Archive for
January, 2008
January 28th, 2008 by jamie a
The Four Seasons Resort in Maui Photo uploaded by
recently published the a listing of the ‘best places to stay in the world, selected by the readers of Conde Nest Traveler.’
in Maui scored a 99.4 and was named best for activities, best for design, and best for location. It was the top-scoring property in the United States, providing a contemporary Hawaiian design with a new art collection added in 2007, plus the culinary delights of Wolfgang Puck’s Spago restaurant.
This is the resort’s third appearance on the Gold List, as it was also featured on the 2005 and 2006 listings.
Planning a trip to
Maui?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Maui Card.
January 25th, 2008 by jamie a
A Nene, Hawaii’s State Bird Photo uploaded by
If you’re a birdwatcher, Maui is an excellent place to give your binoculars and curiosity a workout! From the mountains to golf courses, Hawaiian birds can be spotted just about everywhere.
You’ll most likely stumble upon an , soaring above the beach. Whether it be a Laysan, Black-Footed, or Short-Tailed, they’ll be gliding effortlessly through the air with their whistle-like voice.
If you’re traveling to Kilauea Point, you may be lucky enough to see a , diving into the water to catch fish and squid. These birds are hard to spot, so it might be best to bring binoculars. There’s also the Masked , the Red-Footed Booby, and the Brown Booby which also plunge into the water to catch their lunch.
You’ll see birds uncommon to tropical climates like the and , who had the same idea as you by jetting off to the islands for the winter months!
While in the country, try and spot a , the state bird of Hawaii. This medium-sized goose likes to hang around golf courses, grasslands, and lowlands. Its caw is much like the Canada Goose or the ‘moo’ of a cow, surprisingly, so you’ll probably hear one before you see it.
Finally, there’s the , a tiny bright scarlet bird with a salmon-colored curled beak. Its feathers were commonly used in featherwork and it was also sung about in many ancient chants, making the bird a legend of the islands.
Planning a trip to
Maui?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Maui Card.
January 21st, 2008 by jamie a
Chocolate Covered Strawberries Photo uploaded by
Looking to impress your very special someone this Valentine’s Day? Why not attempt making them a box of chocolates this year?
At , you can take an where you’ll learn about the chemistry of chocolate, how to prepare a classic ganache, and how to make hand-dipped and decorated Valentine’s Day truffles. You’ll also learn the art of the chocolate-dipped strawberry.
Each student will take home a box of Valentine’s Day chocolates at the end of the class and a light lunch will be served.
The class takes place on Saturday, February 9 from 10 am to 3 pm. The class is limited to 12 participants, so to reserve your spot, be sure and purchase it early!
Planning a trip to
Maui?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Maui Card.
January 14th, 2008 by jamie a
Flower photo uploaded by
One of the things that makes Hawaii so distinctive compared to the rest of the United States is its strikingly colorful plant life. Especially when trekking off to the islands from a gray winter back home, be sure to savor the lush foliage that surrounds you in Hawaii.
One of Hawaii’s most beloved flowers is the , the state flower of the islands. In colors of white, yellow, orange, or red and endless combinations, you don’t have to search very much to find these blossoms. Hawaiians love to use these flowers as a part of their local landscapes.
There’s also plentiful amounts of , out of which Hawaii has created an industry. In endless arrays of color combinations, many Hawaiians collect orchids and possess many rare varieties.
If you’ve never seen a , Hawaii also cultivates these beauties for creating stunning landscapes. With vibrant red, pink, white, purple, and yellows, ginger plants are another Hawaiian treasure. For example Shell Ginger is called ‘Awapuhi-’luheluhe,’ which means “dropping ginger,” and describes how the plant blooms and then spills downward.
And last, but not least, are the flowering vines of the islands. There’s the variety, which encompass many unusual blossoms and provide fruit juice. There are also many varieties of the , , and the glory bush, which all cover the trees and the land with beautiful color and texture.
Be sure and bring your camera for all your jaunts out to see the flora and fauna of Hawaii, as I’m sure you’ll find inspiration in all the colors and varieties of plant life.
Planning a trip to
Maui?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Maui Card.
January 10th, 2008 by jamie a
Maui Sunset
Photo uploaded by
The Honolulu Advertiser recently announced that in a survey completed by .
Maui was named the fourth domestic destination by 507 surveyed travel agents, only after Las Vegas and Orlando, while the third spot was awarded to Honolulu and the ninth to Kaua’i.
Join the trend and pick up a or a and rate the islands for yourself. If you’ve got ideas about your own top 10 travel destinations, we’d love to hear your list in a comment!
Planning a trip to
Maui?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Maui Card.
January 7th, 2008 by jamie a
Ukulele player Jake Shimabukuro
Photo uploaded by
is one of the world’s top ukulele musicians. He believes that the ukulele is an “…untapped source of music with unlimited potential.” He plays everything from jazz to rock and blues on the 4-stringed instrument.
To catch his local performance, head over to the on Thursday, January 12th at 7:30 pm when Jake plays with the . This performance will include Jake’s favorites as well as new collaborations with the Pops, which should surely provide something for everyone!
Planning a trip to
Maui?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Maui Card.
January 3rd, 2008 by jamie a
On Thursday, January 10th at 7:30 pm, will be making a stop at the Castle Theater on their Hawaiian tour.
The New Jersey based blues guitarist will be opening the shows. After the opening, Commander Cody will bring his fantastic group onstage to showcase their “American-roots” style music. Commander Cody (George Frayne) will be on piano, as always, with his bandmates on drums, vocals, bass, and pedal steel guitar. The band’s been around since being conceived in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1968, but made their true mark in San Francisco in 1969.
You may remember their runaway hit of 1972, “Hot Rod Lincoln,” which they’ll hopefully play for the crowd. For tickets, here’s a link to the for the Maui Arts & Cultural Center.
Planning a trip to
Maui?
Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the
Go Maui Card.
