Fix-er-Upper

Today marks the day where I went into an Ace Hardware to buy things to fix up my own place. Don't get me wrong. I have been in Ace before, and Home Depot, and Lowes ... probably more times than I've been to church. My dad is an amazing handyman, and therefore, I have spent many an hour with him in hardware stores growing up. DIY has been a family value forever. If you can do it yourself, you should. Therefore I am trying to embrace the inner "handywoman" in me, hence going to Ace Hardware by myself to purchase my very own paint roller, brushes, pan, and drop cloth today. I will be painting my new room "apple river" blue, and am actually pretty excited to fix this new place up... I guess we'll see how long that lasts after the first time I drip paint on the floor, or in my eye. Ha.

Anyway, Dad - expect a few phone calls over the next few weeks as I begin a very small start in your footsteps.......... hopefully avoiding the wrath of any, and all utility knives (haha - too soon??)

New Place

The new place is official. No more laundry room for me yay yay yay! I will have my own bedroom, with a closet, and we have a little side yard, and the living room is light blue. The kitchen and bathroom are kind of shabby, but with a little love could end up being nice. I am excited to embrace the "Dan the handyman" in me and fix this place up. Ha. Unfortunately for him, that means a lot of phone calls and instructions long distance.

This Friday is Art After Dark - a party at the Honolulu Academy of Arts that displays art (obviously), has food, drinks, and music - should be fun! And there is also an Oktoberfest block party in Chinatown . . . what a blend of cultures (ha), should be interesting to say the least!

Hallelujah!!!!

Wooo Hooo we have been approved for an apartment!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It isn't the nicest place in the world, but it has a roof, which with only 3 days until we have to be out, is my only criteria. It isn't official until the lease is signed, but things are looking up! I will keep you posted!

Roommate's Bday Weekend

This weekend was my roommate's 24th birthday. We celebrated with a little beach BBQ. We had the works: a tent, table, radio, beach chairs, grilled pineapple sausages, veggie burgers on taro buns, rum POG (Passion fruit, Orange, and Guava juice), and my raspberry chocolate cake (which turned out awesome if I do say so myself). We and some friends/neighbors relaxed at the beach from noon to about 6pm, then came home, showered up, and drove up to the North Shore for a party at one of the local restaurants. I actually ran into three guys that went to the same college as me. It really is a small world.

I am also happy to report that my new moped has been preforming superbly! Hooray for that! It is rather nice to have transportation that actually runs and isn't illegally un-registered. Ha.

*... and last but not least, we are at the 5 day count down of having to move out, with NO WHERE TO GO YET! Ahhhhhhhhh! Someone, anyone.... everyone!!, please send some positive, apartment-finding vibes my way!

Quick Update

Okay, this is going to be brief as I need to leave for work in 20 minutes:

1) We are supposed to be out of our apartment in 9 days and have not a clue where we are going to live.
2) I have purchased a helmet for my moped. It is red, and it matches. So anyone who was worried about the safety of my head can breath a sign of relief.
3) It is my roommates birthday this weekend which is going to be a lot of fun. BBQ at the beach! I am in charge of the birthday cake ... I'm thinking dark chocolate raspberry bundt cake.
4) Coffee Talk is awesome. They gave me a free bowl of carrot orange spice soup for lunch today.

... that is all.

Wonderful Weekend

New 'ped

This weekend was definitely a successful one. 1) I got a new moped, a used Yamaha 2) I went to an eat local art show 3) Found my new favorite bar/restaurant - Murphy's Irish Pub (might be some bias there I guess) 4) went to an outdoor reggae concert 5) sampled it up at Whole Foods Market.

So, after finding out my aunt's car registration was a year and a half expired (!!!) it was time to ditch the illegal car and take my chances with another moped. I went into the moped shop I had the source-of-all-evil moped fixed. Eric had a used Yamaha for sale, much more reliable than the Chinese 'peds, so I bought it! Woo hoo it feels to good to be able to hop on and drive where ever I went to again. No parking worries, no meters to pay, and $4 to fill up! I have faith this moped and I are in it for the long haul together. PS I am taking recommendations for names ...

Murphy's Pub

Friday night, my roommate and I went to Chinatown for a little art and food street party where a few vendors were showing their crafts and selling food that was made with all local ingredients. We each had a glass of wine and shared some butternut squash soup before heading down the street for another block party. It was in front of Murphy's Irish Pub and was a "Halfway to St. Patty's Day Celebration" haha. How funny! They even had bag-pipers. In the spirit of celebrating my Irish heritage, we went inside the pub, brick walls and dark wood bar, and had a Guinness and a "oatmeal cookie" mixed drink each. Hmmm. The oatmeal cookie was delicious! Definitely a fun place. I will be back for some shepherd's pie in the future!

Last night was the outdoor reggae concert. A lot of fun, but went just an hour too long for my taste. For some reason, basketball maybe I don't know, my back cannot take standing for a long time. So mine was killing me after a 7 hour shift at work, and then a 4 hour concert. The music was really good though so a little pain was worth it.

Lastly comes Whole Foods. Today was a special event for the "eating local" cause. There was a poi (mashed taro root) making demonstration, homemade ricotta cheese lesson, pineapple wine tasting, and samples of local cheeses and my favorite Ono popsicles. It wasn't anything earth-shattering, but a good way to get some free lunch nonetheless ; )

New Seat in Coffee Talk . . .

The red chair is my new spot

** Note to self: sitting up at the bar at Coffee Talk instead of at a table = awesome! I have already been given one free coconut macaroon, one peanut butter cookie, and a sample of tomato basil soup. Just from switching seats. It is starting to get a little awkward because I don't want the owner to think I sit here just for the freebies ... but, I have to sit somewhere, might as well make it count right??

It is now September 14th, and my roommate and I are no closer to finding a new place to live then we were when we gave our 30 days notice at the beginning of the month. Yikes! It is hard to convince myself leaving my current apartment was such a good idea. Since I really feel like I have no clue how much longer I am staying here in Hawaii, it is hard for it to seem logical to leave a place where I am month to month, to spend money on furniture, and even more money on rent. Buttttt if I want to give myself a real shot at liking it here, I should probably move out of the laundry room... shesh.

Koko Head

View from the top of the Koko Head Stairs

Today in the middle of the afternoon I decided to go get some exercise. I had been sitting around my favorite coffee shop, Coffee Talk, reading and looking for places to live, all morning. Exercise was in order. I made the drive to Koko Head to hike straight up the side of the crater. Good grief I forgot how ridiculously tiring that hike is. My right leg was literally trembling by the time I was halfway down. I was so ready to sit in the car and drink some water. My iPod crapped out, and was in need of something to distract me to make it to the end. And then there it was. My distraction. A 20-something year old on his way up the mountain in a bright blue speedo! Hahahaha! His friends pointed out how it matched my shirt. How special. At least I got my mind off of how tired I was for a little while!

... Hope this little story brightens your day like it did mine : )

A Date with my Roommate

The bar at Brasserie Du Vin

Last night my roommate and I decided to take ourselves to an amazing French restaurant/wine bar called Brasserie Du Vin in Chinatown (http://brasserieduvin.com check out the website to get a feel for it). It was definitely one of the best nights I have had since I've moved to Hawaii. After 20 minutes of trying to find a parking space, we finally made our way into the dimly lit, cozy restaurant, and I immediately felt like I was in Europe. We grabbed a seat at the bar, and started off with a glass of wine each. I had the house sauvignon blanc and it was amazing. We also ordered a loaf of homemade bread, a double cream gouda cheese plate (served with pecans and dried fruit), and a charcuterie plate that was served with whole seed mustard and pickled vegetables. Everything was sooooo delicious! I love how many different tastes you can get out of a few ingredients when you pair them in different ways. The gouda with a bite of cranberry tasted so different from the gouda paired with the cured beef. Not to mention how differently the same glass of wine tasted depending on the flavor of food I just ate. My roommate and I savored every bite. I was in foodie heaven. Our original plan had been to get an appetizer and glass of wine, and then move on to another location. But we just couldn't make ourselves leave. The bartender was letting us sample a few of his favorites, trying to help us make a decision for our second glass of wine. I ended up with a dry riesling to accompany the herb, garlic buttered escargot we ordered. Yummmm!! What a perfect night! Good food, good wine, and a good friend. We can't wait to go back, and have officially decided to become regulars :)

Friday morn'

Wheewww bikram yoga was intense this morning! I am exhausted and hungry since I haven't eaten anything yet and it is almost noon. I think I have earned an acai bowl from Bogarts... yep, I've made up my mind - breakfast here I finally come!

Then, I have some errands to run, perhaps surf with my roommate, and then meet some possible new roommates. Glad today is a busier day. I like busy.

Feeling Better . . .

Just when I was really missing my friends and feeling pretty lonely out here, I go to work and now have a new workout buddy who wants to start getting into yoga and exercising, AND another girl who plays pick up basketball!!!!! yay!!!! and wakes up early on the weekend to watch football (games come on at 6am here!). Woo hoo, feel better already. We have plans to do bikram, maybe a free bootcamp class on Saturday, and to watch football on Sunday morning. Hooray!

My roommate and I meet two prospective roommates tomorrow, hope that goes well so we can start looking at places. It would be nice to know where I will be living at the end of the month...

Missing Home

Yesterday, today, and hopefully not tomorrow, have been pretty hard when it comes to my homesickness level. I'm probably about an 8 of of 10 (1 = don't miss home at all, and 10 = booking my flight home). I miss my best friend, I miss all my friends, I miss my family, I miss my dog, I miss my bed, I miss my car, I miss knowing my way around, I miss air conditioning, I miss Taco Lu, I miss living in the same town as my brother and sister and only 2 hours away from my parents. And not only do I miss all these things now, I am also afraid of what I am going to be missing in a couple of months... Thanksgiving and Christmas. I have never missed a family holiday, and while I feel like I don't know much about myself these days, I do know one thing - traditions are incredibly important to me, and I can't take it if they don't go the way I remember them.

This is how Thanksgiving is supposed to go: My dad and I, and sometimes my brother, wake up early Thanksgiving morning to run the Turkey Trot - a 5k run. You get to see a bunch of familiar faces you haven't seen since last year, and get some exercise in so you don't feel as guilty about eating a week's worth of calories in one sitting. After we're finished with the race (I always lose to my dad, but I like it that way. I honestly hope I never beat him), we head home for Thanksgiving breakfast. This always includes cinnamon rolls, eggs, and bacon (turkey bacon for dad). After we digest, we lounge around watching the parade on TV, and then I start helping my mom in the kitchen. Mom and I are cooking and cooking all day, always running a little late, always having to force ourselves to get into the shower to get ready for dinner. Our family friends come over to our house, or we head to theirs, and always have an amazing time telling old stories. There is always a turkey and mashed potatoes, my 'aunt' makes sweet potato casserole with pecans on half, my mom makes brown sugared onions, and of course, my dad makes the infamous broccoli puff. Thanksgiving would be all wrong without it. Cheesy, creamy broccoli casserole with a buttery ritz cracker topping. Easy crowd favorite. Wouldn't matter if we had a five-star chef making a five-star dish. Broccoli puff has a special place in all our hearts - every year. Something usually gets burned, the gravy only come out good every other year ... I love Thanksgiving. And I am so scared about how much I'm going to miss it. So scared I am already worrying about it, and it's September. And don't even get me started on Christmas. Ugh, growing up and moving away sucks sometimes...

PS Mom please don't cry after you read this. It is hard to move away, but that doesn't mean it isn't good for me. It just feels better to get it out. I almost didn't write this because I didn't want to make you sad : )

Work, work, work

Today was pretty uneventful. Went to my first job (yoga/running apparel) from 8am-2pm for my first day of training. Ran a few errands, and then went to my second job as a server from 6pm-9pm. Fun, fun... Serving was definitely a slow night, its a Tuesday, but percentage wise I made the best tips I've made so far. Which is ridiculous, because a) I dropped ketchup on a guy's leg/pants and b) I had no clue table 47 was mine, and a man sat there forever before I realized it was my table! Oops...
Ketchup-man tipped me $15.00, and the guy I forgot tipped me $12.00 (more than 40%)! Why is it when I think I'm on top of everything I get gipped, and when I am doing bad I get tipped more? Hmmmmm. Maybe I should forget to take customers' orders for 20 minutes and spill ketchup on their khaki pants more often???

Oh what a good morning...

Labor day! Off of work and so is my roommate. We woke up early and went to bikram yoga for my first time. Wow. I did not know my body was capable of producing so much sweat. It dripped in my eyes and up my nose. But I felt pretty amazing afterwords... until I tripped down down the path to the ocean to rinse off and scrapped the hell out of my knee and foot. Shesh!

We came home and cooked a delicious breakfast. Blueberry banana walnut pancakes! Yum yum. Breakfast of champions. Then I cut myself with the knife. Maybe bikram isn't such a good idea. It makes you so dang tired you are delirious and end up hurting yourself. Or maybe that's just me. Either way I am now exhausted and bleeding.

Tonight Lolo has invited friends and family over to her house for Labor Day dinner! Yay! I am looking forward to seeing everyone and collaborating to prepare a delicious meal. I have been assigned dessert. Imagine that. I am not sure if it's a good thing or a bad thing (haha). Either way, rest assured, I will never let them down with a responsibility as important as dessert :)

Sunday Funday

Last night on the North Shore was pretty fun. Freedom's Progress played an awesome to show, to a full house, and gave their demo CD out to a lot of people! Unfortunately I had a crazy stomach ache and had to sit in the car to be awoken by a security guard and a flash light wondering what the heck I was doing. Luckily though after about 40 minutes of lying down I felt much better and went back inside to a much drunker crowd than I remembered. The guy situation was pretty hilarious looking back, with a particular weirdo in mind who spit like crazy when he talked. I was sprayed from forehand to shoulder. Lovely. 

Today I caught up on a lot of much needed rest and slept until almost noon!! After breakfast my roommate and I toured a prospective new living situation. I give it a B-, beautiful property with a washing machine, but the rooms were pretty tiny (not compared to current situation of course) and the kitchen was a little crazy. Afterwards we went surfing at a beautiful beach I hadn't been to before. Totally clear water, bright sun, offshore winds. The waves were pretty small but it was still fun. A sea turtle showed up to hang out for a little while too! Now I am off to work, in my auntie's car (yay!), hopefully about to rake in some tip money!! Wish me luck.

Saturday Morning Farmer's Market

Oh how I love farmer's markets. I just love all the little artisan food stands - macadamia nut pesto stand, lilikoi butter stand, salted watermelon popsicles... love, love, love. I can't wait until next weekend so I can go back. I already told my roommate I plan to taste every single flavor of Ono's popsicles, as they are amazing! And such interesting flavor combinations! Cinnamon orange, thai basil, lemon cream, Mexican chocolate, the list goes on... I chose the lemon cream which was very refreshing and ended up buying some of the macadamia nut pesto which was soooo delicious. I am currently in the process of thawing out some chicken to make a creamy citrus pesto chicken salad to pack to the North Shore so I don't spend money on food. After last night's First Friday in Chinatown I officially need to be on a budget. Taxi to get there, cover charge to get in, friend who forgot her debit card....then left this morning without paying me back (errr).

I will report on how Freedom's Progress album release party goes later, ta ta for now!

Asian food influences

I am loving all the new Asian cuisine I am getting to taste around here! It's everywhere. I had Vietnamese pho for the first time the other night, ahi tuna poke for lunch yesterday (at Ono's Seafood, which I had been wanting to try, and was not disappointed. It will remain on my food list for poke restaurants, at least for now), and just cooked garlic teriyaki stir fry with tofu, bok choy, onions, and a wild rice/quinoa mix for lunch today. Yum. I ate it with the new fancy chop sticks I picked up from this awesome little antique/collectible store down the street - Peggy's Picks. If you are ever bored/stuck waiting around at the moped mechanic (like I was), it is a fun and interesting way to pass the time :)

Friday Funday

It's funny how Friday doesn't really mean that much to me anymore. With the two jobs I have now, a weekend doesn't really exist. I have off on random days throughout the week. I remember last year, Friday was all I thought about. How many days left 'til Friday? Hours? Seconds? Here, it's not like that. Which is kind of nice. I sometimes forget what day it is. Imagine that. Just like it was back in school when you were off for summer break. Friday might as well me a Tuesday, it made no difference.

This morning I had my HR meeting with my new yoga/running clothes store. Aka my employee discount  has begun, aka I have a lot of new, beautiful work out clothes. Which I must use. So, I will be going to a CrossFit class this evening with a few of the girls from the store. This is my second class, and it is no joke. It's a wake up the next morning and not want to get out of bed because it takes to much effort-type class. Wish me luck!

Wednesday AND Thursday actually ...

Today might have topped the charts, set a new personal record, when it comes to walking around town. I almost hit the 7 mile mark! The hike to the post office was the worst. I take that back, the hike from the post office was the worst. Not only did I have three packages to tote home (yes mother yours finally came - yay!), but one was too large to fit into my back pack so I had to carry it on my hip while I preceded to walk another 5 miles or so. Hooray for the exercise though, that is for sure ! Between living next to Leonard's (the Polynesian bakery), and working at Outback, every burnt calorie is appreciated.

So, as we have discussed Black Betty has gone on to a better place, and therefore I am in the market for a new moped. I stopped into a shop today to see about test driving a particular moped that was just dropped off. Right before I am about to hand over my money and ride off to work, the owner of the shop decides to test drive it one last time. THANK GOD HE DID! Just as he pulled onto the sidewalk in front of his store, and just as the words "it rides like a champion" were coming out of his mouth, low and behold, the tire blows out! I must have a curse . An "all-mopeds-near-me-turn-to-crap" curse. I'm not sure what I did to deserve such a curse, but I am sooooo thankful that tire blew out before I bought it! Can you imagine? I would have had a meltdown. Plain and simple.

On another note, one of my roommates and I have decided to put in our 30 day notice at our current apartment. Or in my case, my current ex-laundy room. So any help in finding a new place of residence would be much appreciated.

And on one last note, I am very much looking forward to this weekend. 1) I have an HR meeting with my new job at a yoga/running apparel store, after which, my employee discount kicks in. 2) It is "First Friday" in Chinatown, which I have yet to experience, but have heard great things. 3) I get to go to the farmer's market on Saturday morning. And 4) A few of my girl friends and I are going to the North Shore on Saturday for my friend Lolo's boyfriend's reggae band's album release party (that was a mouthful). They are called Freedom's Progress, and are very talented. Woo hoo for the weekend!

The band!

With all this excitement it seems I have forgotten to shave both my legs when I was in the shower... Oops. One is better than none I suppose ... ?