Hauʻoli Lā Hānau - Mai Tai's, Alex O'Loughlin and Another Birthday in Hawaii

Birthday morning on our rooms 9th floor deck at Aston Waikiki Sunset Motel 

My husband Mark does not really care about birthdays.   He does not particularly like celebrating his own birthday.  It's just another day to him.  But that is not me.  I love birthdays.   When the first day of November roles around I get very excited.   That's because I don't only celebrate the day I was born.  I celebrate the entire month.  I usually jokingly label my photo's The Never Ending Birthday Celebration every year.   Mark humors me and always goes along with my celebration month.  He even goes out his way to make it special because he knows how much it means to me.  Two years ago when I turned 65 he took me to Hawaii so I could climb Diamond Head  on the my birthday.  Hawaii has almost become our second home.   We have traveled there four times in the past six yeas.  It was such a thrill to stand on top of Diamond Head and take my photo on my 65th birthday.   Now thanks to Mark,  two years later I found myself back in Waikiki for another birthday. 

We woke up early and the weather did not look good.  Each morning when I woke up on this trip I looked out of the huge window and in our room to check the weather.  And most mornings there was beautiful sunshine.  On my birthday I woke up and  looked outside to see a very dismal cloud cover.

Oh well.  I was not going to let it ruin my birthday.  We  had already had seven perfect days in the Never Ending Birthday celebration.  So I was not going  to get upset over a cloudy possibly rainy day.  We were not planning on climbing Diamond Head this year anyway.   But within the hour the sun started to appear and burn away all of the clouds.

So I showered and got dressed in my Hawaiian shirt and prepared for the days adventures.

My shirt almost matches that beautiful blue sky.

The first order of the day was a huge birthday breakfast.  We love the breakfasts in Hawaii.  I am not usually a breakfast person.  But when I get out on the islands I love their huge breakfasts.   We usually eat at one of two places near our hotel, either Cheeseburger in Paradise or LuLu's.   Both serve huge delicious breakfasts.  But I wanted something different on my birthday.  So I told Mark and our friend Gillian, who was with us on this trip, I wanted to walk down Kalakaua Avenue to the Maui Brewing Company for breakfast. It was a good walk from our hotel to the brewery but I had seen photos of their breakfast and new it would be worth the journey.

And I was correct. This was the best breakfast I had eaten on the entire trip. I had Banana Brûlée pancakes with macadamia nuts. The banana's had a crunchy sugar coating. The macadamia nuts were sweet and delicious. And the maple syrup was infused with an IPA beer from the brewery. The IPA was not to strong to take away from the syrups sweetness, it just addressed it perfectly. This was a great start to my birthday.

Now that's a happy breakfast face.

We had turned in our rental the car the previous day so we could not drive any place outside of Waikiki. So my plans for my birthday were nothing like the previous year when we climbed Diamond Head. I had a few things in my head I wanted to do though. The big breakfast at Maui Brewing was the first thing and I was able to check it off as accomplished. My next goal was a birthday Mai Tai at the Hula Grill at the Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort. In my opinion they make the best Mai Tai's in Waikiki. Later that evening I wanted to go to Arancino di Mare for an Italian meal. It's Hawaii, why not Italian? And finally I wanted to end the day at late night happy hour at Cheeseburger in Paradise. So nothing extravagant was planned. It was our last day in Waikiki. We were flying home the next day. So this plan was perfect in my opinion.

 
We left the brewery and walked towards Honolulu but we never actually got outside of Waikiki. We, or rather I had a major distraction. We did take some time for goofy photos. That should be of no surprise to anyone. I saw a tattoo parlor and thought it might have been fun to get a tattoo for my birthday while in Hawaii, but I really had not budgeted for that. So instead I just too silly photos outside of the parlor.

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I saw a tall condominium where I told Gillian that Mark and  I could by our dream home.    Gillian basically said dream on and let me know when you hit the lottery.   I'll move with you.

 I still think one of the corner units by the upper pool would be an excellent investment.  Maybe I can convince Mark this by my next birthday?

I then saw an interesting statue.  It was not a memorial or religious symbol so I did not feel wrong for taking a funny photo with it.

We then saw a pretty park and decided to cross the street and look at the flowers and trees in the park.  As we entered the park we saw some white trailers in a circle.  On closer look we realized they were dressing rooms and crew trailers for the TV show Magnum P.I.   There were also signs directing you the from the trailers to the filming area for the show.   We decided to follow the signs and maybe get a chance to see them filming a scene from the show.   But here is the story.   Every time Mark and I have gone to Hawaii I have always joked about running into Alex O'Loughlin who plays McGarrett on Hawaii Five 0   I am a huge fan of the show and have watched every episode since it started telecasting ten years ago.   And Alex is a real fantasy for me.   But each year we have not run into him or any of the crew filming his show.  I like Magnum P.I.   But it's not Hawaii Five 0.  So seeing the trailers and maybe the cast would be fun but not the major thrill of Hawaii Five 0 or Alex.

We followed the signs to the Outrigger Reef Hotel.  This hotel has another one of our favorite bars with one of the best beach views in Waikiki.   When we got to the hotel lobby it appeared the film crew was leaving.  Then we saw two aids walking with Chi McBride from Hawaii Five 0!

trailers 

Chi McBride from Hawaii Five 0

I just stopped in my tracks and stared.  So they were filming Hawaii Five 0 even though I only saw production trilers for Magnum P.I.   My first thought was it's my birthday and I am going to see Alex O'Loughlin.   But we never saw him.  Apparently Chi was the last actor to leave the set that afternoon.  So we continued on to the Reef Bar at the hotel.   We did ask the bartender about the filming and he said it was not unusual to see it going  on if you worked in Waikiki daily.   Gillian told the bartender that I needed a drink.  She said it's his birthday and I had just missed seeing Alex.    The bartender laughed and asked me if it really was my birthday and I said yes.   He mixed a mai tai and passed it across the bar to me.  He said, "Here you go.  Happy birthday! Compliments of the house!" 

Chilling my brow with a mai tai

I jokingly told him I needed to chill.  Being this close to Alex had me over heated.   He laughed.  Before leaving we decided to toast Hawaii Five 0 with a a Kona Big Wave.  Kona is one of the beers that has product placement on the show regularly.   The bartender then asked if we wanted one more.  He said to stick around.  Alex might be returning.   We laughed and thanked him but we needed to move on.  Their mai tai was good at the Reef Bar but it could not compare to my favorite at the other Outrigger Hotel's Hula Bar farther down the street.   And having one there was my original plan for the day.

We thanked the bartender, tipped him well for his kindness and left the hotel.  As we walked through the lobby we saw several big cars pull up in front on the driveway and we saw a lot of people getting out of them and heading into the hotel.  It was the production crew returning!  I was a bit preoccupied and looking all around when Gillian and Mark started yelling at me to turn around.  They kept saying turn around, look behind you.  And I turned and there was Alex, McGarrett in the flesh.  He just walked past me.    Wow...this was a birthday present. 

He was surrounded with production crew and they were trying to get him out to the filming location on the beach.   He did wave and acknowledge some of the fans in the lobby.   Mark and Gillian are both saying to me "Where's your phone!   Get a photo!"   Well I was just too excited.  I did get my phone out and was trying to open  the camera but I was all thumbs and he was gone before I could get a photo.  But I didn't care.  After six years and four visits I finally got to see a filming of the show.  And it was on my birthday. 

We left the hotel and headed back to Kalakaua Avenue. We did some window shopping at the high end stores that line the avenue. Then we eventually ended up at the Outrigger Hotel where the Hula Bar is located. You can try mai tai's all day, up and down Kalakaua Ave and you will not find one better than the one they make at the Hula Bar in my opinion. And after four visits in the six years I will admit I have tried them all. It was getting late in the afternoon. By the time we reached the Hula Bar we were getting hungry and also needed something cool due to the heat of the afternoon. I remembered how Gillian had mentioned my birthday earlier I was given a free mai tai. So I decided to try it one more time. I mentioned my birthday to the bartender and voila! There was a complimentary mai tai sitting in from of me. And it had a smiling face on the glass as if to say Hauʻoli Lā Hānau Larry! (Happy Birthday Larry).

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I did need some lunch.  I'd had two mai tai's and a beer on an empty stomach so far today.  So I ordered shrimp taco's at the bar.   They were an excellent fusion of Hawaiian and Mexican food. 

And then I ordered one more mai tai because they are so good here.

So this had been a three umbrella day... so far. 

After lunch we returned to our hotel.  We all needed to rest for a while.  We had done a lot of walking and I had done a bit of drinking. 

After napping and showering Mark and I were ready to head out for my birthday dinner.   We picked an Italian restaurant near our hotel.  It something different from our standard Hawaiian vacation meals.   We have several inexpensive Hawaiian shirts we have bought as souvenirs over the years.  But on our last day we always save our dress Hawaiian shirts to wear.   So we dressed up and headed out with Gillian to Arancino di Mare for an Italian dinner. 

It was the perfect ending to a very special birthday.   But it still wasn't quite over.   We decided to stop in to Cheeseburger In Paradise for their late night happy hour.   It was near our hotel and had become our night cap stop on several nights.  We had gotten to know the two evening bartenders, Andrew and Jacob very well.   When we walked in Jacob laughed and told Mark and I that we had gone more Hawaiian than him.   They are required to wear Hawaiian shirts and accessories while they are working.  He said "Look at you two.  The shirts, the kukui nut leis, and Larry you even have on the Makau fish hook necklace.   I feel like I dressed down tonight."    I used my birthday excuse once more to see what would happen.   I told him we dressed up for my birthday dinner.   He laughed.  Then I told him I had been drinking free mai tai's all day.   He said " but I bet you haven't had a birthday shot yet have you? "   Gillian and Mark both laughed and told him that I had already had enough free drinks for one day.   And then he asked me again if I wanted a birthday shot.  And of course I said "Hell yes!"  Jacob then made me a shot he called Hawaiian Gummy Bears and toasted my birthday.

We ended up all smiles by the end of the night at Cheeseburger in Paradise.

And still the night was not over.

Jacob the bartender

Andrew the bartender

We had learned from the bartender Andrew on a previous night that he was from Perry Hall, Maryland.  Perry Hall is only about ten minutes from where Mark and I live.  It was another one of those small world stories.  After I finished my shot that Jacob had made for me, Andrew pointed to another man at the end of the bar.  He was a local regular at the bar.  Andrew told us that he was from Edgewood, Maryland and I should go say hello to him.   So still in the happy birthday spirit I walked down to the end of the bar and said rather loudly "Hey Edgewood.  How are you doing?"   The guy looked at me like I was crazy and asked how in the hell did I know Edgewood, Md.  I told her I had worked there for quite a few years at the US Army base.    He laughed and bought me one last drink.  And then we took a photo together.  But you know what they say on the internet.  Photo or it didn't happen.

Making friends with Marylanders in Hawaii.

Finally back in our hotel room.   From the cloud cover in the morning, to the sunshine in the afternoon, to the darkness of night.  

Hauʻoli Lā Hānau Larry.   Happy birthday Larry.   If you have to get old, this is the way to do it.  

The birthday is over.   One last shaka "hangin loose" salute before the lights go out.  And yes the lights did go out.  We had a sign on our door telling us the hotel was to lose power at 11:30 pm until approx 4 am. for emergency maintenance.   And they left us a little survival kit.

O Solo A Roma - Day 8 - The Last Day Arrivederci Roma

The colors of Rome are starting to fade behind me.

The vacation in Rome alone had been a wonderful experience.  Although I missed Mark's company and regretted him not being there I will always be grateful he insisted I go.   The lost maps, the evasive piazza's, the con artist, and my friend Aldo who owned the restaurant are all apart of the experience that was slowly fading into the past on my last day in Rome.   But I still had big plans for the last day.   I saved The Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museum for my last day.  And it was the perfect way to finish the adventure.

From my research and also from friends who have visited Rome, I was told it would be difficult to get tickets to see The Sistine Chapel.   I was told there were long lines and crowds.   I was advised to book in advance before arriving in Rome.  So I booked a tour through Viator for a tour of the Vatican  Museum.  And I was dreading it.  I hate guided tours where you are lead around like a large group of lemmings behind a disinterested guide rattling on and  on about every little nook and cranny sharing the most boring minute details.   I would much rather just tour the museum on my own and read the signs and descriptions on the items that catch my interest.   My tour that I booked in advance promised me I could  "skip the lines" and avoid the crowds.   Of course those tours are their own little mini crowds so I really don't know what you are skipping.  I paid $35 over the internet for my reservations.  I was booked for late afternoon.   My last day in Rome was going to be spent with the thing I dislike most about traveling.  Group tours.

I go up that morning and decided to walk down  to the Vatican  Museum entrance to see where I was supposed to meet my guide later that day.  I didn't want to arrive and go to the wrong place and miss my tour.  The web page where I booked the tour warned if you are late you will be left behind.   It was only a couple of blocks from hotel so it would not take me long.  When I arrived there was no line at the entrance.  The  ticket office was open.  There were people there buying tickets and going directly inside the museum.   The entrance price was $17.   Guess what?   I decided to not worry about the losing the $35 reservation fee I had paid in advance.  I just walked up to the ticketing area, not having to "skip any lines", bought my ticket, and was on my way to a morning tour of the museum and then my chance to see the Sistine Chapel.   It was somewhat crowded inside and there were many tour groups who chose to skip the nonexistent lines.  I passed by most of them as their guides droned on and on and then some self important person would take time to ask asinine questions.  Oh I was glad I was not with them.

Everything inside the museum was beautiful.   Even the stair case was a work of art.

And by the stair case for those of us who were not in a group following a droning guide to warn us, there was a sign letting us know not to fall on the stairs.   How convenient.

Guided tours

I passed the slow moving guided tours and continued my journey.  The walls, the ceilings, every part of the museum was beautiful and a piece of art in itself.

And then finally I arrived.  Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel.   I had been wanting to see this ever since taking an 8th grade art class trip to see Charlton Heston paint the ceiling in the movie The Agony and The Ecstasy.  I even wrote an entire blog about the experience of seeing the ceiling three years ago right after I got home. 
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Mark, who I wished was there, had told me he was not overwhelmed with the Sistine Chapel when he saw it was a teenager after his high school graduation.  He warned me that it was just a crowded box shaped room with Michelangelo's God touching Man way up over head.  As I entered the crowded box shaped chapel I was wondering what my experience would be.   It was crowded.  People were pushing to get inside.   And I was only allowed a short time to take in the experience as the guards tried to keep the crowd moving.

And there it was.  I was directly under it in the middle of the chapel and it was breath taking.  All I wanted was one quick photograph, without flash of course.   There were signs saying no photographs.  But people all around me were sneaking out their cell phones and small camera's to get a quick photo.  And I was not leaving without taking one also.  I cautiously took my camera out of the camera bag.  I lifted the camera just over my head for the photo and someone taps me on my shoulder.  It was a security guard and he said no photos.   I looked around and many others taking photos were being ignored.  So I waited and when he turned his back I took the photo.  And of course he caught me.  He tapped me again and said firmly.  Put the camera away...NOW.

My prized photo that almost got me into trouble.

Just behind me was Michelangelo's final judgement and I really wanted a photo of that also.  I snapped it quickly and then saw the guard looking at me from across the room.  I showed him from a distance I was putting my camera away and then quickly made my exit.

Michelangelo's Final Judgement

I don't know what I would have done if I had gotten into serious trouble with the guard.  How would I explain long distance to Mark that I had been thrown out of the Vatican Museum because I didn't take my guided tour and I needed extra cash for a fine.  Luckily that did not happen.

Leaving the museum the view of St. Peter's was beautiful and much different from observing it from front in St. Peter's Square.

I left The Vatican and the crowds and the guards behind and had to chuckle to myself because I do tend to get into trouble when I am alone.   It was extremely hot on this day and I need to take a break and cool down.  There was a really nice little cafe just across the street from the museum entrance.  I stopped in for something to cool to drink and then noticed they had watermelon on the menu.  What a perfect way to relax and cool off and also take a silly selfie.

So there I am with a quartered slice of watermelon, a mirror behind me, and my cell phone.  I probably should have used that cell phone in the Sistine Chapel.  I probably would not have been noticed at all.

I went back to my hotel to shower and get a change of clothes as it had been very hot and I was a bit sweaty.   I put away my little white hat I had bought to wear in Rome and broke out my Baltimore Oriole's baseball cap.  I was slowly preparing to return home.   I went to lunch in the neighborhood and to my surprise I found a craft beer.  I had not seen any craft beers the entire time I had been in Rome.  So I was excited to get something other than a Peroni.

My last lunch in Rome was a bit melancholy.  I still had a dinner coming up later in the evening but something about lunch set me back a little.  I started thinking about how much Mark and I had looked forward to this trip.  And I felt awful that his father was ill and also that Mark had to stay home.  I looked over at the empty chair sitting in front of me and took a photo.  This was Mark's chair.  And I ordered him a glass of wine and sent him a silent toast and a thanks.

And then suddenly this typical tourist couple walked past me.  I am sure they were part of one of the "skip the line" tour from the Sistine Chapel.  And I just got the sillies.   I had to giggle.  So much for sentiment.   Here is what I saw as they passed by me.

I sure hope Jack didn't lose her.

I went out that evening for my last meal in Rome.   I stayed in the neighborhood.  I found a delightful little pizzeria named La Tavernella.

One more glass of wine...

One more plate of pasta...

...And one more Italian waiter.

And the vacation was over.  Arrivederici Roma!