Quick Waikiki Trip

I'm in Waikiki this weekend for a quick trip, primarily to get some sun and to reflect on my life as I know it.  One thing I do know is that Hawaii will always have a special place in my heart.  I've seen the area frequently change over the years, both good and bad.  Depending on where you stay in Waikiki I believe it can truly define the overall vacation experience.  I'm staying at a hotel that is not in my usual digs, and my experience is very different as a result.  I'll be doing some more blog posts on my trip over the next few weeks. It's nice to be back in paradise, if only for a few days.

Apartment Inspiration

The last few months have provided a lot of change for me, in particular my living situation.  After downsizing from a large house to a small apartment it got me thinking about the furniture I had, as well as the furniture I may still need now that I am living in a different space.  Thankfully, my friends at CSN Stores must have read my mind because one thing I've been doing some research on is corner TV stands . If you are not familiar with CSN Stores, not only do they have a great selection of corner TV stands, but they have everything you need to make your house or your apartment really feel like your home.  Take a look at their website for more ideas.

Be on the lookout for a giveaway on my blog courtesy of CSN stores in the near future.  Happy 2011!

Paradise in Pictures

I wanted to share a few of my favorite shots from my recent vacation to Hawaii - more to follow this week.

Lagoon and Diamond Head

The View from Diamond Head

Feeding the Penguins!

Bar Stools Anyone?

No, I am not selling off my furniture!  But I am doing a post for CSN stores and wanted to share with you their amazing selection of bar tables and stools that they have available online.  For those of you not familiar with CSN Stores, take a look at their website where they have over 1 million products available to purchase - you could literally spend all day window shopping!  And with Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales fast approaching, now is the perfect time to pick up a bargain or two.  Happy shopping and now I am back in Seattle, I'll be sharing my latest and greatest Hawaii adventures between now and Christmas, to help keep you (and me) occupied as the winter months finally kick into high gear.

Hello from Sydney!

My vacation is flying by and Hawaii has come and gone.  I'm in Sydney right now catching up with friends and family and it has been great - the weather has really been in my favor.  Hot sunny days, balmy summer nights, and minimal rain in between.  I'd forgotten how wonderful Sydney is in the summertime, especially when you have wonderful people to share it with.

I have a ton of photos and experiences to share from my recent trip to Hawaii.  We stayed at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort and Spa, and let me just say it was nothing short of spectacular.  From the room to the food to the hotel services and activities, everything was just fantastic.  Lots more to come on this shortly - once I find the cord to my camera amongst all my luggage.  But now, off to Sydney Fish Market! 

Hawaii Five-O - My Official Review

I had started a blog post about the new series Hawaii Five-O on CBS about 3 weeks ago, and I have to admit it was less than complimentary.  For some reason I never finished the post and now I am glad that I didn't publish it.  With the series now about 7 episodes in, I've changed my tune.  Alex O'Loughlin and Scott Caan star as Steve McGarrett and Danny 'Danno' Williams respectively, and have really found their groove as police partners on the show.  Initially, I felt like the show didn't reflect Hawaii as it really is (the first episode was focused on some kind of terrorist threat, which I don't believe has ever happened (nor is likely to happen any time soon).  And in this week's episode, there were locals drinking Blue Hawaii cocktails in the tropics bar at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, which again is not likely to be a common occurrence.  But the story lines are improving, the scenery is always a pleasure to absorb, and over 14.5 million viewers each week can't be wrong - it really is one of the better new TV shows of the fall. 

While the show is fun, take it with a grain of salt.  There are a number of scenes in the show that are not 100% accurate, and I feel like they misrepresent Hawaii in some of their episodes.  But overall, a pretty impressive job and let's hope that McGarrett and Danno stick around for Season 2.  If you haven't seen the show yet, enjoy this preview on YouTube and tune into CBS on Monday night for more.

Not Long Now Waikiki

My next trip to Hawaii has sprung up rather quickly.  Last night we were trying to figure out the final itinerary in terms of activities during the trip when it occurred to me that I definitely didn't schedule enough time in Hawaii before I make my way back to Sydney, Australia for a family visit.  We are booked solid for four days straight (although I did schedule pool time and beach time in there, thank goodness).  But between dining at Alan Wongs, catching up with friends, attending a luau and celebrating at Duke's Waikiki which is where J & I first met, there isn't going to be much time left. 

I think I need to book another trip for early next year just to relax from this trip.  While it does get cooler over Christmas and New Year, it still beats the nasty Seattle weather.  The biggest challenge is finding time on the schedule to actually go! I'm thinking June, but that just seems so far away.  Let's hope it is sooner than that.

Forbes Ranks Honolulu as 3rd Safest City in America

Forbes Magazine recently announced 'America's Safest Cities' - and taking 3rd spot is Honolulu, HI.  Honolulu has almost always been classified as a safe city, and I like how Forbes shared their methodology behind the results to help readers understand how they compiled the list.  Another interesting nugget that someone brought up at Blogworld last week was that many media outlets, both print and online, make up 'lists' - Best Places to Live, Best Resorts in the World etc, but don't share the methodology of how they made their decisions. It's important to share this so that people have all the facts!

You can read the complete methodology in the article (link is above).  The Top 10 Safest Cities (according to Forbes) are as follows:
1. Plano, TX
2. Portland, OR
3. Honolulu, HI
4. San Jose, CA
5.Omaha, NE
6. New York, NY
7. Santa Ana, CA
8. Anaheim, CA
9. San Diego, CA
10. Glendale, AZ

Can't Decide on a Hawaii Hotel?

I listened in on a very interesting conference track yesterday at Blogworld hosted by John Forrest Ales, who leads communication strategies for Hilton Hotels and Resorts.  He explained some great dos and don'ts for travel bloggers who are looking to pitch travel brands, especially for free hotel stays and other activities as part of a trip you may be planning.  One key piece of advice I did like was to ask for something that you may not have otherwise been able to experience while on your trip, instead of expecting that a brand will comp your entire stay.  These companies still need to make money!

With that said, I am booked and heading to the Hilton Hawaiian Village in the next few weeks for vacation.  I always use my vacations to gather more content for my blog, and this one is no exception.  We are planning on attending the Waikiki Starlight Luau during our stay, and I have seen the penguins, flamingos and swum in the super pool so many times that I plan to email John Forest and find out what else I might be able to do during my trip.  Maybe there is some secret tour at the Hilton that I don't know about?  Or maybe I can get a room upgrade so I can have uninterrupted views of the crystal clear Hawaiian waters.  Stay tuned, I'm excited to hear what he says!

In any case, I will be doing a full review of our stay at the Hilton Hawaiian Village so watch this space for more information over the next couple of weeks.

Bloggin' It - Vegas Style

I don't need to say it although I will - my blog has been less than impressive lately in terms of posts and content.  I just started a new job my company about 6 weeks ago and it was around that time that my creativity hit a wall and my blog took a vacation. I'm blogging today from Las Vegas - I'm at the Blogworld New Media Expo and boy have things changed since I attended this event in 2008.  Blogging is no longer for geeks - its mainstream.  Lots of different age groups are represented here at the conference and its so lovely to see a travel blogger track this year (which is where I have been spending a lot of my time so far). 

I'm hoping the conference will give me a kick in the butt and help me get back to the blogging game.  And with a trip to Hawaii less than one month away, now is a perfect time to kick into high gear!

One of the things I learned at the conference today (although its really a no-brainer) is use your own photos on your blog - its much more compelling for travel writing than taking other people's content off the Internet. You'll notice I don't have a photo on this post - because I need to get down to the strip and capture all that is Vegas on my own!  Hopefully I'll be able to share some with you early next week (yes I forgot the cord for my digital camera).