Dive Bars, The Strange Liquor Law And Run-Ins With Hookers All Part Of The Nightlife Experience
Parting is indeed with such sorrow.
But instead of some distant land – the Greek Islands come immediately to mind – at least this one is close. I’m one buddy pass away from returning.
Hawaii is easy to reach from where I live in L.A. It’s one direct 5 1/2-hour flight. LAX-HNL. It’s as easy as getting to the airport.
Still, I don’t come here often enough. Perhaps I’m afraid to come here too often. That’s because when I get to Waikiki Beach – my preferred place of all the islands, at least as far as bar action goes – and kick on the sandals, I immediately get into the Aloha atmosphere.
My pace slows, the desire to do anything or be anywhere at a particular time disappears and decisions are made at the moment of thought or inspiration rather than planning.
This last trip, which lasted a week, found new discoveries. One in particular thrills me to no end because after The Wave closed I was kind of rudderless at night for a fun casual bar. Well my friend Hound Dog introduced me to Arnold’s, kind of a cross between a tiki bar and a dive bar. CLICK HERE to read more about Arnold’s bar!
I happened to be on somewhat of a dive bar discovery mission and a local friend who puts out the highly informative Oahu Concierge newsletter (among other local publications) recommended a place called The Hideaway. I walked in and, well folks THIS is a dive bar! It also has $1 Buds and Bud Lights from 6-7 but, in true dive bar fashion, not by your smartphone’s time, by the bar’s time. I figured out the bar’s time runs about 20 minutes fast, by the way.
It’s next door to a quirky place with great bands called The Irish Rose, where I did my fare share of drinking. Especially when I learned, after the $1 beers at The Hideaway, that it has $3 Mai Tais until 8 p.m. I put down a credit card and with a $10 minimum well, you do the math.
I would up stumbling back to the hotel room down Kuhio Ave., using the walls as pinball flippers, all the while attempting – somewhat successfully, I must say – to dodge the hookers who patrol that street at night like vigilantes ready to pounce on single guys who have obviously been drinking.
Even that part of Waikiki’s nightlife is entertaining.
I actually had more trouble with the ABC board’s bizarre liquor laws because I unknowingly violated one law and was forced to finish my beer in a hotel lobby rather than in the bar. CLICK HERE for more about my liquor law transgression!
And now it’s time to depart and while I’ll say “Aloha, Waikiki,” I’ll also say “A hui hou.” That means “until we meet again.”
Okole Maluna!
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