Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Things that make you go HMMMMM...

For me there are more than just a few...but today I can't get over a certain one. How come on days where it is beautiful and sunny - come about 2 pm all I want to do is take a nap, but on days that are nasty cloudy and drizzly - not to mention cold - I am filled with the energy and motivation to get everything done?? I don't get it. Today is one of those colder yucky not so fun winter days, and I'm on a roll. Don't know what it is, but I'm getting things done and on the move. But last week when it was sunny and nice looking out all I wanted to do was curl up in bed and nap while the little one was sleeping and the house was quiet. Needless to say not a whole lot got done last week. Anyway...I have been wondering about this today.

I leave for my trip for HAWAII soon!!! Yippeeeee. For those of you who have been or lived there that read this (and I know there is at least one) could you please give me some rec's on good places to go eat for dinner?? We are staying at the Hale Koa. The hubs will have the rental during the day because he has to drive to Pearl for his conference, so I'll just hang out on the beach (oh darn) and read my books, but when he gets back I'm sure we will do some exploring. So, any tips would be appreciated - thanks! :)

Oh, and as promised, I have some pictures for you. I think I mentioned this cheesecake brownies awhile back, and so here they are. If you are interested in the recipe just email me. I sort of combined two and made a bunch of tweaks so I don't have it typed up, but I will if you're interested. These were super yummy - at least that's what was reported to me by the hubby and his co-workers. I was good and stayed away!

the ingredient line-up
whipping up the cheesecake layer
the finished product
M-m-m...just looking at those again is making me hungry. I hope my fat free granola bar will cut the craving...probably not - haha. I have a HUGE list of stuff I want to make. Over the weekend one of my to-do's was to go through all my cooking mags and cut out the things I want to cook and/or bake and glue them into a spiral recipe book I got so that I can start to de-clutter in prep for our move. However, in doing that I found LOTS of yummy things that I had forgotten all about!

Alright - I need to jet. I've still got some things I want to get done while my productivity streak is still in effect. I hope all of you are off to a good start this week! Catch ya later - ciao!

4 comments:

Sam S. said...

Ohhh those look good, I need to turn the page. ;)

I don't know if it's still there but Sarento's at the top of the Ilikai in Waikiki Beach was great. Of course that was 9 years ago. :) Want me to ask Ash? They just moved away this week from their 3 years there.

Enjoy your trip!!!

Anonymous said...

when the heck are you moving again? I cant keep up with you guys. :) I have never been there unfortunately... :( take lots of pictures!!1 I am sure you will. are the kiddos going or staying with the grandparents? can i meet you there?? haha. so does this mean your next next move is to Hawaii? oh dear... well have fun that is just awesome!!!

blunoz said...

Since you asked...

1. Go to Duke's in Waikiki for dinner the first night you're there. Duke's gets VERY crowded VERY quickly. The time we always went was when friends arrived from the mainland and didn't mind eating dinner as soon as Duke's opened at like 4:30 p.m. They have an AWESOME salad bar and THE BEST seared ahi tuna in the world.
It's a nice walk from Hale Koa to Duke's (and back) - probably about a 10 minute walk.

2. After you wake up at 2 a.m. because your body is still on CONUS time, go to Eggs N Things for breakfast. It's only a couple of blocks from Hale Koa - an easy short walk.

3. KoKo's Cafe IN the Hale Koa is AWESOME. The food is excellent (on par with the other restaurants nearby), and the prices are fantastic compared to any other restaurant in Waikiki.

4. Note that there IS an adult-only pool at Hale Koa so you can enjoy kid-free peace and quiet.

5. I HIGHLY recommend the Atlantis submarine ride. It leaves from the dock right smack behind the Hale Koa / in between Hale Koa and the Hilton Hawaiian Village. DO NOT BUY THE TICKETS THERE. The normal price is like $80. Have your husband stop at the NEX on his way back from the base and buy the military discounted tickets for $20.

5. I HIGHLY recommend at least trying to sign up for the COMPACFLT Remembrance Tour to visit the ARIZONA Memorial (and other stuff you don't get to see on the normal National Park Service tour). Not sure if your husband can get away from his conference during one of the mornings or afternoons to do it (you have to have someone active duty go with you in summer whites), and it's probably too late at this point, but it doesn't hurt to call and try.

6. There are a gajillion things to do and see around the island. If you really want a hidden gem and if you see nothing else outside of the Hale Koa / Waikiki area, then I recommend a visit to Tropical Farms. You MUST take the tour. The Hawaiian chief who gives the tour is hilarious (he actually started his own stand-up comedy show in Waikiki while we lived there). You'll get just about as much entertainment there as you would on a luau, but for a far better price.

7. If you want to get out and stretch your legs, Diamond Head is very popular and worth a shot. If the parking lot is full though, I recommend the Makapu'u Ridge hike at the eastern tip of the island.

8. If you want to hike to a waterfall, I recommend Waimea Falls.

When you're driving around to the tourist spots on the island, DO NOT LEAVE ANY VALUABLES IN YOUR CAR. Locals will drive up, break the window, grab your purse or backpack or whatever else is valuable they can see, and drive away within 60 seconds.

If you have any questions, please let me know. I'm happy to provide advice (as you can tell). There are links to everything I've mentioned above plus lots of recommendations on my Best of Oahu blog post, too.

blunoz said...

Oh, one more thought - for another nice dinner with your husband close by the Hale Koa, I recommend House Without a Key. There's also the more expensive / fancier restaurant Orchids colocated with it. Orchids was the only place I ever had to wear pants on the island (instead of shorts). House Without a Key is also very nice, but not as expensive / fancy as Orchids.