Hawaii, I Love You! | Part 2: Honolulu

Aloha, once again! :)

After my friends and I adventured around Kauai, we hopped a plane (probably the shortest flight I've ever been on, clocking in at 20 minutes or so) to the island of Oahu.

Once we landed in Honolulu, the landscape totally changed. The peaks and valleys changed to skyscrapers, but the beaches remained the same, with clear blue water and shell-laden sand.

So, here's what all we saw during our stay in Honolulu!

Leonard's Bakery

I had seen Leonard's Bakery floating around on YouTube and online in general, and we had to put it on our to-do list since it had gotten great reviews...and who wouldn't want to try Portuguese, palm-sized donut holes?

They were SO. GOOD.

Pearl Harbor/USS Missouri

Then, we made sure to visit Pearl Harbor. The boats weren't going out to the Memorial due to high winds, but we were still able to visit and actually board the USS Missouri - also known as the "Mighty Mo" - which is filled with so much history. This was where the treaty that closed World War II was signed.

The Dole Plantation

After we visited Pearl Harbor, we decided to swing by the Dole Plantation, home to the Dole Pineapples. Because of the high winds and heavy rain, a lot of stuff around the plantation was closed, but we were determined to buy Dole Whips anyway.

A Dole Whip is pineapple soft-serve, sometimes with pineapple juice, sometimes with pineapple pieces on top, but it's absolutely delicious however it's served. (Side note: if you've ever been to Disney World, they serve these in Adventureland in Magic Kingdom.)

Let's just say that the Dole Whips were a huge success, regardless of the heavy rain. 

Iolani Palace/Kamehameha

As we drove back from the Dole Plantation, the rain let up, so we decided to stop by Iolani Palace, the palace of the last queen of Hawaii before the islands were incorporated into the United States.

Diamond Head

The next day, after we had lunch with some of my friend's friends in Honolulu (who were super, super nice), we made plans to hike the Diamond Head state monument trail. This trail was definitely different than the other two we hiked back on Kauai, but the views over the Honolulu skyline were my absolute favorite.

Waikiki Beach

Finally, during our last afternoon before our flight home, we spent time around Waikiki Beach. While our snorkeling by the shoreline wasn't as successful as on Kauai (I saw leaves instead of fish), the views from the ocean were amazing, possibly even better than the ones from Diamond Head, just because it seemed like the city was right there on the water.

And that concludes my two-part Hawaii series!

If you want to catch up on the first part, where we adventure around Kauai, click here.

Hawaii, I Love You! | Part 1: Kauai

Aloha! :)

A couple weeks ago, I went with some girl friends of mine on a girls' trip/adventure to Hawaii. I'd never visited the Aloha State before, but I was so excited to finally visit a tropical island for the first time.

We visited two islands on our trip: Kauai and Oahu. Our first stop was the garden island of Kauai, and we fell in love with its lush landscape, friendly atmosphere, and - of course - the awesome food.

The Kauai Countryside

The day we woke up after our long flight to the islands, we set out for a drive after breakfast. Almost immediately, we were gushing over how pretty the landscape was. Normally, you wouldn't associate the countryside with an island, but it was almost crazy how varied the landscape became the more we explored.

Koloa

Based on my research of this town, I found out that Koloa was the home of the very first sugar mill on the island. 

This town was cute. We enjoyed walking through the shops and grocery store, and we had fantastic shaved ice at a nearby shaved ice truck.

Poipu Beach

Poipu Beach was one of the places we found that was highly recommended for snorkelers. It was my first time snorkeling, and to say I absolutely loved it was an understatement. LOVED seeing all those fish!

Waimeia Canyon

I can remember thinking several times while we were in Kauai that the landscape reminded me a LOT of the Jurassic Park movies. The two hikes we went on while on this island pretty much cemented that idea the more we ventured onto the trails.

The first hike we went on while in Kauai was in Waimeia Canyon. The trails were a bit steep and rife with rocks and roots, but the views we discovered were absolutely breathtaking.

Hanalei Bay & Napali Coast

Our last couple of stops on our trip to Kauai were at Hanalei Bay and the Napali Coast Trail (our second hike).

Hanalei Bay was a cute little town just before Ke'e Beach, where our trail was located. We wound up having some of the best shaved ice EVER, which consisted of epic flavors and ice cream underneath (mine was cotton candy flavored with vanilla ice cream...I got that two days in a row!). We also had lunch at Bubba's Burgers there, which has been frequented by many Hollywood stars.

The Napali Coast Trail was absolutely breathtaking as well. It had the best views of the coastline, where the water was SO blue, and there were tall peaks just behind us, beyond the trees. Again, rocky and steep hike, but the views were definitely worth our walk up those mountains.

 

The Other Things We Did and Loved

• We generally had some of the best food on this island, from fish (Opah is AWESOME) to dessert (shaved ice!!!) to...
• ...Hot dogs! We ADORED Puka Dogs...we went there two days in a row, and I highly recommend it, even if you're not normally a hot dog fan.
• We went to a luau on our first night. That was fun.

All in all, we absolutely LOVED Kauai.

To continue on to part 2, in which we visit Honolulu, click here.

How to Find Unique Places to Visit When Traveling

I was scouring Pinterest the other day, browsing various travel pins, and I happened across some amazing little hidden gems. It sometimes takes a little digging - online and off - but it's entirely possible to find really cool stuff off the beaten path wherever you're visiting.

So, whether you're traveling abroad or across town, here are some ideas for how to find unique places, dining, and/or attractions wherever you land.

Ask around.
Word of mouth is sometimes the best way to find cool places that you might love. Let family or friends know your next destination and ask for their recommendations. Or, if you know people in a certain city, give them a call or a quick message ahead of time and ask what they like.

Watch YouTube.
I'm not even kidding, this is how I discovered the Cereal Killer Cafe, along with the entire district of Shoreditch in London. If you follow travel vloggers or even your favorite lifestyle YouTube channels, keep an eye out for any videos they post about places you're planning on visiting. You may find some of the happiest little gems.

Pinterest!
As I mentioned earlier, Pinterest is a goldmine, not just for pictures (seriously, the travel photography people pin is amazing), but for post upon post on any place you can imagine. From packing lists to itinerary planning, Pinterest is a fantastic leaping-off point.

How about you? How do you find the unique little things or places while you travel?

Why I LOVE Star Wars

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Friday, December 18, 2015 was a great day for many, many reasons...one of them being the fact that "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" was released to the masses.

And it was magical.

If you told me a year ago that this year, I would have finished all of the Star Wars movies by the time the newest one came out, I would have laughed. It took me forever just to watch Episode IV and half of Episode V in college, so I couldn't imagine finishing the rest of the series. But then, I had some great friends who convinced me to take part in a series of weekly Star Wars parties to finish the series by the new movie's release date.

And when December 18 rolled around, I discovered that I absolutely loved this franchise.

It's not that I didn't love it before. In fact, I loved the original trilogy (my favorite is a toss-up between "A New Hope" and "Empire Strikes Back"). And even the prequels were fun to pick apart and watch for the sake of getting a certain baddie's backstory.

But it was the release of the newest movie in the series that really got me excited about the franchise as a whole. I hadn't had so much fun at the theater since the Harry Potter films. I laughed. I teared up. I reveled in the nostalgia. And most of all, I was completely and fully invested in a well-crafted story that just so happened to be decades in the making.

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So, why do I LOVE Star Wars? Well, I could say the special effects, the characters, the settings, or the plot at large, to name some things off the top of my head.

But the truth is, I love Star Wars because it's a crystal-clear-cut battle between good and evil.

Let me explain.

With any of the movies, there's a Light Side and a Dark Side. There are no good guys on the Dark Side, nor are there any bad guys in the Light Side. If they walk amongst their counterparts, they are either undercover or conflicted, but they still profess to be with either side. Nobody is morally ambiguous here, and there's definitely no fence-straddling. In fact, when a character is trying to be good or reinvent themselves, they immediately associate themselves with the Light Side/Resistance/Rebels as opposed to the Dark Side/Empire/First Order. And if a bad character is torn between the two, they will fight their hardest to remain on the Dark Side.

Sure, the bad guys have the cooler weapons (see Darth Maul's dual-lightsaber or Kylo Ren's sword-like lightsaber complete with a hilt), but the good guys are usually better at aiming (see anyone vs. a Stormtrooper) and - even better - they win in the end. Even when things seem bleak, the good team is the winning team.

I really think that this applies to faith. Sure, people who behave wickedly may seem to have it all, but really, if you trust in God in all things and rely on Him even when times get dark, walking in the light will be far better in the end, and the victory will belong to those who trust fully in God, obey His commands, and live faithfully for Him.

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And that, my friends, is why I love Star Wars. Well, that, and the adorable droids. :)

Makeup to Fly Out the Door With

I had one of those days recently where I needed to get out the door, and fast. As in, having only minutes to actually do makeup fast, along with the rest of my routine.

If you have five minutes to spare, fret not, dear reader. I have a list - a cheat sheet, if you will - of products that you too can use (and that I personally love) to fly out the door with. You'll be polished for any situation, whether that's work or school, and you can add products as the day goes on if you need a little something extra.

Also, quick disclaimer: you don't have to use these exact products. Use the ones that work best for you and your preferences.

Without further ado, on to the makeup! :)

Makeup to Fly Out the Door With by savannahinwonderland featuring a lip gloss

Eyebrow makeup / Tarte lip gloss / Benefit concealer / Too Faced Cosmetics waterproof mascara

1. Thick, Cream Based Concealer - This usually has the consistency of a typical foundation. Apply this first over any areas that need to be evened out (like under your eyes). I recommend finding a brightening concealer as well, just to help illuminate your skin. But if you don't want to go the concealer route, I recommend a tinted moisturizer, just so you get that coverage along with the moisture (plus, that dewy, fresh texture is awesome).

2. Volumizing Mascara - Then, go straight to your mascara. Use one that you know will last all day (waterproof or not), and your eyes will pop instantly. Tubing mascaras have always worked well for me (see the Too Faced mascara linked above), since they only come off with remover and/or warm water.

3. Brow Gel/Pencil - Brows are the frames for the rest of your face, so well-groomed brows will help you feel extra-polished. Use your favorite brow gel or pencil to set and groom your eyebrows however you like, whether that's making them stand out or just polishing them up.

4. Lip Gloss - Finally, add a lip color of your choice. On days when I want to stay neutral, I like a sheer pink gloss, but if you want to go a little more bold, rock a lipstick in a bright shade.

What's your favorite makeup to fly out the door with?