beach

I finally made it to Hawaii!

Since my mom has work projects in Hawaii, she makes it over to Oahu frequently. She often takes friends and family along with her on these work trips, and I was one of the only people that hadn’t been to Hawaii with her yet. Last December we took a family trip to Hawaii before the holidays, and I finally got my Hawaii experience.

The trip was filled with good food and tropical cocktails. We ended most every night at our favorite beach bar, The Barefoot Bar. Although we didn’t keep an exact count, I’m confident we had over 20 Tropical Itches– a MaiTai-esque cocktail served with a bamboo back scratcher. Kayla’s coworker recommended a must-go Poke place called Ahi Assassins, and it didn’t disappoint. Its sketchy motel-like exterior only added to the experience. It was by far, the best tasting Poke I have ever had. We also had excellent Shabu Shabu, a Japanese hot pot dish with thinly sliced meat, and veggies dipped in hot broth.

Since it was both Lars’ and my first time on the island, we hiked up Diamond Head, one of the popular tourist hikes of Oahu.

My favorite part of the trip was snorkeling at both Hanauma Bay and Paradise Cove. I hadn’t been snorkeling since our trip to Thailand back in 2005. I enjoyed it more than I had expected to. Within the first 30 seconds of being under the water in Paradise Cove, a sea turtle swam right up to me.

A sea turtle nearly bumped me on the nose!

The rest of our trip was spent hanging on the beach, walking along Waikiki, and soaking up the sun.

India Phase 3: Goa

I realize it’s been a while since we got back from India, but I finally decided to continue posting the remaining photos from our great trip. Phase 3: Goa.

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Our time in Goa was unlike the rest of our trip. We were in total vacation mode– beaches, sunsets, pools, shopping and good food. We stayed at a hotel that sat atop a hill overlooking the beach– a perfect spot to watch the sunset.

The biggest difference between other beaches I’ve been to and Goa beaches were the cows and water buffalo. They were mostly harmless, however there was one near disaster. I was simply walking down the beach taking a selfie when a water buffalo lowered his head and rammed his horns towards me. If I had been just an inch closer, his horns would have punctured my torso, no doubt. The pictures below document the event. They don’t exactly portray the severity of the situation because I was so oblivious as to what was happening. I only became aware he was charging towards me once I heard the growing screams of a nearby group watching with more amusement than concern.

The only other beach encounters involved cows trying to snag the pakora off of our plates. They succeeded more than once.

The second craziest night market we went to was in Goa (the first was in Varanasi). It was the type of market that needed to be visited twice– the first time for making the rounds and soaking it all in, and the second to actually shop.

On our first day Lars and I walked the shore and explored the rocky bends of the beach. We found lots of little creatures and neat rock formations. Additionally, Mom, Dad, Lars and I took a day trip to a yoga center in order to take a class.

Overall, there was a lot of relaxation during our time in Goa. It was a much needed relief from the bustle of the cities.

Goa was definitely a fun spot, and I wouldn’t hesitate to go back!

A Wedding in Charleston

I spent this past long weekend soaking up the sun in Charleston, South Carolina. It was a weekend of farmer’s markets, craft fairs, and harbor-side rocking chairs.

When we weren’t relaxing, we were prepping for a party the night before the wedding. The party was a success, and my red velvet cupcakes were, once again, everyone’s favorite.

The wedding ceremony and service was at the Daniel Island Club, backset by beautiful wetlands and tall grasses.

We drove back on Monday in order for me to begin work on Tuesday. It’s officially summer swim season and these next few weeks will be crazy! Next up: NYC!