OMG!

UPDATE
The article is up! Here's the link: Munchmobile 2011: Reader's choice trip ends season
Can you tell I'm excited? Happy Reading! 



Ran out earlier to the market to get the Star Ledger. Stop @ SB for an iced mocha and read the article. It was great! We got the Top Dog honors for their Reader's Choice visit. Wow! I'm feeling a little jittery--not sure if it from the article or my ice mocha. 

This whole event has come as such a wonderful unexpected surprise. It makes all the hard work that we have been doing so worth it. Thanks everyone for all the support!


If you can get the Star Ledger, it the September 2 Munchmobile article. If not, here's the link to the munchmobile site. Article not up yet but will post everywhere when it is. Here's what the article looks like.

I almost forgot . . .

to tell you about my Hawaii Loa hike. I've been wanting to go on this hike for years. The intrigue of needed someone with a Hawaii driver license to go on this hike has been calling my name. So, I got my cousin E. to take us ( she was on furlough Friday and her knee were good).

Hawaii Loa hike is in a gate community ( million dollar homes with million dollar views), so we needed to fill out a form at the gatehouse, sign away our lives and not veer off the road to look at the fabulous homes. Once we did that, you arrive at a private park (the most immaculate park I've every seen, not a single dead leaf to be found and not a single person to be seen besides the grounds crew).

I was quite happy that the day was overcast and breezy to make the hike up the ridge easier. It started out great--beautiful view of Koko head and the back side diamond head but the skies toward the ridge started to darken.

We continue upward, huffing and puffing take breaks to take pictures when we needed to a break. We past through a grove a trees (guava, I think) then negociated some rope down an incline. And we were still not there.

At some point, WG decide he would run out of energy if he continued so he turn back. Me and E trudged on. Then it started to rain. At first we thought it would pass, but as we got closer to the end we realize, the cloud covered ridge and not seeing the other side of the island, was not worth finishing the hike especially since the last part include more ropes.

Here a few pictures from the hike. Maybe one day I'll get to the top. Too bad I forgot to get a picture of how muddy I got. At least I had a towel to wipe off some it before we went to get some Korean BBQ. Nice!

Photos:
1. View towards Koko head start of the hike. Note the blue skies.
2. Looking up before the rain
3. The ridge during the rain, right before we stopped.










- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

One more watefall

Went to one more waterfall before going home, Opaeka'a Falls. Right in Kapaa, near our hotel. There was also nice lookout of Wailua river.







- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Last day of being a tourist

WG and I were really being the tourist as we stop in Hanapepe and walk over the swinging bridge.




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Poipu

Day 3, Kauai
Southside of the island

Off to sunny southside of the island. Went to see spouting horn. There were 2 sea turtles swimming around the reef. Really big.

Tried to go and see the sea arch. Couldn't find where the parking area and public access was. Ah! Too bad.

I almost forgot that we stop at the park were the Prince Kuhio monument is. Nice little park , no one really there. There was a mango tree with green mangos on it.

Photos:
1. Spouting Horn
2. Where the sea turtle were swimming
3. Green mangos

















- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Wailua falls

Day 3, Kauai
Eastside of the island

It's nice and sunny today to go touring around the island. First stop, Wailua Falls.




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Kahuanani St,Waimalu,United States

Kilauea Lighthouse

Day 2, Kauai
Northside of the island
Kilauea lighthouse has tons of seabirds to see. The ranger was so helpful and spent a few minutes telling us about the birds while she closing up the park. There were albatrosses nesting in the trees to left of the lighthouse. On the cliffs to the right of lighthouse were these white birds that nest there (can't remember their name). At first they look like flowers, when you closely see the birds landing there an realize they are birds.

Photos:
1. From the outlook
2. The lighthouse
3. Nene, Hawaiian Goose









- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Lihue,United States

Hike to Hanakapiai beach

Day 2, Kauai
Northside of the island
Started off the day hiking to Hanakapiai beach on the Kalalaua trail. This hike has beautiful views of the Na Pali coast. The trail was muddy and slippery but very worth all the mud I had on me.

Photos:
1. Kee beach
2. The trail
3. View of the Na Pali coast
4. My muddy shoes
5. Hanakapiai beach















- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Nalu Rd,Puhi-Hanamaulu,United States

Chickens

First day on Kauai, gray and rainy. Decide to head west in hopes of some sun. We went to Waimea Canyon and it cleared up a bit, below Kokee Lodge but anything above that all you could see was clouds and rain.

There's tons of wild chickens on Kauai. They are so beautiful so many different varieties.

Photos:
1. From Waimea Canyon Outlook
2. Potholes on the road to top but nothing see but fog and clouds.
3. One of the chickens @ Kokee Lodge
4. Rooster
















- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Aleka Pl,Kapaa,United States

My birthday party

This past Saturday I had a birthday party --not just any old birthday party but my 50th. Although I hate to admit it but yes 50 years old.

This was such a nice party, got to see old friends I hadn't see in years. It was so much fun.

I wasn't able to get that great pictures with my phone. Here's few pictures of of the group. I didn't get picture of karaoke--no singing for me.













- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Kaena Point Park Reserve

Spent my birthday morning, hiking to Kaena Point Park Reserve. Great hike to see animals if you are on Oahu around this time of year. We saw 3 Hawaiian monk seals and albatrosses. A pretty flat hike barring the rutted road (4 wheel drive only) to the reserve. The trail runs along the coastline and waves were big.

It was overcast and windy morning with sporadic shower-- which is better than full sun because it would be a very hot hike if it was.

After our hike, we ate our lunch in the car, watching the big surf. Then off Paalaakai bakery for puffies--puff pastry with pastry creme filling. Really good--on the recommendation of my cousins. Little hard to find. It's on your way to (or back) dillingham field, on the main road in tiny strip mall.

Photos:
1. Looking west around the point
2. Light gray spot in the middle of the image is monk seal.
3. Waves coming in













- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Mom's beautiful orchid

Blew over in the strong winds yesterday and this stem of flowers broke off. Now we can enjoy it inside.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Shave Ice yummmmm!

Trying to get in the foods I've missed from Hawaii. Went to Wahiawa to my cousin. Then off to get some shave ice. Mom: strawberry w/ ice cream, mine: vanilla w/ ice cream. Mom can't remember when the last time she had Matsumoto shave ice.

Then we were off to end of the road.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

My 1st 50th bday gift

My mascot because I'm crabby.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Guess where I am

Hi all. I bet you can't find me.

Of course, you can't. I'm all the way in the back, behind some tall "April". They were only concerned that Martha looked good. And she does. Check out the glow-y light that they used.

April Show

I forgot to tell everyone (I kind told some people) that I went to the Martha Stewart show. She was having a special April Fool's day show and wanted to fill her audience entirely with people named "April". I spent all my life be asked if I was born in April or being teased about my name that, I thought it was a nice change to have a special event because I was named April.

It was fun but a long day. Need to be at the studio by 8:30--I got the 6:45 bus just in case. The funny thing about that day was I found out there were more people name April that wasn't born in April. I don't have anything to complain about.

Anyhow, here's the gifts that I got for going to the show. Not bad for being named April.



Yellow Rainslicker from Land's End. Had to wear it for almost the whole show. How Martha of them.



Intial pendant from Helen Ficalora. An "A" of course.




Slumdog Millionaire DVD. I was happy to get this. Hadn't seen the movie yet, but now I have.




Martha's embossing kit with letters and butterflies. The base is being mailed to me.