Good Luck Morton Grove AYSO!!!

I wanted to take a quick moment to wish my cousins and their friends a big Pomaika`i, or good luck in Hawaiian. Their team is one of about 180 or so participating in the AYSO National Games tournament this week in, where else, but sunny Honolulu. The tournament, while just getting underway, already graced the online version of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin in their Photo Finish section.

Their team is representing Morton Grove, IL, which is a northern suburb of Chicago, and they participate in the Girls U-14 league (meaning everyone is 14 years old or younger). You can find out more about the tournament from this AYSO page.

I was just joking with someone the other day because I grew up playing ice hockey all my life and we used to go out of town for tournaments at least once or twice a year. However, I don't particularly recall ever hearing of a hockey tournament in Hawaii. :)

Of course, what's a trip out to the beautiful Hawaiian Islands without staying a little longer to enjoy a nice vacation, too. And, with the advice of a certain favorite cousin of theirs (who will remain nameless), they're going to be doing a little island hopping next week and staying 5 days on the magical island of Maui. Now, we're really jealous.

Best of Luck, Girls!!!

Halloween in Lahaina Crackdown?

Read this in the Maui News today from a story they reported yesterday about annual festivities on Front Street for the upcoming Halloween holiday this year.

LahainaTown denied a Halloween permit

We have seen and read about past years where the parties and parades down Front Street for Halloween have had almost a Mardi Gras type atmosphere, with plenty of people and fun all dressed up in their costumes marching down Front Street in Lahaina. It was (and still is) something we're planning on checking out in the upcoming years.

Even though LahainaTown was not given the permit they have had in past years (starting back in the 1980s), it looks like there still will be plenty of people showing up for this annual event.

Let us know if you have any Halloween in Lahaina stories that you'd like to share.

Sunday Photo: A Stroll Down Front Street

A Stroll Down Front Street
Originally uploaded by webnelly

On an island with so much to do, sometimes you just want to take it easy and just enjoy the beautiful weather outside. This week's photo was taken in Lahaina doing just, that. A nice stroll down Front Street near the harbor after a late lunch with a gorgeous blue sky overhead and just a gentle breeze off the water.

There are quite a few spots along Front Street in Lahaina that you can stop and just look out into the water, this being only one of them. The photo was taken just southwest of Cheeseburger in Paradise to give those familiar with the area a point of reference. We're not ones to say any particular spot is better to watch the boats than another, but we do end up here now and again after lunch or just walking downtown throughout the day.

And, if you happen to see the ship below just outside the harbor, fear not that someone might be in trouble. The sailboat has actually been there for many years now, and only silly people like us, who after seeing it for the first time from our oceanside table at Cheeseburger in Paradise asked our waiter if that boat was in danger of sinking. :)



Mahalo.

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If you'd like to see more photos, you can check out our Sunday Photos category here at the blog, featuring a new photo every week. Our website also features daily photos on the Today's Photos page, and if you're Flickr fans like us, you can check out our Ka'anapali Dreamin' collection.

Also, subscribe to our blog to get the latest updates throughout the week.

Sunday Photo: Black Rock, colorized

Black Rock, colorized
Originally uploaded by webnelly

This shot was taken at the base of Black Rock in Ka'anapali, Maui about 30 minutes prior to sunset. I colored it up a little bit by isolating the green and the sand in the foreground and a few highlighted spots near the boat.

We were at Black Rock for the nightly Cliff Dive Ceremony there, and spotted a ship nearby that was there for the same reason. On some nights, there are keiki (kids) jumping from the rocks as late as five minutes prior to the ceremony, so what you're seeing here is the last few jumps before the ceremony started. You'll see a lot of photos (including mine) that have the normal view of Black Rock from the beach with it's familiar shape (an example), but if you visit the beach, you can walk all the way up to the base of the cliff and you get a completely different perspective of the cliff itself and where he's jumping from.

Even better, if you're out for a late night stroll after an ono dinner along the beach, why not walk all the way over to the base of the cliff while the torches are still lit. You'll be memorized by the flames of the torches that line Black Rock as they dance in the water and the waves below. If you turn around, you can see the nighttime glow of Ka'anapali along the beach as well, as shown here.

Mahalo.

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If you'd like to see more photos, you can check out our Sunday Photos category here at the blog, featuring a new photo every week. Our website also features daily photos on the Today's Photos page, and if you're Flickr fans like us, you can check out our Ka'anapali Dreamin' collection.

Also, subscribe to our blog to get the latest updates throughout the week.

Video: Inside the Lava Tube

As a follow up to the Sunday Photo: Inside the Lava Tube, here is the video I shot while walking through the lava tube at the Waianapanapa State Park on Maui.



Not the best quality I could come up with on YouTube, but it should be okay for now.