Rajanee Thai is one of my favorite Thai restaurants, and our family recently dined at the Haleiwa location, which just opened up a few months ago.
Satay Chicken
Spring Rolls
Bangkok Night Noodles
Panang Curry with Chicken
Thai Fried Rice with Chicken
Everything we ordered was so delicious!
The Spring Rolls were stuffed with veggies and noodles, and served with a plum sauce. They did not disappoint!
Neither did the Satay Chicken, which had a subtle coconut flavor. It was tender and juicy!
The Panang Curry was really good, and so was the Thai Fried Rice, which had eggs, onions, and chicken mixed throughout.
My favorite dish, however, was the Bangkok Night Noodles. Garlic rice noodles were sauteed with eggs, bean sprouts, chicken, and green onions. It was bursting with flavor!
Our family of five ate everything up - no leftovers!
We were the first ones in the restaurant, thankfully, because it eventually was a full house.
The power went out earlier in the day, so the food took a while to get to everyone's table, but our server was great and we could tell she and everyone working in the restaurant were working really hard.
If you're in the Haleiwa area craving Thai food, be sure to stop at Rajanee Thai!
Rajanee Thai Haleiwa
66-111 Kamehameha Hwy
Haleiwa, HI 96712
(808) 784-0023
Low International Food is a restaurant, deli, caterer and bakery located in Hilo, Hawaii. They make the best fresh fruit breads. They are so soft and moist. I love to eat them plain or toast it with some butter. They go perfect with coffee.
I picked up the Taro Bread, Rainbow Bread and Passion Fruit Bread. They have a subtle flavor and are very yummy. I also bought the Lillikoi, Rainbow and Guava shortbread cookies. They are really good butter shortbread cookies. You definitely cannot eat just one.
If you are ever on the Big Island, check out Low International Food. They have a variety of fresh fruit breads and butter shortbread cookies. They make good omiyage.
Planning our family's trip to Whistler was really fun, and I was extremely excited once we arrived in Whistler, but one thing on my mind kept me a little nervous - ski lessons!
None of us had skied before, and for me personally - the thought of falling and getting hurt, or simply making a fool of myself, was constantly on my mind.
However, after meeting our instructor, Ben, who is one of over 1,000 instructors at Whistler Blackcomb collectively teaching as many as 250,000 lessons a season (including lessons in 26 different languages), I was immediately put at ease.
His enthusiasm for the sport and the priority on safety was immediately apparent. After a quick chat, he checked to make sure all of our ski boots and helmets were on properly, and attached Flaik GPS trackers to the boys, just in case one of them wandered off somewhere during the lesson.
We then rode in the Whistler Village Gondola and got out at the first stop.
We picked a spot as our base, and began our lesson.
The area quickly filled with others taking lessons.
During our lesson we pretty much learned the basics - how to put on our skis, how to glide on one ski, how to slide, how to go up a hill, and how to stop by placing our skis in the shape of a pizza.
For the kids, Ben used a lot of visual cues and terms that were engaging and easy for them to understand - "get small like a mouse," "walk like a duck!" - the visual cues really helped me as well! We also came up with a saying to yell whenever someone fell - "Man Down!"
Bend your knees!
Small like a mouse!
Man down!
I admit - being in a private group with my kids, I couldn't resist telling my kids "Listen to Ben!" and "Be respectful!" while repeating his instructions. But after a while, I realized I was probably impeding the lesson more than helping, so eventually I backed off and let Ben do his magic.
There were periods where my kids were crying or not listening, which made me feel bad for Ben, but he said it's normal - patience is key!
And some treats never hurt! He would give my boys Fuzzy Peach gummy candies whenever he felt they needed them.
Time and treats are exactly what my youngest needed!
My youngest was ready to give up
At one point he took off his skis and was just not willing to try anything.
He kept seeing my other kids fall, and he didn't want to fall himself. For a while he just sat on the side and watched, while my kids and I continued with the lesson.
Fortunately, midway through the lesson we took a hot chocolate break.
Hot chocolate break
After sipping hot chocolate, and with a little encouragement, my youngest son later got on his skis, and worked with Ben. Ben used a special clip attached to the front of his skis to help with the pizza stop.
I was very happy that everyone in our group participated.
There were quite a few falls (I probably had the worst fall - but thank goodness for helmets!), but there were also a lot of laughs, and even though we only had a half day lesson, we all accomplished something.
Ben commented how I was doing well and I needed to work on equally balancing my legs when it came time to stop, and I really just needed to get the fear of falling out of my head.
My oldest son did wonderfully. He could easily glide down the hill on his own - he just had to work on how to stop as well.
If we had a full day lesson, perhaps we would have made it to the bunny hill with the magic carpet, but because of the vast age, learning, and ability differences, Ben had to work with the kids individually to get them to focus.
I was simply impressed with how wonderful Ben was with each of us, adapting the lesson to each person.
Speaking of adapting - Whistler Blackcomb offers adaptive lessons for those with physical and cognitive disabilities, allowing all guests to enjoy winter recreation. I had considered adaptive lessons for my oldest son, who has an autism spectrum disorder, but ultimately decided we should experience the family private lesson together.
I am so glad our family took ski lessons.
Even though we still have a lot to learn, we had a great experience, and that's simply because of Ben!
He was supportive, encouraging, patient, kind, and simply an awesome instructor!
For more information on the types of lessons Whistler Blackcomb offers, click here.
A big mahalo to Whistler Blackcomb for hosting our ski lessons, and to our amazing (and patient!) instructor, Ben. Gratuity was paid on my own.
Located in the Pacific Gateway Hotel, Hemisphere North offers guests a sit-down breakfast or buffet breakfast option.
My husband and two of my sons decided to indulge in the Hemisphere North Buffet:
Cheese
Bacon
Pastries
Meats
Cereals
Scrambled Eggs
Yogurt
Sausage
Potatoes
French Toast
Fruits
Beverages
The buffet was $22 CAD, and served typical breakfast fare. Kids are half price (6 and under free).
I opted for the Farmer Hash off the menu, which consisted of potatoes, bacon, sausage, grilled onions, peppers, mushrooms, cheese, eggs, and a hollandaise sauce. It was a hearty, delicious breakfast, and I liked the addition of the hollandaise sauce. The hash came with a side of toast.
Farmer Hash
Toast
One of my kids really wanted pancakes, so he ordered off of the kids menu.
Kids Pancakes & Berries
During breakfast we were all given some refreshing strawberry smoothie shots!
Complimentary Strawberry Smoothies
Service at Hemisphere North was good, and it was a great place to start the day off with a yummy meal. Hemisphere North
3500 Cessna Dr
I love Agu a Ramen Bistro, and I was excited to try their new Kapolei location.
Vegetarian Ramen
Tori Nanban
Kicked Up Fries
Agu Gyoza
Karaage Don
Agu's Savory Parmesan
I decided to try the Parmesan ramen. Original Kotteri - a rich broth made with black garlic oil and topped with char siu, egg, fried garlic, bamboo, onions, and sesame seeds, was generously sprinkled with Parmesan. I'm glad I gave it a try, but I know now that I prefer my ramen without the cheese. The noodles turned into a gooey mess where the cheese melted, and although it gave the ramen an added savory flavor, I would rather do without it.
One of my sons really wanted the vegetarian ramen. It was topped with all sorts of veggies, like bok choy, onions, and mushrooms.
We also ordered a bunch of sides to share. The gyoza and fries (love the volcano sauce!) are faves and never disappoint.
The tori nanban is Agu's interpretation of “Miyazaki” style fried chicken, dipped in a sweet soy vinaigrette, and served with homemade tartar sauce. It was pretty good!
The kids loved the karaage the last time we went to Agu, so we decided to order the karaage don - karaage chicken over furikake rice, served with a ponzu sauce. Yum!
Although prices are a bit on the high side, the food was really delicious. We enjoyed everything we ordered, and the service was great.
Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa celebrates moms
for the whole month of May with a blissful spa package at the award-winning
Laniwai Spa, a delightful breakfast-in-bed option and other special offers. It’s
the Hawaiian resort’s way to say “mahalo” – or thank you – to moms staying at
Aulani.
Mahalo Mamma Month Activity Highlights
Luxuriate in the spa: Aulani’s Laniwai Spa offers a broad selection of
rejuvenating treatments any mom would enjoy. The Mahalo Mama Spa Package includes Aulani’s signature
Lomilomi Massage (25 Minutes), Cinderella Facial (25 Minutes) and Yummy Mummy
Organic Pedicure (50 Minutes). Package is available during the month of
May for $265 + tax and gratuity.
The Lomilomi
Massage provides a gentle, rhythmic massage, releasing tension, pain and
fatigue—while infusing the mind, body and spirit with positive energy,
increased circulation and muscle tone. Lomilomi is a traditional Hawaiian massage passed down
through generations by healing kūpuna (elders).
The Cinderella
Facial begins with a skin-refining exfoliation, followed by a vitamin-rich facial mask. The
treatment leaves every princess with a youthful glow!
The Yummy Mummy
Organic Pedicure features
a foot soak, deep cleanse, nail grooming, exfoliation, massage and polish.
Indulge in breakfast in bed: Moms can wake up
in paradise with a scrumptious breakfast brought right to their bedside.
Aulani’s chefs have created a special treat just for them: Hawaiian-style
French Toast stuffed with chocolate and strawberries, topped with warm strawberry compote and whipped cream.
Create magical memories: With
Disney PhotoPass opportunities located
throughout the resort, families can capture their special memories from
Aulani
on camera. As a special offer in May, guests will receive a free 8x10
photo with the purchase of a PhotoPass CD —perfect for moms’ desktop at
home or at the office. There are also many ways to create one-of-a-kind
keepsakes for moms. During arts and crafts at the Pau Hana Room, kids
can make
photo frames and other mementos moms will keep forever.
Participate in ‘ohana activities: Every
Sunday in May in the Pau Hana
Room, mothers and children can bond over creating a Lei Poʻo (Head lei)
and learning the art of Hula. For moms interested in swimming among
the tropical fish in Rainbow Reef, Aulani’s private snorkel lagoon, the
resort
is offering a 10% discount (one day access or length of stay access) in
May.
Shoe Slotz is an innovative shoe-stacking storage unit that doubles your space. It saves space instantly, makes shoes easy to find, organizes and protects shoes, allows for a neat display, and fits any size and type of shoe.
The Shoe Slotz creates more space in my closet, and I am able to fit my handbags on the same shelf. Shoes are easier to find with Shoe Slotz! If you are looking for a space-saving, organization product, I recommend Shoe Slotz.
Shoe Slotz are available for purchase through the Shoe Slotz website and Amazon.com. They are also in stores nationwide at Boscov's and Walgreens and in select Bed Bath & Beyond and JC Penney locations.
Beacon Pub & Eatery, a dining establishment in the Crystal Lodge and Suites (which offers 15% off to hotel guests who dine at the eatery), is a kid-friendly spot during the day.
We dined there for lunch, and although there is no kids menu, we found several dishes that my kids enjoyed.
Butter Chicken Poutine
Crumbed Fish n Chips
Macaroni n Cheese
We ordered three dishes to share amongst our family.
The butter chicken poutine was a nice twist on a typical poutine. The tandoori chicken by itself was delicious, and along with the fries, it made for quite a hearty meal.
The cod, which was coated in a panko, Parmesan, pine nut, and herb crust was served with a creamy slaw, house chips (fries), and house tartar sauce. Everything on the plate was yummy!
The mac n cheese - macaroni smothered in a cheddar, Parmesan, and cheese curd Mornay sauce, was smooth and creamy, and contrasted nicely with the panko crust.
Service was a little on the slow side, but our server was very friendly, and overall the food was great.
While in Whistler, we new one of our must-dos was to go tubing at the Coca-Cola Tube Park at Whistler Blackcomb.
Located on Blackcomb Mountain, the Coca-Cola Tube Park is accessible by taking the Excalibur Gondola to the first stop (no cost to take the gondola), crossing a ski run (be careful for approaching skiers and snowboarders!), until you get to a fairly lengthy stairway that leads to the tube park (if you have a car, you can drive to a nearby parking lot for easier access).
Upon arrival at the Coca-Cola Tube Park we went to the office to get ties to secure our tickets to our jackets, picked up our tubes (there are two tube sizes - one for adults and one for kids up to 41"), then made the trek up to the tube lift (the tickets are scanned at the beginning of the lift to ensure they are still valid).
There are 7 tube lanes, ranging from a "kids" lane, to lanes that are longer and faster (each lane varies in difficulty from Green, Blue to Black).
Everyone in our family went on the easiest lane first. When it was my turn, I admit I was a bit nervous, but really excited. The ride down was quite exhilarating and scary at the same time!
My older two kids had no problems going down the tube lane, but my youngest was very worried about falling out. Fortunately, with a little persuading, he made it down the tube lane with no tears, only to remark how fast the ride was! If you have a child under 41 inches, you can tube together - child goes in a kid tube, which you hang on to while you ride in an adult tube (conditions permitting).
View from the top of lane 2
After the excitement of the first ride, everyone except for my youngest son tried out the longer lanes.
Top of lanes
Bottom of lanes
The look on my kids' faces after they completed each ride was truly memorable, and I knew they were having such a great time.
Be sure to advise your kids to watch for other tubers coming down before exiting the lanes. Although there are signs posted advising tubers to make sure the lane is clear before crossing, we observed some kids crossing the lanes as others were tubing down. We witnessed one little girl who had to get saved by a tube park employee. If the employee did not get her out of the way of an oncoming tuber, it would've been disastrous! Kudos to all the tube park employees who helped to ensure everyone's safety!
Be careful when exiting!
A snack bar, benches, and washrooms are available at the tube park.
There are also places below the tube lift where kids can just sit and rest and play in the snow on the side.
It can be quite exhausting repeatedly making the walk up to the tube lift, and the excitement of simply sliding down the lanes was enough to knock my littlest one out!
Exhausted from the excitement!
We had 2-hour park tickets, and we were told by one of the employees we could easily get 4 to 5 rides in an hour. Depending on the crowd and lines for the different lanes, you could easily get more (some of us got 6 to 7 rides an hour).
Be sure to dress appropriately. - warm clothing, appropriate shoes, snow pants, and goggles/sunglasses to protect eyes from the flying ice/snow are recommended.
Tubing at the Coca-Cola Tube Park is the perfect family activity. I loved that all we had to do was show up - no rentals, no special equipment, no skills necessary!
The young and young-at-heart alike will truly have a blast zipping through the Coca-Cola Tube Park!
Coca-Cola Tube Park
Whistler Blackcomb
4545 Blackcomb Way
Whistler, BC V0N 1B4, Canada
(800) 766-0449
Thank you to the sponsor for providing complimentary tickets.
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