Visit Napa Valley: Quilt & Co. Wax Dipping Experience

My hand dipped bottle!

Napa Valley is home to approximately 475 wineries, but Quilt & Co. offers a custom wax dipping experience in downtown Napa. The $130 per person fee includes a custom wine tasting flight featuring five wines plus your selected bottle of Belle Glos or Napa Valley Quilt wine that you will dip in the wax yourself to create a one-of-a-kind keepsake to take home.
If you are looking for something different and memorable to do the next time you are in Napa, I recommend trying the wax dipping experience!

We loved our wax dipping experience!

Quilt & Co. 

813 Main Street

Napa, CA

707-777-8198

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"Old School" Sandwiches - Corned Beef & Mayo

One day someone told me about mixing corned beef straight from the can with mayo to make sandwiches, which I never heard of.

I searched online and found an entire thread of how this was an “old school” thing locally (Libby's + Best Foods).

So, we decided to try that sandwich (added some onion), along with egg, tuna, and bologna sandwiches — the kinds of sandwiches many of us ate back in the day.

I couldn't believe it, but the corned beef + mayo sandwiches turned out to be the fave of all the sandwiches.

It was a fun lunch experiment!

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Breakfast at San Paolo Pizzeria

Eggs Benedict

Known for their AYCE pizza dinners, San Paulo Pizzeria is also open for breakfast Friday through Monday. Located in the former Outback Steakhouse on Ala Moana Blvd., San Paulo serves classic American breakfast dishes like eggs benedicts and omelets, but also features a signature Brazilian breakfast as well as salads, sandwiches, and pastas.

The restaurant is large and spacious, and the service was friendly and attentive. I had the slow cooked beef short rib eggs benedict, and it was delicious! I also enjoyed the pancakes which were cooked perfectly - fluffy with a crisp edge. 

Chicken and Pancetta Sandwich

Spaghetti Carbonara

Slow cooked Beef Short Ribs Eggs Benedict

Pancakes with fruits on side

House-made Omelet

American Breakfast

Large dining area

The restaurant is perfect for large groups and can accommodate up to 140 guests. Validated parking is available in the structure for $5 for 4 hours. 

San Paolo Pizzeria

1765 Ala Moana Boulevard

Honolulu, Hawaii 

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Visit Alaska: Potter Marsh

On our first full day in Alaska, we went to Potter Marsh in hopes of seeing moose.

As soon as we pulled into the parking lot, I saw a bunch of people crowding around something, and I wondered if it was a moose.

And it was! 

It munched on greens near the lot, as the crowd looked on. 

After several minutes of watching the moose and taking photos, we started the walk along the boardwalk.  

There were overlooks where you could see all sorts of birds.

We saw this pretty tree swallow!

At one end of the boardwalk, there was someone with a telescope who said we could look through to see a bald eagle in its nest.  I'm not sure if he worked for the Department of Fish & Game or was just someone who frequented the area to look for wildlife, but he also mentioned that the moose we saw is a young bull that started coming around two weeks prior.

He also mentioned that because it was unseasonally still cold and not much greens were around for moose to eat, they haven't been coming around to the marsh as frequently.

I felt quite lucky we saw a moose!

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Mille Fête

I recently stopped by Mille Fête in Chinatown, which is in the space where Little Village Noodle House used to be. Little Village was one of my favorite Chinese restaurants, so it was fun to see what was there now.

I actually came in with a mission: I needed to pick up a special box of treats for a friend I was meeting for dinner that night. Once I walked in, though, I knew I was in the right place. Everything was so beautifully displayed, and there were so many pretty desserts to choose from. I hand-picked a few treats for my friend and then, of course, the boys spotted the frozen treats.

We ended up trying the Raspberry Lychee Rose Sorbet and the Rocky Road. Both were rich and flavorful, but also really refreshing on a hot summer day. Definitely a good way to cool off!

And because I apparently hadn't bought enough, I decided to get a slice of the Passion Fruit-Orange-Guava Cake to take home. At $16 a slice, it was definitely a splurge, but YOLO!  I brought it home and shared it with my significant other. He really liked it—but I purposely left out how much that one slice cost.

Mille Fête is definitely a good place to keep in mind when you need something a little special. Just be prepared to splurge a little!

MILLE FETE

1113 SMITH STREET

808-888-0608

 

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Izakaya Danji

It had been years since I last visited Izakaya Danji, so it was nice to be back — especially with friends! One of my friends and his wife come here often, so they took the lead with ordering, and everything was shared family-style. I have to say, sometimes it’s really nice to let someone else take over the ordering! 

The food came out pretty quickly, and everything we tried was amazing. My favorites were definitely the chicken wings, sashimi, and corn. The corn was especially good!

We had the tan tan udon to close out the meal, which had quite a kick. Even though my friend requested a 0.5 spice level, it was still spicy! 

It was a great night of good food, good friends, and lots of sharing. 

Parking: There’s a small parking lot available, or you can park along S. Beretania after 5:30 p.m.

 IZAKAYA DANJI

1095 S. BERETANIA STREET

808-888-8777

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Sunset Soirée October 25 + Code for Additional Drink Ticket

Courtesy Hawaiʻi Youth Symphony

It's that time of year! Hawaiʻi Youth Symphony's annual fundraising event, the Sunset Soirée, which precedes the He Makana O Nā Mele (The Gift of Music) fundraising gala, takes place on October 25 at Halekulani Hotel.

One of my kids has experienced the benefits of Hawaiʻi Youth Symphony's efforts over the past two years through the Pacific Music Institute. The work of Hawaiʻi Youth Symphony helps to ensure all youth have access to resources and tools to help foster their love of music, while bringing joy to the community through musical performances that enchant and enthrall.

About the Sunset Soirée:
Guests will enjoy timeless classics performed by Youth Symphony I (YSI), Hawaiʻi’s premier youth orchestra, led by Maestro Joseph Stepec and featuring over 80 of the state's top high school musicians. Indulge in exquisite hors d’oeuvres from Halekulani’s award-winning culinary team, paired with masterfully crafted cocktails and mocktails (2 per ticket) dreamed up for this special occasion!

Visit hiyouthsymphony.org/namele/sunsetsoiree/ for more information and to buy tickets! Use code 808gem at checkout to get an additional drink ticket!

 Courtesy Hawaiʻi Youth Symphony

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