A federal court judge has rendered a decision on the Maui County farming ban. Agriculture won! I feel as though I should be jumping up and down and cheering, but oddly, that’s not been my reaction. First, I cried a bit in relief that we all still have a job on this island we love. I didn’t …
When you live in a state with a crazy high cost of living, you learn quickly how to cut corners in order to make the budget work. Eating out becomes a rare pleasure. You stop shopping just for fun and stick to the ‘need’ list. You learn to turn out lights and shut off the …
People come to Maui for a variety of reasons. Kite surfing on the North Shore, hiking a volcano and then watching the sunset over the clouds, or driving the winding road to Hana. What tourists probably do not come to Maui to see is a protest, but that is exactly what they have been getting …
When I was 13, I started dreaming about renovating old buildings. At the time, I had my eye on a hotel in McCloud, CA. It was in poor shape, but still carried the traces of grandeur from its hay day in this small mill town. It was eventually renovated (NOT by me) and turned into …
I came across this image the other day. A farmer spraying his field wearing a protective suit and face respirator. When I see this, I see a farmer keeping himself and those around him safe. When activists look at this, they seem to see a scary hazmat suit and chemical poisoning. The beauty of this photo, …
Dear Maui Friends, You know us. You’ve sat in our back yard while Dave cooks a pizza or three for you. You’ve sat next to us in church, or in a class, or at the coffee shop. You know our character and our hearts. What I’m coming to realize, is that some of you may …
While I’m not a frequent vodka connoisseur, we have certain long term guests who really enjoy a good screwdriver or vodka tonic. I’m one that would usually grab the mid-range bottle of whatever is convenient, but when my favorite hair stylist told me her husband is the Master Distiller at Pau Maui Vodka, obtaining a bottle moved … Continue reading
Ulupalakua Ranch [oo-loo-pah-lah-KOO-ah] Ulupalakua Ranch has a long and varied history, from plantation to ranch to Maui Wine. Visited by kings, queens, paniolos, and arm stealing vandals, it is never short on stories. If you’re lucky, you may hear about the man buried in whiskey below his beloved sugar mill. Not a bad way to … Continue reading
Maui Tropical Plantation is a beautiful space with a little bit of everything, and something for everyone. I’ve only been here once to officially tour the space. The kids had a field trip, and we road the train, fed the ducks, and somewhere along the line, someone managed to catch a tiny little fish in a … Continue reading
Maui has an extraordinary number of beautiful beaches. It leads to a very first world, Maui problem: Different beaches are good for different activities, and we try to mix it up, but there’s only one beach we can walk to every night – Sugar Beach. Sugar Beach isn’t what I’d call a great swimming beach, … Continue reading
We are spoiled. Maui has some of the world’s best chefs and chefs in training. It’s hard to throw a rock and not hit a great place to eat. Among our favorites are, in no particular order: Fat Daddy’s (already mentioned on the letter F) Gannon’s Coconut’s Fish Cafe Roy’s Humuhumunukunukuapua’a Teddy’s Bigger Burger Gerard’s … Continue reading
Need a good t-shirt? Want to watch an amazing big wave surf competition? Quicksilver is the answer. First, Quicksilver makes a great t-shirt. They are high quality, comfortable, and last forever. They come in a size for anyone in the family, and most of them have fun designs. They also make the ‘Eddie Would Go’ and … Continue reading
Maui Paintball – it hurts! People might try to tell you it’s not too terrible when you get hit with a paintball, but in the wise words of Chris Farley: “That’s gonna leave a mark.” It’s completely worth the pain, however, to run around a great course and try to hit the other team with … Continue reading
