Oahu, Hawaii in 72 Hours

What to see and do in Oahu, Hawaii.
Aliʻiōlani Hale with King Kamehameha V Statue out front.

When booking long-haul flights, do you ever think about spending a few extra days in your connecting city to break up the trip? Or maybe you just want to get away for a quick trip but don’t have a lot of time to give up. Sometimes, a short trip can be just as fulfilling as a week or two away.

While researching our flights from New Zealand back to Toronto, Tristan and I weren’t exactly excited about the prospect of spending 24+ total hours up in the air. As we looked over our route (Christchurch to Sydney, Sydney to Honolulu, Honolulu to Vancouver, Vancouver to Toronto) we couldn’t help but feel a little excited that we’d be flying through Hawaii. So we did what any sane person would do (right?). We decided to break up the trip and spend 2 nights in Honolulu, Oahu. I know, toughest decision of our lives! Our flights also worked out in such a way that we would arrive at 8am and depart in the evening, so it meant we had 3 days to spend on the island. Read more “Oahu, Hawaii in 72 Hours”

Video: Snapshots of New York City

Seeyousoon.ca

I hadn’t planned on making a video while I was in New York. I really just wanted to roam around, take some pictures, and soak in my surroundings. I didn’t want to be bogged down with spending lots of time planning, shooting, and making sure I had all the necessary shots. But I guess after going to school for video production, working in the TV industry, and shooting dozens of videos during my backpacking trip, I couldn’t get away with not making a video about my trip to New York City.

After I got home and I went through my memory cards, it turned out I had actually captured quite a lot of video footage about the things I did and saw in the city. So with the addition of some of my photos, I had enough material to put together a fun, “snapshot” look of the Big Apple. The video is meant to give you a quick glimpse of some of the sights you can take in, along with a closer look at life in New York. Read more “Video: Snapshots of New York City”

Bathtub Gin: Not Your Average NYC Bar

Bars in New York City
Inside Bathtub Gin in New York City

What’s better than going to a gin-based bar with some girlfriends in New York City? Going to a secret gin-based bar with some girlfriends in New York City.

My hostel dorm mate came back one evening and was talking about how she had gone to this really cool bar that served mainly gin-mixed drinks and could only be accessed through a secret door. Firstly, she had me at “gin”, as it’s my favourite spirit (Bombay Sapphire or Hendricks if you were wondering). Secondly, I was hooked when she uttered “secret”. I was so intrigued; I had to experience this bar! Read more “Bathtub Gin: Not Your Average NYC Bar”

Photo Essay: Street-Art in New York City

Street Art in New York City
Storage containers get an artsy make-over.

Earlier this week, I posted a write up about the street art scene in the East Village and the Lower East Side. I talked about the difference between graffiti (ego driven, inward thinking) and street-art (enhancing the vibrancy of an area, outward thinking), and how street-art has helped those two particular areas evolve into the trendy, hip neighbourhoods they are today. As I learned during my tour, not all street-art is easy to spot, but armed with an open mindset and a curiosity to explore, you’ll start to notice things you hadn’t before and you’ll begin see things in a new way.

Below are more photos from my time in the East Village and Lower East Side, plus two final photos from walking the Highline in Chelsea. Read more “Photo Essay: Street-Art in New York City”