Regular Guy Reviewer

“I can do that.” Those were my exact words almost five years ago after I bought a condo and put down roots in West Maui. Can’t hike every morning. Can’t hit the beach every afternoon. Can’t sit at home and nap into retirement. Something to do was needed. An occupation. A challenge. Fulfillment. Indeed.com became my digital flagpole and I kept seeing available positions for a Pool Attendant. I can do that. How hard could it be? Aqualani Beach &…

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It just felt right. About eight days after I had relocated to West Maui came a fortuitous discovery. Walking from the Honokowai Farmer’s Market to my rental unit I strolled past a funky-looking complex called Paki Maui. The tan-colored property was football-shaped and, more importantly, was on the seaward (makai) side of the street. What caught my eye was a sandwich board real estate sign at the parking lot entrance stating that a unit was for sale on an upper…

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Picky picky picky. In the winter of 2018-19, after a string of four personal losses in eight weeks, my world was turned upside down and difficult decisions lie ahead. One pressing decision was finding a full-time residence and preferred destination to begin anew. Maui, baby! No questions asked. For more than three decades I had been telling family and friends that Hawaii was my dream of dreams. Island magic. Turquoise waters. Pristine beaches. Time to cash in. As part of…

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And I’m still here. And I’m settled in and own a condo unit right on the Pacific Ocean. And I’m still officiating hoops and volleyball. And, bonus points, I’m still working and thriving as a Pool Attendant on Kaanapali Beach and have the three years of 1099s to prove it. Imagine that – a kid from Pittsburgh kickin’ ass and handing out towels in an out-in-the-middle-of-nowhere island chain otherwise known as America’s 50th State?! Pretty sweet. Pretty gutsy. Pretty rewarding….

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More than a few folks have asked me the same question – if you live on Maui where do YOU go on vacation?! Legit inquiry. My response has always trended toward “being creative” and “remembering that it’s a five-hour flight over nothing but water from OGG to mainland LAX so make the most of it.” This past winter I got creative a la Rick Steves and planned an East Coast driving tour that featured these Bucket-List stops for a lifelong…

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25 years – hold the mayo. October 10*, 2022 marked a personal milestone I believe very few can match – not eating any brand name fast food (FF) for the past 300 months. That’s right. Not since MMM Bop was the 1997 song of the summer and Jurassic Park and Titanic made their big-screen splashes have I been at any FF counter or in a drive-thru lane. None. Zero. Clean sheet. Think about all the crummy white bread not consumed….

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Who doesn’t like an “End of Summer Sail” – let’s ride?! That was the aquatic invitation tendered by Teralani Sailing Adventures to all active Aqualani Beach & Ocean Recreation employees as the 2022 calendar turned to October. Comp offer – pick a scheduled date and prepare to climb aboard the Teralani 5 for the ever-popular and tourist-favorite Sunset Dinner Cruise. Perk of the job – definitely. A chance to meet-and-greet with Aqualani team members from other Kaanapali Beach properties –…

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Nothing quite like an 8:15 AM barroom brawl on the briny between blubbery bulls to bring out Mother Nature’s best. On the final Tuesday in March, thanks to Teralani Sailing Adventures, I had the privilege to board the Teralani 5 for the Early Bird Whale Watch. Dang, it was early. We beach boarded the super-clean catamaran at 7:30 AM and, yes, our feet got wet and nobody flinched. It was balmy and slightly overcast on famed Kaanapali Beach but for…

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Bravo – that was six nautical hours extremely well spent. On fabled 2/22/22, instead of playing Wordle or making strudel, I hitched a ride with Teralani Sailing Adventures for its twice-weekly Lanai Snorkel Adventure that putters over to the Pineapple Island. The luxury catamaran was at capacity (49) and the crew was lean and mask-free. Snorkeling was the centerpiece of this sweet ride, but holy smokes, there was way way way more stunning sights and scenery ahead to soak in….

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“Thanks, Phil.” Two simple words. One memorable meaning. On Sunday, January 9, 2022 I was volunteering for the fourth consecutive day at the Sentry Tournament of Champions (STOC) at Kapalua. It was early morning and dew was still shining on every pristine blade of grass. My assignment was to stand at the entrance to the practice putting green and monitor players and caddies and personal coaches flowing in and out. Easy gig. Around 8:15 AM up strolled future Hall-of-Famer Phil…

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