Thursday, July 31, 2014

Veronica Mars the thousand dollar tan line...

I finally got to read this in Hawaii... It was devoured in a couple of days, it was just sooooo nice to catch up with these characters again!

Written in true Veronica Mars fashion, witty, clever, and with an ending that you wouldn't have guessed... 

What is beautiful about the books that the franchise will release is that IF there is another film, it will continue from where the books leave off! And it definitely leaves you wanting more...

The crappy thing was that you couldn't get the book on the Australian kindle site, so I had to import a copy...

Monday, July 28, 2014

FAMILY DAY PARADE (GOD’S OHANA DAY PARADE)

FAMILY DAY PARADE (GOD’S OHANA DAY PARADE)  July 5, 2014  It will start at Kalakaua Ave/Fort DeRussy/Saratoga Rd., To Kalakaua Ave., to end at Queen Kapiolani Park.  9-11am.


We saw the signs posted up and thought we would take the kids to the parade... We didn't twig that it was a Christian parade, a lot of God going down, we stayed for the whole thing though as the kids really enjoyed themselves... They loved the music and dancing, and the candy! So much candy!!!


Moiliili Summer Fest

University Ave & Coyne St Honolulu, Hawaii 96822 Email info@moiliilisummerfest.com Website http://www.moiliilisummerfest.com About Join us at the Moiliili Summer Fest - July 5, 2014 from 5:00-10:30pm. It's a free community event! 


We planned on going to the Moiliili Summer fest and it was great to notice that it was basically across the road from Step N Up Hawaii where I wanted to get my daughter some new dance stuff...


There was a kids area, some great face painting, delicious food trucks and dancing... What I loved about it, and Eat the Street, was doing things in the community... I like getting a feel for what people get up to on their home cities...


Building Lego Portraits...

My friend Nick made this, and if you are a bit of a Lego fan, you NEED to see it! Basically it let's you upload a photo and then gives you the plans and list required to build it! Go, go, go!

Www.photobrix.com


Saturday, July 26, 2014

Lights On | Lights Off pop up art installations Melbourne...

Lights On | Lights Off

Friday, July 11 at 4:00pm - Thursday, July 31 at 12:00pm in UTC+10 at 220 Spencer St


A great pop up gallery with installations of modern art... Some great pieces to check, a good varied selections of mediums... If you are in  the area, check it out!





Thursday, July 24, 2014

Kuhio Beach Torch lighting ceremony and hula...

Kuhio Beach Torch Lighting & Hula Ceremony

Kuhio Beach Hula Mound, Honolulu, Oahu, HI

 

Held Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday (weather permitting) at 6pm November through January and 6:30pm February through October, this hour-long tradition includes a conch shell blowing, Hawaiian music and hula performances by Hawaii’s finest hula halau (troupes) at the Kuhio Beach Hula Mound near the Duke Kahanamoku Statue. The show varies each night, so it’s worth checking out every evening that’s convenient.


We checked this out one Tuesday night, we arrived about 15 minutes before and found a spot on the side... Most of the best spots were taken, but we could see just fine on the side... The shell blowing, music and dancing were awesome, and managed to keep our 3 and 5 year olds entertained the whole hour! A free event, it's a nice way to spend an evening...



Waikiki Gun Club Hawaii

Waikiki Indoor Range
2142 Kalakaua Ave. 2nd Floor
Honolulu, Hawaii 96815
Tel: (808) 922-6442
Email: waikikigunclub@yahoo.com
 
Business Hours:
Mon - Sat: 10am - 11:30pm
Sun: 12pm - 11:30pm

Waikiki gun club


Now you might remember my first shooting experience in Vegas last year... It's the absolute delusion of power, and I loved it! I disagree with the NRA, the gun laws etc, but as an experience, I can totally see why people love their guns... Which enforces why I disagree with the gun laws!


You can print off a coupon for a 20-30% off discount, which we did, and considering that they only sell packages (I would have been happy shooting a CX-4 Storm and trying an AK47, but got roped into the high power course), it's worth printing it out just in case... It's a small indoor range with no queues, great professional and friendly staff, and of course the gun I had been wanting to shoot for the past year...


Overall a great experience!




Wednesday, July 23, 2014

The Gruffalo National Theatre

The Gruffalo 


Where:National Theatre 
Cnr Barkly & Carlisle Streets
St Kilda, VIC 3182

This morning we went to see The Gruffalo with 3yo Mace... He LOVES the story, so when my aunt offered to buy tickets, he was in!

The theatre is old and unheated, so even in our jackets, we were still cold, 4 degrees outside, maybe 6 inside!!! We got front row seats, which is usually awesome, however in this theatre, the stage starts where your feet stop, so we were literally under the lights and very close to the actors... Unfortunately being small, mace had to get on his knees to catch some parts... I recommend row C and higher... 

The production itself was quite sparse... The actors were great, costumes and set mediocre... Mace found it quite scary, which I find funny because he loves the story, but didn't seem to like the predatory nature of the fox especially! Certainly not one if the better productions we have seen...






Ala Moana Mall Oahu Hawaii

Ala moana


An open roof mall, it's quite massive... Aside from all of the usual stores, there a a few awesome niche stores... It's a $10/12 cab from outrigger reef... You can also get the trolley for $2 each way...


Their  Macys is 100% better then the one in Waikiki, it's massive and has a great kids section... Don't forget to get your travellers discount, near the cosmetics!


We were there for the opening of the Disney store in the morning... They do put a lot if effort in, with singing and looking for a magical key to open the door, my daughter loved it!

Monday, July 21, 2014

Eat the street Hawaii...

Eat The Street Hawaii is Honolulu's premiere food truck rally, happening on the last Friday of every month in Kakaako. 555 south street from 4-9pm Honolulu, Hi · eatthestreethawaii.com


I had been wanting to go to this for months, following them on Instagram, getting excited to see what would be the theme this month... It was Luau, it was awesome... Just being somewhere with locals, eating local food, checking it out, people watching... The food was good, we ate from 5 trucks in total, ribs, Swiss mushroom bacon burger, veggie pad Thai, pop poppin doughnuts and an all natural fruit icy pole... Not one bad item, reasonably priced... The only downside was having to leave so soon, could have easily spent another hour there! 

It's about a $20 cab from outrigger reef, and afterwards if you go left at south street and cross the road to the waterfront plaza, there's a phone to call a cab there...



Thursday, July 17, 2014

Outrigger Reef on the beach

Outrigger Reef on the beach
We stayed for 16 nights in the one bedroom suite... When booking we used our racv card to get a discount of $50 per night... We stayed in room 1133, 11th floor...

We arrived early and our room wasn't ready, we were given a room to freshen up in which was awesome... By midday we were in our room having a group nap!  We had heard about a refreshment room and preps led a couple of backpacks at the top of our luggage with summer clothes and suncream etc for the day...

All staff we encountered, check in, cleaning, pool, cultural activities, bell, concierge, were all unbelievably friendly... On top of a beautiful lobby that opens to the pool, and on to the beach, rooms that feel Hawaiian, and a short walk from the hustle and bustle of the centre... The chilled location was great for kids...

The suite was huge, absolutely big enough for the four of us for the whole stay... The only downside was the fold out bed definitely better on floor, and still not great!

The biggest drawback is that the pool has no shallow end, or it does, but it starts deep and gets really really deep!  They have floaties, etc at the store for reasonable prices if the kids need them...

The beach here had some massive palms for shade which is perfect for kids, we didn't use the lounges, but had we not had the kids, we would have! The water gets deep and rocky quickly... A short walk to better beach...

We participated in cultural activities:
Ti leaf bracelet
Renew vows
Kukui Nut bracelet
Hula lesson
The lei making was the only one that got full and was the only day we weren't ten minutes early so we missed out!

The laundry is in the basement 1.25 for powder, $3 a wash, they have change machines so you can being your dollar bills!

All in all a wonderful stay, we will be back!


Hawaii

I have been gone with that wretched chest infection, then off to Hawaii for 2.5 weeks (end of June until mid July)...

We went to Waikiki, Oahu, and it was beautiful... Great weather, I took a cardigan and long shorts and wore neither!!! The highlight really was the people... Everyone was kind, no grumpy people, pushy people, people in a rush, it's like the Aloha is infectious... The best infection I ever had!

There were 4 of us, we are in our mid 30's and our kids are 3 and 5, we met my in laws over there for some of our stay... We stayed at Outrigger Reef on the beach, they stayed at Outrigger Waikiki on the beach... 

Going to do seperate posts for each element of our stay...