Back to work

I had one day to recover from my Hawaii trip. I'm back at work. Back to reality. I wasn't in a mood to work, but I have bills to pay and clients to satisfy.

 

I was still in a Hawaii state of mind though, so I wore an aloha themed shirt to a massage session with one of my clients. It wasn't really a fashion statement. It was more a reflection of where my mind was. My client didn't mind at all.

 

 

 

As much as I wish that I had a longer vacation, I am happy to be home. The LA skyline is a comforting sight to see.

 

I was right back in the hustle and bustle of downtown. One of my clients happens to live in a downtown high rise. There are great views of the city from the apartment, even from the bathroom. As you can see, this is where we set up the massage table.

 

It is easier to get back to work when you are working in a luxurious setting with fantastic views. 

Too much of a good thing

I really let loose during this trip. I kind of regret it now. I indulged myself with food and with having a good time. I blame my cousins. They tempted me with all sorts of goodies.

 

Tako or octopus poke

 

smoked ahi



ahi poke

Poke is a dish found in many restaurants on the island. There are a variety of seafood that can be used to make poke. Ahi and octopus are two of my favorites. I ate so much poke during my stay.
 

spare ribs

 

I ate more than just seafood. The island's restaurant scene provided a lot of food options to choice from.

 

macadamia nut cream pie

 

 

I am not a speedo wearer, but this trip was all about letting loose and saying screw it to my inhibitions. I speedo-ed around the beach on my last day on the island, and it felt good.

 

 

As I said, I regret the indulgence. I need to hit the gym.

Aloha

I spent the Thanksgiving week in Hawaii. It was good to see the family. It was good just being there. I love Hawaii. I spent the entire week on Oahu. I had a good time, just kicking back.

 

I did some touristy things like hanging out in Waikiki, but mostly I chilled with my cousins in the hoods of Honolulu.

 

 

 

Waikiki beach

 

Diamond Head in the background

 

 

surfer dudes



the Royal Hawaiian

native dude in ceremonial garb

 

the crowd at Kapahulu groin

Kapahulu groin

 That's right. It's called the Kapahulu groin. It's a pier-like walkway in Waikiki that extends into the ocean. It is a good place for people watching. I saw plenty of nice bodies.

 

 

I spent a lot of time at the cultural center that my aunt runs. I love getting back to my roots. In LA I sometimes feel lost in the huge sprawl. The hoods of Honolulu feels homey. I almost didn't want to come back.

 

strumming the ukulele

 

 

One of my cousins gave me this cool tank top as a reminder that I almost got lost at sea. Among the things that I did on the trip was go boating. It's an island. Surrounded by water. How can you not do water activities.

 

Anyway, I dozed off on one occasion and my boat drifted. If my heroic cousin wasn't there to save me, I might be in Tahiti right now. Actually that wouldn't be so bad.

 

He gave me this tank with the image of an anchor to remind me that I need to get anchored. Maybe it's a metaphor for my life.

 

bringing home the goodies

don't fall asleep

 

 There are all sorts of restaurants and take out joints in every nook and cranny around Honolulu. These are the places that the tourists don't know about, but they serve some of the best food on the island. It seemed like I ate at everyone of them.



 

 

 

I am back now. And I feel rejuvenated in mind and in body. Well, maybe not entirely in body. I probably over indulged in island cuisine. Food and sun is a potent combination.

sweat then eat

workout followed by a feast

 

delicious and healthy

Two toned

Speaking of color, I was at a place that wasn't remotely as colorful as Venice.

 

This place was the Cyclades Islands of Greece. The Cyclades Islands are known for the uniformity of color among its buildings. Virtually all the buildings are painted white with a blue trim. It was quite a sight.

 

Oddly enough, the uniformity of color among the buildings gave the island color (figuratively) and character.

 

I was there for a photo shoot. It was a very quick trip, only two days. My cousin managed to get an invitation to Milan fashion week in September. And she managed to arrange a photo shoot session on Santorini and Mykonos.

 

I didn't get to go to Milan but I was included in the trip to the Cyclades for the photo shoot. I wish I had more time there. I probably spent as much time on the roundtrip flight as I did in Greece. Nevertheless I was happy for the short amount of time I had there on the Cyclades and the Athens airport.

 

The brownish-orange shorts and hat stood out among the sea of white.

 

this outfit blended with the surroundings.
 

a friendly member of the crew who insisted on showing me around the island