Holoholo - Oahu

October 07, 2023 by Amanda Barberis

About 10 days after the Maui fires we decided that we needed to go to Oahu.

Firstly, everything was feeling really heavy at home. Both my husband and I were suddenly out of work, and we found ourselves getting more and more depressed about our immediate future. Getting off Maui, even for just a couple of days, just sounded like something we really needed to do for our own sanity. Secondly, my husband has never been to Oahu. Anytime I’ve ever mentioned this to anyone the reaction was always, “What?! Like, how?! LOL”. This is primarily because my husband has lived on Maui for over 24 years so the thought that he’s never been to the “Big City” seems almost comical. Not knowing what our future holds currently on Maui, we have no choice but to look into possible alternatives. Oahu seems like the most obvious and practical move if it comes to that. That being said, my husband needed to at least see the place and even more importantly, sit in it’s famous traffic jams so he could at lease envision possibly living there. And lastly, we have really close friends that moved there a few years ago and we had yet to visit them.

So with miles, a place to stay, and way too much time on our hands, it was a no brainer. So off we went and I’m so grateful we did. Oahu is just like I remember it, crowded surf breaks, exhausting traffic, delicious food, clear blue water, dramatic green mountains, and still absolutely beautiful.

Here’s a small look into our four day island hop. We stayed in Manoa Valley and spent most of our time driving the windward side, checking out the north shore, eating way to much food, we even got a quick surf in. A hui hou…

Kailua Beach - Fun fact, my parents got married here in 1972. The day after Richard Nixon was re-elected. LOL

Favorite Oahu finds - I can only imagine how much we missed, but we’ll be back soon.

Don Quijote in Waikiki - This is the biggest discount store in Japan and they are also found on Oahu. I’m seriously obsessed! Incredible Japanese candies and snacks and really inexpensive but cute ceramics and so much more.

Arvo in Kakaako - Cutest little coffee shop in a cute part of town. Worth a stop.

Morning Brew in Kailua - Another cute coffee shop that we stumbled into. Everything that came out of the kitchen looked delicious too.

Down to Earth in Kailua - Down to Earth is a popular health food store located in several locations around Hawaii but the one in Kailua is so well done. I love grabbing their Summer Rolls or Tofu Musubi for a quick beach snack when I want something easy and cheap.

Guava Shop in Haleiwa - I’ve followed this cute Northshore boutique for years on Instagram and finally was able to see it in person. SO CUTE!! Full of great brands like Acacia, Spell, and Seafolly. Loved everything in there.

Marugame Udon in Waikiki - This is a must visit. My husband is completely obsessed now with Muragame’s huge noodle bowls and large tempura selection. So much so, that we are going there for lunch in 2 weeks during a long layover in town. It’s that good and CHEAP!

Waioli Kitchen and Bakeshop in Manoa Valley - Beautiful but hidden gem with a delicious bakery and breakfast cafe.

Kauai Staycation

March 05, 2023 by Amanda Barberis

Two and a half weeks on Kauai…

This was the longest vacation that we’ve ever taken in our home state. So no need for a long haul flight, the inevitable jet lag, and complicated currency exchanges. Instead, it was just a couple of small suitcases and then a quick island hop before landing on one of our favorite islands in the Pacific.

We stayed at two locations in Princeville, the Westin Villas, and then on to a VRBO after that. I would say that we ate in at least half the trip this time. Restaurants are sparse and busy on the Northshore so having accommodations with a kitchen was very helpful.

We spent most of the trip traveling between Kilauea and Haena just surfing, free diving, hiking, and eating packed lunches out of our broken cooler. It was exactly what we needed.

We did a lot of shopping too. We always do when we visit our neighboring islands. I came home with new muumuus, shell jewelry, and some nice additions for the home. Here’s a short list of our favorites…

Ohana Shop
Hunter Gatherer
Sway Hanalei
Aloha Xchng

And we ate at all of our favorite places…

Ama
Baracuda
Trilogy Coffee
The Bistro
Sushi Girl
Kauai Juice Co.
Nourish Hanalei
The Hanalei Gourmet

If anyone has any questions about Kauai, please feel free to reach out. Same with Maui of course.

Aloha XOXO

Huge sushi burrito at Sushi Girl in downtown Kilauea

Kauai Getaway

January 10, 2022 by Amanda Barberis

We had big plans for 2021. My husband was turning 50 and to celebrate this milestone, we had planned a month-long surf trip ( his choice ) to Bali, Indonesia. We were so excited. We absolutely love Bali and we couldn't wait to get back there. Unfortunately, Covid obviously had other plans for us as well as the rest of the planet.

Having to cancel a month-long vacation to an exotic locale is hardly the end of the world. I understand that it’s a massive privilege to even be able to consider such a trip in the first place. However, the reality is Bali isn't going anywhere and getting on a plane for 18 hours to fly across the Pacific Ocean to the Indian Ocean during a global pandemic is probably not the best idea. On top of that, Bali was basically "closed for business" in 2021.

But I was dealing with my first true case of island fever in 23 years. I can honestly tell you, I have never felt “island fever” before even though I get asked about it constantly. It was probably a combination of many different things, but I must admit, I was kind of going bananas. Lucky for us, we live in an insanely beautiful state, and we were able to hop on a 40-minute flight to Kauai to ease my isolation anxiety and to finally celebrate my husband's belated 50th birthday. This was the first vacation we had been on since early 2019. Like always, Kauai doesn't ever disappoint. Of all the gorgeous places I have been fortunate to see in my 40+ years on this planet, the sheer drama and beauty of the island of Kauai are up there with French Polynesia and the Cook Islands in my humble opinion.

This time we stayed in Kapaa, which is centrally located on Kauai’s east side. However next time we go, which is actually coming up this spring, we will be staying in Princeville since we finally realized that we always tend to spend most of our time on Kauai's lush north shore.

So here’s a photo journal of our brief 6-day semi-staycation. Can’t wait to go back to Kauai for a much longer stay this spring since we had to cancel another trip ( thanks again Covid ) we had planned to Costa Rica not too long ago. But then again, Costa Rica isn’t going anywhere but sadly, neither is Covid-19 for the time being. Until then, we have decided to finally take some time to visit our neighboring islands.

Avocado and Pesto Toast from Trilogy Coffee

Where we stayed

Sheraton Kauai Coconut Beach Resort - I had a ton of Marriott Bonvoy points so I ended up using them for this stay. The Sheraton is conveniently located on the beach in the center of Kapaa and is within walking distance of many shops and cafes. Kapaa is only 10 miles from the Lihue airport which was an added bonus. We didn't spend much time at the resort but I did enjoy the onsite workout facilities since I'm such an early riser. We also spent a few evenings at the Crooked Surf restaurant. They had a great bar menu and were super accommodating when it came to so some of my plant-based requests. All the bartenders were also very friendly and fun to chat with. We also ran into quite a few Kauai residents at the bar which is always a good sign. We also loved the beautiful fire pits surrounded by heliconia plants glowing around the property at night.

Where we ate

Kauai restaurants got hit hard with the recent island shutdowns related to Covid-19. Many businesses were short-staffed and because of this, they were unable to keep normal business hours. For instance, many establishments that would normally be open for lunch only offered their dinner service. Many places were also closed for business 1 or 2 days a week. Luckily, I made a couple of reservations well ahead of our trip but there were a couple of nights that we couldn't find a place to eat for dinner or were unwilling to wait in a long line. Good thing for Foodland in Princeville haha. In spite of the island's Covid-19 restrictions, we did have some fantastic food on the Garden Island. Here's a list of my favorites!

Ama in Hanalei - Definitely a must! Ama has an Asian-influenced menu with a variety of ramen bowls, kushiyaki, yummy salads, and bao. The cocktails were super tasty too. Ama reminded me esthetically of a lot of some of the restaurants we enjoy in Indonesia. The building itself is beautiful with a large outdoor and semi-outdoor seating area. Definitely, a romantic and exotic vibe going on.

The Bistro in Kilauea - My husband LOVED this place! Especially the Fish Rockets. I had to make a few alterations to my plates to make them dairy-free but it was minor. The Bistro is cozy and casual but also elegant. My favorite part was seeing Mr. Chow ( the restaurant’s big gray kitty cat ) roaming free and playfully greeting all the patrons. Everyone seemed to know everyone at The Bistro. Definitely seemed like a local favorite.

Trilogy Coffee in Kilauea - I think we went to Trilogy every single morning. I loved the vibe of the place ( and the surrounding shops ) so much so that when I returned home, I went on a massive hunt to find the Indonesian stone pots scattered throughout the property. We have also decided to use the same puka lava stone they used to pave our backyard as well. As for the food and drinks, it was all delicious. I ordered the Avocado and Pesto toast almost every morning ( pictured above ) but I also tried some of their yummy raw vegan desserts. They also have adaptogenic elixirs as well as coffee and teas sourced from family-owned farms and smallholder co-ops and estates.

Kauai Juice Co in Kapaa, Kilauea, and Koloa - If you've followed me for a while on Instagram @mauimandy, then you will know that I'm a huge fan of Kauai Juice Co. Kauai Juice Co was my first experience with fresh, cold-pressed, artisan juices and kombucha. They also make insanely delicious fermented hot sauces and sambal which you can order from their online shop and they will ship them to you on the mainland. I'm also obsessed with their cute selection of t-shirts, trucker hats, stickers, glass juice bottles, their beautiful bird of paradise logo, and all over general vibe of the shops.

Sushi Girl Kauai in Kilauea - it's easy to miss the little food truck tucked behind a small shopping center in downtown Kilauea ( it's in the same complex as The Bistro if that helps! ) She has a nice selection of maki rolls, large sushi burritos, poke bowls and musubi. Lucky for me she had some great vegan options.

The Hanalei Gourmet in Hanalei - Nice casual lunch option in the center of Hanalei. We always end up eating here 2-3 times every trip. I always get the garden burger and fries! This place always seems to be busy so expect a bit of a wait.

Nourish Hanalei in Princeville - Another hard-to-find little food truck but worth the hunt. Nourish Hanalei has a nice selection of delicious Acai bowls, salad bowls, and wraps. Go for the healthy food but stay for the incredible view overlooking Hanalei Bay.

Where we shopped

My husband and I tend to shop a lot on vacation. We keep saying we're going to stop doing this but honestly when you live on a small island with limited selections, it's hard to resist shopping for our home ( or ourselves ) when on vacation. What we love about shopping in tropical locales is the fact that so much of what we find works so well for us back home on Maui. Let me just say, our suitcases were much heavier on our return flight home per usual.

Hunter and Gatherer in Kilauea - I'm obsessed with this place. Located right next to Trilogy Coffee, it was easy to stumble into this shop almost daily. Hunter and Gatherer is stuffed with some of my favorite brands like Mt. Washington Pottery, Humble Ceramics, and Sundry clothing. They also sell tons of crystals, unique books, incense holders, jewelry, food condiments, and even some surf surfboards. Basically, everything I love.

Ohana Shop Kauai 2 locations in Hanalei - These places are just so cute! Loved all the beautiful shells leis ( ended up buying one ), the delicate local Niihau Momi shell jewelry, the finely woven lauhala Papale ( hats ), and a variety of bikinis, one-pieces, dresses, pareos, and local t-shirts.

Sway Hanalei in Hanalei - Great selection of clothing, ceramics, books, stationery, baskets, candles, jewelry, linens, and artwork. Everything in this shop was beautifully curated and fun to browse through. I ended up purchasing some nice dresses and some small ceramics for my kitchen collection back home.

Have you been to Kauai? If so, let me know your favorite places to visit, eat, and shop. Aloha!