no. 10 - honolulu theatre for youth

going to a performance of the honolulu theatre for youth was one of the highlights of growing up in hawaii. it's magical to see stories brought to life on the stage and the hty, the only professional non-profit theatre company in the islands, has exposed millions of kids to the dramatic arts since they were established 51 years ago.

even though their home stage is on oahu, every year the company takes their act on tour around the neighbor islands so kids all over hawaii have a chance to see productions like christmas talk story or tales of old hawaii in person. the hty also holds drama workshops for aspiring thespians as well as for the teachers who inspire them in the classroom.

click here to learn how you can make a difference!

'oiwi tent sale tomorrow

'oiwi terry hoodie

just a quick note to let you know that 'oiwi ocean gear is having a huge tent sale tomorrow. swimwear from past seasons will be marked down and i have been told that the super cute lanikai line which i posted about earlier this summer (and quickly sold out at athleta) will be 20% off.

in addition to the $5 t-shirt table, all regular priced tees & paddling jerseys will be 10% off and 'oiwi is also running a xmas special on their cozy women's terry cloth line (hint: you can snap up a few pieces over in the online sale section for 40% off). also, david from 'oiwi recently sent over a sneak peek of their cool new designs which they are hoping will be ready to make their debut at the shop this weekend.

details:

• when: sat, dec 16th
• where: 'oiwi's kailua shop - map it
• hours: 10a to 6p

honolulu gift fair

bubble shack holiday lathers

the honolulu gift fair kicked off yesterday and a few of the folks featured on h|h will be setting up shop so swing by the blaisdell this weekend to pick up some last minute xmas gifts. there will be 250 vendors, door prizes, and a very shopper-friendly touch is that you will be able to ship your gifts at the fair which will save you a trip and a very long wait at the post office.

and just because you can't be there doesn't mean you can't check out what's new with h|h favorites and still get your order in the mail in time for the holidays!

bubble shack recently introduced their holiday lathers collection (check out the swirls!) with 10 new soaps inspired by the season. the haupia nut cake sounds lovely with coconut, macadamia nut oil, and oatmeal for a bit of exfoliation. these would make great stocking stuffers and since orders over $50 accrue bubblebucks for future purchases it really is the gift that keeps on giving!

punk rock rat + rooster

nine tail fox will also be at the fair featuring their sterling silver and pearl/gemstone jewelry. and, in my quest to find a holiday connection anywhere, let me just say that their punk rock rat ring reminds me of the mean rat king in the nutcracker ballet that i sat through many times as a child. stop by the ntf etsy shop and receive free priority shipping (holiday order deadline is dec 20th)!

handy hold all

finally, the style sisters at fashionista's market are stocking their booth with the latest designs at fm prices. i have to agree that this oh so pretty handbag hanger which has been selected as fm's favorite holiday gift is a much nicer way of keeping your bags organized and sure beats banging holes in the closet wall to hang hooks (guilty as charged).

alas, you have to get yourself to the gift fair to score one of these ingenious hangers in hawaii but i did a little digging and found it online just for you.

details, details, details:

• when: thu, dec 14th - sat, dec 16th
• hours: today 2p to 9p, fri/sat 10a to 9p
• where: blaisdell center
• admission: $5* general public, $3 non-residents/active military/keiki (4-10)

(*if you subscribe to roadrunner then check out oceanic's december ohana newsletter for a $2 coupon)

12 days of christmas

today i'm kicking off a new feature putting a kokua spin on the 12 days of christmas theme. if we can afford to shop 'til we drop then there most certainly must be a little monetary love somewhere (in the bank/coin jar/pay pal account) waiting for its chance to support all the good work of the non-profits that keep the aloha spirit alive in the 21st century.

first up is one of my favorites, hoa'aina o makaha which transformed abandoned land on the westside of oahu 20 years ago into an educational farm where island keiki are taught how to garden and be good stewards of the land.

the kids aren't just growing lettuce, mind you. nope, they are also learning about the uses of traditional hawaiian plants, make honey at the on-site apiary, operate their very own store (from stocking shelves to bookkeeping), and even learn how to monitor water quality. the demonstration farm also produces goodies from the land that is sold to the public to help support hoa'aina's many programs.

click here to learn how you can make a difference!

oaks hawaii holiday trunk show

oaks hawaii is celebrating the holidays in style this weekend with two events scheduled on oahu. on saturday, grab your pals and head up to sunset beach elementary school to pick up fresh flowers, juicy fruits, handcrafted jewelry, and, of course, goodies from oaks (booth 65) at the annual christmas craft fair.

• sat hours: 9a to 3p
• map it!

then on sunday afternoon get yourself to the windward side for a holiday trunk show at global village in kailua. you'll have a chance to dish with the designer and score 20% off the fall/winter 2006 collection.

• sun hours: 2p to 5p
• map it!