Friday, July 31, 2009

Texas, Here I Come!

I'm finally here in Texas! I came here once before and enjoyed it a lot! Now, i'm back again and I'm still loving it. I just hope I can meet some great people soon!

I started school today and on my way, I saw a beautiful sunrise on the bus this morning. The sun was amazingly large (almost unreal) and fiery red in color. I totally need to capture it on my camera! I've never seen anything like it.

It's also incredibly hot here. I arrived here yesterday and I feel like passing out at least once a day. LOL In fact, yesterday I walked from my room to the store and it was so hot that I had to stay inside of the store for an hour, while I sipped strawberry lemonade. I had only been walking for about 10 - 15 minutes too, but the heat sure can knock you out.

On my way back from school, I also walked since the bus was taking forever. My clothes were drenched. It was gross! Next week, it'll be 100 plus degrees! I guess i'll finally get a chance to experience that type of heat! Suppossedly, one of the students died from drinking too much water because of the heat. At the same time, people pass out from not drinking enough!

I'm also completely addicted to sweet tea! It's one of the greatest drinks ever. It's better than a soda in my eyes. Today, I bought a Red Diamond Sweet Tea at the convenient store. I should probably stay away from it since its loaded with sugar, but it's soooo good.

I've also seen a billion rabbits around and crickets! I'm waiting to see humongous Texas roaches too. As long as I don't see any snakes, I'll be happy.

Well, I'll be here for the next couple of weeks, so I hope to capture whatever I can on my camera! It's finally the weekend, so I'm ready to see what's out there!

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Tadashi Restaurant - Pearl Kai Shopping Center Hawaii

Tadashi, a Japanese restaurant located at the Pearl Kai Shopping center, is a great place for lunch or dinner. I enjoy eating here because the food is high quality and fresh. It is slightly obscure, hidden from most other restaurants, but it is still easy to find. The wait staff is professional and friendly.

Price range: $$



The sushi is awesome! It tastes so fresh.



Tonkatsu (pork cutlet) is an option for those of you who do not eat seafood! Steak is also available.



If you are like me and do not prefer meats such as pork or beef, there's always fish! Misoyaki butterfish is too delicious. Slightly sweetened by the miso flavor, Misoyaki butterfish is a must try item! It's one of my favorite.



We also received side dishes, tsukemono (pickled vegetables), rice, and soup. I always get "Teishoku" meals because they are the best deal for the amount of food.



Next time you crave Japanese food, give Tadashi a try! It's a great restaurant with a ton of options for those looking for fresh, great tasting food.

Monday, July 27, 2009

Hawaii Hot Dog Eating Contest

While walking towards Don Quijote, a supermarket here in Hawaii, I happened to notice a huge crowd. I wondered what was going on and decided to find out! I saw a videographer and several photographers. At first, I thought maybe, just maybe it could be someone famous! However, as I got closer, I saw contestants lined in a row in front of a long table. There were hot dogs in trays in front of each contestant and bottled water.

Contestants were given 10 minutes to eat as many hot dogs as possible. The winner earns a trip to Chicago.



The winner ate 18 hot dogs in 10 minutes!




I'm not sure who hurled, but someone did puke! One of the guys looked like he was going to hurl. Minutes later, I heard the crowd roar in disgust. I'm glad I didn't actually see him puke.



Suprisingly, one of the news stations came out for the event!




The contest was pretty interesting ... I wonder who will actually win at the national level! It seems like the skinny people somehow manage to win. I guess we'll see!

I definitely couldn't do it. Hot dogs gross me out. I give those guys a lot of credit!

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Camellia Restaurant - Pearl Kai Shopping Center Hawaii

Camelia Restaurant, one of my favorite places to eat Korean food, is located in the Pearl Kai Shopping Center in Pearl City. They not only serve Korean dishes, but Yakiniku is available too!

The food is reasonable here and the service quite good.

BTW, sorry about the blurry pictures! I guess it's a good excuse for me to go back sometime soon ... =)







The side dishes are an addition to your meal ... Everyone shares the side dishes, which are complimentary.



My friend seemed to enjoy his chicken, which was nice and spicy!



I'm addicted to these spicy soups ... For less than $10.00, I would say this meal is pretty reasonable, especially because it comes with rice and side dishes.

Hawaii - How Much Will $1675 for Rent Get You?

How much does it cost to rent where you live? In Hawaii, rent can be extremely high, especially in Waikiki. But somehow, my friend found an incredible apartment for $1675. Believe me, $1675 is a ton of money and more than I could ever afford. However, for an apartment in Waikiki, he sure did manage to find a deal!

I can see why people search Craig's list ... Then again, maybe looking like Nicholas Cage helped land him a deal. I really don't know! All I do know is that he is one lucky guy!










Friday, July 24, 2009

Surfing at Ala Moana Beach Park, Hawaii

My lesson for the photo walk at Ala Moana Beach Park was an "action shot." I can definitely see how tough it can be to follow a subject and then capture the right moment.

At the photowalk at Ala Moana Beach Park, I was shocked to see so many photographers! They were watching the surf, waiting for the right moment to capture a great shot. I also saw a photographer taking wedding photos for a couple. Very nice!

The highlight of the photowalk was running into someone we knew and being able to have that person model for the camera. It's a lot of fun to interact with others.




He totally could be a Jet Set model!



Here were some of the photos captured during the photo walk while following a subject. It took quite sometime, but it was cool to see the results.





I love this photo because it's so imperfect.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Ninja's in the Park



Of all people, I never thought I would see Ninja's at the park! They looked like they were practicing. Are they ninja's? I really wasn't sure! Maybe you could tell me ...

Ala Moana Beach Park - Solar Eclipse

At Ala Moana Beach Park yesterday, I had the chance to witness a partial solar eclipse! It was so awesome!

My friend and I went to the beach to go on a photo walk, which turned into much more! From a distance, I noticed a group of people setting up cameras and telescopes. It finally hit me when I realized that there would be a solar eclipse somewhere between 5-6 p.m. I couldn't wait!

Several UH Astronomy students set up telescopes and provided filtered glass to view the solar eclipse safely. One of the graduate students had a simulation of the eclipse on the computer too. It was pretty cool!





The sun sure was bright!



The UH Astronomy department provided filtered glass for on-lookers to use to keep one's eyes protected.



When looking through the filtered glass, I could see a green dot. I tried to capture the image on my camera, but it sure wasn't easy! The lower left is where we had to look to see the partial eclipse.

Ala Moana Beach Park

Yesterday was such an awesome day! I went to Ala Moana Beach Park to go on a photo walk with a friend. We encountered a million incredible things. It was so awesome!

Here are the photos from the beach ... There were tons of people at the beach, even though it was the late afternoon. The photos here are basic shots of some of the people at the beach and the scenery.







Monday, July 20, 2009

Diamond Head Crater - Hawaii

I love hiking and there's nothing better than a great view!

On Sunday, my friend and I hiked Diamond head. It's a short hike up the crater. It takes approximately 2 hours to go up and down the crater. The hike is definitely worth every step once you see the view!

It costs $5.00 for a vehicle to enter and only a $1 for walk-in hikers.



The begining of the hike is easy. It's on a paved, concrete path. Remember to use the restroom prior to hiking the trail because it's the only restroom at the park!



The hike slowly begins to get a little rocky as you walk...



Watch out for falling rocks!



Can you see the trail with all the people? It's the same trail the military once used.



The stairs were a tough climb! They can be quite steep. For those fearful of heights, you might not want to look back.





It can be dark in the tunnel, but lighting is available.



It can get quite tight in the spiral stair case!



Once you climb out, you'll see a spectacular view!



It's an awesome feeling to finally reach the top.









Before leaving the park, pick up a drink, fresh pineapple, shave ice, or other food items. You will definitely need to hydrate.



Diamond Head is a great place to hike, especially for beginners! It's fun, low-cost, and you'll leave with incredible images of the island.

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