A Picture Perfect Maui Suburbia

The suburbs.  I grew up in a Florida suburb, in Saint Petersburg on the Gulf Coast.  The rows of houses with fenced, manicured yards, sidewalks on both sides of the street, and depending on the suburb, houses that look like they were erected from one of 5 standard templates.

Well, Maui has its own share of the 'burbs too - where resident families of Maui lay roots.  If you're visiting Maui, you will probably never intentionally eye such neighborhoods.

I always thought suburbs such as this one were a little creepy.  It all looks the same.  Are the people the same too?  Who exactly lives around you?  Such uniformity and acceptance of conformity.  Different strokes for different folks I guess.

This is the Maui Lani subdivision near Wailuku.  The neighborhood was shot in the early morning light around 6:30AM on a Sunday morning while driving through in my truck.

The Google mobile!

A Park Ranger truck - note the newspaper in the driveway.

Footshots

Instead of headshots, I decided to go with footshots.  I don't have a foot fetish in case you're wondering...  Sitting on a bench opposite the Iao Theater in Wailuku, I pretended to edit photos on my camera and hit the shutter blind while people passed 3 feet in front of me.

I now wonder if they heard the shutter click and pretended not to react or if they were indeed oblivious?

Here's the scene - a control shot.  All shots were made with a 35mm prime lens (52mm film equivalent on my D40).

And the action begins...

Not a foot, but it passed in front of me.

My foot from where I sat:

Wailuku Eats Part Deux

I'm not exactly sure why, but I love to eat in Wailuku (this post is a continuation about eating in this town).  Perhaps it's because I still find places in Wailuku I merely hear of in passing and always wish I'd patronize, but for some reason miss.  Here are two such establishments that today, marked my first visit.  It will certainly not be the last.

Ichiban Okazuya

I can almost understand why I've never been to Ichiban Okazuya.  It's tucked away from the main drag of Wailuku, and to be honest, I only came across it because I was wandering around looking to shoot "beauty" in the drab government buildings that make up the bulk of this town.  As soon as I saw it, I remember hearing about it in a newspaper awhile ago, and I always wanted to go, but I filed the restaurant away in the "to do" category.

Finally, I arrive and step inside.  The first thing I feel is that this place is old-fashioned in a really good way.  Four to five people scurrying around inside behind the counter amid sizzling and rising steam, serving up containerfuls of local Asian cuisine - a type of cooking you won't find outside Hawaii.  Ichiban Okazuya is intimate and charming, and is pretty much take-out only.

I present my official Office Max special, Maui Observer business card and ask if I can take some photos inside.  The owner - an older Asian man (most likely Japanese) who is also cooking, politely declines with a smile.  I understand, no problem.  I place my order - which is probably as boring as I can make it since I'm planning on running later in the afternoon and I need predictable and proven fuel - that consists of Korean chicken with steamed vegetables, brown rice and pickles for $7.50.  By the time I pay and stroll out with lunch in hand, there's a line of people out the door.

If you want to look inside, you're just gonna have to see for yourself.  :)

2133 Kaohu Street, Wailuku
808-244-7276

































Dad's Donut Shop

I like donuts, always have.  I've driven by this place many a time intrigued by the colorful sign and the charming quaint storefront appeal.  I found out today that this joint is home to some great - here it is again - old-fashioned - donuts with a modern Hawaiian twist.  Firstly, the donuts look like little cupcakes.  Second, there's nothing entirely too fancy about them - no cream filling, no chocolate sprinkles or snowman shapes.  Finally, the little donuts come in various tropical flavors like lilikoi and mango.  Another bonus - Dad's doesn't use any trans fats.

I ordered a maple glaze for the princely sum of 78 cents!  Including tax!

For more info, please visit : Dad's Donut Shop

Maui Food Bank

According to this ad in the Maui News today, one out of eight in Maui County is at risk of going hungry.  According to the 2008 U.S. Census, there are 143,574 people in Maui County,  which includes the islands of Maui, Molokai, and Lanai.  So, that's about 17,946 people that could go without  - and I thought it was tough deciding if I wanted to eat chicken or vegetarian tonight...

If I stop to think about it, this is a monster effort the Food Bank is undertaking.    Hunger is one of those things you don't directly see.  People don't need to look emaciated or rail-thin to be hungry.

Pictured are the offices and warehouse of the Maui Food Bank located in the Wailuku Industrial Park in Wailuku.

For more info or to donate to Maui Food Bank, please visit:  http://www.mauifoodbank.org/

Ladies of the Night

In Japan, geisha are a part of accepted society.  These cultured ladies entertain and accompany men with witty conversation, traditional dancing and singing, and tea ceremonies.  Sex is not expected or sought out.  Geisha are not prostitutes.

So you're on Maui and you're bored of the usual tourist nightlife - luaus, sunset cocktail bars, and the lounge singer at your hotel.  Want a real experience?  How about a Hawaiian version of the modern day geisha?  Yes, on Maui.

Head to Wailuku and in the Wailuku Industrial Park just across the street from each other sit just two of these establishments.  Locally known as "Hostess Lounges," one can enter to find a variety of attractive women court, flirt, and dance with you.  You may sing karaoke together, or just talk - buy them drinks, spoil them.  Order food, play pool and have a great time without the expectation of sex.   To a Westerner this concept may seem strange, but such dealings are common in Asia.

Unlike on Oahu, there are no strip clubs on Maui, so in a very real sense, these hostess lounges fill a social vacuum and a need.  Turn a blind eye if you wish, but these places exist, just don't pre-judge them.

BTW - I have no affiliation with these places or have been compensated in any way!  Just observing all sides of Maui. :)


Tokyo Lounge

Saigon Palace  - http://www.myspace.com/saigonpalacebar

Wailuku Eats

Wailuku is the government and business hub of Maui.  During a stroll at lunchtime, it is easy to find various office workers, medical personnel and government staff milling about and enjoying their lunch breaks.  Wailuku is probably the only place where you will consistently find people wearing long pants and even suit jackets.







If you want local flavor, Wailuku is the place to be.  My first stop is a Wailuku institution - The Little Giant of Happy Valley - Takamiya Market.

When I first moved to Maui, I told my friend who was living in Kihei to take me to a local place to eat.  He and his wife took me to Tommy Bahama in Wailea.  Hmm, that's about as local as Captain Cook.

In retrospect, I wish they would have led me to Takamiya.

Abutting Happy Valley, Takamiya Market exudes an utilitarian and no-nonsense yet relaxed vibe.  Once entering, I'm hit immediately with the smell of seafood and game.  This is truly a market.

If you really want to sample "local" food, this place will let you choose from a myriad of prepared cellophane wrapped dishes such as beef liver, turkey tail, booze cake, hoisin pork ribs, shrimp kimchee, ahi teriyaki, corned beef hash patties, and fried chicken gizzards, just to name a few.  Most, if not all the dishes - which remind me of Spanish tapas or Japanese bentos - are priced under $5.00.

In fact, there are so many dishes that I feel like I'm in candy store.  If there is an order to the mayhem, I can't tell.  The apparent haphazardness, at least to my untrained eye, is part of the appeal.

Before departing Wailuku town, I make a stop at Rumbold Sausage King across from Main Street Bistro and MAPA.  It was still early, so the lunch crowd hadn't arrived yet, but I couldn't resist the smell and ordered a grilled Polish sausage with onions, mustard and a guava juice.  

The operator - A.J. - declared that this is one of his several locations.  Just before I arrive, a local businessman ordered the same dog as me, which he wolfed down in literally 2 minutes.

The dogs here are not puny and skinny, they are juicy, plump, and reminiscent of succulent cuts of meat bursting with savory goodness.

For more Wailuku dining coverage, check out Wailuku Eats Part Deux.