changing...

i've been on a good work out kick lately...  the working out part isn't what's surprising - it's the working out outdoors that's a shocker.  the phrase: "i'm allergic to nature" is something i said a lot back home, but living in hawaii has allowed me to be a bit more open-minded about embracing nature.  since i'm planning to walk the great aloha run next monday, i've been building up my endurance.  not at the gym, but walk/running from my house to sandy's beach - which is four miles round trip, and climbing this...

this is the koko head crater trail hike a.k.a. nature's stairmaster.  there's a total of 1048 steps to the top.  i've been trying to climb these steps twice a week - definitely challenging as the steps get steeper, but it's a great workout!  although, if i want my calves to get skinnier, i should probably stop climbing so much.  heck!

i hope you can see my excitement after reaching the very top!

just to give you a visual...  it's a beautiful view from the top!

this is kristina - she's the one who introduced me to the trail and we try to go together at least once a week.  we motivate each other and get a great workout! 

but you know, i'm often reminded why "i'm allergic to nature" - i get mosquito bites.  not sure if you can see it well, but that bite right under my knee turned into a second kneecap!  fml!  i'm in my driveway washing my truck and i got about eight bug bites.  ughhh.  since i live right next to the valley, there's bugs, mosquitos, roaches, geckos, and grey lady bugs everywhere!  sick.

work has been very enjoyable lately.  still pulling out my hair when it comes to making the schedules, but i'm slowly getting the hang of it.  i appreciate my staff for their patience.

with a lot of the changes the restaurant has been going through, i wanted to do something to make the slower nights more enjoyable and fun for the staff.  i remembered back at roy's la jolla (almost EIGHT years ago), my manager, jessica would play bingo on sundays with the servers.  i wanted to do something similar.  she sent me the template and made my own.  i call it roy's version of bingo = aloha.  rather than it being just fun for the servers, i made teams which included everyone on the floor and the kitchen staff.  the winning team gets a prize each.  i put items the chef wanted to push and wines to sell.  it encouraged the servers to sell items other then the canoe appetizer and butterfish entree.  you know, kitchen staff works very hard and a lot longer than most of us, yet i don't think they're appreciated enough.  so next time you're at a restaurant, remember to thank the chef and praise the ones who prepared your food!

gawd - valentine's weekend has finally come and gone.  it's always fun, yet intense preparing for busy events such as christmas eve, new years eve, mother's day, easter...  but valentine's day.  gag.  haha.  thank god it's over.  my restaurant and waikiki roy's gave away goodies to each couple - we made a snack called:  rocky road (no pun intended).

cans and cans of condensed milk. 

mixing condensed milk with butterscotch chips. 

i invited carol and mary to come help make the goodies.

melting chocolate chips with butter.

don't laugh - i'm short and had to stand on a milk crate so that i can stir the pot!!

that's the outcome - creamy, silky chocolatey goodness.

that's chef jackie and rainer - always a good time. 

mary and i decided to play "cubby bunny" with mini-marshmllows.  hahahahaa.

spreading the marshmallow and macadamia nuts on the sheet pans.

after mixing the chocolate and butterscotch together, we poured it over the marshmallow and mac nuts.  let it set and cool and whaaaaa-la!  rocky road.  

for those of you who want to make it at home, here's a "home" recipe for ya:

1 bag chocolate chips

1 bag butterscotch chips

½ cup butter

1 can condensed milk

melt butter and chocolate chips together over low heat, stir constantly until melted - put aside

melt condensed milk and butterscotch chips together over low heat, stir constantly until melted

mix into melted chocolate

remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes

1# toasted walnuts - we used mac nut halves, you can use pecans too if you want

1 bag of miniature marshmallows

lay out marshmallows and nuts into a buttered square 9"x9” pan

pour creamy mix over marshmallows and nuts, make sure the mix gets in between each crevice 

cover with plastic wrap and chill well before cutting

as busy as valentine's day was for me, i wanted to share my appreciation to my staff for their hard work by making them turon (philipino for banana lumpia).  my friend, shanel taught me how to make it last year.  i hope they enjoyed it!

it's very simple to make.  you need those bananas - i call them the philipino bananas, i don't know what the real name is.  i didn't buy enough at the farmers market so i used apple bananas too.  brown sugar and spring roll wrappers.  

the key is to use lots of brown sugar - when you deep fry the lumpias, the sweetness of the banana and the melted brown sugar make the turon so delicious!

speaking of valentine's day...  paula, robbyn and i celebrated "anti-valentine's day" dinner together at beachhouse restaurant at the moana surfrider.  

we had a fabulous dinner together.  it was a beautiful night - we enjoyed fireworks on the beach, live music and a very nice breeze.  not only was the food delicious, we experienced amazing hospitality service.  for example...  we ordered soup and asked for three spoons - the server (and chef) went ahead and split the soup into three for us and we each had our own mini-soup!  as we were enjoying our cocktails, the ice in our ice water melted - the bus boy came around and gave each of a fresh glass of ice water!  our server had excellent wine knowledge and we didn't feel rushed to leave as we were the last seated guests in the restaurant.  it was very memorable to the point where i couldn't wait to go to work the next day and pre-shift my experience with my staff!

here's some friends who have been visiting...

that's krizpin to the left - i told you on my last blog, he and i worked together in la jolla.  but now, he moved back home and we're working together again.  that's jbl to the right - we've been friends since the la jolla days also.  the three of us went to the three plus concert couple years ago in san diego.  we reminisce about the good 'ol days when we all used to be together in la jolla and how grown up i am now!

that's arlon & goldie tom - they're parents of gay mori.  i met them when gay hosted her retirement party with me at roy's la this past june.  arlon & goldie live in kaneohe and wanted to enjoy an early valentine's day dinner with the roy's gift card gay gave them.  it's nice to have people travel "far" to come see me / visit the original roy's.

dene and i have had some house guests this week.  davey & risa miyabe and daryl & susan murata.  years ago, davey and i went to a high school dance together - haha, i don't remember the details, but i do recall having a good time with him!  i've known daryl & susan since i was in... jr. high mt. hermon days??  it was nice to have them in for dinner. 

i leave you with this...  it's official.  i am a hawaii resident.  i have a hawaii driver's license and license plate - i guess i'm sticking around here for a bit.