Bean and the aubergine.

Food Swap IV happened today. Thank you to all who attended! It was a really memorable morning of making new connections and seeing old friends from the last swap.

Today’s swap included: arugula (courtesy of Holoholo General Store), chocolate tofu mousse, jalapeno corn bread, spicy tomato chutney, marzipan with elderberry, nam prik pao (Thai chili paste), chili pepper jam, and snickerdoodle cookies. All items were homemade and/or used items that were grown locally. Thankfully, the weather held out and the kids got to fly a kite and play while the giraffes at the neighboring zoo looked on.

A special thanks to our new attendees, Ivy and Jill. Your presence really rounded out our small swap and the gifts you brought to share were most appreciated (especially by all the husbands).

Spotted at an ATM in Makiki.

We missed you at dinner.

Bean gave me orchids for Valentine’s Day. Every day for the week afterwards, upon picking her up from school, she’d ask how many times I’d looked at it and thought of her; every day I would say that I looked at them just a little bit more than the day before. She brings me so much joy that there’s really no words to describe her face when it’s lit up in happiness.

Yesterday, a few girlfriends and I went to Aloha Sauna (a Korean sauna) to get a scrubbing and soak in the hot and cold baths plus use the various sauna rooms (salt and tea?). While I lived abroad in Korea, I used to visit the saunas almost every weekend with friends just to help detox from all of the partying we did during the week plus make plans for the evenings. It’s a great way to socialize as long as you don’t mind being in the buff (which does take a little while to get used to at first, honestly).

Later on, we all met up at my friend’s house and enjoyed the beautiful night view of the Honolulu skyline, fireworks (on a Saturday night!), mimosas, rum from Trinidad, a flowery drink concoction of elderberry syrup and prosecco and finally, an affogato whose espresso (Stumptown Hair Bender from Morning Glass Cafe) kept me up until 2:30 this morning (which is one reason why I missed out on the picnic — see next post).

Today’s picnic never materialized since a few of us slept in (10 am!). Instead, we took a little walk to a dance center to drop off a package (they weren’t opened, of course) so we walked over to the Hilton Hawaiian Village and people watched until it rained. With all of the visitors that come to O’ahu, the people-watching never gets old and there’s always someone new and fun to talk to or see.

It’s a middle of a busy weekend of activities for bean. First up, our good friends’ daughter’s birthday held at Kanewai Park. I’d always associated the park with a group of punk boys that dubbed themselves “Kanewai Boys” who I always thought were scary. I think I eventually friended one of them and he was absolutely the nicest guy so all of my pre-conceived notions were wrong (at least for the one guy).

Time to make cookies and have a few drinks before tomorrow’s play date and birthday party. When do I get to stop calling these things play dates?

http://50watts.com/2680091/A-Story-of-Books-Becoming-a-Mountain