Manoli’s Pizza – Grand Opening week in Wailea

Nestled above the 15th hole of the Wailea Blue, one might feel that you're looking out onto a park and pond (as a few young ones mistakenly did), but in actuality you're enjoying one of the three beautiful golf courses that Wailea offers.

While customers are spoiled with top-notch service by staff, the owner, Aaron Placoirakis, makes his way around the room, pacifying eager children with cheese pizza slices and making sure adults feel welcomed. His top notch attention to even the youngest diners might stem from his passion for family and passing those values from his own father, “ Big Manoli”, through himself and on to his young son, Manoli.

 
Aaron must have seen what we had all missed - the need for a restaurant here in Wailea with good food, good service and a relaxed atmosphere that can accommodate even a 7 year old's birthday dinner.  Stop by and experience a completely different atmosphere - a perfect blend between the service at a white linen eatery and the made-at-home feeling of your local pizzeria. Tamera took care of us tonight and she made sure everything we needed arrived within moments and to our liking! Thanks Tamera!

They are quick to explain that they focus on fresh, organic, sustainable products and make every effort to get as many of these ingredients as possible from local farmers, including a fantastic salad of greens fresh from Kula.  This is really important to us, and we're glad Aaron feels the same way.  The white balsamic –Ali’I  lavender vinaigrette dressing on the house salad was just the right amount of sweet and sour so don't hesitate - support our Kula farmers and eat up!

Next up is a create-your-own, any-way pizza... Split it & combine it, or take their suggestions... Either way, it's yummy! My personal favorite is the Hawaiian Honey... Yes, even in Hawaii they call it a Hawaiian Pizza, complete with toasted macadamia nuts and caramelized Maui onions!

Finish the night off with tiki torches burning next to the lanai, delicious banana crème pie and a spectacular Maui Sunset.

Well done, Manoli's! Pizza with style!

Exploring Wailuku, Part III

Next stop on our tour of Wailuku included a visit to the Maui Nui Botanical Gardens.

There’s no entrance fee to wander around the Maui Nui Botanical Gardens which makes it an even better tour stop!  It’s a nice place to spend a pleasant afternoon with your kids or just to take a walk and have lunch. Conveniently located near the Harbor, it’s easy to find on Kanaloa Ave with parking on the side street. Maui Nui Botanical Gardens is a non-profit organization that relies on its volunteers to keep the gardens green. There are picnic tables and covered areas for large groups as well as a playground and ample lawn space for families and get-togethers.

Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays there are tours of the gardens at 10:00am where the volunteer docent will explain what you are seeing and the history behind each plant and tree (a $5 donation per person is appreciated). Special tours can be pre-arranged for your group by calling the Gardens ahead of time. If you are exploring on your own, they offer a full color Virtual Walking Tour map for $4.

We met an amazing worker there named Gloria Adlawan.  Since we had missed the tour, Gloria explained about some of the plants and trees that had specifically caught my eye. Among my favorites is a tree called the Hala tree. This tree is amazing… it’s in the pine family and the female Hala tree produces a fruit that looks very much like a pineapple. The individual sections that make up this pineapple-looking fruit can be eaten or dried. When it’s dried, the section separates into fine “hairs” that traditional Hawaiians would use as paint brushes. The lau (leaf) was woven to make floor mats or sails for canoes.

If you’re looking for something quick, fun and FREE to do, please stop by the Maui Nui Botanical Gardens. Take a walk, have a picnic and remember to give Gloria a warm howdy and if you can spare a few bucks, share those too! Mahalo!

Meet Mika, Weaver of Magic

There’s someone very special on the Island of Maui that most folks won’t have a chance to meet – unless you go looking for him. His name is Mika Villaren and he’s one of those magical types of people that simply LIVE the word ALOHA. We were fortunate to make his acquaintance last weekend at the Nui Festival in Wailea, but you might be able to find him sitting on the rock wall up at the Kaanapali Beach Resort weaving coconut leaves into magical bowls, hats and fish or playing the traditional Hawaiian ukulele.

I surmise that Mika’s passion for Hawaiian tradition might have stemmed from his grandfather who worked in the pineapple plantation and from his grandmother who was a pineapple lab tech, but maybe all this rich traditional aloha was simply born into Mika.  After watching Mika interact with patrons of the Nui Festival, it’s easy to see how this man can be so warmly regarded in the community. His jokes are delivered effortlessly and best described as simply hilarious. My smile never left my face as Mika instructed visitors on how to make roses out of the coconut leaves and eased their frustration by complimenting them on even the most eclectic of rose efforts. His sense of humor and patient instruction kept the groups gathering for more of his tales.

Mika doesn’t often give weaving instruction formally, but to the curious passer-by’s and shoppers alike, he imparts years of fun snipits and basic how-to’s for creating something out of almost nothing. From the moment he presses the coconut leaves into your hand, you’re transfixed on his words and magically the “down – over, poke, under – over, around” comes together to form a rose within your hand. No matter how well (or um, not) you do, he’ll praise you and make you feel like a magician… just like him.  

If you’re up West, ask around the Kaanapali Beach Resort for Mika. If you’re lucky and you find him, spend some time soaking in the aloha. There is no truer feeling than hanging out with Mika.

Exploring Wailuku, Part II

The next must-stop on our Wailuku Tour was for lunch at the Café O’Lei Wailuku.

 

We’ve enjoyed many meals at the other Café O’Leis on the island, but if you get the chance to stop in here for lunch, be sure to ask to be served by Omi. She has a bright and warm personality and makes wonderful recommendations!

You have the option of sitting outdoors in the eclectic alley or in the front or rear dining rooms.  The interior walls are covered in art by local artists. The snow crab club (a variation of a BLT) was incredible and Omi was always right there to see what else you might need, even with a dining room full of customers.

Maui Photographers get hungry while working and we bet that Maui Vacationers will too… We were very impressed with the lunch combination of food, price and service and hope that you will be too. Let us know! Mahalo!

Experience Kula Country Farms!

Welcome to a beautiful spot on Maui known as Kula Country Farms. Located on an ahupua'a owned by Mr. Henry Rice and his family since 1916, this farm offers acres of beauty, historical significance and family aloha.

We had the pleasure of spending the morning with enthusiastic owner, Teena, and her 2 daughters. The passion that this family exudes is contagious and listening to the tales of the old paniolos (Hawaiian cowboys) that now rest peacefully under a sacred clearing marked by a solo tree swept us back in time to the days of cattle herding and close-knit families. Looking out over the beauty of strawberry fields is a mesmerizing feeling.  You can find the Kula Country Farms strawberries in the local Costco and if you can't make it up to Kula, we encourage you to pick some up at your local store. The sweetness and texture is incomparable!

 

 

The prep work has already begun for the time-honored tradition of Halloween. Troughs of pumpkin starts are being nurtured and tended to, getting ready to fill two large fields for local children's enjoyment. Come October, the uphill field will be opened for families to come and select that perfect pumpkin out of the pumpkin patch.

 

 

Many whispers of higher priced food on Maui hits our ears frequently. If you're looking for excellent quality produce at extremely reasonable prices- please take a drive up to the Kula Country Farms Market right on Kula Hwy.  Fresh herbs, vegetables, fruits and flowers will entice your senses. Jars of homemade fresh jellies, syrups and sauces will give you lots of creative ideas for combining all these locally grown items.

 

You won't be disappointed!

http://kulacountryfarmsmaui.com/

**More can be found about the Rice Family at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704320104575015431045157378.html

Welcome to Kula Country Farms!

Kula Country Farms

Welcome to a beautiful spot on Maui known as Kula Country Farms. Located on an ahupua'a owned by Mr. Henry Rice and his family since 1916, this farm offers acres of beauty, historical significance and family aloha.

We had the pleasure of spending the morning with enthusiastic owner, Teena, and her 2 daughters. The passion that this family exudes is contagious and listening to the tales of the old paniolos (Hawaiian cowboys) that now rest peacefully under a sacred clearing marked by a solo tree swept us back in time to the days of cattle herding and close-knit families. Looking out over the beauty of strawberry fields is a mesmerizing feeling.  You can find the Kula Country Farms strawberries in the local Costco and if you can't make it up to Kula, we encourage you to pick some up at your local store. The sweetness and texture is incomparable!

The prep work has already begun for the time-honored tradition of Halloween. Troughs of pumpkin starts are being nurtured and tended to, getting ready to fill two large fields for local children's enjoyment. Come October, the uphill field will be opened for families to come and select that perfect pumpkin out of the pumpkin patch.

Many whispers of higher priced food on Maui hits our ears frequently. If you're looking for excellent quality produce at extremely reasonable prices- please take a drive up to the Kula Country Farms Market right on Kula Hwy. Fresh herbs, vegetables, fruits and flowers will entice your senses. Jars of homemade fresh jellies, syrups and sauces will give you lots of creative ideas for combining all these locally grown items.  You won't be disappointed!  http://kulacountryfarmsmaui.com/  **More can be found about the Rice Family at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704320104575015431045157378.html

Part III – Palmer Travel Blog

After successfully purging ourselves of many of the items that once felt necessary, we were left with approx. 100 square feet of family heirlooms, warm weather clothing and basic necessities for our new home. The Allstate Shipping truck arrived and carried away our Matson container. The driver was courteous, funny and a prime example of great customer service skills. No major issues thus far. As of today, the container is cruising along across the ocean on the cargo vessel.

Leaving without our puppy was really hard… thankfully she has great puppy sitters that allow us to Skype with her as we all wait out the mandatory rabies test days. I have to admit, having more space on my bed isn’t always a blessing – I never realized how being shoved off the side of the bed while I sleep is such a comforting motion…

The next hurdle was taking Penny’s Mom through TSA… we weren’t sure how they would react with the recent news coverage of the jar of remains being opened and spilled at an airport… We brought along her cremation paperwork in case it was needed, but here is one of the rare opportunities that I get to give TSA some major KUDOS! We placed her in the bin and alerted the TSA agent of who was in the bin. They stopped all the travelers’ luggage in our line, stood in a ceremonial military type stance and sent her through with pure respect. They made sure nothing encroached on her space, were quick with their analysis and, honestly, made the whole experience feel as if they were honoring her. THANK YOU Seattle TSA for demonstrating that quality of service.

The flight felt quick although the summer storms over the Pacific Ocean made it more bumpy than usual. We arrived home on Fourth of July in time to unpack and watch the Hawaiian Hula Dancers and Fire dancers on the beach. What a treat!

Matson had our car waiting for us to pick up the next day – again, another demonstration of fantastic customer service skills! The car was exactly the way we had left it, no hidden charges, and no storage fees. Way to go, Matson! Mahalo! A few errands later, we were off to volunteer at the Maui AIDS Foundation. They’re finally getting a doctor dedicated to them on a weekly basis and needed help preparing space for him. On went our painting clothes and off went the shoes – after all, slippahs are only required when we dress up here!

We were so busy the first few days that we didn’t even get to play on the beach until yesterday. We took a breather and I swam with the sea turtles – got awesome footage with my underwater video camera! I snorkeled out with a middle-schooler from Calgary and made a video of him swimming with the turtles so he could show his Grandma back home. True Aloha!

So that’s the scoop… A few adjustments still in the mix… For example - it may be considered very muggy but with the trade winds we don’t really notice it; however, I may need to get a nerdy little chin strap to hold my cool UW Baseball Cap on my head! J We have Hurricane Daniel headed this way followed by Hurricane Emelia but if the weathermen are more apt than those on the Mainland, we may just see some needed rain later this week. If not, it’s all good - we’ll be in the secondary bathroom with flashlights, drinks and a few board games – party at our place, want to come?

Maui Turtle.mp4 Watch on Posterous