What A Culinary Oasis Actually Looks Like
I’ve been writing a bit lately about ideas…
about environment…
about experiences…
about building something different.
But I thought it might be helpful to bring it down to something simple. What does this actually look like in real life? Let me give you an example.
You wake up early in Hawaii. Everyone does, due to the time difference. Not to an alarm…but to the sound of the ocean and your natural circadian rhythm. And then it starts.
The first light comes up over the horizon… and within minutes the sky begins to change in the most glorious sunrise you’ve ever been treated to, all viewable from the comfort of your bed or your private lanai.
Colors you don’t expect. Shifts you can’t quite describe. Every morning it’s different.
And every morning it feels like something is being painted right in front of you.
It’s one of the quiet highlights of the property. You don’t have to go anywhere to see it. It happens right in front of the rooms.
Most people just sit with a coffee and take it in. No rush. Just… presence. 
Later that morning, you ease into the day.
Maybe you wander over to the spa…
start with an infrared sauna…
followed by a cold plunge that wakes you up in the best way.
From there, you take the path down to the ocean.
It winds through lush, jungle-like landscape… a gentle 10–15 minute walk that feels more like an experience than exercise. Quiet. Private. Just you and nature.
And then it opens up to a rocky secluded beach head. Wide, raw, and completely yours in that moment. A nice reward for the journey.
When you make your way back, the morning continues to unfold. A Hawaiian-style breakfast awaits you, served & hosted by Val and her morning team. Fresh, thoughtful, and exactly what you want after being out in nature.
You grab a second coffee from the Hamakua Coffee Bar… or maybe let Chef Joseph make you one of his specialty creations. No one’s keeping score.
There’s an easy rhythm to it. Maybe you lay down for a bit after. Let the morning settle in.
Eventually, you wander over to the infinity pool. It sits right on the edge of the ocean, where the line between the two almost disappears.
The lounge chairs are so comfortable they feel more like beds… and it doesn’t take long before you’re in the water.
The hot tub is built right into the pool - massive, warm, and impossible to rush.
And one of my favorite details, there’s a continuous bench that wraps all the way around, so you can just sit, relax, and take in the view without ever really needing to move.
There’s nowhere else you need to be. And one of the things people notice right away… how peaceful it is.
No distractions.
No chaos.
Just a calm, adult environment where you can actually relax and be present.
As the day winds down, everyone starts to gather on the main lanai. This is usually my favorite part.
The light softens. We get treated to ricochet’s of yellow, orange, pink, red, and purple from the western side of the island.
This signals that it’s time for Happy Hour.
Out talented & friendly Mixoligists design a fresh cocktail menu using local ingredients - thoughtful, creative, and completely unique to that night.
It becomes its own experience.
And then something always happens. The conversation starts to flow. No one’s in a hurry. No one’s distracted. People open up. They began to talk story. Ideas get tossed around.
You find yourself in one of those conversations that just keeps going… and going… and you don’t really want it to end.
It’s relaxed. It’s unforced. It’s very interesting.
You genuinely feel like contributing, but know that you can just listen too. It’s your choice.
One thing you notice is that the conversations are more meaningful than you expected.
Then dinner follows. You are gently invited to take a seat at a long table facing the ocean. Any seat will do, there isn’t a bad one.
Chef Edward in the kitchen, alongside Chef Joseph — our resident chef at Hamakua. Our bartenders begin prepping the wine pairings & shift into waiter mode.
Together our team brings a rhythm and creativity to the evening that’s hard to describe unless you’ve experienced it.
Course after course - thoughtful, beautiful, and deeply connected to place. And so very original.
The kind of meal where no one is looking at their phone…unless of course they’re taking a quick photo to make their friends back home jealous.
The light fades. Another bottle of wine gets opened. And at some point you realize…this is one of those nights you’ll remember.
That’s what I mean when I say: some things you don’t just own…you actually live inside of.
I’ve personally experienced moments like this happen over and over again at Hamakua.
Different people.
Different groups.
Same feeling.
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That’s the thing I’m trying to expand to Italy and other places. Not just properties…but experiences like that.
