Day 1: Landing Gear (May 16)

How do you sum up the Travis and Brandi show?  A sticomedrama that overall has been running for 12, but changed formats 5 years ago May 24.  Here ye, here ye - elopers.  It was magnificent, because it was only he and me.  For us.  No fancy planning, no chaotic family, just a guy and a girl and $250.  Initially it wasn't what either of us had planned.  We both wanted a peoples' ceremony, yet it didn't work out that way.  But not for one second did that bother either of us.  Our entire relationship has followed a unique timeline & path, so spitting on stereotypical conditions for this was no different.  That's cool if you're into that sort of thing, it's just not our bag.

If you've pulled out your Vow Bingo cards, we've dobbed many squares over the last 1.2 decades.  The happier columns, some not so much, and in between a host of stories.  Thousands of laughs and conversations, hugs and tears.  And while you never know what lyfe will toss your way, one thing for sure is Travis & I rule at supporting & making each other better, day by day.  Because the word love doesn't even come close...

Taking a trip, let alone a honeymoon, wasn't feasible after the ceremony.  Shoot, we didn't even tell people we'd gotten hitched for a few months, so how could we have gone anywhere - um, romanticcy.  Travis' major upcoming back surgery was also on the horizon, which was priority No. 1000.  So before any maximum relaximum could be achieved, he needed a tending to.  And over the course of since then, we've seen many sleepless nights, physical therapy, bills and savings, jobs and layoffs, late night comedy, movies alone, house buying, puppies, and so many laughs.  That takes us to now.  An idea lobbied in conversation by this fella, way back whenny, has finally been realized.

The Clarks' Have Gone Hawaiian!

~~~~~~~~~~~

THE FLIGHT: We waited for our Hawaiian airlines flight, among a sea of flower shirts and too many nasty foot foots in opened toed sandals.  I felt out of place in black pants & black shoes, but my "Woman's Wrestling Champion of the World" tshirt let the accompanying passengers know I meant business.

While preparing for take off, we sipped delicious guava champagne fizzlers.  The monitor facing our seat played the jazz casual sounds of ocean life in between commercials for Roy's famous restaurants.  So many commercials for Roy's, I thought he may come out at any moment to personally insist.

The actual flight was smoothe, because I gather if you only really have one main destination you better get it right.  After bidding bon voyage to our temporary flying capsule, we were met by a lovely pair of local birds.  I splurged on a surprise for Travis with a lei greeting.

And also the flower necklace.

THE HOTEL:  Helpful Hint: USE a travel agent for trips like this.  You don't pay for it and they get you all kinds of 'amenities,' which is AKA for some seriously rad free shit.  We're staying at a fantastic place, right on the beach in Oahu.  It's beautiful and modern, and has hip kids like us.  We can go walking for miles along the beach or pop in to shop for whatever.

The room was upgraded from a city view, to a luscious ocean view on the top floor.  It has a groovy, wooden sliding thing that is fun to WHEEEE back and forth.  A mini-fridge for keeping snacks and a cheesy pink ukelele, which Travis serenaded me from.

THE EATS:  Our goal was to try lots and lots of fun food, but offset that by daily outdoorsy activities.  Since this was the first day we didn't schedule anything more than a walk about town and Travis was prepared with a great list of places to try; donuts for sure among the few vegetarian / vegan gems.

First, approx 1.5 miles away, we set sail for lunch at The Peace Cafe.  It is perfectly LA hippie vegan, where they tell you what's gluten free with a pinned up paper bird against the item.  The dude who served had beautiful blond dreadlocks and smiles for days.  Oh heavenly BBQ tempeh plate lunch...  BUT before that, one of our places to try, just happened to be on the way - Regal Bakery. The green tea in and out donut, was supreme.

Post donuts, pre hippie, we saw this Banyan tree.

THE NEATS: The crosswalk buttons make a windchimey sound when you press them.  I *may* have pressed them a lot.

We saw a sign for Aloha Alarm, which we figured was the nicest way to find out you're being burgled, "Aloha, you're being robbed."  to the robber, "Mahalo for closing the door behind you."



THE COMEDY SHOW:  I was so stoked that Travis was booked on a local Hawaiian comedy show.  From what I hear, they don't have many, so what an opportunity to see island funnies!  Or fresh funnies, as the "open mic after the booked show" banner declares.  The venue in Chinatown, was an urban juicery & coffee bar/boozey bar/food restaurant, all which have separate entrances, but met communally in the back.  That eclectic mix of where are we? was nestled among a colorful sea of low brow kalaima's, dotting the street.

We sat out back, waiting for the show to begin, when a frequent patron of the open mic started chatting with us.  She started with normal pleasantries.  Then jumped RIGHT IN to asking whether we wanted to go naked party the following night.  Trav & I looked at each other like oh, HA, you're kidding - way to razz the guy from LA.  But NOPE, she was nothing but serious.  I had to listen to this broad go on for 10 minutes about how great this event was.  How it was all you could eat BBQ, fruit, & booze - ladies were free, guys were normally $50.  But how kind, she could probably get Travis in for $40.  The theme was hedonism, so there'd be chocolatey body scrubs, weed, music and it doesn't matter... oh and "massages" were extra. 

But some good did come out of this tom foolery.  An actual, local comic named Shawn Felipe dropped by for a set.  It was a fantastic way to close out the show.  Turns out he even lived in our neighborhood for a while, so it was great chatting with him afterwards.  While he and Travis exchanged info like a couple of giggly girls, he told him about this night market thing...

THE NIGHT MARKET: Because we met wonderful guy Paul, we found the night market.  Picture Silverlake / Loz Feliz / any hipster town having a night market, and that's where we were.  Local artists, but mostly food vendors.  Lots of fried things, plate lunches, a few burgers, and some gosh darn sweet treats.  We had donut party 2.0 here and it was glorious.