On February 2nd Andrea and I ran in the Redondo Beach 10k, which felt fantastic!
I enjoyed my hard-earned Michelob Ultra during the Super Bowl (which was a bit painful to watch- not gonna lie).
Meanwhile, Adam enjoyed a study break from his thesis writing and defense preparation with the help of a healthy fruit bouquet, courtesy of his parents.
We studied pyrotechnology and gastronomy during date night at Kobe Japanese Steakhouse.
Though I never made it past the riffraff room while on standby at Ellen, it was fun to be in the same building as Bradley Cooper.
Running with Juliana and Andrea continued with runs along the water in Long Beach...
...and in Redondo Beach and at Wilson Park in Torrance where we happened upon roller derby practice.
February 21st marked the culmination of Adam's 6.5 years of graduate school as he defended his thesis on "Characterizing Novel Neuroregulators of Neural Crest Migration."
His friends Da-Wei, Brandon, and Neelroop were there to cheer Adam on as he became Dr. Tuttle, PhD of Biology from UC-Irvine.
It was then time to celebrate in Hawaii. First stop after getting off the airplane: Da Kitchen for some deep-fried Spam musubi.
My parents, Adam, and I stayed in a rented condo at the Kapalua Resort. The views were breathtaking, and we took advantage of the ample hiking opportunities around the complex (and the neighboring Ritz Carlton pictured above).
Mom and Dad led the way on the coastal trail.
Adam and I also soaked in the view of Molokai in the distance.
Our first snorkeling expedition took place at Kapalua Bay where we saw a good variety of fish and got a great dose of vitamin D.
We enjoyed a delicious sushi dinner the first night Sansei, which provided fuel for the next day's adventure on the Hana Highway.
With my trusty guidebook (compliments of the Long Beach Public Library) narrating the winding road, we found a few hidden gems, including the Lower
Puohokamoa Falls (above).
Near our turnaround point, we picnicked with a mongoose at the Kipahulu Visitor Center. Then we ventured deep into Haleakalā National Park on the Pipiwai Trail, which took us past a giant banyan tree and through a bamboo forest to...
the towering Waimoku Falls. On the way back we hiked along the Seven Sacred Pools in the ʻOheʻo Gulch.
We made one last stop before turning back at the grave of aviator Charles Lindbergh. He is buried on the grounds of Palapala Ho
ʻomau Church near his good friend Sam Pryor and Sam's gibbon "children."
Dinner at Merrimen's was quite a treat! During the week we also ate truly excellent meals at Roy's and Fleetwood's.
Back at the Kapalua Resort, there was more ground to cover by way of trails through an overgrown golf course.
From the views to the fresh guavas to the Easter egg-like hunt for lost golf balls, our hike was too fun to be hampered by a little sprinkle of rain.
We also made time for the pool, and I got a kick out of the lizards that were out to impress us.
For our last big hike, we did a bit of off-roading. Just beyond Honolua Bay (were we snorkeled with sea turtles), we found a couple tide pools and had them all to ourselves!
Well, I suppose we weren't completely alone because we had tons of little fish, crabs, and big sea cucumbers to keep us company as the waves crashed around us.
Off in the distance we also saw a lively pod of whales that gave us a great show.
We left our little oasis to continue on our trek in our last full day on Maui.
Last stop: the Nakalele Blowhole.
In the evening we headed Lahaina and met the King! Elvis, that is. How lucky we were to stumble upon a free show featuring the star of Burn'n Love in Banyan Court Park.
We really saved the best for last with dinner at Lahaina Grill. I loved everything about the dinner from the food to the ambiance to the company.
Adam and I had an unforgettable week in Hawaii with my parents. It was a great way to celebrate Adam's successful defense and my past-midway point in residency. Thank you Mom and Dad!!
