oahu 04
november 18, 2005
i have never really considered myself much of a los angeleno. sure, i was raised and have been living here for the past 30+ years but i don't think i really exude much of the typical la stereotype. maybe i do but i don't really know? shrug. the only time i really feel like i have any trace of being a los angeleno, is when i get behind the wheel of a rental car in hawaii.
man, i think these last 15 years of driving in la has done something to me. i find people in hawaii drives so S L O W. and then i have to remind myself to chill and calm the hell down. there are definitely apparent differences. hawaii drivers are much nicer than la drivers - they actually let you merge into traffic. i also noticed that they don't mind sitting there waiting for the driver in front of them to turn left, irregardless of how long it takes or even if they miss the light. but the slowness is what really surprises me. even though they could be driving faster, they just don't. of course when i finally get myself to get into the hawaii driving frame of mind, it's pretty much time for me to go home. and wouldn't you know that on my way home from LAX, i was driving 55 mph whle everyone was going 80!?
anyway...
sunsets are just amazing in hawaii. no two days are the same. each minute changes in colors and shadows. no wonder it's such a treat to just sit there on the beach and watch the landscape pan out in front of you. as sunset draws near, everyone seems to stop what they are doing and a hush of peacefulness envelopes the air while your eyes are peeled to the horizon. and sometimes if you just blink a moment too early, the sunset is literally gone.
after returning back from waimanalo, i had to get ready to attend a wedding at ther sheraton moana surfrider. the weather couldn't have been nicer for a beautiful outdoor wedding on the diamond lawn for stef and mike. it wasn't only gorgeous but all the guests had the luxury of partaking in the sunset afterwards before the reception in the grand salon. the surroundings was just amazing for a classy and exquisite wedding and i was so honored to be one of the invited guests on their special day.
the newlyweds coming down the aisle
with diamond head in the background, the newlyweds ventured onto the beach
with their photographer for post ceremony shots.
from the left: N,
Merry,
Alden, Cory
and Mary.
not pictured: Ed
& A.
i had the dubious distinction to be seated as what was aptly named "the blogger table". although i don't think i really "blog" per se, this was pretty much the table where everyone else either has or had an online journal of some sort. although i've never met anyone of these illustrious writers in person before, we got along (in my opinion) famously.
the grand salon was really dark inside and so i had to use the night mode,
which didn't fare so well with my shaky hands.
N's sister has the exact same name as me, first and last! =:o
a couple gals came from vancouver, another from seattle, others from northern cal and me from southern cal. and one of them lived in hawaii. for a bunch of stranger all thrown together, we had a pretty fun time. i originally thought it would be awkward but i actually had read nearly everyone's site before, either as an avid reader or in passing. it was good to make new friends that night. we had a good time dancing for awhile before we all left to do our own thing. too bad i didn't have a chance to say goodbye to everyone that night.
on the menu, the starter was a lobster bisque
followed by, beef medallion with jumbo shrimp and scallops wrapped on sugar
cane with a mushroom risotto.
currently listening to: love psychedelico, your song
