Mahalo Big Island!

For our yearly big trip this year, my husband and I went to the Big Island of Hawaii. My husband really wanted to see the volcano and I just wanted to be on the beach. What better place to enjoy the beach than paradise itself!

We started our stay in the Big Island at Hilo. Hilo is a quaint little town, untouched by commercialism like some of the other places in Hawaii. With lots of greenry and old buildings, the town reminded us of some of the places we had visited on our trip to the southern part of India. We stayed at the Hilo Seaside Hotel - not the most luxurious hotel by any means but for the money, it wasn't terrible. My husband, however, was determined to get out of that hotel the first chance he got so he booked a resort for us in Kona for the the last part of our trip.

On our second day in Hilo, we went to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park to check out Kilauea. The weather was absolutely gorgeous with clear skies and low humidity. We went down the Chain of Craters Road and took pictures along the way of various spots where we could see the smoke coming from the craters. That was the highlight for my husband in Hilo. It was interesting to see the rugged terrain created by the lava flows. Though we knew the land was still fertile, it looked very uninhabitable and arid, like an alien planet in a way. On the way down to the end of Chain of Craters Road, we saw the Thurston Lava tube, a cave-like structure created by lava flows, and Holei Sea Arch. The whole drive took about 3 hours and was very entertaining.

After eating lunch at Thai Thai Restaurant near the park, we headed to go check out Akaka Falls. On our way, we stopped at the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Gardens. The one hour walk through this beautiful rain forest park set off the ocean coast was definitely worth it. From the recommendation of a few local Hawaiians, we checked out Akaka Falls (instead of Rainbow Falls). The scenery was absolutely breathtaking - a 442ft waterfall, set between lush vegetation, landing into a huge pool of water below. My husband and I just stood there for a while taking in the beauty.

While there weren't a lot of restaurants that we as vegetarians could enjoy in Hilo, we went to a small Italian restaurant called Cafe Pesto for dinner. The food and service there was excellent as was the atmosphere. And, more importantly, they had many food options that we could enjoy.

The next day, my husband and I, packed up our bags, ate breakfast at the Coconut Grill (in the Hilo Seaside Hotel), and headed to Kona. Since we had rented a convertible for the trip, the top-down two hour drive there was very relaxing and scenic.

On our first night at the Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort, we went to go check out the Keauhou Manta Rays showing as that was a special activity that the hotel arranged for its guests. The next day at Kona consisted of snorkelling at Kahalu'u Beach Park in the morning and lying in the sun at the Hapuna Beach for a few hours in the afternoon and enjoying the wonderful ocean spray. Hapuna Beach is one of the nicest white-sand beaches in the Big Island just north of Kailua-Kona. After the beach, the rest of the day was spent exploring restaurants and stores on Ali'i Drive.

All in all, though the four day trip was short, we took full advantage of all the activities and sights that the Big Island had to offer. Hawaiians are very hospitable and made the experience of being visitors fun for us. I can't wait to go to one of the other islands next!

I'd Like A Big Chair And Music With That Latte

Most people who know me will tell you that I'm an avid Starbucks fan. In fact, I believe that I have significantly helped create the company's hefty bottom line! Recently, McDonald's announced that it will also be adding coffee bars to many of its stores in the U.S. While this is a direct answer to Starbucks' baristas, I am not sure that McDonald's will achieve the same success any time soon.

While McDonald's can compete effectively in providing convenience and low prices to its customers, the company cannot beat the Starbucks experience. Starbucks customers enjoy frequenting the stores for the atmosphere and service. The ability to customize their drinks with "one pump of caramel, extra whip, and one Sweet N' Low" and be able to sit in a cozy oversized chair with a good book far exceeds the desire for higher convenience. In addition, customers enojy the consistency of their experience at stores wherever they go. No matter which city or country Strabucks is established, customers can feel "right at home" with their in-store experience. Starbucks has been able to manage increasing beverage prices based on both the experience that it provides along with the perception that the price charged accounts for the beverage's higher quality.

In general, Starbucks caters to a different breed of customers altogether. These customers typically tend to be more educated, less price-sensitive with higher disposable incomes (making on average of about $55K a year), and enjoy in-store Wi-Fi and easy-listening amenities. Many Starbucks customers are students or work-from-home employees. They frequent Starbucks to find a retreat near a window, people-watch occasionally, and sip on a warm caramel Macchiato.

McDonald's, on the other hand, generally caters to the price-sensitive customer who is looking for a quick (big) bite to eat. Many of these customers often bring their children to the stores and can enjoy watching them play in the secured McDonald's R Gym while they dine. Thus, McDonald's has built its brand on being a lower priced, high convenience provider. For those who go to Starbucks to lounge quietly or socialize amongst a similar group, McDonald's will likely not provide a comparable alternative.

Starbucks has even managed to become a genericized trademark like Kleenex or Xerox. Thus, the phrase "let's go grab some Starbucks" is often used when referring to purchasing even generic espresso beverages. In addition, the company has also done a good job with incorporating its coffee bars at stores like Barnes & Nobles, leveraging a similar customer segment. While McDonald's may grab a small percentage of Starbucks' drive-thru customers who are looking for quick service, it will have difficulty justifying its experience to those who are coffee store experience lovers like myself.