"Black Swan"/Goteborg Sausage at Paina Cafe

Umami and Lis went to go see "Black Swan," starring Natalie Portman as a ballet dancer with, shall we say, issues.  But, let's be clear, this is a psychological horror movie that happens to take place in the world of ballet.

Natalie Portman is phenomenal in the role of Nina, a ballerina competing for the role of the Swan Queen in a contemporary version of "Swan Lake."  The Swan Queen has two aspects, a White Swan, pure and precise, and a Black Swan, sensual and hedonistic.  Yang and Yin.  Nina's perfectionism allows her to excel in the White Swan aspect, but trying to find the Black Swan is harrowing.

Umami would not be surprised if she wins an Academy Award.  She should at least be nominated.

The film is kind of disorienting, so leaving the theater Umami was disturbed to see a tiny older woman with white Daisy Dukes and white furry leg warmers.  Like this:

Fashion Statement?  Or fashion risk?

Umami just doesn't expect to see such things in a theater multiplex lobby.  Hallucination?  No, because Lis saw her too (and was equally disturbed).

Anyway, time for dinner.  Umami suggested Paina Cafe (which faithful readers might remember from last month's post:  "Ward Warehouse: Butter Melter and Paina Cafe").  Umami had the Hawaiian Poke Bowl ($7.25), again, except with the Hot Shoyu Poke instead of the Spicy Ahi.

Hawaiian Poke Bowl

Lis, however, noticed that they had "Jobo's Goteborg Musubi" ($2.99).  This is apparently some Kauai comfort food thing.  Umami had never heard of such a thing, so, had to try.

Jobo's Goteborg Musubi

$3 gets you three thin slices of the titular sausage, topped with a small scoop of rice, garnished with furikake.  Lis says her grandmother slices the sausage thicker, which is awesome, but there was plenty of flavor in the slices here.   It tastes like a cross between Portuguese Sausage and a summer sausage.  It works fine as a musubi, but Umami suspects it would work really well with cheese, crackers, and a good beer!  Will have to research further . . .


Pa'ina Cafe (Next to Town & Country Surf Shop)
1200 Ala Moana Blvd. Store #24
Honolulu, HI 96814
808-356-2829

Umami Spectates

It all started last year about this time. Umami was offered some tickets to a UH Wahine Basketball game and he figured, "why not?" The team competed ("scrapped," Lis would say) and it made for an entertaining evening. So Umami's gone a couple of times subsequently. Tonight, he and Lis got tickets for the UH Men's BB game versus Boise State, which also allowed them to attend the Wahine game versus Louisiana Tech. It's not a bad deal ($18) for two games.

Also not a bad deal . . . the "Bumbucha Nachos" ($5.50)

Umami likes nachos with his jalapenos

This is a generous serving of white corn tortilla chips, a scary cheese sauce, ground beef, tomatoes, olives, green onions, and a good sized dollop of sour cream. There are two trays of jalapenos off to the side for those who like a little heat with their nachos (Umami likes the heat!).

And, sadly, the nachos might have been the highlight of the night. The UH Wahine lost in overtime to La Tech, 74-69. They had their chances to win in regulation, but couldn't quite get it done.

Still, they played extremely well compared to the Men, who got drilled by Boise State, 79-55. This game did produce one other highlight. The officiating for both games was atrocious and the crowd was on the refs throughout. During the UH-Boise game, a female fan in back of Umami had had enough and shouted, "Get off your knees ref, you're blowing the game!"

Beautiful.

It was a long night, but lots of fun. Umami hope the teams improve, but recommends the nachos (and the beers:  $7 for 30 oz. Heinekein)!

Next home games:

Jan 20 UH Men v. Fresno State
Jan 31 UH Wahine v. Utah State (yes, they're on the road for three weeks!) 

Umami say . . .

Check it out:  All Day.   Good fun.  Free download.  If it's not your speed, sorry about that!  If it is . . . Enjoy!

What Would Totoro Do?

Have you seen me?

Umami has always liked Hayao Miyazaki's "Tonari No Totoro" (My Neighbor Totoro).  It's a film about two girls and their interactions with woodland creatures? spirits? that look like bears of some sort.  Umami says "interactions" because there isn't really any action or adventures in the film, just an acceptance and respect of the others existence.

Umami likes this little Totoro ornament, with its Totoro-grin and pink cocktail umbrella.  It's not very big, and some of the details are wrong (only three chest chevrons??), but it's cute and obviously made with care.  Perhaps the maker intended it for gift, say, maybe for his or her niece or nephew?

It was hanging waaay above the ground at Honolulu City Lights Courtyard of Trees, above the Department of Corporation Counsel tree, above even Patrick and the Golden Snitch.

In flight

So someone must have really, really, really wanted to steal it, because it's gone now.  It must have taken a ladder (unlikely) or someone sitting or standing on someone's shoulders to get at it.  It's sad to think that a Totoro fan would have taken it; is that what Totoro would do?  That person apparently missed the point about acceptance and respect.  Or maybe just doesn't like lawyers.

Maybe the question is better addressed to the Ornament-Maker.  What would Totoro do?  Raging against the injustice of it all won't bring it back . . . it's gone.    Perhaps the best anyone can do is to hope that whoever has it needs it terribly and that is was worth all of that.

Regardless, if this is the worst thing that happens this year, it will be a pretty damn good one.  Umami wishes everyone peace (and acceptance and respect) for 2011.  And maybe we'll see another Totoro next year . . . 

Happy New Year!

Here's a passage Umami is thinking about, from Just Kids, Patti Smith's memoir and remembrance of Robert Mapplethorpe . . . here, she's talking about the scene surrounding Janis Joplin:

Janis was the queen of the radiating wheel, sitting in her easy chair, with a bottle of Southern Comfort, even in the afternoon.  Michael Pollard was usually by her side.  They were like adoring twins, both with the same speech patterns, punctuating each sentence with man.  I sat on the floor as Kris Kristofferson sang her "Me and Bobby McGee," Janis joining in the chorus.  I was there for these moments, but so young and preoccupied with my thoughts that I hardly recognized them as moments.

Preoccupation being not the sole province of the young, Umami wishes everyone, the young and the old and everyone in between, the time to recognize the moments when they happen.

Have a happy, and safe, new year, and we'll see you in 2011!

Guilty!

Umami would eat this . . .

"This" is, of course, the Denny's Fried Cheese Melt.  It consists of four fried mozzarella sticks and melted American cheese grilled (in butter???) between two slices of sour dough bread.  It comes with fries ('natch!) and a marinara sauce (vegetable group!)  For $4, you couldn't buy a cheaper coronary!

While Umami would eat this, the question remains . . . would he deep fry it?

Magic 8-Ball says . . .

"Very doubtful."

Well, that's disappointing.

What about dipping it in egg and making it a grilled cheese sandwich frittata?

Magic 8-Ball says . . .

"Signs point to yes."

!!

Stay tuned . . .

 

Merry Christmas to the C&D Staff!

The Land Use section deputies were in charge of the Christmas gift for the Counseling and Drafting Division staff.  Part I of the gift:  a gift certificate to the House Without A Key at the Halekulani.  Nice!  But not necessarily photogenic (the gift certificate, that is), so let's move on.


Part II of the gift:  Cupcakes from Hokulani Bake Shop!

From left to right, first box: chocolate and red velvet. 2nd box: strawberry guava (killer!) and chocolate. 3rd box: snickerdoodle (also killer!) and chocolate chocolate. 4th box is snickerdoodle and red velvets.

Here's a strawberry guava.  It's an outrageously red cupcake, with an intensely guava flavor.  

And, the last carrot (cup)cake.  Apparently, this was the one to get, because they were gone in the time it took for Umami to retrieve his camera.


Kelly needs to take some back to LA, so, just for her, two locations, both downtown.  Restaurant Row parking is much easier . . . 


Restaurant Row
500 Ala Moana Blvd. Suite 4-B
Honolulu, HI 96813
808-536-CAKE
Monday-Friday  9-6
Saturday  10-5
Closed Sundays

Pioneer Plaza - Downtown
900 Fort Street Mall
Monday- Friday  9-4

Christmas Shopping Adventures

Just some odds and ends from the season's shopping:

First, breakfast at Panya Bakery.  This is the egg white omelette with turkey, provolone, green onions, mushrooms.  Comes with toast and fresh fruit.  Umami probably fouled up the healthiness of the endeavor by having a side of bacon, but it was early in the morning and he hadn't completely woken up.  But two cups of coffee (Illy) later, he's good to go!

Williams-Sonoma, for some reason, had a bunch of Star Wars themed cooking items.  Cookie cutters, pancake molds, cupcake decorating cuts, and this snazzy number, a Star Wars apron.  Black with title logo and character heads (Yoda, Storm Trooper, Darth Vader, Boba Fett) embroidered.  Very cool.  $29.95 adult size in store (might be cheaper on-line before shipping).

Also very cool, even if it's also a little silly, this Darth Vader spatula ($12).  There's also a stormtrooper one, but that might be for completists.

 So wrong, on so many levels, but, seriously, "Try Me!?"  At Sam Goody's, if you must.

Finally, this is an odd little shirt in the Hot Topic window.  Umami's not a huge Hello Kitty fan, but he is a fan of cheeseburgers and food comas.  ($22 online).

Panya Bakery, Bistro & Bar
(Facing upper level makai parking, Diamond Head of Longs)

1450 Ala Moana Blvd.
Ala Moana Center, 2054B
Honolulu, HI 96814 USA
Phone #:808-946-6388
Fax #: 808-946-6988
M-Sat: 7:30am-10:00pm
Sun: 8:00am-8:00pm

For you Daniel Dae Kim Fans . . .

Here's a pic of Mr. Kim during a break in filming of "Hawaii 5-0."  He's standing in front of the "5-0 Headquarters" aka Aliʻiōlani Hale, current home of the Hawaii Supreme Court.

Ward Warehouse: Butter Melter and Pa'ina Cafe

The Most Amusing Thing

Umami was being completely unproductive when Trish called to see if he was up for some Christmas shopping.  Well, Umami was game (and, also, hungry), so agreed to meet at the Ward Shops.

As it turned out, Trish had a very successful shopping run.  Umami, not so much, but he was at least amused.  And they got to try Pa'ina Cafe.

The Most Amusing Thing?  This "Microwavable Butter Melter" at Executive Chef.  The idea is, you put  butter, or chocolate, or some other meltable thing in it (ice, for example), put it in the microwave, and it will hold the melted end product.  Umami thinks:  Isn't the name misleading?  Because it's actually the microwave doing the melting, not the cup.  The packaging should say, "Microwave NOT Included."  Still, all kidding aside, it would be useful for anyone who doesn't have a Pyrex measuring cup . . .

Pa'ina Cafe:  Hawaiian Poke Bowl

Pa'ina Cafe is a small take out window near Town & Country Surf Shop at Ward Warehouse.  It does various sandwiches, plates, etc. but they are known for their poke bowls.  The bowls come with choice of rice (white or brown) and choice of poke (spicy ahi, shoyu ahi, hot shoyu ahi, limu ahi).  Umami, however, wasn't fooling around and therefore chose the Hawaiian Poke Bowl:  brown rice, kalua pig, lomi salmon and spicy ahi ($7.25).  Very generous amount of pig, not too much salt or juice.  Lomi salmon was very tasty and this batch was pretty salty.  The spicy ahi was not really that spicy, but had good chunks of fish.  The brown rice is actually really good with these mains, because it's earthier, like poi, in a way that white rice isn't.

There are healthier options.  The Roasted Veggie with Portabella sandwich is supposed to be very good.  Umami will have to try it next; actually, there are a lot of things Umami wants to try next!

Executive Chef
1050 Ala Moana Blvd.  #1560
Honolulu, HI  96814
808-596-2433


Pa'ina Cafe (Next to Town & Country Surf Shop)
1200 Ala Moana Blvd.  Store #24
Honolulu, HI  96814    
808-356-2829