The Cat Dish

FUUD: Waioli Tea Room in Manoa

By Catherine Toth Fox • December 31, 2010 • Food, Musings, The Daily Dish

Every year my family goes out to dinner on Christmas Eve.

And we like to try new restaurants, though with some restrictions, like, “not in Waikiki” and “not going to make my parents take out a second mortgage on the house.”

So we’ve had Christmas Eve dinner at Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Morton’s and Kobe Japanese Steakhouse (which is the closest to Waikiki my parents like to get).

But this year my mom wanted to try something new — and old.

Waioli Tea House, founded in 1922 and nestled in lush Manoa Valley (where my mom lived for a bit), was her out-of-the-box suggestion. It served a variety of food in its buffet, it wasn’t in Waikiki and, above all, it had an opening for seven on Christmas Eve.

None of us had ever been there before — there was some discussion about whether or not it was still open, actually — so we were excited to try it out.

Here’s what our recent visit looked like:

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Waioli Tea Room,, 2950 Manoa Rd. Phone: 808-988-5800.

***

To read all of Cat’s blogs, visit www.nonstophonolulu.com/thedailydish. Follow Cat on Twitter @thedailydish or send her an e-mail at [email protected].

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Best films of 2010

By Catherine Toth Fox • December 30, 2010 • Musings, The Daily Dish

Who’s got time to go to the movies these days?

Certainly not me. I’m lucky if I can return my Netflix within a six-month period.

Still, I’ve managed to see a few good flicks this year including “How to Train Your Dragon,” “The A-Team” and the latest installment of the “Harry Potter” series.

But the year’s not over yet — and I’m trying to cram in a few more critically acclaimed films before 2011.

Salon.com’s Iain Blair recommended, among his favorites, “Black Swan,” “I Am Love,” “Greenberg,” “The Social Network” and “True Grit”

Michael Drakulich, film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times and a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association, put together this list of his favorites of 2010:

• “Another Year”
• “Never Let Me Go”
• “Inception”
• “The Secret in Their Eyes”
• “The King’s Speech”
• “The Social Network”
• “Winter’s Bone”
• “The American”
• “I Am Love”
• “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World”

Got a favorite this year?

***

To read all of Cat’s blogs, visit www.nonstophonolulu.com/thedailydish. Follow Cat on Twitter @thedailydish or send her an e-mail at [email protected].

Subscribe to Nonstop Honolulu on YouTube »

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Cat Chat episode 8: The great Jake

By Catherine Toth Fox • December 29, 2010 • Musings, The Daily Dish, Videos

There aren’t many people I’m in absolute awe over.

As a reporter I’ve met everyone from high-level politicians to A-list celebrities.

But I’m part of that proverbial “tough crowd,” where it takes a lot to impress me.

So it might come as a surprise to you when I divulge who does: Jake Shimabukuro.

It’s not because he’s easily one of the most accomplished and innovative ukulele artists in the world. Or that his style of playing has revolutionized the entire industry. Or that he’s catapulted to international stardom all while maintaining his local — hey, he’s a Kaimuki High grad! — roots.

Those are definitely factors.

But he’s high on my list because, honestly, he’s one of the nicest, most sincere people you’ll ever met. He’s the kind of guy who’ll greet everyone with a smile and a big hug. He’ll look you in the eye when you’re talking to him and he’ll answer any question with total, unabashed honesty.

You don’t see that very often.

Well, Jake was nice enough to meet up with me at his label — Hitchhike Records — office in Waikiki to chat about his new album, “Love Peace Ukulele,” which comes out on Jan. 4, his new partnership with Farmers Insurance Hawaii, and even play a new track — an original called “143” — for us.

Check it out!

Got other people you want to see me interview? Post your suggestions here! We love hearing from you!

***

To read all of Cat’s blogs, visit www.nonstophonolulu.com/thedailydish. Follow Cat on Twitter @thedailydish or send her an e-mail at [email protected].

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How do you know, you know?

By Catherine Toth Fox • December 28, 2010 • Musings, The Daily Dish

As soon as I saw the preview, I knew I wanted to see the movie.

“How Do You Know,” a new romantic comedy directed by James L. Brooks, centers around a 31-year-old Olympic softball player (played by Reese Witherspoon) who’s torn between two men: the professional pitcher-playboy (Owen Wilson) or the nice-guy businessman (Paul Rudd).

The movie is supposed to answer the question — reviews, like the one in the New York Times, say the movie failed to do that — “How do you know when you’re in love?” Or, maybe, “How do you know who’s — or what’s — best for you?”

It’s an interesting question, actually, especially when you’re at a point in your relationship when you need to make that big decision. Is this person right for you? Can I imagine my life without him? Is she the one?

When I worked as a reporter for The Honolulu Advertiser, one of my jobs was to write “Love Stories,” weekly articles about newlyweds. I always focused on how they met — and part of that was finding out when they knew they wanted to marry the other person. Everyone has a different story. One guy said he knew she was the one for him when she happily agreed to go to an important football game with him — and she hated the sport. Another woman said she knew her husband was worth marrying when she saw how he interacted with her children.

So I’m throwing it out there: how do you know? What is it about the other person that made you decide, “Hmm, I think this one’s a keeper”?

***

To read all of Cat’s blogs, visit www.nonstophonolulu.com/thedailydish. Follow Cat on Twitter @thedailydish or send her an e-mail at [email protected].

Subscribe to Nonstop Honolulu on YouTube »

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Training 2-year-olds? Why not!

By Catherine Toth Fox • December 27, 2010 • Musings, The Daily Dish

When I was growing up, I did normal kid things like play on monkey bars and ride my bike into telephone poles.

I didn’t get into competitive sports — if you could even call it that — until I was in fourth grade, when I signed myself up for volleyball and basketball at my elementary school. I was just 10 years old when I learned how to do lay-ups and serve overhand.

But apparently, 10 is too old.

These days parents are throwing their kids into gyms and buying them training videos before they’re potty-trained, according to a story from the New York Times.

Gymtrix offers a library of videos starting with training for babies as young as 6 months. Kindergartners compete in soccer and T-ball leagues. Gyms across the country are enrolling children as young as 4 months old. And there’s a growing number of baby sports DVDs from athleticBaby and Baby Goes Pro.

Is this crazy — or a sign of the changing times?

Sure, my mom signed me up for a tumbling class when I was a toddler. But we rolled around on padded mats. It was probably more of a socializing exercise than an introduction to competitive gymnastics.

The entrepreneurs behind these businesses will argue different points: This is encouraging kids at a young age to be healthy and active, thereby combating the rising obesity rates. And let’s face it, the younger you start in a sport, the better you’ll likely be.

But when are parents just pushing their kids too much — and too young?

***

To read all of Cat’s blogs, visit www.nonstophonolulu.com/thedailydish. Follow Cat on Twitter @thedailydish or send her an e-mail at [email protected].

Subscribe to Nonstop Honolulu on YouTube »

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