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Mock-Up Day

Archaeology, Hawaii Comments Off

Aug 102011

It’s Mock-Up day! This is a day to look forward to in the realm of exhibit creation. It’s a day to see a real world, tangible example of an exhibit case.

We have been hard at work for the past 2 years on renovating Polynesian Hall (a hall at the Bishop Museum that is dedicated to teaching about cultures all across the Pacific Islands). We have chosen artifacts, created layouts for the new cases, written text for the panels and labels, and had more meetings about the details of all of these then is imaginable. And today we got a taste of the end product.

Mock-up day is also a time to see where things go together perfectly and where it is a total disaster. Today we looked at one case: Hawaiki (also known as Ancestral Polynesia- basically the area of Samoa and Tonga). Before any of the graphics were up, people began commenting on how crowded the case looked. Once all the poles and panels were in place, this commentary continued. We brought down the artifacts to look at them in relation to the text panels, and began brainstorming. “Maybe we should shrink the font a little here”, “Are these artifacts going to block this text?”, “What if we got rid of these poles all together?”, “Are the artifact labels too crowded?”

After an hour and a half of discussion and walking around the case we had a long list of new ideas and edits to make. More work to be done – and this is just the first case! But we are making progress and getting closer. Many more mock-up days to come!

The Definitive Ranking of Shave Ice on Oahu

Food, Hawaii Comments Off

Jun 112011

For those of you who don’t know, shave ice is not the same thing as a snow cone. A snow cone has crushed ice, while Shave Ice has… shaved ice. It holds the syrup better and is a more smooth texture. When ordering, you only tell them the number, size, and whether or not you want ice cream. This is not the time to explain your flavor selection. We order 2 smalls with ice cream, most of the time. After your white ball of ice has been patted into the cone, you will be asked for your flavors.

We’re sad to report that it took us a year of living on Oahu before we ever tried this addictive frozen piece of heaven. Now we’re hooked. We’ve tried many places on the island to get an idea of our options. Some of these stores have become a Mecca and others were total bombs. We have listed here our rankings in order that you might benefit from our successes and avoid the shave ice hell of our mistakes.

Our rankings (to see our updated 2012 reviews click here):

8. Ice Gardens

The only reason we went here was because it was the closest shave ice to our old house near the airport. We only made that mistake once.

Mochi ball topping

Ice
Very crunchy

Syrups
If you get what you ordered (which is questionable because of language differences), then it is only okay. Syrups didn’t soak into the ice properly so we were left with patches of plain ice.

Ice Cream
Didn’t bother

Price/Size optimization
Size fits the price

Utensils
Styrofoam bowls and plastic spoons

Atmosphere
Inside a run-down mall. Limited seating in the hallway outside the store.

Service
Nice enough people, but the language barrier was a serious problem. Very slow moving.

Bonus Features
Abundant parking. Lots of topping options (mochi balls, custard, peanuts, azuki beans, etc.)

7. Rainbow Crack Seed

The only reason we go here is for the sheer convenience. It is within walking distance from our house.

Autumn waiting in line at Rainbow Crack Seed

Ice
Crunchy

Syrups
Generic flavors

Ice Cream
Very soft vanilla

Price/Size Optimization
Not generous portions, but fits the price.

Utensils
Cup with plastic spoon and straw

Atmosphere
Strip mall near our house in Kaneohe.

Service
Nice staff and quick order fulfillment.

Bonus Features
You can get crack seed, candy, and bubble tea all in the same store!

6. Island Snow

This may be the place President Obama goes, but we would rather cross the mountains into Honolulu than go here.

Island Snow: The Presidential Touch

Ice
Smooth, small shavings

Syrups
Good but nothing special

Ice Cream
We’ve never tried the ice cream here.

Price/Size Optimization
Not a good ratio. Small portions, large price.

Utensils
Paper cup, and the spoon straw, the bane of our existence.

Atmosphere
This is a surf store with a shave ice component. Bench seating outside.

Service
Nice teenagers

Bonus Features
Bragging rights: You can say you’ve eaten at the same shave ice store as the President.

5. Matsumoto’s

It might be the most famous North Shore shave ice, but we strongly recommend Aoki’s over Matsumoto’s for ice, flavors, and atmosphere. They are next door to each other, so make the wise choice.

Me and the long line of customers

Ice
Medium-sized shavings

Syrups
Homemade flavors. The Matsumoto mix of coconut, pineapple, and lemon was colorful but the pineapple syrup tasted off.

Ice Cream
Vanilla. Clayton felt like he got a large portion of ice cream, but I thought mine was normal.

Price/Size Optimization
Good amount of ice for the price.

Utensils
Wooden stick spoon and straw

Atmosphere
There is a circus feeling about this place because it is the most famous shave ice location on the island. This means that it is a giant swarming pool of tourists both inside and out. The line can be very, very long.

Service
Quick once you’ve made it to the counter to order

Bonus Features
An absurd number of T-shirt designs, and other kitschy souvenirs.

4. Kaka’ako Kool

Autumn's free Memorial Day shave ice

Ice
Small shavings

Syrups
Good, and they give you a good amount to really seep into the ice.

Ice Cream
Haupia ice cream as an option for only $0.50 extra.

Price/Size Optimization
Smaller portions, even smaller price. The small is a great deal for $2, and a large for $3.

Utensils
Wooden stick spoon and straw.

Atmosphere
Not in a beautiful area of town, but there is excellent outdoor seating in their shared space with the café next door.

Service
By far the best service of all the shave ice stores. They offered free shave ice all Memorial Day weekend, and were quick to fulfill three shave ice requests. In addition, they were talkative and interactive with us and our daughter, a trait that won us over.

3. Waiola

Two locations make this shave ice store convenient. They also have the most powdery soft ice of all.

Clayton and Amie at Waiola's window

Ice
Powdery

Syrups
Homemade syrups. We’ve enjoyed everything we’ve had although nothing stands out.

Ice Cream
Scooped vanilla is a little harder than other places which means it doesn’t integrate into the ice quite as well. Still tasty.

Price/Size Optimization
Smaller portions, same prices.

Utensils
Served in cups and bowls. Plastic spoon and straw.

Atmosphere
Their Waiola Street location is similar to a neighborhood convenience store. Not very pretty surroundings, but bench seating available. Their Waikiki location has several covered tables and exhibits a cleaner feeling.

Service
We have experienced the staff as slightly rushed and at times unhelpful, but they get you your order pretty quickly.

Bonus Features
Lilikoi cream topping. 2 store locations.

2. Aoki’s

Part of the reason we love this shave ice location is the North Shore atmosphere. It’s also the first place we ever tried shave ice.

Ice
Smooth

Syrups
We really like their menu of flavor combinations. It makes the many flavor options easier to tackle. Two of our favorites are the Local Mix and the Hale’iwa Mix. Syrups are homemade and we’ve never experienced an off-flavor in any of them.

Ice Cream
They offer 10 ice cream flavors, and although we always stick with vanilla it’s nice to know we have options.

Price/Size Optimization
Good amount of ice for the price.

Utensils
Plastic spoon and straw

Atmosphere

Mary and I are happy customers

Located in the North Shore town of Hale’iwa, this beach town is the perfect place to stop for an icy treat. The storefront is colorful and while there is almost always a line of tourists and locals, the wait is never long. You can either sit outside their shop at a few tables or stroll down the busy main road and window shop as you eat.

Service

Staff are friendly and quick to make orders.

Bonus Features
The T-shirts have the best design of all the other shave ice places.

1. Shimazu

Shimazu hands-down ranks #1 for us in the world of shave ice. Their sheer enormity (I’m pictured with a “small” here) and selection of specialty flavors can’t be beat.

Shimazu's: Where a small is bigger than your head

Ice
Creamy

Syrups
Because they make several of their own specialty flavors, they have the most unique syrup options of any place on the island. Check out any of their specialty flavors, especially those with the word “cream” in their title, such as Melon Bar Cream, Red Velvet Cream, and Chocolate Peanut Butter Cream. They also have the normal mango, pineapple, cherry, etc. Unfortunately I would give the thumbs down to Lychee, as it was slightly bitter.

Ice Cream
Creamy vanilla

Price/size optimization
Serving is LARGE for the price. Relative to the other shave ice stores on Oahu, Shimazu’s small is a large, their large is an extra-large, and their extra-large is “galactic” (as Clayton says). We almost always split a large for $3.75. Occasionally we absolutely must have our own, in which case it is $3.

Utensils
Plastic spoon and straw

Atmosphere
The mom n’ pop store is located on a hot road adjacent to the freeway, with no shade and very limited outdoor seating and no parking of their own.

Service
The biggest drawback is that they never open at 11am, as posted. In fact, I have no idea when they ACTUALLY open. We have to go after noon to make sure the door is open. Park at the nearby grocery store and walk down, and expect a long line.

Bonus Features
Haupia topping. Fresh popcorn sold as well.

Crack Seed

Food, Hawaii 2 Responses »

Jun 092011

That’s right, crack seed. Sounds like a euphemism for something terribly offensive. It is actually preserved fruit.

When we first moved here we noticed Crack Seed stores all over the place. They basically look like the colorful candy stores in the mall with clear bins and bags full of a variety of sweets. Venturing into these stores we discovered a mix of candies, dried fruit, wafers, and dried fish. For every bag of candy was a bag of the same type covered in a red powder called Li Hing. Next to the bag of gummy bears was a bag of Li Hing gummy bears. Next to the bag of sour patch kids was a bag of Li Hing sour patch kids.

Turns out crack seed mania in Hawaii hails back to the day when Chinese immigrants brought “crack seed”, or split and salted dried fruit, with them to the islands. Li Hing Mui is a salty, sour, and slightly sweet plum that is often seen here in powder form and added to all kinds of things. You can order it on your shave ice, or in a drink. Once we ordered a side of pineapple at a roadside shrimp truck, and it came with li hing powder sprinkled on top.

Now, as adventurous as I am with my food I admit that I’m not 100% for Ling Hi Mui. I have to be in the right mood. I mean, it’s sour and tart. And sometimes I just want good ‘ole American high fructose corn syrup sweetness.

One example of this is movie snacks. I just want chocolate, people. And the great thing about the crack seed stores is that they have a large variety of items to purchase in snack-sized bags. So when Clayton and I decided to go see 13 Assasssins in the theater we stopped by our local Rainbow Crack Seed Store. Clayton got yogurt raisins, I got dark chocolate malt balls and strawberry sour belts. I can say this: I may not have thought the movie was awesome, but it might be because I was distracted by the awesome goodness of my crack seed candy. And that’s good enough for me.

Hanging Hawaii on our Wall

Hawaii, Home 2 Responses »

May 222011

by Melea Bishop After 2 years of blank walls and $12 posters we finally purchased a painting today from native Hawaiian artist Meala Bishop! Two years ago we saw a painting of hers printed in a MAMo event brochure (Maoli Arts Month), a Hawaiian arts annual event held at the Bishop Museum. It was vibrant and colorful and really caught my eye. I began thinking, “We can have good art too! We should get a painting here that represents our time in Hawaii!” Clayton shared this desire, and we began looking.

Soon we discovered that paintings in Hawaii, like everything else, were more expensive! We found a couple of artists that we liked, but could only barely afford a giclee (fine art digital print). After seeing many giclees for sale, we gradually grew to dislike them more and more. They seemed to lack depth, and when printed onto canvas the image is repeated around the edges which often created a bizarre effect. In the end, being the haughty art collectors that we are, we decided to only consider originals.

We considered, discussed, and dreamed about owning several paintings; three in particular were attractive: a large ti plant, a sad looking fish, and a whimsical chicken. They were all way out of our price range. We began to despair. We accepted the fact that we would move away without a painting. This weekend the MAMo art event was held again, and we decided to go take a look, not that we were full of much hope. At least we could browse over some fun art and pretend like we were prospective buyers.

To my surprise, Meala Bishop was showing her art! This was the first time we saw it in person and got to meet her. She had lots of cards, a single print, and 5 original paintings with her. We were immediately drawn to three of the paintings! After analyzing them for a good 15 minutes, Autumn ran off to look at the dinosaur exhibit and we continued to walk around the museum discussing them. We came back to get a second look from multiple distances, and then left to get lunch and continue the conversation. Before we left, Meala indicated that she would entertain offers on the paintings (perhaps sensing that we were serious buyers by the fact that we kept gravitating back to her tent to stare and drool).

Over pizza, a polish sausage, and a Sprite we decided to make an offer.

With Meala Bishop at MAMo 2011 Back at the museum, we took one final look and decided it was definitely worth it. She had priced her paintings slightly lower for the event, which meant they were in our reach. After about 2 seconds of negotiating we agreed on a price and bought it. We got a picture with her, and she got a picture of us. Tears were shed and new friends made (okay maybe not quite that far). And we carried it off, smiling and very excited to put it on our wall at home.

The story behind the painting: The painting is called The Mists of Waiahole and Waikane. These two valleys are located less than 15 minutes north of us. In 1977 local residents won a heated debate about the future of the land, saving it from golf course development and ensuring that it would remain agricultural and residential. It epitomized a popular bumper sticker here, “Keep the Country Country”. Much of what is grown in the valley is taro (or “loi”, a root crop used in making the famous Hawaiian poi). The artist, Meala Bishop, lives here and the painting shows her loi fields. Waiahole is a banner for the pride of the Hawaiian people in their land and traditional practices.

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