Hawaii Luau: Don't Leave Without Watching

Hawaii is a celebration of good food, dances, and hospitality. In old times, when King and Queen visit the Island, the people of Hawaii welcome them with abundant of food, dances, leis and haku. (Lei is the one that puts in the neck while Haku puts in the head).

As time pass by, these culture struggling to survive. But to keep it alive, Hawaiian still performing the hula dance until now through Luau to commemorate their ancestor's legends, rich history, and culture.

Tourists should never leave the island without watching luau, because in this activity lies the true meaning of Hawaii spirit. Luau is one of the best performing arts in Maui, where they re-enact important events of those times; as history, each dance symbolizes the events on Hawaii.

In this photos show how people lived in Hawaii. Photo below, tourist is trying to make a lei. That is one of the Hawaiian tradition to welcome guest, to put lei to their guests. Many Filipino immigrants are working to make leis for guests in Hawaii. The flowers are so fragrant especially the tuberose, one of my favorite flower in Hawaii. (Not on the photo)

While waiting for my food, drinks, and dances I am mesmerized this eye catching and breathtaking sunset.

Before each dances, the host of the night explain what it symbolized and who were the visitors of King and Queen in those time. 

The Hawaiian history, legends, and cutlture comes alive through Luau. The tourists who leave the island without watching Luau will miss one-fourth of their fare, half of the fun, and will miss their full vacation.

So, next time don't miss watching Luau.

Maui: Sunset Dinner Cruise

Maui is one of the best Island in Hawaii; a perfect venue for marriages, a must-revisit place for honeymooners, and for vacationers.

I unfortunately never feel how beautiful Maui is, and never have a chance to fully appreciate Maui lifestyle. I never feel the mellow lifestyle on the island, for I am so busy with my work and school. Not until I got a chance to have dinner cruise last spring break of this year.

This beautiful island should never be taken for granted, because it has a magical healing when everyone start and experience the beauty of it. The vibrant heat of the sun radiates to the white sand that gives an uplift to the stressed spirit. The deep blue ocean flourished the thirsty and tired spirit. The mixed breeze from the mountain and the sea lifted the soul to dance.

This part of the island, The Whaler's Village, is the gathering place for dinner cruise for west Maui. All five-stars hotels are crowding the shore: Hyatt Hotel, Westin Hotel, and etc.

Ready for island cruise

At Kapalua Ritz Carlton Hotel

The couple revisited the Island to reminisce and nurture their love, they perfectly enjoy the romantic sunset with moonlight.

I think it is not just me needed a break, but this couple too and might be a lot more. I am sure they have wonderful time together and happy memories with the island.

Black Beard Seafood Restaurant

One of the main reason for my vacation is to reconnect with my family, relatives, and friends. After busy days of bonding from my family and seeing my college friends, I contacted my high school friends to meet and reconnect with each other again. I do this every time I am in the Philippines. But due to hectic schedule and short time frame, I feel so sorry for rescheduling many times my meeting with my high school friends; the jbance group, Alen, Cristy, Evelyn and me. My friends and I  planned to meet first at June 2nd, but due to our conflict and hectic schedule, we reschedule it for June 4th. But my sister requested me to have family bonding that day. That is the only day that the whole family is available. So I moved the jbance meeting to June 5th, where three of us are free.

Wednesday June 5th, I met Cristy first at National Bookstore Abreeza, and then we planned to where can we have dinner together with Allen. I told her to try at Black Beard Sea food, because one of our high school batch mate is working in this restaurant. Cristy agree  with me to have dinner @ Seafood Island.

With the Manager, our high school batchmate- Mr. V. Casas

 While waiting for Allen, one of our dear friend,  that is stranded for the heavy traffic at R. Castillo, where there is road reconstruction, Cristy and I started to order our food. Allen keep texting us that she is on her way, she just stuck on the traffic. ( It's ok Allen we start having our dinner :) ). Cristy and I are so hungry waiting for Allen, so we decided to eat without Allen. 

Mr. Casas and Miss Cristy

Magellan Boodle

We order Magellan boodle, that is good for 3 to 4 persons. It has a mountain of rice with fresh kinilaw on top and crab, shrimps, dried fish danggit, fried tilapia, 1 grilled eggplant, a piece of grilled chicken leg, and 1 squid on the side. I ate few danngit, the whole eggplant, the kinilaw, and a piece of squid. While Cristy is craving the crab, ate part of the squid, kinilaw and danggit. When Allen arrived, she is enjoyed eating the rest of the food.

Fried Icream

To finishing up, we order our desert. The manager introduce to us their specialty, the fried ice cream. The fried ice cream is the best. The pie that cover the ice cream is moist and sweet temptation. Thumbs up Sir Casas. 

Tonight, eventhough it's been raining all night and Allen's car been flooded and we are almost stranded in the middle of the road, I have another fulfilling vacation. I've met my friends and have quality time together.

Store location:

Sea Foods Island

G/F Abreeza Mall Davao City

@ NONKI Japanese Restaurant

IRASHAIMASE! KOMBANWA! a Japanese greetings of welcome and good evening, that is the first words we heard from the waitresses as the security guard opens the door. It is not new to us these words so we merely understand.

photo 1

I have plan to try Japanese food in this previous days, but tonight I never let it pass. As we enter the restaurant, it has a positive aura; calm, siren.

photo 2

The place is with dim light and expecting to be with Japanese design. I first notice the white shiny rocks on the black floor tiles on the edge next to the bamboo like fence as their focal point.

photo 3

I admire the design. We seated on the second row. It is so private, the back leaning of their seats are high enough to cover every person who is seating.

photo 4

Our waitress for tonight is so attentive, I forgot to ask her name :). Their service is good, as I said, she is so attentive to us. We order Temaki, Saki Shioyaki Bento, Ebi tempura, Yaki Gyoza, and Matcha ice cream and fresh mango for our desert. What a lovely and hearty dinner!

Temaki

Sake Shioyaki Bento

Ebi Tempura

Yaki Gyoza

Macha ice cream

Tonight is another moment to cherish with good food and good company. Another wonderful experience with stomach full.

The restaurant opens for lunch from 11:30am to 2:00pm and for dinner from 5:30pm to 10:30pm.

They also offer catering services.

Store Location:

F. Torres St., Davao City

Tel #: 082.226.3058

Above photos 1,2,3 &4 credited from https://www.facebook.com/nonkijapaneserestaurantdavao

Refreshing Afternoon@CBTL

Something smooth, something cold, something sweet, something aromatic, and something unique. I am craving all of these in a hot afternoon.

In Hawaii, I freshly brewed the whole coffee beans almost every morning, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf brand. The aroma awakened my senses. I can't wait to have a sip every time the brewed finish. One glass of coffee with half and half cream is enough to keep me going in the morning with my toasted bread.

Stacks of 3 bags of CBTL French Rost

Since I arrived here in Davao, I neither have a coffee maker nor a grinder, so I really missed my morning brewed coffee.

Today, after I paid my monthly payment for my social security bill, I decided to go to SM Premier at Lanang to cool me off from a very humid afternoon, and after strolling and shopping, I spotted the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf that I've been searching for awhile here in the City, for I love this kind of coffee since I tried the whole coffee bean from this brand. I am not looking for a hot coffee this time, I want cold and something unique.

Since I tried already their coffee product, I ordered their un-whipped regular size Matcha green tea iced blend for a try and experience their unique blend. It is smooth, aromatic, sweet, and cold drinks.  :). It is perfect for a hot sunny day and for my craving today, because I never tried this yet. Fortunately, they offered 50% every monday for double chocolate iced blend, so I ordered it too.

Matcha green tea

Double chocolate and Matcha green tea iced blend

I want to try another drinks next time. Today, my craving is completed and I feel satisfied. I have just a little joy, reward and spoiling myself.

As far as my taste can judge, I testify that Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf is the best coffee I've ever tried. Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf is started in Southern California since 1963.  They carefully choose and purchased specialty grade Arabica coffee beans from high altitude of Latin America, East Africa, and the Pacific that is as high as 6000ft. The product is stringently monitored to achieved the best quality of coffee.

I called Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf as an art, because they hand crafted it and carefully chose from geographic to climatic condition to ensure they get the best beans. From choosing geographically to agriculture to processing, they carefully crafted the beans. That is why their coffee is simply the best.

Next to Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf is the Kona coffee of Hawaii.

Related Facts:
Coffee is an antioxidant and a laxative.

Store location:
Abreeza Mall, Davao
SM Lanang Premier
The Peak, Gaisano mall

http://www.coffeebean.com/
http://www.coffeebean.com.ph/location.html

Dinner @ Hukad

After two weeks of my arrival, I contacted my college friend Shebe to meet her. I've met her at SM Premier Lanang, one of the newest mall in Davao City, to talk about our incoming little gathering for the Chemical Engineering batch'99. We first stroll inside the mall until we feel hungry. I have no idea where to dine, all I know is that  I am craving for Filipino food. We end up at HUKAD Restaurant at second floor of SM Lanang. 

As Shebe and I are going inside the restaurant, the hosts greet us with a smile. As we are coming inside, I laready like the place; it is small, clean, neat and intimate restaurant, that is my first impression.Shebe and I choose the table to seat in and then the waiter handed us the menu. 

We order fried shrimp to start with, then we order our main course of Bicol express, kinilaw, kalamaris, and liempo. 

While waiting for our food to be serve, we have a chance to take photographs for remembrance. We never hesitate to approached the waiter to take pictures for Shebe and I together.

While waiting for our food

I do not expect that the food is super delicious. It goes beyond my expectation. Though some of their serving size is small, but the taste is great. Their fried shrimpies is so heavenly tasty and crunchy fresh. Their chicken halang-halang ( spicy chicken) and kinilaw are superb. It is my first Filipino super meal since I arrived here in the Philippines, it satisfied my cravings.

I enjoy my time with my friend Shebe, and I am happy with the food.
Shebe and I hadn't eat all the food, so we take out our extra and allow her to bring it. The food prices are expensive, but the food and service are excellent.