live from hawaii... it's friday morning!

zero thought all vibes; sharing taste one newsletter at a time

I have been out in Honolulu, HI for the past week. I ran the Honolulu Marathon on Sunday and have been consuming Hawaiian goods for the last week. One thing I have loved about Hawaii, at least Oahu has been the feeling of nostalgia that comes with the way everything on the island is branded—it is as if the entire island agreed to reject the 21st century in as many ways as possible, or at the very least pay homage to the past in tasteful ways. Whether it is a bus with vintage brown and orange stripes (think OG Burger King) or the postcards whose designs are as authentic as the method of communication itself or the payphones that are sprinkled throughout hotels, streets, and beaches… they may no longer work, but the sentiment is there, we are rejecting modernity and embracing tradition where applicable. It brings a strange sense of peace, I’de assume for anyone if it can bring peace to someone like myself who only spent half a decade in the 20th century.

Ube

After landing late Friday evening (I have a bone to pick with Delta) I was starving but very little was open. There was however premade boba tea, which I frankly, don’t really dabble in, but there is something about desperation that pushes you to try those things that you naturally hesitate to say yes to, so the Ube journey began with premade Ube Boba Tea Vibe: 8/10. The next morning I went to a local hole in the wall, looking to begin carbing up for the marathon I purchased a burrito and… Ube pancakes with Ube syrup, they were incredibly sweet, but overall balanced with the burrito Vibe: 9.2/10. The next morning, I was tempted with an Ube Latte, but I opted for a peppermint iced coffee (no milk), it was the right decision. Ube has a time and a place, for those who haven’t had it, it is a sweeter starchier potato with a nutty, vanilla flavor, and not really savory like normal sweet potatoes are.

Kona Brewing

I remember, after my first year of college, I really didn’t drink much, and when I came home my dad had multiple bottles of Kona Brewing. I reached for the Longboard as I made a steak and felt something along the lines of a masculine realization, a marker of achieved manhood, grilling a steak and sipping a beer… the only thing was, I hated that beer, I knew it must be expensive so I did my best to enjoy it, but halfway through I walked over to the edge of the woods next to our property and I chucked the entire bottle as far as I could, then I went back to enjoy the rest of the steak. Since being in Hawaii I have tried the 4 core Kona products that they currently have canned and they are all pretty tasty.

Kona Light (Blonde Ale)

A Mango Cart if they tasted like beer, the mango flavor is very subtle which makes it equally refreshing and drinkable. Vibe: 8.7/10

Gold Cliff IPA (IPA)

An IPA, pineapple, pine, and slight malt. A little bit bitter, for me, I really would only drink this on draught at a brewery, but the can looked cool. Vibe 7.9/10

Big Wave (Golden Ale)

A slightly hoppy and floral light beer, if you like IPA’s but don’t want something 7% then this is a crushable alternative Vibe: 9.1/10

Longboard (Island Lager)

Slightly sweet and subtly lemony, I still think this is my least favorite, although this time I didn’t chuck it into the woods. Vibe: 7.2/10

Coffee

Sabrina being the trooper she is, would grind out work from 3 am to 11 am each day and we made it a routine to hit a coffee shop immediately as they opened often sometime between 5 am and 6 am. Kona coffee surprisingly isn’t either of our things, but the vibe of grabbing coffee and sitting outside in slightly humid low 70’s weather just as the sun rose over the mountains was something I could get used to.

Wayfinder Hotel

We needed a spot to stay for our last night before heading back to Michigan and we stumbled upon the Wayfinder Hotel. The place is cute, think 90’s meets MCM, and has nice tasteful touches that make it great for a few nights. They check all the boxes for an “I love that” girl, a coffee bar, a pool, a jacuzzi, quality intentional items for purchase, a lunch place, and a bar. The price point is low compared to many places in the area ($145/night). Above all, the little things the Wayfinder does make it feel special: complimentary drinks upon arrival, free water in the hotel room, free gear and beach rentals. It is a perfect place to stay for the last couple of days of a trip.

Weekly Playlist

This week’s playlist update includes 8 songs I listened to on repeat during points of the marathon where I had my headphones in. This is a playlist I used to help keep pace and keep my heart rate down.

Ins & Outs

Be on the lookout this week, Ins and Outs of 2025 are dropping and you wont want to miss it.

Thanks again,

Derek