Food memories at Moana

The Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa is offering its 110th anniversary getaway package until Dec. 18, 2011. The package includes an exclusive room rate of $110 for the fifth night and $110 resort credit which can be used at the Moana Lani Spa, A Heavenly Spa by Westin or in one of the resort’s dining outlets.
 
For reservations, call (866) 716-8112 or visit www.moana-surfrider.com and ask for Rate Plan 110BDAY.

Courtesy Moana Surfrider

The hotel is marking its 110th anniversary from 11:11 a.m. to 11:11 p.m. March 11 with an “Eleven”-themed program of festivities to mark eleven decades of history that have graced the hotel dubbed “The First Lady of Waikiki.”

Through 11:11 p.m. that day, The Beach Bar will be offering four half-priced anniversary cocktail specials from the Signature Moana Menu. They are the Moana Mai Tai, Tropical Itch served with a Moana backscratcher, Paradise Peach Cooler served in a bamboo cup, and Moana Coconut served in a signature coconut shell.

At the Beachhouse at the Moana, executive chef Rodney Uyehara will cook up a 110th anniversary four-course Tasting Menu, offered from 5:11 to 9:11 p.m. daily through March 31, featuring a first course of pan-seared prosciutto scallop and’Nalo greens with poi vinaigrette. The second course is Mayer Farms Steak Diane served with Big Island baby spinach and Oregon morels, a main course of roasted veal Oscar served with foie gras and King Crab tempura, and dessert will be a dark rum creme brulee. The cost is $110 per person, not including tax or tip. To reserve, call 921-4600.

To close the day, from 6:11 to 9:11 p.m., the hotel has partnered with Rosenthal Wines and Southern Wines & Spirits to host a tasting reception and wine pairing on the Diamond Lawn, featuring modern interpretations of menu items popular at the Moana Surfrider over the past 11 decades. There will also be entertainment by Amy Hanalii Gilliom, Jeff Peterson and Chino Montero, and the Kamaka Fernandez Trio. Tickets are $110 per person and VIP tables are available for an additional cost. Call 923-2861.

Dishes from the decades-inspired menu are as follows:
1900: Veal cheeks with applewood bacon polenta, Nalo micro greens and natural jus.
1910: Risotto station with chicken and asparagus, and lobster with sweet Kahuku corn and gourmet Hamakua mushrooms.
1920: Kurobuta pork sliders with Thai chili mango relish and candied apples topped with Maui pineapple jus.
1930: Pan seared onaga, saffron basmati rice pilaf with Figaro sauce and ikura.
1940: Duck breast a l’orange with gingered Goji berries and taro scallion pancakes.
1950: Filet Steak Diane flambé with fine herbs buttered gnocchi.
1960: Filet of mahimahi on warm Okinawan sweet potato salad topped with caviar cream.
1970: Roasted rack of lamb with tomato apricot chutney, garlic pommes puree, and minted demi.
1980: Shrimp and scallops “Newburg Style” vol au vent, North Shore prawns, and corn sprouts.
1990: Canapés with minted cantaloupe, and honeydew and watermelon pearls in a green tea-infused essence.  Beggars purse with pipikaula, smoked salmon, crabmeat on mushroom caps, and Thai ahi tartar with baby squash and baby shrimp on cucumber.
2000: Ahi nicoise tasting with sashimi grade ahi, olives, and fingerling potatoes with wasabi aioli.
2011: Crepe Suzette Station with flambé crepes, Ka‘u orange Grand Marnier, black cherry jubilee sauces, and vanilla ice cream. Westin “Heavenly” cheesecake with assorted fruit toppings, assorted macaroons, French pastry style guava chiffon, tiramisu, coconut and chocolate cake, chocolate éclairs, cream puffs, chocolate operas and raspberry mousse cake.

Vow renewals at Embassy Suites-Waikiki Beach Walk

Embassy Suites-Waikiki Beach Walk is sweetening Valentine’s Day by providing legally married guests the opportunity to renew their romance with a complimentary vow-renewal ceremony.

Incorporating Hawaiian-style elements, including the exchange of lei and dancing to "The Hawaiian Wedding Song," this non-denominational ceremony will take place on the resort’s Grand Lanai at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 14, 2011.

With a lei symbolizing the unbroken circle of love, couples will repeat the word "aloha," with alphabet representing:
"A" Akahi (Kindness)
"L" Lokahi (Harmony)
"O" Oluolu (Polite)
"H" Haahaa (Humility)

"A" Ahonui (Patience)

A “Kamaaina Romance” package is also being offered through Dec. 22, 2011. Hawaii residents can book an upscale suite complete with champagne or sparkling cider and chocolates, plus dinner for two at either Roy’s Waikiki or Ruth’s Chris Steak House at Waikiki Beach Walk, with rates starting at $234 nightly for a two-night stay and $279 for a one-night stay.

For the Kamaaina Romance package, enter the promotional code "PK1" for a one-night stay or "PK2" for a two-night stay at www.EmbassySuitesWaikiki.com, or call 1-800-EMBASSY.

Sweetheart deals at SpaHalekulani

SpaHalekulani photo

Couples are invited to indulge in two-hour Valentine's experiences at SpaHalekulani during February, beginning with the spa's signature foot-pounding ritual and continuing with a couples 75-minute massage or facial.

"Sweethearts' Rendevous," which includes a relaxing soak in a Japanese furo or a steam bath, champagne, chocolate-covered strawberries and a gift basket containing SpaHalekulani's coco-passion lotion and wash, a scented candle and Halekulani chocolates, will be available for $562, discounted from $672.

To schedule, call 931-5322 or 931-5323.

This month, guests also can enjoy a variety of complimentary weekly classes on the art of love and renewal. The sessions, from 11 a.m. to noon, are:

» "The art of massage": Learn basic massage strokes Feb. 8 in Halekulani Garden Terrace.

» "Renewal, a Daily Ritual": Epicuren educator Helga Desmet demonstrates daily proper care of the body and face Feb. 16 in Halekulani Garden Terrace.

» "Oxygen ... Pure and Powerful": Learn why oxygen facials are more than a breath of fresh air, Feb. 23 in Halekulani Kiawe Room.

Meet American Girl of the Year

American Girl photos

Meet Kanani Akina.

The word is out tha American Girl’s 2011 Girl of the Year is from Kauai, the first in the popular series of dolls to come from the 50th state.

Kanani Akina stands 18-inches tall, with tawny skin, dark hair and hazel eyes, and will meet her public in a blue, floral-print cotton summer dress and beaded necklace.

Like her predeccesors, Kanani will be available for one year, and other clothing options include a swimsuit, board shorts, “Aloha” T-shirt, denim capris and a luau hula ensemble, complete with lei.
Other accessories include a paddleboard set, shave ice stand and plush monk seal to reflect Kanani’s love of Hawaii’s ocean creatures. American Girl will donate $1 (up to $100,000) for each Kanani plush monk seal sold in 2011 to the National Wildlife Federation to help raise awareness about endangered animals.

Prices range from $100 for the doll and book, about $28 for extra outfits, and $29 to $50 for girls’ outfits to match the doll’s.

A touch of realism, Kanani at her shave ice stand.

Halekulani picks up two top magazine rankings

Halekulani photos

A peek into the Halekulani Orchid Suite.

Halekulani has received top ratings from two major travel magazines for 2011. Travel + Leisure’s “2011 T+L 500 World’s Best Hotels” rankings are now posted on the Travel + Leisure Web site, where Halekulani is listed as No. 2 in Hawaii in “Best Hotels by Region,” and ranked No. 1 in Honolulu.

In the writeup, The Orchid Suite is featured as the newest of The Premier Suites, and breakfast at Orchids is highlighted for its inclusion of such Hawaiian specialties as pipi kaula (beef jerky), marinated ahi poke, lomilomi cured salmon, Waimanalo roast suckling pig, and Big Island goat cheese, plus what editors are calling “the Pacific’s best popovers.”

The site erred, however, in mentioning two Vera Wang-designed suites, when there is only one. Maybe the designer will just have to come back to make the story true!

Halekulani is also in the January 2011 issue of Condé Nast Traveler. In the annual Gold List roundsup of “The World’s best 504 hotels, resorts, and cruise lines” selected by the magazine’s readers, Halekulani received an overall score of 90.3 out of 100, the highest ranking Oahu hotel.

The Halekulani Courtyard.

Atlantis adds whale watch cruise

Atlantis photo

A 15-foot baby humpback was equally curious about guests off Waikiki.

Atlantis Navatek Cruises is adding a Whale Watch Breakfast Cruise to its daily schedule during “whale watching season” to give guests more opportunities to enjoy the sight of humpback whales swimming and playing along Oahu’s south shoreline.

Atlantis’s new breakfast cruise is in addition to its popular Whale Watch Lunch Cruise, which runs through April 10, 2011. The new Whale Watch Breakfast Cruise starts Jan. 14, and will continue through March 31, 2011.

Each winter up to 10,000 humpback whales migrate from the chilly North Pacific to the warm waters of the Hawaiian Islands to breed and nurse their young. The fifth-largest whale, humpbacks reach 50 feet in length and weigh 40 tons, and can be seen breaching, spouting, and slapping their tails.

With its unique, double-hulled design, Navatek I allows Atlantis to carry guests closer to the prime viewing locations for humpback whales in the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary off East Oahu.

Whale Watch Breakfast Cruise: Navatek I departs at 8:30 a.m. from Pier 6 at Aloha Tower Marketplace in Honolulu Harbor and returns to port at 10:30 a.m. Cost is $49 for adults and $25 for children (ages 2-12) and includes a continental breakfast buffet featuring pastries, muffins, bagels, yogurt, cold cereal, juice, tea, and coffee. Complimentary roundtrip ground transportation from Waikiki is provided.

Whale Watch Lunch Cruise: Departs at noon from Pier 6 at Aloha Tower Marketplace in Honolulu Harbor and returns to port at 2:30 p.m. Cost is $69 for adults and $35 for children (ages 2-12) and includes the all-you-can-eat lunch buffet featuring teriyaki chicken, fresh catch of the day, dessert, and soft drinks. Complimentary roundtrip ground transportation from Waikiki is provided.

The humpbacks are best seen from the observation decks. Dress comfortably for breezy conditions, with secure hats and belongings, and wear sunscreen.
Bookings made online receive a 10 percent discount. Prices do not include the harbor fee and general excise tax. For more information or to book a tour, call (800) 548-6262 or visit www.atlantissubmarines.com.

More information: Hawaii's winter whales

Times Square’s got competition

Guests of the Kahala Hotel are in for a sweet treat on New Year’s Eve, with a Hawaii first. Not to be outdone by New York’s Times Square or the Sydney Opera House, Hawaii will now have its own glittering LED-lighted papier-mache pineapple, which will drop 10 stories from the hotel’s rooftop to usher in 2011.

Constructed by staffers, using chicken wire, newspaper and wallpaper paste, the hand-built pineapple, with lighted eyes, will be more than 8-feet tall and weigh in at more than 200 pounds. The pineapple pays homage to one of Hawaii’s most popular pineapple varieties, the Smooth Cayenne.
It will be hoisted by crane, wires and pulleys, and descend at the stroke of midnight, ringing in the New Year in grand Hawaiian style.

Admission to the New Year’s Eve Party and Pineapple Drop, from 10 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., is $50 for adults.

A bit of history: The pineapple has long been synonymous with Hawaiian hospitality. While the exact date of the pineapple’s arrival in Hawaii is the subject of debate, most historians agree that it arrived on Spanish ships as early as 1527.

Spanish horticulturalist Francisco de Paula Marin arrived in Hawaii in 1794 and began experimenting with raising pineapples in the early 1800s. As a friend and advisor to King Kamehameha I, Marin might have encouraged the king to support an industry that had impact well into the late 20th century.