Food: Eating and Cooking – An Accidental Vagabond

A Winter Visit to Boothbay Harbor, Maine

Published on March 12, 2024March 12, 2024 by An Accidental VagabondLeave a comment

This a a post about our February trip to Boothbay Harbor in Maine. If you’d like to skip ahead to the things to do and where to eat section you can go directly to Winter in Boothbay Harbor.

A Winter Break

As luck would have it, Eun’s school closed for a week at the end of February, and that week just happened to be our birthday week. After a little online searching, we found a place in Boothbay Harbor.

A Quick stop in Blue Hill

A stone circular sculpture with a square center cut out to look like a window. The view through the sculpture is the sea. — Window of the Sea Wind by Hitoshi Tanaka

It’s 3 and a half hours to drive from East Machias to Boothbay Harbor, so we decided to take a quick stop in Blue Hill, a mere hour and a half down the road. Blue Hill is located is in the Downeast region which is the same region as East Machias.

I chose Blue Hill because I wanted to see the sculpture, The Window of the Sea Wind by Hitoshi Tanaka. The sculpture is located at Emerson Park and is part of the Maine Sculpture Trail. I first heard about The Window of the Sea Wind and the Maine Sculpture Trail from Downeast Cowboy, a local fisherman that also happens to have a pretty popular instagram with a lot of fun and interesting information about Maine. I like to check him out from time to time to see where we should go next.

BoothBay Harbor, Maine: Yesterdays

People of the Dawnland, The First Peoples

Long before white settlers arrived in the late 17th century, this land was home to the Etchemin people, part of the great Wabanaki tribes – the “People of the Dawnland” among the Eastern Algonquian nations. Known today as the Malecite and Passamaquoddy, their ancestral roots run deep through Maine’s fertile soil and winding waterways.

For those keen to learn more about these First Peoples’ rich heritage, the University of Maine’s Folklife Center offers an enlightening introduction. Yet a somber truth lies in the fact that out of the 570 federally-recognized Native Nations across this land, the Wabanaki stand apart – excluded from the sovereign tribal rights and protections enshrined in the U.S. Constitution.

To deepen your understanding of the Wabanaki’s struggles and triumphs, one can visit Abbe Museum’s website. And for those seeking to inform themselves about tribal sovereignty’s critical importance and the consequences of its denial to these resilient people, a wealth of knowledge awaits the intrepid learner who follows the path. It is a path worth following.

A blue harbor with floating rafts. A white church with a black spire and roof top stands above a small harbor town. Evergreens line the hill in the distance. — Boothbay Harbor

When Maine was Massachusetts: A Very Condensed History

Although white settlers arrived in the late 1600s, it wasn’t until 1729 that a permanent township took root, christened Townsend by the Scotch-Irish farming families whose descendants would eventually turn to the sea’s bounty. In those days, what is now the proud state of Maine lay under Massachusetts’ domain. Incorporated into the Bay State in 1764, the town’s name shifted to Boothbay.

But Boothbay’s path to today’s tranquil charms was hard-won through the trials of war and repeated British invasions, grievances that stoked Maine’s fight for statehood. For the Old Bay State could not safeguard its easternmost relative from foreign threats. At long last in 1820, the indomitable Pine Tree State claimed its place as the 23rd star on the national flag.

Around the mid-1800s Boothbay was already seen as a summer resort town. Big hotels began popping up by the 1880s, and city folk then called “rusticators” flocked to Boothbay Harbor for a simple bucolic summer. You can still see evidence of this history in Boothbay Harbor. Strolling the idyllic harbor streets today, one is transported through an architectural reverie of that gilded era.

Much of the original industry that sustained Boothbay through the pre-revolution up to the post-Korean War years are gone, but somethings remain. The shipyards and fishing remains with lobster being the pillar of the fishing industry. There is the boat building industry, and of course tourism. Beginning in the late spring and stretching until late fall, Maine’s coastal towns, like Bar Harbor in the Downeast region, and Midcoast Boothbay Harbor along with its neighboring island Southport and Linekin peninsula, fill up with new and ancestral rusticators, and new rusticators. However, winter is a different story.

Boothbay Harbor: Today

boats anchored in a harbor. — Boothbay Harbor

Boothbay Harbor, a deep-water port capable of accommodating cruise ships and cargo vessels, belies its quiet, charming coastal town atmosphere. Nestled between the Sheepscot and Damariscotta rivers, the harbor’s tranquil waters envelop a rocky evergreen-topped island that seems to float serenely on the gently rippling surface. Even on the coldest winter days, the Atlantic sparkles with shimmering sunbeam reflections, painting an idyllic scene. Colorful shops lining the streets lend a blithe ambience to this quaint winter retreat.

The Mid-Coast region has long been renowned for its boatbuilding prowess, dating back to the 1816 founding of Hodgdon Brothers in East Boothbay – now the nation’s oldest continuously operating yacht company. Starting with schooners they are now known for building specialized military vessels and yachts. They are also known to build superyachts or megayachts, but we didn’t see anything so lavish on the harbor during our visit. Truthfully, a yacht doesn’t inspire me as much as the tradition of building. These skilled craftsmen continue to carry on a 208-year family legacy, and that is impressive.

Green house with white trim. An old wagon sits on a snow covered lawn in front of the house.

A few months ago a bad storm with hurricane winds came through a lot of the businesses near the piers and waterfront were flooded, but at the time of our visit we didn’t see any of the damage. However we were told that some places that are normally opened year round had to close due to the storm.

A curving downtown street with small store front building from the late 19th century. A tall three story red brick building stands out and above the other store fronts. — Commercial Street, Boothbay Harbor

We came at the end of February with snow and ice covering the ground, and most of the restaurants and shops were closed and shuttered. We didn’t mind. We still managed to find a few opened shops and a few opened restaurants, and that’s all we needed. It had just snowed two days before our trip, and blankets of snow covered the sidewalks, wide open spaces, and the piers, but it only added to the serenity we found when we arrived.

We stayed for three nights and days, and during that time we explored several parts of Boothbay Harbor, including East Boothbay, and Southport the neighboring island. Of course there were somethings that we couldn’t do that we would have loved to have experienced like getting a chance to see some puffins, but there are no boating tours until the summer. Still, we had a really nice time wandering the empty streets window shopping and exploring.

We spent a lot of time gazing out across the harbor admiring the incredible view of the sunlight glistening off the harbor’s gentle blue waters as mallards and other dabbling ducks paddled on the mild waves. The night skies were clear and black with beautiful constellations of stars that danced above us.

Two house frame and alleyway that offers a view of the sun soaked golden harbor and house in the distance. — A View of the harbor from Townsend Ave

Where We Stayed

We stayed right on the harbor near the piers in a space named, “The Coal Shack”. We later learned that the spacious studio was named after the owner’s black lab. The owner runs a pet store called Two Salty Dogs across the street from where we were staying.

It was a small newly renovated space that was perfect for two people and a dog. We chose the place because it was dog friendly. In fact, “The Coal Shack” was the friendliest dog friendly places we have stayed so far. The pet fee was reasonable, and you could tell the owner was indeed a dog lover. We found out when we visited him at his store, Two Salty Dogs, that at one time he had four black labs. Man has his type.

It was beautiful and comfortable inside with its timber walls and copper fixtures. The kitchenette cabinets and appliances were painted a cobalt blue, which combined with the copper fixtures and gilt-lacquered gold and blue wall, gave the entire space a luxuriously warm yet cozy feel. Two french doors opened onto the balcony which on the days we stayed was covered in snow, but we could still see the harbor and get a lot of sunshine and light into the space. The furniture was all very rustic and anachronistic, but comfortable.

We really loved the place. We also were aware that in the peak season this place probably doubles in price and is booked out. The dog friendliness, the perfect location, and how nice it is in general adds to its summer value. We probably wouldn’t be able to afford it during the peak seasons. It wasn’t cheap in winter either, but it was less, and we were able to swing it.

Where We Ate

Not a lot of places are open during the winter, especially in February. However, thanks to a friendly cashier at Sherman’s bookstore who showed us a list of open restaurants and their hours in February, we did find a few places to eat out.

A flight of four beers each given a corresponding number. The numbers are from left to right: 10, 3, 18, 9. Behind the beers are wooden beer barrels. — Footbridge Brewery, Boothbay Harbor

Footbridge Brewery

Our first night in Boothbay Harbor was on a Sunday. Lucky for us we were able to visit Footbridge Brewery on this night because it was closed for the other two nights we were in town. It was also lucky because the owner offered two hamburger specials at great prices. We each got the specials which were huge burgers with delicious fixings that only cost us a total of $12.00 for both (not including the beers). It is pretty difficult to find any single dish at any restaurant for under $12.00 these days, so it was a treat for both our taste buds, and our pockets. We also enjoyed their in house brewed beers. We opted to share the flight of beers so that we could sample a few of the flavors. We tried the Shrimp Run, a pale ale; The Woodcutter, an American strong ale; the Raw, a Nordic raw brewed in a traditional Norwegian “no boil”; and lastly we tried the rotating tap which was the Tequila Mockingbird; a barrel aged jalapeño habanero pale ale. My favorite was the Tequila Mockingbird, and not just because of the name. Eun’s favorite was the Shrimp Run.

Located at 25 Granary Way

Ports Pizzeria

We came here on our first full day in Boothbay Harbor for lunch. We had the Margherita cooked in an Italian brick oven on a thin crust. It was delicious. Perfect sauce, not too sweet not too sharp. Perfectly delicious. Eun enjoyed his pizza with a glass of beer and I had a glass of red wine. A pino noir, I believe.

Located at 28 Union Street

The Boat House Bistro Tapas Bar & Restaurant

We came here for dinner on our second night and the place got pretty full while we were there. It was one of the few restaurants open after 7:00 p.m. on a Monday night in the winter. A family came in near closing time, but the server sat them anyway stating that there was “no where else to eat in town, so take a seat“. The service was very friendly, and the crowed seemed local. February’s menu is limited, but it still had plenty of good food to choose. We shared the crab cakes tapas, which if I’m being honest, I’ve had better. The breading was too salty for me personally. For dinner, Eun ordered the Bistro Chicken Parm served over fettuccine, and I had the Haddock Risotto. I was told by the cashier at Sherman’s bookstore that the Haddock Risotto was the best thing to order there, and he was right. It was scrumptious. If you like fish and risotto, I recommend that dish.

Located at 12 The By-Way

Southport General Store

On our second day, we drove out to Southport to check out the general store and eat lunch. I write a bit more about Southport later in the post.

Pinkham’s Gourmet Market

Tuesday was Eun’s birthday, and he really wanted to have lobster for his birthday dinner, but we had trouble finding a place that was open, so we decided to find some lobster to take home. We went to Pinkham’s Gourmet Market, which has really earned the moniker gourmet. We picked up some shelled lobster at the market cost of $75.00 (for two servings), fresh clams, linguine noodles, a white sauce, coleslaw and a couple of local beers. Then we went back to the Coal Shack to cook it all up. On the way to Boothbay Harbor, we picked up some cheesecake (Eun’s favorite) at Momo’s an amazing cheesecake place that has the best cheesecake I have ever eaten. We had all the fixin’s for a wonderful birthday dinner.

295 Townsend Ave

Baker’s Way

On our way out of town we stopped at Baker’s Way, a Vietnamese restaurant, but with fresh donuts and coffee. This place was crowded in the morning, and definitely populated with locals judging by the overheard conversations of fishing and someone’s attempt at selling their house. I picked up a gigantic apple fritter for us to split and two black coffees to start us out for our 3 and a half hour drive back to East Machias.

Located 89 Townsend Ave

Marcel’s Submarine Shop and Neat Bar

We didn’t get a chance to eat here as we were too late. The owner told us that he bakes the bread fresh in the morning and then closes when he sells out. He did however direct us to Ports Pizzeria, and Baker’s Way. He also took us back to the bar that he had just opened in a room in back of the Sub-shop. A little speak-easy that he named NEAT. As you may have guessed by the name it is a whiskey and cocktail bar. We didn’t have the opportunity to imbibe in the drinks, but we both really like the woody rustic atmosphere, and if we make it back to Boothbay Harbor we will definitely come early enough for a sandwich and come later for a cocktail.

Located 25 Townsend Ave

Two deck chairs facing a view of a winter harbor scene. — View of the harbor from Union Street

What We Did

Aside from eating, we also explored the town a bit. We explored as much as the cold weather allowed. We went out every morning and evening to walk Penny down to Pier 1 to the small dog park. The first morning out boots crunched over the snow, and slide on the ice, but by the next day the temperature has increased just enough to melt the snow to where we could see some of the pier’s wood planks.

A wooden footbridge that crosses Boothbay Harbor. — Boothbay Harbor Footbridge

Walked around the piers

I noted three piers on the on the westside of the harbor where we were staying. In the winter there isn’t a lot to see since most places are closed for the season, but also places were closed due to damages occurred from the storm.

The Footbridge

The Boothbay Harbor footbridge is the longest wooden foot bridge in the country. The bridge connects the west to the east. Before the footbridge was built in 1901, people would have to either walk around the head of the harbor, which could be quite a walk, or they could take the ferry which cost a nickel. It’s a pleasant walk and right in the middle of the bridge is what looks like a house. I’d never seen a house on a bridge before and it made me think of something you would find in a children’s story. The house was built in 1902, and had been many things over the 200 plus years. On the day we crossed it was closed.

The BoothBay Harbor Region Sculpture Trail

Originally, I had thought this sculpture trail would be connected to the Maine Sculpture trail, but apparently it is not. After a little research, I read that this trail was modeled after a sculpture trail in New Hampshire. It appears as if Maine, may be a great place for sculptures. It certainly has the atmosphere of natural influence. We didn’t follow the entire trail of 33 sculptures, but we did see a few. It is not possible to walk the entire trail as there are sculpture in both Southport, East Boothbay, and Ocean Point, but you can see a lot of them in the downtown area.

Sculpture of a young boy sledding. — My Story by Mitch S. Billis

Where We Shopped

More restaurants than stores open

Sherman’s Bookstore

This is the oldest bookstore in Maine. Well, not this location, the very first Sherman’s Bookstore was opened in Bar Harbor in 1886. The one in Boothbay open a little over 100 years later in 1989. The person who worked in the bookstore was extremely helpful. In fact, if it wasn’t for him we wouldn’t have know what restaurants were open. If you visits Sherman’s here you’ll find a great gift store downstairs and the bookstore upstairs

Janson’s Clothing

A typical small town clothing store with cute finds along with nice quality souvenirs

Enchantments

Like walking into an old hippie store that you would find in Northern California in the 1970s and 80s. It was like I was in high school again and looking for tarot cards and crystals during my my very short lived, “maybe I’ll be a Wiccan phase.” I did see a deck of Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling cards that brought me back to age 16 or 17 when my friend, who was much more dedicated to witchcraft and D&D then I, had the very same cards. You don’t see stores like this much anymore, especially a store of this size.

The orange and black deck case of Gypsy Witch fortune telling cards.

Things We Did Outside of BoothBay Harbor

Linekin Peninsula

Linekin peninsula that juts out into the Atlantic Ocean and lies between Linekin Bay to the west and the Damariscotta river estuary to the east. There are two nature preserves, the Linekin Preserve and the Ocean Point Preserve. East Boothbay is a village about 3 miles northeast of Boothbay Harbor and it is located on the northern part of Linekin peninsula.

A house that is built in the Queen Anne style with a mansard roof. The house is a lemon yellow and has a red front door. The sign on the house says, East Boothbay General Store. Under the sign is a giant wreath. In front of the house is a stone sculpture. — East Boothbay General Store

East Boothbay General Store

We drove to East Boothbay and stopped briefly in the East Boothbay General Store during our excursion on Ocean Point Road. The East Boothbay General Store in a rustic three story house with a mansard roof and a triangular turret that appears to rise above an old barn. The store was founded in 1883 as a general store. We stepped inside and looked at the beautiful pottery and other crafts, along with the food, but we passed on eating since we already ate, but definitely next time.

Ocean Point Road

One of the highlights of our trip to the Boothbay region was a drive along the coastal headland Linekin peninsula. HWY 96 takes you out to Ocean Point Scenic Drive.

The view of the Atlantic ocean with islands in the distance. — A view of the Atlantic ocean from Grimes Cove

Ocean Point Drive is a loop around the southern point of the peninsula and it offers expansive views of the Atlantic ocean. From Grimes Cove you can see Ram Island and the Ram Island lighthouse, and behind that you can see Firsherman’s Island. Aside the lighthouse you are able to make out a single house. The drive gives you views of the Atlantic to the east and the west and then circles around inland toward Linekin Bay. There are beautiful Queen Anne style homes built all along the road, and even a chapel built out of stones gathered from the surrounding area. Janet Wilson’s Memorial Chapel was built in 1917 by Minister Lewis G. Wilson in memory of his wife.

A chapel with a small bell tower and copper bell made from stones and rocks. — Janet Wilson Memorial Chapel, 1917, Ocean Point Drive

Coastal Maine was hit by two big storms this winter, we felt the impact of those storms in East Machias, but the midcoast and southern coastlines of Maine were hit harder. The damage from those was clearly evident when we drove along Ocean Point. Large portions of the road were cracked, crumbling and uplifted with parts of the road in broken pieces on the rack below. The road is already narrow and winding, so the cracked and broken edges only made the road narrower. There were only one or maybe two other cars on the road, so it wasn’t too stressful or a problem. I was even able to get out of the car to take a picture of the Wilson Memorial Chapel, which looked to have sustained some damage from the storms. I don’t think this drive would be as pleasant in the summer with traffic, especially if the road is still damaged. The views would be amazing, but there isn’t anywhere to pull over to take a look because the parking spaces have crumbled into the rocks and ocean below.

Southport Island

A white a-frame house with the sign: Southport General Store. — Southport General Store

The Southport General Store was established in 1882. It is a small general store with groceries, made to order food and a little eating nook in the back. We had a couple of sandwiches for some sustenance to keep us going during out day of exploration. The Barn is a small retail shop and creative workshop space that sells local made and crafted products. The space is a literal barn renovated into a shop space. We came out to Southport specifically to see what they had in The Barn, but alas it was closed.

Headstones from a 19th century graveyard lean toward a highway. A white work shed is seen in the distance. — 19th century graveyard, Southport

Graveyards

One personally interesting thing to note is the ancient graveyard next door to the General Store and Barn. The graves date back to the 19th century, although there may be some 18th century headstones as well. The grave yard is over grown and sinking into the earth with the small forest swallowing the edges. What fascinates me about the graveyard is its proximity to the road. The grave reach out to the very edge of the roadway. This is something I have notice whenever we drive around these coastal peninsular part of Maine. There are many graveyards that go right to the edge of the road, and it makes me wonder, did they pave over other parts of the graveyards? Are we driving over those graves?

Rachel Carson Coastal Greenway

Rachel Carson who wrote the groundbreaking environmental alarm call, Silent Spring, was in love with Southport and she spent the last 11 years of her life summering here. Her presence and overwhelming love for Southport permeated into the community and today you can hike through evergreens on the Rachel Carson Greenway Memorial trail.

Winter Traveling in Maine

There are not a lot of places open in the winter, especially in February, but we did get to see a lot of what was open. However there were still a couple of places open that we didn’t get the opportunity to check out that we had wanted to visit. I’ve listed them below and with links.

Farm23 not only has some great looking pastries, but they also sell some products from Salty Raven in Oregon. Salty Raven has a lot of great designs that show a love for sea life. If you can’t get to the west coast you can find her work on the east coast. Also, the owner happens to be a friend of mine.

Several stone sculptures in snow in front of a harbor with house in the distance. — Sculpture Garden near Townsend Ave

Peak Season in BoothBay Harbor

Things get started in late May, but all restaurants open by April. The boating, boat tours and all the accommodations are in full swing by June. Things remain open til October when people begin to close up for the coming winter months. Some places remain open with winter hours during the months of November and December, but January and especially February (our birthday month) most of Booth Bay harbor and their surrounding neighbors are in hibernation.

Our Wish List During The Spring~Fall Season

I don’t know if we will make it back to Boothbay again, I do hope we do. I’ve already made a wish list for the next trip, but I’ll write that up in a separate post, but all I’ll say now is Puffins. Puffins.

Two adorable Puffin birds sitting in the grass. — Photo by Susanne Jutzeler, suju-foto on Pexels.com

Sources:

History of Maine -Wikipedia
Boothbay Historical Region Society
Maine Folklife Center
Rumsey, Barbara, “History of Boothbay Maine” (2019). Maine History Documents. 161.
https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/mainehistory/161
Boothbay Register

Oahu’s Restaurants: Making it Through a Pandemic

Published on January 10, 2024March 14, 2024 by An Accidental VagabondLeave a comment

Oahu, February 14, 2018

He met me at the airport, gave me a traditional lei, a flower for my hair, and told me our plans for the evening. It was Valentine’s day, and Eun had made a reservation at a nice restaurant where we would celebrate not only Valentine’s, but also celebrate our dual birthdays. Eun, my partner had been in Hawai’i for two weeks before I had arrived. He had been staying at a hostel in Waikiki, but had booked an Airbnb in Kapolei for the extent of my seven day visit.

We started our adventure with one of the fanciest dinners either of us had ever had.

Introduction: Post-COVID Dining

It has been five years since we visited Hawai’i and since then a lot has happened. The most catastrophic on a worldwide level being COVID-19. We spent those years living in Seoul. Although Seoul never experienced a lockdown as many other places, we did have to deal with partial shutdowns, reduced shopping hours, and limited access to places like restaurants, shops, and museums. I feel grateful to have been in South Korea, particularly Seoul (Daegu had a much different experience) during the pandemic. Life amid COVID, at times was inconvenient, but it wasn’t unbearable. Tragically, people did die, the most in the first wave, and Daegu was hit the hardest. Yet, the number of deaths were low compared to many parts of the world (not that it diminishes the heartbreak). Neither of us lost our jobs, and during the first month, I was able to retain 75% of my pay even though I didn’t go to my work for the entire month due to closures. In the second year, we were able to travel all of South Korea with masks of course. We were lucky.

South Korea didn’t have complete lockdowns, but it still had its human and economic losses. Financially the industries that were hurt the most were restaurants, shopping, clubs, bars and tourism industries. Anything that had social interactions like jjimjilbangs, norabangs, and PC bangs were hurt as well. There were many stores and restaurants that closed either during or soon after COVID restrictions had been lifted. It was sad to see some of our favorite Seoul restaurants close in Itaewon, our neighborhood of five years. Itaewon is known for international cuisine.

I cannot say for certain if all of these places closed due to COVID specifically. It could not have been an easy time for small business owners, however, Seoul does have an uncanny practice of frequent openings and closings of businesses. A rapid turnover rate that is a bit like ferris wheel. It goes around once or twice before the seats get a new rider. Even before COVID, I never felt fully confident that a restaurant, even if the food and service was really good, would be there in a year. Whenever searching about a certain area of Seoul or South Korea I’d planned to visit, I’d read a blog about an amazing restaurant or cafe to find out later that it had closed.

We now live in New England, with very little access to fine or diverse cuisine and the combination of reminicing about Itaewon restaurants and the cold winter weather got me longing for Hawai’i. Eun and I visited Oahu back in 2018. Five years’ is a long time in the restaurant business, and I wondered which Oahu restaurants, where we had eaten, were still open. Did they make it through COVID-19? If someone found my recommendations on places to eat, would those places still exist? I decided to find out.

A Culinary Journey

Eating is a big part of travel. Aside from the fact that when you are traveling you often don’t want to cook nor do you have the adequate space to cook, eating the local cuisine is all a part of engaging in the beauty of a culture. It can be a culture far different from your own or something familiar, but it can intensify your visit. It may drive some people mad to see constant photo feeds of food from trips, but for other’s that’s what the travel is all about. Personally, I prefer to share photos of the sites, but I love me some good food. The Oahu food scene is diverse taking from many different cultures, but also the local Hawaiian cuisine is something really special.

We had a great dining experience in Oahu. During our trip to Hawai’i we went to eleven local eateries in Oahu. They ranged from an inexpensive burrito shack to high end fine dining. A combination of restaurants, cafes, dessert shops, and small eateries. Some places were traditional Hawaiian food and others a mix of cultural influences, but all were great.

So the big question: “Did they make it through COVID?”

Oahu culinary delights

Helena’s Hawaiian Food

Still Open

Helena’s is proud to serve authentic and traditional Hawaiian food. This family owned Oahu restaurant opened in 1946 and more then 60 years later (and one pandemic) it is still thriving. You can get Kaula pig or short ribs served with rice and poi. Personally, I’m not a fan of poi which is a paste made from taro root, (my first experience eating poi was back in 1991 when I was living in Pearl City, Oahu) but if you are a lover of poi or just want to try it you can easily Ala cart it to your dish.

There are set menu’s you can choose. We picked this option as we really didn’t know how or what to order. Their current online menu offers the same food items and set options. I remember we ordered the set Menu C. This was the Kalua pork which was very tender and savory, and it came with pipikaula short ribs, and a dish of Lomi salmon which was a lot like ceviche.

We chose to have rice as a side dish. It was a small portion of food for the two of us. I think if we were to return I’d order a set and then one other item. We also tried Haupia, which is a coconut milk based dessert. It’s considered a pudding, but it is more gelatinous than the smooth whipped puddings. Its block style cut and texture is a lot like medium firm tofu. Eun was not a fan of the haupia, but I thought it was delicious. More for me.

1240 N School St, Honolulu, HI 96817, Tues-Fri, 10:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Closed Mondays

A couple posing in a restaurant booth at Overeasy breakfast spot in Kailua, Hawai'i.

two sunnyside eggs atop kahlua pork hash. — Kahlua Hash

Two over easy eggs with avacado, beans, bacon and toast. — Over Easy Plate

Overeasy, Kailua

Still Open

Located in Kailua this was possibly our favorite breakfast on the island. Then again, in all fairness we didn’t visit many breakfast places. However, according to reviews and a few foodie blogs, it is easily ranked as a top local favorite.

Similar to Helena’s, Overeasy is also a family owned business. Nik and Jennifer Lobendahn are a husband and wife duo that met while working at Alan Wong’s (our Valentines/birthday restaurant). The restaurant opened in 2016, and it looks as if they opened a Hawaiian BBQ restaurant, Easy ‘Que, in 2019. They also have a bakery where you can order custom made cakes, and a juice bar where you can get cold press juice with organic natural ingredients.

We drove across the island in a rainstorm to reach this place. It was a great meal and they had refill ice coffee which is something that you cannot get in most places in South Korea. We are both caffeine addicts so this was a huge bonus. Eun had the Kalua hash and eggs. It was a hearty sweet a savory dish with tender kalua pork and creamy egg yolks. I had a simple dish, the Over Easy Plate with beans and avocado with toast. It was delicious, but in retrospect I wish I had gone for something outside of the normie breakfast choices like The Brunch Bowl or the Custard French Toast. Doesn’t Custard French Toast sound amazing? I wish I could have it now. Everything was fresh, scrumptious, and very filling, also the staff was friendly. Our waiter was kind enough to take our picture.

418 Kuulei Rd #103, Kailua, HI 96734, Wed-Fri, 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. & Sat -Sun: 7:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Closed Mondays. They are available for catering and private events.

* Onolicious Hawai’i has a food review on Overeasy and is where I found information on who owns the restaurant. For more details on the menu check out her blog.

Romy’s Prawns and Shrimp, Kahuku (North Shore)

Romy's Kahuku Prawns and Shrimp Inc. food shack sign.

Still Open

a plate of large prawns, rice and a lemon wedge.

North Shore Oahu, 56-1030 Kam Hwy Kahuku
Fri-Tues, 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Hours subject to change. Closed Mondays.

The North Shore has many shrimp shacks off the side of the road. We went to Romy’s and enjoyed a huge pile of fresh shrimp caught by the Romy crew that day. The shrimp are farmed right behind the food shack!

The location is different from the one we visited back in 2018, but it remains on the North Shore and continues to serve the same great food it has since 1978. Each order is freshly prepared and cooked while you wait, so the wait can be a little long. We got lucky and arrived right after a rush. Romy’s is also a family run restaurant. Family run is a theme I certainly love to support.

Eun said it was one of his favorite parts of our trip. Not only because the shrimp were so good, but also because this was the moment on our trip when we began talking about traveling together. The fact that we could do this; we could travel the world together, and experience good food, meet good people, and build a good life together; this dream became a possibility for us. It was at Romy’s while we peeled and ate shrimp that we started brainstorming about all the places we could go.

Maguro Bros’, Chinatown

Still Open

In Chinatown we visited Kekaulike market, and inside the market we discovered Maguro Bros. Following the pattern of the other restaurants we visited Maguro Bros’, yes you guessed it, is a family run business. This time we have two brothers Junichiro and Ryojiro Tsuchiya. Their Chinatown location which we visited opened in 2014, but they have another location in Waikiki that opened in 2016. The Waikiki location relocated in 2023.

Here we got a tasty poke bowl. Poke bowl’s are a Hawaiian dish of cuts of raw fish served over vegetables and rice. Maguro Bros’ add their Japanese influence to the dish and we had something like a cross between a poke bowl and sushi. Eun ordered Chu-Toro which was fatty tuna over rice. Unfortunately, I can’t remember the name of what I ordered, but I can tell you the ingredients: Octopus; yellowtail, ahi tuna, and salmon served over white rice. The fish was incredibly fresh, and so succulent that it melted in my mouth. The environment was interesting too as it was in the back of a busy market, and we were able to watch all the hustle and bustle of patrons and businesses. Open markets are a great place to people watch.

couple posing in front of Maguro Bros restaurant sign.

Chinatown Location

1120 Maunakea st., Honolulu, HI. Mon-Sat, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Closed Sundays.

Chinatown market in Honolulu. Open umbrellas over various produce.

Produce stand with potatoes, onions, garlic, and hanging bananas.

Waikiki Location

2250 Kalakaua Ave by, Royal Hawaiian Ave, Honolulu, HI. Mon-Sat, 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Closed Sundays.

* Check out Onolicious Hawai’i’s blog post on Maguro Brothers for more details on the food selection.

Kokonuts Shaved Ice

Still Open

You can find Kokonuts at the Koko Marina Center in Honolulu. When you approach the glass doors you will see a huge photograph of former President Obama posing with a huge cone of shaved ice. It isn’t difficult to follow the eatings of Obama, since after all he did grow up on this beautiful island. I chose a medium shaved ice, and it was huge. The fine syrup soaked flakes melted in my mouth and gave me a delicious sugar rush. Kokonuts isn’t only a shaved ice shop. You can also find many tantalizing candies, snacks, açaí and Pitaya (dragon fruit) bowls, hotdogs and crepes. Fair warning you must bring cash because they have a ten dollar minimum on card purchases. It’s a lot of shaved ice to reach ten dollars.

7192 Kalanianaole Highway, Honolulu, Hawaii. Open Daily, 10:30 a.m. to 7:00p.m.

Surf N Turf Tacos

Still Open

This was our last meal together in Hawaii. After a day of hanging out at the beaches of Waikiki playing in the warm February waters, stumbling past this little hole in the wall burrito and taco place was the perfect ending to the day. We both ordered the Ahi burritos with everything. The portion size was huge and very filling. I didn’t even finish mine. The place was small with limited seating, and on all the walls were surfing photos and surfing memorabilia. The chill laidback atmosphere lasted for about five minutes as we sat alone eating before it was suddenly interrupted by the early evening rush. Our timing was perfect as by the time we left there was a line outside the door.

2310 Kūhiō Ave., Honolulu, HI. Open Daily, 9:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Still Open

Honolulu Cookie Company window and shop sign. — Yummy cookies!

It isn’t too difficult to guess that this place would make it through the pandemic with 17 locations to help keep it afloat. The Honolulu Cookie company was created in 1998 by Keith and Janet Sung. They first started by making pineapple shaped shortbread cookies for wholesale to be sold in other stores, then by 2001 they had their own space in Kalihi. After opening multiple stores in Honolulu and Waikiki, they opened a store in Las Vegas in 2014, then in 2016, open a store in Guam. This is a great place to go if you want to bring back a little gift for friends, family or folks in the office. The stores have samples of every cookie, so you are able to try them all, and you will not be able leave without buying at least one cookie.

Honolulu Cookie Company has 17 locations. Most stores are located on Oahu, but there is one store on Maui, Las Vegas, and Guam.

Waikiki Shopping Plaza, 2250 Kalakaua Ave, Honolulu, HI. Open Daily, 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Plantation Tavern

Still Open

We stayed in Kapolei which is about a 30 minute drive to Waikiki (on a low traffic day) and while there we went to a restaurant called Plantation Tavern. We ordered Ahi nachos which was good, but if you go, you must order the Portuguese bean soup. It was delicious. So good. I want some right now. I’m going to remember that soup for the rest of my life. It was a quick unplanned stop, so I didn’t get any photos. They are still open at their Kapolei location, and have opened a new restaurant called Monarch Poke in Aiea (where I used to live back in 1992).

590 Farrington Hwy, Kapolei, HI. Open Tues-Sun. Lunch hours, 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Dinner, 5:00 p.m. to Midnight. Closed Mondays.

A man outside enjoying a prepared lunch.

The Marina

We booked a tour through Ko Olina Ocean Adventures. It was the Snorkel and lūʻau combo ticket. We took a boat out and had lunch then later went to the lūʻau. I had the Teriyaki Chicken and Eun had the Pulled Pork. It was not very good. We were not surprised as usually these hotel packages focus more on the tour and less on the food. It was your average cafeteria/airplane food.

A Lūʻau at Paradise Cove

A lūʻau is about food and celebration, but when you buy one of these combo deals through a hotel expect the food to be cooked to a dull palate. It reduces the complaints. We also were well aware that it was all performance and that we were not experiencing a true lūʻau, but since we didn’t have any friends or community in Hawai’i it was most likely the closest we would ever get to seeing the tradition. The people who work at Paradise Cove work very hard to give the patrons a wonderful evening, and we were grateful for the experience. We had all the traditional fixin’s like Lomi Lomi Salmon, Molokai sweet potatoes, haupia, and of course Kaula pig. It was all very good, but I didn’t feel like taking pictures of the food. We received a free Mai Tai when we first entered the Cove.

As I had mentioned, this lūʻau was all a part of a combination package through Ko Olina Ocean Adventures. At the time it cost $468.52 for both of us, but that was seven years ago. The cost for the same adventure today is $725.04 and that includes the fees, which have also doubled. Hope that minimum wage goes up. Its like that line from Matthew McConaughey in Dazed and Confused “the cost of everything goes up and I have the same wage“. Oh, I guess that wasn’t the line. His line was a bit more disturbing.

Alan Wong’s

Closed

My first night in Oahu, Eun had booked us a reservation for Alan Wong’s. Out of all of the places that we visited seven years ago this is the only one that has closed. It was our first experience of fine dining and a great first experience.

Alan Wong’s was a big part of Oahu’s food scene and an amazing dining experience for us personally. Alan Wong’s closed its doors in November of 2020 after 25 years. Alan Wong was a recognized Chef that introduced Hawaiian culinary dishes and helped to establish Hawaiian food culture to the mainland and beyond. He started on a pineapple plantation and eventually ended up in the Big Apple learning his craft. He used local ingredients and advocated for local farming. His food was fresh, delicious, and I know first hand that his presentation was beautiful. There have been many celebrities and wealthy patrons who have enjoyed Alan Wong’s cuisine and amongst them former President Obama. While in office Obama invited Alan Wong to cater a lūʻau at the White House in 2009. You can read more about his life and contributions at Mashed.

In truth, we wouldn’t normally go to this nice of a restaurant as it isn’t often in our budget, but it was a special occasion; Valentine’s and our birthdays, so we splurged on the $200 plus dollar meal. The menu was set, and it was priced at 100$ a set. I myself have never spent so much on a meal in my life, and I must add that we didn’t include any alcohol in the menu. Prior to the meal we shared one drink, and seven years later I no longer remember the price. However, I remember the flavor. The meal included six courses. The portion sizes were small and beautiful like little tiny bits of art on a plate.

I once devoted an entire post to the meal on my now closed blog Put a Pin in That. Since the blog is gone I’ve attached the thing here making this post quite long. Read on if you like or skip to the conclusion. My feelings wont be hurt and Alan Wong’s is no longer open, so this menu is written in eulogy.

The Meal

The drink: Cherry Chocolate Boiler

This drink can be consumed two or three different ways. You can drink them each separately, or mix two and drink one, or you can mix them all together into one glass. The glass on the left is a chocolate stout. The chocolate smell and flavor were very strong, but there was also a thick stout flavor. It was rich and smooth, and very creamy. The glass on the right is the cherry beer. It had a sweet cherry scent and flavor with a light crisp taste. The small shot glass was an infused cherry vodka with a fermented tart black cherry.

Cherry Chocolate Boiler — All mixed together

I opted to taste each one separately, and then later mix the three together.

Chocolate-Cherry-infused vodka drink — A tasty drink

The first course: Oyster Shooter

This was delish! It had a rich yet subtle drop of crème fraîche that didn’t distract from the oyster.

tomato soup in a martini glass with a thin stick of pressed mozzarella and a small kalua pork sandwich.

The second course: Soup and sandwich

Chilled tomato soup, grilled hawaiian island goat dairy mozzarella cheese, foie gras, Kalua pig sandwich

I’m not a fan of foie gras because of how it is made, but since it was already a part of the course we tried it. It was tasty in a fatty kind of way. It was a small portion but very rich and filling. Aside from the ethics, it’s also way too rich for me, but all of the flavors complimented and blended into a buttery sandwich that was chilled by the tomato soup.

Kona cold lobster on a plate of hamakua eryngii mushrooms and green oil.

Third course: Butter poached Kona cold lobster

Hamakua Eryngii mushrooms, green onion oil

Wow. The first bite was like sampling the Pacific Ocean.

red snapper on miso sesame vinaigrette with mushrooms and corn.

Fourth course: Ginger crusted Onaga

Long tail red snapper Miso sesame vinaigrette, mushrooms and corn. It was too creamy for my taste buds, although the snapper was cooked to perfection.

a soy braised fried ginger ball with short rib and kochu dang sauce beautifully displayed like a Mondrian painting.

Fifth course: Twice cooked short rib

soy braised and grilled Kalbi style ginger shrimp, Kochu dang sauce

Don’t be fooled by the small portions. The food was extremely rich and heavy. We ate slowly savoring each bite, and allowing all the flavors to settle onto our tongues. By the end of the meal we were both full.

half a coconut stuffed with vanilla ice cream and fresh fruit and a chocolate crunch bar shaped like a turtle.

Dessert: The coconut Waialua chocolate crunch bars

Inside the coconut was handmade coconut ice cream. My god it was delicious! The chocolate was rich, dark and incredibly sweet. I had never experienced a sugar high until that moment. Eun and I both got the giggles from the sweetness. I now understand the meaning of “chocolate wasted”.

Two birthday cakes

Eun had told them that we were also celebrating our birthdays so they gave us slices of cake to celebrate. This was wonderful, but after the last desert it was difficult to eat because we were already so high from chocolate and full from the meal.

birthday cake with happy birthday written in cursive on the plate.

man blowing out his birthday candle on a cake.

*For more on Alan Wong’s read Martha Cheng’s article in Honolulu Magazine.

Conclusion

Thank you for following me down memory lane’s gastronomic adventures in Oahu. I know that it was a lot to swallow (pun intended). I’m not a food writer, and there will not be many posts on food, but as storms continue to rage across the Eastern U.S. and the few restaurant in the area which are still more than 20 miles away, sit dark and still waiting out the winter, I think of warms sands and delicious grilled shrimp drowned in garlic butter. I hope you enjoyed this mini Oahu dining guide.

I’m glad to know that nearly all the restaurants remain open and survived the pandemic. Restaurant resilience is not easy, and honestly, I was surprised to see all but one remained open. If you happen to be on Oahu to escape the winter snows and ice be sure to check out one of these local eateries. Leave a comment if there is a change in location or opening hours, or if you just want to say hello.

Thank you for reading.

An Accidental Vagabond

A Visit to Suwon’s Famous Chicken Street

Published on October 3, 2022March 14, 2024 by An Accidental VagabondLeave a comment

A Day Trip from Seoul.

About a half an hour by car, or an hour by bus, outside of Seoul is a place called Hwaseong. It is a district in one of the most populated provinces of South Korea, Gyeonggi-do. If you live in Seoul it sometimes feels like it is all Seoul since this metropolitan city is gigantic and spread out, but the real reason you would feel this way is because Gyeonggi-do is a province that surrounds Seoul; which is called a special city. Suwon-si or Suwon city is south of Seoul, and it is the capital of Gyeonggi-do. This area is famous for the Hwaesong Fortress a UNESCO World Heritage site that was built during the Joseon Dynasty. It is a beautiful and completely intact fortress that epitomizes the military architecture of the time period (late 18th century). It is worth the trip from Seoul, and I highly recommend a visit, however this post is not about the Fortress. This is about a little street tucked back away behind the Fortress, which if you like fried chicken is also well worth the visit.

Chicken Street

I didn’t know it when I first moved to Korea from the States, but I now know that fried chicken is the go-to-feel-good-food in Korea. You can have a little chicken, a little beer, add some friends to the mix and you get chimaek.

The word comes from the first part of the word chicken—chi plus part of the word maekju (the Korean word for beer)—maek put them together and you get chimaek: chicken and beer.

To the South East side of the Fortress near the South Gate named Paldalmun (also known as Nammun), and near the canal you will find chicken street. When you visit the Hwaseong Fortress there is a point during your exploration, as you walk closer to the south end, when you begin to smell the fried chicken in the air.

There are literally chicken restaurants next to, across the street from, and on every corner, from each other.

This street is very popular and even on a slow day there are lines outside every restaurant.

chicken street intersection — Picking a restaurant and waiting in line to be served.

dark street in the early evening — Picking a restaurant and waiting in line to be served.

The restaurant we went to was called Yongsung Tongdak, a chicken restaurant which has been making fried chicken for over 30 years. The chicken is fried in giant cauldrons called gamasots. Gamasots are a type of ancient Korean style of cooking pots that date back to the 1300’s.

We ordered right away as there were only two types of chicken to choose from, traditional fried chicken and a spicy marinated fried chicken, and of course we chose both. We ordered maekju (beer) and the server brought us some rice snacks and pickled radish.

They also brought us some fried chicken feet and fried gizzards as snacks. You dip the fried bits into a small dish of salt, incase your blood pressure isn’t high enough.

Soon our huge order of chicken arrived. It was served with a mustard dipping sauce, a salt dip, and sweet gochujang- a red chili dipping sauce very common in Korean cooking. The portion was huge, so we ended up taking a lot of it home. It was still delicious the next day.

The chicken was fantastic. This was probably the crispiest fried chicken I have ever eaten. Crispy and crunchy on the outside and very moist on the inside. The spicy chicken was spicy, but not so spicy that it was difficult to eat nor did it burn your lips. It had a smooth spice that lingered on your tongue and a slightly sweet aftertaste.

If you ever come to visit Seoul in South Korea, you must make a day trip to Hwaseong-si in which you should to visit the Hwaseong Fortress, but don’t eat before go because you need to add a trip to chicken street. It is easy to find, just follow your nose.

A Day in Seoul

Published on November 9, 2015March 3, 2024 by An Accidental VagabondLeave a comment

When my contract was up, and my visa expired I decided to not renew. Instead, I decided to leave China. I was ready to leave China. I had experienced the greatest loss of my life while I was living there, and that was the loss of my mother. Not only did I go through my experience of grief, which I still deal with, I had also simultaneously experienced culture shock. Culture shock is a strange beast and can be a bit difficult to recognize, but looking back on my time there I can say with certainty that I had had culture shock. Some days were worse than others. One would imagine that with death and shock that I would have been ready to run home, but for me there was no home. My mother was my home, and now that she was gone there was no place to call home. I did not want to return to America, but I didn’t want to be somewhere as challenging as China, yet I wanted something foreign; foreign to me. I decided to move to Prague in the Czech Republic.

My flight went first in the direction of South Korea and then towards Europe. I had decided to extend my layover to 24 hours and used the opportunity to see some bit of South Korea. I literally had 24 hours, and so I used that time to try to see as much as I could in a very short amount of time. There are many palaces in Seoul, and fortunately the Gyeonghuigung Palace was close to the hostel where I was staying. I can not for the life of me even begin to imagine how to pronounce the name of the place, but my single day in Seoul was a silent one anyway.

I wandered around the palace and walked around the district where I was staying. I had no idea of what kind of district I was visiting. Was it expensive? Was it where the foreigners lived? Was it a college area? I didn’t bother to figure it out. I only had two goals. One was to see something like a palace, and to get a small perception of what South Korea was like, in case I ever would want to return, and two, to find some food.

It was a solitary and quiet visit, and I can honestly say that a day is not enough time to spend in Seoul. It is a huge city with many different districts, and even in a single day I was not able to see the entire palace. Still, I’m glad I took the opportunity to take a peak. Compared to Zhengzhou, China, Seoul was a clean city. There was no trash on the street and the air was more clear although they did receive some of the pollution from China, and like China it felt very safe. So as I wandered through the streets I never felt worried that I would turn the wrong corner. There is so much freedom in this feeling of wandering.

After I left the palace I decided to find somewhere to eat. I had wandered through the district for about two hours before I got lost in a market and then wandered down an alleyway. Here I hesitated because I was very hungry at this point and my hunger was clouding my ability to pick a location. It was at this moment when a Korean woman ushered me into her tiny little shop and she served me the special of the day.

I cannot emphasize how much I love Korean food. I love the textures, the spices, the colors, and I love how it is served. Every food item has an individual plate and it is all served in a sensible portion size. You feel full, but never stuffed.

After eating I returned to my room that had pastel dots and square on the wall, and prepared for my long flight to Prague, and a new chapter of my life.

I am writing about all of this in the past tense because it is past. It has been over a year since I stepped foot onto a sidewalk of Seoul, and at the time of typing these words it has been almost two months since I’ve left my beautiful Prague. I currently sit in the dining room of my friend’s house where I am staying as I plan my next move. A dear friend of mine asked me recently, “So what is your plan? You always have a plan.” I wasn’t aware of this, but thinking back on my life and the choices I’ve made, I think it is true. I do always have a plan. I don’t always succeed in that plan, but it doesn’t matter because when one plan fades or fails I’ll soon have another.

So what is the plan? I plan to update this blog with the thoughts and memories and photos from the last two years of my life. I plan to return to my revery and release through writing, and I plan to have all of it documented here before I leave again. I am leaving again. At least that is the plan, and while it seems fairly strong that I will be returning to China, (and I’ll write more about that later) it is not impossible to imagine that I will also be returning to South Korea. I have too, because now I have a friend there, and I owe her a pillow.

Night Clubs, Russian Disco Dancers, and Hot Pot After Midnight in Zhengzhou, China

Published on May 3, 2014March 3, 2024 by An Accidental VagabondLeave a comment

I had been warned to never eat hot pot from a street tent. At the moment that I was picking out what bit of food on a stick to put in my boiling bowl of soup, I didn’t really think about the warning or even what ‘hot pot in a street tent’ meant. It wasn’t until I was on the bus heading home at 7:00 in the morning, after a ridiculously late evening out, that I remembered that I was warned.

The bus gently rocked and lulled me toward sleep. I had a thirty minute bus ride to get home. I stared at the few Chinese denizens sitting on the bus. A man was asleep in the far back corner. His head was slumped over his right shoulder. It hung like a loose button on a thin thread, and I wondered if a jolt of the bus would break his neck. I wondered if he stayed out to late too. It was a Sunday morning, not a work day. What were these people doing on the bus? Shouldn’t they be busying themselves at home? Shouldn’t they be just waking up? I still haven’t grasped China. I’m not clear if it is really a five day work week or if people are working on the weekends. Some do. I was trying to justify why I was so wrecked on this bus at 7:00 in the morning. Trying to find some partners in irresponsible crime. I was concerned about being judged. Which shouldn’t matter, but I’m always stared at and examined. I didn’t want to join the ranks of drunken irresponsible westerner, but like I said, it didn’t matter what anyone thought. My life was only temporarily passing through this place. Temporarily passing through many places it seems.

I ate the hot pot from the street tent. I realized this while my thoughts were on the strangers on the bus. It is because of the gutter oil. The oil that people dredge from the gutters and reuse in order to save money. I figured I would be sick later. I’m sick often after the street food. It can be anything. It took a few months before my stomach toughened up some. I can’t figure out if it’s my age or the food. Maybe, a combination of both.

I don’t go out much. I’ve turned into a sort of hermit a kind of recluse. It could be culture shock, but I know it’s a combination of many, many things. Things not worth writing about yet. The nights out are rare, but they always end the same- It begins with drinks at one place, and then a move to another place to have too many drinks and then to a club. Drinks are bought together because you can’t have a table unless you buy the bottle or a rack of beers. The crowd is mixed- Chinese, Americans, Mexicans, Arabs, Africans, English, Russians- mostly young, but sometimes there is a range in ages. After a bottle is bought (usually Red Label Whiskey) and the worst sweet tea mixer ever designed, the dancing starts. Dancing on spinning dance floors, raised dance floors, floors that have hydraulics- the works. At times I think the Chinese are absolutely crazy. There seems to be so little concern for personal safety. I’m aware that I grew up in a world of hyper-saftey concerns sometimes over the top, but I was raised in the 70’s and 80’s so I did experience pre-seatbelts and all of that, and I did live in Germany where there is a kind of ‘go at your own risk’ type of safety concern. I really liked Germany’s take on it. It allowed you to take personal responsibility for your own actions, yet you still could take a risk if you wanted because it’s your life, but you better be aware of the consequences. I liked that. I’d say maybe China is like that, but then again it seems like there is no idea of consequences. As if people go about their day never even thinking that anything bad could possibly happen to them even if they are driving on their e-bike at night with no lights driving the wrong way on a one way street while reading a text message. What could possibly happen? There’s never any helmets worn and people drive on the wrong side of the road, never give right of way cut people off. I’ve seen children as young as four standing on the shoulders of the front seat of the car with their heads out of the sun roof. This lack of safety concern is in everything. The way buildings are built, pavements are laid, toys are made, how a person crosses the street. The dance floors reflect this nutty wildness. It seems to me like the worst idea in the world to create a dance floor that spins in a club where people are drunk. I don’t know why we don’t see more Chinese people in extreme sports because they seem fearless.

The clubs and bars are smokey like America in the early 90’s. It can be hard to breath especially when dancing on the stage. It isn’t really a stage, but more like a runway raised four feet from the floor, and made of metal. I love to dance, but I find it difficult to get into the dance scene here. The crazy amount of smoke with absolutely no air circulation, the narrow dancing space, and the great noticeable distance from the stage to the floor. There are tables all around the runway dance floor so if you were to fall then you’d fall onto a table. I find it hard to relax even with too much Red label Whiskey mixed with the god awful sweet tea. The music, er, well, I’ll just say the music from one club to the next is not that much different, and in all fairness, to give a bit of perspective, bars and clubs in this part of China are still a new thing. I’m also a secret curmudgeon. I don’t really like clubs. I like dancing, but club scenes are not my thing (even though I continue to find myself in them). Still, in retrospect it is a worthwhile experience mainly because of the fact that I’m living in China. When my mind is in a state of complete discomfort which it has been often while living here, I’ll have this sudden realization that I’m in China on a spinning dance floor with a group of people from all over the world, and that this is just a moment; a rare blip of a moment that will be over in a couple of hours, and how strange that all sounds to me.

The hot pot night was a little different then the usual night out because it was morning with strangers and four different possible languages, but English was the one we all had in common. At five in the morning I could care less about the gutter oil.

What do you get when a Russian, a Chinese, an American and a Mexican walk down a dark alleyway… food and conversation about love. A red tent with a hot pot eatery. Five am beers are ordered. The soup is ordered. The noodles are ordered and we pick our own food. The soup is in a plastic bag placed inside a bowl. I don’t think of sanitation which is the best way to get sick. I only think of eating and then going home to sleep, but it is so far to where I live (another reason why I am a part-time recluse).

Outside the sun is rising. The smog is rolling into the city like fog off a bay. Pictures are taken and taxis are waved down, and I wait for the number 7 longing for my hard bed. I wonder what the hell compelled me to stay out so late. I give myself a little reprimand then think about how often I stay up till morning at a dance club with people from all over the world, and then stumble down a dark dirty alleyway to a double sized red tent to find a hot pot inside filled with Chinese men that work late or start their day early. Not very often. I forgive myself and look forward to sleep. This is a year in China. It won’t happen again. Not in this city.