Musubi Cafe Iyasume

I love stopping at Musubi Cafe Iyasume at Waikiki Beach Walk whenever I'm staying in Waikiki. They have a nice variety to choose from!

A musubi makes for an affordable meal, especially in Waikiki. What we got ranged in price from $2.48 (Umeboshi) to $4.98 (Eel, Avocado, Egg, SPAM). The total for everything pictured was $34.

From top L-R:

• Umeboshi
• Spicy Tuna Mayo
• Avocado Bacon Egg SPAM
• Bacon Egg SPAM
• Black Pepper Cheese SPAM
• Eel Avocado Egg SPAM
• Teriyaki SPAM
• Shrimp Avocado 
• Egg SPAM 

Musubi Cafe Iyasume
227 Lewers St
Honolulu, HI 96815

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MOSA - Taiwanese-style Ice Cream in Waikiki!

MOSA has been on my radar for awhile so when we recently staycationed in Waikiki, I knew I had to make a visit. The walk up ice cream shop is is located on 2238 Lau’ula Street and is open daily from 4pm-12am making it the perfect after dinner treat. 

The best seller on the menu is the Mosa wrap - up to three flavors of ice cream wrapped in a crepe and topped with peanut brittle shavings. The ice cream paired perfectly with the thin crepe and the ice cream itself was delicious. The peanut brittle shavings were tasty and gave the dessert a nice crunch.

Also on the menu are tanghulu, ice cream, and floats! Service was friendly. Lots of outdoor seating making it a great place to enjoy dessert with a group.

Peanut brittle shaved as a topping.

MOSA Wrap!

A delicious dessert!

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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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Shiatsu at SpaHalekulani + Kamaʻāina Discount

This year I'm all about self-care, and I decided to treat myself to a 60-minute Shiatsu session at SpaHalekulani. 

Upon checking in, I waited for my therapist inside (you could also have a seat outdoors, but it was pretty warm), where treats and water were available.

The spa is designed to be "suite-style," so unlike some other resort spas where there are shared facilities, you have a dedicated suite for your treatment with all sorts of amenities. 

I never had Shiatsu before, and the therapist explained it's basically a "dry massage" that focuses on pressure points.  The therapist hit different points from my toes to my head, with emphasis on my neck and shoulders, since I let her know that's where I was experiencing a lot of pain / tightness.  

I was afraid it would be painful.  

I requested medium pressure, and for the most part, the pressure was good.  There were some instances where she worked on my back and neck where I could really feel the pressure, but it was never painful.  

The 60 minutes went by too quickly!

At the end of the treatment, you can relax on a lounge chair outdoors and sip on tea and eat a cool confection.

Since I went on Mother's Day weekend, they were offering champagne or locally-made mead!

They were also gifting moms with eye masks!

Kamaʻāina get 15% (with ID) off the base price of a massage, body polish, or facial!  A 21% service fee is added to the base price, inclusive of gratuity.

SpaHalekulani
Halekulani
2199 Kalia Rd

Honolulu, HI 96815

(808) 931-5322

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Halekulani Bakery

Disclosure: Coupons for complimentary croissants and drinks were provided.

I never pass up the opportunity to visit a bakery, so of course I made sure to stop in at Halekulani Bakery while staycationing at Halepuna Waikiki by Halekulani!

Clockwise from top center:

• Prosciutto Goat Cheese Fig Jam Danish
• Chocolate Haupia Brioche Bun
• Salted Caramel Croissant
• Big Island Macadamia Nut Chocolate Croissant
• Valrhona Chocolate Croissant
• Curry Pan

Although I have the biggest sweet tooth, I am #TeamSavory when it comes to pastries, so I loved the savory, salty, & sweet combo of the danish, but I really enjoyed the mac nut croissant as well. as well.

I also got a Caramelia Salted Chocolate Chip Cookie, because I can't resist a giant chocolate chip cookie.

The bakery also offers sandwiches, drinks, and of course — the Halekulani Signature Coconut Cake.

Don't be deterred by a long line. Apparently a lot of people need their morning caffeine (fun fact: I never had coffee before), so we were greeted by a pretty long line before 7am, but thank goodness it moved really quickly!

If you go later in the day the lines are shorter or nonexistent, but you run the risk of a smaller pastry selection, as a lot of the treats sell out in just a couple hours.

Halekulani Bakery
2233 Helumoa Rd

Honolulu, HI 96815

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Arancino on Beachwalk Lunch Specials + Kamaʻāina Discount

Arancino on Beachwalk offers a daily lunch special for $28, which includes a soup or salad and an entree.  And if you're Kamaʻāina, just show a valid Hawaiʻi ID and the price is reduced to $21!

Complimentary Focaccia

Insalata alla Cesare

Zuppa di Aragosta

Pizza con Salame Piccante

Spaghetti con Tobiko e Calamari

Panino con Mortadella

I had the salad and the sandwich combo.  I liked that the salad incorporated anchovies, and the dressing had a nice balance of umami and acidity.  I thought the pistachio paste on the sandwich was under-seasoned, but overall, the sandwich was good.

The lunch special is quite a good deal if you're local, especially in Waikiki.  

Arancino on Beachwalk
255 Beach Walk
Honolulu, HI 96815

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Gelato Milkshakes at Il Gelato

We are no strangers to Il Gelato, but for the first time, we got Gelato Milkshakes at the Waikiki Beach Walk location!

They have a menu of signature flavor shakes, or you can opt to make your own flavor.

My kids chose from the signature menu:

Ube Cookies & Cream

Choco Loco

They sure loved the shakes - so creamy with multiple scoops of gelato, blended with milk, with flavorful "walls" (condensed milk and chocolate, respectively), and topped with whipped cream.

They were perfect for the summer-like weather we've been having lately!

Il Gelato
227 Lewers Street
Honolulu, HI 96830

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UMI by Vikram Garg

While staying at Halepuna Waikiki by Halekulani, we had dinner at UMI by Vikram Garg.

I was familiar with Chef Vikram's food, having dined at TBD..., so I knew we were in for some great food, where priority is placed on using the highest quality ingredients.

Kampachi

A delicate squid ink tuile offered a nice contrasting texture to the kampachi and pickled jicama, which tasted like pears.

Foie Gras & Duck Gyoza

The duck meat in the gyoza really helped to balance the richness of the foie gras.  This was a fave!

Grilled Romaine

My youngest loved the garlic Parmesan dressing on this dish!

Udon Noodles

He also loved the Udon Noodles (he said it was "amazing").  The noodles were mixed in with a wagyu bolognese, and topped with an onsen egg.

Wagyu Cheek

The Wagyu Cheek was served with tempura okra and an 'ulu mousseline.

Hamakua Mushrooms

I ordered the risotto.  It was full of mushrooms that were cooked to the ideal amount of firmness, and the risotto had the perfect texture as well.  The truffle butter and Parmesan added layers of umami.

Seafood Curry

The Seafood Curry was quite a spread, with koshikari rice, papadum, and raita.

Mango Popsicle

Cookie Jar

I was familiar with the Mango Popsicle and Cookie Jar from TBD.  The Cookie Jar comes with 5 cookies and dipping chocolate.  So simple, but so good!

Sundae

The Sundae consisted of brown butter ice cream, chocolate fudge, and a macnut toffee that really made the dessert.  

Celebration Dessert

We were celebrating my birthday, but they gave me a dessert that said Happy Anniversary.  

Service was very warm and friendly, but there were many times throughout the night our water glasses remained empty for a while (and one of us was without a glass for some time after being seated, and even after the other four glasses were filled).  

We still had an overall wonderful dining experience, however.

Note: Guests staying at Halepuna get 10% off!

UMI by Vikram Garg
2233 Helumoa Rd
Honolulu, HI 96815

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