visitor aloha society of hawaii

chances are the visitor aloha society of hawaii does its good work below the radar of most folks unless you happen to be one of its ambassadors of aloha or a grateful recipient. the program was started to extend the aloha spirit to travelers in need should misfortune strike while on vacation. help ranges from donating goods when belongings are stolen to making arrangements when an unexpected illness or death occurs far from home.

training sessions for new volunteers happen a few times a year and the next one is set to take place on oahu later this month. you will need to send in a completed application form to reserve a spot, and vash especially needs volunteers who are fluent in chinese, french, german, korean, japanese or spanish.

• when: sat, oct 27th & sat, nov 17th
• fyi: must be 18+

a peek at a few traveler testimonials reveals just some of the people who have been helped by vash's kokua over the years. learn more about the program here.

maui wow-wee

with halloween fast approaching, these days all sweet thoughts seem to lead to chocolate. i recently went digging through my bookmarks and rediscovered a maui made chocolate confection called wow-wee. tropical add in's like kona/maui coffee, coconut and macadamia nuts complete the mix, and if you are feeling particularly adventurous there's even a kava blend.

while the flavors are probably a tad too grownup for trick-or-treaters (the dark chocolate/hawaiian coconut bar is said to be a favorite of aerosmith's steven tyler), a wow-wee gift pack would be a sweet surprise to share with officemates who constantly raid the candy stockpile that makes its annual appearance around this time of year.

fyi - online orders have a 12 bar minimum requirement and packages are only shipped out once a week so plan accordingly.

{update | oct 12th: wow-wee island stockists include abc stores, longs & hilo hattie on maui and at select longs on kauai}

nalu kai lodge

you may have heard that maui's recent crackdown on vacation rentals has reduced the available inventory of affordable accomodations for visitors on a budget. if you refuse to shell out resort rates and are not one for early morning b&b chit chat with strangers, paia's nalu kai lodge may be an alternative.

the 60's style property has been renovated and rooms now feature a cottage style complementing it's fresh boutique lodge vibe. if you prefer a little more space, there is also a one bedroom apartment with a full kitchen that would be perfect for a family traveling with a little one.

you can walk to paia town & the beach, soak in the ocean view from the deck, or have a cookout at the outdoor bbq/tiki bar. keep in mind that it is a vacation rental so do read the fine print regarding cancellation and deposit policies before booking. even so, rates are a bargain and start at $99 on the weekend and includes free wi-fi.

no reviews yet on tripadvisor so if you book a stay do post a trip report.

weekend sales sheet

join the sig zane ohana on the big island this weekend to celebrate the unveiling of an exclusive limited edition design created just for tiffany & co. (yes, that tiffany's). the pendant's debut will take place during celebrate moku o keawe (part fashion show / art auction / marketplace / good eats) to support the foundation's upcoming hula festival in november.

• when: sat, sep 22nd at 6:30pm
• where: waikoloa beach marriott resort

lan from fighting eel sent along word that readers can scoop up styles from the beloved local designers all while saving a cool 20% off. download the coupon before stopping by fe's chinatown headquarters on fridays when the design house is open to the public.

• when: every friday from 10am to 5pm
• where: 47 north hotel street
• fyi - cash & credit cards only
• expires: oct 31st

pacific home is in the midst of their fall special order event so if you have had your eye on a particular mitchell gold + bob williams design now is the time to take the plunge. save 10% on in stock fabrics and 20% on special order upholstery.

• when: now to sun, oct 7th
• where: 420 ward avenue

{update} whoops, forgot to mention earlier that tamara catz is commemorating international day of peace today by donating a percentage of sales to war child int'l. if you have a chance to stop by the paia boutique this weekend, you can take a peek at the resort 2008 collection and score 15% off your purchase (just let them know a little birdie told you about the deal online).

• when: today & sat, sep 22nd
• where: 83 hana hwy, maui

enchantment under the sea

makabibi shell necklace + mop hibiscus earrings

although rockabella jewels creator kristel bandisch started making jewelry six years ago, it was her stint as a shopgirl at the tamara catz boutique that shined the spotlight on her up and coming collection. customers instantly became besotted with the handmade designs she wore to work which led to kristel being named head jewelry designer for the maui-based clothing line.

kristel recently joined forces with co-worker/jewelry designer selina kokotovich of raven's ruby (my, they certainly are a talented bunch!) to expand upon rockabella's laid back meets glamorous vibe to conjure up the island bride collection to compliment tamara catz's recent foray into the world of white weddings.

mop teardrops + sand dollar necklace

even if exchanging vows is not on your to do list, one look and you will want to succumb to the siren song of these curated offerings from the ocean. whether you choose glistening pearl accents or an abundance of delicate shells designed by mother nature herself, the designers', who are both self taught and do all the silversmithing and hand carving themselves, proximity to the sea has certainly influenced their collaboration.

although neither designer has an official website yet, you can scoop up rockabella's latest treasures at tamara catz (both online and at the paia boutique) and at pink by nature in makawao.