Diane Snoey Appler
Fine Art

It's a funny story - we first attended about 8 years ago and it was a mudfest! Out in the fields, torrential rains... mud everywhere! These tarps were put down on the walkways to help us navigate. Dining and enjoying the great dishes the chefs made was a challenge between the rain, umbrellas, and mud. Fast forward to this year, we were on island and grabbed tickets to attend the fest again. On the way into the event, across the Athletic ball field we spotted this sign. Nic

....can you drop me at the beach? Yes, there is a new high school sport and the gear will be needed - mom, can you buy me a new.....Surfboard?! Surf was up for the first high school surfing state championship held at Ho'okipa. Kahlil Pineres-Schooley of Seabury Hall is carried in celebration after winning the boys shortboard competition on May 2, 2026, at Ho’okipa to become the first state high school surfing champion in Hawaiʻi history. HJI / Cammy Clark photo 2025 State le

I've been in my usual routine, cooking, tennis, painting, etc. But the most fun was having friends visit from the mainland! We dine out and I can give you a tour! Fun on Maui always includes a lunch at the Burger Shack in Kapalua at DT Fleming Beach. (This view was the inspiration behind https://www.dianeappler.com/product-page/burger-shack-view-kapalua-dt-fleming-beach ) This was the day and always a delight. The view and breeze makes this a great spot for a burger. Burge

The blog I posted a few months ago is already out of date so I'll just give you a couple lines of highlights.... KOAST: Delicious. BYOB in Wailea Village by the start of the Blue Golf Course. It has a nice view and is very open and airy. We were in the table in the southwest corner of the patio and enjoyed a great sunset. Must try! 1111 Nikkei Sushi : CLOSED - was in Wailea Village as well Kohola Brewery: FOOD and WINE IMPROVED! Beer as good as always. It now has happy Hour

Never in a million years would I have guessed my husband and I would play in a tennis tournament! We really enjoy the game, and the friends we have made along the journey. You might recall, I played doubles tennis on court 3 "Tennis in Paradise" illustrated below. (Original Oil painting I painted live during a previous year's charity tournament.) It hangs in our home gallery as a reminder of this scenic spot. And just before COVID, I fell and broke my arm while trying to hit

Two hikes in the past month were fun activities and new to us, and very different from one another: Makawao Forest and Waihe'e Coastal Dunes. Two options for your next visit, both easy hikes and scenic. Picnic worthy. Makawao Forest: Tall trees and groomed path with separate bicycles trails. This is the map of the area to get your bearings, at the start of the trail system. The path we chose is a 6 mile loop but you can enjoy just a 30 minute hike and come right back the way

September is the hottest month to me in Maui. The trade winds slow down and it gets stuffy. Head to another microclimate - go uphill is the solution! The view from Kula to the top of Haleakala was fogged in in late morning, mist descending on the tree tops, rolling green fields and hillsides surround you. Looking the other way, there is a distant view of the the ocean where the sky is blue. I'm always scanning for the next painting scene but saw this chameleon instead! She

The hotels and resorts in the area of Wailea have done some upgrades and remodels so we like to check them out! Grand Wailea is grand in presentation and the fountains and reflecting pools are pretty as you walk the grounds. The Grand Wailea did a remake of their Humuhumu Restaurant with millions spent in the remodel. The bar is like a doughnut where the doughnut is a plexiglass aquarium full of tropical fish! Looking below my shrimp plate you can see the coral and fish go by

Today's update is October 2024: My quest for finding the Best Burger On Maui (BBOM) started in May 2024. This will be an ongoing blog post which will update as I sample new dining establishments. None have me judging the buns - I don't order them with buns, even if they have gluten free...I save my carbo room for fries! And the ambiance is important as well, so I'm including that point for my readers. Who will win or stay the winner? Read on! Ho Hum Award: Maui Bay Villas Res

I participated in the Whales Tales event to show my art in Kapalua, and it was a nice event, some new sales and met some fine people. We...

...I think I'll write about Maui food and drink. I do love to cook but a happy hour snack is all I usually need and a place to relax...

I'm going to start with the bad news. But it gets better! COVID and Lahaina Fire: the one-two punch for Maui. Some establishments went up...

Almost as soon as we got back home from a relaxing stay in Hana we had an evacuation order near midnight. Ever get woken from a sound...

A special getaway? Yes! Don't want to go far? Yes! The Lobby Bar at the Four Seasons Resort! Yes! This week we got our favorite spot...

In my last blog post I talked about the staycations we like to do in Maui. My birthday weekend was another staycation event! ! We were...

"Where do you vacation when you already live on Maui Island?" I'm asked this all the time. It could be a problem, but it's not. We...

Like many of you, my collector hasn't ever helped create her own painting! A commissioned oil painting is just that - we work together to...

We returned to Maui from our Midwest/Chicago trip and it was still hot! So we decided we needed to catch some NW USA color and visit the...

I started this post a month ago to highlight the great care Maui volunteers take ensuring the feral cat colony along the Wailea Beach...

Vacation gave me a chance to practice my driving - at 70 miles an hour while being passed by double trailer trucks on a highway under...