We didn’t have a lot of money growing up, but the beach was always free. As a kid we spent a good amount of time camping and fishing, but my favorite was combing the beach for shells. Over the years I lost interest. Time at the beach was replaced by time at a desk. Shells were harder to find and my collection was shelved. Recently with the pandemic, I’ve tried to keep our three year old active and engaged. So I dust off my shadow box and hold my breath while he rummages through my childhood memories. Surprisingly on our beach days after that, we start to find more. At first it was beach glas ..read more

I first found Koba’s Nursery when looking for centerpieces for our 1st Birthday. Prices are affordable and the setting is gorgeous with the Ko’olaus in the backdrop. As an added bonus you can also do your shopping around the sprawling property in one of their golf carts! Koba’s Nursery 41-715 Mokulama St, Waimanalo, HI 96795 Open: Mon-Sat 7am-3:30pm If you don’t live in the area, I recommend making a day trip out of it. There’s a lot to do in Waimanalo. I included our itinerary at the end of this post. Park your car and ask to borrow one of the golf carts out front. The property is huge, so ..read more

Hawaii beaches are stunning, some of the best in the world. But as much as I like the beach, I have to admit, I’m mostly here for the food. Forget about looking slim in a suit. It’s all about the hot sun, salt air, and cold beer. Especially if it’s with a side of Giovanni’s Garlic Shrimp. Besides the beach, some of the best things that come with Summer, has to be the food. Local classics that goes hand in hand with those marathon days in the sun. Growing up in Kaneohe, we always made our way up North Shore from Hau’ula, which included a mandatory stop at the original Kahuku truck. Two garli ..read more

Hawaii has been on stay at home order since March. All non-essential workers have been ordered to shelter in place. Some of us haven’t seen our loved ones for months. Even Disneyland is closed. Most would agree 2020 has been a pretty terrible year. Yet I’m counting my blessings more than ever. Our family is safe and healthy. We’re the lucky few that can work from home and because of that we’re spending more quality time together as a family. The State instituted a 14-day mandatory quarantine for all visitors. Tourism is practically non-existent for the first time in modern history. And for t ..read more

This is essentially my mom’s recipe for Chinese Chicken Salad. It was her go-to for almost every family party growing up. Her version is all lettuce. I add cabbage to make it a little more substantial. But no matter what you gotta have MAEBO ONE-TON CHIPS ..read more

Atsushi 333 Ward Ave Ste. 3-51 Honolulu 96813 The one thing I miss most from my former life since becoming a mom, is GOOD sushi. Date night doesn’t happen often and all the best sushi restaurants are only open for dinner…until now. Atsushi is located in the back of Ohana Hale Marketplace. The shop has five counter seats and a couple small tables. They’ve been open for just a couple weeks and are already booking up. Reservations are highly recommended. It was all very serendipitous the way it happened. The sushi gods heard my prayers. One of my meetings cancelled so for once I had an actual l ..read more

It can be easy to take Hawaii life for granted. There’s an infinite number of Instagram worthy destinations and travel has never been easier or cheaper. But after visiting many world renowned locales, one of the best places to getaway is still here at home. Bonafide vacations can be hard to come by so a few years ago, some friends and I started getting together a couple times a year to unplug. Our daycations have become something we look forward to and reminisce about long after. We take turns putting together the itinerary. This time was mine. Like any other vacation, planning is part of th ..read more

The Honolulu Museum of Art will be closing the Spalding House at the end of the year 2019 You have exactly three months to say Aloha to one of the most gorgeous properties on the island—the Spalding House in Makiki Heights. Doors will close to the public at the end of this year. The good news is you can say farewell for free. Kama’aina receive free admission every first Wednesday of the month. Locals and visitors are both free every third Sunday of the month. Admission is normally $20 or $10 with your Hawaii ID. Open 10a-4p every day but Mondays. View from the breezeway entering the museum (2 ..read more

Cooling off with Chef Mavro at the 10th Annual Rice Fest at Ward Village In Hawaii we embrace the new and different. A huge example of that can be seen in our food culture. It’s our universal language. We speak it all and we can’t get enough.  Over the years, our little State has seen more and more options when it comes to food, but with that comes the loss of other local traditions. Four years ago, I decided to start documenting all the things I love about Hawaii. My homage to my home.  After a couple years of blogging, our family of two became three. Our little bundle of joy could ..read more

Crack Seed Store 1156 Koko Head Ave. Open Mon-Sat 9:30am-6:00pm After ordering my all vegan sprout salad, my sweet tooth pulls me to the store next door. The sign out front reads simply “Crack Seed Store.” I can’t decide if it’s meant matter of fact or staking its claim as The Crack Seed Store. At the entrance, a young mainland couple tries talking story with the man behind the counter. “You always see those pictures of Honolulu and these glass jars so we wanted to check it out” he laughs. “How long have you been doing this?” Forty years. The man says. “What made you want ..read more