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Global Wanderslut

From lusting after to reveling within the wander: 
collecting cities & countries, not men

Matcha Milk Bao

5/20/2020

1 Comment

 
So, I've bee baking since about mid-March 2020.  Yep, I'm a covid19 bandwagon baker.  In my defense, I love exploring new worlds and immersing myself in them.  It started with baking the simple things I was already familiar with, perfecting them my tastes.  COOKIES.  What really caught my attention, though, was bread.  I love the chemistry.

Then I started to have cravings while sitting in Shelter in Place (lockdown): Chinese bakery baos.  So, I've been tweaking my milk bread about 1x per week until I felt comfortable experimenting with it.  What this newbie baker learned was that there are base doughs that can be used for many types of breads.  Milk bread is one of them.  I use a basic form of this for this recipe (with the addition of condensed milk) and for my garlic/chive pull away bread (without much sugar in it, just enough for the yeast to make it the level of fluff I want it to be).  But, it can easily be a base for cinnamon buns, bolo (pineapple) baos, char siu baos, etc. 
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Glam shot of the match swirls.
​Milk bread is great since the dough is super easy to work with. Since I'm a n00b, this recipe was put together with references!  The real bakers that gave me the tools and inspiration to put together their recipes to make this Matcha Milk Bread are included in the description (and their YouTube videos are linked here).  Makes six large baos about 100g each (but I'd actually do 8 smaller ones next time).
Joshua Weissman - he's hilarious, clear in his communication, and the (authentic) recipes turn out great. It's in alignment with at least 5 other recipes, just much better presented. He's the closest to the base dough for my recipe with a few adjustments (video included Greatest Dinner Roll) :

Tangzhong roux:
2 tablespoons bread flour
2 tablespoons water
4 tablespoons milk

Bread Dough:
2+ cups bread flour
1 tablespoon active dry yeast (instant works)
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup milk (I sometimes even use oatmilk/water for the base)
2-3 tablespoons condensed milk
1 tablespoon granulated sugar (or skip)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened/melted
1 whole egg, room temperature

Egg wash: one egg 2 tbsp of milk/water) whisked

Matcha butter:
8 tablespoons salted butter (or add a pinch of salt)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
​2 teaspoon matcha powder
4 tbsp brown sugar (optional but kinda not)
PHASE ONE: base dough
​I'm used to proofing my yeast, just in case, and because I'm a n00b.  So I'd start with that, 1/2 cup of milk (warmed to about 110f, no more than 115f) mixed with 2-3 tbsp of condensed milk, sugar (if using) and the 1 tbsp of yeast.  If you're using water or oatmilk, I'd suggest going with 3 tbsp of the condensed milk to balance out the fat you want to soften the rolls.

Weissman does a great job of showing how to put together the tangzhong, but I found you can also zap it in the microwave 5 seconds at a time stirring each time to get to the right consistency (yah, slightly fewer dishes to wash!).  If you want to do it proper, follow his video.  It should look like a cross between cottage cheese and thick pudding.  Set aside.

​Melt the butter, about 30 seconds high in the microwave, maybe a bit less. Set it aside so that it's cooled by the time you're ready for it.

​Mix all the remaining bread dough ingredients together in a large bowl, add the tangzhong, and mix until it comes together.  

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Then, similar to what Weissman does, add the butter after it comes together (his is softened, I just full on melt mine since that's easier when kneading it by hand) and continue to mix, and then knead on floured surface for 10 minutes (ok to add more flour as you go if it's too sticky, but don't do it too much since you don't want the dough dried out).  It will transform from pretty darn sticky to just a bit tacky like playdough from the yellow plastic can.  I set a timer and legit space out.  Alternatively, if you have a mixer, follow how Weissman does it in the video, you lucky person, you. 

Place into lightly oiled bowl and cover airtight or with a damp towel - rise until about doubled about 1-2 hours, here in SF, 1 hour and 20 minutes has been a sweet spot (of patience, convenience, and size of dough). 

Preheat to 392f (that's 200c from another recipe that I used and then continued to use this temp because it worked).  


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PHASE 2: matcha butter
​While you're waiting for the rise, make the matcha butter.  It's super easy.  You can either have the butter softened and just mix everything but the brown sugar together by hand, or throw it in the food processor like I do.  Matcha doesn't need to be sifted, yay.  Reserve brown sugar for sprinkling (see photo).


PHASE 3: shaping the dough
When the dough is ready, deflate it and pour it onto lightly floured surface and cut into 6 (about 100g each) or 8 equal pieces. Ideally you roll/flatten them into rectangles, but as you can see from my photo, it doesn't have to be perfect at this stage to have a nice end product - pretty forgiving!  The instructions  are easiest via the 7 nifty tricks video (starts at around 2:02).

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Keep both the unshaped dough and the shaped dough covered as you work.  Place shaped dough onto parchment paper lined baking sheet.  They grow a lot, so space them out (similar sized to 85c buns).  Rest the shaped dough, covered (I use saran wrap) for another 30 minutes or so; they'll poof up a bit during this time.  

Egg wash - do this right before they go into the oven.  Depending on how shiny I want them, I'm pretty generous about this step (sometimes go over them 2x).
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This is part of the shaping process. You roll them as you would a cinnamon roll, then slice them down the middle and twist them together. Then, connect the ends so they create the ring.

Bake for about 18-20 minutes in the already preheated oven.

Let them cool a bit, but they're legit best warm & fresh.  If saving them for another day, refresh with a microwave steam: cover bao with damp towel and microwave 15-25 seconds or so on high. 
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Fancy Poptarts

5/10/2020

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I've never made pie crust from scratch.  But, the desire to revisit the Disney Toy Story Land Poptart in my own home was high.  So, I scoured the web for the simplest pie crust recipes, watched 5+ videos on how to successfully pulse out the dough in a food processor...and I DID IT.  You can learn from my mishaps (and I have, too, I've since then messed up a curry pot pie, but successfully used the scraps of it for pecan tarts).  

For the pie dough, I settled on the serious eats recipe: https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/07/easy-pie-dough-recipe.html 
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Glam shot of the poptarts' interior profile
Most recipes call for 3 cups of flour - and that's to make both the top and bottom of a pie.  Since...1) I don't have that many people to feed and 2) sugar intake responsibilities as an adult, I cut it in half and that made about 4.5 poptarts (why waste dough?). ​
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Pie Dough
1.25 cups of all purpose flour
1 tbsp granulated sugar
9 tbsp cold butter, cut up into small pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
Up to 3 tbsp of ice cold water (I just put an ice cube in a cup of filtered water and took what I needed from it)

Filling
Nutella (or equivalent, about 1-2 tablespoons per tart)
1 cup frozen berries and cherries mix (for 2 tarts)
1-4 teaspoons granulated or brown sugar to taste 
1 tablespoon cornstarch (more as needed to thicken)
Splash of lemon juice (optional)

Icing
1 cup powdered/confectioner's sugar
1 tsp maple syrup
1-3 tsp water/milk 
1-3 frozen cherries, heated, blended or mashed

For the process, I used Joshua Weissman's video.  I found several others for directions and such, but his by far looked the best.  I incorporated a few steps from the other recipes, though.  ​
​PHASE 1: pie crust
Have all ingredients ready! Most websites state to work pie dough swiftly so that the butter doesn't melt into the dough (ideal for maximum flakiness/yumminess). Put flour, sugar, salt in food processor, pulse a few times to get it all mixed.  I have the smaller version of a food processor, and it all fit (though, making double might be tough).  Then add the chunks of butter, but put them all around, not just on one side of the food processor.   Pulse that a few times until it looks almost sandy with chunks.  Then start adding the water, 1 tablespoon at a time while pulsing it in between.  Stop when you get pea sized pieces.  That's when you (take out the blade) and start to mush it together with your hands.  If it comes together, pour it out onto a workspace and gather into a disk (check Weissman's video for what this should look like).  Wrap in plastic wrap and put into the fridge to chill 30 mins minimum.
PHASE 2: filling prep
I actually took my jam filling idea straight from Weissman, but since we're in lock down, only had frozen fruits. It worked really well still!  Mix all the ingredients under the filling section (except Nutella!) and over low to medium, heat it up and get it pretty thick so that it's easy to put into the filling.  Add a bit more cornstarch if it isn't quite thick enough.  You don't want it runny!  Also, you could alternatively use pre-made jam (as Weissman suggests).  For full Disney effect, I used a hazelnut chocolate pre-made spread for half of the poptarts.
Preheat the oven to 375f.
PHASE 3: shaping the dough
Take that pie disk out of the fridge and rest at room temp for about 15 minutes. I struggled A LOT with this.  My dough was a bit dry.  So it was really hard to roll out without it cracking.  Dipped my fingers into filtered water and start to dab it all over the dough, and it worked! Definitely flour the surface so that once the dough starts to warm up, it doesn't stick.  Like Weissman (my current dough hero), I flipped it back and forth to make sure it didn't stick.  Roll it down to 1/8 of an inch (pretty darn thin) and as close as possible to the size of a standard sized printer paper.  Weissman likes to measure.  But, I'm lazy and an improper baker. I cut out, using a knife, this paper sized dough, set aside the discard (disk form and wrapped in fridge), and then cut these into thirds lengthwise (landscape).  Egg wash the tops of these 3 strips.

Like Weissman, and what I felt was the easiest process, you're going to fold these strips in half to create the final poptart.  Other recipes have you cutting out individual squares.  Seems like an extra, unnecessary step and another place in which I could have leakage from the filling.  With this in mind, put about 1-1.5 tablespoons of filling on one half, leaving space to secure the pastry together.  Then, fold it in half and get any air space out of the tart.  Use a fork to secure and make it pretty.  Don't hesitate too much on the fork, I wish I had stamped it hard for a more pronounced outcome!

Poke the tops with a fork so that they don't poof up, then egg wash (and do some generously as you can see from mine, they aren't as shiny as I'd like), and then repeat with the remainder of the dough you put into the fridge (or do something else with it). 
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PHASE 5: bake
​Place your shaped dough into the freezer or fridge for 10-15 minutes to chill that dough again. Then stick them into the oven for 27 minutes at 375f.
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PHASE 4: icing/glaze
While they're baking, make the glaze. Take 1 tsp of either the crushed cherry or maple syrup and combine with 1 cup of the powdered sugar, mix.  It won't be enough liquid, so you'll add 1 tsp at a time of either water or milk.  It should be super, duper thick.  I definitely made the mistake of too much liquid for the cherry icing and had to thicken it up and reglaze.  Definitely do it on grates with a pan to catch up all that liquid. I sprinkled raw sugar on top since I didn't have magical toppings like Weissman or Disney have.

Let them cool before putting that glaze on, otherwise it'll just melt it and slide off.  The glaze should set in about 15 minutes or so.  Leave glaze on pan and slowly eat it all day long.


I do this weird thing where I don't love following all the dense text in other people's recipes/blogs.  So, I synthesize all the info from the (likely 5-10) video/blog/recipes into a short hand that likely only I understand.  But, thought that it might still be helpful for workflow to include:

​Flour, sugar, salt in food processor, disperse butter, mix, want bits of butter, start to add water, pea sized bits, add little bit of ice water at a time, knead a bit to mix up, don't over knead, roll into ball and then thick disk (split in 2 if doing full recipe), wrap and put in fridge (30 mins or so, can go 3 nights)

Prep jam during this time
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Take crust out of fridge, rest at room temp 10 to 15 mins before rolling
Lightly flour workspace and dough, 9x12 rectangle rolled out 1/8 inch (as thin as possible!), make sure doesn't stick
3 inches wide each, 4 long strips for dough
Egg wash (egg and some milk)
Prep to fold each strip, 1 tbsp of jam, leave quarter of an inch on each side
Seal on edges, try to get out airpockets, and press fork pattern (do this tight!)
Freezer 10 mins, 375f, egg wash, oven for 27 mins

Glaze ideas
1 cups powdered sugar, add water 1 tsp at a time (or use some other liquid flavor), cool fully before icing (keep as thick as possible)
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Death Valley National Park

3/31/2019

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I've got to make blogging way easier on myself - I'm going to do it like I do work emails and work blogs...in BULLET POINTS!! So, we went to Death Valley for about 5 days.  We flew in from SFO to LAS and did brunch there.  Mostly for the freshly fried donuts at the Four Seasons - Verandah. It was so easy since we didn't have to worry about parking since they validate for the restaurant! Ok, onto the bullet points and photos:

Day 1
  • Brunch at Verandah @ Four Seasons Vegas
  • Few hours into Pahrump where we were staying for the trip; the park is huge, so I'm not sure I'd do it this way again, but it was cheaper than staying right in Furnace Creek (it was about 60-90 minutes in the car each morning to get to the central part of the park where most things were)
  • The good thing about Pahrump was that there are a few grocery stores and a 24 hour walmart; made it super easy to get things we needed and lots of choices for a later evening dinner
  • Grotto Canyon Hike: this one's really tough, I'd say you'd have to be bouldering a v2 at the gym to feel comfortable doing the hike (and with a buddy just in case!); so we actually didn't make it very far because we were racing the clock to get to Badwater Basin for sunset; there's a dirt road to get into the canyon area, and if it's not too wet and mushy, you can drive nearly up to the canyon (high clearance is a must, 4wd ideal); the road into the canyon is really easy to miss, so track that gps (download your maps ahead of time since the reception is horrible in the park)
  • Badwater Basin: the park's so big, we cut Grotto short to meet up with my cousins at Badwater for sunset and stars; we though it was amazing during the day, but it was awe inspiring at night - we were lucky without clouds and there were so many stars out you could take a photo with it with your phone, it honestly  felt like a fake planetarium! 
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rainy year, we got to see the reflection at the salt flats
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this is in the golden canyon stretch of the loop, my cousin thinks it looks like melty chocolate and vanilla ice cream xD
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toward the end of gower gulch portion of the trail you started to see more colors in the rocks - foreshadow of the artist's drive
Day 3
  • Artist's Drive: one way loop to see the colorful colors of the earth
  • Hike 1: unnamed hike that is super not popular, but we loved it! It's on the right side of the road at the 2nd dip (it's pretty obvious, but watch out for the signs and the dips), just pull over to explore the pink and green canyons, it's a not as hard hike up and over into the canyon (as compared to grotto)
  • Artist's Palette: hike in!! Lots of people stop at the parking lot and don't head in, but the best views are to be had up close, and for those that like a bit of scrambling, it's like a playground - saw lots of little ones in there, too; it's hard to get lost since you can see the whole place from the higher elevation lot; apparently the spot is best right around sunset, so that's what we did to get the photos we got
  • Dante's Ridge: it's definitely colder up there! So bring a sweater if it's winter or early spring; we didn't do a huge hike here since it would've mostly been rim, so we walked both directions from the parking lot and the views are really different from both ends, so I'd suggest doing that if you're intrigued by the vastness of the salt flats (this view was apparently featured in one of the star wars movies); also, if you're a frequent bathroom user, there's one at the lower lot but not at the one up top
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dante's view heading left from the lot (facing the flats) you get a better view of the far off mt range
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dante's view heading to the right side of the lot (facing the flats)
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view looking back and down the trail we came from, from above the dry falls
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this is heading into the narrows above the dry falls, if you look carefully you can see the water trickling between my feet (I thought it was funny bc it looked like I was peeing!)
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photo taken from the viewing area
Day 5
  • Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes: we went in the morning so I could go without shoes, but a few hours in, the sand was burning up and heading in I had to put them back on! So keep those flops with you; the earlier you go, the less foot prints you'll have; we were just in Morocco this time last year, so this was fun, but nothing like the Sahara xD Worth checking out to see how the vegetation grows alonside the sands here (very different from Morocco)
  • Ubehebe Crater (you-bee-hee-bee): I honestly wasn't excited about this when we decided to drop by since I've seen similar things in the Big Island...but I was glad we did it. The way the floor of the old volcano was cracked and dried was almost as if a graphic artist had put it there, and slushing through the fine, black, volcanic sand was just a different type of hike than I'm used to! 
  • Rhyolite Ghost Town: this was actually really fun to walk through and super picturesque; the ghost figures were kinda creepy to me, but otherwise, it was interesting to see what was there before it became a park and how man made buildings and vehicles crumble under the desert sun and time
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at the ubehebe crater floor
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first bouldering problem at grotto - pretty vertical
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salty at badwater basin
Day 2
  • Golden Canyon - Gower Gulch Loop trail​ (we detoured to red cathedrdal, too): this was amazing, with all the different rock formations coming one after another, sometime right next to one another - red next to striped next to golden. Easily one of my favorite spots in the park and I'd do this trail again if I came back! We took a ton of detours with "short cuts" and a need to touch certain color rocks, so between acclimating and just wanting to sleep in, this is the only hike we did this day
  • Timbasha's Tacos - this is right in the park! And reasonably priced! It's a Native American establishment, so run by locals which feels good; the service was meh, but hey, it's so convenient. The shave ice was refreshing after the hike and the fried dough was tasty 
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red cathedral detour was super fun - we hiked through the golden hills and touched the red rock!
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into artist's palette!
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in the middle of the palette
Day 4
  • We got to experience the reflective, wet salt flats because of the rains - but that also meant that things were closed, so that actually botched up our original plans; but we had lots of back up things to do
  • Zabriskie Point: everyone does this and it's a super easy drive to a short walk in (there are longer hikes to explore the area, but since we did golden canyon, we decided not to do that this trip; golden canyon can connect to zabriskie)...definitely walk down from the viewing area, the extra few steps made you feel closer to the crazy stripes
  • Falls Canyon Hike: one of the rangers said this was his favorite hike in the whole park; so, we trusted him and I was cursing him until about 30 minutes before the end of the hike...why? Well, the vistas didn't change as much as the other hikes (though beautiful) and we were trudging through mushy stones/gravel...meh. It reminded me a lot of utah with the red rocks, and it's honestly stunning in photos throughout the hike! The end is a tiny dry falls that I was honestly just super underwhelmed with - but in photos, it's pretty darn beautiful (or perhaps I was tired and bored??)  The start is outside of the canyon, I feel like it's about a third of the hike you're just trying to get there. About 5 minutes BEFORE the dry falls you'll find some pretty vertical scrambling (read: must use hands) that will lead you to the top of the dry falls where the BEST part is! The views of the winding road behind you and canyon narrows in front of you, the last 10 minutes of the hike really make the whole thing; so be warned and have the right expectations going into this one
  • That said, the photos from this spot are without a doubt the ones with the most likes and comments on instagram ;)
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this is what the trail looks like heading up above the dry falls to the narrows, there are lots of cairns, but it's hard to spot on the way in, so watch out for it (it's on the right side on the way to the dry falls)
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sunset on the way out of falls canyon was dreamy
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the iconic spot in death valley, up close and personal
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sand dunes early in the morning
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ubehebe from the top of the crater
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train car at the ghost town
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The Broad Museum, Los Angelas

4/1/2017

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I had so much fun here!  We got tickets online the month prior (worth not waiting in line), but didn't get into the infinity room (but, we weren't too worried about that since I'm here so often - next time!).  We dropped by the Walt Disney Concert Hall before hand (right across the street) to visit their rooftop gardens and it was beautiful.  
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Above: upstairs in the garden area, there is one spot near a doorway in which is very instagrammable.  And of course, we were lucky enough to get rain this year, so the beautiful flowers upstairs were in bloom!

Below: gallery from our time at The Broad early April 2017 - the exhibits seem to change quite often and the first floor was actually being updated while we were there.  So, it seems that this might be a regular stop for me as long as I can get tickets ahead of time!
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My Daily Waffle - Belgium

3/22/2017

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There are two major different types of waffles found in Belgium - Liege and Brussels.  The Liege is the one that is rough around the edges - it's chewy and you can sometimes taste bits of sugar still in the batter.  This is more unique to use in the US.  The Brussels waffle is still quite different than the ones we find here (even if a brunch spot dubs it Belgian) - it's light and airy.  I'd say what we find here in the US is a mix of the two in terms of texture.  
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Picture to the left and above are both from Maison Dandoy.  A must try for their Brussels waffle!  They have a tea room that opens later.  Their speculoos cookies are the best (think: original Trader Joe's cookie butter flavor).  If taking it home, I suggest filling up a bag and padding it in the suitcase with clothes, way cheaper than the boxes!
www.maisondandoy.com/en/home/
Although I also tried the Liege waffle at Maison Dandoy (since I legitimately had a daily waffle), the ones that I loved were actually the spots that had the 1 euro signs out front!  Of course, it never cost that price since I put toppings on mine.  Although nutella is pictured in this photo, I did go outside my nutella comfort zone and tried the speculoos flavored spread with speculoos cookie crumbles and that ended up my fave topping for Liege waffles!  Le Funambule next to the Mannekin Pis was my favorite for Liege waffles.  
www.lesgaufresdemanneken-pis.be/

Mokafe (below) is worth a mention for its solid coffee, more local vibe, and Brussels waffle.  Several locals suggested this spot instead of Dandoy.  I still preferred Dandoy, but liked that locals frequented this spot. www.yelp.com/biz/mokaf%C3%A9-taverne-bruxelles-2

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Got this waffle on a stick while in Bruges.  I don't recommend it even if it was a fun concept, it was not the yummiest.
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Peck 47 was a great brunch spot that didn't do either Liege or Brussels waffles.  But, it must be mentioned since it was my favorite spot for coffee or a snack.  They have fresh juices and some delicious, savory waffles like the one pictured to the right (I think it was cheese, leek, and probably bacon flavored).  It has great ambiance, but gets packed for breakfast and lunch, so come early or be prepared to wait.  Solid coffee to start my mornings.  

Right near the Boarse.

www.yelp.com/biz/peck-47-bruxelles

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My fave Ktown food spots - Los Angelas

3/18/2017

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Seongbukdong ​ for Galbi jjim

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The sole purpose of coming to this restaurant is the Galbi jjim (braised beef short ribs).  It's incredibly tender, perfectly melt in your mouth goodness.  I haven't found a good spot in the SFbay area and this is one of two restaurants in LA that does this dish justice apparently.  Also got the kimchi stew, delicious!  The galbi jjim isn't very large, it was good enough for 2 small Chinese girls that actually eat quite a bit.  So, either order two if you've got more people coming (my suggestion because it is the star of the show), or order more dishes.  

The restaurant is small, but if you go to dinner just a bit early, you might not have to wait very long.   It's in the main Koreatown strip and pretty easy to find. There's valet (yay). 
​www.yelp.com/biz/seongbukdong-los-angeles

SomiSomi for dessert!

I love to try new foods, but there are some things that I love SO much that I'll sacrifice being able to try something new to eat it again and again and again.  That is my love for SomiSomi's ice cream taiyaki.

So, this photo is from the first time we went, but since then I've been 3 times (I think?) every single time I've gone to LA.  The green tea ice cream is a bit thicker and creamier than the milk flavor, so I like to get the swirl.  I fill mine with nutella, because in dessert life, for me, nutella is queen.  Their milk flavor, for those unfamiliar, is similar to that of condensed milk, but much lighter here.  You can also fill with red bean or custard.  I've been meaning to try the custard, but sometimes, I just don't want to regret trying something new when I'm too in love with what I know to be tried and true.  You can get a cup to go with it as it melts quickly (because those taiyakis are fresh!

Park in the Hmart lots, second or third floors, take the escalator to the storefront (no seating), don't forget to validate when you order.

www.yelp.com/biz/somisomi-los-angeles-3
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Abbot Kinney, Venice Beach, Los Angelas

2/17/2017

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I've been heading to LA every month or so lately since the sister lives down there now!  It's nice because it's not an awful drive and I get to bring my pup, Cleo.  Los Angelas isn't know for "walkability," which I love when I'm exploring places, so often we're driving around from spot to spot - 10 minutes to ice cream, another 15 to dinner, etc.  But, Abbot Kinney in Venice Beach is totally walkable!  It's not too far from the beach boardwalk and there are fun shops, beautiful street art down alleyways, and places to snack.

Murals - Urban Art

Although most of the shops and restaurants are right along the main street, the best artwork is tucked into the alleyways.  Sometimes larger than life and easily seen by strolling the several blocks of Abbott Kinney, many are unseen, making for a good excuse to get more steps in, right?

Palm Trees & So far "so good" artwork: between Rag & Bone and Kit Ace
Love wall: Santa Clara Ave on Greenleaf Chop House

Noms nearby

Two reasons that I'd used to go to Portland quite a bit are now right on Abbot Kinney!  

Blue Star and their amazing buttermilk donut (perfectly crisp outer texture and soft fluffy inside) is a must try if you haven't been.  It's really special, I swear!  But, really only the buttermilk donut - I like the original glaze, but if you have room for more, then the other glazes are fun to try, but it's really all about that perfect texture.  The best part is that the lines aren't crazy like they are in Portland!  www.bluestardonuts.com/

Salt & Straw has some fun flavors - but what I always go there for is their Strawberry Balsamic.  I'd used to get sad when I'd try other flavors (even if I tried it as the second flavor) - because I'd always want more of that Strawberry Balsamic.  The lines are just as crazy here as they are in Portland, which kinda makes sense to me seeing as it's warmer in LA.  I'd wait in line for it down here or anywhere.  They're finally opening a few shops in SF, so I'm pretty excited about it and likely less sad when trying more flavors with it more easily accessible! saltandstraw.com/

Unrelated to Portland love...
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Intelligentsia has great coffee, period.  Those that know me, know that I need my coffee in the AM.  The ambiance at this store is beautiful, too.  Indoor/outdoor seating with beautiful artwork on the outside space and modern, minimalist decor inside. www.intelligentsiacoffee.com/
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Thailand: Getting to Railay Beach from Bangkok

1/19/2017

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PictureWest Railay Beach early afternoon.
Railay Beach is beautiful and less packed than the other beaches in Southern Thailand.  And, between Railay and Tonsai, there is world class climbing.  I loved my stay there (lots of photos of it on my instagram and likely in future posts).

But - I remember doing lots of searching on the interwebs on this particular stretch since there seemed to be a lot of options.

1) Take a bus - there are overnight buses that you can take.  My back and knees are much too old for that in my 30s, so I nixed this.  Plus, with the costs down there so much lower, double the price for flying was totally worthwhile (about 75 USD round trip).  

2) There's not a train option.

3) Fly!  Which is what the rest of this post will be about.  But, it's not a direct flight like it is to spots like Phucket.  

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Boat Man on the long tail ride into East Railay,
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Another piece of West Railay Beach.

PictureAo Nam Mao Pier in the late morning.
Railay Beach from Bangkok via Air

A quick google search lets you know that AirAsia is the least expensive option - so I went with that (friends and the interwebs told me that this was totally safe and okay).  AirAsia doesn't depart from BKK (the airport you likely flew into Bangkok if coming from the US), but from DMK which is about half an hour north of the city.  

You'll be flying from DMK to Krabi (KBV):

1) Uber super early in the morning from my airbnb - which is easier than hailing a cab from Sukhumvit where I was staying, at least at 4:30am.  There's no direct train to DMK (Don Muang), so taxi or uber is the best way to go.  It's about 350 baht.

2) Airport check in is organized by flight, not by airline.  Also, not all cab drivers will know where domestic is and where international is (unlike in other cities).  The usual airport security applies (no liquids, electronics need to be taken out, etc).

3) Typically (for AirAsia at least), there's a shuttle that takes you from the gate to the plane - when they're ready for boarding, they'll start having everyone pile into the shuttle.  

4) Once you get to Krabi, grab your things and head toward the exit.  It's a small airport, so not a lot of confusion there.  The easiest next step is to get a taxi/car to one of two ports: Ao Nang or Ao Nam Mao.  The tax costs about 700 baht from what I recall (about 20 USD, so be sure to have enough cash).  There should be a taxi stand that is semi-established feeling that will grab you a car/taxi.

Ao Nang boats will take you to West Railay beach where there is a WET landing.  It's also the beachy side of the peninsula (it's not an island) where the bigger resorts are.  So, be prepared with flip flops and such.  Ao Nam Mao will take you to the East Railay pier. 

5) It sounds like both piers function similarly - I went to Ao Nam Mao - and you get a ticket to enter a queue to wait for a long tail boat to fill up.  I suggest you time your flight so that you're there during normal hours (not evening) so that it takes no longer than 30 minutes or so of waiting.  They pretend like there are times that the boats leave, but my experience was similar to others - they just wait for it to fill up.  This was inexpensive.  The driver and boat sales person might ask you to purchase a return home - it'll be over priced.  I suggest you get a return home "tour" from the tour stand in front of the Avatar Hotel on East Railay.  It was about half the price quoted (good thing I emailed them ahead of time!).

6) The boat ride is wet or can be.  And if it happens to rain, you could get even wetter.  Not a bad idea to have one of those plastic rain thingies with you just in case!  From the East Railay Pier, it was super easy to find my hotel, Avatar.  Just walk north (or to the right when coming from the pier) - most other hotels are that direction as well.

PictureBeach time at Pranang Cave Beach!
The way back...

Is way easier!  But, with a few quirks worth mentioning.  Purchase a "tour" from the tour stand in front of Avatar Hotel (or from other tour stands, there are plenty all over the small Railay area).  It'll include your long tail boat and car voucher.  If leaving from the East, you find someone at the pier and show them your purchase and you'll get into your "tour group."  Depending on time of day (low and high tide) you may enter Ao Nam Mao at a different pier than the one you left from (which is what happened to me).  You show your car voucher to random cars and see if anyone takes that voucher - a bit odd since it's not like a particular car is tagged to you.  It sounds like the "tour" just makes sure there are enough cars waiting for you at approximately the right time at the pier for pick up to the airport.  

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Bangkok: EmQuartier Mall

11/23/2016

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The view of EmQuartier in the evening from the BTS. I was there just after the passing of their king, and this was from a vigil on father's day - which is set on the king's birthday.
PictureView from the bottom of Helix quarter.
It seems silly to post a blog entry about a mall - but just like Singapore or Tokyo - the malls in Bangkok are a serious cultural hub.  It's where locals meet up for coffee, go to the movies, and complete their groceries.  I mean, the weather is pretty darn humid, so it makes a lot of sense for so much of the daily lives of those that live in the city to be happening in a mall.

​I spent about a month in Bangkok as my home base, and did end up spending lots of time at EmQuartier since a sorority sister lived nearby.  I stayed near the Thong Lo BTS, so just one stop away from EmQuartier Mall which is at the Phrom Phong BTS.  It's pretty fool proof to get to EmQuartier by BTS, you get off and can see Emporium to the south and EmQuartier to the north of the line.  The station directly connects to the entrances (like many other malls in Bangkok).

PictureTonkatsu at Meisen - great view, great food!
Our first stop was food!  If you head up the elevators in Helix Quarter, you'll find a spiraling row of restaurants.  There are lots of Japanese expats in Bangkok especially near Thong Lo, which is just down the street, so the Japanese selection is excellent.  My favorite tonkatsu restaurant in Tokyo is Meisen - and they have multiple branches in Bangkok.  The fatty, premium pork here is just around 15USD, as compared to double that in Tokyo.  Totally worth the spurge - even if you can get meals at closer to 3USD in Thailand.  ​There are other higher end restaurants worth trying.  Audrey Cafe des Fleurs is a beautiful (but, girly) setting that has interesting French-Thai fusion.  Audrey also repeated shows up on top desserts in Bangkok (which happens to be a dessert mecca!).  They're famous for their Thail mille crepe dessert.  There are other Audreys in Bangkok, but I think this is the most beautiful one!  Like Meisen, Audrey also has a beautiful view, as do most of the restuarants on the top several floors of Helix Quarter.

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Carrot cake & chocolate cake at Coffee Beans by Dao.
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Crispy morning glory & Tom Yum pizza at Audrey des Fleurs.
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The beautifully decorated Audrey des Fleurs.
If you love cake, Coffee Beans by Dao is a great mid-shopping stop.  Every cake that I've tried there was delicious.  I heard the meal time food was decent as well.  Beware, despite its name, they are not known for coffee.

There were also lots of cultural events that happened - many surrounding the passing of the Thai king that occurred just about a month prior to my visit.  But, it seems like there are many events that happen throughout the year regardless.  Traditional dancers in the courtyard between the three quarters and wishes on stars displayed in front of the mall (see photos to the left).  Similar to community centers, parks, and libraries in the US, the mall functions like a public space for Bangkok.

PictureFrench toast at Roast, another solid brunch spot in Emquartier.
Ok - obviously there are lots of great, upscale stores to explore.  Also fun nooks and crannies including a section for Thai designers (which is also next to Greyhound - a very happening, local restaurant that's not near any other restaurants and worth checking out (get the sashimi salmon with spicy seafood sauce, they're known for it).  

There is also a hodgepodge shop that reminds me of Urban Outfitters - Another Story.  Another Story has local artwork and lifestyle/home type items from around the world.  Inside the store, there's an Issaya Patisserie (with unique Thai-esque flavored macarons - but they have a better location at Central Embassy).  And there are several coffee shops worth exploring - my fave is Roast, they have fun drinks and delicious brunch.

Jones the Grocer was another decent brunch spot close to the grocery store, Gourmet Market - where you can find most American/UK/Japanese items that you need.  The area is incredibly international.  Of course, there's the usual mall food cour that is quite good - but not quite as good as the one at Central Embassy.

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Food stalls in front of the Gourmet Market (grocery store).
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Jones the Grocer, great for brunch.
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Yummy drink, sitting in the small, but lovely outside area of Roast.

What to do before/after a trip to EmQuartier?

So, if you're in Bangkok for vacation, you're likely on there a few days, a week if you're lucky.  You could easily pair a morning/brunch trip to EmQuartier with...
  • A trip to Thonglor and J ave (BTS Thong Lo - short cab/motorbike ride to J ave)
  • A movie at one of the fancy movie theaters (like the one at Emporium on the other side of the BTS station)
  • Trip to Siam BTS to visit more malls!  
  • A Thai massage at a spot like my fave, Asia Herb Association
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Kauai 2016: Day Trip to Waimea Canyon

10/16/2016

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PictureClick image to link to google maps image of this.
The Journey & Timing to Waimea Canyon area (west side of Kauai)
We started our day super early since the general research said to get there before the fog starts to roll into any parts of the canyon - and the rumors were true (despite our awesome weather, that does happen on and off throughout the afternoon - just as we hiked out of the earlier hike, we saw clouds roll in behind us).  

Since we were staying in Poipu, so we estimated about an hour and left around 6:30am to get there by 7:30am, so that we could try and start our hike by 8am and finish up by noon (for lunch).  The first part of the drive was pretty easy going.  Lots of birds on the road early in the morning, so be careful, especially of the roads are slick from rain.  But, as we started heading up the canyons, it got pretty windy with turns, so those that easily get car sick, beware!  Because of this fog rolling in, we rushed all the way to the very last look out for the most iconic view - Pu'u O Kila Lookout.

kalalau valley picture pu'u o kila lookout
awa'awapuhi trail napali waimea picture
As you can see from the photo above, the weather was great, but the sun was just in the wrong spot and the real photographer on our trip (not I) said this wasn't worthy of a print.  But, there was a lot of potential in the shot, so we decided we could come back afterward if we had time/energy.

There are two areas to easily walk up to for photos at Pu'u O Kila Lookout, the fenced in section as you climb up from the parking lot a tiny bit, or this area in the photo above, which is just beyond.  We found area more stunning.  However, if it's wet, my guess is it'd be pretty dangerous feeling, those cliffs are for real.  The Phia trail starts from here (see below for more on the trail).

The Awa'awapuhi Trail
This was my favorite hike of the week!  It's true what they say, it's a bit boring on the way there and back; the gift is truly the destination.  The full trail is about 3 miles out and 3 miles back.  If it's dry, you can get all the way to the tip of one of those crazy looking ridges.  I didn't realize it was a full 6 miles, so we ended the hike a bit later than we anticipated but it all worked out since we still finished the day up in the canyon area by 3/3:30pm.

From Pu'u O Kila Lookout, we drove down to Kalalau Lookout (about a 2 minute drive) - and there's a bathroom there, yay!  And another great view that we decided would be better later in the day since it was a similar view to the above.  After our quick bathroom stop, we tried to look for the awa'awapuhi trail.  Since we were so early, there was only one another car in the lot - making it hard to find so we drove past it a few times before seeing it.  If you're coming from the top of the canyon (the two mentioned lookout points), the dirt parking lot will be on your right, about 5 minutes past Kalalau Lookout.  If you see the camp grounds on your right, you've gone too far.  

awa'awapuhi trail napali waimea picture
Generally easy hike on the way out since it's mostly down hill (the first part is a bit uphill).  It's not a straight up trail most of the way, so "easy" as in you're not using your hands.  Not a leisurely walk on a flattened out trail.  There were narrow areas that poked your legs and hit your face (they likely cut it back in Spring before tourist season in the summer and it grew out by the time we got there in the fall season).  

Most of it was covered, so that was nice.  But, it was super boring unless you like to see lots of jungle for long periods of time.  The last mile perked me up a bit.  There were these beautiful, tiny flower clusters when we went.  And this overgrown, softer hay-like section right before the clearing for the incredible view.

awa'awapuhi trail napali waimea picture
Once you get to the clearing, you can head down to the ridge if it's dry - be careful!  We were daring and went all the way to the tip, but DO NOT GO unless you feel super confident about it and it's totally dry.  Wrong footing anywhere and it could mean going down one of those steep cliffs, eeeeek.  The two sides of that pathway shoot straight down to the bottom of the canyon, and it leads to the second plateau and a great spot for some epic photos!  

It's a special spot - you can tell since lots of boats and helicopters pass by.  The helicopters actually fly in a bit lower than the trail's vantage point!

We met a couple that went out to another look out point for their hike and they got this awesome photo of us on this second plateau (see in the gallery below).  I decided to head all the way to the tip of the ridge after seeing the couple do so and it was incredible - but really scary, and really shouldn't be done without understanding the risk.  It got pretty narrow, about two shoulder lengths wide.  Not too bad, but risky when the the ends of the path just jut down.  

The hike back was grueling, and even more boring than on the way down since it's still not scenic and it's all up hill.  Pace yourselves correctly and take water breaks.  We both decided the hike was worth it, especially since the weather worked out for us.  But, that we wouldn't likely do the hike again since we've gotten to experience the vista point now and the hike there and back wasn't that special.

The Kalalau Lookout
We did another bathroom stop here and decided to take photos as we ate some of our family sized Maui onion chips, nom.  Our first stops at the lookout points were early and totally empty!  It got crowded later in the day.  We were pretty tired after Awa'awapuhi trail and were deciding between Canyon trail to the iconic waterfall (see photo from look out point below) or going back up to Pihia trail (2 miles shorter, but I don't think is actually easier because of the muddy conditions we hit).  Here are a few photos from the gorgeous Kalalau Lookout point break that we took (below).
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Crazy man trying to get photo.
kalalau valley picture napali
Left side ridges of canyon (taken from right side of lookout).
kalalau valley picture napali
Pano of Kalalau valley.
pihia trail picture waimea canyon
The Pihia Trail
We headed back up to the Pu'u O Kila Lookout for more photos and decided to do the Phia trail since we didn't think we could handle anything more than that.  We were thinking that this would be a quick and easy out and back (2 miles total).  But, it wasn't!  Because of how the mud was drying on the trail, it deceivingly looked easy from the start, but we were doing some serious scrambling (full on use of hands) and trudging through mud.   It was pretty dry at the start and we went further, it became more covered, read: wet!  There were platforms built up in the worst places, but because we did get rain the week prior, there were areas of the trail in deep mud.  Likely because of the rain we got, there were also what looked like mud slides toward the end of the trail where we were climbing with our hands up chunks of mud/trail, as high as our hips!  

The view changes little on the way down, but the framing was totally different in certain spots and could feel quite different.  It's definitely worth it to go at least partway down the trail.  Toward the start of the trail you can see both sides of the ridge, inland and the ocean views.  The fog rolled in and out as we were hiking and that was pretty stunning to see real time and happening so quickly.

pihia trail picture waimea canyon
Pano of the start of the Pihia trail.
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Fog started coming over the ridge.
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Looked like this maybe 10 minutes further down!
pihia trail picture waimea canyon
Pano on our way back that accidentally got me in the photo.
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Waimea Canyon stops
After 8 miles of hiking, we were tired!  And we would come to realize, super sore for the next few days.  So, we stopped by Waimea Canyon lookout for the iconic "Grand Canyon"-esque view and then realized we couldn't see the waterfall from there, so stopped once more (on the side of the road a bit further down the road) before heading home.  It was around 3pm when we finished everything up for the day and we really wanted shave ice - Poipu/Koloa doesn't have one that's well rated so we went to Jojo's in Waimea town.  Perfect end to a great day in the west side of Kauai.

waimea canyon lookout
View from the lookout point.
waimea canyon picture
View just past the lookout point on the way back down.
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Above is a rooster that I chased around the Waimea Canyon lookout parking lot (which is on the left as you head down the canyon back to town.  To the right is our full day itinerary with notes straight from my spreadsheets. 
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Link back to Kauai 2016 overview here.
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4 nights in Kauai, October 2016

10/14/2016

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PicturePhoto at Koloa Landing, fresh leis at check in :)
Fall is low season for the islands of Hawaii.  I thought that it was also the ideal seasonal time to go to Kauai, just like it is for the other islands.  But, turns out the winds are a bit high on the Napali coast starting around this time of year that there are risks of your boat trips not making it out to the iconic coastline.  So, I suggest going just a bit earlier - but luckily we got some amazing weather!  Unlike the other islands, this was my first time in Kauai.  I had this silly idea that it was more of a romantic spot and was waiting to go with a significant other.  But, turns out one of my female besties was up for the trip, over my bday weekend, no less!  I am loved.  I've got to say I'm glad I went - it's now my second favorite island and it's definitely the most lush and beautiful island.  Reminded me a bit of Costa Rica's rainforests and the view of the Napali coast from the water - stunning.

The Resort
Ok, the important stuff.  Because neither us have been, we decided to hit the biggest, most popular sections of the island.  Because of this, we stayed at the amazing Koloa Landing Resort - lucky to stay in the nearly brand new rooms and upgraded to the 1 bedroom suite with the hot tub right in our backyard! 

https://koloalandingresort.com/

We're also super Chinese - great value for a 4 star.  It's in south shore and about 45 minutes to Waimea Canyon and about 1 hour 15 minutes to the Hanalei (near the Kalalau trail).  We really liked this set up, but next time would likely split the trip and find a place to stay on the north side to really explore the trails and sights up there.  

...more updates on the resort in its own post coming soon.

The Overview
Here's the spreadsheet:
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PictureMy fave hike, Awa'awapuhi on the Waimea Canyon area.

​The Hikes
On recommendation from lots of people, we focused on hikes.  Day 2 we went with Waimea Canyon area and Day 4 was up in north shore for the Kalalau trail.  

Waimea Canyon: Awa'awaphu Trail & Pihia Trail
North Shore: Kalalau Trail (first 2 miles)
South Shore: Coffee Plantation (ok, not really a hike, but we walked around!)

Click for Pihia Trail & Awa'awaphi Trail overviews as part of the Waimea Canyon (west side) day trip.

The Boat Excursion
I got a lot of recommendations to see the vastness of the Napali coast either via helicopter or by boat.  We with the boat option and since we were staying in Poipu (south island) we went with Captain Andy's which is at Port Allen, only about a half an hour drive from our hotel.

...updates coming on Captain Andy's in another post soon!
​

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Monterey Bay, California - 17 mile drive, day trip

1/24/2015

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PictureThe jelly fish exhibit is amazing at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Just over 2.5 hours away (depending on traffic), Monterey Bay makes for a great day trip.  I'm in love with the ocean, so, I'm down in that area quite a bit.  There are quite a few things to do in that area:
  • Drop by Santa Cruz Boardwalk
  • Carmel town/beach
  • Big Sur (further south)
  • Monterey Bay Aquarium 
  • 17 mile drive/Pebble Beach
​For this post, I'm highlighting the 17 mile drive and the Aquarium!

PictureIn a penguin egg shell! Lots of hands on exhibits in this section that are fun (like getting in a shell or learning to communicate like a penguin).
Monterey Bay Aquarium
If you've never been, it's a full day's worth of fun.  Slowly meander through the entire museum's vast grounds, spend time outside the back entrance taking in the sights and smells of the ocean, and grab dinner at one of the amazing seafood spots in the area afterward.  Some of my favorite spots that you might want to linger around a bit longer:
  • Touch pools - even if you're not a kid, the guides are amazing here and there's a lot to explore, be ready to get a bit wet, though.  They do have towels and sanitizer around for those that are germaphobes.
  • Jellyfish exhibit - those photos, however stunning, don't actually do this exhibit justice.  They have their dedicated section of the aquarium and there's plenty to learn about these amazing creatures.
  • Penguins!  This is my all time favorite spot to explore while at the aquarium.  Learn how they communicate, watch a feeding happen live, and just enjoy how fun these creatures are.

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Always amazing, jellyfish.
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Yum, sardines.
PictureClimbing the rocks along the 17 mile drive with my pup, Cleo
17 mile drive
I love taking friends and family here when they visit - especially those that have seen the major sights in the SF Bay Area already.  It's stunning even in the gloom.  This is one of the most beautiful spots to enjoy the rocky, Northern California shoreline.  Second only to my fave beach, Montara Beach (closer to SF).  Here are a few tips:
  • I'd save about 4 hours to get through the whole thing if you stop, meander, and don't rush
  • There's a fee at the two entry points to the road - but it's worth it
  • There are many stops along the way - definitely stop at the Lone Cypress, Bird Rock, and Harbor Seals
  • However, I encourage you to stop by anything that looks beautiful, climb on some rocks, check out a few tide pools, and get away from the crowds (especially if it's sunny out)
  • Weather is usually cooler along the coast, so layer up

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At a tried and true spot - Sand Bar & Grill. Get the curried sauce (it's a light, french version, delicious here).
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View of the pier outside of Sand Bar & Grill.
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    Author

    Quit my non-profit career in a fit of YOLO rage. Blessed enough to go from wanderlust to wanderslut.  Collecting cities & countries, not men.

    ​​Inspiration for GlobalWanderslut from here.

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    On instagram: ​GlobalWanderSlut (for bite sized, most up-to-date travel tips from my adventures)
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