la vie en rose

Last year when we went to Hawaii we learned a couple things about vacationing together in general and in Hawaii. One of the things we learned was to take more pictures that included us in them (especially J, since he tends to be the one behind the camera), to not pack so much to do in our trips and just relax, that some things we don't have to do each and every time we go to a place, but some things we do, and that I need to learn how to barter better at the International Market Place.

Confession: Last year I sucked at bartering. I don't even want to admit it, but I actually went back to the lady that I bought my ring from and asked her for some money back. I told her that it was our lunch money. And I still overpaid. I was not about to make that mistake again this year. I am happy to report that this time was a success! I got 2 jade bracelets for the baby, matching dark green ones for me and my mom for her birthday, and a braided leather bracelet for J - all for only $5 than I paid for that ring last year. It was so much more fun, now that I knew what I was doing.

One thing that we knew we had to do again was have a Puka Dog.


You start with either a polish sausage or a veggie dog, pick your level of spicy garlic lemon sauce, and then which island fruit relish to top it with. Meanwhile the bun pockets have been warming on metal rods, so the inside gets crunchy. I picked a veggie dog with medium sauce and papaya relish and J picked a polish sausage with hot sauce and pineapple relish.

Puka Dog before:

Puka Dog after:

After spending our day at the beach we were walking back to the hotel when we happened upon this free concert. They played Hawaiian music, accompanied by a woman with a beautiful voice and several groups of dancers.

We finished off the night watching the lights of Waikiki

and listening to really crappy steel drum music from a street performer below our hotel. He was accompanied by someone on a cowbell.