Jay North and Dennis The Menace - Losing A Friend

I have not written a blog in over two years.  That is unusual for me.  I enjoy writing.  But I have just found it difficult to sit down and gather anything interesting to write about.    Then I read yesterday that Jay North who played Dennis The Menace on TV in the 1960's died  April 7, 2025.  Born August 3, 1951 he and I were the same age.  This was the first part that hit me.  The 70's for me have been my hardest decade to deal with for many reasons.  And this was just one more reminder that I have a lot more days behind me than I do in front of me.   But his death also brought happy memories from my past to me also.   

My mother and my grandmother both read to me as a child.  I loved the Little Golden Bugs my Mom read to me.  And my grandmother was my nursery age Sunday School teacher and she read me many Bible stories.    I entered first grade not know how to read.  My mother had tried to sit me down and teach me words but I just was not interested.  But in first grade I fell in love with the pictures and stories of Sally, Dick and Jane in the old Scott Forseman readers.  And I learned to read very quickly.  I had many books to read at home and around the age of eight I was given my first Dennis The Menace book. The title was In This Corner...Dennis The Menace.   I must have read the captions under those cartoons in the book over a hundred times.  

It became the first of many Dennis The Menace paperback books I bought as a kid.  I still had this original one way into my adulthood until it finally got lost in one of my many moves.  But I treasured the laughs and the antics of Dennis.   After Hawaii became a state the comic book Dennis Goes to Hawaii was published.  I was fascinated with Hawaii.  It was the new state.  They taught us all about the two new states in second grade and it was a big deal at the time.  And this comic book taught me more than either of my first or second grade teachers had taught me about Hawaii.  I learned the names of the individual islands.  I learned about volcanoes.  And there was even a word list of Hawaiian words to learn to read  and to speak.  

I kept that comic book way into my adult life also but like the paperback books it eventually got lost again in one of my many moves.  I remember being excited about Hawaii and wanted to go see this magical new state.  But my parents reminded me that would never happen.  We would never be able to afford a vacation like that in this life time.  Even in my twenties when I talked about going to Hawaii on my own I was reminded this was just some silly childhood dream and would never happen.  My parents could not imagine traveling far from our little home town in Maryland. But it stayed a life long fantasy for me thanks to Dennis.   

But I did get there finally in 2013! And saw and heard that word Aloha that I had learned from the vocabulary list in the comic book every where.  I was in Heaven.  And Mark and I returned five more times after our initial visit.  We have climbed Diamond Head.  Played in the sand in Waikiki. Searched for waterfalls  And like Dennis's mother we sampled some of those Hawaiin cocktails while listening to Hawaiian music.  I remember Dennis asking his mother why she was crying listening to the music and she said because it's so beautiful.  He thought it was silly to cry when you are laughing.  But I understood.  I had tears when I stepped off the plane in Honolulu the first.  

Thanks to Jay North when he debuted on Dennis The Menace in 1959 I learned to love Dennis.  And that changed my life.  And I know I will get to Hawaii at least one more time and I plan to have a toast to Jay North who played Dennis and Hank Ketcham who created the character Dennis The Menace.

Don't get me wrong.  I liked Charlie Brown also.  But he was not Dennis.  Dennis and the Mitchell family were my favorites.   And let's face it can you imagine Charlie Brown in leather?  Never! But I did find this photo below a few years back and it made me love Dennis even more.  Always the bad boy Dennis.  But you won my heart.

Rest in peace Jay North.  I have read you had issues in your adult life as many child actors did also.  But you brought Dennis to life for me and for that I am very grateful. 

Hauʻoli Lā Hānau - Mai Tai's, Alex O'Loughlin and Another Birthday in Hawaii

Birthday morning on our rooms 9th floor deck at Aston Waikiki Sunset Motel 

My husband Mark does not really care about birthdays.   He does not particularly like celebrating his own birthday.  It's just another day to him.  But that is not me.  I love birthdays.   When the first day of November roles around I get very excited.   That's because I don't only celebrate the day I was born.  I celebrate the entire month.  I usually jokingly label my photo's The Never Ending Birthday Celebration every year.   Mark humors me and always goes along with my celebration month.  He even goes out his way to make it special because he knows how much it means to me.  Two years ago when I turned 65 he took me to Hawaii so I could climb Diamond Head  on the my birthday.  Hawaii has almost become our second home.   We have traveled there four times in the past six yeas.  It was such a thrill to stand on top of Diamond Head and take my photo on my 65th birthday.   Now thanks to Mark,  two years later I found myself back in Waikiki for another birthday. 

We woke up early and the weather did not look good.  Each morning when I woke up on this trip I looked out of the huge window and in our room to check the weather.  And most mornings there was beautiful sunshine.  On my birthday I woke up and  looked outside to see a very dismal cloud cover.

Oh well.  I was not going to let it ruin my birthday.  We  had already had seven perfect days in the Never Ending Birthday celebration.  So I was not going  to get upset over a cloudy possibly rainy day.  We were not planning on climbing Diamond Head this year anyway.   But within the hour the sun started to appear and burn away all of the clouds.

So I showered and got dressed in my Hawaiian shirt and prepared for the days adventures.

My shirt almost matches that beautiful blue sky.

The first order of the day was a huge birthday breakfast.  We love the breakfasts in Hawaii.  I am not usually a breakfast person.  But when I get out on the islands I love their huge breakfasts.   We usually eat at one of two places near our hotel, either Cheeseburger in Paradise or LuLu's.   Both serve huge delicious breakfasts.  But I wanted something different on my birthday.  So I told Mark and our friend Gillian, who was with us on this trip, I wanted to walk down Kalakaua Avenue to the Maui Brewing Company for breakfast. It was a good walk from our hotel to the brewery but I had seen photos of their breakfast and new it would be worth the journey.

And I was correct. This was the best breakfast I had eaten on the entire trip. I had Banana Brûlée pancakes with macadamia nuts. The banana's had a crunchy sugar coating. The macadamia nuts were sweet and delicious. And the maple syrup was infused with an IPA beer from the brewery. The IPA was not to strong to take away from the syrups sweetness, it just addressed it perfectly. This was a great start to my birthday.

Now that's a happy breakfast face.

We had turned in our rental the car the previous day so we could not drive any place outside of Waikiki. So my plans for my birthday were nothing like the previous year when we climbed Diamond Head. I had a few things in my head I wanted to do though. The big breakfast at Maui Brewing was the first thing and I was able to check it off as accomplished. My next goal was a birthday Mai Tai at the Hula Grill at the Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort. In my opinion they make the best Mai Tai's in Waikiki. Later that evening I wanted to go to Arancino di Mare for an Italian meal. It's Hawaii, why not Italian? And finally I wanted to end the day at late night happy hour at Cheeseburger in Paradise. So nothing extravagant was planned. It was our last day in Waikiki. We were flying home the next day. So this plan was perfect in my opinion.

 
We left the brewery and walked towards Honolulu but we never actually got outside of Waikiki. We, or rather I had a major distraction. We did take some time for goofy photos. That should be of no surprise to anyone. I saw a tattoo parlor and thought it might have been fun to get a tattoo for my birthday while in Hawaii, but I really had not budgeted for that. So instead I just too silly photos outside of the parlor.

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I saw a tall condominium where I told Gillian that Mark and  I could by our dream home.    Gillian basically said dream on and let me know when you hit the lottery.   I'll move with you.

 I still think one of the corner units by the upper pool would be an excellent investment.  Maybe I can convince Mark this by my next birthday?

I then saw an interesting statue.  It was not a memorial or religious symbol so I did not feel wrong for taking a funny photo with it.

We then saw a pretty park and decided to cross the street and look at the flowers and trees in the park.  As we entered the park we saw some white trailers in a circle.  On closer look we realized they were dressing rooms and crew trailers for the TV show Magnum P.I.   There were also signs directing you the from the trailers to the filming area for the show.   We decided to follow the signs and maybe get a chance to see them filming a scene from the show.   But here is the story.   Every time Mark and I have gone to Hawaii I have always joked about running into Alex O'Loughlin who plays McGarrett on Hawaii Five 0   I am a huge fan of the show and have watched every episode since it started telecasting ten years ago.   And Alex is a real fantasy for me.   But each year we have not run into him or any of the crew filming his show.  I like Magnum P.I.   But it's not Hawaii Five 0.  So seeing the trailers and maybe the cast would be fun but not the major thrill of Hawaii Five 0 or Alex.

We followed the signs to the Outrigger Reef Hotel.  This hotel has another one of our favorite bars with one of the best beach views in Waikiki.   When we got to the hotel lobby it appeared the film crew was leaving.  Then we saw two aids walking with Chi McBride from Hawaii Five 0!

trailers 

Chi McBride from Hawaii Five 0

I just stopped in my tracks and stared.  So they were filming Hawaii Five 0 even though I only saw production trilers for Magnum P.I.   My first thought was it's my birthday and I am going to see Alex O'Loughlin.   But we never saw him.  Apparently Chi was the last actor to leave the set that afternoon.  So we continued on to the Reef Bar at the hotel.   We did ask the bartender about the filming and he said it was not unusual to see it going  on if you worked in Waikiki daily.   Gillian told the bartender that I needed a drink.  She said it's his birthday and I had just missed seeing Alex.    The bartender laughed and asked me if it really was my birthday and I said yes.   He mixed a mai tai and passed it across the bar to me.  He said, "Here you go.  Happy birthday! Compliments of the house!" 

Chilling my brow with a mai tai

I jokingly told him I needed to chill.  Being this close to Alex had me over heated.   He laughed.  Before leaving we decided to toast Hawaii Five 0 with a a Kona Big Wave.  Kona is one of the beers that has product placement on the show regularly.   The bartender then asked if we wanted one more.  He said to stick around.  Alex might be returning.   We laughed and thanked him but we needed to move on.  Their mai tai was good at the Reef Bar but it could not compare to my favorite at the other Outrigger Hotel's Hula Bar farther down the street.   And having one there was my original plan for the day.

We thanked the bartender, tipped him well for his kindness and left the hotel.  As we walked through the lobby we saw several big cars pull up in front on the driveway and we saw a lot of people getting out of them and heading into the hotel.  It was the production crew returning!  I was a bit preoccupied and looking all around when Gillian and Mark started yelling at me to turn around.  They kept saying turn around, look behind you.  And I turned and there was Alex, McGarrett in the flesh.  He just walked past me.    Wow...this was a birthday present. 

He was surrounded with production crew and they were trying to get him out to the filming location on the beach.   He did wave and acknowledge some of the fans in the lobby.   Mark and Gillian are both saying to me "Where's your phone!   Get a photo!"   Well I was just too excited.  I did get my phone out and was trying to open  the camera but I was all thumbs and he was gone before I could get a photo.  But I didn't care.  After six years and four visits I finally got to see a filming of the show.  And it was on my birthday. 

We left the hotel and headed back to Kalakaua Avenue. We did some window shopping at the high end stores that line the avenue. Then we eventually ended up at the Outrigger Hotel where the Hula Bar is located. You can try mai tai's all day, up and down Kalakaua Ave and you will not find one better than the one they make at the Hula Bar in my opinion. And after four visits in the six years I will admit I have tried them all. It was getting late in the afternoon. By the time we reached the Hula Bar we were getting hungry and also needed something cool due to the heat of the afternoon. I remembered how Gillian had mentioned my birthday earlier I was given a free mai tai. So I decided to try it one more time. I mentioned my birthday to the bartender and voila! There was a complimentary mai tai sitting in from of me. And it had a smiling face on the glass as if to say Hauʻoli Lā Hānau Larry! (Happy Birthday Larry).

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I did need some lunch.  I'd had two mai tai's and a beer on an empty stomach so far today.  So I ordered shrimp taco's at the bar.   They were an excellent fusion of Hawaiian and Mexican food. 

And then I ordered one more mai tai because they are so good here.

So this had been a three umbrella day... so far. 

After lunch we returned to our hotel.  We all needed to rest for a while.  We had done a lot of walking and I had done a bit of drinking. 

After napping and showering Mark and I were ready to head out for my birthday dinner.   We picked an Italian restaurant near our hotel.  It something different from our standard Hawaiian vacation meals.   We have several inexpensive Hawaiian shirts we have bought as souvenirs over the years.  But on our last day we always save our dress Hawaiian shirts to wear.   So we dressed up and headed out with Gillian to Arancino di Mare for an Italian dinner. 

It was the perfect ending to a very special birthday.   But it still wasn't quite over.   We decided to stop in to Cheeseburger In Paradise for their late night happy hour.   It was near our hotel and had become our night cap stop on several nights.  We had gotten to know the two evening bartenders, Andrew and Jacob very well.   When we walked in Jacob laughed and told Mark and I that we had gone more Hawaiian than him.   They are required to wear Hawaiian shirts and accessories while they are working.  He said "Look at you two.  The shirts, the kukui nut leis, and Larry you even have on the Makau fish hook necklace.   I feel like I dressed down tonight."    I used my birthday excuse once more to see what would happen.   I told him we dressed up for my birthday dinner.   He laughed.  Then I told him I had been drinking free mai tai's all day.   He said " but I bet you haven't had a birthday shot yet have you? "   Gillian and Mark both laughed and told him that I had already had enough free drinks for one day.   And then he asked me again if I wanted a birthday shot.  And of course I said "Hell yes!"  Jacob then made me a shot he called Hawaiian Gummy Bears and toasted my birthday.

We ended up all smiles by the end of the night at Cheeseburger in Paradise.

And still the night was not over.

Jacob the bartender

Andrew the bartender

We had learned from the bartender Andrew on a previous night that he was from Perry Hall, Maryland.  Perry Hall is only about ten minutes from where Mark and I live.  It was another one of those small world stories.  After I finished my shot that Jacob had made for me, Andrew pointed to another man at the end of the bar.  He was a local regular at the bar.  Andrew told us that he was from Edgewood, Maryland and I should go say hello to him.   So still in the happy birthday spirit I walked down to the end of the bar and said rather loudly "Hey Edgewood.  How are you doing?"   The guy looked at me like I was crazy and asked how in the hell did I know Edgewood, Md.  I told her I had worked there for quite a few years at the US Army base.    He laughed and bought me one last drink.  And then we took a photo together.  But you know what they say on the internet.  Photo or it didn't happen.

Making friends with Marylanders in Hawaii.

Finally back in our hotel room.   From the cloud cover in the morning, to the sunshine in the afternoon, to the darkness of night.  

Hauʻoli Lā Hānau Larry.   Happy birthday Larry.   If you have to get old, this is the way to do it.  

The birthday is over.   One last shaka "hangin loose" salute before the lights go out.  And yes the lights did go out.  We had a sign on our door telling us the hotel was to lose power at 11:30 pm until approx 4 am. for emergency maintenance.   And they left us a little survival kit.

Turning 65 on Diamond Head

Diamond Head overlooking Waikiki

I turned 65 November 2017.  It was not a joyous thought.  Turning 65 bothered me very much.  I started thinking about it and dreading it November 2016 when I turned 64.   Birthdays had not bothered me in many years.  The last birthday that I dreaded was my 30th.  I honestly thought I was getting old and was over the hill.  Thirty seemed so ancient.   After that birthday I was fine.  Turning 34 was easy.  Turning 40 never bothered.   But turning 65 was a jagged little pill to swallow.   

My daughters wanted to do something special for my birthday.  But I told them I did not want to do anything.  I was not wanting to celebrate this birthday.  I just wanted the day to pass and get it over with.  No thoughts, no party hats, just a quiet day to not thing about the dreaded 65.  Then my husband Mark asked me "What can we do to celebrate your birthday?"   I told him the same thing.  I did not want to do anything.  Maybe sit at home, turn on Turner Classic Movies and have a bottle, not glass, of wine.  But Mark knows my heart.  He knows my love of travel.   He said to me let's go somewhere.  Name the place and I will make it happen.   We talked about Italy as a possibility and a few other places.  And then Mark said "What about Hawaii."   And my eyes lit up!  There is no place either of us have enjoyed more than Hawaii.   

Ashton Waikiki Circle Hotel

So in mid November we found ourselves at the Ashton Waikiki Circle Hotel right on the beach in Waikiki.  We saw the hotel on our two previous trips to Waikiki and it had always caught our interest.  It's one of the older hotels on the strip but it's a fun hotel.  The round shape of the hotel gives the rooms an interesting shape and also great views from any angle.  Although our room was in the back we could still see the beach from an angle on our deck.   It was an affordable and interesting choice.

Shaka brah - cruising in our rented convertible 

We rented a convertible car and with the top down we enjoyed the sunshine and fresh air driving around the island.  And not once did I think about the dreaded birthday.  We drove up into the mountains, explored historic graveyards, and explored secluded beaches.  

We spent our evenings dining and drinking local Hawaiian brewed beers.  

I even got to give the one fingered salute to a certain politician who shall remain nameless on this blog.  

Where Deborah Kerr and Burt Lancaster embraced in waves in the movie From Here To Eternity

Two days before my birthday we explored the beaches on the north shore of Hawaii.  It's the winter season when the waves are tall so it was great fun to watch the big waves at Waimea and the other beaches.   We got to see the famous beach where Deborah Kerr and Burt Lancaster embraced in the surf.   I even got to take this 65 year old body for a nude dip on one of the north shore beaches.  You can thank me later  for not posting photos.

My plan was to climb Diamond Head on my birthday.  I thought it would be the perfect way to celebrate.  I had climbed Diamond Head three years earlier and knew it was a good hike.  So I did not want to wear myself out the day before and not be able to enjoy the hike on my birthday.  While we at the Maui Brewery Company, one of our favorite bars in Waikiki, the bar tender told us about Manoa Falls.  He said it was between Waikiki and Honolulu and had an easy trail and was very worth seeing.  Manoa Falls is located in Manoa Valley in the rain forest between Honolulu and Waikiki.  The falls is 150 feet high and empties into a small pool of water.  Since the area around the waterfall is considered a rain forest it is prone to heavy rainfall often raining daily.  We were told it was a beginner trail so we should not have problem.  So we decided why not?  We wanted to see the falls and it sounded like an easy hike.  So it should not interfere with out plans to hike Diamond Head the following day,

Manoa Falls - Oahu

The falls were beautiful.  And yes it does rain in that area every day.   And no the trail was not a beginners trail!  The first half of the hike was not difficult.  The trail was paved and wide for the most part.  But the second half was another story.  The trail narrowed and the tropical plants grew taller and thicker.  We ended up climbing wet slippery rock formations and sliding in muddy trails.  It was quite a journey.  It was a lot more than I had expected.  But it also was not an advanced or dangerous trail.  We were tired the next day, but we both agreed the climb up Diamond Head would happen.

Mark  and I on the trail to Manoa Falls

The next day was the big day.  And also it was our final day on Oahu.  So no matter how tired we were from our many days of walking and swimming this the day we had to climb Diamond Head.   

Field below Diamond Head as we begin our hike

We arrived at Diamond Head the next morning.  I was now officially 65 and it was time to finish the planned celebration.  The volcano seems impressive from the bottom.  But the hike is not difficult.  The hike up Diamond Head is only about 45 minutes.  It was much shorter than the  hike to Manoa Falls the previous day.  The path is wide and well paved with hand rails and  benches to stop and rest if you need them. 

Mark on the trail to the top of  Diamond Head

It's an easy climb but with heat and humidity on Oahu it is a bit tiresome.  There are wonderful views as you climb the base of the mountain.  When you get near the top there are steps you have to climb a set of steps so it best to know this in advance.  There are 74 four steps that lead to a tunnel.  

I survived the 74 steps and then made it through the tunnel

After leaving the tunnel you still are not at the peak of Diamond Head.  Once you leave the tunnel you see another set of steps.  99 steps this time.  You can hear the sighs and the voices saying "Oh no" as you leave the tunnel.  But it's really not that bad.  

The final 99 steps to reach the top of Diamond Head

Mark on top of Diamond Head with the volcano caldera behind him

And we made it. We climbed the trail, steps, and walked through the tunnel.   I turned 65 and I climbed Diamond Head.  And it was worth it.  I spent the dreaded day not thinking about the age, not   dreading the moment.  I realized once more, just as I did turning 30, that age does not define you.  It would have been a lot easier at 30 than at 65 to climb Diamond Head.  But it would not have been a major accomplishment at 30.  And I would have not appreciated the experience as much.  We are going back to Hawaii again this coming November.  I do not know if we will climb Diamond Head again or not.  I may just save that for turning 70.

Happy to be 65 on the top of Diamond Head

(Thank you Mark for making all of this happen.  You will never really understand how much I appreciated this.)