Thursday March 25th, Day 4 of Hawaii

We woke up early and made our daily breakfast of cereal with strawberries and apple bananas (sometimes we include a side dish of fresh papaya).

There is a beautiful and very popular snorkeling area at the bottom of the hill where we are staying, called Shark's Cove. We can see it from our Lanai. It's protected by a circular wall of large rocks that keep the water in this area relatively calm and flat. However, on some rough days when it's high tide, water comes pouring over these rocks, and I imagine it would make snorkeling here somewhat precarious.

But today is pretty calm so we head out and go snorkeling at Shark's Cove. There are lots of coral reefs here that you have to navigate around, but it's also pretty shallow, so it's relatively easy to do so. And soooo worth it. We saw tons of fish.

But after about 30 minutes, I was shaking cold, so we jumped out and headed East. We stopped at a farmer's market down the road and bought corn, apple bananas (I really love these things! How come we don't have them on the mainland??? And even worse, you can't even pack them in your suitcase and take them home!), papayas, and a cold coconut that we drank the milk straight out of with a straw. Then we crossed the street to an area that says "Private- No Trespassing", but we heard it was a great beach area so we wanted to check it out. As soon as Tommy and I walked through the trees that form an overhead cove, I recognized it immediately from my first time in Hawaii. This place has the most beautiful grouping of Banyon trees I've ever seen. It almost looks magical to me. Last time when I visited this beach, my local friend, Mo, took Mike, Kelly, and I, and we swung from the hanging vines. This time the area was roped off and we later found out that it was because the TV show, Lost, films in there (but we also found out that Turtle Bay wants to expand into this area. Fortunately, the Banyon trees are protected). We checked out the small beach and were tempted to stay, but hopped into the car and drove on.

We then visited the Japanese Temple, which I saw my first time in Hawaii and remembered it being a little more interesting. This time.... not so much. But Tommy and I made it fun.

As we were leaving the Temple, we saw a group of feral pigs running through the graveyard. This was the coolest part of this adventure, I'm sorry to say (I know the locals despise these things because they are very destructive to plants and vegetation, but it was kind of cool to see them running around like wild deer).

the pig in the back had an injured front paw, and he was limping behind the rest of the group

We left the temple and stopped at Kualoa Beach Park. The weather was pretty chilly and rainy at this point, however, this is a beautiful beach (when it's nice out) and sits in front of this huge rock, called China Man's Hat.

Then we went for lunch at a restaurant along Kam Highway called Crouching Lion Inn. The rain was coming down hard at this point, but after hitting 4 beaches the day before, Tommy and I had a few burns that could have used a day indoors. So we took our time at lunch and enjoyed our surroundings (the company wasn't so bad either, ha ha).

After lunch, we drove back to the North Shore and stopped at Pipeline to check out the surfing and the sunset.

Then we headed home and Tommy passed out early (that's what happens when you wake up at 5:30am every morning!)

Wednesday March 24th, Day 3 of Hawaii

This morning we decided we would explore the island a little more. So we explored the best thing Hawaii has to offer- its beaches. We headed to the eastern side of Oahu, which is referred to as the windward side of the island. And it's named appropriately, because it is just that- windy.

We drove along Kamehameha Highway, armed with Tommy's iPhone to help navigate directions and the Frommer's Oahu book that we found in our apartment from a previous vacationer. Our first stop was Kailua Beach, which Frommer's boasted as possibly the most beautiful beach on Oahu, but it warned that it was windy. We could tell at least the latter part of the statement was correct before we even stepped out of the car because we could see the kites of many kite surfers bouncing along the water. We stepped onto the beach and were practically blown away by wind gusts and not super impressed. For Hawaii, this was definitely NOT the most beautiful beach. So we decided to move on.

The next beach, Lanika'i, was just down the road and more tucked away in a quaint neighborhood named the same as the beach. It was windy here too, but definitely worth it to stay. We laid out for awhile and then grabbed our snorkel and checked out the many coral reefs that lined the water. After our swim, we were a little cold and hungry so we decided to look for a place for lunch.

We headed back towards Kailua and found Buzz's Steakhouse. Tommy got a burger (which was the first time he sunk his teeth into meat all week!) and I got a veggie burger (I figured I'd see how long I could live without meat here, and so far, I was doing great).

After lunch, we headed further down the coast and decided to check out Waimanalo Beach. This beach was pretty cool. The water was perfect for swimming and some good body surfing. Tommy and I played in the waves for awhile, dried off, and then headed on.

This is where the drive along the coast gets really beautiful-- huge rocky cliffs that jut out over the water. Tommy and I stopped at a scenic lookout and snapped some pictures.

Our next stop was Sandy Beach, also known as Break Neck Beach. The waves here break really big and hard right on the shore, making it really hard to get into or out of the water. When I lived in Hawaii 6 years ago, I visited this beach with Lars and out of stupidity (because I really don't think it was bravery) I jumped in the water here. I remember looking back at Lars while he watched me with a terrified look on his face from the shore. This time, I look at the waves with Tommy, and can't imagine how I ever even GOT into that water! But it was fun to watch all the body boarders take their turns at catching the big waves and getting pummeled.

The sun was starting to set and we were getting hungry. So we drove a little further to Waikiki and watched the beautiful sunset from the beach.

Then we headed to the Outrigger Reef Hotel on the beach (where my Mom lived for a summer when she went to school in Hawaii and also where I stayed for 2 nights when I was working on "Pressure Cook") and we had a couple of drinks at the bar. Then we drove the 45 minutes back up to the North Shore and I made tortillas and melted cheese with huge chunks of avocados from Bart's tree for dinner.

I would do anything to have my very own avocado tree.

Tuesday March 23rd, Day 2 Hawaii

Bart had warned us about the neighbors dogs across the street barking early and possibly waking us up. He even pointed to ear plugs in the medicine cabinet with a "wink wink, you might need these" look. However, I don't think the dogs are going to be a problem. Tommy wakes up while the dogs are still in dreamland. If anything, its the chirp chirp and cock-a-doodle-doooo that gets him out of bed. And I'm happy to be right behind him. I actually WANT to get out of bed here. As much as I am a night person, I can be a total morning person here. I'm happy to get up every day at 6am and go to bed by 9. The weather is uplifting. And the beaches are calling.

Because there is a lot to keep us happy on the North Shore, we decide to spend our second day locally again. We head a half mile down the road to Waimea Botanical Gardens and take our own leisurely walk through the lush trees and plants. Passing a few birds along the way (ie, chickens and peacocks).

It ends with a waterfall, equipped with lifeguards and boogie boards. We get a quick verbal instructional on what to do and what not to do, and even what the temperature of the water is-- 68 degrees. Hmm, okay. That's a lot warmer than I expected.....I'm game! However, my pinky toe hits the water and it's shockingly cold. Tommy and I finally brave up and jump in, paddling frantically to the waterfall and back, and we're done and out as quick as you can blink. I've never seen Tommy so out of breath. We later find out that the water is actually 55 degrees. I'm not sure where that screwball lifeguard got his info. We were totally fooled, but I'm glad. Otherwise, I wouldn't have even considered jumping in. :)

After we hike back to the car, we decide we've earned a hearty lunch. It's time for the Shrimp Truck! We drive to Macky's at the far end of Haleiw'a and are greeted with a big "Welcome to Macky's!" from the Asian man working inside the window. I go for the coconut shrimp and Tommy decides on Spicy shrimp. It was really good and one huge plate was enough shrimp for us for the week.

After lunch we drove to Turtle Beach and checked out the sun bathing turtles on the beach. How cute?

These turtles are protected and recognized by the community. This turtle's name is "Brutus". I took a picture of his name plate, because it described Tommy! I'm going to start calling him "Nalukai". Ha....

After our turtle gazing, we headed to Waimea Bay. This is one of the best known beaches in the world, and it's easy to understand why. This beach is amazing. This is the where the famous surfer, Eddie Aikau once lifeguarded and saved several lives. Sadly, in the late 70's Eddie went missing during a boating accident in the rough waters off Oahu. His body was never recovered, but today Waimea holds a big wave surfing competition in Waimea that requires 30 foot waves, and they've named it "the Eddie" after the surfing legend.

During mid-March, which is the end of their big wave season, the waves seem to be pretty unpredictable. One day will be moderate enough to swim in, the next day they are terrifying. I'm not sure what to make of it today, but Tommy and I decided no way in hell were we getting in.

That's Bart's patio below

This evening we had a dinner invitation at Bart's house (which is connected to the apartment we are staying in). So we washed the summer sun and sand off of us and arrived at Bart's at 6:30pm for a local vegetarian dinner. There were 2 other guests at our dinner party as well, John and Bata. Bata, is living in a bungalow on Bart's property and is referred to as a "Woofer". From what Tommy and I understand, a Woofer exchanges room and board for agricultural work. So Bata does everything from arranging beautiful fresh flowers in our apartment to watering the vegetation in the expansive yard. John is a friend of Bart's that moved to the island a little over a year ago, and rented housing from Bart and his friends, but now seems to be a regular in Bart's circle of friends.

Bart's vegetarian cooking was amazing, and the company was even better. We sat around the dinner table for 3 hours and listened and laughed to each other's stories, Bata's, in particular. He left Serbia around 20 years of age, when the war broke out, and settled in our sweet little village called New York City. He married a woman 20 years his senior and got a Visa to stay in the US. Then he became a makeup artist and Ford model, and hob-nobbed with the rich and famous, aka the rich and crazy. After 20 years of life in the fast lane of NYC and LA, he finally said that he'd had enough and 3 and 1/2 months ago he left it all and moved to the Big Island of Hawaii for some R&R in the jungle. Then, he took up camp in Bart's house on the North Shore of Oahu, and is planning to settle down somewhere on the island and live a more peaceful life.

By 10pm, Tommy and I were yawning, still not adjusted to the 6 hour time difference. After a lovely evening, we crawled up the stairs to our apartment and crashed.

What a fantastic day in Hawaii. :)

Monday March 22nd, Day 1 of Hawaii

Tommy and I arrived in Honolulu after our 10 hour flight around 7:15pm last night. We got our rental car and sleepily navigated our way to our rental house 45 minutes away on the fabulous North Shore. We were greeted by our sweet "landlord", Bart Smith, who opened the gate and gave us the grand tour of our spacious apartment, which even included 2 elephant statues in the kitchen (I'm home!) He even supplied us with fresh fruit and some food he cooked up that day. In our delirium, Tommy and I followed Bart around the apartment with a few head nods, jumbled sentences, and questions that we probably couldn't remember the answers to the next day. We fell asleep a half hour after he left. It was the equivalent to 4am New York time for us.

This morning Tommy woke up literally at the crack of dawn. He patiently waited until 5:30am to wake me and says "I found the coolest thing you have ever seen in your life. You have to come check it out right now!". So I excitedly climb out of bed. Birds are chirping, roosters are crowing, and light is starting to burst through the entire North Side of our apartment, which is covered in huge windows and sliding glass doors.

We climb out onto our lanai (porch) and Tommy leads me to the side of the house where the driveway is. There, he points to the biggest, blossoming avocado tree I have ever seen. Actually, I haven't seen many to begin with, so this would have been exciting if there was 1 avocado on it, however, there must have been 100. What a way to start our day!!

Then we put on some clothes and walked out onto the edge of the beautiful lawn which overlooks the town below and the ocean just beyond that. We saw whales breaching in the ocean and their blowholes sprouting water here and there. An amazing sight.

We made a breakfast of papaya, apple bananas, and cereal and by 9am we were on our way out the door (my mom would be shocked). We drove Northeast towards Turtle Bay Resort (which when we saw it, we were sooooo glad we didn't stay there). On our way back we stopped at a few beaches and finally planted ourselves down at Bonzai Pipeline (known for its world famous waves). Day 1 in the sun, and I was plastering sunblock all over Tommy and I (again- my mom would be blown away by this fact). For lunch, we drove west to the cute little town of Haleiw'a.

For lunch, we ate at a Mexican Restaurant called Cholos. For dessert, our afternoon would not have been complete until we had the renowned Hawaiian Shave Ice down the road.

After an amazing first day that started bright and early with the roosters crowing, we were content at that point to go back to our apartment and enjoy the rest of the day from there.

March 31st, a very precious day

Today is a day of celebration and of sadness. Births and deaths. And even anniversaries.

Today

is my Dad's 71st birthday. A consistent smoker of over 55 years, he found out 2 months ago that he had bladder cancer. We also found out that smoking is a number one contributor to that type of cancer. He quit smoking and today he is, thankfully, in remission. I'm grateful for his 71st birthday. Here's hoping that he has many, many more birthdays and that he never picks up another darn cigarette. Happy Birthday, Dad.

Today

is also my boss, Joan's, birthday. If it weren't for Joan, I believe that I wouldn't be at ABC today. She is one of the warmest and most caring people I know and I'm so thankful that I have a staff position in an industry that mostly hires freelancers. ABC is making enormous cuts this month, and I found out this week that Joan is going to be one of the people leaving our company. I wish her the best on her new endeavors and I hope she knows there will be a void that can't be replaced when she leaves.

Today

is also Tommy's and my 2nd anniversary. Two years ago we met on a rainy night at a bar on 7th and A called Niagra. I was getting over a really bad cold and confided in him that I had a childhood dog who's death I still hadn't gotten over 7 years after she had died. He confided in me that he didn't drink. I, on antibiotics, he, on sobriety, ordered cranberry and seltzers all night at 7B. Tonight we revisited that bar and relived some of those first moments. I am so happy how our relationship has evolved and the best friend that he has become to me.

Today

is also the day that my parent's put our 18 year old dog, Hobo, to sleep. He was very old, hard of hearing, had very limited vision, weak back legs, and a wobbly walk.

The days of him leaping up on my bed in the morning to wake me up ended about 6 years ago when his agility began to fade. The days of him speaking on command ended about 4 years ago when his hearing deteriorated. The days of him being able to walk up the stairs on his own ended about 2 years when his balance wavered. But the love that my parents had for him never wavered. They cared for that little dog as if he were their own child-- cooking him fresh chicken with vegetables every day, carrying him up and down the stairs, giving up vacations so that they could stay home to take care of him in his senior days, and limiting errands so that they could get home and let him outside. And as if those tasks weren't unglamorous enough, in the end, the poor little guy couldn't even make it outside, so they went through rolls and rolls of paper towels. It was not an easy job, but they did it because they loved Hobo. And because of that love, he lived a very full life. Possibly, even past his expiration date.

My parents have been taking our dogs to the same veterinarian's office for close to 30 years. But today, when my parents made the difficult decision to put Hobo to sleep, my mom went into the phone book and picked a random vet's office. She told me on the phone that she didn't want him to recognize the formidable office where he has been poked and prodded for years. She didn't want him to feel that familiar anxiety that leads to uncontrollable shaking. Alas, he was ignorantly blissful in those last few moments at the new vet's office, just as he has been for the past couple of years.

Hobo. There are questions as to the origin of the word that we know to mean "bum" or "tramp". It is said that it could derive from "Hoe-boy" (meaning "farmhand") or be an acronym for "Homeward Bound". I'd like to think that it means the latter. Hobo, you are finally homeward bound. Enjoy being young again. I hope you find Lady in heaven. We'll miss you.

Valentine's Day

Sunday February 14th

Dinner at Five Points, NYC

Rooftop Photos