Pacific Whale Foundation's 36th Annual Charity Walk May 10

 

Donate $45 to the Pacific Whale Foundation's Charity Walk happening on May 10th, 2014 and receive a free T-shirt.  All profits support Marine research, education and conservation programs.

Click on the poster for more information.

 

 

Maui Jazzercise Classes Are Finally Here

Thankyou Lucy for providing the following information about the new Jazzercise classes on Maui. 

"I’ve been waiting for EIGHT years for Jazzercise to come to Maui and finally it has arrived! YAY!
If you aren’t familiar with Jazzercise, it is really a great overall workout.  When I was attending regularly, I was in the best shape ever! 

 

They have spent many years perfecting Jazzercise and I find the workout to be fun and not boring at all and it works every part of your body without stressing joints etc.  Kind of like Zumba but I enjoy the music much more and, because Jazzercise uses bands/weights etc., it includes a strength training element not available with Zumba. 

Maui Jazzercise Instructor, Nicole Ayala

The instructor, Nicole Ayala is also a personal trainer at the gym called “Reps”.  This Gym is exclusive “by appointment only” (did I say exclusive?…  I saw Steven Tyler there last night!) And the location is very convenient especially for those of you who live in Kihei/Wailea.  The Wailea classes are held on Saturday mornings at 8:00 AM Tuesday, 10:00 AM and on Thursday evenings at 5:30.
Nicole will also be starting classes in Wailuku on May 1,2013.  They will be held at the Maui Unity Church on High Street, every Monday and Wednesday at 4:30 PM. I am so happy because I can walk there and won't have to drive all the way to Wailea.

Here is a link to the Jazzercise Website.  You will find more information about Jazzercise and you will be able to search for locations worldwide, where the classes are held.  

Thanks again Lucy for this info. I can't wait to get back on Maui and try this out.

 

Artist Jim Freeheart Paints on Keawakapu Beach

Keawakapu Beach is one of my favourite Maui beaches and the other day we came across an artist painting in front of a fantastic natural backdrop of sand, ocean and the distant islands.  It was such a picturesque sight that I decided to have a chat with him to find out what he was all about.

The artist's name was Jim Freeheart and he told me that he was working on a commissioned painting of two little girls playing in the waves. It was just beautiful!!

Beside his easel, Jim had a blanket laid out on the beach with a sign that said free art lessons for children. One of his passions is helping inspire children to follow their dreams.  Today he showed his little class how to draw a dolphin. As a retired elementary school teacher I found it heartwarming to witness the patient, gentle and encouraging way that he related to the kids.

Jim told me that he has a studio in Maui Meadows and some of his paintings are on display in various Maui galleries. He spends about five months in his Maui home base and the rest of the time travelling to various other states and countries to paint other local scenes. Starting in May he plans to go on a road trip to Canada where he will do some paintings of Vancouver Island. Since we are from that area I am hoping that we will see him this summer.
If his Maui art is any example of how he can capture the essence of a place, then we will look forward to how he interprets our north pacific coast of Canada. He had some of his Maui paintings on display and they are very impressive.

I really like Jim's outlook on life.  The following quote from his website says it all.

"I wish to say that my gratitude for the creative gift I was given is inexpressible! The opportunity to highlight some of this world's magnificence and perhaps inspire others to cherish life is such an honor. My greatest hope is that each of us finds our own unique inner gift and expresses it fully! All gifts are equal, though many are not so visible as that of painting. Living our gift is our service to humanity and a pathway to inner peace. Life is like a canvas, we choose our palette and brushes and composition. Regular thoughts of love, harmony and gratitude will form a luminous masterpiece!

Each work of my art carries a star-shaped symbol beside my signature that means to me-"Celebrate the Gift of Life"!

For more information about Jim Freeheart and to see his online gallery visit his website.

Hiking the Crater in Haleakala National Park, Maui, Hawaii

The following blog was written by Kay, a friend of ours who just spent 3 weeks on Maui. 

There are two trails entering the wilderness area of Haleakala National Park from the summit area. My brother, Andy, and I chose the lower trail, Halemaumau, which begins at 7990 feet. We set out just before 9:00 AM on Sunday January 22. It was 60 degrees. The cool air felt refreshing and perfect for hiking.

With over 30 miles of hiking trails we felt we picked the most picturesque trail. The vistas were spectacular. Here we could see the Pacific Ocean on one side and the crater on the other. The Halemaumau Trail winds down 1000 feet into the crater.

The barren landscape in the crater illustrates the diversity of Haleakala.. Few plant species establish seedlings in this harsh environment. We did admire the silversword (ahinahina), one of the hardy shrubs growing here.

Andy and I hiked past Holua where there is a cabin with bunks and a wood burning stove. There is also a primitive campsite. We spoke to some backpackers who stayed there the previous night. The stars were incredible, they told us. We continued on past the silversword loop for approximately another mile before turning around.

We saw a family of Nene (Hawaiian goose) near the cabin at Holua. They are a native species here. Inspite of the sign we had to wonder why these wild birds were hanging out around the cabin.

The family of Nene included a baby, hidden here in the grasses.

Just after this signpost we began our hike back up to the trailhead. We gained a little over 1000 feet to the parking lot at the trailhead. Near the end I was feeling the altitude change. I was glad that we decided to return the way we came rather than exiting via the Sliding Sands Trail. Andy had hiked there on a previous visit. Apparently it is tough slogging through the sand, not to mention another elevation gain to 9740 feet!

We hiked over 10 miles taking about 5 hours to do so.

Haleakala is one of the best of many hikes I have experienced throughout the world.

Many mahalos to Kay for a great post.  You may also like to read Day Trip to Haleakala

Sing-it-Yourself Messiah in Kihei Maui

Last Sunday we attended the 11th Anniversary presentation of the Sing-it-Yourself Messiah, hosted by The Maui Choral Arts Association under the direction of the very talented Celia Canty. This is an annual event for us and we were very happy that this year it was held in Kihei just a stone's throw from our Maui home.
As we entered the Kihei Baptist Chapel we saw signs designating the seating for each section. I made a beeline for the altos, while Les settled in with the basses. Members of the Maui Concert Chorus wore a sparkly lei and were spread out amongst us visitors for support.

The choruses were accompanied by a 12 piece Baroque style chamber orchestra comprised of local musicians and guest Martin Berinbaum from Canada, who thrilled us all with his trumpet and piccolo trumpet accompaniment to soloist Robert Wills' exceptional performance of "The Trumpet Shall Sound".

What a combination they made!!! Robert Wills has an amazing range and his powerful voice was a pleasure to hear as he sang both tenor and baritone solos. Soprano Lisa Paulson, and alto Karyn Sarring held their own as they tackled the very difficult and lengthy runs that the music offers.

It is always a treat to witness the energy that radiates from Celia Canty as she skillfully and interchangeably conducts the audience, orchestra, soloists, and choruses.

Other guests were the UH Maui College Chorus and the Suzuki - Maui students under the direction of Teresa Skinner. The Suzuki students were delightful as they performed carols in the lobby during intermission and also joined the orchestra to accompany the finale of the Hallelujah Chorus. I get goose bumps each time I am part of this amazing piece of music and this year was no exception right down to the last Hallelujah!

As always this uplifting experience was a glorious way of getting us into the Christmas spirit.
During the second half of the program the Maui Concert Chorus joined by the University of Hawaii - Maui College chorus, gave us a little taste of their upcoming Symphony of Carols concert, as they sang the lively calypso-carol "The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy" This concert will also be held at the Kihei Baptist Church on Saturday December 10th at 7 PM. Tickets can be purchased at the Maui Choral Arts Website or by phone 800-838-3006. They can also be obtained at the Topaz Goldsmith in Dolphin Plaza, Kihei.

MCAA is a non profit organization and they welcome any donations to enable them to keep providing such high quality entertainment on Maui. Visit the webiste of Maui Choral Arts Associaton for more information.

Jaws, Maui on Christmas Day

Maui photographer Jimmie Hepp, is sharing a fantastic photo with us again. Jaws or Pe'ahi as it is called by the locals, is a deep water reef break where dare devil surfers enjoy an epic challenge. The waves can reach a dangerous 70 ft. height and move as fast as 30 mph so unless you are a very experienced surfer you would be advised to settle with watching. Jimmie went out on Christmas morning and took 1000 shots of the waves, which he says were the biggest he has ever seen. Jaws is located on the northern side of the island between mile markers 13 and 14 on the Hana highway and sits at the base of rolling sugar cane field hills. For more great photos by Jimmie, visit his website where you can also purchase prints.

If you are visiting Maui in the New Year and haven't found a place to stay yet, try these Maui Vacation Rentals.