Aloha! Chris and I flew to Maui yesterday for some much needed R&R and a little babymoon he surprised me with for Valentine's day. The funny thing is, we have never taken a babymoon before, but I guess it's our last one so we're living it up before becoming a family of five! We've never been to Hawaii before and don't have any major plans while we're here--snorkeling, eating, and relaxing are topping our list. But if you have any outstanding places or restaurants we should definitely check out, especially in the Ka'anapali area where we're staying, we'd love to hear!
We have a few posts scheduled for while we're gone, but I couldn't resist checking in today and sharing a few things that I came across this week that I can't get out of my mind... (cue my terrible podcast song? haha)
• My current favorite maternity dress (pictured above) and a great casual little black maternity dress I'm gonna wear all summer that I picked up, too!
• We try to get a few new books for each child that comes along. Of course, they are always loved and read by all, but it's a nice way to grow our little library over time. This week, we picked up three new ones, including Next To You--a ridiculously adorable book that's written as well as it is illustrated. It goes through beyond cute scenarios featuring animals that you'd do anything for--and always goes back to, but next to you, they're just okay. Or, meh. We laughed and squealed. It's a must have!
• Obsession level: madness with this bathroom before and after!
• I'm working on a budget version of our one room challenge nursery (just like we did for the girls' room) but in the meantime, here's a really good copy cat ($200 for an 8x10!) for the gorgeous rug we added to the space this week.
• I have received so many questions and compliments on my eyelashes--they are extensions! I have been getting them done since December--originally for a shoot, but then I couldn't stop because it has made for a very low maintenance routine. However, I just got them filled for the last time before this trip. My lashes are growing and shedding like crazy and while I used to only have to get a fill ever 3-4 weeks, it was becoming necessary at least every two--which is no longer low maintenance. Wah WAhhhhhh. The good news is that my friend, who has the most incredible lashes (that I thought she just HAD) told me she uses Babe Lash serum and within a month hers were long and thick and now they really look like extensions! I'll return and report, but for only $35 (compared to so many super expensive serums out there) it's definitely worth a shot!
Hope you all have a happy, sunny weekend!
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I came back to this post today because I remember you wrote about a lash serum that really works. I think you gave the update on Instagram story but I can't remember what the final say was - so does Babe Lash work?
It actually really works well, but after a few weeks, my eyes got really irritated. It could have been a pregnancy thing so I'm going to try again
Love your blog and see that you are one that "Housetweaking" would follow for inspiration. By any chance do you know why Dana Miller's Blog "Housetweaking" suddenly is silent. It's just strange how the last post was December and no explanation for where she's gone. Thanks for any update you can provide - I miss her blog posts.
I know she is doing great, but I don't have any updates. Sorry! I miss her her posts, too.
Thank you. I am so happy to hear she's doing great....as long as she is fine that's all that matters.
Just saw this. I miss Dana too! I actually discovered CLJ through her. Glad she is doing great, just wish she would explain leaving all of us! :)
Me, too! I'm relieved to hear that she is well. I'd been worried that something had happened to her family. Thanks for sharing.
I have checked Dana's blog so many times since it went silent. Any updates from Dana? Thanks for sharing.
I am also so worried when I see blogs or Instagram feeds go silent. Any updates from anyone?
I was in Maui just last week! Ululani's Shave ice is the best!! There's on in Lahaina, which is close to Ka'anapali. Best places to eat were Leoda's (Lahaina) for amazing desserts, and Kula Bistro (Kula, not as close to you, but WORTH THE DRIVE). Kula Bistro had the best pasta.It's not as well known as some other places as well so you miss a lot of the crowds. Also check out Cheeseburger in Paradise (Lahaina) for a great burger.
Have a great vacation!!!
Maui is awesome! Some recommendations:
Haleakala - dress warmly. And if the switchbacks are not your thing, don't do the driving.
Road to Hana - The black beach and Lindberg gravesite are so interesting. All of it is. Bring food with you. It's remote. There is a great waterfall stop early into the drive. It's not that high, and you can jump off and swim in a gorgeous pool of water at the base. Kids can do it, so it's not scary. Probably not recommended for pregnant people though. :-)
Big Beach. Actually, any beach.
Surf lessons if you don't know how. They do it all for you.
Shave ice.
Slappy Cakes for breakfast. It's near you. Coconut syrup is amazing.
Banyan tree. It's amazing. And lots of shave ice nearby.
Get this app: Full Maui GyPSy Driving Tour. It's really cool because it uses your GPS location and tells you interesting history of the island based on where you are.
Enjoy...and resist the urge to sell everything you own and move there. It's beautiful!
You need to do the sunrise bike ride down Haleakela! It's been 15 yrs since I've been and it's still unforgettable! Also, go into the Grand Waleia hotel. It's beautiful. Book a Massage in their spa and relax in the spa deck.
Mahalo.
We were in Maui in March ... for the first time we actually saw a monk seal taking a very long nap on the beach (about 8 hrs!). Favorite family friendly restaurant in the Lahaina area, Aloha Mixed Plate. It's open air, right on a beach and has good eats and is cheap for Maui. http://alohamixedplate.com/
Also check out the free hula shows at Whaler's Village https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60634-d116484-Reviews-Whalers_Village_Museum-Lahaina_Maui_Hawaii.html
We spent 2.5 weeks in Maui on our honeymoon and it was by far the most amazing trip!
The Road to Hana was one of our favorites! Lots of beautiful waterfalls! We loved the Black Sand Beach, the Seven Sacred Pools, and the rainbow eucalyptus trees around mile marker 7! The banana bread at the Halfway to Hana stand was the best!
We took a day trip to Lanai with Maui Adventure Cruises in Lahaina. We had awesome snorkeling and a beach day on Lanai.
We also really loved Paia and the little town of Makawao. We enjoyed sunrise on Haleakala. Nakele Blowhole, and Ho'Opika Beach. I'd definitely recommend the Old Lahaina Luau - great food and entertainment!
We enjoyed these restaurants: Maui Brewing Co., Leoda's Pie Shop for breakfast, Mama's Fish House, and Polli's Mexican Restaurant in Makawao. Maui is just magical! Enjoy!
Highly recommend Mama's Fishhouse.
I usually never comment but we just got back from Maui last week -- I second Star noodle but also please please go to Sale Pepe! It's a newer restaurant - the owner is from Italy and moved from New York a few years ago. They import their flour, make all their noodles fresh, and it's just so, so good.
My husband and I went to Maui for our honeymoon! We got breakfast at Kihei Caffe several times and they had delicious coffee and French toast. It had a very low key, local vibe to it. Haleakala National Park has great views and a volcano! We saw several rainbows on our drive up. The Road to Hana was also awesome. Tons of beautiful stops along the way. We particularly liked the Garden of Eden (they have peacocks roaming around!), the black sand beach, and the hike to the Three Bears waterfalls was gorgeous and pretty easy. Honestly, just about anywhere you go in Maui is beautiful and full of character. Have fun!
We go to Maui every year and we LOVE LOVE LOVE Kihei Cafe. We go every other day... We also love Taquieria Cruz, they have live music on Tuesday and Saturday's.
Neither of the places are fancy but very tasty.
Enjoy your trip! The Aloha Mixed Plate in Lahaina might be my husband's favorite place on the planet. http://www.alohamixedplate.com/
So amazing! I would suggest driving towards the Nakalele Blowhole. The blowhole is just okay but the drive is amazing, and not as twisty as Road to Hana. If you do the drive, there is an beautiful little place to pull over that will give you the Hawaiin fauna without going over to the east. I can't remember what the little beach (really rocky, not a beach) is but when you are driving you will come down a hill, and a sharp curve. There is a bridge there, and may be a little food truck and other cars(locals) pulled over. Get out there and walk along the path with the stream running beside you. It is amazing and so beautiful. I wasn't overly impressed with Duke's but, I did really like Monkey Pod in Wailea (a bit of a drive for you so maybe not worth it though). If you feel like a day of driving, going to the top of Haleakala is really amazing even if you don't go a sunset/sunrise. Have so much fun! We were there for two weeks this winter and it was amazing!
That book is going to be a must for our nursery book ledges!! It looks absolutely adorable!
Hope you have an amazing time in Hawaii!!
We just recently got back from our own baby moon in Maui, so I have lots of recs! Before I dive in, though, wanted to say that we also stayed in Ka’anapali, and out of all the recommended places on the island for snorkeling and whale watching, we saw THE MOST right from our condo in Ka’anapali, so I hope you have a similar experience...
Definitely do the Mt. Haleakala – either the sunrise or the sunset. But dress warm! It's freezing there!
We did the entire road loop to Hana and beyond – and it was amazing. We did, however, end up having to camp the night – so not the most comfortable experience for yours truly, but the gorgeous sights made up for it! It's far better if you have at least 2 days to explore the Hana area, but majority of decent accommodations are quite pricey, so we opted for camping.
Another stunning, highly-recommended road trip is to start on the North Loop Coastline Road (Highway 30) and make your way to the Kahekili Highway (also known as the County Road 340).
Definitely recommend the Andaz Maui at Wailea – best way to finish off any vacation is a few days at a luxurious resort where your every need is taken care of before you can even think it!
Restaurant/food trucks/cafe recommendations: Island Press Coffee, Akamai Coffee Company, Aloha Mixed Plate, Ono's Tacos, Leoda's Kitchen & Pies (amazing!!!), Mama's Fish House (so good but make reservations waaaaaaaay ahead of time), and Kihei Caffe.
Enjoy yourselves!!!
We tried the road to Hana while I was pregnant and had to turn around. The motion sickness from all the curves was awful! So keep that in mind if you have that problem while pregnant.
We just returned from a spring break trip to Maui, and we loved every moment. Ka'anapali is beautiful, and a wonderful place to stay. We took a snorkeling trip to Molokini, and while we really enjoyed the experience, the snorkeling at Napili, Kapalua Bay and Honolua Bay were much better. We even snorkeled right alongside sea turtles! We loved the food (fried brussels sprouts! fish and chips! ramen!) at Joey's Kitchen in the funny little food court at Whaler's Village; it was great to eat it picnic style on the beach. Lahaina is lovely and worth a trip; the fish tacos at Captain Jack's are great (loved the vibe in that place) and the shave ice and Roselani passionfruit ice cream at Local Boys Shave Ice are a must! We also really enjoyed Aloha Mixed Plate; the food was good, but the setting was amazing. We had kids with us, but if we'd been alone, would definitely have tried Merriman's (at Kapalua) and Lahaina Grill (in Lahaina), which were highly recommended (go for happy hour snacks if you can't get a dinner reservation. Hope you have an amazing time! We can't wait to find our way back.
This would be a bit of a drive, but Maui's Upcountry has incredible views. We cherish time we spent at these places:
http://www.aliikulalavender.com
http://www.ulupalakuaranch.com
https://mauiwine.com
I'm so glad you're treating yourself and relaxing in Maui! We just returned a month ago and here are a few favorite places...and sorry this makes us sound like total foodies!
- Leoda's Pie Shop...must go! They have the cutest small pies and great casual food! 820 Olawalu Village Road, Lahaina, HI 96761
- Farmers Market - they have THE BEST ACAI bowls! You can eat them across the street by the ocean. 3636 Lower Honoapiilani Rd, Lahaina, HI 96761
- Snorkeling at Slaughterhouse Bay (right hand side of the beach when it's calm, there's turtles along the rocks or great for boogie boarding too) and Honolua Bay (a rock beach with great snorkeling, and the prettiest walk through a magical forest to get there!)
- Loved our meals at Star Noodle (286 Kupuohi St, Lahaina, HI 96761), Aloha Mixed Plate, great Loco Moco here (1285 Front St, Lahaina, HI 96761), and Fleetwood's on Front Street (make reservations for the sunset ceremony)!
Also, a helicopter ride we did was fantastic and so worth it, the scenery is beautiful! Have so much fun, there's lots to do and it's so beautiful and relaxing!
xo - Sara
Enjoy the babymoon! I hope y'all love Maui!
-Mama's fish house
-Paia fish market
-The Gazebo for banana macadamia nut pancakes!
-Duke's, try a virgin lava flow ????
-Haleakala sunset; we did the sunrise but the evening is supposedly beautiful as well
-In the Lahaina there is a place that sells Pineapple Dole whip that is delicious
Have fun!!
Make sure to stop for breakfast or brunch at the Gazebo. Their banana macadamia nut pancakes are amazing.
https://www.yelp.com/biz/gazebo-restaurant-lahaina
I second the pancakes! We had the macadamia, pineapple ones and they are soooo good. Get there early! Always a line because it's so popular :)
Oh yes!! This place is delicious - almost forgot about it! But definitely go early - long lines but delicious food.
I second Leilani's and snorkeling in Napili - I'm a big fan of stand up paddleboarding so you guys may want to give that a try! I would also suggest eating at Duke's in Lahaina - it's right on the beach. If you go to Front Street or Whaler's Village, make sure to check out the store Sand People - it's full of such fun cute stuff! If you want some evening entertainment, you can't go wrong with a luau but you could also check out Warren and Annabelle's in Lahaina for an up-close magic show. Depending on how long you're there, you might also want to do the Road to Hana - I've never actually made it to Hana because there are so many beautiful waterfalls to stop and explore. There are some semi-hidden waterfalls that require a little hike off the main road, so maybe check online for more information about them. It's hard to go wrong in Maui though - enjoy your trip!
Hope you have a great time in Maui! When there, try some shaved ice at Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice (61 S Kihei Rd., Kihei, HI 96753). Enjoy!
Love Maui! Enjoy!!
All of these are within a 5-10 minute drive of where you are staying.
Star Noodle. Make a reservation and google map it because it's in a weird industrial park in Lahaina. Awesome Asian food and the coolest bathroom I've ever seen in a business so make sure to check it out. ;)
http://www.starnoodle.com/
Ululani's for shave ice. Several locations but we like the one in Lahaina off Front Street.
http://www.ululanishawaiianshaveice.com/
Gazebo Restaurant in Napili. A bit of a dive but I love the setting, any of the pancakes are amazing ,and the fried rice is pretty good, too. The snorkeling in Napili Bay is awesome. We always see turtles there and the water is calm. (ps- only open for breakfast/lunch)
https://www.yelp.com/biz/gazebo-restaurant-lahaina
Enjoy your vacation! :)
Aloha! I love your blog and my family lives in Ka'anapali. I have a few recommendations for you. Your best snorkeling will be at Black Rock or 5 minutes up the road in Napili. The beaches are less crowded in Napili. In Ka'anapali the must-try eats include the meyer lemon pancakes at Castaway Cafe and the Korean fried chicken sandwich at Leilani's beachside grill. If you have a car, trek out to Haleakala; the views are fantastic. Lahaina has endless shopping and nice music under the Banyan tree park. It is not whale season, so do not waste your money on a whale cruise in Lahaina. Enjoy your stay!
If you are up for a drive (about an hour), go to Mama's Fish House for lunch. The food is great and the view/setting is even better.
https://www.mamasfishhouse.com
I was just coming here to recommend the same restaurant. Mama's Fish House is about a 50 min drive from your area but oh my gosh it is WORTH IT!! It's the best meal you will have! Make reservations and ask for a seat by the window!
If you don't get seasick, these guys were great:
https://www.sailtrilogy.com
Molokini is outrageously beautiful.