SATURDAY SCOOPS
Chilling with kids

Advertiser Staff and News Services

Deborah Booker • The Honolulu Advertiser

Easy kine frozen pops

• Clear a space in the freezer.
• Round up the kids.
• You'll need: A mold (an ice cube tray and small paper cups work, too), craft sticks or plastic spoons, and a pitcher of juice (you can use any flavored drink, but pops made with fresh fruit juice or pulp taste best).
• If using cups, encourage the kids to write their names or draw a picture on the cup to avoid confusion.
• Round up the kids ... again. Have them pour the juice into the cups or molds, until about about fl full.
• Put the pops in the freezer and note the time. If you use ice-cube trays or paper cups, freeze until slushy enough so that a toothpick or craft stick can stand up when inserted (one or two hours, depending on your freezer). Return to the freezer until frozen, four or five hours at least. Avoid moving the craft sticks to check if they're "done." Jiggling can prevent firm freezing.
• When the pops are ready, usually no need to round up the kids. Turn on the sprinkler and ... chill.

Easy shave ice

Freeze juice in ice cube trays. Store frozen cubes in a zipper-closure bag. Blend five or six cubes using the ice blade until they resemble shaved ice. The ice will keep its consistency if kept frozen in a container.

Berry pops (Sure to please the adults in your back yard, too)

• 1 12-ounce can frozen lemonade
• 1 1/2 cups of water
• 1 pint fresh raspberries or strawberries

Puree the concentrate, water and berries in a blender. Pour into 8 six-ounce paper cups and transfer to freezer. When slushy (after one or two hours) place craft stick into each cup. Freeze completely. Peel the paper away and enjoy. Recipe from Real Simple magazine.

Tips

• Use a small pitcher so that each child can fill his or her own cup successfully. You might want to make pops just before bedtime and let them freeze overnight.
• The more concentrated the juice, the longer the flavor stays rather than being sucked out immediately, leaving just ice behind. Best choice (and best for you) is unsweetened fruit juice ... orange juice and guava juice are our favorites. Apple juice tastes bland when frozen. Fruit juice concentrate from cans should be prepared as directed.
• Fruit pulp also works well. Try raspberries, strawberries and (especially at this time of year) mangoes.
• A scoop or two of vanilla ice cream mixed with the pulp before freezing makes a delicious addition.
• You can buy pops molds at Daiei, $2.85, $4.29; the Compleat Kitchen, $15; and Williams Sonoma, $17.95.

Oscar winner's new film makes island debut tonight

It's a movie coup for the Doris Duke Theater at the Honolulu Academy of Arts: "Love the Hard Way," starring Oscar winner Adrien Brody, makes its Hawai'i debut tonight.

Brody, who won the best-actor Oscar this year for "The Pianist," has a very different role this time. He's a con artist who might or might not find romance with a grad student (Charlotte Ayanna) before he's tracked down by a police detective (Pam Grier).

Screenings are at 7:30 p.m. today, 4 p.m. tomorrow, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and 1 and 7 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday. Admission is $5 general, $3 museum members. 532-8768.

Shhh ... it's 'Taboo' Tiki, tribal tonight at Hawaiian Hut

Tickets are $38.50 and includes a drink. The show, for those 21 and older, begins promptly at 9 p.m. Seating is limited, so get there early to be among the 450 guests.

Waimea Falls Park reopens under new management

The public will be let in after a volunteer cleanup project is completed and the crew is fed. Now don't go expecting cliff-diving or other entertainment-related events; the "show" is nature in all its glory.

Admission for nonresidents is $8 general, $5 kids and seniors. Kama'aina rates are $5 general, $3 kids and seniors. Keiki 3 and younger get in free.

Regular park hours are 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Ku aura unleashed in old, new contexts at Bishop Museum

"E Ku Mau Mau — Ku Everlasting" is the title of an exhibit to be unveiled today at the Bishop Museum. This exhibit, featuring one of only three existing statues of Ku in the world, explores the many facets of the god of war, husbandry, farming, fishing, resolution and healing.

The famed fishhook Manaiakalani, associated with Ku and with the demi-god Maui's efforts to raise the Islands from the ocean, also will be on display. And works by contemporary artists Keone Nunes, 'Imaikalani Kalahele, Maile Andrade, Umi Kai, Bob Freitas and Carl Pao will explore Ku in a modern context.

The exhibit continues through October. The museum is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Admission is $14.95 general, $11.95 youths 4-12, free for keiki 3 and younger and museum members. Kama'aina, senior and military rates are available. 847-3511.

Convention center the place to be for boys who like toys

Oh, boys! This is your weekend if you're into things, all kinds of things. Head for "The Big Boys Toys Expo," which takes over the Hawai'i Convention Center 10 a.m.-10 p.m. today and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. tomorrow.

Among the "toys" and attractions we can expect to see: classic and exotic cars, an interactive golf booth, an extreme sports expo, entertainment, contests, a Coors beer garden and, uh ... certain events with appeal for certain males, such as the Miss Hawaiian Tropic Bikini Pageant State Finals (8 p.m. today).

Thousands (big and little boys, big and little girls) are expected each day. Admission is $5 at the door, $4 if purchased at Times Super Markets, free for kids under 12.

Bon-dance season celebrated with many observances

A big one this weekend is continuing at Honpa Hongwanji Betsuin, 1727 Pali Highway. There's a service at 7:15 p.m. and dancing from 7:30 to 11 p.m.

Sample the food, too: andagi (Okinawan doughnuts), bento plates, hotdogs and shave ice.

Admission is free. 536-7044.

Other dances are taking place at 7:30 p.m. today (services at 6:30 p.m.) at Wahiawa Hongwanji Mission, 1067-A California Ave.; and at 8 p.m. today (services at 6:30 p.m.) at Lahaina Shingon on Maui.

Documentary dots the highs, crosses the bees of spelling

Everyone seems to be a winner, including the audience, in "Spellbound," the Oscar-nominated documentary that focuses on the 1999 National Spelling Bee. The PG-rated film (95 minutes) gets three stars from critic Roger Ebert and is showing at The Art House at Restaurant Row.

Filmmaker Jeffrey Blitz followed several spellers into their homes, their lives, their struggles and then on to the finals in Washington, D.C., giving a very human face to what many might consider an anachronistic event.