Kaneohe's Boston Pizza

I recently had some of the best pizza I've ever had on Oahu at Kaneohe's Boston Pizza.

Garlic-Knots

Pesto-riffic Deep Dish

Kids Pepperoni Pizza

The Garlic-Knots were very delicious.

The Kids Pepperoni Pizza is 10 inches and was more than enough for my 3 boys.

The Pesto-riffic Deep Dish pizza was amazing.

Mozzarella, bacon, chicken, pesto, and ranch combined to create one of the best pizzas I've ever had.

Service was great, and the shop is very kid-friendly, with toys, games, and a chalk board.

Kaneohe's Boston Pizza offers many other types of pizza, but I don't know if I could eat anything other than the Pesto-riffic the next time I go.

It's that good...

Kaneohe's Boston Pizza
46-028 Kawa St A11

Kaneohe, HI 96744
(808) 235-7756

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Choco le'a Opens Gourmet Chocolate Boutique in Manoa

Yay!  Choco le'a has opened a boutique in Manoa Square!  Previously, the gourmet chocolates could only be found at Eden in Love at Ward Warehouse, Red Pineapple in Ward Center, and the Moana Surfrider Hotel Spa in Waikiki.  But now, you can get your artisan chocolates and truffles by the piece every Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday in Manoa.  

Being a dark chocolate fan, I love that they use European dark chocolate exclusively.  They will however, work with local brands of chocolate and milk chocolate by request.  But the chocolate they use is just beautiful.  It's smooth, silky and rich in taste.  

At their boutique, the truffles are sold individually and you can customize a 9 or 20 piece box.  For ease of ordering, you can also get preset boxes which make wonderful gifts.  The artisan truffles are made from fresh, natural, organic, and wholesome ingredients as often as possible.  My favorite truffle is the mochi truffle, but I haven't met a Choco le'a truffle that I didn't like.  My current 9 piece truffle box has a sake, a Guinness Beer, a Glenfiddich, and a margarita truffle.  I can't wait to bite into those! 

They also offer solid chocolate pieces, chocolate dipped fruit, and chocolate macadamia nut clusters.  They make an amazing chocolate covered Oreo in a variety of Oreo cookie flavors.  Every time I bite into one, I am amazed how fresh and crunchy the Oreo cookie is.

In addition to their retail services, they are available for catering and wholesale orders.  Just a word of caution, because they do not use preservatives in their chocolates, perishable flavors, such as fresh mochi, haupia, and cheesecake, must be refrigerated.

I'm super excited about their new location!  Service is excellent!  Follow on IG @chocoleahawaii for updates.

Choco le’a

2909 Lowrey Avenue

Hours: 

Tuesday 10am-5pm

Friday 10am – 6pm

Saturday 10am-4pm

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Just Dessert - Shokudo Japanese Restaurant & Bar

When Nat suggested we go to Shokudo Japanese Restaurant & Bar just for dessert after eating lunch nearby, I knew she wanted to eat the popular Honey Toast.

It's been a while since I've been to Shokudo, and I had no idea that there were so many varieties of Honey Toast.  I told Nat that she should pick which Honey Toast we'd share, and she chose the Cinnamon Honey Toast.

Thick slices of Japanese bread are toasted and the insides are cubed.  Ice cream, a drizzle of honey, and a sprinkle of cinnamon completed this simple, yet delicious dessert.

Even though Nat & I shared the Honey Toast along with my son, there was still a lot of leftover toast, which Nat took home to enjoy later.

Shokudo Japanese Bar & Restaurant
1585 Kapiolani Blvd

Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 941-3701

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5th Annual Hawaii Rice Fest

Come celebrate Hawaii's favorite food - RICE, at the 5th annual Hawaii Rice Festival on Sunday, September 26 at Ward Centers.  From 11 am - 5 pm, shop, eat, check out the cooking demonstrations and eating contests, and watch them set the Guinness World Record for world's largest loco moco!

Please bring a bag of brown rice to donate for Lanakila Pacific's "Meals on Wheels" program, which feeds Hawaii's needy seniors.

For more information, go to the Rice Festival's website: http://ricefest.com/

Free Admission!

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Denzel Washington Stars as The Equalizer Movie Review

Denzel Washington is one of my favorite actors.  He consistently delivers a solid performance, can play a wide range of characters, is handsome, and can get a laugh from the audience.  In the Equalizer, Washington plays Robert McCall, a kind and methodical man who seems to lead an ordinary, but lonely life.  This all changes when Teri, a young prostitute played by Chloë Grace Moretz, is badly beaten and hospitalized.  He feels the need to help her because he can.  He approaches the men responsible and offers them payment for her freedom.  When they decline and McCall gets a true sense of what lies ahead for Teri, he kills them.  Under 30 seconds.  He then unknowingly becomes the target of psycho Russian mob bad guy Teddy, played by Marton Csokas.           

Both Csokas and Moretz give strong performances and are outstanding in their roles, but audiences will cheer for Washington as he takes on the bad guys in the many high energy action sequences.  If you can’t handle violence, stay away from this movie.  Bad guys will meet their maker through corkscrews, nail guns, and a power drill.  It is not pretty. 

The movie is set in Boston and I enjoyed the scenery shots in the film.  Usually I dismiss those scenes as I open up my movie candy, but these shots were so beautiful that I took notice.  Another thing I noticed was the lack of sex in the movie.  Just about every R-rated movie these days offers audiences gratuitous nude scenes, but the Equalizer does not.  Although there were some crude sexual references, there were zero sex scenes.  This film relies on its exciting and tense storyline and the characters’ intensity to keep the audience glued to their seats.  Sometimes, the action can get a little ridiculous, for example when Washington walks away effortlessly from several explosions, as if he isn’t aware that his pants are on fire (they’re not, but you get what I mean).  But my husband reassures me that this is entirely plausible and 100% possible as he ranks The Equalizer in his Top Five Revenge Movies.    

Synopsis:  In The Equalizer, Denzel Washington plays McCall, a former black ops commando who has faked his death to live a quiet life in Boston.  When he comes out of his self-imposed retirement to rescue a young girl, Teri (Chloë Grace Moretz), he finds himself face to face with ultra-violent Russian gangsters.  As he serves vengeance against those who brutalize the helpless, McCall’s desire for justice is reawakened. If someone has a problem, the odds are stacked against them, and they have nowhere else to turn, McCall will help.  He is The Equalizer.

View trailer here: http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/theequalizer/

Opens today, September 26, 2014.  Rated R with a running time of 131 minutes. 

Thank you to our sponsor for the complimentary movie tickets. 

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Mililani Restaurant

Despite Mililani Restaurant's extensive menu, I usually stick to two items that I know will always satisfy - Fried Saimin and Portuguese Sausage Fried Rice.

Fried Saimin

Portuguese Sausage Fried Rice

The Fried Saimin and Fried Rice are consistent every time.  The Fried Saimin and Fried Rice are two of the most popular menu items for a reason - huge, tasty portions of noodles or fried rice that will feed our family for days!

I've actually tried a couple of other menu items before, but they weren't anything special, and I'm sure on future visits I'll once again be ordering only the Fried Saimin and/or Fried Rice.

Mililani Restaurant
95-221 Kipapa Dr

Mililani, HI 96789
(808) 625-2000

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Banana Muffins with Cinnamon-Sugar Topping

I always try to bake a nut-free snack for my middle son to take to school, and most recently I made these Banana Muffins with Cinnamon-Sugar Topping (adapted from this recipe from Allrecipes.com).

They freeze well, so I plan to make a double batch next time!

Banana Muffins with Cinnamon-Sugar Topping (adapted from Allrecipes.com):

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 c flour
• 1 t baking soda
• 1 t baking powder
• 1/2 t salt
• 3 bananas, mashed
• 3/4 c sugar 
• 1 egg
• 1/3 c butter, melted
• 1/3 c packed brown sugar
• 1/8 t cinnamon

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 
• Spray a mini muffin tin with baking/cooking spray.
• In a bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. 
• In another bowl, mix together the bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter. 
• Combine the flour and banana mixtures until just moistened.  
• Spoon batter into prepared muffin tin.
• In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar and cinnamon. 
• Sprinkle topping over muffins.
• Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes.

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Outrigger Continues Global Expansion with Acquisition of Premier Island Atoll Property in the Maldives

Hawaii-based Outrigger Enterprises Group announced today that it has purchased the Konotta Island Resort situated in the Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll of the Republic of Maldives from Crystal Lagoon Pvt Ltd. The transaction closed in the Maldives on September 23, 2014, for an undisclosed amount and was brokered by Jones Lang LaSalle's Singapore-based Hotels and Hospitality Group acting as exclusive adviser to the vendor. Following a property renovation, the hotel is expected to open as the Outrigger Konotta Maldives Resort in July 2015.

Attending the transaction signing in Malé, the Maldives Minister of Tourism Ahmed Adeeb Abdul Gafoor said, "We are delighted that Outrigger Enterprises Group has decided to invest in the Maldives with its purchase of Konotta Island. Outrigger, as a US-based company, is very welcome here in the Maldives and we see this as a tremendous vote of confidence in our country's tourism industry."

"This latest acquisition marks the continued successful expansion of Outrigger in the Indian Ocean and fits perfectly with Outrigger's aim to be the world's premier beachfront resort brand," said David Carey, president and chief executive officer at Outrigger Enterprises Group. "The Outrigger Konotta Maldives Resort will be operated and marketed as a high-end premium property located in a magnificent atoll setting."

Outrigger Konotta Maldives Resort

Located southwest of the southern tip of India in the Indian Ocean, the Maldives is considered by many to be the "ultimate" luxury beach destination, a locale known around the world for its tropical beauty and tranquility, majestic views and one-of-a-kind experiences. The new property joins 15 other Outrigger Resorts properties situated on some of the world's most spectacular coasts across seven countries throughout the Indian Ocean and Asia-Pacific region. It is the second resort for Outrigger in the Indian Ocean following the purchase and highly successful opening of the Outrigger Mauritius Resort and Spa in April this year.

The private island of Konotta is located 211 miles (340 kilometers) to the south of Malé and conveniently accessible via a 55-minute flight from Malé to Kaadedhdhoo Airport followed by a scenic 20-minute journey on a private speedboat.

When it opens next year, the Outrigger Konotta Maldives Resort will offer a complete sense of privacy and intimate luxury with the current 27 beachfront one- and two-bedroom pool villas and 21 overwater pool villas. Four additional beachfront pool villas and an overwater presidential villa are also planned. The resort will be supported by a full range of facilities and services including new and innovative dining concepts, a marine education center, a Navasana Spa and retail outlets.

Since embarking on its expansion into the Asia-Pacific region in 2008, Outrigger has grown its presence outside of Hawaii to include properties currently open or under development in Phuket and Phi Phi Island, Thailand; Fiji; Australia; Guam; Hainan Island, China; Mauritius; and Vietnam.

"In the Maldives, Outrigger will create a unique resort experience that will attract discerning travelers from around the world," said Darren Edmonstone, Outrigger managing director, Asia Pacific. "Our acquisition in the Maldives builds on 67 years of iconic resort management expertise developed within Outrigger."

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Wordless Wednesday

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Jack's Restaurant

It doesn't matter how far we have to drive - if a place is known for serving good breakfasts, I'm there!  So one weekend we took the family to Jack's Restaurant in Aina Haina Shopping Center, which is on the other end of the island from where we live.

From top left clockwise: Jack's Special Biscuit (served with Whipped Honey Butter on the side); Griddle Cake & Omelet, Grilled Cheese, Kim Chee Fried Rice

The little restaurant is quite a popular spot. It was packed when we arrived, so we had to wait about 10 minutes for a table.

I had the Kim Chee Fried Rice, which comes with a biscuit.  The fried rice was a very generous serving, and it was indeed spicy because of the kim chee.  The biscuit was good, especially with the honey butter.

Service was quick and friendly, and I would definitely make the drive out to Aina Haina Shopping Center again just to eat at Jack's!

Jack's Restaurant
820 West Hind Dr # 119

Honolulu, HI 96821-1851
(808) 373-4034

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Heavenly Island Lifestyle's Grand Opening in the Shoreline Hotel Waikiki

Gem and I had dinner at the coolest surfer’s café last night.  We were fortunate to be invited to the grand opening of Heavenly Island Lifestyle, a new cafe in the Shoreline Hotel Waikiki.  The atmosphere is cozy with a casual and beachy feel.  The interior is decorated with whimsical wall art with feel good sayings like “Today I choose Joy” and “You had me at Aloha.”  I instantly fell in love with the decor. 

Beachy feel inside Heavenly.

Heavenly shares the same owners as Aloha Table and Goofy Café & Dine.  Emphasis is put on using locally sourced and organic ingredients to promote a healthy island life style.  I found out that Aloha Table has many restaurants in Japan and has been expanding their chill surf-style cafés to Hawaii, but geared mostly to the Japanese clientele.  But the secret is out and many locals have discovered the restaurants and are too enjoying the healthy cuisine.

       

Keigo Yoshimoto, Executive Chef to all three restaurants, treated us to a delicious multi-course dinner that was presented to us by Makoto “Mild” Hasegawa, Heavenly’s manager.  Heavenly has a nice selection of beers and wines that include an organic wine collection and surfer recommended wines.  I was most impressed by their offerings of my favorite kind of drinks: sangrias, classic cocktails, mojitos, and mimosas.  Designated drivers are in luck too.  Heavenly has an awesome selection of fruit and veggie juices as well as signature smoothies. 

Keigo Yoshimoto, Executive Chef and Mild (Makoto Hasegawa), Manager.

Island Mimosa selection: Maui gold Pineapple, Guava, Mango, and Organic Acai.

We started our dinner with some delicious “green” pupus:  Local Avocado Guacamole with Molokai sweet potato chips and tortilla; Hamakua mushroom marinade; and the Bagna cauda- seasonal veggies with housemade miso dip.  

Loved the fresh chunks of guacamole paired with the sweet potato chips.

Hamakua mushrooms were cooked to the perfect texture.  Marinade was lovely.

Not your typical Bagna Cauda, but still enjoyed the fresh veggies with the housemade miso.

We then sampled Big Island Ginger Ahi Poke with local kale salad and Kona kanpachi coconut ceviche with organic coriander. 

The Ahi Poke was very tasty and especially enjoyed the ginger with the kale salad.

Ceviche was one of my favorite dishes.  

We enjoyed a local green Cobb salad with kale dressing with two entrees: Kauai Makaweli ranch ribeye steak with local grilled veggies, naked cow truffle sauce and Shinsato pork Big Island ginger sauté. 

Not a typical Cobb salad, but the greens were very refreshing.

Really liked the truffle sauce on the ribeye.  

Pork was tender and I liked the ginger flavor but thought the texture from the corn starch could be improved.

Our next pairing was Heavenly's organic veggie and beans loco moco made of 100% Big Island kulana beef, local farm eggs, local ginger soy glaze and Kahuku shrimp ravioli nalo herb cream sauce with organic cauliflower sauté.

Loved the loco moco.  The beef was lightly seasoned and I liked that the glaze was light.

Another favorite.  The ravioli was a great texture and the cream sauce was wonderful

For dessert, we were treated to a Hawaiian ginger creme brulee, a housemade Kona coffee tiramisu, and the Piña Colada, a pineapple and coconut sorbet with tapioca.

All the desserts were AMAZING!  My favorite was the Pina Colada.  The sorbet was refreshing and the tapioca added a nice touch.  Really enjoyed the strong Kona coffee flavors in the tiramisu and the ginger in the creme brulee was a delight.

Thank you to Chef Yoshimoto, Mild, and the Heavenly staff as well as Shoreline Hotel Waikiki. We had the best time and thoroughly enjoyed this wonderful dinner collaboration by Heavenly and the Shoreline Hotel Waikiki.  


Heavenly Island Lifestyle

Shoreline Hotel Waikiki 1F
342 Seaside Ave
Honolulu, HI 96815
808-923-1100

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Uncle Clay's House of Pure Aloha

Since we were nearby, we decided to take the kids to Uncle Clay's House of Pure Aloha (HOPA) for some shave ice.

Milk Chocolate with Dream Sauce and Mochi

Strawberry with Dream Sauce and Mochi

Chocolate Coconut Macadamia Nut Ice Cream

HOPA does not use any artificial ingredients in the shave ice syrups. Everything is all natural, which results in light, subtle flavors.  I really enjoyed the Strawberry Shave Ice, and the Mochi and Dream Sauce made it even better.

My middle son opted for ice cream, which was made by Tropical Dreams (a Hilo-based company).  The ice cream was delicious.

What really impressed me about HOPA was not the use of all-natural ingredients in the shave ice syrups (although I do love that the syrups are all-natural), but the aloha spirit that was evident during our visit.

I met Uncle Clay and was able to chat with him for a few minutes, and his passion for what he does was so obvious in just that short conversation.

He truly is the epitome of aloha.

Even if you're not a fan of shave ice or ice cream, step inside HOPA to experience what aloha is all about.


Uncle Clay's House of Pure Aloha
820 W Hind Dr #116

Honolulu, HI 96821
(808) 373-5111

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Vanilla Wafer Sandwich Bites

The 5-Ingredient Weeknight Meals Cookbook is one of my new favorite cookbooks.  The recipes are so simple and easy to make.

One of the easiest recipes is for these Vanilla Wafer Sandwich Bites.

I simply took some Nilla wafers and spread some creamy peanut butter on some wafers and topped them with others to make sandwiches.  

I refrigerated them for 15 minutes and dipped them in some melted chocolate (I used 1 cup chocolate chips with 1 1/2 t flavorless coconut oil and microwaved on 50% power for 1 minute; repeat for 30 seconds if necessary).  The original recipe calls for melting a baking bar, but since I didn't have any on hand, I just used chocolate chips (which I always have on hand!).

I refrigerated them for another 15 minutes, and they were ready to be devoured!

Thank you to the sponsor for providing a complimentary sample of the cookbook for review purposes.

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Party Planning - Easy Favor/Goodie Bag Idea

I am a sucker for personalization.  I think it started at a young age because with a name like Nadia, it meant no personalized stickers or key chains for me.  Yes, the envy was great.  

Fast forward to 25 years later.  I was planning my daughter's second birthday party at the Honolulu Zoo and I thought it would be adorable to have frosted animal crackers as favors.  I found the most perfect whimsical pink label on tinyprints.com (a favorite site that would become my go-to for invitations and favor labels) to decorate the clear favor bag.

The following year, my daughter entered preschool and Halloween came around and I needed a goodie bag worthy of a wannabe Alpha Mom.  It had to be different and special, but not involve a lot of work (I said Alpha Mom, not Pinterest Mom).  As luck would have it, I went to a party and tried for the first time kettle corn by Popcorn Express.  It was delicious.  I always thought I didn't even like kettle corn!  But this one was fresh, crunchy and the perfect blend of salty and sweet.  

The best part was that they can customize the popcorn colors for your order.  That Halloween, I ordered the 40 quart size in orange and black and packaged it in cellophane bags, tied it with curling ribbon, and slapped on a cute label from Tiny Prints.  For the centerpieces of my son's first birthday party, I again turned to Popcorn Express.  I filled tin pails with the multi colored popcorn so it resembled a giant gumball machine.   

My son will soon be turning 4 and these days I am more like Whatever Mom and less like Alpha Mom as now I order the prepackaged one quart bags for goodie bags.  They are perfect because there is minimal thinking involved, everyone loves eating it, and I can always pick colors that match my theme.  There you have it, easy favor and goodie bag ideas for the Smart Mom.  

Be sure to sign up for Tiny Prints' email subscription as they offer discounts.  I always wait for the 50% off labels promotion.  If you can't wait, Costco members save 20% off all order and receive free shipping for order over $59! 

For more information on pricing for popcorn, visit Popcorn Express at www.popcornexpresshawaii.com  

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Tappy App Launch Party

Last night I was fortunate to attend a Hawaii launch party of Tappy - a new private photo chat app (currently available on the iTunes App Store), which took place at Kissaten Coffee Bar in Waterfront Plaza.

Yes, it's another messaging app, but privacy is the main focus.

Once you download the app, you need to verify via text (send or receive) that the phone you are using is indeed your phone.

You can then give Tappy access to your contacts to see if anyone else you know is on Tappy, and you can also invite via text people from your contact list to join Tappy (they will be sent a link).

Once signed up and logged in, you're ready to get Tappy!  Simply snap a photo (or choose one from your camera roll), add a caption, select your recipients, and send.

Recipients can like a photo and chat about it, and after 24 hours, the photo and chat stream is gone.

Unlike some other social media apps where loopholes in privacy settings allow others to see photos that you thought were "private," in Tappy, only those you send the photos to can see them.  There's no way to share a photo, tag others, or invite others to a chat.

Only the intended recipients can see the photo and chat.

And although in other social media apps there are similar messaging features, I know of people who thought they were sending messages to specific people, when in reality they sent a message to all of their followers.  Oops!

Photos are not automatically downloaded to your phone, thus no memory is taken up, however, the original sender can download a "clean" copy (no text overlay) of photos taken via Tappy.

Receivers can still take a screen shot of the photo, but all of the text overlay will be on it.

Because you can see a list of the recipients when a photo is sent, there is that potential for people you don't know to attempt to add you to their contact list even if they do not have your phone number.

You can add people not already in your contact list

However, you do have the option to preview a photo if someone not already on your Tappy contact list sends you one, and you also have the ability to block someone (and unblock later, if you wish), but he/she may still appear in group chats if you were also invited to the same group chat.

I like that Tappy is more organic in the sense that there is no need to keep snapping until you take the perfect photo, no need to add any filters or remember any hashtags, and simply no need to worry about what other people think.

The concept is that you are sharing a photo and chatting with friends - people you really know, and people who really know you.

It's a nice way to stay connected to those closest to you without having to worry about lurkers or spammers.

I am still playing around with the Tappy app to see everything it can (and can't) do, but I can really see the appeal of Tappy.

If you have an iPhone, you can try Tappy by downloading the app from the iTunes App Store.

Great food at the launch party from Kissaten - From top left clockwise: Kamuela Tomato Bruschetta; Pita; Tomato Watermelon Salad; Chicken Katsu; Acai Bowl; Gyudon; Yakisoba; Truffle Parmesan Fries

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Culturelle Kids Review

Disclosure: I received complimentary samples for review purposes.

I personally believe that probiotics are very beneficial to one's health, which is why our entire family takes Culturelle.

My kids are given Culturelle Kids Probiotic Packets and Chewables daily.

About Culturelle Kids:

The ingredient in Culturelle Kids probiotics is clinically proven to help reduce occasional tummy troubles like gas, bloating, and diarrhea by helping to restore the balance of good and not-so-good bacteria in their digestive systems.* Taken regularly, it actually helps your child’s digestive tract to work better and supports a healthy immune system.*

Happy Tummies, Healthy Kids, Relaxed Parents. Support your kids’ natural defenses and keep their digestive system happy with Culturelle probiotics.*

My younger two kids are given the probiotic powder every morning, mixed in with their orange juice or milk.

I need to stir the powder in really well with the drink otherwise it will stay clumped on the bottom of the cup, but once it's stirred in well, my kids have no idea the probiotic is in there!  It's flavorless, so my kids only taste juice or milk.

If I forget to give them their probiotics in the morning, I simply mix the powder in with yogurt for their afternoon snack.

My oldest son takes the chewable daily.  He enjoys the berry flavor.

Both the packets and the chewables are easy to tote in a purse and to take on trips to ensure my kids get their daily probiotics.  

To find out more about Culturelle for Kids, click here.

To find a store locator near you, click here.


* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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The Exclusive Royal Papa'aina Dinner Presented By The Royal Hawaiian, A Luxury Collection Resort

Gem and I were so fortunate to be invited to celebrate The Perfect Day: Waikiki presented by The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort with One Kings Lane.  Our evening included the exclusive Royal Papa'aina dinner presented by Chef Shaymus Alwin, Chef de Cuisine of Azure Restaurant.  The spectacular dinner was hosted in the hotel's most prestigious King Kamehameha Suite.

The table decor was inspired by One Kings Lane and just took my breath away.  

  

But then, this view happened.  It's no wonder the King Kamehameha Suite is the Royal Hawaiian's most prestigious suite.  The view is amazing.   

  

It was a pleasure meeting Kelly Hoen, General Manager of the Royal Hawaiian and Andrea Stanford, Vice President of Merchandising at One Kings Lane as well as Caitlin Lindquist of A Little Dash of Darling and photographer Nicole Franzen.  

 

I've been to Azure Restaurant once before and was already a fan, but nothing prepared me for the extraordinary 8 course meal and wine pairing that was about to be executed by Chef Shaymus Alwin.  We started our first course with an amazing amuse bouche: Pier 38 Onaga Ceviche paired with a hibiscus ginger shooter.  Our second course was a delicious Japanese Hamachi Crudo followed by a Kona Lobster Brioche.  I was a little nervous, being an abalone newbie, but the fourth course, Olive Oil Confit of Big Island Abalone and Shinsato Farm's Pork Tonkatsu was delightful.  I was moved by the delicious flavor and texture of the abalone.  The intermezzo was a refreshing sorbet.        

The sixth course, Smoked Duck and Foie Gras Raviolo was spectacular both in presentation and in taste.  I was especially excited to try the squid ink pasta, a popular dish with local foodies. 

I was beyond delighted to hear the last two courses would be sweet:  Parmigiano Reggiano Mousse and S'more Waialau Chocolate.  It was the most perfect and sweetest way to conclude such an exquisite meal. My taste buds will never be the same.  

We had the most magnificent night and we are so thankful to have received such royal treatment.  When we returned to our rooms we had cookies waiting for us!  

  

After cookies, we couldn't stop talking with Hi Tea Style bloggers about the awesome night we had just experienced.

  

Thank you to The Royal Hawaiian, The Luxury Collection, One Kings Lane, and Starwood Hotels and Resorts for having us a part of The Perfect Day: Waikiki.

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