Last Minute Valentine’s Ideas for Maui

If you’re too late for Valentine’s Day reservations at one of our favorite restaurants or at the romantic Feast at Lele … or if you just aren’t in the mood to splurge for this overly-commercialized, ridiculously meaningless Greeting Card holiday … here are a few ideas for how you can add a touch of romance to February 14.

Celebrating Valentine’s Day on a Budget on Maui

• Head to Costco, Long’s, or even Foodland for pretty good prices on champagne. Grab a mug from your condo or ask for a couple of flutes from your friendly room service establishment, and head to the nearest beach for sunset. (This is how James and I celebrate most Valentine’s.)
• Want to get fancy? Add a tub of poke (Foodland, Eskimo Candy, Honokowai Deli are just a few places to get good poke) and a few toothpicks.
• Visit Mana Foods and stop immediately inside the door to see their splendific array of chocolate from around the world. This is the best chocolate selection on Maui, at the best prices. Guys, take note: women love chocolate. It may not literally be an aphrodisiac, but women love it. Woo with good chocolate, and you may find yourself the recipient of some serious loving.
• Go snorkeling with your sweetie and just float, holding both hands, facing each other. Look down at the fish, and every once in a while, look up at each other and soul gaze.
• Walk on the beach at sunset and watch the whales breach – this is the time when we start seeing this happen every night! We call it “The Show,” and it’s about as romantic as it gets. Reward their efforts with calls of “Hana hou!” (Again!)
• Watch sunrise at Haleakala and then scoot over to La Provence for pastries. Ignore the surly owner if you don’t want to ruin the morning glow.
• One of my husband’s talents is meditation — he even wrote a book about it, called How to Meditate with Your Dog. He recommends putting your hand on your dog’s heart while sitting in meditation — but it works with your wife, too. Sit facing each other, very close, and place your hands on the other person’s heart as you concentrate on your breath. We call this “syncing up,” and we do it whenever we want to (or need to) connect more deeply. Works great for romantic days like Valentine’s Day, but also for post-fight make up sessions.

The Anti-Valentine’s Day on Maui

• I wracked my brains to think of a way to be un-romantic on Maui, and now I have a migraine. I give up. Even if you don’t officially celebrate the holiday, this island is so over-the-top, picture-postcard, sensationally beautiful that it is nearly impossible for it to be un-romantic. I suppose you could try to find someone to take you pig-hunting. That sounds un-romantic, right? OK: that’s my suggestion. Find someone to take you pig hunting.
• Who? I’m sorry. I have no idea.