ohanapod getaway

while waiting at my acupuncturist's office yesterday, i had a moment to flip through the summer issue of readymade and chanced upon architect craig steely's latest creation - the ohanapod, a modern guest cottage getaway located a few steps away from the main residence built on the big island's lava fields (thus the name lavaflow 2).

the family splits their time between sf and hawaii so the main components were fabricated in california and shipped over for assembly. friends were wooed to the island to help complete the partial pre-fab design which was constructed in three and a half weeks with volunteer labor (my kind of peeps!). jalousies received a modern makeover and the main design element plays on the ubiquitous window treatment with galvanized steel which both shields the structure while allowing the tradewinds to circulate. a few colorful plexi panels were added for peeks outside and to bring in a little sunshine.

the space measures a mere 144 square feet which is just enough room to keep friends and family comfortable without sacrificing too much land. and, wouldn't the ohanapod make a fab office or studio in between house guests?

the ohanapod, alas, is reserved for friends of the steely 'ohana but you can spend your big island getaway at two other projects commissioned nearby - hale balleja and the monkeypod treehouse which are both located on the puna coast.

p.s. a quick tutorial on making the plexi louvers is shared online as well as a step-by-step gallery of the ohanapod's three week build.

{photo credit: john granen for readymade}

new peeks: organik 2010

m's squid tee

the organik 'ohana kindly sent along peeks of the label's 2010 collection with riffs on kona sunsets and tidepool discoveries along with a few cheeky plays on sustainable philosophies working their way into this year's look book. mixed in is organik's first dip into everyday basics with introductory offerings including certified organic cotton, micromodal jersey and recycled poly blend (spun from soda pop bottles) editions of the iconic wrap dress, tees, tanks, hoodies and polos.

happy news for readers who may shy away from screenprinted designs or for anyone who shares my efforts to replace unwearables with eco-friendly choices (i am, in fact, typing this now while dressed in my favorite stewart+brown organic tee layered over an organic cotton cami). after countless shopping expeditions, i know first hand how difficult it can be to source pretty sustainable pieces made in the good ol' u.s. of a. that do not elicit sticker shock so i am definitely excited about the upcoming possibilities. hooray!

eye chart * free range

w's driftwood tee

w's wrap dress * recycled slub tank

the newest organik arrivals are starting to find their way to the line's network of stockists around hawaii and the mainland. if a neighborhood shopping experience is not in the cards, keep an eye on the online shop or try your luck at organik's green room where you can scoop up past season looks for a song and which will be hosting a preview of the summer collection this weekend:

• when: sat, may 8th - 6p to 9p
• where: the green room, 73-5580 maiau street, kailua-kona (near costco)
• fyi: shop hours vary; call ahead to confirm the doors will be open for your shopping trip

p.s. you can currently save 30% off select styles in the online shop with complimentary shipping on us orders!

merrie monarch market

if you plan to explore hilo town while attending merrie monarch festivities this week, be sure to find your way to the kuikawa boutique which will be stocking a handpicked selection of goods from local designers.

kudos to akemi from paradisus who coordinated this wonderful pop-up shop! in addition to paradisus (including kumu hula sonny ching's collection), you will be able to stock up on h|h favorites like indigenous soap, kealopiko (who will also be in-store), meleana, saffron james, sleep under stars (discovered on h|h!) & kuleana.

even better, a portion of sales will be donated to the nawahi hawaiian immersion program.

• shop hours: wed, apr 7th to sun, apr 11th - 9a to 5p
• where: 160 kamehameha avenue, hilo

p.s. click over to kfve which will be live streaming all the hula performances during merrie monarch week!

weekly sales sheet

sig zane * nina kuna designs

sig zane celebrates its 24th anniversary with a two day sale! enjoy 24% savings at both sz's hilo flagship boutique and the online shop. in-store surprises include daily drawings for aloha shirts and $240 gift certificate giveaways.

p.s. online orders over $240 include an extra bonus to knock $24 off a future purchase.

• when: today, oct 9th & sat, oct 10th
• where: 122 kamehameha avenue, hilo
• shop hours: fri, 9:30a to 5p & sat, 9a to 4p
• fyi: online sale kicks off at 9:30a hst

on sunday, vintage fans will want to hele over to the mu'umu'u heaven yard sale stocked with finds priced from $5 to $50.

• when: sun, oct 11th - 9a to 1p
• where: 767 kailua road, kailua

rock shop returns next week with a vintage fashion bar stocked by cloth including reconstructed looks from the honolulu boutique's in-house label.

p.s. price tag for m's & w's vintage styles range from $8 to $18.

• when: mon, oct 12th - 6p to 9p
• where: honolulu design center, 1250 kapiolani blvd

Click to read more ...

sneak peek: made in hawaii 2009

the made in hawaii festival kicks off tomorrow so here's my annual sneak peek of fresh island goodness ready to woo you at the blaisdell this weekend!

1 - new label one hula girl transforms everyday style staples with a little razzle dazzle.

2. delight both little ones and their mod mamas & papas with personalized blankets, burp cloths and onesies handmade by it's mine baby.

3 - designer janine spalding of mahina pearls crafts lovely compositions to conjure your inner sea goddess.

4 - lather up with kona natural soap's calorie-free cocoa bars handcrafted with chocolate grown on its big island farm.

5- artist joseph dwight recreates island scenes out of stained glass which are the perfect complement for any modern surf shack.

6 - the traditional tapa aloha shirt receives a delightfully graphic update with tutuvi's handprinted textiles.

7 - hawaii island gourmet products continues to make atebara potato chips from the original 1930's recipe while sourcing 'ulu, taro, sweet potatoes and ginger from local farms for their line of salty and sweet snacks.

8 - umi blends offers up their secret island style ingredient for a perfectly seasoned teri burger.

9 - nibble your way to do-gooder status with the yummy treats (furikake lavosh, anyone?) made by rainbow falls connection since 100% of sales fund programs to lift big island kama'ainas out of poverty.

10 - the north shore's old sugar mill brand sweetens your day with chocolate confections harvested from its back yard.

11 - everything tastes better with butter especially when it's the artisanal offerings by waianae's naked cow dairy (be sure to sample the macadamia nut honey & toasted coconut).

p.s. be back later with a special mih sales scoop!