Swap Meet, Pearlridge, and Waikele

You know you're old school when you call the two different parts of Pearlridge Mall "Phase I & Phase II" instead of "Uptown & Downtown." For me, I prefer the old school way because "up and downtown" sounds so, I don't know... elitist or something. Plus, "Downtown" kinda sounds too ghetto.

Anyway, Jessica, her sister Jacks, and her cousin Ann, and I went to the old Kam Drive-In Super Swap Meet in Aiea this morning. Since we're talking about distinctions, you could say the Kam Super Swap Meet is the "Downtown" to Aloha Stadium Swap Meet's "Uptown." One is definitely more run-down than the other, but that doesn't make it a bad thing. Matter of fact, I find the stuff at the Kam Super Swap Meet more funky, more cool and hip; there are also a lot of good deals to be had. It's like a huge, glorified outdoor community garage sale, and everything is up for grabs, even Coach knock-off "Goach" bags (which the girls did not buy, thank you very much).

After the Swap Meet, we went to Anna Miller's to eat breakfast. Then off we went to Pearlridge Mall (the Uptown side, if you will), and before heading to the Downtown side, some tough unseen force prevented us from entering the downtown mall doors. For some reason, the words "Waikele Factory Outlet" crossed all of the girls' mouths, and I was dragged along on a whirlwind shopping frenzy that landed us way out west in Waikele.

While it seemed from the above that I was cast as the miserable doomed male in the gaggle of shopping-hungry gals, that's not true dear reader. I totally didn't mind tagging along with them as they shopped; I liked their company. I just managed to do my own thing as well: I picked up a few magazines and hooked up with the girls mid-way through the mall. As they continued to shop, I sat outside on one of the numerous benches made for patient males such as I, watched their bags and read my magazines. And at Waikele, I left them to their own devices entirely. I simply went to the nearby Borders and browsed the books and music to my heart's content. Then I shlepped on over to the Starbucks right next to the Borders and had a cup of coffee, reading more of my magazines until the girls were done.

The shopping day ended when we all converged for some sushi at the newly-opened Genki Sushi at Waikele. We intended to have a simple snack, but I guess we were all worn out from all of the shopping: we ate pretty much a full meal.