hello september!

hopefully, your summertime was filled with good times spent with your nearest & dearest along with random new discoveries destined to become lifelong favorites (mine: duck confit corn dogs handmade by the delicious kitchen at real, a gastropub. next time, our pau hana party agreed to order up enough plates so we each have one to call our own rather than splitting with our sweeties).

let me begin the first post of fall by sending a big mahalo to you, my sweet h|h 'ohana, for all your patience so i could enjoy a much needed summer free of online obligations. it allowed me to be next to my dear hubby's side as we said our final farewells to his dad and then recharge my soul with downton abbey marathons, reading stacks of books borrowed from the library to fall in love again with well-written words, and tackling all the tiny projects that had fallen by the wayside (mending pile - check!, archive emails - check!!, transfer domain to new company as my small protest against former registrar's ad campaign objectifying women - check!!!).

i'll be back tomorrow with an especially sweet post but 'til then find a few fun diversions for your week ahead along with the makers of the fab designs featured above after the jump!

• click over to gypsy's online shop & scoop up discontinued styles for 40% off with secret code luna (expires: fri, sep 7th).

• photographer rita coury who just happens to be one of my lovely sponsors & who snaps the most delightful photographs of little ones and the people who love them will be hosting her second annual mahalo showcase on fri, sep 7th. a gallery of rita's favorite pictures snapped over the past year will be shared (find an adorable preview in h|h's sidebar) along with giveaways galore.

• super citizen, the indie emporium specializing in eco-friendly goods, has decamped from chinatown and opened up shop at kahala mall. (alas, former neighbor chinatown boardroom shuttered its doors earlier this year.)

oh, and a bit more background on the designs featured above before i sign off for the day. i first spotted these cheery hi tees at the human imagination in chinatown which offers them in a generous selection of styles and colorways for keiki and grownups.

and the bubbly typeface featured in ashley johnston's happy-go-lucky we live hawaii design can't help but make kama'aina smile. stickers can be had in a rainbow of colors or share the aloha with a trucker hat.

off to make a batch of pineapple fried rice and listen to the first lady's speech!

shop peek: owens & co.

one of my favorite boutiques to visit whenever i find myself back on the island is the always delightful owens & co., the sweet design shop located in the most gorgeous corner space in the chinatown arts district. the cheery chevron curtains framing the windows instantly brighten my day and the curated collection of local and faraway finds are a design geek's dream come true.

something fabulous is always waiting to woo me whenever i pop by to to say hello - stacks of decorating/gardening/cooking & craft books, handmade sparkle and carryalls, playful domestic wares, pretty paper goods, and a selection of buzzy indie goods being swooned over on pinterest (hello washi tape, anthology magazine, and leather baggu pouches!).

missy, the shop's lovely proprietor (who shares my house hunters internationale obsession), is constantly on the lookout for charming discoveries to indulge our latest design obsessions as well as little delights perfect for every gifting occasion.

enjoy a peek of new summer arrivals after the jump!

scents & stacks

a.wattz * fortune

summer arrivals

in addition to elusive merch you have been crushing on compliments of your favorite design blogs (and ever so difficult to find in hawaii), owens & co. happily stocks goods from local makers including jewelry by justine, meleana handbags, so'mace tableware, and saffron james (did you spy the just introduced monoi/tamanu/coconut body oils up above?).

even if the shop is closed it's always fun to peek through the window, but do plan to stop in and wander about when honolulu's delightful indie emporium is open for business (note: missy's hubby jeff steps behind the counter when errands call her away from the shop).

• where: 1152 nu'uanu avenue, chinatown
• shop hours: mon to fri, 10a to 6p & sat, 11a to 4p

p.s. missy & jeff generously filled my shop tote with bars of nuuanu & pauahi soap (created in collaboration with the human imagination, a few doors down the block) on my last two visits, and i would love to share them with a few lucky readers. send me a note by the fourth of july and you might find a summer surprise in your mailbox!

new peeks: malie style collection

i dare say i have not been this excited about a new collection in quite some time. malie, the kaua'i company best known for their island scented offerings and pampering body treatments, recently welcomed a gorgeous new resort wear collection made to woo island lovelies far and wide.

a sampling of malie's thoughtful design details: a palette of ocean blues reminiscent of the pacific, an eco-friendly organic cotton/bamboo jersey knit chosen for its comfort in the tropics, and playful patterns featuring modern interpretations of island sea life (the i'a print above is inspired by our state fish).

the tunics, convertible skirts, maxi gowns (ombre alert!), and fluttery wraps are simply too pretty to describe so let's have a look at a few of the beauties from malie's debut collection after the jump!

hanalei tako & ombre

makani wrap * waikiki ombre

{swoon}

lucky for us malie founder dana roberts turned her daydreams of effortless island chic wearables into a fetching real life wardrobe for the rest of us to covet and call our own.

the capsule collection is happily made in the usa which officially ticks all the boxes on my elusive wishlist (pretty + sustainable + produced in the states = style trifecta . . . hooray!).

peek the entire collection in the online shop (fyi: complimentary shipping on orders over $100) or pop into a malie boutique to admire in person:

• kaua'i boutique: 2-2560 kaumuali'i hwy, kalaheo
• shop hours: mon to fri, 9a to 4p

• oahu boutique: royal hawaiian hotel, 2259 kalakaua avenue, waikiki
• shop hours: daily, 9a to 9p
• fyi: if you follow the garden path from the royal hawaiian shopping center, the malie boutique will be on your right tucked away in the famous coconut grove

florencia arias summer 2012

stella * lucille

the flourishing chinatown arts district has become the neighborhood that often woos me for an afternoon of indie shopping when i hop home for a visit. during my winter holiday, i popped into florencia arias's flagship boutique and was delighted to find the softspoken argentinean designer tending to shop tasks behind the counter.

florencia was happy to share more on the making of her shop, which opened its doors last fall (lots of tlc including the most gorgeous cursive sign handmade by her architect hubby), and her design process revealing that longer hemlines were on the way in response to repeated requests by island lovelies (who, quelle surprise!, are a bit more modest than their south american counterparts).

and so, while summer 2012 continues to mix solids and patterns in a flirty yet wearable way, you can expect to find a convertible maxi skirt featured among the color-blocked dresses, pleated pops of color, and fresh editions of last summer's crush.

more to adore after the jump (including tardy spring 2012 peeks)!

daisy

dahlia * tulip

a peek inside the shop . . .

florencia remains committed to producing her label in hawaii (hooray!) so please do pop by the shop and say hello. the sun-drenched space is also stocked with local & argentina pretties from handmade jewelry to posh pua bikinis.

summer 2012 looks will be arriving next week at the flagship boutique, your neighborhood stockist, and the online shop. spring 2012 offerings are beginning to dwindle so hele over now for a peek of remaining styles.

• where: 1161 nu'uanu avenue, chinatown (just around the corner from marks garage)
• shop hours: wed to sat, 11a to 5p (open til 6p on thu & fri)

p.s. tomorrow's first friday fun (5p to 10p) includes 10-to-50% off florencia arias designs, 20% off jewelry, and an additional discount for purchases tallying over $100.

dream weaver

the stacks by my bedside have become overwhelmed with books on energy medicine delving into the chakras, reiki, and acupuncture with a few pages on quantum physics thrown in for good measure. with the turn of every page, my high school crush on mystical gemstones becomes ever more reignited so it should come as no surprise that vega jewelry's fatty leather wrapped crystal has become quite coveted on my wishlist.

(perhaps the zen-like tranquility of a quartz paired with wooden beads is calling your name?)

design inspiration kisses victoria kray, the maui-slash-nyc alchemist behind the collection, while wandering beneath the stars, in the waves, and across the desert. i just love how each piece balances energy with edginess . . . . channeling ancient notions and mingling in modern elements to woo lovelies who coexist in both worlds.

and, what should i discover while peeking the official facebook page? a weeklong 40% off sale on leather sparkle which kicked off only hours ago! (secret code: leather2012)

kismet seems to be smiling down upon me today.