T. and I went walking through town, and the streets are crawling with tourists. Business is going to be booming through the weekend.
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Friday, September 23, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Thursday, September 8, 2011
My friend A. and I took an epic day trip through Maui's Upcountry. We began our day at the Surfing Goat Dairy Farm, followed by a tasting at the Maui Winery at Ulupalakua Ranch, lunch at Polli's Mexican Restaurant in Makawao and then some major shopping at Walmart and Ross in Kahului.
At ten in the morning, I hopped in "Big Red," A.'s monstrous red truck and we thundered up north to the lower slopes of Mount Haleakala. The Surfing Goat Dairy Farm was practically empty when we rolled into the parking lot.
The Dairy Farm has a covered picnic table protected by recycled sails from kiteboards. A line of beat up surfboards are used as an impromptu bar for more snacking.
Since we were the only visitors at the farm, A. and I got a private tour of the farm. Our first stop was to feed the kids.
The kids line up, thrusting their heads and horns through the fence to get in on some alfalfa.
The tour included a stop at the milking station. I was charmed by information on goat milk production handwritten with chalk on the barn wall.
After our tour A. and I treated ourselves to a flight of 6 soft cheeses.
The Mandalay was a blend of apple bananas and curry. It was winner of Best US Goat Cheese Spread in 2004. Purple Rain is a mix of dried lavenders. Mango Supreme is made from fresh mangoes and mango chutney. I loved, loved, loved the Mandalay and Mango Supreme.
O Sole Mio, a blend of sun-dried tomatoes, was my least favorite of the batch. It won Best US Goat Cheese Spread in 2005. The Garden Fantasia, fresh garden herbs and the winner of Best US Goat Cheese Spread in 2006 was fresh, but nowhere near as awesome as the Rolling Green, fresh garlic chives and 2nd place National Award Winner in 2005.
We weren't the only fans. Ramses, a resident farm cat, also really liked the samples we gave him.
Yup, we ate EVERYTHING.
We left the goat farm and headed to the Ulupalakua Ranch to the winery. The heart of the ranch is located on the leeward slopes of Haleakala.
A. and I were bad tourists and didn't learn a lot about this place. We skipped the tour and just started tasting the wine.
A farmhouse on the winery grounds. I assume they do something wine-related inside. We don't know because we skipped the tour.
We took photos by this huge tree instead...
...and with this drunken wooden man.
Then we crossed the street to the Ulupalakua General Store where we posed with other wooden men.
After our impromptu photo shoot we got back into Big Red and began driving to Makawao for lunch. The views and terrain are amazing higher up, so I stuck my arm out of the truck to snap some photos as we drove along.
A. and I fell in love with this hand built lava stone wall. It crawled along the rolling hills for miles. We had to pull over to get a few photos.
Trusty Big Red with the Lava Stone Wall:
The day was long, the adventures plentiful and the bounty was rich (a bottle of wine from the winery, many, many household goods from Ross and Walmart).
I came home at sunset with my arms full, but my house sure looks good with its new additions. Will post photos soon.
Until next time...
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Monday, September 5, 2011
Dear Diners,
I'm flabbergasted by how many people don't say "please" or "thank you" when I am waiting on them. I'm also surprised by how many people will try to grab me by the elbow and ask me for something when I'm in the middle of talking to a table right next to them. This strikes me as unbelievably rude--to myself as well as to your fellow diners. Wait your turn, and I will take care of you when I am done speaking with the people directly in front of me.
I know that that as the paying customer you feel that you are in control, but this is merely a well-constructed illusion.
The one who really controls your dining experience is me. I control how quickly you receive your food and drinks. I control what modifications and substitutions can be made to your meal. I also control when you get your check so you can leave.
If you're being surly, rude or arrogant, I'm going to be less inclined to tell you how far I can modify your meal to make it just the way you want. If you say "please" and "thank you" and come across as a pleasant person, I'll bend over backwards to modify your meal to the point where it no longer resembles anything stated on the menu. If you're not going to play nice, then there is no way I'm going to battle it out with our cooks on your behalf to change your food.
Last night, I had a customer whistle at me to get my attention. I have been snapped at before as well as frantically waved at. I'm not a fan of a customer snapping at me, but I'm okay if you feel you have to give me a little wave to catch my eye. Hopefully I'll be on my game enough that I can cruise by every table every few minutes to make sure you have everything you need, but being whistled at was a new experience, and it was definitely not okay. I'm not your dog. There is really no good reason to stoop so low as to whistle. It's demeaning to me as well as disruptive to the other guests enjoying their food.
The guest that whistled at me was the same table that asked me, "Approximately what time will our food arrive?" a mere five minutes after I had taken their order.
I told them, "This isn't a fast food restaurant. We cook most everything on our menu fresh, so it takes about fifteen to twenty minutes for food to reach your table. I ordered your food a little over five minutes ago, and it should be on the grill as we speak. When your food is ready, I'll make sure it gets here as fast as it can."
I had another table grab my elbow to get my attention. This is always a bad idea. Please don't ever touch your waiter. Especially when they have a stack of dirty plates in their hands. I didn't drop anything in this case, but this guy almost had a steak knife tumble onto the top of his head. Dangerous.
If I ask for you ID when you order an alcoholic beverage, please do not be offended that you possibly look underaged. Be flattered. Then fish your ID out of your wallet. I'm not trying to offend you or inconvenience you, I am trying not to lose my job and pay thousands of dollars in fines to the Maui Liquor Commission. If you don't have your ID when I ask you for one, please be ready to order something else to drink. I'm not ready to empty my savings account so you can drink a $3 Mai Tai.
Thank you so much for understanding.
Sincerely,
Your Waiter
PS: This letter to the dining public was written by someone who received a review of excellence on her service by customers and published online. Thank you so very much.
I do understand that my job serving tables entails making sure your needs are met and that you are having an enjoyable dining experience, but please, a few manners and a little common courtesy go a very long way.
In my year of serving tables in Maui, I am continued to be shocked by how many people lose their manners when entering a restaurant.
Or maybe they didn't have any manners to begin with.
I'm flabbergasted by how many people don't say "please" or "thank you" when I am waiting on them. I'm also surprised by how many people will try to grab me by the elbow and ask me for something when I'm in the middle of talking to a table right next to them. This strikes me as unbelievably rude--to myself as well as to your fellow diners. Wait your turn, and I will take care of you when I am done speaking with the people directly in front of me.
I know that that as the paying customer you feel that you are in control, but this is merely a well-constructed illusion.
The one who really controls your dining experience is me. I control how quickly you receive your food and drinks. I control what modifications and substitutions can be made to your meal. I also control when you get your check so you can leave.
If you're being surly, rude or arrogant, I'm going to be less inclined to tell you how far I can modify your meal to make it just the way you want. If you say "please" and "thank you" and come across as a pleasant person, I'll bend over backwards to modify your meal to the point where it no longer resembles anything stated on the menu. If you're not going to play nice, then there is no way I'm going to battle it out with our cooks on your behalf to change your food.
Last night, I had a customer whistle at me to get my attention. I have been snapped at before as well as frantically waved at. I'm not a fan of a customer snapping at me, but I'm okay if you feel you have to give me a little wave to catch my eye. Hopefully I'll be on my game enough that I can cruise by every table every few minutes to make sure you have everything you need, but being whistled at was a new experience, and it was definitely not okay. I'm not your dog. There is really no good reason to stoop so low as to whistle. It's demeaning to me as well as disruptive to the other guests enjoying their food.
The guest that whistled at me was the same table that asked me, "Approximately what time will our food arrive?" a mere five minutes after I had taken their order.
I told them, "This isn't a fast food restaurant. We cook most everything on our menu fresh, so it takes about fifteen to twenty minutes for food to reach your table. I ordered your food a little over five minutes ago, and it should be on the grill as we speak. When your food is ready, I'll make sure it gets here as fast as it can."
I had another table grab my elbow to get my attention. This is always a bad idea. Please don't ever touch your waiter. Especially when they have a stack of dirty plates in their hands. I didn't drop anything in this case, but this guy almost had a steak knife tumble onto the top of his head. Dangerous.
If I ask for you ID when you order an alcoholic beverage, please do not be offended that you possibly look underaged. Be flattered. Then fish your ID out of your wallet. I'm not trying to offend you or inconvenience you, I am trying not to lose my job and pay thousands of dollars in fines to the Maui Liquor Commission. If you don't have your ID when I ask you for one, please be ready to order something else to drink. I'm not ready to empty my savings account so you can drink a $3 Mai Tai.
Thank you so much for understanding.
Sincerely,
Your Waiter
PS: This letter to the dining public was written by someone who received a review of excellence on her service by customers and published online. Thank you so very much.
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