Throwback Thursday: Hawaii's Lanai Boy, Then and Now

Flashback to December 1990. I'm a high school senior in Hawai'i, listening to the radio when KIKI "Hot I-94" starts advertising a holiday-themed promotion to make wishes come true. It's mostly a chance to give a few down-on-their-luck folks some money to make it through the season. But I come up with another idea, which would be free for the station: Make my dream come true to be a DJ on the station. What the hell, I thought, maybe they'd let me show up and do it. (I had gotten the bug earlier that year while doing some DJing that summer on KTUH, the University of Hawaii radio station.)

To my surprise, they said yes -- and offered to let me do an hour show on a Friday night during the "Lanai Boy and Jimmy the Geek" show. (It was late December, so they probably figured no one was listening on a Friday anyway). Lanai and Jimmy basically gave me the board for an hour as I played commericials, the pre-determined playlist (remember Stevie B?) and read a few liners. It was a blast. Above, a shot of me with Lanai Boy from that night.

In the decades that followed, "Lanai Boy" became just "Lanai" and forged a long-running radio partnership with Augie Tulba. But more recently, he was part of the "Aloha Plate" food truck team that won Food Network's "Great Food Truck Race."

A few weeks ago at the LA Street Food Festival, I ran into the Aloha Plate food truck, and there was Lanai. I went over and told him about the time I met him in the studios of I-94 nearly 24 years ago. An updated pic:

License Plate of the Day: Hawaii Edition

The return of License Plate of the Day! Here's one from da islands. This guy is obviously feeling "limitless."

Kona Brewing Co. to the Mainland: You're Doing It Wrong

I love this. Reminds me of what I love about humor in da islands: Adweek writes about a new ad campaign from Kona Brewing Co.:

One of two new spots, "Sad Hour," suggests that we set aside one hour a day for all the tedious crap we hate doing so the other 23 hours of the day can be happy. A second spot, "Single-Tasking," introduces the concept of only doing one thing at a time (drinking beer, for example).

Kona is borrowing heavily from old Bartles & Jaymes ads here, and adding a healthy dose of island life stereotyping, but the big guy's delivery is good enough to make it all work.

The ads will air in Orlando, San Diego and Los Angeles markets throughout the summer. "The 'Dear Mainland' campaign truly captures the unique Hawaiian spirit of Kona Brewing and, in a fun way, delivers our message that reconnecting with family, friends and community is what truly matters," says Aaron Marion brand manager at Kona Brewing.

Here's one more:

Election Day: Have Your Say The American Way

"Vote 88... and have your say the American way." I still remember this "Get Out the Vote" ad produced in Hawaii for the 1988 election. It still looks incredible, given that it's now nearly 25 years old.

License Plate of the Day: Maui Edition

Howzit, Maui brah!

Hurricane Iniki, 20 Years Later

While we mourn another 9/11 anniversary, they're also taking a moment in Hawai'i today to remember another Sept. 11 milestone.

I still remember how 20 years ago today we were making a dash to fill our cars up with gas at the nearby Gas Express and stopping by the store to grab batteries. Hurricane Iniki, which was threatening Kauai, had taken a turn -- and suddenly Honolulu and Oahu were in its path.

Ultimately, Oahu was mostly spared (other than some parts of the Leeward side). We experienced some rain and saw a lot of debris on the ground around town, but that was it. Kauai wasn't so lucky. Tons of homes were damaged and most of the island's resorts had to shut down for lengthy repairs. A year later, in 1993, as an intern for several Hawaii trade magazines, I got to tour the Princeville Resort as renovations were still ongoing.

I still have packed away somewhere my Crazy Shirts tee that declares "I survived Hurricane Iniki." It really was nothing -- but considering how rare severe weather is in the islands, it was quite a memorable experience.

Above, check out coverage of Iniki from 1992 on KHON-TV. And check how calm and cool Joe Moore, Leslie Wilcox and Howard Dashefsky are.

Beware of Flying Coconuts

Spotted by my parents during a recent trip to Hawai'i: "BEWARE: FALLING COCONUTS."

Remembering Radio Free Hawaii, 15 Years Later

Fifteen years ago this month, Hawaii's radio revolution was silenced. KDEO-FM "Radio Free Hawaii" only lasted six years on the air in Hawaii, but much like the late, lamented Indie 103.1 here in Los Angeles, it's still remembered fondly as a rare instance of a daring commercial radio station.

And even Indie 103.1 can't touch the uniqueness of Radio Free Hawaii, which existed in the final days of mom-and-pop radio. The station launched in June 1991 (replacing a low-rated country music station) with an unusual idea: Listeners would vote for the songs they wanted to hear, as well as the songs they'd like to banish from the radio forever. This was pre-Internet, so ballot boxes were stationed all over Oahu -- at record stores, clothing boutiques, book stores, you name it.

Each week, votes were tallied, and the station's playlist was filled with the songs that earned the most votes. The song with the most negative votes was sledgehammered off the air -- literally, the station took a sledgehammer and pounded the CD to bits, live on the air.

The voting system is what made Radio Free Hawaii different -- it was a station on shuffle, ten years before the iPod. Alternative and modern rock earned most of the votes, but reggae, Hawaiian, dance, top 40 and novelty songs were a steady diet as well. Pachelbel's "Canon" became an unlikely No. 1 hit at the station. The Muppets' "Mahna Mahna" was in heavy rotation. For listeners used to heavily researched, slick top 40, the station could sound like a trainwreck: A death metal song, followed by a classical track, then a reggae jam and a synth pop song.

Radio Free's personalities were just as unusual: "Mad Mohammed," a university grad student with a thick Pakistani accent, would talk about global politics at night while taking song requests (and gained a cult following). During the station's "Monkey Time," instant requests would only play for a minute, before another instant request was immediately played. And the station regularly invited listeners as guest DJs -- which is why I got to DJ on the station on three different occasions. (I still enjoy popping in those tapes every few years.) I was so inspired by the station that when I went to Northwestern for college, I named my late night WNUR radio show "Radio Free." And after years of proudly wearing my Radio Free Hawaii T-shirts, I've finally retired them (in order to save them).

Radio Free Hawaii began attracting alternative bands who might not have toured the islands previously. And word began to creep back to the mainland that this weird little radio station, broadcasting all the way out in Waipahu, was doing some wild things. Rolling Stone magazine caught wind of it and named it as one of the nation's best radio stations several years in a row. Not bad for a tiny radio market like Honolulu.

Radio Free Hawaii was the brainchild of Norm Winter, who owned the Jelly's Comics and Music stores that were popular spots and provided much of the station's staff (and music). Radio Free Hawaii never managed to pull off strong Arbitron ratings, but for kids like me, it was all we listened to. The station's events were always packed and everyone was talking about the station -- "Did you hear what they played?" But alas, it couldn't last forever.

By 1997, radio ownership rules had changed, and conglomerates were gobbling up the stations that were once independently owned. KDEO-FM was sold, and on March 7, 1997 Radio Free Hawaii ceased to exist. Winter and the station's staff attempted to resurrect it, but it never came to pass. Years later, the idea seems quaint -- Spotify, Pandora and, of course, iTunes, means that anyone can put together any kind of radio station they want to. But those services still lack the personality and the life that a radio station can have, and it's still a sad day whenever stations like Radio Free and Indie 103.1 go away. So 15 years later, a tip of the hat to a radio station that inspired me to think out of the box when it comes to music and broadcasting: Radio Free Hawaii.

Here's a 1997 news segment from soon after Radio Free Hawaii first went off the air:



And below, the very first Radio Free Hawaii music chart, from 1991. Notice that in the beginning there was a lot of top 40 mixed with the alternative; that would fade over time, as Radio Free became much more modern rock-intensive:



These images come from Melvin Ah Ching's Radio Free Hawaii Chart Archive, which has a nice round up of the station's music playlists.

Also, the Honolulu Star-Bulletin did a "Where Are They Now?" feature on Radio Free in 2001; read it here. An excerpt:

"Ozzy Osbourne called me for an interview once, and he was just astounded by what we were doing on the air," recalls former Radio Free jock Dave O'Day. "He talked about how in England this type of almost 'pirate' kind of radio would never be allowed. He saw it as an anarchistic thing, and he was digging it."

Such divergent acts as Neil Young, Sonic Youth, Ice Cube and Fishbone marveled at Radio Free's concept and remarkable one-on-one relationship with its listeners. Even prior to their major-label deals, and years before their ascent on the national charts, bands like Nirvana, No Doubt, Sublime and Dance Hall Crashers had already gained huge local followings through numerous spins on Radio Free Hawaii.

"When it was still around, we could bring in three to four shows a month, and now we're down to one a month," notes Karin Last of concert promoters Goldenvoice. "Radio Free got people excited about hearing new music. It was more interactive than any other, and it broadened horizons for a lot of people. It really became a way of life for them."

And the pretty active I Loved Radio Free Hawaii page on Facebook features both former Radio Free staffers and fans reminiscing about the station.

Happy Holidays, Ukulele Style

Ukulele maestro Jake Shimabukuro wishes you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year via this rendition of "Silent Night."

Retro Friday: High School Graduation, 20 Years Later

Whoa. How did this happen: It was 20 years ago this weekend that I graduated from Radford High School in Honolulu.

TWENTY YEARS. I remember when my parents hit the 20-year high school mark. Doesn't seem like that long ago. But 1991 was, indeed, 20 years ago. Yikes.

My high school had three valedictorians and one salutatorian (me). So someone came up with the idea of giving everyone's speech a theme: "Yesterday," "Today," "Tomorrow" and "Forever." Above, I give my "Forever" speech.

And below, here's my pal Anthony giving his speech, "Today":




Meanwhile, a pic of just a portion of my senior class. Time to play "where's Mike?"

License Plate of the Day: Hawaiian Hulk Edition

Thanks to our pal JustJenn for this one. "It says DAHULK," she writes. "I'm thinking Hawaiian hulk. Then again the car was green..."

Send your License Plate of the Day photos to franklin_avenue(at)yahoo(dot)com!

Japan Earthquake/Tsunami Coverage: KTTV Leads All L.A. Outlets

I was quite impressed with KTTV/Fox 11 tonight; as of 1 a.m., the station is still carrying live coverage -- anchored by Carlos Amezcua and Christine Devine. The station has been wall-to-wall for hours, not even breaking for commercial.

Compare that to KABC, KCBS and KNBC -- none of which went with full coverage, and all of which went to regular network programming (Leno, Letterman and "Nightline") at 11:35. (At least KCBS' independent sister KCAL continued with coverage until 12:30 a.m.)

Insult to injury: The pre-taped "Nightline" was filled with fluff, and obviously no mention of what was going on in Japan.

Back to KTTV: Amezcua and Devine did a great job of juggling callers, describing the utter devastation and adding context without being too sensational. The station utilized NHK video but also ran clips from YouTube, answered (and read) tweets and spoke to a wide range of folks, such as eyewitnesses in Tokyo, tsunami and earthquake experts and even an emergency staffer in Honolulu.

As many have mentioned, CNN (using its CNN International feed) was an embarrassment. BBC America completely dropped the ball, airing a "Star Trek: The Next Generation" repeat instead of a BBC World News feed (epic fail, BBC America). And here in L.A., KCET ran the Al Jazeera feed until around midnight.

Beyond KTTV, KSCI Channel 18's digital subchannel 18.2 continued to carry live coverage of NHK World.

UPDATE: KTTV finally signed off at 2 a.m. But both KTTV and KTLA were both on live at 4, earlier than normal. (Not sure about KABC, KNBC and KCBS.) Over at B&C, Ben Grossman has the ABC News explanation on why they didn't go with a live edition of "Nightline" for the west coast. Simple answer: They made a communication error.

Friday morning, and it looks like both Hawai'i and the west coast have been spared from any major damage. I've been watching a bit more of the KGMB/KHNL coverage from Honolulu, but at this point they don't have much more to say.

Meanwhile, the Atlantic has the most stunning collection of photos from the disaster and its impact in Japan. Jaw-dropping images.

Bruno Mars: From Hawaii's Young Elvis Impersonator to Pop Superstar

I completely remember this 1990 cover (above) of Midweek, a free weekly newspaper mailed to homes in Honolulu. The idea of a pint-sized Elvis impersonator performing in Waikiki was enough of a novelty that this kid made an impression (so much so that he even appeared in the movie "Honeymoon in Vegas").

That kid? Bruno Mars.

As I watched live at the Staples Center as Bruno performed with B.o.B. and Janelle Monae, I couldn't help but think about how cool it was to see this local boy done good. And I also thought about how his upbringing in Hawaii influenced Mars' music -- including his R&B and reggae influences, two genres that dominated Hawaii's radio airwaves in the early 1990s.

It also got me to thinking about other Hawaii pop stars through the years. Bette Midler, for example, remains the most famous (and successful) graduate of my alma mater, Radford High School. A few more Hawaii stars:


Yvonne Elliman, "If I Can't Have You"


Kauai's own Glenn Medeiros, "She Ain't Worth It," featuring, yes, a rap by Bobby Brown. (Hey, that was a big thing in 1990.) This song hit #1, but Glenn is probably still best known for -- "Nothing's Going to Change My Love for You." That video has 6.6 million views on YouTube -- that's just insane.


Hoku (yes, the daughter of Don Ho), "Perfect Day"

Rate-A-Restaurant #233: King's Hawaiian

Restaurant: King's Hawaiian Restaurant and Bakery

Location: 2808 W. Sepulveda Blvd. (Torrance)

Type of restaurant: Hawaiian/island



We stipulated: The plan was set for Labor Day with my parents: Langer's for pastrami. My mom was excited... until I discovered that Langer's wasn't open. The backup plan: A quick trip back to da islands, via King's Hawaiian in Torrance. It had been years since we were last there.



They stipulated: The wait for a table can be long during busy times. In the meantime, you'll have to wait outside or in the bakery area -- and staring at the guava chiffon cake, chocolate dobash, Napples, malasadas and other treats can be dangerous.



What we ordered: Huli Huli Chicken plate lunch (with rice and macaroni salad) $9.95; Macadamia chicken bowl ($9.95); Teriyaki beef and veggie bowl ($8.95)



High point: The warm, doughy King's Hawaiian rolls are like crack. We didn't want to ruin our appetite, but we couldn't help ourselves. I finally had to keep them away from Evan.

Low point: Oh King's Hawaiian, how you disappoint me. I sometimes think about your shoyu chicken, and how it reminds me of being back in Honolulu, at a coffee shop not unlike the original King's, enjoying a heaping plate of shoyu chicken and rice. It was the dish I ordered at Kings in Torrance without fail. Imagine my huge disappointment to discover it was OFF THE MENU. Kings still offers it -- once a week, on Tuesdays. Boo.

Also, under some bizarre system, Kings forced us to wait and wait as tables kept being handed to folks behind us on the list. All because we had the Blogger Baby 2.0 with us, and they were counting him as a separate seat. Finally we told them, c'mon, we can fit around a smaller table... and they still hesitated. When we made a fuss, they finally sat us down -- but demanded that we not use a high chair. We used a high chair. No one noticed. What a strange, pointless exercise!



Overall impression: King's Hawaiian brings me back to Oahu -- as a matter of fact, a group of friends and I made sure to eat at the original King's Hawaiian Coffee Shop in Honolulu in its final week, before shutting down back in 1991. The Torrance location is much nicer; the original was like a Norm's. But nonetheless, you're slipping, King's. It's much easier to find local kine grindz on the mainland now, as L&L continues to expand. With my fave dish now gone and that whole issue of waiting too long for a table, we left with a bit of a bad taste in our mouth.



Chance we'll go back: That bad taste might be helped out by shoyu chicken... or malasadas. If we go back, it will be on a Tuesday -- not only is it shoyu chicken night, but keikis eat for 99 cents.

-- Written by Mike

FRANKLIN AVENUE IN MAUI: The Sights

:: The Sugar Cane Train isn't quite the same since all the sugar cane production ended. But it's still a pleasant hour-long attraction for folks with kids.



While the Blogger Kid enjoyed the ride (although the 325-foot curved wooden trestle bridge kinda freaked him out), we appreciated the views of Lanai and Molokai, as well as the mountains.

I gotta say, the narration was also strong. The guide on our tour didn't candy coat the problems and issues facing Hawai'i and Native Hawaiians, and also gave out little-known facts about other parts of the state, including Ni'ihau.

Make sure to find a $2 off coupon found in at least one free tourist handout. Prices are $22.50 for adults, and $15.50 for kids 3-12. (Kids under 3 are free.)


17 Kaka'alaneo Drive
Lahaina, Maui, HI

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:: The early-early trek up dormant volcano Haleakala to catch the sunrise is a Maui tradition.

Haleakala hasn't erupted since 1790 -- so don't worry, you're pretty safe. But what you're in for instead is a chilly morning taking in an awe-inspiring sunrise. With quite a few other folks.











Allow 90 minutes to drive up the mountain -- it's the middle of the night, after all. And remember to get there early enough so that you can snag a parking spot. (You wanna be there by 5 to get the full experience.)

Also: Bring a jacket -- although the visitors center will open by 5:15 a.m., and you can watch the sunrise from there, it doesn't replace being outside. And make sure you've got $10 on you -- that's the price to get into the park. BTW, bring snacks -- there are no food sales in the park.


Park headquarters and the 10,023 foot summit can be reached from Kahului via Route 37 to 377 to 378. Driving time to the summit from Kahului is approximately 1.5 hours.

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:: After watching the sunrise, head over to Ali'i Kula Lavender for an early morning stroll around the garden.

Ali'i Kula Lavender isn't kidding about the lavender. The farm's gift shop features lavender scones, lavender coffee and lavender tea to eat on the premises. There's also lavender brownies, lavender jams... and, well, everything lavender.




Located in Upcountry Maui, the sights are fantastic as well.

The Ali'i Kula Lavender farm is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. -- and it's free to roam the grounds. (Paid tours are also available.)


1100 Waipoli Road
Kula, Maui

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:: Further down the highway in Upcountry Maui is Tedeschi Winery, located on 'Ulupalakua Ranch.

Celebrating its 25th anniversary, Tedeschi is the only commercial winery on Maui. The winery is known for its sweet wines -- including the "Maui Splash," a "light, fruity, pineapple passion fruit wine." We bought a bottle of 'Ulupalakua Red, which was also pretty tasty.



The site of the winery was the site of Captain James Makee's "Torbert Plantation at Honua'ula" in the 1800s; King Kalakaua was a frequent visitor.

The Tedeschi Winery tasting room is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.


Ulupalakua
Kula, Maui

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:: Also in Upcountry Maui, the Surfing Goat Dairy is another great place to bring the kids -- and also test some tasty cheese (and I normally don't like goat cheese) in a beautiful setting.

The farm was launched five years ago German expatriates Thomas and Eva Kafsack. Thomas headed up a software company, while Evan was a teacher. Both dreamed of moving to Hawaii -- and one day decided to do it. The couple soon found themselves practicing the art of gourmet cheese production -- and learning how to raise goats.







According to the Surfing Goat, its cream cheeses "run the gamut of flavor from Udderly Delicious (plain) to exotic varieties like Mandalay (apple bananas and curry) or "Pirate's Desire" (anchovies and capers). The Dairy also produces several soft-cheeses, including soft-cheese ripened under wax, in olive oil with garlic, or coated with mesquite ash, along with brine ripened feta cheese."

Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday.
Cost of tours vary; basic guided walkthrough is $7. Surfing Goat also serves a small menu, including panini (pressed with Surfing Goat Dairy cheese, of course).


3651 Omaopio Road
Kula, Maui

FRANKLIN AVENUE IN MAUI: The Eats

Eating in Hawai'i? Several things come to mind: Plate lunch (Meat, two scoop rice and macaroni salad, of course); shave ice (my syrups of choice: li hing mui -- the salty plum flavor popular in the islands -- and lychee. With ice cream at the bottom, and perhaps azuki beans); malasadas (with or without filling); fresh ahi poke (grab it at any supermarket); and Spam. Oh yes, spam.

We ate all of the above, and then some, during our recent trip to Maui.

The Valley Isle was like a blank eating slate for us -- I have my favorites on Oahu (Waiola shave ice, Grace's plate lunch, Soon's Korean BBQ, etc.), but am not as familiar with Maui eats. That's where Hawaii friends came in. Two of my high school friends in particular, Kimi and Steve, passed along several suggestions via Facebook. That was a great starting point -- and their suggestions didn't disappoint.

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DAY ONE LUNCH (and leftovers for dinner):
Da Kitchen
2439 South Kihei Road (Kihei)
What we ordered: Big Braddah Combo (Mike got teriyaki chicken and Kalua pork; Maria got teriyaki beef and Kalua pork) $9.75

Overall impression: Plate lunch, of course, is a must first meal stop once you hit da islands. And Da Kitchen, with its hefty carb-load servings, was plenty enough for two meals. The Kalua Pork, in particular, is a perfect semi-salty treat.

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DAY TWO BREAKFAST:
Kihei Caffe
1945 South Kihei Road (Kihei)


What we ordered: Mike -- Omelets with spinach, jalapeno, tomato and Chicken sausage ($10.50)


Maria -- Two Eggs, homemade cornbeef hash, Home Fries, Biscuit ($7.95)


Evan -- Whale pancake ($2.75)

Overall impression: The cash-only rule is a touch annoying, but the food was good and the location (across the street from the beach) was great.

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DAY TWO LUNCH:
No Ka Oi deli
222 Papalaua St Ste 104 (Lahaina)


What we ordered: Mike -- Turkey, avocado, sprouts sandwich


Maria -- Garlic mushroom chicken plate

Overall impression: Maria was disappointed with the goopy cream of mushroom soup gooped over her chicken, but I liked the sandwich -- particularly the bread.

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DAY TWO DINNER:
Various items from Whalers General Store

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DAY THREE LUNCH:
Spicy Ahi Poke from Safeway ($5.60)

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DAY THREE DINNER:
Bistro Molokini
Grand Wailea, 3850 Wailea Alanui Drive (Wailea)


What we ordered: Mike -- Jerk monchong with bok choy ($28)


Maria -- Pasta bowl with pappardella and chicken marsala ($28)


Evan -- kids pepperoni pizza with mango sorbet ($14)


Drinks -- Caribbean Colada and Sweet Leilani ($14 each)

Overall impression: Quite possibly our worst meal of the trip. Typical overpriced hotel fare.

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DAY FOUR: BREAKFAST

Grandma's Coffee Shop
9232 Kula Highway (Kula)


What we ordered: Mike -- Scrambled eggs, Portuguese sausage, rice ($7.99)


Maria -- Two eggs, cornbeef hash, rice ($7.99)


Evan -- Homemade cinnamon roll

Overall impression: Nice breakfast treat after an early morning watching the sun rise on top of Haleakala. Grandma's coffee, in particular, is amazing.

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DAY FOUR: SNACK

Coconut from the side of the road fruit stand, near the 'Iao Needle

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DAY FOUR: DINNER

Ba-Le Vietnamese Sandwich Shop
225 Pikea Ave. (Kihei)

What we ordered: Lemongrass chicken banh mi; BBQ pork banh mi

Overall impression: Good Hawai'i Vietnamese chain for solid sandwiches

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DAY FIVE: BREAKFAST

Komoda Bakery
3674 Baldwin Avenue (Makawao)


What we ordered: Cream puffs, guava malasadas, donut stick

Overall impression: More, please!

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DAY FIVE: DINNER

Izakaya Matsu
1280 S Kihei Rd (Kihei)

What we ordered: Matsu Gozen ($26.95)
Includes shrimp tempura; sashimi (maguro, hamachi, salmon); sushi (california roll, maguro, hamachi, shrimp); rice; miso soup; nanohana; cold tofu


spicy hamachi roll ($5.50)


Keiki menu ($7.50): Deep fried chicken, takoyaki, rice ball

Overall impression: Our favorite meal of the trip. Fresh fish made the sushi excellent. The right amount of food.

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DAY SIX: LUNCH

Sam Sato's
1750 Wili Pa Loop (Wailuku)


What we ordered: Dry noodles large ($6); beef BBQ stick; chicken BBQ stick; hamburger for Blogger Kid



Overall impression: Those dry mein noodles really hit the spot. As a bonus, we managed to get to Sam Sato's right before their 2 p.m. close, so we could taste the victory.

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DAY SIX: SNACK

Tasaka Guri Guri
Maui Mall (Kahului)


What we ordered: Three scoops of guri guri -- two strawberry, one pineapple

Overall impression: The Japanese treat -- a cross between sherbet and ice cream -- was perfect for the warm weather. I prefer the strawberry.

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DAY SIX: DINNER

Matteo's Pizzeria
100 Ike Drive (Wailea)


What we ordered: Ligurian pizza ($13.99) -- Margherita Pizza with Shrimp,
Mascarpone Cheese and Genovese Pesto


Caesar Full Size ($7.99) -- Hearts of Romaine, Parmesan Cheese, Croutons, House Caesar Dressing


Bambino Menu: Bolognese Meat Ragu ($6.99)

Overall impression: The one decently-priced restaurant in Wailea, and good for kids. Food's OK -- but the location, overlooking the ocean, is fantastic.

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DAY SEVEN: BREAKFAST

McDonalds. Yes, really, McDonalds.

What we ordered: Portuguese sausage with eggs and rice ($4.19); Spam with eggs and rice ($4.19); taro pie ($1)

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DAY SEVEN: LUNCH

Safeway: Wasabi poke ahi ($2.61) and Avocado poke ahi ($3.08)
Zippy's: Veggie chili with rice ($3.90)
Napoleon's Bakery: regular malasadas (75 cents each) and cinnamon malasadas (75 cents each)

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DAY SEVEN: SNACK

Aloha Island Shave Ice
77 Hana Hwy (Pa'ia)


What we ordered: Mike -- shave ice with li hing mui and lychee syrups, along with ice cream ($3.50); Maria -- lychee, lilikoi, passion fruit, along with ice cream

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And that's about it, give or take a few minor eats at the hotel or a quick bite at the mall. We're stuffed.