My Imaginary Hawaiian Vacation

Well, it's been really snowy and cold for a long time, hasn't it? I keep wanting to start Couch to 5K. I'm waiting for the ice and slush to clear up a little because it's been awhile since I ran regularly and I need to be able to concentrate on the Couch to 5K app without worrying about tripping and falling head first into a snowbank. So I've been looking at some lovely Hawaii Vacation Rentals and imagining running along a beautiful beach. I love beaches and being near the water, always have done. And I've never been to Hawaii. We talk about putting it on our Future Travel List, though.

So anyway, I was putting off my novel-writing stint of that day (which is going to happen after I write this, totally) and looking up stuff about Hawaii and also looking up retro stuff because hey, retro stuff is my thing, etc. And I found this 1970s game show starring Bob Eubanks in a variety of loudly patterned shirts, called The Diamond Head Game.* Have you heard of this show? I never had, and I'm actually kind of surprised, because back in the 1960s and 70s I absolutely loved watching game shows. It only ran for a few months in 1975 and has the distinction of being the only game show that was ever filmed in Hawaii. You can check out a clip here.

There was an elaborate question-and-answer part that I won't even begin to try and describe. But when you got past the elimination rounds you got to go inside the Diamond Head Money Volcano where you could win some "fabulous, fabulous prizes" like cars and vacations. There were bills of various denominations and pieces of paper with prizes listed on them, all flying around, and you had to grab as many as you could in the allotted seconds.

Sadly The Diamond Head Game was not on the air for all that long, but you can give yourself some Hawaii-themed prizes right now by checking out some amazing vacation rentals online including Oahu Vacation Rentals and Waikiki Vacation Condos. This is the place I've chosen for my imaginary winter getaway. It's called Black Point Villa, and it's right on the beach, on the Black Point bluffs in Oahu. Can't you imagine walking - or going for a run - along that shore? If only I had a Money Volcano of my own, this is just where I'd like to be!

*I really did want to show you a screenshot of the opening titles of The Diamond Head Game, but I couldn't figure out if it was OK for me to reproduce the image, so I thought I'd use this delightful 1939 pineapple juice ad instead, which shows how I plan to relax after that run on the beach. Ta ta, horseback riding friends! I'm going to sit here looking gorgeous and swilling pineapple juice while you huff up that volcano. Oh, and if you find any thousand dollar bills, please bring them right back to me, darlings.