my new favorite Kuma Hula . . . not that there's anything wrong with with that

昨日

i had to look up that word too.  a "kuma hula" is a hula master.  the guy (who is truly in incredible shape)(not that there is anything wrong with that) is the Kuma Hula for a local halau (hula dance group) called Hula Halau o Keali'i o Nalani (try saying that three times in a row) here in  West Los Angeles.  his name is Keali'i Ceballos and of course, the guy singing is the wonderful million cd-selling singer and also hula dancer Keali'i Reichel.  Keali'i the singer said he was grateful to have Keali'i the dancer as his friend.  i liked that he said that.  grateful, such a great word and feeling to have for someone.  tonikaku, the first song i remember hearing of Keali'i Reichel is  E O Mai (which is also name of the cd that the song is on and the cd i am listening to now).  Tracy, Ryan and i were on our way to Oahu in october of 1997.  the song was played on the inflight entertainment video featuring the beauty of the Hawaiian Islands and the songs of Keali'i Reichel.  it was played in the Honolulu airport.  it was played in shops and on the radio during our week in the land of Aloha.  and if you know me well enough,  you will remember who Tracy and Ryan were.  and if you remember them, you will remember why we went to Hawaii.  that was 10 years and another lifetime ago.

今日

another lazy saturday but i did get a few things done.  i walked to the market for some groceries but first stopped by and talked with Dan at the CVS "one minute clinic".  Dan is the nurse who helped me with my bronchitis a couple of months ago.  today i stopped by hoping he would be working to check my throat.  he checked a few things and suggested . . . white bread and a big glass of water.  and if the pain in my throat persists to see an Ear Nose and Throat specialist in a couple of days.  after talking to him about the state of my airline and the possibility of me taking another leave i took my leave and walked to the dry cleaners to drop off my uniform pants.  Dan also told me he didn't have to go to Iraq.  i was glad to hear that.  i am sure his family and friends are too.  and then i walked to Ralph's for a backpack full of groceries.  on the way home i stopped by Kathy's to see if Tony could give me a haircut.  he did. now it is really short.

i took the bus around 5pm to the end of the beach and skated to Redondo Beach Pier to hear some live Cuban music.  as i skated up, Wayne flagged me down.  we stayed for a very entertaining hour until the band took a break.  there were some very good dancers and a big crowd of Latin music enthusiasts. we walked to his car which was about a 15 minute walk from the beach.  he drove me home for the second night in a row.  i gave him the short cut directions thru the neighborhood where i normally do my long walks.  he had never been thru these backstreets even though he has lived here for 70 or is it 80 of his 90 years.

watching Charangoa

Charangoa

5 or 6 palm trees in Veteran's Park

could it be a real "Aloha Friday"?

happy 4th of July.  i am still thinking should i take it easy and walk down to my beach for some fireworks over the ocean.  or, take a bus and the subway to MacArthur Park for a night of Hawaiian music at the Levitt Pavilion.  this event is a rare opportunity to see some of the most famous singers from Hawaii, and i think there will be some hula dancers too.  the event is called One Hawai'i

It is an "Aloha 4th of July Friday" 

Ladies and Gentleman. . . 

K e a l i ' i   R e i c h e l

One Hawaii. . . Keali'i Reichel, Na Leo Pilimehana and Weldon Kekauoha

Aureana Tseu doing the "do the hula" hula with Na Leo.

well, i think you should be able to tell what i did today.  and i am glad i went.  i almost did not go due to having to wait an hour for a bus to go to downtown LA. apparently the Metro trip planner didn't know it was a holiday today and that the buses were on a "holiday" schedule.  but, i waited and eventually the bus did come. after reaching downtown (about an hour later) and hurrying down the two long escalators i reached the subway platform. i didn't have to wait but a few minutes for the Red Line subway to show up and take me one stop to the West Lakes/ MacArthur Park station.  i am glad i waited the hour for the bus.  the One Hawai'i concert was wonderful but it was made more memorable but my music-listening-friend.  about 15-20 minutes before the concert began, Wayne showed up to hear the Hawaiian music.  if you remember a post or two or three ago, Wayne just celebrated his 90th birthday.  he told me today he was out boating in the morning but felt good enough to drive to north Redondo Beach and then take the Green Line to the Blue Line to the Red Line on the subway in order to make it to the park for this Hawaiian concert.  after the concert we walked back to the subway station but first we stopped to listen to some music at the other end of the park which was having a Mexican 4th of July celebration with rides, food venders and live music. and now for one of the most interesting parts of our journey back to the South Bay... we could see so many fireworks from the subway train as we passed thru the different areas of LA.  while we were waiting for the Green Line subway to show up, we could see more fireworks in more locations at the same time, more than i have ever seen. incredible.  finally we reached the end of the line at Redondo Beach and Wayne drove me home. truly one of my best 4th of julys. . .

since last year in Seattle.