saffron james x anthropologie

kai nui * kai po'i * kai malo'o

offline distractions have kept me away for longer than anticipated but the chance to send you happy thanksgiving wishes along with a pretty island discovery offered by anthropologie prompted me to log-in and say hello!

i happened across these gorgeous limited edition paddleboards last week and immediately fell in love with their bohemian patterns which remind me of stepping inside doris duke's dreamy diamond head estate shangri la. the hawai'i connection comes by way of saffron james (better known as the indie fragrance house founded by big island lovely kate growney) which had the fabulous idea of stylizing a handful of boards with custom textiles evocative of a faraway land.

function + beauty . . . how stunning would one of these look displayed on the wall in between SUP sessions?

more peeks and details after the jump!

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aloha sunday supply co.

it should come as no surprise that so many mainland-bound kama'aina settle in san diego when making a new home across the pacific. after spending my college years and early grownup life in america's finest city, i am happy to confirm that the transition to mainland living is a little less jarring when surrounded by sd's gorgeous coastline, (mostly) balmy weather, sizable islander population, and mom & pop spots dishing up plate lunches to satisfy cravings in between trips home.

although the mister and i make the trip down the freeway a few times a year to visit friends we left behind and get our fix of homestyle mexican food (woefully lacking the farther one finds herself from the border), a chance to venture to north park to pop into aloha sunday supply co. has yet to present itself. however, online peeks of its collection of modern day goods made for land and sea have proved to be quite intriguing . . . particularly the jfk-inspired swim collection which i suspect will be a welcome change for those weary of slipping on the same boardshorts as little groms.

the hawaii connection comes by way of co-owner kahana kalama, the fashion forward pro surfer from kailua with a passion for making life better for new friends encountered while surfing faraway shores. the shop and its line of in-house goods is an evolution of the islands' end-of-week celebration moved up five days to encourage customers to begin their week with the same enthusiasm when greeting the weekend.

isn't that the most lovely idea?

arnaz * parker * parkman * manitou

boards & bags

in addition to aloha sunday's lineup of tees (handscreened behind the shop) and boardshorts (produced in california), you can expect to find stylish collaborations with indie design friends stocked alongside handpicked selections by kahana and fellow proprietor billy wickens, vintage finds curated by the missus, a handful of loveliness for the ladies, and made-just-for-them boards in both the brick and mortar & online shop.

• where: 3118 university avenue, north park (near balboa park for those who have visited but are unfamiliar with san diego's collection of neighborhoods)
• shop hours: tue to sat, 11a to 7p + sun, 12p to 5p

p.s. discover new arrivals along with fascinating brand stories and surf adventures on the shop blog.

island air

kauai boogie boarders

have you ever gazed upon the mediterranean seaside snapshots by massimo vitali and wished for a hawaii edition? luckily, la-based photographer gray malin started the new year by booking a helicopter to fly over poipu beach where he captured aerial shots of the island's turquoise blue waters dotted with happy beachgoers.

while the à la plage, à la piscine series can be found in the official online shop, for the next few days you can scoop up flash sale priced photographs on one king's lane. (fyi: you do need to register for a okl account to access the sale which ends fri, may 25th @ 5a hst.)

let's hope waikiki beach (or makaha!) is next up on gray's shot list.

acacia swimwear: belle nomad collection

tribal

more often than not, a find that delights on screen tends to underwhelm when you meet in person. not so acacia swimwear which i finally had a chance to preview during an impromptu shop scout while home over the winter. i am happy to report that the gorgeous fabrics feel fancy and luxurious in real life while the pretty linings which charmed me from afar proved even more striking during our in-store introduction.

all those little details add up to a lot of love for the two-year-old label with devoted fans around the globe and a moment in this year's sports illustrated swimsuit issue. naomi and lyndie, the designers behind the homegrown line, debuted their belle nomad collection just before the holidays mixing vibrant patterns (zig zags! ikat!) with breathtaking bohemian details for their becoming bikini beauties.

my wishlist fell in love with so many pieces before realizing that the 2012 lineup is welcoming effortless coverups crafted of silk and tencel . . . simple but oh so pretty and quite well-timed considering my preference for more sustainable textiles.

more to adore after the jump!

cantik * choctaw

capri

hanalei * goa

are you swooning too?

happy news if, like me, you shied away from the very flirty bottoms and resigned yourself to adoring acacia from the sidelines. requests for a more demure bottom have been heeded so peek the newest silhouettes (hossegor & vienna) if you have been coveting a tad more coverage.

alas, no official online shop at the moment but island & mainland stockists abound while vida serene offers online ordering for the entire belle nomad collection.

'oiwi ocean gear: friends & family sale

i was about to wait until week's end to share 'oiwi ocean gear's f&f sale then realized faraway friends would miss out on having your order delivered for free!

we can't have that now, can we?

'oiwi's modern spin on ocean inspired designs continues to make me smile (my mister's pueo tee from years ago is still in constant rotation . . . hooray!) so i suspect the only trouble you will encounter finding something to wear or share is narrowing down your wishlist. will it be the simple beauty of the hoe hawai'i paddles or the most melodic swells wooing you this year?

anyhoo, whether you are part of the 'oiwi 'ohana or just know the right girl, everything is now 20% off at the kailua flagship and in the online shop (secret code: earlybird)!

sale details after the jump!

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