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Spring has arrived and I am a mess
I am a mess. I’m fat, frustrated, probably a little depressed, and 100% lost in life. I’ve been back in California for almost two months now and things are not going as I had planned. Worse than that it seems like all the progress and promises I made on myself and to myself have gone out the window. When I left Hawaii, I still had a lot of work to do on myself to get to who I want to be and where I want to be, but I also felt like I had made a lot of progress and somewhat mapped out and set myself on a pretty clear…
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Adventures in Popcorn Ceilings
I’m here to warn you, removing popcorn ceilings from a single bedroom is not a one day DIY project. From start to finish, including removing furniture, priming and painting the freshly scraped ceiling, and moving back in, it will take more than a single day’s work. How do I know this? Because as I write this, it is nearly 11 pm and I do not have a bedroom to sleep in and I will most likely be spending the night in the back of my Outback. My husband and I woke up this morning, planning to finish the project he, on a frustrated whim, started a few weeks ago while…
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My First Month Back in California
Today marks exactly one month back in California for me and I must admit, this has not been the homecoming I had been dreaming of. It barely feels like I have been home that long, yet, at the same time it feels like I haven’t lived in Hawaii for years. I had big dreams coming home. Originally my husband and I had major road trip plans. We wanted to spend weeks on the road, living out of our car and exploring places like Joshua Tree and Zion. After my mom’s stroke, I knew that probably wouldn’t happen, but still, I dreamed of days filled with hikes, friends, and fun. Instead,…
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Mouthwatering Chicken from Maui Mikes
Maui Mikes makes chicken sandwiches that are to die for! I have never been a huge fan of chicken, despite the many times my husband has tried to sell me on the joys of eating good rotisserie chicken, but Maui Mikes is doing something special. And although I didn’t discover them until my last few months on the island, they instantly became one of my go to comfort foods. My go to is the Ranch Bacon Melt Sandwich. It is made of hot fresh juicy shredded chicken, lots of cheddar cheese, bacon, and ranch. It is big. It is messy. And it is so satisfying. My husband normally orders Mike’s…
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Breakfast on Oahu’s Windward Side
I have been lucky enough to live in Kailua, on Oahu’s Windward Coast for the last two and a half years. In those two and a half years my husband and I have been able to seek out and test many of the breakfast options this side of the island has to offer and there are three locations my husband and I keep returning to over and over again. My Favorite – Boots & Kimo’s Boots & Kimo’s is hands down one of my favorite breakfast places, not just on Oahu, but anywhere! They are known for their delicious Mac Nut Pancakes, fluffy buttermilk pancakes topped with a creamy rich…
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It’s all in the bread…
I am not a sandwich person. I really have to be in the mood for a sandwich and when I am it is usually for a hot sandwich, a good Ruben or maybe a French dip. Very rarely do I ever want cold cuts and if I do, normally I’ll save the money and just make it myself. That was the case up until I discovered Timmy T’s. Timmy T’s is a local sandwich shop in Kailua that absolutely changed my perspective on sandwiches and will probably be one of the main places I will miss when I leave Oahu. Timmy T’s serves 8-inch cold cut sandwiches. They have a…
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Phone Calls
I just want to pick up the phone and give you a call. I want to tell you about how bored I am today. I want to tell you about the bad dreams I’ve been having. I want to tell you about the new restaurant I tried last weekend and all the things I have planned this weekend. I want to tell you about how stressful this move is. I want to tell you how hard everything has been lately. I just want to talk to you. After my dad passed away my mom and I had a pretty strained relationship. It wasn’t until she moved to Utah that things…
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Byodo-In Temple
Although I didn’t make nearly enough time to visit this spot during my time on Oahu, the Byodo-In Temple on the Windward side of the island is one of my absolute favorite places. Located in a valley at the foot of the Koolau Mountain Range is Oahu’s Valley of the Temples, a resting place for many of Hawaii’s departed. Besides serving as a memorial park, the Valley of the Temples consists of lush hills covered with tropical flowers and plants. Towards the back of the Valley of the Temples, visitors will find the Byodo-In Temple, a scale replica of a 950 year old temple in Uji Japan and made entirely…
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My Husband’s Favorite Pizza on Oahu – Boston’s Pizza
I have a confession to make – I am not a pizza person. Now that is not to say I don’t enjoy myself a piece of pepperoni every now and then, but it’s not something I always want. My husband on the other hand loves pizza. Ninety percent of the time when I let him choose something for dinner, if he’s not choosing a burger, he’s picking pizza. And while we have lived on Oahu that means Boston’s Pizza. Boston’s Pizza is a local pizza joint in Kailua and they serve giant, fresh, thin crust pizza. I may not be a pizza person but I know a good slice when…
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North Shore Garlic Shrimp
Oahu’s North Shore is known for many things. Gorgeous beaches. Huge waves. Laid back vibes. And garlic shrimp. Garlic shrimp can be found all over Oahu’s North Shore and it is one of the must do things when you visit the island. But who has the best shrimp? With all the different choices where should you go? Everyone that lives here has their go-to location. Some locations are local secrets while others have grown to be quite well known. Since I’ve lived on Oahu there are three different shrimp locations I always hear come up in conversation. Whether in person or online and they seem to always be compared to…
