The Kahala Experience

The town of Kahala is located a few miles east of Waikiki. It has a reputation for being home to some of the wealthier people of Hawaii. It is quite evident, too, by the beautiful houses that line the streets. There are some beach parks there, but I have never visited any of them because Kailua beach is my backyard. For those who live in Hawaii Kai, Aina Haina, Niu Valley, and Kaimuki, those parks are the most convenient for beach days. There's also a mall in Kahala which isn't quite as big as Ala Moana Shopping Center, but it is home to many great stores, even local owned boutique style. Whole Foods and Macy's are the big name stores you'll find there. If you want to escape the tourists, it is a great place to shop. You will also find the Waialae Country Club in Kahala. It is famous for hosting the Sony Open every January. My Kahala Experience has been spent mainly at the Kahala Hotel and Resort, formerly named the Kahala Mandarin. I had heard how beautiful this resort is but did not visit it until December of 2005 when my husband's (then boyfriend's) Christmas Party was held there. I was very impressed with the old Hawaii charm the resort captured, but in a modern way. The party was a lot of fun. The food was served buffet style and quite delicious.

My next visit to the Kahala Resort changed my life and brought me to where I am today. It was May 2006, and Mark had already had orders to be in Altus, OK, by August 31st. He even had a house being built there. I was left hanging because I couldn't bear the thought of staying in Hawaii without him, but he refused to even discuss marriage with me. It was all or nothing for me, though. I was not moving to the middle of nowhere, giving up my career, basically my life, for someone not willing to commit to me. I was 33 years old, and I was not going to be a live in girlfriend. He told me he had a surprise for me. I have to know everything, so I got him to tell me that we were spending the weekend at the resort. I used the excuse that I needed to know what to pack. When we got there, we swam with the dolphins. Dolphin Quest, which is the same company that has dolphin swims at the Hilton Waikaloa, does the dolphin swims at the Kahala Resort, too. It was so fun. At the end as I started getting out the water, the trainer said she needed my help for a commercial they were shooting. She was going to have the dolphin bring me items. The dolphin brought me a styrofoam, cube shaped box, and I looked at Mark and said here you take it. He said, "No, you need to open it." Inside was a diamond engagement ring. Right there in the middle of the dolphin lagoon, he proposed. I was so happy and so surprised.

That night we had dinner at a restaurant facing the ocean. I don't remember the name or what I ate because I was so excited. I wish I could recommend or comment on it, but the entire day seemed like a dream. I do remember not being able to eat dessert there, but later ordering chocolate cake off the room service menu. It was the best chocolate cake I had ever eaten. I don't have a sweet tooth, but there were many times, especially those lonely days in Altus, when I longed for that cake. The next morning we had breakfast at the Plumeria House and spent the day lounging at the pool. We revisited the Kahala Resort New Year's Day 2011 for brunch. This time, we had another guest with us, Matthew. The brunch was incredibly delicious. There is everything you can imagine served, sushi, sashimi, clams, mussels, oysters, several types of salad, eggs, sausage, waffles, prime rib, fish, and several types of dessert. On this day, they didn't have that chocolate cake I couldn't forget. Yesterday, we celebrated our 6 year wedding anniversary. We went back and forth about where to go and what to do. I wanted to keep it really casual and go to a place called Kickin Kajun which is the only place in Hawaii that serves boiled crawfish. After reading the yelp reviews, it seemed like we have to get there when they open at 3 p.m. to get a seat and be certain we get crawfish. We thought about staying close to home and just going to Buzz's, but at dinner Saturday night I told Mark this is the last time in my life I won't be on a diet. With this pregnancy, I have maintained my healthy eating, but I don't diet because I want a healthy baby. I don't go crazy eating whatever I want, but I do splurge if the occassion presents itself. I won't be doing that as much post-partum because I have a goal weight I want to maintain, and it gets harder as I get older. I have to stay healthy because I'll be in my 50s when my children finish high school, and I want to be around to see that, as well as, see them go to college, get married, and have children of their own. Mark decided I deserved the chocolate cake. He saw it on the menu at Hoku's inside the Kahala Resort and made the reservation. I was so impressed by the service and quality of the food. We opted for their signature dish. It is a whole fish, flash fried, that serves 2. It was a red snapper and quite tasty. When it arrived, it appeared different than I expected. I was thinking seared, but it was actually breaded and fried. It was served with stir fried vegetables and shrimp fried rice. I am so glad we tried it because I always say when I go to a restaurant I want to order something I can't and don't cook at home. I probably would try the fresh catch of the day on my next visit, though. I normally don't eat breaded and fried food, so while I thought the taste was great, I felt it was a one time experience. My favorite part of the meal was the hot molten chocolate cake. It was as delicious as I remembered. I enjoyed every bite of it. It was worth the more than 6 year wait. It also made this anniversary special by revisiting the place where it all started for us.

Whether it's a special occassion or not, dinner or a weekend stay, the Kahala Resort is worth experiencing.

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