Aloha Friday
A lonely palm tree accompanied only by its own shadow.

Happy Aloha Friday everyone. When I originally named this photo with the description, I truly thought the tree was really it. Looking at it closer, through, there is obviously the lovely view of Molokai in the background. Also, you’ll see a young woman sitting on the rocks in the lower left hand corner. But, alas, that’s not all. Closer to the middle of the photo, just where the water starts, there’s a snorkeler swimming with a honu (turtle). Click the photo to view a larger version on Flickr and get a better view of the turtle.

Follow Friday
It’s been another full week since I’ve using Twitter regularly again, and it feels good to be back. Here are a few new tweeps for you to check out.

• @asafrommaui – Asa has been sharing some amazing photos of Maui via Twitter and his blog. Some really great stuff, check it out.
• @MauiGuidebook – Bio: “Long-time Maui resident, writing a guidebook!” Great website as well, and still a relative new account on Twitter. Say Aloha!
• @anuheajams – Maui singer/songwriter. I might have posted about her before, but certainly worth it. A very great sound.

And, of course, if you’re still new here, you can find me as @webnelly and also my new account @MauiByPhoto, promoting my website. If you wanna behind the scenes look at the new site, check out our fan page on Facebook.

Mahalo, and have a good weekend!
– Kris

Aloha Friday Photo
Vivid red rocks at the base of a cliff at Koki Beach.

This week’s Aloha Friday photo was also featured in on the Koki Beach post of my new website, Maui by Photo. As always, our Aloha Friday photo is taken from today’s photo in the Maui Daily Photo Calendar, so if you’re a fan of Maui, you might have seen this shot a few times already .

With the shameless self promotion out of the way, I remember being really surprised when we saw these rocks at Koki Beach on our visit to Hana earlier this year. We were there relatively early in the morning, so the beach was empty and the sun was hidden behind a ton of clouds. Made for a nice stroll and listening to the waves hit the beach was very memorable.

Follow Friday
Well, with the launch of my new site, and trying to get back into the full-time Aloha Spirit, I’m back into the Twitter groove again!  After a few weeks of skipping the Follow Friday part of the Aloha Friday post, here’s a few new folks to check out.

• @GrandWailea – The Twitter account for the gorgeous luxury resort in South Maui with the same name.
• @mauithing – Bio: “Maui Thing is a lifestyle company inspired by all “things good”on Maui”…
• @flickr – Okay, nothing to do with Maui, but I love Flickr and can’t wait until this Twitter account picks up
• @MauiPetTherapy – Dr. Shannon Dominguez from Friendly Tails – visiting up to 800 animals a month on Maui, including rescue animals
• @PeterLiu47 – fellow blogger, photographer, social media fan. Calls Maui home.
• @PacificWhale – new account for the Pacific Whale Foundation, although it’s still starting out

As always, you can find me on Twitter as @webnelly, and if you haven’t yet, help support my newest endeavor by following @MauiByPhoto.

Maui Tweetup – July 5th!!!
Wishing we could be there ourselves, @Ucsmiles and many other Maui tweeps are having a tweetup this Sunday, July 5th at Kalama Park in Kihei.  Details can be found at http://twtvite.com/lgxgwx and if you make it out there, pass on a big ALOHA from Cindy and I, and take lots of photos.

Everyone should at least get to attend one of these Maui tweetups, especially if you’ve been lucky enough to get to know them on Twitter. Read more about the tweetups we’ve been to and how this all got started.

Mahalo, and have a good holiday!
– Kris

Related Links

• Follow Friday Archives
• Sunday Photo: Maui Tweetup
• More Maui Tweetups
• Our visit to Koki Beach – Come on in, the water’s fine

Aloha Friday
An old version of the sign out front of Whalers Village.

Back today with another Aloha Friday photo after missing the last few weeks.  I like this photo, even though this sign has since replaced with a new one.  It’s a reminder that even though all of our past trips have essentially centered out of the same spot in Ka’anapali, there is something always new and different to discover at Whalers Village.  The second year we were there, they updated the sign and a few shops.  This past February, there were even bigger changes with the Rusty Harpoon moving out and the edition of Cindy’s favorite, Swarovski, near where Tiffany’s used to be.

Our Aloha Friday photo each week is from our Maui Photo Day Calendar. Visit www.mauiphotocal.com for more details on how to add a new Maui photo on your iGoogle page or your blog everyday, as well as how to subscribe via RSS.

In the News – Sheraton Working Giving Back
In addition to the Aloha Friday photo, I ran across this article in the Lahaina News this morning that I wanted to pass along:

School receives fresh coat of paint from Sheraton workers

You probably know by now that we’re fans of the Sheraton, so that’s one reason why it popped up on my radar (thanks to a Google News Search).  It’s just one of many touching examples of how people from all over the islands regularly show off their Aloha Spirit and give back to the communities around them. I posted a link to another story back in December about members of the Ka’anapali Beach Resort Association joined to participate in a holiday drive that raised 30,000 pounds of food for families in need. You may only hear about these stories every now and then, but you can rest assured that this type of community sharing and commitment can be found somewhere on the islands just about every week, however large or small.

Follow Friday
So, I’ve been sort of absent from the Twitter seen for the last two weeks now, only jumping back in earlier this week. I don’t have a full Follow Friday list like before, and I actually wanted to take a moment for a shameless plug of the new Maui site I’m working on.

So, I’m inviting you to follow @MauiByPhoto on Twitter and help me spread the word.  I’m targeting Monday for the initial launch of the new site, so be sure to look for an announcement soon.

As for the new site?  It’s going to be mainly a blog format, but with a few slight twists. Relatively small in the grand scheme of things, it’s primary goal is to highlight the beauty and magic of Maui through some of my best photos, and be a place where fellow Maui fans and residents can talk story about some of the best places, and their favorite memories, on the island.  It’s not a replacement for the site here or any other of the great Hawaii blogs out there, just a little place to stop along the way.

I’m pretty excited (and slightly nervous) about the concept, and here’s to hoping it’s well received.  Hoping to see you there.

Mahalo,
- Kris

Aloha Friday
Stunning views from the Kula Lodge in Upcountry Maui.

Our Aloha Friday photo each week is from our Maui Photo Day Calendar. Visit http://www.mauiphotocal.com for more details on how to add a new Maui photo on your iGoogle page or your blog everyday, as well as how to subscribe via RSS.

Follow Friday on Twitter
Here are a few new faces on Twitter that I’ve recently connected with that I wanted to pass on for this week’s edition of Follow Friday.

• @anuheajams
  Name: Anuhea
  Location: Hawaii
  Web: http://www.myspace.com/anuheajams
  Twitter Bio: Maui born n bred singer/songwriter
  * Quick note, I posted about Anuhea’s new album earlier this week if you’d like more info.
• @JulieRoberts49
  Name: Julie
  Location: Canada & Maui
  Web: http://www.idealvacationrentals.com
  Twitter Bio: Owner of Ideal Vacation Rentals since 1999. Teacher for 30 years. I love to write articles about Maui and the Vacation Rental Industry.
• @MauiHawaiiInfo
  Name: Hawaii Web Group
  Location: Maui
  Web: http://www.hawaiiwebgroup.com
  Twitter Bio: We build Hawaii websites, do SEO, online marketing, and help local businesses get off the ground.
• @LahainaDotCom
  Name: Conor
  Location: Lahaina
  Web: http://www.lahaina.com
  Twitter Bio: Editor for Lahaina.com – Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii, World. For tourists and locals, a guide to island paradise living

As always, you can find me on Twitter as @webnelly.

Friday Bonus Links
I’m still working on getting back on track with my Weekly Website series here at the blog because I’ve been finding some great sites and blogs I’ve been wanting to share with all of you. While I try to get caught up with those posts, here are links to a few of them I’m planning to feature soon.

• Best Hawaii Vacation with Hawaii Vacation Blog
• Maui Information Guide
• Hawaii Magazine.com
• Homespun Honolulu
• Natalani Hawaii
• Lahaina.com
• Art on Maui

As you can see, I have quite a list to go through, so once I get this series back on a roll, there will be more than enough entries to keep it going.

Mahalo, and have a great weekend,
- Kris

Aloha Friday
A rainbow seen off the coast of West Maui in Ka’anapali.

Our Aloha Friday photo each week is from our Maui Photo Day Calendar. Visit http://www.mauiphotocal.com for more details on how to add a new Maui photo on your iGoogle page or your blog everyday.

For those experiencing a little déjà vu, this photo was also featured in our Sunday Photos Series back in March.

Follow Friday on Twitter
It’s been another busy week for me, and I haven’t had too much time to get through the great posts in my Google Reader, let alone spend more than 5 minutes on Twitter.  Anyway, thanks to Evelyn’s latest edition of her Carnival of Aloha, titled Tweet, Tweet, Rockin’ Carnival!, I connected with two more tweeps online that I thought I’d pass on.

• @puahawaii
  Name: Pua Aloha
  Location: The Big Island
  Web: http://kohalacoastweb.blogspot.com
  Twitter Bio: Pua is sharing her love of Hawaii and the Kohala Coast with everybody who is dreaming of their Best Hawaii Vacation. Get Best Hawaii Vacation Tweets DAILY
• @KrisBordessa
  Name: Kris Bordessa
  Location: California
  Web: http://KrisBordessa.com
  Twitter Bio: Author, freelancer, content writer [KrisBordessa.com] partnering w/@LeslieLang on HonoluluOnTheCheap.com – BigIslandOnTheCheap.com. You should visit!

The weather’s finally looking up here in Chicago, emphasis on finally, which is good news for my photography trips and working off those winter pounds, but it also means less time at the keyboard and keeping the flow of Aloha running regularly here and on Twitter (as @webnelly).

Hoping my time management skills will kick in and I can start rolling out more frequent updates as soon as I can.

Mahalo, and enjoy the weekend, wherever you are.

Aloha Friday and Happy May Day!
A young whale calf practices breaching off the West coast of Maui.

Our Aloha Friday photo each week is from our Maui Photo Day Calendar. Visit http://www.mauiphotocal.com for more details on how to add a new Maui photo on your iGoogle page or your blog everyday.

Follow Friday on Twitter
For my Twitter recommendations this week, how about a few great travel and destination resources offering some great deals and advise.

• @SheratonMaui
  Name: Sheraton Maui Resort
  Location: Ka’anapali, Maui
  Web: http://www.sheraton-maui.com
  Twitter Bio: Where the legend of Ka‘anapali began…brought to you by Jocelyn
• @starwoodhawaii
  Name: starwoodhawaiiPR
  Location: Hawaii
  Web: http://www.starwoodhawaii.com
  Twitter Bio: Starwood Hotels Resorts in Hawaii…Sheraton, Westin, Luxury Collection and St. Regis – Iconic resorts, beachfront enclaves and breathtaking locales
• @TheWestinMaui
  Name: The Westin Maui
  Location: Ka’anapali, Maui
  Web: http://westinmaui.com
  Twitter Bio: The Westin Maui Resort & Spa is situated along a spectacular stretch of the famed Ka’anapali Beach
• @kaanapaliresort
  Name: Melissa
  Location: Ka’anapali, Maui
  Web: http://www.kaanapaligolfresort.com
  Twitter Bio: Marketing Manager for Ka’anapali Golf Resort on the island of Maui
• @KahanaSunset
  Name: Kahana Sunset
  Location: Kahana, Maui
  Web: http://www.kahanasunset.com
  Twitter Bio: Maui vacation condo rentals on secluded white sand beach.

If you have Maui or Hawaii tweeps that I haven’t featured yet here on our Aloha Friday posts, feel free to leave a note, or better yet, catch me on Twitter (@webnelly) if you haven’t already.

Have a great weekend everyone

Aloha Friday
The sky after sunset at Keawakapu Sunset in South Maui.

Our Aloha Friday photo each week is from our Maui Photo Day Calendar. Visit http://www.mauiphotocal.com for more details on how to add a new Maui photo on your iGoogle page or your blog everyday.

Follow Friday on Twitter
This week’s Follow Friday is a list of tweeps to follow for getting all the latest island news.

• @KGMB9News
  Name: Jared
  Location: Honolulu
  Web: http://kgmb9.com
  Twitter Bio: One of the Good Things About Hawaii (and not a bot!) Managed by Jared I. Kuroiwa.
• @KITV4
  Location: Honolulu
  Web: http://www.kitv.com
  Twitter Bio: This is the official Twitter account for Island Television KITV 4 News.
• @starbulletin
  Location: Honolulu
  Web: http://www.starbulletin.com
  Twitter Bio: Star-Bulletin News
• @hawaiimagazine
  Location: Honolulu
  Web: http://www.hawaiimagazine.com
  Twitter Bio: HAWAII Magazine and HawaiiMagazine.com. Two of the best sources for consistent and timely updates on all things Hawaii. Tweets by @derekpaiva.

Be sure to check all of them out and see what’s News in Hawaii. Of course, you know where we like to get our news, but take a look at each on your own.

On a side note, it looks like we’re finally getting some super nice weather here in Chicago, so I know we’re gonna have a great weekend. You all do the same out there, too!

Mahalo,
- Kris

Aloha Friday
A view of the Sheraton Maui Resort from Kahekili Beach to the north.

Our Aloha Friday photo each week is from our Maui Photo Day Calendar. Visit http://www.mauiphotocal.com for more details on how to add a new Maui photo on your iGoogle page or your blog everyday.

Follow Friday on Twitter
As I started last week, I’m recommending a few more tweeps out there that you might be interested in following. This week’s tweeps are also bloggers that I subscribe to as well, so be sure to check out their links and scope out their blogs as well.

• @GoVisitHawaii
  Name: Sheila
  Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
  Web: http://www.govisithawaii.com
  Twitter Bio: I write an unbiased Hawaii blog that shares advice for making the most of a Hawaii vacation from finding the best deals to appreciating the trails and culture.
• @natalanihawaii
  Name: Natalie
  Location: Seatle, Washington
  Web: http://www.natalani.blogspot.com
  Twitter Bio: Hawaii Blogger/PR Chick who likes to Tweet
• @hawaii
  Name: Ryan
  Location: Honolulu, Hawaii
  Web: http://www.hawaiiweblog.com
  Twitter Bio: Father, husband, and web geek in paradise.
• @nathankam
  Name: Nathan
  Location: Honolulu, Hawaii
  Web: http://kamfamily.wordpress.com
  Twitter Bio: Travel/Tourism VP @ McNeil Wilson Comm. Hawaii PR Guy. PRSA Member. Mac Fanatic. Golfer. Social Media Explorer. Metallica Fan. Foodie. Husband. Father.
• @NEENZ
  Name: L.P. NEENZ
  Location: Honolulu, Hawaii
  Web: http://faleafine.com
  Twitter Bio: Bred, born and raised in Hawaii. Chief Evangelist of http://alltop.com Founder of Pono Media Internet Marketing. Social Media. Building Communities.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Aloha Friday
Peering into the stunning Haleakala Crater from along the rim.

Our Aloha Friday photo each week is from our Maui Photo Day Calendar. Visit http://www.mauiphotocal.com for more details on how to add a new Maui photo on your iGoogle page or your blog everyday.

Follow Friday on Twitter
Friday has also become a popular day on Twitter as well, as a way to do a little networking and met some new tweeps. I thought I’d taken a moment and add a few of my favorite tweeps each week along with the Aloha Friday photo here at the blog.

Since this will be my first Follow Friday post, why not start off with my favorite Maui tweeps that I got to meet up with in real life (IRL) last February.

• @AMauiBlog
  Name: Liza
  Location: South Maui
  Web: http://www.amauiblog.com
  Twitter Bio: Local Maui Mama Talking Story Online – travel, family, da kine stuff
• @raatz
  Location: Central Maui
  Web: http://gluttonousvegan.blogspot.com
  Twitter Bio: lawyer & writer
• @DJSMOOK
  Location: North Shore
  Web: http://www.stickam.com/smook1701
  Twitter Bio: "You Will Be Assimalated"
• @Ucsmiles
  Name: Cindy O’Farrell
  Location: Upcountry Maui
  Web: http://upcountrysmiles.com
  Twitter Bio: Wife & Mom of 3 from Maui, Hawaii
• @jalove
  Location: Upcountry Maui
  Web: http://jalove08.blogspot.com
  Twitter Bio: There’s a natural mystic going through the air!
• @mauihunter
  Name: Gerogina M. Hunter
  Location: North Shore
  Web: http://www.eastmaui.com
  Twitter Bio: Maui HI Real Estate Salesperson specializing in off the grid lifestyle

Tune in for another Aloha Friday photo and Follow Friday tweeps next week, too.

Mahalo.