Shrimp’n it Up (Hawaii 7)

There is no shortage of sea food when you live on the island and you haven’t lived until you’ve eaten shrimp off a truck on the side of a two lane highway. Trust me on this. Yes they actually prepare all the food in this camper turned kitchen.. you’re not exactly going to see a Zagat rating on this one, however the shrimp was exceptional. Comparitively speaking this was a classy establishment as far as shrimp to go eats. Most don’t have a nice tented seating area or a truck with a mural..

Just don’t look directly into the windows cause you might not like what you see in there.. so it’s best just to live in ignorance regarding the working conditions. You do have to be willing to get you’re hands a little dirty as demonstrated on the picture above.

Eating the shrimp proved to be a little more work than we were used to…luckily Pam mentioned the legs and tail removal before Lisa tried to eat a whole shrimp.. that could have been a disaster.

Aloha...Swap Meeters? (Hawaii 6)

So I also read about the Aloha Swap Meet in my guide book. Now the swap meet is only open on Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday. And I’m just going to assume that Saturday and Sunday are better days to go since my guide book, which usually didn't stear us in the wrong direction, put it in the top 16 things to do in Oahu…. But since there is no shopping on Sunday for us LDS church going folk.. and we were arriving and leaving on Saturdays that wasn’t going to work either.. that only left Wednesday.

I thought (based on the suggestion of the guide book) that this might be a cool and inexpensive way to get our souvenirs and gifts to bring back to the mainland… guess my frugalness and constant quest for a deal.. got in the way of my better judgement.

I have been to one swap meet before.. so I had a better idea of how things go down at these kind of places.. but the Wednesday fare at this swap meet was slim pickins (all the good booths must have been at their day jobs). I must say though that this experience was priceless as I able to watch Pam and Lisa’s (Both were Swap Meet First Timers) reactions of bewilderment (sometimes mixed with a little repulsion) as we walked by “booths” (which usually consisted of a minivan packed to the gills with the random contents of someones garage sale castoffs). This was hilarious because it clearly brought me back to my first experience at the swap meet.. totally unprepared for the conglomeration of so much randomness.. so in a way I was really laughing at myself.

Pretty soon into our arrival we found the farmers market section. It may seem odd to buy your produce at the swap meet but we got some sweet corn to grill later that night.. and it actually wasn’t bad.

Above is a picture Pam and Lisa.. from the look in their eyes.. they appear to be thinking.. how did I let you talk me into this.. notice the minivan in the background.. proof I don't make these things up

Planet Hollywood….And other Dinner Mishaps (Hawaii 5)

It took us a bit to get acclimated to the dinner schedule of Waikiki. Our first night on the island we made it out the dinner a little late.. our internal clocks were a bit off do to the 3 hour time difference between San Diego and Hawaii… by the time we wandered to downtown Waikiki every decent restaurant had a wait time in excess of a hour.. otherwise known as …an eternity. Well you can guess how this turned out..not very well… we ended up in a place called Planet Hollywood for dinner.. you might have heard of it… ya a very Hawaiian dinning experience… this was only place that didn’t have a long wait..

The whole experience was pretty awkward as our table was situated in the very front practically in the lap of the hostess and it felt a little like eating in the food court in the mall since everyone was passing by you as they came in. My appetizer iceberg salad was an appi-teaser. Luckily my Cajun shrimp with pasta was decent, but at that point (being so hungry and all) I'm not so sure I was the best judge of culinary quality.

The next night we still hadn’t learned our lesson, again we braved the downtown Waikiki area.. and again the waits were excruciatingly long.. we ended up ordering a cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory and eating dessert before dinner while waiting for our take out to be ready, at least we were getting a little smarter. We had our meal on the small balcony off our hotel room.

Because of our frustration with our dinning events we actually discussed making a goal to try an eat by 6pm (should relaxing vacations have goals like this?)… and then we learned the beauty of the RESERVATION.. Definitely an ah ha moment! …so simple..and very suddenly the dinning experiences in Waikiki got a whole lot better.

Above is a pic of me and my scrumptious meal at the Hula Grill on our last night in Hawaii.. *sigh*.... but don't I look tan!

Whoa… Back in the Saddle (Hawaii 4)

So probably the one of the best things that we did that wasn’t a repeat for Pam (she’s been to Hawaii a couple times before) was our adventures in the saddle. I read in my guide book that there were places to go horseback riding on the beach up near Turtle Bay Resort on the North Shore … it took about 2 seconds to get Pam and Lisa on board with this idea.

So as you notice I am wearing a helmet..safety first people, safety first.. Pam brought up a good point saying that she had spent the most time and money improving her brain and therefore it was her most valuable asset.. good point Pam.. that’s why they pay you the big bucks.. always thinking… well she sold Lisa and I with this very moving speech ….and there you have the helmets. Plus while reading the fine print of the liability waiver there was some reference to spontaneous explosions.. how a horse could do that I will never know.. that either must have been a hold back from a generic waiver.. or you just can’t be too careful?

Besides the safety factor.. don’t we look cute.. very authentic at least.

But we were the only ones on the ride of 15 or so people that even bothered with the helmets..so it made me think..what were these people saying about their most valuable asset? I guess it could be that this wasn’t their most valuable asset. What if you had to protect the part of your body that you had the most invested in? That would create some very interesting apparatuses I’m sure.. especially with the plastic surgery movement.

Anyhow.. we rode on the beach and through some tropical forresty type areas it was beautiful.. I wished I could have taken my horse Blackjack and have galloped along the beach.. but I don’t think the resort staff would have liked that too much.. in fact they strictly prohibit you from galloping on a group ride.. apparently it costs extra to "run free".

Jack and I got along extremely well except when he veered off course for a snack of some sweet grass. Our guide said that this type of grass was like candy to the horses and the area that we were going through was like candy land, so I can’t say that I blame him.

A snow cone has nothing on you (hawaii 3)

Another Hawaiian experience worth mentioning is Shaved Ice.. I had heard about this wonderful cousin to the snow cone.. but was clearly not prepared for the delectable treat that awaited me at Matsumoto Shaved Ice located in the historic surfing town of Haleiwa on the North Shore. Ignorant in the ways of the Shaved Ice Creations.. I thought it was all ice.. but no you can get it with icecream and azuki beans (red beans boiled in sugar) if you should desire (most of you know I would not be adventurous enough to try the azuki beans.. why put beans in perfectly good icecream? After all I am my father’s daughter!). The icecream with the shaved ice is fantasic.. I highly recommend the rootbeer and vanilla flavored ice with icecream.. a new take on a cream soda float.

Lisa was really brave and tried the beans.. ewwie!

We liked these so much that we had shaved ice everytime we went remotely close to the North Shore (This was 3 days out of the 8 days). I think Pam got sugared out.. but you know I could have gone there several times a day with my sweet tooth!

Gold Digging

So hilarious.. today at lunch.. with 3 other coworkers and my ADD/Turrets boss.. (who I love dearly ....even though he sometimes drives me crazy.. lest anyone think I'm making fun of him).. some how got on the topic of my dating life (or lack there of?).. he has no fear in asking the type of questions that go where most people wouldn't and some how he gets away with it. This is just one of the many daily hilarious types of commentary that come from this guy...

And I quote "So how's the man hunt going?" uhhh...Really we're going there?... Luckily I'm pretty good friends with the people I work with and it was only slightly embarrassing.. and the best part was apparently this was a rhetorical question because I didn't even really have to answer.. he launched right into volunteering himself and my other boss as my personal screening committee of potential suitors.. this is not a joke he's serious about taking the job on.... and to paraphrase his comments.. he's concerned about some gold digger trying to swoop me up and take me for my money.. (uh what now? what money? This is some serious role reversal). And on another point is highly concerned that the guys are not going to be a enough of a quality, intellectual, and financial match based on the bachelors he's seen out there. (If there are any non-related bachelors out there reading this.. don't be too upset or too deterred from dating me.. my boss is in real estate development (aka construction).. need I say more about the type of characters he's sees everyday) LOL... at least I had a good laugh..

However it was nice to know that my boss thinks so highly of me.. although a bit misguided. I'm sure since the parents live out of state they would be happy to know that someone's volunteered to watch my back on the dating front.

Sweet Island Ride (Hawaii 2)

While in Hawaii we decided to rent a car for the entire week (we are girls not accustomed to the whims of public transportation). Apparently due to cargo constraints (I’ll have you know I kept it to one very large bag.. nevermind the beast of burden was precariously close to the airline weight limit and I nearly toppled over everytime I tried to lift it into a car) we had to request a full size vehicle which Enterprise Rent a Car defines as a Chevy Impala, Honda Accord or Equivalent…. and guess what...we got the “Equivalent”.. which in Hawaiian apparently translates to... the ever popular… Buick Lucerne..a car with maybe some public image issues but serious character. Candidly.. it needed a more distinguished grey haired gentleman driver to come along with it. Not exactly the kind of car you imagine yourself cruising around the island in, I must admit I did look longingly at the convertible mustangs but for the sake of the trip budget I didn’t look too longingly.

During some late night girlish laugh fest.. and since every car needs a proper name... it was dubbed King Kamehameha (sometimes referred to as The King) for the trip… please don’t ask me how that was picked.. I’m still not sure... I'm pretty sure I was delirious from eating too many chocolate covered macadamia nuts.

And even though we were in a sagging grandpa car (Seriously the car did sag.. and No offense to any of those super hip grandpa's out there)… we still were able to get some car flirting in. Yep it's true... we had a few guys in a BMW blowing us kisses on the Pali Hwy... and if I might commend us (in Pam style prose), “Well done Ladies, well done.’

The King served us well and I came to enjoy him... it doesn't take to long to cozy up to a car with seats three times your size, cruise control and a good radio.. and honestly how can you care too much about your car when you're in Hawaii. Above is a picture from his best angle and probably the raciest pic he’s ever been in.. Pam said he drove like a dream although we never were able to go above 45 mph… (guess the Mustang would have been a waste on some level?).. who knew that Hawaiian’s actually go the speed limit and like life in the slow lane.

Where’s My Essentials Kit? (Hawaii 1)

So to be honest I didn’t have so much as a clue on anything Hawaiian. When Pam, Lisa and I were planning the trip all I knew was that I was going to Hawaii and I was going to be laying on a beach for 7 days. People asked me what island I was going to.. and I wasn’t quite sure.. Big Island? Hawaii? Uh.. Honolulu? Waikiki?.. I was very confused.. somewhere along the line I had to look it up.. Oahu… ah well it all makes sense now and I’m up on my Hawaiian geography to boot!

So we didn’t have to let too much time pass before our first Hawaiian adventure. In the airport while we were passing time till our geriatric flight left from the mainland, I (who has become somewhat of a Brian Regan fanatic as of late) was doing my best to keep my friends entertained by impersonating few of his comedy sketches about air travel…I tried my hardest but I’m sure I didn’t do them justice. (Do go ahead and check this out on Youtube if you haven’t already.. guaranteed laughs for hours http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxe0uO2Dpuc, to understand the title of this blog you need to watch this clip). One of my favs is his lost luggage sketch…well I must have jinxed us.. cause it hit a little to close to home.

Lisa’s bag came up missing. We made our way to the lost luggage counter which was extremely antiquated.. when you have card catalogs instead of computers.. it doesn’t boad well and surely doesn’t instill confidence in bag retrieval capabilities. They explained that the bag had probably been mistaken for a transfer to a smaller island and there were flights to and from the other islands all the time.. Not to worry.. uh huh.. FYI Lisa can keep her cool under stress. 45 mins later bag was miraculously found and made it’s way to the hotel before we did.

Post Vacation Anxiety

So my fabulous tropical Hawaiian vacation has come to an end.. (more about the actual trip to come). It's hard to come back to the real world and real life.. I had a minor freakout moment...I shed a couple tears last night.. not sure why.. it was a very unusual reaction when returning from an extremely fabulous trip.

It wasn't that I necessarily wanted to be back in Hawaii (not that I'm opposed to it either) but I wasn't ready to come back to San Diego... it was a strange feeling that I don't know if I can put into words.. It could been exacerbated by fact that I checked my email and had 180 work emails piled up (word to the wise never do this while still coming down from the vacation high) or that I got in the door from the flight at 11pm or maybe it was separation anxiety from the wonderful friends I had spent every moment with for the past 8 days.

Whatever the case somehow I made it through and got up today :).. things always look brighter in the morning.. amazing how sleeping in your own bed can set the world right...I went to church and chatted with my friends and family.. and then coming back to real life didn't seem like such a bad thing.

Life is still good even though I'm not on vacation... so here's to getting back in the groove, learning to live life in the present moment, and making each day a better day.