FUUD: Bruno's Forno in Chinatown

By • October 1, 2010 • Food, Musings, The Daily Dish

The one thing I miss about working in downtown is the lunch scene.

There are so many restaurants, coffee shops and takeout spots to choose from, serving everything from sushi to vegetarian curry.

So when I get a chance to meet up with friends who work in corporate Honolulu for lunch, there’s no hesitation.

This week I met up with my guyfriend Jon to check out a little Italian spot that opened a few months ago in Chinatown.

Bruno’s Forno, owned by Mix Cafe’s Bruno Iezzi, is a takeout Italian eatery located next to the entrance of Maunakea Marketplace.

It’s menu — written in chalk on the wall — isn’t very extensive, with European-style sandwiches and pastas, but what it lacks in options it makes up in flavor.

Here’s what we ate (all taken with my iPhone 4, by the way):

Heading to Portland

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On my way to Portland — and I had to actually WALK to the airplane. Reminded me of Kona Airport!

Bruno’s Forno,1120 Maunakea St. #186. Phone: 808-585-2845. www.brunosforno.com, @brunosforno

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Calling all downtown lunchers!

We’re looking for your picks for the best lunch spot in downtown and Chinatown. E-mail me directly at [email protected], send me a tweet @thedailydish, or post your picks here!

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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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Technology: too easy to be mean

By • September 30, 2010 • Musings, The Daily Dish

This is something I think about all the time.

It’s so easy — too easy — for people to hurt each other via the Internet. People can say horrible things — true or not — without much repercussion or backlash. In fact, they don’t even have to reveal who they are. On the Internet we can all remain relatively anonymous.

And now meanies are swapping and sharing secrets and embarrassing or intimate moments online — without the victim knowing.

This just happened last week when a Rutgers University freshman jumped off a bridge to his death after authorities say two classmates surreptitiously recorded — and broadcasted over the Internet — a video of him having sex with a man in his dorm room.

Oh, and it gets worse.

The two roommates — who have been charged with illegally taping 18-year-old Tyler Clementi — even promoted the recording on Twitter. One of the defendants, Dharun Ravi, said this message: “Roommate asked for the room till midnight. I went into molly’s room and turned on my webcam. I saw him making out with a dude. Yay.”

Two days later, he posted on Twitter: “Anyone with iChat, I dare you to video chat me between the hours of 9:30 and 12. Yes it’s happening again.”

I’m completely disgusted. Who does these kinds of things? Who thinks this is OK? What’s a matter with these two freshmen — obviously smart enough to get into Rutgers — to think doing something like isn’t just legal but acceptable behavior?

And it’s not like this is the first time this has happened.

Celebrities complain all the time about personal sex tapes getting leaked on the Internet. (Sure, you can argue that some purposely leak footage. But I can’t imagine they all do.) And there have been two recent cases where naked photos of teenage girls, sent to a single person, were e-mailed to classmates and strangers, leading both girls to take their lives.

And it won’t stop.

We’re armed with camera phones that can shoot and broad high-definition video within seconds. We are surrounded by computers and recording devices. We could be watched wherever we go, even in our own homes, even in our bathrooms

Is anyone else scared?

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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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ASK DR. DISH: 'He voted for Bush!'

By • September 29, 2010 • Musings, The Daily Dish

Question: My current boyfriend of five months is a diehard Republican. I knew that going into the relationship, but I didn’t realize just how into the whole party thing he is. I knew he voted for (President George W.) Bush — but twice??? You see, I am a strong supporter of the Democratic party and now that we are the throes of election season, it is becoming more and more evident that we cannot agree or get along. Can our relationship survive, even just the election?

Answer: Well, you can’t say you don’t have stimulating conversations at the dinner table!

To start off, I would say you have to figure out if his allegiance to the Republican Party is really, indeed, a deal breaker. For some, it might be, considering you might differ on values and viewpoints integral to your relationship. (He might be against gay marriage and its lifestyle, for example, and you may have a bevy of gay friends.) This might make it hard for you both to agree on certain things, especially when it comes to raising a family. Differing political views is akin to religious differences, in a lot of ways. And that’s not something very easy to work out.

But, on the flip side, these could just be politics — like how you might disagree about favorite books or proper toilet seat etiquette.

I have a friend, for example, who’s vegan. But she met a red meat-eating hunter. And now they’re happily married with a beautiful daughter. So it could work.

A wise woman once told me that it’s not about looks or lifestyle or even what you share in common. “Find someone who’s kind,” she said to me. “Everything else doesn’t matter.”

Good advice.

Anyone else got something to add?

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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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Top 10 first dates

By • September 28, 2010 • Musings, The Daily Dish

I’ve been on a lot of bad first dates.

And if not bad, very questionable.

I was ditched at a restaurant conveniently when the check arrived. I went on a blind date with a friend’s coworker who brought his roommate — both hammered. I even went on a first date to a wedding.

I think it’s safe to say I know a thing or two about first dates — and what not to do.

For example, first dates should be memorable — but not so memorable it’s all you can remember about the date. Like bringing a head of broccoli in lieu of flowers. (Yes, this has happened to me.)

And you also want it to be fairly casual. You don’t want to make your date uncomfortable with a lavish trip to Paris, the real city or the Vegas version. But you shouldn’t make the date so casual it doesn’t seem special. Like taking her to Safeway. (Yes, true story.)

My last first date was on a hike up Mariner’s Ridge. I took two dogs — Sunny and a friend’s dog whom I was dog-sitting — and met the guy at the trailhead. It was the perfect first date for us: we both like being active outdoors and the hike — about 40 minutes to the summit — gave us enough time to talk and get to know each other.

Suffice it to say, we grabbed lunch after and the rest is history.

First dates should be fun, simple and interesting, with the whole goal of getting to know this new person. Avoid places where conversations can’t happen, like movie theaters, loud concerts or clubs. And avoid situations where you can get stuck with someone you don’t like — or worse, who annoys you. No long drives to the North Shore, no jaunts to Lanai. As cool as these dates may sound, they can freak out your date or lead to disaster.

Trust me, I know.

Here are my Top 10 first date suggestions:

Grand opening of TASTE

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TASTE, a new food venue in Kakaako, opened on Saturday with a food event that drew a hungry crowd to Kakaako. Little did we know, in two hours, this whole area would be evacuated for a tsunami warning.

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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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Malassadas + Grace Park = big ratings

By • September 27, 2010 • Musings, The Daily Dish

It’s obvious that CBS is trying to find the right formula with “Hawaii Five-O.”

There’s a sensitive balance between credibility — using local landmarks like Hickam Air Force Base and Haleiwa Joe’s and cultural icons like malassadas and iPhone 4s — with the stuff that makes today’s TV shows popular.

Humor and skin. But namely skin. And particular the brand of Grace Park and Alex O’Loughlin.

Never mind the plot.

Case in point: tonight’s episode.

The banter between O’Loughlin, who plays the uptight Det. Steve McGarrett, and Scott Caan, who’s still the best thing going for this show as the wise-cracking Danny “Danno” Williams, doesn’t seem as forced as the pilot. They seems to sincerely hate each other — which works. (They’re like an old married couple — and I dig it.)

But the plot isn’t the strongest — at least so far. I mean, who buys an ex-NSA cyber-terrorism expect getting abducted in broad daylight in the middle of Waikiki? Or, better yet, that he was actually working here.

But does it matter? Do we really care about plots anymore? Isn’t it all about cool graphics, bad-ass explosions, fight scenes, blood and Grace Park in a bikini?

What I liked:

• The tension — romantic, perhaps? — between O’Loughlin and Caan
• That Caan wears a tie and patent leather shoes and doesn’t care if he’s “too Mainland”
• That Caan ate a malassada. It was the fried dough’s primetime debut
• The hollow tiles in the driveway of the Kaaawa house. (But didn’t like that he was an uber-smart haole kid)
• The pakalolo reference

What I didn’t like:

• O’Loughlin made the mistake by saying Hawaii has 110-degree weather. Isn’t he supposed to be a local?
• Da Braddah’s Private Security
• There’s a bit too many iPhone 4 references. Enough with the product placement
• The half-baked guy in Kaaawa who said “aloha” and “mahalo” in a way that made my blood curdle
• That Park’s character, Kono Kalakaua, is always in trouble and needs to be bailed out. What gives?
• The girl-on-girl fight scene. It wasn’t believable to me.
• The son of the ex-NSA expert had a Justin Bieber haircut. Anyone else notice that?
• That a super-secret password is only four digits. Really?

What did you think?

Hawaii Five-0 Episode #2 — “Ohana”

Watch a short preview of this week’s Hawaii Five-0 followed by the full episode:

Note: Clicking on the comments tab above will restart the movie. Be sure to open a new window and comment or finish the episode before commenting. We don’t like it either and we’re looking for a fix.

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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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