Maui Wowie

Wrapping up hump day and three days removed from our mini Maui vacation, I am exhausted. Promised myself I would sleep earlier tonight, but looking at the clock on the bottom right of my screen (11:30pm), it doesn’t look like it’s gonna happen. So here I sit in the office blogging about our little Hawaiian sojourn.

Wednesday, Apr 9

The day brought us a bit of a scare as friends and co-workers informed us of American Airlines canceling over 800 flights out of LAX and yes, we were flying American. Thankfully, our flight wasn’t among the canceled ones. We leave for Maui on a 510pm flight. Landing in Maui around a quarter to 8pm tired and hungry, we jump into the rental and head directly to Lahaina to grab dinner at Cheeseburger in Paradise — darn good burger, but the live entertainment was much too loud. We finally check into our hotel– the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa – at around 1030pm without much fanfare. Mariko immediately falls asleep while I watch TV and don’t pass out until 1am.

Thursday, Apr 10

Phone call from Sony wakes us up at 4am to confirm the shipment of the TV we just ordered from our Sony connection (Thanks Mike!)! 4-freaking-AM!! I don’t care if they are on California time. They shouldn’t be calling me at 7am in the morning either! Humph! However, we were at least able to get an earlier jump on our day. We booked a snorkel tour for Saturday and started on our merry drive on the Road to Hana. As suggested by the hotel concierge, we picked up a picnic lunch and blasted off in our super cool and very yellow rental racing car.

The drive was fun but a bit winding. We stopped often to take pictures and admire the views — waterfalls and the amazing seaside beaches and bluffs.

We also stopped off for freshly squeezed sugar cane juice (definitely with lemon!) and homemade banana bread.

We got up close and personal with lava rocks and lava tubes and played in the waters of Black Sand Beach.

While the end destination of Hana was, as reported, anti-climatic and disappointing, it is as the old adage goes: It’s not the destination but the journey. All in all, the entire round trip Road to Hana took the better part of the day — about 6 hours.

Later that night, we headed to the Pineapple Grill in Kapalua — hands down the best meal we had in Maui and one of the best in recent years — IMO. The views were nothing to phone home about, but the food was fabulous. Mariko had the short ribs and I, of course, had the lamb.

Friday, Apr 11

Friday was all about chilling and relaxing. We started out the day breakfasting in the hotel restaurant, the Son’z Maui at Swan Court. I almost always avoid hotel restaurants, especially the one in the hotel I’m staying in, but they did win Best New Restaurant of 2007, so we gave it a shot. Surprising to me, the food was excellent (eggs benedict for the wife and corn beef hash for me) and the ambiance was nice and peaceful with birds fluttering all around in the open court restaurant.

After breaking our fast, we walked along the beach walk that spans all the Kaanapali resorts to do some shopping at Whaler’s Village — the local tourist trap mall.

After, we headed back to the hotel and hit the pool for some swimming, sunning and drinking. We even had some time to hang out at the tiny beach connected to our resort.

After a quick rest back in the room, we headed for an early dinner because we were famished having only had a liquid lunch of rum and fruit juices. We found a place right by the beach called — appropriately enough — Leilani’s on the Beach. The food was good and the drinks were strong, but nowhere near the epicurean orgasmic experience at the Pineapple Grill. Because dinner was so early, I had a chance to take a sunset stroll along the beach with my baby. A sunset, beach breezes and a rainbow to boot — it was a nice ending to a good day.

Saturday, Apr 12

Saturday was the only preplanned day of our trip. The day was all about snorkeling and the Luau. We booked a tour with the Pacific Whale Foundation — a snorkel tour with an eco-slant. They took us to two snorkel spots: Molokini and Honolua Bay in Lanai. I think we both preferred the Bay more than the much hyped Molokini spot, but they were both nicer than the snorkeling we did in Costa Rica. The water was so blue and clear and plenty of fish to see. Wrapping up our snorkel adventure, we got to see spinner dolphins and even caught a tiny glimpse of a whale. All in all, we had some good, clean fun in the sun and the water.

We just had enough time to head back to the hotel to shower up before heading to the luau back in Laihaina at The Feast of Lele. While it is the most expensive luau on Maui, we felt it was well worth it as it is much more intimate (if you call 100 or so ppl intimate) than your typical luau (like the Old Lahaina Luau). It was full service and we didn’t have to battle crowds in your normal buffet style luaus. We were about 15 feet from the performers and the views of the beach and water with the sun setting couldn’t be beat.

Of course, having a 6 drinks didn’t hurt to make the night fun! =)

Sunday, Apr 13

We just had a half day on our last day in Maui, but we tried to take full advantage. We started with a breakfast of spam, Portuguese sausanges, eggs and rice by the beach (of course).

Then headed into Lahaina to do some last minute shopping.

Summary

While short, our Maui trip was a great trip — relaxing and fun. However, as always, it doesn’t matter where you go or what you do on any vacation, it’s the company that matters. The reason this trip was great was because I had my Mariko with me.

My First Post

I feel bad. I really do. The idea of starting this blog to document our marriage was mine to begin with and here we are 8 months into the marriage and I’m just writing my 1st post. I guess better late than never, right?

Anywho, today is the 3-year anniversary of when Mariko and I went on our first date. As our anniversary approached, my better half and I have discussed whether 3-years is really long enough to have known a person before you move in, get married and start contemplating starting a family. While 3 years isn’t anything to shake a stick at (I hardly find myself shaking sticks at anything in my day to day life but I digress…), I keep thinking to myself “Is that right? Has it only been 3 years?” It seems much longer — all in good ways. Seems like I’ve known her all my life and couldn’t imagine life without her.

It was good to see our wedding video (we finally got it. woohoo!). I know the wedding was only last July, but it was good to see how insanely we were in love with one another. I look forward to many more years decades of life with my lovely wife.

Catalina Trip

Okay, so I’m really behind in my posts. With school well underway and a house with some order, I might just be able to write a few more entries. Then again, I’ve been doing a little more reading and the fall season of TV is upon us…I’ll try.

Before school started, Lawson planned a Catalina trip. It was a surprise. I was told I needed to bring a swimsuit and that was all the information I was provided. I did guess Catalina early on, but there was no way Lawson was going to confirm my suspicions. I’m not sure if I like surprises or hate them. All I know is that I hate when Lawson reminds me that I don’t know what is happening. I can easily forget about a surprise, but when he said, “I wonder if you’ll like it” I wanted to hit him. And I did. A few times.

Driving onto the 710 from the 405, I knew we were going to Catalina. I was excited to spend a day away with him. We entered the terminal and started heading to the Catalina Express line. At least that’s where I was heading. As we were walking, I pushed Lawson toward the line saying in probably not the nicest voice, “Where are you going? You’re supposed to enter over there.” Little did I know he was heading in the right direction. We were heading to the counter of the kiosk next to Catalina Express. We were going to take a helicopter ride to Catalina!

I was very excited. (I have a pretty cool husband!) Neither of us had been on a helicopter before and both of us had mentioned wanting to go when we were contemplating a honeymoon trip to Maui. Although the ride was very short, it was so cool to see the land and water below us.

Once there, we went kayaking. I liked sharing in another one of Lawson’s firsts–kayaking. It was very warm that day and the cool water felt fabulous. We took a leisurely 2 hour kayaking trip along the shoreline. It was very relaxing. I think my favorite part was seeing a sea lion swimming by. Lawson’s favorite site might have been a group of people doing their fantasy football draft aboard a boat out in the water. Maybe one day.

That day we also took a golf cart around the island. I was a little scared riding down some of the hills with Lawson behind the wheel–in no way was his driving bad, it’s just that I feared tipping over and the brakes were making a funny noise. When it was my turn to drive, I could barely do it. I had to sit so that maybe an inch of my rear-end was actually touching the seat so that I could reach the pedal.

We also spent the day going miniature golfing, shopping, playing air hockey, and eating. Lawson did a great job planning a fun day for us. Writing this reminds me that I am very lucky to have such a thoughtful husband. I think I’ll go find him and give him a hug.

 

 

What’s in a Name?

Some girls go through that stage where they write their first name with every cute boy’s last name, imagining themselves becoming Mrs. So-and-So. I never really did that. However, I always thought my mom had it right when she gave me a Japanese first name, ensuring that no matter who my husband was, I would always have that connection to my Japanese heritage. I just assumed that I would change my last name as long as my husband wasn’t Mr. Toilet or Mr. Boring. Then when I had to make the decision for real, I wavered. A lot. It’s hard to give up something you’ve owned for twenty eight years. I have a hard enough time giving up a beloved sweater that is two sizes too small and fraying at the seams. I just couldn’t bring myself to say, “Yes, I will be Mrs. Wong” or “I’m not going to change my name”…

Those who know me, know I am incredibly indecisive. So what prompted me to make this major decision? Scissors. Yes, scissors. I was preparing my classroom for the new school year. I was putting together the boxes of supplies that go on each pod of desks. I had new scissors, and I needed to write my name on them. With a sharpie in my right hand and the scissors in my left, I froze. “What am I supposed to write?” I thought. After maybe thirty long seconds, I put down the sharpie and scissors and went to the office to ask what I had to do to change my name. I had made the decision, I wanted to be called Mrs. Wong.

I’m not sure when I will be able to fully own this name, but I’m sure it will happen…even if it does take twenty eight years.

Costa Rica

We had a great time on our Costa Rican honeymoon. I think Lawson and I agree the canyoning was the most fun. We repelled down the face of waterfalls. Not Niagara falls or anything, but large enough to have a great time descending down and to get soaking wet. We also did a canopy tour–ziplining above the canopy of the rain forest. I loved sailing across the rain forest and seeing the tops of the trees beneath me, but I truly feared crashing into the tree that secured the end of the cable. I pictured the cartoons where the guy runs into the tree and falls spread eagle on the ground with stars circling his head…but, unlike the cartoon, I wouldn’t be getting up. There was also a Tarzan swing. Unfortunately, we didn’t bring the camera so you’ll have to create your own mental image (lucky you). Just picture Tarzan swinging from a vine. Now, instead of a vine, picture a rope secured to a tree. Now, instead of Tarzan, picture Lawson. Instead of a Tarzan cry, imagine Lawson yelling, “Yeah, baby.”

We shared in some firsts–first time to Costa Rica, first time rappelling, first time on a canopy tour, and first time riding ATVs.

It was also so neat to be there when Lawson experienced more firsts–first time snorkeling, first time sailing, and first time riding a horse. I actually didn’t know he hadn’t been ridden a horse until the end of our horseback riding trip, but I should have known from the start, when Lawson nearly flung himself off his horse, Rana, while trying to get on. Trust me, I wasn’t much more graceful on my tree/bush/hedge loving, but otherwise tame horse, Pajarito. Here are some highlights.

The Beginning

 

So the official beginning of the Matong story started on July 14, 2007, our wedding day! On a very hot day, our friends and family gathered at the Altadena Town and Country Club to witness us exchange our vows. Later, we celebrated with lots of hugs, dancing, and a lot of drinking.

My highlights: Seeing Lawson for the first time that day in front of the piano and being oblivious to everyone watching us. The ceremony. Marrying Lawson. Listening to people’s marriage advice and people threaten Lawson if he hurt me. Watching my mom dance–”elbows up, side to side.” Dancing with my dad. Hugging, not punching, my brother. The last dance where we danced with all of our friends and family who made it till the end.  Reliving the day through pictures.

Others have said that your own wedding is so much more fun than any other wedding…it’s totally true. I told people to ask me after the wedding if the planning and stress was worth it. The answer is YES! Now, if you ask Lawson he might pause and think about my bridezilla moments (or as he likes to call my Bridezookie moments); but I think he, too, would say it was all worth it.

So to share with others and to help us remember our story, we have decided to start this blog.