- Third Friday in Makawao with Andrea
- Drinks at Casanova
Friday, July 18, 2014
Thursday, July 17, 2014
Thursday, July 17th
- GNO/Tia's going away Dinner at Kula Bistro in Kula
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| Love meeting new friends! |
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| Me and Eden |
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| No cork fee! Awesome! |
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| Shrimp Risotto dinner - mmmmm |
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| Thee best banana cream pie I've ever had! |
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
Wednesday, July 16th
- Pizza at Flatbread Company
- Gelato Wasted at Ono Gelato Co
- Rash Guard
- Gelato Wasted at Ono Gelato Co
- Rash Guard
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| Loaded Salad! yumm |
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| Half-n-half pizza |
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| My first Rash Guard! |
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| Getting gelato wasted |
Sunday, July 13, 2014
Sunday, July 13th
- Brunch at Angela and Mark's for World Cup with Eden
- Reefdancer with Leanna and Eden
- Star Noodle with Leanna and Eden
- Mochi with Leanna and Eden
- Reefdancer with Leanna and Eden
- Star Noodle with Leanna and Eden
- Mochi with Leanna and Eden
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| World Cup Brunch - Think theme Germany? |
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| Love the cute decorations |
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| Mark was very anxious and excited with the win |
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| Reefdancer! |
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| Reefdancer diver showing us a starfish |
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| Star Noodle! Garlic noodles with shrimp |
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| Sake |
Saturday, July 12, 2014
Jelly Fish!
Checking out my "home" town
E and I decided to spend Friday evening in Makawao, so we went to a local Mexican restaurant called Polli's for happy hour where they have $5 Makawowie Nachos. We got some hot wings too - yum. Then we headed across the street to Casanova's - also in time for their happy hour. I had a $5 half carafe serving of mojito, and had to laugh as they served it with the straw right in the serving container. E had a $5 half carafe of wine - and so I think it's fair to say, it's a pretty good happy hour.
Storm is a comin'
The news is all about Tropical Storm Wali coming along this weekend. We thought it might not come in until tonight or tomorrow, so we took a chance at heading to Ulua beach for some snorkeling. The visibility was already pretty junkie, so we just lounged for a bit on the beach and then headed to brunch at the Kihei Caffe - which was quite alright with me 'cause I was hungry :) Next time, we're having breakfast before we head to town! By the way, the food was good and I'd definitely be up for going back and possibly sharing a plate next time because the servings are pretty big. If you ever go, it's cash only - so be prepared.
Kihei Caffe
1945 South Kihei Rd, Kihei, HI 96753
http://www.kiheicaffe.net/
Maui Ocean Center (MOC)
After we ate, we headed over to the Maui Ocean Center where Eden works (part-time). I got to go behind the scenes and see some little itty bitty baby sea life - including some sea horses that were the size of my fingernail, and some jellyfish that were a tenth of that. I also got to touch an adult jellyfish, which E assured me wouldn't sting. And it didn't. What a cool experience! I also got to see a 13 month old green sea turtle. I should note that if you ever have a chance to see one while you're out in the ocean or on a beach, it is illegal to touch them. Since E works at the MOC, it was a privilege that comes with her job. While we were there, we got to see her friend L'e do a naturalist presentation from within the shark tank. Another really cool part of the visit.
I had met L'e and another friend that we saw at the MOC, N'e, at the barbecue on Thursday and we chatted a bit with them before were were going to head out. Someone mentioned a weekend happy hour at a nearby place called Beach Bums which was just around the corner from the aquarium, so we all decided to go have a bite to eat and a mai tai before we headed home. The calamari was ahhh-mazing, with lemon caper sauce. The nachos and prime rib, also delish and my mai tai was pretty smooth too. For dessert, we stopped at Ululani's for some Hawaiian Shave Ice with L'e. Yumm!
Beach Bums BBQ & Grill
300 Maalaea Rd #1M
http://beachbumshawaii.com/happy%20hour.html
E and I decided to spend Friday evening in Makawao, so we went to a local Mexican restaurant called Polli's for happy hour where they have $5 Makawowie Nachos. We got some hot wings too - yum. Then we headed across the street to Casanova's - also in time for their happy hour. I had a $5 half carafe serving of mojito, and had to laugh as they served it with the straw right in the serving container. E had a $5 half carafe of wine - and so I think it's fair to say, it's a pretty good happy hour.
Storm is a comin'
The news is all about Tropical Storm Wali coming along this weekend. We thought it might not come in until tonight or tomorrow, so we took a chance at heading to Ulua beach for some snorkeling. The visibility was already pretty junkie, so we just lounged for a bit on the beach and then headed to brunch at the Kihei Caffe - which was quite alright with me 'cause I was hungry :) Next time, we're having breakfast before we head to town! By the way, the food was good and I'd definitely be up for going back and possibly sharing a plate next time because the servings are pretty big. If you ever go, it's cash only - so be prepared.
Kihei Caffe
1945 South Kihei Rd, Kihei, HI 96753
http://www.kiheicaffe.net/
Maui Ocean Center (MOC)
After we ate, we headed over to the Maui Ocean Center where Eden works (part-time). I got to go behind the scenes and see some little itty bitty baby sea life - including some sea horses that were the size of my fingernail, and some jellyfish that were a tenth of that. I also got to touch an adult jellyfish, which E assured me wouldn't sting. And it didn't. What a cool experience! I also got to see a 13 month old green sea turtle. I should note that if you ever have a chance to see one while you're out in the ocean or on a beach, it is illegal to touch them. Since E works at the MOC, it was a privilege that comes with her job. While we were there, we got to see her friend L'e do a naturalist presentation from within the shark tank. Another really cool part of the visit.
I had met L'e and another friend that we saw at the MOC, N'e, at the barbecue on Thursday and we chatted a bit with them before were were going to head out. Someone mentioned a weekend happy hour at a nearby place called Beach Bums which was just around the corner from the aquarium, so we all decided to go have a bite to eat and a mai tai before we headed home. The calamari was ahhh-mazing, with lemon caper sauce. The nachos and prime rib, also delish and my mai tai was pretty smooth too. For dessert, we stopped at Ululani's for some Hawaiian Shave Ice with L'e. Yumm!
Beach Bums BBQ & Grill
300 Maalaea Rd #1M
http://beachbumshawaii.com/happy%20hour.html
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| $5 half-carafe happy hour at Casanovas! |
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| Baby (13 month old) Sea Turtle! |
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| N'd and L'e |
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| Me and E |
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| Beach Bums Grub |
Thursday, July 10, 2014
Slowing down and crashing parties....
Slowing down....
Monday
We slowed down quite a bit this week. Monday was a blur, and by this morning, I realized I had lost a day because of it. Turns out we ended up taking a trip to the grocery store and came home to make tacos for dinner, which we ate on our little side patio.
Tuesday
Tuesday, we stayed in too - I made fried spaghetti for dinner and we settled for a Netflix night.
(I also took a walk into town today and noticed that Makawao is in desperate need of sidewalks. Probably isn't going to happen - but it would be nice. And a whole lot safer!)
(I also took a walk into town today and noticed that Makawao is in desperate need of sidewalks. Probably isn't going to happen - but it would be nice. And a whole lot safer!)
Crashing parties...
I'm getting good at (or at least I'm racking up) crashing parties.
Wednesday
Wednesday it was one for the Monk Seal Volunteer group. It was at a clubhouse in the area that one of the volunteers lives in - and it was beautiful! A beautiful clubhouse and a beautiful view. Before we left, D'b said we could have a party there anytime, and I told her not to tell me that unless she meant it! As we were driving home, E and I were thinking it would be a great place for my Maui-going-away-party :)
Thursday
Thursday was another. This for the Maui Ocean Center (MOC) group. They were having a potluck barbecue at Sugar Beach combo'd with an attempt to catch some baby sharks for the aquarium. It was the windiest day/night I've experienced so far, but that didn't stop anyone. We hung out for a bit, ate and before I knew it, it was dark. Someone started a bonfire for us with a pallet we had been using for a makeshift table. Perfect, since E and I had brought the makings for SMORES for our contribution. L'i, who had been at the 4th of July Baby Beach bbq, was there - and he entertained us with some very scientific raps. It was a lot of fun and I couldn't help but think that Darren would have especially liked that part of the night.
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| D'b's clubhouse infinity pool |
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| D'b's clubhouse infinity pool |
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| D'b's clubhouse pool at sunset |
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| D'b's clubhouse pool at sunset |
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| Did I forget to mention the Jello shots? |
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| L'i providing the educating-entertainment |
Sunday, July 6, 2014
Sunday, Fun Day!
Today (approximately 6:30pm) marked my first full week in Maui - and it's been absolutely amazing. I've done way more than I ever expected to at this point, and have had the best time doing it! Not wanting to belittle Monday through Saturday, but today was probably my favorite so far...
Up and at'em for some Stand Up Paddleboard
Today I had planned to give my first try at stand up paddleboarding (SUP) and E suggested that we head out early to make sure we beat the mid-afternoon trade winds. We decided to start at Keawakapu Beach and then head down to Ulua Beach. SUPs are way bigger than I imagined, and now I know, bigger than surfboards. I had a heck of a time carrying mine from the rental place (where the people were really nice) even though the location was right next to the beach. Thankfully, our new friend A'm, who we had met the day before - joined us, and carried mine down for me. Otherwise, I still might have been awkwardly making my way to the water...
I was nervous of how I would do, knowing that my balance isn't the greatest, but it wasn't bad. I was able to get on the board and stand up relatively easily and paddling went okay to after E gave us a few pointers. I did try to adjust one time to move my stance back a little and fell off the board - but I didn't lose my sunglasses or crash into reef, so it was okay. After I got back on, I just made sure my feet were where I wanted them to be before I stood up. My biggest issue I had through it was that my feet cramped up - I guess maybe from my attempt to turn them into Spiderman-grips by sheer will. When they did (cramp, not turn into grippy-feet), I would either kneel or sit Indian-style on the board and paddle from there. The water was just as amazing from the distance we were to the beach - so clear we could see everything below us - and we caught glimpse of a couple of sea turtles on the trip.
Ulua Beach was about a mile down and we ran into a friend of E's who was on the boat with us for 4th of July. B'y was giving SUP lessons for a local hotel and I heard him talk to E about the trade winds and such, but it was okay because we were planning on turning around at that point anyhow, so we tailed him and his student for a short distance until they stopped to do a bit of stretching and yoga stances. E joined them, but I took the opportunity to sit back and admire the view from my board, basking in the sun and just enjoying the serenity. Once they were done with their stretches, I got back up and tried to kick it into gear to catch up with A'm who had gone ahead of us. E had given me direction on how to bring my board in, but I didn't really figure it out, so I just started paddling in at a point. A'm had already taken his board in, so he met me at the ocean line and collected mine to carry back up to the rental place, making the whole experience definitely easier than it might have been at this point :)
We relaxed at the beach for a little while, and I spent some time sitting in the sand while the waves came over me. In retrospect, not the best idea as I had sand EVERYWHERE! There are showers to rinse off at most places, but there is only a certain amount you can rinse off in a public area before you're giving a show.
The Surf Shack
http://www.surfshackmaui.com/
2960 S Kihei Rd. #3, Kihei, HI 96753
The Bean and grub...
E loves coffee. Whenever we're at that part of Kihei, she likes to stop at a place called The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (she just calls it "the Bean"), so we did after SUP. E got coffee, A'm let me buy him a drink as thanks for carrying my SUP, and I got a Lychee Iced tea, which was tropically yummy.
By this time it was early afternoon and we were all starving after no breakfast and a good workout on the SUPs. E took us to a place called the 808 Deli, where A'm treated us to lunch. I had the Toasted Italian - mmmm, love Italian sammy's! - which hit the spot.
The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
http://coffeebeanhawaii.com/menu
3750 Wailea Alanui Dr, Unit B-30, Kihei, HI 96753
808 Deli
www.808deli.com/
2511 S Kihei Rd, Kihei, HI 96753
Lava Fields and Night Marchers...
After lunch, E asked us what we wanted to do - and gave us options. A'm was only going to be in town for a couple more days, so I let him pick - and he chose a scenic drive to La Perouse Bay, which is covered in rough lava from the last eruption of Haleakala in 1790. On the way, E pointed out a couple of celeb homes - Clint Eastwood's and Steven Tyler's. But we didn't stop by and visit.
Before we went exploring, I had to change and so I got crafty in the back seat of E's car without giving a show. Feeling much more comfortable, we pressed on to explore the lava fields, which were really breathtaking against the ocean waves. E told us a ghost story about the restless Night Marchers who are said to roam along the hardened lava landscape in search of mischief.
Note: La Perouse has to have the cleanest port-o-potties I have ever seen.
Trauma Island
E had mentioned to me (among others at home) that there is a place called Little Beach, where clothing is optional. She told me about her experience there, and it didn't sound great. There are just some things you can never unsee. She brought it up again as she pulled into a busy parking lot, mentioning that on Sunday nights, there is somewhat of a "hippy fest" where people go and play drums and make it more of a party than usual. I said it seemed a bit busy, and I could do without the experience. A'm didn't seem to disagree as we drove out of the parking lot to the next beach we would visit, called Big Beach.
Big Beach is... Big. And really pretty. There is plenty of room for you to place your beach chairs and towels without having to sit right next to another group. I'm told it's great for sunbathing, but the tide can be a bit crazy - so maybe not the best place to play in the water. We walked briskly north towards the end of the beach, and I suppose I should have asked what the rush was - but I thought I was just walking slow because I was trying to make sure I didn't walk into any waves coming up, trip into a fishing line, or lose my hat in the light wind. When we came to the end, I noticed that there was a natural rock and sand stairway that was being used by a number of people. And here I figured out, we had simply passed over the Little Beach parking lot and used Big Beach as an access.
I reluctantly climbed the rock - surprisingly without injury - to end up on the other side of the natural separator to Big Beach. My first view was a man - a sandy man - on his knees, crouched forward with his naked bumm in the air and face planted down in the sand, doing yoga-like poses. As we continued on, I kept my eyes ahead of me, happy for my large rimmed floppy hat. Although many would like to believe and imagine, a beach like this covered with vacationing super models and off duty fireman, that is not the reality. And as E and A'm both noted, there are some things you just can't unsee.
We didn't stay long.
BEST dessert ever!
So, total redemption came on the way home when E stopped at Ululani's Hawaiian Shave Ice for the most amazing treat. She had described shave ice as fluffy and an art and by comparison, a snow cone was simply an ice cube in a cup of over-sweetened koolaid syrup. I ordered a micro-size (which was still gigantic) with Pickled Mango, Lychee and Lilikoi with Haupia (Coconut Pudding) Ice Cream on the bottom. OMG! It was so good. I found out there is a location in Kahului, which is not far from the airport, so I suggest, if you land at OGG and can make it before 6:30pm, that should be your first stop!
Ululani's Hawaiian Shave Ice
http://www.ululanisshaveice.com/
61 S Kihei Rd Kihei, HI 96753
Up and at'em for some Stand Up Paddleboard
Today I had planned to give my first try at stand up paddleboarding (SUP) and E suggested that we head out early to make sure we beat the mid-afternoon trade winds. We decided to start at Keawakapu Beach and then head down to Ulua Beach. SUPs are way bigger than I imagined, and now I know, bigger than surfboards. I had a heck of a time carrying mine from the rental place (where the people were really nice) even though the location was right next to the beach. Thankfully, our new friend A'm, who we had met the day before - joined us, and carried mine down for me. Otherwise, I still might have been awkwardly making my way to the water...
I was nervous of how I would do, knowing that my balance isn't the greatest, but it wasn't bad. I was able to get on the board and stand up relatively easily and paddling went okay to after E gave us a few pointers. I did try to adjust one time to move my stance back a little and fell off the board - but I didn't lose my sunglasses or crash into reef, so it was okay. After I got back on, I just made sure my feet were where I wanted them to be before I stood up. My biggest issue I had through it was that my feet cramped up - I guess maybe from my attempt to turn them into Spiderman-grips by sheer will. When they did (cramp, not turn into grippy-feet), I would either kneel or sit Indian-style on the board and paddle from there. The water was just as amazing from the distance we were to the beach - so clear we could see everything below us - and we caught glimpse of a couple of sea turtles on the trip.
Ulua Beach was about a mile down and we ran into a friend of E's who was on the boat with us for 4th of July. B'y was giving SUP lessons for a local hotel and I heard him talk to E about the trade winds and such, but it was okay because we were planning on turning around at that point anyhow, so we tailed him and his student for a short distance until they stopped to do a bit of stretching and yoga stances. E joined them, but I took the opportunity to sit back and admire the view from my board, basking in the sun and just enjoying the serenity. Once they were done with their stretches, I got back up and tried to kick it into gear to catch up with A'm who had gone ahead of us. E had given me direction on how to bring my board in, but I didn't really figure it out, so I just started paddling in at a point. A'm had already taken his board in, so he met me at the ocean line and collected mine to carry back up to the rental place, making the whole experience definitely easier than it might have been at this point :)
We relaxed at the beach for a little while, and I spent some time sitting in the sand while the waves came over me. In retrospect, not the best idea as I had sand EVERYWHERE! There are showers to rinse off at most places, but there is only a certain amount you can rinse off in a public area before you're giving a show.
The Surf Shack
http://www.surfshackmaui.com/
2960 S Kihei Rd. #3, Kihei, HI 96753
The Bean and grub...
E loves coffee. Whenever we're at that part of Kihei, she likes to stop at a place called The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (she just calls it "the Bean"), so we did after SUP. E got coffee, A'm let me buy him a drink as thanks for carrying my SUP, and I got a Lychee Iced tea, which was tropically yummy.
By this time it was early afternoon and we were all starving after no breakfast and a good workout on the SUPs. E took us to a place called the 808 Deli, where A'm treated us to lunch. I had the Toasted Italian - mmmm, love Italian sammy's! - which hit the spot.
The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
http://coffeebeanhawaii.com/menu
3750 Wailea Alanui Dr, Unit B-30, Kihei, HI 96753
808 Deli
www.808deli.com/
2511 S Kihei Rd, Kihei, HI 96753
Lava Fields and Night Marchers...
After lunch, E asked us what we wanted to do - and gave us options. A'm was only going to be in town for a couple more days, so I let him pick - and he chose a scenic drive to La Perouse Bay, which is covered in rough lava from the last eruption of Haleakala in 1790. On the way, E pointed out a couple of celeb homes - Clint Eastwood's and Steven Tyler's. But we didn't stop by and visit.
Before we went exploring, I had to change and so I got crafty in the back seat of E's car without giving a show. Feeling much more comfortable, we pressed on to explore the lava fields, which were really breathtaking against the ocean waves. E told us a ghost story about the restless Night Marchers who are said to roam along the hardened lava landscape in search of mischief.
Note: La Perouse has to have the cleanest port-o-potties I have ever seen.
Trauma Island
E had mentioned to me (among others at home) that there is a place called Little Beach, where clothing is optional. She told me about her experience there, and it didn't sound great. There are just some things you can never unsee. She brought it up again as she pulled into a busy parking lot, mentioning that on Sunday nights, there is somewhat of a "hippy fest" where people go and play drums and make it more of a party than usual. I said it seemed a bit busy, and I could do without the experience. A'm didn't seem to disagree as we drove out of the parking lot to the next beach we would visit, called Big Beach.
Big Beach is... Big. And really pretty. There is plenty of room for you to place your beach chairs and towels without having to sit right next to another group. I'm told it's great for sunbathing, but the tide can be a bit crazy - so maybe not the best place to play in the water. We walked briskly north towards the end of the beach, and I suppose I should have asked what the rush was - but I thought I was just walking slow because I was trying to make sure I didn't walk into any waves coming up, trip into a fishing line, or lose my hat in the light wind. When we came to the end, I noticed that there was a natural rock and sand stairway that was being used by a number of people. And here I figured out, we had simply passed over the Little Beach parking lot and used Big Beach as an access.
I reluctantly climbed the rock - surprisingly without injury - to end up on the other side of the natural separator to Big Beach. My first view was a man - a sandy man - on his knees, crouched forward with his naked bumm in the air and face planted down in the sand, doing yoga-like poses. As we continued on, I kept my eyes ahead of me, happy for my large rimmed floppy hat. Although many would like to believe and imagine, a beach like this covered with vacationing super models and off duty fireman, that is not the reality. And as E and A'm both noted, there are some things you just can't unsee.
We didn't stay long.
Later that evening, as I was updating my list of items to-do and crossing off things we'd done - I added "Trauma Island". It wasn't really an island, but E laughed and said it was something that had to be done. And I suppose a few others had told me that as well, but I was still going to tell on her - so here you go! E made me do it!
BEST dessert ever!
So, total redemption came on the way home when E stopped at Ululani's Hawaiian Shave Ice for the most amazing treat. She had described shave ice as fluffy and an art and by comparison, a snow cone was simply an ice cube in a cup of over-sweetened koolaid syrup. I ordered a micro-size (which was still gigantic) with Pickled Mango, Lychee and Lilikoi with Haupia (Coconut Pudding) Ice Cream on the bottom. OMG! It was so good. I found out there is a location in Kahului, which is not far from the airport, so I suggest, if you land at OGG and can make it before 6:30pm, that should be your first stop!
Ululani's Hawaiian Shave Ice
http://www.ululanisshaveice.com/
61 S Kihei Rd Kihei, HI 96753
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| My view (seated) |
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| Indian Style Paddleboarding |
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| Sitting in the sand as the waves roll over at Keawakapu Beach |
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| La Perouse Bay |
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| La Perouse Bay |
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| La Perouse Bay |
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| La Perouse Bay |
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| La Perouse Bay |
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| La Perouse Bay |
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| Me and E with our new friend A'm |
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| La Perouse Bay |
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| Beach bum hair! |
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| View of Big Beach from the south end of Little Beach |
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| Such sweet goodness! |
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