Hawaii: Oahu: North Shore Soap Company

What I remember the most about the North Shore Soap Company was that it smelled like a spa. I realized today that I never told you about the time my friend and I went exploring the North Shore of Oahu, knowing only that we had to stop at the historic Waialua Sugar Mill for what was touted as the best shaved ice on Oahu.

While we were on the sugar mill property, we noticed a silo (left over from the sugar production days) that has been converted into a soap making business and adjacent shop. It is rustic and small, but the soaps are just beautiful.  I would have loved to visit when they were cutting these beautiful slabs into bars. And look at these giant soap blocks - they are each the size of a toaster oven!

Remember when I made my first Bundt cake soap? I may not be a soap-maker, but I have fun dabbling when I have time.  I wonder if they offer classes?

Honolulu: Waikiki: Royal Hawaiian

Today's moment of delight is about location, location, location.  I knew that I wanted to go to a restaurant on Waikiki Beach to have dinner and watch the sun go down.  A friend had told me about the Barefoot Bar at Duke's Waikiki and although I loved the setting, menu and mood of the place (think "The Love Boat" meets Jimmy Buffet), but Corinne and I couldn't stand the volume of the live music.  She told me that she was sure we would like it at a place she had in mind, just down the beach.  I reluctantly gave up our coveted spots at Duke's, bought a t-shirt for Dan and followed Corinne down the strip.

Rule #1, always listen to Corinne.  She took me directly to the Royal Hawaiian and the photo above is the view from our table, and it's a great place to get a picture of Diamond Head.

We had this gorgeous, yet still beach-y and casual meal, in this perfect (and I mean perfect) beach side restaurant at the Royal Hawaiian.  The music was light and relaxing, we had a table closer to the ocean than I thought was possible and I loved it.  Plus, the hotel has a lot of history (Bing Crosby, Elvis) and it was fun strolling the shops in the lobby and the shades of pink Ladies Lounge (bathroom) with mirrors and sofas had a design and scale that was right out the movies.   

And I got my sunset.  The waitress knew we were there to see it from our beach table, so she made it easy for us to stay as long as we wanted.  You must, must, must make time to have a meal at  beach side restaurant in Waikiki, and if it is at all possible, head for the Royal Hawaiian, you'll love it.

Sunset Surfer

When I travel, I often make a mental list of things I want to photograph.  And they are never something simple like "sunset" or "hibiscus."  When I left for Hawaii, I actually had in my mind that I wanted to photograph the silhouette of a surfer heading out to surf.

Tah-dah!  Like an ant with a potato chip, this guy was carrying his board out to sea.  The combination of the mist coming off the surf and the sun starting to set was pure magic.  I couldn't have made it up better myself.

Oahu's north shore lived up to my expectations.  Sand, Surf...and Silhouettes.

Oahu: Lanikai Beach

Is Lanikai Beach one of the most beautiful beaches in the world?  This girl says yes.  No wonder fashion photographers make this their stomping ground.  I can only hope that your computer monitor (or phone?) can display the many shades of aqua and turquoise.  It looks like a place that I made up.

This area of Kailua is primarily residential, but as state law requires that all Hawaiian beaches are open to the public, you can walk from the street down one of the many footpaths and enjoy this exclusive area for yourself.  It is glorious. 

Since we had planned to bring our beach chairs and plant ourselves at another beach down the road (which was also gorgeous), we brought only our cameras when walked down the path "to check it out."  This was spot to end all spots and I implore you to pack a lunch and plan to stay a while when you finally reach Lanikai Beach.  And if you see Giselle, tell her I say hi. 

Honolulu: Hibiscus Lady Nursery

I was so excited when I saw this display that I startled the woman that grows these!  Jill Coryell is the "Hibiscus Lady" and she hybridizes hibiscus. (Say that 5 times fast!)  She sells her plants at her farm, online and every Saturday at the Kapi'olani Community College Farmer's Market in Honolulu.

Many shoppers were gathered around to admire these flowers, but what I don't think they understood was that Jill "designs" these hibiscus.  She goes beyond specializing in hibiscus and their care and actually plans and creates the shades and styles of blooms that she wants.  Hybridizing deals with pollen and fertilizing, seed pods and ovaries.  It takes time, patience and vision.  She made a GRAY and peach hibiscus!! Are you kidding me?  This woman is a genius.

And my questions, enthusiasm and photo-taking through her for a loop.  Especially because I don't live in a climate where hibiscus can live.  Darn you Zone 5.  My friend pointed out that the general Hawaiian temperament is quiet and relaxed - the opposite of how she would describe me.  But tell me the truth, if you stumbled upon a woman who created a display like this, wouldn't you get excited too? 

Oahu: Banzai Pipeline on Oahu's North Shore

"Yahooooooooo!"  I imagine that there must have been some sort of primal whoop going through this guy's mind.  I wish I could track him down and show him the photograph I was able to get.  The only thing as coveted as a good run, is a photo of it.  Am I right?

I spent a good three hours watching and photographing the surf at the Banzai Pipeline on Oahu's North Shore.  The waves did indeed form a pipe and it was interesting to watch the 50+ surfers floating on their boards waiting to sync up with the perfect wave.

I gave into the calm rhythm of the waves - it gave me time to think.  No phones, no conversation, no hurry.  I loved it.

Hawaii: Best Shaved Ice on Oahu

Up in the town of Waialua, we tracked down the "best shaved ice on Oahu." Essentially a giant snow cone, we were curious to try this local specialty.

A darling salesman/surfer explained the flavor choices and unexpectedly gave us an impromptu taste test between the mango flavoring that "the others" use and the homemade recipe used at the Old Sugar Mill. What a difference!

That, he explained, is why all the locals come here. The mango syrup was light and fresh and delicious. I ordered a split of mango and coconut and slurped my way through this refreshing Hawaiian treat. 

We shopped the store, toured the chocolate/coffee production area out back and was lovingly shown a local route to the best view of the North Shore pipeline on a map. 

Our visit to the Old Sugar Mill in Waialua was Hawaiian hospitality at its best. Mahalo!

Hawaii: Eating the Local Delights

Now this is a breakfast of champions! Fresh papaya (with a squeeze of lime juice), yogurt sweetened with Hawaiian sugar, fresh grilled pineapple, dried apple banana chips and the crunch of roasted macadamia nuts. Yep, Hawaii suits me.

When Corinne and I visited a friend of hers, I noticed a full size tree in the neighbors yard loaded with orange-colored fruit. I asked her if they could possibly be tangerines ripening on the tree. Oh yes, that tree is very productive, she said.

A few days later, Corinne dropped by her friend's without me and returned home with an armload of fruit! The neighbor had dropped off a bunch and she shared some with Corinne. So lately our "snack" has been fresh tangerines! Eating them somehow feels different because I know they weren't picked from a stack at the grocery store. They feel like a gift - true Hawaiian hospitality.

Oahu: Idyllic Beaches

"Oh darling,want to go for a swim?" If we'd had time, I would have thrown on a swimsuit and gone swimming at this picture perfect beach called "Hanauma Bay."

Doesn't it look divine? The footpath down to it is a bit tenuous, a steep and dusty path from the highway down to the sand, but it looks oh-so-worth-it! If there only was time for all of this. This is the beach location for the famous kissing scene in the movie, "From Here To Eternity" (with Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr) was filmed - a movie set indeed.

I took this photo from above at the scenic pullout for the Halona Blowhole.

Oahu: Aulani Resort

Have you ever felt like you were actually on a movie set? The ocean, the food, the atmosphere felt worthy of an epic love story filmed by a renowned movie producer on his best day. I mean it!

My friends suggested we have an early dinner at the oceanfront restaurant 'AMA 'AMA (within the spectacular Disney resort, Aulani (www.http://resorts.disney.go.com/aulani-hawaii-resort/dining/table-service/ama-ama-beach-restaurant/) so that we could watch the sun set over the Pacific during dinner. Sounds good to me!

The Aulani resort just opened in September 2011, so it is brand new and absolutely gorgeous. The resort theme tries to capture the spirit of Hawaiian culture through art, music, food and design and I think they did a beautiful job. The scale of the resort is grand, but the atmosphere remains distinctly calming.

After a lovely dinner (you can see my salad course of Heirloom tomatoes, Buratta cheese and a white corn vinaigrette below) at a table close to the ocean, we wandered up to the open air lobby to visit the gift shop (would you believe a Aulani-specific Dooney & Bourke purse?) and take a look around.

In this second floor lobby, there are alcoves and balconies where you can sit and listen to live Hawaiian music waft up from the patio below. I'm not sure my blood pressure could go any lower - it was lovely.

Is the Aulani a "must visit" site on your delightful tour of Oahu? Absolutely.

Oahu: Dole Pineapple Plantation

I love fresh pineapple and this is the ultimate in "fresh", wouldn't you say?

I visited the Dole Pineapple Plantation today (look at the pineapple field with the Pacific ocean in the background! Gorgeous.) and was surprised to learn that each pineapple plant can produce one pineapple 3 times; the first pineapple takes 18 months to develop and reach maturity, the second pineapple takes 32 months for it to develop and the third and final piece of fruit takes 45 months before it can be picked and eaten. Isn't that hard to imagine? And after that 3rd pineapple is picked, the plant is finished producing forever.

I really had fun looking around the gift shop and "had to have" a lovely dark wood cutting board in the shape of a pineapple. The pineapple is a symbol of hospitality and I know that I will have fun using this board for appetizers at my house. I have a vague recollection of a cream cheese/pineapple recipe that would be nice with crackers. I'll have to see if I can find it when I get home. If I do, I promise to post it here.