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Showing posts with label Waikiki beach. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Waikiki beach. Show all posts

Monday, January 18, 2021

MAI TAI BAR - ROYAL HAWAIIAN HOTEL

ROYAL HAWAIIAN HOTEL
2259 KALAKAUA AVENUE
HONOLULU, HI 96815
808-923-7311
HOURS:  Daily 7AM -10:30AM / 11:30AM - 9PM

How nice was it to get out to Waikiki with the family and enjoy an afternoon lunch at The Royal Hawaiian Hotel.  We arrived to find the perfect table right up against the sand with an unobstructed view of the beach and Diamond Head.  There is probably no more iconic spot in Waikiki than The Royal Hawaiian.  In my younger days we ruled the beach in front of this hotel.  We stashed cases of beer in bags of ice and buried them in the sand.  Often we would bring a battery operated blender and make drinks for female visitors.  We would throw footballs, play frisbee and enjoy the water while catching a buzz and making new friends every day.  This was the life and I was lucky to enjoy for so long.  Fast forward to today and I am enjoying lunch overlooking the beach with my Wife of 23 years and 19 year old Daughter.  Sounds crazy but I am just as content now if not more than the wild days of my drunkin abandon.  While memories flooded my mind of the wild days spent on the beach, my attention turned to my family and I felt a bit of calm and just thanked to Lord for this day with them.  Enjoying Waikiki like a tourist was nice and being with my girls was even nicer.  I ordered a glass of champagne just because it felt like I needed a drink as this is all we did in Waikiki.  I took a sip or two and left 3/4 of the glass on the table.  Holy shit am I getting old or what.  We ordered the Poke as an appetizer.  It was fresh and so delicious.  My Daughter and I enjoyed the Cobb Salad.  This was a great salad with lots of Bacon, Avocado, Chicken and Roasted Corn.  The Bleu Cheese Crumbles and Dressing were delicious.  My Wife had the fresh Mahi Mahi and it was fantastic.  Super fresh.  Some how Truffle Fries ended up on the table for my Daughter.  She got to enjoy them all to herself since me and the Wife are going low carb.  Well I did taste one and my Wife had a few.  These fries are delicious.  I could have sat here for hours with my girls.  The service was excellent, the sky was overcast so it was comfortable and the view was pure Waikiki.  

AHI POKE

FRESH AHI POKE SO DELICIOUS

TRUFFLE FRENCH FRIES

COBB SALAD

FRESH MAHI MAHI

ENJOYING A DRINK WITH MY BFF

A VIEW THAT NEVER GETS OLD

STRIKE THAT POSE

THE ROYAL HAWAII SHOPPING CENTER



THATS ME IN THE MIDDLE BACK IN THE DAY 

ALWAYS IN FRONT OF ROYAL HAWAIIAN HOTEL IN MY YOUTH

CATAMARAN SAILING DAILY OFF WAIKIKI

MAKING NEW FRIENDS IN WAIKIKI

NEVER A DULL DAY ON WAIKIKI BEACH











 

Monday, May 18, 2020

WAIKIKI BEACH - COVID-19

WAIKIKI BEACH
COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Wanted to share some photos of what the normally busy Waikiki Beach looks like today during the COVID-19 Pandemic.  So sad to see all of the hotels, restaurants and businesses shuttered and boarded up.  Knowing that many of these small businesses won't make it back breaks my heart.
Knowing all of these hotel, restaurant and hospitality and travel workers are unemployed makes me sick. This is bad, really bad.  The normally packed Kalakaua Avenue is empty and void of tourists.  There are no Hula Dancers, Live music at Duke's, Mai Tai's by the pool or Japanese tourists spending money in the high end shops and turning red with sunburn.  There is no life.   












AFTER MONTHS WE WERE ABLE TO WALK ON THE BEACH AS A FAMILY