Wow-wee Maui

Ah, kava, the ancient form of relaxation and spiritual enlightenment. Yesterday Evan and I made are way into Kahului, to Wow-wee Maui's Kava Bar and Grill, which is one of very few places in the US that serves Kava. I was first introduced to Kava by an acupuncturist in Portland who thought it might help me to get rid of some anxiety and help me sleep. And oh how right she was. For those of you not entirely familiar with kava, here's the nickel tour, as it were: Kava is made from the root of the Kava kava plant, which is indigenous to the Pacific Rim Islands, such as Hawaii, Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, etc. It grows on the slopes of mountains or hills, in sort of a stalk. When the plant is pulled out of the ground, the roots of the kava kava plant are chewed (typically by the youth of the village, in ancient times) or pulverized (today) and the serum/liquid that is thus extracted is then strained in water, creating the potent sedative. Depending on where you are in the world, kava can be used as a tool for relaxation, religious enlightenment and/or social interaction. The strength or potency also varies greatly from location to location, with Vanuatu kava being, in my humble opinion, the strongest, and Hawaiian kava probably on the weaker end of the scale. Basically, it's another social lubricant, but one that does not carry with it the dangers or stigmas of alcohol, nicotine or tranquilizers. Because of its use in traditional medicine, doctors around the world are beginning to use kava in conjunction with other things to help treat a myriad of illnesses, such as depression, headaches, severe menstrual cramps and anxiety in children... Neat, yeah? Well I thought so, and I also thought that going to an actual kava bar was pretty cool. The people were very friendly and the food was good too. Definitely worth the thirty minute drive. And for all you wondering, no, Alanna didn't imbibe so much kava that Evan had to drag her back to the car. Actually, two shell-fulls left me feeling happy and at peace, a much needed departure from that morning. So bottom line? I like kava, and am happy Wow-wee Maui's is there. Much love and Aloha to you all!