yummy honey

 

one of the first things that caught my eye when i first spotted a jar of volcano island honey was the label. the artwork was donated by dietrich varez, the noted big island linoblock artist (and one of my favorites), who must be a fan of the lovely organic white honey. in addition to the original honey, you can also savor honey with a ginger, lilikoi or lehua twist.

the artisanal honey company has been sharing their nectar for 25 years and it has been said to be "some of the best honey in the entire world". the secret may be that the honey is harvested from a kiawe forest on the big island where some sort of alchemy occurs when the unique topography and nature meet up with the honeybees.

volcano island honey can be found at specialty shops around the islands. if you're ordering online remember that there is minimum order of $40 to avoid a shipping surcharge or just stop by your nearest whole foods which also stocks the honey.

island treats for halloween

yes, this is probably a bit more than you want to pass out to the trick-or-treaters in your neighborhood unless you live in kahala (although think of how popular your house would be), but big island candies has a few yummy halloween surprises to give to those extra special ghosts and goblins in your life.

halloween treats are filled with everything from those onolicious chocolate dipped shortbread cookies that big island candies is known for to macadamia nut brownies. and don't forget to order a grab bag to keep you from raiding the candy bowl.

hawaiian vanilla company

it's the secret ingredient at some of the most notable restaurants in the islands so, if you love to bake, you may want to stock up on premium vanilla beans & extract from the big island's hawaiian vanilla company which has the distinction of being the one and only vanilla farm in the states.

even if you're not into cooking, hawaiian vanilla has partnered up with other local companies so your tastebuds will be the happy recipient of estate grown 100% hawaiian vanilla coffee, roselani ice cream, and other goodies.

you can even take a culinary tour and discover all things vanilla at an upcountry tea, luncheon or tasting (reservations required) at hawaiian vanilla's vineyard on the hamakua coast.

honokaa hideaway

for those of you thinking of heading to the big island with the latest airfare deal, avoid the overpriced, tourist-filled resorts and go explore one of my favorite places on earth: the hamakua coast. the proprietors of waianuhea offer all the comforts you would expect from a small b+b inn like homemade breakfasts and afternoon wine tastings, but non-luddites will appreciate rooms stocked with modern luxuries like dvd players and lcd tvs.

the inn is also off the grid, powered solely by solar panels, so you know that you are treading lightly while visiting one of the most beautiful spots in the islands. the reviews over at tripadvisor are stellar and, more importantly, the tex drive-in is down the road which means the best malasadas on the island are just minutes away.

beat that waikoloa!

modern tropical getaway

big island home searching for nice modernists dreaming of spending their island getaway somewhere with good lines and thoughtful design during their next trip to hawaii. well, at least that's how i think it would sound if there was such a thing as architecture/design junkie matchmaking ads.

summer may be coming to an end but if you're planning a trip during the popular winter season it's time to get your vacation plans in order. we all know a nice place to stay can be hard to find so why not ditch the questionable attempts at hawaiian design that are so prevalent in the hit or miss world of vacation rentals?

spend a few nights at hale balleja, a modern vacation rental designed by architect craig steely, and discover if you are the modern type. even if it ends up not being your thing, you'll get to enjoy an ocean view without paying resort prices or surrounded by a stranger's outdated notion of island decor.