Ritz-Carlton Magazine - Summer 2011 - (Page 29)

FA L L I N G I N L O V E W I T H … HAWAII B OA H U LUSH, FRAGRANT, SERENE — AMERICA’S 50TH STATE IS A FANTASY MADE REAL. BETH COLLINS SHARES HER ROMANCE P HOTOG RA P H BY H Å K A N LU DW I G SON Before I got married, I never had much interest in visiting Hawaii. Sure, beaches are great, and I like a good mai tai as much as the next person. But I was content to write off the islands as inherently kitschy, all cloying Don Ho tunes, hip-wiggling dashboard hula figurines and sugary drinks served in coconut shells. In other words, I knew nothing. Fortunately, I had someone to set me straight. My nowhusband was born and raised on Oahu, and there’s nothing he loves more than introducing mainlanders to his home — especially skeptics like me. In fact, he’s such a convincing guide that just three months after my first visit I moved there from the Midwest to live with him. We spent the next three years exploring his home and island-hopping to Hawaii’s two other most-visited islands, Maui and the island of Hawaii. By the time we moved back to the mainland, I had snorkeled past enough tropical fish and surfed enough breaks to consider myself a local. These days, even though we’re firmly planted in Portland, Ore., I’m as fiercely loyal to the islands as my husband is. Looking back, I realize I was a goner the minute I stepped off the plane at Honolulu International Airport. Most airports are depressing purgatories full of recycled air; this one is designed to let the outdoors in, with open corridors that envelop you in warm, tropical breezes scented with plumeria and tuberose from the lei stands. Still, I had reservations. Oahu is the most populous of the islands, and I was sure that touristy Honolulu and Waikiki embodied everything I hoped to avoid, so I wanted to skip them altogether. Thankfully, my husband wouldn’t hear of it. Yes, there are more tourists on the South Shore of the island than elsewhere, but there are locals, too — and local institutions that should not be missed. The grandeur of Iolani Palace, built PERFECT CRESCENT Left: Two-thirds of a mile long, Makena Beach, also known as “Big Beach,” is one of the largest beaches on the island of Maui. T H E R I T Z - C A R LT O N M A G A Z I N E 29

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Ritz-Carlton Magazine - Summer 2011

Ritz-Carlton Magazine - Summer 2011
Table of Contents
Contributors
Editor’s Letter
President’s Letter
Falling in Love with … Hawaii
On the Boulevards
Design
Shopping In New York City
Jewelry
Watches
Wine
Wellness
Sports
Portugal
Moscow
Fashion
Culinary
The Guide
Heritage

Ritz-Carlton Magazine - Summer 2011