Simone Says: Warmer Days Behind and Ahead

It's peak winter in Bloomington, Indiana. My final winter in Indiana, too. As we fly through February and dream of warmer days ahead, with a Bloomington spring just around the corner, I still reminisce on sunny, warm days behind me, too. Spring in Bloomington is fun-filled and high-energy and is the opposite of what was a relaxing, laid-back winter break trip to Kona, Hawaii. I joined my friend, Lily, and her family at Kohanaiki, an intimate family residence club that was arguably the most beautiful place I've ever been lucky to experience. Welcome to my recap.

We stayed in this cozy home in which the patio opens up to a view of volcanoes in one direction and the calm ocean's waves in the other. Lily and I got into a routine of starting our days with warm Kona coffee and an hour of yoga on the beach. We'd continue the morning with more activities on our feet, whether it be a walk around the property, a Peloton class overlooking the infinity pool (Olivia Amato is subjectively better in Hawaii), or a snorkeling adventure in the coral reefs just off the shore. Of course, breakfast was essential in starting our days.

Breakfast always started with guava and more coffee. We'd switch between avocado toast, eggs, or anything special available that day. I got used to my daily guava, which made going home that much more difficult. POG juice (equal parts passion fruit, orange, and guava) was a favorite as well as the occasional mimosa with a splash of fruit juice. Nothing like starting your day on the right foot.

Lily and I would then get ready for the day, making the fateful decision of what bathing suit to wear and deciding which pool or spot on the beach we'd lounge at for the afternoon. By that time, it was lunchtime and I would use lunch for my daily pick of fresh fish. Lily prefers food other than fish, so I also experienced the other side of the menu with whatever she'd get. I grew fond of Hawaiian poke bowls (they're different out there), with tuna fresh off the boat and decorated with crunchy veggies and seasoned rice or on a bed of lettuce. And if I wasn't getting a poke bowl, I'd enjoy seared tuna on top of sautéed veggies. And, if I didn't get my daily dose of raw fish at lunchtime, I'd enjoy a chirashi bowl at dinnertime which was one of my favorite meals throughout my 8 days in Hawaii.

Afternoons were always something different. We'd climb a volcano on one day, catch a tan on the next, find a local gelato spot on another day. Even if the property of Kohanaiki was filled with families due to the holiday season, it was always a quiet experience - we were rarely bothered by crying babies and found ourselves discovering the smallest of pleasures around the area while we explored. I grew fond of a poolside lilikoi (passion fruit) margarita, too.

We'd work up an appetite for dinner, of course, so now the nights begin. I would have scallops and salmon and my once-yearly steak dinner. And yes, I also had pineapple on pizza which I'm a big fan of. We'd pair our dinners with a bottle of wine and watch the sunset over the horizon. Nothing was better than this.

Each day felt like a week whereas the week I was there felt like a day. I've dreamt of a trip such as this one in Hawaii and spent the week with my best friend which I'll never forget.

I traveled home to New York via Chicago just in time to spend Christmas with my family. Well, we weren't celebrating Christmas per se, but the act of ordering Chinese food and watching a day full of movies as most Jewish families do was not something to miss. My siblings were in town which makes my parents beam with pride to get their three children together about once a year. We took our annual "holiday card" family photo that doesn't actually get printed or sent anywhere - this year's outfit theme was blue athleisure. We rang in 2022 in bed after a fun evening with cousins and toddlers that were asleep by 10 pm. And before I could get over my jetlag from Hawaii, I was back at school to start my final semester at Indiana University.

So, yes, warm days in Hawaii are behind me, but warm days ahead await, too. Spring semester at IU means spring breaking with friends, Little 500 (the world's greatest college weekend) and related festivities, and finishing up classes to then jump into graduation celebrations. But let's not rush the next few months.

Signing off with love.