Hawaii April 2016

This was my first trip home since quitting the airline industry. It's an oddly soothing to know you can catch a flight without fear of being stranded at the airport. We even took a later flight for that reason. Weird huh?

Anyway, we drove from Illinois to Indianapolis, flew to Phoenix and overnighted before flying to Honolulu the next day. Yeah, four time zones in 24 hours. Anyway, here's a photo summary of our week in Hawaii. 

Got spoiled on our Hawaiian airlines flight. I always look forward to the juice.

Landed in Honolulu. Time to eat! Lunch with the family at The Pig and the Lady.

P&L Pho

Catfish, green papaya salad, chicken banh mi and french dip. Amazing!

Chocolate mind ice cream swirl and begneits

Hawaiian style buffet, with the green bottle :-P

Mom's kimchi soup

Unlce Bryan and Aunty Carly with the Bobo

Bryan's favorite: mochi ice cream

Breakfast by Mom: Apple pancakes with Portuguese sausage and bacon

Poke feast at home

Hanging out at Uncle Bo's in Haleiwa with Roann

Kalua pork wonton nachos with POG belini

Li Hing martini, oh yeah

Hanging out on the North Shore with my boy

We found a turtle right at sunset

Brunch at Koko Head Cafe with the fam and bestie. French toast and Coffee & Doughnuts

Elvis's Revenge: Peanut butter and fried banana with bacon

Bi bim bap and Koko moco skillets

Don buri chen

Waikiki time with bestie

Sunning ourselves with this view

Of course I got some Coconut Mocha Starbucks in Waikiki

It would not be right if we didn't go to Mai Tai's

Lychee martini with calamari

Seafood buffet. YES!!!

Dessert part 1

Thanks for dinner bestie!

Breakfast of champions: papaya, cream puff and coconut water

Dinner with old college buddies

Hiking Pillbox with Dad

We made it!

View of Lanikai

Shave ice time!

Cheers to our last night in Honolulu at Gyu Kaku

All the meat!

Gelato at Ala Moana

Aloha Hawaii

We were so happy to be able to come home for some family time. Nothing makes me feel more like myself than spending time with my family. The island breeze and Hawaiian sun don't hurt either. 

This will probably be our last trip home as Illinoians. Soon we'll be heading down to Missouri and heading onto our newest adventures.

Akemi-chan

Christmas Family Vegas

It's that time of year! We're heading West to Vegas to meet the family for Christmas. Bryan got to tag along this time, his first Christmas in Las Vegas, and yes he survived. 

Here we go again

Snow

Lunch at Spago

Salmon pizza, salad and carbonara

Passion fruit and chocolate 

Surprise lift

Merry Christmas Caesar

Victory cocktail

Our view from the Rio

Aloha Specialties feels like home: Saimin and Hawaiian Sun

Christmas dinner at Lotus of Siam with Grandma, Aunty and Uncle

Family ice cream date at the California hotel

Absorbing the sun

At the "Trevi" fountain

Bellagio Conservatory

Dinner at the Wicked Spoon, family;s first time

Dinner with Erin and Brent

Buffet matters, but desserts matter more

Last meal in Vegas: Hash House A Go Go Brunch

Virgin Mary, my favorite

Chicken and waffles tower

Chicken Eggs Benedict

Biscuits and Gravy

Blueberry pancake bigger than your head

I'm so happy that we got to see so many of my family members. Living so far away is difficult, but I love that we can still see each other sometimes. I'm even happier that Bryan got to come along and experience one of my family;s regular vacation spots for the second time.  I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season... even though it's a few weeks late. :-)

-Akemi-chan