Hawaiian Tasty Deliciousness

Since I know everyone loves food, and I don’t tweet everything I eat but I know you wish I did, I am bringing you this special edition blog post composed only of pictures of things that I ate in Hawaii.  You may commence the celebrating now.

Delicious Food Item I Devoured #1: Hot Malasadas from Leonard’s Bakery

Not only is this bakery famous for it's delicious malasadas, a portugese donut, it was also one of the places my mom worked in high school.  Yep, she was really cool.  So it was only natural that we made a return visit.  I was an especially huge fan of their warm malasada filled with banana crème.  I’m fairly certain it came directly from heaven.

Delicious Food Item Devoured #2: Matsumotos Shaved Ice

This spot on the North side of the island in Haleiwa is also really famous, this time for it’s classic shaved ice – including shaved ice on top of ice cream or beans.  I always opt for the ice cream bottom.  It’s been there forever; some of my aunts and uncles remember stopping by there on trips to the other side of the island in the 50’s.

Delicious Food Item Devoured #3: Miso Ramen from Hawaiiana Cafe

I happen to love Japanese food, and there is a ton of Japanese influence in Hawaii, so I knew it would be necessary to stop at one of the little Japanese food shops at some point.  I noticed this one in a little garden on a stroll only a couple of blocks from where we were staying.

Delicious Food Item Devoured #4: Fresh Mango from a Cute Fruit Shop

We walked past this tiny hole-in-the-wall fruit shop on the way home one afternoon and it called to my dad and I.  Inside it smelled like a tropical fruit paradise, and we purchased mango.

Delicious Food Item Devoured #5: Kailua Pork from some Lovely Place in Kailua

I figured it had to be ordered.

More Hawaii updates soon!

Song = Country Road performed by Jack Johnson with Paula Fuega.  It’s really pretty.  Listen.

Postcards from Paradise

Aloha!

In case you had any doubt, my graduation/parent's 30th anniversary/dad's birthday/mother's day trip to Hawaii was perfect in every way. I may not have wanted to come back, especially becuase I don't have any committments until next Monday...

One of the reasons Hawaii is so beautiful for me is because it is not only a perfect island paradise, it is also the place where my mom grew up (Honolulu) and still has two brothers and a sister living. So not only did I get to relax on the beach while I was there, I also got to see some family for the first time in like eight years. I actually haven't even gone through all of my pictures yet (I may have taken an especially gianormous amount of photos), so here are some pictures of happiness from my mom's camera!

I'm ready to go back there now.

This is my Uncle LeRoy's backyard in Lanikai. Like you literally walk out of his back door and this is where you are. See why I didn't want to come back?

My Aunt ReNel lives in Hawaii for most of the year when she's teaching at Hawaii Pacific University, where she's an awesome professor of nursing. Still in my Uncle's backyard.

And this is inside my Uncle's house, with the new additions being my cousin Michael and Uncle LeRoy and Aunt Margie. They are all very cool and I like them all a lot.

The fam at the famous Matsumoto's for delicious shaved ice.

On Saturday we met Aunt ReNel at her apartment in Kailua...

to go to the Lanikai craft fair, where we visited my Aunt Margie, who was working at one of the food stands.

And my mom got what is quite possibly her most favorite picture of the whole trip.

We also took a fieldtrip the next day to my Uncle's office in Honolulu where he does awesome film things for Production Partners.

And to finish we had a delicious mother's day brunch on the beach on Waikiki.

It was all rather lovely.

More pictures soon!

*song = Jack Johnson's Pictures of People Taking Pictures. Rather appropriate, I think.

Sam Ties the Knot

Pictures from the wedding!  I’ve been really excited for this post.

Sam, one of my most favorite people in the world and longtime roomie, got married on April 30 in the Houston Temple, and then had her reception at a really awesome plantation-turned-bed-and-breakfast in Angleton.  Amber came with me on the trip and took lots o’ fun pictures with my camera. 

And now they are here for you!

So happy!

If you want to see more coverage of the joyous event, and our entire trip,your wish can be granted if you just click on the album below. 

(We may have taken a LOT of pictures… it was a great adventure!)

Sam's Wedding!! VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

song = Angel by Jack Johnson (when I was at his concert a couple of years ago he said he wrote this song for his wife.  It was way cute and romantic, and thus appropriate for this post.  And yes, I will still be on a Jack Johnson kick for at least a couple more posts)

Perfect Paradise

This is the view I woke up to this morning.

And then I went for a long run along that path, before jumping into the ocean.

I am so loving my life right now. Just a little bit better than staying up into the wee hours of the morning working on death papers, like I was just two weeks ago.

*song = From the Clouds, also by Jack Johnson. I'm just really feeling like a Jack Johnson soundtrack best fits my life right now.

Sam’s Wedding: The Beacon

Sam’s wedding was absolutely PERFECT.  In every way.  Which is great, because she’s a fantastic person and totally deserved it.

It was so cute, in fact, that we came home with 500+ pictures.  Needless to say, as a result I’ll be sharing them on here in installments!

Our first night, and half of Friday, was actually spent at Sam’s aunt’s beach house on the gulf coast.  And it was beautiful.  So I’m posting pictures of that adventure first because it will also serve as a fitting post for while we’re in Hawaii this next week!

Life is very happy right now.

More beach tomorrow!!!

This time in HAWAII.

(more actual wedding pictures will come when I’m back.  and nice and tan)

song = Banana Pancakes by Jack Johnson.  Classic summer.