August: Going Steady Cake

August’s Cake of the Month is really a cake from June and the truth is, I was feeling too blue about Dan & Lisa leaving the Big Island to write this post. In Heartburn, Nora Ephron wrote about how when you are part of a couple, you date other couples until you find a pair you want to go steady with, and then you do everything together. She describes a foursome that go to great lengths and long adventures to find great food and happy moments together. 

Dan, Lisa, Eric and I cooked pizzas, drank fancy chartreuse cocktails, went on long hikes, paddleboarded, sewed, hot tubbed and went hunting wild turkeys. We spent entire afternoons at our favorite black sand beach. We had very boozy all day long Thanksgiving dinners and Easter brunches. We waited three hours in a parking lot icy Waimea to get Jack Johnson tickets. We went steady with Dan and Lisa. 

Their last party was celebrating everything- their engagement, Lisa’s Birthday, selling all their stuff, and their precious time in Hawaii. It surprised me how sad I felt to see them go. After all, we'd only really known each other two years. But these two charming people are so crazy in love with each other, and with life itself, that knowing them makes you feel more in love with the world you live in too. I was sad to lose them as a daily part of our lives- where you don't have to tidy up or change out of your sweatpants before they come over. You can root around in their fridge, and they can root around in yours. You know each other's secrets and complaints, pet peeves and favorites and your text history is pages and pages long.  

Anyway, I wanted to tell them all of this but knew I would cry, so I decided to bake a really beautiful cake instead. I spent a few days on an almond cake, in a very classic wedding style. It was a rich yellow cake with  a light almond flavor, whipped cream, raspberry filling, loaded up with rich fluffy buttercream and the sides coated with more toasted almond slices. I put two little yellow birds on top and cradled it in my lap on the bumpy south Kona road and through the leafy greens of the coffee farms up to their sweet little cottage in the woods.

All their friends came out to say farewell and everyone brought something delicious to share. Lisa outdid herself (as usual) with braised ribs and bruschetta and stuffed mushrooms and Dan built a big bon fire in the backyard, and his friend who runs the Kava farm brewed Kava and served it in hollowed out coconut shells and we all relaxed and talked and ate and celebrated all the many ways you can love other people. And then they cut the cake, and I made them feed little pieces to each other, and they were embarrassed, but they did it anyway, and then everyone had a slice and a glass of champagne and toasted these two people who so obviously belong together and are so well loved by anyone and everyone who knows them.  And I didn’t cry, my eyes just got a little watery, because of love, love, love.

Stay Like a Local on the Big Island of Hawaii: Massage and Yoga with Yuki Agoot

Yuki teaches yoga and offers massage services at her beautiful studio in Kailua Kona on The Big Island.

In Shenzhen, there was a culture of massage for health, and it was so affordable that I adopted a monthly massage habit. To keep it affordable when I came back stateside, I started frequenting massage schools, where you can usually get an hour long student massage for around $40.

Then, a friend introduced me to the lovely Yuki Agoot, who was running a special promotion for teachers. I had never had a regular masseuse before, and it completely transformed the experience for me. Suddenly, my massage experience was consistent and I knew what to expect during each visit. Yuki took the time to ask about my body, what areas needed work and what my stress level was like. Her expertise became obvious to me when I arrived with a lingering cold and she gave special attention to releasing muscles around my shoulder blades, lungs and throat that completely cleared my lymphatic system. I could actually feel the drainage happening and could breathe freely for the first time in weeks.

Yuki's massage methods are also informed by her interest in yoga, which made me curious to try her alignment yoga classes. Listening to her describe mountain pose deepened my understanding of a simple standing posture that I thought I "knew" already. She brought our attention to the four different points of the foot, and encouraged us to balance our weight across each of those points equally while imagining becoming one with the earth beneath you. Try it and see what it does for your awareness and presence in this moment.

Yuki has been my masseuse for over two years now, but more than that, she has come to be a kind of spiritual mentor. She is a living, breathing example of a grounded, centered, open hearted human who gives something back to the world around her.

If you live on Big Island, or are here for vacation, go see her. Her studio is located near Costco above Ceviche Dave's. Inside, there are beautiful dark hardwood floors and a sweeping view of the ocean. Pilates machines and balance balls line the walls. Her private massage space is softly lit, with massage certificates in bamboo frames on one wall, and full color anatomy illustrations on the other. Yuki asks how your body is, and you have a chance to talk about what you would like from the experience. She slips out so you can undress and get on the fancy electric table, which she adjusts depending on what part of your body she is working on. The music is soft and thougtful- never cheesy, just soothing. Yuki's massage is thorough with special attention to tense areas that resist movement. I usually drift in and out, and when it's time to get off the table, I arise feeling revived for whatever is next in my life.

Thanks for all the help staying in the moment,Yuki. Namaste!

Eat Like a Local on the Big Island of Hawaii: Buns in the Sun Bakery

If you are looking for a bakery to knock your socks off with extraordinary espresso and flaky, melt in your mouth, lighter than air pastries, keep looking (and let me know where in Kona you found it!) If you are looking for a quick, inexpensive breakfast in Kona, stop in at Buns in the Sun. This little family owned place is convenient, reasonably priced, and has a name that makes me think of sunburned tourist butts, which is always good for a smile. The bagels are solidly good, though the pastries always look a little heavy and greasy. (It's not easy keeping things light in this salty sea air!)

When we go, I like the Super Bagel, loaded with lox, capers, cream cheese and red onions. It's just the right amount of food and the salty twang of the capers is perfect with the sweetness of the lox and the fluffy cream cheese.

Sit outside on the heavy wrought iron furniture, sip a little weak Kona Coffee and plan out your day in Paradise. Your breakfast was less than $8, the service was cheery and you've got a beautiful day ahead of you!

Yep, I'm another Tourist in Love with New York City.

New York City. Craning your neck to catch a glimpse of the Chrysler Building glittering in the sun. Bagels beaded with poppy seeds. The blast of cool air that sends your skirt hem skywards as you head into the subway. Even the peeling paint and rats seem romantic; so perfectly filthily punk rock. There is a dashingly handsome fellow with a flat top haircut, houndstooth coat, chambray shirt, perfectly folded pocket square and a pretty little paper corsage in his buttonhole. The air heavy with the smell of salty meat and garlic wafting off the grills of the kebaab vendors. 

The first time I visited New York, I felt intimidated. I'd heard that New Yorkers were rude and exasperated with tourists. It all felt so huge, I couldn't help but get lost and feel overwhelmed. On my second visit however, I had been in Uganda and Kenya for half a year, and New York felt so utterly and inconceivably American. (Remember the roller rink?) Instead of feeling overwhelming, it immediately felt like a summation of all our ideals as a nation, good and bad. I relaxed and felt at home. And this time, the city felt like an explosion of creative energy, filled with a vibrancy, a zest for life that didn't feel rude or aggressive at all, just joyous. 

What travel really reveals is simply your inner state of mind. If you feel defensive, nervous and shy, all these feelings will be confirmed. If you feel open and enthusiastic, the place you are visiting will rise up to meet you with those same qualities. This is a lesson I am learning over and over; how to cultivate an inner state that allows room for surprise, connection, adventure and freedom. 

 I had fun hopping on the Staten Island Ferry, which is totally free and buzzes right past the Statue of Liberty! I munched on some popcorn and watched the boats, birds and waves. 

Later, I splurged on a Turf Lobster Roll near the Highline from two charming dudes in a vintage airstream. They chatted with me about renovating this trailer, which was gutted and driven to New York from Arizona as an empty hull. They also suggested I check out Jalopy for an evening of folk music. (It was even more charming in person.) 

 I sat there savoring the joys of lobster, mayo and cayenne pepper on a toasty bun, basking in the afternoon light and feeling elated by the idea that everyone's journey is a winding one. There is no hurrying the lessons your life is teaching you.

Later I wandered off the hot dusty street, up the mountain of stairs up to the cool, soaring, marbled elegance of the Metropolitain Museum of Art. I took a winding path past Joan of Arc and through the Italian Renaissance, an elevator rides and then a furtive set of stairs up to the panoramic view of the city from the Met's rooftop bar. It all felt wonderfully secret (rather like in The Mixed up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankenweiler)  until I saw the massive line for beer and wine. I enjoyed a drink with my friend Gwen. (Can you believe two girls from The Big Island of Hawaii just happened to be in the same city during the same week?)

As the sun went down and they hustled us all back onto the elevators, and out into the cool night air, I had to admit, I'm another tourist who has fallen hard for New York City. 

Leaving on a Jet Plane

Source: lajewelryplaza.com via Becky on Pinterest

Leaving our little Big Island is quite an endeavor. I'm in the midst of flying to Eugene, twelve hours in and six more still to go. I've just slept in an airport for a few hours. (Eric always checks out this site before he commits to a long layover at night.) Sleeping in an airport is both an amusing and soul sucking endeavor. Airports in the middle of the night are full of the world's richest hobos. Fancy middle class people coming or going from vacations sprawled across their suitcases, bellies hanging out, snoring with their heads wrenched at the most atrocious angles. No one wakes up feeling rested, that much is certain. If you're unlucky enough to end up on the concrete laminate floor of an airport, it will pull every ounce of body heat from your very marrow. The alternative is to huddle around an outlet, which must be the rich hobo equivalent of a fire in a trashcan. Pray for the airport seating without arm rests so you can at least stretch out.

I also watched a lot of television on my computer, read a little Bill Bryson's Neither Here nor There: Travels in Europe and received lots of compliments on my quirky new airplane earrings, bought via Copious especially for the trip. I might be turning into Ms. Frizzle in my old age.

What do you do to pass the time in airports? I'm certainly glad of a chance to catch up on my blogging!

Arrangement of the Month: May

 

Just under the wire, I thought I'd share my arrangement of the month for May! I made some bouquets for a photoshoot with my talented friend McKenzie- (she'll create beautiful vacation, wedding or honeymoon photos if you're planning a visit to the Big Island!). I wanted some fresh photos for Becky Kazana that showcase my wedding cake toppers in beautiful Hawaii and with a bride and groom to add a little context and pizazz.

Staging a little mini wedding with Eric was a blast- I can't wait to share the photos with you. I made a few sets of bouquets and bouttonieres in case they wilted quickly in the hot Hawaiian sun. I just used flowers and greenery from around my condo- bouganvailia is everywhere here as well as astilbe and lots of pretty feathery ferns and greens like those cool palm tree tendrils.

I worked outside so that I wouldn't bring all sorts of creepy crawlies inside with me and just swept my leaf mess into the bushes when I was done. I kept the bouquets & bouts at room temperature in glasses of water, and they looked great the morning of the shoot. My favorite part is that I had gorgeous lush flowers for my shoot that didn't cost me a penny.

What's blooming where you live?

Jack Johnson's Kokua Concert on The Big Island

Photo via Waikiki  Visitor by Emmet Malloy

Last night we enjoyed a rare treat on the Big Island; an first class concert. Each year Jack Johnson puts on a concert & tour to raise money for his Kokua Hawaii foundation, which is dedicated to educating kids about environmental stewardship. 

It was a long three hour wait in a hot parking lot to get those tickets, a long drive, a cold wait to get in the doors and a late night getting home and to bed last night, but it was all worth it. My body was tired, but my spirit was bathed clean in the calm, quiet beauty of these simple, thoughtful songs. They have that casual, sung round the campfire feeling that I love. It made me realize how much I miss having live music in my life, and that like so many other things this island has forced me to learn, I need to start doing more of it myself. 

It was pretty special to see an intimate performance from a guy who can sell out stadiums, and support a great cause at the same time. He was very modest and obviously quite practiced at deflecting waves of sexual tension from a very enamored female audience. What I've loved most about his music through the years is the way he writes about being in love with his wife of more than 18 years, and how strong it still seems to be. 

This song was a new one to me, and before he played it, he described a trip he and his wife took in a V.W Bus through the South of France when they were first married. I couldn't help feeling that it told a little of my story with Eric as I listened. 

Buy it here: What You Thought You Need

I can't give you everything you want
But I could give you what you thought you need.
A map to keep beneath your seat, you've been to me in time I'll get you there.
I fold it up so we don't find our way back soon, nobody knows we're here.

We can park the van and walk to town
Find the cheapest bottle of wine that we could find
And talk about the road behind how getting lost is not a waste of time.

The water moor will take us home in the moment we will sing as the forest sleeps.

Well it's all for the sake of arriving with you
Well it's all .. for the sake of arriving with you

Well, I will make the table into a bed
The candle is burning down its time to rest.
I can't take back things already gone, but I could give you promises for keeps.

And I would only take them back if they become your own and you give them to me .

And it's all for the sake of arriving with you.
Well it's all for the sake of arriving with you.

We could make this into anything
We could make this into more than words we speak.
This could make us into anything
It could make us grow and become what we'll be.

Mmmmmm...
How and we really know
It's just like it feels.

Eat Like a Local on the Big Island of Hawaii: Sam Choy's

Sam Choy's re-opened with great hubbub here in Kona. It is hard to find parking and the place is packed constantly. For a little town like ours, a new restaurant is big news. Eric and I have tried Sam Choy's twice, once for lunch and more recently for breakfast. It has sublime views of the ocean- it's hard to believe this building used to be a Wendy's! 

The patio is the place to be, especially now that they've added an awning for shade. From here you can watch for whales and sneak a peak at their herb garden. This restaurant is committed to using sustainable local ingredients and we had fun watching a sous chef hacking off an armload of chives for the kitchen.

The breakfast menu is small, but there are some delicious local options. I went with the catch of the day, which happened to be Opah. If I were really local, I would have gone with rice instead of potatoes. The onions in the hash had not been cooked nearly long enough for my liking, but the fish was excellent, firm and light, as was the guava jam for my toast. For an $11 breakfast, I'd say we did all right. 

The other refreshing thing about Sam Choy's is the friendly service, which I'm sorry to say is often sadly lacking in Kona area restaurants. Too many waitresses and tourists busy jading each other perhaps? Not so at Sam's. Our waitress was a gem, keeping our coffee filled and conversation flowing.  We'll be back at Sam's for a little fresh fish and talk story very soon. 

Pau: Eat Like a Local on the Big Island of Hawaii

Living in Kona means getting stuck in restaurant ruts- the options get exhausted quickly and we find ourselves cooking in constantly because we can do it better (and cheaper!) at home ourselves. We found ourselves in Waimea for the afternoon recently and had fun checking out Pau, a charming new lunch spot.

Waimea is about 45 minutes from where we live, which keeps us from popping over as much as we should. I've resolved to do more exploring there. You can hardly believe you are still in Hawaii when you visit the lush green mountains that feel more like Ireland. It rains often and low hanging fog creates a haunting atmosphere as you drive by red barns and horses munching in tall grasses dotted with wildflowers.

At Pau, the specialty is pizza, but we enjoyed a simple chicken sandwich and salad with crispy candied walnuts, sliced apples and blue cheese, all locally sourced. The sandwich was moist and the house made foccacia was perfectly light and toasty. I loved the relaxed but polished atmosphere and the food was well made and reasonably priced.

The coconut cream pie had been sitting in the cooler a bit too long- the crust not really as crisp as it could have been, and the filling not as richly coconut-y as one might hope, but all told, I would absolutely recommend a stop to this little neighborhood haunt.

What do you look for in a perfect lunch out?

Halape in Volcano National Park: Stay Like a Local on the Big Island of Hawai'i

Camping is a past time I am reluctant about. My grandparents in Minnesota are enthusiastic campers who plan extended trips into the pristine Boundary Waters as precisely as any military invasion with detailed menu plans, and sleeping bags rolled down to the size of canned cinnamon buns. They have often waxed rhapsodic about it's joys: The Fresh Air! The Crystal Clear Waters! The Wildlife! The Birds Singing! All of these charms are undeniable. Nothing puts you in a position to appreciate nature like pitching a tent.

Our friends Dan and Lisa are campers of a more relaxed variety and have invited us to join them on more than one occasion for what Lisa calls "Car Camping" which means you simply drive up to the campsite and start drinking and toasting s'mores. While I appreciate the simplicity of this approach, I usually prefer to just get back in my car and sleep in my nice soft bed. We said no many times.

For Spring Break, Lisa proposed a trip down to Halape in Volcano National Park. Here was my chance to try camping for real, in a place without cold, snakes, bears or mosquitoes. I liked the idea of hiking in with provisions on your back to see a place untrammeled by man- like an oasis in the desert. Here was a place I couldn't go or see without camping- it was simply too far and too remote. That appealed to me. We said yes at last.

I borrowed gear from Kristin, bought what she didn't have at a sporting goods store (camping equipment is expensive!) and filled two packs with things I would never normally purchase: bug spray, tuna fish in a pouch, trail mix, water purification tablets and instant coffee.

It seems to me that great food and camping don't mix. You have to rely on things that are dehydrated or canned and can be warmed over an open flame. I confess, there is part of me that enjoys the fantasy of cooking like a cowboy. I just don't enjoy being plunged into the reality of eating like one.

On the appointed day, Eric had come down with the flu. He didn't want to cancel after all the preparations and excitement, so we dosed him with Dayquil and left the house at 4:30a.m to pick up our friends. The idea was to arrive at the permit office first thing. We drove the dark, winding roads with the two round eyes of the Jeep lighting the way, sipping coffee and fantasizing about transforming ourselves into wilderness warriors in a single weekend.

It's a 7.5 mile hike, down from mountain to sea level. In my mind 7.5 miles was totally doable, but I was picturing 7.5 miles of paved trail. Instead, it was 7.5 miles of untamed lava rock in the baking midday sun, the way marked by pyramids of black rocks called kearns. I don't know how Eric managed it in his feverish state. Dan's hiking boots started to peel apart in the heat and we resorted to keeping them together with the elastic from Lisa's sleeping roll. It was exhausting.

After a hard day of hiking with a massive pack of provisions on your back, and blisters on each and every toe, what you most need and want is a long hot bath and a nice soft bed. Neither one are options when camping. Instead, you unfurl a little mat across the rocky ground and collapse beneath a stifling sleeping bag for a night of fitful, dreamless sleep. (Has anyone else noticed that tents are either way too hot or way too cold?)

In the morning though, I was struck by the sublime beauty of the place we found ourselves. It was shockingly quiet- the only sound the wind whipping through the scrubby plants and palm leaves. The whole place felt full of that holy silence that our convenient, modern lives leave no room for. I felt as if we were on a deserted island as we all lay reading quietly. I wondered how that kind of sustained quiet could transform your life.

The next day, we hiked out again. Of course, going up the mountain is more difficult than coming down it and we were all pushed to our limit once again. We stopped for lunch at Hana Hou on the way home and I've never been so happy to see a loco moco in my life. I guess that is another plus for camping- the way it makes you appreciate how easy you have it the rest of the time.

Camping will probably never be something I suggest on my own. However, when people we love offer to take us on an excursion into the wilderness, I'll find it hard to say no to the adventure of the thing.

P.S) This sarong was unquestionably the best item I brought along on the trip. It served as a beach cover up, towel, sun-shield, shawl, scarf and turban. Next time I'd bring less clothes thanks to this little piece of fabric. Are you a camper? What are your must haves on the trail?

Eat Like a Local on the Big Island of Hawaii: Hawaiian Vanilla Company

Eric's parents were here on the Big Island to help us celebrate the big 3-0 this year and I knew I wanted to plan a special outing. I'd heard great things about The Hawaiian Vanilla Company, so I booked a reservation for their afternoon luncheon and tour.

Our afternoon began with a vanilla themed lunch. Iced tea and lemonade were generously laced with teeny tiny black specs of real vanilla seeds and served in mason jars for a homey touch.

Next up was a chicken sandwich with a vanilla seed bun, barbeque aioli made with cayenne, paprika, curry and you guessed it: vanilla! The chicken was incredibly tender and juicy and the homemade bread was still warm from the oven.

What dessert showcases real vanilla better than ice cream? It was topped with a delicious lilikoi sauce, and the tartness of the lilikoi flavor was in perfect contrast to the cool, creamy, sweetness of the ice cream. Can you see the vanilla seeds?

After lunch, we toured the farm to learn about the time consuming art of growing real vanilla. Vanilla comes from an orchid- the only orchid species in the world that produces a usable fruit. It takes four years for a plant to produce pods, and the process is slow and labor intensive. Each flower must be hand pollinated during a one week blooming season, which goes a long way towards explaining why real vanilla beans are so expensive. This plant is just a baby at only two years old. It will creep slowly up these poles and begin to create its first blooms in two more years.

Our tour was brief due to rain, but we enjoyed learning more about this exotic plant, first discovered by the Mayans and cultivated continuously ever since. (Chocolate AND Vanilla? Those guys had some precious knowledge, wouldn't you say?) It was a great way to celebrate Eric's birthday, (he has a secret fascination with spices and farms!) and if you are paying a visit to the Big Island of Hawaii, I would highly recommend this for an afternoon adventure in the rural mountain country of our island.

Have you ever tried a culinary tour before? I can't wait to do it again.

Movie Review: The Descendants

Have you seen The Descendants yet? I've been waiting ages for it to come out here on The Big Island, and I've just seen it for a second time- it was that beautiful. Director Alexander Payne is one of my favorite film makers. I remember watching Sideways at a little arts theater when I lived in Chicago and being overwhelmed by the simplicity and truth of what was on the screen. I felt that hum of recognition inside my body- a part of me knew exactly the loneliness, humor and absurdity flickering across the screen. I sought out all his movies afterwards, and have yet to be disappointed by one.

What I continue to return to are the details in his films that make them feel so authentic. The actors aren't perfectly coiffed and made up. They are people, real people, with real faces and not too much makeup. Their clothes are rumpled, faded and pilled from a thousand washings. Their houses look lived in and full of odd objects, paperwork, clutter, and mismatched towels, just like real homes are. (I wonder if the homes are scouted instead of set pieces. It seems like a touch Mr. Payne might approve of, given his penchant for working with non-actors. ) In an age where movies are two hour long lifestyle advertisements and magazines are filled with Hollywood set and costume designers' finds, it's refreshing to see a film that uses every available inch of screen to tell the story at hand, without editorializing, creating a veneer or relentlessly selling products.

The authenticity in this movie in particular meant a great deal to me, because I often struggle to articulate to friends on the mainland what it is like to live here in Hawaii. It isn't at all what I expected when I came here. There is a softness here- the climate of course, and even the air and gentle breezes. But there is also a beautiful softness to life, an openness and willingness to slow down and use time to be kind and friendly with each other. "No worries" is one of the most common expressions you hear Hawaiians say. Although the characters in this film are struggling to find that same openness within themselves and towards one another, the environment around them exudes it.

Another fact of life in Hawaii is the varied, surprising and constantly evolving blend of cultures and influences. There are Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Hawaiian and American cultures all interacting and constantly being reconfigured in a way that is complex, sometimes tense, but more than anything, just truly special. I've never lived anywhere where I felt so moved by the way the culture is being both preserved and lived in at the same time. And I've never lived somewhere where I felt so much that the culture does not belong to me.

There is the isolation that one can feel here, especially as a haole, or white person, without the sense of stewardship and belonging that others have for this beautiful place. (Certainly, that is one of the themes of the movie as well.) Because of their isolation, these islands seem to demand self confrontation and growth. If you can't tolerate yourself, you have no choice but to suffer, run away or grow.

After watching, I also felt strongly that movies like this one, which attempt to describe life as it actually is, instead of some id crazed Hollywood exec's idea of what it should be like, (which inexplicably seem to revolve around massive orange and black explosions, flipping cars and women in scanty lingerie with knives hidden in their stilettos) are the ones I want to see more of. (If you like these movies too, Nicole Holofcener creates similar kinds of stories on film.) I read a few interviews with Mr. Payne and this quote stuck out:

"We don't have movies about ourselves, and we don't have a national film culture. It shouldn't be an epic aspiration to make simple human stories, but it is."

And isn't that a shame? Our simple human stories are worth telling, and they echo through my daily life so much more deeply than any Michael Bay flick.

Have you seen any great movies lately? What should I watch next?

Eat Like a Local on the Big Island of Hawaii: Da Poke Shack, Number One for a Reason.

Da Poke Shack is Kona's Number One rated restaurant on Trip Advisor. Maybe that's why we waited so long to walk through the doors. It's like the Beatles, or Snuggies, or Harry Potter. It's so popular, you feel like you can't join in at this point without feeling dumb. That wagon is crowded enough without you.

And then when you do join, you wonder what the hell took you so long. Because the wagon is crowded for a reason. This is good stuff. And it would be a shame to miss it just because everyone else is busy enjoying it.

And so it is with Da Poke Shack. Poke is basically salad made with incredibly fresh raw fish, seaweed, salt and a variety of other seasonings. (If you dig sushi, you're gonna love it.) And these guys know their stuff. They are all fishermen and local guys who love super fresh seafood and know how it should be prepared: quickly, simply, with love and not a lot of fanfare.

We opted for the plate lunch, which anywhere else in Hawaii would mean mac salad (that's macaroni salad for the uninitiated. Overcooked macaroni slathered in mayonaise plopped onto your plate via ice cream scoop. Yuck.) rice and terriyaki chicken or pork. At Da Poke Shack, it means two choices of poke, salad (we chose seaweed) and seasoned rice.

Never tried poke before? Not sure which of the many bowls to choose from? No problem brah. The guys behind the counter lovingly dole out tastes via toothpick, describing what ingredients are in each dish and happily making suggestions. Don't be shy. Take them up on it- their friendly enthusiasm is part of what makes this little hole in the wall place so very special. It's number one for a reason.

Eat Like a Local on the Big Island of Hawaii: Bite Me Fish Market

Bite Me is one of our favorite places in all of Kona. It's tucked away in a far corner of the marina and would be easy to miss. They've made the most of what could have been a dismal location (right next to the shipyard) with an outdoor seating area that emphasizes the view of the charter fishing boats bobbing at the docks and cheery red picnic tables and umbrellas. (If you don't get seasick, deep sea fishing could be a wonderful outing on your visit to Kona. I highly recommend our charming friend Bobby of the Cherry Pit as captain for your trip.)

What makes Bite Me so special is that their seafood is freshly caught that very same day. Their location at the Marina means they get first pick, and you can taste the difference. Eric says that he never really loved seafood until we came to Hawaii, and it makes perfect sense. Fish hat has been frozen for months and ruthlessly over cooked is rubbery and tastes unpleasantly fishy. Something straight from the sea smells like the sea- salty, sweet and faintly green.

Our favorite dish at Bite Me are the $2 fish tacos. They are an amazing bargain and can be ordered ala cart. Two is plenty. Flour tortillas, the fresh catch of the day (the friendly wait staff are happy to rattle off the list for you) seared and crumbled in the bottom, plus cheddar, cabbage, spiced sour cream and home made salsa make these worth stopping for. Wash them down with a local beer from Kona Brewing Company. (I like the Wailua Wheat.)

Editors Note: Since starting this series, I've realized that most of our favorite restaurants are low brow. I've been sadly disappointed with fine dining on Big Island. The quality, price and ambiance just don't align. Eric and I have learned to cook in for special occasions instead. (It presents a really fun challenge actually!) Are your favorite restaurants high or low end?