sig zane summer 2008

2008 has been declared the international year of the reef and one way you can do your part to help save hawaii's coral reefs is to scoop up sig zane's limited edition kai palaoa design. the ancient hawaiian art form of 'ohe kapala (traditional bamboo stamps used to create tapa) inspired the bold pattern which celebrates both the creation of the reefs and the way of life the reefs sustain for all the creatures who call the ocean home (or consider the waves their home away from home).

a portion of sales from the collection will be donated to support the educational programs of the national oceanic & atmospheric association's national marine sanctuaries hawaii division.

be sure to take some time to click around the online shop which is stocked with lots of new goodies from pretty pillows to stylish leather goods and adorable keiki wear (how cute is that l'il dress!).

or stop by sz's hilo or wailuku outposts:

• big island: 122 kamehameha avenue, hilo
• shop hours: mon - fri, 9:30a to 5p & sat, 9a to 4p

• maui: 53 north market street, wailuku
• shop hours: mon - fri, 10a to 5p & sat, 10a to 3p

ship to hawaii

frequent online shoppers know that shipping to the islands can be a frustrating experience from jacked up shipping rates to pad a company's bottom line to the exclusion of one million potential customers by some mainland businesses who simply refuse to ship to hawaii. shopping local is, of course, the best way to go but that's not always possible so when you simply must hit the internet click over to ship to hawaii which just may become your favorite online buddy.

an annual membership fee (from $20 for the average jane & joe to $150 for a big business) combined with an additional shipping fee gets you access to the company's california warehouse which will receive your order, bundle it up with the goodies of other savvy kama'aina, and dispatches all the packages via air freight to hawaii twice a week (ocean freight is also available for heavier items).

patience is a must and, while door to door delivery is available to the neighbor islands, oahu residents will have to drop by the courier office near the airport to pick up their package.

an online shipping calculator lets you estimate the potential cost savings so if a business offers reasonable s/h this is not always the ideal way to go, however ship to hawaii does open up the tantalizing prospect of all those free shipping offers that are typically restricted to the 48 states.

learn what inspired this brilliant idea over at midweek and remember to read all the fine print before you sign up.

{via smart magazine}

p.s. outrageous shipping charges are not the exclusive domain of the mainland to hawaii route and has been known to afflict orders going in the opposite direction across the pacific (ex: a recent order cost $2 to ship from hi to ca but the company charged me $8 - yikes!) so here's a little unsolicited advice to hi biz owners - get a scale (it is a business expense, after all), sign up for click-n-ship postage, stock up on flat rate boxes from usps, and make a note that packages under 13 ounces can be sent via first class mail.

studies show that i am not the only one who has abandoned many a shopping cart after being presented with excessive s/h fees at checkout. in fact, you may be surprised to learn that 6 out of 10 shoppers ditch their cart prior to completing their purchase. the number one reason? high shipping rates.

merriman's culinary & farm tour

the official arrival of summer seems to be a good time to reinstate the saturday travel post which went on an unintended holiday of its own sometime last year. if you have checked airfares to/from hawaii lately, it will come as no surprise that fewer travelers will be taking to the (un)friendly skies this summer and opting for the budget-friendly staycation (vacations close to home, natch).

lucky for us, hawaii's to-do list has something for everyone so whether you are on island 24/7, returning home for a visit, or just looking to get the most bang for your buck on your hawaii getaway, stop by every saturday to discover a little off the beaten path inspiration for your next round of wanderings around the islands.

if summer plans will be taking you to the big island and good eats are your fancy vacation splurge, book a behind-the-scenes peek and follow your meal from farm to table with merriman's culinary & farm tour. after an afternoon spent touring two of merriman's favorite local purveyors, the ranchlands of kahua & the organic honopua farm, the culinary excursion winds down with a four course dinner at the acclaimed restaurant, one of the original vanguards of hawaii regional cuisine.

• when: mon - thu, 2:30p to 7:30p
• tix: $155 (dinner included)
• fyi: reservations required; ages 8 & up

learn more over at the star-bulletin.

little kitchens = good eats

the place to be next friday evening will be the 2008 little kitchens foodie fundraiser at the hawaii state art museum. enjoy nibbles from island restaurants, farms, and food producers while supporting slow food oahu. if you are unfamiliar with the slow food movement, as you might expect from the name, it is the opposite of fast food focusing on locally produced food, treating animals more humanely, and growing organic.

take milk as an example. as i like to point out to friends, organic milk should simply be known as milk since that is the way it was made prior to the industrialization of the once bucolic dairy farm. if the milk most people schlep home from the market were labeled truthfully - unhappy cows chowing on an unnatural diet of feed to fatten them up (instead of grazing on the grass they were meant to eat) and shot up with hormones - most folks would think twice about taking yet consume every time they pour themselves (or their little one) a glass of milk - perhaps more people would reach for the organic offering.

yes, it will cost you a few more pennies but it's better for the environment and your body since studies have shown that organic milk has more antioxidants and vitamins compared to conventional milk.

alrighty, off my soap box. if my little rant has piqued your curiosity, click over and watch this episode from diary of a foodie for a look at how people around the world are doing slow food right.

• when: fri, jun 13th - 5:30p to 8:30p
• where: hawaii state art museum, 250 south hotel street
• tix: $60
• fyi: 21 and over

p.s. big island readers: if you have a bounty of fruits and veggies growing in your garden and don't want it to go to waste, contact your local slow food chapter which has volunteers in waimea and waikoloa happy to pick the extra produce and deliver it to the food bank.

organik summer 2008 collection

it should come as no surprise that i have been keeping tabs on organik since they debuted last year so it was a happy day when co-founder ed fernandez sent along word of the release of the summer collection. ed landed on the big island a few years ago and while on a road trip with his cousin brian jones suggested the two start a business that would be good for the planet. by the end of the trip, the two had fleshed out the concept for an eco-friendly clothing line mixing ed's background in environmental health (and eye for style) with brian's graphic design talent.

organik (based in kona and tacoma) works exclusively with fair trade textiles ranging from organic to bamboo to recycled fibers. 100% organic pima cotton is the canvas for summer 08's limited edition tees which are handprinted in the usa with water based inks. the design aspect is kept fresh by working with local artists on each collection, and, as an added bonus, the production is powered by wind and solar energy making organik carbon neutral.

treebirds

western

ghostship

you can bet that the line's emphasis on good design grounded by a modern eco-sensibility will lure more fashionistas over to style's growing green movement (fyi - don't let the photos of the pretty boy models fool you - w's sizes are also available). in fact, in less than a year, organik has already scored a nod of approval by the buyers at fred segal and landed in the legendary shop with an exclusive collection just in time for earth day.

currently, there are no plans for an official online shop so click over to the stockist list to locate your neighborhood purveyor of organik goods.