Why is Pu’u O Kila still closed?

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If you live in or have ever wanted to visit Hawaii, or specifically Kauai, then there’s no doubt you’ve seen this picture. This is the Kalalau Valley on Kauai’s west side. Past Waimea Canyon and Koke’e State Park lies the Kalalau Valley overlook, which most people mistakenly call this picture. This picture was taken from the Pu’u O Kila lookout which is about 1 1/4 mile from the Kalalau Lookout. The Pu’u O Kila lookout has been closed since 2003 citing bad roads as the reason. Have you driven on Hawaii’s roads? Half of the roads are a complete mess and the more you get thrown around, the better the reward in most cases! (ie- the drive to Polihua Beach on Lanai, the drive to Polihale Beach on Kauai, the road around the top of Maui (340 I believe…Hana Highway’s got nothing on 340!), parts of the Big Island’s Saddle Road which has an outdated ominous reputation)

In early 2006 all of the local papers were gleefully reporting the money being allocated for improvements to the Koke’e area which included handrails for the physically handicapped being installed along the path from the parking area at Pu’u O Kila Lookout. That work was supposed to be completed by the end of 2006. I don’t know if it was or not but I’d love to know how you suggest the physically disabled get to use those brand spankin’ new handrails when their transportation can’t get to the lookout. The last time we were up there was in May and some of the roads have been sporadically closed but Pu’u O Kila Lookout was still closed. Sure, you can park at the road closed sign and walk for a mile if you want to but why when there’s no real reason the road should still be in disrepair after 4 years of being closed??

The Kauai Visitors Bureau still uses this image to entice visitors to come see this beautiful sight and while they can look into the valley from the Kalalau Lookout, it’s not the same view. Almost seems like false advertising to me. Don’t get me wrong, I would want to show off my most valuable assets when promoting something but I couldn’t find a disclaimer anywhere saying Pu’u O Kila was closed. Something needs to be done. Action needs to be taken to allow everyone to have access to this famous view that so many have been denied over the past few years.

My suggestion would be to email Mayor Bryan Baptiste at mayor@kauai.gov and ask what plans there are to get this beautiful overlook opened back up again. Maybe with enough emails it’ll get bumped up on the list of things to do.

Together, we can make a difference!

Hawaii: A Message in the Waves special

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While flipping channels Sunday night, I came across a BBC special on Animal Planet called Hawaii: Message in the Waves. I stop when I see anything Hawaii related but this especially touched my heart. I’m a big animal lover and especially love the animals we share the ocean with. One thing I can’t stand seeing is litter on Hawaii’s beautiful beaches because it’s not long before the animals in the ocean mistake it for food. Do you know those handy plastic bags? They look like jellyfish to an unsuspecting honu (turtle). Those plastic tabs around your 6 pack of your beverage of choice easily get caught around the mouthes of dolphins so they can’t eat or it gets around the necks of seabirds. The plastics that you throw away and don’t recycle can end up in the ocean and into the stomachs of the animals of Hawaii. I don’t know if Animal Planet will be reairing this special but here’s the trailer for you to view:

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You can visit their website at MessageintheWaves.com

You can also go to the Kokua Hawaii Foundation for ways you can help.

Some of the easy things you can do is cut the plastic rings on your 6-packs then they can’t restrict an animals ability to eat. Don’t throw litter or plastic bags out the window. Recycle them! It’s not as hard as you think and many places will give you money for your recyclables. If you need a little pop culture to help you remember the easy tips it takes to change this world for the better, just click below! I think you Schoolhouse Rock fans may recognize some of it.

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Alleged Kailua burglar takes a nap on the job

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I don’t know if this guy was implementing his own “nap at work” program but he might want to consider catching his zzzz’s at home like everyone else.

Alleged Burglar Falls Asleep During Theft

Will Pele determine the future re-development of Kalapana?

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Volcano goddess Pele is at it again this past weekend, amping up activity at the new eruption site. According to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory’s 7/28 volcano status report,

“The 7/21 eruption has resumed its earlier vigor and is feeding flows advancing to the northeast and southeast. Fissure segment B has been active at several different locations and has been alternating in style between 2 m dome fountains, spattering, and quiet effusion. The focus of activity seems to have moved slightly eastward on the fissure segment overnight and a new flow is advancing slowly to the southeast. Fissure segment D was dominant in activity and fed a 100 m wide channel that was moving lava toward a 200 m wide `a`a flow front. The flow has advanced more than 1 km to the northeast across predominantly Kupaianaha (1986-1992) lava flows. Vent areas are hazardous and conditions can change rapidly.” An update posted 7/29 said, “Fissure segment D was again dominant in activity and fed a 100 m wide channel directed north then northeast. The flow front has advanced another 1 km to the northeast across predominantly Kupaianaha and Pu`u `O`o (1983-1986) lava flows. At about 1 am, the flow reached a moderate-sized kipuka that started burning.” (A kipuka is a small patch of forest)

If you look at the map of the current activity you can see both the July 21st and 25th flows are heading southeast. If it continues its current path and makes it to the ocean, it would likely affect Royal Gardens subdivision which is no stranger to the power of the fickle volcano. March 2, 1983, lava destroyed its first house in Royal Gardens and has revisited and skirted the subdivision many times. Access to the subdivision is covered by lava and is only for the hearty hikers or some use dirt bikes. There is no water or utilities that are hooked up in this area. Some property owners who are trying to get rid of their lava covered pieces of paradise may have trouble selling if people are keeping track of Pele’s recent moves. $9,000 for over an acre in paradise sounds too good to be true and in this case, it may be given the frequent visits by the glowing ooze over the years. Others may be willing to roll the dice.

Elvis statue unveiled at “Aloha From Hawaii” concert site

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A life sized statue of Elvis Presley was revealed on Friday at the Neil Blaisdell Center in Honolulu, the original site of the Aloha From Hawaii concert in 1973. The bronze statue of Elvis which was commissioned by TV Land was meant as a tribute to the record breaking show.

It was the first concert to be broadcast via satellite, reaching more than a billion viewers worldwide which was unheard of at the time. Presley had a love affair with the islands both personally and professionally. He filmed three movies in Hawaii, “Girls! Girls! Girls”, “Paradise, Hawaiian Style” and of course “Blue Hawaii.” He also came to Hawaii for three different concerts. One of them being a benefit concert for the Kui Lee Cancer Fund in which he raised $75,000 in November 1972. Elvis also vacationed in Hawaii with his family and passed his love for the islands on to his beautiful daughter, Lisa Marie who frequents the islands as well. On August 16, it will be the 30th anniversary of The King’s passing. What better way to honor him and what he brought to the islands than to add the Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii DVD to your video collection?

(Picture provided by the AP Wire. No credit information available at press time)

Aloha Friday Recipe: Pineapple-Mango Cream Pie

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1 8oz Sour Cream
1 pkg small Instant vanilla or French vanilla pudding (Don’t add liquid)
1 8 oz can crushed pineapple in syrup (Don’t drain)1 semi-ripe Mango
1 container Cool Whip
1 Graham or vanilla wafer pie shell (Ready made pie shell)

In mixing bowl, cut and cube mango, add sour cream, instant pudding and pineapple w/ syrup, mix well. Pour in ready-made pie shell, top with whip cream, enjoy. For presentation, can garnish on top of whip cream, strawberries and nuts. Best served chilled or over night or before parties, have sour cream, pineapple, and mango in chill box.

Recipe by Rick Ashak. Courtesy of Aloha World Ono Recipes

Keeping fingers crossed for Coco Palms

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Many know Coco Palms Resort on Kauai as the idyllic setting at the end of the movie Blue Hawaii starring Elvis Presley. Few know that the area is actually steeped in rich cultural history. The ancient home of Kauai’s royalty since the 13th century, the area surrounding the Coco Palms Resort was home of Kauai’s last reigning queen, Queen Deborah Kapule. In the 1950’s Grace Guslander was made manager of the Coco Palms Hotel and was credited with giving the hotel a grandiose, larger than life Polynesian feel. She was a smart businesswoman with a sense of what made the visitors and locals happy. She celebrated Queen Kapule’s birthday every year and started the torch lighting ceremony that became a trademark of the hotel. On September 11, 1992 Hurricane Iniki did a number on the hotel and it has been closed ever since. The one thing that always remained was the chapel donated by MGM Studios from the movie “Miss Sadie Thompson” has been used for at least 1-2 weddings per week by couples wanting to recreate the Blue Hawaii experience. Original Coco Palms entertainer Larry Rivera has been granting this wish for many couples over the years and so can you.

Talks of resurrecting the hotel have always swirled around but had come up empty in the past. I even contacted Lisa Marie Presley and president of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Jack Soden about our willingness to help in whatever capacity to restore this hotel and with the Elvis connection, should EPE be interested in backing the project. I got a nice letter back from Mr. Soden explaining it had been suggested in the past but just wasn’t feasible for them. Eh, the worst he could say was no, right? My biggest concern was preserving the bungalow Elvis used in Blue Hawaii. Our thought was it could be turned into a museum or memorial to the King and not be demolished when it had such pop culture history attached.

Scotty’s Beachside BBQ in Kapa’a, Kauai

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The better half and I went by this restaurant to see if the BBQ lived up to their hype. If you’ve ever read the Ultimate Kauai Guidebook, this restaurant popped up in their last edition saying that they had an interest in the establishment. While they stopped short of giving it an “ono” to be fair, they thought it was pretty good.

We decided to each get a combo meal and split them so we could try an array of items. I got the rib and chicken combo and he got the pork and brisket combo. We both got the baked beans (their “pride and joy”) and french fries and one of us got the garlic bread while the other got the cornbread. The pork and brisket are both smoked and they’re both a little too smoked for both of us. They tasted almost the same despite being two separate animals and personally I think the smoking process on meat should compliment it, not overpower it. Just a preference. So a miss on those…onto the ribs and chicken. The chicken was hmm…it wasn’t really plain but it wasn’t well seasoned either. It was like they boiled the chicken and sprinkled some spices on it when it came out. I dipped mine in 2 of the BBQ sauces we got (the original and the plum) and didn’t care for either of them and didn’t finish it. The ribs were good because they give you the sauce on the side but I did want a good BBQ sauce on them, it just wasn’t coming from them. But on their own the ribs weren’t bad. Now the baked beans we differed on opinion. He said they were okay because he’s had baked beans like that before but I don’t like every cajun seasoning in the book dumped in my beans so I didn’t eat more than 2 bites. I grew up with brown sugar and bacon baked beans so this wasn’t appetizing to me. (You give me a can of Bush’s Country Style baked beans and I don’t need to doctor them up) The garlic and corn breads were good.

Oh I didn’t mention how much we paid for this meal, did I?
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The best sweet bread on the planet

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If you’ve never had sweet bread, you are missing out. The best sweet bread I’ve ever had in my life is from Punalu’u Bake Shop on the south side of the Big Island. If you’re making a trip from the Kona side to the volcano to see the lava, take the opportunity to stop at this sweet shop. Not only do they have an array of sweetbreads like the traditional but also guava, taro and Cinnamon Raisin Macadamia Nut Sweetbreads…all of which make the best french toast you’ve ever had.

Are shortbread cookies more your thing? You’re going to love this… six delicious tropical flavors: Coconut, Guava, Kona Coffee, Passion Fruit, Pineapple and Ginger. They’re all light and buttery tasting and make perfect gifts, if you don’t eat ‘em before you get ‘em home! Don’t forget to pick up some dark or medium roast Ka’u Coffee to dunk them in. Gift baskets with other products are available as well.

Not in Hawaii? No problem, you can sample these delectable goodies by shopping their online store. Okay, now I’m hungry.

Rub elbows with Hawaii’s gourmet chefs!

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Whether you are looking to have one of Hawaii’s finest chefs cook for you in a private dinner or take a class taught by your favorite chef, you can make your culinary dreams come true with Gourmet Cooking Hawaii. Famous local chefs like Sam Choy, Alan Wong, Bev Gannon, Peter Merriman, Michael Imada, Chai Chaowasaree, Elmer Guzman and George Mavrothalassitis are available for your public or private event.

They have culinary events that you can participate in for prices varying from $130 to $185 per person. (Prices subject to change) For that price you can expect a 3-hour experience with one of Hawaii’s celebrity chefs, expert wine tips from a sommelier, signed picture of celebrity chef, Certificate of Completion and gourmet gift bag! Obviously private events are more expensive and you can contact them for a quote and chef availability.

If you have the means, I highly suggest this experience but I’m biased because I know one of the chefs. This is a very unique and fun opportunity and just think of the points you’d score with the spouse for surprising them with this one of a kind encounter while in Hawaii!