Last week, a friend and I were talking about how much food costs nowadays - especially our local staple, plate lunches. Then there's always the "up-size" issue of "do I, or don't I?". Prices are going crazy and if you really think about it, food establishments have just as much "power" as gas companies.

Plate lunch prices have gone up steadily for the past couple years and I'm amazed that some establishments even have the nerve to charge $7 for one! I for one don't mind paying a little more (everyone blames gas prices so we'll blame gas for the increase in food too) but c'mon, you at least gotta put an extra scoop of the main dish or something - prices increased, portions not.

Wassap Wit Dat?

Some places have even become mo' chang and even skimp on portions. Is there such thing as "food gouging"? I'm so surprised that the "mini" costs just as much as a regular and most times it's just a scoop of rice or mac salad and/or slab of the main making the difference. When I pay $7 for a plate lunch and pick up the package, I expect it to weigh at least a couple pounds and not like I'm carrying a myna bird feather.

Then there's the "sizing" options at the drive-thru's. Is a large really a large? It would be if they actually filled up the fries to the top! I'm a fry lover so when I see the fries below the curvy front part of the box I get pissed. The only true difference in "up-sizing" is the drink, I think.

Don't get me started on their pricing either. Since when did a #5 (at any drive-thru) cost as much as a plate lunch?...sometimes more?! Now that's whacked! The portions hasn't changed, the sandwiches hasn't changed, the drinks actually gotten smaller...

Wassap Wit Dat?

My friend went to Zippy's and while I forgot what he bought, he was totally amazed that his daughters "kid's meal" was the same size as his (I think he ordered a mini which costed more of course). I was at Mickey D's last week and gotten stale fries (waaaay below the curvy line) and I actually asked the window guy if the drink I was holding was a "large" because it was only slightly bigger than the wife's medium.

Besides Grindz (free plug again), there are only two places I can say are sooo worth the value. The first is Chun Wah Kam in Waiau. Those who've eaten there know what I'm talking about. When you can't close the box (sometimes they gotta tape it!) and it weighs like eight pounds, you really don't mind paying $7+ for it. And unless you can pound, ONE plate lunch should be enough for two people.

And of course I take kea of the Kwonics and Lanceformers so hea's a tip (free of course), if you go close to closing (usually about a hour before, sometimes earlier if you lucky) the 2-item plate lunches are 2 for $10 (at last check)! I don't know about you, but you'll NEVER find another place that gives as much as them for $5 a plate. Granted sometimes may not have your favorite but more times than none going get what you like...guaran's!

Hea's one more. Get the mini-katsu curry at the Pearl City L&L (da new one by Wal-Mart) and you won't be disappointed. Da buggah isn't as hugemangous as CWK, but it will rival most regular sized plate lunches. It comes with two slabs of katsu, mac salad, curry all over (of course) and brown rice all for...$4.76 (tax included). Sometimes they charge extra for brown rice but if you nice, maybe they don't? I must be nice. ;p

So wea you eat dat's...reasonable? Or you no like shea...cause not enough for shea? lol

If you haven't been there lately you'd be surprised at how much that place has grown! The newest addition - Nordstrom and the adjacent third floor - is really...spiffy. What else can they add to Ala Mo?

The thing that I noticed right away was how much the new addition was "different" than the rest of the mall. It had a mainland feel (comparing it to our recent trip) in both atmosphere and structure. The walking area is more open with lots of seating and there are stores we haven't seen locally before.

Nordstrom didn't impress me - again, since I seen a REAL one in SF - but for most locals that haven't had the pleasure, I can understand their excitement about something "new" to the island. The store can probably satisfy most both men and women but what tripped me out was how much MEN were shopping this past Saturday.

Oh, did I forget to mention that they were all in the women's shoe department?

I figured out why...to keep their wives/girlfriends from breaking da bank! There was choke women trying on shoes and all I could think of was Imelda. Whoever designed the floor made sure that there were lots of sofas for the men because they were being well used and that's a smart tactic for department stores these days.

Think about it. Keep the men comfortable, give them a nice cush for their tush and in a better mood they would be. Better mood = more inclined to say yes to the purchase. Yes = more money for the store. So it's a win (women and shoes), win (store), lose (money) situation. That's the most men I've ever seen in a store shopping with their other half.

But they nevah account for the "smart" locals. They said no to the sofa and stood around getting irritated by the minute wondering why a shoe that covers so little costs so much?

Wassap Wit Dat?

Here's an idea - if the stores actually put in LCD tv's in strategic locations and offered at least water, I can guarantee you that their sales would improve dramatically especially on the weekend when most games are going on. The reason being that we'll (men) be distracted enough to just say "whatever, you're blocking the tv" and just nod not knowing that you (women) just asked if you could buy a $300 shoe.

Could this be a new era of shopping as a couple - keep the men comfortable while the women shop nearby? Would it help or hurt us (men)?

In any case, I'll be waiting for the day that men get escorted to an area in the women's department - shoes, clothes, whatevahs - and kept comfortable in sofas and offered drinks...ahhh, we can dream can't we?

Ok all you Kwonics and Lanceformers -

I know I got ragged on for be all "zen-like" last week but it's a Friday and I declare Friday's to be..."Feel Good Friday's"!

It's the last day of the work week (for most) and don't you want to kick off the weekend with at least a happy blog? But remember, the key word is "try" - no guarantees.

Here's a joke that was forwarded to me from a fellow Lanceformer, Panda-Hugger.

Enjoy...I did!

Why I fired my Secretary.

Last week was my birthday and I didn't feel very well waking up on that morning.

I went downstairs for breakfast hoping my wife would be pleasant and say, "Happy Birthday!", and possibly have a small present for me.

As it turned out, she barely said good morning, let alone " Happy Birthday."

I thought...

Well, that's marriage for you, but the kids...They will remember.

My kids came bouncing downstairs to breakfast and didn't say a word. So when I left for the office, I felt pretty low and somewhat despondent.

As I walked into my office, my secretary Jane said,
"Good Morning Boss, and by the way Happy Birthday !"
It felt a little better that at least someone had remembered.

I worked until one o'clock, when Jane knocked on my door
and said, "You know, It's such a beautiful day outside,
and it is your Birthday, what do you say we go out to lunch,
just you and me."

I said, "Thanks, Jane, that's the greatest thing I've heard all day. Let's go !"

We went to lunch. But we didn't go where we normally would go. She chose instead at a quiet bistro with a private table. We had two martinis each and I enjoyed the meal tremendously.

On the way back to the office, Jane said, "You know,
It's such a beautiful day...We don't need to go straight back to the office, Do We?"

I responded, "I guess not. What do you have in mind ?"
She said, "Let's drop by my apartment, it's just around the corner."

(Wassap Wit Dat?)

After arriving at her apartment, Jane turned to me and said,
" Boss, if you don't mind, I'm going to step into the bedroom
for just a moment. I'll be right back."

"Ok." I nervously replied.

She went into the bedroom and, after a couple of minutes,
she came out carrying a huge birthday cake ...

Followed by my wife, my kids, and dozens of my friends
and co-workers, all singing "Happy Birthday".

And I just sat there...

On the couch...

Naked.

Ho da shame! I still rollin'!...even the second time around.

btw, I know I keep getting bumped down in the blog section and I dunno why...maybe because I no mo' enough hits...or comments (hint hint for da lurkers)

You know I LOVE replying to all posters and I want to thank those who email me directly off blog as well - you know I nevah leave you hangin'!

k-den

Ah, I used to watch that show all the f----n time. Oh, we're past that swearing thing yeah? ha ha. Poncho and the haole guy (c'mon, you know we only know Poncho) and 'dem tight a$$ spandex uniforms. S---, keep forgetting we done with the swearing.

Everyday as I drive/ride into work I witness dozens of people with no regard for the rules of the road. And every time I see a lawbreaker I just can't help but wonder if we had "CHiPs", would our highways/freeways be just a bit safer and traffic just a little better, especially for carpoolers.

I not going lie, I use that lane all the time (just to clarify, not the zipper lane) but I follow the rules - "Two or more in one vehicle" and "motorcycles ok". Then I see the crackers driving single not even keeping up with traffic - and let me point out that if it wasn't the car pool lane that it's still the LEFT lane designated as a passing lane.

Just this morning there were four cars in front of me going slightly slower than the "flow", then all of a sudden they switch over. No, I wasn't calling 'em out. They switched because they know it's a police trap coming up (H1 by Radford) and they nevah like get caught.

Wassap Wit Dat?

It happens every morning going town then every pau hana going Ewa. I'm just thinking at how much clearer the car pool lane would be if there wasn't those who illegally drive in it. It would also motivate drivers to carpool knowing that they could get wherever they're going a little faster.

What trips me out is that because everyone who uses H1 knows exactly where HPD "camps" out, they adjust accordingly - meaning switching lanes then illegally switching back after passing "the trap". What if we had a CHiPs type program where they would constantly be on the road looking for "bad drivers"?

There's also the drivers who illegally change lanes when it's either a solid line or a dotted solid. As a motorcycle rider, whenever I come across a dotted solid I my fingers are ready to pull the brake lever because I know at least one person will change lanes against it because 1)they late, 2)they impatient or 3)they just no kea.

You tink CHiPs would help with the freeway racing? I think it would help with everything regarding the roads because there would be the "fear" that there's a cop roaming the roads looking for drivers who break the rules. You would start to think twice before driving like Speed Racer. You also wouldn't know where the "traps" were so you would be more vigilant about driving, according to the law.

Eh, I just salty had people in the car pool lane going slow this morning...but it would be funny to see those tight pants make a comeback.

Monday was the first day of baseball practice and as I was sitting talking story with one of my veteran players, I couldn't help but notice all these kids doing nothing but hanging around and acting like typical kids - running around, teasing, playing, swearing.

Yup, swearing. The kids ranged from 9 - 12 and while everyone of them swore at one point or another, there was this one particular kid that used the F-word in just about every other word in a sentence. He used it just like how we use "da kine" for everything and no one was phased that all this profanity was coming out of this small pa-tut.

Wassap Wit Dat?

My player mentioned that "he does it all the time" and I was floored. Everytime he swore all I could think about was if he did this at home because for a kid his age to have any self control in different environments to manage his tongue just didn't seem possible. Where did he pick up such a nasty habit? The other kids around him swore also but nowhere near this profanity filled ten year old mouth. Wea da damn soap?

We sat around for about 15 minutes and in that time if I got paid $1 for everytime he said the F-word, I would be able to buy a home...in Hawaii Kai! Now where the f--- did he get such a f----n dirty a-- mouth talking all that s--- so every f----n person can hear those nasty a-- words?

I have no f---n clue.