Wonderful Saturday in Honolulu! Thank you The Ritz Carlton Residences, Waikiki Beach!

PHOTO: My lovely gift from Tori Richards (c) Sery Kim

Yesterday, The Ritz Carlton Residences, Waikiki Beach was so kind as to invite me to explore the Ala Moana Center in Honolulu, the world's largest outdoor shopping center. With 340 stores, as well as an additional 80 eating options, the entire area could have felt overwhelming (like the Mall of America) but instead it felt rather cozy. Plus, the fact that I was hot walking around in a summer dress while my friends back home in Washington, D.C. were freezing in temperatures with a high (!) of 30 degrees made me quite happy.

I am particularly thankful to Tori Richards and to the amazing Big Island Candies for their incredibly generous gifts. Tori gave me a gorgeous, vintage print, wrap dress which is perfect for someone like me who loves to be a girlie-girl while traveling. The dress on looked as it was custom and I am so pleased to be able to take such a beautiful item back home!

PHOTO: All of my wonderful gifts from Big Island Candies (c) Sery Kim

As for Big Island Candies, I walked in there not knowing what to expect. I imagined "candies" to be jelly beans and Snickers but what I found where cookies, shortbreads, brownies and caramels. Everything tasted scrumptious and I pulled aside five items so I could buy them for friends back home. Instead, what happened was, the very kind Lance Duyao (General Manager) of Big Island Candies went behind the register, took out a plastic take-home bag, put all five items in there, and say "Mahola!"

OMG.

I couldn't believe how generous they were!! Thank you so much! And, of course, than you to Mr. Chan, the General Manager of The Ritz Carlton Waikiki (who is the prototype for the ideal General Manager), for greeting me at the Concierge desk and shipping these items FedEx for me back to the Mainland. I am super-duper spoiled!

PHOTO: Lunch at Mariposa Neiman Marcus

Then I closed out my morning of walking and shopping with lunch at Mariposa Neiman Marcus. Having grown-up in Dallas, where Neiman Marcus was founded, the idea of lunching at Neiman Marcus felt very much like being at home. Thankfully, the one in Honolulu has a beautiful cocktail menu -- champagne cocktails all day every day please! -- as well as wonderful salmon and fries.

I am so blessed by this wonderful life that I live. I really am thankful for all those who have shown me so much love, consideration and grace here in Honolulu. I will be taking home such great memories today.

Until again, ALOHA!!