Erosurfermaui

Another one bites the dust!

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 02:37:00 -0700

Lahaina Store Grille & Oyster Bar on Front St. has closed down!!

Use to be the only place on the west side to go out on a Friday or Saturday night. Kind of hard to believe that a restaurant that serves decent food, ocean front dining and rootop dining, could go out of business. Something about that location...Tony Roma's used to be next door, opened in Spring of 2007 and was gone within the year.
Lulu's in the Cannery Mall just recently opened. Have to check it out.

Happy New Year!

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 03:17:00 -0700

Out with the old...

Last sunset of 2008
In with the new...

First sunrise of 2009
Wishing everyone a happy and healthy NEW YEAR!
??????????!
ES

Season Opener for UCLA Football - UCLA vs. TENN

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 06:09:00 -0700

Labor Day set the stage for a classic college football matchup, Pac-10 vs. SEC. On paper, TENN had this game in the bag. Oddsmakers had this game at TENN -8 by kickoff. UCLA, with an inexperienced offensive line and 3rd string QB, wasn't given much of a chance against the size and speed of a powerhouse from the SEC. In an exciting finish, the Bruins pulled off the impossible stunning #18 ranked TENN at the Rose Bowl in overtime 27-24.
At halftime, I was ready to throw in the towel...UCLA QB Craft throws 4 picks, one for a touchdown right before half. Was not pleased with the JUCO transfer's performance. Running game was non-existent, 3 starters go out with injuries on offense, and the defense, their only bright spot, was wearing down. They were only down 14-7 at half, but it felt like it was a matter of time before TENN turned it up a notch. That never happened.
I don't know what happened a halftime, but the credit has to go to Offensive Coordinator, Norm Chow. They picked apart the TENN defense in the second half. This game was suppose to be a clinic on how SEC football is played. Now, I see TENN as a marginal team in the SEC, down with the ranks of Ole Miss, Miss St., Arkansas, Kentucky, and Vandy. Coach Neuheisel has brought excitement and hope back to Westwood. It's only one game, but it was on national TV for everyone to see prime time. Looking forward to a great season.
Go Bruins!!

Friday Night Lights at War Memorial Stadium, Kahului

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 03:21:00 -0700

High School football season kicked off this past week. I'm usually not that interested in any of the local teams, but this past Friday had an unusually matchup: #5 ranked (in the state of Hawaii) Baldwin Bears vs. #40 ranked in the nation (USA Today Poll - I don't know how they come up with these rankings every year??) Mission Viejo Diablos. Yes, a team from the O.C. came to play in Maui! Of particular interest to me in this game was the play of MV senior QB Allan Bridgman, on his way to Cal next year, and MV senior WR Alex Mascarenas, who will play for UCLA next year!!
From the get-go, MV dominated the undersized and much slower Baldwin side. Bridgman was impressive, picking apart the Baldwin D at will and Mascarenas returned a punt for a TD...he's got some wheels! It was like watching a freshman team play the varsity team. Lucky for me, a squall came through at halftime with the score 41-0 MV, so I bailed. MV ended up winning 48-21. Bridgman was pulled from the game before the 1st half ended...don't know how many starters played in the second half. MV looked scary good, but they are only the #4 ranked team in Orange County.
Crowd was decent, but no BAND?! What's up with that?? Didn't have the feel of a classic high school football game. Made me reminisce about the Wilson days...we had a horrible football team (playing L.B. Poly every year didn't help) but had a kick ass band with an amazing drum corps. Before entering high school, I remember hearing those drums from my house on Friday night home games...those drums fire you up, no doubt.

Maui Gas Prices drop for the first time in over a month

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 22:52:00 -0700

I was driving into town tonight and noticed the Chevron on Kaahumanu listing regular unleaded gas at $4.59/gal, yes, people, $4.59! This is the first drop, $.04, in gas prices in over a month. I've had issue with this, like a lot of other people on Maui, because with the drop in the price of oil from $147 down to $112 in the past month, we have not received any relief at the pump. From L.A. to Miami, gas prices have dropped at least $.30 - $.40 with the national average at around $.30. I saw a spokesperson for one of the gasoline wholesalers on T.V. saying that they replenish their gasoline stocks weekly and will reset prices based on what they pay for their gasoline. He further added that they do, upon occasion, keep prices static to "make-up" for losses incurred when dealing with the daily gyrations in the prices of crude and the finished product they purchase. Well, they sure have made up the difference this past month! At the expense of the Maui residents and visitors, of course.
Funny how the day that they decide to lower gas prices, crude oil shoots up $6 to $121/barrel. Does that make any sense? Will they reset gas prices on Sunday to reflect the recent rise in oil prices? Probably. In the meantime, I'm doing my part...I've resurrected my mountain bike and can been seen daily around the greater Kahului/Wailuku area. I realize "doing my part" won't contribute to any form of demand destruction for gasoline on Maui, as long as everyone continues to drive their lifted trucks around. Just got to remember that every day is Earth Day.
ES

Starbucks Leaving Maui Marketplace - 270 Dairy Rd., Kahului

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 00:28:00 -0700

Coffee lovers out there were probably stunned to hear Starbucks closing 600 stores around the U.S. to cut costs and boost profits. Five are slated to be closed in the "808" state, one of them in Maui. I'm assuming it's the one inside of Borders, but I could be wrong...the other one is next to Jamba Juice across the parking lot.
Since the announcement, Starbucks has (1) Launched a smoothie line (aren't most Starbucks next to Jamba's?), (2) Decided to bring back the breakfast sandwiches that weren't selling well (they don't even look all that appetizing through the display glass), (3) They acquire a company that makes a high-end coffee brew machine, called the Clover ($11,000 a machine), so they can charge more for a cup of coffee??
Who is running this company? I'm a Starbucks fan in Tokyo because they're everywhere and it's the thing to do over there. Don't really hit Starbucks all that much here on Maui, but I know it's really big here. Seems like a lot of bad calls are being made post closings - Stock will hit single digits by the end of the year!!

Surfing McGregor's

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 01:45:00 -0700

McGregor Point, Ma'alaea
I think I've passed up on surfing at this spot too many times to count. It rarely looks good from the road. Man, have I been wrong! Got a call from CD today saying McGregor's was overhead with little wind. It usually blows pretty good there daily...the new wind turbines are just above this spot on the mountain.
Got in the water around 1pm with 8 people in the water. Wind picked up a bit and the tide started coming in. Sets had long lulls, sometimes 20 minutes! But it was definitely worth the wait. CD and I caught the best waves of the afternoon. My first ride - paddled for a wave I thought was about shoulder high. By the time you drop in, it jacks up and gets steep. A long wall forms and if you can get through the first part of the wave without getting taken out, the ride is awesome! Fast, long rights. Next to Kanaha, one of my favorite waves on Maui.

Hui Malama Fundraiser on the Pride of Aloha

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 00:36:00 -0700

I'd like to thank Pua for inviting me to her big fundraiser aboard NCL's Pride of Aloha this past Sunday. Great time with friends, good food, good service, open bar (nice!). The event was a huge success, so I hope the committee can pull off this again next year!

See this ship docked at Kahului Harbor a couple times a week...I wonder what people think when they pull into Kahului??

Chris and Pualani Enos, Executive Director, Hui Malama Learning Center

Table 19, Front - Matt, Chris, Pua, Jennifer, Junior. Back - Reggie, Kai, ES
Interesting story about getting on the ship...there's a guard gate at the dock, they check your name and ID. Inside the ship they take your ID and put you through the metal detector and scan anything you have on you. Junior was ahead of me in line and jokingly asked me if I brought my knife...I had no idea what he was talking about?? I don't carry a knife around. Ends up he had a knife in his pocket, for some reason...I suppose the Maui waterman needs to have that with him in case he needs to...I can't think of anything??
Anyway, he goes through security, hands the knife to the security staff, the gentleman examines knife measuring it against his badge, determines that the blade, at 4", is not long enough to confiscate, so he hands the knife back to Junior and tells him to enjoy his evening on the ship. WTF!? "Here sir, enjoy your killing spree aboard Norwegian Cruise Lines."
So much for post-911 security measures...
Random Musings:
John Merrick, Long Beach Wilson Alum and UCLA Alum, finished 6th at the U.S. Open. Nice to see him along with Paul Goydos doing well on the Tour...LBC Represent!!
Celtics win. That game was hard to watch. Didn't feel bad for the Lakers because they didn't come to play. What was going on with KG in his post-game interview?? "Impossible is Nothinggggg!"

Sunday Afternoon at Big Beach

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 00:57:00 -0700

Big Beach in Makena, on the south shore of Maui, is probably one of my favorite beaches on Maui. I haven't been in over a year and when I was there this past Sunday, wondered why I don't make down there more often??
North End of Big Beach

You can see Molokini and Kaho'olawe in the background
South End of Big Beach

Hit the beach at the end of a recent south swell...still some decent-sized sets.
Current can be strong and the shorebreak pretty vicious

Lots of broken bones and spinal injuries every year

It's no Waimea, but you definitely have to know what you're doing out there

Dropping in at Big Beach

Drop Knee Bodyboarder Getting Barreled

It's a big bodyboarding, bodysurfing and skimboarding beach...a lot of fun seeing the local kids rip it up.
Good place to people watch as well...

Road To Kihei Finally Completed!!

Tue, 27 May 2008 02:41:00 -0700

Six years of construction and $87 Million later...the construction work to widen Mokulele, is DONE!! The completed highway will open today. There is now a four-lane highway linking Kahului to Kihei. Access from Kihei to Lahaina/Wailuku will open as well. Finally!! Should cut down travel time from Kahului to Kihei/Wailea.

Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy Comes To Maui

Mon, 19 May 2008 23:29:00 -0700

Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy, part of Cirque Productions (no connection to Cirque du Soleil) came to the Maui Arts And Cultural Center this past weekend. I've always wanted to see Cirque du Soleil, but never have...and even with all of my trips to Vegas over the years, never have seen Mystere. I didn't know what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised...ended up being a great show. It was kind of Broadway meets the Circus.

Show started out in a weird way. Two clowns came out played with the crowd a bit then grabbed a man and a woman from the crowd at random. They had them do some stupid things, then got rid of the man, but kept the woman on stage. She looked really uncomfortable and was almost brought to tears when one of the clowns had her kiss him on the cheek but turned his head at the last second to make it a kiss on the mouth. She was really bummed...crowd didn't know whether to laugh or feel sorry for her...thought that was a strange opening.
Most impressed with the juggler, the Mongolian contortionists (???), the balancing act on the several stacked cylinders, and the strong man segment (made me wonder if my old roommate Chaplin could have pulled off some of those maneuvers in his prime or even now??). The strong man act did, however, have a vibe reminiscent of the Incredibly Gay Duo, Ace and Gary, from SNL...cool in a manly way, yet disturbing at the same time. Equally impressive was the use of space. The MACC stage is quite small, but they were able to create a beautifully decorated set and use the space available without making it seem insufficient. Lowlights: They screwed up the jump-rope segment 2-3 times...I don't think they expected that to happen.
Solid show! Mahalo to Leeman for giving up the tickets and to Diane for taking me.

Vog

Thu, 15 May 2008 02:27:00 -0700

Now you see it (Haleakala)...

Now you don't

It's blowing Konas again...actually, there's very little wind when the winds shift from the normal easterly trades to the southerly Kona winds. Right now, it's completely still outside and a little cool. When the winds blow from the south, they bring the vog from the Big Island. Vog is volcanic smog from Kilauea, which has been erupting continuously since 1983. This year, the vog has been especially bad. It reminds me of a watered-down version of kafunsho, ???, the cedar allergy in Japan. Symptoms are similar - itchy, watery eyes, runny nose, sneezing, and feeling tired all the time.
On a positive note, the ocean is flat as a lake and provides some ideal conditions for surfing!

225 lbs. Just Gettin' it in, Erosurfer Style

Sun, 11 May 2008 00:33:00 -0700

Like a lot of people living on Maui, I like to workout at the gym, 24 Hour Fitness in Kahului. I'm not consistent, but I'm happy if I make it to the gym 3 times a week, working on cardio and hitting each muscle group at least one time a week, not really lifting heavy or working out too hard. This past Friday, however, a milestone was reached (actually revisited). I put up 225lbs. on bench, one rep! While, that might not seem to be that big of a deal to most, it's a personal best that was actually attained back in 1987 at the Wooden Center, under the guidance of a good friend of mine and fraternity brother, Ned. Tipping in at 172lbs., not bad for the old timer?! My bro, CD, works out with me once in awhile and lifts pretty heavy. We worked out together Friday and he convinced me to go for 225lbs. CD is a huge Kimbo Slice (street fighter turned mixed martial arts fighter) fan and during our workout, had me visualize Kimbo Slice, psyching me up with "All Day...All Day!" Just gettin' it in...Erosurfer Style. After the big moment on the bench press, the workout was just getting started. When we moved to incline bench, we noticed a really strong odor...sour. CD immmediately put the blame on some "Paia" guys nearby, but when they left, the smell was still lingering. We then tried to put it on the local boyz on the bench press, big bruddahs putting up 315lbs., but no, wasn't them either. We contined on for the next hour and CD was really having a hard time with this smell. He finally figured it was his own B.O. from "not letting his briefs dry properly" post laundry. He described it as an "old school 70's YMCA smell" - I'm not familiar with that smell. I thought it smelled like the old dude in the back of the subway or bus in Europe, who obviously doesn't bathe often. Workout ended, very stoked, returned home. Before hitting the shower, I asked my sister to take a wiff of my t-shirt and back (what are sisters for anyway?). She took a big wiff and jumped backward yelling at me, "What is that?" I'm like, "What?" She said, "That is some rank B.O.!" Not known for B.O. in the past, my sister pointed out that I could have some "latent-stage B.O." She just made that up, of course. Can't believe that was me. I was wearing a new Therapeutic Associates of Maui tee, brand new, unwashed...could be the culprit. Do I burn shirt or wash it with a little bleach? That's what I get for not wearing Erosurfer tee to the gym!

Mercedes-Benz Championship, Kapalua, Maui, Jan. 1 - 7

Mon, 08 Jan 2007 23:49:00 -0700

Every year the Plantation Course (7411 yds./Par 73) at Kapalua Resort hosts the Mercedes-Benz Championship, the first stop on the PGA tour and the only winners-only tournament (champions from the 2006 PGA TOUR season qualify for this elite field of 36 PGA TOUR professionals). This year 33 of the 36 invited participated, notably absent - Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. The conditions were probably the most brutal I've ever experienced...Thursday and Friday, rain and winds up to 40mph. These guys are good! The weather cleared up by Sunday and the scores improved as well. Vijay Singh won at -14, two shots ahead of Adam Scott. Vijay took home $1.1 million and a Mercedes SUV.
It's a workout walking this hilly course. However, you can camp out on the back nine, where holes #10-#14 all converge...that's the place to be. Excellent views of Honolua Bay and Molokai. I was impressed with Adam Scott and look for him to have a breakout year this year. Other observations: Sabbitini is still angry (after bogeying #13 on Sat., he chucked his ball into the bushes and cursed himself all the way to #14 tee), Baddeley, a.k.a. Badds, excruciatingly slow play and an effeminate vibe, definitely not the "BADDS" portrayed in the MacGregor commercial, J.B. Holmes bombs his drives, poor Corey Pavin (UCLA Alum)...after stepping away from his tee shot on #10 three times, he hit a line-drive pull hook into the bushes about 150 yds. away (he ended up getting a 7 on that hole, a triple-bogey)...never seen that before, local boy, Dean Wilson, who finished 29th, is the only golfer from Hawaii in the history of the tournament to qualify for the Mercedes...he was smiles all around, good or bad hole, very receptive to the crowd, looked happy to be playing...just don't see that very often, AND FINALLY...surfer and former Taco Bell employee who use to live out of his car, Will McKenzie, had a solid tournament, I think he was a bit distracted by the surf break at Honolua Bay. He should ditch tight white pants and sport some Erosurfer wear!
Final notes: I went to the Gala on Fri night, dinner, cocktails and Counting Crows at the Ritz Carlton, Kapalua. Vijay Singh was the only player I saw that night and he went on the win the tournament. Open bar, nice, and Filet mignon and Onaga for dinner, even nicer! and Adam Duritz...not that nice...he still has the same hairdo from the early 90's, dreadlocks tied up in ponytail, except this time he has a large bald spot...I still can't figure out how he managed to date Jennifer Aniston, Courtney Cox and Winona Ryder, I get Counting Crows confused with Crash Test Dummies, and I was bummed they didn't play the theme song from Shrek 2...NOT! (that would be a Borat "Not") Thank you to Di for the golf package...I'm looking forward to next year...maybe Tiger will show up.

New Year's Day Feast

Mon, 01 Jan 2007 22:12:00 -0700

Getting 2007 started right with a huge New Year's Day feast!

Compliments to Chef Amy, a.k.a. Thelma, for putting together a incredible dinner which included, Alaskan King Crab legs, BBQ flank steak, ahi sashimi, and traditional family favorites: maze gohan, umani/nishime, renkon, kimpira gobo, Amy's takuwan and, of course, kuro mame. Brownies and ice cream for dessert...will be hitting the gym tomorrow.