island

Transformation of the Island Alchemist 

Kōloa Rum Company boasts rum tasting as a popular pastime on the Garden Isle of Kauai. Can it be because this award-winning product infuses a love potion that seduces the body as well as the mind? Perhaps it is due to the fact that this premium rum is made naturally from tall sugarcane and pure mountain waters found here. It doesn’t hurt that the dark rum layer topping off the signature Mai Tai cocktail is practically part of the islander’s daily diet and available everywhere you turn. With notes of vanilla, roasted nuts, and a caramel coffee finish, of course the locals are proud of its glorious popularity. It is Kauai, after all. Jamie, the animated bartender at the Kōloa Rum Company Tasting Bar, is a party girl. She shares the history, makes you laugh, explains the process, makes you laugh, pours the drinks, and makes you laugh…. all in under 30 minutes. When you have taken that last sip, and walk out the door, you’ve not only become another believer in island magic, you’ve been transformed into another island alchemist. 

Dining Outside the Home: Gaylord’s at Kilohana in Lihue, Kauai 

Dining Outside the Home: Gaylord’s at Kilohana in Lihue, Kauai. Envision a table for two at the edge of a shaded limestone patio where tropical flora bloom within sight and the fragrance of hibiscus is only inches away. Now envision being carried away to an historic plantation estate as melodic Hawaiian music fills the air while a farm-to-table brunch is offered to its guests. Seared Ahi Eggs Benedict takes center stage as a multitude of side dishes serve to compliment. Prosciutto tarts, savory meats, sweet breads, and fresh fruits are only a few of the temptations beautifully arranged on scalloped platters or kept piping hot for ultimate flavor. If you appreciate historical romance and elegant dining, step into the island’s glorious past while enjoying a culinary experience of present day. 

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. Remember when I said I needed to return here for dessert? Well, I did. Words of wisdom: If you stop by for a meal, save room for dessert and get an extra signature spork to share this fabulous specialty of the house. I found it served best with a generous shot of coffee-infused liqueur. Here is the best description I can give you about Duke’s infamous HULA PIE:
“Hula Pie is made with Kimo’s favorite macadamia nut ice cream piled high on a chocolate cookie crust and topped with chocolate fudge, whipped cream, and more macadamia nuts. It is sized for sharing, but rarely goes unfinished!”

Maybe Alice Had the Right Idea 

Like Alice down the rabbit hole, the car slid south on a narrow road to a destination unknown. It became enveloped by a tunnel of ancient eucalyptus trees with heavily gnarled trunks and towering limbs that appeared to darken the cloudless sky. Beyond the tunnel…long thick grasses, fragrant blooming shrubs, and massive monkeypod trees finally revealed Old Koloa Town when the rough winding road finally came to a “T”. Before us lay a vibrant past of plantation life now transformed into enchanting art galleries, unique gift shops, and charming eateries specializing in cultural foods. Maybe Alice had the right idea after all. 

Dining Outside the Home: Monico’s Taqueria in Wailua, Kauai 

Freshly squeezed lime juice margaritas practically greet you at the door. To the right the chef, Monico Martinez, and his kitchen staff are hard at work grilling up piping hot pork carnitas, fresh fish tacos, stuffed burritos, cheesy enchiladas, and towering nachos. Every dish is served with flair, like an art form on a plate. Before that first bite, the aroma of herbs and spices tempt the palate. The quality is high, the staff is friendly, and the portions are generous. With reviews like that, word gets around. 

The Little Rascals 

“Boys will be boys” is often quoted to give kids a green light to be loud and rude in public. There comes a time, though, when immature actions are simply unacceptable. For instance, disrespectful behavior, intentional bullying, and obscene language are visible signs of bad manners, especially in the presence of someone old enough to be a grandmother. This afternoon, at the resort, there were three boys I would guess between the ages of 8 and 12. They were congregating around the public showers made available for rinsing the sand off your feet at the edge of the beach. I could see they were on task at first, so I waited patiently for my turn at one of the four nozzles. Soon it became apparent they had no intention of leaving and had gone from rinsing the sand off their feet to playing in the water streams. I inched my way around to one side and asked if they would mind me using the water for a moment. The oldest boy began to spit at the other two boys, which resulted in some horseplay that involved boogie boards. Still, I rinsed my feet. At that point, this same kid dropped the “F” bomb, proving to himself he was one tough cookie. The smallest boy immediately responded by saying, “Watch your mouth.” As you can imagine, it only inflamed the culprit into toughening up with more shoving, spitting, and swearing. As I finished my task, I looked at the young brown-eyed boy, smiled and said, “Thank you.” His face broke into a smile. How refreshing it was to see such respect and manners coming from the boy who clearly should have seen the older boys as role models. 

Fairy Dust, Diamonds, and Damask Roses

Azure waves swept ashore in a wall of magic bubbles playing leap tag with energetic surfers. In the blink of an eye, bubbles dissolved into foam as if transformed into fairy dust leaving the beach to sparkle like a cluster of diamonds. With the grace of a dancer, footprints in the sand were completely erased before swishing back out to sea. Just beyond the crashing waves at the lava mound, appeared a trail of delicate pink blossoms scattered in the sand. Each flower emitted a super-fragrance and looked as though it had been gingerly plucked from a heavenly lush rose bush. Hardly touched in unblemished beauty, their perfect state conjured images of sea nymphs frolicking on the beach serenading humpback whales into choosing a mate. How romantic! I later learned this breathtakingly beautiful ancient flower is called the Maui Pink Lokelani. It is native to Asia, but was brought to Hawaii in the 1800s by the Spanish. Now grown on Maui, the damask rose is popular for stringing leis as the Heavenly Rose of the Hawaiian Islands. 

Lighthouse Treasure Trove

The night the moon was full from dusk to dawn, the ocean seemed black as coal and restless as a cat. Across the bay an amber-tinted beacon of light on Ninini Point flashed methodically, enough to mark the coast for the landing strip at the edge of the cliff. On the ground two or three sets of faint headlights indicated a road must lead to the old lighthouse. The next afternoon we were on a quest to find out. Like a treasure hunt, signs promised shore access to Ninini Point. However, at the end of a paved road the trail became difficult to navigate. Pick-up trucks and SUVs climb over the rough terrain with ease. Not so much the rented Mustang convertible. Clay ruts and lava boulders made the ride bumpy at best. Around each impassable turn I wondered what lurked beyond the thick wall of yucca spikes and swaying grasses that smacked against the car door. At the end of the road, we finally arrived in one piece. Finally. With the lighthouse towering above us, an unexpected eerie feeling crept in. At the foot of a low gnarled tree was a collection of memorial paraphernalia including beverage bottles, dried flowers, good-luck charms, and religious statues. Messages scrawled on a broken surfboard, suspended across a tree branch, indicated heartache and loss of love. Such a tragic sight to behold. I wondered what other disappointments this old lighthouse had witnessed. Life could not have been easier to face in 1897. An isolated existence of lighting the lamp daily and maintaining the structure against nature’s ferocity had to prove challenging. In time, the government would intercede and rebuild the current seventy-two foot concrete tower, dated 1932. Like others, Nawiliwili Lighthouse became automated. A cliffside view of the cobalt waters and crashing waves afforded us the perfect spot for whale watching, six-man canoe races, swirling water spouts, and landing planes. A treasure trove, indeed. 

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?”