Gimme action and one-liners

By February 22, 2011 Musings, The Daily Dish

Anyone catch last night’s “Hawaii Five-0” — and stay awake until the end?

OK, maybe I’m being a bit too harsh.

But you can’t deny that last night’s episode was, well, a little slower than usual. Sure, the opening scene was exciting with a woman plunging to her death from a zipline on Oahu. (There goes reservation books for ziplines around the state!) And who doesn’t love a car explosion?

But the show started to get confusing — and, let’s face it, a bit too EMO — with the secondary storyline that involved comedian Dane Cook, who guest-starred as Dan “Danno” Williams’ sketchy (and creepy) brother Matthew.

Most of us on Twitter (#H50) were trying to make a connection between Danno’s brother and the scheming murderer who was killing the children of anyone who contributed to his teenage son going to prison for three consecutive DUI convictions (in a week!); he died in jail.

We dug the plot. But there was little attention paid to the development of that story line — or just explosions! — and more to this relationship between Danno and his brother that it lost me. By the second half of the show, I was more engrossed in Twitter and e-mail than watching the show.

And the show wasn’t even funny!

I came to this conclusion: #H50 fans like the action and the one-liners — and not much else. We don’t need sentimental storylines or special guests. (Mogul Sean Combs will guest star in an upcoming episode as NYPD detective Reggie Williams — no relation — who, as the CBS site says, “hunts the streets of Honolulu for the men responsible for a crime against his family.” Good grief.)

The show wasn’t nominated for Favorite Drama in the 2011 Fan Favorite Awards, presented by TVGuide Magazine, because of the laundry list of special guests.

No, we love the bromance between McGarrett and Danno. We love how badly they all speak “bird.” We love seeing familiar — last night @EatGogi made a cameo and last week Liliha Bakery got a shout-out — or trying to figure out where scenes are filmed. And we love the fake companies and one-liners, so much so local designer Valentino Valdez (@valdezign) has compiled a list for T-shirt ideas including Koko Crater Triathlon, Katonk Jeep & Bike Rentals, Kaimuki Country Club and, my personal favorite, Triple Banana, Bitch.

So what did you think of last night’s episode? Digging the special guests? And what makes you tune in every week? Let’s dish!

You Might Also Like

FUUD: Cafe Miro in Kaimuki

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

It’s that restaurant I’ve always wanted to try — but never got around to it.

Until tonight.

We were going to check out J2, JJ’s Bistro’s new restaurant in Kaimuki, but the wait was too long and, frankly, we weren’t into the incense clouding the dining room.

So we stepped onto Waialae Avenue and looked around. Champa Thai — been there. Town — been there and loved it. And then I saw it, the red and gold sign that read “Cafe Miro.”

I pointed to it. “There,” I told my boyfriend. “That’s where we going.”

We looked at the menu posted outside. I won’t lie, the fact that it only offers prix-fixe options — a three-course ($38) and a four-course ($49) dinner — was a bit intimidating. But hey, we were here!

So here’s what we ate:

no images were found

All photos shot with my iPhone 4

Cafe Miro, 3446 Waialae Ave. Hours: 5:30-9 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Phone: (808) 734-2737

You Might Also Like

Carrere deserves a Grammy?

By February 17, 2011 Musings, The Daily Dish

This week’s 53rd annual Grammy Awards raised some eyebrows — and discussion — at coffee shops, in classrooms and in Twitter streams all over Hawaii.

And not because Lady Gaga arrived to the music awards show in an egg.

But because Hawaii-born Tia Carrere, a four-time finalist in the Best Hawaiian Music Album category, won a Grammy for the second time.

The album, “Huana ke Aloha,” is a collection of original Hawaiian-language lullabies. It beat out the other nominees: “Amy Hanaialii And Slack Key Masters Of Hawaii,” “The Legend” by Ledward Kaapana, “Maui On My Mind — Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar” by Jeff Peterson and “Polani” by Daniel Ho. (Find out where to hear the music here.)

Carrere over Hanaialii and Kaapana?

Hmm.

Some critics look at Carrere’s career, which more focused on acting than music. Some point out the fact that she, though a graduate of Sacred Hearts Academy, lives on the Mainland. And still others say the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences isn’t qualified to judge Hawaiian music.

You can argue that it doesn’t matter who wins — except it does. The Grammys puts Hawaiian music in the national spotlight, and it’s important that what the world recognizes as Hawaiian music is indeed that.

What do you think?

You Might Also Like

Cat Chat 15: Better than bar food

By February 17, 2011 Musings, The Daily Dish

When the boutique-style Waikiki EDITION opened about five months ago, people buzzed about celebrity sightings, Morimoto Restaurant and the $10,000-a-night penthouse that’s completely over the top.

And the travel world was eager to see this new partnership between hotelier Ian Schrager and Marriott International as the uber-chic Waikiki hotel is the first in the boutique chain.

But did anyone tell you about the luxe Lobby Bar? More specifically, the food served there?

I hadn’t heard about it — well, except for the dramatic rotating bookcase that separates the lobby from the stylish bar area. So we sat down with the Lobby Bar’s executive chef Kaleo Adams — local boy from Waiehu, Maui — who shared with us a few of the more popular dishes here.

We’re talking about grilled pizza with pancetta and blue cheese, steamed buns filled with spicy Korean-style beef or juicy pork belly, a Kona coffee-chocolate ganache paired with vanilla bean ice cream and a pork shoulder that’s so good I couldn’t stop eating it — even after the camera stopped rolling.

What we loved about the place: the cool oversize sofas, the homey feel of the bar, the custom cocktails and the fact that Chef Adams goes to the farmer’s market at Kapi’olani Community College every Saturday to pick up fresh, local ingredients for his food.

Now that’s cool.

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_79HkegOZ-Q

If you’ve got a topic you want me to tackle or someone you’d like me to interview, post ’em here. We love hearing from you!

You Might Also Like

My #H50 addiction

By February 15, 2011 Musings, The Daily Dish

Every Monday night, millions of people tune into CBS to watch “Hawaii Five-0,” a slick new rendition of the classic cop show based in the Islands.

And at the same time, thousands of fans log onto Twitter, posting running commentary about the show with the hashtag #H50 (or variations of that). We joke about the bad Pidgin, repeat our favorite lines, point out the inaccurate references and discuss — sometimes in depth — the bromance between Det. Steve McGarrett (played by Alex O’Loughlin) and his partner Dan “Danno” Williams (played by Scott Caan).

This community we’ve created on Twitter is, hands down, the best part about watching the show.

Sure, I’m blown away by the stunning images of my home state. Yes, the acting isn’t awful. And OK, the story lines are getting better.

But I’m really watching it because of #H50. And to be honest, I spend more time twittering than actually watching the show. I’m telling you, the tweets are way more interesting!

Not to mention I’ve met cool peeps like @H50undercover, @WendieJoy, @ileimohala, @LisaLisa98 and @blondeatbeach, who had an extra role in last night’s episode — all of whom dig the show (or tweeting about it) as much as I do.

Honestly, I learn so much more from the #H50 thread than by watching the actual show. Fans tweet in where certain scenes are shot and point out cameos by local celebs. I found out last night who the DJ was at Tiki’s Bar & Grill and which guest star — comedian Dane Cook — will be appearing in the next episode. This is the power of social media.

Last night I made the fateful mistake of taking a nap before the show started. (I had a rough day.) I woke up at 1 a.m., horrified that I had missed the episode. (And there were pirates, too!)

I quickly scanned the #H50 thread and figured out that I had missed something about trolleys, exploding phone books and an “invisible” guy.

So I logged on CBS.com and watched the full episode online. Except it wasn’t the same. Sure, it was entertaining. I mean, three people were killed last night! But I had no one to chat with about Kono Kalakaua’s sweet kung fu move on the escalator or Danno and McGarrett pushing the car by the Tantalus lookout despite it breaking down on Pali Highway. (Uh, right.)

I missed my #H50 friends.

So next week, I won’t miss it.

The chat, not necessarily the episode.

You Might Also Like