Dina’s Sandwitch
Sugar Beach, Kihei
If you’re like me, you broke your New Year’s resolution within about five hours of the stroke of midnight January 1. Luckily I have an assortment of others from which I can choose. Becoming a teetotaler is not one of them. Getting out of my shell, however, is. So is not spending so damned much money. Enter Dina’s Sandwitch (yes, the “t” is intentional). This is the pau hana destination for a diverse cast of characters, so interesting conversation abounds. Plus, the ocean view is unbeatable and makes for a killer sunset experience.
Ono Gelato
Paia
My broken resolution luckily did not involve food. No, the perpetual diet is superglued to the inside of my skull. But if I had violated that personal tenet I would have done so at a place like Ono Gelato, which features an array of sweet stuff for vegans and non-vegans alike. Flavors include mojito, pineapple champagne, pumpkin pie and Lilikoi, to name a few. Plus they sell locally made jams and and offer samples. To further satisfy your penitent urges, Ono keeps its ingredients as local as possible, which means you don’t have the added guilt of having patronized a place that unnecessarily ships in most of its ingredients.
Abundant Aina
Kahului
If you want to revert to your teetotaling ways after a night or two of debauchery, this little café can arm you with the best detox catalysts around. There’s the ginger and turmeric shot, for example, which is said to offset inflammation, pain and nausea, among other ailments. Those wishing to haul their butts back to the gym will delight in the assortment of smoothies, which are an excellent pre-workout boost.
Jawz Tacos
Kihei
Fire and brimstone types will find that repenting in a truly torturous way is a breeze thanks to capsaicin, the component of hot peppers that makes them, well, hot. Although in time capsaicin will ultimately result in an endorphin rush, it typically causes some serious tongue pain when initially ingested. A visit to a Mexican, Thai or Indian joint will help a resolution breaker inflict pain on him or herself in a most Catholic manner without all the scars. I suggest Jaws, which offers an array of punishment fodder.
Go in a straight line
One of the most appealing aspects of this small and profoundly beautiful island is its conduciveness to introspection. You don’t need to go very far to find a private spot at which to ponder the course of your life, among other things. Head in one direction and you have the unfathomably vast expanse of the Pacific before you. Head in another and you’re atop a gigantic volcano. Wherever you end up will serve as a reminder of the insignificance of whatever little regret it was that drove you to get outta Dodge for the day. MTW
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