So you're going to the Big Island

1. Visit the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden -- "a garden in a valley on the ocean."

2. Spend a day at Volcano National Park. We got to see lava!

And walk through lava tubes! It was my favorite national park to visit (so far).

3. Walk on those darned black sand beaches. To me, this felt like going to a tar beach. But still, neat to see.

4. Take a tour of Kona Brewing Company. They also serve pizzas and sandwiches using left over barley from their beer making!

5. Check out the southern most point in the US. We saw people jumping off that cliff into the ocean, and it was very hard to suppress my motherly instincts that were screaming inside my head, "You're going to die!!!"

6. Have a cocktail at Huggos. It's a bit cheesy, but there's live music and hula dancing, and you can watch the sun set into the ocean.

7. Visit a Kona coffee plantation. It's the only coffee made in the US (and it's price point reflects that). Still, delicious, and neat to see up close.

8. Have a picnic at Pu'uhonua o Honaunau Park. Very cool historical site with some information about native Hawaiians, and an amazing picnic area with grills on the beach. We actually went twice in our week there.

9. All beaches are public on Hawaii, so make sure you go to some on the gorgeous resorts sprinkled around the northwest corner of the island. We went to Mauna Kea Beach Resort, which is absolutely lovely.

10. Eat Loco Moco! Peter had this at Big Island Grill -- a really yummy diner. I understand that rice with a giant hamburger patty, an egg and brown gravy may not sound that awesome, but trust me...it is.

That concludes my recommendations for Hawaii. Anyone else have fabulous things to add?!

So you're going to Kauai

1. Golf. Do you like to golf? Have I got the deal for you. Go to Kukuiolono and play 9 holes for $9. Ocean views, cliffs, big sky. It will be one of the more enjoyable (and cheap) afternoons you spend on the island.

2. Visit a Japanese tea room. I celebrated my birthday on Kauai, and we went to Hanamaulu Tea House for dinner. Fabulous.

3. Stop at Wailua Falls, where they shot the opening of Fantasy Island (?). Very pretty.

3. Drive around Waimea Canyon. Did you know there was a giant canyon on Kauai? I didn't either. Like the Grand Canyon, but green!

4. Spend the day on Hanalai Beach. Mountains, sand, and showers -- the perfect combination.

5. Hike the Na Poli Coast. Now, I will admit that this was not my favorite. I discovered I am not much of hiker! The wind and rain and extreme mud kind of turned me off. But you get views like this -- views you can't get anywhere else. One of Peter's favorite afternoons.

6. Make sure you are in Kauai on a Thursday so that you can go to fish taco night at Hanalai Gourmet. Life changingly good. I'm serious. Also order the tempura-battered artichoke hearts.

7. Grab a drink at Tahiti Nui. Really reasonable cocktails and fun live music.

8. Go to a farmer's market. We made a few dinners at our resort (I was v. creative with the microwave and grill on site!). We had amazing fresh fish, long beans, purple potatoes, mangos, butter avocados, fancy fresh figs...the list goes on and on. So fun to try things we never get at east coast farm stands.

So you're going to Oahu

1. Eat at a shrimp truck. I tried the coconut shrimp at Macky's, and it was divine.

2. Have a mai tai at House Without a Key. If you go around sunset, you'll be able to hear some darling old men play music and see this lovely, traditional hula dancer.

3. Eat sushi at Morio's. It's Ruffage, a healthy food sandwich shop during the day, so call during the evening after they've switched over to sushi to make a reservation.

4. Take a walk on Waikiki. The surfers. The surfers!

5. Enjoy a giant shave ice on the North Shore. The flavor combos are endless, but I was partial to root beer, coconut and pineapple. Sounds weird! But it's delicious.

6. Make your new husband take you on a fancy date to Roy's. Don't miss the signature Chinese dumplings. Yum.

As you can see, we did a lot of eating and drinking (and napping!) on Oahu. It was our first stop. Slightly more ambitious itineraries to follow for Kauai and the Big Island!

A Wedding Story, Vol. 3

At dinner, we finally got to share all the yummy wine we tasted with everyone!

Peter and I sat at a long table with both our families for dinner,which was delightful.


People started dancing after dinner out on the veranda...


And after we cut our cute little cake, we joined them! Peter orchestrates lots of fun twirls on the dance floor, like this one.

The happy, warm, joyful Mount at the end of the evening. Good night, all!


Thank you for letting me blather on about the wedding this week. I promise, I'll be done now!

A Wedding Story, Vol. 2

Our photographers snapped a photo of all flowers while they were still inside the delivery van!


Peter and I coming down those fabulous leopard stairs to head out to cocktail hour...


A view from the garden, looking up at everyone enjoying cocktails!


Peter and I took a little walk during cocktail hour to see the gardens. Last summer when we were looking at the Mount as a potential wedding spot, I remember being in those gardens and looking up at the house. It was so lovely, I knew that I wanted to have that experience on our wedding day. And we did!

Friends having fun drinks on the veranda.


Brazilian jazz trio humming along.

Right at the end of cocktail hour, my Dad made a toast to welcome everyone to the wedding, and to officially welcome Peter into our family.

A Wedding Story, Vol. 1

I was so lucky to be able to wear a veil for the ceremony that's been in Peter's family for over 100 years! I was the first bride of the fourth generation to get to wear it, and I was so thrilled that Peter's sweet family offered to lend it to me.


We decided to see each other ahead of time, and took all formal pictures before the ceremony. Peter and I met up behind the stables at the Mount and got to hug and kiss and say, "We're getting married today!" a lot before meeting our bridal party and families in the gardens.


Our ceremony was in a very sweet, simple New England church. I kept trying to sneak peaks at everyone in the pews while the ceremony was taking place. It was so crazy to look down into one aisle and see my best friends from high school, and then my godmother, and then Peter's cousins. All in the same spot. To see us get married!

Peter and I hung out in front of the church after the ceremony and got to hug so many of our wonderful guests. I was on such a high after our service. I kept turning to Peter in between greeting people to say, "I just loved getting married!"

A Wedding Story, TK

The sun has set on our Hawaiian vacation...

Hi guys!!! We are back from Hawaii. It was wonderful, as you might imagine.

Before we chat about the honeymoon, I wanted to share a few posts with some wedding pictures, if you're in the mood. Starting next week! XOXO

Cake

We served chocolate flourless cake to all our guests, but we had a small almond flavored cake on display. It was an exact replica of my grandparent's wedding cake. My grandmother even let me borrow her adorable cake topper.

That's them in the photo -- don't they look glamorous?

In Midsummer A Wedding

Now in midsummer a wedding. Attend.
Applaud. The music must be played lightly,
Quietly, at first, like July birdsongs
Hidden in thickets, like sun drying out
The mornings, like grass browsing, dreaming.
Then the words: this man, protecting, serving,
Believing; and this woman, favoring,
Giving, hoping. This family arriving.
Let the music accentuate, arise, float.
Dearly beloved, very dearly beloved,
This act praises and extends us all, as if,
In the afternoon airs, we are all made
Family, as if we are all sun, grass, dreaming.
Now, bells, astound! Ring out aloud, aloft!

--Arnold Kenseth

My uncle read this at the wedding, and it was absolutely perfect. I hoped the day would feel like that and, oh my, did it ever. More soon, probably. XOXO

Lookin' good

Is this post what evil people would refer to as "a jinx"?  Please say no.  It's so perfect.