Kailua beach:: as pristine as it gets

In my existence, I have never seen a beach as pristine as Kailua's. The sand is soooo unbelievably white and fine. The water is very clear and blue. It was calming to be there.

















We let Ava loose. When the waves catches up on him, he was shrieking and laughing like crazy... Very priceless must I say. Again, how ironic that it is priceless... It actually do comes with a price tag that equates to three round trip airfare tickets to and fro Hawaii. Teehee!













While the little one was frolicking in the beach, the big one went hiking. In slippers! He went hiking a few miles away from the beach, overlooking the town and the beach. He says, it was so nice and chilly up there. I am just too a sissy that I'm not too fond of hiking, unless I get to see pretty stuff on the way up. Ha!ha!







And in just a few days, we shall be back home. Sigh! And so I learned that once we touch home base, we are back to work. Well, the price we need to pay for a few weeks off. Nevertheless, this beach lovin' trip is priceless.

Location:Kailua beach, Hawaii

Beach lovin in Hawaii

It's just not a Hawaiian vacation without a dip in its lovely beaches. Waikiki beach is darn so famous but it isn't as pristine as that in Kailua. We wanted to go Northshore but we just had the famous shaved ice at where else... Matsumoto's. yay! And we didn't bring spare clothes. Boo!

Now I'm going to sound incoherent, why the heck are we then here at China man's? See, Ace's cousin landed a cameo role as a Chinese soldier for Last Resort. Yeppers! You read that right... Last Resort, the series about a submarine blah blah blah... Which airs in AXN back home. So they filmed near here, we wanted to take a glimpse of the filming, sadly it was on another part of this beach, so what better way to douse our disappointment... Frolic in the beach!


Li mo love! Back home we call it kanot kanot. I love it when it is added to inabraw or pinakbet. I learned a new recipe though, it could be pickled or made into a salad. Any other way.... I find it ridiculously addictive!








Young and carefree. Sigh! How time flies so fast... He is actually now going seven. My little one, my little piece of heaven on earth.


Looking at the photo above makes me feel nostalgic... If we could give the world in a silver platter, we would little one.


Even in Hawaiian shores, he couldn't forget his crush. Oh no, Ace! A loves C! Uh oh! Major Uh oh!





I think two nights before this we had the tsunami scare. We were playing tennis at ala moana and BBQ-ing with family, we were warned that a tsunami was coming. Seriously, sirens and policemen everywhere. Ava was crying and terrified. I thought he'd never want to go near a beach again. But then, how wonderful the heavens are... He played in the beach alone... With just us at the shorelines.


Do you wonder Ace, what he was whispering to me? There are only two you could choose from, whispering endearments or spelling T-O-Y please. Teehee!





Alright, that is Aloha from the three of us. Wouldn't it be nice to have a beachfront home. Sigh!

Location:Chinaman's Hat, Hawaii

Pinoy wherever

Aside from the lovely stores in my itinerary, the swap meet is on top of it. It is quite the only place I could think of that could be my treasure trove for vintage finds.

Some may cringe that this is so Pinoy-ish but what the heck, I am Pinoy, proud to be one... and oh well... Sigh!

Years back, I always find a lame excuse of not burning my skin at the swap meet... But now that we do lovely parties, it is such a delight to be scouring stall per stall, truck per truck for one of a kind pieces, once treasure to others, now my treasure.


We got Ava's chair oops I mean luggage at just 3bucks... Now what do you know. It will look great with our vintage themed parties. And the camera Ava's tinkering with is also another steal. Price undisclosed. Teehee!











Look here mommy! Sigh!











We're actually at a store selling veggies. You don't really get to miss Pinas when you're here... Well except for the dirt cheap prices we have in there as compared to veggies in here.











Our loot! Quite pleased. Very pleased. Oh and one more thing, the swap meet is the only place where I can haggle and not pay taxes. Teehee!

Location:Aiea,United States

Bruised but healing

How timely is the issuance of our tickets to go on this trip! It's been in the calendar months ago as Ava's semestral break is the only chance we could go on vacation, for several reasons. First, it falls on Halloween... Not many cakes nor parties, the ones we lose are affordable. Second, my in laws birthdays fall on these dates. Third, I get to see inspirations before the onset of Christmas. Fourth, veterans day memorial sale! I would have wanted the black Friday sale but that would be too long for a vacation for us already.

Timely I'd say for I thought it would nurse some bruised emotions I have. I know we are in a cutthroat industry but I didn't literally take it as cutting each others throats. Shit happens! Pardon the pun! I console myself with the following motivational quotes...

First, you can never put a good man down. Second, what goes around comes around. Third, you can not start something good from something bad without fixing the bad. I'm naive. We are people and not crabs. At least that's what I believe where we belong. I've actually appreciated the feeling of anger and hatred for it gives me more reason to do nicer projects or so. That is something that makes Ace go nuts. My desire to be better when angry is something. It truly is something. That's my way of turning the negative into positive.

One things for sure, I don't intend to besmirch our reputations with little foul plays or so... I believe in our portfolios... In our abilities to do nice things. Not words would sell us, but shoot me for saying this but... Our uncanny ability to make things pretty. =) Heaven sent!

What you do is what matters, not what you think, or say, or plan-J.Fried


- kit m.

Aloha land

We've been looking forward for this trip for months. I seriously miss the outlets. And this would be Ace and Ava's 1st of many (i hope) US trips. When Ace and Ava had their visa interview... Before the consul could say something Ava said "thank you for giving us our visa!" Talk about preempt!





His excitement is so contagious. Travel even if it's not your first, still is exciting!


Lay over in Japan. Glad wifi was free everywhere. Downside... Food was so expensive.




I wonder what they were talking about. Hah! Girls or toys?


Our first stop is aloha-land! We just have to visit Ace's parents and relatives...



Ace's Aunts and Uncles, Badette and his parents even prepared a banner for us! Awww! Thanks guys! Hawaiian hospitality at it's best.








My in laws hosted a welcome party for us. When Filipinos do welcome party... Really it is a welcome party with a capital W!


Ace's cousins, nephews and nieces. I always complain in jest that Ace's family is so crazy dami here in Laoag. Imagine his dad has 9 siblings... With some of them having 10 kids too! Ayayay! When we got there, there were still like 50 of them. Wooot!




At Iolani palace.




According to Papa Jess, Iolani palace is the only palace in the United States. =)





Ava and Star goofing at Arizona Memorial. I am still confused isn't that place also Pearl harbor? Need I ask google? =p

Look! They're stepping on the Philippines in American soil. =)








We had Dave & Buster for lunch so the kiddos could play in the arcade.





It was so chilly! I regret being in shorts!



Not even my cellulite could keep me warm. Sigh!




After which we went to this beautiful place... Floradec. It is the most beautiful establishment in Hawaii for me. Arts and crafts at it's best. I will write on what I saw at another time.




Dinner with Auntie Tennie's family at Makino Chaya. They knew I love Jap food so much. I could eat it all day, year round.








To cap off the night, we rode the Aloha bus and cruised Waikiki. Ava super enjoyed the double decker bus. Thank you Mac, Trish, Star, JJ, Badette, Pinky, Yanna and Auntie Ten for touring us around.




It was also Ace's mom's birthday. If only we could have made a pretty cake... We had to be satisfied with Costco's cake.




His shirt says it all.








A quick visit to Ace's grams and gramps! =)





Hawaiian skies... Different! It's so Hawaiian-ish whatever that means...





We had a picnic at China Man's hat. The mound at the upper right portion of this photo is the hat. Kinda crazy! I know!





The area where they shoot Hawaii 5-O and somewhere near behind a huge mountain is where they shoot Jurassic park.





Hawaii's a nature lovers paradise. The beaches, mountains definitely is something. Though we did around the island, I know there are a lot more we could see in aloha land. On our next visit, we wont just stay for 7 days anymore. Longer!

One more thing, when Ace's parents dropped us off at the airport, as they hugged Ace, I saw a tear well on his dad's eyes. It's like the feeling of "my boy is big now". Traveling journeys... Realizing dreams. =)
kit m.

Location:Hawaii, USA