As I board my flight back to Los Angeles, the events of this past week are slowly being filtered through my memory. How many Hawaiian music bands did we see? Where was that dinner place that served the super spicy sushi? What was that waterfall called again? While my notes fill my backpack and my camera cards are still uploading,  I leave Oahu with a very full heart. This wasn’t a typical press trip and I have met some dear friends for life.

Until I can properly dissect this week, I leave you with two of my most popular Instagram shots from Waikiki. The first is from the Hilton Waikiki Village- an oceanfront resort where I stayed for a few nights. On that morning, I dined by myself for breakfast, luckily getting this coveted rainbow shot after a quick morning shower. The second is from a pupus and drinks happy hour that we had at the Outrigger Hotel.

Truthfully, I have a little bit of a love hate relationship with Waikiki. At its essence, it is rolling waves, happy people and gorgeous luxury resorts. Only looking at the beach and ocean, you wouldn’t know that it is every sense of the word concrete jungle- with hotels blocking the gorgeous skyline, high-end shopping along the main road, and a line out the door to eat at Cheesecake Factory. While I don’t care if people want to eat at a chain restaurant, I envisioned the whole area to be a bit more local Hawaii than that. Even still, Waikiki is a great spot to spend a few days and luckily, I rented a car my last day and visited the North Shore area and found a little bit of Oahu that I was longing for.

Until next time, Hawaii- I love you.