Nov 9 
san francisco fashionistas take note . . . bliss lau is bringing her sumptuous island inspired leather goods collection to the bay area this weekend for a little early bird holiday sale. handbags, belts and jewelry are yours for the taking at up to 35% off!
Oct 1 
nyc-based designer bliss lau is out with her fall 07 collection. many of her exquisitely crafted leather goods mix autumn's must have rich hues (think purple, scarlet & navy) with shapes reminiscent of the islands. the bijou features an organic palm frond silhouette while the flora clutch sports an eye catching hawaiian quilt inspired cut out in which to slip your hand.
the truly fashion forward must take a peek at the latest incarnation of jewelry designed by bliss that can be worn traditionally or as a bold layering piece wrapped around your body.
an edited selection of the fall collection is available online or, if you prefer an in person peek, stop by riches kahala & queens candy shop (a stockist list is also posted on the website).
fyi - lucky nyc scores their very own private sale later this week:
Sep 27 
one of the best things about etsy is how it has made art more accessible. caren loebel-fried, the big island artist who creates some of the most spectacular lino block prints (and who happens to be one of my favorite island artists), has joined the etsy ranks to showcase her beautiful interpretations of hawaiian legends and culture.
my fella and i both agree that the storyteller deserves a spot in our living room's little gallery of block prints. and for those romantic souls who keep the lost art of written correspondence alive, i must insist you take a peek at caren's lovely notecard sets.
artwork is archival quality and has been individually printed by hand on handmade paper from japan. both color and b&w prints are available and prices are quite reasonable ($15-$260).
when on the big island, you can admire (and purchase) caren's work at the volcano art center. you can learn more about about the artist and how her journey to this age old art form came to be on her website.
fyi - nyc readers who wish to learn the art of block printing can attend a one day workshop with caren & her mom scheduled to take place on oct 27th. more details can be found here.
art, caren loebel-fried, hawaiiana, nyc big island, mainland, studio Aug 6 
recently, h|h reader erin sent over one of the best tips ever about the modern hawaiian quilts designed by a member of her hula halau in san francisco. since this has been one of the more elusive items on my wishlist, my curiosity was piqued and with one click i discovered quilts created in the tradition of old hawaii but with a truly modern sensibility.
designer michael pechinski introduced kapa mua, his island style modern bedding collection, back in 2005. his work reinterprets the traditional symbols of oceania like tapa cloth, tattoo designs, even the iconic feather cape worn by the ali'i, and distills them into fresh designs perfect for the modern day home.
if you want to wrap yourself in a kapa mua design, just know that quilts are made to order which allows you to mix and match fabrics to work with your budget and space. the end result is a piece of textile art that is both an homage to our island culture and will be treasured in your home for generations to come.
take a peek at kapa mua's ha collection here.
{mahalo erin!}
design, hawaiiana, home sweet home, kapa mua, sf May 15 
more buzz! this time around from honolulu jewelry designer catherine weitzman who is expanding her company's presence in nyc and on the lookout for a girl (or guy) friday. if you live in the ny area and have what it takes to run the new cw showroom and be their in-house pr whiz, email me at aloha [at] hapahale [dot] com to get the full scoop.
