| Family Days and Hawaii Food and Fun  Tanya's Daily Scoop CURRENTLY IN: ORANGE COUNTY, CA Greetings my dears. So much to say. Not enough time. This week was all sorts of busy, plus returning back from the Hawaii trip late last Sunday night made the week all sorts of weird. And until today, I just could not grasp what day of the week it was whatsoever. This weekend was also sort of busy, but it was busy with fun and family type of stuff - not work! Yesterday we went and cheered on Aurora (who for the most part was more interested in catching butterflies than the soccer ball) at her third Soccer game.  Such a cute jersey (c)travelincousins.com  This lil' cutie was there too! (c)travelincousins.com Dominic had a suggestion of us going out to lunch and a late afternoon game of pickle-ball. Which was quite enjoyable (and brought out my "fun" competitive spirit!). And being that I got home so late on Thursday, I had to postpone my usual hosting of Thursday dinner for the Fam Bam, where my plans were to try my hands at making Gallo Pinto (a typical dish that I fell in love with while touring through Costa Rica). One thing I did make on Thursday night (with a bit of a mishaps) was Rice Pudding - a dessert that I rarely ever have but one that I am thoroughly fond of. Did you catch it where I mentioned that there was a bit of a mishaps??? Well, as I was making this very delicious yet simple dish, as I pulled out the Cinnamon to sprinkle in I had accidentally grabbed the CAYENNE PEPPER. Whoops. So as I proceeded to mix the dessert, I sampled it and decided to continue and change the name and description to a Sweet & Spicy Rice Pudding! LOLOL My rain-checked dinner of Gallo Pinto was made last night and of I might say so myself- it came rather good and it was a big hit with the Fam Bam.  (c)travelincousins.com As far as today goes, I went to the mall with Jet, Andrew and Chaplin for some shopping therapy. Funny story is that it seems like every time a friend of mine asks what I have going on, I usually have some type of shopping included in my day. My friend had noted that I always seem to be shopping. I explained that I am an ADDICT. I am a shopping and travel addict. Don't do Drugs. Don't Drink. Don't Smoke. But I do travel and shop and shop to travel! My friend commented that those two things were probably much more costly and ya know what...maybe they are. But I'll take a cost like that to my wallet/bank account but definitely not to my health! Travel ahhhh travel. Well, I have 12 days to go before my next trip (Whidby Island, WA) and then 8 days between that one and the following trip (Orlando with Elisa and Aunt Camille). But for now let me catch up a bit more and fill in some of the blanks that I left you with regarding my most recent trip to Oahu, Hawaii. This trip was the brainchild of Lynn (SIL) as a graduation present to Kali (Niece)...but Lynn wanted it to be a surprise to Kali that Cosette and I were also going to be a part of it! Watch the video: When I was asked what foods I was most looking forward to eating in Oahu my answer was Musubis and Smoothies/Bowls, but being there I realized that although I only eat plant based that I very much enjoy Vegan Poke. And lastly but certainly not last, I went with Cosette (before Lynn and Kali had arrived) to a vegan bakery - Planted and had the most delicious Kougin Amann that I ever had before - I think I might seriously book a trip to Oahu just to come back for these AMAZING pastries!!! Now, don't go drooling all over your computer or phone, but please enjoy a peek at some of these mouth watering delights..  (c)travelincousins.com  Ube soft serve (c)travelincousins.com  (c)travelincousins.com  (c)travelincousins.com  (c)travelincousins.com Did I mention that ELVIS was in the house at the Rock N' Hula show?  (c)travelincousins.com Of course there was the North Shore and Zip Lining...  Girls trip (c)travelincousins.com  Weeeeee (c)travelincousins.com  (c)travelincousins.com And then there was one of my favorite things about Hawaii - The Sea Turtles... Read all about these lovely creatures in Elisa's column ----->>>>  (c)travelincousins.com  (c)travelincousins.com  (c)travelincousins.com  (c)travelincousins.com  (c)travelincousins.com And a few of me and my girlie...  (c)travelincousins.com  (c)travelincousins.com  (c)travelincousins.com  (c)travelincousins.com That is all for now. Ciao 4 now. Until next time. -Travelin' Tanya | Sopranos and Sea Turtles  Elisa's Daily Scoop CURRENTLY IN: LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK Hey Guys!! Well, to say that this past week has been crazy is an understatement for both Tanya and me! On my end, I had Kelsey sick this weekend so I was doing the Florence Nightingale thing. Although, today (Sunday), her cold really blossomed, so I had to kick things up a notch with the lemon and honey, VICKS steam pots and getting her comfy in bed. I thought it was not going to get worse yesterday because she felt good enough to go out to dinner with me and my mom. But, as the night went on, she began to fade. We did, however, have a very lovely dinner at one of our favorite restaurants, Uncle Bacala in Garden City Park, here on Long Island. I was surprised that it was as crowded as it was, considering we went rather early (5:30). But the weather was totally gross yesterday (and today) so I guess people opted to go out early.  At Uncle Bacala Saturday night. (c)travelincousins.com  Penne primavera - so good! (c)travelincousins.com Honestly, there weren't that many veggies in here - just carrots and broccoli, which I found strange, however, it was really good! It was loaded with garlic flavor and the vegetables were cooked perfectly. We were all pretty stuffed so we passed on dessert. Kelsey and I just came home and watched a good documentary - Wise Guy: David Chase and The Sopranos. It was a 2-part series and I thought it was really well done! Definitely suggest checking it out! Here's the trailer: According to the official HBO/MAX description: "Director Alex Gibney delves deep into the psyche of The Sopranos' creator David Chase, offering a unique window into the iconic HBO series." The description really minimizes the depth of this series. Of course, it is all built around the creative mind of the show, David Chase, but there are insights into the characters, namely Tony, along with personal accounts from many of the cast members, as well as the struggles Mr. Chase encountered getting the show made in the first place. Well done!  And now, we are going to jump over to Hawaii and take a dive into the world of sea turtles found in the Aloha state! As you all know, Tanya was recently in Hawaii for a few days and had an opportunity to get up close and personal with these amazing creatures!! In addition to its tropical climate and beautiful beaches and lush landscape, Hawaii is also home to five of the world's seven species of sea turtles including the green sea turtle (honu), hawksbill (honu'ea), leatherback, loggerhead, and olive ridley. The green sea turtle is by far the most commonly encountered sea turtle on Hawaiian reefs, followed by the hawksbill. What you may not know (at least, I didn't!) is that sea turtles are considered rather sacred in Hawaii. "Some Hawaiian legends say that it was sea turtles which first guided Polynesians to the Hawaiian Islands," according to Roberts Hawaii Sea Turtle History Sea turtles have been around for millions of years and are among the oldest creatures on Earth. It is believed this species split from their reptilian ancestors at least 260 million years ago. The earliest known marine turtle, Desmetochaelus padillai, lived about 120 million years ago and had a top shell and paddle-like limbs. An interesting fun fact - did you know that the leatherback, can grow to be eight feet long and weigh up to two thousand pounds. Sea turtles are vital to healthy ecosystems, especially in coral reefs and sea grass beds. They help manage marine food webs and nutrient cycling. Protecting the Honu The green sea turtle, also known as "honu" is a threatened species and protected under federal and state laws and the only remaining indigenous reptile in the Hawaiian Islands today. It is revered as a sacred symbol of longevity and endurance. These beloved creatures - the honu, are impacted by near shore fisheries interactions and can be bothered by people and their dogs on the beach while they are "basking." According to the Hawaii Wildlife Fund (HWF), "“Basking” (resting) behavior is becoming more common all around Hawai‘i and is an exciting way to watch green sea turtles, but it is important that people or dogs don’t scare the turtles back into the ocean. The presence of people doesn’t allow for turtles to rest " In order to let them get their much needed rest, if you encounter these adorable turtles, the HWF recommends staying 15 feet away and to avoid blocking their access either to or from the ocean. They are also sensitive to loud noises and flash photography. Fishing lines have long been a deadly encounter for the sea turtles as they can get hooked or entangled in fishing line. These interactions can cause starvation (if the hook doesn’t allow the turtle to close its mouth), limb amputation (if the line gets wrapped so taught that it cuts through the skin and bone) or drowning (if the line or hook gets caught on the reef and prevents the turtle from surfacing to breathe), according tot he HWF. Another such problem that is plaguing the green sea turtle is that they are suffering from a disease called fibropapillomatosis. This herpes-family virus causes the growth of white to blackish, cauliflower-like tumors. These grow on the soft tissues of the turtle’s body, internally and externally, and inhibit foraging, breathing, mobility and digestion. It is unclear what causes this disease, but research is ongoing worldwide to find a cure.  Best Places to See Sea Turtles in Hawaii Laniakea Beach, Oahu Also known as Turtle Beach, this popular spot on Oahu's North Shore is a great place to see turtles basking in the sand or swimming in the bay. It's especially good for viewing turtles at sunset. Turtle Canyon, Oahu This well-known snorkeling spot off the coast of Oahu is known for its clear waters and abundance of green sea turtles. Kiholo Bay, Big Island This bay is known as "turtle bay" and is one of the best places to see green sea turtles up close. Ho'okipa Beach, Maui One end of this beach is blocked off for turtles. French Frigate Shoals, or Lalo This small atoll in the NWHI is where an estimated 96% of all Hawaiian green sea turtle populations nest. Here's to a great day!! Until next time, -Travelin' Elisa |
