malibu, 90263

So we were in Santa Monica today, and because we weren't sure about the traffic situation on the freeway (there had been a closure due to an accident earlier), we took PCH back.

I'm a bit reluctant to admit this, but, really, I don't know what the big deal is about Malibu. Sure, it's nice out there. But I think the beaches I saw in Carmel and Pacific Grove up north were a hundred times prettier. Or Kailua Beach on Oahu. Or Waimea Beach on the other side of the island. Now those are truly beautiful beaches.

You need nice shops and cafes by the beach? Carmel's got them. So does Pacific Grove. Sure, these beaches are farther up north and Malibu is considerably warmer, at least much of the time, but weather can't be the only thing people look for in the beach, is it? Or is it?

It must be all that hype with the celebrity population that makes Malibu attractive, because, although the drive along PCH is nice enough (I admit, it beats driving on 101), there are miles of ugly houses on the ocean side of the road, and hundreds of feet of parked cars to look at that kind of take away from the joy of driving by the sea. There's also -- it seems always -- some type of construction going on that makes the area visually unappealing to me.

So there. I've said it. I'm not particularly crazy about Malibu, and if that deeply offends someone's sensibility, there's nothing I can do about it.

yes, we were all there

Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble. Were you there?

ache happens

My lower back has been bothering me, to the point where on some nights, I can't find any comfortable position in bed. I realized why today -- it's the chair in the office.

I've been spending a lot of time sitting at the desk recently, and this chair, which we bought -- when? I don't even remember -- for M, who is more than a foot taller than me, is not ergonomically correct for my body. Duh.

I dragged a chair from the kitchen and sat in it with a thick pillow between my back and the back of the chair, and goodness, what a difference it makes.

Yet another area in M and my lives where we are not compatible.....sometimes I think it is a miracle that we actually get along.

spring fever

Yesterday was the first day of spring. The weather around here has been a tease, warming up a bit, cooling down again, getting really warm again, and then going back to almost winter-like temperature. Yesterday, however, was a nice day. It is warm and bright today, too, and maybe, just maybe, it really is spring now.

E's playroom project is almost complete. The magnetic boards and the flags arrived yesterday; all I have to do is have M put them up. I would have done that myself last night except the boards are too heavy for me to install. Didn't have the heart to ask M to do it last night, however.

The planters on the patio are now done as well. This year the color scheme is bold, bright, and all around happy. In a few weeks they will fill out, and about that time, it will be warm enough to start having dinner outside.

A glass of chilled white wine in my own backyard, at the end of a productive day. Life really can't get any better than that.

about food blogs

There are soooooo many food blogs.

I used to wonder why that was the case, until I realized that food was quite possibly the easiest and most accessible topic to blog about.

One can blog about travels, but really, how often does one travel? Blogs can be also about movies, but I don't know anybody who sees a movie every day. Everybody has to eat, however. Most people eat a few times a day.

What's amazing about the food blogs I read is the amount of time and energy these people are evidently spending on creating, searching, consuming, photographing, and critiquing food. I enjoy cooking and I like to eat, too, but if I spent that much effort even just thinking about food, I would have no energy left to eat, let alone to cook.

The food blogs I like are those that don't just discuss food -- I find recipe blogs quite boring -- the ones I frequent look like they are talking about food but really they are talking about, oh, you know, love, life, relationship, and stuff like that. So far I have not found too many of them, but there are some, and they are oh so lovely.

Ka Nohona Pili Kai

Pä hanu mai ka pua ehu o ke kai　　　
E holu nape ana i ka lau kï　　　
Me he leo `a`ala i mäpu mai　　　
E heahea mau nei　　　

Aloha ë, aloha nö　　　
Aloha ka häli`ali`a mau　　　
He nani ë, he nani nö　　　
He nani ka nohona pili kai　　　

Lauele ka mana`o i ke aumoe　　　
Hia`ä i ka `ulaleo o ke kai　　　
Ka`iawe ka hä`upu aloha　　　
E ho`omälie mau nei　　　

He pilikana ka malu ulu niu　　　
Hei mai ana me ka pöhuehue　　　
A he wehi ho`i ko hi`ikua ë　　　
E kähiko mau nei　　　

Puana `ia no ke ehu o ke kai　　　
Ia hanu `a`ala o ke aumoe　　　
Moe a`e ke ala e `alo 　　　
E ho`olale mau nei　　　

Aloha ë, aloha nö　　　
Aloha ka häli`ali`a mau　　　
He nani ë, he nani nö　　　
He nani ka nohona pili kai　　　　　


The spray of the sea comes as a breath　　　　　
Rustling the leaves of the ti plants　　　　　
Like a perfumed whisper scenting the air　　　　　
Ever calling to me　　　　　

Beloved, beloved indeed!　　　　　
Beloved is the sweet remembrance　　　　　
Beautiful, beautiful indeed!　　　　　
Beauty embodies that seaside home　　　　　

The mind wanders freely in the dark of night　　　　　
Wakeful from the spirit-like voice of the sea　　　　　
Precious images drift through my thoughts　　　　　
Always bringing a sense of peace　　　　　

The shade of the coconut grove is like family 　　　　　
Embracing me like the morning glory　　　　　
Those who are gone become a thing of beauty　　　　　
An everlasting adornment to hold dear　　　　　

The spray of the sea recounts the story　　　　　
That perfumed murmur of the deep of night　　　　　
The pathway lies before us that we tread　　　　　
Beckoning us ever forward　　　　　

Beloved, beloved indeed!　　　　　
Beloved is the sweet remembrance　　　　　
Beautiful, beautiful indeed!　　　　　
Beauty embodies that seaside home　　　　　　　　　　　　

－Ka Nohona Pili Kai　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
Keali`i Reichel & Puakea Nogelmeier