Happy New Year 2010 Makena Beach and Golf Resort Hakone Japanese Restaurant Maluaka Beach

     I've decided to jump back in to the world of blogging! It's now or never. It's already mid January and I've been so busy re-organizing my life that this seemed to be slipping away. Not so fast. I've been studying many fabulous blogs to learn and get inspiration.

Problogger says to just do it! Jump right in when you have Bloggers Block.
Be consistent. Do it everyday.
NotQuiteNigella is a perfect example. Her cooking blog of Australia is a work of art and she consistently amazes with dazzling photography of her food and restaurant reviews. Her witty personality and love of beauty combines with a passion for food that is so classy.
Kailani of An Island Life is also unrelenting with her daily reviews of restaurants on Oahu, books, music, toys, iPhone Apps, contests, links and giveaways! Where do they get the energy? See her January Photo Contest!
Liza of A Maui Blog makes it look so easy!
Deeba of Passionate About Baking also creates a work of art almost daily.
   I determined that like any teacher or successful business person, they have a plan laid out for the year. They have a vision. Problogger says to brand yourself you must have a Theme. You can start by creating quality content that sizzles. Make it irresistable. What do people want to see? Ask questions!
Run contests! Do giveaways.
  I noticed that many of the blogs feature a regular event weekly like Aloha Friday, Wordless Wednesday and NotQuiteNigella's Wallpaper Wednesdays featuring her gorgeous photos as backgrounds for you to download if you please. I can only imagine these incredibly talented people sketching out their plans, then writing, editing photos, collecting data to fill in every day of the year.
  While on my own discovery I know what I love most and have a passion for is cooking, photography and designing t-shirts! I love putting it up for the world to see! I love Maui and everything about this place. I have a desire to teach what I know and feel that those of us with talent should not let it go unshared. I also know that everyone has some form of creativity within them and I want to inspire that in others. This enhances our lives greatly and I have witnessed the joy that comes to my friends and students when they paint their first T-shirt in the watercolor style. They are transformed. They can't believe they had it in them. I love to see the spark that lights in their eyes when they realize the potential to create beautiful works of art.
  My theme here at The Artful Hawaiigirl is "Making Every Day a Work of Art."
Like the bloggers that I follow and wish to emulate it is my goal to show the world that there is beauty in everyday life. I also just want to share this gorgeous place I live called Maui.
  SO, I started out the New Year with a bang! We had arrived back from California December 8th, 2009. The day before had snowed nearly a foot in the mountains and we had to use chains to get out of there.

We arrived back on Maui to coolness and mild, wonderful temps. My mother-in-law could take off her coat and wear slippers again for the first time in 45 days. She went to stay with her daughters for the holidays and I immediately got to work on My Holiday Boutique Party for  December 16th, my birthday. On such short notice it was mostly a family and friends kind of get together but was fabulous. There were no Christmas Trees left on Maui so my husband topped a Norfolk Pine from his mother's house in Halii Maile. It was the most gorgeous tree I ever had. I prepared great food and my fabulous lilikoi-fresh squeezed orange juice punch which my sister-in-law and I enjoyed with a little Gold Tequila spiked in ours.
  Christmas was quiet and beautiful as I like it. I'm still playing my James Taylor Christmas tunes on my iPhone. (Baby it's Cold outside)
As New Years rolled in my honey and I always like to take the time to reflect on the year past and this year was quite amazing! (Worldwide) All our lives have been so affected. I vow that this is the year our dreams will soar!
  We decided to call the Maui Prince (now called Makena Beach and Golf Resort) to see if there were Cama Aina Rates and they gave us a special deal. We were so happy we booked three nights. We had an ocean view room with a view of Makena! It is a fabulous place to spend New Year's Eve and awaken on the first day of the year in Hawaii.

  On New Years Eve we decided to have sushi at Hakone and the sushi bar was excellent. Our sushi chef Ivan has worked at Hakone for twenty-five years. He created special works of art for us like "The Mermaid Roll", "Turtle Roll" and a "Christmas Wreath roll". Gorgeous and delicious. I'm so glad we took photos outside and inside the restaurant because the name is changing this month to "Zen-Zen"... I follow @MakenaBeach on twitter now and on Facebook to get all the latest updates. We love it there and look forward to going again soon.

  New Years Day turned out to be gorgeous despite the VOG (Volcano originated gases) coming from the Big Island of Hawaii.

The moon was still out at sunrise on New Years Day!

As the day proceeded the color got more beautiful every minute.

We opted for room service on our beautiful lanai.

Our ice chest was also filled with yogurts and juices, beer and wine and we brought apple- bananas, lilikoi and a variety of snacks from home. My honey knows how to pack so we were prepared. 

           

Look at these gorgeous mountain views!

That's the Kai Kanani which we cruised on our last morning to Molokini.

You can see Molokini in the distance. It was my first time out to the crater on a snorkel cruise after living here since 1996. I finally made it out there.

Magnificent journey!

Maluaka Beach is a dream come true. We had gotten married here in 2005.

My honey did a little body surfing.

Then it was back to the pool and off to shower and relax before getting ready for another beautiful evening!

It's a cute pool and there are two plus a couple jacuzzis.

I had a massage in one of the cabanas.

First Sunset of the New Year!

There was still a bit of Christmas magic in the air in the Molokini Bar and Grille. We had a to die-for Lobster bisque and shared an entree of sword fish with a lemon caper sauce which was divine. I had my one glass of champagne that I missed on New Year's Eve because I'd had Sake at Hakone! Haha.

                  

The last night of our stay we returned to Hakone for the amazing Japanese Buffet.

 

What a way to start out the New Year full of hope and happiness and Faith that God has provided so much beauty for us to enjoy. We are pursuing our dreams with all our hearts and enjoying the fruits of our labor!

Thank you for visiting my blog and please return for more of this journey on Maui. I hope you have a prosperous, blessed year and that we all overcome the obstacles that are put before us with an attitude that we can do it!

Aloha and Love,

Marilyn

The Artful Hawaiigirl