Humble Liliha has a lot of charm

Everything old is new again. That’s what many bemused denizens of Liliha might be thinking, as efforts proceed to preserve and "master plan" the area’s humble charm.

A group of University of Hawaii architecture students are working on ideas aimed at capturing, and possibly capitalizing on, the area’s uniqueness. They plan to present their visions in community meetings in May and June.

The efforts stem from various motivations and intentions, including community revitalization, tourism potential, preservation of immigrant heritage and embrace of nostalgia. After all, here’s a quaint walking neighborhood that spawned the now 200-eatery L&L Drive-Inn franchise, sees SRO at the Liliha Bakery eat-in counter and supports hole-in-the-wall grocery markets. Just the kind of neighborhood where longtime neighbors might well wonder what all the fuss is about.

Cheering for two Suzukis

Japanese fans attending games between the Seattle Mariners and Oakland Athletics in Tokyo this week may be cheering a Suzuki from either team.

The main attraction is outfielder Ichiro Suzuki, a Japanese player in the outfield of the Mariners, the only Major League team with a Japanese owner. However, fans may cheer Hawaii-born catcher Kurt Suzuki, the only present A’s player when the team played in Japan in 2008. He hit two home runs in exhibition games against the San Francisco Giants and Detroit Tigers. Kurt Suzuki played for Cal State Fullerton when it won the College World Series in 2004.