Our day started with the last cup of the coffee we brought with us, so we knew today would be a “seek out coffee day”. Our first stop was the KCC Farmers Market, a little over a mile from the house.
We knew this market gets crowded and were there shortly after it opened at 7:30 a.m. The hordes of people were insane and most of them were in line for breakfast meals. We knew not to get breakfast here, just get some coffee, fruit, nuts, chocolate and quickly escape the masses.
We picked up coffee from Aikane Plantation from the Big Island. One of the workers asked us where we were from and he chuckled saying he spent his summers in Hartford as a child. His only memory is of his grandmother’s majestic house in Hartford.
We were on a chocolate mission also here. We were hunting down a local chocolate company, Madre Chocolate, a bean to bar chocolate company. They grow their own beans in Hawaii. Scored on that one, they were there and we picked up a few bars.
Next stop was the lilikoi, or passionfruit hunt. I have an obsession with this fruit and luckily one vendor had some. Then we found Akaka Falls Farm jellies and they had passionfruit flavored goodies galore.
Oh and we can’t forget macadamia nuts, yup picked up a few bags from Ahualoa Farms. There were a few mac nut companies here, but for some reason this little farm beckoned to us.
As some readers know from past years, we pick up a few extra goodies and randomly select a friend or two to receive a gift box, hmmm whom might that recipient be this trip?
One of the best parts of the market today was watching the people scurry like ants when a downpour hit. Luckily we were already secured under a tent purchasing the papaya and arugula, so we stayed dried and chucked at the mass exodus.
After the market, we were famished, off we went to breakfast at Sunny Days on Montserrat Ave. I had the “egg slut” dish and Mike devoured the tropical fruit pancakes. What’s in the mason jar on the left you ask? Potatoes with sprouts topped by a poached egg. I was told to mix it together and spread it on my toast. Who would have thought of that? OMG this meal was so ono!!
After dropping off the farmer market goodies at the house, we had a few more food errands to run. First stop was Tamashiro Market for poke. The selection of poke was mind boggling and we decided on four to try. There will be another trip here before we head home.
We hit up Costco for more Mac nuts, our pile of nuts at the checkout quickly identified us as tourists. Next stop more coffee to purchase. First coffee place we sought out was Downtown Coffee, a local micro roaster and when I say local, he was outside the little shop roasting away.
While there I enjoyed a Kona latte and picked up two small bags of his roasted beans.
Our last coffee stop of the day was Honolulu Coffee. I had more coffee here to try and let’s put it this way, after all the coffee I had so far, I was jetting beyond belief. We only picked up one small bag, as this was the most expensive coffee ever.
Back home to drop off the loot and grab some lunch from leftover meals out. One last outing for the day was to Lanikai Brewing Company in Kailua. Finding this place was not easy, tucked back in a small industrial area, which to us, felt right.
This place only had three stools at a small serving bar. The three seats were occupied, but the kind people gave them up to us. We started to chat and the man in the group was from Southington, but grew up in New Britain on Ellis Street. I really did get goosebumps when he said that. What a small world.
They only had three beers on tap, but all were excellent. We picked up six bombers, but why I don’t know because there is no way we can drink six bombers before we leave. Anybody want to fly out and drink some with us? Please….
We arrived home with rain showers still following us and I napped, shocked I could with the amount of coffee I consumed today, but I believe the beer helped to neutralize the caffeine jitters!!
After napping time and writing a portion of today’s report, we dived into a poke dinner.
We were unsure if we would get a sunset or not tonight. Rain showers kept popping up and the gray sky loomed nearby. At the last second we decided to chance it and see what the sky looked like down by the Outrigger Canoe Club Hotel. We quickly jaunted across Kapiolani Park, racing to get to the sunset before it completely disappeared.
Once again the clouds ate the sun, but who cares? The view was still amazing.
We walked a little further to the other side of the Waikiki Natatorium War Memorial to view the twinkly lights of Waikiki. Sadly the camera didn’t capture the lights, just the storm clouds hanging over the city.
What a quick day of food, drinking and napping. Until tomorrow’s adventures….
CTHikergal Travels 
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