting sustainable eating.

“An Evening of Sustainable Cuisine,” held at the Halekulani, featured “green” dishes prepared by chefs Roy Yamaguchi (Roy’s Restaurant), Vikram Garg (Halekulani) and Ed Kenney (town).

Tickets for this “net zero” event — meaning, no carbon footprint here — was $125 with profits supporting the Culinary Institute of the Pacific at Kapiolani Community College.

Here’s what we ate:

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FUUD: Cafe Sistina on King Street

By March 11, 2011 Musings, The Daily Dish

Who would have thought a meat lasagna and ragu bolognese would have been our last meals?

It almost was, had that 8.9-magnitude earthquake off Honshu, Japan generated a destructive tsunami that hit our Islands. (Luckily, it wasn’t too bad. Surges caused extensive damage to piers and boats docked at Keehi Small Boat Harbor and flooding on the Big Island and Maui.)

We had just been served our entrees when I got a text message about the earthquake, then reported as a 7.9-magnitude. I immediately got on Twitter and started posting whatever I could find online.

Then the earthquake magnitude was upgraded. Then we heard a tsunami hit the Japan coastline. Then we saw the video of the wave — and we knew this might be bad.

We inhaled the tirimisu, cleared the check and bolted out of the restaurant to pack and evacuate.

So here’s what was “almost” my last meal:

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Cafe Sistina, 1314 S. King St. Hours: 11 a.m.-2 p.m., 5:30-9:30 p.m. weekdays, 5:30-930 p.m. weekends. Phone: (808) 596-0061

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