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LONGHI'S
I went to Cheeseburger Island Style for lunch one day and I wasn't impressed by the food ... and the slow service didn't help either, though the waitress was cute in her short straw skirt. What I enjoyed most was breakfast at Longhi's Café. I can see why this place was voted Best Maui Breakfast; both times I dined there, the food definitely deserved that title. The open-air restaurant has a black-and-white, checkered floor, which gives it a New Orleans flair. The waitress was super-friendly, rattling off the specials of the day with ease – a list that included a fresh-baked turnover for $4.50. Blueberry, yum! She poured me a glass of freshly squeezed O.J. ($5.50) and threw down the three fat, light and fluffy pancakes I ordered ($10.50). They were topped with bananas and blueberries and I'm not exaggerating when I say that they were the best pancakes I have ever tasted. Longhi's is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Longhi's, 3750 Wailea Ala Nui, Wailea, tel.: 808-891-8883.

LAPPERT'S ICE CREAM
Not that you'll even want to think about ice cream after dining at Longhi's, but if the mood should strike, just across the way is Lappert's Ice Cream & Coffee shop. Lappert's dishes out some tasty local flavors like Caramel Coconut Macadamia Nut, Guava Sorbet, Kauai Pie and Kona Mocha Chip. But my favorites were the Banana Fudge and Peanut Butter Cup. NOTE: The service at times is slow, so expect a line out the door after dinner, between 6:30 and 8:30pm. Lappert's; Tel.: 808-879-1711.

SOFT ADVENTURE GUIDE
Though there isn't around-the-clock service at the hotel's front desk, there is a concierge who can arrange pretty much anything for guests. I tested them out. I began by spending a morning with their exclusive adventure tour guide, Charlie. Charlie is a young, outgoing, friendly local haole who can customize adventure itineraries from surfing lessons (his specialty) to day trips to Molokai. His most memorable excursion, he told me, was when he escorted an elderly couple for the day, to see the waterfalls of Hana without making them do a lot of strenuous hiking. I took part in his second most popular excursion: Outrigger canoeing/snorkeling for $100 per person. Charlie and his fellow Hawaii State Champion outrigger canoe buddy took my group out for a two-hour soft adventure that was unforgettable.

OUTRIGGER CANOEING
Because the winds in Maui tend to pick up around 11:30am, most excursions take place in the morning, when the ocean is typically at its calmest. At 7:30am, I was down at the beach smack in-between other early-risers who were exercising (jogging or taking yoga). Charlie gave us a quick, four-minute paddle lesson and then we were off in the six- passenger canoe. An outrigger canoe is more stable than a regular canoe because they feature a lateral support beam called an outrigger ... duh! These canoes are an important part of Polynesian heritage. Charlie said it was going to be a 30-minute paddle to our destination and a 30-minute paddle back. He was spot on and I later found out that the whole excursion was roughly six miles. Six miles may sound far but it sure didn't feel like it, especially when the sun is shining, the water is calm and so clear that at times it looked like a giant swimming pool. Our team didn't struggle to paddle in-sync, which is the key to success.

SNORKELING WITH TURTLES
Along the way, we passed gigantic sea turtles and manta rays. It was incredible! Our first stop was at a reef where we all plunged in and swam in the warm, bath-like water with our snorkel gear on. We witnessed lots of multicolored fish and coral reefs. After about 30 minutes of playing around there, we hopped (or should I say flopped?) back into the boat and paddled towards our hotel. Again, we passed the mega-million dollar homes of celebrities and Fortune 500 CEOs. Next, we stopped off at what the locals refer to as The Turtle Carwash. This is where these giant, gentle, protected creatures go to get the algae cleaned off their back by thoughtful and hungry fish. Although Charlie said it wasn't a great day for turtle-sightings, as only three were getting serviced, it was still epic to us. FYI: The most turtles Charlie has seen in this particular spot are between 20 and 30. Now that must've been something! If you're wondering which camera we used for the underwater photos and video (see below), they were taken with Charlie's Olympus Stylus underwater camera. I couldn't believe how clear the pictures were and best of all, no casing was required. Naturally, I need to get one of these things for myself.



SPA TREAMENTS
Another service the Wailea Villa concierge can arrange is a spa treatment in the comfort of your own room. After paddling for two hours under the hot sun, then filling my Buddha belly with some of Longhi's delicious French toast, it was the perfect time to get a rubdown. The masseuses hail from the Grand Wailea Spa. Two minutes before showtime, my doorbell rang. Walking swiftly down the long marble hallway of my villa, I realized, UH-OH ... I forgot to mention that I wanted a female masseuse. I'm not homophobic but I do prefer a female massage therapist. Otherwise, I tend to leave the treatment tenser than when I started. Well, you should have seen my face when I opened the door and there, standing in front of me, was a Sumo-wrestler of a dude, holding one of those heavy massage tables like it was nothing more than a dinky surfboard. As I stuttered, trying desperately to form a sentence, out popped my masseuse, Barbara Chin, from around the corner. She was carrying her healing oils and the man turned out to be one of the Wailea Beach Villas' security guards, just lending a hand to help her carry her stuff. Phew! Talk about relief!

HEALING MASSAGE
Barbara asked me where I would like to have my massage and I suggested the balcony. It had just begun to rain and I thought it would be relaxing to be outside. At the same time, Barbara could enjoy the view, which she marveled at when she first walked in. That alone speaks volumes about the hotel. Barbara's a 20-year Maui resident who works next door and still couldn't get over the scenery. After I laid my naked body on her table, the sun emerged and the sounds of screaming kids and tired parents rose from the pool below. It figures! The one time I really wanted some peace and quiet, out pop the invisible people. Fortunately, midway through the treatment, the voices disappeared – either the noisy kids had retreated or Barbara's magic had kicked in. Since I recently hurt my shoulder playing beach volleyball, she gave me what she described as a healing massage using Chinese medicine. Some people might think it's a little hokey but I'm totally open to it. Last year, a Chinese doctor in Malaysia cured me of asthma! Barbara says a little prayer before and after, and all throughout the massage she worked my pressure points, pointing out which one was for which muscle or organ. The official treatment is called a Traditional Hawaiian Lomilomi (massage), which is based on the concept of harmonizing body, mind and spirit using flowing rhythms to communicate deeply all the way into the bones. 60-/85- minute treatments go for $120/ $180. If you're not a guest at the hotel, Barbara's contact info is barbchin@maui.net, tel.: 808-874-5972.

YOGA
In addition to providing access to a 24-hour gym, the hotel can arrange for Yoga or Tai Chi classes. To have an instructor come to your room or out to the beach for a private lesson will cost about $90 an hour. There was an outdoor yoga class going on so I thought I would give it a try. But before we began, I warned our instructor, Tracy, that I had ADD. I asked her not to be upset when it inevitably kicked in and I disappeared while she wasn't looking because she was in the downward dog position. She laughed and said that yoga actually helps with ADD. She was right! I lasted the whole hour and she even complemented me on my flexibility. Now that's a first. What I retained most was to concentrate on breathing just through my nose, while keeping my mouth shut. If you prefer an indoor yoga class, Tracy's studio is just five minutes down the road in Kihei and drop-ins cost $17. Maui Lotus Yoga, 115 Lipoa Street, Suite 201, Kihei; Tel. 808-874-9642.

SARENTO'S
There are plenty of places to eat near the hotel -- and not just at the outdoor mall. One of those is Sarento's in Kihei. At first, I found myself wondering why anyone would go for Italian food in Hawaii. But the moment I walked into this place, I knew I was in for a treat. Sarento's not only has an outstanding location but their service is superb and the food is damn good, too! The restaurant is located right on the water so be sure to make a reservation before the sun goes down so you can watch it set from your table.

Most dishes have a local flair incorporated into them and their specialties include homemade bread, pastas, fresh Hawaiian seafood and prime steaks. I had the Chopped Salad "Gabriella", which featured Maui onions, cherry tomatoes, feta, baby artichokes, bay shrimp and avocado ($14). I tasted my pretty friend Natalie's penne with filet mignon meatballs ($30), and enjoyed the skillet-roasted chicken served with Fontina-Prosciutto stuffing, butter whipped potatoes, creamed Kula corn and Maui onion rings. The waiters were terrific but the restaurant manager, Michael Santa Maria, was awesome, fluttering around to each table to help out. Michael served us our Lava Flows, Bellini-tinis and best of all, treated us to a memorable creative Grand Marnier berry dessert by drawing a variety of pictures with chocolate syrup and using Devonshire cream and brown sugar as his color palette. Here’s their menu (in PDF form). Sarento's, 2980 South Kihei Road, tel.: (808) 875-7555.

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