december • 2015 keiki cover models

Mahalo to our two cute keiki cover girls this month.

Charlotte and Madeleine Hudson had such fun dressing up for us on photo shoot day!

Mom is Larisa Hudson, concierge at Westin Maui Resort & Spa, and dad is Michael Hudson, sales executive at Wyndham.

Charlotte attends Kam III, and is in first grade. She loves doing math and creating art at school. Madeleine enjoys preschool at Holy Innocents, and “swims like a fish” any chance she gets.

Mom shares, “Charlotte has endless amounts of energy and inspires us to get outdoors and do something fun as a family! Madeleine has a kind heart and is always thinking of others. Both inspire me to help our guests to have the most memorable vacation with their families, inspiring memories that will last a lifetime!”

 

 

november • 2015 keiki cover models

We want to say Mahalo to Chloe (7), Ava (5), and Mailah (3) Cuomo, who are the beautiful keiki gracing this month’s cover of The Maui Concierge.

Mom is Liana Cuomo, reservations agent at Four Seasons Resort Maui, and Dad is Brian Cuomo, sushi chef at Sansei in Kihei.

Chloe attends second grade at Kamali‘i School, where she loves reading and science. Ava is attending kindergarten at Kamehameha Schools Maui, and she enjoys art and swimming. Mailah loves her preschool at Montessori Hale O Keiki in Kihei, where she has fun with music. The girls all dance for Halau Hula O Keola Ali‘i O Kekai, where they enjoy performing. Mom shares, “Having three children has made me realize all of the ‘stuff’ needed when traveling with kids. This has helped me in making perfect recommendations for guests traveling to our islands. My husband and I have grown up on Maui and have seen and done most everything here. Being able to experience these activities through our children is amazing and a nice reminder not to take our island for granted. We strive to teach them to care for our island and we hope to show them just how special Maui truly is.”

ka malama dinner series: culturally centered food at grand wailea resort

Chef Mike Lofaro of Humuhumunukunukuapua‘a, and Grand Wailea Resort’s Hawaiian Cultural Ambassador Kainoa Horcajo, have cooked up a truly unique and delectable dining experience: The Ka Malama Dinner Series held the third Thursday of every month. Chef Mike and Kainoa forage, fish, and gather the foods and inspiration for the dinner based on the Hawaiian Moon Calendar. And, best of all, they informatively and reverently explain each course while it’s being consumed.

As our servers bring the first course, entitled Wai Ola (water of life), Chef Mike explains, “Every ingredient that went into tonight’s dinner has a purpose. For this first course, we wanted to give respect to water. We never say exactly where we go on our journeys for these dinners, but we want to share what we smelled and tasted there. So we imbued the water with the flavors we tasted, and the aromas we encountered on today’s journey.”

“We’ve put ‘ola‘a grenadine into the bottom of the glass,” continues Kainoa. “‘Ola‘a is actually an invasive thimbleberry, and it was brought here by mistake. But it’s delicious! So we are using it as a sweetener. There’s also an ‘awapuhi leaf in your glass you can macerate to add a hint of ginger.” I find the water not only refreshing, but curiously addictive.

willie k dinner show at king kamehameha golf club: deliciously entertaining

Willie K performing at the Waikiki Aquarium.
Honolulu Star-Advertiser photo by FL Morris

Maui born and raised musician Willie Kahaiali‘i (a.k.a. Willie K) has been delighting audiences for decades with his genre-crossing style of entertainment. Now guests can enjoy a sumptuous prime rib and seafood buffet dinner, along with a generous helping of Willie K’s impeccable musicianship, all in one action-packed evening on Thursdays at The King Kamehameha Golf Club (KKGC) in Waikapu.

Perched on the hill above Waikapu, KKGC has commanding views of the central valley, with lofty Haleakala standing sentinel in the distance. The clubhouse is a specimen of architectural genius, and has been named “the coolest clubhouse in the land” by Golf Digest. Its design was originally conceived by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1949 as a luxury home called “Crownfield” for Robert & Ann Windfohr of Fort Worth, Texas. But the home was never constructed.

In 1957, Marilyn Monroe and her husband, Arthur Miller, approached Mr. Wright to design a country home for them in Connecticut. Mr. Wright modified the Crownfield design for them, and the structure’s plans became known as the “Marilyn Monroe House.” This home was also never constructed.

hana ranch provisions: a slice of heavenly hana in pa‘ia

There’s a new kid on the block in free-spirited Pa‘ia Town. In late August, Hana Ranch Provisions opened its doors, offering organic cooking from scratch: sandwiches on house-made bread, fresh-squeezed juices, pastries baked daily, and house-smoked meats and sausages. Provisions also has a to-go counter serving breakfast, pastries, and pantry items.

“Hana Ranch is thrilled to introduce Hana Ranch Provisions, a new community gathering place that, at its core, will strive to provide a wholesome, ingredient-focused food experience,” says Culinary Manager Linh Phu. “We look forward to sharing all of the Hana Ranch grown products and stories through Provisions, where each dish is inspired by our land, history, and culture.”

lahaina grill and mama’s fish house among top 25 restaurants in the u.s.

Just two Hawai‘i restaurants made this year’s list of the top restaurants in the country, according to TripAdvisor.

The travel website analyzed millions of reviews and opinions to compile its Travelers’ Choice Awards for Restaurants. It used an algorithm that took into account the quantity and quality of reviews for restaurants around the world, gathered over a 12-month period.

Coming in at number 14 and 15 respectively were Mama’s Fish House in Pa’ia and Lahaina Grill in Lahaina.

Some of the most famous restaurants in the world shared this prestigious list. Bouley in New York City took the top spot, with Chicago’s Alinea coming in second. Thomas Keller’s famous French Laundry in Yountville came in at number 16. We want to send our sincerest congratulations to both Mama’s Fish House and Lahaina Grill and their entire teams!

the holidays have started early at leoda’s with thanksgiving thursdays

If you find that you can’t wait for the holidays to get here, you’re in good company! Sous Chef Codeh Davis of Leoda’s Kitchen and Pie Shop is offering a Thanksgiving turkey dinner every week on Thursday. The meal consists of Leoda’s signature stuffing (made with their famous bread, of course), mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and turkey breast, all layered under pan gravy. We don’t have to tell you that it’s all homemade, and it’s delicious! Round out your turkey dinner with a slice of pumpkin pie for $16.95 and you don’t even have to do the dishes! Rumor is that they also have a “Thanksgiving Leftovers Sandwich” in the works.