503-705-4762

Author: anne

Maui Recap 2012 beach yoga, last sunset

Ok seriously this is my final post about our Maui adventure.

I mentioned our daily activities, here is our group doing beachfront yoga and Pilates. What an excellent way to start the day!

 

We did allow some time for relaxation, hitting the beach at a few resorts in Kaanapali and Wailea. Here is Leslie soaking up some vitamin D at the Sheraton in Kaanapali. I like Kaanapali and Napili Bay for the great swimming, the water is calm and clear and there is less chance of getting washing machined by the breakers than at other beaches.

And here we are at the Grand Wailea. We stopped in to view the grounds and the art gallery. Lots of interesting local artist’s woodcarvings, sculpture and paintings. Then of course we headed to the Bistro Molikini for a bite and a Mai tai.

Sunset at the Grande

Here’s Sharilyn’s departure breakfast – coconut smoothie, salad, eskimo candy and prosecco, not bad.

And our last sunset…(til next year that is)

Anne McCranie owner of Fluid Movement + Massage is a Portland based personal trainer and massage therapist. This is her second annual client trip to Hawaii. If you are interested in joining us next year call or email Anne 503-705-4762  Anne@FluidPortland.com

Maui 2012 Recap Iao Needle, Botanical Garden and Mama’s

Maui recap part four…

In addition to our daily Pilates and Yoga classes we also managed to get in several hikes. Here we are at the Iao Needle near Wailuku.

Here’s a group shot…

We found a side trail up a little stream. It was beautiful and reminiscent of Oregon (except that it was in the 70’s and sunny).

Here’s a yoga action shot of Sharilyn and Anne’s Tree pose.

And here are some shots from the botanical garden. We stumbled upon this tiny place as we were driving and I didn’t know what to expect but I was really glad we stopped here. Orchids growing right out of the sides of trees, a million different types of palms. Ned was our official botanist and knew the names of lots of these plants.

Can you spot the Gecko?

We finished the day (I told you this trip was action packed) at Mama’s Fish House in Paia for pupus. Everything I had heard about this place was dead on, the view was ridiculous, the service was amazing and the food was ono!

Here is our sunset view from the Lanai.

And the whole crew at dinner. What a lovely treat to be able to eat our meals outside!

 

Anne McCranie owner of Fluid Movement + Massage is a Portland based personal trainer and massage therapist. This is her second annual client trip to Hawaii. If you are interested in joining us next year call or email Anne 503-705-4762  Anne@FluidPortland.com

Maui 2012 Recap – whales, dolphins and sea turtles!

Ok here is part three of my Maui recap.

On this trip to Maui I saw the most whales that I have seen in my five visits to the island, we could even see them from the house. By mid week the skies had cleared and we were able to head out on a snorkel cruise with Captain Don and his Seafire Snorkel Adventure crew. We got really up close and personal with whales, dolphins and sea turtles.

The crew provided all of our gear and even got us into wetsuits. I got a little chilly (says the girl from Florida) after coming out of the water but the crew had us covered with dry towels and big sweatshirts. They had fresh pineapple, sodas and muffins for us to snack on in between our two snorkel spots. We first headed to molokini, the crater just offshore where we saw lots of cool fish. We then headed own the coast past Makena to La Perouse bay for our second snorkel stop. This was only a few miles south of where we were staying but the coastline looked much different – lots of jagged rocks which I am assuming were formed from a lava flow.

We cruised down a little further south and when we turned about there was a whale breaching very close to the spot where we had just had been snorkeling. Amazing. Here’s a family of spinner dolphins who swam alongside the boat for a few minutes. They were really playful and fun to watch.

 

 

After the boat trip it was time for massages. Most of the time we did our massages on the lanai and a few lucky people got their massage as the sun was setting.

 

 

Anne McCranie owner of Fluid Movement + Massage is a Portland based personal trainer and massage therapist. This is her second annual client trip to Hawaii. If you are interested in joining us next year call or email Anne 503-705-4762  Anne@FluidPortland.com

Maui 2012 Recap

This is part two of my recap of our Maui Adventure 2012.

Ok I promised some details about the food. My buddy Laura cooked up some awesome eats for us. One of the things I love about Maui is the abundance of fresh fruit. We started the day with some combination of oranges, pineapple, kiwi, apples, papaya, we even had fresh coconut juice – fresh as in we watched the girl at the veggie stand whack off the top of the coconut with a machete and stick a straw in it. After our morning workout Laura had eggs, oatmeal, fresh coffee and smoothies waiting for us.

Here we are on the Lanai enjoying breakfast and whale watching.

I mentioned that we had a little rain in the first part of the week. Our Luau at Feast at LeLe actually got rained out, but not until after we had a cocktail and a plate of Kahlua Pork, poi, taro chips and salsa, fresh fish with a tropical fruit sauce.

Before the first performance the rain started and they cancelled the Luau. Everyone ran for cover except for us and the table of Canadians behind us. We refused to leave until we polished off our drinks and food. I have never seen someone laugh so hard as Leslie under her poncho. I thought she and Kathy were going to fall out of their chairs.

Keep reading for more on our adventure…

Anne McCranie owner of Fluid Movement + Massage is a Portland based personal trainer and massage therapist. This is her second annual client trip to Hawaii. If you are interested in joining us next year call or email Anne 503-705-4762  Anne@FluidPortland.com

Chocolate Date Brownies

Looking for a sweet treat for Valentine’s Day? Try these “healthy” brownies and let me know what you think. The eggs and garbanzos provide protein and agave has a lower glycemic index than refined white sugar.

  • 1 ¼ cups pitted dates, chopped
  • 9 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • ¼ cup coconut oil
  • ½ cup raw agave
  • One can of garbanzo beans (2 cups)
  • 4 eggs
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350.

Measure dates in a glass measuring cup and pour in hot water to the 1 ½ cup line. Then let sit for 10 minutes.

Pour off ¼ cup of liquid and process the rest in a food processor.

Put the date paste in a bowl and add cocoa, oil and agave and mix.

Combine the beans and eggs in a food processor and blend until smooth.

Add the beans to the dates. Add the baking powder and cinnamon and mix. Pour into a 9 in round or square greased pan and bake for 45 min. Cool for 15 minutes, then slice and serve.

The consistency is close to flourless chocolate torte and unless you announce that these have no refined sugar or gluten I bet no one will notice that it is a “healthy” dessert.

Adapted from “The Healthiest Meals on Earth”