Retire in Style with Lolita

There are some places you wish to go back to once more and such is Hawaii. Our first visit to the beautiful islands of Hawaii was on a cruise on board the Pride of Aloha in 2007. I always had this longing to go back, stay a few days, leisurely explore and enjoy the sights and sounds of the islands. In four weeks we will be back and this time we will stay two weeks in the island of Oahu. I first heard of Hawaii when I was growing up in the Philippines. I must be about 10 or 11 years old when I first heard of relatives of my father leaving for Oahu, Hawaii. They were from the Ilocos Norte and they were going to work in the sugar cane plantations. I learned through the years that many Filipino workers migrated to Hawaii to work and eventually settled there. The Hawaiian Islands: Please click picture to enlarge. Today Filipinos make up the second largest racial group in Hawaii. They are mostly in Oahu. Please click picture to enlarge. Hawaii, here we come !

I have a recipe binder of favourite recipes and proven winners with family and friends. The oldest recipe in this binder is from the McCalls Great American recipe collection published in 1973 . Quick Cherry Dessert. I have served this in several gatherings in the past and have shared it with many chefs whom I worked with during my years as hospital Dietitian. It has been included in many menus that I developed for several health care facilities. Instead of Cherry pie filling we sometimes substitute with Blueberry pie filling. Very easy recipe and always a winner. Here is the original recipe card Please click picture to enlarge. This evening I baked this recipe. I cooked some blueberry sauce to use instead of cherry pie filling. We have a stash of frozen blueberries. We pick blueberries from local farms and put aside lots in the freezer for year round use. The other modification I did in this recipe is to reduce the sugar to just 1 cup. This is also great for breakfast or snack se...

I Have been blessed to have traveled and experienced 6 of the places listed here. The Great Wall of China, Grand Canyon, Ephesus, Venice, Pompeii, and the Parthenon. Next year Petra in Jordan will be added to my list. I will never see all these 28 places but where I have been were all spectacular experiences of a lifetime. I am grateful. Portals into the Past Walk the timeless streets and byways of ancient cities on three continents – Mesa Verde – Pompeii – Tikal – Petra Feats of Engineering The world's surviving architectural wonders hewed from stone and mortar beckon as ever – Pyramids of Giza – Taj Mahal – Easter Island – The Great Wall A Matter of Timing Choosing the right year, month or even moment can make all the difference – Aurora Borealis – Serengeti – Iguazu Falls – Machu Picchu Triumphs of Vision Come face to face with history's finest works of art and design – The Louvre – Zen Garden of Kyoto – Uffizi Gallery – Fallingwater Scale New Hei...