Travels

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J and I celebrated the long weekend at our favorite place with some of our favorite people – Carmel.  It was a great weekend of champagne, hot tubing and yummy food.  I hope everyone has a wonderful Memorial Day and takes a moment to remember the fallen men and women of our country.

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I was so excited to visit my sis for a girls weekend of exploring, eating and entertainment…

Here were some of the highlights:

• Sushi at Okina
• Dancing to Foreverland at Bimbos 365 Club
• Exploring the gorgeous homes at Seacliff
• Farm egg topped pizza at Pizzette 211
• Walking China Beach
• Bombolotti at Jackson Fillmore
• Caviar topped deviled eggs at Presidio Social Club
• Watching Beyond the Pines at Kabuki Theater
• Apricot puree topped frozen yogurt at Fraiche
• Cocktails at The Brixton
• Morning buns and mochas at Tartine
• Catching the views at Twin Peaks

So hopefully this week has helped you to get in a “Spring Break State of Mind,” but what happens when you actually pack up and head out on a trip?

I am a very anxious person, and traveling can be a little stressful sometimes, so to help alleviate some unnecessary stress I created a “Home Prep List” for when I head out of town.  Physically (or mentally) checking off each of these points helps me to not be worrying on the plane if I turned off the AC or not.

Whitney’s Top 10 “Home Prep When Traveling” List (anyone have a better name for this!?)

1. Turn off your heat/AC (if it is not a timer make sure that is off too… no need to heat your house if you aren’t there). Also turn your water heater to “vacation mode”/turn the heat down.
2. Put a hold on your mail. It is super easy… just click this Post Office link (they will even deliver the mail to you when you get back!). Also, stop your newspaper (if you get one… do people still do that!?)
3. I try to stop online shopping the month or so before I go so I don’t have packages piling up when I get back home.  If you can’t help yourself, make sure to have a neighbor bring in any packages.
4. Lock all windows and doors. Close your blinds. Turn on your alarm.
5. Unplug all electronics.  Make sure appliances (stove, oven) are turned off.
6. Clean out your fridge of perishable items.  Throw away all flowers that sit in water (not orchids or potted plants).
7. Run and empty your dishwasher. Avoid having dirty dishes in there for an extended period of time.
8. Tidy up! I made sure to do a quick clean up before heading out the door and it was so nice to get home to a clutter-free clean house.  Granted we messed it up with our chaotic unpacking/laundry session but it was really nice to walk in and have the bed made, counters cleaned and dishes put away.
9. Let your neighbors and/or family know.  If you can, have someone stop by to make sure everything is ok, or at least have a neighbor keep an eye on things when they step outside.  Make sure they have a number to reach you at/hotel information.
10. I prefer the “make it look like I’m still home” approach to home prep, so if you can leave a porch light on (or better yet have your lights on a timer), I think that’s ideal.

What do you make sure to do before you head out on a vacation?

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I just got back from the annual Feezor Family Maui Vacation! It was an amazing week of family, sun and yummy food.

Maui is one of our favorite spots and I wanted to pass along our favorite spots!

Dinner Recommendations:

Japengo – Great sushi restaurant with a gorgeous view and great modern decor $$$

Star Noodle – Owned by a finalist of Top Chef, this Asian Fushion restaurant is a great hidden gem $

Sansei – Our favorite sushi restaurant (MUST TRY to the Crab Mango Roll and the Panko Ahi Roll) $$

Merriman’s – My favorite restaurant on the island (got engaged here!), a great place for a gorgeous happy hour too! $$$$

Mala’s – Try to request a table on the patio (right over the water) and ask for Annie as your server… she’s the best! $$

Cheeseburger in Paradise – Some nights are fun to kick back and relax and this place has some killer burgers and is right on the water $

Hula Grill – Located right by Whaler’s Village this is a great place to do some shopping after dinner $$

Leoda’s – A new find (the same chef as Star Noodle) this little pie shop has the most insane treats! Stop by for an after surf snack or dessert after dinner – don’t miss the Fried Salad or Mac Nut Chocolate Pie (plus you can bring your own wine corkage free!) $

Activities: 

Hula Girl – A great sailing excursion with an amazing crew and the only boat with an onsite kitchen – don’t miss their daily fish special and Mai Tais! $$

Paia – We usually don’t leave our resort, but this time we explored a little of the island.  We visited Paia (about 10 minutes from OGG) and grabbed an amazing fresh fish lunch at Paia Fish Market before heading to Ho’okipa Beach Park.  Make sure to stop by Tobi’s Shaved Ice Shop (make sure to get the mac nut ice cream with it!) and the Latarte flagship store.

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My grandfather (figure) celebrated his 80th birthday this weekend with an insanely fabulous James Bond themed bash at the gorgeous Rosewood Sand Hill.  Here were some of the highlights!