Monday, May 18, 2009

Morning in Kaimuki

The best, best thing about having a day off is spending it with your dog and a 50mm lens. The dirty house and laundry can be saved until tomorrow. That's what tomorrows are for.

Me and Kona started our walk on 12th Avenue heading mauka. Here's Victoria Inn. I have no idea how it's still in business today. I don't know anyone who still goes there. Sconee's Bakery makes some ono scones. Bea's Pies and Deli used to be here. I used to go to Bea's for some kind of pie, but for the life of me I can't remember what kind . . . maybe banana cream . . . maybe strawberry . . . aaagrrrr I can't remember.
Looks like they sell yoga exercise gear at Lily Lotus.
I liked the pink wall. Kona STAY. Good boy!
Kaimuki Bowl used to be here.
There's ono food here and here.
Here's Tam's Shoe Repair.
Mr. Tam arrived just as I got done taking this shot, and I hate to say it but he gave me the stinkest eye I ever got in my whole life.
Kaimuki AA Kab.
Gecko Books and Comics
Coffee Talk is at the corner of 12th and Waialae.
I found a 1956 Star Bulletin picture of Kaimuki Bakery which once stood at the same corner.
Me and Kona turned left on Waialae. The Brazilian Show Room was across the street next to Queen's Theater. See our reflection in the door?
Queen's Theater closed about 25 years ago. I remember wondering what was gonna replace it. I'm still wondering.

Here we're heading Ewa towards Kaimuki Park. If I had long fingernails, I think I would like the no. 29. Kinda looks like sakura flowers.

Happy Days serves cheap dim sum.

This "kid" was riding the swing at Kaimuki Park.

I didn't catch it quite right, but he did a flip . . .

and nailed the landing! BFF Zsa's and I spent everyday for two summers playing tennis at this tennis court in Kaimuki Park. I think we were about 14 or 15 years old at the time. Once in awhile Richard Gomoto and Byron Chock would join us. I think we used to like them, but I can't remember who liked who.
When we had money we used to go eat saimin across the street from the tennis courts. It was called Tanoue's back then. Me and Zsa's liked the curly noodles. Most of the time we didn't have money, though, so we would just have a soda . . . for the whole day. I got skinny. Not Zsa's . . . she was already skinny.

Kaimuki Dry Goods is on 10th Avenue now. It used to be on Waialae.

Heading Diamond Head now, here's Toys n Joys, where Ben Franklin once stood.This is 3660 On the Rise. Kaimuki Theater used to be there.I think the Salvation Army used to be where the Goodwill Store is now.
Kaimuki Camera and Okata Bento have been in Kaimuki forever. Guess what's good at Okata Bento . . . hamburger!!
About 20 years ago, guess who I saw standing right outside of the Crack Seed Store on Kokohead Avenue . . .
JOHN TRAVOLTA!!!!! He was just standing there like a regular person! I just walked past him. I didn't know what else to do. I'm shy dat's why.
Anyway, now we're heading makai going back to the car.
A few of my coworkers just had dinner at the 12th Avenue Grill. I wonder how it was.
I think I went to Regina's once to have my hair done up for a prom. I also remember going to Jose's once when I was in high school. Whatever I ordered was pretty bad, and I remember thinking that the place wasn't gonna last . . . I guess I was wrong . . . it' still in business today.
So, hope you enjoyed my tour of Kaimuki town. I had fun.

15 comments:

Yosh808 said...

I totally eat at Victoria Inn!!! The food is eehh...the workers...eeehh...but it's totally nostalgic for me. My Grandma used to take the grandkids here to eat lunch all the time. Really good memories for me and my brothers. It's kinna odd because I swear the workers are all the same old ladies and men who used to serve us with my grandma....this was at least 15 years ago!

jalna said...

Wow Marvin, you eat at Victoria Inn!!? Okay, next chance I get me and my mom are gonna check it out.

Les said...

wow, looks like you and Kona had fun...what I don't get is that how the heck do you get to enjoy 3 days off when we're all stuck in the office suffering?? grrrr...oh yah, nice pics by the way!

jalna said...

Hey, as long as I'm forced to be a lead I may as well make it worth my while. Less days to suffah!!

celia said...

I really enjoy your commentaries and your pictures of Kaimuki. It is fun to see its past and present. Kona was a "good boy".

jalna said...

Hey Celia, it was fun for me too remembering the past. And yes, Kona was a very good boy!

Dd said...

A little bit of trivia about Sconees....it was originally opened by the former Pastry Chef from Liberty House (when we closed our F & B operations to make room for Alan Wongs). Joe since has sold it to former Ala Moana Gazebo Bakery customers who frequented the bakery. Yes, he sold it along with all the original LH recipes, including the famous scones, biscuits, cornbread, cheese pockets and and strawberry shortcake.

susie said...

WOW!!! awsome thanks for the memories. I use to cruz Kaimiki too.

Betty Townsend said...

I'm catching up reading your blog. Kaimuki was old stomping grounds for me too. My dad worked at Kaimuki Bakery when I was in elementary school, maybe intermediate too. We went to the Nazarene church at 12th and Pahoa and Daddy would go in the back door and get some custard filled donuts on the way to church. On Waialae right across the street from the park was a two story building, stores on the bottom and apartments on the top or they might have just been rooms to rent. We lived there for a short while after we came back from the Big Island where we lived for a year. From there we moved to Palolo Valley. We use to play in the park and when Mom wanted us to come home, she'd stick her head out the window and call us. Many more stories and fond memories!!

jalna said...

Betty, I so wish that I could go back in time just so that I could take pictures of how things were back then.

Betty Townsend said...

I know. The picture you have of Kaimuki Bakery is exactly how I remember it. The time frame would have been when my dad worked there. On my last trip home in 2004 Gerry and I went up to Kaimuki and walked around and I tried to remember what was where. We ate at a restaurant on Waialae just down from 12th but I can't remember the name. Your roaming around always brings such fond memories back to me!!

Ian Lind said...

Here are a few links to my own Kaimuki photos from around 1970, in addition to the Kaimuki Theater photos.

http://ilind.net/oldkine_images/kaimuki1969/index.htm

http://ilind.net/oldkine_images/kaimuki-dec1970/index.htm

http://ilind.net/oldkine_images/9th_ave_1972/index.htm

Enjoy!

-Ian Lind
http://www.iLind.net

jalna said...

Thanks Ian!

Unknown said...

Where the Goodwill Store stood is the same site as Kress Department store was when I was growing up in the area. We used to walk up from Ainakoa to Kaimuki Town in the late 1950's and go see movies at Kaimuki Theater. Then we would go to Ben Franklin and look at baseball cards. We would sometimes go to the cracked seed shop at the corner of Waialae and Kokohead Avenue to pick up snacks.

S. Higashi

jalna said...

I love your memory, Steven.