My Be Like Barack Mini-vacation

Remember back in 2008 when Barack Obama vacationed in Hawaii? Over the Thanksgiving weekend, I had a “Be Like Barack Vacation” on a very miniscule scale. The day started early, picking up passengers, but we forwent the speeches due to the continued drowsiness of turkey’s tryptophan. Then our two-car caravan headed north to Laniakea Beach to see turtles.

Turtle at Laniakea Beach

Meals weren’t from the cuisine of Alan Wong’s but from the homestyle goodness of Paalaa Kai Bakery. I’d highly recommend the Snow Puffy.

Snow Puffy at the beach

Overpriced movies aren’t just at Ward, they’re everywhere though Wreck It Ralph was a great flick so I didn’t necessarily mind forking out $30. Hey, wait, what? Large bags of popcorn get free refills?!

There was no physical activity like working out, bodysurfing, shooting hoops, or golfing, but that didn’t stop us from getting a shave ice fix. Matsumoto’s was packed so next-door Aoki’s it was. The Sour Pucker was mine.

Sour Pucker from Aoki’s Shave Ice

During our mini-vacation, there were no swanky dinners for us, but I thought the signage on the McDonalds was swankily cool.

Haleiwa McDonald’s

So there’s my “Be Like Barack” eight-day vacation crammed into one weekend.