Chocolately Goodness

My girlfriend Shaina put together a surprise engagement party for our friends.  It was a wild success.  Of course it would be.  There was a chocolate fountain there.  Chocolate fountains make any event a wild success.

And yes, that is my handiwork.  I melted the chocolate and filled the fountain.  Not bad for a chocolate fountain first timer.  I'm a genius!

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Good Eats

It's always great to discover a new great spot.  Yesterday, our friend Will, introduced us to Java Jazz--a dizzily decorated hole in the wall in Honokowai with amazing food.

{wine bottle chandelier}

{a working fairytale waterfall right inside the entrance}

{novelty salt, pepper and sugar caddy}

{ye have been warned!}

Java Jazz serves breakfast (all day), lunch and dinner, cocktails and apparently kick ass coffee.  I don't drink the stuff, so I can't attest to it, but there was a healthy stream of java junkies coming in and out for their coffee kick while we ate our meal.

Bryan got the island famous Huevos Rancheros, Will got Bonnie's omelette (goat cheese, tomatoes and spinach), and Kimo and I both ordered our own steak Fantapano (a fajitas stuffed burrito).

Delicious!

We're definitely coming back here again.

But until then, I'll be cooking some pretty tasty meals at home--if I do say so myself.

Yup, it's the return of the perfectly poached egg.

I made garlicky kale with tomatoes layered on Leoda's buttery bread topped with poached eggs and homemade honey mustard vinaigrette.

Yum!

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Launiupoko Reservoir Trail

Shaina, Ashley and I went for an afternoon hike in Launiupoko.  The trail starts at the reservoir and then cuts back into the valley.

We started a little too late in the day, so the heat was definitely an obstacle.  It was great to check out a trail that's so close to home, and I definitely want to come back and explore this one a little further.

We made it to the reservoir.  T-Bone, Ashley's red hound dog, plunged right in.

T-Bone was the most indignant that our hike was so hot.  He shot into the water and swam around the reservoir, lapping up water at the same time.  Impressive.

The ducks wanted to come over and see if we had any treats for them, but T-Bone kept them at bay.

{Looking back towards the trail leading into the valley}

{T-Bone taking up the rear}

We finally coaxed T-Bone out of the water, and he reluctantly followed us further up the trail.  Unfortunately, he pooped out, so Ashley took him back down to the reservoir while Shaina and I explored a little further.

{Shaina posing next to a crazy tall plant.  She says that it's a relative to a yucca plant}

{Seriously.  This thing was huge}

We made it back to the mouth of the valley.  The temperature immediately dropped a notch.  The valley acts as a wind tunnel, and it brought welcome breezes down from the mountain.

I got a kick from all the great plants along the trail.  We passed a clump of dried out coffee plants.

After exploring the beginning of the valley trail, Shaina and I turned back to meet back up with Ashley.

We took the private road back down to our truck--the faster route down for T-Bone than subjecting him to the trails.  On our way down, we admired this beautiful home built up on the hill.  You can tell that they have a ridiculous view of the ocean.

{The girls hiking back down to the truck}

{I'm rocking those Revos}

{This goat has a killer view}

Once the truck was in sight, T-Bone trotted right up to it--grateful for the respite from the hot trail.  Although we had to cut the hike disappointingly short, we were all excited to check out a hike that is so close to Lahaina.  I can't wait to get back there.  I plan on starting either earlier or later so the sun's not quite so brutal at the start of the hike, and I also plan on wearing exercise leggings or jeans--the tall grass on the valley trail is tall and scratchy.

Who's with me?

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A Bounty of Breakfasts

A little rundown of my breakfasts from yesterday and today:

Yesterday, I made myself an egg scramble with sauteed vegetables topped with radishes, cilantro and freshly grated Pecorino cheese.

Bryan's been asking for poached eggs on toast, so this morning I made a Mexican Eggs Benedict using bread from Leoda's that Bryan brought home the other night.

I spooned a generous portion of Maui made salsa on freshly toasted slices of bread, then heaped sauteed vegetables on top.  I laid out a thin layer of radishes and cilantro, then topped each piece of toast with a poached egg.  I garnished everything with more cilantro, freshly crumbled queso fresco and a squeeze of lemon (I've got to start using up all the lemons that Shaina gave me!).

{perfectly poached eggs-nice and runny--on top of Mexican Eggs Benedict}

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Run It!

{Goldfish Kiss blogger Rebekah running on the beach in Oahu}

In my effort to take my fitness and health to a new level, I've started running on the beach.  The first time I ever ran across the sand was when I participated in the Kahana Canoe Club's relay race last March.  The last leg was a mile run along the beach--and it kicked my butt.  I ran the entire mile in my bikini with bare feet.  I never stopped to walk, but my legs were burning in ways that I had never experienced when running on the road.

I was intrigued by the new challenge of running across wet sand with the surf washing across my toes (and of course, you can't imagine a prettier place to run), so I have begun to slowly incorporate it into my workouts.

After my long day of running errands and shopping on the other side, it was all I could do to talk myself into heading to Airport Beach for a sunset run. 

When I arrived, the water looked so calm, I couldn't resist jumping in for a swim.  I swam about a quarter mile to Black Rock, pulling against a strong current, before I decided to get out of the water and run the rest of the way.  I ran another quarter mile towards Black Rock, then turned back around and headed back to the spot where I got out of the water.

I was breathing ragged at this point, and I had to take a minute to walk the beach before I could continue on.  Once I got to the spot where I got out of the ocean (marked by a big, round white buoy), I snapped my goggles back into place and marched into the water.

Swimming back to my initial starting point was a breeze now that I was swimming with the current.  Even though I was breathing hard after my run, I shot through the water like a bullet.

I was done with my workout before the sunset, and I read my book on my new Kikoy Beach Towel until the sun dropped.

I came home and showered, then headed to Kahana to join a friend at her family's home for dinner (fresh mahi mahi, asparagus and potatoes).  The front yard sports a lemon and kumquat tree.  Both going off with fruit.  My friend sent me home with more lemons than I know what to do with (most of them the size of a baseball, mind you), and I brought home some kumquats so I can have the pleasure of introducing them to Bryan (who I can imagine will not like them, but I'm looking forward to seeing the faces that he'll make when he eats one).  I had my first kumquat last night, and it was definitely an interesting experience.  I have concluded that I think I like them.  I'm not entirely convinced yet.

I cut a lemon up this morning and crammed three slices into my water bottle.  Refreshing.

I have a feeling that quite a few of them will wind up in vinaigrettes.  I've been on a huge salad kick lately, and I love, love, love making my own salad dressings.  I made an arugula, radish, and green bean salad topped with one perfectly poached egg this afternoon.  The finishing touch?  Homemade honey mustard vinaigrette:

good olive oil, good wine vinegar (3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar), Bryan's beloved Ohio stadium mustard, a swirl of honey (mustard and honey to taste) combined in one small tupperware.  I screwed the lid on and then shook the dickens out of the ingredients.

Yum.

{original image from Marie Claire magazine}

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Paia Gems

I had an epic day off which I spent shopping the other side solo.  My first stop was Paia.  I love this tiny, colorful town.  It's a great spot to shop for unique gifts and beautiful clothes.  While I was there, I bought this amazing beach Kikoy Beach Towel from store Oh La La.

The towel is from the Kasuku line, and is made in Kenya.  One side is a soft towel (solid in color), and the other side is a coloful kikoy: a woven cotton sarong which is traditionally used as a garment in Africa.  The towel side has a small pocket that closes with a velcro tab.  The towel comes with its own little drawstring bag for safekeeping.

I took my Kikoy Towel to the beach this afternoon when I got home to the west side, and I love it!  So perfect for every beach day.

Before I sign up, I must also mention the absolutely delicious lunch I had at Moana Cafe in Paia.  When I'm in Paia, I usually cannot resist chowing down at the very delicious Flatbread Pizza Company, but since I was in town solo, I decided to go for something a little smaller.  I popped into Moana Cafe (which is right next to one of my favorite stores in Paia, Wings).  I've been tempted by their menu before--as well as their pastry display case right inside their door.  I'm so glad I decided to stop in.

I had the most amazing fish sandwich at Moana Cafe!  Fresh opah served on soft foccacia with aioli, Kula tomatoes and cabbage slaw, served with a side of upcountry green salad.

Flatbread Pizza Company, you have some serious competition!

Paia is a little far to come for just food, but I would love to convince Bryan to come with me to get dinner here some night.  Their shared plates menu looks incredible!

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Special Delivery!

I was super excited to see my package from 20x200 leaning up against the house when I got home from the other side today.

20x200, founded by Jen Bekman, is an online store where you can purchase limited editions of art, prints and photographs at low prices (art prices start at $24).  I had read a glowing review from blogger Joanna Goddard a while back, and I immediately thought of the website now that we are finally put up artwork on our walls.

I purchased a pair of illustrations from Brad Wenzel.

{close up of Aves}

{framed}

{close up of Primates}

{framed}

If you like, you can have 20x200 mount and frame your newly purchased works of art, but it's for a considerable fee, and it takes extra time (of course) for your art to reach you.

I decided to buy frames from West Elm online.  The mats they provided were too small, so I did a ghetto framing job, and placed my prints over the mats.  I know it's not professional, but I like the look of them all the same.

I do have a third print, but the third frame from West Elm was shipped out separately and still hasn't arrived, so I'm waiting until it's here before debuting the photo to all of you.

Now, the hardest part of all: where to hang all this great stuff?

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