Last week my partner and I enjoyed a wonderful holiday jaunt to Waikiki. The weather was perfectly tropical: a couple of sunny days, a couple of rainy days, and all days totally humid and steamy. No matter the time of day or what the weather was like, it was the perfect place to be in search of the perfect Mai Tai. Even though the Mai Tai was created in Northern California, this drink is best known to be enjoyed beachside in Waikiki.
I’m all about the pursuit of perfection. So when our friends Peter and Ed put us to the “challenge” [as if this would be such a tough job] to taste as many different Mai Tais as we could along famed Waikiki Beach, no one was more willing.
At some point, while in pursuit of the perfect Mai Tai, and thoroughly enjoying the challenge, I realized that, in a way, I was “shopping” for the best Mai Tai in Waikiki – maybe even in the world – as I put my shopping skills to their best use in pursuit of the finest Mai Tai ever.
And I found it.
Peter, who was born in Hawaii, and Ed visit Honolulu very regularly. They wasted no time in taking us directly to the Halekulani Hotel’s popular dining and gathering spot, House Without a Key. There, I had the finest Mai Tai ever! In fact, the fabulous concoction arrives with a marvelous aroma, as a top of the line Mai Tai should. It was, in fact, one of the best mixed drinks I’ve ever sipped. I’d fly back there for one of those drinks, as long as we all got to be together. All of us hanging out together enriched the entire experience.
Just because we had experienced the finest Mai Tai right away didn’t stop the tasting of others during our trip. After all, you have to try others to know you’ve really had the best, right? So we went to the Mai Tai Bar at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, the famously pink hotel along Waikiki Beach. The setting is tops, but you can’t be fooled into thinking the Mai Tai’s are better just because of the bar’s name.
We tried local eateries, too, and they weren’t bad. We even tried the new Trump International Hotel on Wakiki. Just because it’s Trump, they have to do things differently than the other hotel bars. The bar itself is wonderfully urban, providing skyline views toward Ala Moana and downtown Honolulu. As for the Mai Tai cocktails, whereas a classic Mai Tai is served in a double old-fashioned sized glass, theirs is served in a towering glass, as you’d expect from the builder of skyscrapers. But it wasn’t as tasty as the others, in my opinion.
What if our taste in Mai Tai’s differed from Peter and Ed’s? We didn’t know for sure we had the same taste or that we had experienced the best until we tasted all the top choices.
When you’re on vacation and have nothing but time, being in pursuit of the perfect Mai Tai, or whatever your pleasure, is a lot of fun. But back home where you have many responsibilities demanding your time, shopping for the perfect thing is harder to make a reality. Even being led to what is presumably the perfect thing for you may not be as easy as it was for us to find the perfect Mai Tai because different friends tend to have varied tastes.
That’s why it’s valuable to know that when it comes to your wardrobe needs, you don’t have to do it alone. In fact, you don’t even have to do it at all. Because I get to know your tastes and likes, and guide you toward making the best possible choices, you don’t have to shop to update your wardrobe unless you want really want to. Now doesn’t that sound as relaxing as sipping a Mai Tai along Waikiki Beach? When you work with me as your image consultant, it’s a breeze.
Joseph Rosenfeld helps high-profile individuals revitalize, manage, and be secure in their personal visual brand. Visit JosephRosenfeld.com for details.
