Napa, San Francisco & Los Gatos

I had been itching to go up north for a while.  Everyone kept saying "Oh, you would love it there!" Just so happened, Matt and Amy had a wedding to attend in Los Gatos (hour south of San Fran) so I finally had an excuse to go/ tag along. We roped Rob into going too.  Roadtrip!!


On Friday, we set out on our journey on Interstate 5, which would usually be a drab scenery of brown grassy knolls but since we have been blessed with rain this year, it was actually quite green, lush and beautiful.  Late in the night we made a stop in Pleasanton just to rest.


The next morning (Friday) we got up bright and early and made our way to Napa!! Amy and I have become quite the wine connoisseurs the last couple of years, so we were excited to try out something outside of our Trader Joe's cellar.


Napa is overwhelming...overwhelmingly awesome.  All you have to do is drive down the road and you have a ridiculous amount of fine wineries to choose from less than a mile from each other.  It reminds me of walking down Rodeo drive and seeing one high end store after the other but with wineries! (And the fact most of it, I can't afford).


We started off at Castello Di Amorosa, we did not do a tasting but wanted to check out the mid-evil castle that sits on the winery.  Pretty cool.  Then we sat down and ate some lunch at Farmstead Restaurant.  It was so yummy and fresh.  I had one of the best burgers ever garnished with chopped pickled cauliflower and homemade ketchup.


After lunch we visited 3 different wineries to do tastings: Caymus, Frog's Leap, and Inglenook.  We loved the feeling of Frog's Leap because of the covered back porch looking out into their aged vines. I must admit I had my doubts of the winery because of the name, frogs doesn't make me think "fine wine".  I stand corrected though, it was wonderful.  But our favorite wine came at the end of the day at Inglenook, a Francis Ford Coppola winery. We shared a bottle of Edizione Pennino, a Zinfandel, the perfect end to a beautiful day.

On Saturday, we hopped in the car and headed down south towards San Francisco, a city I have always wanted to visit.  Since our final destination was south of San Fran we breezed through town first stopping at Pluto's for lunch and then walked down to a park to take in views and snap pictures of the Golden Gate Bridge. I hopefully plan on spending more time in San Francisco in the fall because I won a 2-night hotel stay at a Marriott from work a few months ago!! I can't wait to go back again.


We then cruised further south to Los Gatos, the town where the wedding was held.  We settled in to the Toll House Hotel complete with fresh cookies and then Rob and I dropped Matt and Amy off at the wedding site and went downtown.  Downtown Los Gatos is one of the cutest towns I have ever seen.  It embodies a small down feel yet it is centered in the middle of the Silicon Valley.  Rob and I walked around the shops and then treated ourselves to a massage.  We ate dinner at The Pastaria & Market where they make their own pasta.  It was delicious and had a warm Italian family feel.  I could pack up my bags and live in this town...only if I had a million dollars.


What a fabulous trip! I can't wait to go back and explore more of this area of California.  I am so blessed to live in a state that has such diversity not only in people but landscape.  Cheers!

Rolling Hills along the 5

Caymus Winery

Frog's Leap Tasting

Matt & Amy by the Frog's Leap Vines

Besties!

Best Wine of the day!

Golden Gate Bridge!

The Pastaria & Market

Hawaii: Day Five

Day Five was short but sweet. We woke up to a rainy and overcast day which was pretty much my mood because of having to leave Hawaii later that afternoon.

We decided to eat breakfast at the hotel restaurant called Hau Tree Lanai Restaurant. The restaurant is famous for the very large Hau Tree you dine under. Apparently, author Robert Louis Stevenson, who wrote Treasure Island and other great works would lounge and write under this tree (In my heart I am going to believe that is true, in reality hmm...). No matter where this tree stands in history, the restaurant that was built around it was a unique experience for Rob and I.

Along with the magnificent tree, unfortunately came some pesky pigeons. Rob had excused himself to the mens room and while there the server brought our meal. As I waited for his return, a pigeon, who spotted a opportunity, flew on top of the table and smack dab into Rob's oatmeal. I was paralyzed with disbelief as I watched the pigeon step right on through his oatmeal and on to the white tablecloth, wiping his feet as if it were a floor mat. The pigeon then went on his merry way while he girls behind my table gasped and I doubled over in laughter. I had the server take the oatmeal away before Rob returned. Upon returning, he asked why I had a funny look on my face. I told him the story and he cracked up wishing he had been there to see it.

After the pigeon debacle we were eating our meals and I saw a familiar face walk through the restaurant and sit down at the table directly next to us. See, I go and visit my best friend from high school Sarah who lives in Phoenix from time to time. While there we tend to hang out a lot with her husband Jason's awesome family. I recognized this person as Jason's mom, Jacque. Wanting to make sure I called Sarah and asked her if Jacque was in Hawaii and she said yes. After confining it was her I went up to her table and she couldn't believe it was me! She had been to the Big Island to help with the annual whale count and stopped in Honolulu to have breakfast with a friend before going back to AZ. How crazy! What were the chances that out of all the restaurants in Honolulu, we happened to be at the same one? Sitting right next to each other! It really is a small world.

After snapping a couple of photos with Jacque (sadly not on my camera, only hers) we went back upstairs, packed up our things and said goodbye to our Golden Girls motif room. We killed some time window shopping in Honolulu at the high end stores, turned in our sporty red jeep and headed home.

What a amazing, relaxing and unforgettable vacation with my wonderful best friend. I am very blessed, very blessed indeed.

The Culprit

Under the Hau Tree

Hawaii: Day Four

On to day Four!

Rob and I woke up early to catch a van to take us snorkeling at Hanauma Bay. Hanauma is both a Nature Preserve and a Marine Life Center. About 400 species of fish are known to inhabit the bay. You can also find sea turtles and other sea life. After a instructional and educational video about the Bay we strapped on our snorkel gear and waddled down to the shore.

What an amazing adventure. The fish swam only inches away from us, probably because they are used to many people being in the water with them. I saw many different kind on fish including a clown, angel and flute fish. My favorite was the parrot fish, I loved their bright colors. At one point Rob and I found ourselves surrounded by hundreds of silver dollar fish, it was amazing!

After a few hours of "swimming with the fishes" we decided to head back to the hotel. We narrowly missed our shuttle time so we ended up taking public transportation back to Honolulu conveniently called "The Bus." On our way back we made plans for the evening, going to the North Shore to a Luau!

So that afternoon we jumped back in our sporty red jeep and headed up to the Polynesian Cultural Center. This Polynesian-themed living museum is located in Laie, and is owned by Brigham Young University-Hawaii. There you can visit 8 tropical villages where performers demonstrate various arts and crafts from throughout Polynesia. Rob and I specifically went there for a Luau, where we ate things like Kalua Pua'a, Hawaiian Poi and Taro Rolls. We also learned some Hula dances.

Afterwards we went to an amazing show called Ha: Breath of Life. This was a story about a young boy's journey to manhood and features Polynesian dancing, music and fire twirling. I must say I was very impressed with the performance and felt I learned a lot about the different areas of Polynesia during the show. I would recommend this show to anyone old or young!

Day Four turned out to be a great day. But when we returned to the hotel I realized the next day we would be leaving! Time flies when your having fun!

Hanauma Bay where we snorkeled

On our drive to the North Shore

Some traditional Hawaiian Food

Rob and I before the show

The only picture they would allow me to take at the show :(

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!