Lanikai Beach, Oahu

Everyone has their own little slice of paradise: that one place on earth where you can go and feel completely at peace and relaxed. For me, that spot is Lanikai Beach on the Windward side of Oahu. In Hawaiian Lanikai translates to, "heavenly sea" and it is no wonder. The water is clear and calm thanks to an off-shore coral reef and the sand is soft and fine. The twin Moks in the distance make for perfect scenery and it is very rare to find crowds to mar your silence. Jason and I fell so in love with this little beach that we made it the spot of our November 2, 2004 wedding.

I can not think back on my time in Hawaii and not think of Lanikai, nor can I help but compare all other beaches to it. To me Lanikai represents perfection: pure and simple.

Santa Cruz, California

Yesterday we had a great day taking in all the tourist-y cheesiness of Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz is one of those places that Jason and I both assumed was too far away for regular visits and we were shocked when it took us less then an hour to reach. This is good news because Santa Cruz, beyond being a great spot to indulge in funnel cake, corn dogs and all nature of fried goodness, is also home to an authentic drive-in. I love drive-ins. I have many fond memories of summer nights spent in the family van (dog in tow) curled up in blankets, munching junk food, at the West Rome Drive-In. It is the perfect date-night for 2 new parents (and a baby too!). Maybe I'll even be able to convince Jason to stop at the Board Walk first for some kettle corn :)

Our first stop of the day was at the self-proclaimed "Mystery Spot". Nestled in the redwood forests, this was indeed a very strange experience. It is the type of place that is hard to describe and certainly hard to capture in pictures. At the mystery spot nothing is what it seems: height, angles, and perspectives are all skewed.

It is hard to represent in photos, but the cabin really does appear to be tilting at an extreme angle.

In this picture it looks like Jason is leaning against the doorframe. However, in actuality he is nowhere near the door and is attempting to stand upright.

Inside the cabin was even stranger. Forces were stronger here and I had trouble keeping my balance. Jason, with his years of experience on the submarine had an easier time adjusting to the environment. You will notice that he is the one carrying Logan in all the pictures. I had enough trouble moving myself and did not want to drop my son!

I'm not doing the Mystery Spot justice in my descriptions, because I really can't find the words to describe it. I will say that it is well worth the $5 fee to experience a place that defies the rules we were all taught in school--oh yeah, and they give you a bumper sticker too! LOL!

After our tour at the mystery spot we got some lunch and spent time people watching and walking on the Boardwalk. The beach was beautiful. Not the warm water, pristine beaches we have grown accustomed to in Hawaii, but striking in its own right, with a character all its own.