So far though, every time I hang on and get through one of these moments – actually week(s) – I am rewarded for my perseverance. The teens get along, the husband stops being edgy and bullish, the bills somehow get paid.
Or a friend visits. Spending the week with my friend I do believe magically made my family far more appreciative of my time, since they were getting none of it.
So on Monday, after taking my friend to the airport and returning home, I had plans with my family. We had a gift certificate from Christmas to The Cheesecake Factory in Waikiki and we were going to have a family day out. However, daughter needed us to be home by six, son had not gotten home by two in the afternoon.
Hubs and I ditched them. We turned it into a belated Valentine’s date. We had a lovely late afternoon meal and then took a sunset stroll down Waikiki Beach. It was so beautiful, so romantic, I decided to invite the internet.
The Royal Hawaiian Hotel.
The Royal Hawaiian just reopened after seven months of renovations.
Love me a long, spooky hallway.
The Royal Hawaiian was the first hotel in Waikiki. It is my favorite. You can feel the old times, you can almost see the ghosts of a time gone by in the hallways. I was afraid they might ruin this with the renovation, but the old style is still there. This is a window box along one of the corridors.
Coming through the hotel out to the beach.
Royal Hawaiian Mai Tai Bar. One of our family's favorite summer sunset treat places to go.
Diamond Head while walking down the beach.
Sunset
Sheraton's Rum Fire Bar. We stopped for a sunset drink before heading home.
We used a gift certificate at the Cheesecake Factory, and since we ate there they validated our parking. The Rum Fire Bar was having happy hour and our bill was $9.98 plus tip. Since I was such a cheap date for Valentine's, my Friday Foto is doubling as next week's Money in the Bank. Join the fun in handing out tips on ways to save money over at Smart Mouthed Broad.For more Friday Fotos, head on over to Candid Carrie's.
If you are blog reading this weekend, I just found this terrific blog. It came recommended by Ryan over at the Panic Room.
Have a great weekend internet!
34 comments:
Ack. Blog links! My google reader is overloaded as is, but I always like new stuff...
Pseudo, you did the exact right thing by ditching those pesky teens. I am so proud of you! You needed this after such a stressful week. Love love love the photos - thank you so much for sharing.
And I am so cheap, I love that you tied it into SMB's Money in the Bank. I have to do a post or three for that. Good stuff.
I hope you have a fabulous weekend.
E
How long till I arrive on August 1st? Let me count the days! But I do have a big trip coming up ... it's a mystery and a secret. Shhh! In the meantime, I'm very jealous of your night out! Glad you had fun.
A gift cert to Cheesecake Factory is a great way of saying, "i love you." Being able to use that cert with your sweetie? Priceless!
As someone who lives halfway around the planet from the nearest CF... Which to die for yummy cake did you have for dessert? *envy*
Thanks for taking us on that little tour, I thoroughly enjoyed it. That photo of the sunset was beautiful, I can only imagine how breath taking it must be to see it up close.
ps. cheesecake is my very favorite dessert.
We shared the Godiva chocolate cheesecake, which was to die for.
That followed the ahi tempura rolls, the Thai lettuce wraps, and the fish tacos. All highly recommended.
The ultimate margarita was not too bad of a start too.
Us husbands like being edgy and bullish, sorry about that, sounds like you cope well.
One again, gorgeous photos, you live in a beautiful place. Love the sunset pic.
You are not helping me save money. I am now booking a trip to that fabulous hotel. See you in a few months!
Happy belated Valentine's Day! You surely celebrated it well.
Lovely images. Sounds like you had a great time.
Wonderful "tour" pictures, and thanks. The hotel looks amazing
That sounds incredible!
Gorgeous pictures!!! Date night is the only thing that keeps me sane sometimes!!!
Beautiful...I love places that look like that ;:)
Very nice. Nice to get away from the teenagers, nice to get away from the stress, nice to spend some quality time with your hubs. And you get to do it in paradise. I am officially jealous.
It's days (weeks) like this that reminds me of the fun we had before mortgages and children. And, hopefully, a less stressful older age.
I really thought that I already commented here. Doh! I love this....a two-fer. Your date night looks fabulous. You're linked. Have a great weekend.
Thanks for inviting us along! I loved all the pictures of the warm and exotic (to me) places, the sunset was the best. And somehow the fact that this post was a two-fer makes the date even more thrifty!
It's looking more and more like paradise -- add the cheesecake and it's perfection. I loved the tour, thanks so much. And I do hope you're feeling much less stressed.
KJ
I love that you had a lovely belated V-Day date! Awesome!
And thank you (so much) for your comments today, both on my blog and Beth Kephart's. That means so much to me.
BTW, I just discovered that I was not officially following your blog. How is that possible? I'm such a distracted jackass sometimes. Fear not, it has been rectified.
Thanks again and have a swell, mellow weekend...
XO
Anna
Have you heard? Today is Day 1 of the Where in the World is Wenda? Contest. Head over to Three Bay B Chicks and Hot Chocolate Caramel Mocha to join in the fun. Can’t wait to see you there!
-Wenda
It sounds like you had a perfect date!
Thank you for this trip to somewhere far away..... (and for the very thought of a photo of Anna with something unexpected on her head).
You had me at "The Cheesecake Factory in Waikiki" ... sure we've got one an hour away from our house but saying "The Cheesecake Factory in Milwaukee" isn't nearly as cool!
Great post even though I got distracted when you said The Cheesecake Factory in Waikiki.
I have cheesecake attention deficit disorder.
Happy Fx4!
Carrie
sigh....
Sometimes a woman and a man just have to do what they have to do, and dumping the kids is the trick. Glad you had a respite in the form of a cheap date with your husband.
Thanks for taking us along on your Valentine date. I'm glad your family realized how much they missed your time after they lost it for a little while too.
Day 3 of the Where’s Wenda? Contest is here. Today I am visiting all of the SITStas that commented on Three Bay B Chicks. That means you! Thanks so much for stopping by and for being a great SISta!
-Wenda
I love this peek into your life. My husband and I just had a day trip to a plantation to see a flower show. It only cost the gas there and back and a diet coke.
Sometimes it is good to be cheap.
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
thank you :)
Next week Friday Foto will be another out of the ordinary North Shore walk. Everyone liked my trip to town here, so I went again yesterday and took pics of another side of town....
Omg those photos (sunset in particular) are LOVELY and to die for!
Talk about a romantic Valentine's...
I love the long spooky hallway...what a great setting for a 1940's murder mystery, should you ever decide to branch out into fiction!
Ah, this brings back lots of happy memories. My parents used to take us there for special occasions, like my hs graduation. One of my favorite places.
I always wanted to go there on my honeymoon, but I didn't end up having a honeymoon (a long story that I hope has a happy ending someday).
I love cheap dates!
Beautiful and in about 4 and 1/2 months, I will get to experience the island of Maui for a brief vacation. First time in the islands ever.
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