UH needs to contact this Kama'aina

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BigWave96744
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UH needs to contact this Kama'aina

Post by BigWave96744 »

Dave Matlin or Rolo needs to contact this guy.
He Lives Aloha
Steele Platt via Facebook wrote:My Hawaii: My family moved to Oahu from San Diego in 1968. We arrived on the SS Lurline from San Francisco and pulled up to the Aloha Tower. My Dad was a Submarine Commander in the Navy. We lived on Waikiki Beach in a little motel for two weeks where the Sheraton is now. I remember having dinner with my Dad at Chuck’s Steakhouse in Waikiki when I was 10. I’ll never forget my first taste of Pineapple Sherbet as a kid at an ice cream stand on the beach. I remember when Kalakaua wasn’t a one way street.

We lived at McGrew Point in military housing right next to Pearl Harbor. I remember watching from the edge of Pearl Harbor the movie Tora Tora Tora being filmed. I went to Pearl Harbor Kai Elementary for 4th & 5th grade. I was a JPO (junior police officer helping students cross the street while stopping cars). I remember when the McDonald’s Big Mac first came out when I was in 4th grade. I went to The Checkers and Pogo show and remember the Banana Splits and Treasure Island on tv. I went down the Super slide. I remember when the first Burger King came to Hawaii. My Mom was one of the hula dancers who greeted the astronauts who walked on the moon when they arrived to Hawaii.

We moved to Kailua In 1969. Only one traffic light at the time in the center of town. I went to Akahi Park Elementary School for 5th and 6th grade. I went to Kalaheo for 7th and 8th grade. My first record was The Jackson Five. I went to the Santana / Rolling Stones Concert at the HIC when I was in 7th grade. I worked at the McDonalds in downtown Kailua. I went to the Drive In off the Pali Highway for movies. My favorite restaurant was Mui Kwai in Kaneohe. I went to high-school at Our Redeemer Lutheran on University Boulevard by UH. I surfed before and after school mostly at Waikiki Beach. I loved Pattie’s Chinese kitchen in Ala Moana. I remember early mornings at the north shore surfing and no lines at Matsumoto’s shaved ice in Haleiwa. I remember watching the Hawaiian Islanders play baseball at the old stadium. I remember a whole summer at Sandy Beach when I drove my 1962 VW from Kailua to Sandy Beach everyday in the summer of 1976. I loved stopping and buying Manapua from the food trucks in Waimanalo. My Prom was at Sealife Park and Country Comfort played for us. I remember Farrell’s Ice Cream at the International Market Place. I always thought hot malasadas were better than doughnuts and huli huli chicken was better then KFC. And there is nothing better than cold macaroni salad and steamed white rice served on local plate lunches.

I remember going to Territorial Tavern and listening to Olomana. I remember going to see C&K at the HIC. I remember going to Makaha and listening to the Makaha Sons of Niihau with IZ in the band (and getting stoned from Maui Wowee for the first time!). I remember watching the movie Jaws in Waikiki when I was 17 and never looked at the ocean the way I did before I saw the movie. I gathered Puka shells along the beach and made my own necklace. I made my own skim board out of ply wood and resin. I made plumeria leis with my Mom. I remember my Mom listening to Aku on the radio in the morning. I remember only four tv channels and no tv after midnight.

My Dad was a Captain on the Seaflite Hydrofoils after he retired from the Navy. I hung out with him on some trips to Maui and loved watching tourist get really seasick when the Hydrofoils would break down in the Molokai Channel. So sad. Lol.

I went to University of Denver and graduated In 1982 with a Degree in Hotel & Restaurant Management. I got my first job after college on Maui where I worked at the Royal Lahaina Resort on Kaanapali Beach as a manager trainee for a year. I loved Azeca ribs. I loved Maui but knew I had to head back to the mainland to get a career job. (I found myself just surfing and getting more and more beach lazy - Hawaii style - lol).

I moved back to Denver in 1984. I opened my first restaurant in 1985 in Denver called Kailua’s. I moved to Newport Beach CA in 1991.

I am the Founder of Yard House Restaurants and wrote the original business plan in 1994 and opened the first Yard House in Long Beach CA in 1996. I was broke when I started the first Yard House and had no money. I opened over 16 Yard Houses across the United States from 1996-2007. I wanted to bring something back to Hawaii and decided to bring a Yard House to Waikiki. In 2007 the Waikiki Yard House opened providing over 200 jobs for locals. I felt it was the least I could do and hopefully it helped inspire Hawaii’s youth - that anyone living in Hawaii can succeed and bring back one’s success to help and give back to the islands ( just go and come back).

I sold Yard House to a public company - Darden Restaurants in 2012 for $585,000,000. There are currently 80 Yard House restaurants across the United States (I sold when there were 50 Yard House stores) and still growing. I’m retired now.

I loved growing up in Hawaii. I loved the people of Hawaii. I loved the food of Hawaii. Being a Haole I knew my place and respected the islands, it’s culture, it’s history, and it’s people. Although it was my home I can only say I was a visitor. Hawaii is the reason who I am. So many memories of Hawaii - it’s peace - it’s beauty - it’s tranquility - it’s ocean - it’s culture - its identity - it’s Aloha. I am fortunate to have been able to share the islands from those who had created so much. I will never forget “my” Hawaii. Mahalo nui loa. : ) #beproudhawaii

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BigWave96744
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Re: UH needs to contact this Kama'aina

Post by BigWave96744 »

Some of you out may have even gone to school, surfed, knew him or his ohana

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My3Cats
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Re: UH needs to contact this Kama'aina

Post by My3Cats »

But too bad he doesn't say anything about UH and Warrior football . . . except that he went to high school by UH. Would he still donate? :D
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Re: UH needs to contact this Kama'aina

Post by cabanalane »

Steele Platt Stadium at Kapolei.

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Re: UH needs to contact this Kama'aina

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My3Cats wrote: Fri Jan 12, 2018 10:00 am But too bad he doesn't say anything about UH and Warrior football . . . except that he went to high school by UH. Would he still donate? :D
Don't have to be. UH Football is very much "Hawaii." I went to tailgates long before attending UH or follow the team. It's part of being local (At least it was back then).

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Re: UH needs to contact this Kama'aina

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cabanalane wrote: Fri Jan 12, 2018 10:34 am
My3Cats wrote: Fri Jan 12, 2018 10:00 am But too bad he doesn't say anything about UH and Warrior football . . . except that he went to high school by UH. Would he still donate? :D
Don't have to be. UH Football is very much "Hawaii." I went to tailgates long before attending UH or follow the team. It's part of being local (At least it was back then).
Yes..
I don't think Clarence TC Ching went to UH :)

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Re: UH needs to contact this Kama'aina

Post by My3Cats »

Actually from his bio, Clarence TC Ching didn't even go to college. But I agree that if someone out there knows Steele Platt, that a connection to UH and UH athletics should be made.
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Re: UH needs to contact this Kama'aina

Post by cabanalane »

I know this is a football forum, but even if his interest is in something else, I'm sure UH would have a program to fit his interest. Maybe Environment? The beaches? Marine life? Or even Hawaiian Studies.

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Re: UH needs to contact this Kama'aina

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Culinary Arts Programs at KCC and LCC? He can help young people in the food studies education.
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Re: UH needs to contact this Kama'aina

Post by shrek2 »

This guy has already been a great advertisement of the diversity that exists in Hawaii. He sounds like a great guy and hopes he comes back to Hawaii for visits and spreads his aloha. Nice to have another local boy do great on the mainland. Aloha and mahalo.

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