Filling The Puka 10 Years Strong

The Ohana at Puka Dog Hawaiian Style Hotdogs invites you to help celebrate

10 YEARS

Sunday, August 1, 2010

10:00 am - 10:00 pm

Waikiki Town Center
2301 Kuhio Avenue, #2

11:00 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. – Prize giveaways from Island Tat Clothing

11:30 a.m. – Live performance by contemporary group, Easy Street

12:45 p.m. – Live performance by pop singer, Sheila Marie

1:15 p.m. – Live performance by rock band, Ogle Tree

2:30 p.m. – Hip Hop dance performance by 808 Breakers

Photo Courtesy of Puka Dog Hawaiian Style Hotdogs

Puka Dog owner, Dominique Quinette is inviting the public to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Puka Dog Hawaii. As a way to give back to the community that has helped her business, Quinette will be donating 100% of the proceeds from Sunday's event to the Hawaii Foodbank. Annually the Hawaii Foodbank helps more 183,000 people statewide.

Happy 10th Anniversary Puka Dog Hawaiian Style Hotdogs! For more information about Puka Dogs visit pukadog.com

Judge Temporarily Halts Oahu Trash Shipments to WA State

U.S District Court judge Edward Shea issued a temporary restraining order on Thursday, denying Hawaiian Waste Systems to ship trash to Washington state.

The Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation are suing because they believe that the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) did not adequately analyze the environmental impacts that Hawaii’s garbage may have on Washington.

Hawaiian Waste Systems plans on shipping thousands of garbage bales to Washington’s Roosevelt Landfill as a solution to avoid the need of expansion of the Waimanalo landfill on Oahu’s Leeward side. The waste company has said that they have developed a process where each garbage bail is checked carefully and that a 8-layer wrapping seal creates a toxic situation where all living organisms eventually die within days.

According to court documents, an environmental analysis that was conducted in May failed to engage any specifics regarding the impacts that the trash shipments would have on Washington’s ports, road travel and the Roosevelt Landfill.

Roosevelt Landfill is located near the tribes hunting, gathering and fishing grounds. The Yakama Nation argue that without thorough analysis, invasive species from Hawaii will contaminate the tribes environmental resources and logging industry.

Thousands of garbage bales remain at Campbell Industrial Park and have been there for the past nine months. The issue will taken up again in a hearing on August 30th in Yakama, Washington.

This is my work and you can see additional coverage of this story at Hawaii News Now

THE ESSENCE OF CHANGE:
Learn to embrace change and you'll begin to recognize that life is in constant motion and every change happens for a reason. When you see boundaries as opportunities, the world becomes a limitless place and your life begins a journey of change that always finds its way.

Mars Will Never Understand Venus

When it comes to men understanding women, to me men or sometimes boys, they fall into three categories in my book. They either don't understand, think they understand or understand to an extent but because they are from the other gender they can't totally relate.

Till this day, some woman are stereotyped to be that stay at home person that cooks and cleans. Although some woman do that, some men put pressure on women that have other career endeavors and expect them to be domesticated. Yeah it may be tradition for some to learn how to keep a good house in order but then at the same time who says that tradition can't be modified? I mean I can cook some. I'm no stranger to tackling a dirty situation but at the same time don't dog on me because I'm probably not going to be a picture perfect house wife. I'm sorry if my ways don't please you but discovering new ways to understand the world around us by getting involved, finding new ways to further my career and trying new things that will help me become a better person gives me a sense of drive that I just can't get from being at home or by being with a guy. Some women are just on different tracks and I'd rather select the track of trying to be a decent trophy wife not a housewife.

What men don't realize is yes, we as women have come a long way. Women were treated like minorities back in the day.  However for some reason in this society, male dominance still exists and it just makes me proud to see that the female gender is slowly getting the respect that they deserve. Try being a woman that is of minority decent. Talk about twice the resistance. I'm thankful for a lot of the women that have paved the way for future generations like Rosa Parks, Maya Angelou and Dolores Huerta. The women that cracked at that glass ceiling and proved that women were just as good as men in the work field like Janet Reno, Sally Ride, and Oprah. I'm not on a feminist approach or anything, I just truly think that most guys fail to understand where women are coming from at times.

I know that women will never fully understand men but seriously, don't take this the wrong way fellas but we have it twice as hard. Women have to give endure child labor, are considered too emotional when we think to much with our hearts and then when we actually stand up for ourselves and what we believe in, we are considered to be a biabia or on our menstrual. I know that there are stereotypes that are associated with men but I often feel that women are targeted more and are seen as the weaker gender.

Just when you fellas are about to go off at a girl because she is irritating the hell out of you, please take some things into consideration. There are a lot of girls that I know that love shopping, love getting their nails did and love spending time with the other females (all of the things some guys just roll their eyes at) but don't get it twisted because there is a lot more to our stature then what meets the eye. Sure there are a lot of girls that sometimes give females a bad name but know this.. I know more than a handful of women that can school you men/boys on the current events that are currently affecting our nation, could probably sprawl and counter clock to your single leg shot and could probably make you feel inferior just by one look. Just because we are women doesn't mean that we don't deserve to be respected and appreciated. So fellas, if there are females that have been rubbing you the wrong way maybe its because you haven't acknowledged her in the right retrospect. Give and you shall receive.

So the next time you call a female a DIVA for being the power-willed woman that she is, just remember that you may never understand her rigorous journey. Don't hate on a girl that is aggressive in trying to make it in this world. She is not only trying to succeed to fulfill her own personal goals but is probably also doing it to represent all of the other women that are going through the same struggle.


"i'm a diva, best believe her, you see her, she getting paid. she ain't callin' him to greet her, don't need him, her bed's made...diva is a female version of a hustla."

This is for...

"My will shall shape the future. Whether I fail or succeed shall be no man's doing but my own. I am the force. I can clear any obstacle before me or I can be lost in the maze. My choice. My responsibility. Win or lose, only I hold the key to my destiny."

- Elaine Maxwell

This is for every girl who managed to stay strong after a bad break up. After waiting countless nights for him to text or to call, for always being so patient and understanding, and who thought that through the pain that love would pull through.

This is for the girl who held it down through the good, the bad, and the ugly.

This is for the girl who swallowed their pride, held back the tears, and bit their lip through the pain.

This is for the girl who put their man before their own selfishness, even if it was the selfishness of keeping their man close.

This is for the girl who watched the person they love love someone else.

This is for the girl who went the extra mile, who dressed up, put on a little makeup, put in a little effort just to impress.

This is for the girl who thought they could spend forever with their man.

This is for the girl who dreamed of the perfect house, kids, and dog.

This is for the girl who still can't imagine growing old with any other.

This is for the girl who gave it their all, and who still would give it up after all this time.

This post is for you ladies, no matter how painful the struggle of love is, don't forget that you are beautiful, and that you possess the greatest gift that somebody could ever receive.

Stay strong, stay gold.

Letter 2: Someone You Wish You Could Meet

Dear Baby Taylor,

I know that I have never met you but I wish I could have held you at least once. I wish I could have glanced into your gleaming eyes. I wish I could have learned more about you and help you with the life that was waiting ahead of you.

The love that I have for you is small but it has impacted me so much as a person. No matter how many years pass, no matter where life takes me, you know that I will have a special place for you. For me you would have been my first to many things and I thought about all the things we could have done.

Your mother loved you dearly and tried her best to hold on to you as long as she could. Your father wishes that the situation was different. You would have been precious and I know that you would have brought so much joy to the people that you would have met in your life.

I know that you weren't given a chance at life since it was cut so short but if I could, I would have traded mines for yours. When there was nothing else left to do, we all broke down and a part of me went with you when you were taken away. You would have been great my love...sooo great.


Always Thinking of You,
Big Ma

Rest In Paradise Baby (July 7, 2010)

Art & Flea Market

The Art &Flea event will be full of featured vintage collectors, clothing designers, DIYers, independent artists, handmade aficionados and anyone with a unique sense of what’s cool and to sell their goods.

ART & FLEA

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Fresh Café 831 Queen St, Honolulu, HI

5 - 9pm Market (All ages)

9 - 2am After Party (18+)

COST FREE BEFORE 9PM

$6 after 9pm in support of the participating musicians

Drink specials at the bar.

** New vendors, musicians and interested sponsors are welcome to join! Please send inquiries to artandflea@gmail.com or call 808.222.4118

July’s Featured Artists & Designers:

Jeremy Strength (website)

Erik Patton

Grady Gillin (website)

Manny Pangilinan

John Hook

Erica Miller (website)

LA Pistil (website)

MaruMaru (website)

Unleash Studios (website)

Danielle London (website)

Reva Canali

Catwings Couture

Sassy Lassy

Ruth Shiroma Foster (website)

Music Line-Up:

Uvovu+Yeda

Shopping List (website)

Persian Excursion

Narwhal

DJ CAPECOD.

Creators:

Aly Ishikuni: Owner/Designerof Mechakawa Vintage & lead singer of electro-pop band, ALT/AIR.

Nicole Franco: Event Planner, Owner/ Designer of MiSH MaSH.

Tiffany Tanaka: Owner of the former Honolulu DIY store The Candy Shop and current owner of Wesellthings4U and Fresh Café.

“Our goal is to create an outlet for local vendors and artists to grow their business as well as sell their creations and collections with limited overhead,” said co-founder, Nicole Franco “We wanted to put a fresh spin of your typical flea market providing a place where shoppers can be sure to find something hip and unique... [we] hope to join forces with others to create one huge market someday.”

"No weapon formed against me shall prosper...no matter how hard u try I'm built for this."

Hawaii Dancer Shares His Janet Jackson Journey

18-year-old Lake Smits is in the islands soaking up as much Hawaiian sun as he can get before dance rehearsals in LA. He stopped by Hawaii News Now on Friday to share his journey dancing with one of the world’s biggest pop stars, Janet Jackson.

Smits started dancing as a kid, trying to impersonate Janet’s brother Michael by trying to impersonate his famous moon walk. He started performing by doing musicals through a school music program. Smits sister started to audition for musical parts when she was in high school and he was encouraged to audition as well.

Smits wanted to join one of Hawaii’s prestigious dance companies, 24/7 Danceforce, but the cost to take classes at the company was just too expensive. During one of Smits musical performances, 24/7 Danceforce director, Marcelo Pacleb noticed potential and approached him with a dance scholarship when he was 12.

Fresh out of high school, Smits auditioned for Hawaii’s dance show, Destination Groove Dance Hawaii and he took it as a booster to audition for a bigger show. He planned on auditioning for So You Think You Can Dance in California but also heard that Christina Aguilera was auditioning dancers as well. Smits flew to the mainland early to make Aguilera’s audition and was spotted by Janet Jackson’s choreographer Gil Dildilao, who is also from Hawaii. He still remembers the call that launched his dance career.

“One day after college, I’m driving home and I got the call and he literally just told me. [he said] I got two jobs for you. I knew who it was and I was like oh don’t even tell me Janet Jackson and then he says, so Janet and right when I heard those two words, I was like ahhh. I knew already and I was so stoked,” said Smits.

The Hawaii dancer admits that he was star struck when he met the multi-platiunum artist and it became all too real to be dancing for the sister of the man that inspired him to dance. Smits says that although Janet Jackson is an international star, to him and the other dancers she is one the sweetest people.

“She really took us in. She is very motherly. She took us out to eat, she talks to us, she doesn’t keep her distance.”

Some of his fondest memories throughout his dancing career surrounds the Jackson legacy. As a 24/7 dancer he remembers gliding across the stage in front of thousands at the Pro Bowl’s half time show. His fondest memory as professional dancer was dancing with Janet by himself and ending the dance routine by kissing her cheek.

The Kaneohe boy says that he has learned so much being away from the islands and is grateful to have met hard working people with great work ethics.

“Before I did this, I wasn’t sure if dancing was something that I could do, to make it. So once I got this it kind of reminded me what I love to do and how I have so much passion for it.”

Being a young kid from Hawaii, he hopes that his peers continue to strive for their dreams.

“Do whatever you have to do to be inspired. Don’t give up. Even if you have to throw yourself in a situation that is uncomfortable like leaving home...just the experience is worth it because you are only learning more about yourself as a person.”

Lake Smits & Janet Jackson

(Courtesy of Lake Smith) 

This is my work and you can see additional coverage on this story at HawaiiNewsNow.

Being Too Comfortable

All of the serious relationships that I have been in , they have all past a year and a half. After seeing Sex In The City 2, it really made me think about what makes a relationship work. Some people say that the main things are the willingness to compromise and the willingness to love unconditionally. Although that may be somewhat true, I have to admit that the one thing that kept my longest relationship going had to be the surprises.

My girlfriend Nicole and Rach agreed with me when we had a GNO. It’s true. Good surprises at the right time can make all the difference in the world for a girl. Surprises will sometimes help reassure her that she has a good man at her side that understands her. Surprises could also reassure him that she will always be there through thick and thin. I mean what girl does not appreciate those “just because” flowers or those unexpected “just me and you” candle light dinners. Those simple texts of “I love you” just when you had a bad day or waking up to breakfast in bed after pulling an all nighter.

I think that having lack of surprises in a relationship often times makes the relationship seem to comfortable. I mean don’t get me wrong, releasing a pfft fart here and there and waking up to your love in the morning with stank AM breath is a sign of being comfortable but that is a different type of comfortable. Being in sweats, hair tied, chilling with no make-up on and the basketball shorts, hair not gelled and posted with a white-tee is a type of “I accept you for the person that you are” type of comfortable.

 I’m talking about the other type of comfortable. I’m talking about the “she knows she got it good here” type of comfortable. The “he probably gonna marry me” type of comfortable. You see, those types of comfortable are never guaranteed. I feel like every person in a relationship should never get too comfortable to the point where they think that their other half will never up and leave them one day because you just don't know that.

 Now this is where whole loop of surprises comes in. You see having surprises keeps your other half on their toes. It shows your boyfriend/girlfriend that you care for them that much to always be thinking of ways to show them that you love them. All of us know that many times after the honey-moon stage, that is where the surprises stop. However to me…whether big or small, it’s the effort that makes it good in my books. The little post-its on your lunch bag where he tells you that you are beautiful or an unexpected package in the mail with your name on it, inside a fresh jacket that you’ve been spotting online. Where you send him emails just to tell him that you are thinking about him or where you stop by the grocery store to grab her favorite ice cream for movie night. To me, its those little things that count.

 If you don’t remember the last time you’ve done something nice for your better half, most likely—they probably don’t remember the last time either. The thing is, the "honey-moon stage" should never be considered just a phase. Who needs a special holiday or an anniversary date to do something nice? The "honey-moon stage" is a continuous process that keeps the spark alive and is what keeps the love going.

Love Goes A Long Way (Pt.2)

(continued from Part 1)

Beep beep. Beep beep. Chris texts Sara, "I hope that you arrived at your destination safely. " 200 miles away from home, she slips her hand into her purse as she holds her presentation notes in front of her. As soon as she sees his name, she can't help but smile and think to herself, "what does he want this time, he knows that I'm out of town." As she presses the open button and reads Chris' message, she remembered that he wanted the pictures from the previous night. "What is your email?"

After a long day of presenting how molecular cells could be altered in order to prevent genetic distress in future offsprings, Sara decides to stay in on a Friday night by rewarding herself with quality time with the couch and some room service. As she waits for her cheeseburger and chocolate-covered strawberries to arrive, she flips through the TV channels to entertain herself. With her laptop and cell phone on the table, she decides to complete the deed that she had promised. Sara snags her phone and sends, "pictures sent."

As Sara indulged in her chocolate covered strawberries while lounging and watching Sex In The City, her cell phone starts to ring. She picks up her cell phone with a strawberry in the other and she can't help but put on that same smile. Why was he calling? What are we going to talk about? Is he drunk? As all of those questions scanned through her head, she picked up his call. "Hello?" "Hey, I just wanted to call you to tell you thanks for the pictures," said Chris. Cheeks gleaming, "you're welcome, hope you enjoy them. I know what we had a great time kickin' it with you guys."

The conversation began to build by tranisitioning through subjects. What does your parents do? What high school did you go to? How did you and so and so become friends? The subjects kept going on and on...the laughs got louder and louder. Smiles on both ends got bigger and bigger. They talked so long that the sun popped up to greet the city good morning. Then the enivitable question, "You dating anyone Sara?" "Umm. Not that I know of. Are you?" With a pause Chris replied back, "No." A night that happened so seamlessly and from one conversation to the next, it became a nightly routine.

Sara will never forget the words that summed up their status from single to dating. "You know Sara, I feel like I've known you from another life." Those words were mutually felt and from that point on, she knew that she could not miss out on an opportunity like this. An opportunity to find out where it could lead her, an opportunity at something that she felt would never come back. The feeling of falling in love.

"Just when I thought I said all I can say."

Letter 1: Sibling

Dear Boo boo,

I remember when I first laid my eyes on you. You were so small and fragile and tomorrow will mark one year of your existence. I'll be honest, I wasn't too excited when I found out mommy was pregnant with you because of the age difference but with these past 12 months...I've learned to love you more and more each day. 

I've watched you try new food, utter your first words, and now learning how to walk. Even though people think that you are my son at times, it's ok because you have truly taught me how to nurture love. Kissing you bye in the morning and seeing you smile when I come home at night gives me all the support that I need to keep going everyday.

I remember when you were only three months old. We were in my room and I held you close in my arms trying to caress you to sleep at 3am. That very second you laid your head on my chest and wrapped your tiny fingers around mine, I remember kissing your forehead as I whispered, "I'll protect you forever." 

As long as I live boo boo, I'll be here to protect to you, care for you and love you. I'll be here to listen to you when mommy and pops don't quite understand your generation. I'll be here to give you advice when those girls give you a hard time and most of all I'll be here when you feel like you got no one else. 

--Your Manang

"To be nobody but yourself in a world that's doing its best to make you somebody else, is to fight the hardest battle you are ever going to fight. Never stop fighting."

-E.E Cummings