I’m back from Hawaii and am kicking myself for not scheduling a much longer trip. I stayed in Waikiki (a.k.a. tourist central) and didn’t see all that much of Oahu, although I managed to go snorkeling (saw some huge turtles) and hiking. If I go back, I’d love to go to the North Shore of Oahu, Maui, and maybe some other spots that are less built up. We also went to a luau, which was as terrifying as it sounds (think Disney-fied Hawaii), but it was so ridiculous that all you could really do was just laugh it off and drink Mai Tai’s. And in case you were wondering when you look at the pictures, we got rear-ended on our way back from the hike. We were all okay, but I documented everything for the insurance company since I happened to have my camera.
Ate two fantastic meals — one at Momomo, a Japanese itzakaya where I had incredibly fresh sushi, and succulent fried baby shrimp, and the other at the Side Street Inn. I knew we were in great shape when the cab driver asked us if we really wanted to go there. "It’s local food," he said, hesitantly. "Perfect." We had simple but tasty ahi poke, beef poke laced with cilantro, a locally grown salad with a tangy red wine vinaigrette, crab and artichoke dip, and their famous pork chops and fried rice. I also think I filled my pina colada quota for the next few years. Enjoy the pictures!