Going to Oahu

fopianki

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My wife and I are celebrating our 45th anniversary on jan. 5th. So we have planned a trip to Oahu in May to celebrate. Okay...between just us...what ukulele related events should I plan? I own 2 kanile’as and have owned Kamakas as well. So i want to take the tours. Where else should I visit? Frank
 
For starters, The Ukulele Site store in Haleiwa and the new store in Honolulu.
 
Ukulele Site’s new store in Honolulu has music, I believe the second Sunday every month. Check it out.
 
I did the Kamaka and Koaloha tours last week and they were fantastic. What a difference in philosophy and manufacturing approach yet both produce such great instruments. I visited the Haleiwa HMS and was not overly impressed compared to the about 10 other ukulele stores I have visited on the islands this year so far, but unfortunately I did not make it to the opening party. The smaller stores in the glitzy Waikiki malls have a lot of surprising gems with brand names I have never heard of before, but they can be pricey. I went to the store in the Beachwalk (Lewers Street) and to Bob's Ukulele in the Royal Hawaiian mall. At Bob's I picked up a very cool and very used white label Lili'u which I will take out to two playing occasions this week just the way it is (i.e. without cleaning,sanding, or fresh strings) - it has a lot of mojo and fretboard well worn up to 7th fret. Wonder what hula master used to play it for 40 years.
 
If you want to join a Kanikapila (Hawaiian music jam), there's one on Thurs night and Sunday night (8-10p)
in Waikiki behind the police station at the surfboard racks. Just head toward the Zoo on Kalakaua Ave and
after the shops end on the beach side, you will be at the Police station. take a right to follow the side of the
building and another right at the beach corner of the building and you will see the surfboard racks. If you get
there early, likely no one will be there, but around 8p they start setting up.

Leonard Jenkins leads the Kanikapila. Please let him know Uncle Rod Higuchi (Seattle) sends his Aloha!

Also, daily, at the Makai Food Court at the Ala Moana Shopping Center, near Cinnabon, around 10a, you will find
several ladies and a gentleman creating paper leis. They generally sit near the Honolulu Cookie Co kiosk :)
Most of the time, some musicians show up to serenade the lei-makers. [that's what I do when I return to HNL in
July :)]

Have a great time in HNL :)
 
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