aloha sunday supply co.

it should come as no surprise that so many mainland-bound kama'aina settle in san diego when making a new home across the pacific. after spending my college years and early grownup life in america's finest city, i am happy to confirm that the transition to mainland living is a little less jarring when surrounded by sd's gorgeous coastline, (mostly) balmy weather, sizable islander population, and mom & pop spots dishing up plate lunches to satisfy cravings in between trips home.

although the mister and i make the trip down the freeway a few times a year to visit friends we left behind and get our fix of homestyle mexican food (woefully lacking the farther one finds herself from the border), a chance to venture to north park to pop into aloha sunday supply co. has yet to present itself. however, online peeks of its collection of modern day goods made for land and sea have proved to be quite intriguing . . . particularly the jfk-inspired swim collection which i suspect will be a welcome change for those weary of slipping on the same boardshorts as little groms.

the hawaii connection comes by way of co-owner kahana kalama, the fashion forward pro surfer from kailua with a passion for making life better for new friends encountered while surfing faraway shores. the shop and its line of in-house goods is an evolution of the islands' end-of-week celebration moved up five days to encourage customers to begin their week with the same enthusiasm when greeting the weekend.

isn't that the most lovely idea?

arnaz * parker * parkman * manitou

boards & bags

in addition to aloha sunday's lineup of tees (handscreened behind the shop) and boardshorts (produced in california), you can expect to find stylish collaborations with indie design friends stocked alongside handpicked selections by kahana and fellow proprietor billy wickens, vintage finds curated by the missus, a handful of loveliness for the ladies, and made-just-for-them boards in both the brick and mortar & online shop.

• where: 3118 university avenue, north park (near balboa park for those who have visited but are unfamiliar with san diego's collection of neighborhoods)
• shop hours: tue to sat, 11a to 7p + sun, 12p to 5p

p.s. discover new arrivals along with fascinating brand stories and surf adventures on the shop blog.

sunset on the beach

the graduate cardigan

while islanders can continue to wear all the pretty looks tailor-made for tropical temperatures, the mercury has begun to dip on my side of the pacific and i am once again coveting cozy coverups for chilly days and nights spent by the california seaside. it's not often when a collection captures my fancy from head to toe, yet this fall began to look much more fetching after spotting quiksilver's qsw line which invited kaua'i-raised and sf-based artist & designer serena mitnik-miller to be their muse.

in addition to opening up her closet filled with vintage to inspire the w's design team, serena stepped into her studio and sketched out the most gorgeous prints to be translated into jersey, silk and woolen wearables. the mix of toasty geometric cardis, intriguing silk slips, and reinvented toppings perfectly capture the indie coastal lovely, the oft forgotten companion of flirty beach goddess and luxe resort bohemian.

my wishlist is smitten.

more to adore after the jump!

water dress

the neighborhood cardigan * sea of waves tee

nouveau deco dress

the cardis may hint of winter bonfires on the beach and rainy days spent curled up inside with a favorite book and a mug of hot cocoa, but the charming silk dresses will certainly make an effortless transition upon summer's return.

the entire autumn 2011 collection can be peeked and ordered on quiksilver's website while sf friends can shop select styles at general store, the delightful boutique curated by serena and her hubby mason.

• where: 4035 judah street, sf
• shop hours: mon to fri, 11a to 7p & sat/sun, 10a to 7p

{photo credit: quiksilver}

typecast: jeff canham designs

more design goodness for you! with the exception of the official hapa | hale facebook page, i remain a steadfastly intermittent and somewhat reluctant fb-er when left to my own devices yet must follow a dizzying number of designers and shops to scout local possibilities to share with the h|h 'ohana. i can only suspect that my google reader shudders every time i log on with all the unread posts vying for my attention.

while catching up with greenroom (the petite surf gallery in waikiki), a passing reference to one of their featured back in town artists being a local boy made my day. earlier in the year, i serendipitously stumbled upon sf-based designer jeff canham's website and was delighted to browse his collection of creations which range from old timey signage to handpainted wooden collages (scallop-y waves . . . be still my heart!). at the time i did not realize that he grew up in the islands, but once this little tidbit hit my radar i did the happy dance for the chance to share a peek inside the portfolio of one of my favorite designers.

shall we scroll through a few selections which make me smile?

are you swooning over the jack johnson album billboard too?

a seattle baby by birth, jeff spent most of his childhood on oahu surfing waikiki before studying art at the university of oregon upon graduation from punahou. bfa in hand, he soon became art director at surfer magazine and, upon saying aloha to pursue freelance life, eventually found his way up the coast where he settled in san francisco.

after accompanying a friend who was having a sign made for a new surf shop (the now iconic mollusk), jeff immediately began an apprenticeship with the sign writers at new bohemia where he practiced his lettering and discovered a natural knack for hand painted signage.

the signs are what first caught my eye and i love how they playfully capture a bygone era when mom & pops outnumbered chain stores. isn't it especially nice to see a long lost craft from the past enjoying a small renaissance?

jeff's limited edition honolulu and waikiki prints (only 100 of each) were made especially for the greenroom show so hele over if you hope to make one (or both) yours:

• where: 2350 kalakaua avenue, waikiki
• shop hours: daily, 9a to 11p

raise your hand if you are crushing over jeff's designs too!

spring forward with tend

hello eco orb!

mainland week is about to come to a close and i hope you were inspired by the kama'aina lovelies sharing a hint of the islands in their adopted hometowns. before we wrap it up, let me introduce you to today's gorgeous find!

while visiting san diego last fall, i spied a mention of tend owner britton neubacher in a local glossie and became curious to find out more about her oahu connection. while dishing with britt over email, we discovered that we lived just down the street from each other in hawaii kai, and possibly crossed paths during after school candy trips to the pantry on the corner.

even before we shared that small world moment, the mini landscapes found within tend's earthy terrariums (known as eco orbs) already had me at hello. since i hope to one day cultivate a green thumb, it seems only appropriate that my gateway to garden nirvana be grounded with a blush of succulents and other botanical delights which are both drought-tolerant and resistant to my ineptness.

i just love how the modern terrariums are an effortless way to bring nature's abundance indoors and can be set on a table top or hung as a floating garden. britt also plants spectacular living walls around san diego, and creates eco-friendly wonders for cali weddings inspired by nearby deserts with the help of succulents, proteas, air plants, and locally harvested flowers.

let's step on the lanai for a few of the fetching possibilities . . .

autumn wedding * desert orb

hitched tablescape

desert i do's

while hawaii friends willing to source plants locally are welcome to order just the fixings, the four varieties of pre-composed eco orb kits with greenery can only be yours if you call the mainland home. until tend's online shop launches later this year, place your diy order at pigment's plant lab or make your way to the north park storefront when in san diego.

price tag starts at $25 with four sizes to woo you. and do say hello to britt if you require loveliness for your home or i do's.

p.s. find glimpses of britt's latest botanical riffs on tending to it (cheekily subtitled notes from a garden hoe), and follow her monthly column on design milk for modern plant musings.

{photo credit: 1-4/scott caligure & 5/sarah yates}

a peek inside general store

it's back to the west coast for today's mainland week discovery. i first happened across a mention of san francisco's general store in sunset magazine last fall which briefly noted shop proprietor & artist serena mitnik-miller's childhood ties to kaua'i. the carefully curated shop, which serena and hubby mason st. peter opened in early 2010, sounded like a little haven for design geeks so the mister and i made our way to its outer sunset neighborhood during our holiday getaway to the bay area.

the spare design of the shop interior combined with the handmade mix of merchandise was a pleasant antidote for my lingering winter cold. within minutes of our arrival, i was delighted that we agreed on the perfect clock (made in japan!) while i happily scooped up the elusive travel size bottle of jasmine scented hair powder along with a pair of pastel washi tape. somehow my wish list had magically manifested on the shelves within the tiny storefront . . . a very rare occurance for me.

with a few crushworthy objects left behind for another trip, i was most impressed with serena and mason's cultivated eye for thoughtfully designed goods. since we are slowly dispensing of no longer loved things in our small space, general store's wares reinforced our notion to live with less and fill our surroundings with well crafted designs that bring happiness to our day.

curious to see more?

wood stamp

malibu

i have also become quite taken with serena's artwork composed of minimalist wood stamp prints and quiet photographs of the sea. low-key and graceful reminders of keiki years spent exploring the islands and her adopted hometown of san francisco. (fyi: a current inventory list is available on request.)

for those not able to pop in and say hello, an edited selection of pieces from the general store inventory can be ordered in the online shop. and, bay area friends are advised to sign-up for the mailing list to stay posted on pop-up events and art openings hosted by the shop.

• where: 4035 judah street, sf
• shop hours: mon to fri, 11a to 6p & sat/sun, 10a to 6p