domesticity

Finally got a chance to stop by Trophy Cupcakes and Party this weekend and sampled the lemon, chocolate vanilla, and triple chocolate cupcakes. Not only are these freshly baked treats delicious, but they are also beautifully presented. I need to try and remember to stop by on a Tuesday or Thursday because I really want to try a Peanut Butter & Jelly cupcake! Yum!

Happy Memorial Day! Spent today running errands... woke up early and headed over to Ikea for their tax-free Memorial Day sale. We got there right after the store opened and the aisles were already packed with people! Luckily, we knew exactly what we wanted... a new bookcase for my new craft studio area... my summer project. While we were there, we also picked up other goodies, including storage baskets for the bookshelf and a spöka nightlight for late night kitchen raids in green (we already have one for the bedroom in blue). After Ikea, we stopped by Salty’s for chowder and fries. Yum! This long weekend has been so relaxing that I am definitely not in a rush to go back to the office tomorrow.

My week in review...

Buying...

Caldrea Linen Spray in Citrus Mint Ylang Ylang to freshen my garments and linens while ironing. Image courtesy of Caldera.

Eating...

Fondi Caprese insalate and Pizzaiolo Special pizze at Pizzeria Fondi. Image courtesy of Pizzeria Fondi.

Reading...

Just started reading Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. Image courtesy of Penguin Group.

Watching...

Episodes of Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane on the Style Network. I can’t stop watching this reality show... Kimora’s antics make me laugh! Image courtesy of Style Network.

I love the design of these index chopping boards from MoMA. The four color-coded boards are designed to prevent foodborne illness from cross-contamination when preparing raw meat, vegetables, poultry, and seafood. The boards also come with a plastic filing unit for easy storage. Clever and stylish!

My week in review...

Buying...

A privacy filter for my laptop screen so that the people in the aisle next to me on the airplane can’t see what I am viewing on my laptop. That way I can pretend to be a secret agent spy!

Eating...

Li hing mui shave ice topped with condensed milk from Waiola Shave Ice II in Kapahulu. Nothing is better on a hot day to cool you off!

Reading...

Picked up a copy of Coastal Living magazine at the airport newspaper stand to flip through on the plane and maybe get some decorating inspiration for our home.

Watching...

Juno and Jumper on the Hawaiian Airlines digEplayer on the flight back to Seattle.

I can’t believe it is already our last night in Honolulu before we head back to Seattle tomorrow afternoon. This vacation was especially fun because we were able to stay in the recently constructed condominium in downtown Honolulu instead of out on the Windward side. It was definitely convenient and we had the most amazing views of Diamond Head from the floor to ceiling windows. I am already planning (plotting!) our next visit home!

We’re back in Honolulu and I miss my parents already. I wish we could have spent more time on the Big Island... actually I wish we had more time on this vacation home!

Spent some time running errands today and picking up more goodies to take back to Seattle. One of the places we love to frequent is Don Quijote. The store aisles are always packed to the hilt with products ranging from groceries to electronics. I can always find everything I need and more in their Kaheka location.

I also made sure to stop by Hakubundo while I was in the area to browse the Japanese craft books. I had planned to visit their downtown location, but I think it may have closed!

Image courtesy of donki.com.

We visited the 'Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawaii and viewed Mauna Kea: Between Earth and Sky and Dawn of the Space Age in the full-dome planetarium. The center is located on a nine-acre campus above the University of Hawaii at Hilo and offers exhibits and daily shows exploring the connections between Hawaiian cultural traditions and the science of astronomy. The Dawn of the Space Age was especially interesting and fun to watch as it is the the first three-dimensional stereo planetarium presentation in the world. You can watch a trailer of the presentation here.

Hopped a plane headed for the Big Island this morning to visit my parents for a couple of days. The last time we were on the Big Island, the coqui frogs hadn’t yet invaded the land near my parents’ home, but this time you could really hear them as you tried to drift off to sleep. It sounded like we were deep in some tropical jungle!

I met one of my friends for lunch today at the television station where we used to work togther. She still works there and it gave me a chance to see some of my old coworkers and catch up with them.

We then headed over to Ala Moana Center for lunch at the new Nordstrom Cafe to share a blue cheese and pear salad and margherita pizza. I have to come back to try the kalua pork and lomi tomato pizza. Yum! After lunch, we spent another hour or so shopping and talking story. We email each other at least once a week, but it is always so much nicer to be able to get together in person!

Image courtesy of alamoana.com