Category Archives: Ocean

Photography: The Spitting Caves of Hawaii

For today’s throwback photography post we head to the exquisite Spitting Caves found on Oahu, Hawaii. My model for this shoot was Tasha Woodfall, my make up artist Melissa Hurley, with hair and photography by myself. While the three of us had not all worked together before I had been Tasha’s hair & make up artist on shoots with two different photographers and Melissa and I worked together frequently during our time on the island. We tailgated at the parking lot of a near by Starbucks to do hair and makeup before heading to the Spitting Caves. I had seen this place in photographs before and as one of the sets used on LOST, but this was my first time seeing it for myself. While it is nice to location scout before hand, walking out here was like taking a child to a candy store. My eyes were wide open as my head looked around and my mind thinking of all the shots I wanted to get while we were there. While we did have to work around a few tourists that showed up during our shooting, we pretty much had the location for ourselves. I just adore the way the layers of the rock shone beneath the sun, the colour of the ocean, and the way the water did ‘spit up’ against the caves. It was on my list of places to shoot before I moved and I could not have asked for a better team that morning. I hope you enjoy! 

Q: Have you ever been to the Spitting Caves? Have you ever been Cliff Diving? 
(I ask because that is one thing I have never done before)

*Photography belongs to Bonnie Rose of Bonnie Rose Photography © 2007 – 2013 All Rights Reserved | www.bonnie-rose.co.uk 


Travel: Seaside Heights, NJ

My sister Zoë at the Seaside Heights Boardwalk in NJ

Now that we are officially in Spring and preparing for the coming Summer I have been looking back at some of my favourite Summer destinations.  Last year we went to one of them: Seaside Heights at the Jersey shore.  My family has gone to this costal destination a few times as I was growing up to visit my dad’s father and brother who lived around Newark, NJ.  Now that both my father and his father have passed away it is just my uncle who lives there.  I have only been able to see him a handful of times in my life and one of those was August of 2012.  My sons and I flew out to meet my mum (‘Nonna’) and my sister Zoë (‘Zia Zoë’) at the airport in Pennsylvania where we drove to our summer destination. 

Seaside Heights, NJ


Seaside Heights Beach park
Lounging on the beach with Uncle Tom, my boys, and my sister.
My mum rented a condo that was only a two minute walk from the beach. 
Thats right only two minutes and we could be ankle deep in sand and splashing around in the water. 
My boys and Zia Zoë enjoyed playing together in the water. 
What beach vacation would be complete with out making sandcastles with your Nonna. 

Then a short walk back to our vacation rental to get ready to go out to eat.

Visiting the MTV Jersey Shore house…might I add they painted the flag backwards. Seriously?
I flipped the photo (which you can tell by the words on a sign) because I am a girl raised in Italy.
The Boardwalk was cool at night because you could drink at the bars and the rest was locked up and deserted. 
During the day it was bright and sunny. A perfect setting for eating ice cream  from the famous Kohrs. 
With my only and best sister in the world: Zoë
The boardwalk is full of fun games and and prizes that can bring a smile to the child in us all. 
This is how I will always remember the Jersey Shore. 

In the end this was one of the best family vacations that I have been on since my boys have been born.  Unfortunately my husband was not with us on this one due to him being back at school during that time in England.  The condo was really nice inside, we could prepare our meals in the kitchen, and do our laundry whenever it was needed.  There were a lot of great places to eat at for dinner in the area and bagel shops for breakfast.  My one recommendation would be for those who would come here with children.  The rides on the boardwalk can be quite expensive so we let our sons choose one ride each.  We then took them to Six Flags nearby for the day and let them ride all the rides they wanted.  My sons said at the end of the trip that their favourite part was playing at the beach (free) so dont feel pressured to break the bank for family fun.

Sadly after our trip was when the storm came through and wrecked and destroyed many places with the flooding.  There is much that has to be rebuilt to get the boardwalk back to its former glory.  Despite the vacation rental being so close to the beach it luckily was unharmed.  Hopefully someday we can return to relieve the great memories of last summer.  My boys definitely recommend it.

Helene in Between
Linking up for Travel Tuesday.

Jersey Shore Vacation

Seaside Heights, New Jersey 

It has been over a year since I have seen my mum and sister, Zoë.  So being able to take the boys out to New Jersey for the week was really a blessing.  Not only did my boys get to see their Nonna and Zia, but their Great Uncle Tom, my father’s brother.  For me just being around my Uncle was very comforting.  I forget how many similarities and mannerisms that my father and my uncle share.  With not having the option to be around my dad anymore, every minute with my Uncle is golden.  Although he had to work every day, we go to spend the evenings together.  I really enjoyed seeing him and my boys together.  


My Uncle, Ronan, and Maddox with my Sister. 
Maddox playing at the beach. 

We basically spent the week on the beach, living in a condo that was just a short walk away.  It was basically impossible to get the boys out of the water, Ronan especially.  They have really missed living at the beach and being able to live in the water since we moved from Hawaii.  We built sandcastles, collected shells, and enjoyed the warm sunshine.  Ronan and Maddox really loved the boardwalk with all the games, rides, and food choices.  The special treat was getting to spend a day 
at Six Flags and it was one of the highlights for the boys. 


Having fun at the beach at the Jersey Shore

At the end of the week we got to have a reunion with my best friend Tammy from Hawaii. It has been so long since we have seen each other and being able to catch up with her and her family was heaven sent.  The week went by really fast but we enjoyed every second. 


My sister and my Uncle hanging out at the beach at Jersey Shore. 
Zoe and her nephew, my son, kayaking in the ocean. 
Fun photo op at Six Flags. 
Six Flags