916 Grill St. & Shabu Zen - All-You-Can-Eat Hot Pot Lunch for $25.50

With plate lunches pushing $20 (and some even exceeding), $25.50 for All-You-Can Eat Hot Pot at 916 Grill St. & Shabu Zen is a steal ($32.25 for dinner)!

The All-You-Can-Eat includes your choice of broth, meats, and an enormous buffet which includes veggies, noodles, sauces, seafood, and so much more!

You can also order a la carte appetizers, and don't forget Honey Toast for dessert!

More details:
•Lunch: M thru F from opening - 2p
•Dinner: M-F 2p-closing + all day Sa, Su & holidays
•Kids 5yo & under are free
•Kids 6-10yo 50% off
•$5 charge applies for leftover meat per plate
•90-min time limit

@onfirehawaii's photogenic hot pot

Coming soon to appetizers menu:

Dynamite Chicken

Karaage Chicken

Bar menu only:

Chicken Katsu

A special spice blend is mixed into the coating and it is so delish! So delish, @melissa808 took home the leftovers!

Poke Nachos

Mini Poke Bowl

Honey Toast

916 Grill St. & Shabu Zen
94-818 Ukee Pl
Waipahu, HI 96797
 

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Westman Cafe Open in Kōʻula in Ward Village

Get the Souffle Pancakes!

Some of you die hard brunch fans may remember when Westman Cafe was open in Waikiki in the former Bills Sydney location. I remember enjoying their souffle pancakes so I was excited to have them again at their new location in Kōʻula in Ward Village. 

The cafe is bright and modern and also offers patio seating. On the menu for breakfast and brunch are signature toasts, souffle pancakes, a variety of french toasts as well as island plate options of omelet, shakshuka, loco moco, and more.

Located by the kids park

Bar seating and tables

I ordered the avocado toast for myself and the souffle pancake for the table which usually has a cook time of 20-25 minutes. We were all surprised when the star of brunch showed up first. The server explained that sometimes there will be an extra order of souffle pancakes being made and we were the lucky table. They were airy and delicious. I really could have eaten them by myself.

Avocado Toast

French Toast with Bacon and Eggs

Souffle Pancakes with lemon sauce

Japanese Style Morning Meal

We had a lovely experience and the service was also very good. Parking can be an issue as it gets crowded on the weekends. Reservations can be made on Open Table.

Westman Cafe

1000 Auahi Street 

Honolulu, HI 96814

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Big Island Candies x 88 Tees Collaboration

Big Island Candies is my absolute fave omiyage to give whenever I travel, and I love that they once again teamed up with the iconic 88 Tees for a new collaboration, with a message to share aloha — not only with others, but also with the natural world around us.

With that sentiment in mind, the new collaboration features 88 Tees’ characters Yaya and Kuku having fun out on the ocean, while, a portion of proceeds from the sales of the collaboration box through June 30 will benefit 808 cleanups.

I was invited to a media event for the launch of the products - they are just the cutest!  These products are available for a limited time. Get your hands on them now and share the aloha!

Details:

• Collaboration box: includes three Milk Chocolate Dipped Macadamia Nut Shortbreads, three Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut Shortbreads, three White Dipped Lemon Shortbreads, three Coconut Shortbreads, one Milk Chocolate Covered Macadamia Nut Brownie, one Dark Chocolate Covered Macadamia Brownie, and two Milk Chocolate Covered Macadamia Nut Toffees ($24.25 online and Hilo; $25.50 at Ala Moana Center).
• T-shirt, offered in pink or beige: sizes S-XL ($32.99 Hilo and Ala Moana Center).
• Tote bag ($29.99 Hilo and Ala Moana Center location.
• Stickers exclusively at 88 Tees in Waikiki ($5.00 each).

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Disney Wonder 4-Night Baja Cruise: The Ports

The Disney Wonder 4-Night Baja Cruise ports included San Diego (embarkation / dismebarkation), Catalina Island, and Ensenada.

The night before our cruise, we stayed at SpringHill Suites by Marriott San Diego Downtown/Bayfront, which is right across the street from the port.  They have a free breakfast buffet, and I was able to get a late check-out, which worked well for our cruise check-in time.  

On port days, if you plan to get off the ship, you need to make sure you have your key to the world cards (Magic Band+ will work too) for everyone in your party and appropriate photo IDs for adults.  Your belongings will be scanned as you go through a security checkpoint.  

Some people stay on the ship on port days, as pools and restaurants tend to be a lot less crowded, but I was happy to get off the boat and explore new-to-us areas.   You can book port activities directly through Disney Cruise Line or through third parties, or just wing it like we did. 

Our first port was Catalina Island.  I read that some people would rent golf carts to tour the area, but we would have had to rent a 6-person golf cart.  We decided to simply walk around instead.  It was pretty warm, as California was experiencing a heat wave.

We ate at a couple of places, did some shopping, and played mini golf.

At Ensenada, once we got off the boat, we went to catch a shuttle into Downtown.  It was $4 USD RT per person.  

We were originally just going to stay in Downtown and explore, but the shuttle is actually a sales pitch for tours, and we ended up getting sold on a tour to visit La Bufadora and the market.  I'm glad we went on the tour, as we saw some amazing places and experienced a lot in just a short amount of time. 

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Halepuna Waikiki by Halekulani

It's been 5 years since my last staycation, and we were overdue for one.  We decided to go back to the Halepuna Waikiki by Halekulani since we had such a wonderful time there.

Translated to "House of Welcoming Waters," Halepuna, sister property to the Halekulani hotel, is part of a brand that is synonymous with excellent service.  

We were fortunate to get a media rate for two Ocean View rooms for our family of 5 (because 2 bathrooms are a must!).

One room had a king bed and desk; the other room had 2 double beds.  

The blue tones of the rooms complemented the ocean views.

The views were stunning!

Each room included complimentary water bottles (water filling stations are located throughout the hotel), robes for use, a coffee maker, and mini fridge.

We had a shared foyer vs connecting rooms, which still allowed for privacy since we could shut the external door.

Dining options on property include Halekulani Bakery as well as UMI by Vikram Garg.

On property you will also find the Vitality Pool and Sun Deck with Cabanas, The Garden, where you can relax in tranquility, and a Fitness Studio.   

We were fortunate to get complimentary cabanas, which offered a respite from the sun as we relaxed by the pool.

Throughout the hotel you'll find some exceptional artwork!

I like that the hotel is at one end of Waikiki, so we were not in the midst of the crowds, but a lot of Waikiki spots were still easily accessible.  

The beach is just a short walk across the street, and you're not far from numerous other shops and restaurants.  

The Halepuna Waikiki by Halekulani is a boutique hotel that scores big on ambience and service, and it was the ideal location for our staycation.  

We had such a nice getaway - one that was much needed to rejuvenate my soul.  

Halepuna Waikiki by Halekulani

2233 Helumoa Rd

Honolulu, HI 96815
(808) 921-7272

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