My One Particular Harbor....

 Oh, I don't like waking up to dreary fog!!! So it is time to UPLIFT!!!
     Time to go to MY HAPPY PLACE!!!! Yay!!!!

    First, I will climb aboard my Little DREAMBOAT!!!  Cruisin' to Paradise!!!

     
                Gathering up some BEAUTIFUL Luscious Blossoms....

 Tying on my favorite Pareau and making a Lei Po'o so I can wear flowers in my hair....

                                                                                                           

                                       Ahh feeling better already!!!

                                    HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY!!!!!!

      Here's a little time capsule in Paradise... funny how some things are timeless  

 ( Vahine and tall ships) and how some things perpetually change

 ( Hairstyles, Fashion, and BOOMBOXES!!!)...     Mahalo, Jimmy Buffett!!   You have brought much joy and laughter to me through your music and stories, not to mention inspiration for my Love of Tropical Paradise!!!   

             

      HAVE A GORGEOUS TROPICAL DAY!!!! Aloha Nui Loa!!!!                                    

Who Let the Bohemian Out?

Have a listen as you peruse today's lovelies....

                                       Thanks Jack!!! You Da Best!!! 

Amazing!!!

   

Oh, I can just feel myself there!!!

And I'd be wearing these!!!

The door to another world!

Ahhhhh!! 

My kind of colors and style!!

Makes me feel Happy!!!

    Pictures are from Tumblr and Samsara... It is actually raining today!! It's a Heart Shape Kind of Day!!!!   Aloha!!!

Love to My Family....

Our Family Celebration of My Parents Anniversary July 2011 Oxnard,CA....

 I wanted to honor my Mom and Dad, since today would have been their 64th wedding anniversary. Every year for the past 1 1/2 decades we have celebrated their anniversary by gathering for the weekend (the last at least 10 years have been at the Embassy Suites in Oxnard)...  We would eat and laugh and swim and play on the beach and play Pounce and be the crazy family that we are together. For 3 days straight. My Dad always looked forward to this annual trip. He would start talking about it and wanting to plan it at Christmas! 

       Thank you Mom and Dad for being together all these years and loving ALL of us... for giving us this fun family experience of life. We Love You SOOOO much!!!  Dad, we miss you terribly... thanks for leaving signs that you are still around us...your playfulness and humor permeates the veil between the worlds...

A Tropical Bohemian's History...

Waikiki

  I often ponder how my love of all things Tropical came about at such an early age. Especially since I was born and raised in the heart of Los Angeles! Was it from learning how to do the Hukilau dance from my second grade teacher, Mr. Ishimaru? Or was it from going to the Tiki Room at Disneyland??? 

 Fast forward a few more years, and my family takes our first trip to Hawaii... and that's it. The second we got off the plane and I felt that balmy, plumeria scented tropical air, I was hooked.  I have probably taken more trips to Hawaii than anywhere else in the world.  At first, it was all about going to the beach and getting nice and brown. And going to the outdoor vendors for Hawaiian stuff...oh, how I loved the stuff... shell jewelry, Hawaiian fabrics,  etc. Mostly though, it was just that awesome feeling of being there that I loved and the great memories of fun I had with my family. 

    I made and sold Hawaiian clothes for  about 20 years...every once in a while, I will see a man wearing one of my shirts!! I always ask them if I can see the label just to make sure!!!  What I need to do is take a picture of them! Those shirts are antiques by now!! haha!

Dancing on the Condor at sea with Stacey my Hula Sistah!

              But then I found hula.. or I should say, it found me. I was not looking for it, nor did I think I could afford to take lessons, since at the time, I was a single mom. But I found a way. The money showed up and so did the time. Everything aligned perfectly so I could commit myself to it.  Embodying the spirit of hula, I brought my love of the islands deep into my being.  After dancing for 16 years, it lives in me now, in a profound silent kind of way, and it touches others when I get out there to perform.  Is it a past life thing, or just destiny? Whatever it is, I am so thankful that it found me (though I wish it found me when I was in my teens!!!).  

      I still LOVE the STUFF though, as this blog will show you. Every island photo catches my eye, and I adore wearing sarongs ANYDAY!!!  (Well, any WARM day!!)... And shells and pearls???  EVERYDAY, of course. Life just isn't right when I don't have something lovely and tropical on me!!! 

Thank you Mar for weaving this beautiful bracelet for me!! You ARE ALOHA!!!!