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Tag Archives: Big Island

Holy apple pie!

by Catherine Toth on January 10, 2012 in Adventures, Food

I heard there was a bakery on the Big Island that made the best ever apple pie.

It was called Holy’s Bakery — and no one seemed to have a street address for it.

We knew it was in Kapaau on the Kohala Coast, about 60 miles from downtown Kona. We knew you could buy the frozen pies at the local KTA Superstore. But we knew the bakery makes more than just apple pies. (In fact, we got a request to bring back a fresh loaf of cinnamon bread.)

So I Googled the bakery and found a phone number.

“Hi, what time are you open tomorrow?” I asked the friendly woman who answered the phone.

“What time you want to come?”

“Well, we wanted to get there as early as possible.”

“OK, just come by and toot your horn. I live next door. I come out.”

And that was it.

So we set out at 7 a.m. on Saturday to see the bakery we had heard so much about.

Holy Bakery Road

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Holy's Bakery is located in the middle of Kapaau, right on Holy Bakery Road. No doubt named for the bakery.

Holy’s Bakery, Holy Bakery Road, behind the Nambu Building off Akoni Pule Highway in Kapaau on the Big Island’s Kohala coast. Phone:(808) 889-6865

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Have dogs, will travel to Kona

by Catherine Toth on January 9, 2012 in Adventures

It sounded like a bad idea.

We wanted to see if our dogs, Sunny and Indy, could travel. So we booked our flight to Kona to visit family — and made reservations for the dogs, too.

It was the first time either of us had traveled with pets, dogs or otherwise, and we weren’t sure what we’d be in for.

First off, it costs more. On Hawaiian Airlines, we paid an extra $35 per dog each way. So that amounted to $140 for both dogs, both ways. Which wasn’t too bad.

Then, you have to figure out a way to get them into enclosed bags and under the seat in front of you.

Two words: Rescue Remedy. This totally safe and natural anti-anxiety treatment literally saved our trip.

And it was quite a trip.

Though we were only in Kona for two nights, we managed to tour an ukulele shop, kayak in Kealakekua Bay and drive to the end of the road in Pololu Valley.

And all with the dogs.

Here’s what our trip looked like:

Checking in

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It was our first time taking our dogs with us to Kona — and we had no idea what to expect. We were just glad our pooches didn't mind being in these carry-on bags.

Find out where I got this slice of buttery apple pie on the Big Island in tomorrow’s blog

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Today’s happy shot

by Catherine Toth on January 6, 2012 in Adventures, Happy Shots

Nothing better than watching the sun set in Kailua-Kona.

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Day Tripping: Big Island

by Catherine Toth on September 20, 2011 in Adventures

People always ask me, “What’s your favorite island to visit?”

It’s a tough call — and it always depends.

If I’m looking for a relaxing weekend of doing nothing, I’d opt for Kauai. If I want to eat — and I mean eat — I’d go with Maui.

But if I wanted a mix of things to do — from hiking to lounging to eating massive plate lunches — there’s no island better than the Big Island.

Since my mom and boyfriend are both from Kailua-Kona, I’ve visited that side of the island more often. But the sleepy town of Hilo on Hawaii’s east side is one of my favorite towns. It’s quiet and rainy with some of the friendliest people you’ll ever meet.

I was there this weekend, touring the island — appropriately nicknamed “big” since it’s nearly twice the size of all the other Hawaiian Islands combined — from Hilo to Waimea to Kona.

Here’s what those 48 hours looked like, minus the food. That’s for tomorrow’s blog!

Old Hilo Town

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We arrived in Hilo, the county seat of Hawaii, to blue skies and balmy weather. This is usually the wettest side of the island, but we lucked out!

Check out videos of my travels at Hawaii’s Official Tourism Site, go to Arts & Culture and view blog videos.

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On The Road: Hilo Farmer’s Market

by Catherine Toth on September 18, 2011 in Adventures

As soon as we got off the plane in Hilo, we headed straight to the Hilo Farmer’s Market, a must-stop destination on your next visit to the east side of the Big Island.

Though the market is open daily — on the corner of Mamo Street and Kamehameha Avenue in downtown Hilo — the days to go are Wednesdays and Saturdays, when more than 200 vendors on three corners show up, selling everything from Big Island coffee, locally grown produce, honey, crafts, jams, prepared foods and tropical flowers.

Here’s a peek inside:

Hilo Farmer's Market

$Hilo Farmer\'s Market$

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This open market started in 1988 and has grown to include more than 200 vendors.

Hilo Farmer’s Market, 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Phone: (808) 933-1000

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