Visit Hokkaido: Noboribetsu Bear Park

The bears are ready for you to feed them!

On our first trip to Sapporo, we spent one night in Noboribetsu -  a small town renowned for its natural hot springs. We would be spending most of our time at the hotel and the neighboring Jigokudani hell valley, but we had some free time the morning before heading back to Sapporo. 

One of the popular activities is the Noboribetsu Bear Park. Located atop of “Bear Mountain” in the Lake Kuttara area, the park is accessible via a scenic ropeway ride. The park is home to over sixty Hokkaido brown bears. The highlight of our trip was feeding the bears with special bear cookies available for purchase. It was so fun tossing the treats to the bears and watching them catch it.  

The bear park is also home to the world’s only Brown Bear Museum, established in 1958, and Yukara-no-Sato, a recreated Ainu village. 

First enclosure where we tossed the bear cookies,

The kids looking into the cub enclosure.

Several of the cubs playing around.

The kids taking a closer look at Lake Kuttara.

Fun ropeway ride is included in the admission to the Bear Park.

For more information, visit their site. 

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Faria

 Ever since Faria opened in Kailua, I've been wanting to check it out. Reservations can be hard to come by, so I was excited to finally snag a table and catch up with a friend over dinner. She had dined there before and assured me that she knew exactly what we needed to order.

Her first recommendation was the Linguica Assada, Faria's Portuguese sausage. I'll admit, Portuguese sausage isn't usually my go-to, but this dish completely changed my mind. The presentation alone was worth ordering. The sausage arrived in an adorable pig-shaped holder, and our server lit it on fire before our eyes. 

We were told it was already fully cooked and that the flame was simply to give it a little extra char to our liking. It was smoky, flavorful, and one of the most memorable dishes I've had in a long time.

Her second must-order was the Pão Caseiro, Faria's house bread basket. Served with sweet cream butter and Faria Bay butter, the basket included three different Portuguese breads, each delicious in its own way. Honestly, between the sausage and the bread, I could have happily called it dinner and gone home completely satisfied.

For our entrées, I chose the Bacalhau à Brás, a cod and potato gratin, while my friend ordered Tio Tim's Caldeirada de Pescadora, the fisherman's stew. My cod dish was good, but it wasn't the standout of the evening, especially after such an incredible start to the meal. 

My friend's stew, on the other hand, looked amazing, and I found myself with a bit of order envy. I may have to order that on my next visit.

Even though we were getting full, our server mentioned that there was only one pavlova left for dessert. How could we say no? It was the perfect sweet ending to an already fantastic meal.

Faria absolutely lived up to the hype. Between the creative presentation, delicious food, and cozy atmosphere, it's easy to see why this new Kailua restaurant has become so popular. If you're planning a visit, don't skip the Linguica Assada and the house bread basket—they were the stars of the night. 

FARIA HAWAII

306 KUULEI ROAD

808-200-4953

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Visit Hokkaido: Royce' Cacao & Chocolate Town

Our family loves chocolate so it was a no brainer that a visit to Royce' Cacao & Chocolate Town would be on our itinerary, especially since they offer a Chocolate Workshop where you can make your own custom bar!

On our way to the Royce chocolate journey!

We started our self guided tour at the Cacao Farm Zone.

There are interactive exhibits to showcase cacao cultivation, harvesting, and shipping.

In the Factory Tour Zone Play Area, there are many interactive games to show the production process.

The kids had fun challenging each other.

This is what we came for!

You can choose to make a milk chocolate, white chocolate or half and half bar.

Lauren and her custom bar.

The bars are then sent through the chiller for a 10 minute cool down.

Afterwards, we took some time to browse the gift shop and enjoy Royce' Farm to Bar chocolate soft serve. 

They have lots of great pastries available in the store. Lauren's hand for scale!

The chocolate town is open from 10am to 5pm with the last entry at 3pm. You can purchase advance timed entry tickets up to 2 months in advance here. Adults (ages 16 and over) are 1,200 yen each, children ages 4 to 15 are 500 yen each, and children under age 3 are free. Tickets may be cancelled up to 1 hour before booked admission time. Admission does not include the ticket for the Chocolate Workshop. On the day of your visit, you can purchase tickets (1700 yen each) from the ticket machine in front of the workshop venue after you enter.

To get to Royce from Sapporo station, take the JR Gakuen Toshi line to Royce' Town Station (about 30 minutes). From there, a shuttle bus will take you to the facility or you can walk (about 7 minutes).

Royce' Cacao & Chocolate Town

1-1 ROYCE' Town,Tobetsu, Ishikari-gun, Hokkaido 061-3770

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Ruscello at Nordstrom

Sometimes you don't need the newest or trendiest restaurant—just good friends, good food, and a beautiful view. I recently met up with two friends at Ruscello for a long-overdue catch-up lunch, and it was the perfect setting for a midday meal.

Our reservation was for 11:00 a.m., which is also when the restaurant opens. We arrived about five minutes early and were surprised to see a small crowd already waiting at the door! A little pro tip if you're dining here: park on the bottom level of Ala Moana Center near Foodland Farms, take the elevator to the third floor, and it's just a short walk to Ruscello inside Nordstrom.

We lucked out with a window table overlooking the ocean. The view was absolutely beautiful—sorry, I  forgot to snap a photo!

To start, we shared the Crispy Brussels sprouts, which are always a good way to start a meal here. My friend who tried it for the first time liked it so much that she asked our food server for the recipe. Of course the server said she can't tell us, so we'll just need to keep coming back for more.

For my entrée, I ordered the cilantro lime chicken tacos, while my friends chose the Crispy Panko Chicken salad and the Ginger Sesame salad with added salmon. Everything was delicious. There's a reason these dishes have remained menu favorites over the years—they're consistently fresh, flavorful, and satisfying.

As we were leaving, the restaurant was completely full, confirming what we had noticed when we arrived: this place is popular. If you're planning a visit, I'd definitely recommend making a reservation.

RUSCELLO at NORDSTROM

1450 ALA MOANA BLVD.

808-953-6110

 

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Visit Anchorage: Wild Scoops

Our first (yes, first) ice cream stop in Alaska, and the one that would make Alaska "official" on our 50-state adventure, was Wild Scoops.   There are several locations in Anchorage, and it was one of the most frequent results whenever I searched for "ice cream near me."

They craft small batch ice creams with an emphasis on local ingredients.

Sitka Swirl

I love all things salted caramel, so I had the Sitka Swirl - a sweet cream base with an Alaskan sea salted caramel swirl.  It was so creamy, and the sea salted caramel really gave it an added richness.

White Raven

White Raven is a cookies and cream ice cream.

Tang Creamsicle

Redoubt's Revenge

This flavor is spicy, made with cinnamon and cayenne.

Rock on the Wild Side

Rock on the Wild Side incorporated Alaska barley walnut brownies and mini marshmallows.

Wild Scoops is a must visit if you love ice cream!

Wild Scoops
530 E Benson Blvd #7
Anchorage, AK 99503

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A First Look at Wendy's Minions & Monsters Adult Meals!

Mahalo to our sponsor for the complimentary meal!

The Minions are back, and ahead of Minions & Monsters hitting theaters on July 1, Wendy's has rolled out its limited-time Minions & Monsters Adult Meals, and we were invited to stop by their Honolulu location for a first look!

Each adult meal comes with your choice of a Big Bacon Burger or Chicken Sandwich, small fries, a Banana Frosty, and one of four collectible Minions-themed toys. 

We tried both sandwich options, and I have to say, they're equally delicious. It really just depends on what you're craving—a juicy, bacon-topped beef burger or a crispy chicken sammie. The fries were hot and tasty as always, making for a satisfying meal.

Let's talk about the Banana Frosty. Not gonna lie, the banana flavor is strong! 

If you're a banana fan, you'll probably love it. It's definitely a fun, tropical twist on the classic Frosty and fits the Minions theme perfectly.

These Minions & Monsters Adult Meals are available for a limited time at participating Wendy's locations nationwide, so don't wait too long if you're hoping to collect all four toys. And while you're there, quench your thirst by adding a drink to your meal. One of my favorite things about Wendy's is their Coca-Cola Freestyle machine, with over 100 beverage options and endless mix-and-match combinations to create the perfect drink.

Whether you're a Minions fan or just looking for a fun fast-food treat, Wendy's latest collaboration is a fun way to celebrate the upcoming movie!

 

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Kuni Restaurant & Catering

Kuni Restaurant & Catering is a Waipahu mainstay.  I recently went for dinner and was delighted to see how busy it was with all local families.  

Most of us got 2-choice teishoku meals, which come with rice, miso soup, tsukemono, moyashi, and a salad.

Shrimp Tempura

Miso Butterfish

Chicken Teri

Chicken Katsu

Teri Beef Ribeye

Despite a change in ownership a few years ago, the food tastes the same as I remember from when I was a kid.  They have some of the best chicken katsu on the island, in my opinion.

Kuni Special Udon

The Kuni Special Udon was loaded with chicken, bamboo shoots, green onions, kamaboko, Wong bok, and shrimp tempura.

If you have been going to Kuni for as long as I have, you're familiar with the water trick that Sato does - and still does!  We see Sato there pretty much every time we go, and it was so generous of him to give us some andagi.

Andagi

Despite how busy the restaurant was, service was prompt and the team was so friendly.

Kuni's is definitely a Waipahu fave!

Kuni Restaurant & Catering
94-210 Leokane St

Waipahu, HI 96797
(808) 671-7270

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