Why we live in Maui

People often ask me when I am going to move back to the mainland.  Every morning I wake up to the sound of birds singing.  I don’t have an alarm clock in my bedroom.  When the birds go “off” I know it is 5:50a.m..  Shrotly after that I watch the sunrise over Haleakala to the east and the beautiful West Maui mountains to the west.  This morning we looked out towards the mountain and saw a herd of deer jumping and playing in the morning light.  Our mornings usually consist of taking our dog for a walk where we live.  Where seldom a car passes.  My drive to the office in Lahaina is along the ocean and this time of year whales can be seen from the shore.  After work I often go to the beach for a swim at West Ka anapali Ocean Resort Villas.  I live in a place where the air and the water are clean.  Right now the only sounds I hear are the birds.  Is is very quiet except for the soft sounds of nature.

On New Year’s Eve, Cheri and I drove to the top of Haleakala, which is about 45 minutes from our home, to watch the sunset and the moon rise.  It was the second full moon in the month-known as the Blue Moon. It was cold and windy at the top of the summit which can often be the case at 10,000 feet elevation, especially in the evening.  We met a lady wearing only short sleeves and shorts.  We asked where she was from and she said Michigan.  She was using her timeshare at the Marriott’s Maui Ocean Club.  She said they were snorkeling and wanted to come to Haleakala to see the sunset.

We come across so many people who are on vacation and are delighted to be on this island paradise.  Some of our best friends we have met when they purchased their timeshare resale from us.  We have developed great relationships that have lasted many years.  We look forward to seeing our clients/friends who come back year after year.

Syed Sarmad

Happy Holidays from Advantage Vacation!

From our Family to yours Happy Holidays!

We wish you a lifetime of memorable vacations and hope to be of service to you in 2010!

Animal Shelters need dog beds and sweaters

I would like to pass on an email I received a few days ago.
People are starting a sweater drive for Los Angeles shelter dogs. However you could check out the shelters in your area. I am sure all shelters are experiencing over population with the economy what it is.
Many tiny short haired chihuahuas, and short haired pit bulls, find themselves alone in cages with no blanket or towel, no other dog to cuddle up to for body heat, and the temps are dropping beyond what is tolerable. These dogs know not only loneliness and illness, but now have to use every ounce of their energy to shiver and try to warm themselves, on a cold, often wet, cement floor.
The next time you are at PetCo or PetSmart picking up something for your pampered indoor pet, please pick up a warm sweater for a needy shelter pet. Lets start with the extra smalls, and smalls, for those vulnerable chis, and then move on to the mediums for the pits. Think warmth, not fashion. Check the after holiday bins for discounts, even after Halloween sales. Know anyone who likes to knit? Ask them to knit a sweater. Have a raggy old dog sweater that isn’t good enough for your dog anymore? Sent it!
Sweaters can be mailed to: 346 N. Maple Dr, #2, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Think carefully before giving a puppy as a Christmas present. They are the only presents that pee, poop, chew and bark. When you are sure you are ready, please adopt, don’t buy. Young puppies are being euthanize because of shelter overcrowding.

Jaws Maui Hawaii 12.09.2009

Cheri and I went to Jaws yesterday to see the Giant waves. It was amazing! to see these guys riding giants!   We saw about 4 surfers being towed out onto these giant waves. There were about 100 people watching and cheering from the cliffs. We plan on going back Saturday when the waves get bigger again. I saw on a local TV channel that Laird Hamilton was surfing Jaws day before yesterday. What fun!  North Shore Oahu also had large waves this week.  The waves a little smaller today and are predicted to start getting bigger Friday.

Speaking of Oahu there is a timeshare resort in Waikiki I have been familiar with for over 25 years.  Lifetime in Hawaii at The Royal Kuhio is located two blocks from Waikiki beach.  It is a high rise building which has great views of Diamond Head , the beach and Waikiki city lights.  Studio units (sleeps 4) come with a full kitchen and a private lanai.  There is free parking  which is a big deal in Waikiki where parking alone can cost you $30.00 to $40.00 per night.  I have assisted several hundred clients in purchasing and selling at this property.  We have stayed at this Resort many times and we were there this last July.  The Resort looks great!   It gives me a  great feeling to know what people purchased from me 25 years ago is actually better today.  This is not a Marriott or a Westin but a very well managed and maintained resort with a great location.  Currently there are a two units available for $1750.00 per week  annual fees are only $385.00 per week.  There are no catches or gimmicks.  Their maintenance fees are low because they have a very low delinquency rate.  The condos are refurbished every 3 to 5 years.    I have sold these in the recent past for $2500.00 to $3000.00 per week.  I think $1750.00 is a awesome deal.  You could not find a better value timeshare resale anywhere in Hawaii!

For other Great Timeshare Resale Deals visit us at:   http://www.advantagevacation.com/hawaii.htm

Roasted Vegetable Soup with Sun Dried Tomato Pesto

Winter is here and this is a great winter soup that can be make in about 1.5 hours. Winter even comes to Maui.  You will need:
2 Leaks, including tender green parts, finely chopped
2 Zucchini cut into 2 inch pieces
2 large tomatoes, quartered
2 white rose or other all purpose potatoes about 10 oz total weight peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces
4 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4-6 tablespoons Sun Dried Tomato Pesto (recipe to follow)
Preheat the over to 425F. In a large, heavy roasting pan, combine the leeks, carrots, zucchini, eggplants, tomatoes, and potatoes.  Add 1/2 cup of the stock, the oil and salt and pepper to taste and mix until the vegetables are well coated. Roast until the vegetables are softened, turning once to make sure they do not burn, about 1 hour total cooking time.
In a blender, in batches, combine the vegetables with 1/2 cup of the stock and puree until smooth. Transfer to a large saucepan over low heat, and stir in the remaining 3 1/2 cups stock, the basil, and the lemon juice. Cook for 3 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and add 1 Tablespoon of pesto to each bowl. Serve immediately.

* You will need a good blender to blend the roasted vegetables.

Sun Dried Tomato Pesto
In a food processor, with motor running add 1 clove of garlic and process until minced. Turn off and add 1/2 cup drained oil packed sun dried tomatoes, coarsely chopped: 2 tablespoons olive oil: 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil: 2 tablespoons pine nuts and salt and pepper to taste. Process until a thick paste forms, adding more oil as needed. Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 2 weeks. Makes about 1/2 cup.

Deep Fried Turkey

It’s Thanksgiving and I thought I would share my deep fried turkey recipe.

It is a good idea to brine your turkey before you cook it.  This will add flavor.   The Turkey Brine consists of: 1/2 Cup of sea salt,  1/2 Cup white sugar, 1 T. rosemary, 1T. Sage, 1T. thyme and 2 quarts cold water.  In a large pot combine vegetable stock, salt, sugar, and herbs over med. heat.  Simmer for about 15 min unitl salt is completely dissolved.  Remove from the heat and allow to cool.  Add cold water.  Place turkey in a large plastic container.  Pour brine over top, cover and refrigerate.  Brine for 1 hour per pound.  Thoroughly rinse all the brine from the turkey before cooking.  Otherwise there will be a salty flavor to the turkey. This brine will work for however you cook your turkey.

DO NOT USE A TURKEY WITH ONE OF THOSE PLASTIC MEAT THERMOMETERS!

For the deep fried turkey:

You will need an outdoor deep fryer.

Size matters.  Your turkey should not exceed 14 lbs. for deep fried.  In addition to the obvious safety concern of lowering and lifting a big turkey into a vessel of boiling oil, larger birds simply cook longer.  The extra cooking time may result in over exposure to the skin, which could be over cooked.

Amount of oil:

Use Peanut oil.

Many turkey fryers feature a “fill line” indicating the right level of oil to add to the pot.  If this feature is not available follow these guidelines:

Place the thawed turkey in the fryer basket and place in the empty pot.  The minimum oil level should be 3 to 5 inches from the top of the fryer.  Add water until the top of the turkey is covered.  Remove the turkey, allowing the water to drain from the turkey.  Note the water level, using a ruler to measure the distance from the top of the pot to the surface of the water.

Drain or pour out the water and dry the pot thoroughly.

Cooking Preperation

Remove the turkey from the wrapper.  Be sure to save the label that indicates the weight of the turkey  Use the turkey’s weight to compute the total frying time.  Thaw the turkey completely.  Remove the neck and giblets from the two body cavities.  Remove any excess fat around the neck to allow the oil to flow through the turkey.  Remove the wire or plastic truss that holds the legs in place.  cut off the wing tips up to the first joint and cut off the tail.  Do not stuff the turkey for deep frying.(This would be when you Brine)  Heat the oil to 350 degrees.    This should take about 45 min.  To reduce spattering, thoroughly dry the interior and exterior of the bird.  Submerge bird into 350 degree oil and cook for 3.5 min. per lb.  Let sit for 15 min. before carving.

Additional Safety Tips

Never leave the turkey fryer unattended during the heating, cooking and cooling process.  Keep children and pets away from the cooking area at all times.  Allow the oil to cool completely before disposing or storing.  Immediatly wash hands, utensils, equipment and surfaces that have come in contact with raw turkey.  Turkey should be consumed immediately and leftovers stored in the refrigerator within two hours of cooking.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Labor Day Recipes – Bruschetta

Bruschetta with After Hours Toast
This is one of my favorite summer recipes. The roma tomatoes are so great in the summer.
4 lbs. ripe roma tomatoes (cut into quarters)
1//4 c. olive oil
1 or 2 bulbs of garlic (peeled)
Goat Cheese
Fresh Basil Read more

Sunset Magazine August Issue

Grilled Eggplant and Tomato Salad
Page 87

I try at least one of the recipes in Sunset every month. If you try one I do not review please let us know what you thought of it. This column in our blog is really to interact. Your opinion is very important to us. As usual!
Grilled Eggplant and Tomato Salad
2 T. plus ½ tsp. salt, divided
3 eggplants (3 lbs. total)
4 firm-ripe tomatoes cut crosswise into ½ in. slices.
About 1 C. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
¼ c. mint leaves, divided
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ tsp. each freshly ground black pepper and dry mustard.
1. In a bowl, dissolve 2 T. salt in 3 quarts. Water. Cut eggplant crosswise into ½ in. slices. Put slices in salted water: top with a plate or pot lid to submerge. Let sit 30 min.
2. Meanwhile, prepare a charcoal or gas grill for medium heat (350 to 450, you can hold your had 5 in. above cooking grate only 5 to 7 seconds.) Drain eggplant on a kitchen towel. Arrange eggplant and tomatoes on a baking sheet. Brush all over with ½ C. oil.
3. Grill tomatoes, covered, turning once, until grill marks appear, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
4. Grill eggplant (in batches if necessary), covered, turning occasionally, until browned all over and tender to the bite, 5 to 8 min. arrange on a large platter.
5. In a blender or food processor, puree remaining ½ cup oil, the lemon juice, ½ cup mint leaves, the garlic, remaining ½ tsp. salt, the pepper, and mustard.
6. Drizzle three-fourths of dressing over eggplant. Arrange tomatoes on eggplant, drizzle them with remaining dressing, and top with remaining ½ cup mint. Season to taste with more salt.

Make ahead: Prepare recipe through step 5 up to 3 hours ahead, cover, and hold at room temperature. Assemble just before serving.

I am not a big fan of mint. Let’s just say I had to redo all of my raised beds because of it. It is extremely evasive. Living in Maui I try not to spread evasive plants all over the island. So, what I did with this recipe was I used basil and if you would want an easier dressing I would suggest drizzle very good balsamic vinegar over the salad. It would cut the prep time down and this is also delicious.

Cycle to the Sun

Last week on Maui was the Cycle to the Sun. It is a bike race from Paia to the Haleakala Summit. This is some bike race! If you have ever gone for sunrise on Haleakala or taken the trip up the mountain you know what I am talking about. There are tour companies that do Haleakala downhill but anyone can sit on a bike and ride downhill pressing on the brakes. Try going uphill to 10,000 ft. Now that’s a bike race. I have a friend who entered the race. His name is Alf Imperato he entered the race and finished with an impressive time of 4:30:07. Congratulations Alf!

How to Buy a Timeshare Resale

NEW video to help you with your decision to purchase a Timeshare Resale.  Also I go over the differences between buying your timeshare from a developer, off auction sites or from a Real Estate Broker with points of consideration and benefits.

If you Any questions please send them our way. 1800-775-4493. Read more

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