i am lucky enough to have multiple friends who grew up in kauai so figuring out where to go once on the island was a no brainer. from the views to the cocktails to the cuisine, one of the restaurants at the top of my list was beach house restaurant – kauai.
no ka oi – ocean vodka, thai basil, fresh lime, honey-lilikoi puréefresh focaccia poke tacos
the no ka oi was light and subtly sweet with a little punch at the end. i am going to try my hand at recreating it at home. while anj is gluten free, enzo and i aren’t so we enjoyed the focaccia without her. there was no way i was going to be in hawaii and not have fresh fish everywhere we went – the poke tacos were to die for. the wonton shells were light and flaky and the ahi melted like butter.
fish and lobster pasta
for my main course, i had the fish and lobster pasta. i thoroughly enjoyed the freshness of the fish, the buttery lobster, the saltiness of the capers and the delightful sauce. i pretty much never say no to a savory dish. the meal was substantial without me feeling stuffed. there is something great about knowing how the meal we were eating was locally sourced. after dinner, we took a moment to take on the water and it certainly didn’t disappoint.
damn, this view is hard to beat. if you find yourself in kauai, be sure to make a reservation at beach house restaurant – kauai via opentable.
there were many parts of my trip to kauai that i loved but one that stood out most was my tattoo session with mckenzie. welcome to the libra club.
the libra club magazine chess + checkersone of the tattoo stations
hillary, one of my dear friends (and fellow aquarians), knew that i was in the market for a couple of new tattoos. when we were at dinner earlier this summer, she couldn’t rave more about the libra club. the moment i walked in, i understood why. so many tattoo shops i have been to have a vibe that isn’t inviting or comfortable. many of them just seem like they are missing a little something. once inside of the libra club, i realized what was missing – feminine energy.
the libra club is owned by a woman and filled with amazing female artists. the space felt light and safe. it was an added bonus that there was great natural light, a/c on full blast (necessary when battling the hawaii humidity) and plenty of cute things to buy. when it was time to get started, i felt completely at ease. mckenzie, the owner, was my artist. i had sent her some ideas ahead of time but also told her i was open to her putting her own spin on it. i truly couldn’t have been happier with the outcome.
compass tattoo with flowers
for anyone that knows me, it is no secret that i view connie (my late grandmother aka grammy) as my compass. i cannot even tell you how many times per week i think about what grammy would say when making a decision – whether it is what throw pillows to get to what advice to give a friend to how to handle conflict at work, she always knew just what to do. with grammy in my heart, my sense of direction is exactly where it needs to be. i cannot thank mckenzie enough for creating something so beautiful to honor the most beautiful person i’ve ever known. if you find yourself in kauai, be sure to visit the libra club.
today is one of my favorite days of the year – it’s my wifey’s birthday!
reens + me
reens (maureen) and i met back in 2013 while working at acura. both of us were pursuing degrees – reens was in undergrad and i was in grad school. we joke around about how i really was not looking for any new friends however with her being just as beautiful inside as she is outside, it was impossible not to fall in love with her. we eventually left acura and stayed in touch throughout. it was an added bonus when we found ourselves working at honda together. it was almost eery to be able to work and communicate so seamlessly with someone – it is like we would read each other’s minds.
as if 25-30 hours a week together at work wasn’t enough, we found ourselves doing weekly wine nights, brunches on weekends we weren’t working and traveling together (including a vegas trip we planned for a dozen people where i was there for less than 12 hours before going back to work 🙃). reens helped plan my surprise going away party in 2017 before i moved back to la and even with me being away from the bay, we didn’t skip a beat. when she left the bay to move to chicago for grad school, we really just showed that long distance is doable if you’re down to do the work. never in a million years did i imagine we would both be back in the bay in our 30s but man – i am so happy we are together again. and yesterday, eight of us got together to celebrate our favorite girl.
birthday brunch for reens!
during brunch, i asked everyone to think about their favorite quality and/or memory of reens they would like to share to commemorate the first 32 years of her life and to usher in a wonderful 33rd year (this was initiated by one of my best friends, theo, at my 34th birthday and it was such an unexpected treat). as the seven of us went around sharing what we loved most about reens, there was definitely some overlap in what was vocalized from what a great host she is to how her smile lights up any space she enters to her unparalleled energy – just to name a few. one of the things that stood out the most to me was the way we each talked about how reens has shown up for each of us without hesitation, even when life was throwing curveballs in her direction. when i came across this quote today, it seemed like it was meant for reens (and for my first blog back in months!):
“its about who stands in the rain with you, when they also have a choice to be dry. remember that.”
be sure you choose people who value reciprocity and who are willing to stand in the rain with you.
have you ever met someone and wondered how you had gone your entire life up until that point without them being in it? that is how i felt when i met jaclyn. she is truly my soul sister. from 2008 until now, our bond has grown closer and closer each year. this is part of why i was more than happy to kick off my birthday this year with a little coffee date with her and her youngest son at a time slot that is typically reserved for just misu and me. while i was pumped to see one of my favorite bottles of rosé on the table, my heart fluttered when i saw a little jewelry pouch. let me introduce you to: little words project.
the brand’s mission is to create jewelry that is meant to be passed on – “our handcrafted pieces are made to be worn, loved and shared – bringing self-love and kindness to each person they touch. wear your little word , then pass it on to someone who needs it more.” what a beautiful sentiment. it is amazing to think of the impact a little word or two can have on a person.
jaclyn and i are similar in that we wear jewelry every single day – rings, watches, earrings and for jaclyn, bracelets. my wrist is larger and can be harder to fit so it is rare that i see a bracelet that i both love and fits me comfortably. this one checks off both boxes. even with the bands being elastic, they have a variety of sizes for women, men and children. while there are multiple bracelets that are premade, you can customize it with whatever you want. i love that she and i have matching ones that say “grateful” – not only do we practice gratitude daily in our roles as therapists but we practice gratitude in our personal lives as well. without a doubt, jaclyn is one of the people in my life i am most grateful for.
to explore what they have to offer, click here! if you already have something from them, tell me about it in the comments.
today marks seven years since the passing of connie jean garrison or as many of you have heard me affectionately call her, grammy.
grammy and me – 1991
since my grandmother left this earth, i have found that my body tends to have a visceral reaction to the month of may. as april comes to a close, i will begin to feel ill and by the time may hits, it often feels like too much to handle – her anniversary on the 7th, mother’s day the second sunday of the month and papa’s (my grandfather’s) birthday on the 17th. the trifecta really isn’t the vibe. this year was the very first one where that dread wasn’t present. i tried to think of why that could be and i realized it isn’t one thing in particular but a combination of many things.
i see my grandmother often – in a piece of art hanging in my bedroom that she gave to me, whenever i see rich hues of purple, in the white cross in misu’s coat, whenever i see 6:30 on the clock (her birthday was june 30th), when someone says i feel like home to them, whenever i host an event, when dmx comes on shuffle, whenever i bake something sweet for someone i love, when i get a great deal while shopping, when i walk through the rose garden on campus at scu, when dreaming (while asleep or awake) and honestly, at some point each and every single day. after turning 34, i realized that i see her most in myself with each passing year.
while i have always believed in spirits, i will say this has increased exponentially since grammy passed. in spring of 2021, i had a powerful reading with an extraordinary psychic/medium, cassidy rey. during the reading, grammy came through and she was quite vocal. the two messages that stood out the most to me during that reading were about my future children and my health. i have said forever that i know i am meant to be a mom, even if it means i do it alone. i have wondered what that journey might look like for me. my grandmother said that my children are currently with her and she would send them to me when i was ready. the irony? at that time, cassidy did not have children. currently? cassidy is expecting her first child and she will be raising him solo. in regards to my health, grammy told cassidy i was going to be getting incredibly sick and that the best thing i could do was increase my physical activity. she acknowledged seeing me putting in the work but said i needed to do more. i had just began training twice a week with grit and gratitude fitness in mid march. this reading was in may. in june, i increased my sessions to four times a month and added in a fifth day of activity (swimming for one hour). in august of 2021, i got one of the worst cases of covid i’ve ever heard of from anyone that lived to tell the tale. i was in the hospital for about five weeks, was on a ventilator for 17 days and had to learn how to do basic things like how to walk or even hold a fork again. when i woke up from my coma, the doctor expressed that with the tons of cases of covid he saw in icu, it wasn’t age, vaccination status, bmi or preexisting conditions that determined whether or not someone made it out – it was if they had been physically active for at least the last 90 days. grammy came to visit me while i was in my coma and told me i couldn’t come back here to visit her – that she would come see me. she kept repeating that over and over again. when i woke up and was told about how i nearly died, i immediately realized what she meant. i also couldn’t help but think of my reading with cassidy and how the messages she delivered urged me to double down on taking my health seriously and how angel (my trainer) helped facilitate that journey.
this year, i feel the healthiest and strongest i have in my adult life. i know wholeheartedly that i am currently the version of myself grammy would be most proud of because i am creating the life i have always wanted for myself without apology and without wavering. that is something she did at an early age and far before women were praised for creating their own happiness even if taking an alternate route to get there. when in doubt, i frequently ask myself: what would grammy do? as i’ve gotten older, i feel her with me as i am making pivotal decisions. there is nothing more peaceful than that. while i used to dread may, specifically the seventh, this seventh anniversary has proven to be the best one yet.
if you are looking to connect with a loved one or simply find out more about your path, definitely connect with cassidy rey. if you have questions, don’t hesitate to ask me. this post isn’t sponsored – it is just something that was on my heart to share on the anniversary of my favorite girl in the world.
