Author: Gail

Dining Outside the Home: Olympic Café in Kapaa, Kauai 

Dining Outside the Home: Olympic Café in Kapaa, Kauai. Six miles up the coast, along a paved bike trail, sits a casual open-air second story restaurant with a view of the ocean on one side, and the center of activity on the other. It has become a favorite vantage point for people-watching while tropical drinks are chilling, popular music is playing, and generous portions are filling. Cushioned bamboo seating over wooden plank flooring is as inviting for beach lovers as it is for the feathered friends who occasionally drop by to nibble on floor crumbs recently fallen. 

Danger: High Wind and Surf

High Surf Warning remains in effect until 6:00 p.m. today. Looking across the bay from the garden terrace at JJ Broilers, we caught sight of flashing red lights on a Lihue emergency vehicle. Immediately we were alerted to the possibility of peril on the cliff beyond our cottage where a solitary road leads to the beacon lighthouse at the point. Two shadowy figures, resembling paramedics, appeared to be standing on the edge of the cliff where ominous lava boulders criss-crossed in jagged terrain over a hill that drops away. Several yards offshore, a Coastguard rescue boat bobbed on the choppy waves keeping watch from a distance should a distress signal necessitate action. We had no clue if a surfer had collided against the rocks causing debilitating fractures or if a hiking enthusiast lost his footing among unstable formations. It could also have been a fisherman stranded in a cave when a gust of wind propelled waves to crash in leaving no time to escape. Within the hour, the coastguard drifted away and the emergency vehicle crawled back down the hill, leaving us to scratch our heads and wonder “What Happened?”

To Each His Own

Some people come to the beach to play volleyball all afternoon while bystanders cheer them on. Others hit the waves carrying poly-constructed surfboards with barking dogs in tow. Every now and then an ageless couple is seen strolling hand in hand with waves tickling their ankles in every step as a dedicated jogger passes them by. From grandparents to teenagers to toddlers, the crescent-mooned shoreline is dotted with primitive sand castles and elaborate sculptures, each one a masterpiece to the artist who creates it. Yellow, red, and orange umbrellas promise shade with lingering sea breezes when the tropical sun becomes relentless. As I glance up from my enticing paperback novel, take a sip of raspberry iced tea, I notice a middle-aged man standing chest high in waves smoking a Kauaiian cigar while staring longingly out to sea. Tell me now, what is your idea of Paradise on Earth?

Dining Outside the Home: Tortilla Republic in Kōloa, Kauai 

Dining Outside the Home: Tortilla Republic in Koloa, Kauai. Located in the center of activity at Kukui’ula Village Shopping Center with a perfect vantage point for dining al fresco, is a Mexican restaurant serving classic dishes using the freshest local ingredients. The cantina atmosphere sets the mood with handmade wicker furniture and authentic Mexican art before you ever take that first swipe of salty chips and chunky salsa. Enjoy margaritas and live music while savoring food grilled to perfection. 

Up, Up, and Away

Ascending miles above the town on hairpin curves, where the air turned thin and cool, we wound our way to the Waimea Canyon Lookout Point towering 3400 feet above sea level. At the edge of the parking lot, an ambitious entrepreneur set up an umbrella-shaded fruit stand. Dozens of cardboard crates were piled high with fresh cut bananas, avocados, passion fruit (lilikoi), mangos, dragon fruit, and pineapples, plus a refreshing natural juice bar was on hand. We absorbed the vibrant colors and ripe aromas for a few moments before continuing on. An uphill climb on a concrete footpath led us to the crest of the lookout where we received the most amazing surprise! “It’s a rainbow!”, I exclaimed from the ridge-top formation. Dividing the sky in half, between rugged mountain formations and low lying clouds, was the most brilliant arc of light illuminating the scene. Without a doubt the landscape before us was a celestial masterpiece beyond human sensibility. We stood there in awe….and then took countless photographs until it dissipated into thin air. 

Discover the Sandwich Islands 

Often you find yourself looking so hard for something that is standing in plain sight. The elusive Captain James Cook monument appeared right under our noses in the business district of Waimea Town. Knowing Cook was the first European to arrive upon Hawaiian soil in 1778, we had been logically searching for the historical marker near the water’s edge in a small county park during our previous visits. Suddenly, there he was standing erect between the parking lot and main road. Talk about feeling foolish. While Gerald kept the car running, I jumped out and snapped a couple of shots of the guy who named Kauai and Oahu “The Sandwich Islands”. 

Once a Film Location; Always a Destination 

Driving west on the island, the scenery changes dramatically from sandy beach to mountain peaks. We made a pit stop in the historical village called Hanapepe, which literally means “crushed bay” in Hawaiian due to the landslides occurring over time. I had my mind set on buying a miniature bamboo rolling pin to match the one I got there three years ago. It’s something I could imagine using in Gail’s Kitchen back home. Mission accomplished. A quick walk about in this sleepy little town told us people come and go as frequently as businesses do, while the old-timers hang on remembering better days. Time passes slowly where locals revel in library cards and starving artists try to close a sale slashing prices for more wall space. Once a film location for “The Thornbirds”, now a destination for always.

Dining Outside the Home: Duke’s Canoe Club and Barefoot Bar in Lihue, Kauai 

Dining Outside the Home: Duke’s Canoe Club and Barefoot Bar in Lihue, Kauai! Put the lime in the coconut and eat it all up. Crispy Coconut Shrimp covered in spicy lilikoi sauce is an ALOHA favorite from the pupu menu at Duke’s. This casual restaurant sits at the edge of Kalipaki Bay with an oceanfront view in honor of the native Hawaiian, Duke Kahanamoku. He was a six-time Olympic champion who made the sport of surfing real at the age of 21. Nowadays people flock to the restaurant for food, spirits, music, and the infamous Hula Pie! 

Dining Outside the Home: Hukilau Lanai in Kapaa, Kauai 

Dining Outside the Home: Hukilau Lanai in Kapaa, Kauai. A table for two was nestled against the nontraditional Hawaiian pine tree whose vivid boughs were as feathery as ringlets on a toddler’s head. Golden pineapple ornaments dangled in scattered formation among exotic hula dancers and bamboo ukuleles while background music played softly overhead. The master chef’s menu for the night before Christmas presented itself with a culinary experience long remembered.