Birthday Brunch at Mala

Bryan took me to brunch at Mala Tavern to celebrate my 26th birthday.

For a little while, we were the only ones out on the deck.  The breeze was blowing in off the ocean.  It was a beautiful morning.

The waves lapping onto the shore sent the rocks tumbling down over one another making a lovely sound.

About halfway through our brunch, the sea turtles came out.  Bryan and I watched a big one drift in and out of the shore break.

Of course, the food was almost as spectacular as the view.  I got the Huevos Rancheros and Bryan got the Eggs Benedict--made with bacon instead of the traditional ham.

Delicious!

Our server, Rob (a friend of a friend), served us up complimentary homemade mango sorbet as a birthday treat.

Not a bad way to start the day!

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Read: Unfamiliar Fishes by Sarah Vowell

I just finished reading Sarah Vowell's Unfamiliar Fishes, a short history of the annexation and Americanization of Hawaii.  Vowell is a thorough researcher and a captivating writer.  The book serves as a wonderful introduction to Hawaiian history that I would recommend to others who are interested in the history of the Hawaiian islands.  Here are some of the bits that made me dog-ear the pages (gasp!)

"...the Ancient Polynesians were some of the most skilled and talented natural-born navigators the world has ever known.  Which is how the natives of Tahiti and the Marquesas settled the Hawaiian islands at least a millennium ago--eyeballing stars from their double-hulled canoes for 2,600 miles.  The missionary Hiram Bingham dismissed the Polynesians' sailing expertise, writing off the migration to Hawaii as dumb luck, supposing they arrived "without much knowledge of navigation" just as "trees from foreign countries repeatedly land on their shores."  The Polynesian Voyaging Society proved him wrong in 1976, when Hawaiians sailed a replica of an ancient voyaging canoe to Tahiti in thirty-three days without using navigational instruments."

"The word for Hawaii's commoner class--the people responsible for growing taro and other food--can be translated as "eyes of the land."  Meaning, they are the stewards, keeping watch in a reciprocal family arrangement.  The land takes care of them and they take care of the land."

"According to the journal of Captain George Vancouver of the Royal Navy, in 1794, Liholiho's father, Kamehameha, made "the most solemn cession possible of the Island of [Hawaii] to his Britannic Majesty."  Kamehameha and his chiefs, Vancouver wrote, "unanimously acknowledged themselves subject to the British crown."  For this the captain gave the king a Union Jack...Kamehameha I and Kamehameha II believed they ruled a British protectorate.  This is the reason that the Hawaiian flag features a Union Jack."

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Birthday Lunch at Honu

One of my dear friends Alfredo is now working at Honu, the sister restaurant to the ever popular Mala Tavern.  Bryan and I rode over (double on Bryan's new Vespa) to meet Alfredo at the restaurant for lunch.  Neither Bryan nor I had been there yet, so we were excited to try it out.

Honu and Mala Tavern sit side by side facing the ocean.  Mala Tavern is a more intimate (read: crowded) space, so I was really taken aback by how airy and roomy the interior of Honu felt.

The beer list is quite extensive.  Bryan and I got a kick looking over their selections, but I was most excited to see Lindeman's Framboise on the menu.  I hadn't had one since I left Portland.  Delicious!!

The Honu menu is overwhelming--but in the best of ways.  I can't imagine being a tourist trying to figure out how to make the most out of one meal at Honu.  I'm lucky that Honu is only a 5 minute bike ride away, because I cannot wait to come back in and sample the rest of the menu.  And trust me, the menu is extensive.  It's going to take me another 7 visits to try everything that jumped out at me.

Honu is known for its fresh seafood and pizza, but I was really impressed with the vegan and vegetarian options.

Alfredo pictured with his order of the decadent Crab Mac and Cheese (garnished with a sprig of lavender).  Bryan and I loved this dish.  The mac and cheese is creamy and rich, done right with a blend of bechamel sauce, a bountiful bevy of cheeses (parmesan, pepper jack and cheddar) and of course, truffle oil!

We shared the Special Pizza of the Day: rock shrimp and microgreens dressed in a saffron infused sauce.

Bryan ordered the Fried Ipswich Clam sandwich--served with delicious sweet potato fries!

 

And I ordered the lentil quinoa veggie burger with a slice of sharp cheddar.  The burger got served with a side of an oriental dressing which complemented the flavors of the veggie patty perfectly.  I was also super happy with the side kale salad I swapped in instead of fries.

The only problem with the burger?  It was almost too stacked to eat!!

Lunch at Honu was downright amazing.  After we ate all that we could, we kicked back and talked about our food for a long while.  I was so impressed with the combination of flavors presented in every dish.  There is definitely a fine eye for detail on the menu, and it shows in every single bite.  Highly recommended!  I cannot wait to go back again.  There is still so much I want to try including the Lamb Riblets appetizer, the Coconut Squash Soup, the Gado Gado Salad, the Ahi Bruschetta...and the list goes on and on and on.

As we were leaving the restaurant, Alfredo was saying that he can't wait to come back and do dinner with us.  That sounds fine by me!!

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Boogie Shoes

Okay, maybe they're not exactly boogie shoes, but I'm pretty darn excited about my new work shoes.  These babies are my new money makers!  I had an amazing night at work wearing these for the first time.  They are cushy, comfy and super clean and white (but who knows how long that's going to last...).  Time to throw the old ones away!!

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Snoozin'

I snuck up on my favorite stray cat and caught a few snaps of him snoozing under the car.

I got closer and closer...

Oops!  Woke him up.

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The Past Few Days in Photos

Blossoming orchid (?) tree down the street from Bryan's house

Visiting my friend Ashley at Breakwall--the new shaved ice place on Prison Street

A bee checking out the fresh mangoes

I was too stuffed from lunch to sample anything out, but I can't wait to go back and get a fresh smoothie or one of their sandwiches!

Crazy plants bordering the beach

The swell was crazy at Airport Beach on Thursday.  We saw quite a few tourists get wiped out on the waves.  And a few sneaky swells swept up on the beach and swiped people's towels, books and beach chairs!

And of course, no photo post is complete without a snap of my favorite stray kitty: Tuxedo!  (pictured here with his pal)

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The Great Bike Liberation

Being reunited has never felt so good: I got my stolen bike back today!!

After my workout this afternoon, I walked to Foodland grocery store to pick up a few necessities and possibly some lunch before going into work.  I didn't see any snacks that I liked at the grocery store, so I left and turned towards my favorite fast food Mexican joint: Cilantro.  As I headed over, I saw my bike locked to the rack in front of Starbucks!

I immediately looked it over and texted Bryan (he was at work).  I checked a photo on my phone to nail down the details: same small frame, same water bottle holder, same rear rack that I had installed on purchase and most importantly: the yellow registration sticker from the DMV right where I put it.

Score.

Bryan called me back immediately and suggest that I call the police rather than wait and confront the person who currently had the bike.  Smart man.

As I was looking up the phone number for the police, a local gentleman who was sipping Starbucks coffee and watching me examine the bike came over.

"Is this your bike?"

I told him it was, and that I was calling the police to claim it.  The gentleman provided me with the nonemergency number for the police station and kept me company while we waited for a unit to be dispatched to my location.

As we were waiting, a few other older gentlemen--who were also hanging out at Starbucks (apparently it's a regular hangout for these guys)--threw in their two cents about the situation.  Apparently, it is super common for bike thieves to lock stolen bikes up in front of Foodland, then try to sell them.  One of the guys was telling me that he had seen a for sale sign on my bike two days ago.

During all this conversation, I had managed to call a coworker and swap shifts with her for a later start time since the police were still a ways out.

While I was on the phone trying to tell a manager about this swap, we saw a tall, lanky guy unlock my bike.  The gentleman that I was hanging out with bolted over to him.  

He told him that that was my bike, and not to go anywhere.

The guy handling my bike ended up being very nice and courteous and cooperative--we'll call him J.  J told me that he had bought the bike a week ago, and that he would never have stolen it because he's a Christian.  He told me that he had a bible in his backpack to prove it.

J told me that he had bought the bike from a guy who hangs out at Mala Wharf for $150, then spent an extra $40 on maintenance done at West Maui Cycles--the store I originally bought my bike from.  J said that the DMV registration sticker initially concerned him because he was worried that the bike was "hot."

As we swapped stories, J told me that he believed that I was the rightful owner of the bike; however, because he had spent so much money on the bike he wanted to wait for the police to verify my ownership of the bike before he handed it over.

I told him I understood, and I thanked him for cooperating with me.  The police arrived soon after and took down our information.

The officers asked if I had my bike registration on me.  I told them it was at home, and that I could get it quickly since my house is only 2 blocks away.

The older gentleman that had been keeping me company offered to drive me over there.  I told him that would be fine, and we hopped into his truck.  As we strapped on seat belts, we introduced ourselves and became officially acquainted.  I'll call him Junior.

Once we pulled up to the house, I ran inside and quickly found my registration paperwork and we drove back to Foodland to hand it over to the police.

They only had to look at it for 2 seconds before letting me sign for the bike.  Junior offered to drive me and the bicycle back home.  I asked him if he wouldn't mind driving me a block further to the bike store at the Wharf.  The bicycle seat had been ramped up since I had seen it last, and I needed someone with a wrench to adjust it for me.

Junior gladly lifted my bike into the bed of his truck and drove me over to the Wharf.  I thanked him profusely and pumped his hand up and down in an enthusiastic and celebratory handshake.  He said he never had a problem helping a damsel in distress.

I got my bike seat adjusted and left it there at the shop while I power walked over to ACE Hardware to get myself a new bike lock.

My first ride on my liberated bike was joyful, sweet and short--the bike store is only 2 blocks from my house.  I lashed the bicycle to a tree in front of my yard, running the cable lock through both tires and the frame.  No one is stealing squat off my bike!!

Not sure if the original thief will be apprehended.  As I was leaving Foodland with Junior, the cops and J were talking about where they were going to find the guy who stole my bike from my house.  Good luck!  I'm just so stoked to have my bike back.  I had kind of given up hope of ever finding it again.  I had started looking up on Craigslist for a new bike.  In fact, I had just sent an email this morning to someone who selling a sweet cruiser off of Craigslist.

I came home from work this evening with a response from the bike seller.  I triumphantly wrote him back telling him that I didn't need a new bike since I had unbelievably recovered my own!

Now I'm off to grab celebratory drinks and dinner with Bryan!!

Yay to having wheels again!!

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Things I Bought that I Love: Jolyn Swimwear

After reading a glowing review of Jolyn Swimwear for more active water pursuits, I knew I had to try one for myself.  I bought the Vented Top (pictured below) and the Brazilian Brief.

I've been so, so, so happy using Jolyn during all my swimming workouts whether it's in the pool or in the ocean.  The crosstie back offers a great adjustable fit.  I do double-knot my top though, because a simple bow usually comes undone during my workout.

The bottoms and tops go for $25 each.  That's a steal for swimwear!

The bottoms, no matter what style you get, have less coverage than normal sporty swimsuits, so they have a similar look to surf and fashion brands so you don't look too "covered up" if you decide to lay out on the beach in these.  Just know that the bikini bottoms have a drawstring in the waistband to create a snugger fit if need be.

I've owned my Jolyn set for a month now, and I use them every time I hit the water for a high powered swim.

I love mine so much, I'm adding the Triangle Top to my swimwear collection.  Huzzah!

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A Spot of Bad Weather

Late Sunday night, the winds began to blow.  It began during my last turn of tables at work.  Gusts of wind would barrel down the deck and threaten the teetering stack of plates in my hands as I walked to the kitchen.  The wind blew out the candles on the tabletops as well as the Tiki torches lining the rail.  When I was done working, I walked home with my hand shielding my eyes from the dust and grit blowing around.

The wind blew all through the night and into the morning, and continued all day yesterday.  The mango tree above Bryan's house rained mangoes down onto their roof all night.  

But when we woke up in the morning, there were still plenty left up there.  Bryan and his housemates are quickly losing their enthusiasm for mangoes.

I don't blame them.  

The wind has died down today, but the sun has been blotted out by darkening clouds that hover over the West Maui mountains.  A sheet of drizzle blew over us, but it's possible that we'll get more rain later on.  I'm expecting a short and slow night at work this evening.  Granted, should the heavens open up and pour rain down on the restaurant, it could make things kind of exciting.  

On gloomy days like this, all I want to do is curl up with a book.  Luckily, I have a new stack of things to read (to add to the stack of unread books I already own).  I went to the used bookstore today and picked up a few things, one of which is a volume of Annie Dillard books.  Score!!

And since we're on the subject of rainy days, I had to share this clip from The Office.

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Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to a very "wild and crazy guy."

You are most certainly one of a kind.

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Choice

Choice, the health bar in Lahaina has been around for a year now, but I have only started recently stopping in and noshing on their healthy eats.  

I'm so delighted that I have finally made it in.  The food is wholesome, healthy and delicious.

My favorite thing to pick up for lunch is the Buddha Bowl.  It's a layer of their healthy grain (today is coconut quinoa), followed by a soup (I chose their garlic sweet potato) and topped off with kale salad.

Delicious!!

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Moving Pictures from 13 Crossings

On the day we did our 13 Crossings hike, I took a few videos as well.  I have finally uploaded them onto youtube and here they are for your viewing pleasure.

This is when we first reached the waterfall at the end of the hike.  As you can see here, it's just a small guy:

The second video was taken from a landing halfway up the waterfall.  Above this point, there is another pool and another waterfall, but it is only accessible to the brave: you have to climb up the waterfall.

This last video was taken as we were walking back through the bamboo grove.  I was enjoying the wind chime effect of the breeze blowing through the bamboo.  You can faintly hear the bamboo knock against each other, and you can even hear Bryan say, "It sounds like your stomach."  Gee, thanks.

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Honua Kai and Adventures in Movie Renting

Stomach rumbling at 2 pm, I decided to drag Bryan out to lunch with me.  I hadn't been to Duke's Beach House since getting breakfast there over a year ago, and since the restaurant was en route to our errand dash, it seemed like the best choice.

The restaurant is located on the Honua Kai Resort & Spa property, and it is gorgeous over there!

The hotel entrance is landscaped with these incredibly thorny flowers.  Look carefully at the plant stalk.  Ouch!  I haven ever seen plants like this before.

The lobby, scattered with comfy dark wicker furniture, is refreshingly cool and spacious.  Once you walk through the breezeway you are greeted by a gently curving infinity fish pond.

{I did cartwheels on that big lawn}

The pond is filled with sunset colored koi and clouds of teeny tiny guppies (too small to be captured well with my cellphone camera).

I made Bryan watch the fish for a long while before we headed down to Duke's for food.

Lunch at Duke's was fun and satisfying.  We sat up at the bar where we were served by Finch and Adam--two guys that I run into ALL the time in Lahaina.  Bryan and I shared the Crab and Macadama Nut Wontons (delicious!), and I got the Arugala and Farro Salad with Fresh Island Fish while Bryan got the Steak Tacos.

After lunch, we hopped back in the car and went to Honokowai to run our errand--

--of going to the VIDEO STORE.

I put that in all capital letters because in this day and age, renting movies from an actual brick and mortar store is so rare.  Bryan and I were hunting for copies of Alien and Aliens before we go see the new Ridley Scott Prometheus in theaters tomorrow.

When we got there, both movies were checked out.  Bummer.  Bryan and I looked at each other in sadness and then wandered aimlessly around in the tiny video store deciding what to do with ourselves.  

We were looking like a pair of pathetic souls when the store owner asked us if she could help us find anything.  We told her our mission and how sad we were that we had failed.

And then she told us that while we were walking the store aisles listlessly, a guy had come in and returned some DVDs: Alien and Aliens.

Awesome.

Bryan and I set up an account, we rented the movies and now we are going to have an Alien movie marathon tonight.

We are the biggest nerds ever.

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Holy Moly

I am so in love with this song.

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the past few days...

Sushi at Kobe's with a few friends after work on Monday night.

I didn't get any tako (octopus) but I enjoyed some Spicy Tuna Roll.



The ladies were making leis again in front of the Baldwin house.



And the mangoes are totally going off at Bryan's house.  It's not unusual to be woken up by a big, fat, juicy one hitting the roof in the middle of the night.

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A Hop, Skip and a Jump

or rather a click away...

while I'm keeping myself away from the computer to enjoy my Maui adventures (and 3 whole days off from work!!), you can click away and check out this sweet entry about New York City eatery Marlow & Sons.

I was fortunate enough to try this place out for myself when visiting an old friend during the fall of 2010, just prior to my move out to Maui.  It's sweet, charming and delicious!

While you're checking out the sho & tell blog, might as well click through her other entries.  I like her blog a lot!

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Coolers' Wine Dinner

I was lucky enough to attend Coolers' monthly Wine Dinner last night.  On the first Friday of every month, Coolers hosts a three course dinner with a three wine pairing.  It's fifty bucks for the whole shebang (minus tip).  It's an amazing deal for what you get.  They limit the dinner to thirty participants, so if you are interested make reservations!

I talked my girlfriend into coming with me, and we sat at a table with a few of our friends.

The first course was a chilled beet soup paired with a Riesling.

My girlfriend and I decided to fancy ourselves up for the occasion.  I'm wearing the dress that I wore out to my fancy dinner at I'o with Bryan.  But the shoes!  Man, the shoes were great.  They were the new sky high killer heels I bought at Ross two weeks ago.  I can't believe I didn't get someone to snap a photo of the full outfit.

Our second course was a trio of hummus samples: sundried tomato, balsamic and basil with a little pesto duo and a balsamic reduction on the plate.

I have to admit, the photo here does little justice to the dish itself.

And the photo that I took of the third course, a seafood cioppino is even worse, so it's not included.  I ate a whole bunch of creepy crawly seafood, and I enjoyed some of it.

The girls with their wine!

It was a great night out with delicious food, sultry wines and good company.  I hope to attend another Wine Dinner soon!

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Village Walking Trails in Kapalua

Hello and welcome to June!  I realize that I've been a little naughty and neglecting the blog.  It's just that I've been so busy!

I had Wednesday and Thursday off, so I've been living it up with all my friends.

On Wednesday I corralled a big group of my work friends and got them to head out to the beach with me for the afternoon.  It was a great day in and out of the water, followed by lunch at Leilani's and a movie later that night.

On Thursday afternoon, I did a solo trek up in Kapalua.  The resort has a series of walking paths up in the hills around their old golf course, which is now scraggly and overgrown and completely unrecognizable.

I decided to do the 3.6 mile Lake Loop.  I had done this with my friend George a long time ago, and I thought it was time to revisit this challenging walk.  It's very, very hilly.  Totally killer on the legs!

There were gobs of butterflies along the entire trail, and of course, weird plants.  I don't know what these spiky things are.  If anyone has a clue, let me know!!

I always have trouble identifying the Hawaiian passionfruit lilikoi from the guava.  This is one of those two.

Working up a sweat!

The photo above is only a few minutes before I got rained on.

The lake at the top of the loop.

There are ducks and hordes of slimy looking brown carp with hoover mouths.  Ew.

I almost stepped on this slug.  Gross.

This abandoned, rusted piece of machinery was out there on the trail.  Not sure what it is...

The Lake Loop was the perfect workout I needed to make sure I felt fine and fine before heading to the Coolers' Wine Dinner later that evening!

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