First stop....Seven days on the Big Island, Hawaii

Our first stop was a week on the Big Island.  We rented a two bedroom villa called Kona View Estate.  It's essentially a duplex located on a hill with a coffee plantation that overlooks Kailua-Kona.  The owners live on one side and they rent out the other side.  The property has a pool, large deck, hot tub, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a fully equipped kitchen and bbq, washer/dryer, beach chairs/towels/snorkeling gear, and just about anything else you could possibly imagine.  The owners were around if we needed anything, but were not overbearing or obtrusive.  It was a great rental property.

We spent a considerable amount of our time on the Big Island exploring.  While our intention was to hang out at the pool and relax, we quickly found that there were more things to do than hours in a day.  And, the roads are terribly curvy so getting from point A to point B was slow going.  I spent the whole week doped up on Dramamine.  Sigh.

The weather was hit or miss on the Big Island, so the pictures aren't the best.  When I say hit or miss, I mean we could leave the house and it was sunny, drive 30  minutes and it was raining.  Taking pictures with beautiful blue skies was essentially non existent.

It took about 2.5 hours to get from our villa to the Hilo side of the island.  While on the Hilo side we went to Akaka Falls, Rainbow Falls, Umauma Falls, Waipio Valley, the Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Factory and had lunch at Cafe Pesto in Hilo.  Below are a few pictures.

 Akaka Falls - this pictures doesn't do the falls justice.  The falls fall about 400 feet into a pool of water.  It takes a bit of effort to get to Akaka Falls.  The road to the park is a bit off the main highway, so follow the signs and hang in there.  Once you get to the park, there is a small parking lot which requires a $5 fee per car.  Alternatively, you can park outside of the parking lot on the side of the road and pay a fee of $1 per person.  There is a lot attendant at the entrance to the paved trail where you pay your fee.  The trail is about a half mile of asphalt, a few hills and steps.  Skip the stroller or anything with wheels.  The trail winds through some beautiful landscape, so enjoy the walk to the falls.  

Waipio Valley is located about an hour north of Hilo.  There is a small parking lot overlooking the beach and bay located in the picture below.  If you want to drive down to the beach, you NEED a 4 wheel drive vehicle.  While on the Big Island, it's best to just rent a Jeep.  You won't regret it.  The hike down to the beach probably takes an hour or so and you share the one lane road with vehicles also making the journey.  If you drive down use a low gear and go slow.  There are vehicles traveling in the opposite direction and very small pull off areas where you move over as you yield to traffic heading up the hill.  

Umauma Falls or Umauma Falls and Zipline Experience as it is advertised is located about a 5 minute drive from Highway 19.  Parking is free near the visitor center and then you walk up a driveway/hill for about 10 minutes to view the falls.  There is a small parking lot at the top of the hill, but the spots are reserved for those individuals that require additional assistance.  There is a fee (I think $6) to view the falls and the gardens, but the admission is good for 7 days, so if the weather isn't cooperating, you can always go back again.

Near Umauma Falls is the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Gardens.  While we didn't go to the gardens, we did take the Scenic Drive and pulled off to hike down a little hill and check out the beach on Onomea Bay.  This hidden little cove is adjacent to the park and even has an 'entrance' into the park....but depending upon who is guarding the entrance, they may not allow you to pay and enter.

After leaving Hilo and heading north on Highway 19, we stopped at Laupahoehoe Point Park and Beach.  The water here was a beautiful aquamarine blue with large pieces of lava rock jutting out into the sea.  I could set up a chair and sit there all day.  It was rainy overcast day, so again, the pictures really don't do it justice!

Chuck learns to surf on Oahu, Hawaii

When I was planning our trip to Hawaii, I started looking into surfing lessons, stand up paddleboard (SUP) lessons and other highly recommended activities.  I am a heavy user (and contributor) to tripadvisor and place a lot of value on the reviews that other people provide.  Obviously, you have to read all / most of the reviews and use your best judgement with regard to making purchasing decisions.  In general, I have been happy with my decisions based upon tripadvisor recommendations.

I was searching for surfing lessons on the island of Oahu and found Island Style Surf and Sergio in Haleiwa.  My husband loved his surf experience.  Sergio had an ease about him and provided amazing instruction.  The location was perfect for a first time surfer, yet had more advanced surfers nearby.  After a quick on-shore lesson, Sergio and Chuck paddled out.  A few reminders and Chuck was off, catching his first wave.  There were a few spills over the course of the 2 hour lesson, but many more waves where he was hanging ten!

Hawaii 2012

We have never been to Hawaii.  I know, gasp!  In all our world travels over the years, Hawaii has never percolated to the top of our list.  So, in 2012, we decided that we'd take the plunge and head to Hawaii for 2 weeks.  I think the reason we kept putting off a trip to Hawaii was because I knew the planning was going to be stressful.  Which islands?  Rent a house or stay at hotels?  One island, two islands, more?  Are our expectations too high?  Yikes.

In March 2012, I started the research and planning and by May our trip for two weeks in late November/early December was booked.

Here's our itinerary.

Days 1-7:    Stay on the Big Island and rent a villa.  We stayed at Kona View Estate in Holualoa, just outside of Kailua Kona on the west side of the island of Hawaii.  On the agenda - south point, dolphins, turtles, volcano national park, Hilo, Mauna Kea observation, waterfalls, relax, beach. 

Days 8-9:    Fly to Oahu for two days.  Early flight in and a late flight out, provided for 2 full days of exploring.  We stayed at the Hilton Hawaiian Village in the Rainbow Tower in Waikiki.  On the agenda - Pearl Harbor, surfing, north shore, touring the island.

Days 10-14:  Fly to Maui.  We stayed at the Waldorf Astoria Grand Wailea Resort.  On the agenda - Road to Hana, sunrise and biking Haleakala, beaches, sunset sailing, relaxing.

Up next....the posts!

Stitch - Raleigh, North Carolina

I've been on a bit of a 'kick' lately to find and support local businesses.  While perusing the Raleigh, North Carolina tourist brochures,  I stumbled across an article about Holly Aiken, a local artist, who creates purses.  This ticked all my boxes....local, purses, and another Holly.  I had to seek out her store, Stitch, in downtown Raleigh.

As soon as I walked in, I knew I was in trouble.  Over the course of a week, I shopped there twice and since I've been back in Illinois, I shopped online and bought a few as gifts.  There are too many options with too many color combinations that caught my eye, that I had to buy more than just one handbag.

The tomato/gunmetal bag with the abstract flowers and the green/avocado bag with dots are both Holly Aiken purses.  Now, if only I could convince her to branch out and make a zip close wallet to match :-)

So, if you're in Raleigh, North Carolina, check out Stitch.

And here they are....

Back up to Summer....Minneapolis, Minnesota

Each year the girls in my family take a trip somewhere.  We've been to northern Wisconsin, San Francisco and the bay area, and Boston and the Cape.  This year, Lincoln crashed the party, so we went to Minneapolis for some fun.

On the agenda...

• The Mall of America for some shopping and ALOT of time in Nickelodeon World on the water log ride and every other ride that appeals to a 3.5 year old.
• Como Zoo and the botanical gardens
• A river cruise
• A million dollar park in Bloomington

I look back fondly on my time at the University of Minnesota and living in Minneapolis.  I've always said that I'd move back to the Twin Cities in a heartbeat.  So, when we were planning this years girls getaway, I thought Minneapolis would be the perfect spot for us to drive to...and keep everyone busy, including a busy 3.5 year old.

I was able to get my hands on some free Nickelodeon World unlimited ride passes, so Lincoln was set and because he was 'vertically challenged' as chaperones, we rode free.  By the end of Day 1 Lincoln knew every inch of the water log ride from Babe the Big Blue Ox to the kitten sitting on a chair on the left side of the ride.  He managed to convince gramma to take him on some rides, too.  Poor gramma.

I love Como Zoo.  Yes, it's the free zoo in the area, so it can get a bit crowded, but it's still well worth the visit...and a donation!  Near Como Zoo is a little cafe called Java Train.  The service was very good and the food even better.  On a nice summer day, you can even spend some time in their outdoor cafe where the kids can play a bit.  A funny note...the hand driers in the bathroom are quite powerful.  Watch the skin on your hands blow all over the place :-)

Even though I lived in Minneapolis-St. Paul for several years, I never did the touristy things like a river cruise.  So...we did.  We took the Padelford river cruise.  While the boat was fine, the ride was uneventful and the scenery was ok, the experience can be ruined if your boat is filled with rude tourists.  Smoking is allowed on the upper deck in the back, so that was one strike against the experience.  Rude tourists blocking exits with chairs, stealing chairs, and just being adult bullies (to other passengers) was strike two.  A crew that was unwilling to intervene was strike 3.  When you get on the boat it is a mad dash to 'save' tables and chairs on the upper level with a a view / 'on the rail'.  Latecomers on our boat took chairs and tables that had coats on them and then cause such a raucous.  If you have nothing else to do, need to waste some time, don't mind feeling like cattle, and feel a need to return to high school, then this will be ok.  If you want to relax and enjoy, I'd pass.

Of course the 3.5 year old in our group needed a place to run off some energy.  The center court at the Mall of America was good, but we needed some outdoor space, so we headed over to Bloomington.  Let me just say that this community invested in an absolutely wonderful free park with state of the art play equipment and rubberized surfaces.  I was impressed.  Pictures below.

A few pics from the trip.

The Botanical Garden and Como Zoo

Padelford River Cruise in St. Paul...and yes, that is a bald eagle!

Playground at Bloomington Park

Back up...Road Trip from Washington D.C. to the Midwest (May 2011)

As I was going through some old photos, I stumbled upon pictures of covered bridges from May 2011 when I flew to D.C. and drove my brother's M3 back to the Midwest.

A few pictures...

Glessner Bridge

Burkholder Bridge

Shanksville, Pennsylvania 911 Memorial (in 2011)

Trostletown Bridge

New England Foliage Tour

My bucket list has always included a trip to New England to tour and drive through when the fall foliage was at its peak.  This year, we were able to see fall foliage just as it was starting to turn into vibrant oranges, yellows and reds.

The REAL purpose of the trip to the northeast wasn't just to see the fall foliage.  It was to see our friends that had recently returned to the States after a 4 year stint in Europe (Denmark and Germany).  While in Europe, my friend Tara was always a source for humor when the craziness of living abroad get the best of you.  She was also the source of the famous April Fool's Day joke where she convinced all of her fellow expats that were longing for Target, that Target was indeed, opening a store in Horsens, Denmark.  I fell for it.  Hook. Line. Sinker.  Sigh.  But, despite making me feel so gullible, she remained a great friend.

I must admit, I lobbied heavily for her to move to the Northeast...it gives me an excuse to see another part of the great United States...and of course, Tara and her family :-)

A few pictures from our tour.

Montpelier, Vermont

Covered bridge in Vermont

Stowe, Vermont

Stowe, Vermont

Stowe, Vermont pedestrian bridge

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

While hubs was stuck in a convention hall at a conference, I headed west to Old Salem, near Winston-Salem.  I was envisioning something similar to Heritage Hill in Green Bay, Wisconsin, which btw is where my sister was married.

I was surprised to find Old Salem's historic buildings smack-dab in the middle of a residential neighborhood and a liberal arts women's college (Old Salem Academy and College).

A few pictures from Old Salem...

Raleigh, North Carolina

In September, we traveled to Raleigh, North Carolina for a week.  Raleigh is the capital of North Carolina and the capitol building is situated similar to Madison, Wisconsin's capitol with a major street leading right up to the building.  In Madison, State Street, a pedestrian street, with some limited access vehicle traffic is lined with restaurants, bars, shops, and has an overall college-town vibe.  In Raleigh, Fayette Street leads up to the capitol building.  It's not technically a pedestrian street; however it does close periodically for events.  The sidewalks are large and encourage pedestrian traffic flow.

While in Raleigh, I stumbled upon some lovely places.

Stitch - Who can pass up a purse made by a designer with your same first name?  Not me!  Stitch is the storefront for a local graphic designer, Holly Aiken, who makes some gorgeous purses.  I spent a small fortune, but walked away with two purses, 2 tablet covers, and 2 smart phone covers.  Thank goodness she has a website to feed my new addiction.  My new purses are the Coupe Paspartou in Avocado/Olive and the Coupe Poppy in Tomato/Gunmetal.

Dos Taquitos el Centro - Just down the street from Stitch is a small Mexican restaurant.  In a word, YUM!  Holly (from Stitch) wrote down a list of restaurants that she recommended and this was at the top of the list, so we decided to give it a try.  El Centro takes a classic dish and puts a little modern spin on it.  I had the three enchiladas plate. One enchilada was chicken with a spicy green salsa that has a nice sweetness to it.  One was beef with a smoky chipotle sauce and the last one was black bean with a white creamy cheese sauce.  Yum!  Oh, and for the record, the margaritas were quite tasty.

The Pit - If you read the guidebooks and tourist pamphlets, they all recommend the Pit for North Carolina BBQ.  Perhaps we are a bit spoiled or our palettes are now refined, but this was good, but not great.  The rib meat fell off the bone...which is a clear sign that it's been steamed too long.  The meat was tender and had great flavor, but it was more steamed than smoked.  However, given the size of the restaurant and the packed tables / reservation demand, I understand that it would be next to impossible to keep up with the orders for meat right from the BBQ pit.

 The capitol building

 A nearby church

 Fayette street leading from the Capitol to a performance hall

Sand sculpture near the capitol