Aloha From Hawaii  | TRAVEL | Advocate.com

||  TRAVEL  ||
Read CommentsPost a CommentTag this page
 
Aloha From Hawaii
Advocate.com correspondent Job Brother takes a look at Starwood Hotels' newest property on Kauai and some of the resort group's recently remodeled gems on Oahu.
An Advocate.com exclusive posted July 2, 2008
Aloha From Hawaii

Like many people who call Los Angeles home, I am accustomed to a certain lifestyle: long hours at a day job to cover a rent that rivals the national debt, freelance gigs that dominate my “time off,” traffic that turns an errand to buy some milk and eggs into a daylong road trip, and breathing air that can not only be seen but sometimes even tasted.

It’s difficult to leave such a glamorous life behind, but when I was offered a chance to visit the Hawaiian Islands and check out some of the posh vacation destinations offered by Starwood Hotels & Resorts , I bravely accepted.

I packed a few essentials -- swim trunks, my iPod, and my boyfriend -- and boarded a flight for Honolulu. Having been raised on the island of Oahu, it felt curious to return as one of the many tourists I used to poke fun at. I made a mental checklist of the things I wouldn’t do, such as wearing my camera like a necklace or overusing the word mahalo.

My first destination was the W Honolulu Diamond Head (2885 Kalakaua Ave., Honolulu; 808-922-1700). The hotel was unassuming -- so much so that we missed it on our initial drive down Kalakaua Avenue, sending us back around the circumference of the neighboring Kapiolani Park.

W Hotel Room Redecorated (Publicity) | Advocate.com

We were in a corner suite, which gave us a beautiful view of the inactive volcano of Diamond Head and a view of the ocean that was partially obstructed by larger hotels next door. The suite had lanai -- or patio -- appointments on two sides, which promoted a delicious breeze. (Be careful with your food, however -- lunching on the lanai led to a Hitchcockian experience of birds muscling in.) Our room’s decor was an uninspired mix of Polynesian wood furnishings amid white backdrops. All in all it was not up to the standard of urban cool that the W is famous for, a fact spokespeople seemed aware of as they showed us what the redesigned rooms would soon look like: Cobalt blue predominated over polished white furniture, while intricately designed sliding-glass fixtures maximized use of the small space. White netting resembled a sail over a bed, while a chair featured a blue woven back meant to resemble deep-water vegetation. It was a decidedly W postmodern vision of an undersea lounge.

The hotel does provide comfortable beach chairs and towels at the front desk, but unfortunately, the nearest beach is mostly waveless and located next to the historic but dilapidated Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium, a swimming pool built by the military that is now a depressing visage, in such disrepair that people may no longer enter it.

Rumor has it that the W hosts some swinging nightlife as well, but having escaped from hipster Los Angeles ourselves, we opted out of experiencing it.

Moana Surfrider Resort, Beachouse (PR) | Advocate.com

Instead we enjoyed our first dinner at the Moana Surfrider Resort on Waikiki Beach (2365 Kalakaua Ave., Honolulu; 808-922-3111). First opened in 1901 and having undergone a $50 million restoration in the late '80s, the hotel is a gorgeous example of beaux arts architecture, easily evoking a feeling of Old World glamour. Its restaurant, Beach House , is a joy to behold, with both patio and indoor seating offering panoramic views of the ocean. But the real joy lies in the food. Our waitress bragged that the steaks are so good we wouldn’t need the accompanying sauce, and it was true. Her knowledge and enthusiasm made her a welcome guide as we navigated the menu. Ultimately, we ordered diver scallop potato cakes with kula citrus-herb butter, and filet mignon seasoned with alaea salt blend and served with citrus bearnaise and cabernet jus. We also drank the first of what would be many piña coladas on our vacation, eventually judging each establishment on their preparation of this cocktail. The scallop potato cakes were rich without being oily; the potato flavor practically vanished and complimented the texture of the dish while allowing for the taste of scallop to predominate. The filet mignon, very rare, as I ordered it, was so tender it was like pudding, and boldly salty. Despite our waitress’s boast, I used the bearnaise sauce, which added a flavor of melted savory pastry -- my eyes rolled back in my head.

Reader Comments

These comments are reproduced as written by visitors to this Web site. They have not been edited for content, grammar, or spelling. The viewpoints appearing here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or views of advocate.com, The Advocate, or its affiliates.

  • Name: James Cole
    Date posted: 2008-07-13 11:37 PM
    Hometown: Westmoreland, TN

    Comment:

    Having been to Kauai twice, I thought some explanation about the feral poultry might be interestingly enlightening. It seems that prior to Hurricane Iniki (sp???) back some years ago that all of Kauai's chickens were penned up and quite domesticated. After the hurricane devastated the island, those chickens that survived ended up being true "free-range" chickens, and have become a part of the allure of this gorgeous piece of paradise. My partner of 20-plus years both were raised in the country, and now have a large farm that we run as an equine rescue and rehabilitation facility. We have LOTS of horses, twelve burros, three cats, and a flock of chickens. Needless to say, when on Kauai, the crowing roosters just makes us feel even more at home!! We love all of Hawaii, but Kauai and the Big Island are our favorites.


Back to top

Submit a comment for this story:

*Type your comment here (Required, 1000 characters max.):

*Name (Required): 

*Hometown (Required): 

*E-mail address: (Required, but will not be displayed)

Is this comment for publication? 
Yes   No

Daytime phone number: (Required for print publication only and will not be displayed)

Please enter the words you see in the box, in order and separated by a space. Doing so helps prevent automated programs from abusing this service.

  

If you would like to submit a comment for posting, please fill out the form above. 

All comments submitted via this form are subject to posting or publication. (To send a private letter to an Advocate editor or writer, please use the e-mail button at the top of the page, or use snail mail.) If you would like your comment considered for publication in The Advocate magazine, please include your full name, your city of residence, and a phone number where you can be reached during business hours so that we can confirm your identity. Your e-mail address and telephone number are strictly confidential and will not be shared or used for any purpose other than to contact you about your comment.

Comments that do not concern specific articles in The Advocate or on Advocate.com will not be posted or published. See the Contact page for sending comments for reasons other than responding to Advocate editorial and news stories.

Please note that comments sent by fax or snail mail are unlikely to be posted, although they will be considered for publication along with all letters received via e-mail or via this Web page. Comments that chiefly concern Advocate.com content will be considered for posting only on the Web site. The Advocate reserves the right to edit submitted comments for grammar, spelling, obscenities, or libel; we will, however, do our best to preserve the original comment's style and intent. Comments considered for publication in The Advocate magazine may also be edited for length.

More Exclusives
  • Messing Around Again
    Forget Grace Adler (for a minute). Suddenly, Debra Messing wants to become everybody’s favorite desperate ex-housewife with her big return to the small screen in The Starter Wife.
  • On Gay Marriage: A Letter From a GOP Mom Re: Sarah Palin
    A registered Republican from the swing state of Ohio has a few questions for Sarah Palin and John McCain on the heels of Palin's vice-presidential debate. Specifically, Kim Peters wants to know: Just how "tolerant" would a McCain White House be of Peters's lesbian daughter?
  • GLBT History Month: 31 Days, 31 Heroes
    October is GLBT History Month, a national celebration of queer culture through the ages. To remind people of our achievements, the Equality Forum has honored a hero for every day of the month. Who made the list?
  • Kristofer Eisenla Does the DNC
    Long before Kristofer Eisenla became deputy chief of staff and communications director for U.S. representative Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), he campaigned for Clinton marching around the living room of his staunchly Republican grandparents' home with a sign he'd crafted himself. Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine 16 years later he'd be so actively involved in the planning of the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver.
  • Russian Officials Shut Down Country's First LGBT Film Fest
    Side by Side was supposed to be Russia's first LGBT film festival, but on October 2, just hours before the scheduled premiere, organizers were met by officials blocking the entrance to the venue, claiming fire code violations—an excuse they say Russian authorities have used since the early '90s as a pretext for shutting down events as they see fit.
  • Memories of Coming Out: Day 3
    On October 11 millions of openly gay Americans will reflect on the day they took those brave first steps out of the closet, providing support and encouragement to others who have yet to find their voice. On the third day of our coming-out series, speaker and lecturer Donna Rose, filmmaker and GroundSpark executive director Debra Chasnoff, and entertainment publicist Len Evans share their coming-out stories.
  • Hilary Duff Wants You to Stop Saying 'That's So Gay'
    “A mind is a terrible thing to waste.” “Friends don’t let friends drive drunk.” “Only you can prevent forest fires.” Since the 1940s the Ad Council has been impacting the culture with slogans like these. Now the venerable nonprofit organization is out to educate teens that antigay slang doesn’t cut it anymore -- and to kick-start the effort, it's recruited Hilary Duff.
  • Jared Polis: Post-Gay Candidate?
    This is the third article in The Advocate's continuing coverage of four battleground states: Colorado, Florida, Virginia, and Ohio. Entrepreneur and philanthropist Jared Polis is set to make history by becoming the first openly gay non-incumbent male elected to the U.S. Congress, but the milestone has failed to send shock waves through his Colorado district. Some think that could represent the greatest progress of all.
  • Memories of Coming Out: Day 2
    On October 11 millions of openly gay Americans will reflect on the day they took those brave first steps out of the closet, providing support and encouragement to others who have yet to find their voice. On the second day of our coming-out series, Brooke Knows Best star Glenn Douglas Packard (pictured), SAGE executive director Michael Adams, and Family Equality Council executive director Jennifer Chrisler share their coming-out stories.
  • Pat Steadman Fights to Turn Colorado Blue
    Since Colorado’s Amendment 2 changed the state constitution to prohibit new laws to protect lesbians and gays from discrimination in 1992, LGBT activist Pat Steadman has been at the forefront of Colorado's equal rights battle. Now, for the first time since that year, Colorado looks like it could well swing Democrat in November's election, thanks in large part to the work of Steadman and Equal Rights Colorado.
  • Yes Takes No: The Firestorm Over Prop 8
    We thought we were winning. Until a few days ago, California’s proposed anti-gay constitutional amendment, Proposition 8, was lagging in the polls. Now they're ahead. What happened? Money, an effective ad campaign, and a passionate voter base willing to stop at nothing to get their point across: In their minds, gay marriage is simply wrong.
  • Memories of Coming Out
    On October 11 millions of openly gay Americans will reflect on the day they took those brave first steps out of the closet, providing support and encouragement to others who have yet to find their voice. In day one of our series on coming out, Lair star David Moretti (pictured), Big Brother's Marcellas Reynolds, and New York LGBT Community Center executive director Richard D. Burns share their stories.
  • Remembering Matthew
    Ten years after his brutal murder, those who knew him best -- and those who learned of him only at the end -- remember that week in October and reflect on the legacy of Matthew Shepard.
  • Gay Days at Disneyland: Part Celebration, Part Fiasco
    For 11 years, gays and lesbians wearing red shirts have descended on Disneyland for Gay Days, an event that forces mainstream Americans to deal with us face to face. And while just-married same-sex couples urging park visitors to vote no on Prop. 8 put a positive political face on the weekend's festivities, the event too often showed the gay community at its worst: drunk, sometimes naked, and acting completely inappropriate for the families looking on.
  • The Advocate's Big Four Report: Colorado
    The Advocate is profiling four battleground states this month -- Colorado, Florida, Virginia, and Ohio -- all of which went red in 2004. Today's story is the first of four pieces focusing on the Rocky Mountain State's political dynamics, LGBT concerns, and how it will all play out on Election Day.
  • Biden, Palin Debate Same-Sex Marriage
    As Alaska governor Sarah Palin and Delaware senator Joe Biden sparred over same-sex unions in their first and only debate Thursday night, one thing was clear: They both oppose gay marriage. But when Biden delved deeper into equal rights and protections for gay couples, Palin didn't take the bait.
  • The Force That Is Patti LuPone
    For Patti LuPone, the standing ovations began almost 30 years ago and have not stopped. The excitement of seeing Patti LuPone live has been thrillingly captured in Patti LuPone at Les Mouches, the never-before-released recordings from her legendary 1980 nightclub act.
  • "I Wanted to Stay Away From Pretty"
    And Kenley does just that in both word and deed on this week’s Project Runway. But darn it, Heidi and Co. have misplaced their box of consequences…