A few more pictures of Hawaii. Then I promise I'll stop.

So much green in Hawaii, non?

The blue sea I was expecting, the white beaches too. But for some reason, the plump, lush greens took me by surprise. I quite liked it.

My adorable co-hostesses, Shamar and Beka. Me in the middle.

These next two photos aren't the most amazing, as I took them from the car. But dear God. Driving through Hawaii on a simple freeway is like driving through the set of Jurassic Park.

See what I mean? 

Here's a more helpful visual:

The single coolest vegetable you will ever see in your life.

Question: What was your favorite color as a child?

Was it purple?

If so, then congratulations, because you and I were awesome together. Like you, I also loved purple, and wanted everyone to know its glorious hue. Purple was the first crayon I reached for, and the last dash of marker scribble I would have used to color your picture.

At age four, I wanted a pet chick with feathers dyed to be purple. At one point, I wanted to be a pet chick with purple feathers. There were no limits to purple's potential, and to me, the fact that the words "purple" and "perfect" sounded almost exactly alike was not a coincidence. Not at all.

Well, it now appears that my childhood dreams are coming true! Because as of this week, I have learned that my favorite vegetable, the sweet potato, comes in a startlingly different shade. And oh, fellow purple lovers, it's not orange.

Is this not craziest sweet potato you've ever seen?

I ate this on Monday, purchased from a tiny market in Honololulu. Beka said, "I think you'll like this," but she may not have realized the full extent of the miracle.

Now that I'm back in Austin, my rainy, pretty Austin, we'll start talking about city stuff here in a moment. (Although I may force a couple more Hawaii photos on you.)

But I wanted to share the Okinawan Sweet Potato first, in case anyone else finds this as exciting as I do.

Snapshots from Hawaii.

Aloha!

I am Hawaii Eavesdropper right now, visiting my beautiful friend Beka.

This is Beka.

My family will be shocked to see this (me hiking, that is), as I am a notoriously unenthusiastic hiker. But we've been hiking every single day so far, and I am completely digging it! Yesterday, Beka's friend Malia and I hiked down this rocky boulder-like piece of geography, and I didn't fall once.

Here are some more random snapshots.

aloha nui loa!

San Francisco calling.

Hello friends!

GARY!, Andrew, Happy and I are on Day 3 here in San Francisco, and last night, we met up with my beloved Sacramento friends, Jon and Ila. It's been a whirlwind of shows, dance parties, kindred spirits, hearts-beating-in-time and louder-than-necessary squeals, and every time I see something lovely, I am definitely that obnoxious person who goes, "WAIT, stop. Picture time!"

Here is what I have spied with my little eye.

I had a pretty proud pun moment here. "Who needs their homework grated?" I said.

Chinatown, where we ate our first day. Coincidentally, it was at a dim sum place my dad and I actually visited years ago, New Asia, where groups of Chinese performers sometimes put on shows - during lunch - on a stage flanked by more chandeliers than the eye can see. Isn't that how every lunch should be?

(Freaky!)

This is a temporary, free zip line currently set up near Fisherman's Wharf that I am campaigning to go on. The only problem is, you have to travel there and get in line way early (7:00!) for a wrist band before they run out, and we can never get up at that hour. Girls and gays need their beauty sleep.

Love from San Fran!

(I miss you, Ross and Claudia!)

Savannah!!

OMG you guys - tomorrow morning, R. and I leave for Savannah!!

Alright so, full disclosure: we're technically going to Hilton Head, South Carolina. Which also looks neato. It's just that Savannah's a mere hour away, and I've been excited about Savannah ever since I read this book. So it's probably the case that we'll only have a day there...but we WILL have one. Oh yes. A day we shall have.

I've gotten some cool Savannah recommendations from Jenny and Jill. Here's where they say to go: JJ Cagney's, which sounds sorta Austin-y. Live music with low-lit, laid-back ambiance. That and Bistro Savannah, which may be a little too estrogen-tastic for R. ("burnished heart-pine and exposed gray brick walls make this an ultra-chic yet casual dining favorite!"). But his little sister Jen will be with us, so maybe we'll dine there while he goes and finds a drum somewhere to play.

Does anyone know of any other cool Savannah (or Hilton Head) activities? And did you know that the Bird Girl statue is now in a museum?! (rather than her rightful cemetery?)

More importantly...what are you all doing this weekend?

Although I won't be around to enjoy these guys, I have an idea for Friday if you don't have plans yet (and live in Austin). 'Til We're Blue or Destroy (best band name ever?) is playing at Emo's on Friday night, who my friend Kullen Fuchs used to play with. Do you still play with them, Kullen? He used to be with R's band The Lennings, and sometimes he plays this funny little instrument that looks like a Casio keyboard with a plastic tube stuck on the end. And to make noise you blow through it, while playing your keyboard.

Now that I think about it, I don't know if it's a real instrument or if he made it.

I'm coming, Savannah

OH you guys - I'm so excited! R. and I are going to Savannah, Georgia in exactly a month. He got the tickets this week. I have always wanted to go to Savannah, ever since I read (then saw the movie) Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Have you guys read that book? No? Go read it!

I am envisioning big hats, iced tea, wraparound porches, magnolia trees, peaches (?), and parasols. Am I close? I've never been. If you aren't from Texas, you probably think that's odd. I know my New England friends can just take a walk outside and oh! Look at that, I'm in a different state. Totally not like that here. Back when the U.S. invaded Iraq and was all pissed off at France, frat guys used to wear these moronic shirts that said "Texas is bigger than France!!" Which is...true. We are Gigantor. Territory-demarcation-wise, I mean.

So I live in the south but not The South, like antebellum south. I can hardly wait to go see it.