Ala Moana Center

If you were born and raised in Hawaii, the pidgin language became a part of your everyday conversation. It’s like slang words that were created here in Hawaii that “all” the locals tend to speak. Even if you spoke perfect English, chances are a few pidgin words would creep in, unconsciously, as you’re speaking.

pidgin

Everyone from every state has their own slang words that seem like a foreign language to those that are visiting their state.

Why am I bringing this up you may ask? The other day, I overheard a colleague mentioning that she saw her favorite actor vacationing down here but was too afraid to go up and get a picture with him, let alone saying hi.

When I heard this I thought to myself, “Why would you be afraid to do so?” When are you ever going to get the chance to meet your favorite actor/actress/sports athlete ever again? You’ll always regret for not doing so.

Growing up in Hawaii, I was always accustomed to hearing “Chance ‘um!” uttered among the people around me. “Chance ‘um” is a phrase in the pidgin language that means “Go for it!” or “No shame, take a chance.”

What’s the worst thing that famous person would say to you if you approached him/her, “I will cut your eyes out and burn your house down!” I think not! The absolute worst would be “No” or “Sorry, I don’t want to be bothered right now.”

You’d be surprised as to how many famous A, B, C or D-list celebrities would welcome an adoring fan. Granted there are those that would just turn you away but “SO WHAT!” These famous people are just regular human beings who just so happen to appear on TV or play in the biggest sports arena in the world. If you are courteous in your approach, chances are they’ll reciprocate in kind.

When I was young, I got the chance to meet one of my favorite AND my very first celebrity, Jack Lord, at Ala Moana Shopping Center with my father. Jack Lord - Five-0 Jack was an imposing man with a stern gaze; he looked liked the Steve McGarrett from the original Hawaii Five-O I remembered watching on TV. I was so scared of him that I squirted his pants with my water gun and hid behind my father. Suffice to say, my dad, being the cool cat that he is, played it off and told him that he was my favorite actor on TV. Jack, flashed a really big smile and got down on his knee to greet me at eye level; he shook my hand and then lifted me up so that my dad could take a picture of me with him. Lucky for me I had a dad whose hobby was none other than photography. He turned out to be super nice and gracious.

When I was in college, I worked part-time at Ala Moana Shopping Center and ironically got a second chance to meet another celebrity. There was a crowd within Shirokiya‘s electronic department; being the curious type, I worked my way through to see what all the commotion was about. It was none other than Stevie Wonder with his assistant at the counter. Steve

THIS WAS STEVIE WONDER!!! I was a bit puzzled as to why no one was approaching him, all I could think of was we were all in awe of this legend that we all had cold feet.

I was in shock as well to be so close to a man whose songs were known worldwide, but suddenly things changed when that phrase “Chance ‘um” popped up in my subconscious. I felt like what the hell, what do I have to lose. THIS WAS STEVIE WONDER!!! So I got bold and went up to him, told him that I loved his songs and to keep up the good work. He stuck out his hand, trying to meet with mine; stupid me, in my excitement I totally forgot that he was blind and trying to find my hand. I then left feeling totally overwhelmed from the experience and in hindsight wished we had cellphones back then so I could have gotten a picture of the experience.

Since then whenever I had an opportunity to meet a celebrity, the phrase “Chance ‘um” came into play. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity so don’t pass it up. Over the years I got a chance to meet a host of known people and was fortunate that all of them were super nice and down to earth about me “respectfully fawning over their celebrity status.

All I can say is that if you ever have a chance encounter with any A, B, C or D-List celebrity and you want to meet them but hesitant to do anything about it, “No be scared, CHANCE’ UM!“

You just might have an awesome experience with that “somewhat famous” person and be the envy of your friends and family.

Here are just some of the people who were SUPER NICE and took a picture with me.

Mariska Hargitay

Ron Howard

Cary Hiroyuki-Tagawa

Rick Hoffman

Jorge Garcia

Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell

Kenny G

Craig Robinson

Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong

It’s funny how a person, place or thing will trigger memories of long ago; most of us will reminisce the best or worst part of that experience and revel at the fact of how we’ve improved from that moment in time. We all at some point in our lives will stroll down memory lane, not because we have to but because it’s an inherent trait in us as humans. The reason why I bring this up is because my family and I stopped by Ala Moana Shopping Center last night and for once I was totally clueless as to what stores were left from my childhood. It used to be you’d pull up the ramp into the parking lot and you could see the stores but now you almost need a map to maneuver your way around the center. As we strolled about the place, the pantheon of glitzy and glamorous stores there were staggering. The sight of “local” people hanging out had now been replaced by the cornucopia of tourists from various countries scuttling about like busy bees. Being in the middle of this mob, I couldn’t help but be flustered.

What happened to the good ‘ole days where Ala Moana Shopping Center looked like this:

As we passed store after store, a sense of nostalgia crept into my somnolent mind.

“Damn, I really missed this place.”

“Didn’t there used to be that big ‘artsy’ stuff here?”

“Wasn’t there a sand place here?”

“There had to be a Woolworth’s here right?”

“I remember shopping here for my clothes.”

“Didn’t we have a cooler more inviting koi pond structure here?”

I was questioning myself, searching every image that I could find in the recess of my vast memory vault as if to piece together some mythical place that only a few select were given access to. I know change is inevitable but sometimes it can be detrimental as well. What was once my haven had now become something unrecognizable; something I now avoid like the plague. The sense of everything “local” had now become a multi-million dollar conglomerate catering to the tourist…SIGH. But alas, that’s just my personal view…or wanton need to cling to my childhood past. Although unsettling, it was truly great to walk down memory lane and see how Ala Moana Shopping Center was in my mind’s eye.

Our family now goes to Kahala Mall