Connecting

This past weekend, I traveled out to Orange County, CA for some amazing personal and professional growth. My colleague and friend, Nicole, Founder of L District joined me. WOW – what a weekend!

Thursday started off with an amazing Mastermind group from Bob Donnell’s Next Level Entrepreneurs Association. It was absolutely amazing. Individual coaching and group feedback is wonderful when talking about the number one challenge in your business ‘today’.  Thursday evening we were able to attend Debra Faris’ book Launch of LinkedIn for Baby Boomers – check it out! Amazing advice, stories, and reminders.

On Friday, we attended Bob’s amazing class called Connectology. It truly blew me away with how important connecting with people really is – the importance of good questions, and surrounding yourself with amazing people (which is a direct reflection of boundaries and criteria you have in your life) make all the difference!

On Saturday, we spent the morning doing a deep dive into Avant Synergy, followed by a 6 hour breakfast/lunch at Chateau Marmont in LA, with Bob, Nicole, Lukas Sliwka, and the famed Tommy Bahler (musician, composer, producer, etc. If you like Michael Jackson, you like Tommy’s work!). It was inspiring, motivating, and downright fascinating. The time spent hearing and learning from stories, he free flowing advice and connection, and the clear understanding that these people are where they are today, because they serve others and have criteria for everything about there life, was astounding.

I thank Bob incredibly, for his kindness, leadership, ability to connect, and hospitality during my 72 hours in So Cal. I can’t wait for what the future has in store!

Cheers,

H Bloomer

Lots of Pura Vida

We were blessed with an amazing trip to visit Aaron’s brothers family in Costa Rica this April. It was so fantastic to see Justin, Lisa, Caleb, and Jacob! We have missed them since January, and had a blast!

Costa Rica is so beautiful, it’s hard not too! We enjoyed the weather, food, drinks, and fun!

Here is a brief recap of our lovely week a house guests!

Wednesday and Thursday were fun mornings with Lisa, I, and the kiddos, while Aaron and Justin worked. While the boys had school, Lisa, myself, Addy, and Max enjoyed some coffee, as well as errands and the Market! After the boys were home on Wednesday, we enjoyed the lovely community pool in the Bloomer’s Santa Ana neighborhood! On Thursday – we went horseback riding at the lovely Finca Caballo Loco. We had a blast!

On Friday, the crew of 8 of us ventured off on a 4 hour trek to Tamarindo. We made a pit stop at the Monkey Lady on the “side of the road” (literally!) on our way there. What fun!

 

We arrived to 105 degree weather and a desire to hop right into the pool! After checking in, we ate lunch at the Barcelo Longasta Beach and got our swim suits on – only to be met by swarms of bees! Caleb and Max both got stung (Max in the EYE!) and overall, the hotel left a lot to be desired – but we had a blast anyway. The waves were awesome, and we even took surfing lessons. What an experience!

On Monday, Lisa took Caleb, Jacob, and the four of us to Poas Volcano, as well as La Paz Waterfall Gardens – WOW! What a fun time! Toucans, Snacks, Buterflies – Oh My!

I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Lisa, talking, enjoying her guacamole and salsa, and lots of laughs!

We miss them and can’t wait for their visit back to Minny in June!

Happy Travels,

H Bloomer

Connecting

Recently I was on a business trip to the L.A. and Orange County area in Southern California with CEO and Founder of L District, Nicole Anthony. And let me tell you – WHO you meet and the CONNECTIONS you make with others are huge. It was an amazing trip, filled with meaningful, purposeful conversations, and connections to last a lifetime.

From being blessed by hearing Bob Donnell (Everything Next Level) speak, yet alone having breakfast with him, to enjoying an event luncheon (Put on by Debra Faris, aka “Ms LinkedIn”) with Tedx speaker Maurice DiMi as our table mate – we had an absolutely blast, grew in our ability to connect and add value, and enjoyed every minute of it.

We were also given the opportunity to meet with Jason and Jodi Womack. WOW! What an extraordinary experience we enjoyed at Cafe Del Rey. It truly was an honor.

H Bloomer

PS: No trip to So Cal is complete without dinner at Javier’s. If you haven’t been there – you need to!

Vegas, Baby – 2.0!

The post you’ve all been waiting for – reviews on #7-12 from our time in Last Vegas this spring! If you missed #1-6, you can find it here! Let’s jump right in…

7. Hakkasan Nightclub: Let me just say, this place is very cool and hip. The nightclub is super high-end and beautiful. Frequented by Tiesto, Calvin Harris, and on the night we were there – Lil Jon – it is a place to see and be seen. However, our experience was quite comical. We were clearly the group of four that are in their 30’s, have kids, and from the mid-west. The drinks were $15-20/per. We were blinded by the flashing lights, couldn’t hear anything, were stepped on, were exhausted after being there for one hour. We literally laughed about it the remaining nights of our trip. Unless you love to (literally) be on top of one another, I suggest going with a group of friends and getting bottle service. It will run you $1500+, however you’ll have a nice couch, enough space to breath, and drink service to your space – or, head to Napoleon’s instead!!! 🙂 One last thing – a guy will stop you and offer to put you on the guest list – along with every other person they stop, except for the 5 total people who agree to pay full price and stand in the general admission line. Unless you are a group of 2+ females, don’t plan on getting any special treatment or accelerate your time in line if you arrive at 11pm or after.

8. Wolfgang Puck Bar and Grill: We hit up this place TWICE! It is in the MGM, and open until 4am. One night, we landed here at 1am for some lovely cookies and milk before bed. The next night after an amazing night at Napoleon’s, we ended up here to enjoy a yummy burger, fries, and the best blue-cheese-queso-and-chips EVER. Highly recommended.

9. Tao: Tao – WOW! What can i say. One of my favorite places to eat, ever! Besides the aesthetics, all I can say is:

• Cucumber Lime Mojito
• Spring Roll (Lobster. Crab. Tuna.) = AMAZING
• Chinese Sausage Fried Rice + Fried Egg
• Crunchy Orange Chicken
• Scallops
• Cantonese Cauliflower
• Asparagus

ORDER. IT. ALL!

10. Mesa: Bobby Flay. Rib-Eye. Salmon. Cauliflower Au Gratin. SO SO GOOD. Amazing place to eat a wonderful dinner in the heart of Caesars Palace.

11. Fatburger: We made a trip to Fat Burger. The experience of ordering a burger is reason alone to give it a shot. The four of us shared two burgers – and were still stuffed six hours later!

12. Javiers‘: Javiers’ has my heart. Almost a decade ago – A and I found an amazing little hole-in-the-wall place in Laguna Beach, CA, when we were living in So Cal. It was amazing – good tacos, enchiladas, and of course $3 margaritas. The people were amazing, the food was spectacular, and it felt like ‘home’. A few years later while on a visit back to our “stomping grounds”, we find out Javiers’ moved to Newport Coast – to a magnificent local. After being featured in Housewives of Orange County, it exploded. They now have locations in Irvine, CA, Cabo, Mexico, and of course – Last Vegas. Located in Aria, it is beautiful and always busy. The prices have ‘creeped up’ (if you can call a 500% increase a ‘creep’), but it is so worth it. This reminds me of the true American Dream – and I love supporting this successful operations. Plus, once you try their guacamole, there is no going back!

This wraps up my comprehensive review of good ol’ Las Vegas! What is your favorite thing to do in Las Vegas?

Cheers,

H Bloomer

Vegas, Baby!

I jetted off to Vegas this weekend to check out some amazing (and some not-so amazing) venues for food, entertainment, hospitality, and transportation!. If you are like me – the tiny-bit-gambling-but-only-for-entertainment-type of person, this read is for YOU! It outlines, fun, yummy choices without the im-so-sick partying and potentially dangerous gambling-is-my-retirement-plan mentality.

Heidi’s Vegas Top 1-6 of 12

1. MGM Grand: We elected to stay at the MGM Grand. It is a ‘classic’ hotel on the Vegas Strip and has all the amenities that were important to us: good location, food choices, a pool, and was within our budget. We stayed over March Madness weekend, and from Friday – Monday, we paid ~$180/night + a $100 resort fee (for 2 people). Our room was on floor 5 of the West Wing, and definitely left some to be desired. Ultimately – I would describe it as “fine”. Comfy bed, enough room to put two suitcases, a large shower, and no bugs were found, after extensive looking. 🙂 However, it didn’t have a true “bathroom” – as the sink was located right when you walk in – with a frosted glass non-locking or latching door for the toilet room, and for the shower. In addition, the room was tiny, had a view of a next-door roof, and the carpet was disgusting and needing to be replaced. Again, overall it was “fine”.

2. MGM Grand Pool : One FANTASTIC thing about the MGM Grand is their pool! Numerous pool options, never an issue finding a spot to set up camp, and wonderful service. We elected to hang out by the lazy river area on Saturday and Sunday. Easy access in and out of the pool, as well as tubes to rent ($13-16/day). In addition, it was close to restrooms, shade, and a TV for those that have a wager on a sports game. Jenny, our poolside server, was AMAZING. She helped us out for 2 days straight! On Monday we elected to lay by the Grand Pool while we waited for our late-check out, and Jenny found is there too (as the Lazy River is closed on weekdays). Overall – a spectacular pool experience, especially with 85 degree weather. 🙂

3 & 4. Delta: We flew Delta. We had two fantastic flights. We left on a Friday afternoon in March 2016 from MSP – and expected security lines to be looonnngggg due to recent reports. However the airport did a great job, and we had time for a quick glass of wine before boarding. The subsequent flight was uneventful, we landed a few minutes early, received our checked luggage promptly, and headed to catch our Uber (they are allowed at the LAS airport, and easy to access on the 2nd floor of the rental car lot)! Our flight back on a Monday evening from LAS was also great. Easy check in, easy boarding, one of our party of four was upgraded to first class (which was me! Fantastico!), and a flight that arrived early. Minimal turbulence, and checked bags that arrived safe and sound – and we were on our way home again! If you are able to upgrade your seat to a preferred seat, or Delta Comfort for no cost (based on your Medallion status), I highly recommend it. However, for a domestic flight without kiddos, I do not think it is worth it to pay for an upgrade.

5. The LA Comedy Club: On Saturday night, we decided to take in a few laughs. We found a comedy club that had a late show – 10pm – and bought VIP All-You-Can-Drink tickets for $70. The drinks were rail, but between the four of us, we downed 13 of them, so felt we got our money’s worth! In addition, we got comfortable seating toward the front. The MC and guest act were hilarious, as well as one of the headliners. The main headliner was having a rough night, and any laugh that did happen (which wasn’t many), were pity laughs. Overall, my thoughts are:

• Worth our money
• Funny
• Very raunchy – so if you can’t stomach that type of humor, I suggest NOT attending
• They shouldn’t let the ‘not feeling well act’ go last!

6. Napoleon’s: What an AMAZING lounge! Dueling Piano’s, Drinks to DIE for, comfortable seating, and just an all-around good time. 10/10 for this place! SO FUN! GO HERE!

Stay tuned for #7-12, which will be published on April 3!

 

In Good Travel,

H Bloomer

Upon Return from Florida

The plane has been on the ground for less than two minutes when a text alert goes off on my phone. “Back to reality today?” My response: “Who says I ever left it? This is my life, right? Work, Play, Travel, Repeat.” Ahh, Florida. Play we did. Work? Indeed. Repeat? As soon as possible.

This blog wraps up my thoughts on the accommodations and entertainment. If you read the first post, you know that we stayed at the Wyndham Bonnet Creek Resort. The check-in was a little bumpy due to a freak system issue, but the rest of the stay was excellent. Check-out was extremely smooth. As in, stopping by the guest services desk and saying, “8604 is over and out.” A 15 second look in the system, receipt printed, nothing owed, nothing to sign, keys are in the room, thanks for your stay and we hope to see you again! Done.

For entertainment we did a couple of Disney Parks, but having learned our lesson from previous years, we kept activities to a minimum beyond that. Our first year at Disney we did a five day park pass on a seven day stay. Can you say “need a vacation from my vacation?” Two parks on a seven day stay felt much more reasonable.

There was plenty to do at the resort. Five outdoor swimming pools, two lazy rivers, water slides, hot tubs, and daily events was just the half of it. We enjoyed 18 holes of mini golfing- which was free to guests. On one day there was an inflatable jumping castle and another inflatable sports-themed playground. They served up snow cones and popcorn on the daily. Hey, guess what? When your kid gets a snow cone…drinks all the syrup out…leaving you with nothing but a cone of crushed ice…that same snow cone turns into a wonderful base for a margarita back at the suite!

Face painting was offered along with different events like “poolside wine glass painting.” One of my favorite activities was watching the poolside fireworks! The resort is close enough to Disney Hollywood Studios that you can view the fireworks every night. The same is true for the Epcot Fireworks. The resort has a special viewing room where guests can go to a giant balcony in the main tower and see those.

A favorite activity the girls raved about was the poolside trivia. (Mostly because treats were involved). The adults played a “Name that Movie” based on hearing the theme song. We didn’t win, but came close with 9 out of 12 correct. The girls played a Frozen-themed Word Scramble game and did win! They got to choose something from the ice cream cart. Frozen game- frozen treats. Perfection.

Our last night at the resort was spent poolside with a fire pit and S’mores. We had to purchase the S’mores kit, but it came with everything we needed: roasting sticks, graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate! We made some new friends while sitting around the fire and spent time reminiscing with the girls about all the awesome adventures we had that week. Definitely a memorable way to spend our last night there and I would highly recommend.

Traveling is such an uplifting experience. When you come back, yes, “real life” is waiting, but something in you is definitely changed. Creativity is brought back to the forefront and you are reminded of how terrific this world happens to be. My girls are already dreaming about where their parents will take them on their next adventure. I’m doing the same.

Happy thoughts!

A.Lockhart

Dining in Orlando, FL

Ask my kids the 4 main food groups and they will give you an Elf-style answer. Candy, Candy Canes, Candy Corns, and Syrup. Disney World is their personal heaven. Not because of the rides or characters… Oh, no. It is because it is a confectioner’s paradise. Suckers, tubs of cotton candy, candied apples, chocolate chunk cookies, chocolate covered crispy treats, ganache covered everything… Plus, it all tastes 10x better when shaped like Mickey Mouse or served up in a Disney-themed container. I wouldn’t usually give in to so much sugar indulgence, but when I pay $100/person to get into the theme parks, and know a good sugar rush will help us maximize the hours in the day or help the kids better tolerate long waits for popular rides…it seems justifiable. #parentoftheyear

I do know that kid, (nor parent) can live on sugar alone, so we have actually had some other fine cuisine. Here are the highlights:

Be Our Guest Restaurant (Walt Disney World, Magic Kingdom)- a fine mix of kid and adult-friendly French inspired selections. Croque Monsieurs, Pommes Frites, Vegetable Quiche, Braised Slow Cooked Pork, Quinoa Salad, and of course, fancy cupcakes! We tried the Master’s Cupcake (“Chocolate sponge cake topped with Lumiere’s special Grey Stuff”). The grey stuff tasted like a vanilla buttercream of sorts. The ambiance of this restaurant and extra courteous staff make this a great place to take a break from the activities of the day. There are three different dining rooms each with Beauty and the Beast inspired themes. We sat in the West Wing, where the magical rose is located. Caution-if your kids are Nervous Nellies, the West Wing may not be the best seating because thunder and lightning effects take place throughout the hour it takes to dine. For some reason, my kids kept asking if the castle was going to disappear. We reassured them that many more people had reservations after us, so no, the castle was not going to blow away in a storm.

Hollywood and Vine (Hollywood Studios, Character Experience)- So.Much.Food. First, the obvious perks of doing a character dining experience is skipping long lines to get guaranteed time and photo opps with favorite Disney characters. This is a Disney Junior breakfast and I’m telling you, more adults than kids know the words to the songs. Speaking of- there are great sing-alongs, dance time, and hugs.

Second thing to know, this is buffet dining. It’s important to remember, your young children do not comprehend how much money you have paid for them to have this encounter with Doc McStuffins, Jake, and others. They will not eat their worth in food and you have to be OK with that. There certainly is more food available at the breakfast buffet than reasonable to consume- even for an adult who takes two trips back to the line. Not that I would know…but if your kids are at all like mine, they will opt for a small dish of Fruit Loops, and maybe take a couple bites from a cinnamon roll. Perhaps three or four grapes. Expensive grapes, yes, but the memories will be priceless.

Something else worth mentioning here- The Star Wars Jedi Training for kids age 4-12 is at Hollywood Studios. I’d heard that some people will make reservations for breakfast at the park just so that they can get in early and sneak over to register for the Training. What we discovered is that this is not necessary. When we arrived an hour before the park opened, we were happy to discover there was a special park entrance line designated for people who just wanted to sign up for Jedi Training. We were able to enter the park early (before 9a), without the super early breakfast reservations (ours were at 9:40a). The attendants directed us exactly where to go, and we were able to get signed up with no issues at all. You still want to get there early, as spaces fill up quickly, but no need to try and “work the system” by doing breakfast reservations. Book breakfast just because it’s a fun experience.

Not visiting any of the Disney Parks? No problem. Here is an awesome recommendation:

Cooper’s Hawk Winery (International Drive)- We first discovered this restaurant about a year ago while in the Chicago area. Award winning wines, flavorful food, and generous portions. See the picture of the child serving of spaghetti below and notice how the plate is literally bigger than my five year old. Something I really like about this restaurant is how they make a wine pairing suggestion with every single food item on the menu. They will also let you sample two wines per adult before, during, or after ordering your meal. I made reservations for 4p in order to take advantage of Happy Hour that is available throughout the restaurant. $5 wines and a great selection of appetizers, including Seared Ahi Tuna Tacos, and kettle cooked chips with Caramelized Bacon Onion Dip. the kid’s meals are finished with a chocolate dipped strawberry. I had some Lobster Bisque and a Peach Sangria. If the kids can be sugared up on this vacation, I can certainly have my fun, too!

Sweet Tomatoes and Souplantation (Lake Buena Vista)- This is a buffet chain that serves health foods! Salads, soups, sandwiches, and pastas. Not many restaurants, let alone buffets, have the likes of Kale Salad, Vegan Chocolate Chip Muffins, Black Bean and Quinoa Chili, and Tuna Tarragon in the line up. There are plenty of vegetarian and gluten-free options available. Finally, guilt-free buffet dining…you know…after you’ve had your fill of sugar.

To your health,

A.Lockhart

 

 

My Orlando resort uses earth friendly products!

We’ve arrived! Orlando, Florida. Two preschoolers, my husband, my mom, and me. The goal for this trip is to relax, enjoy precious time with family, and also to share my experiences and recommendations with each of you!

I booked this trip back in September of 2015, just after “Balloons in the Sky blog” was born, knowing that my friend Heidi and I would want to be writing about our travel adventures. We enjoy providing recommendations on the best places to stay while touring the world. (For example, check out one of our first posts about Cinque Terre, Italy, her recent posts on Hawaii 1, 2, and 3) and the Kalahari.)

Today, from the field, I give you my shout out for accommodations in Orlando, FL. We are staying at the Wyndham Bonnet Creek Resort. It is a pretty large complex located within the Disney Parks, though it is not an official Disney Resort. I chose this location because it has suites available. We are staying in a two bedroom/two bathroom unit, equipped with full kitchen, and in-unit laundry facility. Perfect for families. (After being rained on for a couple hours while at Disney World yesterday and then spending the rest of the humid day in those same clothes- we were especially happy to have a washer and dryer available… There was no way I wanted to throw those clothes back in the suitcase!)

Our flight arrived to Orlando at 7:55p EST on Monday 2/22. By the time we got our rental car (ALAMO rocks!) and squeezed in a quick trip to Target for groceries (yes, I’m ambitious), it was 10p before we got to the resort. Apparently the WBC reservation systems had bad outages earlier in the day. We were later told that some guests experienced delays of up to 5 hours checking in to their rooms. I was the only person in line at 10p and the total check-in time took me about 30 min due to the residual effects of the outage. Kedo, Guest Check-in, was extremely courteous throughout the process, making appropriate small talk, and using humor, while trying to move things along. The following day we received a personal call from the resort manager apologizing for any inconveniences caused by the system outage. I thought this was a nice gesture.

The kids were hungry for a bedtime snack when we arrived. The simple act of satiating them with some grapes turned into a test of hotel responsiveness… So, I go to rinse the grapes and in true April Fool’s Day style the sprayer on the kitchen sink shoots two feet in the air and then water proceeded to spray everywhere. In a matter of about five seconds I had an impromptu shower and a good laugh. I called the front desk at 11p. She offered to send someone up right away or I could wait until morning. Since we were all awake anyway I told her to go ahead and send someone up. Within 30 minutes we had a new sprayer nozzle installed. Prompt service from Eric and Manje!

An important thing to highlight is the toiletries. I believe the quality of the hotel toiletries says a lot about the quality of the hotel. The particular brand used here is called Eartherapy. It’s made in Australia. Since I’ve been more concerned about what goes on my skin these days, I did a little research and was pleased to discover that these products are biodegradable, paraben-free, and contain EcoPure which is described as an “organic based additive.” The packaging is biodegradable and recyclable. The ingredient label does list “fragrance,” with the body lotion smelling like cinnamon. The shampoo and conditioner smell like Eucalyptus while the bar soap has a pine smell.

Another huge bonus of our resort is the Aqualine jet tub available in the Master Bedroom. This turned out to be a great way to end the day upon return from Walt Disney World. The “Happiest Place on Earth” can take a toll on the legs and feet. (According the the health app on my phone we walked just over 16,000 steps, or 7.31 miles over the course of 12 hours…oh, and because of the rain, the stroller we rented got soaked so was of little use in chauffeuring the girls around for the first half of the day which meant that my husband and I carried 40 extra pounds each for several hours.) You’ll never hear me complaining about paying for a gym membership. I use it and it comes in handy in unexpected ways!

Stay tuned for more info on our adventures in Orlando!

A.Lockhart

M is Mickey Mouse!

 

Kalahari

Have you ever been to the Kalahari? I’m talking the Wisconsin Dells version. It is AMAZING! We try to get there 1-2 times a year, and typically always in the winter for sure. This year, we brought along three other families for a fun-filled weekend. Here are the details:

1. Four (4) families shared two (2) Royal African Queen Suites. We enjoyed two bedrooms (one with 1 king bed, one with 2 queen beds), two bathrooms, and a large living/dining area – as well as a mini fridge and micro wave.
2. Each suite has a fireplace and a balcony.
3. Each suite was big enough to house all 4 families (15 of us!) for pizza dinner and hours of fun.
4. There was enough to do to easily entertain everyone. From the water park (with everything from a toddler pool, to a roller-coaster water slide, to a swim up bar), to the Indoor Theme Park (helllooooo Go Carts, Rock Climbing, Laser Tag, and Arcade Games!), to the numerous options for food, snacks, and shopping – we were set. Feel like seeing a movie? You can do that too!

Over all – if you haven’t tried it – you are missing out on some awesome fun, and some awesome memories!

In Fun,

H Bloomer

Addy got to the top of all climbing walls!

A few more amazing memories… Part 3

By now you may be wondering why we came home? We are wondering, too. Family, Friends and a Mortgage brought us back – but don’t worry, we will be heading to Hawaii again soon, I am sure!

In addition to all of the fun already had, it actually continues!

WATER! We enjoyed some fantastic time at the Kings’ Land pool as I mentioned. In addition, the Hilton Waikoloa Village Resort had a Lagoon! You could see, and swim with, the dolphins (Dolphin Quest, which we didn’t do simply because of time, but they had some great options available); you could rent paddle boats (which we did), kayaks, and other water sports; or you could swim! The lagoon was ocean-fed so we saw a Sea Turtle and many amazing fish. The kids made some friends in the sand, and we were able to spend around two hours there one morning.

WHALES! We were truly blessed to have booked a Whale Watching trip with Dolphin Discoveries in Kona. Our booking process was amazing, and when we arrived, it was wonderful. Erika met us and checked us in. Parking was on the street and fairly easy (and free!). Erika, who was also our captain, was fun, kind and full of life. The kids took to her right away. They only put 4-8 people on a boat, and we happened to be a group of 4 that day which was amazing. During the ride out to sea, she talked with Addy about what we may see, and Max fell asleep on my lap! (Mom Win!) After about 20-30 minutes of a 2-2.5 hour tour, we saw a Whale briefly – and a minute or two later it BREACHED, fully, out of the water. It was truly amazing! Throughout the next 90-120 minutes, we were able to observe 3 Humpback Whales and likely 5-8 dolphins playing together in the water. From 3 Breaches, to Slapping, Splashing, Short and Shallow Dives, and the ability to capture a tail picture – it was all amazing. Erika even let us listen to the whales signing under water through a device she had. A wonderful experience. In addition, this company provided drinks and fresh fruit on the boat, as well as a wealth of knowledge! We would recommend any tour by this company, hands down.

TEPPANYAKI! We decided to check out a Japanese Restaurant our last night on the island. Before we headed there, we enjoyed a Hula Show and Happy Hour at Kings’ Land, and then drove the 4 minutes over to Imari, within the Hilton resort. We made a reservation for Teppanyaki, which was a first for Aaron and the kids. It was SO good and SO yummy and SO fun. Also a fantastic restaurant and experience.

All in all, it was one of our favorite family trips, ever. We would highly recommend all of the businesses mentioned in the three posts about Hawaii, and the Big Island in general. We can’t wait to go back and bring Family and Friends with us.

Aloha,

Heidi