The Aloha Diaries
THURSDAY--
Not to gloat, but I AM IN HAWAII! I AM IN HAWAII! Hahahahahaha . . .
I AM IN HAWAII for the Hawaii Book & Music Festival . . .


Since I flew in from Canada, I have spent most of the day trying to figure out what the "real time" is. I mean, there’s a six hour difference from Toronto, but I live in Los Angeles, which is a three hour difference. This sort of math vexes me. A lot.

FRIDAY--
There's a triathlon a block-ish away from my hotel on Sunday. I went running this morning, hoping to be mistaken for an athlete. (It didn’t happen.) Later, the line to get on the elevators was crowded. I had my lunch with me. So, just guess. Who do you think can push harder to the elevators? Elite athletes or a hungry author???

Well, yes, of course the elite athletes. But at least I tried.

"Lisa, why eat in your room?" you ask. Maybe, this is why . . .

(Above: The view from my room.)

In the evening, I attended the Gala for Hawaii Book and Music Festival/Hawaii Book Awards. I forgot to bring something "Island-ish" to wear and was the only person garbed entirely in black. I looked very New York.

Speaking of geographical faux pas (faux pases?), I hereby apologize to everyone in Hawaii. On my last blog, I confused the islands. I am not on The Big Island as I had stated. Apparently, I am on The Main Island a.k.a. Oahu, not to be mistaken with The Mainland, which is something else entirely.


Tina, my author-escort-and-almost-long-lost-cousin, told someone, who told me, that I was a “Granola Asian.” I had never heard that phrase. Have you? I even googled it but nothing came up. I’ve spent a great deal of time trying to figure it out, and it has replaced my time-zone challenges as my latest discombobulation.


(Above: Tina and Peepy bond.)

SATURDAY --
Checked out the first day of the festival. Got to hang a bit with author Mia King and listen to James Bradley talk about Flags of Our Fathers. And, I wiped out all the good I did by running in the morning by eating a large order of garlic fries for lunch.

Later, I decided to go exploring . . . and promptly got lost. Since I’m a mom, I spend the majority of my time making sure other people don’t wander away, and also looking for lost things like left shoes, Hubby’s keys, and Puppy. However, when I can get lost – and have free time—it is sooooo liberating!

Here’s just one of the things I stumbled across . . .

(Above: King Kamehameha – I just know I spelled that wrong)

I was feeling so jeune est c’est quoi that I had COFFEE!!! (Iced orange mocha.)

Somehow ended up at a SHIPYARD!!! and then at a MALL!!! I now have a big blister on my foot, caused from being lost while wearing new flip flops (when I was a kid we called them thongs, but now thongs mean something else, entirely), and walking for miles. It’s my badge/blister of honor.

SUNDAY--
This morning was the triathlon. 2.4-mile swim, plus 112-mile bike ride, plus 26.2 mile run. I was going to enter, but I still have my blister. So instead I presented at the . . .


It went really well, and I got to meet lots of wonderful people including a few blog readers! (Aloha fellow bloggers!!!)

After, Tina led the way while Peepy and I explored the Island. We went to a great park and saw the sights and smelled the flowers . . .









Then Peepy and I were treated to a homemade Hawaiian dinner at Tina’s sister’s house . . .


Peepy was particulary thrilled because he got to meet some baby birds . . .


Tomorrow? More exploring, then home.

Oh! And I asked Tina what a Granola Asian is. She told me that it's something she just made up, and that it means low maintenance. I like that.

Aloha!!!