tips – Cherise and Shine

In my mind, California’s central coast is one of the most beautiful and underrated regions in the state. When my husband and I had the chance to visit Lompoc one weekend with Explore Lompoc, we jumped at the opportunity! This area was first inhabited by the native Chumash people, and the name “Lompoc” is derived from the Purisimeño language meaning “lagoon.” Since then, the city was incorporated in 1888, and became known for its flowers, art, diatomite mine, Vanderberg Air Force base and wine.From our weekend in Lompoc, here were our top 10 favorite things to do:

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How to Spend 24 Hour in New York City

November 4, 2018April 4, 2023 Cherise and Shine

The Big Apple, the first United States capital (okay, for about a year, but still) and the most densely populated city in the country. I’ll start out by saying that if you can spend more than a day in New York City, you definitely should. But if you’re like us and only have 24 hours in this beautiful place, read on for tips to a whirlwind trip.

(NOTE: If you want to do 24-hours in New York solely to take pictures, I would give you very different recommendations for what to do. For us, we wanted a mix of iconic locations, quintessential NYC culture and delicious foods—so our story is below!)

6:00am – ARRIVE AT JFK

I love taking overnight flights—it’s the easiest way to make sure you don’t miss anything and also get an early start. We opted for a redeye flight that was supposed to get in around 6:00am, but due to an impending storm, didn’t land until 8:00am. No matter. We brushed our teeth in the airport bathrooms and then rushed to Brooklyn, backpacks in tow!

MORNING (7-11am) – BROOKLYN

Brooklyn might be one of my favorite areas of New York. Going in, it was a no-brainer to make this our first stop. Grab a coffee or breakfast at one of the many adorably hipster coffee shops (we stopped at Butler Bakeshop and met some friends), and stroll along the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan.

PHOTO SPOT #1: Go to the Washington / Water Cross streets for the iconic street corner shot with the Manhattan Bridge in the background. Word to the wise—Saturday morning is apparently trash day in this part of Brooklyn. Who knew!!

PHOTO SPOT #2: Walk along the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan and snap photos all along the way. I would highly recommend getting here early in the morning on a weekday (around 7:00am) if you want photos without crowds of people in them. However, you can also choose the timing we did—a weekend around 11:00am, but in the MIDDLE of a storm with crazy rain and gusts of wind!!! We were very fortunate(?) to be the only ones on the bridge as we struggled from one end to the other.

(ALTERNATIVE MORNING PLAN: If Brooklyn and bridges aren’t for you, then head straight into Manhattan and stroll around Greenwich Village. If you don’t mind extra walking, the famous flatiron building is only a 20-minute walk away from here as well.)

MIDDAY (11am-2pm) – THE OCULUS / CENTRAL PARK

Once you’ve finished your early morning in Brooklyn and crossed the Brooklyn Bridge, you’re only a 10-15 minute walk away from the Oculus (Westfield World Trade Center). Wander on over to this beautifully designed mall and grab a coffee or do some shopping if you’d like. We stopped in for a just a brief moment to get a shot with the fun architecture (easily photographed from the entrance).

After we were satisfied, we hopped on a train to visit Central Park. Central Park may not be the largest urban park in the world (that title belongs to King’s Park in Perth, Australia), but it just might be the most well-known. You’ve likely seen a film or TV show that had a scene or two filmed here.

At 840 acres, Central Park is still a daunting undertaking for anyone in a rush! But the most notable spots you won’t want to miss include the Bethesda Fountain/Terrace, Boat House and the Bow Bridge.

(ALTERNATIVE NOON PLAN: Go up to the Top of the Rock for one of the best views of the Manhattan skyline! I would recommend this over doing the Empire State Building, because if you’re inside the Empire State Building, you won’t see it as you gaze out at the view.)

AFTERNOON (2-5pm) – BROADWAY

From Central Park we rushed over to Broadhurst Theatre to see a 2:00pm matinee performance of “Anastasia,” one of my favorite childhood films turned into a Broadway musical! If you enjoy musical theater (and even if you don’t), a welcomed and relaxing treat for your eyes, ears, heart and feet is to see a show. A must-do in New York! Plus, this puts you right by Times Square, which you of course MUST see if you’re in New York.

EVENING (6-8pm) – DINNER

Honestly, all food in New York is delicious. It’s so difficult to narrow down what you should eat, but we opted for a delicious pizza dinner at Ribalta. Not only is their Napoli pizza authentic and delicious, but they also have a variety of allergy-friendly options! We compared my gluten-free pizza side by side with a regular pizza, and could not tell the difference at all.

LATE EVENING – SLEEP NO MORE

After dinner, we grabbed a third coffee for the day (needed the caffeine to keep going!) and headed over to the McKittrick Hotel in Chelsea for the critically acclaimed and quirky noir interactive theater experience, “Sleep No More.” Based on Macbeth, this interactive experience has you running up and down five stories of hotel into apothecaries, ballrooms, graveyards and more in search of silent actors playing out scenes before your eyes right in front of you.

No pictures are allowed inside this experience (hence the terrible iPhone shot of the bar area outside the experience). I would highly recommend brushing up on your Shakespeare or looking up the storylines online so that you can better follow what’s happening and choose the actors you want to watch!

(ALTERNATIVE LATE EVENING PLAN: Depending on the time of year it is, hit up one of New York’s many famous rooftop bars!)

After our interactive theater experience, we crashed with a friend in Queens and then headed to the airport bright and early the next day—but not without a traditional New York breakfast: bagels (yes, even a gluten-free one for me)!

All in all, we had a blast with our whirlwind New York experience, and I hope you have fun with yours, too.

ADDITIONAL NYC TIPS

Currency: U.S. Dollar

Languages: English

Transportation: Walking, Taxis, Subway, Lyft/Uber, Bus…there are many options!

Food: Everything in New York is delicious, and you won’t go wrong with whatever you choose to eat. You’d be remiss, however, to miss out on bagels or pizza. Both of these can be enjoyed in a variety of allergy-friendly ways, so don’t worry about your restrictions–whether gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, etc.!

Lifestyle

10 Tips for Driving Maui’s Road to Hana

October 15, 2018April 4, 2023 Cherise and Shine

No trip to Maui is complete without embarking on the iconic drive along the Road to Hana. Boasting 59 bridges and 620 curves in just 42 miles, the Hana Highway is a precarious drive that is not for the fainthearted.

I’m lucky that my husband is an excellent driver and didn’t bat an eye at the turns, crazy parking situations and one-car bridges! We had an amazing time doing the drive on our own, as we could go at our own pace and prioritize what we wanted to see. If you’re willing and eager to plan a DIY drive down this winding wonderland, here are some tips for you!

1. SET OUT EARLY

Even though it’s just about 42 miles (67 km) to Hana Town, it would likely take you 2-4 hours to drive without factoring in stops or your return drive! I would advise setting out as early as possible, both to beat some of the crowds and also ensure you have enough daylight to accomplish your must-do’s. We did this in September (make sure you look up sunrise/sunset times for whatever season you’re there in) and started from Paia Town around 8:00am. By the time we made it to Pipiwai Trail at the end of the day (10 miles south of Hana), we were sprinting up the path to try to get to the bamboo forest before dark…and didn’t succeed.

Plus, if you’re planning on driving back to West Maui at night, these roads are not super fun to drive when it’s pitch black and you’re going down dirt paths along steep cliffs! If we could do it again, we would likely choose to spend the night in Hana.

ALSO, I just want to mention: you might get carsick. This might be obvious, but it was something I didn’t expect and nobody mentioned to me. I got soooo dizzy around so many of the turns!

2. DOWNLOAD MAPS AND RESET YOUR ODOMETER…

You won’t have cell reception for most of the Road to Hana. So if you’re driving yourself, make sure you reset your odometer right at the beginning (there will be a sign indicating where the road starts), and have an idea of what mile markers have interesting things you want to stop at.

3. …BUT IF ALL ELSE FAILS, FOLLOW THE CROWDS!

However, if your odometer gets messed up or you forget to set and don’t know what mile markers to look for, do not fret. If a spot is worth visiting, most likely you’ll see a few cars clustered around. If you’re curious enough, just pull over and check it out—might be a waterfall, a pretty view, a botanical garden, lava tube or something else fun!

4. IF YOU MISS A WATERFALL, DON’T WORRY—THERE WILL BE MORE

This might sound like weird advice, but it’s true. There are sooo many incredible waterfalls along the Hana Highway, and when we first started out, I made my husband stop (and in some cases, dramatically pop a U-turn and backtrack) at every one, but we quickly realized that it wasn’t the end of the world if we missed a couple here or there. Enjoy the journey and stop where you can, but don’t beat yourself up over anything you might miss—the adventure gets better with every mile.

That said, I would like to advocate for my favorite waterfall spot: Upper Waikani Falls (aka “Three Bears Falls”) between Mile Markers 19 and 20. You’ll see them when you’re driving over a bridge, and will find there’s no parking right there—don’t panic, there’s a little dirt area just a minute or two past that you can park at and then walk back down. It’s a bit of a climb to get to them, but absolutely a worthwhile waterfall to chase!

5. BRING A TOWEL, SWIMSUIT, CHANGE OF CLOTHES AND CHANGE OF SHOES/SANDALS

Trust me, you’ll be jumping off of waterfalls and swimming at some of the most beautiful beaches you’ve ever seen, and be in desperate need of a wardrobe change. Also, because it’s so tropical and wet, you’ll be getting muddy as you hike along paths on your stops. I brought sneakers, but never wore them and stuck to my flip flops—but on the other hand, my husband pretty much exclusively wore shoes (until we were splashing around waterfalls!). Regardless, you’d much rather have options and not have to worry about it!

6. STOP AND EAT THE FOOD

While it’s definitely a good idea to bring snacks for the drive, there are so many delicious stops on the Road to Hana that you won’t want to miss. Try banana bread at Aunty Sandy’s (my husband’s fav!) or at Halfway to Hana, and pop into Coconut Glen’s at Mile Marker 27 for some of the tastiest (and allergy-friendly) coconut ice cream you’ve ever had. We’ve also heard there’s an insanely good Thai place somewhere on this road, but we didn’t manage to find it. Ah well, something new for next time!

7. VIEWS, VIEWS, VIEWS

While pretty much ANY place you stop at on the Road to Hana will be breathtaking, this highway has some incredible lookout points that should not be missed. Mile Marker 18.8 has an incredible lookout point with a view of Wailua Valley, and is one of our highlights from this drive.

8. SEE THE BEACHES IN HANA

I’ve heard a lot of people tell me that the Road to Hana is more about the journey and less about Hana itself. While Hana is indeed a sleepy town of 1,200 people, it’s still not to be missed. Besides the delicious food trucks and tropical views, there’s the ever-famous Waianapanapa State Park (Black Sand Beach). And Kaihalulu Bay (Red Sand Beach) is one of the most magical Hawaiian beaches I’ve ever seen. Yes, Kaihalulu is a bit off the beaten path, but it’s 100% worth going to!

9. DON’T BE AFRAID TO GO PAST HANA

Most people will do the drive, arrive in Hana, grab some food and then head back the way they came. I would say if you can, you should keep driving and head back to West Maui the other way—via the back side of Haleakala, which offers you a unique perspective of Maui that very few experience, and which takes you the same amount of time to drive as the Road to Hana. The climate is arid, resembling California in parts. And the starry sky we saw was enough to make us pull over, huddle together and gape in awe at the Milky Way before us. I’ve been in plenty of sparsely populated destinations, from the Sahara Desert to the Marquesas Islands, yet still have never seen as many stars as I did that beautiful night.

I will confess: if the Hana Highway is winding and narrow, these roads are dusty, steep and bumpy. Much of it isn’t even paved. It seems that a lot of rental car companies will have a “your own your own” policy and threaten to “void” your rental car contract if you take this pathway. We had NO idea this was a thing, and merrily took our Hyundai Sonata on this very special drive and returned the car without any problem or additional charge. But I can’t guarantee that this will be everyone’s experience!

10. BUT MOST OF ALL, TAKE IT ALL IN AND HAVE FUN!

Driving the Road to Hana is an experience unlike any other. Being disconnected from the world allows you to take in the grandeur of God’s creation and marvel at the wide variety of beautiful terrains on such a small island. This day fueled my love for waterfalls, introduced me to the glory of red sand beaches, filled my stomach with delicious coconut-y things and brought me closer to my darling husband for all his bravery and skill behind the wheel. It was exhausting, exhilarating, enlightening and ecstatic. And I would do it all over again.

ADDITIONAL ROAD TO HANA TIPS

Currency: U.S. Dollar (make sure to have cash on hand!)

Languages: English (Official), Hawaiian Pidgin, many people can speak Mandarin Chinese and Japanese

Transportation: Public transit is nonexistent; rent a car or hire a van.

Food: Banana bread, anything coconut, Thai, barbecue and Hawaiian-Mexican fusion (we ate at “The Surfing Burro” food truck in Hana and really enjoyed it!).

[googlemaps https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=1ryWsUq8b4t62XKOWRevSU1OBC_MRWQkm&w=640&h=480]

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24 Hours in Toronto

August 3, 2017April 5, 2023 Cherise and Shine

My oh my, what a hectic trip!

My husband was in Toronto a week for work, and I hopped up for the weekend to join him. I didn’t want to take any time off work, so I left on a redeye Friday night to get there Saturday morning, and then we were coming back Los Angeles on Sunday afternoon together.

WELLLL. Due to mechanical issues on the plane, I ended up being stuck on the runway in Los Angeles for 4+ hours. By the time I finally touched down in Toronto, we were frantically adapting our plans and trying to get refunds (we bought train tickets to Niagara Falls for Saturday morning, but ended up not being able to go) I realized I only had about 24 hours in the city. Let the craziness begin!

Be warned: I am no expert on Toronto. I will tell you what I managed to accomplish in 24 hours, but there’s still so much I don’t know and wish we had time to do!

Continue reading “24 Hours in Toronto” →

Lifestyle

8 TIPS FOR PACKING YOUR 2-WEEK TRIP INTO A CARRY-ON

July 28, 2017April 5, 2023 Cherise and Shine

Those of you who know me know that I’m all about cramming as much as possible into my trips. Life is short and vacation time is hard to come by, so if you have the opportunity to go somewhere, why not try to experience as much as possible? I am all for squeezing in a ton of things to do in a variety of different cities, even if they’re not close together, because I am able to sleep in transit fairly easily whether via planes, trains or automobiles (…or boats). Do lots, eat lots, see lots, take power naps in between!

One of the struggles of this sort of travel, though, is packing. Nobody wants to drag around a heavy suitcase while going to a bunch of places in a short amount of time! You might get stuck lugging your bags around until your hotel/hostel/Airbnb is ready—plus, there’s a chance you might be going around cities with lots of stairs and no elevators.

And don’t get me started on checking in luggage for flights! As more and more domestic U.S. airlines or European budget airlines start charging for check-ins, it just makes carry-ons seem like an even better idea. Also, there’s a nice reassurance of knowing the airline won’t lose your luggage, or that you’ll make your connecting flight if you’re switching airlines and hopping from country to country and don’t have to go through customs to pick up your checked bags. We’ve definitely had a few times where the magic of carry-ons helped us catch our connections after a delayed flight!

He thought he was cuter than the flat lay I was working on, and I kind of have to agree. =^.^=

So now that I’ve sung the praises of carry-on luggage, how does one go about packing for a trip? Sure, a weekender is easy enough to bring a backpack on, but what if you’re spending two full weeks traveling without having time to wash clothing?

I recently went on my honeymoon consisting of two countries, 12 cities, eight flights, three layovers and six ferries and only brought a carry-on, so it is definitely possible! Here are some tips for packing light on your long trips:

1) Mix & Match

I wore this two-piece yellow dress in a variety of different ways!

I feel like this is a tip plenty of bloggers share, but it really is helpful! With a variety of shorts/skirts/pants, it feels like you have a different outfit every day even though you’re reusing key parts. One of my favorite honeymoon pieces was a 2-piece dress from Lulus that I was able to wear three ways: as a dress, as a skirt or as a top.

2) Limit the Heels

These wedges were my one and only pair of “heels” on our honeymoon!

As a short girl who loves a little lengthening, this one is hard for me. Still, you save SO much room in your suitcase if you limit yourself to a pair of sandals, sneakers and MAYBE some tiny wedges.

3) Bring a Shawl

Shawls are such a great and versatile thing, because you can wear it as a cover-up when you attend a more conservative area if you need to hide your shoulders, use it as a scarf, or just have it to keep warm on summer evenings that get a tiny bit chilly. Our honeymoon was during late May/early June, so the one shawl and one cardigan was enough to keep me warm.

4) Limit the Books

This might be a little controversial—I know my husband loves bringing novels, guidebooks and language pamphlets whenever we travel, but my preference is always to research and print out a sheet of paper with a few key words/phrases, or screenshot maps on my cell phone that I can reference. There’s always the risk that your phone will delete items or that you won’t find an outlet to charge your devices, so this is up to your discretion!

5) Bring Sample-Size Toiletries

If I want to bring a fragrance, I’ll often pack teeny tiny samples I’ve stashed away from Sephora or other cosmetic stores. I also save face wash or lotion samples I get from the Korean store I frequent for my skin care supplies, and bring tiny packets along on my trips. I’ll also save hotel toiletries from previous trips (e.g. shampoo/conditioner, toothbrush, toothpaste) and bring them on my next trip!

6) Get Creative with Containers

If you don’t have sample/travel-sized items to bring with you, portion them yourself! One thing I always do is take a contact lens case and empty my liquid foundation into it. This also works for lotion and other liquids, and helps as a space-saver and way to stay below the liquid limit for carry-ons (3.4 ounces/100ml).

7) Bring a Rolling Carry-On + Backpack

Hubby and I had no problems getting these items onto planes as carry-ons!

…Or shoulder bag, satchel, tote—really anything that can function as your “small personal item.” I would also recommend bringing an extra tote/drawstring bag in your carry-on that doesn’t take up much space, but which you can use for overflow if you need to check in your bag on the leg home due to acquired items (*ahem* souvenirs and new clothes!). Bring a suitcase that’s also expandable, but still meets the carry-on size requirements (this will vary depending on airline and carriage size—research your planes ahead of time!).

8) Wear Your Heavy Items

This gorgeous maxi dress is a perfect example of a large must-have item for me that I wore on a couple flights to make space!

If there’s a trench coat, boots or a flowing maxi dress that you REALLY want to bring but it doesn’t quite fit in your carry-on, consider wearing it. Yes, it might be annoying—but even weighing the idea can help you figure out whether that item is worth bringing!

So there you have it! Hope these tips are a little bit helpful for your own packing, and if you’re curious about #whatsinmybag, check out my Instagram for photos of what I pack for my trips!