Mahalo, Hawaii
Growing up on the shorelines of Long Island has been a dream come true, but it only left me wanting more. The coastal lifestyle I was born & raised with left me dreaming of the day I'd venture to the tropical shorelines of Hawaii. As I developed my artistic skills and style I found myself gravitating to the work of Hawaiian artists like Heather Brown, Colleen Wilcox, and Jonas Claesson. Their combination of vibrant colors and peaceful tropical settings undoubtedly transported me away and only helped drive that constant daydream. One day, I'd get to experience Hawaii for myself.
That tropical dream finally came true in 2022 and teenage Haley was not disappointed! We stayed on the island of Oahu and explored the beaches of Waikiki, Kailua, Lanikai, Haleiwa, and more. Our first stop from the airport was Poke Waikiki where I practically inhaled my salmon bowl, and that was just the start of the amazing food we'd eat on our trip. I devoured a burrito bigger than my head at North Shore Tacos, tried one of my first coffees ever at Green World Coffee Farm, enjoyed the best gas station lunch of my life at Steak Rave after a Kailua beach day, tasted some of the freshest sushi from the grocery store, had to try the iconic Raising Cane's chicken and fries, and rounded out the trip with a breakfast stop at Kono's on our way back to the airport.
We did it all from relaxing on the beaches of Kailua and Lanikai, surfing with our fellow tourists in Waikiki, watching the sunset at the China Walls in Honolulu, stumbling upon a John John Florence surf session, exploring the North Shore art galleries like Polu in Haleiwa. I took home art by Eric Maurus and discovered so many other amazing artists my bank account simply just couldn't handle but I highly recommend exploring on the gallery website. I actually went to Polu twice in the same day because I couldn't get enough exploring of the stunning art there. All of our experiences made for one of the most magical weeks of my life and it truly surpassed all of my wildest dreams.
There are so many things I will remember from Hawaii and if you couldn't already tell... I absolutely recommend taking the trip and exploring all it has to offer. Mahalo, Hawaii!
