Visit Alaska: Whittier Tunnel

The Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel (aka Whittier Tunnel) is the longest vehicle + railroad tunnel in North America!  We had to traverse through it to get to our glacier cruise, and were given specific instructions as to what time to go through the tunnel, as it is only open for 15 minutes one-way each hour during specific hours of the day, which varies by the season.  If you miss the tunnel, you will have to wait another hour.  

We got to the tunnel about 15 minutes before the scheduled time.  We paid a toll (tolls are round-trip and paid if you're coming from the Bear Valley / Anchorage area).

We waited in a line designated by the toll agent.  There are restrooms near the waiting area, but prior to arriving, we stopped at the Begich, Boggs Visitor Center, which is just a few minutes away, to use the restroom and kill some time.  

You are encouraged to arrive at least 10 minutes before the scheduled time to keep traffic flowing. 

It takes about 6 minutes at 25MPH to go through the tunnel, and you are warned by the toll agent to not speed in or even once out of the tunnel, as there is law enforcement (and we did see police cars on the opposite end).  

After our cruise, we made it just in time for the return to Anchorage without having to kill time in Whittier. 

It was definitely an cool experience!

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J. DOLAN'S

We had about 30 minutes to kill before meeting up with friends for trick-or-treating in Kahala on Halloween, so we decided to make a quick stop at J. Dolan’s. My husband had been wanting to try this place for the longest time. Were the stars finally aligned? It sure seemed that way when we walked in and got seated right away!

We thought we were off to a great start, so we placed our order for a whole cheese pizza and a spinach and garlic pizza. Then came the unexpected news from our waitress: the kitchen was backed up on whole pizzas, and it would take about 45 minutes. Uh-oh! We definitely didn't have that kind of time.

We asked if we could order pizza by the slice instead. After a little back-and-forth with the kitchen, our waitress came back with good news. They had cheese and pepperoni available by the slice!

We ordered two slices of cheese pizza for the boys and decided to fill the rest of our time with a few appetizers: fried onion rings, fried calamari, and chicken wings.

Thankfully, the appetizers came out in pretty good time. Everything was hot, crispy, and freshly prepared. The chicken wings had a little kick to them, but nothing too overpowering. They were super yummy! The onion rings and fried calamari were also great for sharing while we waited for the pizza slices.

The pizza slices were the last to arrive, but the boys were happy once they finally made it to the table. They loved the cheese pizza!

All in all, it turned out to be a great little Halloween meal.  We'll definitely have to come back when we're not on a 30-minute countdown. On our way out, we even spotted a guy who had been waiting for his pizza when we first arrived. So, apparently, that 45-minute estimate wasn't an exaggeration! 😂

Next time, we'll plan ahead, come hungry, and give those whole pizzas the time they deserve!

 J. DOLAN'S

4210 WAIALAE AVENUE

808-888-7664

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Teddy's Bigger Burgers - Kaneohe

We went to Kaneohe to do a donation drop off for those affected by hurricane Lala, and we ended up going to Teddy's Bigger Burgers for lunch.  We've been to many Teddy's throughout the island, but it was our first time at the Kaneohe location.

Garlic Chicken Tenders

I shared the Garlic Chicken Tenders with one of my kids.  That cheesy, garlicky topping was really good!

Large Tater Tots

I always get Tater Tots at Teddy's.  They fry them nice and crisp!

Kailua Style

Bacado

Big 5oz.

I love how everything is made fresh, and the service was great.

Teddy's never disappoints!

Teddy's Bigger Burgers

46-023 Kamehameha Hwy

Kaneohe, HI 96744

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Mahi ‘ai Table

We ended up at Mahi ‘ai Table one evening for dinner after a change in plans, and it turned out to be a pleasant experience, despite some lapses in service.

We ordered a few appetizers from the Pau Hana menu, which is offered from 2pm - 6pm daily.

Hapa Poke

Steamed Shrimp & Pork Wonton

Scallion Bread

The Scallion Bread was enormous - the size a personal pizza!

Alii Mushroom Pizza

The Alii Mushroom Pizza is also on the Pau Hana menu, but one person ordered it for an entree.  It ended up coming out 8 minutes after the rest of the entrees.

Spicy Garlic Noodles

Half Pound House Burger

Crispy Confit Chicken

Misoyaki Butterfish

I got the Misoyaki Butterfish, which was good.  The heart of palm and corn added nice textural contrast to the tender & flaky black cod.  I thought the ginger scallion rice could've been presented better.

Kulolo Haupia Sundae

I liked all the local elements of the Kulolo Haupia Sundae, and I appreciate how the menu really incorporates a lot of locally-sourced ingredients.

The timeliness of service was lacking, and our server did forget some things we requested, but we still had an overall nice time.

There was live music, and the food was good.  It was nice to see a lot of local customers!

Foodland Ka Makana Aliʻi
91-5431 Kapolei Pkwy Ste 1704
Kapolei, HI 96707

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Rakumen

Our family likes Rakumen because of the generous portions and reasonable prices.

Mini Chicken Katsu Curry Rice + Cheese

Gyoza Ramen

Chicken Katsu Curry Rice

Shrimp Tempura Curry

They have all sorts of dishes - ramen, curries, gyoza, and more.

I usually get the Chicken Katsu Curry Rice, and although I've had better katsu elsewhere, they sure give a lot!  They also give ample curry, packed separately (before they would pour it on top for to-go orders, so I appreciate that they now pack it separately). The portion lasts me several meals!

Rakumen

95-1840 Meheula Pkwy

Mililani, HI 96789

 

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Tanya's Pies and Grill

We first went to Tanya's Pies and Grill shortly after they opened up in 2019.  It was nice to see them extremely busy during a recent visit.  

Chicken Wings

Beef Curry

Teri Mahi Mahi

Chicken Adobo

We didn't think the adobo would be wings, and if it had been noted on the menu, we would've ordered something else.

Pork Guisantes

Whenever I see guisantes on a menu anywhere, I'll usually order it.  Although I thought the pork could've been a bit more tender, the dish overall was tasty.

Prices were pretty reasonable!

Tanya's Pies & Grill
1008 California Ave

Wahiawa, HI 96786

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Visit Paris: Champagne Tasting at Ruinart

Grounds of Ruinart

If you ever find yourself in Paris, consider a stop to Reims for a champagne tasting. Located about 45 minutes away by train, Reims is home to 15-20 world famous Champagne houses. Established in 1729, the first and oldest is Ruinart.

Tours are restricted to small groups so make your reservations early. We did not and so could only secure a French speaking tour. The classical cellar tour is a two hour experience that takes you into Ruinart's chalk cellars which are also classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The cellars run over five miles and almost 130 feet deep. The tour finishes with a tasting of two signature cuvees. Even though we couldn't understand the tour guide, we still enjoyed visiting the caves and the tasting.

Beautiful painted staircase

Ruinart is closely involved in contemporary art. This art installation is located inside the caves.

Down inside the crayeres - chalk walled cellars

Vintage cuvees are typically aged for about 5 years.

For the tastings, you have your choice of champagne or rose of each cuvee.

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