thesixweekseeker

[thesixweekseeker]

A land without a plan…

(5/2-5/12/17)

So I don’t always (usually) have a plan in life but I really didn’t have anything lined up for my next venture to Ireland that was coming up in less than a week. The only plan that I did have was a flight in and out of Dublin, and that kept changing by the minute. You can credit bad influence besties and a hot new romantic interest in NYC who were supporting my United change fee habit.  So, I decided to just wing it in the Emerald Isle and stick with no plan is the best plan.

I landed bright and early on Tuesday morn’ and I luckily slept most o’ the way (I’ll stop) from EWR to DUB.  I apparently slept so soundly that I even missed the customs form handout portion.  I had a panic moment when I rolled up to the counter at the Dublin Airport ….

Agent: (Serious face) Customs form please.

Susie: (Red face) I’m so sorry, I don’t have mine … I slept through that on the plane … and

Agent: (Cuts off my monologue) Well, where are you staying in Ireland?

Susie: (Trying to sound like I have a plan) Ummm, I don’t know yet.

Agent: (Looking at me like I’m a hot mess) Well how long are you staying in Ireland?

Susie: (Feeling like a hot mess) I think 6 Weeks.

Agent: (Flabbergasted) Why would you stay in Ireland for 6 Weeks?!?

Susie: (Return Flabbergasted) Why wouldn’t I stay in Ireland for Weeks?!?

Agent: (Finally chuckling) That’s a good answer I suppose.  You don’t need a customs form.  Enjoy your stay.

True story.

After making it through that thorough interrogation, I needed to figure out where I would venture to first.  From those who have gone before me, the feedback was “you pretty much can’t go wrong” followed up with a general consensus of Galway City being the best.  So I decided to embark upon “The West Village of Ireland” and was off to find a mode of transport.  

Since I was still pretty loopy and a little anxious about driving on the left side (since I can barely drive on the right side), I passed on the car rental option for now. You’re welcome everyone in Ireland.  *Side note: learn how to drive a manual before arriving.  A monthly car rental was about $1,000 for an automatic but as cheap as $200 for a manual.  Click here for some good tips if you plan to rent a car while in Ireland.

Luckily, the bus system is super legit across the entire country.  At the Dublin Airport, each “city” or destination has its own bay if you walk around to the area between Terminals 1 & 2.  It is very clearly marked and organized, and for each destination there are several bus options (see helpful link here).  I found a CityLink Bus heading to Galway City, and I was wifi-enabled and set for the 2.5 hour journey for a mere 20 Euros.  Winning.

I unfortunately slept through most of the bus ride to Galway, but the parts that I saw half-awake/half-delirious were gorgeous. We arrived at the city centre bus station and since I was rolling with a non-low maintenance checked bag, I found a taxi right outside.   *Second side note: Everything less than 5 Euros is given in coin format.  So whereas my ride was 6 Euros and I thought I was giving him .40 Euros back, I actually gave him 4 Euros back.  I’m counting that as my Six Week Random Act of Kindness for the day. #rakitup

My friend had a friend who has relatives who own a B&B in Lower Salthill called Wards Hotel (did you follow that).  Lower Salthill is a pretty seaview area right next to Galway City, so I figured I would start my lodging adventure there.   Unfortunately as I strolled up to Wards I was shut down by the bartender (in a very kind manner of course) who let me know that it was completely booked.  If only there was a way to pre-book your accommodations and avoid this sort of thing…

Anyway, I was sticking to my no plan/spontaneous game and he directed me down Father Griffin Road where there were 6 B&B’s back to back.  Luckily there was one that still had vacancies called The Swallow.  I met the lovely grandpa-like owner named Jimmy.  *Btw, EVERYONE here is named Jimmy.  Makes it super sweet when addressing people if you are inept at remembering names like myself.  I can just say “hey Jimmy” to any guy and it usually sticks.

My reservation exchange with Jimmy lasted all of one minute.  He smiled at me and said “number 6 is available – go have a look.” To which I did and it was good. Bed, bathroom, clean, quiet – score.  I came back down and he said “take it day by day, stay as long as you’d like, pay when you leave and here’s your key.”  This man clearly knows his audience.  One day turned into two, which turned into three, and I ended up staying for ten days so that’s how it goes.

Jimmy and his wife Patricia are the owners at The Swallow, and they made everything great for me.  They were there when I needed them, and out of my way when I didn’t.  Breakfast was solid (not a full traditional Irish breakfast if that’s what you are searching for) but more than plenty to start the day.  They will also set you up with the West Coast tours that are must-dos (Connemara, Cliffs of Moher and Aran Islands) and can even get you picked up right outside of the B&B.  

However the best part, next to them, is the location. It’s perfectly situated right between Galway City and Salthill.  Both are about a 10-15 minute walk away depending on your destination, and both spots are equally good (IMO).  The Swallow isn’t extravagant, as most B&Bs there aren’t, but with 45 Euros getting you an ensuite, free wifi, breakfast, amazing owners and an unbeatable central location, it’s a perfect deal for your home base in the West.  Click here to learn more and/or book your stay.

 Galway City completely won me over with its small town charm + big city energy. I’ll be sharing more of my epic highlights there along with my hunt for healthy eats (and maybe a few unhealthy ones that are worth the cheat) in blogs to follow.  I know most people say “it’s impossible to stay healthy while traveling” so it’s my mission to continue to prove that statement as a big fat FALSE. 

Stay tuned in eager anticipation for all of the goodness that is to come from Ireland …

[thesixweekseeker]

Road to Hana

(1/26-1/27/17)

 The “Road to Hana” is on every must-do list for Maui, so I was not about to have some major FOMO and miss out on this trip. My best bud and his dad love it up there so they happily obliged and became my unofficial tour guides.  Since it’s about a 3-hour drive from where we are, we woke up at 5am to get a head start on the “tourists” and the sunrise. Since I was with these two experienced locals, I earned the shotgun spot, and just sat back and was prepared to soak it all in.  

For starters, the drive itself is like an amusement park ride (which is totally my jam).  As you drive along a road made for one car (not two), with tons of opportunities to meet another car head on around every curve, and also throw in the chance landslide encounter (one had just occurred a day or so before we arrived)… it becomes a windy little thrill ride.  Hands in the air like you just don’t care.

Luckily we made it unscathed to the first stop on our tour: Wai'anapanapa Beach, aka Pa'iloa Beach, aka Black Sand Beach.  A quick walk down the path takes you to a beautiful beach with (you guessed it) black sand.  The black sand was created by a lava flow several hundred years ago and the proper name of Wai'anapanapa translates into “glistening water” which is very evident from the pictures below.  It wasn’t really swimmable so we took a path above and alongside the beach to get some stellar views over the cliffs.  We weren’t sure how far the path went, but we walked about 0.5 miles in and got some of these views below.  Maybe next time we will go on a little Lewis and Clark expedition for the full mile and see what we find.

 En route to our next highlight, we made a quick pit stop at Hana Farms.  Although there is no shortage of fruit and coffee stands on the Road to Hana, this one may be the winner.  The women behind the stand were super friendly and answering all of our annoying “what’s in this” questions with an extreme amount of patience as we were trying to decipher what was Six Week approved. Unfortunately their Macadamia Nut Banana Bread “voted best in Hana for years” was not on the approval list so I can’t weigh in on that ruling.  We did get the green light on their Macadamia Nut Pesto Hummus and that did not disappoint (includes everything the name says plus some basil and olive oil).  They also have a ton of homemade goodies including dried exotic fruits and jams, holistic healing goodies and a very legit coffee bar.

 Moving on to our next beautiful beach: Kaihalulu Beach (known as Red Sand Beach).  If I wasn’t with my local tour guides, I would not have been able to find this beach … and that’s the way they like it.  It was a slightly intimidating walk down to the beach and we almost saw a guy bite it over the cliff, so make sure to wear something besides flip flops and get off your phone and focus.  

When you get to that first lookout over the beach, it’s absolutely stunning. Picture huge red cliffs, beautiful red (ish) sand, clear teal water, naked people… wait, say what?

So yes, it’s a clothing optional beach (which I fully support) and I’ve experienced my fair share living in SF.  My only issue is it seems like it’s always the LAST person you want to see naked… and I’m just wondering when do I get the Kelly Slater look-a-like who wants to throw his board shorts to the wind and sit next to me versus “this guy”?  

Anyway, I had to do a quick conference call there, so I tried to go around to a little side pocket so I could avoid the distractions.  However, my new friend just decided to pull up his laptop next to me in his birthday suit and jump on his conference call to discuss philosophy and politics.  Go ahead and also cue two dogs stopping right in front of me to fully (and I mean fully) get it on, with the owner (topless chic) running towards me to try and stop it.  My conference call obviously went well.

Pepper is clearly vibin’ with this beach.

After an exhausting day of sitting at beautiful beaches in perfect weather, we decided to go set up shop at our campsite. We went to Haleakala National Park on the Kīpahulu side (one of two drive-up camping options in the park) and got the best spot (IMO) in the very back away from everyone, but still close enough to get a great view of the water.  The campsite was small with no frills but it was completely surrounded by wonderful scenery.  If you have a Wrangler, Golden Retriever, hammock and a pop up tent – go chill here for three days.  (Three days is the max number of nights they allow at once and I guess you don’t need a Wrangler and a Golden – I just assume everyone wants the same things that I do.) 

 While at the campsite, I learned how to make a version of Huli Huli (turn turn) Chicken – which was delish.  I also became very campfire savvy and learned that you can wrap sweet potatoes up in foil and put them right in the coals and you can also put a whole can of green beans on the grill and cook them straight up.  (You didn’t know that either.)  We walked off our din by taking a little stroll to see the sunset and I knocked out “The Power of Habit” by Charles Duhigg - GREAT book and very applicable for The Six Week. 

 I had some conference calls that next morning and I was able to walk down and take one right as the sun was rising – and it was hands down one of the best I’ve seen.  It was a moment where I realized that I was “in my office” working watching all of this unfold, and it made me beyond grateful for the choices that led to that present moment.  (Side note: you will learn that I geek out over the following: sunrise, sunset, waterfalls.)  

We decided after sunset that we would get a jump start on the Pipiwai Trail to go see some waterfalls.  Go early (7ish) as it starts to get crowded by 9/10am.  The hike is roughly 5 miles round trip but it doesn’t even feel close to that.  Your hiking highlights include:

A massive banyon tree..

A view of Makahiku Falls ...

A trek through an enchanted bamboo forest ....

And the grand prize… Waimoku Falls.  

 My friend’s dad was talking to us about the vortex right above the waterfall.  He said there were only two in the world (here and in Africa) and it was meant to have vast spiritual powers and healing energy.  I did some quick research and it says this area is the Global Fire Vortex. This is said to govern liberty and they recommend coming to this space to meditate (during the Aries new or full moon) on fire, liberty and purpose.  I’m not sure what all I buy into, but there is definitely something very special in that space.  I instantly felt a complete calm rush over me and it was very therapeutic in a way.  

I could have and would have stayed there all day … but somebody had to go find her pot of gold.

 After we got back from the hike, we decided it was tear down camp time, and we were going to venture the rest of the way around the island – Venus Pools would have to wait until the next Hana trip.  My bud made us stop at the Coconut Zen Cave on our way back, and if if you met the owner and saw his space, you would too.  I learned how to crack open a coconut and use a machete for the first time and somehow all appendages are still intact.  Also, putting some Tahitian lime juice (his recommendation) in the coconut water IS amazing and it makes a huge difference.

 The ride back home from Hana was one of the highlights of the trip.  I was surprised to learn that most people don’t go around the backside of Haleakala, they just head back the same way they came.  “They say” the backside is more dangerous to drive on and less visually appealing, but I thought both claims were false.  I mean, there were definitely a few “we might die here” spots during the ride back, but alas, I live another day to write another blog.  

 You need to make sure to save some room for lunch on your drive back so you can hit up Ulupalakua Ranch Store.  Since they were fresh out of elk (the go-to choice) we had lamb and venison burgers, but don’t worry, we had those wrapped in lettuce wraps so TSW approved.  After lunch, I convinced the crew to drive around the West Maui Mountains instead of the normal way home through town. It adds an extra 45 minutes but well worth the drive as the views are gorgeous – reminds me of some of the North Shore in Kauai.  

 We made the complete figure eight loop of Maui within 48-hours and that final day I was able to watch an epic sunrise in Hana, hike to a stunning 400-foot waterfall in Haleakala Park and get home just in time to end with a beautiful sunset in Kahana.  Like I mentioned above, geek out central with those things, so all three in a row = my favorite day in Maui so far.

[thesixweekseeker]

Kauai: The Garden Isle (North Shore)

(January 2017)

So we left the fabulous South Shore for the North Shore, and when everyone said we would love that area even more … they were right.  It is a completely different vibe up there and beyond chill and laid back (not that Poipu was a raging all-night party, but still).   

For our hotel up there, we chose Hanalei Bay Resort (HBR as the locals call it). It’s a beautiful property and the place to be if you’re a tennis player - I think there were at least 10 different courts on the property.  They have a great pool with a swim up bar (bar only open on weekends) and the coolest part was the hot tub with a sand bottom.  It was a weird funky feeling, and definitely a great idea for an early evening chill session.  For an added bonus, HBR shares the same private beach and epic views as The St. Regis, which is a 10-minute beach path walk away.  See below for the beach views and the view from our brunch there - view alone is worth the brunch price. 

  As much as I loved the HBR property and the proximity to The St. Regis amenities, my only complaint was the rooms. They are definitely very dated and the musty smell does match the décor.  However, once you sit on your patio and look all around you, all of that matters less and less.  The picture below is my completely unfiltered view from our patio there.

Unfortunately the Bali Hai at HBR was still closed, but we heard it was a fantastic restaurant and it’s supposed to open later in 2017. The lounge on the property, Happy Talk Lounge, was good and had a cool bar scene. I also have to give a little shout out to the owner/manager at Happy Talk because he is my hero.  On the night we launched The Six Week (woot woot), it was late and raining and we were just going to quickly grab some dinner at the restaurant.  However, the Grateful Dead (or two of its members) were randomly playing at the lounge that night, so the kitchen was closed off and the place was packed. That was a little pickle since there are ZERO restaurants on the island that deliver food (I was laughed at when I asked the delivery question), we literally had no food in our room and we had no car/available taxis to take us to town. Luckily, the manager prevented a hanger breakdown by offering the band’s remaining food for the night.  That’s right, I was eating the Grateful Dead’s leftovers– no shame in my game.  The best part ... all of that food was surprisingly Six Week approved.  Insert happy dance.

  So let’s back up since I left you hanging in the last blog post.  As I mentioned, I was feeling ultra-confident in my surfing skills down in Poipu, and since the weather was perfect (again) we decided to venture into Hanalei Bay to shred the gnar.  I caught an awesome long wave (first wave of the day) and was feeling so proud until a little punk of a wave came up out of nowhere.  It proceeded to knock me over with my surfboard coming up to say a friendly little hello to my jaw and teeth. I immediately felt the tooth go from full to snaggle and that was it for my surfing that week.  Big fist pump to my friend Mark who hooked me up with Dr. Shawn Murphy on the island and he got my chompers back to where they needed to be (ish).   The Pacific Ocean has now bruised my jaw and ego, and took my first cell phone, but I’m going to win this battle.

Since I wasn’t cleared to surf, I decided to spend a few days on the paddleboard. The Six Week had officially started so I needed to hit my exercise commitments for those days - and what better ab exercise than this!  I found Kayak Hanalei that was located right in town but also right by the Hanalei River – perfect if you don’t have gear and want to take a taxi into town.  Look for Dock Dynasty (clever) and two entertaining young surfers, Reef and Devin, and they will hook you right up.  One day I did the 2-hour paddle down under the Hanalei Bridge to the Hanalei Wildlife Refuge and on day two I added the extra hour trip out to the beach. Both paddles were amazing but if you can do the 3-hour paddle to see the wildlife refuge and the beach, I definitely would.  There were times where I just had to sit down on my board and take it all in.  There weren’t a lot of people on the river, it’s completely still and the scenery is just breathtaking.  

When you get back from paddling, there are a lot of great food truck choices right by Kayak Hanalei.  Since I couldn’t really chew for about 24 hours (scary flashbacks of my mouth surgery creeping up here) I was lucky to stumble upon Wishing Well and their fabulous Acai bowls.  They have been around since 1983 and have the best version that I’ve tasted so far: Acai, bananas, organic almond butter, bee pollen, coconut flakes and chia seeds.  I vote extra almond butter, hold the papaya – but regardless, you’re Six Week approved and feeling fab with their awesome little food truck experience.

Luckily, once I was feeling better, we tackled some chewing-allowed dining options on the island. My three top favorites were Dolphin Sushi, Bar Acuda and Hanalei Bread Co.  By accident, we stumbled upon the best plan for Dolphin Sushi.  They open for dinner at 5:30 and there is/will be a line before then that will make the entire dining room full right away.  So, if you get hangry and impatient like your Seeker does, beat the system and go to the bar around 4:30.  There is a very high energy bartender who will guide you with what to eat and drink, so grab some apps and cocktails and put your dinner order in for 5:30pm sharp.  You will avoid the mass rush order and everyone is jelly when yours comes out first – winning.

We were told by practically everyone we asked (locals, tourists and people back home) that Bar Acuda was the best restaurant on the island.  Usually with all of the hype I get disappointed, but I will agree with them, best on the island.  Everything we had was fantastic (Beef skewers, Scallops, Octopus, Endive Salad, Ahi, olives – legit all fantastic) and the service was extremely fast.  No Hawaiian time there.  One of my favorite things was the North Shore Honeycomb (goat cheese, honeycomb and apple).  They have this listed as an app, but we got it as a dessert and I would recommend saving it for the end.  It was super rich, Six Week approved (ish) and the perfect way to finish our last meal on the island.

Well…not quite our last meal.  It turns out we made another taxi friend on the island, Kohlohe from Sue’s Taxi, and he was kind enough to drive us back into Hanalei from Princeville on the morning of our flight.  We needed to hit up our favorite local spot, Hanalei Bread Co, for one last breakfast meal (because the four meals we had there prior apparently weren’t enough). Since avocados are in season (and are about 3x the size) and their bread is fresh and phenomenal, we again went with the avocado toast + poached egg.  I promise, that’s worth the 20-minute detour.  

They also introduced us to Laird’s Superfood Creamer which is a quick/healthy add to your coffee without the GMOs, additives, and all of the other usual culprits.  It adds a fabulous sweet taste from the coconut oil, and since I’m fully on the BulletProof coffee train, this gave me my fix.  For all of my Six Weekers who travel and love their caffeine, I would highly recommend buying a pack.  Don’t let yourself fall victim to the hotel or airport packets of creamer – you deserve more.

After we had our last meal, we made our way back to Lihue Airport to wrap up an amazing 10 days in Kauai.  Though I HATED to leave, Maui has been a pretty stellar consolation prize so far. I fully plan to go back to Kauai, buy a tiny house, and spend at least a significant chunk of my time living in Hanalei Bay.  But as we know, my plans change on the daily and this little global road trip of mine has just begun….

If you have any questions on this blog and/or The Six week, please email me at: susie@thesixweek.com.

Mahalo

[thesixweekseeker]

Kauai: The Garden Isle (South Shore)

(January 2017)

I just wrapped up my time in Kauai and I could not have imagined a better place to spend the New Year and launch our January Six Week groups: A+++.  We decided to start our Kauai adventure on the South Shore “the sunny side of the island” and had the good fortune to have Steve from Steve’s Taxis, who grabbed us from Lihue Airport on day one.   He became our super helpful “hey – what’s the best place for…” guy over the next few days as he was taking us to/from excursions.  (Side note on getting around in the South Shore: if you go over the holidays, and get quoted a ridiculous amount for car rentals like we did, using a taxi is totally do-able and you’ll likely come out positive vs the rental price.) 

We picked Koloa Landing for our hotel option, and this turned out to be a great choice for the no-car situation. We were a five-minute walk to the beach and within easy walking distance to all of the little village centers.  It was a large property with good pools, hot tubs, a practice putting green and the rooms are big and recently updated.  The big winner for me was the washing and drying machines IN THE ROOM.  Coming from 2.5 years of needing to schlep my laundry a few blocks to the wash and fold, I felt like a big time baller.  If traveling to the area, especially if you don’t have kids (fine if you do – just less “kid crowded” than the other nearby hotels) this is a great option without breaking the bank.

Once lodging was situated, I of course needed to find and become friends with a local barista (me caffeinated = everyone benefits).  I was excited to find my new local coffee shop in Koloa: Cortado Coffee Bar. I met the owner Schuyler, who decided to pack up life and relocate to Kauai (good choice) three years ago and set up this small fabulous coffee shop.  There were several drinks on the menu that I wanted to try, but this cute bubbly girl in front me told me to get the CocoLoco since that’s what she had every morning for the past two weeks, and I of course wanted to be cool like her, so I got the CocoLoco… and proceeded to come back for that drink every morning during my time there.  The CocoLoco included a delicious blend of espresso, cayenne, coconut milk, local raw honey and coffee ice cubes.  For my Six Weekers, I’m now throwing in some cayenne with my coffee, coconut oil and cinnamon blend and it gives it a nice little kick.  From someone who usually doesn’t like the kick – this is a big deal.  Five stars to you Schulyer for making my morning java jolt fantastic!

Now that coffee was covered, I had a goal to eat fish tacos for every meal. Luckily I didn’t accomplish that goal, but I did find Savage Shrimp in the Kukulu'ula Village shopping center (just a few minutes’ walk from Cortado).  It’s a little hole in the wall but please do yourself a favor and get one order of the Garlic Shrimp Tacos and one order of the Fish Tacos.  The service is definitely on Hawaiian time, but well worth the wait brah.  Another winner for fish tacos was Duke’s in Lihue, which also happens to serve a gigantic complimentary macadamia nut ice cream chocolate something for birthdays, so they clearly won my heart. (This happened in between Six Week programs so don’t judge.)

One of my favorite dining experiences of the trip was dinner at The Beach House.  Look ahead to see what time the sunset is on the night you want to go, then make your reservation for about 30 minutes before that.  In addition to amazingly fresh fish dishes, you will have a front row seat to an epic sunset.  They have a professional photographer there if you want a legit pic and you can go to/from your table during the sunset to take it all in if/as much as you want.  Another bonus - if you have a celebratory bottle of wine that you want to bring with you, which we did, they only charge you a small corkage fee.  Double bonus, since we had a special birthday that night, they waived the fee.  High five.  

Two additional favorites that are well worth the mention: Kauai Juice Company and Anuenue Café.  Kauai Juice Company has a great story as the owner got her start by making homemade Kombucha on the side.  Through the support of her community who helped her raise funds through a Kickstarter, she has successfully started her business and is now in three locations on the island using 100% organic and locally-sourced ingredients.  The girls behind the bar (who all happen to be beautiful, friendly and helpful – so I’m guessing the juice works, right?) anyway, they introduced me to the benefits of Blue Magik Algae and Moringa.  Since I hadn’t tried either in my previous juice concoctions, I went with the Avatar, Shine On and Sexy Baby Maker (because why not) and all three were super.  

Anuenue Café was right next door, and was the only spot open for breakfast on New Year’s Day, so we gave it a shot.  I’m not sure if it was that crowded because of New Year’s or if it’s always that packed (assuming the latter) but it was worth the hour wait.  I was greeted by the friendly owner who rocked my world when she had me order the Rip Tide (Eggs Benedict with Kalua Pork) and also had me get some Haupia Macadamia Nut French Toast on the side (twist my arm but again, in between Six Week courses, so game on).

Since my life isn’t JUST about finding great food, I wanted to get out there and explore everything that the South Shore had to offer.  We went big on day two and set out with Mauna Loa Helicopters to see the island.  Bruno, our happy Brazilian pilot, took us all over beautiful Kauai and kept us entertained with his music and commentary for the entire hour.  We decided to go “doors off” and I would HIGHLY recommend it as you get more of an adventure, the best unobstructed views and most importantly there is no glare in your selfie game. 

There were tons of great options for helicopter tours in Kauai, but I picked Mauna Loa because they were the only ones that offered the two seater planes/private ride – and let’s be real, I don’t like to share my toys.  Since 90% of the island is only visible by air, and you definitely don’t want to miss Na Pali Coast, Jurassic Falls, Waimea Canyon and Mt. Waiale’ale Crater from up top, make this a top priority if you are visiting the island.  It was unbelievable and hands down my favorite experience in Kauai.

A close second was the kayak/hike/waterfall swim that I did with Ancient River Kayaks.  You do a tandem 2-mile kayak ride on the Wailua River.  (Fun fact: Wailua River is the original home to the very first Hawaiians.)  After the beautiful 2-mile kayak, you have about 1.2(ish) miles of hiking through the rain forest in search of your half-way point destination: Secret Falls.  This is a 120-foot waterfall into a natural pool, and though it was on the “brisk” side, taking a dip in and behind the waterfall was such a cool experience.  We took a break at the falls for some lunch (provided by them) and we got to learn more about our awesome tour guide Annie. Huffington Post featured her in an article and my favorite quote from that (which rings true for most people that I met in Kauai) “I’m so rich here. I mean, I don’t have a lot of money but my quality of life is abundant. I get to do what I love every day and my heart is so full.”  

Side note: once you finish the return hike and kayak back, you should definitely head over next door to Lava Lava Beach Club on Waikoloa Beach.  This is the perfect spot to grab some beers (I was hooked on Wailua Wheat– great golden ale with a passionfruit flavor) and you can even watch some highlights of your favorite sports team losing to USC ...sigh.  

We did the obligatory luau and chose the Grand Hyatt Luau on NYE.   I was told the Hyatt and Smith’s were the two best luaus on the island and this one did not disappoint (though I’ve never been to any other luaus so I can’t compare).  It was neat to see the rich history of the island and its local people, and they had performances/tributes for all of the “relative” islands (Samoa, New Zealand, Tahiti).  Since we had a birthday in the house, we were selected to go up with a few people to learn how to hula in front of everyone.  I failed pretty miserably at this.  However, where I didn’t fail is the all-you-can-eat buffet.  Our host told us that we would fall in love at a luau …and I did …. with Kalua Pork.  As I mentioned with my world being rocked at Anuenue (the day after this luau happened) this pork tasted beyond delish.  Click here for a recipe (Six Week allowed) which includes three ingredients: pork butt, natural liquid smoke (make sure no molasses added) and Hawaiian sea salt.  Pop those bad boys into a slow cooker for 7-12 hours and you will fall in love too.  

Once I was done eating all of their food, I of course wanted to see some fireworks on NYE.  I was laughed at when I asked if the fireworks went off at midnight, to which the reply was “oh honey, the entire island is asleep by 9 – fireworks are at 8.”  So we capped off NYE with some early fireworks over Poipu Beach and went to bed like the rest of the island … at 9pm.  Cue 2017.

To cap off the South Shore adventure, we decided to go surfing on the last day. There is no shortage of surf schools in Kauai but we stumbled upon Kauai Surf School.  It was a picture perfect day in Poipu and the baby waves by the surf school were perfect for my beginner skills.  Asher was our instructor for the day, and he obliged when I asked him to pretty please just push me right into each wave for two hours so I could easily stand up and feel like a stud on my board - thanks Asher.  I was gaining major confidence with my surfing ability and felt ready to try out the North Shore surf as we were heading to Hanalei the following day.  FAIL.  To read more on the episode of Susie vs Surf Board, check out Part II of my Kauai blog.

[thesixweekseeker]

That Beautiful City by the Bay

(10/10/16-11/20/16)

Today is the day!! We are kicking-off the first experimental group of the newly revamped “The Six Week” with 16 rockstar participants! These past few weeks of prep and discussion have been a whirlwind of the best kind and I’m so pumped to get this party started (one drink max of course) with our amazing group.  

***If you’re reading this blog, and have no clue what The Six Week is about, check us out at http://thesixweek.com/ for more details.  

If you happen to be one of my first fellow Six Weekers, you are probably having many of the same concerns as I am:

Can I stay committed for the full six weeks? How can I possibly squeeze in five workouts each week and 30 minutes of meditation each day? Will I stick to this healthy whole foods diet and really restrict my alcohol intake? What am I going to have to do to get those 7-8 hours of regular sleep each night? If I do everything that is asked of me, am I really going to see the change? How can I tell if it’s working? Am I really going to get some new fancy neural pathways in my brain that will make me even more happy and in love with life? Will I be helpful to others in my roles of buddy, leader and/or Support Coach?

… Well the honest answer to all of the above is: I don’t know.

What I do know is I haven’t been this hopeful or optimistic about anything in a very long time, and I do know the team that is in place will do everything they can to succeed and push others beyond their comfort zone so they can succeed on their own journey.  The research supports the process and has proven results for what we are trying to achieve. Our leader Brian is one of the most genuine and passionate people that I have met, and he brought The Six Week back to life for everyone to push themselves to their fullest potential.  I’m confident we can all push ourselves to the limit to become our best versions yet.  Stay focused, stay committed and stay supportive and this will be an epic and rewarding Six Week Adventure!

So what’s this whole Six Week Seeker blog about?

I’m glad you asked.  Let’s back up a few months in the life of Susie…

To be clear, I have a great life.  I currently have a good job, working with fantastic people, in a stress-free environment, making enough to be able to (barely) afford to live in this awesome city.  I’m a happy person (post coffee) that embraces and loves life, and I have a network of friends and family that is hands down the absolute best.  I’m extremely grateful everyday for the life that God has given me but in the back of my mind, I have always had that whole nagging “what’s your purpose in life” question that just lingers on without an answer.  I have never been able to find that one passion, that one role, that one thing that can really make a person feel completely fulfilled and purposeful.  And believe me, I have dabbled in several roles along the whole “journey to find myself” adventure: Character in an amusement park (I’m still convinced that I was the best Goldilocks those kids ever saw); High School Guidance Counselor; Funeral Sales (yep); NYC Bartender; Pharmaceutical Sales (in the Bronx); Human Resources; and currently an Executive Assistant at a hedge fund in San Francisco.  

As awesome as some of these jobs were, none have actually made me happier and more fulfilled than the counseling role.  I guess I have always known that I wanted to go back to my roots in counseling, but I have created a long list of reasons why I shouldn’t: not financially lucrative enough, no time to focus on the switch, a lot of work, fear of failure, fear of failure and fear of failure.  So I have finally decided to take that list, metaphorically crumple it up for good, and replace it with a little Obama “Yes, you can” list and move forward.

… And here’s my long-winded version of the why and how.

I had my heart broken (yes, it’s always about a guy) and as I typically do after a sad break-up, I bought an impulse flight to somewhere.  That somewhere spot this time was home to Pittsburgh and NYC for the week. That trip, surrounded by my loved ones, not only healed my broken little heart, sigh, but it gave me six hours on a plane to read the book “You are a Badass.” By the time I was done with that book and plane ride, I had decided I would leave the hedge fund world, my life in San Francisco and everyone I knew behind to travel the world for a year.  I was going to sell all of my possessions and go live in 12 countries over the year based on where my friends and family had selected.  (Side note: Six hours is actually the typical amount of time it takes for me to change the path of my life.  I’ve just learned to embrace my impulsive side … It works.)

And in keeping with true sporadic Susie ways, that around-the-world travel plan has taken many forms, multiple times, before everything finally clicked into a perfect serendipitous lightbulb moment when Brian and I joined forces on The Six Week.  Yes, I will still be taking some amazing around-the-world adventures in 2017.  No, I’m am no longer planning on renouncing all possessions and becoming a complete nomad (…yet).  But I have decided to take this opportunity to travel and connect globally through the mission of The Six Week.  I will be exploring the world on several six week adventures focusing on nutrition, exercise and mindfulness habits of local communities. The goal will be to incorporate as much valuable insight from these different cultures into our program so we can be impacting participants in all areas of the world on global best practices for health and wellness.  Most importantly for me, I will get to go back to my counseling roots, by working one on one with participants as their Six Week Support Coach.  This element has been missing from my life and I’m so thrilled to have the opportunity to get to do what I love again, and now, I can do it from fascinating new places throughout the world.

The most rewarding part of this adventure will be setting ourselves up to give back.  That was such a huge part of the reason I initially decided to travel and in keeping with our focus of the “acts of kindness” and “gratitudes” commitments, we decided to push ourselves beyond our original commitment.  Brian had the perfect idea to set up The Six Week Foundation which will provide an outlet for us and others to donate to local charities around the globe to improve their nutrition, exercise and mindfulness.  For each one of my travels, we are going to set up a “Six Week Charity Challenge” for me to really push myself on my own nutrition, exercise and mindfulness goals.  Cue: Great Wall Marathon, hiking Kilimanjaro, week-long silent meditation retreat in India (for those who know me, the silent part will certainly be my biggest challenge) and more ideas to come.  We will be Crowd Raising funds with our amazing network of people who love giving back with us and the gratitude and acts of kindness will no doubt be felt by many.  

I now feel that sense of purpose. I now have that passion that I was missing before.  I feel overwhelmed, excited, scared, optimistic and most of all hopeful for everything this experience can bring to my life and in turn to other’s lives.  If I can wake up each day and in some small way get to help people on their journey to feeling better and healthier about themselves and their lives, then I get to wake up a better person than I was the day before.  

I am beyond excited to get to share all of my Six Week Adventures with you through my blog.  Stay tuned for some epic 2017 journeys ... but for now, first stop: San Francisco.

Your Six Week Seeker, Susie