It’s A Food World After All—The Finale The final night of the 4th Hawaii Food and Wine Festival brought to a close my marathon feeding frenzy across the Islands. Held on a beach in West Oahu at sunset with feet in the sand, surf lapping the shore and stars bursting out, it’s an idyllic venue […]
Corks & Forks and Chef Rock Stars
Corks & Forks and Chef Rock Stars The days of rock stars are not yet over but their business model truly sucks with few newer acts likely to reach the longevity of their predecessors. Today, celebrity chefs are the new superstars and I was lucky to hang out with and taste their special tunes, […]
In The Belly of The Buddha
Fourteen Chefs, Three Master Sommeliers, Nine Winemakers & Five Mixologists Start Up The Madness. With an upstairs faux mini-beach and fountain, leading down to the pool surrounded by stands of chefs billowing steam and the occasional bursts of flames, with bars in every corner and wine booths scattered around, it’s an idyllic setting for […]
Going Wowee on Maui with Joints and Grinds
MAUI Short Stops On The North Shore Culinary Tourist Belt The island of Maui attracts high-end clientele, an array of chefpreneurs creating their own brands and the requisite followings of hole-in-the-wall kau kau joints favoured by the locals and backpacker brigades. Though there are several glossy free mags devoted to the upper […]
Hot Guitars, Cold Organic Vodka and Steaming Seafood Snacks Make the Night
It was the second night of the Ka’anapali Fresh Culinary Experience and the venue had shifted to the third hole of the golf course just opposite the Sheraton. A funky little mini-town has been made within a classy enclosure with reserved tables and couches for the VIPs, hi top tables for the […]
The Soba Zen Experience
SOBA… so simple. A buckwheat noodle that sends japanese into nirvana. I never really appreciated it. Until my mate Shep Gordon told me of a restaurant tucked away on a side street in Waikiki, nestled between two other Japanese restaurants where a pair of brothers have perfected the art of making it from buckwheat […]
MiGrant Makes for a Magic Meal on Maui
I was ready for a solo meal in supercharged Chef Sheldon’s MiGrant restaurant but I got an email from old mate Shep Gordon who is the unofficial Mayor of Maui and one of the leading Princes in the Music Industry of Old. I was told to show up at six for a meal with […]
Maui Munches On Where the World Comes to Play! Ka’anapali Fresh on the Beach
It’s the third year of the three-day Ka’anapali Fresh Culinary Experience which I have thrice had the good fortune to attend at one of the best beaches in the world. Ka’anapali Beach–Where The World Comes to Play–is also where it comes to eat along three miles of golden sand with a master planned resort […]
Taking Time to do Nothing Often Brings Everything Into Perspective
I’m on the island of Molokai which is called the Friendly Isle and is a relief to slow down on in its vortex of calm.. Taking a two hour ferry from Lahaina after a 10 minute walk along the shore from my hotel started the reduction in speed rather than a speedy run to […]
Maui On My Mind and in My Mouth–A Starter
Having left the LavaLand isle of Hawaii behind, it’s a new world on Maui–The Valley Isle–with a van ride to Lahaina where the boats rock merrily in the harbour. I’ll be taking one for a four hour trip to the island of Molokai–The Friendly Isle–at dawn tomorrow, but for now, it’s time to luxuriate […]
It’s A Jeep… No It’s a Merc
A day on the Big Island is like an OD of sunshine and tropical breezes saturated by floral scents. Just makes you want to hop into your ride and cruise the lava fields, coffee plantations and shorelines. So that’s what we did, not in this faux-woody beach cruiser made out of a Mercedes, but in […]
Manta Madness in LavaLand
I used to be in one of these boats many times over the past 20 years that I was a dedicated scuba diver. I saw many sunsets like this in a dusk dive before going back down an hour later to see up to 20 six to 12 foot wide graceful manta rays doing an […]
Over the Top End of The Big Isle to Kona
I feel almost underwater my last morning in Hilo it was so humid. The searing sun amplified the drowning sensation and sweat poured from as I entered the coolth cocoon of the car. It’s a winding and slow cruise up the Hamakua Coast of the Big Island, heading for the cow pastures and cactus […]
Early AM Farmers Market & More in Hilo
Up with the birds this morning at 5 am loving the coolth of the morning in Hilo ready to hit the Hilo Farmers Market for a 6am opening. It will be a little less populated due to the Puna farmers getting hit by the hurricane but I vow to find a new breakfast joint, […]
Full Moon in the Middle of a Day
Hilo is a sleepy town but thrilling to wake up to early and explore. After a cold brewed ice coffee from Bears which I’ve caffeinated at for over 35 years and a loco moco (two scoops of brown rice, onions, gravy, burger patty and an egg on top) which gave me the energy to […]
It’s Not High/Low, it’s Hee/Low, Hilo Hawaii
I like to start my sojourn in the islands of Hawaii in the wet spot. Hilo is a sultry town that is occasionally bathed in sweat and buffeted by breezes, a sleepy burg of old streets, wooden storefronts, no strip malls of new brands and a lot of harbour and industry. It has an […]
Mr Marvel Mavro
I’ve been a public stomach for some time now in my travel writing and had the fortune to eat in some of the grandest pubs around the world. Not that I’m a food snob, rather I am curious and find myself sated in the oddest places. Here I am in Honolulu for my first […]
Getting Ready for a Maui Moon
Just published in the AU Review and only two weeks away now. Ka’anapali Fresh! A true culinary experience. http://www.theaureview.com/abroad/tripps/ka-anapali-fresh-a-culinary-experience-under-a-maui-moon
Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans?
I make a point of hitting “The City That Care Forgot” every year when I go to South by Southwest and this year was no exception. In updating my food and music internal database, I discovered a lot of new places and shared them in the March issue of Rhythms Magazine, my second article fo […]
Rocky Mountain Highs in Denver
I’m lucky to travel the world and share my writing, especially with Rhythms Magazine which is Australia’s Blues, Roots, World, Jazz, Folk, Soul, Country and Americana monthly in print, online and with an iPad app. This month I was able to share my views on Denver, the Mile High City where recreational marijuana use was […]