Yummy-licious by Design: Marukame Udon Restaurant in Downtown Honolulu.

Soichiro Honda (1906-1991) was a successful engineer and industrialist from Japan. He is quoted as saying, "There is a Japanese proverb that literally goes 'Raise the sail with your stronger hand,' meaning you must go after the opportunities that arise in life that you are best equipped to do." 

Well, when the owners of the Marukame Udon in Waikiki announced that it was opening a branch restaurant in downtown Honolulu I was more than ready to seize the opportunity to check out this new eatery off Fort Street Mall. 

Okay, I admit it. I love udon noodles, and I love them at Marukame Udon on Honolulu. So, there! 

Located at the corner of South Hotel Street and Fort Street Mall in downtown Honolulu, Marukame Udon provides a festive, few-frill and affordable venue for satisfying Japanese udon cuisine. Yummy-licious in my book! 

When I was an instructor at Kapiolani Community College's Honda International Center my students from Japan and South Korea raved about the restaurant off Kuhio Avenue in Waikiki. The lines to get in the door were always long. 

My students at that time said that the food served there was the closest thing to home they could find among Waikiki's numerous noodle shops. Still, I have a thing against standing in line for food. It's nothing to do with pride; it's about a hectic schedule that allows little time for such waits. 

Marukame Udon is a favorite among Honolulu's downtown business community and college students from Hawaii Pacific University's nearby campus. Don't be fooled by the line here. Things -and people- move quickly here. 

If you are a downtown Honolulu professional, college student or strolling the streets of nearby Chinatown as a tourist you will find a warm welcome and a refreshingly affordable experience at Marukame Udon's Downtown location. 

Just after you enter you get to choose the style of udon noodles you prefer from the selections here. The cooks behind the counter listen to your wishes and grant your culinary desires accordingly.  

The thick udon noodles served here are not defrosted from the freezers on tanker ships. No, your udon noodles and mine are hand-made. You don't see that too often at all in restaurants where the selections are below US$10.00. How refreshing!

You can be quite creative with a choice of side dishes to accentuate your udon and your palate. The friendly staff behind the counter are more than happy to comply with your wishes. 

These guys are well-prepared and the ingredients are fresh. This ain't no Red Lobster, McDonald's or Burger King. I never get the sense that Marukame Udon is contrived to be Americanized. This is affordable, budget-friendly Japanese cuisine at its best. Yes, even my former student from South Korea raved about Marukame Udon. 

Every time I come here I am reminded of the wondrous hawker food so delightfully enjoyed on my visits to Singapore. Everything here is fresh and healthy. You'll love the festive attitude the staff behind the counter exudes -all-smiles and lots of aloha! 

Yes, your udon cook will offer you these choices according to your wishes. Since I've become a bit spoiled by my cuisine experiences in Singapore the freshness of ingredients is a big issue with me. I was not disappointed at Marukame Udon. 

I've enjoyed both the calamari and fish cakes in tempura. Recommended and easy in the budget? Absolutely! 

I tend to stay away from fried chicken, but this side selection was milder than I expected. 

These imaginative sides include Tuna Mayo, Ginger Beef and Kombu wrapped in Japanese nori. So ono good!

That's not the annoying spam we online know all too well! Spam is huge in Hawaii. In fact, this state is the number one consumer of spam. I've tried the tofu wrap which is a mild and delicious healthy choice. 

On this visit I chose the paitan udon with tempura, fried chicken, sushi and a special green tea. That bowl is larger than it appears. All this, by the way, was less than US$10.00. That's not bad for Honolulu! 

There is a steady stream of activity behind the counter. Everything is immaculately clean. That's a big issue with me - cleanliness. The staff is friendly, festive and always helpful. 

The interior is cafeteria-style with comfortable seats and benches. It's hot and humid in Honolulu most of the time, so the air-conditioning was a welcomed relief. The loft-like atmosphere of the place felt comfortable, too. I sat that the far table near the window. There are electrical outlets for recharging your phone or laptop. There is a McDonald's across the street, and if you are able you might be able to tap into its free wifi.  

Yes, not that the obvious needs repeating. Marukame Udon is on Facebook. Click here! 

Marukame Udon's Downtown Honolulu location is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. It is closed Sundays. Reservations are not taken, nor are they necessary. Yes, it accepts credit and debit cards. 

Parking can be a big issue -though that's true anywhere in the business district. Bike parking is available. There are convenient bus stops on South Hotel Street, as well as off South King and Bishop streets. Just expect to be dodging some of the downtown area's street characters (meth-heads and homeless). 

The restaurant does not deliver, but there is a take-out window facing out South Hotel Street. So, for those of you on-the-go or desiring to bring your udon-fix to the office this is very convenient. 

This is a great place for families with children to come, and it's popular with groups. I've seen tour groups and office staff alike here enjoying themselves and the food. Don't concern yourself with dressing up. The atmosphere here is casual. 

Trust me when I tell you that when you come to Downtown Honolulu you will enjoy your meal and the experience here -and you will be back for more! 

"This is God's Country-right here." The Round Hill Store, Greenwich, Connecticut USA

“As my grandfather used to say, this is God’s country—right here.”   

  Bill Strain

Welcome to America's oldest existing and continuously operated general store -open since 1801. Yes, that is before my time.  ;)

My late-father and Bill Strain were good friends and members of the Round Hill Volunteer Fire Department as far back as I recall. On Sundays Dad would be on duty at the firehouse, and I often went with him to wash the fire trucks, munch on TV dinners while watching ABC's Wide World of Sports or Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom, being stationed at the Round Hill Country Club for the July 4 Independence Day fireworks, and go on occasional fire calls

Oh, yes, there were the intermittent cat-stuck-in-a-tree rescues, too. The firehouse were the only ones with ladders tall enough to reunite stuck feline family members with their more earthbound human members. 

Just a stone's throw away from the firehouse is one of backcountry Greenwich's quintessential small town America landmarks -the Round Hill Store. This past August I journeyed back to this special place for the first time in over fifteen years. 

Earlier that day I was with local photographer Christopher Semmes. He asked me to come along on a photo-shoot that morning at one of the Greenwich's prominent law firms. After business was completed Christopher looked at me and asked if there was any place I'd like to visit -he was more than happy to drive. 

And the first place that came to mind was -you guessed right- the Round Hill Store. 

There is something mythic about the Round Hill Store. There's no denying it. Located in the heart of the Round Hill section of my ancestral home town, Greenwich, Connecticut, this special spot has been a witness to history, and to almost every form of inclement weather known to humanity in this corner of America. Through good times and bad the Round Hill Store has seen it all. It tugs at our heartstrings and ever shall. 

This was the first sight I beheld when we walked in the door. It hasn't change in decades. Literally. You can still buy deli sandwiches, groceries -and yes, even electric model trains! 

Breakfast cereal, cake mix, tissues, ice cream bars, maple syrup, Oreo cookies, sandwiches, you name it! You can find it here at the Round Hill Store. 

No holds barred here. Yes, pay for the news before you read it. 

This cupboard functions almost like a museum. Bill Strain said it contains a sampling of products the Round Hill Store has sold over the generations. 

A very, very old cash register is on display. 

Note the sign with the store's "official" no smoking policy: Smokers all be pummeled with punishing blows all over their bodies.  They are serious -well, to a point, I'm sure! 

A boyhood's best car dealership with the latest models has been at the store for years.  :)

When I ask many friends, Round Hill natives and expats alike what they remember most about their visits to the Round Hill Store hands-down it's the penny candies. 

Tootsie rolls and fireballs, anyone?  :)

All aboard! Lionel trains have been produced since 1900. I grew up with Lionel trains, often finding them under the Christmas tree and on my birthday. 

This is an antique Lionel electric toy train that sits on the display shelf. 

Do you know any retailer who sells Lionel trains over-the-counter?

Some of the items on display include a radio, washboard and a pinball machine. 

The Round Hill Store also features an automobile service station. In such a rural part of Greenwich a place like this was necessary. The nearest service station was about three miles away -and grocery store about five miles. The area is still dominated by small farms, horse stables, and estates. Especially in the winter places like the Round Hill Store and its service station are indispensable. 

The repair shop was abuzz with activity when Bill Strain brought Christopher Semmes and I through it. 

No car or truck is too new or too classic -like this one- for tender loving care and trustworthy repairs than that found at the service station. They also service and repair farm equipment and lawn mowers. 

I do not have adequate words to describe the smiles this antique marvel brought to my heart. They would not let me have the keys, but I did try! Truth be told, I have a very special-someone in Singapore who I would have loved to take on a summer or autumn Sunday drive around my old Round Hill neighborhood in this classic beauty.  Sorry, everyone, this baby just fits two -and that seat will be taken.  :)

These two houses next door come with an interesting story courtesy of Bill Strain. He said that a man who also shared the same first and surname as my father lived in one house with his wife. Things did not work out between the two, so they divorced. It did to take long for that Mrs. Mead to move herself and her things to the house next door and the man who married her rather quickly. All continued to live next door to each other for many years. How awkward indeed!

This way to the firehouse located near the Round Hill Store on Old Mill Road. 

Bill Strain told me a heretofore unknown story about my Dad. Years ago Dad was on duty during a raging winter snowstorm. Apparently he was bored. Dad decided to hike home -and like the former U.S. Marine that he was, Dad thought the nearly three miles it would take to walk from the firehouse to our home would be quite manageable. He promised to call when he arrived at our house. When the other firefighters had not heard anything they sent out a search party, discovering his whereabouts on Burying Hill Road. Yes, they brought him home. 

This Queen Anne-styled home is nestled between the Round Hill Store and the Round Hill Firehouse. It is undergoing extensive renovation and restoration. Soon, it will be reborn as the offices of the Greenwich Land Trust, a local conservation nonprofit that safeguards the open, undeveloped lands under its care. 

For over two centuries the Round Hill Store has endured. General stores in the New England states like this one have endured by changing with the times and yet have stayed true to their histories and their traditions. I pray that it shall endure for generations to come. In a time when mom-and-pop stores across America have sailed off into the sunset this special place to our hearts has stayed true to its historical foundations. 

The Round Hill Store is independent and practical -just like the people who call this place home. 

Why does this place and others like it tug at our heartstrings? This was more than just a place to buy penny candies, sandwiches, breakfast cereal, laundry detergent and all the other necessities of life. The store was for us fortunate to grow up here and still serves as a gathering place. For generations news was shared, people scattered across the landscape could share and nurture friendships, a place to call home-away-from-home. It was the place where you could visit the store's bulletin board, scan its notices for ads for math tutoring, a lawn mower for sale, perhaps a dog or a cat gone missing. 

We remember with fondness Mrs. Strain, those 1950s eyeglasses she wore and how she would count the penny candies you purchased one-by-one, putting them in a bag and sending you on your way. 

As many who called Round Hill home and gone off to parts all over the world, I'd like to think that those penny candies mean something else today to expats everywhere.

One last look, until we meet again -and we shall. 

I've heard it said that your true friends are the ones who you can go for months without talking to and when you reconnect nothing has changed. You mention this place to people of all walks of life from Greenwich and the nostalgia the store evokes pours out from the heart like no other place does. 

If you are feeling a bit teary-eyed I have some news. You are not alone, I assure you. 

As I close I draw to your attention a superb article authored by Timothy Dumas in Greenwich Magazine. Click here for the link. It will make you smile. 

In a time of whirlwind change, globalization and uncertainties in life one could always find the doors open to a place perpetually consistent and calm like the eye of a storm. 

As we thanked our hosts for such a precious trip down "Memory Lane," I felt reconnected. I could not say good-bye, because I knew as we drove off to our next destination that I would return. I wanted so much to bring my old friends and neighbors back to the Round Hill Store. But I also have those friends and former students in Hawaii, in Asia -and a special-someone- who I wanted to share this place with. I pray that day comes. 

The Round Hill Store is like that for us -a true friend that is always there waiting and welcoming. 

Happy Aloha Friday! Today's Sunrise at the Eastern Tip of Oahu at 6:23 a.m. Hawaii Standard Time

It's Always Time to Frolic at French Farm, Greenwich, Connecticut USA

Here I am with an old friend at French Farm. Do you see a resemblance?

"You should collect only objects you like," said the late David Wierdsma of French Farm in Greenwich, "not hoping they will gain in value, because if they don't, you'll still have something you enjoy looking at."

The cottage at French Farm.

Nothing against my church family at the Second Congregational Church or its senior minister, Rev. Maxwell Grant, but on Sunday morning, September 15, 2013 my mind was elsewhere. 

It was one of those picture-postcard perfect days in mid-September. Summer had not yet let go of its welcomed warmth, yet there was a tinge of autumn in the air. 

It was the kind of day you pray for in church, and on this day God smiled and said, "Yes, let's hold off on the rain." Thank you, God. Literally. 

And it was a good thing, for that afternoon I would join hundreds at one of my home town's most bucolic and entertaining landscapes, French Farm. Growing up in backcountry Greenwich, I drove by the farm off Lake Avenue and Round Hill Road untold numbers of times -but I had never been inside.  

I am a little biased here, but I admit we do indeed have a colorful past worth exploring. 

Everyone enjoyed a frolicking good time at French Farm. The event was sponsored by the Greenwich Historical Society. 

So, when I received the news that French Farm was opened  for an event sponsored by the Greenwich Historical Society you better believe that I booked my reservation right away. 

As it turned out many people at church had done the same -including the senior minister, his wife and daughters! Who could blame them? 

The festive, cheerful balloons marked the entrance to French Farm. 

The crushed bluestone driveway bid a warm welcome. Parking was restricted along Lake Avenue outside the stonewall. I decided to use Greenwich Taxi. It was roughly an eight-minute drive from my home in town to get there. 

These oversized concrete acorns line the driveway in and out of French Farm.  They are big and they are heavy -trust me! There weren't any oversized squirrels in sight. ;)

The original owner of this cottage, the other farm buildings and the original 35 acres was Mary Billings French. All of the buildings were constructed between 1905 and 1910. Only the four-acre central area of the farm remains, though you feel as if you are in a much larger space. 

The buildings preserved today include the cottage, stable, cow barn, poultry house and greenhouse. 

Harold Van Buren Magonigle (1867-1935) was the architect of the buildings on French Farm. It turns out that he was best known for his memorial designs. These include the Liberty Memorial in Kansas City and the McKinley Memorial in Canton, Ohio, among others. He opened his own architectural firm in 1903 after working for such distinguished luminaries of the time as Calvert Vaux, Rotch & Tilden, Schnickel and Ditmars and the firm of McKim, Mead & White. 

French Farm was the first property in my ancestral home town to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places. 

Picnic tables and benches under umbrellas provided visitors with places to gather and enjoy the scenery. There were a large number of families with children in attendance, no doubt there to participate in the Treasure Hunt and other activities. 

These calypso drummers brought a Caribbean flair to the afternoon. 

A number of artists stationed themselves around French Farm. Visitors like me were encouraged to meet the artists and watch them at work. The Greenwich Historical Society's Bush Holley House headquarters was America's first Impressionist art colony, so scenes like this went with the territory. 

The artists were quite friendly and each represented his or her own style of artistic expression. 

Oh, how sinfully delicious of them! 

This was another space where all-or-can-eat food and beverages were served. Visitors young and old alike were welcomed to enjoy seasonal treats, tea sandwiches, and sweet and savory pastries. Beverages available included wine, beer, cider and water. The sandwiches and goodies were provided by celebrity chef John Barricelli of SoNo Baking. 

With a heavenly plateful of tempting, tasty goodies and an indisputably fresh cup of apple cider in hand I settled down. I enjoyed pleasant, engaging conversation with my fellow visitors to French Farm. 

Yes, I did enter my name. When they noticed my Hawaii address they looked at me and said,  "Delivery could be a bit problematic if you win." I replied that if I won I'd offer to come for a pick-up. ;)

  

They looked quite delicious! Healthy, too! But, alas, I did not win. But I did return to Greenwich on other business six weeks later. 

This is where the Treasure Hunt began. What makes French Farm so unique and appealing is the clever blending of art, gardening, cultural landscaping and natural history. The Treasure Hunt was designed to lead individuals and families on a self-guided tour of the farm.

Along the way, a whimsical variety of objects specifically chosen by the late David Wierdsma ornament the farm. Each of us were provided with a printed guide offering background information -mostly aimed at assisting parents in answering questions posed by their children. Every little bit helps! 

  

Welcome to what David Wierdsma called the Pterodactyl Tower. This is the centerpiece for 'the Ancient Forest.' It turns out that the tower was created by George Hendricks, a sculptor. The materials were salvaged from a demolished brownstone townhouse in Brooklyn, New York. On top of the tower is a "nest" of bittersweet and grapevines, mimicking a natural nest for dinosaur birds. 

Welcome to the petrified forest! These are real specimens of petrified wood. The samples featured here originated from the American Southwest and Asia. 

Well, now, this was interesting. It was also not on the Treasure Hunt list or the accompanying guide. Yet this collection was along the way. I'll leave it up to you to draw your own observations. Whimsical? Most definitely!

Yes, that is me dressed in my Sunday-best taking a selfie at the Mirrored Arch. If the materials here look identical to the ones used to construct the Pterodactyl Tower then you would be spot-on. They come from the same demolished New York brownstone. The funhouse mirror is "intended to take visitors into another realm-or simply to surprise and delight them."  

This crushed bluestone path led us to other surprises in the Treasure Hunt. 

One of the naturally beautiful aspects of the landscaping are the rich varieties of plant life that abounds here. Though not listed on the Treasure Hunt I certainly enjoyed such eye-catching specimens.

This was also not on the Treasure Hunt. No, I have no clue what they are. Not a one, but it is certainly amusing. I leave it to your imagination, something that I suspect David Wierdsma would have caused him to smile. 

Do you have an airplane propeller lying around the house or garage? Not sure what to do with it? David Wierdsma found one. Oh, yes, those are banana plants off to the right. This climate is not conducive to growing bananas. One of the farm's staff said they cut it down, dig up the stump and roots, then bring it to the greenhouse for the winter months. 

This authentic Chinese garden rock was listed on the Treasure Hunt. These are used as focal points in such gardens, and this one shared that distinction with the other objects on the property. "If a rock is richly textured with many holes and furrows and has a strangely contorted overall form, it is considered especially desirable. A rock like this one represents a mountain and symbolizes stability and endurance." 

Was his name Fido? This dog sculpture was not on the Treasure Hunt but I found it to be very appealing. 

Chickens and dog houses can go together nicely on a place like French Farm, where the imagination is the limit. 

If you did not want to go on the Treasure Hunt there were guided tours available. This horticultural tour was led by noted landscape designer Florence Bogaerts. A cultural landscape tour was also available and led by long time farm resident Jacek Nidzgorski. 

Imagine my surprise when I found out that this object was not an oversized bird cage but instead a French elevator cage! "Sited to provide a viewpoint for looking down into the meadow, it incorporates a seat where an adult and child could read together."  What an ingenious place to go to do one's homework.

This is the Clock with No Hands. The Treasure Hunt guide said that it was acquired for its appealing design. "It is a reminder that time stands still in a garden." So true!

Some like Nancy Sinatra sing, "These boots are made for walking, that's what I'm gonna do." David Wierdsma found a way to incorporate these boots into the framework of his whimsical garden design. 

This section was set aside for children and their parents to work on their own art objects. Some of the children were so passionate and excited that they were making their mothers and fathers work overtime. 

Throughout the farm there was a rich variety of planters and clever uses for them. All were eye-catching. There was no shortage of conversation pieces at French Farm. 

The horse head is hanging on the original stable of French Farm. The wreath around it reminded me of a Connecticut version of a Hawaiian lei. 

This contemplative gargoyle was on the Treasure Hunt list. Gargoyles were used as rainspout, especially on churches in Europe. They've been used as architectural features since ancient times. Most of us associate them with medieval Europe. Some believe they frightened off evil spirits. 

This farmer statue is molded from cement and imported from Belgium. 

When I was growing up I used to collect rocks and minerals, even though science was not one of my stronger subjects. I used to collect amethyst geodes like the one -but much, much smaller. This particularly large geode is from Brazil. 

This copper shell tortoise sculpture was on the Treasure Hunt list. It's coloring emulates those of a real tortoise. 

This clot flower arrangement blended the best of summer and autumn colors. As we were approaching the final days and nights of summer it was hard not to anticipate the coming colorful foliage our region of the USA is best known for this time of the year. 

One last look at French Farm off lake Avenue, Greenwich, Connecticut. Go to this link for a TV news story. 

As all things go, good things must come to an end.

My experiences at French Farm provided me with something original, whimsical, enriching and fun. The wide array of dynamic landscapes and activities reinforced the late David Wierdsma's vision of this place so near and dear to him. It is clear that he wanted to leave a living legacy, one that would serve a crucial resource in inspiring our imaginations, stimulate our perceptions and transform the ordinary into something uncommon and interminable.

Whether it was interacting with the artists, the Treasure Hunt, the guided tours, or just plain meandering around in a late summer's afternoon, Frolic at French Farm had something for everyone of every age. It was all personal, engaging and meaningful. 

Our connection to our history, our natural surroundings and the surreal imagination and vision of one man were blended nicely together into a cohesive whole. 

French Farm is not opened to the public very often. I sure hope it is soon. 

Somehow I have the feeling that my next experience there will be as stimulating as the first. It's fun to go back for more.