Hawaiian Vacation
Helloooooo my loves! I’m back!!!!! Did you miss me? Yes, I absolutely did miss all of you and we have so much to catch up on. Of course I’ve been taking care of business during our hiatus, building my brand, working with the kids (You know Marlo loves the kids!), traveling and of course keeping up with what’s going on in the life of my first love, FASHION of course. (Who did you think I was referring to?)I have so much to share, so let me start with my first trip to Hawaii. OMG, when I first arrived I was awestruck by the natural beauty of the island and the people, although for a minute I thought I had mistakenly landed in China! Why? Because the people I met and saw seemed to be from Shanghai instead of Polynesia, but I digress…
Anyhoo… I had the opportunity to visit some amazing places like the birth home of our beloved President Barack Obama. He grew up in a charming old duplex surrounded by the beautiful flora and bougainvillea native to the island. It was truly amazing to see that great history was made from such humble beginnings. It must have been sweet to grow up in Hawaii… No wonder he’s so laid back.
Of course I had to also visit some of his favorite eateries. If you get a chance to go, you have to dine at Alan Wong’s restaurant. The short ribs of beef are to die for! I mean it, they were so tender, juicy and succulent I can still taste and smell them right now. They are a must try, believe me!
Yes, I did go to a local luau, and yes it was a tourist trap! Plus the food wasn’t anything to write home about. (Actually it was just shy of nasty, but that’s not nice is it?)… The pig that was roasted on an open pit was too salty and the noodles drowned in mayo was downright disgusting! There’s no other way to describe it. However, the entertainment was amazing, so I guess it was worth the experience even if the food left a lot to be desired.
And can you believe it; I went Parasailing at 1000 feet all by myself!!!!! I kept screaming for someone to get me down, all while talking to the Lord until I realized that no one could hear me, (except the Lord of course). After a while I realized that I was flying or getting as close to it as possible and serenity fell over me that I cannot explain. Looking down at the beautiful aqua blue and turquoise water and stunning white and pink sand beaches just put into perspective that this was an experience I should relish not fear. Once I decided to just “go with it,” there was no place else I would rather be in that moment. With the warm sun on my face and the cool trade winds blowing through my hair, it was a time like no other. I recommend it for everyone. Just try it – at least once. It’s worth being a line item on your bucket list. Actually, put it on the list a couple times, so you can take a few trips. That’s just how much there is to see and do like a trip to the Spitting Cave, and Turtle Bay Resort or Laniakea Beach where you can romp with the sea turtles. Oh and I can’t forget to mention Makapu’u Lookout.
If you’re looking for a great place to chill for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres while drinking in the gorgeous Hawaiian sunset, you have to go to the Halakalani Resort. It was absolutely breathtaking and a must see even if you don’t stay there.
Now if you’re one of those folks who need something familiar to have a good time, then you can’t go wrong with dinner at Nobu. Who doesn’t like Nobu?
I know you are just dying for me to tell you about the shopping, but it wasn’t over the top for me, and you all know I’m a shopping connoisseur. “It was nice.” They had all my favorite designers, but it definitely wasn’t as exciting as a trip to Fifth Ave in New York or a stroll down the boulevard in Milan. Souvenirs are the way to go here, if you absolutely must buy something. You can definitely find some unique local accessories that will really compliment your summer style – you might even get lucky with a one-of-a-kind find, and that alone makes the trip worth it – at least it will for my true fashionistas.
And don’t let me forget to mention my tour guide, Will, who was a real doll! He made sure I saw and experienced the best Hawaii had to offer. He was pretty popular with his infectious smile and warm personality, so if you go looking for a tour guide (and there are many!) ask for Will, maybe, just maybe you’ll get the right one and tell him Marlo sent you!
