Photo Show (Part 1): Ka Makana Alii Shopping Center Officially Opens (Oct 21, 2016)

(photos credit: TheHopefulTraveler)

In Hawaii shopping is big. How else can you explain four Costco locations on one island. In fact I once heard a tourist mention that there are only three main things to do in Hawaii which are going to the beach, eating and shopping. Many island residents would agree. The newest addition to Oahu's retail landscape is Ka Makana Alii the largest shopping mall to open in the city of Kapolei.

There are other shopping centers in Kapolei but not on the scale of Ka Makana which is expected to hold 150 shops and may include additional phases. The center includes a cinema (Olino by Consolidated Theaters), a hotel (Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton) and anchored by a Macy's and H&M.

I was there on the morning of Oct 21, 2016 for a quick hour as it was a working day for me and I was heading back to the office from an early meeting. Walking through the mall the 75 or so stores that were scheduled to open did not make the mall seem half-full. In fact Ka Makana Alii feels much bigger than expected.

One thing I worry about is how hot this area can get in the daytime. I feel open-air shopping center designers in Hawaii have not thought how people stay away from the sun when shopping. The natural breezes are great but the heat is not. Maybe a few more shade structures or taller trees may help especially in this Leeward part of the island where normally temperatures are warmer than in Honolulu and where it seldom rains. But the food court is well covered for those wanting to eat in the dining area.

The following is a photo show of Ka Makana Alii on opening day.  For more info visit kamakanaalii.com. The center is open Mon-Sat from 10am-9pm and Sun 10am-6pm

The photo show includes the facades of all the open shops and the signage for those that will open in the coming months. Since there are almost 100 photos, the Photo Show is broken into four separate posts. This is Part 1. Click HERE for Part 2 of 4. (photos credit: TheHopefulTraveler)

(photos credit: TheHopefulTraveler)

Click HERE for Part 2 (of 4) of the Ka Makana Alii Photo Show.

Curse of the Travel Gods: Slim Seats

(image: nydailynews)

I've only experienced two kinds of slim seats that are invading coach cabins: The kind that Hawaiian Airline uses on their Boeing 717 jets which are only used to travel between the Hawaiian Islands and on American Airlines narrow body jets, mainly their Airbus A321.

On the short island hopper flights these seats are not bad at all. But I do find that with the arm rests down between seats those that have the middle or aisle seats sometimes find it challenge to slide into and out of their respective seats.

Hawaiian Airlines Boeing 717 Slimline Seats (image: Hawaiian Airlines)

Hawaiian Airlines does shy away from other real reasons why the seats are designed this way especially when the back of the seat is all metal:
“These new, modern design elements rejuvenate the interiors of our Boeing 717s while allowing us to deliver a consistent onboard experience for our guests,” said Peter Ingram, chief commercial officer for Hawaiian Airlines. “The new lightweight seats are engineered to ensure a maximum amount of personal space without compromising legroom or comfort.” (from thedesignair.net)

American Airlines Airbus A321 coach seats (image: American Airlines)

On the American Airlines Airbus A321, the seats aren't as thin as on Hawaiian but that's because the seat backs include a personal in-seat entertainment system. Both on Hawaiian and American the main reason for these seats are so the jets can carry more passengers by adding an extra row. The two airlines claim that seat pitch is not lost because of the thinner seat design.

Since I fly American to the U.S. mainland, the flights are at least five hours to the west coast so I always be sure to book early to snag a Main Cabin Extra seat which is located in the front of the coach cabin and has extra legroom or even better find a seat in an exit-row.

One thing that these seats on both airlines have in common is the mesh pocket for the in-flight magazine and air sickness bag. They are so tight a fit that you really can't use them for anything else. I guess that's a good thing to keep these pockets cleaner but I do see other passengers forcing items into them. One flyer managed to fit his Starbucks coffee cup only to see it be squeezed out of the basket and the remains of his coffee dripping all over his lap.

One chap recently recounts his horror of being stuck in these seats which he calls a thin piece of form on a Virgin Atlantic but his seat had a catch that the other seats didn't. Click on the article's headline below to read the full story.

How This Famous Airline Gave Me a Piece of Foam Instead of a Seat on a So-Called Dreamliner.

How Important is a Billing in a Broadway Playbill: Lawsuit Important for 'The Great Comet'

(image credit: greatcometbroadway.com)

'Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812' has not yet officially opened on Broadway (it is currently in previews) but the production is already mired in behind-the-scenes in-fighting between producers.

A couple of weeks ago Michael Riedel wrote in the New York Post:
The Broadway community is riveted - and appalled - by what one veteran producer calls (producer Howard) Kagan's "bullyboy tactics" toward Ars Nova, the nonprofit theater that developed "The Great Comet" five years ago, and is now one of the show's many producers.

When Ars Nova complained that Kagan, a former Wall Street executive, refused to bill the show "The Ars Nova Production of . . ." as agreed in their contract, he threatened to upend their Dec. 5 benefit by scheduling the recording of the cast album that day. Cast members, including Josh Groban, are the benefit's featured attraction; if they're in the recording studio that day, they'll miss the benefit.

Playbill reported this week:
After back-and-forth discussions at Arts Nova, founding artistic director Jason Eagan, managing director Renee Blinkwolt and the "Gang at Ars Nova" (as they refer to themselves) have decided to take action. The Ars Nova board of directors voted unanimously the evening of October 27 to file suit for breach of contract - as stated in their letter to patrons - to "compel the commercial producers of The Great Comet to honor their contractural obligation to bill the show as 'The Ars Nova Production Of.'"

The suit, a copy of which was obtained by Playbill.com, names Howard Kagan alone as defendant. It was filed in New York State Supreme Court October 28.

The actors on stage, including leading man Josh Groan, has been quiet about the issue. Hope this does not delay the opening of the show and is resolved before then. Still some of the producers can't help think that this might be good advertising to get word out about the show.

Visit greatcometbroadway.com for info about and tickets to the production.

How Much Do Off-Broadway Actors Get Paid: Seeking a Pay Increase

Across Broadway websites this week, news has surfaced that more than 1,000 members of Actors' Equity Association have signed an open letter seeking, what Playbill.com calls, a "historic" pay increase.

Actors' Equity is the union that represents actors and stage managers in the U.S. and is negotiating a new contract that expires on November 6. The main grievance is actors cannot make a living by working Off-Broadway. It would be hard to disagree based on the current wages.

Playbill reports that Off-Broadway is defined by the seating size of the theatre (100-499 seats). For theatres with 100-199 seats, pay starts at $593 per week and theatres with 100-499 seats, pay starts $1,057 per week.

Some will argue that acting is for the starving artist. But the pay increase also means help for the survival of theatre that is not defined as Broadway. The productions that play Off-Broadway often cannot be economically staged at or have the large audience needed for a Broadway theatre. Also so many Broadway shows were transfers of Off-Broadway productions including the hit musical 'Hamilton'.

Listen to the plea of actor Nick Westgate in the video below. Click HERE to watch more videos from the Fair Wage Onstage YouTube Channel.

The Leaning Millennium Tower of San Francisco

Millennium Tower (photo credit: sf.curbed.com)

It's one thing to live in a building that has a slight lean. It's another thing when the building is a 58-floor luxury tower in a city known for earthquakes, San Francisco.

Associated Press reports the Millennium Tower was completed seven years ago and has sunk 16 inches into the soft soil and landfill of the city's financial district. To make matters worse the building is not sinking evenly with a 2-inch tilt at the base and a 6-inch lean at the top. An attorney who lives on the 42nd floor paid $2.1 million for his two-bedroom apartment. Penthouses sold for more than $10 million.

Click the link below to read the AP article:
Tilting, Sinking San Francisco High-Rise Raises Alarm

Or watch the AP news report:

How Boeing Builds a 737 in Just Nine Days

(photo credit: boeing.com)

Boeing expects to build 47 of their 737 jets each month next year and ramp up to 57 in 2019. Wired reports the plane often referred to as the workhorse of commercial aviation accounts for one of every three commercial flights. Boeing currently builds 42 each month. Since 1967, over 9,000 of the 737 jets have been delivered.

Here in Hawaii, fabled Aloha Airlines (1946-2008) used the 737 for its inter-island flights and also when it began flights to the US mainland.

Single-aisle jets are in such a demand that Boeing faces fierce competition from Airbus. The european maker produces the A320 and has delivered more than 6,700 of them since the plane entered service in 1984.

Many passengers today often do not know if they are flying on a 737 or not. The jet's cabin interior for coach seats three passengers on each side of the single-aisle. Other planes from both airplane makers have a similar design in the coach cabin (from Airbus: A319, A321 / from Boeing: 757). However experienced flyers will definitely know the difference.

Wired produced a video to show how a Boeing 737 jet is built in just nine days:

The Boeing 787 as a Massive Private Jet

Master bedroom (photo: Kestrel Aviation Management)

We've heard of private jets. But a Boeing 787 as a private jet is something new. Esquire reports that Kestrel Aviation Management, an aviation consulting firm, modified the 787 interior for 40 people to fly in luxury on the jet's 2,400 square-foot-interior.

The plane, which reportedly costs over $300 million, was sold to an undisclosed Asian operator but the photos will speak for themselves.

Master suite bathroom ((photo: Kestrel Aviation Management)

Main cabin lounge (photo: Kestrel Aviation Management)

Main cabin lounge (photo: Kestrel Aviation Management)

Main cabin lounge (photo: Kestrel Aviation Management)

18 first-class sleeper seats for guests and six rows of premium economy for staff (photo: Kestrel Aviation Management)

One of four main cabin bathrooms (photo: Kestrel Aviation Management)

World's Shortest International Flight

(image credit: bbc.co.uk)

Fox News reports that starting last month, the world's shortest international flight by distance began service between St. Gallen, Switzerland to Friedrichshafen, Germany by Austrian airline People's Viennaline. The flight length: a mere eight minutes on a 12.5 miles route for US$45.

On the other side of the coin, Emirates launched the longest flight by distance in March from Dubai, United Arab Emirates to Auckland, New Zealand which is 8,819 miles. Flying time is 17 hours and 15 minutes.

Click HERE for the full article which reveals the shortest domestic flight by distance which is the shortest flight recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records.

(photo credit: CNN)

The Shrinking Pie of New York City Taxi Drivers Rides Against Uber and Lyft

(image credit: kidaPride)

For the first few years I visited New York City I absolutely saw taxi cabs as an expensive way to travel and treated it as a luxury I could not afford. From the airport to mid-town I would use a shared ride service like Super Shuttle. While in the city I would rely on the subway and walking.

In 2004 upon arriving at JFK airport, I was feeling most ill. Now anyone who has used a shared-ride shuttle van knows someone will be dropped off first and someone will be dropped off last. Based on my experiences with staying at midtown hotels in Times Square, I was normally the last passenger dropped off at my destination. This is after riding in a shuttle that one time took two hours for my drop off. So I did the most practical thing to get me to the hotel to rest. I caught a taxi from JFK to my hotel. If I recall correctly the fare with tip and tolls was about $60 back then. It was one of the best decisions I ever made. I made it to my hotel in what seemed like minutes compared to my experiences with shuttle vans.

Now I mainly use taxi to and from the airport in most cities I visit. But once in the city I'll use the mass transit services available. It's still part of the my positive travel experiences to use the subway in New York City or the tube in London.

(image credit: Business Insider)

This was before Uber and along with Lyft it appears they are gaining a huge market share of trips at the loss of New York City taxi drivers.

Business Insider reports how the value of a NYC medallion, which allows the right to operate a cab in the city, was recently listed at $250,000.  In 2014, the article reports the value was about $1.3 million.

A chart in the report shows in April 2015 taxis accounted for 84% of rides in New York. In April 2016, taxis accounted for 65% of rides.

Right now I don't plan to switch to Uber or Lyft when I'm in the New York at least. But there is one place where I really cannot handle the games taxi drivers play which is in Las Vegas. Next time I'm there I'll be calling an Uber.

Click the link below for the Business Insider article:

Uber and Lyft are Demolishing New York City Tax Drivers (Oct 12, 2016)

Explained: Big Plane vs Little Plane (The Economics of Long-Haul Flights)

(image credit: Wendover Productions)

Here is a wonderful video from Wendover Productions via YouTube about the economics of long-haul flights. It also helps to show why the airlines may use certain planes on certain routes to certain airports and why non-stop flights may or may not be available and how it may affect the cost of your airline ticket.

It's a lot explained in the 10-minute video and worth every minute to watch.

'The Phantom of the Opera' Celebrates 30 Years in London's West End

(image credit: reallyuseful)

Who knew when Andrew Lloyd Webber's 'The Phantom of the Opera' opened at Her Majesty's Theatre in London on October 9th, 1986 (how old were you back then?), that it will remain in the city at the same theatre 30 years later.

The show may outlive the current name of the theatre. When the next male British monarch ascends the throne, the name of the venue will be changed back to His Majesty's Theatre.

From Wikipedia:
The name of the theatre changes with the sex of the monarch. It first became the King's Theatre in 1714 on the accession of George I. It was renamed Her Majesty's Theatre in 1837. Most recently, the theatre was known as His Majesty's Theatre from 1901 to 1952, and it became Her Majesty's on the accession of Elizabeth II. The theatre's capacity is 1,216 seats, and the building was Grade II* listed by English Heritagein 1970. Really Useful Theatres has owned the building since 2000. The land beneath it is on a long-term lease from the Crown Estate.

Click the link below for a 45-minute video of the event posted by Time Out London:
Watch The Epic Finale For Phantom of the Opera's 30th Anniversary Performance.

It includes a look back at the thirty years of Phantom, a conversation with Lloyd Webber & producer Cameron Mackintosh, and performances from the show's past and present stars including Sierra Boggess, Michael Ball, Ben Forster and Michael Crawford. The celebration took place on October 10th, 2016.

Click the link below for pictures of the event from BroadwayWorld.com:
Photo Flash: PHANTOM OF THE OPERA Celebrates 30th Anniversary on West End

Ben Forster (present London Phantom), Andrew Lloyd Webber, Michael Crawford and Celine Shoemaker (present Christine Daae) (photo credit: Dan Wooler)

Abandoned Fake Disneyland in Japan: Nara Dreamland

Dreamland Nara (photo credit: Roman Veillon)

A few years ago I learned about an Abandoned Fake Disneyland in China, now I learn via The Huffington Post of a similar abandoned park in Japan. The main difference is the park in China was never opened. The park in Japan, called Nara Dreamland, opened in 1961 and closed 45 years later.

Remnants of the park still remains based on some of the photos in the article which are posted below. Many of the photos are from the hardcover book "Ask The Dust" by Romain Veillon.

Click the link below for the full article.
Japan's Abandoned 'Dreamland' Theme Park is Not for the Faint of Heart

(photo credit: Roman Veillon)

(photo credit: Roman Veillon)

(photo credit: Roman Veillon)

(photo credit: Roman Veillon)

'Hamilton': The Art of Profit-Sharing for Actors

In a Chicago Tribune illustration, 'Hamilton' creator Lin-Manuel Miranda depicted on the $10 bill. (photo credit:Michel Miner)

With a monster Broadway hit like 'Hamilton' gathering so much publicity, the show also made the news rounds for the behind-the-scenes negotiating of a profit sharing deal between the actors and lead producer Jeffrey Seller.

The outcome was 22 of the show's actors, some who are no longer in the show, who helped to create the show during its Off-Broadway run, will receive 1 percent of net profits from the New York production as well as .33 percent of the net profits from Chicago and all other U.S productions.

Recently an in-depth article in Bloomberg details what is probably intended to be confidential communications of how the deal was reached.  It is fascinating reading and the result will likely be a rollover into shows that are expected to be the next big hit. It also adds another layer to the difficult economics of Broadway where only about a quarter of the plays and musicals turn a profit. Click the link below for the full article.

How Hamilton's Cast Got Broadway's Best Deal: Of all the prizes bestowed on Hamilton, the greatest might be the one its cast won for itself (Sept 28, 2016).

The $10 Lin-Manuel Miranda photo at top is from a Chicago Tribune from April 22, 2016 called Do Actors from 'Hamilton' deserve to be paid royalties.

Hamilton actors during the 40th anniversary celebration of 'A Chorus Line'.
(photo credit: Jim Spellman/WireImage)