Costco’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Cream Pie

I am not a dessert person and can easily pass up a piece of cake or after dinner desserts.

But not this one.

OMG, it is like mousse and creamy deliciousness with subtle peanut butter on a crunchy wonderful crust meet up in rich delight. I have had pies from Costco before and have been underwhelmed with them, but THIS one takes the top prize. It is a very big rich pie so it is best to share with friends and/or neighbors. I already cut out a portion to save for myself in a lidded glass pyrex square.

It is quite messy – or maybe it is because I cut it and plop it on my plate so I can dig in right away. No matter. This one is a winnah!

Update: After having a piece a day for 3 days in a row, I am overloaded and don’t like how sweet it is. We ended up giving our neighbors three quarters of it and hope they like it.

Good Chicken

The name of this take out restaurant is understated. It should be DANG Good Chicken, because it really is dang good.

I went there 3 times this week. That’s how ono it was.

The first time I ordered kimchee mandoo only ($13.95) because I had already ordered oxtail soup and chopped steak from Asahi Grill on Ward Avenue. Asahi Grill told me 20 minutes so I took a stroll down Kawaiahao Street and saw the chicken shop (which used to be a Vietnamese restaurant before). It is between Asahi Grill and the Rice Factory on Kawaiahao Street. Limited parking in the front with more parking available in the back.

The kimchee mandoo was dang good! A tad too spicy but super ono since it was made fresh and fried the way I like it. And they were stuffed big and juicy with a vinegary onion & radish sauce on the side.

The next time I went I ordered the Whole Chicken Set ($20.95) which was a deep fried split chicken with french fries and a drink. It is what that kid on the video display was eating with delightful crunchy abandon. Super crispy skin and moist and hot inside. SO good! I also ordered the regular Pork Mandoo fried ($12.95) and loved it. At Jay’s (the owner) suggestion, I added the Pork Mandoo Soup ($12.95) and thought it was very comforting but a bit mild. If I do order soup again, it will be the Kim Chee Mandoo Soup. Here are pictures – which I took after I started chowing down because I just couldn’t wait.

Then, yesterday, Pal Wandaful and I stopped in before we went to the Hawaii Collector’s Expo at the Blaisdell (was a REALLY good show this year!) and we split an order of the fantastic fried Pork Mandoo ($12.95) and a Garlic Chili Chicken Wing plate ($12.95) which was just right spicy, steaming hot out of the kitchen and finger licking good!

Just thinking about it makes me want to order the Garlic Chili Chicken Wings ($16.95 for 10 pieces) or maybe try the Dak Gangjeong with rice cake ($16.95). Or maybe Tteok Bokki (mochi logs) with Yaki Mandoo ($20.95) or their new Kimari seaweed rolls ($5.95). There is a way to order using this QR code but that is too techie for me. I rather just go down, order, and wait. It is really fun to watch that kid in the video eat and eat and eat. EVERYTHING is good there. Dang good!

Update: I went back today because I was out and about (senior discount day at Ross and Savers) and just had to order the 10 pieces of garlic chili chicken wings ($16.95), another whole chicken set ($20.95), half order of Dak Gangjeong ($16.95), more pork mandoo, and the Tteokbokki Rice Cake with Kimari ($13.95 + $10.95). Yes, I was hungry and my forever hungry daughter was coming for dinner and she LOVED the crispy fried chicken and kimari (deep fried seaweed roll).

The Dak Gangjeong was a bit too hot for me – it had a good taste like Chinese style sweet and sour but more heat and rice cake rolls added in for interesting texture. The Kimari had to be ordered with Tteokbokki because it is dipped in and eaten with the radish pickles. Another interesting one. The half order of garlic chili chicken wings was more chicken than a plate lunch and so satisfying, as was the always wonderful pork mandoo. I had cooked a pot of rice and we really did feast tonight – and there was a LOT of leftovers.

I wonder if I’ll ever get tired of their food. I have a feeling this is going to be one of my regular stops. But not tomorrow, I think.

THE best noodles – YOUPO!

(This post is for you, Jenny!)

I used to think that Lam’s Kitchen had the best noodles in town. Located on the corner of Maunakea and N. Pauahi, their noodles are the bomb – freshly made, silky soft and delightful in soup, with gravy topping, or great stir fried.

However, Pal Wandaful is always game for good noodles and I told her about MaybeItsJenny’s recommendation of a true hole-in-the-wall a few blocks away from there that had really good Beef Brisket Lo Mein – Kukui Cafe. Jenny is a true foodie, as is my Pal Wandaful, and so we went and enjoyed their Beef Brisket Lo Mein along with an order of moist and perfectly cooked salt and pepper chicken wings. Really good – and we didn’t have to worry about dishes or cups being dirty because everything was on paper or plastic plates and cups.

Since we were Downtown we stopped in to see the new and much smaller Robyn Buntin Gallery to ask about a new noodle maker they told us about before – Byong byong, or something like that. I lucked out and found an illegal parking space right in front of Robyn’s place and asked what and where the noodle people were and lo and behold – there were the noodle people – right behind my illegally parked car loading up their truck for the Blaisdell Farmers Market!

Talk about food fate! Wandaful and I HAD to check them out and boy are we glad we did. Their name is Youpo Noodles Hawaii and people follow them on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/youponoodleshi/?hl=en. They make Biang Biang Mein (the sound of the noodles stretching).

We had their Cumin Lamb with cabbage, choy sum, bean sprouts, soy & black vinegar ($17), Duck with mustard greens, cabbage, choy sum, bean sprouts, soy & black vinegar ($17), and their Mushroom Tofu with cabbage, choy sum, bean sprouts, soy & black vinegar ($15).

All of them were SOOOOO good! My favorite was the Mushroom Tofu which was quite spicy – but then, I do like spicy. The sauce is indescribable – so I won’t try to describe it. Okay, maybe I will try. Savory, rich, fragrant, sexy. The noodles were unbelievable. Soft yet chewy, thick and frilly, long and continuous. The sauce, toppings and noodles were like a symphony. A masterpiece that has to be eaten fresh.

Youpo Noodles are at Blaisdell on Wednesday afternoons, Kailua Farmers market on Thursday mornings, and the super busy Kakaako Farmers market on Saturday mornings. We going again next Wednesday, right, Wandaful?

Here is a first time iMovie I did with my iphone and posted it on YouTube showing how it is made. That was a rather excruciating process that was also kind of surprisingly easy!

Update: I went again to the Wednesday Farmer’s Market today because I didn’t get to go with Wandaful last week. She cooked up her leftovers with more veggies such as bok choy, which made it less spicy. According to her, it was still good a few days later. Today I ordered the mushroom tofu again – and found out from 2 ladies that were thinking about ordering – that the mushroom tofu had 4 chili peppers – so it is the hottest. Yup, it was, but oh so ono! And like Wandaful, I will save the leftovers (instead of letting my son-in-law eat the rest) and stir fry it another day with veggies. Or, I wonder how it would be in broth like saimin. Maybe next time I’ll see if I can just order plain noodles for my little grandson to try. He will probably love the thick chewy-ness. Such a treat!

Ring and the Neighborhood

I remember the first time I encountered a Ring doorbell. I went to visit my brother in Palolo but no one was home after I went to their front door. Then I had to jump back because my brother’s voice came out of the woodwork and said “Hi! We’re at Costco right now.” and I could hear my sister-in-law laughing in the background because she could see my shocked reaction via the Ring camera.

A few years after that, I decided to buy one for my front door and it has been one of the best techie gadgets ever. It is super easy to install – especially if it is the battery model. My grandson loves to ring it and hear the chimes and I can see whoever is there whether they press the door bell or just pass by. $39 per year will save videos so I can scroll backwards and see who came by (as well as seeing myself going in and out). There are several different models that can be found on the Ring.com website and once you sign up and buy one, you get special deals and discounts (so now I have a second ring for my back door). At first I balked at paying $39/year but it comes out to a bit more than $3/month and being able to scroll back is a wonderful feature vs. only getting live views that are not recorded.

The Neighborhood app

Just the doorbell and video features are great, but what is even niftier is the sister app to Ring called Neighbors. I signed up for notifications about crime, lost animals, community events all within a certain range from where I live. I get notifications about break ins, weird people walking into yards – captured and shared videos posted by other Ring users in my vicinity. There are some unlawful incidents and the perpetrators are caught on camera to alert us and help the police catch them.

Tonight, the Ring Neighborhood app brought home my daughter’s doggie.

Toshi wandered out of the yard around noon because the side gate was left open. Usually he hangs around since he is 14 years old, slow, and deaf but this time I didn’t notice that he was missing until a couple of hours had passed. I drove around and around and then put on my walking shoes after killing my feet with rubber slippers and walked for blocks in the hot sun asking people if they saw a loose dog. I gave up in the evening, called the Humane Society to report a lost dog, posted on Facebook’s Paw Posse Ohana (which takes a few hours to be moderated and approved), and then decided to try the Ring Neighborhood app.

I described the situation and posted pictures of Toshi. The app shows the general vicinity of where I live and immediately I started getting feedback and support from others in my neighborhood, asking what cross streets I lived on, kind sympathetic messages of hope, people saying that they would go driving around, etc. Within 10 minutes, a message showed up with a phone number and that they found Toshi! He was on a leash at a man’s house and when they saw him and asked the man about it, he said he found a dog roaming around on the street, fed him, and was taking him out to poop, hoping someone would show up looking for their dog.

I called the number and was given an address. I zoomed over and found a nice young couple (Tessa and James) in front of their house holding Toshi in their arms. The kindness of strangers. A community of caring individuals. How wonderful is that.

It makes me want to cheer: “I’m from Kaimuki and no one could be prouder. And if you cannot hear me, I’ll yell a little louder! …..”

I love this neighborhood and Ring helps us to be better neighbors. A big mahalo to Ring and its Neighborhood app. It makes me want to cheer for Ring but it’s hard to figure one out for a name that is just one syllable. “Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring!”

Jucci Lucci is Unreal Good!

I was going to start bombarding this website with Korean Natural Farming formulas and recipes but I had to slip in a good word for my new favorite poke place in town first.

Jucci Lucci is located just around the corner from Kapahulu Avenue where it becomes Campbell Avenue – sort of across from Kapahulu Zippy’s and right next to my favorite hair stylist, Mai’s Beauty. I first tried them after a haircut from Mai and went back the next day because it was SO good! Unfortunately they are only open during lunch hours and closed on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

I had their 2 choice bento of salmon poke and spicy garlic ahi poke which came on a bed of black sesame rice, a nice side of salad with their Turmeric Ranch dressing and kim chee. Usually I can make 2 meals out of a plate lunch but the combination is so killer that I couldn’t stop eating and finished it all off at lunch today.

The owner is so sweet, and quite beautiful. Their showcase always has something interesting to try such as pickled garlic in a cute little jar, fresh sliced sashimi, kimpira hasu, and outrageous takuan.

I will definitely be back for more. Tomorrow would be a good day but… they are closed on Tuesdays. Ah well, there is always Wednesday!

Diamond Magic and the Honolulu Tool Library

All of my friends and family know that I am a mess.  Messy house, cluttered rooms, too much going on all the time.

However, after many many listens to Mari Kondo’s Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, I started doing a bit of cleaning at a time.  My kitchen countertops got cleared off (oops they need another go round), my bedroom got cleared out and my wardrobe has been halved.  Little victories and areas of clean inspire more work and focus with new spots to tackle.

Our old bathroom was transformed with classic travertine walls and floor.  I found a gorgeous old vanity with marble top and grand wall mirror for it.  All was beautiful except for the old tub, which was grungy and dirty.  The travertine tile mason (Jason Carroll of Hawaii Kai Custom Stone) recommended that I use a product called Diamond Magic to make the 90 year old tub look like new.

Elbow grease and a power tool help

I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Diamond Magic is made here in Hawaii!  I bought the product and white scrubbing pad, watched the videos, and then headed out to Re-Use Hawaii to see Ben at the Honolulu Tool Library to borrow a sanding machine that had a velcro attaching disc.

It took a couple of hours of vibrating and sweat.  A lot of clean rags that soon became dirty.  I used Diamond Magic with the sanding machine and also by hand on inside curves.  I also used a pumice stick to remove the stubborn calcium buildup by the drain.  I took a break halfway through.

The finish line

Before I knew it, I was done!  The tub looks good and my old bathroom sparkles!  I don’t have to draw the shower curtain to hide it anymore – though I still might because I use it as a storage space for my overflow of fabric and projects.

Kudos

I love using Diamond Magic and plan to use it on my soap scum challenged glass blocks in my shower as well as on my windows with hard water spots.

Ben over at the Honolulu Tool Library is so helpful with supplying me with the right tool that a senior old lady like me can handle.  They are open on Tuesday mornings, Friday afternoons, and on Saturdays.  I pay the senior discount rate of just $35 per year and can borrow whatever tool I need for free for a week!

In the past I have borrowed a Gorilla Cart to haul buckets of dirt and rocks, a mini jack hammer to dig out a lemon tree (that didn’t survive), a sawzall to cut away trunks and roots, a staple gun to repair an upholstered chair, and a Dremel sanding kit for polishing up this tub.

I have saved so much time and money there and will continue to do so until I can’t lift and carry a sack of sand.  I returned the wonderful Dremel kit on Saturday and borrowed an angle grinder with a diamond wheel so I could cut out a portion of a cement wall.  I am also using it to cut off some points on a concrete grass block.  It is so very empowering to do it yourself.

Aunty feels macho.  And that’s a good thing.  Tawanda!

 

Taking the COVID test

Pal Kay of Musings had a post about getting tested for COVID-19. It seemed really easy to do – using a swab, rotate in each nostril for 15 seconds, insert in a tube with twist top, and you’re done!

What made it even easier was registering online prior to at: https://www.doineedacovid19test.com/

I entered my name, age, ethnicity, any health issues, etc.  I then could chose where I wanted to take the test and I chose Palolo Recreation Center (my hanabata days playground).  I even chose the time of day – which was noon because it wasn’t too early or too late, but just right for this aunty.

Why did I decide to take the test? 

It was because of the 5 free cotton masks.  I wanted to have them to check out because Kay said they were very comfortable.  I have been making masks and trying to make them functional, comfortable and good looking.  And these cotton masks made me curious enough to be willing to swab my nostrils in front of strangers in face masks and plastic shields to get 5 of them.

Was it worth it? 

Yep, yep, yep.  There were more stations open than people waiting to get the test and it was super fast.  And, Aunty got her masks.  All cotton knit with a sort of stretchy binding.  They might be perfect to do some tie-dying and/or shibori with indigo.  Another project to stack in the to do list.

Meanwhile

Esther (my centenarian friend) and I will continue to do our beach day on Thursdays, except now I can sit alone on the beach instead of pretend to fish while she swims to her heart’s content in the water.  The most recent billboard at Hawaiian Rent-All on Beretania Street cracked me up:  “Lockdown Update:  People with no friends allowed to sit on a beach!”  Those guys are fun, super nice and helpful.  If you ever need to borrow a power tool or two that the Honolulu Tool Library doesn’t have, they are the place to visit and have a chuckle.

And, btw, I won’t know the results of my COVID test for a few days.  Kay’s result was negative.  Hopefully the same for me.

Update

Yippee!

The new iPhone 11 first thoughts

Way back when, AT&T used to give the newest Apple iPhone free for each line, every 2 years.  Not sure how they did it but it was such a deal and opportunity, and Aunty used to have the newest phone until the free phone offers disappeared.  After that, Aunty would make do with older models.

Aunty recently went to the Apple Store and bought herself a brand new wonderful iPhone XS and was happy as a bumblebee (are bumblebees happy?) until Apple revealed the debut of the iPhone 11 with 3 different models.  Whaaaaa???  Suddenly, this bumblebee wasn’t happy, but the nice folks at the Apple Store assured Aunty that she could return her iPhone XS for a full refund if done within 14 days.  Or, give Aunty a “rebate” of $100 because of the timing of the new product release.

AT&T makes the deal

Meanwhile, while google searching if the iPhone 11 was superior to the iPhone X, Aunty discovered that AT&T (our family plan) was offering a BOGO – Buy a new phone and get one free (up to $700 in value).  Whoa Nellie, that sounded awesomesauce!

But it had a catch.  The free phone offer was only if a new line was purchased, or a number ported over from a different carrier.  NO problem!  Brand new son-in-law’s Verizon phone line got ported over to Aunty’s family plan (welcome to the family, Jack!) and Aunty got her beautiful silver iPhone 11 Pro, and son-in-law got his new space grey iPhone 11 Pro that he graciously gave up to his brand new wife.

Big deal

The iPhone 11 Pro is really big compared to Aunty’s old iPhone 6SE.  And much heavier.  Much.  It is also slipperier because of its rounded edges and thinner profile.  So slippery, in fact, that it flew out of Aunty’s hands at the AT&T store, crashed on the tile floor to the gasp and intake of breath of everyone there – without a scratch, shatter, or damage!  So, it passed the almost indestructible test with flying silver colors.

It does take getting used to swiping instead of pushing.  And apps got a bit messed up because of the temporary storage in the iCloud such as Aunty’s Starbucks app which had to be re-enrolled on the new phone which Aunty realized after ordering an iced caramel ribbon crunch frappuccino at the drive through so she could get bonus points.  It asked for user name and password and after several wrong guesses, Aunty was defeated and paid as a non member.  Ah well.  It is all good now once the super important secret notebook at home was consulted and user name and password entered correctly.

The camera to shoot for

This phone looks strange with 3 lenses.  Aunty has no clue how to use it – yet.  However, the camera is the reason that Aunty decided to go through the hassle of returning her brand new wonderful iPhone XS and going without a phone for a week.  That, and the extra long battery life – 5 hours more than the previous model and wireless charging!

A picture taken indoor at night from 10 feet away was quite good.  Surprisingly good, actually.  The selfie above was taken at night with an auto flash that didn’t really flash.  Pretty good and sharp, even with the mirror flip camera option, dontcha think?

Crushing candies

Candy Crush is more fun because the screen is so much bigger.  It also seems smoother to play, with the explosions and falling rows of candy moving faster and with less jerk.  Aunty is careful to limit her playing time because it really is a waste of time, just as Korean dramas are.

Ah, Korean dramas.  Something that Aunty can do on her new phone because of the bigger screen.

Hmmm.  Aunty thinks this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Funeral pictures and the new iPhone X

from “Miss Granny”

Miss Granny is still Aunty’s favorite Korean drama movie.  A grouchy old lady who sacrificed her youth and life to raise a son who loves her – but still, she is a grouchy old lady that not too many people liked.  One day she decides to get her funeral picture done because Korean funerals all have a nice 8×10 photo of the deceased looking their best surrounded with rows of flowers.  She walks into a very good photo studio with amazing results.

Over a year ago, Aunty and a few friends hired Jalna to take our individual funeral pictures – several shots in various poses, and all in clear perfect flattering focus.  These would come in handy for “that” day when a funeral picture is needed so our families don’t have to go scrambling around to find a smiling picture to put in the frame.  Most local funerals that Aunty have gone to show a nice color photo of the deceased that has been cropped from a group photo, and not in the best of focus or setting because most local people don’t go to photo studios for individual head shots.

Then came the iPhoneX with portrait mode

And now, everyone can have a funeral picture of themselves, their family members, their friends, their dogs, etc. that is of Korean drama funeral worthiness.

Awesomesauce, really awesomesauce.  Aunty is still learning how but all kinds of filters are available at the touch of a finger, sliding this way, that way, making backgrounds diffuse, disappear, get brighter, cartooney, etc.!  There is more to find out – and one of the best bonuses of having an iPhone is the support at the Apple Stores and the nice folks there.

If you are ever at Kahala Mall and stop in the Apple Store there and say hello to Kale.  Cracked Aunty up when he spelled his name K-A-L-E after pronouncing it Ka-lay.  Super nice young man who would even make Miss Granny feel special.

An OOOPS update!!!

A few days AFTER Aunty got her new iPhoneX, guess what happened.  Apple released its news of the newer iPhone 11!  Aaargh!

However, because of poor timing, Apple will offer a credit of $100 to offset the pain.  Or, better yet, if Aunty returns her “old” iPhoneX within 14 days, the entire charge will be reversed and Aunty can start over again and purchase the newest Apple phone beginning on Sept 20 either online or at the store.  Aunty will do that but will be without a phone for a week.  That is rather scary but then we didn’t have portable phones back in the day and meanwhile all the files will be stored in that mysterious iCloud until the new phone arrives.

Will it be worth the wait and inconvenience?  Maybe so.  The new iPhone has 3 (THREE) crazy looking lenses under super tough glass and longer battery life.  Potentially Aunty can do awesome videos to post here.  Potentially, possibly, perhaps.  Another “we’ll see” in another chapter of Miss Aunty’s life.

Breaking solar deal, Craft Swap signup

Aunty had bought these solar LED accent lights on sale at Costco a few months ago for $20.  It came with 4 glass box lights that could be screw mounted to fences, walls, etc. and powered by the sun.  Since Aunty LOVES solar powered anything, it was a gotta try thing, and instead of mounting it on a wall, one was put next to the house in an area that only gets some morning sun.  Well, lo and behold, it was enough of a “charge” and it helped to light up that dark section of the pathway all night as soon as it got dark!

This was good stuff and sort of expensive so Aunty had to be manju and kept the other 3 in the box to figure out where to put them for maximum use.  The body was of metal and glass so sticking it on rock walls or in the garden where it could rust or break from a fall was out, and possibly mounting it on certain walls were options that Aunty procrastinated upon.  After all, $20 for the 4 meant that they were $5 each, and these were special!

Until …. yesterday, when Aunty did a Costco Hawaii Kai trek and saw the boxes and a clearance price of $4.97 each!  $4.97????  OMG, Aunty grabbed several boxes and told everybody in the store that this was the best deal EVER.  Fo real!  So now, Aunty is telling you readers (especially you, Jalna) about this super duper deal while it lasts.  *note:  these solar lights are sold out. 

Craft Supply Swap II

This next one is also for Jalna because she is such a craftaholic.  Kaimuki Library is having their second Craft Supply Swap session on Sunday, October 20!  Aunty signed up for their inaugural one in February and scored great supplies for free.

First thing, though, is to get put on the list by dropping into the library and signing up or calling the reference desk 733-8422 by October 11 (do it sooner).  Then, drop off craft supply stuff that you DON’T want or use according to their rules – i.e. new and unused good stuff by the drop off deadline of October 14.

Then you show up on October 20 from 2-3:30 in the basement meeting room and you receive your “tickets” for the stuff you dropped off, and with your precious tickets, you go shopping!  *note:  you must be registered with the reference desk and in order to get tickets, you need to drop off supplies in good condition at least 6 days prior to the swap day. There weren’t too many sewing supplies but had lots of scrap booking papers and plenty doo hickies and doo dads.

The best part about this Swap session was de-accessing Aunty’s stuff not being used but yet was good stuff.  The bonus was going home with more stuff with possibilities – that might end up back at Kaimuki Library, lol.