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2011-12-22T00:18:00.000-08:00

Battle of the Burgers: Teddy's Bigger Burgers vs. Honolulu Burger Company

2011-01-10T23:56:00.000-08:00

So you're in Honolulu and you are craving a good burger. Whether it's a burger or fried chicken, the last thing you want to do is go to a usual chain when you are visiting. If you live here then you certainly want to compare right?

On this corner we have Teddy's Bigger Burgers. Opened on April 1988, Teddy's goal was to bring back the 50's style burger joint to Hawaii. I remember trying my first burger at Teddy's and I have always maintained that they have the best burgers on the island (at least, so far). On the other corner is the Honolulu Burger Company. Fairly new, I stumbled across this place while driving on a very busy main road in Honolulu. I finally got to try the place just today. Here's a breakdown of my opinion...

- The ground meat...I believe both Teddy's and Honolulu BC uses 80/20 ground chuck. Fatty and full of flavor, it is the perfect ground beef for a hearty burger. No, it's not healthy. But if you are going to have a good burger, you have to do the 80/20. Save the leaner burgers for at home. lol Both Teddy's and Honolulu BC cook their patties well. I order medium and I got medium.

- The bun...A good bun is like using good rice when making sushi. At Honolulu BC, I was pleasantly surprised that you could choose between three kinds of buns...white, whole wheat and taro. I went for the taro bun. It was fresh. However, as fresh as it was, it didn't really have the "bunpower" needed to hold up the fillings. It was toasted on the inside but got pretty soggy and soaked rather quickly. Later, you will see why. Teddy's uses the infamous potato bun. Yes, it is the only choice but it was both fresh and had the bunpower it needed for such a hearty burger.

- Special Sauce...Both places have their own special sauce and both are similar to a Russian-style dressing. However, Honolulu BC's sauce seemed to breakdown a little when the meat hit the sauce. So the grease kinda made it hard to really tell how good it was. Teddy's sauce seems to hold up better. I can't remember though if Teddy's puts their sauce away from the burger. I will have to take notice the next time I go.

- Price and value...Price wise, both Teddy's and Honolulu BC are pretty close. I believe Honolulu BC is little more costly, depending on the type of burger you got. Teddy's definitely has more value because their burgers are bigger in size. The smallest burger Teddy's serves is the 5 oz and they also have the 7 and 9oz! Honolulu burger company's burger was not even 5 oz...at least I think so. I didn't seem all that big in size.

- What I ordered...At Teddy's I usually order the original burger which is simply lettuce, tomato, onions and special sauce. The original is great if you don't like the fancier burgers. I do occasionally get the Hawaiian burger. The burger is topped with teriyaki sauce and has a thick slice of pineapple as well. It's pretty good. The sauce is just right and the pineapple is fresh. Although Teddy's has a variety of burger concoctions to choose from, the Honolulu BC was supposedly known to have some unique combinations. Indeed they did. When I scanned the menu, I was determined to try something different. I decided on the pastele spring roll burger. Google pastele. lol In a nutshell, it was a burger topped with a pastele spring role, chimichurri sauce, grilled onions and their special sauce. If that sounds really unhealthy, let me tell you, it IS unhealthy. lol I should have known. Not only do you have the grease of the 80/20, you have the grease of a deep fried spring roll and the mayo-based special sauce. The chimichurri sauce was good though. And the grilled onions was also oily. The burger definitely was screaming for something light on it...some tomato maybe?

The Fries...Honolulu BC's fries are skinnier and they also have an option for sweet potato fries. It was good. My only complaint is that is was a little over salted. Teddy's fries is a medium cut. I have to say I like Teddy's fries better.

Well, after all of that the winner is pretty obvious don't you think? Now yes, I only tried Honolulu BC only once. But my hubby didn't like what he ordered either and it was the first time I saw him NOT finish a burger! He ordered the teriyaki burger with kimchee. He too said that it was too greasy and that their was very little teriyaki sauce on the burger. He actually put ketchup and mustard on his burger! He never does that. lol! And to make things harder, because the bun didn't have the bunpower it needed, it was too soggy. Burgers like this need a good bun that can hold up to these kinds of ingredients. And please if you are going to have a mayo-based sauce, DO NOT put it on the bottom with the burger. It's best to put it on the top or anywhere away from the burger so the grease from the patty doesn't get into the sauce.

Teddy's is definitely hearty and by no means is it a diet burger. But you do leave feeling a little less heavy. I left Honolulu BC feeling like a ton of bricks. Will I ever try Honolulu BC again? I would say no...not for those prices. But if you decide to give Honolulu BC a try, stick to something simple and try a traditional burger before trying any of those fancy ones. If the traditional burger is not to your liking, then the fancier ones will most likely not work for you either.

Teddy's Bigger Burgers http://teddysbiggerburgers.com/about-us.html

Honolulu Burger Company http://www.honoluluburgerco.com/

Aloha and happy burger hopping!

2010...

2010-12-30T12:00:00.000-08:00

I'm blessed, I'm blessed, I'm blessed. That pretty much sums up how 2010 went for me and my family. It's obvious that the greatest of them all was the birth of our first child but 2010 was also filled with life situations that made me stronger. I accepted the challenges that came my way and decided to learn from them. The results ended up me growing as a wife, mother and person in general. Best of all, my relationship with G-d went a step or two up and that is a blessing indeed. I am more mature in that sense and I can only look forward to more growing in 2011.

I don't have a New Year's resolution per se because one of the biggest things I desire needs no resolution. It just requires favor from the Almighty and some good ol' confidence and wisdom. This goes for a personal desire as well as the desire to be the best mom I can be to my son. I also know how important it is to keep being a good wife as well. Marriage is the foundation of all families and without that foundation we deprive our children of great blessings. This is why I pray that not only my son grows up in the way he should go but I also pray for his future wife as well. :)

Looking forward to a new year!

Being by our side...the birth, the ouchies and in Spirit

2010-10-21T14:30:00.000-07:00

I want to take this time to express my wonderful gratitude to the people who have made baby's birth a joy. First, there is my wonderful husband. Despite being the nervous dad when I got to the hospital and just wanting to sit down and get out of people's way...and despite feeling tense and horrible when the doctor began on baby's circumcision, that sudden burst of strength took precedence over those things and he was able to not only be our side, he transformed into the best labor coach and comforter when the time came to be so.

Then there are all the wonderful people in my spiritual family who prayed and interceded for baby. Most of you, I haven't even met you and there are those I don't even know. Yet the bond of the body of Christ and the prayers prayed is what makes all of us so very special. To those who wished us well, I hope that you know that it is because of the love and healing power of G-d baby has made it through. Things happen for a reason, and I am so incredibly thankful for His healing power.

Mahalo and shalom!

Welcome Baby Joseph

2010-10-18T12:26:00.000-07:00

Life as we know it has changed forever with the arrival of our beautiful baby boy! After a rough start in the hospital we are so proud and blessed to have our first child come home. I'd like to take this time and talk about his name and why we chose it.

Joseph is the English version the Hebrew name "Yosef". It means, "G-d added" or "G-d increased". Therefore, G-d has added to our family a firstborn son. Joseph, son of Jacob in the bible was the youngest son at the time. He had special favor from G-d and from his father. Despite his own brothers selling him as a slave, being wrongfully accused of adultery and going to prison, G-d was with him all the way and blessed him with great favor. Using his special gift he ended up from being sold as a slave to second in command in Egypt (right after Pharaoh)! But the most important thing about Joseph...in the end, despite his own brothers betraying him, he had forgiven them and the family was together once again.

The life of Joseph in the bible holds a very special meaning to us and the addition of our first born son means we begin a new and wonderful chapter in our lives. This is how his name came about. This is Joseph. :)

... Rolls

2010-05-17T23:59:00.000-07:00

It looks like sushi but the rice is usually plain (no vinegar). I call it ... Rolls because it all depends on what you stuff in it. It can be a chicken roll, a teriyaki beef roll, a tuna roll, etc... What I had on hand were some healthier hot dogs (no nitrates or artificial stuff) so that is what I made. And can I tell you this is one of most favorite things to eat!. I think kids would love it and I love to make these when going to the beach or when I'm driving around the island.

It's so easy!

If you don't have the bamboo, you can just use plastic wrap to help you roll. Just take a plain sheet of nori (dried seaweed) and layer some plain white rice 3/4 of the way from the bottom (use white sticky rice). You want to press down but not too much, otherwise the rice will get too smooshed. I like sprinkle some furikake over the rice. If you cant find it no worries. Although it would be worth the search!

Now I thought I took a pic of me putting in the stuffing but I guess not! Anyway, place your fillings of choice in the middle of the rice. I ending putting one hot dog and some Japanese pickles in the middle. Please see the end of this post for some filling ideas. Roll the bottom of the sheet over your filling a tuck in. Then each time you roll, tuck in a little. Tuck and roll, tuck and roll! lol Sounds like a safety exercise or something.

Let you roll rest a few minutes, then with a wet knife, slice in 8 pieces.

What you get is yummy! Great as a snack or a full meal.

----

Ideas for fillings:

Chicken

- Thinly sliced chicken or cut in small chunks.

- 1 T soy sauce

- 1 teaspoon sesame oil

- Spinkle of sugar

- Optional: fresh grated ginger

Tuna Salad

- One canned tuna in water

- 1 heaping T of mayo

- 1/4 t lemon juice or ponzu

- 1 t soy sauce

- Optional: some chopped green onions

Choice of Japanese pickles or kimchee

- Takuan

- Mustard Cabbage

- Any kind of kimchee

- Ume

Other ideas

- Leftover BBQ

- Whatever you like with rice

When It's No Longer About You...

2010-05-08T02:50:00.000-07:00

Not that it was ever just about you. You will always have family members, friends and those in need to care about and for some, pray for. But there are two human relationships that just seem to change ones perspective in a huge way...your spouse and your child/children. No matter how close you are with a parent or with anyone else, there is nothing compared to these two persons in your life. If you are like me, you understand the oneness that exists between a husband and wife. This is because the marriage relationship reflects our relationship with G-d. If G-d is not in your heart or even in your vocabulary, you still will have some sense of understanding how important the relationship is (not unless you are a selfish or numb person). The deep emotions you feel for one another and the inner connectedness you feel are enough to tell you that hey, my spouse is someone pretty important. And then you have your first child together. Whether you believe that a child is a gift from G-d or not, you are pretty much presented with an opportunity...the opportunity to be a responsible caretaker for that child.

This is when all your hopes and dreams no longer are all about you. Everything you strive for...the finances, free time...all of your investments are not for you anymore. Even your time of personal leisure and hobby is not completely just for you. It refreshes you for another. If you want to be truly selfless, getting married and starting a family is a good way to do it. As for me, I'm glad I have faith to be my anchor.

First Photo!

2010-05-04T00:09:00.000-07:00

Today I had my first ultrasound and I am proud to announce that baby is a boy! Thank you L-rd!

The technology we have today is so amazing. Being able to see the various parts of the baby's body closeup was quite an experience. When I think about it, my biggest clue of the sex of the baby was the fact that I had the hardest time coming up with a girl's name. But my husband and I knew for awhile what we would name the baby if it was a boy. So I am not really all that surprised. If you are wondering what that name will be you will have to wait. John and I decided to wait until the baby is blessed/dedicated before making a public announcement of his name. This is a Hebrew tradition, which we are still learning about. However, what I do know is that is has to do with honoring our Creator and acknowledging that the miracle of birth comes from G-d and G-d alone.

So there ya go. What an exciting time for John and I. And I now know what kind of items to place on my baby registry. :D

Plantation Iced Tea

2010-04-08T20:18:00.000-07:00

What screams refreshing to me is cool serving of some Plantation Iced Tea. You could call it the official drink of "The Gathering Place". I love this drink. It is free of alcohol and oh so simple...At least I thought it was simple. Pineapple juice...tea...done. But after trying some not so great ones out there I soon realized that there is a right way of making this cool drink and a wrong way (at least in my opinion). One of the best places so far for me is at Mariposa restaurant at Neiman Marcus.

The view isn't so bad either. :D

What I noticed about their iced tea was the smooth flavor of their tea. Like a good, smooth cup of coffee, the lack of bitterness in their tea made it very enjoyable. It tasted like a standard black tea. But because it was not bitter, it didn't overpower the other main component of the drink...

Pineapple juice! This is what puts "Plantation" in Plantation Iced tea.

The smoothness of the tea and right amount of pineapple juice is surely important. And I have a pretty good idea of how to achieve this at home. When I am able to consume more caffeine, I will return with a part two. :D

Ready and Refreshed

2010-03-30T11:38:00.000-07:00

Thank you for your patience everyone. Took a little break from blogging to get some rest. I am heading into the 2nd trimester so I am feeling more energized. It's been an exciting time and John and I look forward to this new chapter in our life!

Major Announcement

2010-02-03T11:13:00.000-08:00

I am pleased to announce that John and I are having a baby! This is an exciting new beginning and I look forward to keeping you updated here.

The January giveaway has been delayed but is still coming! So please, watch for it ok?

G-d bless you all!

Trish

Perfect Picnic Fare...Muuuuusubi.

2010-01-12T01:36:00.000-08:00

From top and left- Chopped seasoned radish, ume (pickled plums), and seasoned seaweed

From bottom and left- Okra, spam and season radish and furikake coated

When going to the beach or lookout, nothing is more local (at least for me) than a good musubi! Ok, so there are many other great grindz out there but the musubi is by far one of faaavorites. The musubi is really the cousin to sushi. The main difference is that the rice is normally plain. It does not have the rice vinegar in it. But like sushi you can put whatever you want in it (or on top of it).

So one day I went to Shirokiya to check out their new and expanded food market (which is great by the way) and found this neat set of mini musubis! What drew me to them was the one on your bottom left...the one topped with thin slices of okra. I had never seen one with okra so I decided to try it. It was what I expected. The orkra was marinated in a shoyu (soy sauce) and katsuo base. I liked it! They also managed to get rid of a lot of slimyness usually found in okra.

I really enjoyed this set.

Of course if you don't eat pork, then skip the spam musubi.

Now I feel like going to the beach. Ha.

Shirokiya

1450 Ala Moana Boulevard
Honolulu, HI 96814-4665

Jimbo

2010-01-06T15:33:00.000-08:00

John and I were able to have a nice day off together and I was hungry for some freshly made udon noodles. So off to Jimbo we went! I haven't been there in awhile so I was happy.

Jimbo makes fresh noodles daily. That's right, fresh. You should have been there as I slurped, slurped, chewed and slurped some more. lol The chewiness of the noodles is great. But instead of the hot noodles, I opted for the cold version. Quite refreshing on a warm Hawaiian day! Above is a pretty basic one. You know the batter made for shrimp tempura? What they do it fry up just the batter only and sprinkle it over the top. Lot's of fresh green onion and chiso leaves (parilla leaves) really rounded everything off nicely. I love chiso leaves! Is has sort of a plumy, citrus flavor. Finish it off with some grated radish and sliced cucumbers and you are good to go. Don't forget the yummy dashi broth made out of a fish broth and shoyu (soy sauce). Oh and want more now. :/

John ordered a combo set. A plate of Japanese curry chicken and rice, cold udon noodles and a small salad on the side. Nice combo for a hearty appetite! The only thing I was dissapointed about was the inari sushi. I could have sworn that it used to be gomoku inari. Inari is pocket made out of tofu rice and stuffed with sushi rice. Gomoku inari also has veggies in it; but it it was just the plain one. Oh well. It was still good. The mains star really is their homemade noodles, which by the way also includes the flatter cousin of udon and buckwheat soba.

If you don't live in Hawaii, try making some udon for yourself. This is a classic recipe for nabeyaki udon. Enjoy!

Jimbo Restaurant
1936 S King St Ste 103
Honolulu, HI 96826

The Kimi Doll

2010-01-06T00:13:00.000-08:00

What's cute, girly and traditional all in one? These Japanese dolls are nothing new. You can find what normally are always figurines anywhere in Japan. But when I saw the Kimidoll I thought they were ultra cute! Each Kimidoll has its own name and they tell you what their names means. My middle name is Michiko and I happen to find one with the same name. Michiko in Japanese means "wise". This happens to very local because of our rich cultural diversity.

Did I mention how cute these were?

Take a look at their website. They have the figurines but I opted for the keychain. I think it would also make a nice gift or party favor too. They even have tote bags and jewelry. So thank you Kimidoll for bringing out the cuteness and girlyness in me!

Kimidoll Website

If you are in Hawaii, you can also find the Kimidoll at The Paperie in Kahala Mall

Ringing In The New Year...2010

2010-01-02T23:56:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! As we begin a new year, it is my pleasure and desire to continue delivering to you a fun and refreshing place to come. What you can expect at The Gathering Place this year is a more Aloha feel. Hawaii is my home and this local gal simply wants to bring some of that Aloha to you. In addition to a more representative design, I will continue to work on delivering to you some great giveaways!

Remember that the island of Oahu, Hawaii is known as The Gathering Place. It is this island where the majority of the Hawaiian population live and where people gather for various purposes. Come gather with me and sign up to be a follower to this blog. Comments are also always appreciated. Keep in touch and don't miss any of the giveaways!

Aloha and mahalo nui loa,

Trish

Pidgin 10 Commandments

2009-12-08T19:59:00.000-08:00

It's about time I make the Gathering Place what it should be... with Aloha. To kick it off, a pidgin English lesson for you. The 10 Commandments. lol Pidgin is a broken form of English that many people speak hear because of Hawaii's rich cultural diversity.

1. God is no ka oi (numbah one).

2. No make da kine statues (false gods).
3. Watch yo' mout. No swea with God's name.
4. On Sunday, no can do notting. Note: It's really Saturday. lol
5. Leesen to yo' muddah and yo' fuddah.
6. No kill nobody.
7. No go moemoe with yo' bradah's wahine.
8. No cockaroach notting.
9. No lie, brah!
10. No be jealous fo' da odda guy's stuffs.

So...can you come up with your own unique version of the 10 Commandments (and still be accurate)? Post your ideas. I wanna hear them. :)

Nature Fever Winner!

2009-12-08T02:01:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Michelle!

"All I want for Christmas this year is a perfect-for-me, lovable, cuddly man, all dressed-up and ready to take me out on an adventure of a lifetime."

Michelle, please contact The Gathering Place at saltandlight93@gmail.com to redeem your gift. The sooner you contact me, the faster I can get your gift to you! Best of all, your gift will be sent with a little Aloha. :)

- Trishy

Getting lots of Fever

2009-12-05T15:16:00.000-08:00

Welcome to The Gathering Place's first official giveaway! (Due to website issues at the time of the due date, the contest has been extended!)

I'm a big fan of nice smelly things, especially when it is combined with quality ingredients. Just in time for Christmas are these great handmade soaps from Nature Fever. I personally love to show off these soaps. In addition to using these soaps in my own bathroom, I like to place them where guests can use them as well. They make such great gifts! You don't have to break the bank in order to give wonderful gifts.

Included in this giveaway are Fir needle, available seasonally and smelling like a fresh Christmas tree and Aloe Calendula. All Nature Fever organic Handmade Soaps are made with certified organic vegetable based oil and contain 85% organic ingredients. For more information, check out http://www.naturefever.com/ where you can also order an array of other wonderful handmade products.

Here's are the contest rules...

1) In the comment area, "What would love to have for Christmas this year?"
2) The winner will be chosen randomly.
3) Contest will end Tuesday, 9 pm HST and announced shortly thereafter. The winner will be responsible for contacting me via e-mail. E-mail address will be posted in the winner post.

Minty Goodness...Seasonal at Williams Sonoma

2009-11-25T11:50:00.000-08:00

Williams Sonoma is one of my faaavorite places to shop. I feel like a kid in a candy store when I go in there. [picture big smile here] So it was a delight when I heard about the return of some terrific seasonal scents. I picked up their peppermint hand and dish soap. It smells so good I could almost eat it... or not. Even my hubby loves the scent. He is after all a sugarholic so it smells like those round little hard candy that people give away at parties...only better!

Treat yourself to this. Or treat someone else. It's terrific! Only around once a year. A tiny splurge will do you good and will help stimulate the economy naturally. :)

Our Love Story...There was just somethin

2009-11-15T00:58:00.000-08:00

This is pt. 2 of our love story...

So as I continued to live my life and enjoy the fellowship on the forums, I did begin to wonder whether or not this man was especially friendly to me or not. I went back and forth with the thought. Why it mattered to me I don't know. And before you knew it, I found myself in conversation with a few female friends and they seemed to think that yes, my interaction with him set us apart from everyone else. At that point I began to purposely be in doubt. At the same, I was very curious. Again, at the time I had no idea why I would curious. I think it's because when you suspect a person may like you, you want to rule it out. But for some reason I didn't want to rule it out. If this person indeed showed some interest, somehow I wouldn't reject it. I didn't go in defensive mode. If I wasn't interested, I knew it. But this time around I wasn't not interested. So I figured that maybe, just maybe it wouldn't hurt to get to to know this person better. Hope that makes sense.

As soon as I figured that one out, things began to change. I began receiving messages and clearer signs from him that he was indeed interested. The turning point came when he publicly gave me a compliment on my thread for everyone to see. It was a nice compliment but not embarrassing nor inappropriate. It was very sweet. It was just right to the point that it created some accountability.

It's so funny cause at this point, we have not yet communicated outside the forums. We did send messages to each other but we never e-mailed or anything. But now it was time to do so. So we decided to IM each other. What happened next was completely unexpected. Therefore, this is the time when I began to really, really pray.

Above the Dining Table

2009-11-04T11:32:00.001-08:00

In our tiny little kitchen and over the dining room table is where we have two very special pieces...our engagement sketch and our wedding picture. I know, I know. A year has passed and I have yet to post pics online. Will do that as soon as I get them on CD from our photographer. :D Family members, thank you for your ummm, patience. For now, here a glimpse.

Instead of engagement photos we decided to do a charcoal engagement sketch! For those who attended the wedding this will be familiar to you. We had this displayed at the reception. The artist did a FANTASTIC job. He took two separate photos of us, changed our positions so that we looked like we were together. Kind of a two becoming one transformation. :)

Next to it is our wedding collage. I wanted to do something different. Instead of the usual formal pose, I wanted to show photos that really reflected our day. One the left, that is how we felt (I was elated. John was daydreaming. lol) and on the right is a closeup of my putting on his ring. The middle is the wedding invitation and a plaque that says, "When Two Become One".

So we get to see this everyday and everyday we re-live that special day. I love my sweetheart. I am truly blessed. :)

The TAB (Turkey, Apple and Brie)

2009-10-31T13:06:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe on the web and just had to try it. I figured an occasional fancy smancy sandwich would be ok. Whatever occasional means, I will leave that up to you. After all, you have to use ALL ingredients until you run out right? :D

Tasty Kitchen is a new food site that showcases recipes that are supposed to be tried and true. And when I saw this sandwich, I thought, "Hmmm..." The first thing that came to mind was that John doesn't like cheese so he wouldn't eat this. Then there was that part of me that said, "Oh goodie. More for me then." Hehe. I know, I know. I'm bad.

So after I got over the brief guilt, I decided to try this. Here is the verdict. If you don't have fresh turkey, the next best thing is a deli cut that has less salt. Many deli cuts are rather salty. This is important because brie can be in itself salty as well. I immediately learned that this is both a savory and sweet sandwich all in one. The turkey and brie has good saltiness (you don't really need to put any added salt to this. Pepper yes). To gain the most from this sandwich you have to remember two important things...

1) Pick apples that are sweet. Tart apples just will not do it.
2) Do not be too shy on the apple butter (or whatever fruit preserve you use)

You need the above if you want the right balance of savory and sweet. It you don't have enough sweet in this sandwich, it will not be as good. As for the oil and mayo, I skipped that. The brie is rich enough for me. One thing I would add is some green color to this. Perhaps next time I will add a few leaves of mint or basil. It should add another level of flavor to it as well!

Try it. It was good. Not bad for this island girl huh? Not everything is tuna and rice. lol

How Grand It Was

2009-10-31T00:23:00.000-07:00

John and I were recently able to take a vacation to Arizona, with the primary purpose of visiting part of his family. It was my first time meeting his older brother and family and we had a great time! Because I didn't get permission from them, I don't have photos posted here of them. I do have a few photos that sum up our time there (though we took a whooole lot more.) And a few or so is all you need to gain an idea of what our trip was like.

Sedona was a very beautiful town! We weren't planning on staying here originally but decided to one evening. I am so glad we did because the views were lovely.

The main highlight of our trip was of course, the Grand Canyon. You just can't help being in awe of this natural, yet supernatural piece of earth! You could see various colors from reds to blues and more. We had hoped that John's family would have been able to come but they couldn't for practical reasons. Perhaps next time huh?

We decided to take the 2 hour plus train ride to the Canyon on the Grand Canyon Railway. Unfortunately, the old steam trains (which also ran on diesel) were too expensive to run so they stopped using those a few months ago. We did ride a more "modern" 1950s all diesel train.

I loved the cool weather up North. It was a nice change from always warm Hawaii.

Other things we did on this trip was drive around the Phoenix area and see a few places where John used to live. We also got to visit and place flowers at his mom's grave. It was a nice time. It's always fun and memorable to travel with someone you love. :)

Above the bookshelf

2009-10-27T13:04:00.000-07:00

This is a very special piece in our home. When John moved here, he brought along a special memory of his late mother. Being the sentimental man he is, he brought along a painting his mother painted some years back. She passed away just months before we began "dating". I never got to meet her but every time I see this piece, I can't help feeling as if I did.

When John showed me the piece, I immediately knew what I wanted to do with it. I'm a framing design consultant and I thought it would be a lovely wedding gift to my then soon to be husband! We were in a restaurant and yes, I had him open it there. lol He obviously knew it was some kind of frame. How would you not know? He was so excited to see what it was, he just had to see it as soon as we sat down. It was like watching a child open up a birthday gift. :) I can never forget the look on his face when he saw it. I just about melted because I knew he wanted to cry. He had the softest smile and eyes. You can say awwwweee now.

It sits over our bookshelf in our bedroom. Just a piece in our home that is more than just a typical floral painting.

Our Love Story...Beginnings

2009-10-24T01:53:00.000-07:00

Every marriage begins with a love story...

About 4 years ago, I began participating regularly on an online Christian website called Crosswalk.com. Like many websites in cyberspace, there is community area where people can post topics and discuss just about anything. From politics to home and garden, this is a community where believers can come to talk. On this forum, there was an area where you could generate your own "space" so-to-speak...a thread where you can come back to on your own and talk about whatever you want. So I started my own thread, in hopes to meet some like-minded friends.

It was about a year since I participated regularly on the forums and I was really enjoying it. Not only did I make friends in my own thread but I was also enjoying the "company" of the folks in the singles folder. The singles folder at the time was great. Not only did we have fun chats but it was a place where I could encourage other singles to live life abundantly and to wait patiently for that special someone to come into our lives. I never really had that aching desire to find someone. I would've been happy if I did meet someone; but if I didn't I knew I was gonna be ok.
Then in January 2006 (New Years Day), things began to change. My heart began to desire things I never really worried too much about before. Even so, I remained pretty calm, although I have to admit I was pretty excited about it.

Like I usually did, I noticed when someone new started up their own thread. He seemed like a nice addition to the forums and since I was very active in the forums at the time, we both spent some considerable amount of time chatting. I didn't realize it at the time, but we were both online at the same time, chatting on most evenings of the week. I didn't think much about it. I was always online in the evenings. A few others would be around too. What I did notice though is that we were very comfortable chatting with each other. I soon learned that John liked to tease. But at that point, I didn't think much of it because he seemed to joke around with others as well. But we did enjoy each others "company" so-to-speak. And I was considered a very active poster at the time. lol I soon learned that he had been a part of the Crosswalk community before, as back as 2002. He was on hiatus for a little while and returned to the community in 2006. I had also been around off and on the same earlier time he was. But back then I wasn't as involved as I was in 2006.

Anyhoo, here I was enjoying the online fellowship on the forums. Then one day, I began to wonder something.

Stay tuned for the next part of our love story!

Goodbye CHOP

2009-10-22T14:06:00.000-07:00

I finally made a hair appointment yesterday and to my surprise, my hair dresser told me that the salon will be closing for good this upcoming weekend! After 10 years of hard work, he's retiring the salon. Although he will still be working elsewhere I will miss the salon.

Why such a big deal? The reason is because he has been my hairdresser since I was 13 years old! I've done everything imaginable to my hair. In high school, I straightened, went through some 80s style haircuts and I even had a spiral perm once. The man knows my head like I know the back of my hand! I was a faithful client and followed him to 5 different places (soon to be six). He has also done a wonderful job for my wedding a year ago. He's a real pro. Because of that he charges a lot. But it's worth the money. That plus I only go twice or three times a year. lol

Interestingly enough, I never bought his salon products before. In addition to being 40% off the regular price, I thought it would be nice to buy a bottle of shampoo. On it is the salon logo. I figured it would be a nice memory to have. I plan to keep the bottle for sentimental value.

I don't find it strange. Having your own salon in this kind of business takes A LOT of hard work and dedication. And for many women, a good hair stylist means a lot to them. I have a friend who met her husband through their hairstylist (and was at this salon!). To some, they are more than just someone who cuts your hair. :)

Mondo Gelato

2009-10-21T22:48:00.000-07:00

6 days in a row of work and I had one thing on my mind...gelato. It's hard to believe this creamy concoction has 80% less fat than ice cream! Located in the heart of the Waikiki Beach Walk, I choose this place because of one main reason...

You can have a shot of espresso with your gelato! I choose the medium cup (2 flavor choices). Flavors of choice today...chocolate with macadamia nuts and hazelnut. It was a perfect choice to go along with the espresso. Even though the gelato is sweet, it complimented the espresso very well. It was a great bittersweet treat for a warm and humid day!

So locals, next time you are in Waikiki stop on by and if you are visiting, give this place a try. You can find tropical flavors that will make your island trip a little cooler.