Aloha!!

We recently had two clients come to us for their honeymoon. They decided on Hawaii and were so excited to start planning a vacation they will never forget. After all the work we did and after presenting the final product to the soon-to-be husband & wife, it reminded me that Hawaii is a wondering location to celebrate a honeymoon, a family get away, & even a rest & relaxation trip.

Hawaii has so many great things to do, places to see, and resorts to relax or have fun at!

Hotels

One of the must see hotels when visiting Hawaii is the Royal Hawaiian in Oahu. It is a historic hotel built in 1927, it is known as the "Pink Palace of the Pacific," ushered in a new era of luxurious resort travel to Hawaii. Located on breathtaking Waikiki beachfront, the Royal Hawaiian is an exclusive enclave for luxury and romance. With its two pools, magnificent restaurants, hotel entertainment, and private beach this resort will make you want to stay forever!

Another wonderful hotel is the Hilton Waikoloa Village located on the Kohala side of the Big Island. This resort is perfect for all ages! Experience award-winning dining, world-class shopping, and an array of activities ranging from golf, tennis and the only interactive dolphin program on the island, I promise there is something for everyone! The Hilton also does an impressive Fourth of July celebration has guests booking a YEAR in advance!!!

Activities & Attractions

The Dole Pineapple Plantation is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Hawaii. You can go through the World's Largest Maze, take a tour of the plantation, learn how to grow your own pineapple, how to cut a pineapple and some new recipes! They even allow you to purchase pineapples and ship them home which is much better than a postcard to friends and family.

The Pearl Harbor Memorial is also a popular tourist attraction. The USS Arizona is a 184-foot-long Memorial structure spanning the mid-portion of the sunken battleship consists of three main sections: the entry and assembly rooms; a central area designed for ceremonies and general observation; and the shrine room, where the names of those killed on the Arizona are engraved on the marble wall. You will hear stories, visit the new visitor's center and much more when visiting Pearl Harbor.

One of the most magnificent experiences in Hawaii are the volcanoes. Hawaii still has a few active volcanoes. There are many ways to experience them such as helicopter rides, ATV Tours, and by visiting the Volcano National Park.

I want to hear from you! Have you visited Hawaii? Where did you stay? What did you see or do while you were there?

Are you Irish?

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Today, everybody is Irish! A holiday that originated to honor patron saints is now a day for festivities for one and all!

It is believed that St. Patrick's Day has been celebrated in Ireland earlier than the 1600's. This day is name after the Catholic St. Patrick who at the age of sixteen, he was kidnapped by Irish raiders and taken captive to Ireland as a slave. It is believed he was held somewhere on the west coast of Ireland. According to his Confession, he was told by God in a dream to flee from captivity to the coast, where he would board a ship and return to Britain. Upon returning, he quickly joined the Church in Auxerre in Gaul and studied to be a priest. In 432, it is said that he was called back to Ireland, though as a bishop, to save the Irish. He was successful and focused on converting royalty, aristocracy and the poor. After nearly thirty years of teaching and spreading God's Word he died. Although there were other more successful missions to Ireland from Rome, Patrick endured as the principal champion of Irish Christianity and is held in esteem in the Irish Church.

Wearing the color green is a tradition on St. Patrick's day but, originally the color associated with Saint Patrick was blue. Over the years it has changed to the color green and its association with Saint Patrick's day grew. It is said that St. Patrick used the shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity to the pre-Christian Irish. Wearing and displaying the shamrocks and shamrock-inspired designs have become a ever-present feature of the day. Then in the 1798 rebellion in hopes of making a political statement Irish soldiers wore full green uniforms on 17 March in hopes of catching attention with their unusual fashion gimmick.

So as I said, it doesn't matter what your nationality is. Enjoy the Day! If you see a rainbow...make sure to find the end of it...there might be a Pot of Gold at the bottom!

Good Luck!

New Spin on Baby Showers!

The new trend in Baby Showers...Open House Style! With everyone's busy schedules, family events, kid's sports & activities, the weekend are far from relaxing. Open House events, such as Baby Showers makes it very convenient for your guests who have those jam-packed weekends.


Yesterday, I attended my first one and it was wonderful! You go at your leisure and leave when you feel fit. The Mom-to-Be opens her gifts when you arrive. This idea I feel it is much more personable because instead of your gift being one out of the mound, you actually get to hand it to her when she is not being overwhelmed! It is also nicer for the visitors because they do not have to spend an hour watching the guest of honor open one after the other. It is just a more relaxed down to earth event where your attendees can mingle and enjoy some appetizers.

For favors they gave a very practical yet personal gift. They made Paper Clip Bookmarks! Each one had the first initial of the guest on it which was a nice touch.

I think that an Open House Shower is one that Mom's-to-Be should consider. It will not be for everyone, but it will fit for some!