Monday, April 30, 2012

Aloha to the Real NCIS of Pearl Harbor



Move over the Real Housewives of TV Land.  I've got the Real NCIS of Pearl Harbor.    

 On Sunday, my children and I ventured over
to the NCIS office on Pearl Harbor.  
 

Do you think agents where Aloha shirts?

You can't miss the office from either direction.

To the right is the "fence line" to Hickam Field.
(frequent spot for H50 filming).
The base is now called
Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam.


Not quite the glamorous building as TV.

I wonder if the agents are as endearing as Gibbs.

At least the building is safe!
   
This sign enables Abby to process evidence quickly.

Who wants this parking spot? 


Are you a fan of any TV drama?  One randomly selected commenter from this week's blogs wins a book choice from my convention stash.  This giveaway is open to all readers.  Comments are open through Saturday, May 5, 10 pm in Hawaii.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, May 6.


Mahalo,


Kim in Hawaii


The crossover is complete with a visit
to  Kamekona's shrimp truck!









Sunday, April 29, 2012

Aloha to Spam Jam in Waikiki Beach!


We have a winner from last week's blogs - Jane!

My travel buddies, Renee and Nadja, are also winners as they scored tickets to the advance screening of BATTLESHIP at the Navy's historic Sharkey Theater.  I'll post the link to their reviews when available.   Meanwhile, the Hawaii Food Bank is a winner from SPAM JAM on Waikiki Beach.   From its website (at this link),

The WAIKIKI SPAM JAM®Festival is a street festival that celebrates the people of Hawaii's love for SPAM®products a canned meat from Hormel Foods. In Hawaii, you will find SPAM®family of products at all grocery and convenience stores, many restaurants and in most homes in Hawaii.

This street festival is great for all ages, as the event includes Hawaii's top restaurants, two stages with free entertainment,and a variety of Hawaiian crafters. This is also a special event that benefits the Hawaii Food Bank, the largest non-profit in Hawaii that feeds the needy.



Located at the corner of Kalakaua and Seaside,
the crowds enjoyed the blue skies
and trade winds.

The Air Force's Band of the Pacific opened the festival.

Who knew the Air Force could rock?!?
  
Love the jerseys!  

Sandwiched between the Spam is
a Hawaii Food Bank volunteer.

David choose Gordon Biersch's Mac and Spam 
and Jo Anne tried PF Chang's Spam Lo Mein.

Spam is everywhere ... 

... and so is Five-O
(in the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center).
   
We popped into the Royal Hawaiian Hotel
for an awesome view of Diamond Head.

One randomly selected commenter wins a can of Spam Flavored Macadamia Nuts ... 

tastyislandhawaii.com

... or a book choice from my convention stash.  To enter the giveaway,

1.   Leave a comment about your favorite food festival!

2.  This giveaway is open to all readers.

3.  Comments are open through Saturday, May 5, 10 pm in Hawaii.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, May 6.

Mahalo,

Kim in Hawaii


Thursday, April 26, 2012

Guest Blog: Aloha to the Doolittle Raiders


During the RT Booklovers' Convention, I met up with another RomVet, Jo Anne Pinney. She kindly took my book boxes back to Dayton to mail for me. While Jo Anne was in Dayton, she popped over to the National Museum of the Air Force for a special event - the 70th Anniversary of the Doolittle Raid. She prepared a special post ....


The Doolittle Raiders have always held a special place in my heart. When I was applying to enter the US Air Force Academy in 1983 and wasn’t accepted the first time around, I received a scholarship from the Falcon Foundation to attend Northwestern Prep School. That scholarship was in honor of James Doolittle. So, it was a neat coincidence for me that the dates for my short trip to Dayton to check on a rental property in April 2012 lined up perfectly with the US Air Force National Museum’s celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Doolittle raid.


On April 18, 1942, four months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, 80 airmen led by Lt Col James H. Doolittle took off in sixteen B-25 bombers from the aircraft carrier, USS Hornet, on a classified mission to bomb Japan. The mission was dangerous from the start, as the B-25s did not have the range to return to the carrier. So, the plan was to take off 400 miles from Japan, conduct the bombing mission and then land at airfields in China. On the day of the mission, however, the carrier encountered enemy picket boats further east than expected. Although the boats were evaded or sunk, they were able to get out radio warnings back to Japan. The B-25s had to take off further out than planned, more than 600 miles from Japan. After the bombing, none of the aircraft made it to China; but, all but a few airmen survived. This daring raid did not cause much damage to Japan, but it caused great embarrassment to the Japanese government and had great impact on the morale of the Japanese people.


Five of those original airmen still survive and four were able to participate in the activities at Wright-Patterson AFB, sponsored by the Air Force Museum. The activities included an impressive line-up of twenty B-25 Mitchell bombers on static display for the public to see. They were stunning! I’m grateful to organizations such as the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders Association and the Commemorative Air Force who keep these old beauties flying. The museum had arranged for the public to have access to staircase trucks to get a birds-eye view of the Mitchells.


While I was out by the static displays, I managed to be in the right place at the right time when the four surviving Raiders rode by in golf carts on a tour of the aircraft. They looked fit and sharp – it was truly special to get to see these legends.



The next day, the public was treated to a mini airshow at the museum’s airstrip. The B-25s started taking off at 12:15 pm, formed up, and then flew two scheduled fly-by’sat 1pm over Wright-Patt field. Cars had pulled over wherever they could on the side of the road to view and photograph this amazing spectacle. The day was perfect, and the roar of the engines and the beauty of these aircraft made it a truly emotional event. What I thought was going to be a ho-hum trip to Dayton ended up being pretty special. What a lucky coincidence.



Mahalo, Jo Anne for the post and the pictures!  I have goosebumps from reading about this one-in-a-lifetime experience.   To learn more about Jo Anne, check out her social media:

Jo Anne Pinney writing as Lacey Falcone
Follow me on twitter @LaceyFalcone and 
on Pinterest Lacey Falcone
Coming soon: www.laceyfalcone.com

I am giving away a book choice for my convention stash to one randomly selected commenter from this week's blogs.  To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about a "war" hero you admire - any country, any conflict.

2.  This giveaway is open to all readers.

3.  Comments are open through Saturday, April 28, 10 pm in Hawaii.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, April 29.

Mahalo,

Kim in Hawaii 


Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Aloha to World Book Night USA



The things I want to know are in books; my best friend is the man who'll get me a book I ain't read. - Abraham Lincoln



I signed up to distribute books for World Book Night (at this link). I received twenty copies of BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE.   Where is the best place to distribute books in Hawaii?   


The beach!





What book would you recommend to promote literacy?  One randomly selected commenter from this week's blogs wins a book choice from my convention stash.  This giveaway is open to all readers.  Comments are open through Saturday, April 28, 10 pm in Hawaii.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, April 29.


Mahalo,


Kim in Hawaii


USA Today featured an article about World Book Night at this link, with this very cute picture!

usatoday.com


Sunday, April 22, 2012

Aloha to Frank Lloyd Wright in Chicago Suburb



We have a winner from last week's posts of the Sanfilippo Collection - Lysette wins a book choice from my convention stash.


Following the tour of the Sanfilippo Estate, we lunched at a nearby bistro.  One section of the dining room was built into a vintage railroad car, paying homage to Chicago's history.   With our tummy's full of delicious food, we drove to Oak Park,  a Chicago suburb famous for its houses designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.   Mahalo to Kate for organizing a knowledgeable guide for our walking tour.   


Wright's house and studio on Chicago Avenue
gowright.org

Here are decorative elements to Wright's house  .... 

... he must have liked pelicans! 

At the corner, we turned onto Forest for a
series of houses built (or modified) by Wright.

I can only imagine what these house would sell today ...

... with their association to Wright!

This was originally built in 1895 by Wright in
Tudor Revival for the Moore Family.  


After a 1922 fire, Wright rebuilt in the Tudor style,
adding "Sullivanesque, Mayan, and exotic" elements.

Theses windows are just gorgeous!

A challenging intersection!

I don't care for this design, but Wright
does have distinctive flare.

I don't know if this house was built by Wright,
but it adds charm to the historic street.


The guide referred to this house as "Italianate".
  

Wright built this house with a wing in the
direction of the street... 

... to block the view of the "row" houses.

 Do you have a favorite architecture you love or loathe?   I love Tudor ... especially in England!  One randomly selected commenter from this week's blogs wins a book choice from my convention stash.   This giveaway is open to all readers.  Comments are open through Saturday, April 28, 10 pm in Hawaii.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, April 29.


Mahalo,


Kim in Hawaii 


This house sits across the street from
Wright's studio.  It is Americana!


Aprils' month long giveaway is CLEAN OUT MY CONVENTION STASH. I will select one US reader, one Canadian reader, and one International reader from all my blogs posts in April at SOS ALOHA, THE READING REVIEWER, and ALOHA ON MY MIND. The US winner can select up to 10 books (to fill up a small flat rate box) from my current convention stash to make room for new books coming from RT 2012. The Canadian and International readers can select one book, too! 

CLEAN OUT MY CONVENTION STASH is open through Monday, April 30, 10 pm in Hawaii. I'll post the winner on Tuesday, May 1.