Food Network Star, Jacques “Mr. Chocolate” Torres Judging at Big Island Chocolate Festival

By Julie Z

May

17

We just secured famous chocolatier, Jacques Torres as a celebrity judge for the Inaugural Big Island Chocolate Festival on June 8, which I am busily promoting throughout the island.  Jacques’s participation will encourage the 20 chefs creating sweet and savory treats for the guests to really step up their game. He will be greeting guests after judging all the entries, so if you are a foodie..get your tickets and come have your picture taken with a Food Network star!
Part of this “Chocolate Week” that we are working on is an intimate wine and chocolate pairing at Hale Ku Mana, a multimillion dollar estate in Hualalai, with the Fairmont Orchid catering the dinner being held on June 7.  Jacques is bringing his own chocolates to sample and Farsheed Bonakdar, owner of the Cocao Outlet, here in Kona, is also bringing gourmet chocolate to taste. Tickets are $100 and only 40 are being sold. SWANKY and TASTY. Chocolate and wine tasting in paradise..get your tickets! 

Below is more info about the event and of course, you can learn more about all the wonderful “Foodie Fiesta” events we have planned at the Chocolate Festival website. To add to the community value of the Festival, proceeds from the silent and live auctions are benefitting two charities, including the Kona Pacific Public Charter School.  (How cool to get a famous chef from New York to come add some star power to help us raise money for my kid’s school, right? )

Please help me spread the word about this awesome, tasty, fun and foodie event!

 

Meet Food Network star Jacques “Mr.Chocolate” Torres at the Inaugural Big Island Chocolate Festival at Four Seasons Resort Hualalai on Friday, June 8, 2012  6 pm-10 pm. 

Over 20 top chefs, chocolatiers and candy makers from around the islands are competing to win the “Best Savory” or “Best Sweet” awards as judged by Jacques Torres. Come enjoy these treats and cast your own vote for the “People’s Choice Award”.

Enjoy live entertainment by Grammy award winning slack key guitarist Cyril Pahinui and dancing to Salsa Latinos. The live and silent auctions are hosted by the “Equip the Kitchens Campaign” for the new Palamanui College and Kona Pacific Public Charter School’s capital campaign to build a new community amphitheater.

Tickets are $75 in advance and $85 at the door. Limited tickets available. There are three educational sessions about growing cacao, and processing chocolate from bean to bar, creating and tasting authentic Aztec chocolate drinks and more.

Four Seasons Resort Hualalai has prepared a special prix fixe dinner for only $49 from 4-9 pm at the beachfront Pahau’i restaurant.  To purchase tickets for the symposium and Gala and for more information about the chocolate and wine tasting with Jacques Torres, educational symposium, cacao tours, prix fixe chocolate dinner, and gala event, go to BigIslandChocolateFestival.com

This is going to be an EPIC chocolate event! Hope to see you there!

5 “Yellow Flags” To Be Aware of When Visiting Kona

By Julie Z

Apr

14

My friend Jeff is here this week and being a long time friend, I shared this blog with him so he could get a lay of the land before he got here. He enjoyed the blog, but he had a few things happen during his stay that I think would be good to share with my readers and others considering coming to Kona.

I am saying “Yellow Flags” because I don’t want to use the word AVOID due to people thinking I am trying to dissuade tourists altogether from doing any of these things, however forewarned is for armed. Get it?

Alli Drive view in Kona, HI1. Lodging on All’i Drive: Jeff stayed right on All’i across from White Sands. The view was great, but the road noise and the boom boxes from the young people hanging at the beach were annoying. The pictures from the condo web site told a different story to what he actually experienced and he ended up leaving and staying at a hotel up the coast where it’s more quiet. We stayed at the Kona Bali Kai when we first got here and we, too, were surprised by the road noise from All’i. I just want to let you know ahead of time.

2. Snagging waves from the locals: There are very few really good surf spots in Kona. The training beach is at Kaaluhu and the experts and enthusiasts have ceded control over that area unless its just an awesome wave day. Boarders and surfers who are local do not like it when tourists snag their waves. Don’t surf off of Banyan’s (near the Kona Bali Kai) if there are a group of locals there. That’s kind of known as a local beach. Enough said. Sometimes people get a bit testy at White Sands..they will let you know if you need to be aware of this.

3. Hanging on the beach at night: Some people have romantic notions of watching the moon rise over the ocean at night on a beach while on vacation here in Hawaii. Or, like we did, start a BBQ at 5:30 and think you can just stay there drinking some wine with your friends until after sunset. There ARE some beaches you can do this like Kiholo Beach while you are camping, but for the most part, the Park Rangers close the public beaches at 6:30 or 7 pm. We tried to do a group beach BBQ at Holoholokai Beach near the Fairmont, but it closed at 6:30..and YES, they really do kick you out and lock the gate. We moved our party to 69 Beach and we were asked to leave by 7:30. And yes, he escorted us out and locked the gate. This keeps crazy things from happening on the beaches, I am sure, but wanted you to know. Also, the beaches near downtown Kona are not places you want to sit with your honey after 8, either. Just sayin’.

Kua Bay Hawaii 4. White Sand and Kua Bay waves. Here’s one from my body surfing husband: Be careful of the waves at these two popular beaches. The waves can be bigger than you think and they can crush you right into the sand. There are rocks near the wavebreak at White Sands that are buried deep and make for a terrible surprise when you find yourself going face first into them. A man who was body surfing at White Sands a few weeks ago, hit his head here and almost drowned. Another hint: Don’t go in without fins on big wave days. The lifeguards are pretty tough on ANYONE trying to get in without fins, but the lifeguards are not always there. If you are not too sure how to deal with the waves, watch others for awhile. Most of us RUN towards the waves and duck into them before they crash. Standing there, facing the wave, right when the wave breaks on you is a recipe for disaster. DUCK!   On a calm day, both White Sands and Kua are such beautiful and idyllic beaches..but I have now seen three ambulances come and get unlucky tourists off the beach.

5. Lava, Lava Everywhere: They having a saying here, “Lava bites”. This is what you get when you are not paying attention and slip and fall on the lava. It digs in and tears up your skin. Since we have so much fresh lava here, it’s used in landscaping, as paving and wall material, and it’s on every path in every park and going down to almost every beach. We had a 10 year old friend running behind our truck coming back from Makalewena recently and we told her to be careful..she slipped on the dust covering the rocks, tripped and landed on the lava. Her leg was a mess. So when I saw my friend, Jeff, bounding over the exact same area last Sunday, I kept yelling to be careful and wincing about either him tripping and cutting himself or the next thing that gets you here, is Kaewi tree thorns, that are so sharp and long they puncture your thongs and shoes. Lava bites are also found on the back bumpers of many vehicles here, as the lava walls are built EXACTLY to the height you can not see them when you are backing up and they literally tear a hole in your bumper. Advice: Wear good shoes, never run over lava, and watch your shorts when you sit on it, too. I spent a small fortune on Tommy Bahama linen shorts a few weeks ago, sat down on a lava wall and tore my pants. Goes right with my torn bumper. Damn that lava!

The Funkiness of Hawaii aka The Spirit of the Big Island

By Julie Z

Mar

30

Celebrating Some of the Funkiness of Kona

“Maui, Kauai, Oahu or the Big Island?” potential visitors ask themselves before scrolling through the web trying to get a feeling for each island. Let me tell you, they are all completely different from one another. Honeymooners flock to Maui for romance and to sit on a beach. Young people and those who enjoy a vibe in the air like Oahu. Kauai is for people who love the mountains, rain and a slow pace for their vacations. The Big Island? We have adventure, culture and funkiness.

I may offend some of my Big Island neighbors when I say this, but people oftentimes murmur among themselves that the Big Island is not really part of the USA. Where else can you ride your motorcycle without a helmet? Ride in the back of a pick up truck with your friends?  Sell whatever you want to on the side of the road?  Understand what the words “Kapu” , “Kuleana” and “Ponopono” mean and give each other the shaka sign when driving down the road?

In general, Hawaii is just a funky place to live. ( My neighbors on the Kohala Coast where all the swanky resorts are located and Waimea, where there is a flavor of the upper class, can exclude themselves here.)  When you stroll in downtown Kona, and see the funky shops and buildings, or drive through South Kona and see the tin roof shacks and coffee farms, you know that people actually live here and the place has not been “all dolled up” for the tourists.

We may not have big expensive shopping malls, in fact, we don’t have two story malls like they have in Maui or Oahu, at all. We have open air farmers markets, road side stands where they sell bananas, tacos, huli huli chicken, homemade sausages and fresh cut coconuts.

We also have what would appear to be “run down ruins” to many tourists. I saw some disapproving tourists the other day looking at the church in ruins near Snorkel Beach. I remember when I first arrived, I thought to myself, “When are they going to clean that up and put something decent there?” It’s such a perfect place for a bikini shop or a beach side bar. But, nope, nothing will probably ever be built there, because that church sits on the site of an ancient heaiu, a Hawaiian place of worship.

In fact, many “choice” pieces of property still hold ancient foundations, which is another thing that gives Kona its cultural flavor.  There are many places along the coast that have been restored to pay homage to the Hawaiian culture and new signs have gone up to explain a lot of the history to interested tourists. After traveling to Maui a few weeks ago, I’d pretty much say that the culture got mowed down on that island. (Unless you see the largest heaiu near Hana)

Another funky part of the island is that the local radio DJ’s have wonderful Hawaiian accents with a touch of pidgin. Turn on KAPA and hear the local dialect, providing another sense of the unique culture on this island. People also use “Mahalo” “Aloha” and “Pau” authentically, while they also greet you by kissing your cheek when they first meet you. Coming from Silicon Valley, where no one touches each other unless they know you pretty well, it’s still pretty new to me when I stick my hand out to shake someone else’s and they look at me strange and go for the cheek kiss instead. Hawaiians greet each other by pressing their foreheads together and then hug each other. It’s such a beautiful thing to see and you can feel the true sense of the word “Aloha” when they do it.

Did you know that “Haole” the word they call white/foreign people here, actually mean’s “Without ‘Ha.” Without the breath of spirit, basically. Because when Hawaiians press their foreheads together, they can feel each other’s breath. White folks did not have that custom and therefore, we were without the breath.

So, when I say “funky” in this post, I guess I mean “that of which I am not accustomed to coming from the Mainland”.  However, in the funk, I see culture, a sense of freedom and beauty and most of all, “Aloha”.  Can I get a shaka for that?

Big Island Chocolate Festival Debuts at Four Seasons Resort Hualalai

By Julie Z

Mar

13

Think BIG at the inaugural Big Island Chocolate Festival, Friday, June 8 at Four Seasons Resort Hualalai. Executive Chef James Babian and Pastry Chef Linda Rodriguez of Four Seasons are leading a selection of hand-picked pastry chefs, confectioners and chocolatiers to offer an evening of chocolate decadence and savory bites.

Also on tap are celebrity chef demonstrations and an educational cacao presentation from 10 a.m-3 p.m. above the resort’s Pahu i’a oceanfront restaurant. Tours of cacao farms will be available that day in Keauhou to showcase how cacao is grown, processed and made into chocolate.

The evening gala will be held from 6 p.m-10 p.m.  Enjoy a silent auction, gourmet savory and sweet appetizers, Kona Brewery beer, sparkling wine, music by Cyril Pahanui and Salsa Latinos, plus dancing.

The gala includes a fun competition for Best Savory and Best Sweet culinary stations, which will be determined by a team of local and celebrity chefs. Attendees will vote for The People’s Choice Award. Culinarians wishing to participate can download entry guidelines and an application on the Big Island Chocolate Festival website after March 21 or contact Farsheed Bonakdar at 808-937-4736.

Attendance to the delectable gala is limited to 400 and ticket prices are $75 per person.

Tickets go on sale April 15 online through EventBrite, and are available at the Kona Public Pacific Charter School and Kona Wine Market.  Symposium tickets and chocolate tours are separate ticketed events from the gala and can be purchased at www.BigIslandChocolateFestival.com after April 15.

Another opportunity to enjoy even more gourmet chocolate is with the prix fixe chocolate-themed dinner prior to the gala that Chef Jim Babian will create at Pahu i‘a. More information about reservations for this specialty dinner can be found on the event website.

(I am one of the key organizers on this event this year, so I had a chance to work with the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai to make it happen – that’s me at the resort lagoon!) Kona Pacific Public Charter School and the “Equip the Kitchen” campaign, (Culinary Arts Program benefit of the soon-to-be-built Palamanui Community College) are both running the silent auction to benefit both organizations)

Big Island Chocolate Festival: The 2012 Big Island Chocolate Festival is presented by the newly formed Kona Cacao Association, Inc. The mission and goal of this association is to promote the cacao industry on the Big Island of Hawaii by presenting the BICF as an educational and outreach opportunity for local cacao farmers, the hospitality industry and cacao enthusiasts. www.BigIslandChocolateFestival.com

Social Media Essentials Seminar Will Raise Funds For Keiki Summer Camp

By Julie Z

Mar

6

Learn how Big Island businesses are using social media and digital marketing successfully and how you can, too!

See examples of Kona businesses using Facebook, Twitter, Yelp, TripAdvisor, etc, learn specifically how you can show up in search, and get some individual ideas and advice,too!

A portion of all proceeds and 100% of all donations from this seminar will go towards supporting Project Hawaii’s Summer Program for Homeless Keiki.

Seminar is March 22nd from 12:30-1:30 at the West Hawaii Association of Realtors, 74-5620 Palani Court #106. Seminar fee is $25 in advance and $30 at the door. Please RSVP by March 20th to Julie Ziemelis, Ziemelis Communications at julie@ziemelis.com or contact her for more info. Learn about the Summer Camp at www.projecthawaii.org.

Hawaii County Mayor Kenoi provides upbeat report at KKCC lunch

By Julie Z

Mar

1


I attended the Mayor’s Focus Luncheon hosted by the Kona Kohala Chamber of Commerce this week. As a member of the Marketing Committee, I volunteered to attend the meeting and write an article for the Chamber newsletter. My editor friend, Fern Gavelek, will be copiously editing this down, but I wanted to put it  here in its entirety for those wishing to get a view into what was discussed at the luncheon and what our government is doing in Kona.

Hawai‘i County Mayor Billy Kenoi discussed his successes and priorities for supporting the local economy and moving projects forward efficiently while sharing his commitment to small business at the recent Chamber Focus Lunch. The sold-out event on February 28 at the Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort and Spa included representatives from all 17 county departments.

After introducing his administration’s directors, Kenoi told the 176 attendees numerous stories of how his staff has been managed in a cost effective way and they have worked hard to bring in projects in under budget, as was the recent case for a waste water treatment plant.

Downsizing Government

Kenoi stated, “We know that this is a challenging economic environment that we are in. We did not know how long the economic downturn was going to last, but we know we needed to manage county government in a cost effective way by reducing the size and cost of the government”, Kenoi said “In our first year, we cut 55 vacant positions from county government, in our second year, we cut 70 positions, and last year we cut 97 positions for a savings of over $7 million over the last three years for a total cut vacant positions of 222 and that’s just reducing the size of government.”  The Mayor then noted that when he took office, the county of Hawaii took in $225 million dollars in taxes. Last year, the county took in $207 million, and the budget that he will be presenting this week, takes in less than $200 million in property taxes. “Our commitment is not to increase the size of government, so that we do not put an additional burden on businesses. By fostering a vibrant business community we help the entire community by providing employment for our working families, who then can provide a safe, healthy environment for our children”. He stated that he is not “pro-business”, but pro-family.

Kenoi said his administration supports the local economy in basically four areas: hospitality, construction, agriculture and government.

Tourism

Kenoi said the he is committed not to cut a single dollar for hospitality or tourism, because “our commitment to that industry is critical”. He noted that his administration’s focus is on “airlift”; getting more people here to support the tourism industry on the island.  To a loud round of applause from the audience, the Mayor stated, “We want to be the gateway to the Pacific. In the last three years, thanks to Alaska Airlines, we have direct flights from Oakland, San Jose and Portland and direct flights from SFO and other markets into Hilo on Continental”.  The Mayor explained that keeping the international designation for the airport is paramount. The HTA, Hawaii Convention and Visitors Bureau, resorts and other agencies are incentivizing bringing tourists in from Japan on direct charter flights, which helps to keep the designation until the County can lure another daily flight from an international market. The federal designation is important to grow Hawaii’s capacity in the future.

Construction

For construction, Kenoi discussed the county’s team effort of making the permit process more efficient. “Everyone says it takes too long to get the permits through the application process.” They now have weekly reviews of the permits. It used to take months to get an approval. Now all the departments sit in one room, once a week and review the permits at one time. “It used to take a year, now it takes as little as 30 days”, the Mayor proudly stated.

Renewable Energy

Kenoi said he wants Hawaii County to be using 100% renewable energy by 2015. “The entire Middle East is causing a precarious position to our access of foreign oil. We need to get sustainable with the energy that we already have here on our island.” Kenoi said he meets every week to discuss this issue with his staff that oversees renewable energy. The Senator’s office is working on helping to make this gosl a reality, as many local Hawaii Island leaders sit on the energy committees in top state government. “We don’t have 10 years, we don’t have 5 years. We sit on the hottest spot for thermal energy in the country. Geo technical surveys say that Puna is the best producing spot in the world for thermal energy”. Kenoi stressed that by getting off of foreign oil, we can save our quality of life for the island. He then went on to give an example of a Phillipine island that powers the whole island with geo thermal and then sells their energy to other islands to help support local education.

In terms of using renewable energy, Kenoi pointed out that the new County government building is running on a power surplus due to the photo-voltaic panels on the building, saving the county thousands of dollars each year in electricity costs. In fact, the County is selling extra energy back to the grid.

During the open Q & A session that followed Kenoi’s speech, someone asked about the new Palamanui Community College.

“Education is the great equalizer”, Kenoi said. “How can we make this project move quickly? We are committed to expediting and fast tracking the permits.” He stressed that students in Kona deserve access to quality higher education, just as the students in Hilo do. The county is using a team approach to “get it done”.

An audience question dealt with the need for a local amphitheater. The County representative for the Parks and Recreation Department said that the Kealekehe Regional Advisory Committee meets the first Tuesday of every month to expand culture and arts and is working to make room for an amphitheater. He encouraged interested members of the community to get involved.

Debbie Baker, President of the Kona – Kohala Chamber of Commerce, wrapped up the meeting by noting that the economy seems to be improving and she complimented the County directors and the Mayor about the collaboration between the business community and government.

Blue Water Hawaiian Bliss-With a Price

By Julie Z

Feb

22

We camped at Makalewena Beach with our two children and two other kids last night. All the kids hiked in down the extremely rocky road while my husband taught me how to drive our 4WD truck. I made it half way and gave back the wheel with relief! The road is jarring up to that point and then it just gets nasty. Imagine driving down a river bed with boulders. We have seen a few people in Jeeps and trucks parking and deciding to either turn around or walk from there.

We hope that the Department of Land and Natural Resources keeps it this way. Yep. Because while there were hundreds of people this past President’s Day weekend at Kua Bay to the north, there may have been 30 people at Makalewena. Actually, Kamehemeha Schools owns the land at Maks and they have protected this natural gem even with all the pressures of development that have occurred up and down the coast in the past ten years.

There are four “vignettes” of Maks. A large sandy bay with some pine trees, two little rocky bays, and then the large white sand beach that looks like something out of Tahiti or…Hawaii! ;-)

I took a sweeping video of the space so you can see it (hold on for YouTube link)

I am showing this to you, knowing that many of you will never have the gumption to get down here. It’s a 25 minute walk down from the highway and then another 20 minute walk along the coast to get to the beach. Or you can try and get down the road to Kahakai State Park and walk 25 minutes from there across the lava field to get to the Southern part of the beach. It’s a big deal for a big reward.

Our favorite part is that you can camp there for free..but you need a REALLY good 4WD to get in and there are no facilities. We bought a port-a-potty at Sports Authority to make it easier for our family, but even then, our daughter refuses to stay for more than a night! The cool things that we saw included a herd of about 50 goats, who greeted us in the morning as they wandered through the campground and whales breaching in the distance.

The treat though is swimming in nature’s bath tub. 78 degree crystal clear water, powder white sand, and enough room to put your towel down anywhere with space to move. Ahhh, heaven.

Avocado Festival Kicks Off With “Medicine For the People” Fundraiser

By Julie Z

Feb

6

A PARTY IS BEING PLANNED AND YOU ARE INVITED!

The 6th Annual Avocado Festival kicks off on Thursday, February 16 at the Keauhou Beach Resort Kalanikai Beach Bar & Grill from 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m., with a Silent Auction Fundraiser for Kona Pacific Public Charter School! This will be an exciting evening of music, dancing, tasty avocado pupu’s & a silent auction showcasing local businesses.

Kumu Kahikina and the Kona Pacific students will start things off with their talented ukulele playing, followed by Stephanie Bolton and her belly dance troupe, “Incense” and then the main entertainment: Nahko and Medicine for the People, a band that brings heartfelt joy to their audiences and makes you get up on your feet!

Tickets are now available at the Kona Pacific Public Charter School or online at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/225864. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children. The event ticket also includes Kona Brewery lager, avocado pupu’s and fun and memorable entertainment.
I am co-chairing this fundraiser for my children’s school, Kona Pacific Public Charter School and am excited to have the event at the newly opened Kalanikai Beach Bar located at the Keauhou Beach Resort.  Proceeds will benefit both the school and to underwrite the Avocado Festival, a free community event being held on Saturday, February 18th from 10-5 pm at the Keauhou Beach Resort grounds. On Friday night, there will be an avocado themed “Farm to Fork” dinner at the Kealekekua Bed and Breakfast.

More information can be found at www.avocadofestival.org.

The Big Island is prime avocado-growing country.  Some 200 varieties flourish here and many will be available for tasting at the Festival. The avocados being used to create delicious pupu’s for the fundraiser were harvested from event organizer, Randyl Rupar’s own 15 acre organic avocado farm. SO, drink some local brew, eat some local avo’s, hear some inspirational, soul touching music and support a school that teaches the children about Hawaiian culture, how to care for the land and respect the people. Its ALL SO GOOD!

You Can’t Catch A Fish or Watch a Whale Sitting on Your Couch

By Julie Z

Jan

24

I wrote the title of this post after taking a sportsfishing charter and speaking to Captain James at BiteMe Sportsfishing. Words of wisdom..read on.

I got on the BiteMe boat at 6:15 am last Thursday and excitedly learned the ropes of hauling in “the big one” from the BiteMe crew. (Of course, I was slightly terrified by the actual prospect of  hooking a 500 pound marlin and reeling it in!) The crew told us that striped marlin and spearfish were prevalent in the winter months. He shared that the steep slope of the ocean bottom places deep sea sportfishing within a short distance from the shoreline. Just three miles straight out of the harbor, it’s over 6000′ deep. Six species of billfish cruise the Kona coast along with six species of tuna, mahi mahi (dorado), ono (wahoo), and  a wide variety of big-game bottom fish. (He also shared with me towards the end of the charter that the best time to fish is during the summer months. Hence, why all the bill fishing tournaments are in July and August. ) We watched him bait the hooks with lures that looked like squid and were slightly amazed at the size of some of those hooks..four inch claws.

The BiteMe crew taught us how to spot jumping fish, circling sea birds and floating marine trash as indicators for the signs of a large fish.We kept a keen eye out for these signs of our possible dinner while driving about 9 miles out to open ocean with four lines of hope dragging behind us. After our “orientation” we were free to just sit and relax and watch the sun come up over the volcanos showcasing the beauty of the island. The guests were from areas of the country experiencing some very cold weather and once again, I silently high-fived myself for living here. 

During the time we were searching we saw something very large jump out of the ocean in a “C” formation..prompting yells of “MARLIN!” from the passengers. I was excited to see what it was and when we steamed over there, we found it was a very ecstatic dolphin. Not a Spinner dolphin, which are the kind I am used to seeing along the coast, but a larger dolphin species. (I heard someone say it was a razor toothed dolphin, but can not back it up with web research!)  We also saw groups of migrating whales and a few Bottle Nosed dolphins, as well.

We started to head back in after about four hours on the water without having a hit on any of the lines. I asked Captain James if it bothered him to go out and have the passengers come back empty handed. What he said was just perfect, “If they were sitting on a couch right now they would not have even had the chance to catch anything. At least you folks got out here, put a hook in the water and had the opportunity for a grander to catch your line.”. Think about that as a metaphor for life, right?  He was right and I knew that even if I did not get the thrill of watching someone haul in a huge catch, I watched whales, dolphins and discussed life with the other passengers. Fish or no fish, I had a beautiful day out on the blue Kona water!

Note: BiteMe Sportsfishing also owns the BiteMe Fish Market and if you catch something, they will actually prepare and serve it to you! “Eat what you catch”, as they say.


Kona Home Sales Show Uptick as Year Ends With Positive Outlook for 2012

By Julie Z

Jan

8

Note: I am helping the West Hawaii Association of Realtors with information about the housing market in West Hawaii. I wrote this story for the Association and wanted to share it here for my readers. I think part of living in Hawaii is understanding the local housing market. I hope you find it useful!

The Kailua-Kona housing market showed another year of gains in 2011. After the dismal losses from 2007-2009, the market gained in 2010 and 2011 and seems to be on a slow upswing.

Lance Owens, Aloha Kona Realty, compiled the year-end statistics for Kailua-Kona, which covers Hualalai to Kainaliu. “Single family home sales were up 8.9% for the year and condo sales were up 6.21% for the year. Interesting to note, condo home sales were up 85% in 2010 up from -9.84% in 2009”, Owens noted. “The median price for a single family home in North Kona in December was $371,000, in South Kona it was $315,000, in South Kohala $335,000 and in North Kohala the median price was $497,000”, he stated.

“We have to go back to 2006 to find a better year for single family and condo sales in Kona for number of units sold.” Mr. Owens stated.

In terms of who is buying the homes right now in Kona, Mr. Owens pulled up home sales for November and found that out of 32 homes sold, 15 were Kailua Kona residents, six were from California and the remainder were mixed among the mainland residents.

Overall for 2011, the local housing market performed well, with a healthy market with an 8.9% gain in home sales, compared to national average of 12.2%.

Owens noted that we had a moderate increase in 2011 and projects the market to behave similarly in 2012. “The current affordability is at a very high level in Kona proper. I have seen newly built homes in the $370k range, which is a great deal for families looking to get into the market. This year, look for short sales to continue, so there will be deals to be found, and the foreclosure market is still tied up in the courts due to Act 48.”

Katie Minkus, Broker for Hawaii Life Real Estate and 2012 President of the West Hawaii Association of Realtors, said, “I know for certain we’ve passed the bottom of the market in places such as the resorts, especially in projects with limited inventory such as Hali’i Kai, the Villages at Mauna Lani, etc.”

Speaking on the foreclosure market, Minkus said, “Act 48, which is holding up all the foreclosures in court, has contributed to a huge increase in short sales over the past six months, and an equal decline in REO sales. In the areas with decreased inventory, we have already seen prices rise especially as the distressed property is being sold through. Sellers have no need to sell at “distressed property prices.”

Personally, at Hawaii Life, we’ve put 24 transaction sides into escrow since Thanksgiving, which is by far the most I’ve seen this time of year in forever. Last year it was less than 10 in the same time frame”, she stated. Asked about the near future of the local housing market, Minkus said, “I’m feeling VERY bullish about the 1st half of 2012.”

Altos Research, a real estate data company, shows the median price trend of homes in the Kona area declined in July and have trended back up to $556,300 as of January 3, 2012.

Family Adventure on the Kohala Coast

By Julie Z

Jan

3

Who gets to see a mammoth whale come barreling out of the ocean behind a group of surprised surfers? My children and I last Friday! We were on a “Mauna Lani Area” adventure to discover the Holoholokai Park and Puako Petroglyphs on Thursday night and Friday morning.

What did we find?

1. A secluded park (Holoholokai) wrapped behind The Shops at Mauna Lani and the Fairmont Orchid. This is a pretty swanky area of the Kohala Coast and to find a park with numerous picnic tables, BBQs and a stunning view of Maui, the Kohala coastline and the Kona sunset was a real treat.

We had a picnic dinner while we watched the sun set into the red voggy glow of Kona. It was high tourist season and there were only a handful of people there to enjoy this serene sight with us.

2. We went to The Shop’s at Mauna Lani’s free Polynesian hula show from 6-8 and enjoyed the way the hula troupe incorporated their entire family into the show including a ten year old and a three year old. My kids really enjoyed watching the keiki up on stage twirling batons and dancing to the pounding Polynesian beat. There were also fire dancers and women wearing coconut bras..yes, really. We sat on the terraced lawn steps in almost the front row, which gave my husband the chance to have one of the performers come up with a scary warrior stance and then shake his hand after the effect of shock was created. Pretty funny.

The next day the kids and I came back around 10 am and went out to the beach park. There we found a very easy to walk beach path and did some exploring. That’s when we saw the breaching whale. It was pretty close to shore and the splash he made literally created ripple waves for the nearby surfers. Then the whale flapped its fins a few times on the water to the delight of everyone watching. Glad to see the whales are back for the  season.

3. The Puako Petroglyphs were an easy walk from the beach park. As soon as we passed the sign that explained that these petroglyphs were created between 1,000-1,800 A.D., we were able to walk around a large circle where the most interesting and deeply carved petroglyphs had been cut out of the rock and placed for easy viewing. They were a showcase in cultural artistry. Another circular area contained a few more well placed carved stones and then we followed the path into the Kaiwi trees which led us through the forest where we found few more along the trail. I took a video so you can see it.

It started getting warm so the kids asked to go play in the fountains at The Shops. They had a ball playing with a toddler who was also there to cool off. The water runs in unpredictable spurts and this kept them entertained for awhile until the 4D movie started. After the movie, we got sushi from Foodland Farms, had a nice lunch and headed home.

When I asked the kids what was their favorite part of the day, they said the fountains, but educationally, I was glad that I took them to see the petroglyphs! My daughter made me laugh when she said a possible explanation for the petroglyphs could have been children carving into the rocks when their parents were out fishing! Who knows?

Things To Do in the Waikoloa Area For the Holidays

By Julie Z

Dec

9

Every Christmas, I take my kids up to the Waikoloa area when they are on break from school and let them experience the holidays at the resorts and shops in that area. I am going to write a few posts about  some of the fun things we have planned to do this year if you need some help with ideas for holiday adventures!

Starting with North Waikoloa:

1. The Shops at Mauna Lani – (My friend, Laura Kinoshita, is the web marketing pro there and gave me some tips to share with you)

First of all, many of my friends from Kona STILL don’t know where this mall is located. It’s about a mile NORTH of the Waikoloa turn off. It’s the same entrance you would take to go to the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel. As you are heading towards the hotel, look on your right and you will see the Shops.

My kids LOVE the Great 4D movie ride and they are excited about going up there during their break. Kama’aina Kids RIDE FREE during December-Cool, huh? Bring your kids up to the 4D movie ride and let them experience one of six different rides. The rides start at noon.

Yummy tip..the Foodland right next to the 4D ride has gourmet gelato by the scoop, so I am going to surprise the kids and treat myself, too..can you say MINT CHIP?There is also Juice 101 for healthy smoothies and they are opening up a taco restaurant, too.

Another feature that is quite entertaining is the water fountain at The Shops. It plays like a mini-Vegas show and the water is warm..hence, kids love to play in it. My son spent over 40 minutes in there one time! There is a dancing/chasing feature that little kids love because they don’t know where the water streams will burst from next. Good news: Even in December, the mid-day temps are in the 80′s, so kids can play in the fountain all year long.

If you are a tourist or visitor here, The Shops is doing a great promo right now for Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse. If you go today until December 22nd, you can get a free appetizer up to $15 with the purchase of two entrees. Get your coupon here.

The Shops also has a FANTASTIC and FREE Polynesian Hula Show every Monday and Thursday starting at 6. The performance troupe, Te`E`a O Te Turama, have been performing for over 20 years and provide a show that is  just as good, if not better, than any you will see on the island. After the intermission at 7 pm, they perform a FIRE dance. How cool is that? Here is a short video clip of the fire dance portion of the show; http://bit.ly/tgmgeO.

My next post will be the petroglyphs and the Mauna Lani Christmas trees!

Top 10 Places You Can. Not. Miss. on the Big Island

By Julie Z

Nov

16

Who needs a guide book when you have seasoned explorers who live here! I have been on fire in taking visiting family members and friends around the island while they have been staying nearby. For the past three weeks, my husband and I have played tour guide and taken the knowledge we have gained from living here for the past year exploring the nooks and crannies of this island and shared it with our friends. Why just let them enjoy our favorite places when I can also share this information with you, my readers!? So, let’s start with #10 and end up at the BEST place you HAVE to experience while you are here. Ready?

#10-Volcano National Park-Most people would put this closer to the top as we have the only live volcano you can visit safely on the islands. It’s a VERY long drive from Kona and basically takes 11 hours to fully enjoy the trip down and back. I suggest this trip if you can spend the night in Hilo..or have some very patient friends who don’t mind desperately trying to stay awake while they drive the long dark road home back while you snooze peacefully in the back seat.

#9-Makelewena Beach. This is further down the list simply because it is so hard to get here. The beach is BEAUTIFUL and since hardly anyone is there, you may only see 10 people on the entire beach. The swimming is perfect, with some reefs for snorkeling and my kids just love the little bays they have to play in. You need a 4WD to get there from either of the two access roads, but we made it with our van on the easier road that leads to the State Beach. You can park your car and walk about 20 minutes to the beach across the lava. Like I said,,it ain’t easy, but it sure is worth the effort.

#8- Two Step-This is the bay right next to the Place of Refuge at Honaunau. (The picture shows Kealekekua Bay, which is right nearby) We take our friends who have at least SOME experience with snorkeling. The entry and exit from the water is a bit of a challenge, but the swimming, snorkeling and fish are EXCEPTIONAL. The coral is 20 feet down, so tourists can not ruin it by stepping on it, so the reefs are AMAZING and pristine. That means you can not stand up and readjust your mask or get a lay of the land like you can do at Snorkel Beach in Kona. You can see vast arrays of tropical fish here and if you come in the morning, the dolphins are usually in the bay, as well. We have had friends FREAK OUT when the 20 foot water gradually descends to 50 feet and all you see is deep blue. If you are scared of deep water, just don’t go out to the middle, stay around the edges and you will be entertained for as long as you can swim.

#7-Gourmet Coffee with a View-Java On the Rock

If you love a great cup of deep, rich and flavorful Kona coffee, come get a big cup and breakfast with a view at  Java on the Rock between 6 am-11 am.

The restaurant is owned by Bruce and Andrea and they grow their own coffee and hand roast it. Three Stone is my FAVORITE coffee! They are located on the ocean side as soon as you come into downtown from Keauhou.

#7.5-Cheap Pupus and Drinks at Huggo’s On the Rocks. At least for one night of everyone’s trip, we have to hit Huggo’s on the Rocks. The happy hour menu which goes from 4-6, let’s even the most cost concious traveler splurge for an evening. $4 mai tais and $3 beers along with $3 food specials makes this a fun and tasty place to watch the sun set with your feet in the sand. Great for that picture with your friends that you post to Facebook and make people jealous.

#6-Pololulu Look Out and Valley hike-Another GORGEOUS view and fun hike down to see the island’s stunning beauty. Located about 15 minutes out of Hawi, the trip down to the valley should be given most of the day to fully enjoy. If you can get here in the later part of the day and stay until sunset, you will not be disappointed. A photographer’s dream.

#5-Waipio Valley-Another all day adventure, and a place only accessible by 4WD. The beauty of the taro fields with the mountains as the backdrop will be etched in your memory for a very long time. We take our friends through the back end of the valley and drive through rivers to see the taro fields. We usually see the wild horses on the beach or on the road and the wildness and serenity of this valley are unmatched anywhere else on the island. The waves can be unpredictable and the terrain UNDER the waves is especially unpredictable. The river that feeds into the ocean has a way of changing the landscape around the entry point into the ocean, so go in carefully. I had the time of my life one time here body surfing and wish it was like that every time.

#4-Green Sand Beach-We just love this place. It takes a 4WD to get here and the road is an adventure unto itself. However, for the adventurous traveler, the climb down, the feeling of being on the only green sand beach in the islands and the waves crashing against the walls of the small bay is fantastic. We are experienced swimmers and body surfers and have quite a time here sometimes. Don’t go in if the waves are up and you feel unsafe. We have entertained a few friends who decided to sit it out and just watch us enjoy ourselves in the waves.

#3-The Four Seasons Resort at Hualalai. My guests were VERY impressed with the elegance, landscaping, pools and views from this resort. I love this place because the beach is NEVER crowded, so even if you are hanging at this swanky property, everyone is in the pool, not at the white sand beach or the little protected bay in front of the hotel. You can grab a beer here for $7 and just lounge and people watch and enjoy the sun and view. (You can also easily grab a $20 glass of chard here, too!) I would suggest checking out the fresh/salt water lagoon which has all kinds of tropical fish. Dining here is exceptional and this is where celebrities often come to get away from it all.

#2-Mauna Kea Resort beach view. The bay is gorgeous and the view from the lobby and terrace are stunning. I could lounge here all day enjoying the view. You can get tasty cocktails at the beach bar and go swimming here as a non-guest. You have to tell the guard at the gate you want to visit the beach and they will give you a guest pass if there are any left. If not, pay for valet, walk through the property and go swimming anyway.

#1-Kua Bay. I have now been to this beach four times in the past few weeks and each time our guests have said it is one of their most favorite beaches. I would have to agree. LOTS of fine white sand, BLUE water, plenty of room to put your towel down, sets of waves that challenge body surfers, but kids can play in the surf, too. The bathrooms are now working and so are the showers, which is fantastic after having them closed down recently. Easy access from the highway, parking without a guard scrutinizing you, and best of all, the whales are coming back for the season and this is a great place of on shore whale watching. (Last March I was diving under the waves and hovering at about five feet under the water and I could hear the mommas and baby whales singing. HEAVEN!)


Sam Choy’s Is Open and My Life Has Been Altered

By Julie Z

Sep

10

I know, I know..a restaurant opens and my life is altered..I know that sounds far fetched, but this is the story:

We moved to Kona in 2005 when the location, which is now the new Sam Choy’s, was occupied by a dumpy Wendy’s. A Wendy’s with a sweeping 250 degree view of the ocean. Everyone called it the only Wendy’s in the country with a million dollar view. It did not fit.

Then it went out of business and sat there…for years. It was a blight every time I drove down Kam III Road to our house. When we heard that Sam Choy, a famous local chef, was going to make it a Hawaiian fusion restaurant and really take advantage of that 800 foot view, I was thrilled. Not just because it’s great to be able to walk to a restaurant with the local star power of Sam Choy, but that someone would finally take full advantage of a space that has such a sweeping view of the ocean, the sun set, and the palm trees. And I can finally have a place to enjoy a cocktail with my friends and watch our famous red Kona sunsets without having to go to downtown Kona.

Did I tell you they have fire pits?

Fire pits looking out over a body of water so you can share some laughs with friends with a fire…I don’t know if it gets better than that for me. They have fire pits at Incline Village in Lake Tahoe and you snuggle there with your friends and watch the boats out on the lake. “Snuggling” near a fire in Kona seems kind of crazy, since it never drops below 70 degrees here, but sitting by a fire in shorts, sipping tropical cocktails is fine by me, too!

Opening Night

As I have been watching the final touches being applied to the restaurant, my excitement level has been rising. I see that there is plenty of outdoor seating. There are air walls so the entire restaurant is totally open to take advantage of the view. I drove by last night and the parking lot was full and people were holding glasses as they mingled on the patio. To me, it’s finally turning into the place that I had hoped for that space. I guess as I have been waiting for the recession to end, and the re-creation of that  space is kind of a like a bellwether for everything else. Maybe getting a drink at a fancy  new restaurant makes me feel that the worst is behind me. Maybe envisioning friends around a fire makes me feel that people can have some fun without always worrying about money. I don’t know, but it symbolizes hope for good times ahead.

Pictures this morning.

My friend Delania says I have been stalking this restaurant. This morning, I sure felt like a stalker! I went in on the first morning they are officially open and they are serving breakfast! ($2 pancakes and $2.50 for coffee!)  I took pictures of the famous cobalt blue bathroom sinks, the boat bar and yes, of course, the fire pits. I knew I would love it and I was not disappointed.

As an event planner, I just love cool spaces. This is going to be a place that I will want to hold events. My first one will be our upcoming Kona TweetUp on September 29th at 6 pm. I look forward to sharing drinks, Hawaiian fusion pupu’s, knowledge, fun and a glorious sunset over Keauhou on that night.

Thanks Sam for believing in Keauhou and that little beautiful spot up on the hill! Good luck in your endeavors!

(Side note: Dinner entrees are around $25. The cool thing is that you can get six different wines for $5 a glass. Sam hit the “enjoy what you can afford” nail on the head.)

Sam Choy's Kai Lanai on Urbanspoon

Why the Big Island Is A Terrible Place To Live

By Julie Z

Jun

28

When my family and I decided to move here a year ago, we thought we would only be here for one year. However, due to the fact that we love it here, we have found deep friendships and have made business contacts so we can find employment, we have decided to stay. So, you ask, why the title of this post? Mixing it up. Watch:

The Big Island is a terrible place to live because:

1. You send pictures of what you did on the weekend to your friends on the mainland and they write things like, “I used to like you”, “Stop, you’re killing me!” “Can’t you please keep it down?”

2. Once you stay here for any length of time, you feel the energy of the land and the people. When you leave the island, you can’t shake the feeling that you are missing a part of yourself.

3. You can’t imagine going back to a major city center. I used to love going to big, fancy shopping areas, watching movies in big theaters with hundreds of fellow movie goers, and watching people wearing the latest fashions. Now, I can’t imagine dealing with the traffic anymore. I can now show up 5 minutes late to a first run movie and get a good seat. Fashion does not own me anymore. I used to work to afford expensive shoes, the latest seasonal dress, and new suits. I wear sandals and flip flops, shorts, tank tops and on occasion a sun dress. I don’t spend much on clothes anymore, and with the extra time I have not working to afford it, I sit on a beach with my kids.

4. You have to drive slow. And let people in. You actually have to relax on the highway, because since many residents practice the Aloha Spirit while driving, there is very little, if any honking. Most people who ride people’s bumpers, are from California on their way back to the airport.

5. You can’t rest when it’s a blue day. Since you always feel like you are on vacation, its VERY difficult to look outside from your computer and not have the feeling that you should be out swimming. Or running. Or surfing. You feel the same way about laying around in your house with a book. You feel guilty that you are not out enjoying another day in paradise.

6. You can’t get anything done when people come to visit. If someone came to visit us in the Bay Area, they usually had other family members or friends to visit. Or they would come for dinner and go about their trip. Here, they live next door to us for a week. And since we are the consummate lovers of adventure and travel on this island, we can’t say no to taking friends and family to the best snorkeling spots, dining with a sunset view and sharing umbrella drinks, coffee farm tours or 4 Wheeling to remote beaches. Nope, your days are shot.

7. You meet people who make you re-evaluate your diet. There are MANY organic farmers on the Big Island. They talk about pesticides, genetically modified seeds, and commercial farming and livestock handling and how that affects your health and your spirit. You don’t realize it all at once, but you find yourself touring local farmers markets and giving tropical foods a try. You purchase island grass fed beef, no GMO dairy products from island dairy farmers, and you think about planting a garden yourself and growing vegetables. You find yourself blessing your food and really understanding where it came from. Isn’t that crazy?

8. Sunscreen? Hats? Swim shirts? You better have plenty because you find yourself walking on sunny trails, strolling through bright outdoor markets, swimming in tide pools, reading on a beach, driving in a convertible, exploring a Volcano or heaven forbid, hiking down into a sacred valley.

9. You can’t wear big, fat, heavy coats. Or thick scarves. Or shovel snow out of your driveway. Or have your car skid on black ice. (caveat..unless you go up to Mauna Kea above the 9,000 foot visitors center. Then all bets are off on the above complaint)

10. You can NOT commiserate with your friends on Facebook or Twitter when they say things like, “It’s going to be 114 degrees today in Scottsdale” and another says, “It’s 112 here in Tucson” and then finally from Phoenix, “My car thermometer says it’s 120. Please, kill me now”. Nope, you can not jump in there with a knowing statement. Conversely, you can only offer condolences when your friends send pictures of the four foot snow drifts left by a recent blizzard.

11. And the last thing I have to say about why this island is a terrible place to live…you see people standing on the walk way outside of the hotels and resorts with their bags packed waiting to go home. And you feel sorry for them.

Favorite place for Kona coffee and a view!

By Julie Z

Jun

12

Goin’ Places With Addy!

By Julie Z

May

3

4 wheel adventurin’ was not the first thing on my list when we first decided to move back to the Big Island. We came with our mini-van and my husband was given a golf cart to drive when he became a resident manager at our complex.

The 4 WD concept hit hard when our friend, Nancy, invited us to go to Green Sand Beach with her last October. My husband got to drive her truck as we managed to get over all the bumps and drops on the way to the beach. (that road is just difficult no matter what kind of 4WD vehicle you own!)

When we got home, my husband realized he had the bug. He wanted to purchase a truck of his own so we could explore more of the island as a family and “go deep” onto the island’s off-roading trails. The opportunity to purchase a used Toyota 4 Runner from Hilo arose in January, after months of internet research and Craigslist shopping.

We found “Addy” in the garage of an affable man in Hilo who needed to move on to another vehicle. The broken seat, aged interior and need for some love and restoration beckoned my husband, who looked longingly at Addy as a project/hobby he could talk to all of his friends about.

It is now early May, and five months later, Addy has a had a complete overhaul. Not to bore the ladies, I won’t go into the replacement of the front suspension, the steering components, the entire interior, and the unexpected, too, like the radiator. The one thing I did want was a MP3 player, so I could sing with the kids to my favorite hits of the ’70′s and ’80′s!

What I WILL say, is that my husband boosted the power and the comfortability of the truck. We have now bounced along roads to Green Sand Beach a few times, down a 25% grade road to Waipio Valley, the 5 mile Un-Road to the Sea, Kona State Park, Pine Trees, and a hidden black sand beach north of the airport. This is  where he drove on pahoehoe lava and there was NO road! (I got out and walked..which I have done a few times now, as he tackles road hazards I don’t want to be part of as a passenger!)

My husband is celebrating his birthday this week. He did not want a present. Instead, he asked that he be allowed to put new “knobby” tires on the truck and he ordered a bikini top for Addy so it will be almost like an open air jeep..just what we need when we are either in a sand storm at Green Sand Beach, freezing up near Mauna Kea, or in the sun parched lava near the beach. (my request for a sparkly purse for my birthday was met with, “And where are you going to actually use that?”..can I say the same for Addy’s new bikini?)

Addy has given our family some memorable road trips that our kids will share with their kids. I can hear my son..”When I was a kid, living on the Big Island of Hawaii, my family and I would pack up our brown 4WD on Saturdays and take off for an adventure that my dad found in the “Big Island Revealed” book….”  I am sure my husband and I will cruise down memory lane and recall the dirt roads, beautiful beaches, serene vistas, rockin’ tunes and screeches from the back and front seats as passengers yelled out in surprise from being tossed sideways.

Addy’s next adventure will be along the “Mana Road” up at the 9,000 foot level along Mauna Kea..I am trying to get up there before her bikini shows up.

Sharing Kalopa Camping With Homeless Keiki

By Julie Z

Apr

7

I was so moved by the beauty of  Kalopa State Park and how much my kids LOVED it there, that I want to be able to help other kids have a chance to experience it.

Project Hawaii is holding a Summer Camp for Keiki this July at the Kalopa State Park cabins. They are working to send 24 homeless children between the ages of 4-7 to this camp for a week. There will be nature walks, science games, arts and craft projects, and lots of teens who will help mentor these special kids.

I want to help by raising funds to pay for the costs to get the kids there and feed them nutritious meals while they enjoy days of outdoor fun.  To do this, I am holding two social media seminars in Kona. The first one is called:

The Good, Bad and Ugly-Who’s Using Social Media for Business Right and Why on the Big Island.

Thursday, April 28th at the West Hawaii Association of REALTORS located at 74-5620 Palani Court #106 in Kona from 1:00 pm-2:00 pm with 30 minutes of open Q & A.  I will share a powerpoint presentation with screen shots from various businesses using Facebook business pages, Twitter, WordPress blogs, Yelp and FourSquare. I will also be giving some marketing ideas for individual business owners who attend.

Cost of this social media seminar is $20 and 100% of the proceeds will go to Project Hawaii to help the kids at camp.

My friend, Jenn Windsor Ball, owner of MooBettah Frozen Fun , is providing Tropical Dreams ice-cream with a topping bar after the event to the attendees of the April 28th class! Thanks Jenn! (Actually-this has been changed–expect home made cookies!)

Space is limited, so if you would like to come, learn about social media, have some tasty ice cream and support homeless kids at camp, email me at julie@ziemelis.com. You can find out more about the good works Project Hawaii is doing at www.ProjectHawaii.org, too!

One of the cool species of funghi we discovered in the park..

Kalopa Campgrounds Immerse You in the Ancient Hawaiian Forest

By Julie Z

Mar

29

My family and I ventured up to the Kalopa Campground, located above Honokaa, this weekend and was blown away with the Ancient Hawaiian forest! We did learn that you need to contact the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources to get a camping permit at least seven days in advance. Here is a link for a “Wiki Permit” You will thank me for this later.

We got up there and thought we could catch the caretaker and get a permit to stay in the cabins on a Friday afternoon. Nope. We ended up sleeping in our truck!

The forest made the tight sleeping quarters worth it in the end.

Kona Tsunami A Wake Up Call for Perspective

By Julie Z

Mar

15

Have you ever been fortunate enough to experience a natural disaster first hand? An earthquake, forest fire, tsunami?  I say “fortunate” because only by actually experiencing the loss, the sadness and the knowing that something that was there yesterday, is no longer there today, can you feel compassion towards others who go through it.

I was in the Bay Area for the Loma Prieta Earthquake in October 1989. However, besides losing a water heater in our garage and cleaning up some broken dishes, it was not that bad. (although the sense of disaster was in the air for days after that as everyone existed in a shared state of shock).  I also have a family home in Lake Tahoe that was less than a 1/4 of a mile from being burned by the Lily Lake fire in 2007. Seeing the neighborhoods decimated by that fire and the mountain sides that still have acres of burned forest made us feel like we missed a bullet.

Now, we came within 50 feet of losing our home to the tsunami that hit Keauhou/Kona on March 11th. Again, I missed the bullet, but again, we still live in an area that saw its share of overall devastation. Our beaches are ruined and businesses demolished.

The feeling of shock is just now starting to dissipate as the Kona businesses block off Alii Drive in downtown and get to work fixing the street, mucking out the sand and debris that swirled around inside their stores for hours and get ready for a public event on Sunday to show everyone “Kona Is Open For Business”. The county has poured mounds of sand down at the Keauhou Bay beach and the Keauhou Canoe Club members are working down there today to get the place cleaned up.

It is seeing this level of determination by the business owners, the county workers and the residents to move on that makes me have hope for those in Japan. They have suffered far worse than Hawaii, both ins property destruction and loss of life. However, when I saw the pictures of people looking for their homes in what was left of their neighborhoods in Japan, I have a clearer sense of compassion after seeing our beach get swept away last week along with the buildings we walk past each week on our way to get some coffee at the Sheraton.

I went down to “H” Bay this morning, located right next to Keauhou Bay. The little hidden Hawaiian village we recently discovered down there when they cleared out the foliage a few months ago is ruined..(if you can say that about ruins being ruined.)  The fresh water springs that were carefully constructed with lava rock walls by the ancient Hawaiians were filled in with rocks, coral, sand and debris.

Gone. Only when you have been in a disaster do you truly understand that feeling of  ”GONE”. And not just “Gone, let’s rebuild it again” like we did in the Bay Area. Gone are things that you can’t rebuild. Like the huge tree near that beach we created memories on with our six year old and now that tree is in pieces 50 feet away from the water with coral crushing it.

I am glad it was not my home that was taken from me. But walking around looking at tires hanging from trees and the smell of the rotting debris, fish and coral is something that newspaper pictures just don’t and can not capture. I think about our “island brothers” in Japan and I mourn for them. The folks in Kona are coping by doing the only thing you can do:  start picking up, sweeping, and hauling. The landscape has changed, but you move on. And you have a lot more compassion for those faces in the paper.

Here is the video we took when we walked down to Keauhou Bay the morning after the 12 foot wave hit the beach. We were surprised that the ocean was continuing to surge in and out for a few hours…causing even more damage as the walls and structures were undermined by sand and rocks.

Keauhou Tsunami

Lovin’ some lava-up close and personal

By Julie Z

Mar

8

Last Saturday night, my family and I spent the night in Hilo, as we wanted to spend some time on that side of the island. We ventured past Kalapana about 3 pm on Highway 130 towards the visitor viewing area for the active lava flow. We parked and started walking down the road and came upon three vendors who were offering lava tours. We ended up talking to one tour provider running a company that took tourists directly up to the hot lava from their personal property up on the lava flow. We thought it sounded like fun, but we were not prepared to go, as I was wearing thongs…and then the tour operator, Ed, said, “I’ll give you a pair of shoes to wear…and we have flashlights, water and snacks.”  How could we resist? That and the fact that he was giving us a local rate of only $35? AND he would allow our kids to come, too..where the other providers cut the kids off at age 11. We were IN! Check his tour company, HOT HOT LAVA.com

SO, we hung around for a bit waiting for the sun to set and the lava to really show against the mountain side. We took some pictures of the lava field. VERY barren.

At 6:00, we promptly hopped in our car, followed by 16 other people and drove up a dirt road to the tour operator’s property, where we parked our cars and got an orientation about the trek. Meanwhile, I was treated to a bin of used shoes to sift through to find a pair that fit. Pele was shining down on me and there was a pair of running shoes that fit perfectly..and they gave me a pair of clean socks, too! (all this in a campsite for three guys under some tropical foliage with mangoes being offered to the guests). (you can see the sticks, the shoes and the flashlights in the picture at the top of the page!)

We all picked up a walking stick,…with the ends all burned from prior experience with the lava. That was exciting…to think I would finally spear fresh lava! We turned on our flashlights and headed out across the lava flow.

The first stop was a place where a warped and twisted bed frame lay. The guide, Ed, told us that the site was that of his neighbor…who just lost her house to the lava in NOVEMBER. I thought it had been years by the look of it. Wow. Ed told us that he knows his property will most likely be consumed by the lava at some point in the not-t00-distant-future. That’s a lesson in living in the moment.

We looked up the mountain and it looked like people skiing down hill carrying torches..or ancient marauding marchers coming towards the village to burn it down. What we did not know, was that only a week later, Kilueau would explode in 80 foot towers of lava. Ed DID say he had not seen that much lava breaking out in the time he had been there, so it was a sign that the volcano was about to rupture.

We eagerly bounded across the lava, flashlights waving, towards the lava we saw in the distance. The kids were great..and Ed had a colleague help keep the stragglers from getting lost, while he kept the people up front on their toes with a quick pace. All of a sudden the cool night air shifted to the feeling of a hot afternoon, and we realized heat was coming up from under our feet..and we were still about 100 feet from the fresh lava flow. Finally we were within a few yards of the white hot lava streaming out of the blackened land. Ed gave us some precautions about getting too close and was really great with the kids and offered to take my son down to the lava and let him poke the lava. However, my six year old just did not want to go down there with the heat, BUT I DID!

My husband and I stabbed the fresh lava with the same excitement as planting a flag pole in the top of Everest! It was SUCH AN AWESOME experience! We stood on a knoll near the fresh lava flow and it was like standing on Mt Doom and I felt like Frodo! (had to include a picture of Mt. Doom for reference!)

It had to be at least 130 degrees up there..like opening an oven and leaning in for as long as you could stand it.

I took that moment to thank Pele for her natural artistry and power to create such beauty and awe. I took a moment in reverence and then thought, “Who gets to stand on an active lava field? Me and my family!–WHOHOO!”

We took some video, lots of photos and ooohed and aaahed as fresh breakouts were occurring all around us. We were there for at least 40 minutes and everyone had a chance to stab their sticks…which made me laugh to think,”where did that come from anyway?” Was it from the romantic notion of poking a campfire with a stick? The enthusiasm people showed of not just poking the lava, but throwing branches of trees into the lava to watch it burn made me think of being at college at a bonfire. Very festive, fun and HOT!

Here are some pictures we took:

From Writing About Kona To Teaching Social Media

By Julie Z

Feb

11

What a long and strange trip it has been! I created this blog to share thoughts, adventures, insights and photos about Kona and Keauhou. What it has also turned out to be is a learning laboratory for blogging and being consistent, passionate and creative about what I want to share with the world.

I met Guy Toyama from the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority last Fall and he invited me to be a panelist on what would become the “Social Media Boot Camp for Small Business” tour of the Big Island.  I have had the good fortune to speak in Kealekekua, Hilo and Kona with a knowledgable co-presenter, Laura Kinoshita. (we have another class slated for Feb. 24th in Waimea.) During the “tour”, I have met some very interesting and dedicated small business owners from all over the island in various walks of life. It has been very exciting to show them the social media tools to reach out and tell their story.

I have been able to use my 365 Kona blog as a learning tool to show the attendees how they can create their own blog site and start sharing their passion with others on the web.

“But is anyone actually going to do what we have suggested?” I thought.

Yes!

Today was a very good day, when one of the attendees, Jenn, a friend of mine who owns the Moo Bettah Frozen Fun shop up at the Keauhou Shopping Center, let me know she was able to implement what I taught her yesterday,,,today!

She created a Twitter account, a FourSquare account and got on WordPress.org and created a new blog! Not only did she do all that today, she also created a post about the yogurt she used to make her frozen yogurt and she incorporated my suggestions of taking pictures of her products and showcasing them on her Facebook business page. In just one day, she was able to expand her marketing reach onto the social web. Yes, I am so proud of her, that I had to write a blog post about it!

To say I am a raving fan of Jenn and her shave ice, ice cream, frozen yogurt and AWESOME customer service is an understatement. This is what fans do, they tell other people. I hope that more of my “students” are able to find the uniqueness about their small Hawaiian business and make it shine on the web. You may see more featured here!

Aloha Moment

By Julie Z

Jan

25

“The aerial artistry of the universe” is how I think about the beautiful sunsets we have here in Kona/Keauhou. Wanted to share.

The VERY Long Road to Makalewena

By Julie Z

Jan

24

Makalewena is a beach accessible only by a four wheel drive vehicle down a crazy bumpy road between Kona and Kohala on the other side of the cinder cone from Kua Bay.

My husband and I decided to go to this beach about four months ago because we had heard it was one of the most beautiful beaches on the Big Island. (In fact, according the Big Island Revealed, one of the most beautiful beaches in the entire Hawaiian Islands). Why wouldn’t you want to find a beach with that kind of reputation!?

SO, the FIRST time we tried to step foot on this magical beach, we followed the “Big Island Revealed” map and got down the crazy unpaved road in our mini-van. We then proceeded to turn left on a walking path instead of right and walked for a mile looking for sand while surrounded by lava. (the picture with the black and white rocks was the closest thing we found to a beach)

We found some local camper dudes and they asked us what a nice little family of four was doing out wandering around near the north end of the airport. We told them we were trying to find Makalewena..they then told us we were at least a mile from the road we needed to take to walk another mile to get to the beach. UGH! Then they told us to hurry back to the road before we got locked in from the highway at 7 pm.  First strike.

We started asking around to our friends about the fabled beach and everyone again said it was beautiful and a must see. It was at this point we decided we needed to buy a four wheeled truck in order to get to places on this island like Maks, as they call the fairy-tale beach. SO, after a month or so, we purchased a truck in Hilo and believed we were on way to beach nirvana. Then my husband decided he needed to fix it up…a little…new shocks, new seat covers, new stereo, new upholstery, and steering wheel, too.  Looks great, sounds great, let’s go to Maks!

We grabbed a friend and her child and bounced along the road to the path that takes you to the beach. So, we get out, and excitedly walk down the lava path and found ourselves on a bowl shaped beach with grainy sand and lots of shade trees. I liked it! It WAS beautiful and it had an interesting abandoned homestead and some fresh water ponds, too. Mission accomplished! Or so we thought. Strike 2.

I wrote about the beach and posted pics to my Facebook 365 Kona blog saying how pretty it was and a great place to visit. And then someone posted the most shocking comment I have ever seen on any of my blogs: “Pretty, but that isn’t Maks”. WHAT!? My stomach curled at the thought that I did not even know what beach I had been to and worse..that we still had not stepped foot on the mystical beach of our dreams.

We pulled out Google Maps and did some aerial viewing of the area. Sure enough, we had been on the Kona Coast State Park beach. It was another half mile walk across the lava to get to Makalewena!

SO, we had some friends from the Bay Area visiting recently and we told them about this crazy search for this beach. They laughed and said they would not mind seeing the Kona Coast State Park beach. We loaded them and their two children and our kids in our trusty dusty Toyota and headed to the beach. We showed them the long path across the lava to the magical beach. They decided to go for it. We were elated!  We walked in thongs a half mile across the rock/lava path and finally saw a SAND DUNE in the distance. Walking quicker, we all felt the pull of discovery. I ended up RUNNING towards this oasis to finally say “I GOT THERE”!

I passed under the sign-THIS TIME I KNEW WHERE I WAS!

I was actually surprised to be climbing up sand dunes after just coming off a lava field..and then..I saw it…the beach. Sadly, the beach had been attacked by some giant storm waves and was probably half of its normal grandeur, but it was FANTASTIC to finally be there! I am sure if it was sunny, if we could actually go in the water, and there were not rocks all over the beach, that it truly would be the heaven I had painted it to be. I will have to go back in a few months when the sand finds it way back to where it belongs and I will share pictures and another story with you all…because…we have heard there is an even CRAZIER road from the highway that takes you to the north end of this beach where you can picnic and enjoy..I will be waiting for that day!

Reverence to Pele

By Julie Z

Dec

30

We went up to Mauna Kea the day after Christmas to get a chance to be a little chilly, don a jacket and get a “feel” for the season. What we found there, was beauty, and the vast openness of land. We also discovered an offering alter to Pele at the base of the mighty Mauna Kea. A place to give reverence and respect to the people, the heritage and to the grande dame of the volcano herself.