Monday, February 26, 2007

ハワイ

Currently sitting in scenic-but-otherwise-awful HNL: the first-world airport with second-rate facilities and third-world policies and procedures.

But HNL is covered already. Honolulu was amazing, very relaxing, and very little was done: which is exactly what the plan was.

We swam in the ocean for a while, got a ton of sun.. trekked from our place on Waikiki to a bakery on Kapahulu to get some malasadas, a local treat (by way of Portugal), we were told. Good, but not worth the two and a half miles walking.

We also had a ton of great food and drink, watched a bunch of bad TV (Top Model season 7 nearly in its entirety; a bunch of Juvies and The Agency, and the perennially unwatchable My Super Sweet 16...), explored some of the local scenery.

Now, my quick sum of the area for those of you who read the blog:
Honolulu is..

  • A bizarre fusion of East and West. Our hotel had literally every sign in Japanese and English (except for the signs at the breakfast buffet... oops!), and it seemed like every other sign had a ton of katakana.

  • A further collision of Hollywood, Vegas, and Rodeo Drive. Kalakua Ave. has about 40 Coach, Cartier, Le Sportsac, etc. stores in five blocks... and they're right next to the ubiquitous ABC market (tourist-trap meets 7-11 with a hawaiian flair) and near the 18-shirts-for-$10 stores.

  • Really relaxing

  • Apparently facing a dire crisis of pedestrians getting hit in intersections. I can't speak to this one, as our slice of waikiki had ongoing construction on the road. (To which I lost $3 on cab fare as we sat and waited for the construction crew to clear out of the road).

  • A surprising mullet-per-capita density.

  • Ultimately deemed "civilized" in spite of the blight that is HNL -- multiple Jamba Juices were spotted, in their customary next-to-Starbucks location.


Not much else to say at this point... a thrilling flight over the pacific ahead of us and then a return to the real world. Fortunately, HNL has brought out the less-than-polite Angeleno in myself and Cecilie.

Maholla!

Honeymoon Hangover

Tim and I are in the Honolulu International Airport waiting to head back to LA. Everyone who came out to LA for the wedding can complain all they want about LAX, you don't know annoyance until you have to pass through HNL. Combine together lots of tourists who don't know what they are doing with airport employees that don't know what they are doing and you have HNL.

But we had an awesome time in Waikiki! Our time was spent relaxing, swimming, eating good food and sleeping. And on occasion catching up on bad reality television. Yes, we could have seen things and done exciting things but after a year of being on the go we both needed time not be on the go. It was perfect!

A little tired and a little sunburned, we head back to the real world.

Mahalo!

Sunday, February 18, 2007

And they lived happily ever after...

We're married!


The wedding was perfect (I'm a little biased of course). There were a few minor snags but nothing that wasn't fixable.

We had perfect weather in Los Angeles, which is not always a given in February. It was a clear and sunny day all day, in the 80s and by 4:30p it had cooled a little and everyone was comfortable even in suit jackets (or so they said.) And everything was beautiful from the flowers to the food.

Tim and I both had lots of fun and loved seeing friends and family, some of whom we had not seen in a long time.

Afterward, we headed to Hotel Angeleno to unwind form what was a very busy day. We even got room service this morning for added luxery.

Now we just have to prepare to leave on Wednesday for Hawaii.

Thanks so much to everyone for your love and support!

More pictures after the honeymoon...

Thursday, February 15, 2007

48 hours +16 hours

So we are in the home stretch.

Tim is currently fine tuning the wedding play list.
I have called or emailed the vendors to ensure everything is kosher with that stuff.

We have a few minor things to handle. Other then that we are ready to go.

If we could, I think Tim and I would do it today. (But I think everyone who is getting in on Saturday would be upset!)

FYI: any one staying at the Hilton in Calabasas, the shuttle will be running between 4 and 4:30 (just two runs) up to the Malibou Lake and then it will have two runs back to the hotel between 9:30 and 10p. I am trying to get in contact with the Van service (its called Lincoln Limos) to see if they will put a sign in the van window that says Read-Gerlach or something. But if not its probably going to be the only 15 person passanger van pulling up to the hotel around that time. Spread the word!

For those of you who can't be here on Saturday, I suggest buying yourself a cupcake and eating it to celebrate.

For those of you who will be, see you Saturday, I'll be the one in the ivory dress. ;)