Hawaii: Day Three

Rob and I hit our stride on Day Three because it stands out as the best day of our vacation! Despite not planning too much ahead of time, the day just seemed to roll out perfectly with many highs.

We started out at Bogarts Cafe for breakfast, thanks to yelp. The small restaurant seemed like a local favorite for college students and young professionals. Rob had blueberry pancakes and I had an omlette. All the ingredients were local and very fresh and my vanilla latte was so yummy, a welcome change to the starbucks I had been drinking all week.

The only low to the day was when we drove up the coast to Sandy Beach Park. We were looking to catch some rays but the only thing we caught was a bunch of rain pouring in our convertible jeep. After dealing with a bunch of rain storms the previous two days, we were feeling defeated and sat there like sad puppies allowing the rain to soak us before putting the top on the jeep. Eventually we had a good laugh about our bad luck and decided to drive north because we realized the rain clouds were moving south.

After driving north a few more miles the sun started to shine again and we realized the rain was a blessing after laying our eyes on Makapuu Beach. This place was beautiful, lined with jagged cliffs and lush green vegetation, this "hidden gem" was the perfect place to relax and watch the body boarders take on the crashing waves. Makapuu Beach was our favorite beach because it was not crowded and it was very picturesque.

But after a couple of hours of beach sitting, we needed to fuel up for the only planned activity of the day... Surfing Lessons! So we grabbed a quick bite at Teddy's Bigger Burgers (which quickly became a favorite of Robs) and headed off to Hawaiian Surf Adventure.

A few months ago, I started stalking Groupon to see what type of deals I could score for the trip. One day, surfing lessons for two, came up and I quickly took part in the deal, so this was an activity Rob and I have been anticipating for a while. Hawaiian Surf Adventure is a family owned and run business which started out of the couples love for surfing. The business has a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, everyone was welcoming and excited to go out on the boat to catch some waves.

After a lesson on land, the 4 of us "surfers in training", took a boat out past the reef where the long gentle waves were breaking. We all took turns as the instructor would push us into the wave at the perfect time. See, the hardest part of surfing is actually "catching" the wave, its all about timing. So with the instructors help it was easy to catch a wave, in fact all of us did very well. Rob and I rode out all of our waves, around 6 each. The feeling was incredible, what a rush!! Hawaiian Surf Adventure even took pictures of us in action. Thinking back on it, 2 weeks later, still makes me smile. It was an incredible experience, unmatched by any other on our trip.

After surfing, Rob and I were up for a little bit more adventure and decided to hike up to Makapuu Point Lookout. This hike had a gradual incline which eventually led to overlook the beach we visited earlier that morning. Another lighthouse was also situated on the cliff. It was nice to overlook the Hawaiian coast and reflect on our perfect day.

To round out the day we ate at the Hula Grill Waikiki. which proved to be out best meal of our vacation. Infused with Hawaiian flavors, Rob and I both had the special with Mahi Mahi and Swordfish along with mashed sweet potatoes. Out table was overlooking Waikiki Beach and the meal was superb. The perfect ending for a perfect day.

Makapuu Beach

Me Surfing!!!

Hike up to Makapuu Point Lookout

Hike up to Makapuu Point Lookout

Makapuu Point Lighthouse

Overlooking Makapuu Beach

Hawaii: Day Two

Day two in Hawaii gave us the opportunity to see the beauty of Oahu. We did not have any set plans so it was time to explore and my what wonderful things we found!

First we went and sat on the beach in front of our hotel and did a little reading. But Rob and I are not big on beach sitting for too long so we stayed for about an hour and was ready to do something active. So we decided on checking out the old volcano that sat behind our hotel called Diamond Head.

The Diamond Head Hike is Oahu's most popular hike and one of the world's most recognized volcanic crater. Its not a long hike but it has beautiful views of Oahu and eventually leads to an old World War II bunker. From the top you can see Waikiki and up the eastern coastline of Oahu, I also spotted some mega houses and a lighthouse. After returning to the parking lot I enjoyed some Hawaiian Shaved Ice which was so yummy.

After the hike, we decided to jump in our red jeep we rented, blast some music and head up the eastern coast of Oahu to explore. We stopped by the Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve to see the spot where we would be snorkeling a few days later, made quick stops on the side of the road to overlook the jagged coastline and eventually ended up at the Kailua Beach Park.

Kailua Beach Park is about 30 minutes away from Honolulu but you feel like you are worlds away in this small beach town. Once thing I noticed is everyone is very active, you will always pass runners, walkers and bikers as you weave through small streets to reach the coastline. Once we arrived at the beach park we were in awe of the turquoise water and long sandy white beach. Rob and I walked a good 2 miles out and back. You could tell this park was a local favorite, many people were walking their dogs or chatting with people who passed by. There were also many wind surfers, it was amazing watching them glide across the water and do flips in the air. Rob and I would point out the houses we liked and imagined what it would be like to live in such a beautiful place.

After our long walk we went to a local haunt called the Pinkys Pupu Bar & Grill. The food was not all that glamorous nor anything to go into detail about but it satisfied our appetite. Afterwards we swung by the Cheesecake Factory and picked up some yummy goodness to eat back at the hotel. Then I passed out for the night! I think the time change had finally caught up to me and the adrenaline from first arriving had worn off because I had one of the best nights sleep in my life or maybe I just settled into island time. :)

Beach in front of our Hotel

Diamond Head Volcanic Crater

Rob hiking up the stairs to the WWII bunker

One view from the top of Diamond Head

Shaved Ice treat after hiking

View from the side of the road

Kailua Beach Park

Windsurfers at Beach Park

Awesome Tree!

Hawaii: Day One

Aloha! I am fresh off my trip to Hawaii and I cannot wait to tell you about it! What a relaxing and refreshing vacation. For the blog I am breaking my action packed trip down day by day because of the many stories and pictures I have to share. On with day number one...

My best friend of thirteen years Rob blessed me with the opportunity to go to Hawaii. This was a dream come true for me! I have always had a desire to visit the Aloha state. So on leap day we hopped on Hawaiian Airlines and traveled to Honolulu the capital of Hawaii on the island of Oahu.

When we landed we were greeted by our college friend Barrett who just so happened to be in Hawaii for business. It was great that our trips overlapped for a day because he is a good friend and the three of us always have a lot of fun together.

Once he picked us up we headed to the New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel, our residence for the trip. We had a good laugh at the rooms Golden Girls motif but it was clean and the bed was comfy so we were satisfied.

Unfortunately it was raining, so we ate lunch and by the time we were finished the sun was shining so we decided to go paddle boarding on Waikiki Beach. Paddle boarding was new to all of us but it was fairly easy to learn, or at least learn how to paddle on our knees. We paddled out pretty far occasionally trying to stand on the board. At one point Rob made a joke we will have to call the coast guard to come get us but it was worth it because around the same time we saw a large sea turtle swimming near us. It was amazing. It was so peaceful being in the clear blue waters of the Hawaiian coast. I loved it! But it was very challenging paddling back in, turns out we were indeed really far out and it seemed like forever before reaching the shore. My arms were so tired.

Afterwards we cleaned ourselves up and headed to a restaurant named Indigo for dinner. The taxi driver said the restaurant was a local favorite which we were happy to hear. The taxi driver also said that Barrett reminded him of Brad Pitt, Rob reminded him of Elvis and I reminded him of Jennifer Aniston, which we all had a good laugh at. But hey, cant blame him for trying to compliment his way into a good tip.

Indigo was excellent, I had Salmon Roulade with Ginger Pineapple Beurre Blanc and Sweet Corn Relish stuffed with Goat Cheese Mousseline and served with Cilantro Creme Fraiche, Tobiko Cavier and Chopped Chives. Also, the martinis were really tasty, we were all very impressed with our drink choices.

After dinner we went to a club but not many people were out being a Wednesday night but we stayed, chatted together, and mostly relaxed, which is what Hawaii is all about. We snapped a couple of pictures at the beach, said farewell to Barrett and retired for the evening, satisfied with our first day in Oahu and anticipating the next few days in the Aloha State.

Even the airport bathroom signs have the Hawaiian spirit!

At first we tried to take a self portrait which is hard when you dealing with two, over 6 foot guys and little ol' me.

Fun Friends!

Mt Baldy Skiing

Have you ever heard anyone say that you can surf and snowboard on the same day in Southern California? Well, it's true and I know people who actually do it. And even though I'm not a surfer, Saturday I did my own combo of multi season activities that made for a completely random yet fantastic day.

Saturday morning Rob and I headed up to Mt. Baldy (about 1 1/2 hours east of LA) to snowboard and ski. Prior to moving to LA I was a very avid skier. Between this and that, plus a few other excuses, I haven't made it up a mountain to ski in about 4 years. So I was excited, yet really nervous, wondering if skiing was like riding a bike, do you never forget how to do it? So after being told repeatedly by Rob that "No, I did not need 4 layers, a ski jacket and long johns," I put on my ski pants donned a sweatshirt and was ready to find my ski legs again.

Mt San Antonio (commonly known as Mt Baldy) is the highest peak (10,068 ft) in the San Gabriel mountains and the highest point in LA County. Many people go there to not only ski but hike, boulder and cycle the steep grade. Rob and I both agreed as we zoomed past the cyclers that we could think of about 100 things we would rather do than cycle up that mountain. Anyways, the further we drove the more snow we could see and the more baffled I got knowing I just left 70 degree weather in west LA.

After getting all checked in, Rob (the avid snowboarder) and me (the skier coming out of retirement) took to the slopes for a few hours in the snow. Since winter has been fairly dry this year not many slopes were open but it was still nice to find my ski legs again and realize I still have it! We skied enough for me to renew my desire an have a taste for more soon!

Afterwards, we headed back down Mt. Baldy and decided to hang around Rancho Cucamonga and have dinner with some friends that night. We had a few hours to kill so we decided to hit some golf balls at the driving range thus completing the second part of our multi -seasonal activities.

All in all it was a great day to be a Californian!

La Jolla: Torrey Pines

Last weekend, my good friend Lindsey visited from Portland. She works for Hilton hotels and recently won a overnight stay at The Hilton Hotel at Torrey Pines in La Jolla. She invited me and a couple of others girls to share this prize with her and also celebrate her birthday.

La Jolla is one of my favorite retreats from the city. Nicknamed the Jewel City, La Jolla is a affluent seaside resort community, occupying 7 miles of curving coastline within the northern limits of San Diego (which I affectionately call the promised land). La Jolla boasts of rugged coastline, sandy beaches and a host of wild seals.

Specifically, our hotel sat on the Torrey Pines golf course which plays host to the PGA tour (which was there the weekend prior to our arrival). Two golf courses sit on this property making Torrey Pines a total of 36 holes. An interesting fact is that the golf course has remained public over the years but it is highly sought out. To maintain public continued access to the course, on weekends, golfers arrive as early as 6pm the prior night to get in line for the first come/first serve tee times given out at sunrise.

We didn't play golf and I wish we had more access to the course (being the daughter of a driving range owner, it peaked my interest) but nevertheless it was incredible to even overlook such a famous golf course.

Our overnight retreat was short but it was fabulous. A sign I found at a wine bar we visited while there summed it up nicely: Good Friends, Good Wine, Good Times.

Eagle Rock Hike

As I mentioned at the beginning of this blog journey I plan to take a lot of hikes this year. This is not unlike the past years except that my friends and I are known to do one of two hikes: Temescal Canyon or Los Liones. Both wonderful hikes, ones we know are challenging yet beautiful but we are feeling its time to explore. It's good to have standbys but this year we want to branch out and try some new trails.

So last Saturday I planned a girls hike. Hiking is the perfect group activity for women because we get to work on our fitness and talk non-stop for hours. Amy suggested a new hike called Eagle Rock at Topanga State Park.

Eagle Rock Trail it situated off the Pacific Coast Highway in the Santa Monica Mountains, north of LA close to Malibu. Unlike our usual hikes this trail is set back in the mountains miles away from the ocean. So we drove through Topanga Canyon quite a while before entering the state park.

There Sarah, Amy and I met up with Elissa and Katie who drove down from Oxnard to join us. It was a beautiful day, not a cloud in the sky and around 80 degrees. Between the rain earlier in the week and the Santa Ana winds it was clear as far as the eye could see.

The trail path was wide, smooth and had a slight incline, perfect for a beginner hiker or a trail runner. It boasts views of many parts of greater LA including Calabasses, Palos Verdes and the Santa Monica Mountains.

The main destination of this hike is Eagle Rock a very large sandstone formation that sticks out from the side of a mountain. It reminded me of a few hikes in the Appalachian Mountains where you reach a high point covered with stone with incredible overlooks of the valleys below.

About halfway up to the formation I was super surprised to run into one of my longtime college friends Dustin and my LA friend Jeremiah. They were also hiking with a group of people on this January day. This was such a thrill because randomly running into people in LA that you know does not happen very often. But when you do, it is comforting because it makes this city seem a bit smaller. So that was a really neat surprise.

After stopping to chat with them for a few minutes we made our way to Eagle Rock. Once there we climbed the formation and quickly realized we were very high up and needed to be careful. It was also very windy. We took in the views, snapped a few photos and quickly made our way off the sandstone back to the trail. We then walked about a mile past the formation to see the profile of the large rock and to take in some more views. We were incredibly lucky because the sky was so clear that we recognized not only Catalina Island (22 miles off the coast of Southern California) but Mt. Baldy a snow capped mountain that sits behind Rancho Cucamonga about 60 miles east of where we were hiking. It was absolutely breathtaking.

After a few more photo ops our now bonded girls group made our way back down the trail very satisfied with Amy's hiking choice and commented frequently on how perfect the day was. Saturday was one of those days where you feel like the luckiest person in the world to live in this part of the country. I mean, how many other places in the US can you hike in 80 degree weather in the middle of January? Not many. Not many at all.

Eagle Rock Hike was approximately 5 miles long and I give it 4 out of 5 stars. I hold one star only because on a hazy day when the views are not clear the immediate views are not as impressive as the distant views. But Saturday I would have not changed a single thing: awesome women, incredible views and perfect weather made for an amazing day.

Lemonade

Last weekend, Amy and I went went down to Abbot Kinney in Venice to sweat it out spinning at YAS (yoga and spinning, clever huh?). Afterwards our stomachs were craving some munchies so we decided to try a restaurant called Lemonade. Little did we know, our lives would be changed! That sounds dramatic, I know, so let me try to set this scene up for you.

Abbot Kinney is a trendy street in Venice known for it's high end restaurants and boutiques, in other words expensive. Amy and I went prepared to split a meal or even turn around and walk out in case the price didn't please our Dave Ramsey plan (google him and get on the plan which is also life changing).

We walked into a cafeteria style restaurant with a modern feel. It reminded me of an IKEA cafeteria but with zero screaming children. Simple menu: a selection of cold portions, a la carte sandwiches, meat or salads and a selection of hot portions. There was also a tasty looking dessert section that I couldn't look at for fear of having to return to spin class. And of course they had lots of different types of lemonade, which I'm sorry I can't report on but I plan to try the name sake soon.

When we approached the counter we felt intimidated by the many interesting combinations of cold portions we could choose from. We told the girl helping us that it was our first visit and she was happy to give us many samples like sweet potatoes with pistachios along with chicken, jicama with green goddess dressing, just to name a few. Everything we sampled was amazing and the combinations were incredible, things I could never think of. I decided on getting one portion split between kale, mushrooms with tangerine vinaigrette and watermelon radish, ahi tuna, snap peas, black sesame with ginger. Keep in mind, I have never eaten or had the desire to eat kale in my life. Even though I split one portion with two items the helpings were generous, enough to feed my growling belly. When I reached the cash register my bill came to $4.62! Amazing (Dave would be proud)! Amy added a braised meat to her meal which bumped her total to a little over $6.00 (not bad at all). We sat down to eat our unique meal and our taste buds were overwhelmed with satisfaction. Powerful flavors, the crazy but somehow perfect combinations and I felt healthier with each bite. Amy and I were, well let's say, just a little excited. Our praises may have been a little loud. We couldn't believe people were not as excited as us, why were they not jumping up and down in celebration of this culinary artistry?

Then Amy remembered they had truffled mac and cheese and wanted to try it because we are suckers for anything truffled. When she went to the counter she asked a different person,"can we try the truffled mac and cheese? Its our first time here." He said, "we know, we heard." Oops. Confirmed. We are too loud. She brought back the little sample dish sat it on the table and I took a bite. "Amy, you need to try this right now!" She took a bite, closed her eyes and exclaimed, "Amazing!!!"

We immediately decided to take all our friends here ASAP. In fact, we felt like we didn't have a meal to lose, we were coming back for dinner.

So later that night, we brought back Amy's husband Matt for dinner (our other peeps couldn't make it but they are excited to try soon). I had another split portion, well roasted heirloom carrots, mixed herbs with basil along with avocado, cherry tomato, pine nuts with lime. I also added some meat, chicken basque, artichoke and olives. Unfortunately they ran out of the truffled mac and cheese for the day, not surprising because is is incredible. There's always next time!

If I could write Lemonade a letter is would read like this:

Dear Lemonade,

I eat kale now. Enough said.

Love, Emma C.

*for more information about Lemonade please visit http://lemonadela.com.