Renting an apartment or villa while on vacation can bring happiness and superb memories. Marla loves to cook while on vacation so shopping at local markets and creating something very tasty in the kitchen is something she enjoys. My job is usually finding a nice wine. Renting on VRBO or…
We were totally enchanted by our first visit to the perched village of Gorbio, high above Menton. A beautiful restaurant caught my eye on the main town square, Place de la Republique. It was closed so Marla and I said we would try it on our next visit. It took…
Big birthdays require big celebrations and I had thought (or should I say, “obsess.”) about this one for well over a year! Nothing would make me happier than having our entire family together in one of my very favorite places,…Menton, France, a true gem on the Côte d…
It was great seeing Gary again! He came over from the Hilo side to spend a little time with us. Gary began making Garlic bread with a super sour dough. I bought raviolis from Genova Delicatessen in Walnut Creek, then froze and packed them before leaving for Hawaii. This has…
The ocean has fascinated me since I was a small boy. Mauna Lani’s Makaiwa Bay and the adjacent ancient fish ponds are perfect for experiencig the fish and birds of the region. A view of the Mauna Lani Auberge Hotel from the Beach Club. I watched a net…
Watching the Presidential debate was painful! President Biden had difficulties and faltered at times. Trump was his usual overbearing and blustering self, constantly lying about his record. There was a sad lack of fact-checking by the commentators. What came as no surprise was how the candidates were judged after…
San Francisco has always captured our hearts! We had a full day scheduled with Marla and our good friend, Lea, on this wonderful crisp spring day. With Lea as our “chauffeur” I was able to enjoy the interesting architecture of “The City” with the juxtiposition of…
We were thrilled to be back in Northern California at the end of April to see friends and family. We rented a very nice AIRBNB in Alamo just south of Walnut Creek to share with Lea Isetti, a close friend since college at the University of the Pacific. We planned…
Our beloved Kekoa died on May 1st, 2024. He was a son, brother, nephew, cousin, and uncle, and loved by many! He passed away on the eve of our departure for a family trip to the Big Island. He and my brother were going to stay with us in our…
I watched a program about the 2024 “World Happiness Report.” The U.S. ranked # 23… with Finland #1, Denmark #2 and Iceland #3. Ukraine ranked #105 after being invaded by Russia. It was a sobering assessment that made me think about my own level of happiness. Obviously…