Night Shift

Balloons and schooners for all

Nov 30, 2005

Two blocks away from Pinky’s Pupu Bar and Grill on a private residential street fronting the beach stands a stop sign that was once tagged with a strategically stenciled ‘Bush’ underneath the traffic command. Another vandal has since altered that scribbling, covering up the final letter. It now begs the question: Who, exactly, is interested in stopping ‘Bus?’ It’s a good metaphor for the entire Kailua area, with its constant influx of military personnel rubbing shoulders with residents, tourists and families. The difficulty, then, is to find a place where all are welcome–which is precisely what Pinky’s strives to achieve. Large 18-ounce schooner glasses await the happy hour crowd who stay long after the drink specials end to indulge in some eats or watch the big-screen plasma television while families gather around the tables with their children to celebrate birthdays.

Pinky’s wasn’t immediately embraced with open arms. Despite insistence that the establishment was intended as a family-themed restaurant, the name, which pays homage to the long-standing Pinky’s Broiler that closed in the ’80s, raised suspicion. Some residents protested the application for a liquor license, fearing a return to the rowdy 2am sots who once tore through the peaceful neighborhood. Owner Gene Gunn assuaged the community’s fears by agreeing to a closing time of 10pm.

Some may cry foul at a Night Shift column featuring a place that closes just when the night is getting interesting, but Pinky’s works as a precursor or an epilogue to other things, whether that involves heading out for the nightlife or an end to a day on the windward beaches. For the most part, Pinky’s works as a no-frills gathering place with oversized drinks. If you’re looking for a place to cruise for hookups, this isn’t it. The entire joint has a wholesome feel to it, right down to the signed picture of Bob Denver near the restroom wall. Tuesday nights are popular with families, featuring the artistic wizardry of balloon shapers Jimmie and Chris Whitworth, who manage to make every patron shriek with delight regardless of age and level of sobriety.

If getting liquored up is what you intend to do, they’re happy to oblige. Featuring great happy hour prices including an 18-ounce Hefeweizen for $3 and a variety of mixed drinks ranging from $3.50 to $5.95, Pinky’s accommodates everyone from the sun-kissed beachgoer winding down to the professional club-hopper warming up for the night ahead.–Dean Carrico

Celebrating Hawaii, nature, culture and wellness for over 35 years!
SURFER, The Bar

COMMENTS

We often print online comments in our “Letters to the Editor” section of Honolulu Weekly. While submitted letters are often edited for length and clarity, online comments we use are printed entirely as they are written for the website. If you do not wish for your comment to be used in Honolulu Weekly print issues, please write “Don’t Print” at the end of your comment. For questions, e-mail editorial@honoluluweekly.com. Thank you!

blog comments powered by Disqus

This week

Still on Board

Given the city’s crumbling infrastructure and rail controversy, it’s hard to believe anyone would want to be the next mayor of Honolulu. But a few do want the job, including the incumbent, Mayor Peter Carlisle, the former Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney who won a 2010 special election to fill the remainder of Mufi Hannemann’s term.

City Council 101

I’d never been to a Honolulu City Council meeting until a few weeks ago. Features, not politics, was my beat.

Nurturing a living culture

Victoria Holt Takamine is a kumu hula, a cultural activist and a teacher and has an impeccable pedigree to back up all these titles. Born of an alii family whose kuleana was in Moanalua, she graduated as a hula teacher under the legendary Auntie Maiki Aiu Lake and taught hundreds of students in her own halau (Pua Alii ‘Ilima) and at the University of Hawaii.

Public access

On April 25, a state judge dismissed trespassing charges against a Kauai man after finding that he had been exercising traditional native Hawaiian rights hunting wild pigs on private land. Kui Palama, 28, was arrested on Jan.

transitional Housing

The city plans to dish out $3.5 million from its Affordable Housing Fund and either purchase or renovate a structure to provide transitional housing for Honolulu’s special needs homeless population. “Our community has invested considerable effort and resources in addressing homelessness,” Mayor Peter Carlisle said in a statement, “but there remains a population whose disabilities or chronic conditions make it difficult for them to participate in traditional shelter programs.” Carlisle is referring to those homeless with mental illnesses, addictions and physical disabilities.

Poi Mill shut

Makaweli Poi faces an uncertain future after its owner, a corporate subsidiary of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) ordered the West Kauai mill to suspend operations May 23. Mona Bernardino, chief operating officer of the corporation, Hiipoi LLC, says the move to shut down Makaweli Poi was prompted mainly by financial concerns.

Sewage study

A resolution adopted by the City Council will solidify an agreement between the City and County of Honolulu and the University of Hawaii Water Resources Research Center (UH-WRRC) to conduct an analysis of impacts from ocean sewer outfalls on the marine environments off of Oahu. The city will pay UH-WRRC as much as $2.5 million for biological and sediment studies in portions between now and June 30, 2017 .

pedaling 9-5

Along with the deep, verdant growth of spring sprouts an unyielding desire to spend more time in the open air. That’s why it should come as no surprise that National Bike Month falls in the sun-drenched time of May.

Billions of …

Of the many letters you publish against rail, how many offer an alternative that won’t send us into further economic demise? Billions of gallons of oil are imported for us from every oil-producing nation on this planet so that we can buy billions of gallons of gasoline.

Goodbye bus, hello rail?

TheBus is taking a back seat to rail. At the May 3 Downtown Neighborhood Board meeting, an audience member asked city Transportation Director Wayne Yoshioka when we could expect the bus route cancellations and changes to be reversed.