WAIMEA, SAIMIN AND THE B-2 SPIRIT
3:47 PM December 29, 2008
It's great to be back after a few days off. I enjoyed some wonderful quality time with the family in Hawaii (Kauai). As I've said before in one of these blogs, the memories created during vacations are the best. I realized during this one that vacations allow an old dude like me a chance to really play with my sons the way I would if I was still a kid because the only worries on my mind are: How can we best have fun today? And: Where should we eat?
Speaking of (and if you're a regular viewer of the show you know it's all about the food with me)--if you ever get to Kauai--I highly recommend one lunch spot we hit. It's a place called Hamura Saimin Stand in Lihue. It's as down-home as it gets--no air conditioning, no hostess, no tables. Just some snaking lunch counters with a handful of items on the menu and chiffon pie for dessert.
The main attraction is the saimin--noodles in broth with ham, green onions, fish cake and boiled egg if you order the "special." (Mark Boster took this picture for the Los Angeles Times). It's cheap and tasty and as one of my sons declared: "An authentic experience." We also enjoyed a place in Poipu called the Beach House for a fancy (by Hawaii's casual standards) seafood meal overlooking the water and of course we had "shave ice" at Jo Jo's in Waimea. It is, by the way, "shave ice," not shaved ice and the best way to get it is with ice cream underneath that shaved and flavored ice. It puts the standard snow cone to shame! Waimea Canyon is a few miles up the road from Jo Jo's and was dubbed the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific" by Mark Twain himself. It's a stunningly beautiful thing to see.
I experienced an amazing site of another kind right before going on vacation when I had the chance to visit Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri this month. Whiteman AFB is home to the 509th Bomb Wing and the B-2 Spirit--the stealth bomber. It will fly over the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl this year and the folks at Whiteman were kind enough to allow us (Producer-Director Bryan Hileman, News Photographer Brian Choo and me) aboard the base to see that incredible aircraft up close.
Capt. Matt Miller and Lt. Rachel Davenport of the public affairs office fixed us up and actually got me into the B-2 flight simulator. If you watch our pre-parade shows on January 1st, you'll see the footage. On Wednesday's Morning News show (12/31/08), we'll show you a brief taste of our behind-the-scenes look at the B-2. If you miss that, I hope you'll watch our pre-parade show on January 1st. It's always a humbling experience to meet great Americans like the ones we met at Whiteman AFB. I hope it'll come across when you see our stories and see our "live" interview with a B-2 pilot who will do the flyover and who happens to be a graduate of a local high school. He's on our show Wednesday in the 7 A.M. hour.
If you're not around during the next few days and miss it all, we'll do our best to post the stories on the website. Happy New Year. Anyone have a good New Year's resolution to tell us about?
Posted by Frank Buckley | Permalink | Comments (14) | TrackBack (0)
Hi Frank , Im the latino man who made eye contact @ you today in Little Tokyo, Dec 8th with the black jacket, you were walking east probably to find a place to have lunch, after I passed you I wanted to say hello and say good job on the morning news on channel 5, which I catch everyday, maybe I will see you again
ron
rdrodriguez@armstrong.com
Posted by: Ron D | December 08, 2009 at 09:04 PM
Howsit Frank: Used to live Kauai n loved Hamura's! Wish I had read your forum sooner. We have a son, A1C Jairek Kaha'i, that's an Armament Specialist on the B2 at Whiteman AFB, 509th AMX. He's a 2007 Kealakehe HS grad and his wife, Jessica, is a 2007 Kamehameha grad from Keaukaha. They live just outside the base in Knob Noster and have a daughter, Kainani, born just 10 miles up the road Warrensburg. We are very proud of them!
Posted by: Dodie Kahai | January 02, 2009 at 02:04 PM
Dan posted:
"It was wonderful seeing Stephanie Edwards with Bob Eubanks this morning LIVE for the Rose Parade. They are so AWESOME together!"
It was awesome, I was glad to see they didn't put Michaela in the booth like Stephanie had alluded to on an radio interview on Tuesday. We had to mute the show whenever Michaela open her big trap. They do not need that women on the coverage. Bob and Stephanie have been doing it for years and it's been just fine.
Posted by: Paul | January 01, 2009 at 09:07 PM
Hey, Dan, thanks for the Jon Stewart bit on gay marriage. Funny and thought-provoking stuff.
Just finished watching a rebroadcast of the Rose Parade to double check my choice for the best float award. Don't let me sway your vote, but I LOVED the Bollywood entry from Sierra Madre. Superb colors and style with the marriage "dholi" preceding the main float. Magnificent. It was tough to choose just one. 85% of the entries can take the prize. BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM, THE GURU (2002) with Heather Graham, BRIDE AND PREJUDICE - call me a Bollywood junkie.
Nice to see the three anchors - Bob, Stephanie, and Michaela - back on the broadcast. Made for a well-balanced show.
Cheers!
Posted by: jozielee | January 01, 2009 at 01:49 PM
It was wonderful seeing Stephanie Edwards with Bob Eubanks this morning LIVE for the Rose Parade. They are so AWESOME together!
Frank, so um, when are you going to announce going on the next "Dancing with the Stars"?
I saw you busting a move this morning!
Thank you KTLA for making the start of 2009 so spectacular by bringing back Stephanie Edwards!
Posted by: Dan | January 01, 2009 at 01:46 PM
Paul
I have to agree with you about Michaela. When Stephanie Edwards was replaced there was an out cry by all of us who grew up watching her and Bob do the parade. Now they bring her back and then taint the program with having Michaela sharing the hosting duties with Bob and Stephanie? This is just stupid. Again KTLA shoots itself in the foot. They need to take their head out of their behinds and really listen to us, the viewers. We wanted Stephanie back in the booth with Bob as a twosome . . . period. Not a trio. If they want Michaela there, have her work the pre parade or some other duty that keeps her out of the booth and out of sight.
Robin in Encino.
Posted by: Robin S. | December 31, 2008 at 01:29 PM
Frank,
Great show on the B-2. For those of us who live in the Antelope Valley we are still struck by it's beauty. To see it take off over your head is quite the experience. Enjoy your view of it tomorrow.
Posted by: Eileen | December 31, 2008 at 09:30 AM
Helen posted:
"I think that Ali's sexual comments are really low class. Could she possibly go to another station?"
And can she take Michaela with her. I heard yesterday that Michaela will be in the booth along with Stef and Bob. That's going to ruin the coverage for me. Please KTLA management, don't ruin the parade for us. Keep Michaela home. You did good with bringing Stef back, there is no need to have Michaela in the booth. She adds NOTHING to the broadcast.
And wecome back Frank and have a happy new year to you and yours.
Posted by: Paul | December 31, 2008 at 04:56 AM
My friends, especially Craig, I give you this as a New Year's Eve gift - more laughter from Jon Stewart's Daily Show!
How GAY MARRIAGE ruined Massachusettes!!!
Enjoy!
http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=156320
P.S. Thanks for the tip on King's Jozielee
Posted by: Dan | December 30, 2008 at 08:16 PM
Hello Frank; Good to see you back, refreshed and happy.
New Year's resolutions: Spend more time with loved ones and friends-Don't take them for granted like Don Henley warns in "New York Minute" - be more active physically, reduce weight to live longer! Watch more comedies and less news-get the humor back in life! Last year kind of sucked the life force from a lot of us with so much bad news!
Posted by: craig | December 30, 2008 at 02:08 PM
Hey, Frank, good to hear you and family enjoyed your vacation in Kaui - a beautifully lush island.
Oh, that saimin bowl looks so ono. YUM!! In fact, I think it's hard to miss at any eatery in the islands. Maybe I'm partial but even the ABC store carries pretty good sushi.
If you and family get a hankerin' for saimin in LA try King's Hawaiian in Torrance. They may not be as fancy as the bowl pictured above but the soup is tasty and the bakery is to-die-for.
Alooooha!
Posted by: jozielee | December 29, 2008 at 10:22 PM
Welcome Back Frank,
I've been away from the news for the holidays too!
New years resolutions?
Hug my kids more, Kiss my husband More!! Have more fun, less worry, live more healthy !!
Happy New Years to all! PLM
Posted by: PLM | December 29, 2008 at 09:16 PM
Frank:
I'm glad to see you back. The show started to go in a weird direction while you were away.
I think that Ali's sexual comments are really low class. Could she possibly go to another station?
Posted by: Helen | December 29, 2008 at 07:46 PM
Oh GOD, that food looks so good right now! I bet I'd be so overweight if I lived in Hawaii. I love to eat and really, really love luau food!
Wow! I may just have to tune into your B-2 report Frank. I don't know about Wednesday, but I will definitely be watching Thursday Pre-parade because I love Stephanie Edwards!!!!!! Woo Hoo!!! Glad she's back!!!!!!!
Welcome back Frank!!!
Posted by: Dan | December 29, 2008 at 07:44 PM