If you live in Hawaii, you know what a gecko is. Little local lizards that run up the walls of our homes eating bugs, and then they poop everywhere. I decided to write a page on my experiences here on Moloka'i, local gossip, island pidgin, people I've met, you know "gecko poop". This could be valuable information for the next visitor who comes to Moloka'i. Kind of a self portrait of Moloka'i from my point of view. Does it have anything to do with food?... maybe, so here's the scoop on the poop.___________________________________
All Electric Vehicles Are Increasing On Moloka'i...
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| 2018 Nissan 4-passenger Leaf all electric vehicle is available now! |
A few months ago I bought a new 2017 Nissan Leaf 100% electric vehicle. I think this is the perfect car for Moloka'i, especially if you have solar panels. I can drive from one end of the island to the other on one charge. This car is fast, virtually silent, air conditioned, and very comfortable. Another thing that's really cool is that when you drive down hill you are actually charging the car. Currently there are at least 35 all electric cars on island. The 2018 Nissan Leaf has a larger capacity battery that increases the range up to 150 miles per charge.
Several companies are working on all electric pickup trucks, one of them is "Workhorse" an American technology company. You can actually run your power tools directly from the vehicles battery pack. This truck will soon be available... check it out here.
That's not all, you can now buy an all electric tricycle called the E-Wheels EW-29 Electric Trike for $1,499. It will go up to 15 mph and travel up to 20 miles on a single charge. That's enough to ride from Moloka'i Shores to town and back to do your shopping.
On December 7, EV owners on Moloka'i were invited to meet Brennon Morioka, the new manager of electrification of transportation for Hawaiian Electric, Maui Electric and Hawaii Electric Light, to discuss building the islands first electric vehicle charging station. Unfortunately out of approximately 35 EV owners on Moloka'i, only 4 people showed up for this meeting, including my wife and I, contractor Doug Rodgers, and Doctor Dan McGuire. For those interested, it looks like the electric vehicle charging station will be located in Kanakakai, next to the Kalae Bookstore. Personally my wife and I feel this is a bad decision because of all of the traffic in that area. If you have questions or suggestions, call Mahina Martin, Director of Government and Community Relations at 808-872-3529.
June 1st, the Moloka'i Dispatch reported that Moloka'i will have 100% renewable Energy by 2020. You can read about it here.
Community participation is important, so get involved!
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The Coconut Wireless...
While enjoying a pizza at Pizza Cafe yesterday with my wife, a streaker ran by our table waving his pants in the air. Naturally we were shocked at first, but it turned out to be a three year old boy who was recently potty trained. He apparently was successful in the men's room and was rushing out into the restaurant to tell his mother what he had done all by himself. She came by our table a few minutes later and apologized. I told her not a problem, I sometimes do the same thing myself. I have two boys, grown now, and I remember what a big deal it was to achieve potty training.
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Hawaiian Pidgin English...
The slang spoken by the locals in Hawaii. Pigeon English was not created by Hawaiians but originated in Hawaii during the Sugar cane importation of field workers of Japanese, Filipino, Chinese, and local Hawaiian Nationalities. The words were created due to a miss pronunciation of common words of the English language.
There are rules for pidgin: Tourists may not speak it (or ull get ur ass kicked). Here's an example of Hawaii pidgin... "Ho brah! you see me kick dat one haole toris' ass dat try tok to me pidgin? man he shoulda see dat' shit coming brah! he stay 'tinking he da kine!" Source: urbandictionary.com
"Haole" – A word used mainly in Hawaii to describe a white person. Depending on how you say it, the word can mean either an insult or just a fact.
"Da' kine" – Word used as in reference to something or someone, or a whatcamacallit. A miss pronounced word for That Kind, The kind of... example: Hey did you see "dakine" today?
"Braddah" – Brother; Bro
"Ho Brah..." – Prelude to describing something intense or amazing
"Grind" – To eat like there's no tomorrow
"Dat" – That
"Eh!" – You know!
"Neva" – (or) He never wanted that.
"Howzit?" – What's happening? How's it going?
"Mo' Bettah" – Real good; great idea
"Onolicious" – Overly delicious!
"Slippas" – flip-flops or sandals
You can find more of "Da' kine" on this website, or check out this article from Maui Magazine to get a real taste of Hawaiian pidgin english, click here "Da Muddah Tongue". For Hawaiian food names, check out this site.
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Moloka'i "Ever Wonders"...
Ever wonder why people honk their horn for no reason? This question is directed at the man who drives an old dark pickup truck, going 70 miles an hour, past my house in Kalae while honking his horn. In Hawaii, the law states that if you honk your horn for anything other than a major emergency such as to avoid an accident, you're likely to get a pretty nasty fine. I know Moloka'i is called the "Friendly Isle", but give us a break fella!
Ever wonder why folks here on Moloka'i wave at you as they drive by? When I first moved here I was told by a local that you will become known by the car/truck you drive. Now I've noticed that about 50% of the people who pass me, going the opposite way, either wave, or give me a "shaka". The shaka sign is a well-known hand gesture to convey the aloha spirit. It's the unmistakable pinky and thumb salute meaning "hang loose". I lived in Los Angeles for 4 years while going to college and you wouldn't even get a "how's it" from those folks. It's very nice living on Moloka'i, where everyone is a neighbor and treat you with Aloha.
Ever wonder why the speed limit going east into Kaunakakai is 35 mph, and going west out of Kaunakakai it's 45 mph? And going north uphill out of Kualapuu, the speed limit is 35 mph, and going south, downhill into Kualapuu it's 30 mph? Shouldn't it all be the same going either way?
Ever wonder why more of Moloka'i's Hawaiian Homeland isn't used for farming when Hawaii imports 85 to 90 percent of the state's food supply? Check out this website for the answer.
Ever wonder who is liable if someone falls and breaks a bone on broken sidewalks in downtown Kaunakakai? The sidewalks on Moloka'i are owned by property owners, not the county.
Ever wonder if I will ever open my own restaurant on Moloka'i? Believe me I have thought about it, but unfortunately too many restaurants have failed here, due to high rents, high food cost, available labor, and very little local support. Employment on Moloka'i is very low, so locals don't eat out much. To answer the question... probably not. It's the same with catering, not enough business to make it worthwhile.
Ever wonder what my favorite restaurants are on Molokai? First I would have to say the Moloka'i Pizza Cafe, a little pricy, but good pizza. Located at 15 Kaunakalai Pl, Kaunakakai.
The Cook House prime rib on Thursday nights, thick and prepared just right. Located on Highway 470 and Uwao Street, in Kualapu'u.
I also like the sandwiches they make at the Sundown Deli in Kaunakakai, especially the Club Sandwich, so "Ono"!
You can read my review of all Moloka'i restaurants here on tastinghawaii.com. CLICK HERE
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Did You Know?
Moloka'i General Hospital recently sent out a news letter with an article written by Dr. Naomi Burr, Family Medicine Physician, that brought me up-to-date on the value of fruits and vegetables in our diet.
When buying vegetables, choose "greens" or leafy vegetables with the most color, the more red, purple, blue, and green the more nutritious. Consuming some type of fat (extra virgin olive oil is best) with your "greens" is necessary to absorb the bounty of fat-soluble vitamins in your vegetables. Toss out that fat free dressing! Make your own dressing, balsamic vinegar and a good extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, 'ono!
It turns out, according to Dr. Burr:
• Beet greens (tops) are more nutritous than the beets themselves.
• The most nutritious tomatoes are not in the produce aisles, they are in the canned goods section. Processed tomatoes, whether canned or cooked into a paste or sauce, are the richest known source of lycopene. They also have the most flavor. Heat increases the amount and bioavailability of antioxidants. Dr. Burr also states that the smaller a fresh tomato is, the more nutrients it contains.
• Carrots are more nutritious cooked than raw. When cooked whole, they have 25 percent more falcarinol, a cancer-fighting compound, than carrots that have been cut before cooking.
• Russet potatoes are more nutritious than white, Yukon gold, or purple Molokai sweet potatoes.
• The healing properties of garlic can be maximized by slicing, chopping, mashing, or pressing it and then letting it rest for a full 10 minutes before cooking.
• Thawing frozen berries in the microwave preserves twice as many antioxidants and more vitamin C than thawing them on the counter or inside your refrigerator. Ounce per ounce, there is more fiber in raspberries than bran cereals.
To Be Continued!
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