Day 9 is a kind of kick back, shop, eat and just enjoy ourselves. We have set Thursday to be our ship day, because we all have purchased waaay too much to take back in our luggage! Yet, we feel the need to do a "little more" just to be sure we haven't forgotten anyone over the next 2 days.
We started out sunning ourselves for a little while by the pool at the condo. After eating some of our goodies in the fridge that we want to use up before Saturday, we decided to take a stroll down the street to a shop called Binky's that I learned about from friends here on TA. It was only about 5 blocks from us so away we go.
Binky's is a really cute little gift shop that has mostly home crafted items. She is kind of a consignment center for many local artists. It's a small shop but packed to the hilt with all kinds of interesting items; trinkets, jewelry, art pieces, even yarn!
I found a ring like my friend Joan on TA purchased for her hubby and Walt took a shining to it, so I got him one for a little extra birthday gift. It is koa wood and tungsten so you have to be sure to size it correctly, because they can't be sized. While in the shop, I mentioned TA and Joan and let Binky now that is why I was here. Joan had recommended her shop and also wanted Binky to know how happy she was with her purchase for her Dave. She was very kind and thankful for the referral.
Mama found a silver abalone ring that she liked so I got that for her as well.
For myself, I found this nifty little thing-a-ma-jig that you could use for your tablets or cell phones. Sometimes it is so hard to use your fingers on those teeny little numbers on the phone, and mine won't let me use my fingernails. This item is a small little plastic tube like thing with a rounded rubber knob on the end that works beautifully on the phone and tablet. As added bling they put a little Hawaiian charm and bead at the end of it. If I had found it earlier, I may of been able to start this blog while on island. Anyway, I was pleased with my purchases.
Binky is a very pleasant lady and we really enjoyed visiting with her and sharing stories. She's been on the island 35 years, I think she said, so she was a wealth of information. She told us of a craft fair she was going to be at the next day at the Kaanapali Shores I believe it was, so we left saying "see you tomorrow"!
In the same shopping strip as Binky's, was The Fish Market I had been hearing so much about on TA. Hey, I just had a bagel for breakfast, I could do with a fish taco or two! We all ordered tacos. I had the fajita fish taco and mom and Walt had the regular. They are very good. They also had a fish counter where you could buy fish for your bbq at home that looked very fresh. Worth a stop folks if you like fish. It's nothing fancy but good food and not expensive.
We walked back to the condo to start our day of shopping. First stop was going to be Whaler's Village. I had seen a shop there previously that said they had local artists items and I do try to buy a lot of those types of things when I can. Sometimes you just don't know if they are all locally crafted tho.
This was a big shop and I have to say I can't remember the name of it. I think it was something like Totally Hawaiian but not sure that is correct. It was on the top floor and they said they have another store in I think the mall area where the Safeway is. I can't confirm if it was all local or not, but I like Christmas ornaments, especially angels. I have purchased ornaments every trip to Hawaii, usually from small craft fairs and the like. I did find about 5 that I liked and went ahead and purchased them.
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| Front Street |
Kind of glad I did, because I have had such a time getting into the spirit this year. Last night we decided to put the baby artificial tree up. It has lights and some flowers and sugar plums on it. It was hand made by a dear friend of mine and given to me a couple years ago. I usually put it up in the office because I really insist on real trees every year. This year, not so much, with all that has happened. To the point Cindy! I tend to ramble on, huh? Anywhoo, those little angel ornaments and the seashell ones I purchased look just lovely on that baby tree. I'm sure it will be enough to please our little one this Christmas.
We wandered around the Whaler's Village, and stopped at the Museum but really did not do much more shopping there. To Lahaina!
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| Front Street |
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| Front Street |
My idea for a gift to myself was that I want to start a charm bracelet of just Hawaii. Each year we go to an island I will pick up a new charm for it. Walt is starting me with the bracelet for my birthday this year, so I was going to start with the charms in Maui. Wowee.......gold has really gone up in price since last time I bought myself some jewelry!
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| Mama at the Banyan Tree |
We walked up and down Front Street looking at charms at several stores. I saw several I liked, but I just couldn't decide. I was hoping to get 2 or 3, but not at these prices, so I held off..maybe tomorrow.
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| Is she shopping again??? |
I was doing all of my Christmas shopping if possible while in Maui, and so to Hilo Hatties I went again for the nuts, shirts and chocolates everyone in my family loves! Mom and I did some serious retail damage, but we had pretty much everything we needed. As many trips as we made to that store, I think I had enough of those little shell leis for everyone in our family! We found that if we just purchased one little purchase there, we could park in their lot for 2 hours free, and we took advantage of that each trip into Lahaina.
It was time to head on home. We decided we were just hungry for good ole hot dogs on the bbq, so with a quick stop at Safeway, I got a few groceries for the meal and off we went.
Walt was the cook and mom and I sat on the balcony and watched him and the setting sun. Life doesn't get any better than this does it? Simple food, great family, vino and a beautiful sunset! Hmmmm I could do this every day!
Til tomorrow.....Aloha!
Day 10 More shopping and snooping around!
We started today by going to the Kaanapali Shores to check out the craft fair that Binky had told us about yesterday. She was all set up along with a few other vendors as well. We visited again with her and while there I got a chance to meet the man who's wife makes those little phone dealybobs I was telling you about yesterday, that I purchased from Binky's. What a nice man.
We were talking about various things and items we'd purchased at the swap meet and other places and it seems like Maui is really just like a small town. A lot of people know each other, especially those in the hand crafted type businesses. He told me that Jeff, the man at the swap meet was a chef..that's why those sauces, rubs and jams are so darn good! An artist at this little craft fair used to rent from Binky until they got their new home and he was an artist that painted on canvas and also made some into magnets. Mama bought me a miniature canvas and a magnet in a design I liked. There was a young couple who was selling candles that were really nice but I just couldn't shop much more, I had to save some money for my charms!
We said aloha and off we went hoping to meet up with some of these great people on our next trip to Maui, which we are hoping is next year!
We had wanted to drive to Kihei and Wailea so on the road we go! I have not spent much time in Kihei and it looked like the way my time was flying this trip I wasn't going to be spending much this trip either! Darn! I just love the west side so much that I don't seem to get anywhere else, probably a comfort zone thing. We have always stayed on the west side and knew it best. We still had some time left today so we would do a cursory tour of the area and promise to check it out more completely next time!
Our first thing was a drive thru Kihei along one of the main roads checking out the various condos and beaches along the way. I was trying to make mental notes of the names of the condos mentioned on TA by various members who like the Kihei side, but none seemed to come to mind. It did look like an area that we might enjoy, so again, we decided it was on the next trip list!
We stopped at a shopping center in Wailea after a drive thru that entire area, seeing the 4 Seasons, Fairmont and another large resort, who's name escapes me right now. Beautiful area, but probably out of our price range! The shopping center was called The Shops of Wailea and I doubted that I could afford much here either, but we stopped anyway.
I had lost the screws out of one side of my sunglasses. Walt "Mac Gyvered" them for me with a safety pin which was ok, but it kept wiggling around when I moved and was a little annoying. We had tried one of those eye glass repair kits but the screws wouldn't fit and my glasses kind of stretch and swivel, so we couldn't get them lined up to work...hence the safety pin. I saw a sunglass shop and jetted toward it. The young man there said because they were prescription, he couldn't repair but sent me to another shop that was for prescription eye-ware.
The young man in this shop was great! He said he could do it, we just needed to find the right size screw and he had the tool you need to adjust the type of hinge my glasses had. Bless his heart, it took him a while to find the right screw but after about 40 minutes....ta da......they were fixed. I ask him what I owed and he said nothing. I said, no really, I want to pay you for your time and he said if you insist, make a small donation to our cause that gives eye glasses to kids that can't afford them. NO Problem........I gave him $20 and he was happy and so was I!
I had a niece that I hadn't found anything for yet so we saw a store I had recognized from the Big Island called Whaler's General Store. In we went and I found a cute girly type tee for her, really reasonable. I also found my hula doll for my lil Angelina there. She insisted "Nana, she has to have a pink or purple dress" Mom picked up a couple things and we wandered around the rest of the center content. Aha.....a Lapperts. I haven't seen one of them for a while, so we indulged in an ice cream cone and called it a day.
Time for the trip back to Lahaina. Where to eat dinner? I am a BIG Fleetwood Mac fan from back in the day. We had not been to Fleetwood's yet, so that was decided for an early dinner. It was only about 3:30 so we could make the sunset Scottish/Hawaiian show! Yay!!
We chose to do the rooftop for happy hour. The tables up on the roof that are along the edges are all reserved for dinner guests we found out after sitting at one. The waiter said that we could sit there til 4:30 or 5 but then we would have to move. It was really sunny and warm for mama, so we said, let's move now and not have to move once we are all comfy cozy. We chose to go back in the corner under the roof, where there were brightly colored rounded type foot tables, distressed looking chests and the seating consists of sofa type chairs, bench type cloth seats, around the perimeter of the entire area we were seated in. It is decorated with pretty lanterns, and patterns and a funky kind of style. Kinda of like I imagined the Marrakesh Express crosses 60's style. I liked it!
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| Perusing the drink menu |
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| Chillaxin with my honey |
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| Specialty Drink Menu |
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| Cheers Mama |
We ordered drinks, mom and me wine and Walt is the experimenter of the group. His first drink was Sammy's Margarita and the second was called the Gypsy Rose. He really liked it! We later ordered a flatbread and fish and chips and all shared.
Once the sun started to set, a most unusual, but very good program started. They have a Scottish bagpipe player based from Mick's heritage, and then the Hawaiian conch and stories from the island. It sounds kinda strange but it really was a nice touch! When we chose our seats we thought the program would be on the stage near us. WRONG! It was clear over on the other side of the roof. I tried to get some pictures and it was difficult to hear the whole program, but we got the jist of it.
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| Scottish Bagpipe--sorry it's so blurry! |
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| Hawaiian Part of sunset ceremony |
They say that when the Scottish flag is flying that it means that Mick is on island, but I think that may just be a marketing ploy. Not sure, but it would be a great way to get customers in, thinking they will get to see "the man", wouldn't it?
Well my friends, it's time to close another day.
Day 11 will be The Feast at Lele!
Aloha!
Cin
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