another one of my favorite places in maui is the downtown lahaina area.  yes, it's filled with tourists at pretty much all times of the day but it's definitely a must see when you're on maui.  there are plenty of unique shops and restaurants to check out but there are a few places you must check out when you are there.  

lahaina luna cafe is a great little walk up cafe with some unique local cuisine and flavors.  their pulled pork sandwich is out of this world and their crispy thai chicken bites are to die for! the casual, order at the window and seat yourself atmosphere is a nice escape from the crowded and overpriced restaurants that are popular in lahaina.  lahaina luna is a great place to grab a quick lunch or dinner - and i promise, you'll be glad you did. 

another spot you gotta hit is right next door to lahaina luna.  ululanis shave ice is a maui staple and is the best shave ice on the island.  they shave the ice right in front of you and have a variety of flavors ranging from your typical cherry and lime to unique ones like tamarind and guava.  plus, you can get ice cream in the bottom or sweet and condensed milk poured on top!  their shave ices are works of art and are definitely just as delicious as they are good looking!

you really can't go wrong in lahaina if you keep an open mind and try places that are more local instead of the few chain restaurants.  a few more favorites include kimos for a nice dinner, cheeseburger in paradise for a great breakfast, and lahaina fish co for a great happy hour mai tai ($4!).

travel // paia, maui

back in february my parents and i escaped to maui for a week for a little family getaway. maui is one of my favorite vacation spots. it holds a lot of memories for me and i'm always excited whenever i can get back to the island. this trip we took it a bit more mellow with a lot of beach time and relaxation. but of course we had to fit some of my favorite to-do's and must - see's in throughout the week, as well as a few new things! and you can bet i had my camera with me the entire trip! 

one of my favorite little towns in maui is paia. it's a small hippie town on the north side of the island just a short drive from the airport. paia reflects its heritage as a unique hawaiian plantation village that originated in the latter half of the nineteenth century.  now, paia has become a laid back town with local businesses and a coexistence between longtime residents and those attracted by the area's windsurfing. the unique blend of shops, boutiques, and restaurants that make up paia has become a destination in its own right, nestled along some of maui’s best beaches and still surrounded by sugar cane.

a must do when in paia is to eat at milagros, a great little restaurant in the heart of the town.  their fish tacos are delicious and one of my favorite things to eat on maui.  plus, they have a great selection of local craft beer and some over the top margarita flavors!  after lunch, you gotta head up the road to hookipa beach, a world famous wind surfing beach.  the beach is gorgeous and it's always fun to watch the surfers catch some big waves!  be advised - it gets windy so leave your hat in the car!

explore orange county // anaheim packing district

a while back my friend and i went on an adventure to the anaheim packing district to explore and check out what all the talk was about. the packing district includes the restored packard building & former car showroom, farmers park and the restored citrus packing house, and the backyard, an outdoor event area with a fireplace and orange grove. the packing house features 20+ artisan eateries and they even have live music every weekend!  the vibe is laid back and modern, painted with different personalities deepening on which eatery or bar you are visiting.  it's a great place to get together with friends for happy hour, dinner, or even dessert!  i'm looking forward to heading back and getting to know the packing district a little better!!

taco asylum // the camp, costa mesa

one thing that i love most about southern california is the excessive amount of mexican food and the wonderful tradition that is taco tuesday.  what's better than delicious tacos at a discounted price just because it's tuesday?  it's like - hey! you made it through the first two days of this work week - let's celebrate!  i'm totally okay with celebrating the little things, like tacos, and tuesdays!

yesterday my friend and i ventured to taco asylum at the camp in costa mesa to see what their tacos are all about.  now, the camp is a pretty cool place on it's own.  the CAMP is a green gathering spot offering wellness and personal styling services, unique and purposeful shopping as well as healthy, local and international dining.  it's worth checking out, especially during one of their many special events.  

taco asylum is a cool little spot tucked in a corner at the camp.  it's open layout and modern rustic decor is inviting and casual.  since it was taco tuesday, classic tacos were $3 and they had deals on beer.  their beer selection features some awesome local craft beer, as well as more well known brews. i decided on a carne asada and a fish taco to go with my grapefruit sculpin ipa.  both tacos were delicious, but the fish took the win for me.  i'll definitely be back to explore more of their menu - especially some of their specialty tacos!  

eat in san diego // tin can and doods foods, bankers hill

nestled in a little dive bar a block from balboa park in san diego lies the tin can and doods foods.  a cool little spot with killer burgers and craft beer.  don't expect to get a draft beer here - all their beer is in cans - and it's all delicious!  the burgers? one of the best i've ever had.  my favorite is the california burgerito - a mix between a hamburger and a california burrito, topped with house made salsa and french fries! yum! the atmosphere is dark, the space is small, and it's the perfect place to escape the daylight and enjoy a killer burger and an ice cold beer.

eat in orange county // taco loco, laguna beach

taco loco is a great little taco stand on pch in south laguna beach.  they have every type of taco you can think of - even vegetarian and vegan options!  and their burritos and burgers are just as good!  it's the perfect place to spend a sunny afternoon - outside on the patio, eating yummy tacos, drinking ice cold beer and chatting it up with your best girl friend.  

health // a gluten and dairy free life

hey there!  if you follow along with my adventures on instagram (@kelsey_kayy) then you know that two weeks ago my doctor told me that i need to cut out all gluten and dairy from my diet in order to eliminate many of my, what i thought were, symptoms that would never go away.  

honestly, as happy as i was to find out that i could actually live a healthy life, i was scared of the fact that i had to start seriously watching what i eat.  no gluten, no dairy.  that's not an easy task to be faced with.  i knew that there are a lot of great gluten free options in the stores these days, so i wasn't as flustered about that aspect.  but dairy?  that was the kicker.  that's the one that really worried me.

well, i'm happy to announce that i have survived the first two weeks.  i can't say i've been 100% perfect, because i haven't.  but, i'm trying really hard to stick to this new way of life.  i've lost 13 pounds and feel great.  not only do i feel great because of the weight i have lost, but i feel healthier.  i feel lighter, less bloated, clearer minded and have more energy.  i'm so excited to keep up this lifestyle and transform into a healthier and happier person.  cheers to this new life of mine, and cheers to a new & improved me!!

dana point chili cook off & country jamboree

last weekend my friend and i headed out to dana point for their chili cook off and country jamboree.  i had been searching the internet for fun and free events around orange county to enjoy on my last weekend day off and i was lucky enough to come across the chili cook off!  the free event had beer vendors, food trucks, chili competitors and country bands.  we grabbed some beer, tasted some chili and did our best "judging" of the chili we tried.  we, of course, had our favorites, which really doesn't mean much to the cooks but makes us feel official, ha!  we grabbed a front row seat on our blanket and rocked out to the band, who was super fun and fantastic and sung top 40 country songs.  it was such a great afternoon just hanging out in the sun, drinking some local craft beer and listening to some great country music.  i may have even sung every word to a couple songs at the top of my lungs ;)

eat // naples ristorante e pizzeria

one of my favorite things to do in orange county is to head to downtown disney to people watch and get a little taste of disneyland without actually paying the big bucks to go into the parks.  it's a great place to kill some time on a warm summer night.  there are street performers, plenty of shops to pop into and browse, tons of restaurants and candy shops, and you can catch the disneyland fireworks without all the crazy crowds.  there's even a house of blues and espn zone!

so last week, my friend and i made our way to downtown disney for dinner.  we scoped out the disney store, i fell in love with a pair of minnie mouse ears, and drooled over mickey caramel apples.  we ultimately ended up at naples ristorante e pizzeria for dinner, and boy did we make the right choice.  the restaurant is charming, even though it's crazy busy.  we were lucky enough to get seated on the upstairs patio (if you can request it, do it, it's worth an extra wait) and enjoyed great views, weather and food.  it was such a great dinner - long and relaxing, just enjoying the company, the wine and the meal.  i definitely left that table one happy camper!