pacific

Dining Outside the Home: Sam’s Ocean View Restaurant in Kapaa, Kauai

Dining Outside the Home: Sam’s Ocean View Restaurant in Kapaa, Kauai!  Fling open the doors for an amazing view of the Pacific Ocean as far as the eye can see. Look closely. You may see the water spouts of a humpback whale or two on the horizon. Feel the cool breezes as you bask in the glorious sunshine. Glance around the room. Pay attention to the hanging art inside, which captures a peaceful easy feeling. Now order a meal with a beverage to match. Sam’s Ocean View fits the bill for coastal-living. Today’s special: Seared Ahi Eggs Benedict with a hollandaise sauce; a perfect blend of rich, creamy butter and lemon citrus. Mahalo. 

Take a Walk on Hanalei Pier

The scenic view on the North Shore of Kauai is right out of a Hollywood movie. And that film is the 1957 Rodgers and Hammerstein classic, “South Pacific”. The Hanalei Pier was originally built in 1892, when it was used to transport taro and rice to Honolulu. Made of wood at that time, it became too difficult to maintain the pier in a tropical climate. Thus, it was replaced with a concrete finger deck and a framed shed roof in the 1940s until Hurricane Iniki damaged the 340-foot pier beyond use in 1992. Today, the local history and its iconic charm continue to lure curiosity seekers as well as vacationers and beach lovers. Hanalei Bay is the largest on the island of Kauai with its 2-mile long crescent moon and white sandy beach. Known to natives as Black Pot Beach, it can be seen littered with avid fisherman, energetic surfers, carefree picnickers, and leisurely landlubbers. We mustn’t forget the romantic lovebirds who stroll to the end of the pier, gaze into each other’s eyes, share a wet kiss, and then snap a Selfie against the opulent aqua-blue waters. Hanalei Pier does Hollywood proud.