Finally, A Faux Pho!

I've been jonesin' for a vegan Pho for soooo long. Every time I go to my local Vietnamese restaurant, Pho Cali in Sarasota, I'm teased by the tofu and vegetable Pho ... it's on the vegetarian part of the menu, so you would think it's veggie ... um, think again. They use chicken stock. Boo! I've asked for a veggie stock, but they won't do it (they're weird that way).

Anyway, while in Oahu recently, Kreg and I found the Saigon Noodle House in Kailua and my dreams of a veggie Pho finally became a reality. And man, that soup was freakin' GOOD! It was so worth the wait.

My faux Pho arrived in a huge bowl. Loaded up with tofu (which was pressed, marinated, and yummy), fresh veggies and rice noodles. Served on the side were bean sprouts, basil (which looked and tasted like Thai basil) and lime. The broth was good, but a little bland ... a good base to start building flavors. I added some hoisin sauce, then the Sriracha hot sauce, the basil, bean sprouts, etc. Outstanding. I enjoyed the entire bowl, right down to the last slurp!

Besides having the veggie Pho, we also tried the papaya salad with tofu, veggie sandwich with tofu, and curry tofu with eggplant.

Everything was fresh and delicious. The papaya salad was so refreshing. The flavors exploded in your mouth - citrusy, salty, and with a little bit of sweetness. The different textures of crunchy peanuts, crisp green papaya and smooth marinated tofu worked so well together. The tofu was some of the best I've ever had. It was firm but not hard and it had a slight smokiness.

Next up was the curry tofu and eggplant, this was Kreg's choice. We weren't sure what to expect, since there are so many different types of curry. This one was a yellow curry and sort of reminded us of a cross between an Indian curry and a Singapore curry. The tofu was fried and had a really nice soft texture inside. Watch out though because this dish had some heat. The kind of heat that doesn't hit you at first but then sneaks up the back of your throat. I like hot foods, so it didn't bother me. Kreg on the other hand, found it a little too spicy. So, to cool his mouth down a bit, he decided to order the veggie tofu sandwich. This was a small baguette stuffed with veggies and marinated tofu. Simple, effective at putting out a mouth fire and yummy.

As far as ambiance goes, the place is pretty utilitarian. Nothing fancy here ... mismatched dishes, plain tables & chairs, fluorescent lighting, and one wall covered with illuminated photos of the food. It's a locals place -- casual, come as you are -- and we loved it. The staff were fantastic, they totally got the vegan thing which is a joy. We didn't have to worry about fish sauce, etc. And, you cannot beat the prices ... nothing was more than $7. In fact, we enjoyed this place so much, we were back the next day for lunch!!! (We had combo plates -- papaya salad with veggie spring rolls for Kreg and vermicelli salad with spring rolls (Vietnamese bun) for me. So much food, so good, and only $6.25 each.)

My only regret ... I wish we would have found Saigon Noodle House at the beginning of our trip rather than at the end!



Saigon Noodle House
Enchanted Lakes Shopping Center
1020 Keolu Dr
Kailua, HI 96734

Bring the Bug Spray

Maunawili Falls Trail

Stream crossings, lots of steps, and a deep-pool waterfall await on this three(ish)-mile trail on Oahu's windward coast. Bring the bug spray since this can be a wet one.

We started our day at Lanikai Juice in Kailua. An acai bowl with extra granola would be needed to get me through this hike. We're still not sure how long the hike is, could be three miles round trip, could be five. Who knows! Luckily, the trail is really close to Kailua, so it didn't take us very long to get there.

There is no designated parking for trail users. We parked in the Maunawili subdivision on Kelewina Street. Make sure you remove all valuables from your car as break-ins are a common occurrence on Oahu (don't believe me, just look at all of the broken glass on the ground.)


The hike starts with a paved access road that leads you to the trail head. Follow the signs and head out. From this point on you'll be walking on a dirt path that can be overgrown with tree roots in spots and covered with leaves in others (yeah, I'm a klutz... I tripped several times!). Be careful, the path can become very slick and muddy at the slightest rain.

You'll pass strawberry guava trees (Kreg wanted to eat the guavas but some pretty little birds beat him to it - this hike started his obsession with strawberry guava), banana trees, bamboo, loads of torch ginger, heliconia, lobster claw, and ti plants. I was drooling over the gingers and lobster claws, they were so cool ... just growing in the middle of nowhere!

Ready to get wet? Cause I did. Well, if you can boulder hop those feet may stay dry! The three stream crossings are not bad at all. The water is shallow (unless there's been a heavy rain) and there are many spots to hop across. Some of the rocks can be slippery (I realized this first hand and went tumbling into the stream). So, if you don't feel like jumping from rock to rock just wade across (this became my technique, since I was wet already). After one of the stream crossings is a really cool embedded rock pathway, it's a welcome relief to the roots-ridden dirt path.


Eventually, the trail starts to gain some altitude. You'll climb up some rustic steps, and some more rustic steps, and yes, even more rustic steps! At the top, you'll be awarded with great views of the Ko'olaus Mountains and realize how out of shape you are. We were huffing and puffing! Breathe in the views (ie, catch your breath) and get ready to hit the falls.

Keep following the markers and start descending the steps to the gulch. It's a lot of steps ... take some time at the falls to recharge, cause you'll be climbing back up all of those stairs you've just walked down!

The falls are beautiful, tucked away in a canopy of trees with dappled light shimmering on the pool. Now is the time to bust out the bug spray. The mosquitoes love the falls (and my blood!) too. We were lucky to have the falls to ourselves, well I guess we kinda shared them with the mosquitoes!

A lot of people jump off the cliffs into the deep pool, just check out some of the videos on youtube. We didn't. It's a long way down (and I don't really like heights), plus there are all of these warning signs about stream water having Leptospirosis. So use your own judgement.

Ok, remember all of those steps you climbed down to get to the falls ... well, it's time to visit them again. This time going up! Whew! Those steps are not normal steps, they're like twice the height of regular stairs. Killer.

You'll reach the top again, but from here on out, it's all downhill! It's a good idea to start this one early morning (like before 8 a.m.) for a couple of reasons. 1, it gets hot at the top and 2, it gets crowded. As we were hiking out, we passed several groups heading to the falls.

Overall, I really liked this hike. I tried to stay dry by being cautious ... forget that! It's way more fun bounding over the rocks, running through the stream and getting muddy. Enjoy.

Coconuts & Kahuku Corn

No scenic drive along Oahu's North Shore is complete without a stop at one of the shrimp trucks. They all claim to be the "original" much like the many "original" Ray's Pizza places in NYC. Well, being a vegan the fresh-farmed shrimp really weren't the attraction, we were on the lookout for the Kahuku corn. We kept on reading about how great this corn is, and that it's supposed to be the best friggin' corn ever. After the 10th sign for fresh Kahuku corn, we were sold! Only problem, most trucks and farm stands were selling it uncooked. Finally, we spot a place that has it available cooked ... enter Fumi's Shrimp truck.

We pull into the parking lot and the place was packed. People everywhere were chomping down on the fresh shrimp (apparently the best dish was the garlic shrimp cause Fumi tried to sell me on it). I said, "I'm not here for the shrimp, I'm here for the corn!" So, Fumi hands me the hot unbuttered corn and we eat.

I think Kreg's face says it all ... the corn is HORSE corn. It was so starchy and tough, I couldn't eat mine (plus, I was full from drinking that enormous coconut!).

Oh well, Fumi's was a bust. At least I got my fresh coconut!

The Best Veggie Dog, ever!

Puka Dog in Hawaii makes the most awesome hot dogs, brah! We first found this place in Poipu, Kauai a couple of years ago. Being a vegetarian, I was so delighted to see that they made a veggie dog. And it was so amazing. The dog was grilled and then inserted into the "puka" or hole in the bun, then you've got your choice of exotic relishes. My fave is a veggie dog with the spicy garlic sauce, coconut & pineapple relishes, and lilikoi wasabi mustard! Finish it off with some Maui onion chips and fresh-squeezed lemonade ... ah, hot dog heaven!


Puka Dog
Waikiki Town Center, Oahu
Poipu Shopping Village, Kauai
www.pukadog.com

Fresh, Pure Hawaiian!

Lanikai Juice in Kailua is one of my favorite places. Sure, it's just a smoothie place but they use locally grown produce and lots of organic ingredients in their yummy drinks and bowls.

My choice on most days is the acai bowl. It's a really thick smoothie made of acai, bananas, strawberries and a splash of apple juice. The smoothie mixture is then topped with locally-made granola and sliced bananas. I like to customize and usually add a little extra granola and some honey on top.

The acai extravaganza bowl has double the acai in the smoothie and added on top are grated coconut and fresh berries. The extravaganza used to be my favorite, but now it's just too much for me to eat. It's a huge bowl, two people could share it.

On the smoothie side, I love the Kailua Monkey. It's a peanut butter and banana-based smoothie, with soy protein in your choice of vanilla or chocolate. Um, chocolate all the way, yeah.

Lanikai Juice is all vegetarian, and there are lots of vegan chioces. I wish they used a soy yogurt because a lot of their drinks have yogurt listed as an ingredient.

Enjoy.

Lanikai Juice
600 Kailua Rd
Kailua, HI 96734
(808) 262-2383
www.lanikaijuice.com

Finally!

Things are finally starting to change at Starbucks. And I am so freaking excited. Not only did my drink get a buck cheaper (yay for the free soymilk & syrup shots!!!)

Now Buckys has TOP POT DONUTS!!! OMG. I am dying to try one of those delish looking creations. Too bad I'm on the points.

(I was going to get one tomorrow, but then I decided to check the nutritional info ... big mistake, ignorance would have been bliss. That donut has a whooping 480 calories! Yikes.)

have you seen this gnome?

so, i brought a gnome into work for a coworker... he's decorating his office and i thought gnomie would make a great addition!

anyway, gnomie enjoys getting into trouble. check out this video.



that gnomie he's always into something!


well, after a few days of living it up at the office. gnomie has disappeared. a few days later the first photos of his exploits (and a ransom note) hit our inbox.

so, if you've seen this gnome. let me know.

he's been playing beer pong (looked like he lost cause he was passed out next to the keg), shooting guns and drinking rum. who knows what he is up to now.

The Big Promise!

Things are finally starting to go my way at Starbucks! Last week, Buckys closed up shop one evening to retrain the staff. I guess competition is heating up in the coffee market and people are going elsewhere for a cheaper, hotter latte.

The new "promise" is ... Your drink should be perfect, every time. If not, let us know and we’ll make it right.

Well, you know I'll be taking advantage of that. I know I have a custom drink order, but it's not that difficult. Grande, soy, chai latte, no water, no foam, 200 degrees, and filled to the top. It's very specific, and I'll let them slide on the foam, I just want the drink hot and filled up. I hate it when they leave like 2 inches of space cause of the foam. Most of the time I get a hassle over the temperature. It's not dairy, it won't curdle. Heat that soy up!!!!

Anyway, I'm very happy about the new customer friendly attitude. In fact, I got an apology the day after the training. A new barista at my local apologized for giving me attitude about not wanting to make the devil's hot latte.

It was nice to be acknowledged and the free drink coupon didn't hurt either!

My Amber Alert

Time is of the essence and my folks are on it.

Yesterday I had to go out on an assignment after lunch. So, I drive home and then have a coworker pick me up so we could go shoot some photos. Well, my folks decide to pull a pop-in on me ... I guess they expected me to be home since they saw my car in the driveway. They come into the house, the dogs are barking, they call out for me, no answer. Then they check the garage and see the scooter there, they think they see my handbag on the dining room table, and then the wheels in their senior-moment heads start spinning.

Where's kim, where's kim?

They call my cell phone a couple of times and no answer. Now they're really freaking out, they go outside to see if I'm face down in the pool, they check the bushes around the house ... they decide I must have been abducted.

Good thing they decide to call my cell one last time, AND I actually hear the ring and pick up. They were quite relieved to hear my voice, cause the next number they were dialing was 911. For real.

Why would they think of abduction first!!! They never even thought (1) call kreg at work, (2) maybe she went out with a friend, (3) maybe she walked some place (4) anything other than abduction! They're nuts!!!

See, the pieces of the puzzle are coming together.

a haiku for hellga

with your thunder thighs
you destroy your opponents
fierce viking hellga

we got one!!!!!

we've been having raccoon problems. big problems, like the coons using the pool and hot tub for their own private poopoo parties. it's friggin disgusting. how many times can i super-chlorinate the pool. i don't want to catch some kind of raccoon poo disease. we tried to deter them from going near the pool by putting up the baby gate. that didn't work... they just slip underneath it. so we've had to resort to trapping them. well, after catching our cat twice, we finally got ONE. i was really happy that the trap worked and that the raccoon will be relocated to a less suburban area (well, that's what the pest guy said). anyway, i'm feeling kinda guilty cause when i went to take the picture of the raccoon i could see he was pretty freaked out. i just hope he likes his new home and i hope his family joins him too!

super soup!

i'll write more later about my awesome veggie tom yum soup.