hapa | hale

weekend sales sheet

. . . oaks stars tee : dream by hazelnut cottage . . .

woo hoo, this weekend is filled with sales a-plenty!

the candy shop introduces the street society (vintage kicks) & blue geisha (vintage threads) to their roster of indie finds with a private sale. score 25% off clothing & accessories and 10% off shoes.

• when: fri, june 30th - 5p to 11p
• where: 831 queen street

the doors of fighting eel hq are open to the public to clear out inventory during their 4th of july sale. score pieces from past seasons for only $30!

• when: fri, june 30th - 10a to 6p
• where: 47 north hotel street
• cash only!

roberta oaks celebrates the 4th with an online sale. selected items from her eco-chic collection have been marked down 30%.

• expires midnight, thu, july 5th

time to stock up on your favorite charms at hazelnut cottage. buy 3 pieces to receive 10% off your order and free shipping!

• expires midnight, tue, july 31st

slice of island life

these lovely 'ilima notecards are taken from a series of work by big island artist eve furchgott who was commissioned by the hale kuamo'o center for hawaiian language & culture at uh hilo as a teaching aid for students enrolled in hawaiian immersion programs across the state. the images of what are essentially hawaiian word cards are so evocative of life in hawaii that they make me just a little bit homesick (but in a good way).

. . . plantation children . . .

eve, who is primarily self taught, has a way of capturing the little moments that make life in the islands so unique. her plantation children monoprint reminds me of photos of my mom & aunties as small kids in their homemade dresses back in the day.

. . . the want ads . . .

take a peek at eve's website to see more of her work and to kick start the ordering process (email, phone & usps orders welcome). and you can feel good that you are helping to make a difference since a portion of the proceeds from sales of the 'ilima notecard set goes to further the efforts of hale kuamo'o.

see more from the series (which is numbered at over 300 images) via art in the iron works' website (here and here).

more reasons to love muumuu heaven

kailua's small town atmosphere is reason enough for a day trip, but there is so much good stuff happening at muumuu heaven here are a few more reasons why it's time to head over the ko'olau range.

• bamboo! muumuu heaven designer deb mascia will be revealing the latest additions to her bamboo collection tomorrow night (details below). one touch of the new tops, tees & dresses made of this eco & tropic friendly fiber and you'll understand why its become a favorite of green fashionistas everywhere.

• summertime cuts. vintage muumuus have been transformed into the season's must have voluminous baby doll top (perfectly paired with jeans & shorts).

• free bag! online orders over $50 score an extra treat in the form of the farmers market tote bags made of remnant aloha fabric that have been a shopper's favorite at the boutique. keep one in your car to have handy when it's time to run a few errands and tote your purchases in style (plastic bags are so last century).

• girl's night out. champagne shopping parties can now be booked at muumuu heaven. the shop is also welcoming mom's groups or anyone else who is looking for a meet up spot for their peeps. email events [at] muumuuheaven [dot] com for more details.

• and, calling all artists! muumuu heaven opens its doors during kailua's second sunday art walk and is looking for local artists who need a home to showcase their work. email love [at] muumuuheaven [dot] com for info.

in addition to denise tjarks handbags, the boutique now stocks accessories from meleana, pua jewelry & more. and don't forget to take a peek at muumuu heaven's very own delightfully retro notebooks made of vintage album covers.

party in heaven details:

• when: thu, june 28th - 5p to 8p
• where: muumuu heaven's kailua shop
• etc: enjoy pupus while you discover bamboo

make it a sig zane summer

sig zane's online shop has been restocked with fresh goods for summer. i'm loving the sz punahoa coin purse which is such a pretty way to keep all the little things in your bag in one place. and it's a virtual steal at only $12.

sig zane's latest take on the breadfruit can be seen on this season's hilo one bag with its lovely uluwehi keaukaha design. the warm orange sorbet colorway adds a juicy splash to your accessory closet that will easily transition when autumn rolls around. plus, the ability to wear it messenger bag style means you can get up & go with all the essentials at your side.

radical sabbatical

ever dream of starting a new life on your very own artisan farm? before you ditch your 401(k), consider testing the waters and signing up for an internship at hawaii island goat dairy which is looking for volunteers to assist in whipping up their award winning goat & feta cheeses.

if you are willing to exchange some sweat equity (i.e. tending to the herd, milking duties, farm maintenance) for room & board, you will be immersed in the age old craft of cheesemaking so long as you can commit to farm living for 2-3 months.

the honoka'a dairy specializes in mouth watering goat cheeses with flavors like smoked guava, dill & garlic, and basil macadamia pesto, and counts hawaii's top chefs like alan wong & daniel thiebaut as some of their biggest fans. big island goat cheese is plated at many of the islands' best restaurants (merriman's, café pesto, as well as many luxe resort eateries), however foodies on a budget can find fresh batches of cheese not already spoken for at the waimea farmers market and a few big island food shops.

check out the full stockist list (and learn even more about life on a farm) via hawaii island journal's visit to the dairy earlier this year.

weekend sales sheet

. . . peridot earrings : lemon quartz hoops . . .

jools summer sale

• 15% off everything
• secret code: summer15
• expires: mon, june 25th

bubble shack blowout

• 25% off organic lotions (price reflects discount)
• expires: sat, june 30th

two snaps for ginger

the balmy weather when i hit the kcc farmers market was reason enough to hit the queue and order up a fizzy concoction at the pacifikool booth. the cooler is made of the company's signature ginger syrup (which has become a foodie favorite since making its debut a few years ago), fresh basil leaves & lemon making for a refreshing accompaniment during my stroll around the market.

its versatility in the kitchen has made the island made ginger syrup (who knew that hawaii is the states' largest producer of ginger) the secret ingredient behind everything from island style cocktails to teriyaki sauce not to mention the homemade ginger ale which put the company on the map.

in addition to the kailua & kcc farmers markets, bottles of both the original ginger & thai ginger syrups are stocked at local shops and are finally available online (where you'll also find the company's latest offerings of gourmet biscuitti and handcrafted ginger soap).

a day at the museum

we had a bit of an adventure finding the hawaii state art museum on our trip home (which i find a tad ironic considering i walked past the building every saturday morning in my youth). the museum opened in 2002 in the former ymca (and prior to that was the original royal hawaiian hotel) and houses a wonderful collection of work by island artists.

the walls are filled with artwork (herb kawainui kane, jean charlot & madge tennant are just a few of the artists represented), photography of hawaii's past & present, sculptures, and some of the nicest benches to sit upon and ponder the art before you.

our time inside the gallery was a bit of a whirlwind since the parking meter was ticking away, but even with the time crunch we managed to find a photograph snapped by my mom's high school chum on display.

a few tips:

• admission is free (but donations are welcome)
• be sure to check out the events page before you go (especially if your little ones enjoy art making)
• save time cruising the streets for a spot for your car with the very helpful parking guide

as for downtown, the museum's spanking new café by the folks behind kaimuki's town, while my lunch companions were underwhelmed with their selections i was happy with my salad made of local, organic ingredients. the space is airy and filled with light and, of course, artwork making it a pleasant spot to meet friends for lunch or grab a bite before you wander through the galleries.

despite our uneven experience, i would give it a second try considering they had only been open a little over a week when we visited and still had a few details to iron out. and, worker bees looking for something new for lunch should check out downtown's weekday quick service asap menu which sounded, dare i say, even yummier than the sit down side. check out nadine kam's review for her take.

taro delight

one of my favorite foodie finds from this last trip was taro delight which was brought to my attention after samples of this starchy treat beckoned my fella while we waited for our gourmet lumpia to be fried up at the adjoining booth during our visit to the kailua farmers market.

imagine an island version of hummus made with a smoked version of the polynesian staple and blended with olive oil and other good for you ingredients. the dips are free of preservatives and filled with ono flavors like wasabi and green thai curry. even the vegan-friendly taronaise was a hit when we shared it at a family dinner.

you can find the taro delight booth at the kailua & kcc farmers markets as well as tamura's wine shop in kaimuki.

learn more about how taro delight came to be here and here.

hello again

. . . rainbow connection . . .

perhaps catching the red-eye isn't the best way to jump back into life bright eyed & bushy tailed. i have been smacked down by jet lag and various ailments since my return earlier this week, but wanted to pop in to say h|h will be back on monday with all the goodness from my trip home.

until then, a few picks from my field notes . . .

• if you haven't already been, do go to the kailua & kcc farmers markets and behold the bounty of the 'aina. alas, no photos of all the tasty treats and beautiful blossoms since my camera decided to leave home without its battery. curses! oh well, it redeemed itself by snapping this photo on my last day home.

• candy is dandy! finally stopped by the candy shop and admired all the indie goods from local designers roberta oaks and akane clothing. tcs is also the exclusive stockist for cutnsewn (the buzzworthy line created by uh fashion grad dan weaver) which gets extra brownie points for tempting my fella (along with those sweet keep sneaks) with its über-hep threads. and much love to toast for the very lovely cherry blossom note cards which has been happily added to my stockpile of stationary.

• and finally, even with just one onolicious spoonful, i now know why haupia is roselani's top selling ice cream. it is usually sold out at the market when i go home but my aunty scored a carton at foodland much to my delight. if you happen across it, drop it in your cart and think of me while you devour it this summer.

and many mahalos to everyone who sent along their condolences. i owe more than a few emails and hope to catch up with everything & everyone over the weekend!

a visit to hazelnut cottage

. . . oh meet me at the sea . . .

in a world of fast fashion, one way to make your mark is via the charming hand stamped designs from hazelnut cottage design. the romantic in me thinks this would be a lovely way to send/keep a secret message to/from your beloved near to your heart.

. . . sister . . .

honolulu designer jan avellana's soul sings through her profile which describes her long journey from the corporate world to embracing her lifelong dream of artmaking. each .925 sterling silver piece is crafted by hand and then oxidized to create the effect of a vintage find discovered in a paris flea market.

complimentary gift wrapping is available and, as with most etsy shop purveyors, custom orders are always welcome.

picnic in the park

because hawaii is the land of the picnic and the potlock, why not surprise everyone at your next shindig with partyware that is both pretty and gentle on the earth. i am loving the organic shapes and pleasing palette that comprise this biodegradable set from decor craft which is a guilt-free way to go disposable when toting stacks of breakable dishes is just not practical.

more proof that good design not only puts the fun in functional but is also eco-friendly to boot. stock up on your favorite color over at plum party.

treasure hunters in paradise

take one part da vinci code, mix in the amazing race, add the islands as your backdrop, and the intoxicating result is ravenchase adventures. if you have ever daydreamed about cracking codes while racing around the island, the time has come to gather a few friends and sign up for ravenchase's next treasure hunt to hit the pacific.

alas, there is no million dollar prize waiting for the winners, but the victorious team scores bragging rights and a hard earned trinket or two for their efforts. it's truly all about the journey for goonies at heart who must decipher clues with only a treasure map to guide them (and a few actors placed strategically along the way) to hidden nooks and crannies around the island which tests not only your teamwork skills but your knowledge of both the terrain and arcane of hawaii.

races typically take two hours with town and waikiki as the primary playground, however the neighbor islands are getting a little ravenchase love with recently rolled out adventures taking place on the big island and maui.

entry fees start at $25 for kama'aina ($35 for non-residents) and hit the $60/75 mark if you want to join the two day quest for the golden gnome race scheduled on oahu the weekend of june 16th (be sure to read the fine print before booking your reservation).

learn a few winners' tricks while living vicariously with the midweek team who raced all the way to the number one spot last year.

home sweet home

just a quick update that i am flying home for an expected but still unexpected visit to attend my aunty's memorial service. between that and surprising our nephew on graduation day, i expect to be slammed with family obligations on this trip so my apologies to any friends reading this who i may not see this time around.

oh well, an abundant to do list means there will be lots to share upon my return . . .

hope the sun is shining wherever you may be!

weekend sales sheet

first up, fashionista's market is back this weekend with racks filled with betsey johnson, ed hardy, literature by elliot hans, frankie b jeans & isabella fiore handbags.

details:    

• when: sat, june 2nd & sun, june 3rd
• hours: 10a to 2p
• where: japanese cultural center
• admission: $7 (register online to score the $3 fm member price)

on sunday night, head to kaimuki for double the accessory love with pua jewelry's summer show featuring meleana handbags.

details:    

• when: sun, june 3rd - 5:30p to 8:30p
• where: town