Da "Real" Ynaku Story
August 15th, 2008 by Braddah LanceAs some of you have read by now, Uncle Rodney from "Midlife Crisis", Queenie from "Odds & Ends" and myself had the pleasure of meeting a long time reader and poster of our respective blogs IRL (in real life).
Spooky? Of course.
Nuts? Maybe.
But being dat Ynaku has been a faithful reader, I can fairly say we've all gotten to "know" him by his posts. Funny how da internet can bring people together - and we nevah even use eHarmony! 
So it all started with Queenie and Ynaku exchanging food comments on a few blogs and one thing led to another. I get an email from Ynaku asking if we were going to be in on Monday and unfortunatly Queenie was off. Ynaku offered to drop off da goodies or we could meet him at a job site in Moanalua and since I knew the area, I offered to pick 'em up... and tough luck to Queenie. 
So Monday comes and I ride ovah jus' before 3:30pm and see no one. I ring da bell and a worker steps out and I ask,
"Excuse me. I'm, uh, supposed to meet someone." (kinda looking at him hoping it was Ynaku)
"You know who? I'm the only one here."
"Oh. His name is Yn.... (wat da heck was his real name?! WWD!) Eh, nevah mind."
"_ _ _ just left a few minutes ago."
"YEAH! Dat's him! From Big Island right?"
"Yup. He said he had to meet some people and went to their office."
"($h!t) Dat's cool. I'll head back right now."
"Try wait. I'll give him a call.....(dialing) Hey _ _ _, get somebody ovah hea asking for you. You stay at their office already?"
"Mahalos! (zooming away)"
As I walk into da lobby, I see three huge grins staring at me. Ok, they were laughing.
"Eh, I thought I was supposed to pick 'em up?"
Queenie: "You didn't read your email?"
"I did! Wen I wrote last last I was supposed to pick 'em up."
Ynaku: "No, I thought I wrote I'd meet up with you guys after."
"Did you? You guys probably right. See dat's wat happens wen you barely pass English and go into finance instead." 
Ho da shame!
I wen reread da email and yup, smack dab in da sentences were, "I'll be by at 3:30pm".
Sorry, my bad.
Ynaku, as Uncle Rodney said, is a "gentle, down to earth (guy) with a big heart". No doubt about dat! It was cool to meet "Uncle" Ynaku and it was very generous of him to bring us da goodies! I wen pound 'em wen I went home... yeah, wit Da Wife of course.
And why did I wait till Friday to blog about it? Cause Ynaku said he wouldn't be home to use da computer till then....
at least dat's wat I heard. 
Yeah, we all got da same pic but used different cameras
Mochi manju variety pack
Au' kine mochi manju
Azuki bean middle... dunno wat da white stuff is but was ono
Dis was onolicious! Mochi covered strawberries with azuki filling
Hea's da insides
Da buggah was hugemangeous!
MUCH MAHALOS YNAKU!
DA PIDGIN WORD OF DA DAY! -
(as quoted from Da Kine Dictionary & Pidgin To Da Max… wit a Braddah Lance twist)
ONO
also ONOLICIOUS
(OH no)
Haole Translation 1: Delicious, taste good
Haole Translation 2: Look good
Use: Usually wen speaking of food or good things
Sentence: “Da manju was frickin' ono!”
Sentence: “How's dat chic, she ono yeah!”
August 15th, 2008 at 5:21 am
FIRST! I dunno BL........you wait all da way till TODAY to tell YOUR SIDE of the story and you ADMIT you made a boo boo. Not too "akamai".
OL
August 15th, 2008 at 6:48 am
Eh, those Big Island folks da best, huh?
Love the big grins all around... it's great you can meet a few of your fans. You really should put up some kind of map or something so you can see where all your readers are from. The mochi and manju look sooooo ono!
August 15th, 2008 at 6:58 am
BL, looks soooo ono I could eat the pixs. Ynaka you da man!
August 15th, 2008 at 7:28 am
Ynaku, thanks again for your generosity and providing for our malnourished blog host...well, maybe QB could use some poundage but they all look ready to grind. So now we BL's version of the mochi story, but I dunno, thought was going be a RL/QB conspiracy to keep the mochi to themselves story but you admit to miscommunication? so all is fine in the universe. BTW, how come you rate two boxes and RL and QB get one?
August 15th, 2008 at 7:40 am
Ynaku you da man!! Everytime I go Hilo, I gotta stop off at Two Ladies Kitchen for grab some ono strawberry mochi. Those things are always bumbucha!! Now I stay ono for that now......
BL - Now you get small kine celebrity status. Pretty soon you going get your own paparazzi! LOL
August 15th, 2008 at 8:49 am
WAT!!! I NEVA SAY DAT!!!!
Didn't you read da memo???? 
Nah Bruddah Lance right (for da most part) He like tell stories, a little off center, but in da right direction. When my friend was calling me, all I heard in the background this riceburner hauling a** down the street. Now if the had a Harley, I would be impressed.
Uncle Rodney, QB and I figure he going be stuck in traffic unless he ride the shoulders. So we take the time to talk story and wouldn't you know it, within 10 minutes we see this smiling guy running in all red face (don't know if from embarrassment or the wind). Took me about 20 minutes to drive from Moanalua Gardens to the HA building and traffic wasn't dat bad. We shake hands and give the guy hug. Yep, BL was all that I expected of him. You can tell by his writing and comments the kind of guy he is.
As for not being to use my computer until Friday. That's kinda true. If I want to see all the pictures and you tube stuff, I gotta wait to use my personal pc cause the company one blocks a lot of them. Fortunately, Rodney's and Shauna's came out ok.
Hey this is Friday. Day for feel good and fuud pics. BL keeping with tradition.
They all had 2 boxes. BL was holding his 2 while the others ate theirs. Nah.
Have a good Friday gang. Chee Hoooo
August 15th, 2008 at 9:08 am
Today is a holiday so looks like plenty peeps off... going be slow hea today! And I fo' got to say....
Happy Feel Good Friday Kwonics, Lanceformers & Lurkahs!
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Yeah, not so akamai but I man enough fo' admit wen I wrong... shmall kine harder wen mo' shame.
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Neighbor island folk always jus' a lil' mo' aloha y'know?
Fans? Uh, mo' like ohana I feel... jus' Uncles, Auntys and people not too old but not too young folk bored out of their mind and gotta read something! 
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Eh, make sure you wipe down your screen aftah yeah? Too bad no mo' scratch and sniff monitors yeah?
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Yup, I tink Queenie is bordering anorexia... nothin' but skin and bones.
Why you tink I was going fo' pick 'em up? They already was already in cahoots.
And we EACH had two... they jus' couldn't handle holding da strawberry filled one... was like eight pounds da suckahs. Take a look again, they needed two hands fo' hold da light ones... das wat happens wen one "old" and one no eat...come weak.
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You funny! You fo'get so quickly.... I am da paparazzi!
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Eh, like I said before, I only exaggerate fo' effect.
Bumbye boring yeah? 
Hey, I kept in under triple digits.
And yeah, was da wind.... 
Mahalos again Ynaku! It was cool to put a face to da name!
August 15th, 2008 at 9:10 am
Hoooo, all dat mochi is onos. only recent kine been going hilo for work and stuff and got a taste of the strawberry mochi- broke da mouth. Hilo peoples are all cool. no moa da stress like us ova hea.
mahalos for da picchas.
August 15th, 2008 at 9:27 am
BL you really wen mak "A" on dat 1 yeah
.....but all's good like you always say.
Ynaku - Bring back some opihi next time......give me a call and I'll be right there.....no tell BL, Rod Man, and QPP... I no like share
August 15th, 2008 at 9:38 am
OMG, look so goooood! That strawberry one is very clever!
August 15th, 2008 at 9:43 am
Right on for Ynaku!!!! Ilike when the island guys bring stuff to "town'.. we tink dey no more good kine stuff but you gotta go spock'em out foh get da good stuffs.. Gotta remember about the 2 Ladies kitchen... jah-like the 2 fat ladies on TV... Get one toss-up between Kauai peeps & big Island Peeps... I from Kauai so I prejudice but Big Island
is noted for their Big Hearts....
Ya'll have a guud week end and ahui ho and malama pono
August 15th, 2008 at 9:50 am
yup, holiday today... but still gotta come work...
BL, your story is "classic BL!" lol... but, you man enough to admit you wuz wrong so we gotta give you props for dat!
your story was worth da wait... you get mo' betta pichas of da ono mochi! wow... ynaku wen really treat you folks! he such da nice guy, dat ynaku!
August 15th, 2008 at 10:08 am
Yeah, funny dat they mo' relaxed but rain all da time. Maybe das how you develop patience? Stay inside and read WWD!
Oh wait, das how get da laughs. 
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So dat's how it's goin' be? No soup for you! (Seinfeld)
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Ho wow laulau! Supah long time no post yeah? Cheee-hooo! At least we know you still around... so it takes food to get you out eh?
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So wat do neighbor island peeps like wen Oahuans go out? Manapua? Malasadas?
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I try... see wat happen wen they like try "scoop" me?
No can mess brah! 
August 15th, 2008 at 10:14 am
i think i've seen this brfore...twice actually...but eh 3rd time's a charm!
Ynaku glad you got back home safely...now i gotta go home tonight & try figgah out how to make my own strawberry mochi 
the fish-shaped manju is cute! ehh BL blog might be slow today but traffic was good dis morning eh?
August 15th, 2008 at 10:31 am
BL what kind soup, maybe I share wit u.....but no tell da others
August 15th, 2008 at 11:03 am
How do you spell C-o-n-s-p-i-r-a-c-y!!! How to get BL's share of mochi/manju. Nah, nah! BL, you stay getting sharp wit the camera. Keep it up!
Seems like plenny posters stay work state or C&C. Kinda quiet so I give you one post.
August 15th, 2008 at 11:14 am
Great story! And I'll admit your pictures are better, except now I can see where I totally need to trim the fat.
Why would RL and I be in cahoots? Us kind, innocent people just don't think the way you do... Tsk, tsk for trying to tarnish our stellar reps.
Oh yeah, TDK is mine, TDK is mine!!
And just to clarify, TDK is not me! (I hope I didn't just jinx myself!)
August 15th, 2008 at 11:17 am
thanks ynaku fo bussing out the identity, you're a brave soul!
BL - if I see you out and about - I'll say hi! funny how these blogs are bring people together.
Your blog is the best because you respond, I also go to Shauna's, Rodney's and Cat's once in while - wassup with Cat? in the blog world she no respond so she seem kinda stuck up but then again I'll give her the benefit of the doubt because she must actually "do" work instead of monitoring the blogaholics!
August 15th, 2008 at 11:30 am
Rogah dat!
Traffic was shweeeeet! I actually took H1 this morning and flew in... uh, followed da flow of traffic.
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'No soup' was from a Seinfeld episode meaning 'you get nothing!' But opihi soup? Must be supah salty if somebody make one.
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MLC + O&E
Ooooh, a pity post. Thanks eh!
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Is dat how it works? You send ovah your BBD' drones fo' spock out WWD! blog and den talk about dat in O&E?
Dat's ok cause while da grass may be greener as you say in O&E, da honey is sweeter at WWD! 
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Shoots!
Take dat Queenie! Cheee-hooo!
August 15th, 2008 at 11:35 am
So many versions of the story. At least one thing was constant. Ynaku is one nice guy! Thanks for representing the BI Ynaku.
book2, I guess you going have to bring Ttp Top cookies, Hanamalu chicken, or something.
It's Aloha Friday everybody!
August 15th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
Hi BL. Das one good subject. What kine Omiyage you bring from your island. I had to bring something back from Oahu. Only thing I could grab that know my family like was Apple Napples. I though of Manapua, but didn't know how my day would go. Plus which one people prefer to buy? Also get Coco Puff (but need cooler if long wait.)
OK nuff with da celebrity stuff. Let's more on. Dis getting embarrassing
We all one big Ohana no matter where we go.
I have beeg heart cause I get hypertension
NKHEA, get plenty Opihi on the rocks. Black kine though. Hard to find the yellow ones. I wonder what da price now for one gallon?
CW, REPRESENT!!!
book2 No matter if from baby island to papa island, get good people in Hawaii. We take what they give. You get Hamura Saimin , we get Maebo noodles. It's au good.
Maui get Komoda Bakery. I like their coco puffs too. And the Azeka ribs. No can copy da recipe. Anybody get good teri short rib recipe?
Have a great Aloha Friday Kwonics and Lanceformers. To our friendly lurkers out there, it's ok to say hello. You see? We nice people.
August 15th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
BL whooooooooooooa, you and QPP really getting into it eh now.....so what going be mud, oil or jello wrestling.
August 15th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
ohhh innards kine pictures.. whoooooo......YUMZ!
Ynaku: You so cute ------"OK nuff with da celebrity stuff. Let’s more on. Dis getting embarrassing. I have beeg heart cause I get hypertension"------You are a celebrity now... we all know what you look like.... soo you may hear.. "HEY YNAKU" on da street now eh??hehe......funny you get big heart cuz you get hypertension!!!! AI YAH!
BL:you good guy too.... you make "A" but you man up, right on!! heehee.... and you make us laff with you, hehe okay maybe alil bit at you, but it's AU GOOD! heehee....we love you!
August 15th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
Rogah dat! Three times!
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Dunno but I remembah back in da day going fo' like $20+ a pound.... and hypertension... you funny!
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Why not da tri-fecta?
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Laugh at me, wit me, no mattah... and das right, it's AU' GOOD! Nothin' but love fo' all y'all too!
August 15th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
wow Ynaku, u da man bruddah. and dat strawberry mochi looks onolicious. opihi must be around $60 buckas now i think and what part of the island is the 2 ladies kitchen? May try and look her up the next time we go holo-holo.....good job Lance for fessing up you were wrong...what a guy! hats off 2 ya....it has been a HECTIC aloha day off friday for some of us but hey......reading your blog makes my day...Lanceformer and Kwonics and the master himself, have a great weekend. Read you next week. Malama pono
August 15th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
BL: No wonder why you're not in journalism! You can't even spell conspiracy!
HNL2LAS: Snow and I want to make you part of our 3 musketeer group. We need you to confirm (on O&E blog, of course!) to seal the deal.
gmanoa: I didn't know you also read O&E! I hope you share your thoughts with us one day and join the warm and loving O&E ohana.
We're all one, big, sweet BEE family!
BL: WWD? Taking gmanoa's comments out of context! The sentence did NOT end with best. But I'll let you have that one.
Anyways, don't know why NKHEA is trying to embarrass you but I'm game...
I say let's go with honey! 
We can also call in our backups when YOU need to take a break. 
Hey look, one more comment for ya!
August 15th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
Yeah, yeah, yeah. But at MLC, you can pass gas and no one even care. Might not be greener (probably browner) and may not be sweeter (probably stinker) but eh, bettah shame den pain .
August 15th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
BL wat QPP she takin ova your blog oh wat.....she stay buzzing on your side to just as much as she buzz on her own.. WWD
August 15th, 2008 at 3:57 pm
i think QB is just contributing to the comment count since get planny people off today...how nice ah?
actually at this rate she should be considered a Kwonic already.
ok my fellow Kwonics Happy Feel Good Friday & have a great weekend!
August 15th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
You know I do anything fo' keep you Kwonics/Lanceformers/Lurkahs happy!
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Heck - isn't dat wat journalism is all about?
Queenie, you talk a lot of smack yeah? Oh it's on like Donkey Kong. Eh, no cryin'!
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Ok, you got us there.
Make surah you got your Depends ok? 
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She's a closet Kwonic but don't wanna admit it - still in denial.
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See? Third party confirmation... is dat wat journalism is about too?
August 15th, 2008 at 4:18 pm
BL you right.....think she doing it for the attention also yeah.....she loving it
August 15th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
NKHEA: I like to mind my own business.
But I also like to satisfy my readers. So if you want me to challenge, I'm game! Cause I LOVE games!! 
BL: Fine, one more post for you. Now we're even.
Rodney: You crack me up!!
August 15th, 2008 at 5:43 pm
that strawberry mochi thing is the bomb! always get that when im in hilo. btw...thanks for the plug (great looking phone and service)!
August 15th, 2008 at 6:03 pm
@Rodney
...but better pain than stain
August 15th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
Sometimes it's better to order ahead of time since they usually don't have many extras to sell to walk-ins. Don't have their number right now... but if you look them up remember, it's TWO ladies kitchen and not THREE (as I had thought before when I called 411 for their number). Gee, with all the good stuff they make there must be THREE of them working in the kitchen and not only TWO!
August 16th, 2008 at 2:19 am
Wow, lots of smack talk between Queenie and BL.
Gee, Queenie, not so "sweet and innocent" I think.
Sweet girls don't trash talk like that! 
BL: to follow up on the omiyage question, when I go Oahu, I usually bring back Napples from Zippy's, or, depending on where I stay, I TRY bring back manapua and pork hash. Maui FINALLY opening a Zippy's this week, so the Napple thing is out now.
Ho, pressure!
Liliha Bakery coco puffs is guud, and Beard Papa is guud too.
Not as motivated to bring back stuffs for my co-workers, cause mostly they a bunch of plugs. They mostly malihini, who don't know, and don't really want to adapt to local culture, so I say too bad for dem, go suck rocks.
I just bring back stuffs for my local girls, and ohana. 
Ho boy, what I supposed to bring from Maui, since Ynaku set the bar so high.
I know Queenie like manju, so she can fut. 
August 16th, 2008 at 2:21 am
@wicked - if you look good at BL's second picture, you can see the address and phone number for the Two Ladies Kitchen.
Nice photo work BL!
August 16th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
Ynaku:
If you reading dis one, I get one good reciipe for the short ribs... go to dis website... you not going regret it...
http://www.trifood.com.
Eat well...
August 18th, 2008 at 8:16 am
Awwww right!!! What does it mean when your last name is Ono!!! Fricken awesome!!