descending on kauai’s north shore

Feb 7, 2012 by admin

oh, hey 2012… kinda snuck up on me there.

hard to believe that almost a full year has slipped by since our father-daughters’ jaunt across the kauai north shore – which, as it turns out, followed just steps behind a somewhat familiar storyline.

if there’s any consolation to barely missing a hanalei town run-in with george clooney (and friendly locals so loved to teasingly remind us) during filming of The Descendants, it’s this: from jewel-tone hills and red clay trails to wide, golden beaches - in real life, kauai’s raw talent far outshines any hollywood lens.

watch this award season’s Best Picture, then trace the footprints of kauai’s local crowd to my favorite scene stealers. wherever you go, it’s easy to feel like ohana – family.

1. Tahiti Nui – cast and crew “had a few mai tais” at this hanalei hometown dive, affectionately known as ‘da nui.’ you’ll love the laid-back vibe, local ukulele bands and rowdy group of regulars (including Descendants’ costar beau bridges) doing the same inside the warm, bamboo-thatch bar.

2. Hanalei Bay – sleepy beach bungalows, surf shacks and local shops dot this wide, sandy crescent of kauai’s north shore, which played a starring role alongside the luxe St. Regis Princeville Resort. head to the St. Regis Bar or outdoor Makana Terrace for drinks with a sunset backdrop that rivals any big screen.

3. Kipu Kai - just as isolated and pristine as its film depiction, the former sugarcane plantation south of Lihue called Kipu Ranch is still owned by descendants of William Rice, who bought the land from Hawaii in the 1870s. ATV tours by Kipu Ranch Adventures stop at the Haupu Ridge overlook and Kipu Kai beach, which is only accessible by boat.

4. Shave Ice Paradise - stop in to this hanalei town staple after a morning at Lumahai beach. personal picks: macadamia nut ice cream or the bali hai sunset – mango, liliko’i (passion fruit) and li hing mui (asian plum).

5. Kalalau Trail – jaw-dropping scenery along the lush Na Pali coast makes the first two miles of this strenuous trek to Hanakapi’ai beach oscar-worthy. adventurers can continue the 11-mile hike along sheer sea cliffs to Kalalau Beach, with a camping stop in Hanakoa Valley.

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wanderlust: set on location

Sep 21, 2011 by christie

i spend a lot of time wishing my life was more cinematic – with an occasional Pete Townshend get-happy montage, razor-sharp witticisms beyond the scope of my intellectual relevance, and the income to substantiate unlimited leisure time despite total absence of a concrete profession.

all of this, plus a scene-stealing backdrop of glistening waves and a sunset view no matter which way you’re actually facing. okay, at least some part of this shore blissful fantasy is within reach.

surf your Netflix queue, then get going to these Top 5 places to inspire your own ‘real-life movie moment’:

the classic:

The Endless Summer (Cape St Francis, South Africa) – commercial development has altered the St. Francis Bay area since 1966, but the right break remains an icon among generations of surfers inspired by the search for ‘the perfect wave.’

honorable mentions: Swiss Family Robinson, Tobago

faraway tropic:

Castaway (Monuriki, Fiji) – how do you fill 143 minutes between marooned islander Tom Hanks and an inanimate wilson volleyball? stunning cinematography of pristine, white-sand beaches and tranquil waves.

honorable mentions: The Beach, Phi Phi Leh, Thailand; Eat.Pray.Love, Padang Padang beach, Bali.

euro-so chic:

The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou (Naples, Anzio and Ponza, Italy) – Wes Anderson’s quirky humor and a soundtrack of Bowie covers by Seu Jorge bring new charm to the Italian Riviera.

honorable mentions: The Talented Mr. Ripley (Venice & Positano, Italy), To Catch A Thief (Nice, Cannes & Monaco)

spirit of aloha:

50 First Dates (Oahu, Hawaii) – okay, so even if you’re not the biggest adam sandler fan, you’ve still got to love the warm small-town vibe and lush setting of Oahu’s Winward side – far from the tourist crowd at Waikiki.

honorable mentions: Forgetting Sarah Marshall (Turtle Bay Resort, Oahu), South Pacific (Kauai, Hawaii)

caribbean cool:

Captain Ron (San Juan & Salinas, Puerto Rico) – if there’s one real lesson in navigating the islands with a rum scoundrel boat captain, it’s this: gorilla. guerilla. HUGE difference.

honorable mentions: Splash (Nassau, Bahamas), Pirates of the Caribbean (St. Vincent & the Grenadines)

*Flickr photography courtesy of IMP1, Phil Gibbs & TheGirlsNY

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shore, we could live here: turks & caicos

Aug 18, 2011 by christie

it’s thursday. i’m on my second cup of coffee and staring at a paper pile that trumps the Burj Khalifa. all the while the weekend is nowhere in sight.

i need an escape, so let’s indulge in a momentary, if not all-out delusion of grandeur and play a game of ‘places to rest our heads if we were stacked like richard branson‘…

for sale: Serendib Estate - 10,000 square feet of pure island bliss in Providenciales, Turks & Caicos.

the necessities: 10 bedrooms – including attached guest wing, adjacent guest house and private staff quarters

ambiance: wood-paneled cathedral ceilings, mosaics, mahogany spiral staircase

shore scene: not one, but two white-sand beaches

greenery: 3+ acres of tropical gardens, outdoor dining palapa & cocktail lounge included

on deck: 200-ft boat dock and marina (for that 200-foot yacht you’re cruisin’, cap)

did i fail to mention anything about the free-form pool and waterfall spa; lit tennis court; home theater; private gym; commercial grade kitchen? oh, and the island peninsula helipad.

you’re welcome.

listing price: $11.9 million (and worth every penny, i’m sure)

via Turks & Caicos Sotheby’s International Realty

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(really) beautiful places

Jun 7, 2011 by christie

forget the room with a view – how about an entire villa? and while we’re at it, why not one that comes with its own panoramic dreamscape of say, oh i don’t know, Italy’s Amalfi Coast?

my bags are already packed. now just waiting for the private jet to whisk me off into the clouds… where the majority of my subconscious has been lingering as of late.

hey, when momentary travel delusions of grandeur strike, just go with it.

which explains how i originally stumbled upon (read: fervently googled) luxury villa escapes like this one while taking a short lunch breather from a monotonous workday afternoon. with a name like Beautiful Places, you’d expect this collection to deliver – and no surprise here, it does. vacation jet-setters check in to fairytale retreats across Europe, the U.S., Bahamas and Mexico that rival five-star hotels in both size and luxe factor: sprawling vineyard estates in Sonoma or French Bordeaux wine country, coastal havens in Capri and Punta Mita, Aspen mountain chalets, restored Tuscan villages or pastoral chateaux in Provence.

palatial digs offer up to 17 bedrooms and 22 bathrooms, alongside olympic-size swimming pools, tennis courts, acres of private vineyards, formal gardens… you get the idea. and while there’s plenty of space to spread out, it might not be a bad idea to pack in the getaway crowd to offset high season rates that can range upwards of $12,000 per night, or $40,000 weekly. luxury ain’t cheap, ya know.

*images courtesy of www.beautiful-places.com

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wanderlust: the other caribbean

May 25, 2011 by christie

turquoise water: check. pristine beaches: check. diver’s paradise: youbetcha. it’s the caribbean all right, though exactly where you’d find this idyllic escape may be a bit more obscure – mainly for the reason that most of us have no idea such a place exists. welcome to the bay islands of honduras. yes, that honduras.

cruise along the Caribbean Sea some 30 miles off the country’s northern coast, where the prominent islands of Roatán, Utila and Guanaja – along with more than 60 islets and keys – dot tranquil waters with green hilltops and golden stretches of sand. beneath the crystal-clear surface are some of the most spectacular coral reef systems in the Americas. oh, and it just so happens to be a whale shark hangout year-round.

my good friend amanda is responsible for these amazing photos… and more importantly, for making sure i get here asap (ahem). you can follow the adventurer on her cute blog here, then check out more about Roatán, the Cayos Cochinos archipelago and the bay islands on the Visit Honduras YouTube channel here.

special thanks to www.adventuresintrying.com for this post. xo

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