Archives for category: Scenes from

Lisbon, I Love You

July 7, 2016 //

“Google Maps lies,” said reception as I peeled off my Tortuga backpack in the colorful lobby of my Lisbon hostel. I fanned myself with my hands, back drenched, bare faced and recovering from a curse-inducing, hamstring-burning trudge up the Ascensor da Glória. It’s only a 10 minute walk from Restauradores to The Independente, it said. Easy.

Not so. With a month’s worth of added pounds on my back, the trek up one of Lisbon’s most Instagram-worthy hills seemed to stretch on. At that moment, the cute trolley (or funicular, as they say) that will ease you to the top as you spill out onto the Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara was not so quaint and dreamy.

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags Alfama, Baleal, Beach, Good Eats, Lisboa, Lisbon, Mouraria

Categories europe, Excerpt from, Portugal, Scenes from, Travel

Saturated Saturday: Hanapepe Town, Kaua’i

March 5, 2016 //

Processed with VSCOcam with c1 preset

The petite town of Hanapepe on the West side of Kaua’i actually features a number of nooks and corners. There’s Little Fish Cafe for coffee and acai bowls, the swinging bridge (our itty-bitty version of Capilano), a few boutiques and vintage goods shops and a few more eateries. I snapped this photo of my Mom snapping a photo of me post-acai bowls. Old plantation days vibes are alive and well in Hanapepe.

* * *

Saturated Saturday is a new photo series highlighting some of my favorite images, with enhanced vibrant colors courtesy of the photo editing apps I like at the moment. These include: VSCO, Instagram, A Color Story. Most photos taken with iPhone 5C.

Tags Hanapepe, Hawaii, Kauai

Categories Hawaii, Kauai, Passing Through, Saturated Saturday, Scenes from, Travel

I Love NY Moments: PART I

February 20, 2016 //

The last time I was in New York City, I was checking into a brand new hotel with the World Trade Center looming in the background of our room window. My family and I sampled the tourist circuit as first-timers to the concrete jungle often do. We scaled the Empire State Building, admired Rockefeller Center, scooted through Battery Park (Razor scooters were hot back then), slurped up noodles at some Thai restaurant in SoHo.

Back then I was unimpressed, overwalked and like my burgeoning taste for the world beyond my pacific island home, a developing palate.

Now, on my most recent visit to the city I welcomed the kaleidoscope of fall leaves, interesting people and the even more provoking dining scene. Below, part one of a three-part summary of my trip through a sample platter of NYC’s eats, served with a side of antics, as twenty-somethings girls often do when they get together.

12196256_10102507464577837_2463475437884743924_n