An ideal vacation for me would be exactly that …”a vacation”. That would mean a vacation from everything. To vacate myself from all responsibilities. Don’t get me wrong I’m not saying I want to lie in bed all day with a box of cookies wearing only a diaper. Although in some bizarre way that would be extremely fun to try. Except that being a neat freak, having crumbs in my bed would totally ruin that vacation. (I’m fine with the whole diaper thing) It basically comes down to doing something you enjoy in the easiest way possible.

Considering that most people in Hawaii expect a vacation to be getting off this rock, I’ll continue with that as a guideline and try to leave out the simple “stay at home vacations”, which I have found are always the best, for example… to be in my boxers after a nice hot shower, then I jump into bed with nice crispy clean sheets. Have the air condition on full blast with the TV remote next to huge fluffy pillows. Throw in a foot massage and I’m done baby. If you’re wondering why I didn’t go for the back massage it’s because I’m going to watch TV. Um hello? Remember the remote on the huge fluffy pillows.

Anyway onward and upward to the big blue yonder. These are some of the ways we make our trips IDEAL. I’ll set a guideline for one week and $1000 because if not, my “ideal trip” blog will become out right ridiculous.

1. Time. Having time to enjoy every moment is the key. If we’re going on a vacation because we have some time off and we fill it with things we MUST do and then have to rush on top it then it would not be much of a vacation. So rule one. We give ourselves lots of time. We pack the day before and spend a relaxing evening out to dinner talking about how wonderful the trip is going to be. The trip is great already! On the day of the flight we like to go to the airport at least three hour before our flight. We never rush. After we check in with no luggage (I’ll cover that later) we like to go to the nicest restaurant we can find in the terminal and treat ourselves to a great meal. We lounge in there for a couple hours like we normally would do if we were out for a nice dinner. If our flight is delayed we just order another sampling of dessert. Hey, we’re on vacation. It’s always a win-win situation.

2. Luggage. Karen and I are light packers. I mean REALLY light packers. A one-week trip to the mainland should not require more than one carry-on for the both of us. Yup, you read right one carry-on. People seem to forget that you can always buy whatever you need at your next destination. You can always purchase an extra long sleeve shirt on the sale rack at the Gap for $5 if it gets cold. There is also a Target! And everyone has their version of Longs Drugs on every corner with prices way cheaper than Hawaii, so why would you pack and carry anything there? All we bring is the first night necessities, two credit cards. One VISA and one American Express. (In case one is lost and you have to cancel it really quick.)

I always found it amusing how people in Hawaii would shop for a bunch of stuff for their trip. If they only realized, the place that they’re going usually would have a better selection of clothing and things suitable for that place for half the price. And that whole thing about buying those travel sized toiletries. Take it from me they sell it everywhere. Save the money, for the price of that cute 1oz toothpaste, you can but a 9oz tube there for the same price. Unless of course you’re going to a country that doesn’t sell toothpaste. At which point running water would be more of a concern. Forget the toothpaste silly, pack some bottle water and a roll of toilet paper.

So now you’re asking what are you going to do with all the things that you buy there. Here’s what we do. We usually have an extra folded light nylon bag for our trip back home. Don’t forget the gifts! That’s our first option. The second one is we go to the post office and mail everything back home. It may sound ridiculous, but we feel the money spent not having luggage is so worth it. Our third and final suggestion that we highly recommend is that you donate your clothes to a Goodwill or Salvation Army in the area. They’re really appreciative and it also feels really good to do it. Most hotel concierges would be happy to help. And when we travel, we always make it a point to stop in at Goodwill or the nearest Thrift store. Hey, if I need a ski jacket for just a week then that lime green one for $8 will do just fine. The great thing is knowing that you’re helping the people in the community. And at the end of you trip, you can donate it back.

Another quick tip is, I usually wear and bring clothes that I was thinking of getting rid of in the first place. For example, I bring underwear that are still good but could throw away. After I wear them for the final time I toss them. Why bring back dirty clothes. When I return back home to Hawaii I buy 6 brand new ones. The same goes for old socks and t-shirts. Old jeans, shoes and jackets can be donated. They’ll clean them before they sell it. I know everyone wants to look great on their trips, but the fact is no one is really going to know you there and old clothes always feel the best. An added bonus is you won’t look like a tourist.

3. Driving. Even though we don’t mind driving, not having to get behind the wheel would be the best. Being a passenger is fine. Unless the driver is a nut. Angry drivers are unpleasant. We don’t mind getting lost. Actually we kind of like it. GPS? No not for us. Our vacation would not include any gadgets. We prefer a paper map and a pencil folded out over a coffee table in some side of the road café. We love public transportation and always choose destinations that offer a great rail system. New York was amazing.

4. Cost. Okay that would be a definite factor. An ideal vacation for us would also have to be a bargain. We always try to travel off-peak. The prices are great and there is never a crowd. This makes for spectacular service at all the venues. Hotels, restaurants, you name it.

5. Attractions. This would be really upon your taste. And for travel it constantly changes so everything would be ideal. Big cities, small artsy towns, historic places, even the great outdoors.

6. To top off the list add in safe and clean. Y’know. NOT dirty.

Recap. So the ideal trip should have at least one day for relaxing at home before the trip and one day for relaxing when you get home. There should also be one day to relax upon arrival and a free relaxed day the night before departure. So that would be a total of 4 days of cushion other than your actual excursion. So given one week, we would explore the city and do something adventurous and spontaneous for 3 days. No more, but definitely less. Remember that whole watching TV in your boxers after a hot shower scenario. A nice hotel room would be the pinnacle of that fantasy. Next would be light traveling in a relatively convenient and safe place. Then there was the ease of getting around. Less driving, more wine drinking! Add in cheap and we’d have IDEAL.

So the winner is… Portland, Oregon.

Our vacation starts on a Wednesday and ends on a Tuesday. We take the trip in September. The days are still long. It’s still bright out past 8pm. It’s a slow travel month and the weather in the Northwest is cool but not cold. No need to pack a lot of clothes. A long sleeve shirt would do fine. We would leave on a Thursday and return on a Monday. Those are the good days to fly. The planes are usually very empty and you can have the entire row to yourself. I prefer to fly back on Tuesday, a slower flight day, but that would not give me day of rest when I return so I chose Monday And the itinerary goes…

WEDNESDAY. We sleep in late. I take Karen to afternoon breakfast at Liliha Bakery. ($15) She loves it there. We go the bank and take out cash. We do a complete load of laundry so that we can pack what we want. We do light house cleaning so that we can come home to a nice place. I take Karen to Pietro’s for some Spinach and Bacon with Shoyu Sauce. ($25) Her favorite. I rather have steak, but I’m saving that for Ringside, in Portland. Voted the top 5 places in the country for steak. We get home early and pack our one bag. We fall asleep watching TV and eat whatever we have at home for a late night snack.

THURSDAY. Karen wakes up at 8am to get ready. She wakes me up at 9am. It takes me only 10 minutes to get ready. Thanks goodness for messy hair being a cool style. Tanna and Bryson pick us up at 9:30am. We go to the Starbucks at the airport (free, Tanna treats) and talk about WHITE. I’m serious, we love this book! We get to the airport by 11am. We self-check-in at the kiosk and head for a restaurant to lounge in. We go for the late breakfast buffet with Portuguese sausage, eggs and fried rice. ($25) Winner! We board the flight at 2pm. We arrive in Portland 5 hours later. Add 3 hours for the time difference and it’s 11pm. We catch the light rail system that is docked at the airport, which takes us directly to our hotel in 30 minutes. It’s under $2 per person. ($4) After checking in we go out to dinner. There are a lot of late night eateries there. I actually worked at two of them. I was busser and doorman at one of them and a prep cook at another. ($50) After dinner we head back to the hotel room where I live out my boxer shorts scenario. Cost $70

FRIDAY, SATURDAY and SUNDAY. Play.

MONDAY. Replay day two. Going backwards this time

TUESDAY. Sleep in we’re home already.

This would be my budget.

Hotel: $200. (Days Inn through Hotels.com 4 nights at $45 is $180. Let’s say $200 with tax. Remember I spend the beginning and end of the trip relaxing at home. Save money and sanity.)

Flight: Free using Hawaiian Air Miles

Car: None. Public transportation within downtown Portland is free. Buses, trains, and streetcars. It’s also a very nice city for walking. It cool and hardly rains in September.

Meals: $350. We’re very content eating soup and salads. Throw in a sandwich or burrito and we’re stuffed.

Play money: $200. That’s actually a lot for us. We could sit in a park all day and people watch. I wouldn’t be surprised if we spent less than $100 for the entire trip. Portland has absolutely no sale tax. Clothes, food, attractions, EVERYTHING is tax-free and it’s cheaper than Hawaii to begin with.

Total cost: $750 on the high end. Not bad for an ideal one week vacation for two.

So there you have it. PORTLAND. It’s a short flight. Nice, safe and very clean. It was voted the Best City for Walking. It also boasts the country’s Best Public Transportation System. The Food Network voted Portland for having the Best Restaurants. It’s also very inexpensive on top of the amazing fact that you also don’t pay any sales tax. It takes some getting use to. If something costs $1.99 …you actually get a penny back when you give them $2. Really weird, but awesome. Not to mention, the people there are really laid back and cool. One last tip, very important. If you travel to Portland, stay in the Pearl District. It is the jewel of the city. Be sure to visit 23rd Street, also called “Trendy Third” Tanna loves it there for the shopping. You’ll probably catch Bryson at a Trail Blazers game instead.

If you're craving a big city, Seattle is only a $50 train ride away. Amtrak can also wisk you away to San Fran, LA or Chicago in a flash. If you desire the COMPLETE OPPOSITE of Portland, the train can also take you to the heart of New York City. Which would strangely be my SECOND pick for an ideal vacation. Whuh? Go figure.

Roy Kawaji

It’s after midnight in Manhattan. My favorite time to write blogs. I wonder if the people who live around me wonder why my light is on so late? Hey, they shouldn’t be looking in my window in the first place! Anyway, I just got back from my nightly run. The air is crisp here. Well, in the 30’s so it’s very crispy. Late night runs through Manhattan are the best. I love it!

The evening begins with a wave from Frankie my doorman as I leave my condo. Super cool guy. He’s actually old enough to retire but he loves his job so much he shows up everyday. He owns timeshares all over the country and takes trips with his wife several times a year. So cute. Like a skinny Santa minus the belly and beard. Wish he were my grandpa! I weave through a sea of yellow cabs as I make my way across the street and skip and hop until I find my groove. Once the footsteps find a beat I’m in my own world. If you love to jog, you know exactly what I mean.

Within one block, I become part of a flow of tuxedos and evening dresses exiting the Lincoln Center after a performance by the New York City Ballet. The driveways are lined with black limousines and Lincoln Towncars. As I turn the corner onto Broadway, I find myself jogging past restaurants packed with tourists who just finished watching The Lion King. I meander past upscale bars packed with suits, a handful of them outside on their cells.

The scene changes quickly here from block to block. Before long, the thumping of a contagious beat energizes the air. Ritzy nightclubs are packed with students from NYU and Columbia. A line outside forms around the block for those still waiting to get in. A couple talks outside in the cold. Little puffs of smoke coming out of their mouth. In love? Fighting? Cheating? Who knows? Who cares? I escape the crowds.

Then I hear the rumble of the subway train below me. The sidewalk that was relatively empty just a moment ago fills up with a hundred New Yorkers as they climb out of the ground from all corners of the intersection. I’m talking women, children, businessmen … I see strollers, walkers and guys on rollerblades. Even one guy wearing only pantyhose holding a Chihuahua! I KID YOU NOT! And ‘poof’ they’re all gone.

My pace slows down as I find myself glancing into a neighborhood café filled with locals hanging out. The walls are packed with their coats and jackets hung one on top of each other. The backs of their chairs are draped with more coats and tons of scarves. Groups of five and six friends squeezed into a space meant only for two. A collection of wine bottles on each table accompanied with uncontrollable laughter. Good times. Makes me miss my friends back home. Sigh …I jog.

Under tons of scaffolding. Plywood barriers plastered with posters, each one trying to be more unique than the next. To the point where all of them say ‘look at me’ so they become all the same. I make it past a woman in an apron sweeping the front of her shop. A group of waiters share a smoke and their dreams on a crate next door.
Then I enter the calm of an old residential neighborhood. Like the streets you see in Sex and the City where Carrie types in front of her window from an old brownstone building. These paths are my favorite. The streets are usually empty at night and I have the entire road to jog on. The occasional rain or light snow makes the pavement glisten. The mood of the streetlights is so romantic. I love the way the foggy light from the old black lampposts glows between the branches of the winter trees. Soon to be drowned out by leaves that have begun to sprout. But for now the light still seeps through, creating an enchanting web of shadows cast at my footsteps.
As I gaze up at these old pre-war bricker buildings I create stories whenever I see a light in a window. Who lives there? Have they lived there their entire life? Are they lonely? It’s almost midnight. What are they doing up so late?

Then I laugh to myself, "perhaps they're writing a blog".

-Roy Kawaji

By now, most of you must have realized that Karen and I are a “fly by the seat of our pants” kind of couple. We both could be having a cup of coffee until one of us would say "let’s go somewhere” and before we know it we’ll be on a random plane to somewhere by that afternoon.

A couple of months ago in January, we had plans to live in Tokyo for a few months. One week before our flight, I said, “I feel like New York”. Before we knew it we were on a plane headed to Los Angeles. A few hours later we were walking around the terminal at O’Hare Airport in Chicago. After a short nap on the plane we woke up in New York.

So here we were, in possibly the hardest city to live in the world with only a backpack. We heard all the horror stories before we arrived. Everything was going to be too expensive. Everyone there was going to be really rude. The crime was unbelievable. Finding a decent place to live was going to be impossible. And if we did find a place, it would be a small dump and our landlord and neighbors would be straight out of hell.

Let’s continue. Karen and I arrive in LaGuardia airport on time. The weather is nice and cool. Not a single person has bumped into us yet. So far, so good. Okay, it’s time to step outside. We’re careful not to get mugged, but there seems to be no ‘bad-people’ around. Hmmm, that’s odd. We walk up to a cab and ask him to take us to Manhattan. We brace ourselves for the rudeness… but he just smiled and welcomed us in. The cab is very nice and clean. We strike up a fun conversation with him and we’re talking and laughing all the way into town.

We get dropped off at one of the cheapest hotels we found online. It was something like $80 a night. Very, very cheap for Manhattan. From what people told us, cheap meant bad living conditions with rats. This may sound horrible to most people, but for us it was an adventure. We were strangely looking forward to seeing one of these legendary “cat-sized New York rats”.

When we checked into our room we were surprised to find a rather clean furnished room. It had a living room area, a kitchen, a full bath and two bedrooms. Yup, you read it right. TWO bedrooms. The kitchen had a large refrigerator, a stove, a microwave, a coffee maker, a toaster and every kitchen supply needed to live there. We had a huge TV with premium cable and free wireless access too! Remember, this is not an apartment, just a cheap room we rented for a few days. Too easy!

After relaxing overnight, we were ready to take on the mean streets of New York from scratch. No more hiding from the real world in a hotel room. It was time for us to find an apartment. We were told that this was going to be the hardest thing in the world to do. We heard about ridiculous broker fees that you pay in the thousands of dollars and people out-bidding you for rooms. You could put down a deposit but still lose your place the next day. Cheating landlords that take your money. These things happen all the time and it could go on for months. Months they say, MONTHS!

So bring it on. Bring on the tiny 8’ x 8’ apartments. Shared bathrooms. No laundry. No heat and no hot water. Give me windows with a view of a dirty alley and a loud neighbor only 3 feet away. And rats. A lot of rats. We were ready!

We started our first day of searching. We called three places in hopes that at least one will call back. Yeah, wishful thinking right? (Because these New Yorkers are suppose to be really rude and competition was fierce!). That afternoon all three called back. That can’t be! They were super nice and invited us over that day. All three of the people we met were really friendly. Not only did they show us their place they even gave us leads to other rental units. We told all of them we wanted their place because our ‘advisors’ told us that once we find a place we MUST take it because they go fast! We MUST. We MUST. Don’t be choosy or we’ll end up on the street for months. Months they say, months!

The one thing we’ll have to admit though is that rent is not cheap. Everyone said so. But to us it’s soooo worth it! We wanted a safe neighborhood and since there was going to be the both of us living there, we budgeted around $2500-$3000 for a place. Remember, this IS Manhattan. So anyway, we went back to our hotel room and waited. Within an hour we got a calls from all three of them saying that we got the place. Not only did we find an apartment in one day, we had three to choose from. Wow wow wee! Now for the best part. We got a place for almost half our budget! A surprising great deal of only $1500 a month for the both of us, all utilities included.

So with that price, in one of the best neighborhoods in Manhattan all the Nay Sayers would agree that we must be living in a dump right? RIGHT? Well, you decide. We moved in to a luxury high-rise condo with a balcony overlooking the Hudson River. It’s on the Upper West Side (where they filmed You’ve Got Mail) There is a park outside our building entrance, so we have a great view of everything around us. We have a full kitchen, full bath, huge bedroom and an even bigger living room. Our place even came with a Crunch Gym membership that is located in the lobby of the building. Every time we get home the doorman dressed in a long coat and hat smiles and opens the door for us. We have our own concierge that helps us with everything and even holds our mail and deliveries for us.

So where are the rats! Bring on the rats!! It has been over a month now and we still haven’t seen those basketball-size rats. Karen and I sometimes even feel that we have been shortchanged. Weird but true. Karen actually would stand at the edge of the subway track looking up and down for rats. Sigh… not even a mouse.

The people in New York have been really nice. Every time we have asked for help or directions, everyone was more than willing to oblige. We love to eat out. We also love to cook. New York is the perfect place for both. People hold doors for us. They let us go ahead when entering places. They are quick to say excuse me if they bump into you. If we drop something they’ll pick it up for us. We run into so many nice people everyday. It’s incredible. We get invited to parties and events every week. We made friends with people in our building and even people in our neighborhood. We attended Fashion Week parties, Book Releases parties, Celebrity Auctions, Hotel parties… Next week Monday we got reserved seats for the The Late Show with David Letterman and on Wednesday we got complimentary tickets to watch the Knick play the 76ers at Madison Square Garden.

Life is good. Too good. Can all this be true? Or is it simply a state of mind. Most of you must be thinking, “Well hey, you guys have just been lucky… bad things are everywhere”. That could be true. Or perhaps. Just perhaps, it’s just a state of mind.

Well, it’s another beautiful evening in New York City as I write this on the balcony overlooking the city lights and the snow-covered streets below. The air is a crisp 40 degrees and falling. It’s suppose to snow again tomorrow. Karen is sitting besides me holding her favorite mug filled with half hot chocolate and half coffee, swaying back and forth as she hums a Christmas tune. Yeah I know it’s March, but she always seem to break into Holiday jingles anytime she sees frost coming out of her mouth. Just one of those strange but charming quirks about her. Anyway, I turn to her and say “so where do you want to live next?”

Karen pauses for a moment and replies, “hmmm, maybe Paris.”

Then I think, Paris huh? I’ve heard from a lot of people that it’s really hard to live there and the French are very rude. Oh really?

I turn to Karen as I type this last line and I say, “Paris it is... well, for tonight anyway".

-Roy Kawaji