FOMO & things I have yet to do on Maui...

One thing that makes us Mauians take living on an island for granted, is the lack of things to do here.  Oh, we've all said "Maui is so boring!" at least once or twice (a week).  Why?  We have just a handful of good shopping centers (only one true MALL), a 'barely there' club/night scene, and the only places that stay open past midnight are Safeway and the McDonald's drive-thru.

I'm not joking.

UHMC Autofest 2014

I got a chance to attend this year's Autofest event at the University of Hawai'i Maui College on Sunday, March 23rd.  Put on annually by UHMC's Auto Department, it's one of the biggest and best car shows on Maui.  Maui doesn't have a big car scene due to our small island population and limited (or should I say, expensive) automotive resources.

27th Annual Hoʻomau Fundraiser on Saturday 03/29

I urge all of you Mauians to attend one of the biggest fundraising events on the island -- Hoʻomau.  An annual fundraiser for Pūnana Leo o Maui Hawaiian Language Immersion preschool, the event features live entertainment, ʻono food, keiki games and crafts, live and silent auctions, and Hawaiian crafters and vendors from all over Hawaiʻi.

This is the first time that I am on the other end of the event, helping to organize and work at the fundraiser for my son who is in his first year of preschool and first year of Hawaiian immersion.  Pūnana Leo o Maui's program is the best.  Our keiki receive an excellent education, have the most caring and dedicated kumu, and it's all done in a true immersion setting.  I would recommend it to any 'ohana who is interested in revitalizing the Hawaiian language and culture through our youngest generation.

This year's theme, Kū Ha'aheo I Ka 'Ōlelo Makuahine, loosely translates to "stand proud in our mother-tongue," and thus reflects the school's mission statement: E ola ka 'ōlelo Hawaiʻi - "the Hawaiian language shall live."

Live entertainment includes:

• Kamaka Kukona, Piʻilani Arias & Hālau O Ka Hanu Lehua
• Weldon Kekauoha
• Mark Yamanaka
• Nā Hoa
• ʻEkolu
• Ata Damasco
• ʻAipōhaku
• The Keiki & Mākua of Pūnana Leo o Maui
• Ke Kula Kaiapuni o Maui

27th Annual Hoʻomau
Saturday, March 29, 2014
9:00 am - sunset
Maui Nui Botanical Gardens
Wailuku, Maui, HI
$10 presale, $15 at the door

For more information, visit hoomau.com, or call Pūnana Leo o Maui Preschool at 808-244-5676.

The Wettest Spots on Earth

Mauna Kahālāwai as seen from Wailuku, Maui, Hawaiʻi

"We travel ma uka to the mountain range known traditionally as Mauna Kahālāwai, The West Maui Mountains. The older of Maui’s two volcanoes, Mauna Kahālāwai is the backdrop of the district known as Nā Wai 'Ehā, the four famous waters of Maui. It is a composition of dark basalts formed from pāhoehoe lava eruptions and it stretches 18 miles long and 15 miles wide. Kahālāwai dates back some 1.3 million years. Literally, Kahālāwai translates as “the meeting of the waters.” There are many peaks and ridges within Kahālāwai, but its highest peak, Pu'u Kukui, stands 5,788 ft. and is located in the upper regions of the mountain on the Western end. It literally means "hill of light or enlightenment" and is used in poetry as a metaphor symbolizing a beacon of light illuminating Kahālāwai. From Kahālāwai comes Ka Wai Ola, the life giving waters of Kāne, the source of water that supports Central, South and West Maui. Mauna Kahālāwai is a glorious and beautiful mountain range with diverse topography ranging from lush, green landscapes to drier, red toned terrain, but it is not only esthetically pleasing, it is kūpuna, considered to be an ancestor of our race. Stop for a moment and take some time today to enjoy the splendor of Mauna Kahālāwai." - Luana Kawaʻa, Kumu Hula & Hawaiian Protocol Specialist

Alice in Wonderland @ KS Maui

Kamehameha Schools Maui (KSM) High School will be debuting their interpretation of Alice in Wonderland tonight, Friday, February 28th at 7:00 pm, with two more shows tomorrow, Saturday, March 1st at 3:00 pm and 7:00 pm.  Be sure to check out the production as it is free and open to the public at the Pukalani school's High School campus.

Opening scene of Kamehameha Schools Maui High School's Alice in Wonderland.

Mouse, Mad Hatter, & March Hare

As a big fan of Disney's 1951 cartoon movie of Alice in Wonderland, I was really excited to get a sneak-peek during the high school students' last "dress rehearsal" as they performed for the Elementary Students at KSM.  I loved the creativity used for the costumes, props, and set.  If you've ever seen or read any version of Alice in Wonderland, you're familiar with the extravagant fantasies that would be difficult for anyone to convey in real-life.

The cast and crew are made up of students from all grades.  The lead role of Alice is played by a sophomore.  All cast sang, with many characters performing solos.  These teens have great vocals, which is not surprising considering the fact that KS has a long history of choir and singing events.

Saltimbocca - Modern Italian Cucina

Along with a large party of about a dozen other guests, I ate dinner at new Italian restaurant Saltimbocca.  Located in the Maʻalaea Harbor Shops, the space was formerly home to Maʻalaea Grill and then Maʻalaea Waterfront Restaurant, which recently closed its doors in August 2013.

The venue itself is beautiful, and always has been, with views of Maʻalaea Harbor and Haleakalā.  There are also patio tables available, however it might be safer to sit inside since Maʻalaea is ranked the second windiest harbor in the world (Wellington Harbor of New Zealand's North Island is the windiest).  The only drawback for the restaurant's owners is that there's not much foot traffic.  So on this Tuesday night we had almost half the restaurant to ourselves.  But for some reason it still took almost half an hour after ordering before we finally got our appetizers.

Dave Chappelle Stand-Up on Maui

"The theme of the night is...hopelessness.  Now you can't have hope without hopelessness." - Dave Chappelle

Maui finally got to host Dave Chappelle and his stand-up comedy, a visit that was waayyy long overdue.  After practicing stand-up around New York's comedy circuit, a few failed TV pilots, and several silver-screen appearances, Chappelle really gained notoriety when he burst onto the entertainment scene 10+ years ago with Comedy Central's "Chappelle's Show" in 2003.  Known internationally for his character comedy and jokes on racism, sexuality, and pop-culture, Chappelle ranks #43 on Comedy Central's "100 Greatest Stand-Ups of All Time."

Tickets for Dave Chappelle's stand-up show, scheduled for February 5th at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center (MACC), went on sale January 15th.  No less than 24 hours later, a second show was arranged for those who missed out on tickets for the first show.  Chappelle's comedy was in such high demand, MACC was forced to add three more shows, giving Chappelle a total of five sold-out shows in the MACC's 1200-seat Castle Theatre.

"In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary."

Mauna Kahālāwai as seen from Wailuku, Maui

"In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary." - Aaron Rose

In the past few days, we have been experiencing some very stormy weather in the state of Hawaiʻi with strong winds and heavy rain.  And when it rains, it pours.