I noticed about an hour ago that there’s a power outage in Honolulu, in the Ala Moana area. My neighborhood still has power, but other parts in Ala Moana don’t have power. Police are out right now directing traffic. I tried to find information about this power outage online, but there’s no news about it on any news site.  Read More →

Today union workers at the Ilikai voted to ratify an agreement that will enable the hotel to reopen soon. The owner, iStar Financial LLC, had closed the Ilikai’s 203 hotel units last week to cut operating losses of hundreds of thousands of dollars a month. The Ilikai’s 806 condominium and timeshare units were not directly affected by the closure. Under the new contract, 50 out of the 75 workers that were laid off will be rehired. Their wages and benefits will remain intact. The majority of the 25 workers who will not be rehired were employed in the food and beverage department. They will not be rehired because the owner said it will no longer be operating food and beverage services.  Read More →

The Ilikai hotel in Waikiki is closing tomorrow, July 9, 2009, due to operating losses of several hundred thousands of dollars a month. The 806 condo and time-share units and the common areas, including the pool, will not be affected by the hotel closure. However, 65 full-time workers will be laid off. The Ilikai was built in 1964 and is part residential condominium and part hotel. It has long been a landmark hotel in Hawaii, made popular in the 1960s in the television series “Hawaii Five-O,” which featured the Ilikai in its opening credits. The 203 hotel units will be closed for an indefinite period of time, according to New York-based iStar Financial, who will take over the Ilikai on Friday,... [Read more]

I just saw a horrible accident. It happened at around 8 pm, Saturday, October 4, 2008, at the intersection of Mahukona Street and Kapiolani Boulevard in Honolulu. I just came out of a restaurant and waited at a traffic light. At that time, a charter bus from the company Superstar was turning right and suddenly I heard a loud bang. At first I thought that it hit another car. When I crossed the street, I could see the front of the bus and saw a man or woman lying under the front of the bus. I didn’t look closer, but I think it was a person in a wheelchair, who was crossing while green. The bus driver didn’t see the person. The bus would have only been allowed to turn right in case there is... [Read more]

This morning I passed by the Ala Moana Food Court and I saw they now offer Internet access and printing services. So if you want to check your email after or before you eat, you can do that there now. By the way, the Food Court in Ala Moana Center is a very popular eating place. They offer breakfast, lunch and dinners. There are many food choice from Eastern to Western to Italian and delicious sandwiches and salads. Prices for a food plate start from $5 and up. But most of them are in the range between $7 and $10. If you plan to go on Sunday make sure you go early because they close at 7pm.  Read More →