Week Review: Staycation in Hawaii

Aloha friends! Well this summer has been different for me. I’m on a staycation. We usually spend the summer at my brother and sister-in-laws house and I look forward to spending time with them since we live so far away. My mom makes a trip to see all of us, it’s a big old family reunion my kids love it and  I LOVE it. Plus Brandi!!! My own Just Live Joy blog partner and friend for almost as long as I’ve been alive, I won’t see this year!  It was a chain of events kind of situation. Between ridiculous Covid restrictions/requirements for Hawaii travelers and outrageous ticket prices being at the forefront. I know better…I should’ve jumped when they were at the low point. But I didn’t and here we are in Hawaii for the whole summer.

Instead of crying over it (really, boohoo me Hawaii), I decided to get better acquainted with the town I live in. People always say, “it must be so amazing living in Hawaii” and yes in many ways it is but let’s be honest, you can’t live like a tourist everyday. I have a massive amount of responsibilities (ahem…kids, mules, dogs, cat, bunny, husband and a blog) and I don’t have the time to lay on the beach all day or go parasailing. But I can and have made time to explore the things I’ve been missing here. Like restaurants.

Out To Eat

Who doesn’t love a great health bar? Especially when you’re traveling. Like that time we were in New Zealand, I was beyond thrilled to find a healthy juice bar especially after a week of eating like kings and queens who didn’t have to worry about their waist line! Well Nalu’s is my favorite. I wouldn’t say that mozzarella and bread will help the waist line but it is oh so good and they have tons of other more healthy options to choose from. It’s so good and I might go as far to say it’s my Kailua favorite.

Rain or shine I usually get the Caprese Panini which comes with a lovely light salad with the most delicious balsamic dressing. If you want to stay on the healthier side this menu has so many delicious juices, smoothies, bowls and wraps to choose from.  They also have local Kombucha on tap which is a treat for me.

What I’m Reading Right Now

Ok, maybe I’m not “reading” Beachside Bohemian as much as admiring the photography. It’s not necessarily my favorite style but as long as I’m living island life it will be up there in my favorites. I purchased it from a store in our town called  SOHA Living. It’s filled with all the fun (and tasteful) beach decor! If you ever visit Kailua it’s a must. When I was a homestager this was the place I turned to for a quick grab of a fun beachy pillow or decor. A staycation must go!

What I’m Wearing

Loving this wall mural at our beach access! Who needs a vacation when you can have a staycation that fills you with so much joy! I’m lying….I still miss my family. The swim suit I’m wearing is from Amazon and it’s turned into my favorite. Let’s not leave out the Good Vibes bag! OR the sunglasses. Someone once asked me “what’s your beauty secret?” Big sunglasses…eyes don’t lie about the years. Bad eye day? Cover them up with a fabulous pair of oversized sunglasses. Sorry ladies, that’s all I’ve got!

If you live in Hawaii, Papaya can be the ultimate staycation breakfast. We often go to the Outrigger Canoe Club and they have this on the menu. Well not this exact but I decided to recreate the recipe and here’s how I did it.

It’s the Nomadix towel for everything and it’s so good!! I grabbed a few for gifts for the girls because I loved them so much! They can also be used as a yoga towel…hot yoga towel. If that’s your thing. I feel like I might die when I do hot yoga. In case you wanted to know my opinion on hot yoga.

Farmers Market

Some more Kailua exploration right here on our staycation. It’s funny when you live somewhere and know that something is going on all the time but you just keep putting it on the back burner? Well that’s me with the Lo’Kahi Farmers Market. I have been wanting to go every weekend but ahem….mules needed me more.  Great music and wonderful small businesses. It truly warms my heart to see the entrepreneurs out there making a difference.

One of my girlfriends had given me Lilikoi butter and it was so amazing. I kept forgetting to ask where she found it! The first table I see is Lilly Joy when we walked in!! How about that name!! Not to mention that sign!  The owner was beyond super sweet and that really makes the whole experience for me!

Make sure to pop back next week to see what we’ve been doing on our staycation. I’m going to be sharing another favorite restaurant right here in Kailua. Feel free to use it as a guide if you and your family are planning a trip to Hawaii. Kailua is a hot spot and one thing to consider if you are planning a visit is we have NO hotels, only vacation rentals (many illegal vacations rentals…ugh). But we also have some legit. It’s a great way to live the Kailua life like a local. 

Hey by the way, are you following us on Tik Tok? Honestly, I never thought, I would ever.

Hurry and get in on the Serena and Lily sale! Use the code: WAVES for additional savings.

This is a great summer blues (in a good way) look for your summer porch or outdoor patio! Granted the items are a splurge but they are built to last.

• Light
• Umbrella
• Chair
• Pillows
• Rug
• Lantern

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