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.

Travel to Maui

Thursday, November 3: The Hubby and I can hardly wait. We head for the airport early and a mere five hours later land at the Honolulu airport.

Our connecting flight to Kahului was a short one hour layover. Then there's a change. . .our plane is given away to passengers going to Lihui, Kauai. My guess is they've been waiting a lot longer than we have.

So our plane is an hour late. So'kay.

Hubby and I stop at Ray's Cafe for the Paradise Plate appetizer. It has some quesadillas, eggrolls, prawns, chicken teriyaki skewers, and onion rings all with their own sauces. Yeah. I tried one of each then ate the HUGE ring of pineapple where the skewers were sitting. It might have been garnish but for me it was lunch.

Yes, I did the ritual burning my mouth on pineapple. It was really very, very tasty.

We arrive on Maui at three-ish, pick up our luggage, grab our car and head to Kihei. We want to see what's changed in town. Not much. There are lots, LOTS of people. Does this mean the economy is getting better?

There is a choice of three grocery stores in town:

Safeway ... we have these at home, I'm not shopping here.

Foodland: . . . it's my second choice. We'll end up visiting this store, it's the closest to us.

Times Supermarket, it used to be Star Market. The new name reminds me of a newspaper. This is the market where I like to shop.

We pull into the parking lot, I'm getting ready to unbuckle my seat belt and hopping across my lap is:

I scream, I panic, I'm jumping around like there's a hot taro root on my lap . . . I shoot out of the car. I am not riding home with a bee in there. Hubby saves the day by retrieving it. I'm waaay too much of a chicken to do that.

We go shopping. Among the goodies I see . . . Pog, dragon fruit, mango salsa, Maui Onion chips, the Minahune water. . . then I see Roselani! I just want to rip the top open and dig in with a big spoon!

We pack up the car, then roll down the windows because we'd rather have the breeze than a/c and guess what-who flies into my window? Could it be really the same bee?

You know the drill... I scream, I panic, I'm jumping around like there's a hot taro root on my lap. Yes, Hubby saves the day yet again. Soon we are on our way home.

I'll preface this part with . . . we've been paying an additional amount to our quarterly HOA fees because the Home Owners Association decided they wanted to "upgrade" our units.

What I fear is that they'll hire a designer who will do something "trendy" and our unit will look "dated" in a few years. With that said we can continue . . . we park in front of our unit and this is what welcomes us . . .

This sort of encompasses the entire renovation: a cheap, tacky, tropical feel. I think we paid a lot of money for lipstick for the old wahini. You can't really "see" the faux patina. It's lovely.

The friends, and their company, are at the Five Palms for dinner.

We drive over to join them and we're having a very difficult time finding a parking space. It's REALLY crowded. Good for business and bad for us tourists. There's a Sunset Special that looks pretty good:

I side step the food and opt for a chi chi. It's been a really long day.

I'll eat something tomorrow.