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Visiting Upcountry Maui

By on May 28, 2013 in Arts and Culture, Blogging, Community, Events, Family Fun, Maui Sunset, Nature, Photos, What to do, Where Local Eat
Island Gypsy Hawaii - Upcountry Maui

Photo: Island Gypsy Hawaii

“Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer” – ZenMama

It’s no secret that for most visitors to Maui the beaches are the reason for their trek across the seas. I certainly don’t blame them, either, with the gorgeous turquoise waters, rolling waves and perfect temperatures, the beaches are a must! However, the wonder that is the  ”Magic Isle” materializes in the diverse landscape of this tiny island. Part of that diverse landscape includes the beautiful “Upcountry“. I cannot tell you the number of times I’ve heard people say they visited Maui but never visited the Upcountry. Folks, this simply cannot be…and I’m here to give you five reasons to make Upcountry Maui a must-see on your next trip to Maui.

5 Reasons You Shouldn’t Miss Upcountry Maui:

1.  The views.

Seriously, it’s gorgeous up here. I say “here” because it’s where I live. Take the drive from Hana Highway and turn right onto Haleakala Highway, where you’ll be welcomed by the towns of Pukalani, Makawao, Olinda and Kula.

Island Gypsy Hawaii_Pukalani, HI

Photo: Island Gypsy Hawaii

The views will astound you, with the bi-coastal views, mountain views, once in a lifetime sunsets and lush fields growing all around. You must make the drive…it’ll be totally worth it!

2. The food.

When I say “the food” I mean real food, as in farm fresh produce. There are multiple farmer’s markets in the Upcountry, where you can fill your basket full of organic fruits and veggies for your next beach picnic or your drive on the Road to Hana. My two favorite farmer’s markets are in Kula, one is on Thursday/Sunday and the other one is a large market, with many vendors, held on Saturdays near Long’s.

Island Gypsy Hawaii_Farm Fresh

Photo: Island Gypsy Hawaii

If you’re into restaurants there are some great ones here as well.  Casannova’s is an excellent spot for a slice of pizza, located in Makawao, Hawaii.

3. The shops.

You may be like, “the shops, really?” And I’m all, yeah, there are some amazingly cute shops in Upcountry. Makawao Town is a must if you’re into art, beach decor and unique island pieces. Last year I bought a fun burlap coffee sack (from Maui Coffee in Lahaina) at Volcano Spice, which wasn’t too pricey and adds a great Maui touch to my home. A lot of folks like to shop at Designing Wahine, too, where you’ll find all kinds of coastal and exotic home decor/gifts!

4. The weather.

Maui is pretty much perfect, temperature-wise. But sometimes it gets hot down at the beach so why not cool down in Upcountry? The mornings and evenings are brisk, offering refreshment from the harsh sun at times. A place to visit where you’ll typically find cooler temperatures and bicoastal views is the Alii Kula Lavender  Farm. I was blessed to take photos for my friends’ engagement at the farm last year…it couldn’t have been more romantic for them!

Island Gypsy Hawaii_Kula

Photo: Island Gypsy Hawaii

If you’re looking to get engaged or married in Maui the Lavender Farm is a wonderful venue!

5. The people.

The people of Upcountry Maui represent every corner of the earth. Such a tiny island, such a diverse people! I’ve met folks from New York to New Zealand who now call Maui “home” and one thing rings true: they are a people who crave community. Life lived together, whether sharing a picnic at the park or a soccer game in the cul-de-sac, people in Upcountry Maui want to include you in their lives.

Island Gypsy Hawaii_Makawao

Photo: Island Gypsy Hawaii

You’ve traveled this far…and you’ll be all the more rich if you don’t miss that turn to Upcountry Maui.

Hope to see you here!

Aloha,
Jennifer Poppy (a.k.a. Gypsy)

 

Jennifer PoppyAbout the Guest Blogger:  Jennifer Poppy was born & raised in Texas but has always been an island girl at heart. After moving to Maui last year her lifelong dream of living in Hawaii came true. She sees beauty in the ordinary and has a passion for turning trash into treasure. Follow her island adventures and upcycling projects at islandgypsyhawaii.com.

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Help Chef Sheldon, Chef from Maui, Win Fan Favorite on Top Chef

By on February 24, 2013 in Blogging, Community, Family Fun, In the News, Where Local Eat

Chef Sheldon and Family

How would you like to be able to give and bless someone with a  $10,ooo cash? You might say, “Oh I would be so delighted. I would love to bless someone with 10K, the problem is I don’t have the money to do that“.  Me too, and me neither.  I too would love to give someone 10K and bless his or her family and I too do not have the money to do it.

But wait ….

There is an opportunity to do that! There is an opportunity for us to have a chance to bless someone with a ten thousand dollars cash even if we don’t have that kind of money ourselves.  Enter the Top Chef Fan Favorite Contest.

Have you heard of the Chef Simeon Sheldon of Star Noodles on Maui a.k.a. @chefwonder ?  Have you heard that he was a contestant on this Top Chef Television show and he was great and everyone loves him?  Did you also hear that he came all the way up to top two, but last Wednesday he got eliminated and was sent home losing the chance to win the grand prize of $125,000? (oh a lot of us cried because we think he should win, but we are so proud of him for what he had accomplished)  I am assuming that you have heard them all. However, if you haven’t, go read this Thanks Sheldon and you’ll know more.   It’s a fascinating and inspiring story.

So let me get to the point:  #ChefSheldon needs out help!  In order for him to win the Fan Favorite award on Top Chef, we need to

VOTE! Text Sheldon 27286  - we can do this 7 times a week per phone.

You can Tweet: #ChefSheldon #ChefSheldon #ChefSheldon #ChefSheldon #ChefSheldon #ChefSheldon #ChefSheldon

Deadline to vote is March 6, 2013. UPDATE 2-25-13: I was told Feb 27 is the last day to vote!

Why am I voting for him and writing this post, and why am I encouraging you to the same? So many reasons.  here are some of the reasons why I am voting for him:

  • #ChefSheldon is a humble man. All who knows him personally can attest to this. And to those who don’t know him personally, his character (being humble) was reflected all throughout the show at Top Chef on Bravo TV. In all his wins (on various episodes until he reached top 2) he was always giving glory to God, and thanking his family and friends and all the Hawaii people. And all the Filipinos too who had been supporting him because even though he was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii his roots are from the Philippines. 
  • #Chef Sheldon is a family man. He loves his wife Janice and his precious three daughters. The photo they have above speaks a thousand words.  In their personal Facebook pages (we are friends) I see photos of him reading bedtime stories to his kids. how sweet is that?
  • #ChefSheldon makes the best Sinigang ever. Sinigang is my most favorite Filipino soup dish, it is so comforting, and so yummy.  I love it that #ChefSheldon (or Chef Simeon as other will call him) show cased this dish at Top Chef and he won for it on that episode. Maybe when #ChefSheldon wins the 10K Fan Fav he’d cook me some sinigang :)
  • #ChefSheldon also makes the best Adobo. Adobo is well known here in Hawaii as a local food that originated from the Philippines. Eve the haloes (umm, ahem, pardon me, I should say Caucasian) friends love them!
  • #ChefSheldon is a gifted and talented chef, period.
  • #ChefSheldon is inspiring.  In the show he mentioned how he started by washing dished. No pretense. He worked his way to the top. he was a hardworker. He never gave up. Yes, he is an inspiration.

You may add some more reasons if you like (add them on the comment section). For now I have to finalize this post so I can share them already.  Would you please help us spread this word about him need our help. Vote. Let’s do what we can do, and in the end when he wins we know that we’re a part of what made him win.  Aloha!

 

 

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Chez Meme Baguette Bistro – My New Favorite Place To Eat in Kihei, Maui

By on January 28, 2013 in Community, Family Fun, Photos, Where Local Eat

 

Chez-Meme-Baguette-Bistro-Maui_edited-1

I first heard about Chez Meme Baguette Bistro from my friend Jon when he liked their Facebook page. A proof that social media does help spread the word quickly about a new biz. I liked their FB Page too and saw the many compliments they are getting from the people who’s been there.

Today my family went there for a brunch and it was delightful! The food are delicious and the ambience is wonderful! The location, although a bit “off the beaten path” is really easy to find.

Chez Meme Baguette Kihei Maui

We arrived around 9:45 am and place is already filled with many people eating breakfast.  It didn’t feel crowded even though there are only two tables left open inside and we occupied one of them. The lay-out of the place is well done.  I took the photo above after the customers left because I didn’t want them to be concern that some crazy lady is taking a photo of them while they are eating :)

There are so many nice things I can say about this new restaurant but let’s focus on the food for now. Like what I said, they are delicious! And the price is right too.  There is a variety of choices in the menu and it took me a little while to choose because all of the sounds good.  For example, there is that famous French Toast Trio made from fresh baked Brioche or that omelet made from fresh free range chicken eggs.  Ahhh, choices, choices!  Here is what we ended up ordering and we cleaned up our plate pretty fast!

Chez Meme Bistro Maui 2

 

Hubby ordered the Eggs Benedict, a special for Sunday Brunch.  And yes, the eggs used are fresh and from a free range chicken. Doesn’t that photo look good? It tasted great too!

Lunch in Kihei Chez Meme

 

Hapa Boy Teenager 1 ordered  Jarret, it’s a baguette sandwich with black forrest ham, brei cheese, and Dijon mustard.  It’s savory  garlicky flavor is perfect for him. He loved the potatoes on the side too.

Chez Meme Brunch Omelet

 

Hapa Girl Teenager 2 had the Omelet filled with bacon and cheddar. Like what we say in Hawaii, “broke da mouth” ono!

Chez Meme Baguette Bistro

Last but not the least is my order. It is called From ‘ton – a baguette sandwich with brie, warmed pears and toasted walnuts. It’s something different and I enjoyed every bite of it. This is a good choice for vegetarians coming to this place.  It comes with the choice of Salad or Soup on the side.

Far Our Flying Saucer Tea

There are many choices for drinks too. The sun tea they serve is worth ordering. It’s made by Flying Saucer  Teas. It is certified organic herbal tea, 100% natural and caffeine free.  For those who needs caffeine to wake up in the morning, order their French Press coffee instead.

Chez meme Caramel Roll

 

Now for dessert. Well, we really couldn’t eat dessert anymore because we were so full, but we couldn’t resist the freshly home made caramel rolls we took some home.  They are the bomb!  It melts in your mouth and taste like heaven :)  For the sweet lovers, this is a must try.

The is one thing that my social media friends and geek friend are probably wondering. That is, “do they have wifi”? The answer is NO.  This bistro is the place to unplug, and to enjoy good conversations with your family and friends while enjoying a sumptuous meal.  Sure you can still use your Iphone and Ipad there and get connected, but why?  I think it’s refreshing to have a open air restaurant like this where you can relax and not worry about being connected in the internet.

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They are open from 8AM to 3PM.  I asked the manager/owner if they will someday open for dinner is he said they will do dinners only on special occasion. The place can be reserved for private functions, such a reception for a wedding, community or office events.  I can see how it can be a great place for a wedding reception.

And so that was our family brunch. I love spending time with my family and a great brunch together on a Sunday morning like this is such a pleasure.  I am glad we got to try Chez Meme Baguette Bistro and I am sure we will be back.

 

 

 

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In Kihei Town … We’re Gonna Have A Party!

By on December 26, 2012 in Aloha Friday, Blogging, Community, Events, Family Fun, Food Trucks On Maui, Holidays on Maui, In the News, Photos, What to do, Where Local Eat

Kihei Town Party

Have you heard that there is going to be a huge town party happening in Kihei on December 28 (yes, this Friday!) starting at 6m at the Azeka Shopping Center Mauka Side? I bet you already have, but if you haven’t you do now.  I encourage you to come, it’s going to be a lot of fun for everyone!

Our friend Erik Blair is the social media coordinator for this event.  Since the social media peeps on Maui support each other, here I am blogging about Kihei Fourth Friday …

And it’s all good. 

So, why should you come to this Kihei Fourth Friday event? There are 101 reasons why. Let’s discuss a few: (if you are not n Maui right now, I request that you share this on your Facebook page as well so your friends who are here can will know about this.  Mahalo!)

  • For the residents of Kihei Town, you’d want to come out to show support of your town. It’s that simple. It’s the inaugural event and we are hoping to make an impact. It’s a great way to support your community.
  • For the non- residents of Kihei – we invite you to come and party with us – make it your Pau Hana event for Friday. There will be 3 designated “beer gardens” if you like to chill out with a couple glass of beers.  And for those with family, there is a designated safe  ”Keiki Zone” with loads of fun activities to do!
  • For the  tourists and visitors, you’d want to come to experience  a local event.  There will also be Hula for you to enjoy and  locally made arts and crafts will be available.
  • For the  family oriented, this is a great event to go to on your family night.  Kihei Town Party will have  a Keiki and Youth Zone – a safe zone for them to enjoy. A lot of surprises and fun activities are planned! (Photo from The Kihei Fridays Public Event Invitation on Facebook)
  • For the Foodies, you’ll be in heaven!  The Kihei Town Party has a wide selection of  Food Vendors with a variety of food to choose from!
  • For the Music Lovers, and for those who enjoy live music, Erin Smith and The Throwdowns, and The House Shakers, featuring Lenny Castellanos from Mick Fleetwood’s Blues Band,  will rock the event!  You won’t want to miss this! (Credit: Photo of Erin and the ThrowDowns is from their Facebook Page)
Our friend Peter Liu blogged about Kihei Fourth Friday too. Go check it out on this link to  Peterliu47.com
Worried about PARKING?
Pi‘ikea Avenue will be closed from the traffic circle down to South Kihei Road (between Longs Drugs and Stella Blues Café), providing plenty of room for the festivities. Plenty of parking is available at Azeka Shopping Center – Makai, Kihei Plaza, and St. Theresa’s Church.
 
UPDATES and LIVE STREAMING
This Kihei Town Party will be live streamed at http://www.kiheifridays.com/live/
For quick Updates, make sure you LIKE the Kihei Fourth Friday Facebook Page 
 And other information can be found on the Kihei Fourth Fridays Website
Kihei Fridays is also on Twitter and the official HASHTAG for the event is #Kihei
I heard there are over 50 volunteers right now spending an enormous amount of time planning and organizing this event to make it  successful. People like Pat and  Sol from Kre8tive Khaos,  Jen Tempchin, and many more.  We appreciate them all, and we appreciate all the sponsors too, like Java Cafe who will provide the wifi of the social media peeps :)
Here’s are the video and  copy of the Kihei Fridays poster for more information:

I would truly  appreciate it if yu can help spread the word about this event.  You can hit one of the buttons below – LIKE on FB, Google Plus, LinkedIn or Pin it on your Pinterest.  Mahalo and see you there!
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