A New Week Begins

Saturday, Nov. 10th - One week down. One week to go. Today marks the halfway point of our stay. We have new people coming to the island. There is Rockin’ Girl and Bikin’ Boy.

Before meeting our company at the airport, Hubby earned a Haleakala-sized pile of Brownie Points by driving me up to Makawao to buy the carton of Haupia ice cream I saw last week. We put our ice packs in an insulated grocery bag I didn’t know we had and stored all of that in the condo unit’s cooler. Double insulation!

Makawao was about a half hour side trip to the airport. Zip we’d fly in, grab the ice cream, and zoom we’d head off to the airport. Except... driving into bucolic Makawao wasn’t anything like we’d seen before.

And Kamoda’s was spilling over with customers. There was a line out the door. From where had all these people come? Hubby could not find a place to park. He drove down Baldwin Ave. to the end of town and circled back through the residential streets, meeting me in front of Kamoda’s where I packed the ice cream in the insulated bag, strategically arranging the ice packs around the carton, then placed the bag in the cooler where it would sit for the next two hours.

The airport parking lots were packed with people. The airport was packed with people. Packed. I’ve never seen so many people on this island, ever.

After we collected Rockin’ Girl and Bikin’ Boy, we headed to the condo. You will recall there is a carton of ice cream in the back of our car that needs to go in the freezer. The ice cream, which melted very little, found its home. Our company settled in and we headed out for a bit of lunch.

At 4pm we headed upstairs for Mai Tais before heading out to dinner. We returned to Spago at the Four Seasons Resort for the last night of Restaurant Week. The resort grounds were beautiful. The terraced patios, flowing fountains, multi-leveled pools all lead down to the beach level where many people stood around watching the magnificent sunset. We saw the torchlighter running across the patio in his loincloth stopping occasionally to blow his conch and light the torches.

I think Gordon Ramsey must have invaded Wolfgang Puck’s Spago and caused some trouble because the restaurant seemed to have some real problems. The food was good but very, very late getting to the table.

When they set a fork and spoon at each of our places for “complementary dessert,” I felt as if I were being held captive. I just wanted to go home. On our way out, we saw the mass of people at the bar, in the waiting area, and outside near the podium. It was nearly 8pm when we left. I wonder if those people ever made it to the table for their supper.

A Sad and Sadder Day

Friday, Nov. 9th - Our dear Jane and Ray must say Aloha to us and 
Maui. It is their time to return to the mainland. We have enjoyed their company so much. We did encourage them, as we have all our guests, to stay the entire two weeks but for whatever reason they could not. Maybe next time they'll stay longer. 


On our way home from the airport Hubby and I needed a few groceries... what we were actually looking for was … you know ...

Jane told us the lady she bought her Shave Ice from the day before found Haupia ice cream at Walmart... which is near the airport. Jane had a bit of the tasty frozen confection in her Shave Ice and now understands why I am consumed with its consumption. (Yes, I mean to use those two words.)




We stopped by Walmart. No Haupia ice cream. We headed back to Kihei and stopped at Safeway. No Haupia ice cream. We took a back street to Long’s on So. Kihei Road. No Haupia ice cream. We crossed the street to Times Market. No Haupia ice cream. We drove down the street to Foodland. No Haupia ice cream.

Honestly, it just makes you want to cry.

Hitting the Road

Tuesday, Nov. 6th - Today we’re heading up to Makaowo. We travelled up through the middle and hung a right at the Spreckels Sugar Factory and headed north. As we drove along the North Shore, we saw a sugar cane field burn.

We parked and strolled up and down Baldwin Ave. browsing through the shops. I was glad to see some of my favorite places were still there, including my favorite place: Kamoda’s Bakery. Not only is Kamoda’s my favorite place because of its donuts on a stick, but it had the only carton of Haupia I’ve yet to find.



I realized I could not get it home without it turning into a puddle of Haupia deliciousness. The only way to enjoy it was to buy a spoon, sit on the sidewalk in front of the store, and dig in. No. I did not do it.

I did consider highway robbery when I saw this rolling down the street. I’m serious.

We got back in the car and stopped by Ho’okipa Beach to watch the surfers. There weren’t any wind or kite surfers when we arrived and only a few were in the water by the time we left.






We enjoyed, really, really enjoyed, lunch at Mama’s Fish House. I’ve been here several times before but today might have made it to the top of my Favorite Restaurant list.

Very soon after ordering we were served a fresh petite loaf of their honey-wheat with poppy seed bread followed by an amuse-bouche: Asparagus Taro soup. 

Jane was absent when it arrived. She missed the waiter reciting the ingredients list so we made her guess. She was just about spot on.

We shared wasabi crusted calamari. As a rule I don’t care for calamari but I tried this. I was surprised how yummy it was. Then there was that hint of wasabi. Yes, it was oh, so yummy.






Then came the entrees. We all had different types of fish. I had Grilled Ono with fried bananas, papaya salsa, and coconut rice. I almost had to cry. It was one of the best things I ever ate.

I couldn’t have dessert after that meal. I wanted my tastebuds to remember it forever. Jane ordered, and we all shared, the Black Pearl chocolate dessert. The pearl is as big as your fist. No joke.

We headed home. There was no need for dinner. We sat up watching election results.

The Island . . .

Sunday, Nov. 4th - Something weird is happening on the island . . . sounds like an episode of LOST, huh? It’s hazy and all the blue is washed out of the water and sky. The sugar cane lacks the green color that washes across the valley to the base of the dormant 
volcano. It’s muggy and a bit warmer than normal. I thought it was because I had just come from the gentle frost of California.

I heard that the trade winds aren’t around to blow the volcano ash from the sky. Volcano ash? I thought our volcano was dormant . . . and there was a second or two when I felt a bit panicked. Then I was reminded about Kilauea on the Big Island. Oh . . . THAT volcano. The haze is supposed to last until Tuesday. I hope it doesn’t take any longer than that.

Apparently we missed several bits of excitement. It’s okay that I missed it. I like my life nice and calm. Two weeks ago there was a tsunami warning and the sirens around the island went off in the middle of the afternoon. People who were having their lunches or shopping in the marketplaces had to evacuate to higher ground. They were kept there for hours until the danger, the possibility of danger, had passed. This was caused from the Vancouver's 7.7 earthquake Oct. 28th.

Jane and Ray are gung-ho adventurers. They headed out to Snorkle Bob’s for snorkeling gear and swam around Ulua Beach. There were lots of fish. So many that Jane could not point out which ones on a Hawaiian Fish identification card. She also had a close encounter with a sea turtle that made a lasting impression.

Ray saw some BIG fish in the murky distance . . . an Ulua perhaps?

Hubby and I mailed a letter at the post office and went on the hunt for Rosalani’s Haupia ice cream. Not at Times Market, not at Long’s, not at Safeway . . . The hunt continues. If I don’t find some soon I’m going to start a riot!

On a happier note . . .  Restaurant Week in Wailea has begun, lasting from Nov. 4 to Nov 10. Located in the Four Seasons Resort, Spago is our first dining pleasure. Hubby ordered the Poke cones to start and seared Sashimi for an entree. The rest of us stuck to the Prix Fixe menu.

I love, love, love, love that place.

We Arrive

Saturday, November 3rd

This was our first direct flight to Maui. The trip seemed very fast. We met up with our first week’s guests Jane and Ray then headed off to one of my favorite places:  Hula Grill.

Rosemary your Chi Chi quota has been filled.

Jane and I did some grocery shopping . . .

There are a LOT of people on this island right now.











There was NO Haupia ice cream . . . I will be going out tomorrow to find some. Yes, I will!

And to top things off I’m having problems with my little web book. I’m not sure how/if/when I can post to this blog. Hubby wants to take a hammer to ole Zippy and put him out of our misery. I’m not sure I want to stop him anymore.

It was a full day. I just want to say that I made it past 7:30 pm but not by much. I'm glad to be back.

Packing Up . . . E-I, E-I, O

Wednesday, November 16th:

Yes, we're still grazing . . .

there are leftover Maui chips . . .

Leftover Haupia ice cream . . .

All the other leftovers . . .

I just finished off the Honeynut Cherrios!

"Someone" was busy doing something else. For hours and hours and hours . . . okay, it was nearly all day.

The other three of us spent time reading and relaxing during our last day.

Then we decided to pack the suitcases . . .

and the condo box with all our precious items . . .

We headed over to the Five Palms for our last dinner and opted for drinks and puu puus instead.

My last thoughts: If there’s one piece of advice I can give a person traveling to the Hawaiian Islands it’s to MAKE A RESERVATION if you plan to eat out! Unless, of course, you’re comfortable with sitting down at a table at 8:30 pm. The restaurants have been packed.

Here’s a special drink for Rosemary. I think you might have had two.

Aloha.