Pursuit of Pualani

So today I leave onboard the Golden Princess.  We are sailing to Hawaii from Los Angeles and then back.  It is a great cruise (this is my fourth time doing it) but you really have to like sea days, as only 4 of the 14 days are in port.  So what am I doing on my day in Honolulu (Dec. 14)?  It is insane, but I am going to Honolulu airport where I will fly to Maui, back to Honolulu, back to Maui and then back to Honolulu, all in one day.

All this insanity is in pursuit of Hawaiian Airlines Pualani status. 

If you fly 20,000 miles onboard Hawaiian airlines in one year, you get Pualani status -- the benefits including bonus miles, reduced fare costs, free bag check, free drinks, priority boarding, etc.  I  actually did fly four times from the mainland this year, but one of those trips was using a reward ticket, so I didn't get credit.  As a result, I have currently obtained 18,300 miles in travel this year.  In order to get the remaining miles, I booked two round trip tickets. 

I know it sounds crazy, but I will be flying four times to Hawaii next year, and the bag fees alone cost more than the amount I spent on these interisland tickets.  It is a total waste of a day in Honolulu, but fortunately, I was just there in October and will be there again in February.  Plus our ship doesn't leave the port until 11pm so since my flights end by 5pm, I will get to at least have dinner there.

Most of the connections are pretty good (with about an hour in between) but only one is bad, from Kahului back to Oahu I only have about 30 minutes.  Luckily no luggage, so I just have to make it to the gate and that airport only has three Hawaiian interisland gates so I should be okay. 

I'm sure it will be an awful, tiring day, but well worth it when I relax onboard in my priority seat with my free mai tai and free bags this February.  Wish me luck! :)

Extreme Makeover - Ukulele Edition

As posted previously, I had my Kamaka tenor (my go-to ukulele) refinished in a gloss finish.  They did a great job (albeit with one bubble) and removed a lot of the scratch marks the ukulele had suffered.  Unfortunately, I played my newly refinished ukulele while wearing a Hawaiian shirt with coconut buttons and they scratched up the back of the uke.  I apologize for the poor viewing angle, but you can probably see some white scratch marks across the back, mainly on the left and right sides.

So I did a little research online, and found that some people had used a product called Fender Guitar Instrument Kit (by Meguiar's - the car care people).  It consists of a mist and wipe, swirl and haze remover, and polish and conditioner.

I figured it couldn't hurt to try it so I visited my local Guitar Center in Pasadena, CA to pick up a box.  Unfortunately, they didn't have it, so I had to drive out to Cerritos to get one.  (About 33 miles away).  I headed out and got there, only to discover that the one box they had had leaked and was only about 3/4 full.  I had already spent 40 minutes driving out there in LA area traffic so I didn't want to leave empty handed and I bought the bottle. 

I went home and proceeded to follow the directions, only to discover that the bottles were not only leaking (as they had done all over the back seat of my BMW) but the swirl remover -- which is supposed to have a consistency of lotion or condensed milk, was like cloudy water.  I applied it repeatedly, and was able to get ten of the twelve scratches out, not perfection -- but still a success.

I figured that the box was not only leaking, but probably way beyond its shelf life.  Since I knew Guitar Center wouldn't have it, I did a check for a local Sam Ash store that did.  The one in City of Industry did, and at 8pm, I made the drive out there to get a box.  So I drove the 27 miles (only took a half hour at that time of night) and they had seven boxes in stock.  I told the sales clerk what happened with the Guitar Center box, and he allowed me to check the consistency of the swirl remover.  I did so, and was glad to see it was indeed like lotion.  It turns out it didn't make that much difference, and those two scratches are still visible, but on the whole, what a remarkable transformation!  

Since I had all the strings off, I also put a very thin coating of lemon oil on the fretboard...just left it on for about fifteen minutes then wiped it off.  

The entire ukulele feels like glass -- just like a freshly waxed car would.  It shines like crazy and I couldn't be happier with my purchase.  For a twenty five dollar investment (okay plus the cost of gas to Cerritos and City of Industry!) I gave Pele an extreme makeover.  She is almost wrinkle free and looks better than ever. :)

Wall hangers

Most people recommend that you store your ukuleles in cases, preferably ones that are humidity controlled.  I know I should, but I am too lazy, plus my cat has a habit of peeing on anything luggage like that is left out and about, so my Ameritage Silver Series cases (more expensive than some ukuleles) are much better protected in the closet.

As you all know, I'm a big Hawaii fan, so my home office has a Hawaii theme.  I have uli ulis, and an ipu on a shelf in my office.  

 So it was only natural for me to hang my ukuleles up there. I didn't want to use generic boring hangers, so I ordered some hand carved Hawaiian themed hangers.

For my small soprano, I have a honu turtle design.  My Pineapple Sunday is, naturally, on a pineapple hanger.  The Kamaka hangs on a whale hook, and my Kanile'a sits on a plumeria hanger.  I ordered them from a Ukulele Underground member named Toucan Mango, and got them from his eBay store. http://stores.ebay.com/Toucanmango

I highly recommend them, as they feature great wood designs, and padded protection for your ukuleles.

Closer inspection of satin vs. gloss finish on my Kamaka HF3

I originally posted a couple of quick photos showing the difference between the original satin finish and the new glossy finish on my Kamaka.  Here are some more detailed comparisons -- I still think that as a general rule, there is not a huge difference when the satin had been viewed under ideal situations (with fluorescent lights or a flash camera), but in just a glance, or less than idea scenarios, the gloss shows the curl in the koa much more than the satin did.  So I have tried to find photos that show the satin in its natural state -- not an easy task because I usually was meticulous about how I took pictures to best reflect the curl in the koa.

Here are some comparisons taken of the ukulele under the same conditions -- no flash, just the top portion of the face near the soundhole.

Satin top

Glossy top

As you can see, the glossy really brings out the curl in the koa.  Although you do have to account for the brighter sunlight conditions in the second photo, it is that dramatic a difference.

The next set of photos are of the side of the ukulele.  This shows the satin finish under the best possible conditions, with lighting/flash that allowed the curl to show through, so the difference is much less dramatic.

Satin side

Glossy side

Hopefully, this gives a bit of an insight into the difference in appearance between the two finishes.  As for sound, my uke sounds exactly the same as it did during the satin finish. As Fred Kamaka, Jr. noted, there is no difference in sound in their ukuleles in either finishes, they endure the same six bottom coats, it is only the top coat of finish that determines whether the ukulele will be satin or glossy.

As for feel, I did like the smooth, silky feel of the satin probably better than the stickier finish provided by the gloss.  But the funny thing is that my ukulele had originally had a gloss finish on the back of its neck (I'm not sure if that was by accident or design) so the majority of the portion I touched feels the same.  I actually really like that I don't have to worry about sweat/body oils in the portion of the ukulele where my right forearm rests any longer.  That had been touched so often that it was starting to show a shiny spot in that area.  The satin finish was also much easier to damage and the gloss hides more of a multitude of sins.

Chris Kamaka was able to remove the gouge marks and most of the scratches on my uke, leaving her pristine and beautiful.  I don't regret it for a second, even though I do still see the value of a traditional satin ukulele.
So on the whole, I'm very happy with my decision to refinish it, and I can't thank the Kamaka guys enough for taking care of it for me!

Glossy refinishing on my Kamaka HF-3 tenor ukulele

As I mentioned in my last post, I had my Kamaka tenor ukulele refinished from satin to gloss.  Here are a couple of photos that show the difference between the original to the newer makeover version

This is a photo taken of me with the original satin finish ukulele (in Lahaina, Maui).  It did show the curl more when the pictures were taken with a flash camera, or it was reflected in the right lighting.  But this photo is an accurate portrayal of how it generally looked at a glance, when those proper situations were not present.

As you can see from the photo below, the ukulele in its gloss version brings out the curl in the koa a little bit more (taken in my backyard, while wearing my Reyn Spooner official Kamaka Ukulele Hawaiian shirt).

40th Annual Uke Festival and refinished Kamaka

I just got home from Hawaii. I spent a few days in Kauai (at the Castle Makahuena in Poipu) and four days in Oahu (at the Hilton Hawaiian Village).  I'll do a quick review of the Castle in the upcoming days...in short, it was nice to be next door to the Point (where I always stay) and it definitely had some advantages and disadvantages...

The purpose of my trip was so that I could attend the 40th Annual Roy Sakuma Ukulele Festival at Kapiolani Park on Sunday, July 18th.  The concert lineup was fantastic, with performances by Jake Shimabukuro, James Hill, Herb Ohta and many other ukulele artists.  If you didn't get a chance to attend, be sure to check out this webpage, where an attendee has uploaded great videos of the performances. http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?33256-Roy-Sakuma-s-Ukulele-Festival-2010/page3&highlight=sakuma

It was pretty hot, and I didn't plan well (turns out it is pretty hard to sit on the ground for that long).  But it was completely worth it, as in addition to the superstar artists, there were also a number of ukulele groups from everywhere from Cerritos, CA to Japan.  Each of the major ukulele manufacturers had a booth at the festival (I made sure to stop by the Kamaka, KoAloha and Kanile'a booths).

It amazes me that both Joe Souza from Kanile'a Ukulele, and Paul Okami from KoAloha Ukulele remembered me.  I have met Joe on two occasions, and yet when he saw me, he came over with a broad grin and stopped to chat.  (By the way Joe, you look fantastic!  Keep it up!)  And I saw Paul Okami (who I only met once) walking around and mentioned to my Mom that was him, but truthfully, I didn't think he would remember me so I didn't stop to talk.  Instead, he smiled and said, "Hey, I know you!" and then we talked story for a few minutes.  I was also standing at a booth only to have someone else come up and say hi, and was Aldrine Guerrero from Ukulele Underground...again, a guy I met only twice before in the past.  The ukulele world is so small, and so very welcoming.  It really does feel like we are all one ohana.

It was at the Kamaka booth that I first discussed refinishing my Kamaka ukulele with Fred Kamaka, Jr.  My ukulele was a satin finish tenor...it was quite beautiful but it had some battle scars (from an unfortunate accident with scissors while changing strings) and I felt the satin finish didn't do justice to the curl in the koa wood.  I asked Fred if I could have it refinished in a gloss finish, and he said to bring it by the factory the next day and that for $50 they would re-finish it for me, hopefully completing it before my flight home on Wednesday.

I ended up taking it down there, and left it in the very capable hands of Chris Kamaka.  I then spent the next two days as a nervous wreck, unable to sleep or concentrate on anything other than the status of my beloved "Pele."  On Tuesday I called the factory and was told that Chris would have it ready for me on Wednesday, but possibly not before my flight.

So on Wednesday morning, I jumped on the #42 bus from Waikiki, and headed to the factory.  Even though I was told to call first, I had a very short window of time before I had to be back at the hotel to check out and catch my shuttle to the airport.  I figured it was worth the risk on the off chance it was ready.  Lo and behold, just as I got off the bus and was walking the couple of blocks to the factory, my phone rang and it was none other than Chris Kamaka telling me the ukulele would be ready in a few minutes.

I was then presented with a newly finished, now unmarked, beautiful ukulele.  The gloss finish does seem to make the curl in the koa pop more, and while it does have the smell of lacquer still, that only adds to the new feeling of my uke.  The best part is, those horrible gouge marks are now gone.  Chris was able to remove them, leaving a pristine Kamaka in my hands.  I almost jumped across the counter to hug him I was so happy.

I need to take some photos and I will update this with the before/after pics -- hopefully tomorrow, but I do have the inlaws coming over for a barbecue, and some furniture being delivered so if I don't get a chance to do it then, I will be sure to do so on Tuesday or Wednesday.

All I can say is, while people often speak of the customer service of Kanile'a and KoAloha (both of which I completely agree with), the guys at Kamaka really went out of their way to make me happy. Chris worked incredibly fast, even though they don't do rush jobs, to ensure that I wouldn't leave his island without my beloved Pele in my hands.  I can't thank them enough.  Mahalo nui loa.

KoAloha factory tour

I just got back from Hawaii last night (whew, a bumpy plane ride!)  I had a great time in Oahu and Kauai, and the highlight of my trip was getting to spend some time at the KoAloha Ukulele Factory.  I got a chance to talk story with Alvin "Papa KoAloha" Okami for almost an hour, and he performed some songs off his new CD ("Just Uke and Me") for us.  He also explained the meaning behind the song "Softly," and while I loved it before, it has even more meaning now.  Before we left, he grabbed some DVDs of the KoAloha Story, as well as two of his CDs (which he autographed) for us.  I can't say enough about what a wonderful man he is.  Not only is he a creative genuis -- who else could have thought up the wonders of the Pineapple Sunday, Sceptre and Jukulele, but he is also a warm and caring person, who took time out of his busy day to chat with two ladies from California.  Poor Mom, she has now been dragged to the ukulele factory tours of Kanile'a, Kamaka and KoAloha.  For her sake, I better not end up buying a Ko'olau.

To get to Kohou street from Waikiki, we took the #42 bus, and then walked a couple of blocks.  I've now taken the bus to all three of the factories, and while Kamaka's is the easiest to get to, KoAloha's was simpler than Kanile'a (of course, if I had gotten off at the right bus stop for Kanile'a maybe it wouldn't have been so bad).

Here is a photo of me outside the KoAloha logo sign...

After posing under the sign, I took another picture standing outside their door.  Unlike Kamaka, which is a pretty nondescript building, the KoAloha factory has adorable ukuleles and a sign outside letting you know that you are in ukulele heaven.

After posing for my photos (with Po'okela, my trusty KoAloha Pineapple Sunday), we rang the buzzer and waited to be let inside.  We had made reservations with Brian for the tour that morning at 9am, and I was excited to get to make the keychains I had heard so much about...

Turns out we didn't get to do that, but we were privy to something far greater - a personal concert from Papa KoAloha.  I also got a chance to see the very first KoAloha, the miniature that Mr. Okami created on advice from Ohta-san.

I also noticed how adorable the waiting room at KoAloha is...with everything from glass etched KoAloha designs to painted portraits of Alvin and Pat, aka Papa and Mama KoAloha.

I'd also love to have a plant like this, with KoAloha ukuleles growing on it...

After our concert, Brian took us on a tour of the factory, and we got a chance to see him discuss bookmatching of tops with Paul, using some beautiful koa wood for demonstration.

We were also shown the unique brace used by KoAloha, which not only supports the weight of their workers, but also ensures the quality and volume of sound in the instrument.

We also got to see some of the new Masterpiece collection tenor Sceptres that Papa was currently working on...oh, to have a tenor Sceptre.  He said that all of them were already spoken for, and that he anticipated being done working on them in about a week, then it would be on to make more jukuleles.

I also got a chance to see the new bridge design for the Pineapple Sunday.  As it has been reported elsewhere, KoAloha decided to return to the debossed style of design, rather than the etched tops.  And this new spiky bridge design is also an improvement over the straight bridge style.  As most of you know, I went through four of the Pineapple Sundays before I ended up with my current one -- I was searching for a spiky bridge design on an embossed top, and I ended up losing hundreds of dollars in the pursuit.  I hate to admit it, but I really prefer the spiky bridge design to the one on my model, but at this point, I think I would end up divorced against my will if I bought another Pineapple Sunday so I'll just have to be content with the one I have.   Luckily for me, it sounds and looks great.  So even though I will lust after the new style, I'll stick with the one I have.  For now, hehehe...

Finally, when we went back into the showroom, Brian brought out a Jukulele to show everyone, as it is the latest of Papa KoAloha's Masterpiece Collection.  It is amazing the level of detail in these ukuleles.  The "American" version actually has 50 stars etched into the top, one for each state of the union.  And the "Hawaiian" model is stunning visually as well.

I thanked Paul for helping to set up the tour for us, and I thanked him for all of his help and kind words on email.  I also told him I appreciated him being on Ukulele Underground, as an inside connection to KoAloha for those of us who are big fans.  I asked if I could pose for a picture with him and my ukulele, and unfortunately, Mom cut off the ukulele, but this is the two of us at the end of the tour.

And finally, my favorite photo from the day.  This is of Mom, Alvin Okami, my Pineapple Sunday and I in front of a wall of beautiful KoAloha ukuleles.  I can't thank the folks at KoAloha enough for taking the time out of their busy schedules to walk us through their factory and talk story with us.  My Pineapple Sunday is a treasure to me, in large part due to the heart and soul of the Okami family.  Mahalo nui loa to everyone at KoAloha Ukulele, especially Alvin Okami.

Off to Hawaii!

My bags are packed and I'm off to Hawaii tomorrow.  I'll be in Oahu for three days (staying at my Mom's timeshare at the Hilton Hawaiian Village).  I can't wait to get a mai tai at the Royal Hawaiian and do some shopping at Ala Moana.  I can taste that Yummy Korean BBQ now!  But I'm most excited about touring the KoAloha Ukulele factory on Thursday morning.  I've already visited the Kamaka and Kanile'a factories (see other posts) and I can't wait to see where my Pineapple Sunday ukulele was born.

Then it is on to Kauai for seven days.  Ah, Poipu, my favorite place on Earth.  We are staying at the Point at Poipu (another of Mom's timeshares) in my favorite unit, 6305.  Keoki's - start blending those frozen mai tais, I'm on my way!

I'll be back on the 17th of April, with some photos from KoAloha...

Christmas at the Kamaka Ukulele Factory

I toured the Kamaka factory last December, and it was a terrific experience.  Kamaka is the forefather of the Hawaiian ukulele, and it was priceless to get a tour there.  I highly recommend it if you are ever in Honolulu.  As you can see, the Hawaii Visitors Bureau has marked Kamaka Ukulele as a historic Hawaiian site.

This is me, standing outside the shop, and posing like a dork.

While I was there, I saw that they had a lot of cute Christmas decorations up. I thought it would be fun to share a photo of how they decorated the Hawaiian Christmas palm trees...the ornaments are the koa wood circles from cutting out the soundholes in the ukulele. I can't think of a better, more Hawaiian way to decorate a Christmas tree...with koa. 

A Jake Shimabukuro special edition ukulele close up, in progress...

This is Fred Kamaka, our tour guide, with his dad's creation, Kamaka Pineapple #1.

Fred Kamaka shows us Kamaka ukulele necks in progress.

Pretty koa Kamakas all ready for their new owners...

A Kamaka pineapple ukulele gets its serial number.

My Kamaka tenor, Pele, poses with me, my Mom and Fred Kamaka at the end of our tour.

Kanile'a Ukulele Factory Tour

Although some of you know I play my KoAloha and Kamaka 99% of the time, my Kanile'a has a very special place in my heart, as my first "real" ukulele. And as much as I love it for its sound, and looks, it is the special customer service of Joe and Kristen Souza that will make me a Kanile'a fan for life.

I bought my ukulele in December of 2008 in California, but decided to tour their factory in May of 2009. I ended up taking the bus from Honolulu to Kaneohe, and got off at the wrong stop. I ended up walking about a mile to their factory, in the Oahu heat (I guess I should be happy I was on the windward side of the island!) and when I arrived, Joe and Kristen couldn't have been nicer. Kristen even said I should have called, they would have picked me up at the bus stop!

Joe took about an hour out of his day, to talk to us and take us through the factory -- it was a terrific experience, as I had the chance to see up close and personal the steps of ukulele creation from koa wood log to finished product.  I was also lucky enough to see the custom Kanile'a that Joe was building at that time for one of my favorite uke players, Aldrine Guerrero of Ukulele Underground!

The most amazing part was that even though I only met them once, I was shocked when I ran into them at the October Southern California Ukulele Festival, and Kristen shouted, "Joe, look it is Staci!" I couldn't believe they remembered not only my face, but my name.

I know the KoAloha folks have out of this world customer service (the stories here at UU certainly prove that), but it is hard for me to imagine two nicer folks in the ukulele industry than those at Kanile'a. The people at Kamaka were terrific, but the people at Kanile'a make you feel like family. Here are just a couple of the photos I took that day...

When I first arrived, Joe and I posed in the front of the factory. We both are wearing Kanile'a Ukulele tshirts.

A stock of koa wood, ready to be turned into musical goodness.

The best use ever of binder clips.

"Waimea" my Kanile'a K2 tenor gets the drill from Joe as he installs her strap button. I was trying not to faint, like an expectant parent.

Joe Souza, "Waimea" and I pose in front of the hall of fame in their shipping area, filled with Kanile'as and some other brands used in the ukulele lessons in the nearby Windward Mall.

I can't thank Joe and Kristen enough for giving me a wonderful day, and making me feel so special when I saw them again in October. My KoAloha may be my favorite ukulele to play, but my Kanile'a will always be special to me because it came from some of the nicest people in the ukulele industry.

Fave Hawaiian foods and drinks

As I get ready to leave for Hawaii next week, one of the things I'm most excited about is the great food and drinks that await me in Oahu and Kauai. Here is a list of my countdown of my top five favorite things to eat and drink while in the Aloha state:

5. Kalua pork (anywhere and everywhere)

Kalua pork is the king of the luau.  Slow roasted pork is pulled apart into tender bits of deliciousness.  Unlike pulled pork barbecue in the South, it isn't covered in sauce, but rather it is the taste of the pork itself that stands on its own.  You can get it everywhere from fast food restaurants to expensive luaus, just be sure to get it somewhere while you are in town. You won't regret it.

4. Pukadog with lilikoi mustard and pineapple relish

Pukadogs are found in both Oahu and Kauai, and worth the search.  They come in Polish sausage or Veggie dog styles, and then the real adventure begins. You choose from mild/spicy/hot or hot/hot special sauce, then you can add yellow, dijon or lilikoi (passion fruit) mustard, and top it off with the relish of your choice (mango, pineapple, papaya, coconut, banana or starfruit).  My recommendation?  Go for the lilikoi mustard and pineapple relish.  It is a huge hot dog, way too big for me to eat by myself, but oh so tasty.  The toppings are placed in a unique bun (toasted on what Anthony Bourdain said looked like a torture device), and then the dog is dropped in. The only downside?  They serve only lemonade.  So go get your soda or water next door to wash it down.

3. Local Boy hamburger at Duane's Ono Burger in Anahola, Kauai

Duane's is well off the beaten path, but oh so worth the trek. This was the best hamburger I have ever had in my life. The meat is a perfect size, not so thin to vanish under the toppings, but not so thick as to be overwhelming. It was cooked perfectly medium well, and covered in toppings of cheddar cheese, sweet pineapple and tangy/salty teriyaki sauce. I opted to leave off the mayo, but it comes along with it for those who want a complete heart attack in a bun. I've had teriyaki burgers elsewhere (Carl's Jr., Cheeseburger in Paradise, and Islands to name a few) but none can compare to Duane's. None.

2. Yummy Korean BBQ takeout at Ala Moana Shopping Center

I am 1/4 Korean (my grandmother was Korean) so I absolutely love having the food that I grew up eating. Unfortunately, Korean barbecue is often extremely expensive at sit down restaurants or not very good at takeout places. The one exception to this rule is Yummy Korean BBQ at the Ala Moana shopping center in Honolulu, Hawaii. Every time I go to Oahu, I make sure I stop and get this at least once. It is reasonably priced, and the meat is always well done and well flavored, not bland or fatty like it often is at takeout places. Pair some kalbi with some cabbage kimchi, cucumber kimchi, two scoops of white rice, and a large Diet Coke for a meal that is divine.

1. Frozen mai tai at Keoki's Paradise in Poipu, Kauai.

This is hands down, the best drink I have ever had. The first thing I do whenever I land in Lihue is grab the keys to my rental car and drive to Poipu Shopping Village to get a frozen mai tai at Keoki's. They are smooth, delicious and strong. My only regret is that I can only have one at a time since I'm always the driver on the rental car. It is indescribable bliss. And their carrot muffins aren't bad either.