Rubber Duckie Race

This Saturday is the 26th Annual Great Hawaiian Rubber Duckie Race. Every year, the non profit United Cerebral Palsy Association races 20,000 rubber ducks down the Ala Wai Canal. People can adopt ducks for $5 each. If your duck is one of the first ones to cross the finish line, you can win a great prize. This year's grand prize is a Las Vegas vacation for two people! Other prizes include a stay at the Hilton Hawaiian Village or Marriot Beach resort. The first 50 ducks to cross the finish line win a prize.

The event starts with activities at McCully shopping center, where you can adopt a duck for the race, listen to live music or enjoy face painting. The duck race starts at 1:16 PM. Even if you don't adopt a duck, you should go watch the race. It is amazing to see 20,000 rubber ducks floating down the Ala Wai Canal.

Easter is Almost Here

Easter is just around the corner and Hawaii is filled with fun Easter events for the whole family. If you have kids, I recommend the Honolulu Zoo Scavenger Hunt on March 30th, where you can search for Easter eggs and other prizes in the company of exotic animals. Pre-registration is recommended and you can visit the Honolulu Zoo page for more information: http://honoluluzoo.org/events-calendar.html


For those of you who like shopping, the Easter Bunny will be at Waikele Premium Outlet handing out candy on March 30th starting at 11:00 AM. There will also be live music performances and face painting for the kids.

On March 31st, if you spend at least $150 in stores at the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center, you can pick an egg at the Guest Services counter. Every egg has a small prize and five lucky winners will win a $100 Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center Gift Card.

Last, but not least, come paint Easter eggs at Hawaii Palms on Friday, March 29th.If you have never made an Easter egg, this is your chance to try a piece of American Easter culture.

New Activities Page

Aloha! Now you don't have to find out about fun Hawaii events until after they are already over. I have just added a new page to this website. It is called Events and Activities. I will keep it updated with Hawaii Palms Activities as well as fun events happening on Oahu. Check it out to find something exciting to do this weekend!

Carnival and Konishiki

Are you looking for something to do this weekend? There will be a carnival at Magic Island, near Ala Moana Shopping Center. A carnival is similar to a theme park, they have food stands, games, rides and music. The carnival is this weekend starting at 6:00 pm friday night. The highlight of the carnival is a performance by Konoshiki on Friday at 8:30 pm. For those of you who don't know, Konishiki is a famous Hawaiian Sumo wrestler. He retired from Sumo in 1998 and now he is a musician and television personality. The carnival and performance are free to enter.

Keiki Swap Meet

Yesterday I went to the Keiki Swap meet in at Kakaako Waterfront Park. The swap meet is an event held by the Discovery Center to teach kids about buying and selling. As most of you know, "keiki" means"kids" or "children" in Hawaiian and the verb "swap" means to "to trade or exchange". It is a great opportunity for learning, but it is also a great opportunity for buying! Kids and their parents set-up booths to sell old toys and clothes that they don't use anymore and most of the prices are very reasonable. Among other things, I bought a skirt for my daughter for just $0.25. If you have kids and are in Hawaii when they hold the next Keiki Swap Meet, I highly recommend that you go. For more information about the swap meet, you can look at the Children's Discovery Center homepage :http://www.discoverycenterhawaii.org/

Berried Treasure Cake

Last night in our Evening Conversation class, we made Berried Treasure Cake (like "buried treasure"). It is a very simple cake that you can make using a microwave. 

First, you mix the ingredients for the cake in a bowl. 

Next, you pour the batter into a glass dish, or any dish that is safe for the microwave. Cook it in the microwave for about 4 minutes. While it is cooking, mix the ingredients for the topping. Once the cake is done cooking, put the strawberries on top and add the cream.

Put is back in the microwave for 2 minutes and you are done!

It tastes a lot like strawberry shortcake. We really enjoyed it, why don't you try making it too?

Ingredients:
Cake:
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 c. sour cream
3/4 c. flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1/4 c. milk

Topping:
1 c. strawberries
1/2 c. sour cream
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 dash cinnamon

Directions:

1. Microwave butter on High in microwave safe mixing bowl, 45 to 60 seconds or until softened.
2. Blend in 1/4 cup sugar
3. Beat in egg and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.
4. Blend in 1/4 cup sour cream.
5. Add flour, baking soda, salt and milk, blend until smooth.
6. Lightly grease a microwave-safe cake pan.
7. Pour batter into pan and spread evenly in dish.
8. Microwave on High, uncovered, 4 to 4 1/2 minutes or until no longer doughy. Sprinkle berries over top of cake.
9. Combine 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup sugar and vanilla. Pour evenly over berries and spread as necessary to cover cake surface.

  10.  Sprinkle with cinnamon and microwave on High for 2 to 2 ½ minutes.

Last: Eat and enjoy!!!!

Welcome

Aloha! My name is Sara, I am the Evening Class Coordinator at Hawaii Palms English School in beautiful Waikiki. This blog will share stories and information about the school and other fun things in Hawaii. I hope you can use it to study English and learn more about Hawaii.