There are times when a visit to the stream of consciousness does one well.
I genuinely express a “no joy in Mudville” disclaimer when reporting on yet another severe storm and/or hurricane targeting our Island chain. And here we are again. This weekend has forecasts invoking words such as “life threatening” and “cataclysmic.” The potential for rainfall and flooding is almost biblical. The Big Island and Maui are expected to suffer the brunt of the impact and damage. I can’t imagine the effects on families who have endured so much in such a short amount of time. I cannot express enough empathy and prayers for those who find themselves in the path of such potential destructive impact.
I discovered Nene Royal on YouTube about four years ago. I was smitten with this Thai elementary school girl who was slaying classic and hard rock tunes busking on the streets of Phuket or playing in night markets. Even then she had a presence and an undeniable talent that was simply mesmerizing. Her performing maturity at such a young age grew to arguably the biggest stage for discovering new talent and that’s on NBC’s appropriately named, “America’s Got Talent.”
Ok, full disclosure.
I love these talent shows. “America’s Got Talent,” “Britain’s Got Talent,” and I’m sure I’d love “Poughkeepsie’s Got Talent” if they had a show. I am so moved by the combination of the backstory; the expression of dreams being realized and (most times) a revealing of remarkable talents by some of the most unassuming personalities. Yes, I get emotional but then again, I cry at a good Hallmark card commercial.
Nene Royal’s multiple performances earning her an appearance in the finals of the competition is one of the greatest strings of overt talent I can remember. Her initial audition was the best. She was softly spoken, shared she was 15 years old, and the next day she turned 16 was about as endearing as it gets.
And then it happened.
You must see this.
Go to YouTube and search for Nene Royal and be prepared to smile.
I have lived in or near Downtown Honolulu for my approaching 40 years in Hawaii. I grew up in the rural Midwest, traveled and lived in Miami, Chicago, San Francisco and suburbs in between. There is a sense of energy and activity in urban America, which I prefer and enjoy.
Honolulu has a different vibe of any other major American city. Reno, Nevada lays claim to the motto, “The Biggest Little City in the World.” I’d beg to differ. Downtown has a definite small-town pace despite having some of the most density of people both living, working and now visiting. If there’s one thing that’s irrefutable is downtown tends to close around 6 p.m. during the week and earlier on the weekends.
I know this may be an unfair blanket statement, but it’s pretty true.
There’s no “nightlife” on the scale of other cities. I will say though that there are great destinations in town.
The historic Hawaiʻi Theater offers an eclectic calendar of entertainment and events nestled in one of the most beautiful venues I’ve ever seen. Murphy’s is one of the richest and most storied locations along with the relatively new experience at the AC Hotel on Bishop Street. Inside you can enjoy a top shelf restaurant (The Dotted Line ((yummy)) and a selection of rooms that give a sense of comfort and escape. There are also excellent restaurants reaching into Chinatown that are growing in popularity and recognition.
However, Honolulu is not a bustling center of entertainment and destination for a night out in the town. Nearby Waikīkī and Kakaʻako hold those distinctions. But I have a feeling that may not be for long.
Downtown had a rep of being a dangerous place to visit. Perhaps the reason things closed down before dark. And, yes, having lived and worked for decades in town, it was a big part of it.
But Donnie Hathaway elegantly sang “A Change Is Gonna Come.” And that change is underway with Downtown Honolulu.
Of all the issues, it was always homelessness that proved to be the greatest barricade. We’ve gone from the A’ala Park “Hooverville” of the early 1990’s to until recently a dramatic decrease in homeless on Fort Street Mall to River Street to Hotel Street. There’s a great reduction in the number of individuals sleeping in the doorways of businesses. You see fewer troubled folks yelling at the sky. Despite the fact that homelessness is still an issue, these improvements connote a definitely improved and safer environment. The translation is more people are willing to give town a shot, and businesses are finding urban Honolulu a place to invest for a profitable future.
Christine Camp of the Avalon Group is a champion of Downtown Honolulu describing it as "DOHO." Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s efforts to restore the troubled Chinese Cultural Plaza is a generational accomplishment with legacy implications and the multi-agency coordination between an invigorated HPD and Department of Emergency Management Service’s CORE and others are dedicated to the restoration of the urban center and other Oahu locales.
I know perfection is unattainable, but the pursuit is a standard to which we can all aspire.
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