Ahhh...my sleeping quarter: The Master Bedroom

This is where I spend 8 hours at night every night. Here is what my messy room with my grandma's bedframe looked like...


Old Master Bedroom (View 1)


Old Master Bedroom (View 2)

Since I spend a lot of time here, I should live a little. This is the point where I start to sway from my budget. I got a 37" LCD flatpanel by Vizio!!! The new bed is (again) from Pottery Barn....Sumatra Collection. I have loved this design for over two to three years. I've searched high and low for something comparable and cheaper...but unsuccessful. I have bought new table lamps from EQ3, but not shown here. The painting is two of my favorite work I have done...Numbers' Memoir.


New Master Bedroom (View 1)


New Master Bedroom (View 2)...the door to the Master Bathroom is eliminated

Do you see it?!! There is a new Sony Playstation 3 on that dresser!! It was bought more for the high definition Blu-ray than the game console itself. The picture is just simply gorgeous!!! Now I watch movies and Anime in bed (with a glass of wine or soda)!!!

My prized master bathroom...

This is probably the best decision I have made in the entire renovation. Take out a bathtub and replace it with a fullsize shower. Instead of getting one of those ready made shower pans, I had it built from the ground up with black pebbles as the base. Take a look at my old awful bathroom dump...


Old Master Bathroom (View 1) - exactly how my grandma left it...


Old Master Bathroom (View 2)

Now take a look at this one...the shower panel is made by Hansgrohe...and it is not cheap!!! However, with all the combination, I can practically stay in there for a long time!!!

The pedestal sink is something I have eyed on since my trip to Amsterdam two years ago. It is made by a German company called Duravit. Their design is just sleek and simple with a contemporary look that doesn't get dated too fast.

The Medicine Cabinet and Hutch are (of course) from Pottery Barn...somehow Pottery Barn has become one of my favorite stores these days...


New Master Bathroom (View 1)


New Master Bathroom (View 2) - those 2"x2" tiles are glass (very overpriced)!!

Oh BTW, the black slate floor is heated (Nuheat)!!!! It is fully 7-day programmable, so when I wake up in the morning, the floor is nice and heated!!! I was very wishy-washy about this...but I am glad I went for it. The contractor had not dealt with this item, so I had to do the Electrical installation for it for him.

Another Hawaii Trip...the Big Islands

Can't believe it has already been a year since I was here last. This time, no tennis tournament, so I got time to travel to the Big Island.

But before heading off to the Big Island, I spent a day or so in Honolulu and did some hiking. Not a lot is different here except I see some of the native Hawaiian tennis players whom I met last year here.


On Oahu's Diamond Head, overlooking parts of Honolulu

I flew into the Big Islands via Hilo, then drove southward toward Puna. This area is close to the active flowing lava. I was a bit of a chicken, so I did not take a chance going to watch the lava flow. At the B&B place I stayed, there was horror story of a group of folks who did not follow some tour guide and ventured off to the lava flow. They got lost and were standing on unsafe soil. That kind of creeped me out.


Caves where Lava flowed...I'm actually claustrophobic :S

There are lots of construction going on here. Many people who retire from the mainland move here and build houses to live. They are pretty cheap, but the fact that there are possibilities that you house might be in the path of some new lava flow did not go well with me. Like California's Seismic Zones, Hawaii have Lava Zones. Much of Puna is new land as a result of lava flows that turned to rock. One doesn't see a whole lot of plants growing.

Next stop was Kona. It is just beautiful here!! While Puna was all cloudy and occasional heavy showers, Kona was bright and sunny. The place is full of hotels and resorts. I wish I had tennis rackets and some friends to play tennis with. So relaxing...just look at the sunset!!!


Sunset at Kona

Finally, I am back to Hilo. It is a small town with lots and lots of retirees. Not a whole lot to see, except parks and river flows and more lava tunnels.


Proud Cal Poly Mustang

And this concludes my one week plus trip to Hawaii. Like last year, while I am away, more construction is happening at home....