Ono Hawaiian Food Restaurant always has a waiting crowd outside during lunch and dinner hours. That’s a good thing. Line starts at the standing sign next to the red door. Ask for the menus while you wait. Whoever sit down and order first get the food first. Right?! The awnings in front of the building are gone, so grab your umbrella if you see the rainbow in Manoa Valley direction. The interior walls are filled with autographed pictures of celebrities. And this is no diner décor. They are photos from way back when. Parking is a little tricky – street meter parking or you could pay a little at the evening public parking lot behind Bank of Hawaii across the street. The food, exactly what the name convey. “Ono” – delicious in Hawaiian. Finally your turn to sit down. I’m ready to order – fish laulau plate, lomi salmon, chichen long rice, Maui onion, poi and dried ahi. Ono, let’s go.

Where can you find a half eaten plastic apple, or a coconut sculpture, or a vintage Hawaiian post card or a carve mask? Peggy’s Pick. It is no International market place, part II. Peggy really goes out of her way to put different stuffs in her store. If your group waiting for your table at Ono. Take turn and run across the street to check out this stores. Girls probably like the necklaces, earrings, tattoo stickers, and other cute stuffs. Tourist folks, this is best place to pick up some souvenirs to take home. Totally authentic Hawaii stuff. Not. Well, most but not all. It is best to ask the shop keeper. You know how it is. That coconut bikini is more than likely made in the Philippine rather than by some local coconut bikini maker. On a side note, how come there is never a coconut in the coconut trees in Waikiki or any of the hotel ground ? You guess it. LiAbilities. Lawyers and Insurance companies don’t like them falling on people’s head. Coco Nuts. Oh, Peggy’s Pick.

Best malasada in Hawaii. A Portuguese desert – golden brown deep fried dough with sugar sprinkle. Japanese tourists would walk here all the way from Waikiki to just have a few of these tasty treat. Oh, also take pictures under the rare flashing neon sign.

I’m sure you experience this at the department store. The salesperson goes “Does it fit? Those shoes look nice on you. Should I bring you a 7-1/2 size?” and after a few minutes in the back room, he comes back and says “Sorry, we only have size 8.” If you really want a pair of shoes that fits, you ought to stop by the Running Room. Bring your old running/walking shoes with you. By looking at the wearing pattern of your old shoes and getting your feet wet, they can find out what type of feet you have. Flat feet, high arched, pronation, supination, wide feet all require special attention. Leave your ID and they’ll let you run up and down Kapahulu Avenue to try out the shoes. Marathon is just around the corner. Make sure to buy your racing shoes and break them in before the race. Trainers are a little more supportive and have more cushioning material and thus tend to be heavier than racing shoes which tend to be lighter and more flexible. But you should wear them once a week to break them in months before the race. Happy shoe hunting.