Spa Olakino, Waikiki, Honolulu
The last day of our trip I got a massage at the spa in our hotel, Spa Olakino. It was a nice spa and everything, but I enjoyed my first massage at Luxe Salon much more. At Spa Olakino, my massage therapist was just doing it too hard and I had to keep telling her lighter and then I felt like a wuss, but the rest of the time I just kept thinking “ow! ow! ow! ow!” and couldn’t relax that much.
Leonard’s Bakery
Leonard’s Bakery Malasadas
Leonard’s Bakery Malasada
Our main focus for the rest of the day was spending time with Dallas’ grandma and family before leaving. We checked out of the hotel, stopped to get malasadas at Leonard’s (the best!), and then drove up to Dallas’ aunt & uncle’s house. Dallas’ grandma said she hadn’t had malasadas for a very long time, so I was glad we stopped for them, although we couldn’t resist digging into them in the car when they were super-hot and fresh. We hung out at the house for a while, then went out for lunch at CoCo Ishibanya Curry House. Dallas cousin, Kala, needed to be dropped off for her basketball game, so Dallas took the opportunity to drive through his old school, Kamehameha, to show me what the campus looks like before going to lunch.
CoCo Ishibanya Curry House, University Ave, Honolulu
CoCo Ishibanya Curry House is a national chain in Japan and has 5 locations on Oahu. It was strange, because their menu was in English, but there were certain things still only in Japanese. And there were posters on the wall that were all in Japanese too. Because Dallas’ grandma is Japanese, we asked her what they said, but the only word she could make out for sure was “curry.” Great help grandma! She’s so cute.
Chicken Cutlet Curry With Cheese, CoCo Ishibanya Curry House, University Ave, Honolulu
Grandma & Dallas, CoCo Ishibanya Curry House, University Ave, Honolulu
Ordering is pretty easy. I remember there were a lot of photos on the menu so you could see what you were getting. Basically, all they have is curry. An you can choose whether you want it hot or mild. Then you pick what sort of curry you want – pork cutlet, seafood, ahi cutlet, chicken cutlet, beef, etc. (photo of the menu here). Finally, choose if you want any add-ins. Gyoza, kimchi, and other meats and vegetables were some of the add-ins available.
Quincy, Jessica, Grandma, Dallas :: Alewa Heights, Honolulu
After lunch we went back to the house and hung out for a while with Dallas’ cousin Quincy and his girlfriend, his grandma, and his aunt’s father who lives there too. And his cousin Jessica dropped by, so we had to take a photo together with their grandma. When we left, we stopped to do a bit of shopping at Ala Moana and then headed off to the airport.
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At about 10pm the lights dimmed, there was a last call for the full menu, and some karaoke people started setting up their rig. No one in the place was volunteering to sing, though, so the man with the machine and his wife started singing. They were so into it, it was hysterical. And they played the maracas with every song. It was funny. When we got home we were listening to some music and I said to Dallas, “you know what this song could use? Maracas!”
by Jeannette Walls 
