A Trip to the Hawaiian Islands

I recently visited the big island of HAWAII and wanted to share some of my experiences with you.

There are six main Hawaiian islands – Oahu, Kauai, Maui, the Big Island of Hawaii, Molokai and Lanai.

What Does Aloha Signify?

 The Aloha Tower

 

Aloha is the most Hawaiian word. In the Hawaiian language, it can mean hello or goodbye. It also means love and affection. The word aloha is used in a combination with other words, such as aloha kakahiaka, which means good morning; aloha auinala used as a greeting that means good afternoon; and aloha ahiahi is how you can wish good evening in Hawaiian. Because of aloha’s unique meaning and popularity, Hawaii is called the Aloha State.
Aloha is a Hawaiian symbol. Its meaning goes beyond any definition you can find about it in the dictionaries. In Hawaii, you hear aloha all the time and you are treated with aloha everywhere.

What sets these islands apart from the rest of the world?

 

  Native Hawaiian Culture. This stunning culture is filled with fascinating customs, music, legends, traditions and values.

The Flower Lei

Today, probably the most enjoyable and unforgettable Hawaiian custom is the flower lei. Custom dictates that a lei should be offered graciously with a kiss and removed only in private. It's considered rude to remove a lei once it's accepted in view of anyone, but especially in view of the person(s) who gave it to you. Lei designs are limited only to the imagination and range from the simple common one-strand orchid or tuberose presented as a special treat to those who arrive by plane or ship to the more elaborate or rare depending on how important the occasion.

What exactly is a Luau?

 For Hawaii's people, it is a way to celebrate a variety of occasions, such as a birthday, successful harvest, graduation and many other occasions. A luau is a feast of life. It can be held at a family's home or a park in form of a huge family gathering, with lots of traditional luau foods and games.

Luaus are usually called "Hawaiian barbecues." They are, generally speaking, large parties in which the main meal is a Kahlua pig. Kahlua pigs are entire pigs that are steamed in underground ovens called "imus." The Kahlua pig is served alongside various appetizers called "pupus." The appetizers include haupia (pineapple and coconut pudding) and laulaus (pork cooked inside of leaves).

 

Hula Dancing

 

 This  Hawaiian traditional dance is supposed to tell a story in a flowing, dancing manner. The music consists of repetitive chanting, which are known as "mele." These chants are either done alone or accompanied by music. The hula has ancient origins in which it began as a style of worshiping. The instruments were made out of coconuts, gourds or logs covered in shark-skin membrane. The ukulele was also a major instrument used in hula dancing.

Hawaii’s nature is rich and  vivid. You will find your self looking at the most spectacular waterfalls cascading down from tall cliffs, lush tropical rain forests and valleys, active volcanoes and flowing lava.

 

Oahu is home to two monumental mountain ranges, the Koolau Mountains, which reach along the northeastern side, and the Waianae Mountains which lay to the west.

Oahu Hawaii

 

A land area of 607.7 square miles and 112 miles of coastline. Situated just below the Tropic of Cancer, Oahu is 2,390 miles west of San Francisco, California and one of the most remote spots on the globe. Oahu is the 3rd largest island in the chain of 8 major Hawaiian Islands, but it is home to 75% of the state’s total population.

 

 

 

 Hawaii has beautiful blue lagoons, waterfalls, lush rainforest's, sea cliffs and serene mountains to active volcanoes and even snow. you'll find beaches with white, black, red or green sand and everything from powdery soft sand to pebble and lava rock beaches. There is also a feeling of serenity and peace a person receives when standing on the sandy beach and are so closely connected to nature and its historical questions.

  

 

 

 Who is your top chef?

 

Andrew Sutton - Nappa Rose

Fritz Hasselback - Weingut Gunder

Heather Pats Sonoma Ca

Justin Bladwin

Raphael Lunetta - Santa Monica Ca

Roberto Vernes O'ahu Hawaii

Scott Higa

Semus Mullen Tertulia - New York

Takaaki Yamachi

Tsu Yoshi Kakao- Takerhara Japan

 

 



Oahu Hawaii Food and Wine Festival

 

 

Save the Date! The Hawai`i Food & Wine Festival is pleased to announce the dates for its third year to be held 
September 5 – 8, 2013. 

 

 

 Some Local Favorites

 



Roy's Capres Salad Ko Olina Beach Hawaii



Organic Roasted Vegetable Salad
 



Roy's Ko Olina Moriawase Sashimi

 



Roy's Ko Olina High Plaines Drifter Roll

  Roy’s Restaurant
Family Style Restaurant 

    92-1220 Aliinua Dr Ste 1

      Kapolei, Hawaii 967070-4296

 

 

The most beautiful things in life are simple and glorious just as they are.

The creation of beauty is like a painters pallet in one's own mind. 

Remember to explore the truth and life  in a childlike way. The time is now and the choice is ours. Aloha!

Linzi lives and works in Springfield, MO.
She loves shopping at Harter House
and Harer House World Flavors.

 

A Grocers Get-Away to Martha's Vineyard

On Sunday, Oct 7, 2012, my mother, Barbara and I, joined by our manager Dale & his wife Connie Dothage, departed for a Grocers-Get-Away to Boston and Martha's Vineyard.  It's my first time to visit this area and I am SO excited.  This first blog, I want to share with you some of Martha's Vineyard. 

Connie Dothage & Dale Dothage

Michele Kauffman & Barbara Bettlach

We were joined by about 30 other retailers from around the midwest.  All are members of Associated Wholesale Grocers.  Several we have traveled with before.



We take a 45 minute Ferry from the mainland to the Island of Martha's Vineyard.  We docked at Vineyard Haven which also has the town name of Tisbury.

We are staying at the Harbor View Hotel in Edgartown.  This hotel was established in 1891. 

Harbor View Hotel

 

 

 

View Directly across from our hotel

The Harbor View Hotel is described as being built on a generous scale with stunning panoramic views of Edgartown Harbor, Edgartown Lighthouse, and Chappaquiddick Island.  The front of the hotel has a 300 foot veranda.   

Edgartown is a charming 19th Century Whaling Captain's Town.

We have arrived one day ahead of the rest of our group, so we decide first that we will take a walking tour around Edgartown.  Our tour guide is Mike and we start on Water Street.

The Mayhews and their associates were the first authorized English settlers and they took over the island from the estimated 3,000 indians.  In 1671, the town was incorporated. The name Edgar Towne was chosen to honor the only son of the Duke of York.   The Mayhews, hoping to gain favor, chose the name Edgartown, not knowing that Edgar had died a month earlier.  It is said that this is the only "Edgartown" in the world.

This is a picture that was hanging inside of our hotel.

The Mayhews owned the entire waterfront area in Edgartown.  There are still Mayhews living on the island today.

In 1865 the need for Whaling Oil came to an end and Edgartown became a ghost town.

Do you remember the movie JAWS?
It was filmed on Martha's Vineyard.  I remember thinking how I loved the town in this movie.  
Tourism was waining at the time and city managers thought that the shark scare movie might be detrimental to the island, but instead it began a new and revived era for tourism.

  

Many people living on the island were used as extras in the movie.  The man standing in the doorway of the Gazette is also the movie's screen writer.

The Vineyard Gazette  is the oldest paper on the island and is still active today. 

1969 - 1974 Martha's Vineyard was known for Chappaquiddick.

The Gay Head Lighthouse was built in 1788.  In 1844 it had to be moved back 75 ft because of the constant eroding of the cliffs. 
At the Gay Head Beach, debris from John Kennedy Jr.'s plane washed ashore.

Many famous people have lived here.  Off the top of his head, Mike named, Jimmy Cagney, Walter Cronkite, Bill Gates, Meg Ryan, Larry David, James Taylor & Carly Simon, Tony Shalhaub, Ted Danson, Billy Joel when he was married to Christy Brinkly, Diana Ross, Dan Ackroyd, Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, John & Jim Belushi.  John Belushi is buried on the island.  Jim Belushi now owns John's house overlooking the island's only nude beach.

After our walking tour of Edgarville, we took the bus to Oak Bluffs. We wanted to explore the gingerbread cottages of Oak Bluff. 

In 1835 this area was host to a two or three day Methodist religious revival meeting during the summer.  The revival became an annual event. At first there were nine tents for the attendees, twenty-three years later almost 12,000 people attended and families began bringing their own tents and building rough wooden platforms for them, and finally simple houses were built on these platforms.  These houses were built very simple, the inside walls were also the outside walls, no heat and tiny rooms, but they were built with elaborate gothic flair.  These cottages are about 1,100 SF and today will sell for 300,000 to 500,000 and the owner still will not own the land only the building. 

 We walked a LOT today, resting a little along the way.  Of course Connie & I are shopping.

 The area is known for the black and green shutters with 3 foot tall white picket fences.

There are 6 golf courses on the island.

There are 5 lighthouses on the island.

 

These are pictures that were displayed on the walls of the Harbor View Hotel.

Martha's Vineyard is an island located south of Cape Cod in Massachusetts known for being an affluent summer colony.

The island has a land area of 100 square miles.

Its year-round population has grown considerably since the 1960s. A study by the Martha's Vineyard Commission found that the cost of living on the island is 60 percent higher than the national average and housing prices are 96 percent higher.
 

The estimated year-round population is 15,000 residents; however, the summer population can swell to over 100,000 people. 

About 56% of the Vineyard’s 14,621 homes are seasonally occupied.





 
^{I would love to hear of your Martha's Vineyard stories.
Visit me at Harter House
1500 E. Republic Road, Springfield MO
email me at shelly@harterhouse.com}