Just a few thoughts about my passion for the Hawaiian Islands before I tell you about our AMAZING experience at the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa
Just last year I declared right here on the blog that the island of Maui was my favorite of all the Hawaiian Islands, however I would like to amend this statement. After our recent trip to the island of Kauai, I feel that deciding which island in this tropical paradise is best… is impossible. Each island offers it own “special sauce” that makes you feel like you are the most import guest in the world. One can’t choose between extraordinary and extraordinary!
Where to go this fall to enjoy the best of what this colorful season has to offer ~
Summer has ended and we are headed to Fall, my very favorite season! Funny thing is that I live in Southern California where the temps are hovering around 90 degrees! How can I think about cool, sweater weather, drinking hot cocoa, eating warm apple pie and enjoying walks through the autumn leaves?
I can find these desirable images in my imagination, or I can plan a fall getaway! Where can we go? Many of my friends who live on the East Coast will chuckle when I write about how I long for the cooler weather, because I don’t really experience any type of super cold weather in Pasadena. I think I wear a coat maybe once or twice all season at home.
If I don’t post any photos on Facebook or Instagram of my wonderful tropical vacation while we are there, did it really happen? Ha! Of course it did!
How often do you just put away the phone and abstain from checking Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, ESPN, CNN or other news apps? For an hour? How about a day? What about a week?
I can guarantee that if you are a social media participant on a regular basis, walking away for a week would be a challenge. For those of you who just check periodically, this post is probably not going to speak to you.
No Social Media on Vacation ~
Craig and I left for Kauai yesterday and I decided NOT to use social media for the entire time we are here. I will answer texts if the kids or our parents need us, but otherwise, no.
This decision does pose a fairly important problem for me as a travel blogger/writer. Being active on social media is part of my job, but we all need a vacation from our jobs sometime don’t we? Most of the destinations we visit are cities which require daily touring and activities. They are not the kind of places you would want to just sit. Too many things to see and do, so it is simple to share on social media while it’s happening!
This amazing city has EVERYTHING! Chicago has a rich history, spectacular architecture, incredible museums, wonderful restaurants, lots of places to walk, a beautiful skyline, shopping… wow the shopping! If you are a sports fan, they have several great sports teams and many top notch colleges nearby as well.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter opened just a few months ago at Universal Studios Hollywood. I haven’t been to Universal since Alex was a young teen. I can’t even remember the day, she said we went for a birthday party.
Southern California weather is so warm so much of the time, that it allows us to wear flip flops all year round. Summer fashion is uber casual so virtually everyone wears flip flops/sandals with every type of outfit.
Rhea Footwear contacted me recently to see if I was familiar with their patented no slip footwear. I was definitely not aware and really happy for the connection!
Ironically, I actually have a fear of falling and/or slipping! I was the perfect candidate to take a look at their innovative products. Because of a trip planned to the Northwest, last month I tried out the adorable no-slip black boots first. Not only were the boots fashionable, but super comfortable and gripped the ground without feeling clunky. The no-slip sole is especially important for traveling in wet weather and on unstable surfaces. Do you worry about slipping like I do?
Now that it is summertime, I wear flip flops at home everyday. I am constantly chasing after my dog Rocco and tossing the ball with him in our back yard. Our yard is mostly concrete, so the no slipping feature is such bonus for me. I can run after him with no fear of slipping and look cute while I am doing it (LOL).
A walk through Central Park is always a necessity when visiting New York City. Even in the snow, even in the rain, even in the sweltering, muggy, damp, crowded summer!
Why pay nearly $5.00 a pint for organic blueberries when you can pick them yourself for $2/lb! Since Pasadena is not anywhere near a blueberry farm, it would make picking blueberries nearly impossible at home. However, I was on my way to Seattle where there are many blueberry farms, so the time was ripe!
Listening to a conversation with Frank Gehry at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles was a pretty awesome way to spend an evening! Christopher Hawthorne, architecture critic of the Los Angeles Times, interviewed Mr. Gehry on stage. They talked a lot about his early beginnings and coming to Los Angeles as a teen from Canada.
A view of The Walt Disney Concert Hall from across the street. It is so large it is difficult to get a shot of the whole building!
He is now 87 years old! Who do you know that is still being interviewed, sought after, hired, consulted with, admired and revered at that age? Easy going and truthful, strong willed, creative and sweet, I was totally captivated and so was Craig.
I thought it would be fun to do a Flashback Friday post. Today’s post incorporates May 30th – August 30th 2015. Oh my, a lot can happen in one summer.
Flashback Friday 2015 – Summer Edition
The mouth-watering lobster roll in Kennebunkport – To die for!
In the summer of 2015, my Dad was still with us, I went to Kennebunkport for the first time and Nick graduated from UCLA! I had a blast at a UCLA sorority reunion and we went to a music festival called Outside Lands in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. Craig and I filmed an infomercial for the Perfect Cooker in our very un-perfect kitchen in the fixer upper. We discovered new places to walk in our new neighborhood. We had a great time in New York City, discovering new places to go and we also discovered some great places to eat in Pasadena. And last but not least, we started the adventure of living in Seattle for “6 months” which turned into eight.
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