Satisfying Our Wanderlust, Through Our Bellies

We didn’t take a big vacation this year. Between a new babe and a new house, it just wasn’t in the cards. And we’re ok with that because instead, we decided to keep it local, with a couple of day outings and weekend trips here and there. A stay-cation, if you will. 

*Disclosure: I’ve partnered with YMC and Moneris and have received compensation for this post. As always, all opinions and experiences are 100% that of To & Fro.

Despite enjoying our stay-cation, you could say we’re itching for an adventure. But, until we can get away (I’m looking at you Alaska 2020), one way that we satisfy our wanderlust to it revisit memories of trips from the past.

While we’ve had some great adventures, one trip that sticks out in our minds is from 2012, when we ventured to Kauai, Hawaii for our friends’ wedding. We spent 10 whole days exploring, and eating and drinking our way through, the island. It was definitely a memorable one.

Now when I say we revisit memories from past trips to curb our wanderlust, I don’t mean we just look at photos. One of our favourite ways of “taking a trip down memory lane” is to also eat the food that we enjoyed while we were there.

Living in the big and diverse city of Toronto, almost any type of food you crave is essentially at your finger tips. (Ok, maybe not salmon straight out of the Kenai River in Alaska, but that’s why I said almost.) So, when we crave the poke bowls like the ones we had while relaxing on Hanalei Bay beach in Hawaii, we don’t have to travel far.

On one of our more recent day outings downtown Toronto, we discovered Calii Love, on King St West. I have walked past it many times before (and have seen their unique insta-worthy photo ops all over social media), but had never ventured in.

Calii Love is a California- and Hawaii-inspired healthy lifestyle hub for all. It started from the idea that a grab and go food place could be more than just your everyday salads and bowls. They decided to take that experience and elevate it with positive emotions, wellness and a sense of community.

Vegans, vegetarians, chicken lovers, fish lovers, whether you’re dairy intolerant or gluten intolerant or simply want to enjoy a great coffee or latte, you will find something you enjoy at Calii Love. And enjoy we sure did.

With every offering on their menu named after a feeling, they literally allowed us to “eat our feelings” of our trip to Hawaii. I enjoyed the “Amazing” signature poke bowl - filled with fresh tuna and salmon - while reminiscing about how much of an amazing vacation it really was.  

You know what else I love about this place? Every decision made at Calii Love starts with a respect for the ingredients, the purpose for those ingredients and where they come from. This includes mindfully sourcing ingredients to meet sustainability standards. As someone with a deep respect for the environment, and especially the ocean, I love that they only use sustainably harvested Ocean Wise-certified seafood in their bowls.

Not only did Calii Love allow us to eat delicious, fresh food and relive some great memories from our time in Hawaii, visiting also allowed us to support a local, small business. Supporting our local business owners has never been more important. You know who else is committed to supporting local? Moneris. They are here to make transactions easy for both merchants and retailers, thanks to their payment solutions for every type of business.

Ok, so it may not be exactly the same as sitting on a beautiful beach, watching the waves crash against the sand while enjoying a fresh poke bowl, BUT Calii Love did allow use to relive those memories, while eating local and enjoying a delicious lunch with our little family. And that is something I can support.

I would love to hear - what are your favourite ways to satisfy your wanderlust?

A Hula Good Time - Hawaiian Luau Inspired First Birthday

In the weeks (ok, months) leading up to Morley's 1st birthday, the weather had been so crummy here in Toronto. We were in need of a little colour and sunshine in our lives, so a Hawaiian luau themed 1st birthday party only seemed appropriate.

To be honest with you, I had grand plans to make this party all "Pinterest-y" and one to be remembered. Then, real life took over and my fancy plans got put on the back burner. But, despite the lack of crazy decorations and Hawaiian-themed food, I'd say it the party turned out pretty amazing. And still one to be remembered. Baby girl sure is loved.

A big THANK YOU to everyone that helped make this day so special for our little girl. She is so loved.

And now, for an overload of 1st birthday cuteness...

One of my favourite parts of the party was the photo book that I made through Shutterfly. I filled it with all of our favourite family photos from the past year, a poem we had written Morley about her first year and plenty of space for family and friends to leave a special note.

The book was fun to make, like a walk down memory lane. It was also a huge hit, which makes me think it will become a yearly tradition. And one we can't wait to share with Morley when she gets old enough to read, and understand, the messages.

The amazing Hawaiian-themed cake was made by very talented friend of ours. She really needs to go into business with her cakes, cupcakes and cookies. The cake was too pretty to smash, but delicious to eat. Check out her blog here. 

The smash of the actual smash cake was pretty anticlimactic. Is it ever as exciting as you think it will be? Apparently Morley has her mom's salty tooth, and not her dad's sweet tooth. 

How will I ever top this party?!

How do you escape the crummy weather? I'd love to hear!

Waimea Canyon

Hawaii is to Alaska as Mexico is to Eastern Canada. We knew we needed to go.

Waimea Canyon, on Kauai's west side, is described as the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific", stretching 14 miles long, one mile wide and more than 3,600 feet deep. The canyon was formed by a deep incision of the Waimea River arising from the extreme rainfall on the island's central peak, Mount Waiʻaleʻale, which is among one of the wettest places on earth. The name Waimea, Hawaiian for "reddish water", references the erosion of the canyon's red soil.  

Waimea Canyon was a must-see on our Kauai bucket list.

A 10 mile long curving, and sometimes nauseating road, winds its way up to the top of canyon. Several lookout points provide stunning panoramic views of the canyon and the beautiful island of the Kauai and Pacific Ocean. Apparently even chickens live at 3400 feet.

When you're up on top of the Canyon looking over the beautiful island of Kauai, you feel on top of the world. Waimea Canyon is truly a dramatic sight to behold.

We decided to continue our excursion past the lookout and explore Waimea State Park a little more. We picked up a relatively easy trail that took us along the edge of the canyon, giving more spectacular views, and ultimately leading us to a tiny waterfall, where we cooled down before making the trek back to the car. The adventurer didn't skip the opportunity to pull out his binocs...

Being on the West side of the Island, we couldn't pass up the opportunity to stop and enjoy the Hawaiian sunset on the drive back. As we watched the summer sun sink into the Pacific, we were so thankful that we had the opportunity to visit the beautiful island of Kauai.

For more on our trip Hawaii, check this out:
A Trip to the Garden Island - Kauai, HI
Paradise on Earth - A Catamaran Cruise Along the Napali Coast

Have you visited Waimea Canyon?

The Main Event

Besides a much needed vacation, there was a purpose to our trip to Kauai... To help celebrate the marriage of our good friends! Enjoy some pictures from the main event.

 Photos of the wedding party by Vanessa & David Chavez (unless otherwise noted).

Paradise on Earth

I read somewhere that the Napali Coast "nourishes the soul".  Agreed. It also makes you feel about the size of an ant. Kauai's famous coastline is truly majestic, with emerald green pinnacles rising out of the ocean and cascading waterfalls towering high above the water for 17 gorgeous miles. 

Like all Hawaiian islands, Kauai was born over a plume of magma, called a hot spot.  As tectonic forces moved the island, it cooled and the water took over.  Rain carved out the deep valleys and giant waves from the Pacific crashed against the cliffs as sea level rose and fell, gouging steep and unstable slopes.  The result?  A series of plunging valleys, extensive walls and sharp ridges rising thousands of feet above the Pacific Ocean.  Simply put, paradise on Earth.  With that, the Napali Coast was born.

A Napali Coast catamaran tour was on the very top of our "To Do" list while in Kauai. In fact, it may have been the only thing on our list.  There were no excuses (including my fear of sea sickness), we were doing it!  And so we, and my sea legs, did! And it was AMAZING! Worth every penny.  

The Holo Holo Charters catamaran, the "Leila", left out of Port Allen, along the west coast, and sailed for five hours along the Napali Coast.  If we had a dollar for every time the word "wow" or "amazing" or "beautiful" or even "incredible" came out of our mouths, we'd be rich.  We saw bottlenose dolphins, were surrounded by a pod of 200 spinner dolphins, sea turtles, monk seals, swam with the fish and even got to see the dorsal fin of a shark on the cruise back in.  

I was in HEAVEN! Like a little kid on Christmas. Being in the ocean is like being in a whole new world.  I was very quickly reminded of my love for the ocean. I think in my second life I would like to be a mermaid.  If that's not possible, a dolphin will do.

Words can't describe how amazing the Napali Coast is, so here are many more pictures...

 

For more on our trip Hawaii, check this out:
A Trip to the Garden Island