travel

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. 

The Day I Met a Movie Star

From the second story window seat at the Olympic Café, I had a vantage point for a flurry of activity down below. Gazing out over the main thoroughfare, I caught sight of a man standing on the side of the road. He was tall and blonde with a rock solid build, wearing an olive green quilted vest zipped halfway down, flattering his firm chest and muscular biceps. The swim trunks he wore hit mid-thigh; modest enough for walking around in flip-flops. After looking both ways and checking traffic, he crossed the road and was soon out of sight. Meanwhile, back at our table, the perky waitress dropped off a tropical drink favorite rimmed with a juicy pineapple wedge and teal umbrella plus two glasses of thirst-quenching water. Lunch was just as refreshing with local produce, peppery spices, and sweet herbs. As I munched away enjoying every bite of the Spicy Chicken Thai Wrap with extra peanut sauce, I looked across the table beyond Gerald’s shoulder and noticed a different couple had arrived next to us. Moments later, Gerald took note of a gigantic stuffed burrito the waitress carried by, and casually said so. It was placed directly in front of the same man I saw on the street below. Something about him seemed vaguely familiar in the flashbacks of my mind. Pretending to take a snapshot of my husband, I zeroed in on the man of mystery. Could it be, I wondered? A quick Google-search told me my hunch was spot on. It was none other than Dolph Lundgren, a Swedish actor who starred with Sylvester Stallone in several action-packed movies including “Rocky IV” and the current “Expendables” series. Practically in a panic, I ransacked my purse hoping to find an ink pen to request an autograph. No such luck. Time was running out as dishes were cleared and the check had arrived. Suddenly, as though being pulled to my feet, I stood up and walked over to his table. Almost frozen, I stood across from him next to his partner, Jenny Sandesson (also an actor), not wishing to be rude. When he looked up, I said, “Excuse me. Are you…?” Before I could finish he responded with a smile, “Yes, I am.” My face must have lit up like a fireworks display because his very next words were, “Would you like to take a photo?” “Jerry!”, I screamed, “grab your phone! He said we can take a picture!” I practically flew over the table to his side, placed my hand on his incredible bicep like we were old friends, and smiled from ear to ear. As we departed, I shook his hand and said “Thank you, Mr. Lundgren. Rocky IV was the BEST Rocky ever!” He grinned with a twinkle in his eye as his partner, Jenny, chimed in, “I agree!” With that, the couple stood up and headed for the door when two adoring male fans leapt into their path, pausing to offer more accolades along with firm handshakes. Two seconds later when Dolph and Jenny left us, they turned with a smile and a wave, and exited the restaurant. In jubilation, we all found ourselves waving back. Gerald looked off our perch from above, saw them cross the street, jump into a Jeep Cherokee and zoom out of sight. 

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?

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.