Monthly Archive for April, 2010

The Chair

Yay! I’m amazed, like all too often nowadays saw someone run red, but
this time was a cop on intersecting light saw it & chased em down!
Give em the chair!

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Your Yarisn’t a Vit’z a Belta

Saw a 4-door Toyota Yaris sedan today with the “Yaris” nameplate on the low liftover bootlid replaced with a “Vitz” nameplate. Fool JDM tuner wannabe n00b! 30-seconds of web time would tell you that you sedan is called the Belta on the JDM, and the Vitz is only the five-door hatchback! The JDM doesn’t even have the 3-door hatch, so technically there is no such thing as a three-door Vitz. The three-door is only available in North America and in Europe as a Yaris.

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Out of the Woodwork

Got out for a ride on Saturday, 24 April with Chris and Root. This was the first ride since Akron was in town. The weather had been extremely uncooperative, with sunny weeks and rainy weekends for a while, and schedules just didn’t seem to work out either. Finally we were on the dirt once again. With mixed sun and clouds, we headed up Government Road, managing the ascent to the side loop entrance with a lot less pain and suffering than expected. We were actually jaw-jacking the whole way, albeit riding in a lower gear than normal, probably. The ground was perfectly moist and grippy where it wasn’t covered with leaves through disuse. Continue reading ‘Out of the Woodwork’

I Can’t Accomplish Anything Because…

It’s funny how Auntie Linda’s weekly radio address has degenerated from gratuitous self-back-patting for the rare, phantasmically intangible, or elusive gains and accomplishments that she percieved that herself or her cronies were responsible for, to whining partisan political blame-laying and finger-pointing as to why she can’t accomplish anything.  Waiter, this lame duck is salty and bitter, please take it back to the kitchen.

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Beer is Good – SA Variety Pack, Coastal Wheat

P1010971Next up in the pack is the Coastal Wheat. Pours with a cloudy light yellow with a weak head. Clean aroma, the citrus peel adds a brightness and goes with the dry initial taste. There is a slight bitterness that dissapates quickly and then leaves an almost nutty finish. A pleasant crisp beer, easy drinking. I’d give it a 3 of four weissen drinking monkeys.

Solo Recon, Moanalua Valley March 27, 2010

IMG_1062

Having dropped off the AE86 Corolla for alignment at Pacific Automotive in Mapunapuna, I found myself with time to kill with my bike. Dave had suggested an interesting idea, I should go check out the Moanalua Valley trail that had within the past couple years turned into an open public DLNR trail. What the heck, just as good a place as any to go riding! I did end up taking a bit of a road detour by going to Toyota parts in Mapunapuna for a part for the Corolla, and ending up riding to Sand Island to go get it. I’ll call it a warm up. On my little side trip, I ride past a white civic stranded jammed up on high sidewalk by the veteran park entrance, and later an unaturaly gleeful shoping cart pushing lady. Ah the adventures of riding on Nimitz.

Continue reading ‘Solo Recon, Moanalua Valley March 27, 2010’

Inaba Honolulu Restaurant

Now open for a few years in Honolulu, the claim to fame for this small Japaneses restaurant is that they serve fresh housemade soba noodles. Location is on S. King Street on the left just past Punahou St. For the oldtimers, it’s where Dairyu used to be, go past where Cinerama used to be, in the small group of stores that includes the Obama Baskin Robbins. It’s a small space with about six tables and a counter, cozy, you won’t have any problems flagging down service. P1010887P1010964Visited twice, first time had the tenzaru soba, a standard that should be good to judge by. Noodles correctly “al dente”, tempura crisp and light, side dishes nice, tokyo negi for your noodles, the wasabi looks to be high percentage of real wasabi. Not the usual mystery mostly mustard/horseradish green paste. I don’t think it’s fresh grated, but it might be the 100% real from tube wasabi. Second visit I had the Battera Gozen with the upgrade to standard size noodle portion of the hot soba. The battera is wonderful, just the right amount of vinegaring.

Continue reading ‘Inaba Honolulu Restaurant’

Beer is Good – SA Variety pack, Scotch Ale

P1010962Pours with moderate head, a dark amber. An interesting ale. Distinctive aroma that I have a hard time describing. Smoky flavor coming from the featured peat smoked hops. Bitterness that tapers, an almost astringent middle, then lingers. A pretty robust brew, but not thick like a porter or stout. I’d give it close to 3 of 4 peat smoking monkeys.

Beer is Good – SA Variety Pack, Boston Ale

P1010961Pours with a medium head, medium amber with a red tint. Aroma of hops detectable, but not strong. Likewise a fairly strong bitter element that does linger for a bit. Also a touch of sweet feel, but not to the point that I find objectionable. Perhaps not my favorite of the pack, but still pretty smooth and drinkable, although I prefer it with some food rather than drinking it alone. 2.5 out of 4 monkeys.

Film Shoot?

09:10 2 MBB camera helos, 2 yellow MD 500D’s, and 2 matte OD Kiowas flying North from HNL. Wonder what film shoot they are for? The yellow eggs were D’s – not HFD’s NOTAR’s – and the Kiowas were not D models with the MMS.

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