April 1, 2013, One of my new most favorite places in this world is Kahana Bay in Kaaawa. It’s not for everyone because it’s so far out of the way, and the weather is usually cloudy, rainy, and windy on this side of the island.
Luckily, I live nearby and a little rain and wind doesn’t get me down. Kahana Bay is one of those places that makes me stop and remember how insignificant humans are and how powerful mother nature is. Continue reading
Saturday February 9, 2013 five friends and I went to Vintage Cave Honolulu for an extravagant experience. This covert “man cave” has been all the talk ever since its opening a couple months ago. The allure: an uber fine dining restaurant dreamed up 20 years ago by Japanese real estate investor Takeshi Sekiguchi, a talented risk taking young chef named Christopher Kajioka, a secret location in the basement of Ala Moana Center, $50,000 memberships, and amazing prix fixe menu at a stiff price of $295 per person.
After reading all the obscure articles and blog posts on the Vintage Cave, heading to dinner that night I was extremely excited, nervous, and frankly intimidated. So how was it? I have got to say this place is not for the weary and is meant for the privileged and wealthy. Reservations are mandatory and pre-paying for the $295 prix fixe menu is required. If that doesn’t scare you off then the dark brick decor, low lights, cold air, and multi-million dollar art collection might?
Yes the decor and feel of the “restaurant” (I put restaurant in quotes because I felt like I was in a old French Villa rather than at a restaurant) was dark and intimidating, but the service and staff was far from that. We were all warmly welcomed and had the 10-star treatment by our own personal butler, hostess, beverage manager, and full service staff.
Upon arrival, we had a 10 minute tour of the Vintage Cave’s art collection (which was Sekiguchi’s own private collection), bar/lounge, dining area, and a private room with even more surprises. Here are some photos of the restaurant (even the restroom).
Now let’s talk food. This dinner was like no other I had ever experienced and to me it was more like a show than dining. To say Chef Kajioka is creative would be a huge understatement. I can see why critics call him crazy and risky. The four courses totaling 24 offerings were delicious melodies of world class ingredients with off the wall presentations and was really just a cluster fuck of genius.
Some of my favorites through out this elaborate 4 1/2 hour dinner was the Vanilla Bean Macaron Caviar, Russian Uni Ham Filled Black Truffle, Kona Abalone Nori Mushroom, and a plate of Petits Fours that blew my mind. Even though the portions are small, by the end of the meal all 6 of us were full and satisfied. I really loved the plays on the sweet and savory food in one dish.
The wine and alcohol at Vintage Cave was stellar. For example their vodka choices ranged from typical Grey Goose to Tito’s Texas, to Czechoslovakian. The wine list was also equally impressive, and you could get really great wines by the glass. I have to praise them for bypassing Young’s Market and bringing in custom orders of hand picked liquor.
Overall, I really liked Vintage Cave and would go back. This dining experience is NOT for everyone and can only be appreciated by those with open minds and fat wallets. In my opinion, it’s not going out to dinner, but participating in a fine art show and culinary adventure. I would love to get into the brain of Chef Kajioka and see what he was thinking when he created some of these dishes! Take a look at photos of all the food we tried that night…
I have a love-hate relationship with Los Angeles, California. I love to visit L.A. because there is so much to do, the food is amazing, there is gorgeous sunny weather, beautiful beaches, great shopping, but I hate L.A. because everything is very expensive, there is always crazy traffic, and most of the people who live there dress like they’re being followed by the paparazzi.
I spent a lot of time in the car sitting in bumper to bumper traffic on the enormous freeways, and it cracks me up to see that everyone who lives here either drives a Ferrari, Bentley, or a Prius.
Despite my complaints, I had a fabulous weekend in L.A. and got to catch up with some old friends. Here are highlights of my weekend and places that are worth checking out the next time you’re in Hollywood…
In the summertime North Shore can be quiet and boring without surf, but there are still many things to do on such as swimming, diving, motorbiking, or just plain relaxing on the beach. I was at Waimea Bay the other day enjoying the crystal clear water and warm sunshine. I forgot how beautiful the bay is in the summer. At Waimea Bay there is cool spot local kids and tourists alike enjoy called Jump Rock on the far side of the bay.Jump Rock is approximately 25 feet high at the highest jumping spot and can bring hours of jumping and viewing entertainment. The top of the rock is filled with young high school kids and adolescents there to jump and socialize. I had not done this jump in over 10 years and remember spending hours here in the summer amongst the crowd of people jumping multiple times.
Since its been so long since I had jumped I thought it would be fun to try it once again. My sister Marissa and I climbed up the rock that afternoon to give it a try. From the beach the jump looks pretty small, but once at the top, looking down, with eyes staring at you I must admit I got a few butterflies in my tummy. Nevertheless, we both jumped and lived to tell the tale! If you are ever in Waimea Bay during the flat summer months, a quick jump off Jump Rock will bring you back to your carefree childhood days.
Posted in Around Town, Off the Beaten Path
Less than 10 minutes from my house is one of the 5 Honolulu Botanical Gardens, Ho’omaluhia Botanical Gardens located at 45-680 Luluku Road in Kaneohe. This is a 400 acre garden that has rainforest trees and shrubs from the tropics of the world.
Taryn at the lake at the Gardens
Ho’omaluhia means to “make a place of peace and tranquility.” The Gardens are open to the public for picnic areas, walking trails, weekend campsites, meeting rooms, and an art gallery. There is also a 32 acre lake (no swimming) where wildlife live and visitors can do catch-and-release fishing.
This Garden is an enormous hidden gem in the middle of Kaneohe with the majestic Ko’olau mountains in the back and acres to explore. Ho’omaluhia is a perfect place for children to run around and enjoy the scenery and activities or for families to enjoy a private picnic. All large trees, shrubs, and plants are labeled with their names for educational purposes.
The Garden is open daily from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm except for Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Free guided garden tours for the general public are Saturdays at 10:00 and Sundays at 1:00 pm. Camping is available from 9:00 am Friday thru 4:00 pm Monday and a permit and reservation is required. Catch-and-release fishing is open weekends from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. Dogs and alcohol are prohibited in the Garden. For more information call (808) 233-7323 or visit the Hononlulu.gov website online.
Posted in Around Town, Off the Beaten Path
