Shop Until You Drop—and then Order Room Service

By Madelyn Miller, the Travellady

I don’t know how you choose a hotel, but I like mine to be in the epicenter of the shopping district.

An ocean view is a nice bonus, but I am even happier if am facing a shopping center.

Maybe that is why I love the Ala Moana Hotel so much.

I wake up every morning and can look out my window and see Macy’s, an anchor tenant of the largest shopping mall in Hawaii.

And if I want to shop anywhere else, there is terrific bus service and trolleys to the other shopping areas.

ONE PERFECT DAY.

I woke up early this morning and left for the Aloha Flea Market, held every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday in the old stadium. From the Ala Moana Shopping Center you can take a 40, 50, 51 or 52 directly to the flea market for only two dollars. (you can use the free transfer to get to Pearl Harbor)

The flea market strategy is arrive early before it gets hot. Wear sunscreen, sunglasses and a sun hat. Of course you can get a good deal on these things if you forget them. I love the new red straw hat I bought this weekend.

This is cheapy heaven. You can get lots of things for under five dollars.

Cold drinks, however, are not a bargain. Bring your own bottled water so you do not have to wait in line to be ripped off. I also brought the large new totebag I got as a gift from the concierge when I booked into the hotel. (this hotel knows its demographics)

BEST BUYS

Once you see the T-shirts at 8 for $20 you may never do laundry again—consider them disposable at this price.

When it got hot, I decided to splurge on the VIP shuttle. But at $5 it was not really a great deal since I saw three city buses leave from across the street during the 45 minutes I waited for the shuttle to leave. What was more galling was once we had paid, loaded on, and waited, the driver announced he would only stop in the center of town to “save time.”

(Whose time was he saving I wondered? We had already waited longer than it would have taken the city bus to deliver us door to door)

MAKING FRIENDS WITH THE NEIGHBORS

When I got back to Ala Moana, I dumped my recent acquisitions in my room and then walked right through the second floor of the hotel into the jewelry department of Macy’s.

My favorite store in the mall is the Japanese store Shirokiya. Best meal deal is in their buffet on the second floor. Actually browsing in their food department is one of the most fascinating cultural experiences in Oahu. (second runner-up is shopping in Chinatown)

There are a range of upscale stores plus many mall chains. I spent lots of time at one cart in the middle of the mall that was selling garments made from vintage kimonos. Strategically placed seams make it more than merely reversible. You can see the styles at www.karizadesigns.com but you probably need to have someone demonstrate on you. They claim to have 1000 prints to wear 100 ways. The attractive girl demonstrating would look fabulous in a paper bag. She did the garment justice. I however, only found two applications that I would wear in public after she tried about a dozen on me. She then tutored me through the applications. We drew a big crowd. But she did not sell me one because I could not remember how to wrap it around myself. But I do plan to go back tomorrow—especially since it is right next to my hotel.

DINNER IS SERVED IN YOUR ROOM

It was time to put my feet up and get some food down. I had such a terrific time shopping I did not realize how hungry I was until the mall closed.

I perused the room service menu and decided on the oxtail soup and a salmon salad on a bed of spinach leaves with fig dressing. There were lots of more usual items like steak and hamburger and chicken. But most hostess the night before is an oxtail soup regular. When the local paper, the Honolulu Advertiser had a recipe for oxtail soup on the front of the food page I felt the food gods were urging me to try it. And I was glad I did.

The meal was delicious and interesting and decidedly local.

I ordered Plantation Oxtail Soup, an island favorite served in a rich broth with shitake mushrooms, ginger, Chinese parsley, Bok Choy cabbage, peanuts and steamed rice.

(It a dieting mode, I left out the rice and still found it a very filling meal)

Never dreaming the soup would be a complete meal, I also ordered a salad. I ordered spinach salad with sautéed salmon served on a bed of baby spinach. It was topped with toasted walnuts and pancetta bacon with novella Muscat and fig dressing. Even the iced tea had a special Hawaiian touch—a generous slice of fresh pineapple.

The green tea ice cream was a refreshing ending.

It all added up to a lovely day.

About $30 spent at flea market on junk jewelry, snacks, spiced nuts, hair ornaments and a hat

A little shoe leather walking around Ala Moana mall and a great sense of will power for resisting the darling vintage item.

Room service was about $40 including tax and tip and was a great ending to a perfect day

BEST PLACE TO STAY

Ala Mona Hotel
Honolulu’s Landmark Hotel
410 Atkinson Drive
HONOLULU. 96814

(808) 955 4811 or 1800 3676025
reservations@alamoanahotel.com
www.alamoanahotel.com
00 3676025 (from Mainland US)
Ala Moana Hotel is an affiliate of Outrigger Hotels

BEST WAY TO GET TO HAWAII

ATA
1-800-IFLYATA or 1-800-435-9282.
Click, Pick and Save for Le$$ at www.ata.com

BEST WAY TO GET BETWEEN ISLANDS

go! operates 60 flights a day from its Honolulu hub to Lihue, Kahului, Kona, and Hilo.
www.iflygo.com
toll free 1-888-IFlygo2

RESTAURANTS

Golden Dragon
Hilton Hawaiian Village
Inspired food in a gorgeous setting. Always voted a top Hawaiian restaurant

The Colony
Hyatt Regency Waikiki Resort and Spa
Indulge in the 16 layer chocolate cake.

HOLE IN THE WALLS

Mr. Ojisan
1018 Kapahulu Ave in the Kilohana Square
Honolulu, Hawaii 96816
(Kapahulu, Honolulu, Oahu)
808-735-4455
Cuisine Style: Japanese
Restaurant Format: Restaurant & Bar, Sushi
Hours: Lunch Mon-Fri 11am-2pm; Dinner Mon-Thu 5:30-11pm, Fri & Sat 5:30pm-1am; Sun closed

Hole in the Wall Tour
Matthew Gray
Hawaii Food Tours
CFG {Chief Food Guy}
808.926.FOOD (3663)

http://www.HawaiiFoodTours.com)
Tasty Tours for the Hungry Traveler

BEST SPAS

Outrigger Waikiki Plantation Spa http://www.travellady.com/Issues/August06/3477RooftopRelaxation.htm
Located on top of the hotel, it has top therapists with a Hawaiian touch.
Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach
2335 Kalakaua Avenue, Penthouse Level, Honolulu, HI 96815
(808) 926-2880
Toll Free (866) 926-2880
Website: www.waikikiplantationspa.com

Paul Brown's Spa Olakino Salon.
Located at the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort and Spa (2552 Kalakaua Ave.) It is on the 2nd floor of the hotel and has a spectacular view of Waikiki Beach.
808-924-2121
www.spaolakino.com

Mandara Spa
In the Hilton Hawaiian Village
Very large spa with many choices of treatments.
www.mandaraspa.com

LIMOUSINE SERVICE

Elite Limo Service