Wailea, Maui

August 27 - Sept 1, 2014 -- posted a year late.  :(  Better late than never!

Well well well...it has been a while.  A long while.  Work has been crazy and I haven't been able to do much traveling - let alone blog updates.  However...what's better than taking a quick break from work to celebrate with a wedding in Maui!

I booked my flight out of SJC on Hawaiian Airlines which has a direct flight to Maui leaving everyday at 8:30am and gets into OGG (Kahului Airport) at 10:50am.  This flight got me into Maui earlier than any other flight out of San Jose and it was cheaper than any other airline and bay area airport - DOUBLE SCORE!

The flight got in early due to the winds we caught en route - so our arrival was close to 10am.  Since I did not check a bag - I was able to head straight to the car rental lot which is a short bus ride away.  Right outside the airport in the town of Kahului there are a tons of stores to stock up on necessities - within blocks there is a Costco and a Big Kmart.  I recommend stopping here for snacks, boogie boards, hat + cover ups, etc.

Wailea is about a 30 minute car ride away and since we could not check into our hotel early - we stopped in the town of Kihei.  There we picked up bottle water and chocolate covered macadamia nuts at Safeway and we ate at Coconut Fish Cafe.  Coconut Fish Cafe was a yelp find - as most of the places we ate at were - and it did not disappoint!  We ordered the fish tacos and a fish burger.  For both we got the mahi mahi fish.  The tacos - were my FAV!  So good.  The tortilla was crispy and there was a ton of flavor in the filling.  The fish burger was great as well - but just not as good.  This reminded me about my favorite part of being on an island...AMAZING FRESH FISH!  This is a must stop on your way to Wailea!

When we arrived at the Marriott Wailea Resort and Spa our room was still not ready so we headed over to The Shops at Wailea.  It is nice having these shops walking distance from the hotel - there is an ABC store and Whalers General Store which have all of your snack foods, any items you might have forgotten from home - sunscreen, toothpaste, etc - and trinkets.  You will also find the clothing surf shops - my favorite was Billabong due to massive sale they were having.  This is also the area I got most of my gifts for people back home - shirts, hats, soaps etc.

The hotel grounds and room were very nice.  The hotel is very big and spread out and there are 3 pools to pick from.  My favorite pool was the infinity pool which is 18yrs +.  There are rent-able cabanas at the pool and lounge chairs that were easy to get any time of day.  One of the pools offers 2 water slides and a kids area - which was not busy at all.  The other is located next to the bar/restaurant.  This was nice in the evenings because attached to the pool was 2 hot tubs - so when it was a bit to cool in the pool you could enjoy in the sunset in the hot tub.   The beaches are at both ends of the hotel and in between is a great path way to take a morning stroll on, get a run in or watch the sunsets from.  Both beaches offered great snorkeling areas - seeing many fish and turtles - and the sand was so soft (not rocky like other beaches).

After setting in, meeting up with friends and watching the sunset - we headed out to dinner at Monkeypod.  It was a 3 minute drive from our hotel.  The wait was about 30 mins - so we walked in the shopping center and stopped at a chocolate shop.  Unfortunately I don't know the name of the shop - but it was AMAZING!  I am not one who can really tell the difference between a chocolate bar and the chocolate from See's candy - HOWEVER - this chocolate was worth every penny.  I recommend the sea salt chocolate filled with caramel  and the chocolate with hot peppers.  For dinner I had another fish sandwich. This one was a bit different in that the fish wasn't seasoned but it didn't need to be because it was so fresh!  They had pickled kim chee which I put on it and WOW.  This is my new favorite fish sandwich of all time!  I am so in love with it.  I highlyyyyy recommend it!  And accompany it with some truffle fries! 

Due to the time change...I was up bright and early at 4am.  At 6am - my friend Kristina and I decide to take a morning stroll and although you couldnt see the sunrise - it was so peaceful and calm. 

Mid morning we headed down to the beach and then made our way to the pool.  It was so relaxing!  Ahhh...I wish I could be back there right now...

Lunch time was another yelp adventure - Da Kitchen.  There are 2 - Da Kitchens but we went to the original in Kahului near the airport (about 20 mins from the hotel).  Our orignal goal was to stop here for appetizers and then make our way over to Mama's Fish House for lunch but that didn't happen because we got too full.  At Da Kitchen - we ordered the deep fried spam musubi, the kim chee crabcake, and pork wontons.  The food was great - I could have done without the wontons but the other two were a MUST.  I mean how many restaurants do you know that make deep fried spam musubi?

After make a pit stop at a few stores in town - we headed back to the hotel for some pool time.  We caught the sunset and then it was time for dinner.

MiGrant is the restaurant in the hotel and we had dinner here Thursday night.  Unfortunately the service was horrible - and the food was just okay.  The spicy garlic noodles were great - but def spicy!  And my pizza was not worth it.

The next morning at 2am - Haleakala Bike Company Inc picked us up from the hotel for our Sunrise Biking adventure.  We picked up about 10 other guests and headed on our way to the town of Paia/Haiku.  On the way there our van got a flat tire - but they came quickly with another bus and brought us to their shop.  There we were fitted for bikes and helmets and signed the waivers.  The windbreaker jackets and pants they had for us to borrow smelled horrendous!  DO NOT PLAN ON USING THEM.  It literally made me sick just smelling them near me so I decided it was better to be cold than to start vomiting everywhere.  The drove us the rest of the way up to Haleakala Volcano and we watched the sunrise there.  When they say it is cold up there - it is no joke.  It is cold - the wind is going.  I thought I wanted to look cute for pictures up there - but that all went the window once I got up there.  It is a sight to be seen.  It is gorgeous.  The views.  The clouds.  The sun.  The crater.  I loved everything about it and I wish I was able to stay up there longer and maybe hike around a bit. 

Once the sun was up an we took pictures we headed back to the tour bus and they bought us to 1 more look out point to take pictures and enjoy views. 

From there we headed down the mountain a bit to the back road where they dropped us off with our bikes and told us to ride.  Yes it was that simple.  They said here's your bike, here's directions...go.  The ride down you will see alot of other bikers from different companies and guided tours going down.  You also might see a few injuries - like the girl who fell of her bike on her first turn and couldn't get up after that.  The ride down the volcano is on a road - it wasn't busy but there was traffic going both directions.  I got honked at 3 times.  The views are pretty - and there are restaurants and stores to stop at on the way down.  I think the bike ride was fun - but I am not sure that portion is a must.  It was nice to do once - but I probably wont be doing it again.  We arrived back down at the bike shop about 10:30am and once everyone from the shuttle ride arrived (about 10:45) the driver brought us to Wailea.

That afternoon - after spending some time in the dark clouds came in and it started pouring rain.  From our location in Wailea we could see the town of Lahaina - which was about an hour away - and it was clear so we decided to make the trek over there.  It is really easy to drive between the two towns - it just takes a while due to 1 lane roads and slower speed limits than we are use to in California.  In Lahaina we walked around - did some shopping in a few stores and ate Lahiana Luna Cafe.  It is in an outdoor cafe tucked away.  We ordered the fish tacos, beef plate and crazy fries.  I thought the food was good - not as good as the other fish tacos I had but good. 

Then came dessert...and luckily it was right next door to Lahiana Luna Cafe...Ululani's Hawaiian Shave Ice.  It really doesn't get any better than this.  I am not sure what it is about Ululani's but it just tastes so good and the ice is so fine.  If you don't stop here - your trip is not complete.  I had Strawberry and Blue Raspberry with a snowcap (sweeten condensed milk).  It sounds gross and it was my first time having it - and now I can't imagine shaved ice without it.  Ahhhhh.

Saturday = wedding day!  For breakfast we went to Longhi's for breakfast.  I had the fresh strawberries and crab cake eggs Benedict.  It was really good!

The bus picked us up for the wedding at 2:30 and drove us out to Makena.  The wedding and reception was at Sugarman's Estate.  It was breathtaking.  It was unlike any other wedding I had been to.  The views were amazing - the waves were crashing in the background, the palm trees were swaying in the breeze.  Every bit of this wedding had personal touches - from having the guest sign a map for the wedding couple to the surfboards which indicated your table assignment.

I am so happy for Chris and Quyen - they are truly are beautiful people inside and out!  I can't wait to see where their love takes them - cause they really do deserve the best! 

Sunday was our last full day in Maui - and the best one weather wise.  I spent it all day at the beach and pool with friends.  It was the best!  For lunch I went back to Monkeypod for one last fish sandwich of the trip and then it was straight back into the water! 

That evening we went to Kamaole Beach Park III for a post wedding BBQ.  I wish I had known how great this beach was!  I would have spent all of my time here - ah.  The waves were large but not too large and the beach had great views for sunsets!  The BBQ got food from Da Kitchen in Kihei (the other location) and we feasted on that.  Yum - the beef and chicken skewers, mac salad, noodles!  You can't miss this place!

Sadly the next day it was time to pack up - and I came down with a cold.  I had every intention of eating with the group at the Kehei Caffe however I just wasn't able to.  Maybe next time!

Mahalo Maui - It was a wonderful trip!

Highlight of my Trip:
- #CQMaui Wedding
- Haleakala Volcano
-  The food!
-  Rest and Relaxation

On my to-do list next time:
- More restaurants (Kihei Caffe, Mama's Fish House, etc)
- Snorkeling around Molokini + Turtle Town

Honolulu, Hawaii

January 27 - February 2, 2013

My first business trip of 2013 took me to Oahu, Hawaii.  The trip was not a boondoggle - as most people assume - but provided an easier route for our customers coming from Asia.

Although I have been to Hawaii multiple times before - this was my first time flying over on Alaska Airlines.  I found a great deal from San Jose (SJC) to Honolulu (HNL) and back for only $327 US dollars.  The flight left San Jose at 9:30am and put me into Honolulu at noon.  The flight was nice - very spacious as there were not many people on the flight so we could sprawl out.

Once I arrived to the airport - I grabbed my bag from the baggage claim and headed out to the taxi stand.  The taxi from the airport to Waikiki was 50 dollars not including tip.  The taxi driver dropped me off at the Marriott Waikiki - my temporary home for the next week.  The great thing about the location of the Marriott is that it is on the main street of Waikiki - Kalakaua Street - right across from the beach.  On this main street there are shops, restaurants  hotels and the beautiful blue ocean.  The strip is a bit longer than a mile but the concentrated activity occurs in the center.  The Marriott is located 2 -3 small blocks from the center of the activity which makes the area a little bit calmer.  The hotel has two towers and an open air lobby.  The rooms are nice - updated and quite spacious.  The beds are very comfortable and the balcony provides a nice breeze of wind and slight view of the ocean.  The maid service was outstanding - they came 3 times a day to provide new towels, clean the bathroom of any sand, and remake your bed if needed.

View from my room. 

Waikiki Beach

Right outside of the hotel lobby is an ABC store which provides any food, medication, personal items, trinkets etc.  Although there are 1 - 2 ABC stores per block - it was nice having one so close.

After putting my stuff in my room I decided to walk around do some shopping and grab lunch.  Sadly the weather was cold and rainy but I walked along Kuhio street (just one street over from the main street) to find cute Japanese clothing boutiques.  After a little shopping I ended up at one of my favorite sushi restaurants in Waikiki - Doraku Sushi.  This restaurant is owned by Kevin Aoki - the son of the Benihana founder.  He provides an amazing take on the Sushi/Japanese fusion cuisine.

Doraku Sushi

After walking around some more and taking in the fresh air, I met up with some coworkers and we headed out to Mikawon Korean Restaurant located near the International Market.  This was my first experience at Korean BBQ and it was delish!  I highly recommend it.  We got beef brisket and pork belly to cook on our own and we got pre-cooked japchae.  This was the perfect amount of food for 4 people.

International Market Place

Korean BBQ

The next day started off with a little work in the morning, then for lunch we headed out to Ono Hawaiian Seafood.  It was glorious.  The restaurant was about a 10 minute walk from our hotel and worth it.  *Note there are two Ono Hawaiian Restaurants and both have different menus.  I ordered the Spicy Tuna bowl over white rice.  It was amazing and so fresh!  After putting in some more work in for the day.  I headed back over to Doraku Sushi for dinner - and got a 'Kagu-Tsuchi Roll - God of Fire' and a Geisha Roll.  So good!  I highly recommend it.

Workday view. 

Ono's Seafood. 

Spicy Tuna Bowl. 

Tuesday was another day of work but I took a break around 11:30am to go to Iysasume Musubi for lunch.  It is about a 5min walk from the hotel and the weather was finally nice and sunny for the first time being on the island.  Here I got a spicy chicken musubi and mochiko chicken nuggets.  I highly recommend this place for lunch - as it is cheap and the perfect amount of food.  The restaurant is small - maybe 3 tables to eat at total - so taking it to go is probably for the best.  The line moves fast and they accept credit cards.  This is a must go spot when in Waikiki.  Dinner was at a location called - Uncle Bo's Pupu Bar and Grill.  There was over 12 of us that went to dinner which was nice because we could try a variety of the menu.  We had everything from Kuala Pork fried rice to Dynamite Shrimp.  It was very good - however - for the price it was not the best meal I have ever had.  The food was very rich in taste and sat very heavy after the meal.  It was good to try once but I most likely wont be back.

Iysasume Musubi.

Inside the restaurant. 

Spicy Chicken Musubi.

Mochiko Chicken. 

On hump day we worked for a half day as that night we had an Industry wide event to discuss the technology at hand - where it had been and where it was going.  This was my first day getting out to the beach but as you can imagine trying to tan in the winter there was always the possibility of overcast weather - even in 'paradise.'  Sure enough - right as I got out to the beach the rain kicked in.  So when all else fails - I decided to go shopping.  Prices in Hawaii are more expensive than California although their sales tax is cheaper.  My suggestion is to look for items that are unique to Hawaii - for example: Japanese boutiques, Roxy, etc.  Or look for the merchandise they do not sell near you for example - what they have the Marc Jacob's store varies from Hawaii to California.

Marc Jacob sunglasses - cute but I didn't get them. 

On Thursday after a morning run I went to Island Vintage Coffee.  This was a recommendation from a family friend - and I was told the must have item was the Acai Bowl.  Boy was she right.  It is a blend of ice and fruits - such as Acai, berries, and bananas, then it is topped with homemade granola, fresh fruit and drizzled with honey.  The serving sizes are huge for the Acai bowl - it is definitely something you can share, however, once you start eating it you don't want to stop.

Morning view of Diamondhead. 

Island Vintage Coffee. 

Acai Bowl. 

For lunch I accompanied my coworker to Marukame Udon.  This is the freshest, best tasting udon I have ever had.  The udon is made onsite everyday right in front of you.  Marukame is similar to cafeteria style eating - you wait in line, order your food, pay and then sit down. The menu is simple you pick the style of udon you would like - hot or cold, with an egg or without, with tempura batter drops or without.  After determining the base that you would like they dry the noodles, add the soup and hand it over.  Next in line is a selection of add ons - shrimp or veggie tempura, chicken, etc.  There is generally a line out the door - so go early or be patient.  It is def worth it.  For dinner we headed back to Mikawon Korean Restaurant for the second time this trip.

Making noodles. 

Menu. 

Best ever Udon.

Shrimp Tempura, Chicken, Inari Sushi.

Friday was my final day of work at the workshop.  Similar to the day prior I went for a run and grabbed an Acai bowl.  After a half day of work it was time to pack up work stuff and hit the beach.  Some of my coworkers and I went out to the public beach across the street from the hotel.  After laying around for about an hour we decided to head over to the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel to get happy hour drinks at RumFire Bar.  To get to the RumFire and the Sheraton Waikiki - you can walk along the beach and it will take you directly to the bar or you can walk along Kalakaua Ave and enter the Sheraton Waikiki and head towards the pool. The drinks were good - but most people were their for the atmosphere.  It is right on the water - the windows are open and there is seating on the patio.  It is the best location for sunset pictures - diamond head is on one side and the sun is setting on the other.

Finally a day at the beach. 

View from RumFire.

Sunset at RumFire.

Sunset at RumFire.

On a side note - I have stayed at the Sheraton Waikiki previously - when it first opened - and I have to say this is by far the best hotel on the strip of Waikiki.  Their is an infinity pool which is 18yrs and older and their is a kid friendly pool as well.  The spa is excellent - and I had one of the best massages here.  The location is centrally place on the main street of Waikiki.

After drinking a large amount our group moved on over to Doraku Sushi for some appetizers and rolls.  Similar to what I mentioned before - this is by far some of the best sushi I have had and to this day I crave it!

Saturday morning I headed out for one last Acai bowl and bought all my souvenirs.  I got everyone cookies from the Honolulu Cookie Company - these stores are all over Oahu.  Sometimes they are even located across the street from each other.  They are butter shortbread based cookies that are to die for!  I can eat 20 of them in one sitting!  Each store has free samples by the entrance - you must go in and try them cause you will be hook.  When you spend $50 dollars and $100 dollars - you get a special gift of more cookies.  You would be surprised - it is easy to spend a lot in there.

Waikiki Beach.

Water and Sand. <3

Cooooookies. 

After loading up I headed to the airport around 11:30am for a 1:30pm flight.  I paid around $40 US dollars for my cab ride and I had lunch at the airport.  The airport does not offer many food options - there is a Burger King, Chinese fast food, CPK, sushi mart etc.  I opted for a CPK pizza.

Hawaii - is a wonderful place to visit if you have not been before.  However, after traveling their multiple times per year and participating in many of the excursions already I mostly only go for the food.

Waikiki. 

Waikiki.

If this is your first time to Waikiki I highly recommend the following activities which I participated in previous visits:
- Hike to Diamond Head.
- Shark dive with North Shore Shark Adventures.
- Snorkeling at Hamanua bay

If you have been to Hawaii previous and are open to other suggestions (near the USA) my top beach location is the Atlantis Paradise Island.

Highlight of my Trip:
- The food
- Honolulu Cookie Company