Update via photos from around the island :)

For this entry I thought it would be best if I uploaded recent pics from around the island and things I've been doing to catch you all up. :)

This pic was taken while driving up from Kailua (Windward or East side of the island) to Turtle Bay (perhaps the northern most tip). Its an hour and 15 min drive from my apartment in town. I don't mind the time, the drive is absolutely gorgeous.

On Admin Day (4/25) Michelle (an associate at KPGM) gave me a gorgeous Orchid lei as a gift. It was so exciting - all this is so new to me. In this pic I'm wearing the orchid lei with tuba roses lei and a ginger lei - all so fragrant and beautiful! :)

I'm a dork.  Little things make me happy, like seeing my car cross the 1000 mile mark. :) I've been driving around the Island quite a bit! :)

Bread/Icecream dessert at Shokuda Japanese Restaurant.  I never thought the combo would be good, but my friend Priya and I went out to dinner here and we saved room specifically to share this dessert as its been commented on quite a bit on yelp. Sure enough, worth every single calorie - this dessert was divine. :)

Colored popcorn? Yikes, I don't even like popcorn. However, my coworker gave this to me as a gift on my birthday so I couldn't refuse - I'm glad I didn't. This kettle corn is true to its name, Jus Right. :)

So, the 27th of April was my birthday. Unfortunately I had a toothache so I had to make an emergency dentist appt. Turns out I fractured a tooth by eating ice. Lesson learned! Wait to eat ice after its been in water for a while! :)  Anyhow.. I was TRULY spoiled in the bay area. It being Silicon Valley, all the dentists are soooo technologically advanced. I walked into this "highly recommended" dental office and immediately became weary. I saw this book on the lobby table.. its from 1980!!! Oye.. needless to say the whole appointment went bad. :(

When I moved here I brought along a whole suite cases of my spices, pots/pans and most importantly my "kootna" Its a wooden bowl with a hand held 'stick' I suppose which I use to grind my fresh garlic/ginger/chilis. Anyhow.. just made a quick lunch for my friend Kelly and I.  Here we have Chicken/Potato curry with summer salad and fresh home made roti. Yum! :)

I started working on this baby blanket for my dear friend Dusty soon after moving here. I just finished it and sent it off this week. I hope her lil baby boy finds comfort in it.  Its made with a whole lotta love. :)

I know I shouldn't do this (take pics while driving) but the view was absolutely gorgeous. I just had to take a picture, otherwise I don't know how I could share this with you. Words won't do it justice. 

Even when you can't see the water, the mountains are so lush and magnificent. *sigh* I love it here.

I love Amazon.com. Just bought myself a spice grinder. I want to make Aam ki Acchar (Fijian style mango pickle)!  I'll post pics when I'm done. :)

I love working so close to home. Its only 1 mile away.  I came home and made myself a quick lunch. Lentil soup from the night before, rice that I made that morning before work and a salmon salad I made in a few min right before taking this pic. Yum!

Another spectacular thing about Hawaii is that we see rainbows all the time. They never get old. 

 

On my birthday, the 27th, I decided to go on a fireworks cruise. Every Friday there's a fireworks show off the Hilton Waikiki Lagoon. We were very excited. Unfortunately, at 745, the fireworks never started. Our cruise was from 6-8.  The captain waited and waited, finally he found out from Hilton that they were delaying *tonight's fireworks because they were having a concert. We were bummed. No fireworks, we headed back into port and then off to dinner. This birthday was a bit less exciting than years past. No worries, I'm still going hanggliding at the end of the month! :)

Yep, I can see myself here for the long term. :)