radical sabbatical

ever dream of starting a new life on your very own artisan farm? before you ditch your 401(k), consider testing the waters and signing up for an internship at hawaii island goat dairy which is looking for volunteers to assist in whipping up their award winning goat & feta cheeses.

if you are willing to exchange some sweat equity (i.e. tending to the herd, milking duties, farm maintenance) for room & board, you will be immersed in the age old craft of cheesemaking so long as you can commit to farm living for 2-3 months.

the honoka'a dairy specializes in mouth watering goat cheeses with flavors like smoked guava, dill & garlic, and basil macadamia pesto, and counts hawaii's top chefs like alan wong & daniel thiebaut as some of their biggest fans. big island goat cheese is plated at many of the islands' best restaurants (merriman's, café pesto, as well as many luxe resort eateries), however foodies on a budget can find fresh batches of cheese not already spoken for at the waimea farmers market and a few big island food shops.

check out the full stockist list (and learn even more about life on a farm) via hawaii island journal's visit to the dairy earlier this year.

treasure hunters in paradise

take one part da vinci code, mix in the amazing race, add the islands as your backdrop, and the intoxicating result is ravenchase adventures. if you have ever daydreamed about cracking codes while racing around the island, the time has come to gather a few friends and sign up for ravenchase's next treasure hunt to hit the pacific.

alas, there is no million dollar prize waiting for the winners, but the victorious team scores bragging rights and a hard earned trinket or two for their efforts. it's truly all about the journey for goonies at heart who must decipher clues with only a treasure map to guide them (and a few actors placed strategically along the way) to hidden nooks and crannies around the island which tests not only your teamwork skills but your knowledge of both the terrain and arcane of hawaii.

races typically take two hours with town and waikiki as the primary playground, however the neighbor islands are getting a little ravenchase love with recently rolled out adventures taking place on the big island and maui.

entry fees start at $25 for kama'aina ($35 for non-residents) and hit the $60/75 mark if you want to join the two day quest for the golden gnome race scheduled on oahu the weekend of june 16th (be sure to read the fine print before booking your reservation).

learn a few winners' tricks while living vicariously with the midweek team who raced all the way to the number one spot last year.

the old church house

i may wax on and on about modern but i have a soft spot for rustic when it's done right. at first glance, the old church house in upcountry maui appears to have been lovingly restored, but the reality is that it was really built from the ground up not quite as long ago as the dwelling's architecture would have you believe.

the one bedroom has a charming cottage style which is difficult to find in the islands (as previously noted dated thrift store tropical seems to be the favored style of most vacation rental owners). details like wood floors, exposed beams, an antique chest transformed into the kitchen sink, and an ocean view porch make it seem like this island getaway belongs in the pages of a pottery barn catalog (but with 21st century touches like wi-fi, an ipod ready stereo & stainless steel appliances).

the picturesque property is between makawao and haiku and located off a private road with an expansive lawn to loll about complete with larry the horse and a family of happy little ducks in residence.

rates start at $185 with a minimum of 3 nights.

hina adventures

 

the saturday travel post is back after an unintentional hiatus just in time for summertime!

today is all about hina adventures, a company owned by two local girls which specializes in cultural eco tours of oahu. one of the coolest things about hina is that both travelers and locals are welcome to join them on one of their many explorations around oahu. this is a very good thing since i know more than a few kama'aina who would enjoy learning more about all the historical hot spots that are literally in their backyard but may not know where to begin.

hina owners ena & uluwehi spent many years as eco guides and their backgrounds include stints as a vatican tour guide and voyaging to rapa nui. their passion for the islands really shines on their super informative website which is filled with field notes about the various sites to give you a sneak peek of what you can expect on your adventure.

there's a tour for everyone whether you want to stargaze, pay your respects at an ancient heiau, or scout the island's terrain on a custom hiking adventure with the safety & knowledge of an experienced guide. and for the socially conscious traveler, twice a month hina offers their ho'olaulima community service project/tour where you get to roll up your sleeves and help maintain one of the island's sacred sites.

{update | jan 2010: alas, hina adventures shuttered last summer}

'ulalena

that the stage show 'ulalena is brand new to me just shows you how long it has been since my last visit to maui. the theatrical spectacle has been described as a mash up of cirque du soleil (one of the executive producers brought mystère to the world) meets the mythology and history of hawaii and her people.

say no more. if 'ulalena is half as magical as mystère it will be well worth the price of admission. take a peek at a few reviews (here and here) for the professional perspective of those who are not easily awed by acrobatics and colorful stage tricks.

details:

• where: maui theatre
• when: tue - sat @ 6:30p
• tix: $49.50 - $69.50