Monday, June 16, 2008

Hawaii Favorites


Lapperts Ice Cream
One of our favorite things to do in Hawaii is eat Lappert's Ice Cream. I don't know if it is the giant waffle cones, the tropical flavors or just being in Hawaii, but somehow the ice cream just tastes better. My favorite was the Kauai Pie - Kona coffee ice cream swirled with chocolate fudge, coconut flakes, macadamia nuts and vanilla cake crunch. Molly choose Guava Sorbet each time and Mary and Jeremy loved their Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. Our only regret is that we didn't have it one more time before leaving the island.

We went snorkeling several times on our vacation. Both girls became quite adept at snorkeling and swimming with fins. It was fun to see all the tropical fish and the wonderful underwater expressions on their faces when they saw some new and interesting fish. One of the special things we did was a 5 hour snorkel adventure on a Captain Andy's Catamaran. The crew was great! They were attentive and informative. The captain even had each child on board take a turn at the wheel.

The trip was beautiful. We sailed up towards the NaPali Coast and saw views that can only be seen from the water. The landscape is phenomenal, with vertical green spires, sheer volcanic cliffs, caves, remote beaches and delicate looking waterfalls. The ocean is clear and vast. We encountered a pod of Spinner Doplhins. These playful creatures chase and race with the boat. The leap out or the water and rotate their bodies before splashing back into the water, getting the name Spinner Dolphins. Once we reached our destination, the crew anchored the boat and we all jumped in for some fabulous snorkeling. The water was deep and clear, we could see lots of fish and rock and coral formation. It was quite an exciting trip!




Roy's Restaurant has been a longtime Hawaii favorite or ours as well as Kerry's. We love their Hawaiian-Fusion flavors, their impeccable service and the beautiful setting of the restaurant. A favorite of Jeremy's is their Fire Grilled Szechuan Spiced Baby Back Pork Rib Appetizer. I love Roy’s Original Blackened Island Ahi with Spicy Soy Mustard Butter Sauce for dinner. Even the girls enjoy the meal, as Roy's has a prix fixe 4-course kids meal complete with appetizers and dessert. This, thankfully, keeps the kids occupied and we can enjoy a sophisticated meal, even without a babysitter.
The food was beautiful and delicious. Unfortunately, I never think to take a photo of my meal until after the fact, so you will just have to trust me. While there are several Roy's restaurants across the country, we aren't lucky enough to have one here, in the middle of the country. So, if you have one in your area you will have to try it out for yourself.
Our vacation was fabulous! I have so much more to share about our adventures. We are not really ready to be back to reality! It's too much fun in paradise.
Stay tuned for more photos and stories.
-Aloha!