Nice hair!

Hah, just cannot beat a good windy hair pic, eh?

Anyway! Sunday was a beach day – Waimea Bay, to be exact. We all planned on a time to go and since mom and I were closest (staying at my grandma’s house in Mililani, as opposed to the rest of them staying in Waikiki) we arrived early, even though we stopped at a 7-11 in Wahiawa for lunch/snack items like spam musubi

(source)

The drive down to North Shore is gorgeous, but with TONS of different speed limits! We made sure that we were always following those silly signs…

North Shore – Hale’iwa

The parking lot at Waimea Bay is notoriously small and crowded, but after a quick wait, we snagged a spot and set up camp there on the beach with our big mats, ice chest, etc. Over the next hour, our other beach mates joined us – we stayed for several hours and I finished up the book that Liann had lent me (How Starbucks Saved My Life, which I would definitely recommend).

After beach time, mom and I took a side trip over to Matsumoto’s for some famous shave ice!

Green Tea Special – adzuki beans, green tea syrup, condensed milk and vanilla ice cream!

Seriously good! I am glad my mom talked me into it

Worth the wait (the line wrapped around the building)!

After a little down time back at my Grandma’s, we then headed out to the next event of the day: Courtney’s (SURPRISE!) birthday celebration at Old Spaghetti Factory, one of her favorite restaurants.

Spaghetti Shenanigans (Whale pose)

I cannot remember the last time we went to an OSF either, so it was a nice, albeit random dinner (not very tropical, y’know?!) I had standard spaghetti with marinara – LOVED the sourdough bread that we got loaves of delivered, warm, to the table  AND the spumoni ice cream! YUM!

Surprise!

Courtney was really surprised! Haha We all got her cards and cash so she could buy some K-pop CDs and gear (her latest interest). I’d say the dinner was pretty successful.

—

Next: Hawaii Recap, Pt IV: The one where I FACE MY FEARS!

Okay…one fear. But it was big….coming on Thursday!