Maui Wowie

I’m just back from Maui and totally inspired by everything we encountered. I turned it all off (okay, except some mad pinning) and took it back to basics. And by basics, I mean makeupless in Seattle, a book a day, copious loaves of homemade banana bread from roadside stands, wind in my hair, the whole nine. There’s maybe nothing more bo-ring than looking at folks’ vacation pictures so I’ll keep it just to the highlights?

This was our view from lunch at Mama’s Fish House- not too shabby! I am really just a vino girl, but I couldn’t resist bringing back a few vintage tropical cocktail ideas from the menu- how rad are these? They could totally work for any Charleston wedding as we’re sub-tropical and authentically beachy ourselves . . .
Mai Tai Roa Ae-Trader Vic Bergazon-1944
Light and dark rums, fruit liqueurs, almond-orange-rose Orgeat flavoring and island fruit juices. Mai Tai Roa Ae is Tahitian for “The Best”.
Scorpion-Don the Beachcomber
A potent mix of four light and dark rums. Velvet Falernum flavoring and island fruit juices topped with 151 rum.
Relaxer-Mama’s Fish House-1975
A creamy blend of coconut, cacao liqueur, pineapple and vodka.

I had their Paniolo Lemonade: Jack Daniels Honey, Maui Meyer Lemon, and Liliko’i (Passionfruit purée) . . . yum.

We already had a few coral-and-grass green wedding palettes this past year that I loved, but this rainbow eucalyptus tree reminded me how mocha could update that palette; plus, how cool is God? Love that some local yokel painted and put up that Willy Wonka quote, like, on the tree. Wacky.

Our friend and former bride Eva honeymooned in Maui and gave me a killer list of things to do, including hitting up this beautiful Alii Kula lavender farm. That cute purple fencing zigzagged all over the massive property and the air was filled with the scent of hundreds of different varieties of lavender- one of our favorite herbs to toss post-wedding.

Leave it to me to find a goat farm in Maui. I already acquired the nickname Caaaaaa-lllder (insert goaty sound) from my time in Paris, where all I’d eat was fried goat cheese salads from the corner brasserie. Because really, what’s life without cheese? Surfing Goat was the ultimate find . . . tiny little goats running around, for sale at $80, fyi. Vintage surfboards cut in half and lining miles of picket fence. Goat cheese and feta flights, with wine of course.

Cheesy sunset? Check. We’d just been cliff-jumping at the Oheo Gulch on the Hana Highway and were  barreling back toward Lahaina on the hilliest should-be-single-lane road ever. We pulled over on this cliff to watch and listen to a pod of whales lazily drifting about the Pacific, plus caught this ridiculous coral sunset. Favorite moment!

K, so random, but my trip treat was this gold-dipped druzy ring by Hula Hoops (cute name) that totally rocks, pun intended. I’m in a gold phase that just won’t quit.

Are you yawning yet? I’m done!

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