Practice Aloha

Practice Aloha. This picture is of a bumper sticker and saying all over this cool restaurant in Lahaina, Maui called Honu (sea turtle). Our family had a conversation about what this means over cocktails and mocktails. Aloha means hello. We all immediately gravitated to kindness. Saying hello is kindness. Practicing kindness. Practice saying hello and being kind to everyone. It stuck with me. And it certainly rang true with the culture of Maui.

Kelley and I went to Maui and Kauai for our honeymoon (almost 20 years ago-omg, 20 years-I feel very old!!) and we have been wanting to return ever since. At first, we said we would go back at 5 years and at 5 years, we laughed heartily and moved on. Finally, the stars aligned and we went for our 20th and it didn't occur to us NOT to bring Sosie and Sage as it was on their bucket list of places to go. In fact, we had been talking about it for years. Maui was much busier and there was much more traffic and many more buildings. The airport was a great deal larger. But the soul was the same. The culture was there.

Each family member chose an adventure and we scheduled them. One by one, we took ownership of our family experiences. To return 20 years into our marriage with the biggest gifts of our marriage was incredibly meaningful. I am just so freaking grateful.

Kelley's adventure was for the family to take surfing lessons. I tried to schedule a spa appointment during that time but, no dice, I was out there in the ocean with everyone, facing some fears of my own. The sight of me on the board was one to behold, let me tell you, but I wouldn't have missed it for the world. Seeing my two girls get up on a surf board without missing a beat and look so natural filled my heart with a pride I can't really express. Sage had a dog on her board for a full run and I so wish I had a picture of it but having that memory is almost better. It also brought back very fond memories of surfing in Maine with Felicia and her kids. Surfing struck a chord with Sage. She immediately wanted to move to Maui, become a local and surf in competitions. Kelley was blown away at how hard it was to surf, even on a tiny wave, and loved when he started to feel more connected and that it clicked for him. Sosie learned that she did better when she just went on instinct and didn't think too hard about what she was doing.

Sage's adventure was to snorkel and snuba with sea turtles. In fact, Sage saw many sea turtles. She was fascinated with them. We saw them at the beach, snorkeling and in many places but funnily enough, NOT when we went snuba. I didn't remember sea turtles being so prolific on Hawaii when we went last time. Sage has always adored turtles and attaches many feelings to her experiences with them. "Mom - Are they happy. There was only one there. Is he lonely or sad. His expression looked unhappy." I looked up what sea turtles represented. The inter-webs said that sea turtles often typify patience, wisdom, endurance and good luck. I can handle that. So what we lacked in turtles during snuba we made up for in whales. We were within 10 feet of a mom and baby whale. Swimming, jumping, breeching. Incredible sights. Sosie told me that I kept saying that we are just visitors here in their home. Pretty amazing to witness nature at work.

Mine was to do a hike and zipline through an organization named Hike Maui. We had done a hike with them on our honeymoon.  A much different organization now but still very fun. I wanted the kids to see things in nature that they couldn't see except to walk to it and something they couldn't see anywhere else but in Hawaii. We did some ziplines and on the drive there saw a part of Maui that was incredibly beautiful. More residential, less touristy and very lush. We hiked to two waterfalls, including one they could jump off from - yes, I said they. I haven't jumped off a bridge or waterfall since the bridge on Martha's Vineyard many years ago. But, Kelley and the kids took multiple leaps of faith and took lots of pictures in the rainforest of Maui. We saw plants and trees that you don't see other places and had a great day.

Sosie's adventure was a helicopter tour and unfortunately it was cancelled twice due to weather. We were all incredibly disappointed but that just made me realize that we are not finished with Hawaii. There is more for us there. We will need to return together. I was so excited for Sosie's adventure because it signified a lot about her - spirit for adventure, willingness to face fear of heights, interest in seeing the bigger picture of the island and to then have access to smaller details and areas that she wouldn't be able to experience otherwise.

There are two other highlights I would like to mention with your permission. We went to a restaurant we used to visit on Martha's Vineyard frequently.  There are a few restaurants in New England and then one on Maui. We went there and ended up eating there 3 times. A bit of comfort, a bit of home in Paia, Maui.

Finally, we were trying all week to get to the volcano, Haleakala. We were concerned that it would be cloudy without a view. One day Sage said, "Let's go. We can sit at the pool any time. We can't visit a volcano every day." So, off we went. Turns out it is the tallest mountain in the world. I know, I know. Everest. BUT, if you count the mountain below sea level, then it is taller. 19,000+ feet below sea level, 10,000 feet+ above sea level. Pretty stunning to think about. And, it was the tallest mountain at 10,000 feet + that the girls had ever been at the top of in their lives. Above the clouds, above the tree line. 

So, some vacations are for pure relaxation. Some are for adventure. Some have meaning because you have never been and it is a bucket list item. Some have meaning because you have been and it is a special place where you breathe just a little better. A place where your shoulders relax and you can take a little more in. A place that speaks to your core a little bit. It opens your world a little. It gives you a little bit of space and allows you expand. 

Time to put on Upside Down by Jack Johnson (Hawaii native) and let's get cooking. 

This meal I made quite awhile ago and wasn't blogging at the time so didn't take pictures during the actual preparation but it was so pretty that I decided to photograph it at the end. Seeing as it was 87 degrees today, I thought it was a perfect day to post it. 

Smitten Kitchen's Beefsteak Skirt Steak Salad (from Smitten Kitchen, Every Day, Deb Perelman)

Vinaigrette

·         1 large or 2 small garlic cloves

·         1 1/2 cups (55 grams) packed coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves

·         1/2 cup (20 grams) packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

·         1/3 cup (80 ml) olive oil

·         1 tbsp (15 ml) plus 1 tsp (5 ml) white wine vinegar

·         2 tsp (10 grams) smooth Dijon mustard

·         Salt and freshly ground black pepper

·         Pinches of crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

Salad and assembly

·         2 to 3 cups (40 to 60 grams) mixed salad greens (optional)

·         1 1/2 pounds (680 grams) beefsteak tomatoes, in thick half-moon slices

·         1/2 cup (4 ounces or 115 grams) thickly crumbled blue cheese

·         1/2 medium red onion, very thinly sliced

·         1 pound (455 grams) skirt steak, trimmed of excess fat if necessary, at room temperature

·         1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil

Make the dressing
In a blender or food processor, pulse the garlic, basil, and parsley together until they’re chopped as finely as you can get them. With the machine running, drizzle in the olive oil, then the vinegar and mustard, scraping down the sides as needed. Season with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste. No machine? Mince the garlic and herbs as finely as you can with a knife, transfer them to a bowl, and, whisking the whole time, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and vinegar before seasoning with salt and peppers.

Make the salad

If using salad greens, place them first on a platter. Arrange the tomatoes on top, fanned out and slightly overlapped. Scatter half of the blue cheese and onion over the tomatoes. Pat the steak dry, and season on both sides with 1/2 tsp salt and many grinds of black pepper.

To cook the steak on the stove

Heat your largest, heaviest skillet over medium-high to high heat, and add 1 tbsp olive oil. When the oil is very hot, place the steak in the skillet, and do not move it for 5 minutes. Turn it once, and cook for another 3 minutes for medium-rare. If your steak is larger than your biggest skillet, cut it in half and cook it in two pieces.

To cook the steak on a grill

Prepare a hot charcoal or high-heat gas grill for cooking. Lightly oil the grill rack, and grill the steak, turning once, 4 to 6 minutes for medium-rare. If you’re using a gas grill, it’s best to keep the lid on while grilling, to prevent heat loss.

To finish

Transfer the steak to a cutting board, and cover it loosely with foil while it rests for 5 minutes. Thinly slice the steak on the diagonal, across the grain, and arrange over the tomatoes. Scatter with the remaining blue cheese and onion. Drizzle vinaigrette on top, or serve it on the side.

Enjoy and have a happy day everyone!