Aloha Cuz (Cousin)!

I just returned from a fun (and sun) filed week in Hawaii! I was so stressed out before heading on vacation, so you can imagine the calm that came over me when we landed in sunny, warm, and colorful Oahu. I felt the tension release from my neck almost immediately.

This was our 3rd trip to Hawaii, but I must say, I never get bored of this place. I could seriously live there. This time around was less hustle and bustle, and more relaxation. Part of that relaxation consisted of me gaining about 5lbs from all the wonderful Polynesian/Japanese food, maitais, beer, sushi, noodles, and steak. Mmm. It was sunny and 80 degrees every single day in Waikiki, and we never tired of hitting the beach.

Here’s a few highlights from our trip – with photos (and commentary of course).

1. The “Eddie”
Normal Decembers in North Shore, Oahu, HI means big waves and surf competitions. But this December meant, the 25th Anniversary of the Eddie Aikau! Even though it was the 25th Anniversary, the actual competition has only been held 8 times. That’s because, the waves in Waimea Bay have to reach about 30 – 50 feet. And boy did they! The waves were huge, and we only made it to the pre-competition heat! Those surfers had some “cajones” to paddle out and brave the life-threatening surf. It definitely was a treat to see, and very exciting to watch. The crowds were packed tight all along the road, and the traffic was backed up for miles. I can only imagine how crowded it was the very next day for the actual official competition.


(Photo taken about quarter mile from Waimea bay)
(see more info and better photos here: MSNBC)

2. The Food
You can find just about every type of food in Waikiki – but most prominent – Japanese! Our favorite spot is a great little authentic Japanese Noodle House on the main ‘drag’ with all the upscale shops. The noodles are cooked properly, the broth is superb, and the dumplings are always fresh. We thought about taking some noodle soup home with us, but the TSA has those pesky rules about ‘no liquids on the plane’…

3. Spotting a celeb at Denny’s
While enjoying our pancakes at Denny’s, much to our surprise, an actor came into the small breakfast joint. All four of us recognized him, but could not place his face in a movie. We checked our iPhones but couldn’t figure it out. I really wanted to approach him (the wannabe paparazzi inside me did), but you can’t go up to an actor and say ‘I don’t know what you’re in, or what your name is – but I know your face! Can I take a photo?”’. We hovered around a bit to see if someone could jog our memory – but to no avail. We went back to the room and tried to research. Zero hits. Then about 5hrs later, it dawned on it – the actor was Kevin Durand. He played ‘The Blog/Fred Dukes” in the Wolverine Origins movie. I WAS SO MAD AT MYSELF! He was about as close as I could get to Halle Berry, Ryan Reynolds, and Hugh Jackman! Unlike most actors, he wasn’t tiny – he was huge (at least 6’1”) with gigantic biceps.

4. Surfing
I’m not athletic. Everyone knows this. I have no coordination. I hate the gym. So no wonder all my friends were shocked to find out I took a surf lesson. Not only did I take a lesson – I caught two waves, and got a surfboard rash (my battle scar). Surfing is surprisingly easy. Standing on the board isn’t so bad – I was surprised at how much traction I had. The tough part is paddling out to the wave area (my arms were killing me!), and paddling to catch the wave. I felt so proud of myself as I rode the wave until it died out near the shore. I have a newfound respect for surfers. Those guys and gals are true athletes. We were catching ity-bity waves and they were scary enough – I can’t imagine the heart-pounding excitement of pro-surfers catching waves at the ‘Eddie’ competition!

5. The Royal Hawaiian MaiTai Bar
I must admit, we hit this place about 4 times. The drinks are TO DIE FOR. I get the scratch maitai, instead of the royal hawaiian signature (only because I’m not a fan of Kahlua). Order the Royal Hawaiian buffalo wings while you sip your maitai. You’ll be in heaven. And an added bonus is nabbing a table just before the Hawaiian sunset!