Friday, October 7, 2016

Mahalo Mary

A select group of my very favorite rock superstars recently embarked on an epic adventure in honor of the lovely Mary’s 50th birthday. It had been idea in the making for quite some time, as one does tend to speculate about how to mark certain milestones well in advance of their occasion. Not that far in advance, Autumn. God. The subject came up from time to time over the last year, via group text or over cocktails or at the gym, and every time the notion was broached in any fashion, in between everyone else’s “maybe” and “I can only go if” comments, my consistent response was a steadfast and resounding HELL YES.

Eventually, finally, we found a timeframe that worked for everyone, and we booked that sucker.

And so it began

Toasting the first leg of our journey at the asscrack of dawn

then
and then swiftly   comfortably happily, we were transported to the magical island of Kauai
where there is most definitely not a drought

water, water everywhere! this was a pit stop on the way home from the aiport
Mary had prepared all of us by sending a care package that included a guidebook, cookies, a CD of hawaiian tunes, and a customized hat with our trip credo:

Hawaii 5-0
She had also rented a super rad jeep, and proceeded to drive us everywhere for the next week. She is really the most amazing friend, so thoughtful and easygoing and generous and fun.
 she's pretty easy on the eyes, too

Our days  were a beautiful blur of beaches and booze and belly laughs
















By the weekend, we'd been joined by the rest of Team Mary 5-0 Posse and while one group headed down to retrieve the last arriving rock star from the airport and do some shopping (puke), the rest of us opted to take a hike.



We had perused the guidebook over pina coladas the night before and narrowed it down to two trails. We let Mary make the final decision based on relative risk of death and wilderness survival skills.

It was a very pretty, tranquil, cool, wet trail

It was also a mud swamp


Good thing Autumn squatted aggressively so that we could both fit in the frame. 
We just had to get through this

to earn this
worth it. 


LeeAnn brought an adorable little baby jeep!

After the hike we got the band back together and headed out for our afternoon adventure

Sorry mary, thanks for driving! be careful back there, Tammy!

We arrived and parked, then headed down the trail to what Mary promised would be more of the worth it

more hiking! I love when there are ropes, they are so helpful!
The trail opened up to a little peek at what was coming


and then
Hideaways. My heart. 
I  mean c'mon, right? 
After hours of ab splitting laughter and the short trek back up the trail, we decided we were due for a little pampering

at the St. Regis


Cuz we fancy
A major highlight was our outing to Queen's bath. There was a muddy trail, there were ropes, there were waterfalls and volcanic rock, and danger, yada yada. Then there was this


and this
oh yeah, and this

But everything was a highlight, it was so smooth and easy and fun! If you've never gone to paradise with 5 friends, I highly recommend. 

This pretty one lane bridge took us everywhere - the sign says "local courtesy is 4-5 cars" That rise in the background was our hike. 

We cleaned up our act one night for an official birthday dinner


Don't we look weird without our hats?
But then we remembered who we are.... klassy with a K



"they think it's over, how cute"
We kinda sorta went out with a bang on our last full beach day (sorry Mary, thanks for driving)


and were rewarded with this
On our last day, we made our way down to the other side of the island for an airport drop off, then entertained ourselves until it was time for the fab final four to flyaway home

final sunset
There are so, so, sooooo many  more photos and stories and funnies to share, but I have to stop somewhere.

Or do I?






Warmest aloha and mahalo to my beautiful friend Mary.

 Happy Birthday, sistah!


2 comments:

Beth said...

omg, so gorgous! Kauai and all of yous!!

What an amazing trip. Too bad Mary doesn't turn 50 every year!!!

Happy belated, Mary! xoxo

b

Me, You, or Ellie said...

You are all so incredibly beautiful and gorgeous and rainbows and hearts and unicorns are popping out of all of your heads in every photo.

How beautiful! How amazing! And yes, I'm with Beth -- turn 50 every year, Mary . . . and expand your social circle!

These are just so great. What fun. Feel like I was there with you. Well, except for having no rainbows popping out of *my* head.

And you, my Littlest Sister, are such a thin, bird-like creature. Gorge-ass, schnook!

Love you Big.
Ellie
xoxo