Waikiki Spam Jam 2009

Gilroy has the Garlic Festival, Hawaii, has the Spam Jam.

Although Spam is commonly referred to as "poor people food", the perception of Spam in Hawaii is quite different. We eat it all the time. There are at least 3 Hawaii cookbooks dedicated to Spam on Amazon.com.

Hawaii's Spam Cookbook

Hawaii's 2nd Spam Cookbook

Hawaii Cooks with Spam: Local Recipes Featuring Our Favorite Canned Meat


According to Wikipedia, Hawaii, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands consume the most Spam per capita in the United States.

Visit the Waikiki Spam Jam website to find out more information about this peculiar event. There's only about 1 month left, so hurry and make your your hotel reservations. You may be lucky enough to win free Spam for 1 year (365 cans).

Prince Kuhio Day

Today is Kuhio Day in Hawaii. Since 1949, the state of Hawaii has celebrated the birth of Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole on March 26. Born in 1871, Prince Kuhio was one of the best known leaders in Hawaiian history.

As a state holiday, many state offices and small businesses are closed. Federal offices remain open as do most popular tourist attractions. A list of what establishments are open can be found at StarBulletin.com, one of the state's largest newspapers.

To learn more about Prince Kuhio and what Kuhio Day is all about, please visit some of these links:

• Kuhio Day - Wikipedia
• Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole - Wikipedia
• What do People Do? - TimeAndDate.com
• Hilton Waikiki Prince Kuhio Hotel (hotel named after Prince Kuhio)

10 Things You Didn't Know Coffee Grounds Can Do

1. Deodorizer - Dry out your coffee grounds on a cookie sheet and put them in a bowl in your refrigerator or freezer. Rub them on your hands to get rid of food prep smells.
2. Insect Repellant - Sprinkle old grounds around places you don't want ants, or on the anthills. Used grounds are also said to repel snails and bugs.
   
3. Plant Food - Plants such as rosebushes, azaleas, rhododendrons, evergreen, and camellias that prefer acidic soils will appreciate the leftovers from your morning cup. Coffee grounds can also add nutrients to your compost bin.
4. Dye - By steeping grounds in hot water, you an make brown dye for fabric, paper and even Easter Eggs.
5. Furniture Scratch Coverup - Steep grounds in water and apply a bit of the liquid to furniture with a cotton swab.
6. Cleaning Product - Since grounds are slightly abrasive, they can be used as a scouring agent for greasy and grimy stain-resistant objects. Note: using this on porous materials may result in discoloration (see item #3 and #4).
7. Cat Repellant - To keeps cats from using your yard as a giant litter box, sprinkle grounds mixed with orange peels around your plants.
8. Flea Dip - Follow your pet's shampoo with a coffee ground rubdown, working the grounds down to the skin. Not only will fleas leave, but their hair will feel softer.
9. Dust Inhibitor - Before you clean out your fireplace, toss wet coffee grounds over the ashes to keep the ash dust under control.
10. Use coffee grounds as a cellulite reducer. Mix 1/4 cup warm coffee grounds and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Lay out newspaper or a dropcloth to avoid staining your carpet or floor. Apply the mixture to "problem areas", then wrap with plastic wrap for several minutes. Unwind the wrap, brush loose grounds off your skin and wash off the rest in the shower. For best results, it is recommended to repeat this procedure twice per week.