A Random Hour along Front Street in Lahaina, Hawaii

Walking north along Front Street.

The neighbor island of Lanai can be viewed from Front Street in Lahaina.
Whale watching is popular here.

I was on the island of Maui last month for business and had a meeting in the town of Lahaina. Since I had an hour to kill I decided to explore part of Front Street which is the main road running through town that offers lots of shopping, restaurants and some historical sights all within steps from the ocean. Lahaina is located in West Maui and can only be reached via a long two-lane road that winds along the mountainside. Visitors driving along Honoapiilani Highway heading toward the resort area of Kaanapali will pass by Lahaina.

At one time Lahaina was the capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii until it was moved to Honolulu. Lahaina was the center of the whaling industry in the 19th century. One of the striking attractions is that along the waterfront visitors can clearly see the neighbor island of Lahaina across the bay.

Here are a couple of links for information about this historical Hawaii town:
Lahaina Restoration Foundation
Front Street Lahaina - Maui's Unofficial Shopping and Dining Mall

Walking south along Front Street.

On stretch of Front Street runs right along the ocean.

The Wo Hing Museum. Built in 1912, the temple was used by the Wo Hing
Society where the Chinese community maintained social and political ties
with their ancestral homes.

The weather on the west side of each island is often dry and warm. Today
was particularly hot. Picked up some coconut juice at the ABC Store
on Front Street to help quench my thirst and cool down.

Eat the Street Kakaako: Where Your Eat Meets the Street

Whoever came up with the idea of bringing lunch wagons/food trucks together in one central location had a stroke of genius. Most of us in Hawaii find these trucks to find at their regular street stops or by accident during lunch. By having them in one place is like having a mobile food court and is the perfect place to find some late afternoon "grinds" after work or pick up some dinner on the way home.

What probably started as an experiment is now a monthly event taking place on the last Friday of each month at locations to be announced. I attended the Eat the Street that took place on September 30th in a parking lot in the Kakaako area between downtown Honolulu and the Ala Moana shopping district.

Themed "Eat Local, Drink Local" the 39 food trucks and vendors offered at least one dish that included a locally grown or raised ingredient. Attracting local food enthusiasts and visitors alike, last month's event attracted a crowd of over 5,000. The only issue is that deepening on the location and the time when you plan to visit, parking can be limited. The event runs from 4pm-9pm.

The ETS event included food trucks and vendors as varied as Koi 808, Elena's Restaurant, Extreme Tacos, Ono Pops, Simply Ono, Chimney Cakes and Soul Patrol. Visit streetgrindz.com for more info about upcoming ETS events. As much as I wanted to try as many dishes as possible, the portions offered are not tasting sized so I was full by the time I hit my third food truck. That's not a bad thing. In Hawaii the more food the better. Keeping the event hopping is live music to entertain the crowds. One tented section of the parking lot was exclusively set up with tables and chairs for diners.

Eat the Street is brought for your eating pleasure in partnership with Kamehameha Schools and Nonstop Honolulu. Streetgrindz.com is a resource to Hawaii residents and visitors who are looking for an alternative to the colorful and eclectic food scene in the islands that promotes Hawaii's mobile food industry as an untapped dining experience. Prices can top at $10 for a full plate meal or around $5 for single serve dishes. Just bring lots of cash if you bring an empty stomach.

From Inferno's Wood Fire Pizza: Guava smoked pork slice. Served hot
 and juicy and full  flavor. (photos: TheHopefulTraveler).

Zsolie's Chimney Cake Hawaii: These twisting funnel treat in various sweet
flavors (mine had cinnamon and sugar) actually would be better with a cup
of coffee, hot chocolate or milk. Eat it while it's hot.

Soul Patrol: It's hard not to go wrong with bacon mac and cheese. Delicious.

Before heading home, stopped by the Liquid Pleasure truck to pick up a
 refreshing banana smoothie.

A parking lot that takes up an entire city block was taken over by
Eat the Street on September 30, 2011.

If you head out early you'll likely find good parking but the afternoon
sun was still beating down on diners. 

Lines and decision making. One of the commons sights at Eat the Street.

The tent under which were tables and chairs filled fast. Cocktail tables
set up nearby were open.

These lucky trucks and foodies had the shade of a nearby condominium
to keep them cool.

Digital Scenery of 'The Phantom of the Opera' at Royal Albert Hall in Celebration of 25 Years

Rendering of the "Masquerade" design.

From 'The Woman in White' and then 'Love Never Dies,' the use of video scenery in both of these Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals was prominent. Rather than just downsizing the set design, digital scenery is being used to complete the scenery and is often used to great effect that would be too expensive or impossible to do with traditional stage design techniques. In 'The Phantom of the Opera' at Royal Albert Hall in Celebration of 25 Years, the use of digital scenery helps to fill the stage at the huge venue but remain faithful to the original and much loved designs by Maria Bjornson.

For "The Woman in White" many criticized designer William Dudley's complete use of digital scenery on curved screens which was applied to dizzying effect and caused some dizziness among audience members. The use of digital scenery and projection designed by Jon Driscoll for the 'Phantom' sequel 'Love Never Dies' was used to enhance rather than dominate the production design by Bob Crowley.

Driscoll was handed the duties of again designing the projections and digital scenery for 'The Phantom' 25th anniversary celebration. An article on stage-directions.com reports that Driscoll had to work to within the sets of two designers, Bjornson and Matt Kinley. Kinley adapted the designs by Bjornson and augmented them for Royal Albert Hall. In addition costumes and accessories had to be found to dress the more than 130 member cast and ensemble. So it would have been improper to bill the show as 'The Phantom of the Opera' 25th Anniversary Concert.

The digital scenery was split into two sections. Above the raised orchestra platform was a huge gauze screen onto which the projections were employed. Below the platform were nine panels filled with with 75 LED screens. The five inter panels moved into a series of different positions for cast and scenery to be moved on and off stage. These two video elements were united to depict the elegant swooshing of the curtains across both surfaces.

In this post are set design renderings revealing the use of the projection and video screens. Click HERE to read more about Driscoll's work on 'The Phantom' celebration. 

Rendering of the the top of the Paris opera house for "All I Ask of You"
and "Music of the Night (reprise)".

Rendering of the "Hannibal" opera for Act 1.

Design for the Phantom's lair.

The design for the ballet during the "Il Muto" opera.

Rendering of the opening scene of the "Il Muto" opera in Act 1.

Design for the appearance of the Phantom as Red Death during "Masquerade".

Act 2 of Encore Screening of 'The Phantom of the Opera' at Royal Albert Hall in Celebration of 25 Years

This post continues with images from the second act of 'The Phantom of the Opera' 25th anniversary celebration performance at Royal Albert Hall. Note that the show is not billed as 'The Phantom of the Opera' 25th Anniversary Concert. It a fully staged presentation complete with sets and costumes.

Click HERE for a review of this special event. 
See the previous post or click HERE or to view first act production photos. (photos: Alasatir Muir/Getty Images & NBC/Universal; post updated with additional photos)

Raoul and Chrisine at the "Masquerade" ball.

(photos: Alasatir Muir/Getty Images & NBC/Universal)

The "Masquerade" ball.

Wynne Evans (Ubaldo), Wendy Ferguson (Carlotta) and Gareth Snook (Monsieur Andre).

The Phantom appears at the "Masquerade" ball.

Hadley Fraser (Raoul) and Madame Giry (Liz Robertson)=

Wendy Ferguson, Barry James (Monsier Firmin) and Sierra Boggess.

At right: Hadley Fraser and Sierra Boggess.

Hadley Fraser and Sierra Boggess

Wynne Evans and Wendy Ferguson

Sierra Boggess

At left: Hadley Fraser

Wendy Ferguson

Wynne Evans

Sierra Boggess

Ramin Karimloo (The Phantom)

Liz Robertson, Daisy Maywood (Meg Giry) and Hadley Fraser.

Ramin Karimloo and Sierra Boggess

Ramin Karimloo and Sierra Boggess

Ramin Karimloo and Sierra Boggess

Ramin Karimloo and Hadley Fraser

Hadley Fraser and Sierra Boggess

Ramin Karimloo and Sierra Boggess

Andrew Lloyd Webber

Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford (right, the original Christine and
Phantom) and Sierra Boggess and Ramin Karimloo. (photo: David M. Benett/Getty Images)

Seven Phantoms unmasked at the after party: (left to right) Anthony
Warlow, Ramin Karimloo, Michael Crawford, Colm Wilkinson, John
Owen-Jones and Peter Joback. (photo: David M. Benett/Getty Images)