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?

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.

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.

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!)


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

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:

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.

Mele Kalikimaka Means “Merry Christmas” Island Style

By Julie Z

Dec

25

Merry Christmas! Although it’s currently 78 degrees in my house right now, and 80 degrees outside, we got a true taste of our old life with the wild weather we had last night! The lightning, thunder and driving rain reminded us of spending Christmas with my mom on the Oregon Coast. The good news about Hawaii, however, is that there were no howling winds, sleet, and snow to accompany the showers!

Christmas in Hawaii is truly looking out over the blue ocean, palm trees slightly moving in a light breeze and enjoying the sounds of our children ripping open their presents and the delighted squeals of seeing a “Pillow Pet” or “Sands of Time” Lego set. It’s not the location; it’s the day, it’s the feeling. We are many miles away from all of our friends and family on the mainland, but we are only a phone call away.

We won’t be going down to the beach in our snow jackets like we do in Oregon, we will be taking our jackets up to Mauna Kea to get a familiar blast of cold air and perhaps see a blanket of snow. Then we will head down to the beach in our shorts and count our Hawaiian location blessings!

I am sending out love, light and peaceful energy to all and a wish to you for a beautiful holiday season. Mele Kalikimaka! (also if you are looking to come to Kona during the next few months, we are now renting the condo next door to ours for only $89 a night-we have openings throughout Jan-April! Details here!

The Dream of Swimming With Dolphins

By Julie Z

Dec

20

In 1998, I was at a conference that featured Marcia Weider, a “Dream Coach“. She asked the audience, “What is your dream? You need to focus on this dream in order for the universe to see what you want in order for it to be manifested.” At this point in my life, I had not read “The Secret” or even heard the word “metaphysical” or “laws of the universe”, etc.  Marcia also said to achieve your dream, you had to trust at a deeper level and therefore take greater risks. (as my Catholic mother would say, “That simply means you need to put your life in God’s hands and trust in Him”.)  Although, I love my mom, I liked how Marcia presented this concept and I had a new way of looking at it.  Marcia talked about seeing your dream in your mind and thinking about what that would look like.

Here is what I “dreamed” :

I have loved dolphins since I was a child and started thinking about swimming with them when a friend of mine went sailing in San Diego and they were riding the waves near the bow of the boat. I started collecting dolphin figurines and artwork. I also started to search to discover where I could swim with these majestic creatures. (Yes, these were in the days before Google and you actually had to ask travel agents and folks who traveled. Technology was not there…yet!)

Fast forward to 2005, when my husband and I decided to move to the Big Island. (talk about taking a great risk in order to get what you want!) I heard from friends that charter boat operators let you swim with dolphins in Kona. So, before we moved, I did a Google search (technology was just waiting for me to arrive) and found Dolphin Journeys. I still was intent on making my dream come true of swimming with the dolphins and I felt I was that much closer now to making the dream a reality.

Oddly enough, (or divinely inspired) I met the owner of Dolphin Journeys, Nancy Sweatt, at a church we were visiting two weeks after we moved to Kona. When I found out that she owned Dolphin Journey’s, I was shocked at my good fortune! I had the feeling of knowing she was there at the moment I needed her to be there. That has turned out to be  a common occurrence on the island!

Nancy invited me to come out and enjoy a boat ride “holo holo” (which means to go out, especially for a ride for leisure, in Hawaiian). So, I went on the boat with Nancy and a great friendship, as well as a deeper understanding of dolphins as both beautiful sea creatures and  how they communicate and sense humans, was born. Nancy invited me to work on the boat for a few months when I first arrived in Hawaii to earn some extra money. “I kept screaming in my head, “OMG! NOT ONLY DO I GET TO SWIM WITH DOLPHINS, SOMEONE IS GOING TO PAY ME TO DO IT!” .  And thus the dream, and a bit more, was realized.

Each time I have been in the water with the pods of Hawaiian Spinner dolphins, which can number in the hundreds, I always feel a sense of gratitude and  sheer joy. I have never had a dolphin come up and touch me or had an intense “spiritual awakening” in their presence, but I know that it has happened and Nancy has many stories of people receiving healing energy from the dolphins, as well. Captain Nancy is going to write a book containing her amazing stories from the years she has spent on the Dolphin TLC some day soon, and I hope to share it with my friends.

I am writing about the experience now, because I had a friend and her family visit us this past week. They chartered Nancy’s boat and invited me and my daughter to come enjoy the day with them. This time was different than all the other times I have ever been in the water with the dolphins. This time I had a camera! Nancy let me borrow her underwater digital camera. Again, technology had to catch up to my dream.

As soon as I got into the water, the first thing I saw was a dolphin heading straight at me. I was a bit flustered, because normally, we swim alongside them. I missed that shot as mommy dolphin veered away from me and I saw her baby following her. I can’t even tell you how beautiful it is to see the baby dolphins, too! I then took off towards a pair of dolphins that were swimming very slowly and took some pictures of them with gratitude still in my heart and a big dose of “YEEHAW” that I had a camera, too!

I took pictures of my friends swimming towards the dolphins, and playing around in the water, as well. What a trip it was as we had dozens of dolphins looping around us.  I kept thinking about the years that had passed since I first visualized my dream of swimming in the blue water with these amazingly playful animals. It might have taken me a bit longer than I thought to achieve the dream, but I needed to learn the deeper knowledge these creatures bring to their human friends. They are truly spiritual beings and if you tap into them at a different level, you know they are communicating with you. Nancy says she can talk to them, and I believe her. Everyday,  I continue to learn more about the energies and vibrations that surround us on this island. That’s when I don’t need to have technology to catch up..I just needed to believe.

Check out the video that Dolphin Journey’s took about a week before we went on the charter..this gives you a pretty quick and good idea of what it’s like to swim with the dolphins!

We Love A Parade-Especially When We Are In It!

By Julie Z

Nov

15

I got to be in my third parade in Kona since July! My family and I joined Nancy Sweatt, owner of Dolphin Journeys, on her float in the Kona Coffee and Cultural Heritage parade on Saturday. We invited our new Kona friends to join us with their children, as well. Getting lined up and ready for our third trip down Alii Drive in downtown was just too fun. Our friends, a family from Atlanta, GA and a family from Temecula, CA all agreed that you just don’t get to jump onto a parade float very often.

The kids were yelling, “ALOOOOOOOHA!” and blowing bubbles to the crowd, while the adults were swinging coffee cups and encouraging the crowd to drink Kona Coffee..(I was also helping my friend Nancy out by telling people to drink Kona coffee AND swim with the dolphins!”) The happy faces from the crowd, the shaka signs and the greetings of Aloha were just so rewarding and memorable. When we were in the 4th of July parade, we used water guns to shoot the crowd..I mean cool them off. Then we switched to bubbles for the IronMan Parade of Nations and decided it was a safe and happy crowd pleaser.

Nancy thinks we were helping her with marketing and outreach by being on the float. We knew we were doing it for the opportunity to be big fish in a little pond…to be those “cool folks” who get to wave and drive by on a parade float with hands waving and grins plastered on our faces. Being on a parade float makes you feel like you truly belong to a town. You get to participate. You get to get your face in the local paper (which is exactly what happened to my daughter for the Ironman parade!) and you get to invite your friends to join you..and then they belong to the town, too.

I wish for everyone to have a chance to participate in a parade-maybe if you are around for the Holiday Parade in December, Nancy can find some space on the float for ya and you can blow bubbles, too!

IronMan Triathletes Bring Out the Aloha Spirit

By Julie Z

Oct

5

I was running yesterday near my home in Keauhou and started being passed by professional cyclists and runners and it occurred to me that they must be training for the Kona IronMan being held here this weekend. So, this morning I drove near downtown Kona and parked my car and started running on the road towards downtown. (I can do three miles, not 26!) I was running amidst some of the best athletes in the world! I even tried to keep up with a group of three seniors who were training, as well. Having my butt whooped by people nearing 60 was humbling. (although, being here for the LavaMan race last month, I have seen seniors that are in amazing shape and have no goal of stopping anytime soon!)

What was cool this morning was a smile. I was running up a hill and a triathlete was running down and we were both in the middle of the shoulder. Since he is a visitor, I made it clear that I would move out of the way for him. He seemed to understand this gesture and gave me the brightest grin I can remember. It felt good to know that I showed the Aloha Spirit that many of my fellow residents show to these athletes and to out of town guests. We feel so lucky to be here that it just comes out in a sense of joy, which then emanates to those around us.

I wish the world could share in this feeling and outpouring of the Aloha Spirit. It is felt everywhere! At the airport when you first arrive, to all the people you meet along the way to your hotel, and even when standing looking at the surfers and people enjoying the ocean. Then it extends to you as you drive and see people watching the scenery instead looking for the break in the road that they can push into. When people need to get into traffic, they are good naturedly waved into the roadway by a shaka and a smile. The smiles are prevalent in the shops and restaurants, too. And how can you NOT smile when you are treated to a sunset every night into the ocean?

When you sit still long enough to just relax, count your blessings that you are here and listen..that’s when you hear the Aloha Spirit, too. Yes, to those who are open to it, you can feel and hear spirit/Pele around you like a warm blanket. I traveled to Kauai last weekend and realized that was not the case on that island! It’s here in Kona, though!

So, as we welcome hundreds of athletes who appreciate and need our well wishes and Aloha Spirit this week, we greet and welcome them with a smile and hope they take some of that Aloha Spirit home with them.

Running Into Me Is a Good Thing!

By Julie Z

Jul

27

Who wants to go to Bubba Gumps?

My offline and online world is starting to merge and it sure makes for some new adventures with the visitors to Kona! The first tourist I ran into, Dawn, has checked in with me a few times via my Facebook Business page and she asked for advice on the ZipLine tours. I helped her decide on the tour company up on the Hamakua Coast. (will tell you more when she checks in with me!)

Then today, my kids and I decided to do something different and we rode the Keauhou/Kona trolley shuttle to downtown. While we were waiting, we started talking to some women visiting from Edmonton, Canada. They said they were going to have lunch at Bubba Gumps. Ok, not to slight the restaurant made famous by Tom Hanks, but I just could not endorse a chain restaurant in Kona. (and thankfully, there are not many!) SO, I launched into my enthusiastic support for restaurants in downtown Kona with direct ocean views, tasty drinks, and reasonably priced menus. They abandoned their plans to go to Bubba’s and got off the shuttle with us and followed us into the Kona Inn!

They had the mai tai’s I suggested and the calamari appetizer, too! Then we all raised our drinks in a toast to Kona and took pictures of one another! I told them about this blog and gave them the url, so it will be fun if they become fans of the Facebook page!

I am writing this also to show that word of mouth is so important. You don’t want to just read what a guide book has to tell you. You want to feel the excitement from someone explaining an amazing experience they had, ask the questions, and like all good travelers know..get the inside scoop. SO, this is not going to just be “101 Things To Do in Kona”..there is already a magazine for that. And this is not going to be “The Big Island Revealed, blog edition”.  I want this to be an interactive experience, as well! If you are coming to Kona or are here and want some feedback on experiences in Kona, please contact me through the Facebook fan page! I check it daily and if you want, you can even send me a direct message through the site, like Dawn has done! I want to be a resource and I appreciate the opportunity to meet new people and create fun blog posts on what YOU are experiencing, too!

A friend of mine from Las Vegas is coming to visit on Wednesday. I hope to share with you what we do together. She is only here for four days, so whatever we do is going to go under the chapter of “Stuffing it all in within four days on the Big Island!”

Kona Sunsets Are a Must Attend Event

By Julie Z

Jul

23

What better way to relax and  breathe out the stress from your day to day life when you purposely sit down to watch a sunset? Kona has MANY places to watch the  sunset and you SHOULD! The volcanic fog in the air creates very colorful and dramatic sunsets here on the Kona side of the island.

We have done the more expensive sunset watching from Jamison’s restaurant, located at White Sands Beach. They have a patio that juts out over the ocean and you are treated to not only the sunset, but a bunch of crazy boogie boarders in the surf right below the dining patio. For a less expensive way to watch them, we take our friends for sunset cocktails to Huggos on the Rocks near downtown Kona. And then for those family sunsets, we simply walk down the golf course in front of our condo, bring a snack picnic and let the kids run around on the green.

This week, we took the kids to White Sands Beach just as the sun was setting and took some GORGEOUS pictures. The restaurant you see in the photo is Jamison’s. We often see the fabled “Green Flash” and all the tourists ooh and aaah…I never get tired of it.

Aloha! Kona Awaits!

By Julie Z

Jul

23

I was standing above the ocean, at the top of a hill, over looking a golf course and a lava field. Then a tourist ran up to me and said, “What are these hills!? Someone told me Alli Drive was flat!” And after talking to her for over an hour about where to run, where to snorkel, where to watch the volcano, if it was safe to run alone, how come there are wild goats on the golf course and when the sun rose, I knew that I had ALOT of knowledge to impart on people who wanted to discover Kona, Keauhou, and the Big Island. And, so this blog will follow my journey for the year that I live here, in finding new places, new deals, and new experiences. These will be intertwined with my experiences and thoughts about what I have learned from living on the Big Island for a year in 2005-06 and coming back for numerous visits in 2007-2008, and now living here until 2011.

I will fill these pages with photography, my hobby, and video clips, my newfound way to truly show what I mean, and lace it together with my natural enthusiasm for showing people things I get excited about living on this island. Join me on a tropical and fun adventure!

Lava + Ocean = Kona