Zumba Mania in Waikiki

Aug29

This past Saturday, my sister Janet and I did something crazy –  2 HOURS OF ZUMBA!  Yes, we are crazy, but we had a blast.  I’m telling you, I’m so hooked on Zumba.  I think I was the only one that pretty much “danced” the whole 2 hours.  I was getting tired at the end, but I didn’t care.  I also didn’t care that it was at such a public place like Waikiki, and at Lewers, of all places.  In my younger years, I would’ve been so self-conscious — especially since I hadn’t consumed any alcohol.  In my semi-old age, I couldn’t care less what other people think anymore.

Our awesome instructor, Tiffany Sato Holt was one of the instructor’s there at the Zumba-Mania in Waikiki.  As always, she was great and so were the other three instructors that participated.  You can check out the video at http://www.channel808.tv/2011/08/coming-soon-zumba-mania-shake-it-on-down-at-waikiki-beach-walk-waikikibeachwlk-and-pump-it-up-with-coffeebeanhi-on-082711-400pm  We were told it was going to stream live and that pictures were going to be taken.  Again, I didn’t care.  I just wanted to dance.  Too bad I didn’t have my camera with me.

I love that stuff!

Hooked on Zumba!

Aug18

I’ve been taking Zumba classes for the past month, at least once a week and I’m completely hooked.  Realizing that I needed to do something after seeing my weight steadily going up, I decided to go with my sister.  I chose an instructor close to home and I’m glad I did because she ROCKS!  Certain moves remind of me of the aerobic classes I used to take at the Spa in the early 90′s.  I remember now why I used to take them — they are so much FUN!  The Zumba music is awesome and I like the energy from the instructor and the people taking the class.  Now, if only I can work on eating less sweets, like cupcakes — another obsession.  At least with Zumba, I got my running legs back.  I can see it now… running will become an obsession once again.  Maybe I’ll train for the San Francisco, New York, or Boston Marathon.  I already did the Honolulu Marathon, and I loved it.  Come everyone, you gotta try Zumba!

I Love These Cupcakes!

Aug14

A delicious box of heavenly cupcakes from Let Them Eat Cupcakes.

Ok, I’ve been obsessed with cupcakes for a while now, and it frustrates me when I try to make them and they don’t turn out like the ones I see on DC Cupcakes or Cupcake Girls or Cupcake Wars.  So, whenever I see a perfect cupcake in person, I have to try them.  Being in Honolulu, there isn’t much of a choice other than the ones from the same old bakeries and grocery stores.  Well, a new cupcake place opened not too long ago in downtown and it rocks!

The shop is called Let Them Eat Cupcakes.  The cupcakes are the best I’ve ever eaten.  The cupcakes themselves and frosting were very light, unlike the other two cupcake shops in town whose cupcakes and frosting are heavy and hard.  Anyway, I couldn’t stop raving about them all day.

My sister, daughter, and I stopped by and bought one each of the six featured flavors of the day.  They were Chocolate Dobash, Dulce de Leche, Vanilla Bean, Cream Cheese stuffed Red Velvet, Lilikoi (Passion Fruit), and Double Chocolate.  They were all very delicious, but my top three were the Dulce de Leche (loved the caramel taste), Lilikoi (very refreshing), and Cream Cheese stuffed Red Velvet (best red velvet cupcake ever).  Gotta try Let Them Eat Cupcakes at 35 South Beretania Street.

Since there are different featured flavors everyday, I plan to taste all of them – even though the classic flavors are $2.50 and the specialty flavors are $3.00 and I have to work off those “light” cupcake calories somehow…which leads me to another of my obsessions…ZUMBA!  I’ll write about that another time….all I know is the instructor I take ZUMA from is the best!

A True Angel Has Left Us.

Apr26

On Easter Sunday, an angel on earth left us too suddenly and too soon.  His name is Ryan Suenaga.  I’m not a very religious person and Ryan would find it funny that I’m referring to him as an angel because, 1) he was a Buddhist and 2) he didn’t act like an angel.  But, that’s how Ryan thought of himself.  He was self-deprecating, but he was an amazing person.  He was very wise.

I met Ryan through my ex-boyfriend who worked with Ryan at Hale Kipa in the early 1990s.  We all became fast friends and we hung out quite a bit:  basketball games, movies and dinners out, parties.  It went on like that for about two years.  Then we all kind of fell out of touch, especially when my boyfriend and I broke up.  But, through the years, I’ve thought of Ryan and thought of contacting him.  I never did though because of his connection with my ex.  In the short time I’ve known him, he’s impacted my life tremendously.  I remember his crazy, funny stories and even influenced how I clean house…and that is to not make a mess in the first place.  Like he aptly demonstrated one day when we were visiting with him at his parent’s house:  he was eating a cookie over the kitchen sink and I asked him why he was doing that and he said “So I don’t have to clean up the crumbs.”  I swear I still do that myself…almost 20 years since his demo.

Like I said, even though we only hung out for two years or so, I have so many great and hilarious memories of Ryan:  the basketball games at Kanewai Park then the dinners at Gina’s, the premiere nights of big, box office movies at the old Waikiki 1, 2, and 3, the gathering with other Hale Kipa co-workers, Cowboys and Lakers game viewing parties….

I was so excited one day when one of the commenters on a blog I read was Ryan.  I went to his blog and wrote him a message, reintroducing myself.  He remembered me and I felt that it was with fondness.  I’m so sad that I didn’t reach out to him sooner…

Then the news of his passing.  I was shocked.  Then saddened.  Just a few weeks ago I contemplated whether to send him a friend request on Facebook. Then I decided not to because he was fb friends with someone I disliked…what a small world.  Now, I regret not sending that friend request because I know he would have confirmed my request.

The title of this blog loosely translates to “be blessed and beautiful” or “be already prosperous,” depending on the Japanese kanji for the name “Mieko.”  Ryan was truly an angel who, by his very presence in your life, however long or short, made you feel blessed, beautiful, and prosperous.  But, he didn’t realize that he was the blessed and beautiful one because of his beautiful heart and soul…he always put people before himself….

Ryan reminds me of Clarence from “It’s a Wonderful Life.”  I think he’s saved a lot of people without realizing it.

Happy Birthday Elle!

Mar18

I have to admit to something…I’m not only addicted to lip balm, anything Hello Kitty, and oh, baked goods, but I’m also addicted to my daughter. She occupies my every thought. I’m a first-time Mom and she’s my only child. Day in, day out, she’s my world and I’m hers. Although, lately, Daddy has been someone she seeks. I’m okay with that. I know someday I won’t be her world, but for now, when she’s small we are each other’s world and I cherish that…and I always will.

What I’m Loving Now

Feb5

It’s been awhile since I’ve posted about lip balms so I decided to write about the lip balms I’m in love with now.  These are the ones that I actually search for throughout the house to use or take with me.  Both of them are changed out along with my wallet, camera, and phone when I’m changing bags.

The Nivea: A Kiss of Flavor Cherry Tinted Lip Care is wonderful.  It tastes and smells good and makes my lips feel great.  It’s lightweight and leaves a nice tint on my lips.  I got this balm at Longs and it was cheap.

I’m also loving Sugar Plum Tinted Lip Treatment SPF 15 by Fresh.  Like the Nivea, it smells and tastes great.  It’s also lightweight, but very luxuriant.  It has a sheer, dark plum tint when applied to lips.  I bought this one at Sephora and it costs $22.  Yup, it’s very expensive for a lip balm so it was definitely a splurge.  I don’t let my daughter “use” this lip balm.  Oh yeah, I guess I’m raising a future lip balm addict.  She’s loved them since she was about 13-months-old.  She would gesture, and now verbally asks for me to apply lip balm (or lip gloss) on her lips.  We’re even fighting over the balms because she wants to put it on herself.  LOL!

Other Obsessions

Feb5

I was thinking about it the other night — I’m not only a lip balm addict or obsessed with Hello Kitty, but I have a few other obsessions.  I love containers.  I love boxes, bags, and anything that can contain anything – that includes packaging, like those boxes that my daughter’s diapers come in.  It’s amazing I’m not a hoarder.  Also, to say I’m an “addict” is a misnomer.  I really think I don’t have an addictive personality.  I really get into things that interests me for awhile then the interest wanes when I lose interest.  This behavior is more accurate for hobbies – and exercise regiments.  But, for lip balms — I must say, it’s kinda of an addiction.  I can live without them but, I always have them.  I guess that’s how I would quantify my definition of an addiction in my opinion.

Back to containers.  I’m not the most organized person in the world.  Some would say I’m a slob, but I do love the idea of being organized.  I tend to throw things out that I no longer need, but only if I have too much of it or it has deteriorated too much to save.  That’s why I love watching shows like, “Hoarders: Buried Alive” and “Clean House.”  They inspire me to be organized and to not get to the point where I save everything.  The thing is I don’t have enough permanent containers or storage in the house for me to put things in.  That’s why it looks like I just moved in.  I still have things in cardboard boxes or mismatched plastic containers.

Then there’s my “obsession” with bags.  I don’t have very expensive bags or purses, but I do have a lot of bags, especially store bags.  You know the type with two handles and is usually made out of paper.  I save those and reuse them again and again until they’re no longer usable.  I love using the really nice ones as gift bags during Christmas, and for any occasion for that matter.

Now that everyone is trying to be green, I love to collect and use the shopping bags from the different grocery stores.  Some retail shops at the mall have very pretty ones.  Some grocery and retail stores have bags that are insulated so that frozen or refrigerated items stay cool.  I love those. They also come in pretty, assorted designs.

Then there’s my collection of insulated lunch bags and coolers.  I have to watch out.  I hope I don’t collect aluminum lunch boxes like the Hello Kitty one I recently bought.  I can easily slip into that if I’m not careful because I collect tin can boxes too.  I don’t have a lot of it, but I tend to use them when giving cookies away.  Also, I do use them as storage boxes for things like cards, pens, etc.

Oh, I’m also obsessed with anything cherry flavored and vanilla scented…

Hello Kitty Lunch Box

Feb3
Okay, I have to confess, I not only have an addiction to lip balm, but I am also obsessed with Hello Kitty.  Now that I have a daughter of my own, it’s the perfect excuse to buy Hello Kitty paraphernalia.
 
I grew up in the 70′s Hawaii and I remember envying the other girls with the cute Hello Kitty plastic pencil cases with Hello Kitty pencils and scented erasers.  So it was no surprise when I started earning my own money, I spent quite a bit of it on Hello Kitty and the other characters from Sanrio.  The thing is, I’m not your typical collector.  I don’t save Hello Kitty merchandise to be sold later.  I actually use them — all of them.
 
Lately, there’s been a Hello Kitty boom.  It seems like it’s being sold EVERYWHERE — and they’re REAL Hello Kitty merchandise, meaning they’re licensed.  I know that a few years back, some celebrities were outed as being Hello Kitty fanatics like Kimora Lee Simmons and Anna Nicole Smith and that might have contributed to much of the United States getting into Hello Kitty.  For us girls who grew up here in Hawaii, it was a “fad” since 1976, the year Hello Kitty was launched.  I use the word “fad” loosely because I truly believe Hello Kitty and her friends – well most of them anyway – are here to stay.
 
Today, Yesterday, I took my daughter to the mall and when we walked into the Old Navy store I was surprised to see a sales associate stocking a shelf with retro aluminum Hello Kitty lunch boxes.  There were also other cartoon characters and soda brands being featured on the lunch boxes.  Of course, since she’s been surrounded by just about everything Hello Kitty since she was an infant, my daughter gravitated to the Hello Kitty lunch boxes.  We quickly picked one out.  I immediately checked the authenticity of the product by looking for the Sanrio label, and it was there.  It looked like there was only one design, but as always, it was very adorable.  When we went to look for clothes, I noticed Old Navy was also selling Hello Kitty t-shirts, but it looked like it was all sold out.  Just the signage remained.

This is the front of the lunch box my daughter and I found at Old Navy yesterday. The back (or bottom) of the lunch box is the same as the front (or top).

This design is all around the side of the lunch box.

How can you not be "green" with this adorable Hello Kitty Lunch Box. Definitely not pink, purple, or red and made out of plastic like other Hello Kitty lunch boxes I've seen in recent years.

I’m Still Here.

Jan20

Wow, sorry readers for being away for so long!  I’ve been very busy since last post.  I have since acquired many things “balmy.”  I hope to post about them very soon now that I have some time.  Unfortunately, I rediscovered a long-lost hobby that I hope to be writing about here at this blog.

That long-lost hobby is sewing.  Yes, sewing.  Once upon a time, I had a sewing machine and sewed somethings.  I wasn’t very good, but I enjoyed it.  Then life changed and got very busy and my interests changed.  Long story short I no longer have that original sewing machine, but I just bought a new one.  One of my facebook friends inspired me to sew after seeing her creations.  She sewed some awesome looking cloth diapers.  I thought, “Wow, how cool is that!  I think I can do that.”  Anyway, I wanted to sew and have been wanting to sew for awhile now.  My vision is to sew cute dresses from my daughter and maybe potty training pants since she’s  going to need them soon.  Gosh, I hope my sewing creations turns out half as good as my facebook friend’s.