My Kauai Vacation

Sorry for the long absence from my blog. I've been on vacation with my family visiting from the Mainland for over a week! This was their first time to Kauai, and I was so excited to be able to show them around my beautiful island of Kauai! Above is a photo of a native, Hawaiian hibiscus.

My niece is "digging to China" at Hanalei Bay.

Here's my sister looking at a banana tree for the first time.

We were so lucky to see a Hawaiian monk seal sunbathing at Salt Pond Beach Park. Later on he went for a swim with the keikis in the kiddie pond!

Here I am with my niece at my art studio, Painting Paradise.

My sister is painting a Kauai Rooster. I think it's a law that if you are an artist and live on Kauai, you have to paint at least one rooster or chicken!!! (NOT!) LOL

The two serious artists at work. My niece loves arts and crafts and often spends two to three hours a day creating! It's in the blood!

My niece asked me if she could, "paint the manikin." I thought she was going to pose him, and paint her rendition of him on watercolor paper. Instead she literally PAINTED THE MANIKIN!!! How cute!

Here's the whole gang at the Plantation Gardens restaurant at the Kiahuna Plantation Resort. From left to right, my brother-in-law, my niece, me, my sister, and my hubby!

She's a "coconut girl in a high fashion world!"

Having fun with the boogie board at Salt Pond.

Kickin' back and relaxin' under a coconut tree!

Shoveling sand at the Kiahuna Plantation Beach.

Looks like Kauai Coffee has a new coffee picker! I'll have to sign my niece up for the next harvest season in Septemer!! LOL

It certainly was a lot of fun spending time with my ohana! They thoroughly enjoyed Kauai. Mahalo for visiting!!!!

Plein Air Painting with Schar

Last week I asked Schar if she wanted to do some plein air painting (painting outdoors from life) at Salt Pond Beach. She said sure, but she needed to be pau (Hawaiian for done) by 11:00 a.m., so we decided to meet at 7 a.m. which is a wonderful time to be at any Hawaiian beach. The sun has risen, it's still cool, and not too many people on the beach yet.

This is the scene I decided to paint.

This is Schar's toolbox filled with lots of wonderful oil pastels, brushes, and even walnut oil for blending her beautiful colors with.

Schar beginning her painting.

This is my soft pastel set-up.

Here I am working on my new painting.

Schar is progressing very nicely on this one. She even demonstrated her technique for making waves in oil pastels. Mahalo!

And, my completed painting!

Schar's Final version for the day. She said she will work on it some more at her art studio.

I hope you have enjoyed our little art adventure. A big Mahalo to Schar for being my painting buddy. We had a really nice "talk story" session about art & life. I love her new creation!

Aloha and Happy Creating,

Marionette

http://www.kauai-artist.net/

Art Classes with Marionette

While Visiting Kauai, My Favorite Things

I often receive emails from visitors to Kauai looking for personal recommendations on things to do while on island. Here are some suggestions.

There is a lot of natural beauty on Kauai to explore! I recommend driving all around the island (one day the north shore, one day the south shore, and one day Waimea Canyon on the west side). By renting a car and driving around the island you will see a lot of great sights relatively inexpensively.

Here are some of my favorite things to do starting on the north shore: Ke'e beach or Tunnels beach, having lunch at Bubba's in Hanalei along with some shopping, Hanalei Bay (this is a lovely 2.5 mile crescent shaped beach with majestic mountains with waterfalls in the background - you might have to pinch yourself to believe you're not in a dream), Kilauea lighthouse and nature preserve (not open on Sundays), and Banana Joe's fruit stand.

East side: Blossoming Lotus restaurant in Kapa'a (great vegetarian food and world known), Smith's Tropical Paradise Luau in Wailua, Smith's boat tour up the Wailua river to the Fern Grotto (you will be serenaded by live Hawaiian music and hula dancers), Coconut Marketplace for shopping, Eggbert's for breakfast, and Dinner at Duke's Canoe Club restaurant at Kalapaki (great salad bar, fish, chicken and reasonably priced for an 'ocean view' restaurant).

South and west side: Poipu Beach, Lunch or dinner at Brennecke's (wonderful food, good prices, and ocean view), Spouting Horn, the "Keiki" Hula Show at the Hyatt (free, usually on Tuesday & Saturday eve, call first), Brick Oven Pizza in Kalaheo (best pizza I've ever had - closed on Mondays), Kukuiolono Park and Golf Course (breathtaking views of surrounding area), Kauai Coffee Visitor Center (free coffee samples of all of their varieties, self-guided tour of the coffee process, largest coffee plantation in the US - Harvesting to start in mid Sept.), Grinds restaurant in Ele'ele for breakfast, lunch or dinner (affordable), Salt Pond Beach, Waimea Canyon (all the way to the Kalalau Lookout), Waimea Plantation Cottages for lunch or dinner (brew pub and walk on their lovely grounds to the ocean), Polihale beach (bumpy road to get there and hot, but very picturesque), and of course a visit to my Waimea art studio, Painting Paradise :-)

Also, I recommend taking a boat tour to see the island from the ocean. I personally do NOT receommend a helicopter tour (there have been too many fatal crashes). The helicopter tour is nice because you get to see the whole island, but it is risky. Also, be very, very careful in the ocean. I am sick of hearing in the newspaper about people who get swept out to sea and drown. This happens all too often. Swim in protected areas, be aware of the current, and talk to a lifeguard before going in, if possible. Kauai is paradise on earth, but accidents still happen.

You can get more info about the island by reading the local newspaper: http://www.kauaiworld.com/ , or http://www.kauaipeople.com/ .

If you need to book a tour I recommend http://www.kauaivacationtours.com/
(I know the ladies who work there. Tell them Marionette sent you.)

If you want to shop for local products made on Kauai, check out the "Kauai Made" website at http://www.kauaimade.net/ . This program was created by the County of Kauai to officially represent the products made on Kauai by Kauai people, using Kauai materials.

If, after all of this, you are a little tired and sore and in need of some TLC, then I recommend Tropics Day Spa http://www.tropicsdayspa.com/ located in Port Allen.

If anyone has more suggestions of activities, sights to see, or restaurants, please list them as a "comment". I'd love to see what your favorite things to do on Kauai are!