sustainable soiree style

happy news for anyone who loves to flip through the party pages and gaze at the beautiful tableaus composed by the most stylish event planners. green honolulu relaunched its official website (designed by stacy from bradley & lily) last month and added a gorgeous event gallery which has taken a cue from the lovely inspiration boards that have become a must do on all the wedding blogs.

peek after beautiful peek takes you inside the most charming soirées to daydream about being the most fabulous host/ess or a guest lucky enough to score an invite where the little details include pretty parasols to protect partygoers from the sizzling hawaiian sun, the chance to be romanced under flower garland chandeliers, and lounging on comfy sofascapes beneath the starry sky.

gh's gallery inspired a little cut and paste action of my own to share a roundup of all the possibilities from the flowers to the settings to the small details.

more peeks below . . .

since social events can generate a lot of waste, avery solmssen, gh's proprietor & creative director, welcomes every opportunity to green client's parties including the recycling of all biodegradable materials, and has also been known to scavenge materials from reuse hawaii's lumber stash to build centerpiece boxes that have been transformed into planters post-party.

the company offers modern pieces big and small (including sofas, lamps and accessories) for rental, and when the show goes on the road, green honolulu does its best to keep all the elements from flowers to food as local as possible to help support the surrounding economy and avoid flying in stuff from off island.

click over to the green honolulu website to flip through the official gallery and to learn more details about booking their services for your next event.

{photo credit: top // chrissy lambert, shawn starr; middle // visionari, christiaan phleger & lexi mackenzie, dave miyamoto; bottom // christiaan phleger & lexi mackenzie, chrissy lambert, joanna tano}

merrymaking goes upcountry

while the economic slump has everyone fretting about their holiday budget, the upside may be a little less commercially manufactured cheer and more appreciation for handmade goodness, festive moments with family and friends, and dazzling displays of twinkling lights.

one way to celebrate the season without dreading the arrival of the post-holiday bill collector is to kick off a new tradition with the help of ali'i kula lavender which is hosting weekly wreath workshops on its maui farm.

the hour long session includes materials and instruction, you just need to bring a little craft moxie to deck your space with a fancy wreath for a fraction of the cost.

• when: every fri, sat & sun (until dec 21st) - 10am
• where: akl, 1100 waipoli road, kula
• fee: $30
• fyi: reservations required

stepping into summer

hope your holiday weekend was pleasant! to help you ease back into work mode, i gathered up a little eye candy to welcome back summertime. today's inspiration: a roundup of pretty doormats that cheer up this utilitarian staple with a dash of modern island style.

1 - add a touch of whimsy to your doorstep with a school of flying fish.

2 - delicate cherry blossoms dance across the entryway.

3 - stomp your feet while saying "she sells seashells by the seashore" 3x fast!

4 - anthropologie's partridge-esque mellow hummingbird design sings with color.

5 - greet guests with a tropical shower of chrysanthemum blossoms.

6 - finally, a grassy lawn with zero maintenance.

or, get crafty and whip up your own doormat design with a little help from martha stewart!

happy may day!

with mother's day just around the corner, may day seems like the perfect time to be wooed by the tropical beauty of the islands' flowers. all of this year's picks have been grown with consideration of the 'aina (organic or free of pesticides).

1 - upcountry protea specializes in organic varieties of the prehistoric blooms (fyi - prices include s/h).

2 - a dizzying selection of orchid plants can be found at aloha orchid nursery which uses organic & environmentally friendly fertilizers for all the flowers grown in their big island greenhouse.

3 - gift boxes of hana flowers, pesticide-free and washed with biodegradable soap, are harvested daily on the family flower farm.

also, keep in mind that all of the flower farms ship early in the week (typically m/t/w) so plan your order accordingly to ensure timely delivery.

wishing you all a lovely day of flower filled festivities!

red pineapple roundup

red pineapple proprietor nalani mclaughlin holliday scored a little mention in dailycandy yesterday for her eponymous cookie creations. with mother's day fast approaching, time to gather 'round for a show and tell of whimsical gift ideas stocked at nalani's ward centre boutique:

1 - for the green thumb: garden-in-a-bag creates instant blooms

2 - for the fashionista: a stiletto door stop makes for a flirty homage to her choos

3 - for the sweet tooth: pretty packaging conceals nalani's famous cookies

4 - for the wave warrior: a stylish swim tote complete with waterproof liner

missing the gifting gene? take a rain check on that panic attack and let the red pineapple 'ohana whip up the perfect mother's day basket for you. minimum order is a budget friendly $11 plus red pineapple offers delivery and shipping direct to your mom's door.