The Silent "I"

Aulani Resort & Spa: The Disney is in the Details

I had the opportunity to visit Disney's new Hawaiian Resort & Spa, Aulani last week.  It is a gorgeous resort that was much more Hawaiian than Disney, but a little Disney magic thrown in for good measure.  The decor and ambience pays homage to the Hawaiian culture, without being over-the-top or kistchy. There isn't a tiki bar in sight (which is not authentically Hawaiian anyway), nor is there an anthropomorphized animal wearing a grass skirt and doing the hula at every turn.  Instead, it's a restful, rejuvenating place where familes can relax and have fun, while learning a little about Hawaiian culture along the way.

 

The standard room with two queen-sized beds is big enough for a family of three or four to enjoy without tripping over themselves. There was a folding crib in the closet and an empty mini-fridge that you could fill up with your own snacks and drinks. Each room comes equipped with a DVD player, so you can bring along your favorite Disney movies to enjoy when you need a little down-time. It's those little touches that make this family-friendly resort even more friendly to families traveling with small kids.

The decor is fairly simple, with accents of koa wood, batik-style prints, and Hawaiian quilt patterns.  The only noticeable Disney reference was a cute Mickey Mouse lamp, carved out of wood and distressed to blend in with the rest of the room's Hawaii-centric theme.  It reminded me more of upscale version of the Volcano National Park Lodge than the Disneyland Hotel.

My room had a balcony with a "partial ocean view", meaning the ocean was right behind the parking lot.  Luckily, the room was on a higher floor, so the view of mountains and ocean were not obstructed when I sat out on the balcony.

As if Hawaii itself were not enough, the main attraction of the resort is the incredible pool/waterpark within the resort itself. Fashioned to look like lava tube structures, the xxx square foot pool features a giant slide through the rock structures, a climbing structure and a "lazy river" where you can float around in a large innertube.

Disney Aulani Resort: A Very Disney Sunset

I'm in Hawaii this week, attending the opening of the Disney Aulani Resort.  As if on cue, the first night fell with a gorgeous sunset on Oahu's northwest shore.  The colors were spectacular, and I could swear I could see a hidden Mickey in the clouds.  More on this adventure later, but I had to share a little bit of Disney magic, Hawaiian style.

Disclosure: Disney Parks & Resorts paid for my airfare and accommodations to attend this event.  I did not receive any compensation for writing this review, or payment in exchange for posting.  The opinions expressed herein are mine, and do not reflect the views of the Walt Disney Company or any of its affiliates.

Hotel Review: Rockhouse, Negril, Jamaica

If you're looking for a peaceful, serene place to contemplate life, swim in a crystal clear blue cove, and rejuvenate your body, mind, and spirit, I can think of no better place than Rockhouse in Negril, Jamaica.  During my recent visit to Jamaica, we were given a tour of the property, and treated to dinner at the delicious Pushcart Restaurant.  While we didn't have a chance to stay there, many of the bloggers in our group expressed a desire to return.

Rockhouse gets it name from its place in the 1970's music scene, when music legends like Bob Marley, Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones used to frequent the hotel, to escape from the spotlight and relax.  Nestled among the sea cliffs overlooking Pristine Cove (yes, that is what it is called), Rockhouse blends seamlessly into the environment, and offers guests a peaceful, restful oasis from everyday life.

The members of our tour group had a debate over whether we would characterize Rockhouse as "rustic" or "artsy" and I'd have to say a little bit of both.  With the stone exteriors that mirror the rocky cliffs and wooden Adirondack chairs on the deck, I think "rustic." With the colorful interior walls, simple furnishings reminiscent of a yoga retreat, I'd go with "artsy". It reminded me of a lovely inn we once stayed in on a trip to the Galapagos--simultaneously at one with the environment and inviting to humanity.

The hotel features a full-service spa, with all kinds of luxurious treatments in a tranquil setting.  Couples can get side-by-side massages together, either inside or outdoors overlooking the ocean. It's the perfect place to be pampered.

The hotel boutique features locally-made and imported artwork, clothing, and bath products to make your stay more comfortable, or to take home and remind yourself of your time at Rockhouse. I bought a few things to bring home, and I'm torn as to whether to keep them or give them out as gifts. I'm selfish like that sometimes.

The Rockhouse has a swimming pool overlooking the ocean, with cliff-side chairs where visitors can relax and enjoy gorgeous sunsets and ocean views.  For more adventurous spirits, there is a small footbridge that you can dive off, or just take a series of stone staircases down to the water to snorkel under a cave in the amazingly clear waters of the Caribbean.

APEC Summit on Women & the Economy

Romi Haan was a housewife in South Korea with a problem: how to keep the floors clean without spending hours a day doing it.  Because of the ondol tradition of heating homes through the floor, Koreans spend a great deal of time at home in a central room, on the floor.  As Romi says, "Koreans live on the floor. We sleep on the floor. We eat on the floor. We sit on the floor. We play on the floor." 

Keeping the floor clean is serious business for Korean women, and means daily washings, down on their hands and knees.  Romi wanted to free herself of this daily chore, or make it a little easier for herself and her friends.  So, she imagined a steam cleaner to do just that: clean the floor with less effort and cut the time spent on washing the floor in half. It was a way to get women up off the floor and out into the world.

When Romi approached a bank about a government loan program to get her product made, the bank officer asked her, "What company did your husband bankrupt that makes you now have to work?  Are you doing this for him?"

When she told him that her husband was not the reason she wanted to go into business, he didn't believe her. Her application was denied. Romi didn't take no for an answer, and persisted with her dream. She mortgaged her home and quit her job to pursue her invention.  She was able to get her business up and running in three years, but faced other hurdles. 

When Romi tried to market and distribute her product, she was met with skepticism and disdain by male buyers for department stores. She would go in to talk to them, and they would ask her, "Why do you need a steam cleaner when you have a vacuum cleaner?"

She explained that a vacuum cleaner would sweep the floor, but her cleaner would mop it. After an hour-long discussion the buyer would ask again, "Why do you need a steam cleaner when you have a vacuum cleaner?"

Ten years later, Romi Haan is now the CEO of a multinational, multimillion dollar appliance and beauty products company, Haan Corporation. She is one of the few female CEOs in South Korea, and her business is thriving. She represents a new breed of Korean women executives and a model of successful entrepreneurship. Her story is not atypical of the challenges that women face in the global economy, but her success is unfortunately too rare.

I was privileged to hear Romi's story firsthand at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Women & the Economy Summit in San Francisco recently. The conference brought together women leaders, government officials, diplomats, and corporate innovators to discuss actions to improve the lives of women in the Asia-Pacific region, and by doing so, the world's economy. Recognizing that women are a vast, largely untapped resource for change and growth, the group spent a week in San Francisco working on plans for change.  This was one of several meetings around the Pacific Rim leading up to the APEC Summit in Hawaii in November, which President Obama will attend.

The Conference Keynote was delivered by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, a woman who has inspired a generation of women to enter political life to try to dismantle the political barriers that keep women from fully participating in economic growth.  Secretary Clinton's speech was a call to action, for all nations to tap the power, creativity, and drive of women to help elevate all people, across all regions.

Chukka Caribbean Adventures: The Ride of Your Life

Hope this isn't really the "final" Chukka

On my recent trip to Jamaica, I had the opportunity to check out Chukka Caribbean Adventures, an adventure sport company that offers horseback riding, dune buggies, ATVs, and ziplining for the adventurous types who don't want to spend their entire vacation vegging out in a lounge chair by (or in) a pool.  Whether or not I'm the "adventurous outdoorsy type" is open to some debate,and a great deal of raucous laughter by all who know me. Sign me up for the "Old Lady Beach Chair Tour," featuring hot cabana boys with an endless supply of frozen drinks with umbrellas in them, and I'll be your spokesmodel forever.

Mr. Ed's More Reticent Cousin, Mr. Fred

The night I arrived in Jamaica, our Jamaica Tourist Board guide and host, Jarron, told me with much delight, "We've arranged for a special horseback ride for the group, followed by going into the ocean on horseback! It's called a 'Ride and Swim'." 

"Great!" I replied, trying to muster up as much enthusiasm as I could, while thinking to myself that this was combining two things that I fear most in life in one neat little package.  I wanted to ask him if maybe we could add on a colonoscopy at the end, just to make it a little more exciting for me, but I held back. I didn't want to appear ungrateful for the opportunity, after all.

Part of my discomfort with horsebacking riding is that large animals tend to scare me.  Maybe it was some cow-tipping trauma in my rural Ohio youth. Maybe it was too many forced viewings of creepy Mister Ed during childhood. I never went through a horse phase like most girls I knew, with the repeated readings and viewings of Black Beauty and My Friend Flicka. Despite living in a farming community, I never participated in 4H livestock raising contests or had any desire to muck out a barn. It just wasn't my thing.

I thought long and hard about the prospect of riding a horse the night before the ride. People have ridden horses for centuries, I thought. They're gentle trail horses, not wild mustangs. I'm sure they don't bite...I'll let them know I'm a lawyer and show them who's boss. Don't mess with me, Seabiscuit, or you'll be on your way to the glue factory by dawn. Random thoughts of a clearly disturbed mind. 

It wasn't actually the horse I was afraid of, it was the fear of falling off and breaking my neck.  Even if I didn't break my neck, what if I fell off and was not able to hoist my ample backside back up on the horse?  What if my horse didn't like me, and was secretly judging me and wishing I'd actually used Weight Watchers for the past year rather than just paying for an online subscription and losing my password? There were a million what-ifs, not many of them good.

I decided that I wasn't going to make a big deal about it, that I would try it, but hope that the Chukka people would understand and let me off I couldn't hack it. I thought I should probably just do it, in the spirit of Nike commercials, bucket lists, and the "feel the fear and do it anyway" crowd. I thought about my son, who's not afraid of anything other than green, leafy vegetables and heard his voice urging me on to try something new.  I steeled my resolve and cheerfully boarded the bus to face my fears and live out some fantasy I didn't know I had to become Dale Evans and Xena Warrior Princess rolled into one.  

Hotel Review: Riu Hotels of Jamaica

During my trip to Jamaica, I was fortunate enough to be hosted by the Riu Hotels & Resorts in both Montego Bay and Negril.  I have to admit, I'd never heard of Riu Hotels prior to the trip, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect.  I'd also never stayed at an "all-inclusive" resort, so I didn't know what to expect with that, either.  I was in for some delightful surprises on both counts.

Riu Hotels are a family-owned chain of resort hotels based in Spain. With over a hundred properties in Europe, the Caribbean, and Mexico, and one in the US, Riu Hotels offer luxury and affodable accomodations at some of the world's best beach destinations.  I will definitely look into Riu for future vacations, now that I am familiar with their accomodations, friendly staff, and their version of what it means to be "all-inclusive."

I arrived at the hotel later than expected, due to a delay in my layover in Miami.  Jamaica is pretty hot and sticky this time of year, but the airy entrance hall with large breezy fans made it seem much more comfortable. The front desk clerk let me know what restaurants were open and that a pizza place would be opening shortly, in case I missed dinner. 

It was a bit of a walk across the sprawling compound to my room, but everything was clearly marked.  The quaint Victorian-style buildings are painted a pale lavendar and white, which gives the compound a story-book feel to it.  When I got to my room, I immediately noticed immediately a towel on the bed that was configured as a swan with tropical flowers adorning it, a cute, welcoming touch. 

I also noticed that there was no minibar with tiny bottles of alcohol inside with exhorbitant prices attached to them.  Instead there was a FULL BAR of full-sized bottles of gin, rum and vodka, hung upside down in a row like IV bottles.  Aside from the gin, rum, vodka, and scotch, there was also  a fully stocked mini-fridge with bottles of soft drinks, water, mixers, and the ubiquitous Red Stripe beer. 

I kept looking for a price list and wondering how they kept track of the large bottles.  Later, I learned that this was also included in the "all-inclusive" price of the room.  I could have had quite a party and didn't even know it (although it would have been a pretty pathetic party since I didn't know anyone at the resort at this point).  My only complaint about this set-up was that I was never able to locate an ice machine, despite several attempts on several floors. I still don't know where they are hidden.

 

Jamaica: Where I Learned the True Meaning of the Word Jerk

I thought I knew what the word jerk meant before I went to Jamaica, but I was wrong.  I learned the true meaning of jerk at Scotchies, an unassuming barbecue restaurant in Montego Bay.  Sure, I've known my share of the human kind, the boorish line-cutting, loud-talking, argue with the umpire kind or as epitomized by a number of men chosen to be contestants The Bachelor.  The kind I'm talking about now is the culinary type, the spicy, slightly sweet and smoky kind of the meat or seafood variety.

Jerk is a national dish and a national obsession in Jamaica. Dating back to the time of slavery, the cooking technique was developed as a method for runaway slaves to cook food without being caught. Traditionally, they would dig a pit, light a fire of sweet wood, then lay the meat on top, covered by a piece of tin, then bury it.  This method allowed little smoke to escape, but made the meat falling-off-the-bone tender.  The technique is similar to the imu used by Hawaiians to cook kahlua pork.

The real secret to jerk isn't the cooking technique as much as it is in the sauce.  When I've had jerk chicken in the US, it was aggressively seasoned with hot pepper sauce that was so hot my tasted buds revolted after a few bites. Not so with real Jamaican Jerk.  The sauce used to marinate the meat is made from a mixture of Scotchbonnet peppers, allspice, and brown sugar.  This is added to some other spices to make a flavorful concoction that is tasty, but doesn't make you want to curl up in a fetal position and cry for your mommy. But, maybe that's just my reaction to hot food.

Since some like it hotter, the meat is served with two extra sauces that can be added to turn up the heat.

Top 5 Things to Do in Jamaica

Last week, I had the distinct honor of joining a dozen other travel and lifestyle bloggers on a tour of Jamaica, sponsored by the Jamaica Tourist Board.  I'm still processing everything we saw and did on the trip, and will write in more detail about it later.  I wanted to share some of the highlights of my trip in photos, and give you some ideas on what to do if you are lucky enough to visit Jamaica. 

My companions and new-found friends on this trip were Zippy of Champagne Living, Linda of Welcome to Linneyville, Tami of Talking with Tami, Jewel of Jewel's Fab Life, Stephanie of Trazzler, Tracey of Solo Traveler, Gayle of Hipster Travel Guide, Nancy of Lost Girls World, Brendan of Brendan's Adventures, and Reid of Dotting the Map.  Rounding out the group was JJ, the official blogger for the Jamaica Tourist Board's Island Buzz Jamaica.  Be sure to check out their blogs over the next few weeks for more tips and photos of our time there.

Here are my Top 5 Things to Do in Jamaica:

1. Shop in a Craft Market

A multitude of Jamaica craft vendors await you at the Old Fort Craft Market, Montego Bay Craft Market and similar markets around the island.  Featuring handmade crafts like hats, jewelry, and original carvings and paintings as well as the usual tourist souvenirs, each vendor has a booth filled to the top with items to remind you of your time in Jamaica.  I had heard that the vendors can be aggressive, but I found them to be friendly and not shy about bargaining.  If you want to exercise your negotiating muscle, you could walk away with some lovely items for a song.  One shopkeeper told me, "I'll tell you my price, and will not be offended by your price."

2. Take a Ride Through the Jungle

 

Chukka Caribbean Adventures offers you the chance to take a nature trail ride on a gentle horse followed by a dip in the ocean on horseback, zoom through the jungle on your own ATV, or take a thrilling ride on a dune buggy up a rocky path to the top of a mountain. If you opt for the dune buggy, like I did, prepare to get dirty as you ford a few streams and giant mud puddles along the way. No worries, though, since there is a shower and changing room at the end of the trail, along with a Jerk stand to get lunch and a bar for frozen refreshments.

The Road to Hana is Paved with Good Intentions

The Road to Hana is a legendary stretch of road through the northeast coast of Maui, through lush tropical forests and along the jagged, rocky coast of the island.  It is probably one of the most beautiful roads in the world.  While only about 50 miles from Kahalui, it takes about three hours to make it to the town of Hana, because of the many twists and turns and 46 one-lane bridges you have to cross to get there.  Count in carloads of tourists stopping to take photos every mile or so, and you have yourself a day trip.

On our trip to Maui, we decided to explore this famous highway, and see what we could find at the end of the road. We had some Dramamine along for our motion-sickness prone boy, and for the first half of the trip, he was just fine.

The highway is probably one of the greenest roads I've ever been on.  In parts where a light tropical rain was falling, it looked almost neon.  We slowed down in a stretch of bamboo forest that seemed like it could glow in the dark.  I half expected Po from Kung Fu Panda to come bounding down the mountainside, snacking on some delectible bamboo treats (and yes, I do know there are no pandas in Hawaii, kung fu masters or not).

When the warm tropical rain started to fall, all I could see out my window was a soft, green blur.  In some parts, we hugged the mountainside and could see the ocean stretched out below us, like a misty blue blanket. When the rain cleared, we found ourselves looking out over a green valley and some gorgeous blue water below.