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Tag Archives: Rainbow Drive-In

#CatTravels: Aloha in Chigasaki

by Catherine Toth on April 29, 2012 in Adventures, Videos

One of the reasons I flew to Japan was to go to the Aloha Market in Chigasaki.

It’s a two-day festival that celebrates all things Hawaii — from its hula to its food — and thousands of people flock to Southern Beach every year for it.

After spending two weeks here, I’ll admit, it was nice to eat local food, see Aloha shirts and listen to Hawaiian music.

I was really starting to miss home.

So here’s what the two days at the Aloha Market — and a Japanese food festival across the street — looked like:

Spotted!

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I knew this was going to be interesting as soon as I saw this van, covered in Hawaii-pride stickers. (Some in Engrish.) This van was parked in the lot where the annual Aloha Market was held in Chigasaki. This festival celebrates all things Hawaii.

See my video of the Aloha Market in Chigasaki and scenes from Southern Beach

Follow my adventures in Japan on Twitter @thedailydish

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#CatTravels: Konnichiwa, Chigasaki!

by Catherine Toth on April 25, 2012 in Musings

Every few years, Rainbow Drive-In, the iconic local restaurant on Kapahulu Avenue, participates in a Hawaii festival in Chigasaki around this time of the year.

Since I had planned to be in Japan this month — and since I surf with the owner — I decided to tag along and check out what this little surf town on Segami Bay was all about.

Located in central, Kanagawa Prefecture, Chigasaki is known as the Hawaii of Japan. It’s thought to be the first place where people surfed in Japan.

The more than 234,000 people who live here seem to have adopted the Hawaii lifestyle, with Hawaii-inspired boutiques, surf shops and restaurants all around the city. There are even halau located here.

With more than a week already in Japan, it was nice to see Aloha shirts and Spam musubis.

Here’s what my first day in Chigasaki looked like:

Early start

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We got up early, checked out of our Tokyo hotel, and jumped on a train for the 45-minute ride to Chigasaki, a sleepy beach town on Segami Bay, south of Tokyo.

Follow my adventures in Japan on Twitter @thedailydish.

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Stuck in traffic? There’s a shirt for that

by Catherine Toth on November 13, 2011 in Musings, The Daily Dish

Most of us had nothing to do with the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, or APEC, in town this weekend.

We didn’t attend any meetings or hobnob with the heads of state in Honolulu for summits, meetings, dinners and meet-and-greets.

But we were stuck in traffic.

For hours.

Yesterday I had to change dinner plans because there was no way I could make it to McCully — and then find parking — on time. I didn’t go to my parents’ house for dinner because it’s located between Waikiki and Ko Olina — the no-drive zone. And I mostly avoided Waikiki — good thing there wasn’t much surf — all weekend.

So, in a way, I was affected.

But there were stories about people sitting in traffic from Costco for three and a half hours. It took one of my friends two hours to drive a mile. And I’m sure there will be stories tomorrow about folks getting re-routed on H-1 as the APEC leaders drove to and from Ko Olina.

So it’s no surprise a Hawaii-based designer jumped on it.

Starting Wednesday, “I survived APEC 2011″ shirts will be available at both Butigroove and Rainbow Drive-In. Shirts will be $20.

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Just to be fair: the designer knows that some people may link this shirt with the tragedy that happened earlier last week, when a U.S. State Department law enforcement agent shot and killed a Kailua man at McDonald’s on Kuhio Avenue. But the sentiment is about the traffic and parking problems APEC caused — not this tragedy.

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Save the Date: Watch ‘Cheap Eats’ next week!

by Catherine Toth on October 15, 2011 in Musings, The Daily Dish

Check out “Cheap Eats” on K5 The Home Team on Wednesday, Oct. 19 — between 8 and 9 a.m., 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. — and Saturday, Oct. 22 — at 5 and 9 p.m. — for a peek inside one of my favorite eateries, Rainbow Drive-In. Oh, and Hawaii News Now weather/surf dude Guy Hagi and comedian Augie Tulba are in the episode, too. (smile)

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