Stitching In Paradise

Channeling our inner snowbirds, a few stitching friends and I escaped the brutal Chicago winter for Hawaii. We traded our scarves for sunscreen and craved some sun, sand, and stitching!

Hawaii is absolutely stunning, but what truly made the trip unforgettable was sharing it with Paco (IG: @thestitchingchronicles) and Sara (IG: @sjw.ndlpt). We met through the Chicago needlepoint community and became fast friends. Hawaii is one of my favorite places, and I leveraged my past trips to curate the perfect Oahu itinerary filled with beach hopping, indulging in fresh island bites, sipping countless coconut matcha lattes, and cruising in our top-down Jeep!

Day 1

Ten hours on a plane called for a laid-back start. After picking up our rental car, we checked into our Airbnb located in the bustling heart of Waikiki. We grabbed dinner at Maragume Udon (one of my favorites), a convenient and cafeteria style Japanese restaurant serving fresh udon and tempura! We followed up our dinner with ice cream from KITH Treats and drinks at the iconic pink Royal Hawaiian hotel (where the mai tai was first served).

Day 2

Snorkeling day! Easily my favorite activity, and Hanauma Bay State Park was the perfect spot — a protected marine life conservation area with over 400 species of fish! Before heading out, we stocked up on snacks at Foodland, Hawaii's popular grocery store with an amazing fresh poke selection. The bay is breathtaking as it's nestled in a volcanic cone and calm waters contrast beautifully with the lush peaks surrounding it.

Swimming among the coral, we spotted the most vibrant fish, especially the ʻAwela. In between swims, I snuck in a few stitches of my Bread Winner canvas that I plan to finish as a coin purse - the sand and sunscreen adding some character into the canvas!

After our adventurous afternoon, we sipped coconut cold foam matcha lattes from Makanai cafe, followed by a traditional Hawaiian dinner at the local hot spot Helena's Hawaiian Food. The luau chicken and pipikaula short ribs were standouts! We ended the night enjoying shaved ice from Ululani's and the rooftop bar cocktails at Sky Waikiki.

Day 3

Friendly tip: keep an eye on the forecast! Our North Shore plans hit a bit of a snag when a rainstorm caught us on the drive over. Thankfully, Hawaii always has plenty to offer and we made the most of our day!

We started our morning as all days should - with matcha and bagels of course. We sipped on my favorite drink of the trip, the coconut cold foam matcha lattes from the cutest roadside cafe Better Daze, and grabbed bagels from Fin's Bagels. After getting rained on en route to the North Shore, we switched gears and stopped at the Dole Plantation gift shop. Only in Hawaii can you find tan Hello Kitty merch (my spirit animal!!) and I was obsessed with her pineapple outfits (fun fact - I've loved Hello Kitty since I was a teenager working at my aunt's Sanrio shop at my local mall).

We headed back to Waikiki for a little shopping, starting with Hawaii’s only needlepoint shop — Needlepoint, etc. The shop had a wide selection of colorful threads and unique finishing samples. One finished needlepoint sandal caught my eye, and I couldn’t resist picking up a similar canvas with a tropical green floral and pink hibiscus print. Paco promised me he'd finish into a leather sandal for me so I better get to stitching! The rest of the afternoon was spent exploring antique and vintage shops across Honolulu and shopping at the open air Ala Moana Center.

In the evening, I caught up with one of my best friends visiting Honolulu for work. As a sushi lover living in Chicago with limited seafood options, I took full advantage of Hawaii's fresh offerings. We grabbed dinner at Totoya - a popular spot serving negitori bowls with generous potions of sashimi over rice. Later, I joined my friends at 430 Parkway, an intimate speakeasy recommended by our waiter from the night before. Their Strawberry Guava Milk Punch with jasmine cold foam lives rent free in my mind!

Day 4

Our North Shore day redo! We spent the morning at the Kaka'ako Farmer's Market where I grabbed some rambutan - a sweet lychee-like fruit and a reminder of home as it's native to Indonesia. We then headed to the North Shore driving through the diverse and beautiful Hawaiian landscape ranging from jungles to farmland to beaches. 

We made our first stop at Banzai Pipeline beach, a surfer's paradise that happened to be hosting a World Surf League competition - how lucky were we! The surfers were effortlessly gliding through the waves which were some of the biggest of the season (over 30 feet tall). There's honestly nothing better than stitching, surfer watching, and sipping on a crispy Diet Coke. We then beach hopped to Laniakea Beach where we stitched some more and spotted sea turtles swimming through the crashing waves!

We then visited Giovanni's Shrimp Truck to eat their famous garlic shrimp plate - so delicious! Our evening was spent in Honolulu's Chinatown dining at Senia and exploring the bars in the area.

Day 4

Our last full day in Oahu and we definitely lived it to the fullest!

We made the scenic drive to Lanikai Beach in Kailua. With it's calm turquoise waters, soft white sand, and views of the Mokulua Islands, Lanikai is my favorite beach ever! Reflecting on this vacation, laughing with my friends as we swam in the water is one of the best memories from the trip!

We ended the night cruising on a catamaran admiring the sunset on Waikiki's coast, having a lovely dinner at Monkeypod, and reminiscing on the perfect last few days!

Hawaii will always have special place in my heart! Ever since my first visit in high school when I volunteered for Habitat for Humanity on Hawaii's Big Island, I've been enamored with its aloha spirit and diversity of food and culture. It is equal parts relaxing and adventurous - an idyllic vacation for anyone. I can't wait to return - hopefully with a new pair of needlepoint leather sandals!

Cheers,

Bella Safira